Topics of Tamriel
Herein will be a list of random dialogue to add flavor, context, lore, meaning, and life to the world of Tamriel Rebuilt.
Slavery Topics:
Latest Rumors: The slave trade is still strong here in Morrowind. Some say that the Dunmer were the first to enslave any other race. They used to round up humans, their pale complexions becoming soot-stained from the unforgiving weather and terrain. The Empire says slavery is bad, but if you ask them how they built their capital city in Cyrodiil, scowling eyes and hushed murmurs are the only answer you'll get. There are very few, if any, human slaves in Tamriel anymore. Seems that when Morrowind was osculated by the Empire the human slaves were all freed. The Khajiit and Argonians had a less bright outcome, however.
Latest Rumors: By theistic law, the Dunmer believe they retain the right to own slaves. Culturally, they are used as servants and chattel. Economically, they are used as a means to exchange gold or goods. Morally, the Dunmer could care less what the Empire thinks.
Latest Rumors: Some tribal chiefs in Skyrim still use slavery as a form of status, but since the people they own are given small portions of land or meager wages, they are considered servants. Whether they serve willingly or not is another question. They are usually garbed in plain clothes with trinkets pinned to them to symbolize which reach they serve or what land they come from. I've heard of a few High Elves in servitude in Skyrim. Never seen it myself, but one can only think that the Altmer either didn't go so easily, or they are there for a different reason.
Little Advice: Have you ever seen a slave bracer? Just the image of one can move some mer into submission. I hear they're cold, tight, and they drain the wearer of all Magick, so escape is futile. There's been more than a few would-be escapees who've been axed down for trying to run on foot. Some do make it, however, and if they ever make it back home...they usually bring with them a disdain or hatred of Morrowind and the people who live here.
Little Advice: Trying to go around freeing slaves? It's a noble gesture, but there are too many whose pockets you'd be thinning out if you did that. Better have friends in high places, or a death wish, if you plan on trying to democratize slaves, especially further south.
Little Advice: No one likes an abolitionist in these parts. Some Dres will hang the n'wah out by the slave pits for all the fur and scales to gawk at for a few days. I've seen some people let go alive, but not without collateral for the slaver kingpins.
Little Advice: There's a small group of people who believe in diminishing the slavery laws here in Morrowind. Can't say they're wrong, but can't say they're right either. Rumor has it that one of the founders of the group is an ex-Telvanni. Hah, could you imagine?
Little Advice: To own a slave is both an entitlement of ancestry and a symbol of dominance. Some slaves are used to do menial housekeeping, some mine for minerals deep within Nirn's skin, some are used for trade only. In parts of Morrowind, some may be used as brides, or even worse, purely sexual assets. Not sure who'd want to pay for that, but I'm sure where there's willing people, there's someone looking to make money.
Slavery: It's a concept that is hard for some to understand, and harder still for most to accept. There are those who take the testament-given right as a sign to be belligerent and greedy, and that can understandably make most people view Dunmer as savage, unjust, and primal. But if you grew up hunting around for fertile farmland, and your father grew up hunting for fertile farmland, and his father grew up watching his father and his father's father do the same...and one day someone told you you cannot hunt for fertile farmland anymore; what would you think?
Slavery: It's a custom. It's a right. It's a privilege. An honor, even. Only fools would abuse the ones who mercilessly tend to their own home. A true Temple devout would treat a slave just as they would treat the harvest the slave gives them; with respect and gratitude. No need to go around kissing the tail of every slave you have, but it's not within heritage to treat them like worthless bags of meat and bone.
Slavery: Disposable, the lot of them. Work one to the very core of their essence, break them down, get all you can out of them, then throw that one out and get two more with the money the first one made you. They ain't got any better lives in the plague-ridden swamps or the ruin-riddled deserts they come from anyway, so they should show their homage in the only way they can for the life we so graciously give them. Which is hard work and, most importantly, not complaining.
Slavery: Men and mer alike have had slaves since the dawn of the First Era. They have been used to build, tend crops, mine ores, manufacture items from bottles and baskets to armor and weapons, and service house and hearth. In some cases, cultural assimilation has been noted between dominant nations and the races they have enslaved. In some smaller Khajiit clans in north-western Elsweyr that were continuously preyed upon and enslaved by Valenwood slavers, it was recorded that they began adorning their heads with feathers and branding their backs and arms with designs akin to the tattoos some slaver caravans were covered in. Whether through a means of trying to look more like their captors in fear of them, or because they took actual interest in the culture, is up for debate.
Slavery: The Empire said it's dangerous to keep slaves because it could eventually cause civil unrest between nations, and because it's not moral. I've yet to see any armies march up from Argonia or Elsweyr, and I've yet to see anyone struck down by the merciful hands of the Tribunal for owning a slave.
Slavery: It's a lucrative market and a back-stabbing environment. I don't think I could trust someone who goes around herding people up like cattle for a living. You can tell that some of the slavers have those lusting eyes, too. Like they live for the rush of feeling more powerful than someone else. I guess warriors look for that same fix, too, but battling for blood and glory is a bit more acceptable.
