Slavery Writings

[Ibsen's Ghost]

Following discussion with TID over the Fighters Guild plot proposals and with Razorwing over the main plot proposals, some of my ideas proved undo-able on various different grounds such as practicality, things already being in place, my own total lack of actual physical modding skills etc.

Therefore, what I've included below (and attached as a Word doc) is a stripped down, de-plotted and re-modelled version of those earlier writings that I have already sent over to Razorwing for literature to be included in-game. I'm hoping that people here can offer their own advice and opinions.

My original aim was to show how both sets of lore can be combined to make ST interesting and provide 'hooks' for both MW- and OB-familiar players. As Razorwing quite rightly points out, I have two options here:

1) The proposed pieces of writing can be included in the game if I can get one or, preferably, two dungeons that are either claimed already but are as yet without related missions or if I can get someone to take onboard a new claim for a dungeon that can be put into development on the basis of what I've included here. Either way, I need someone sympathetic towards the aims of the project and willing to do the bulk of the modding for me (not a popular thing). It's not much work, but it still goes against standard board practices. If granted quest status, at least one dungeon would be needed in order to confront the main Dunmer character. This is something that I could both provide the dialogue for and even voice myself.

2) I can write up the whole thing by combining the proposed writings either into one document or into separate documents that the player can then seek out on their own as a sort of 'library quest' . Although I am seeking to bring in more about the evolution of the Tribunal Temple anyway, I could nonetheless use this as a basis for the player to be given simple on-screen instructions or as a trigger for a topic when speaking to priests that will lead the player to the next text should they be so interested.

Okay, here it is pasted below. Alternatively, you can download the attachment:

The Second Fate

These are a set of ideas in note-form only on a set of writings that will begin with a narrative on the fairly recent events in Leyawiin and will spread to cover the modifications being made to the End of Times Cult.

Basic Overview of the story

It is known that Marius Caro hates Dark Elves and the slave races. The reason for this is because it was the Dark Elves who took his wife away and influenced her towards expressing the Dunmer ways of slavery overtly. For a time, Caro himself was under suspicion of racism in the past, having protected his wife but this was mainly due to a deeper influence.

Much of the real conflict is due to the affair between herself and a notable Dunmer. Originally, Marius was overjoyed by the arrival of this man at his Court and made as much effort as possible to make him feel at home. After all, he had long admired the Dunmer, who shared his typical distaste for the slave races of Khajiit and Argonian. This was due to the fact that his family, who had had links with Leyawiin since its formation had a history of battles and bad blood between themselves and the ‘slave races’ until the arrival of Torval the Pilot. We discover that Marius is an old-fashioned traditionalist who resents the High Elf Saint’s historical influence on his city, which is a sentiment shared by the newcomer to his court.

However, upon growing more familiar with this man, he and the Count began to have disagreements. He later discovers that Alessia’s lover was Androchai Romari, the son of Eno Romari, the Dunmer leader of the End of Times cult and that the cult remains alive to this day, upholding the old traditions of Morrowind and attempting to drive away any Imperial influence in the homeland. Although Caro initially sympathised with the Dunmer's position, he nonetheless disapproved of the cult’s methods and young Romari's influence that had Alessia openly expressing her racism, particularly as this had placed him in a difficult position as the Count of a supposedly anti-racist city. Romari had not only taken away his wife. He had also used the Count’s position of nobility to his own ends through exploiting his tastes.

In the end, Androchai betrayed Alessia by leaving her once suspicion arose about her torture chambers for Khajiit and Argonians. His thinking is that - if the Dunmer do not enslave, according to the wishes of Mephala, then the curse of Azura (against the Tribunal) which created the Dark Elf race, will revisit them and then they themselves shall become slaves, transforming them into lesser Daedra. He gets this idea from a once-lost codex of the End of Time cult.

The Lost Codex of the End of Time cult

Androchai reveals that this lost Codex of the End of Times cult names the Dunmer as the chosen race of the Daedra whose time shall come soon and that the Dunmer should submit to their fate. We then discover that Androchai is therefore caught in a double-bind. Does he indulge in slavery and save his people or submit and cross this barrier into Daedrahood?

