Deeza's books

[Deeza]

Just a few short books I'm in the process of writing that I will drop in to update from time to time...

Periptero's Guide to Stormhold

A tourist guide sold by the street salesman in Stormhold. Periptero is a very knowledgeable Argonian but is trying to make his pamphlet seem "up-market" to the point of being almost incomprehensible:

Stormhold is a Great Imperial City, representing niceness of the highest standard of Quality, revealed as of the expectations of the esteemed vistor. Implanted in the year of the Conquest by the Number Two Empire of Reman Cyrodiil, Stormhold, city of the Marsh Elfs, has ever been the Capitol and First Point of call for visitors seeking to retain the civilised life upon entrance to this Province. Periptero humbly offers this briefest of guides to the many sights and conveniences of this citadel, for their comfort and experience during their sojourn.

1. Periptero, your All-in-One-Stop-Man for Informative Discourse and Expendables, humble author of this leaflet, keeps shop in the main plaza of Stormhold underneath the be-caged giant root of indigenous mysteries. Available at any time of night or day at your convenience, I offer prices of the most beneficial nature obtainable within the interior of the walls. Visit me as your first recommendation of experiencing the city.

2. Ruins of the Marsh Elf Kind, are to be found in abundance throughout the city, the finest of examples being as exemplary specimens the Phoenix Statue, equidistant betwixt the Cathedral of Eight And One Divinities and again between the Park of the Imp Statues. This magnificent symbol of bygone spleandour was reconstructed with much labour and interpolation from fragments observed in the ruins. Many other examples restricted in access can be observed distantly affixed to the walls of Stormhold Castle and betwixt houses.

3. High Cathedral of Divine Akatosh and Aspect of Caring Mara - example of oldest excellence in field of Black Marsh theological discourse, most memorably made solid in stone excresences from the famed master of masonry Tiligrael of Lillandril. Demolished fourfold by repeated fires and diverse rebellious sentiments, the most present incarnation being created by the most generous benefaction of Lord Iulius Rottmere. Be sure to view for your satisfaction the statuettes of All Nine Divines in the ceiling alcoves, and also the emotive Chapel of Mara for the more private consolations of pious visitations.

4. The Iulius Rottmere Museum of Argonian Folklore -



Notable Governors of Black Marsh

Exactly how many Imperial officials have ruled Black Marsh in the name of the Emperors over the centuries is a matter of some debate. At various times the whole province has been ruled by a single Governor, as it is today, at others by individual Governors of each city. Records are poor, and tenures frequently overlap, making it hard to tell who (if anyone) was in charge at many points in history. Nevertheless, some famous characters distinguished themselves enough to earn a place in Black Marsh's history.

Gideon Praxatel, 1st Governor of Stormhold - deserves special mention as the first ever and longest-serving Governor in history, appointed by Reman Cyrodiil to oversee the construction of the city of Stormhold, and later, further expansion into the province. A hard-working and stern man, Gideon was rarely seen outside his offices during the day, and had uncompromisingly brutal attitudes towards discipline and justice. Exactly how long he served as Governor is uncertain. Records are so poor that an untrained scholar could gain the false impression that his tenure lasted almost three centuries! The city of Gideon in western Black Marsh was named in his honour.

Rupert "Rumpus" Merrant, 22nd Governor of Black Marsh - one of only two Governors who was actually born in the province, Merrant was raised in Soulrest, where his father was a high-ranking official. Ambitious and with a healthy respect for the local culture, Merrant was one of the most popular Governors in history following his rapid rise through the civil service. However he proved financially incompetent, and was replaced after just four years. Crowds of commoners in Archon and Blackrose rioted in protest.

Ijjux-Leiz - though he held no official title, following the deaths of the 38th Governor and all his staff in an outbreak of plague, Ijjux-Leiz became the de facto ruler of the province as the highest-ranking Imperial official remaining. The only Argonian ruler of Black Marsh in over six hundred years, Ijjux-Leiz kept order in the province for twelve months. In recognition of his services he became the first ever beast-man to be awarded the honour of Knight of the Imperial Dragon.