Slavery: Have you ever been inside a slave pod? Smells awful. In older times, the slaves used to be rounded up after a fresh trip over the borders into large tents decorated in shalk shells or bits of river strider carcass. The slave watchers would paint the shells vivid colors and they would correlate with which pit the slaves were to be shoved into that day. Blues and greens meant pits that were given tiny portions of food and water. Reds and orange and black meant the slaves were going into pits that were not given anything at all. Some say they had to stop herding the slaves into pits like that because there were cases of cannibalism so they were loosing potential profit. All speculation and word-of-mouth, of course.
Slavery: This one is no slave, but has heard of many who are not so fortunate. Fresh from the shell, some are taken and raised to know only slave life. It hurts to think of things such as this, for Morrowind is a beautiful place with many hills to freely run to the tops of. For some of the scale, there is no hope. For this one, there is great thanks to the Empire's laws trying to protect it and its marsh-clan.
Slavery: Khajiit knows of the hardships and the word-speak of these lands. So why is Khajiit here? Why are any living now here? Perhaps if Khajiit were dead, and you were dead as well %PCClass, we would both not be so knowing of these things that happen here? Does it make difference to you or Khajiit standing here with you that slaves are here? Maybe some are clan-brother and sister. Maybe some would have killed Khajiit and you if they were not forced to wear iron rock hands. Perhaps the milk runs into the sea sometimes for reasons this Khajiit cannot explain.
Legion Topics:
Latest Rumors: There are whispers going around the council halls that someone is trying to contract the Thieve's Guild to do a little assessment of security over in Old Ebonheart.
Little Advice: Join the Legion. Get a strong backbone, see different parts of the world, let your comrades become your brothers, and find love time and time again in every city you visit. It's a life of wonder and excitement. Some get too old for the field and have to sit behind desks doing paperwork for this and that. You can tell they never wanted to trade their steel for a quill.
Little Advice: Pledging yourself to the Empire in Cyrodiil is done through a ceremony involving majestic silk cloths being draped over your head while holding a silver claymore dressed with tassels representing each section of the Imperial City, specifically for the initiation. You get a real sense of power and devotion while reciting the Emperor's Oath as people gather around and applaud you, and the members of the Legion beat their swords on their shields in a magnificent rhythm that signifies the unity of the Empire. Here in Morrowind, it's a bit different. But the Empire is stretched so thinly out in these parts, if you've got two eyes and two hands you just agree to serving the Emperor and that's it. It's sad, really.
Little Advice: Scandals involving Legion members and House guards used to be a bit of a problem, though things have seemed to calm down a bit, especially near the Almalexia border. It would be wise to keep your own agenda quiet from either party though, if you're not entire devoted to one or the other.
Little Secret: Nine Divines. Eight of whom are considered “True Divinesâ€Â. The ninth? Talos himself. Unifying all of Tamriel is no small feat, but to become a god? Truly inspiring.
Little Secret: The Legion is made up of numerous people from all walks of life and of all different races. It's no surprise some towns and forts are known for their questionable practices of “Imperial lawâ€Â.
Little Secret: The Legion, scrib scum, all of them. My ancestors built this land up from a deserted pile of sticks and Guar to the hospitable town you see here now. And then the Empire comes marching in, wanting nothing more than to take over the ways of old and turn it into a power symbol. Morrowind was already a peaceful place, but I'd rather have died fending off the Legion than be under their eyes and noses at all times.
Little Secret: Though there are many different cultures in Cyrodiil, there are also many different breeds of Imperials. They say Nibenese make the solders, Colovians make the better sailors, and the Nedic-Cyrods make the better artists. All of the talents of each culture can be seen within the Legion, and it is worthwhile to mention that the unification of the continent was; and still is; a long, bloody battle filled with talented men and women.
Religion:
Little Secret: A house of mirrors, four corners to uphold it, with each mirror becoming more and more twisted as you mingle through the halls, deeper into the House of Troubles. The lost souls are lured in by illusions of Magnificence and Pride, and then they are tortured in numerous ways. If they are lucky, they get ripped to shreds by claws and talons. Most end up stuck in a psychiatric prison of decay and solitude.
Little Secret: What does it mean to be an Indoril, you ask? Ha, a lithe statement. Some Houses and Keeps like to show honor by force, or by blood, or by oath. House Indoril does all of the above, while keeping an aristocratic whim and a judgmental, yet guiding, structure. There is a reason we are Beloved of the Saints and Three, and we intend to keep it that way until the very sea itself comes and swallows our temples and our shrines and our hearths whole.
Little Secret: Only through rigorous devotion and love can one find exactly what happiness and sorrow is. The Imperial Cult is there to let all wanderers know that they are not alone, and they are always watched for.
Little Secret: Beyond what we can see in front of us, there is a vast chasm of influences. Some comes from the light, some from the dark, some blend together and make it hard to tell which is which. Many men and mer have looked tirelessly for the answers to Nirn, and have only found it lingering on their last breath.