There is then a look back at Androchai’s upbringing who, having been brought up as a cultist, has been heavily influenced by his father. Yet he always sought a more dominant solution to his father’s own submissive approach towards the teachings of the End of Time cult.

The Codex itself states that any slave race in Morrowind must be a slave and that, later, all races shall be their slaves. It is their creator's will that this is so. This is the burden of the Dunmer's existence (it’s a typically fatalistic ‘do or die’ attitude).

Possible Mission Objective Stimuli

Mission details derive from the fact that Androchai Romari has collected various pieces of evidence that he intends to use as blackmail material in order to drive away the noble families of Cyrodiil and stop them from bringing in the slave races or to force their influence out of Morrowind in order to keep it Dunmer-only and pure.

We discover that either House Hlaalu or House Dres, both of whom support the Imperial presence in Morrowind, have conducted a raid on Androchai’s property under the directions of a worried Count Caro. During the raid they found Androchai’s notes on where to either find the evidence or where to meet various underworld characters who will be supplying him with them. The player must find these writings before Romari does. These writings can be only one or two pieces and will include:

1. Evidence that will uncover Caro's secret distaste for the slave races, whose noble Cyrodiil family has suffered much from the process of their integration into Leyawiin. This includes a testament by one of the courtiers that Marius had turned a blind eye to the formation of the Blackwood Company on account of the fact that it was likely that many Khajiit and Argonians would be killed or displaced from the city. Marius even acted as an informant to Modryn Oreyn later by supplying him with a list of Blackwood ringleaders who, so it happens, were all people belonging to the slave races.
Meanwhile, some of his men had been given orders to spread malicious rumours about specific persons in Leyawiin e.g. that the Argonian Witseidutsei is a Blackwood informant. This caused some Guild members (a Redguard called Rellian, an Imperial called Vantus Prelius and an orc called Dubok gro-Shagk) to target the Five Claws Lodge as a base for their resentment against the Company, where they later disgraced themselves with their drunk and disorderly behaviour. There is even suspicion that Marius helped with the shipping of the Hist Sap tree.

2. Countess Alessia Caro has a distant family member whose existence, if known, would create discord with the Mages Guild.

Further possible directions

* House Dres and House Hlaalu both support the move away from slavery. However, others do not. The covert involvement of other parties may be involved. Alternatively, the player would need to keep his actions secret from the other Houses that may favour Androchai over the player. The much less pious House Telvanni might even give acknowledgement to the Codex, contrary to the more fundamentalist Houses.

Resolution

The Codex is found to have been the combined influence of the three ‘Good Daedra of the Dunmer' whose combined influence is nonetheless harmful to the Dunmer as there must exist a balance. The Dunmer's dark side is an essential part of their existence but it cannot be allowed to take over or they themselves shall be taken over.

Total number of pieces of writing (x4)

1. A much-sought-after book that was written by an unnamed Imperial from Leyawiin but was banned in Cyrodiil for being ‘malicious slander and gossip’ and revealing too much family history of the Caro dynasty.
2. A short archeologist’s account of the Lost Codex. This, too, was lost when Solan, the founder of the Archeology Guild in Cyrodiil sadly died (this links with, but is not dependant on, the mod ‘Lost Spires’ by Leo Gura).
3. A testament by a Leyawiin courtier of the happenings in Marius Caro’s court around the time of the rise of the Blackwood Company.
4. A diary written by an illegitimate relative of Alessia Caro, Countess of Chorrol (already written).

Possible Mission Requirements

Picking up and reading book 1 in some bookshop well known for its rare publications could trigger a quest. The player may then speak to House Hlaalu or Dres and be informed of the raids on Androchai’s property before being given the quests to find the blackmail material collected and kept by loyal members of his sub-sect. Beggars and suchlike can tip the player off.
There could also be a mission to eliminate Androchai Romari himself. The player might come across the ‘Lost Codex’ at this point or, if not taking this extra mini-mission, it could be found during the ‘blackmail collection’ tasks.
Alternatively, all four pieces of writing might stand up in the own right as rare books which the player can research in order to get a fuller picture of the events on how the ban on slavery is going.