Prismates Jumilie, 43rd Governor of Black Marsh - a Breton mathematical and chessplaying genius, Jumilie masterminded fiscal reforms which still form the basis of much of the province's administration today. However he is noted chiefly for the legend that he once played a game of chess against Sheogorath, who turned up at Stormhold Castle in the guise of a beggar. The game is said to have involved "ten-dimensional boards, and screaming, shapeshifting pieces that could move forward and back in the same move". Though he did in fact defeat the Mad God in a best-of-three chess match, Jumilie went completely insane in the process. However, Sheogorath is said to have rewarded his vanquisher with an enchanted fairy cake which gives the bearer superhuman strength.

The Battle of Kungomabog

Though it might not appear so to the uninitiated visitor, the eerie, isolated Everglade settlement of Kungomabog is the scene of some of the bloodiest moments in Black Marsh's history. The source of this conflict? The unremarkable, house-sized boulder which pokes above the waterline just outside the town.

Yet closer inspection reveals it is far from unremarkable - the rock, known locally as the Earthgall, is in fact hollow, and floats upon the water! Such a rarity would be extraordinary in itself, but a small, ancient door is to be found in its side, and those who have seen its interior claim that it is "jeweled, as though it were a gigantic geode". Naturally, such a unique place has been much prized by many invaders and pirates, but a dark an ancient magic pervades the stone and every attempt to mine it or break it up for sale has been met with embarrassing failure.

Though the source of the enchantment is uncertain, a journey into arcane Black Marsh Lore reveals the stone to be one of the five Stations of the Eye, pilgrimage sites of deep significance linked to the legend of the Eye of Argonia and an important part of the ritual of the crowning of the Priest-Kings of old (the other Stations being the Pit at Soulrest, a Dunmer monastery in Arnesia, the Shatterstone in Lilmoth and the lost city of Helstrom).

Following the dissolution of the Imperial Monarchy of Argonia shortly after the War of the Red Diamond, the exact constitutional status of the Priest-Kings of Lilmoth has been so confused that it cannot even be summarised here. Suffice to say that conflicts between several pretenders to the title and the Royal Court came to a head on a misty morning one-hundred and fifty years ago. Anxious to build legitimacy for his cause, the pretender Priest-King Kikkirkrazz seized control of the Earthgall and dragged it off down the river under cover of darkness, much to the displeasure of both the Royal Court and the local leader, Mabog-Chief Debaiss. Skirmishes between militias supportive of Kikkirkazz and the Royal Guards were becoming frequent, and it was clear that open conflict would erupt soon.

The battle began shortly after Mabog-Chief Debaiss came back to his hut the following morning from a successful hunt to find a dead Paatru had been left in his nest-bed. Enraged at this warning, he gathered a posse of local warriors and marched straight to the Imperial colony of Glenbridge, where Kikkirkazz had occupied an Imperial inn. This started an open brawl in the streets of the town, during which Debaiss was wounded and carried back to Kungomabog, vowing revenge.

Unfortunately, the Royal Court was watching these events and decided to take advantage of the absence of Kungomabog's warriors to punish the tribe, which had long openly defied their authority and raided Imperial settlements and trade caravans. Even more unluckily, fearful of sending tribal Argonians to fight their own kin, the Royal Court dispatched foreign mercenaries, who were unused to the terrain and got lost, descending instead on the much larger tribal settlement of Go-Ja-Morgoa.

to be continued...

Part Two

Ill-disciplined, drunk and frustrated after many days' wandering in the swamps, the Royal Court's foreign mercenaries fell upon Go-Ja-Morgoa and tried to put the place to the sword. Baffled by the size of the settlement they found themselves in, not to mention the fierce resistance of the tribe's warriors, the mercenaries beat a hasty retreat, during which the tall stilt-houses of the town were set ablaze. With the flaming huts fast sinking into the swamp, the War-Chief of the Go-Ja tribe fatefully decided to take refuge with his kinsmen downriver in Kungomabog.