Little Secret: Money can buy anything. I wonder, how much money does the Tribunal really have? Can you really buy faith, though?
Little Secret: They say Lie Rock, anon Baar Dau, is destined to one day fall. Foolish, yet realistic. Those humbled by the grace of the Tribunal to let us live in such times are those who find solace in knowing that death serves only to bring you down the star-path to home. To Velothi, to the Kingdom of Dreamsleeve. The end and the beginning.
Little Secret: Scriptures have been written over thousands of times, teaching thousands of lessons, to thousands of years' worth of people. What I wouldn't give to be at the Hall of Wisdom in Vivec, surrounded by tomes and scrolls and epitaphs towering up to the ceiling, each page a new insight into the sanctifies of faith.
Little Secret: You can feel the power of the Nine on the wind across your back. Or in the rain drops that bleat across your face. Even in the grass that cushions your feet on journeys all around the world. All that surrounds you is mastery, mysticism, and matrimony between mortal and infinite. I live every day accepting these miracles, and giving thanks for the opportunity to witness them.
Little Secret: May Kynareth guide my arrows into the hearts of my foes, and may she lift their spirits on the winds and carry them to a better home.
Little Secret: May my soul burn with the passion of Akatosh, allowing me to overcome any obstacle that dares to protrude upon me, and may my time on this plane be filled with grace and servitude.
Little Secret: May Arkay levee the waters of Oblivion, so that my thirst for wonder and knowledge may never be quenched.
Little Secret: May Dibella fortify my mantra with the passion of matters of the heart, and may my head rest every night on silks made from her beauty and her intimacy.
Little Secret: May Julianos balance my patience and my rambunctiousness with insightful scales and just prominence, and may he keep alight my fires for truth, no matter how darkly the night descends.
Little Secret: May Mara keep me warm with her embrace, and let me think of things in a wise and motherly nature, and never subdue to the temptations of lesser fortitude.
Little Secret: May Stendarr kindle my compassion to encompass all things of virtue and brevity, and may he keep my heart pure with the allegiances of love and honor.
Little Secret: May Zenithar influence my words and my daily transactions, both in monetary wealth and honorable gains, and may he assist me in forging bonds of family and friendship that may never be broken.
Little Secret: May Talos keep me sundered from the malevolent forces of this world, may he always be watching me from atop the Sun Ray Crown, may my battles be observed by his whim, may my loses be consoled by his mercy, may my home be blessed by his omnitude, and may my death be bequeathed to his unparalleled power. Amen.
Little Secret: The sex-death of apotheosis lingers in the air of the High Temple of Almalexia. Most Dunmer tend to forget that their gods are but aspects of the “good Daedraâ€Â, and thus they still relish in barbaric rituals and sordid acts of valor.
Little Secret: You would have to be crazy to go into the Heartlands of Indoril territory trying to preach the worship of The Nine. Many Indoril killed themselves rather than submitting to the Empire when the Armistice was signed; imagine what they would do to someone trying to disbar their religious beliefs in the vein of that very same dominion.
Morrowind Lore: Most Telvanni don't bother with religion, but there is a surprising acceptance of it up near Port Telvannis.
Morrowind Lore: I always wondered how the Imperials can worship those they don't see. We have the embrace of our gods; if that's not worthy of worship, I don't know what is. City-adobes of the Tribunal are right here before us! We can feel their love and feel the refuge in their godly presence.
Morrowind Lore: The Alma-Rula is the magistrate of Almalexia and of the Tribunal Temple. The serfs and laymen of the land bow before her, and even the air itself is in awe of her mastery. Many people line up and leave tithes to the Temple in her honor.
Morrowind Lore: There are many Saints of Veloth, and our religion twists deep into the past, with the Exodus of Veloth, to the Dragon Break, to the Immortal Champion and the Soulburst interference. There is but one way to understand the scale of how much our ancestors have done for Nirn in the past, and that is by virtuous study and strict discipline of the holy.
Morrowind Lore: Incarnate? Ha, if Lord-General Sera Indoril Nerevar were to come back from the Aetherius he would spit upon the shores of Morrowind. Ruled by an Empire, host to despicable Great Houses that kneel before the “mighty†gold coin, distraught of all mercy and power it had before. Indoril and Dres country are the only places of refuge left for a true Dunmer.
Morrowind Lore: The Dwemer were a devious race that believed they were put upon this plane accidentally, and that Nirn was here only to be manipulated and bent to twist the fabric of reality and to serve as a vessel for their brass magicks and steam-prophecies. And I thought the Altmeri were ego-centric.
Morrowind Lore: No one knows exactly what happened to the Dwemer at the Battle of Red Mountain. A whole race; vanished into thin air. For a long time the Tribunal thought them to be godless and to only worship techno-spirits, but during the recent uncovering of old ruins near Red Mountain and Skyrim suggest that they actually had a religious hierarchy or pantheon of sorts amongst themselves. I'm not sure what a sermon from a Dwemeri Cog Prophet might be like, but I imagine it would involve a lot of steam and lightning bolts.
Morrowind Lore: Azura is the most prevalent Daedric prince in Morrowind’s history. Though the Daedra have no true gender or form, Azura is considered to be the Mother of Morrowind and the Harbinger of Dusk and Dawn. There are few shrines in tact that are dedicated to her, but it is rumored the Chimer of Velothi once had a great city built around a statue of her.
Morrowind Lore: Ancestral worship is a sacred bond the Dunmer inherited from their more primal predecessors. In the early years of the Ehlnofey, death was just an infant. But once the Great Sacrifice was made it became more common to see fellow mer die; and to honor the brevity the Ehlnofey had, the Chimer started to keep the spirits of the deceased in their temples. This evolved into the ancestral worship you see presently, though it is a much more intimate affair these days. Dunmeri priests and priestesses take great care to ensure the spirits of the dead are at ease when they are pulled from the Aether, and that they will serve in undeath as prideful warriors, just as they were in their waking lives.
Morrowind Lore: Simple-minded Bretons and Imperials can never grasp the simple concept, outlander. The message is short, blunt, and to the point. Leave our dead alone! The n’wah think the worship of our ancestors is akin to necromancy, and I’d be more than happy to cut one of them down and pull their spirit through to roam the wilds, with no purpose to serve, to show them the difference!
Morrowind Lore: The Ghostfence that isolates Red Mountain from Vvardenfell is powered by sieving energy from the Dreamsleeve and by the vast amount of soul gems that are left as offerings at the shrine at the Ghostgate. While being primarily maintained by the Tribunal, without the dedication of the Temple devout the Ghostfence would surely fall and the Blight would swallow the land.
Miscellaneous Topics:
Latest Rumors: Some Redoran warriors came through recently, talking about some tomb they found that got them all shaken up. Tending to the crops is enough for me, a life of constant wild adventure and near-death experiences might be up your alleyway though.
Latest Rumors: %PCRace is very cautious, yes? Knows all the good hiding spots from eyes of lawmen? Maybe even knows when to stop running in these wilds, to take slower pace so no bad ones come up on a tired %PCClass? Should always carry fancy vase full of potions and brews to help heal wounds and rest up quicker. Maybe this Khajiit knows where to get some of these things for free.
Latest Rumors: Master will not let me speak while working, whips and tantos cut the fur. If master has key to these bracers hidden somewhere, this would make life of this one more easy.
Latest Rumors: The sate of affairs on Vvardenfell paints a grim picture for the Great Houses over here on the mainland. No sense of camaraderie, no sharing of hearth and supplies, just greed and secret murders. I even saw a prominent shareholder of the East Empire Trading Company leaving the chambers of the daughter of a Hlaalu Magistrate in the early morning. Laying with the enemy, and disregarding the sanctions of what the forefathers of our land died for. It will be a dark day for the Dunmer when the Empire finally extinguishes the little flame of Velothian life we have left.
Little Advice: Older House Dunmer always have a saltrice stalk suck up them when it comes to “Imperializationâ€Â. They will claim that the moons themselves will come falling down, Almalexia will collapse upon itself, the River Thirr will dry up, or the crops will all wither and die if anyone other than a Dunmer so much as touches the doors to a Househall. I say change is good and the money of those to the west is even better. New types of food and alcohol and even styles of clothes and weapons can be seen coming into Morrowind, and it leads to a more integrated society; both allegorical and hierarchical. I see it as homage to Velothi, as he lead the Exodus to give us all a better life; and we’re finally seeing that.
Little Advice: Scuttle smells like old milk of Clan Mother on a hot day. Looks like furball that was coughed up from Milk-Brother sick with Canyon Fever. Taste is not bad, and it surprises this Khajiit. Sometimes, it may be that surprise is a good one, yes? Little moving shells make this, and eating more of it makes this one feel light as a feather. What a mystery.
Little Secret: Sleeping in the wilderness is fine, even a bit refreshing. You get to take in the sweet, fresh air, gaze up at the stars, find the constellations, and embrace the beauty of nature. But sleeping in town? No guards like to see that, and loitering is for the lazy who have nowhere to go or nothing to do.
Little Secret: The sewers are always a good place to find secrets. Most people don’t bother to go down and plunder things that are right beneath them. Sometimes unsavory folks dwell in them so they can conduct their business in privacy and away from the guards. I wouldn’t be surprised if there were places that could be accessed from the sewers of the bigger cities that haven’t been touched since the old kingdom of the Aldmeri.
Morrowind Lore: Azura may be the most important of the Anticipations, but she is known as a cunning and scheming god. In the older days of Daedric worship, the devout of Azura were known to wear dark blue robes and put red clay from the banks of the rivers to the south-west in their hair to mimic the fire-like rage Azura possesses. Not too longer after the Daedra were ousted from Velothi views, the very rivers that were once used to harvest the clays began to yield less and less fish, until entire villages died off due to starvation. Or at least that's what they say...