Carrying all their posessions with them, the refugees from Go-Ja-Morgoa headed along the banks of the Dreugh River, where they came upon a group of the pretender Priest-King Kikkirkazz's followers, pushing the Earthgall downstream with long punting poles. Realising what it was, the Go-Ja warriors challenged the riders and a battle ensued. Carrying the Earthgall in triumph back to Kungomabog, the Go-Ja did not notice the spies of Kikkirkazz slipping away into the reeds.

Upon hearing the news, Kikkirkazz flew into a frenzied rage and ordered the massed ranks of his followers to march to Kungomabog and raze it to the ground. Meanwhile the Royal Court's emissaries had realised the mistake of their mercenaries and were hurrying to offer the Go-Ja compensation and defuse the conflict. They were too late. By the time they had arrived Kungomabog was also aflame, as arrows and darts rained down from the platforms into the ranks of Kikkirkazz's army. The Royal Guards quickly had to defend themselves, and the situation degenerated into a three-way brawl between them, the Pretender's forces, and the combined warriors of Kungomabog and Go-Ja-Morgoa.

Battle raged for three days. The Kungomabog had been given ample time to prepare for the assault and had filled the surrounding swamps of the Everglades with traps, constructing floating palisades as a defensive screen around their dwellings. Although the outer settlement swiftly fell on the first day, the warriors retreated to an inner circle of linked platforms high above the swamp, where they could shoot down with impunity. Thus the battle became a seige through the first night and into the second morning, until the assault of the Royal Guards distracted the attackers and allowed some of the Kungomabog to break out, escaping with the hatchlings into the swamp.

Shortly after this Mabog-Chief Debaiss disappeared, and rumour spread that he was dead. The War-Chief of the Go-Ja was an inferior leader, and the disheartened tribal warriors were soon fighting on the steps of their houses. The War-Chief was slain at midday, and they seemed to be fighting a losing battle until that evening, when Debaiss suddenly returned with a contingent of Paatru reinforcements from Tul'X'che. The conflict reached a deadlock, and at sundown all sides fell back to lick their wounds and prepare for a final assault the next day.

An effort by the Royal Court to mediate between the two sides failed miserably when their ambassador was assassinated by a lurking Shadowscale (or so it is said, though which side had employed the Dark Ones is unclear). Sensing the situation was getting out of hand, the Royal Court had force-marched some of their finest troops over from Blackrose, accompanied by a contingent of Imperial Legionnaries from the Rose Prison. However, other rebellious tribal warriors had also arrived during the night to aid Kungomabog, and launched a surprise attack shortly before dawn.

By this stage Kikkirkazz's forces were nearing exhaustion, and so the Pretender decided to enter the fray himself. A Bhuru magician of great power, Kikkirkazz devastated the ranks of the Royal Guard with corrosive, rotting magic. As they fled, only the Imperials put up much of a fight, and were swiftly overwhelmed. Free to concentrate on the tribal warriors, Kikkirkazz tried to break the stockades which had been built overnight around the Earthgall, but his reserves of magicka were draining fast. Mabog-Chief Debaiss, recognising his deadly enemy, leapt down from the top of the platform into the water far below and swam swiftly towards him.

The Mabog-Chief cut down Kikkirkazz's bodyguard, but was left unprotected from the full force of the Pretender's magic. Crippled by sorcerous energies, Debaiis nevertheless stumbled forward, and with his arms paralysed, ruthlessly headbutted his astonished enemy to death.

The end of Kikkirkazz was the signal for a rout of his army. The exhausted survivors of the Royal Guard were quick to take a pragmatic approach to the situation, and the Court's emissaries heaped praises on Mabog-Chief Debaiss and his warriors for "slaying a great enemy of the nation." His past activities forgotten, Debaiss accepted their thanks, and an offer of compensation for the burning of Go-Ja-Morgoa.

Today, Debaiss is one of the greatest heroes of Argonians who still keep to the old ways, though he is more widely known by the name he was given after the battle, Eikkai-Ottul, or "the Undefeatable". A great wooden statue to his memory now dominates the village of Kungomabog, rebuilt as a fortress to provide a stark reminder to any who doubt that the tribes are still a force to be reckoned with.