Morrowind Lore: There are many hidden things in Morrowind and on the isle of Vvardenfell. Prophets and warriors of old have fallen in many places and they still hold on their bodies the treasures they once sought out and used in battle.
Morrowind Lore: Potions are always useful and can benefit anyone for any reason, but you can also eat the raw ingredients the potions are made from and get various effects from them. A taste of Hamum Root can restore any fatigue a traveler might feel, for instance. Some ingredients may actually harm you if you eat them though, so it is best to use caution. If it looks dangerous, it probably is dangerous.
Morrowind Lore: The Veloth Mountains are the coldest place in Morrowind. Settled in the north-west they border Skyrim, and there are crypts and tombs from Nordic settlers and Thanes. House Redoran has many outposts and villages nestled high up in the peaks of the mountains as well. The creatures that thrive amongst the harsh climate are rugged and dangerous as well. They say that there may still be some ruins of old Nordic King-Sayers and temples devoted to those who could harness the power of Thu'um hidden or buried in snow up there as well.
Morrowind Lore: Whispers of the ancestors and the lingering dead whisk through the halls of every building and roam every street and alleyway in the Holt City of Necrom, outlander. There is no greater homage than to kneel before the great catacombs and pledge yourself to defending the homeland of the saints. Surely the Imperials could learn a thing or two about culture and brevity if they could use take a moment to stop lusting for power and gold and listen to the sounds of Nirn. I wonder; what do THEIR dead have to say to them?
Morrowind Lore: Daedric shrines; you know them, yes? The odd, pointed building structure and the long, indecipherable names? Nearly all of them are old ruins that get re-inhabited by outcasts and devout of Daedric worship, but I have heard that there is one that is still largely in tact from back in the Dawn Era somewhere in Morrowind.
Morrowind Lore: The Telvanni are a sect of Dunmer who originally had no interest in ancestor worship and cared only for magic studies. The founders of House Telvanni were said to have been chosen as wise men and seers of Ashlander camps and the tribes of mainland Morrowind, but they decided instead to adjudicate about more scholarly matters rather than follow visions from the Aether or sit around campfires and herd animals. Eventually the House grew and became respected through the land, and the Telvanni were even heralded as divine warriors for their mastery of magicka. It is still common to see some Telvanni spellswords hired on by various Great Houses for protection or as mercenaries to carry out dangerous tasks.
Morrowind Lore: Think you've got a true understanding of House customs and ancestral worship, outlander? Got some guts in you? Willing to go into battle without fear of death, no matter the odds? Good, I want you to take all that confidence and work on it until it's a thousand times more vibrant, and maybe then you can join House Redoran.
Morrowind Lore: There are so many exotic locations in Morrowind that it's been nearly impossible for anthropologists to try and catalog the ancient civilizations that thrived here. It's incredible to imagine how many secret lairs, towns, or crypts still out there that haven't had a soul step inside them for hundreds or even thousands of years.
Morrowind Lore: During the daytime the land is very esoteric, almost serene in its beauty. At night, however, it takes on a very different feel. The moons of Masser and Secunda are said to be the decaying body of Lorkhan, and the light they provide is his eternal woe mixed with his angst since he was slain for tricking the Aedra into creating the mortal plane of Nirn. The night is the stage that the moons use to debut their somber play when the sun creeps away, and as such the land becomes twisted and dangerous.
Morrowind Lore: As odd as the Telvanni are, there is a reason they operate the way they do. On one hand they have many powerful wizards at their disposal for protection so they usually do as they please without fear of much retaliation from other organizations. On the other they do not care for politics or religious sanctions so they usually do as they please without fear of any retaliation from other organizations. Though most leaders of the House suffer from dementia or they could care less about the towns or cities that are built around their towers, the Great House somehow still stands to this day.
OLD EBONHEART DIALOGUE: Generic Dialogue-
Little Advice: This one of the only places on the Askkaedh Coast where you can find quality supplies and the comforts of Imperial living. There's Anjzhirra's Rare Goods right across from the chapel in high-town, but you better have enough coin to throw around and buy something, or else you'll get booted to the street. If you're on more of a budget, you can look at Arnulf's on the eastern end of town. Just try not to get mugged on your way in the door.
Little Advice: People seem to forget that we're just a stone's-throw away from Vivec and the 'New' Ebonheart. I'm not sure if the Empire moved their headquarters so closely to the holy city of the Dunmer on purpose or not, but the smartest thing you can do is pretend Vvardenfell is another continent entirely and not bring up the fact to anyone. There's people here who find much more pressing matters in the volatile nature of the mainland than they do on some island across from them.
Little Advice: Buy low, sell high. If you can do that, you can run a better shop than Yaguz gro-Dhaluk, the poor man put everything he had into the shop, but it seems to be failing.
Little Advice: Aristocrats and high-and-mighty nobles flood Old Ebonheart's castle and the western end of town. You might want to watch what you say when you're in those areas, the walls are lined with gold, eyes, and ears. It's not uncommon to hear a pauper disrespecting a noble family one minute, and then seeing him be dragged away by the guards the next.
Little Advice: There's an old saying my uncle used to say, 'The road to Old Eboneart is paved with good intentions; and the blood of many angry Dunmer. But mainly the blood of many angry Dunmer.'
Little Advice: Do yourself a favor and get a decent weapon before trudging off into the wretched wilds outside the gates. I've heard all sorts of horror stories from friends and travelers making their way between the cities. Bandits raiding caravans, rogue mages raiding caravans, vampires raiding caravans, even caravans raiding other caravans! If only the Empire could entirely control this nation, maybe then the people of Morrowind would know peace and harmony.
Little Advice: You've got your western end of town; that's where the Grand Chapel of Talos and the fighter's guild are, and it's where all the royalty likes to go. Heading north from the plaza will bring you across the bridge to the castle. I don't think they have a name for the bridge, though I've heard 'Talo's Tail', 'Gray Emperor Way', 'Million Stone Bridge', and 'Akatosh and the Askkaedh', to name a few. Then east of that you've got your mid-town; modest merchants, middle-class housing, and the mage's guild. Further east still and you're in the commons. Lots of opportunity to make a quick septim there, if you don't mind getting your hands, or, ahem, claws, dirty. I would stay away from Otrebus Delagia's house though, people tend to go in there and come back out looking worse than a guar with Scarlet Fever. If you head north of there then you'll come to the wharf. My favorite spot in the city, personally. You can just sit and watch the boats bob up and down on the waves all day long if you want. Plus the smell of the sea and the sound of the Empire bustling...there's no other feeling like it.
Little Advice: Steer clear of Otrebus Delagia's house, citizen. The guards are always trying to survey and lock down on the residence, but no matter what there are seedy people who leech in and out of there, doing one thing or another to make life for us hard-working common people that much more unbearable. I think the people in there get paranoid sometimes though, because suddenly there will be no more traffic around the house for a day or two, and then it starts right back up again.
Little Advice: Go see Yuaile if you want quality enchantments without having to deal with the mages guild. I don't dislike the guild itself, but the enchanter over there was over-heard talking about how Ashlander methods of enchanting are superior to anyone else's and I don't think the guild should be associated with someone of such a mindset.
Little Advice: The Cyrodillic wines we have in town are much better than the local swill. Taste-wise there is no crisper drink than Kvatch Wine, and if you need to pack an extra punch in a pinch, then there is no replacement for Sutch Wine. The Surilie Brothers make a fine wine that I swear will make you more persuasive the more you drink. All of the wines come from the temperate climate regions of Cyrodiil, and the soil there is much more different than here in Morrowind, so the taste and quality is something you just can't grow in this province.
Little Advice: Watch out for spies in the castle. Lately there have been murmurs of the higher court being infiltrated by either the Thieves Guild or even the Camonna Tong. I shudder to think what either of them would be planning to do with our wonderful city.
Little Advice: The city has much to offer, even for a %PCClass like you. Various shops and taverns are all around, and if you're ever looking for adventure there's always someone in need of help. Just try not to form any alliances with people you may regret doing so with; there's a very distinct hierarchy of favorable and unsavory people in the city. It's never a good idea to make enemies with people who can have you “taken care ofâ€Â, even if you do it unknowingly.
Little Advice: Ever been called an outlander? Ha, well no need to worry about that here; we're all loyal citizens of the Empire and this is where we belong. Even the Dark Elves who live here are much more tolerant and all-around pleasant than in other parts of the land.
Little Advice: Keep your coin purse close to you if you're going to the east side of town or down by the docks. The magistrate and the guards like to act like they have the entire city under control, but they are really just sweeping the problem under the rug. Just last week three of the shops got broken into and all I saw the guards do was “promise to followup with a thorough investigationâ€Â. We'll see if that ever happens.
Goren Vonith:
Latest Rumors: There's an island to the north-east of here that has a local legend attached to it. Some say there's a giant den of smugglers that operate out of there, and while House Redoran has never officially scouted it out, we have kept a close watch on its shores and never seen any activity. I have a feeling there may be something more sinister or...profane there. I may just take a personal trip out there to see for myself as soon as this training course is over.
Little Advice: High up here in the Velothi Mountains is the best place to train for combat. The higher elevation makes every movement you do more taxing, so your endurance builds up much quicker. Us Redoran pride ourselves on being able to fight effortlessly in these conditions, and it makes us much more agile in normal elevation climates, and fighting in a suffocating ash storm is a lot easier as a result as well. If you want to take advantage of this technique make sure to take it slow at first; I've seen quite a few experienced adventurers collapse due to over-estimating their abilities in this climate.
Background: I am Goren Vonith, steward of Llalim Manor and House Cousin in Great House Redoran. In the past I have served as a lowly patrolling March Guard out here in the Stones' March. I was young and a fast learner so I was made Honor-Guard for the Llalim family. At the moment, I'm acting as the local drillmaster for hopeful House Redoran prospects. Who knows where my life of honor and discipline will take me next?