Court Without a King

History of the BM Monarchy

One of the constitutional peculiarities of Black Marsh which most frequently puzzles visitors to the province is that unlike many other provinces of the Empire, it has no overall head of state. Although many other provinces are divided into regional petty kingdoms, even in chaotic High Rock a defined aristocracy exists. In Black Marsh such arrangements are absent, and yet the administration of much of the province still goes by the name of Royal Court! The explanation for this oddity reveals much about the Marsh's troubled history.

Part of the reason for the absence of an Argonian aristocracy must be the tribal nature of the People of the Root, which typically emphasises the good of the tribe over individual needs. Therefore, the many classes of Chieftain found in the marsh represent specific skilled occupations (such as the War-Chief, a leader only in times of war), and are respected no more or less than any other accomplished artisan or mage in the tribe. The one oddity in this culture is that of the Priest-King, but this strange figure deserves to be discussed further elsewhere, and was certainly never a head of state in any conventional sense.

Thus it was that the Priest-King of Lilmoth at the time of the conquest found himself puzzled by recieving messengers addressing him as "His Royal Highness, King of Argonia". It turned out that ascribing the Priest-King with temporal (as opposed to spiritual) authority was part of the plan of Tiber Septim's Argonian collaborators, who formed themselves into a Royal Court centred around this figure as a way of asserting the Marsh's administrative autonomy. Yet in the time it took to broker this deal, large areas of western Black Marsh were effectively annexed by Imperial generals, land seizures the Royal Court was forced to retrospectively approve.

Yet despite the unpromising beginning, this arrangement prospered at first. As large areas of Black Marsh were cleared to make way for plantations, those who had collaborated during the invasion became the Royal Court, centred around the traditional home of the Priest-Kings in Lilmoth, which was transformed from a marshy series of ruins to a floating baroque city. The Imperial nobles grew rich, and so did the Royal Court, and in exchange for retaining his ancient role, the Priest-King kept quiet.

But all was not well in the Province. The increasing presence of Imperial Cult missionaries and an open policy of colonisation and forced conversion led to the last Priest-King's famous rebellion against his own Court and their Imperial masters. Following the failure of this uprising, it was seen fit to install tighter controls on the Province. The last Priest-King was executed, and the Imperial Prince Magnus Septim, brother to the infamous Wolf Queen, was crowned as King of Lilmoth.

Yet Magnus was to be not only the first, but last King of Black Marsh. The War of the Red Diamond which engulfed the Empire mere years later...



Eye of Argonia

Consolidates some of the lore surrounding this mysterious artefact... (in reality a running in-joke among the staff at Bethsoft http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Eye_of_Argon )

The Lost City

An Imperial perspective on Helstrom

[Ibsen's Ghost]

A fine selection of lore gaps looking likely to be plugged there... =)

[Deeza]

Updated with "notable governors" and the "battle of Kungomabog."

If there's anything else not listed here that you think needs more attention in the mod, I'm happy to accept requests.

Anybody?

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Damn! I don't have time to read it right now. I'll have to remind myself later. Anyway, I'll be sure to keep you informed if we need anything....although I may even be doing some of it myself with a bit of luck (if I get the time off from modding and admin).

[Ibsen's Ghost]

I'd like to leave a placeholder here to remind me to write a book on the missionaries of Stormhold. Nobody post here till Deeza gets back....it'll help remind me!

In the meantime, here's another book cover resource that I need to remind myself (and Deeza) about: http://www.tesnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=26414 .

[jucklesjenk]

I've noticed in the CS that (most likely) TheGreyWizard had already made a guide to Stormhold that had either never been deleted or never been improved. It's a copy of Guide to Skingrad with a lot of spelling errors and even a paragraph from Guide to Skingrad at the end!

If you want to check it out and delete it or improve it or something, in the CS it's under Book/Clutter/Book1CheapGuideStormhold

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Nice find, JK! Thanks. When Deeza passes by this thread it would be worth his while to check this out and the above post: Deeza's books .