Honor: Many outlanders say they do not understand it. They know the definition of the word, yet they do not know the application of it. Most natives even think House Redoran is stuck in the days of old in Morrowind's history; they think we should put our swords and bows aside for coins and fine silks. This is not the way the spirits of our ancestors cast their shadows on our hearths, and eras ago our founding clan-fathers took an oath to appease both the Temple and the spirits. We will never turn our backs on those who have fallen defending this nation, and this House will go on to serve this duty until the end of time. Those who call us foolish now will call us brilliant when we stand against the looming threats of war at their city walls.
Little Secret (Disposition 64 or lower): Medium armor gives you the movement needed for battle in versatile conditions while also offering more protection than chitin or fur. I train all my students in this school of war, but I will admit that I have seen one or two March Riders wearing a glass cuirass and it does look both intimidating and light.
Little Secret (Disposition 65 or higher): You see Tirrell over there? I'm not sure what it is exactly, but I have a sense about him. Like I've seen him somewhere before, and I'm uncertain weather it was under good or bad circumstances. He refuses to wear anything but light armor, which is respectable, but I just feel that I'm misplacing something else about his personality. It's as if he knows too much about sword stances and muscle movements to be seeking out any training from me. Maybe I've just been working myself too hard and my mind is playing tricks on me.
Somewhere In Particular: I've seen a lot of places and covered a lot of ground in the Stones' March and further north in the mountains and I still feel I haven't even seen a fraction of what Morrowind has to offer. Kogotel is somewhere I would suggest anyone and everyone to go visit, but do be warned that the patriarchs and Crab-Kin have no empathy towards outlanders. You will have to prove yourself thrice as hard if you wish to hold any sway, but the beauty of the city is worth the blood required to unlock its doors.
Morrowind Lore: The Tribunal Temple has outlawed any worship of Daedra in Morrowind. The 'good' Daedra are tolerated and understood to be the triangle upon which the foundation of Morrowind's bones protrude from, and for that I can respect them. I have gathered that Great House Dres, however, still practices the Old Ways in a fashion that makes me uneasy. But who can stop them from doing what they will way out in the marshes of the south? I've heard tales of Dres warriors since a young child, and if there's any truth to them, then the Dres are not only truculent, but they are also relentless, so they may just well do as they please without fear of intrusion from the Temple or the Empire.
Topics of Tamriel
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Ironed Maidens
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I felt inspired today after the meeting and I really do like the idea of having River Striders be used solely in Dres areas as (mainly) slave and cargo transport. I know it isn't official and there are a lot of kinks that would need to be worked out, but I wrote some stuff on the topic of them in the vein of the new idea.
Dres Formal Planning – River Striders
River Strider: River Striders are large bugs with hollowed out shells that can transport large loads of slaves, people, or supplies from the hard-to-navigate swamps of the Argon up north to the flat Deshan Plains and back down again.
River Strider: They're exceptionally big bugs that can easily navigate water quicker than any boat. The Dres use them mainly to transport slaves and harvests around the south-east. They say their cries are carried on the rivers and streams themselves and can be heard from far away.
River Strider: I've heard of them but never seen one. They act as a larger type of Silt Strider, used to transport people and goods. The Telvanni invented the manipulation of Morrowind's insects, so perhaps they can tell you more about them.
River Strider (Telvanni, 50 disposition or higher): Comparable to a Silt Strider on the surface, but the insides are vastly different. Very hard to make incisions into the membrane beneath their shells. No outlander knows how to operate them, and no outlander ever will. Only the Dres have been told the technique. And before you ask, no. I won't tell you anything; I'd be killed for just thinking of it.
River Strider (Telvanni): They're faster than any boat, can carry as many mer or slaves as a warship, and are considerably smaller. I don't know how to operate one and I don't intend to ever learn, as I hear it takes years of training and how could anyone ever have that kind of time to spare?
River Strider (Select Telvanni, 59 disposition or lower): Why don't you go down to Tear and ask the caravaners themselves how they work?
River Strider (Select Telvanni, 60 disposition or higher): Look, I like you %pcname. And some things just can't be discussed., however I'll put my head right in the path of the fireball to tell you this. The River Striders are made docile and a series of rods and wires are implanted into their brains. Some of the rods are left protruding from the shell and are used to manipulate their movements. There's dozens of these rods and it takes an almost forbidden knowledge to know which rods control which part of the insect. But once someone masters the technique, the River Strider is faster than any other form of physical transportation. Only us Telvanni and the Dres know how to operate them, and it will stay that way forever.
How To Operate Them (1): There was some agreement or something made, long ago, between Dres generals and us. We would make them and teach them how to drive, and they would be the only ones to ever know how they worked. I really don't know more than that, but the secret could never be revealed. I don't even know how to operate them, honestly.
How To Operate Them (2): I'm old, but not old enough to know exactly what happened between the Telvanni and the Dres. The only truth is that we cannot tell anyone who isn't a verified member of House Dres how to steer them, and even then it takes years to fully understand the mechanics behind operation of them. I'm sure you can understand.
How To Operate Them (3): Like I said, no outlander will ever be able to know even the basics. So stop asking.
How To Operate Them (4): I believe is was some threat of war or some such that the Dres gave our House long ago, back when we were small and feeble, that made it so we could only teach them how to operate the River Striders. I really don't care, I don't want to end up on the bad side of our lords and it's not a trade secret that can be put down on paper anyway, so I keep my mouth shut. Sorry, %pcname, but I'll never like you enough to devote the time to you it would take to teach the technique anyway.
River Strider (Dres): We use them to transport slaves and goods. And if you keep talking, I can make sure you're on the next shipment out of here to labor the fields.
River Strider (Dres): Big bugs in the water. Can't miss them, even if you tried. You're not that stupid, are you outlander?
River Strider (Dres): They're fast, but my blade is faster n'wah. Now get out of my face.
River Strider (Dres): Around here, we use the bodies of annoying outlanders to feed them and keep them strong.
River Strider (Dres): Only us and the Telvanni know how to operate them and navigate them through the swamps and streams. We can move slaves and food quickly and efficiently with them.
River Strider (Dres): They're used mainly for slave transport and harvest delivery. Occasionally, the caravanners will take on passengers for a fee and drop them off in another town or city.
Dres Formal Planning – River Striders
River Strider: River Striders are large bugs with hollowed out shells that can transport large loads of slaves, people, or supplies from the hard-to-navigate swamps of the Argon up north to the flat Deshan Plains and back down again.
River Strider: They're exceptionally big bugs that can easily navigate water quicker than any boat. The Dres use them mainly to transport slaves and harvests around the south-east. They say their cries are carried on the rivers and streams themselves and can be heard from far away.
River Strider: I've heard of them but never seen one. They act as a larger type of Silt Strider, used to transport people and goods. The Telvanni invented the manipulation of Morrowind's insects, so perhaps they can tell you more about them.
River Strider (Telvanni, 50 disposition or higher): Comparable to a Silt Strider on the surface, but the insides are vastly different. Very hard to make incisions into the membrane beneath their shells. No outlander knows how to operate them, and no outlander ever will. Only the Dres have been told the technique. And before you ask, no. I won't tell you anything; I'd be killed for just thinking of it.
River Strider (Telvanni): They're faster than any boat, can carry as many mer or slaves as a warship, and are considerably smaller. I don't know how to operate one and I don't intend to ever learn, as I hear it takes years of training and how could anyone ever have that kind of time to spare?
River Strider (Select Telvanni, 59 disposition or lower): Why don't you go down to Tear and ask the caravaners themselves how they work?
River Strider (Select Telvanni, 60 disposition or higher): Look, I like you %pcname. And some things just can't be discussed., however I'll put my head right in the path of the fireball to tell you this. The River Striders are made docile and a series of rods and wires are implanted into their brains. Some of the rods are left protruding from the shell and are used to manipulate their movements. There's dozens of these rods and it takes an almost forbidden knowledge to know which rods control which part of the insect. But once someone masters the technique, the River Strider is faster than any other form of physical transportation. Only us Telvanni and the Dres know how to operate them, and it will stay that way forever.
How To Operate Them (1): There was some agreement or something made, long ago, between Dres generals and us. We would make them and teach them how to drive, and they would be the only ones to ever know how they worked. I really don't know more than that, but the secret could never be revealed. I don't even know how to operate them, honestly.
How To Operate Them (2): I'm old, but not old enough to know exactly what happened between the Telvanni and the Dres. The only truth is that we cannot tell anyone who isn't a verified member of House Dres how to steer them, and even then it takes years to fully understand the mechanics behind operation of them. I'm sure you can understand.
How To Operate Them (3): Like I said, no outlander will ever be able to know even the basics. So stop asking.
How To Operate Them (4): I believe is was some threat of war or some such that the Dres gave our House long ago, back when we were small and feeble, that made it so we could only teach them how to operate the River Striders. I really don't care, I don't want to end up on the bad side of our lords and it's not a trade secret that can be put down on paper anyway, so I keep my mouth shut. Sorry, %pcname, but I'll never like you enough to devote the time to you it would take to teach the technique anyway.
River Strider (Dres): We use them to transport slaves and goods. And if you keep talking, I can make sure you're on the next shipment out of here to labor the fields.
River Strider (Dres): Big bugs in the water. Can't miss them, even if you tried. You're not that stupid, are you outlander?
River Strider (Dres): They're fast, but my blade is faster n'wah. Now get out of my face.
River Strider (Dres): Around here, we use the bodies of annoying outlanders to feed them and keep them strong.
River Strider (Dres): Only us and the Telvanni know how to operate them and navigate them through the swamps and streams. We can move slaves and food quickly and efficiently with them.
River Strider (Dres): They're used mainly for slave transport and harvest delivery. Occasionally, the caravanners will take on passengers for a fee and drop them off in another town or city.
