Hai Resdaynia | A Fourth Era Tale (Elder Scrolls RPG)

This fantasy story takes place in the land of Tamriel on the world of Nirn, part of the mortal plane of Mundus and set in the Elder Scrolls setting during the early 4th Era.

The land of Morrowind, known in ancient days as Resdayn, is a nation in the northeast of Tamriel and the homeland of the ash-skinned and typically red-eyed Dunmer, who are called Dark Elves in the lands of Men. It is the seat of intense volcanic activity, which greatly shapes its landscape. Morrowind is bordered by the province of Skyrim in the northwest (where it's separated by the Velothi Mountains), Cyrodiil in the southwest (where lie the Valus Mountains), and Black Marsh in the far south. At the centre of Morrowind is the isle of Vvardenfell, home to the ash-spewing Red Mountain and separated from the mainland by the Inner Sea, while the Ghost Sea of the Padomaic Ocean lies to the north and west of Morrowind. As a result of its isolation, Morrowind has developed a unique ecosystem, and whatever life exists here must be adapted to the harsh environment, much like the Dunmer themselves. The coastal area south of the Inner Sea is composed of the tormented volcanic lands including the regions of Stonefalls and Bal Foyen. These lead further south to the fertile Deshaan Plain and the marshes that surround Tear. Most of the population of Morrowind historically gathered in the high hilly uplands and rich fertile river valleys of central Morrowind, especially around the Inner Sea. The terrain is dominated by giant emperor parasol mushrooms the size of trees, while lichen and hardy shrubs cover the landscape. Saltrice has long been the staple crop of Morrowind, growing in the southern regions and used to make the alcoholic beverage known as mazte. Elsewhere, ash yams are often grown, a hardy vegetable that thrives when planted in ash. Corkbulb is also grown due to its thick and fibrous roots, used in construction in lieu of wood. Morrowind's fauna, similarly developed in isolation to the rest of Tamriel, has long been dependant on the ashfall of the Red Mountain. Much of this was disrupted when the Red Mountain erupted in 4E 5 (dubbed the Red Year), but life carries on. The floating jelly-fish like netches are often bred for their leathery hide, while guar (large bipedal reptilians characterised by their intelligence) are often used as beasts of burden. The cave-dwelling kwama, however, are certainly the most important beast domesticated by the Dunmer. The industry of "mining" their eggs for food is a greatly important one, being the primary food source in the land, to where the illegal poaching and stealing of these eggs is punishable by death. Other notable creatures inhabiting the wilds of Resdayn include the fearsome alit and kagouti (distantly related to the domesticated guar), the pest-like flying cliff racers (nowadays found only on the mainland after Jiub's crusade), the pack-hunting and blood-sucking nix-hounds, or the crustacean ocean-dwelling dreugh. The silt striders, once iconic sights as means of transport, have largely died out in the 4th Era due to the destruction of their native habitats after the Red Year.

The Dunmer of Morrowind greatly value clan and loyalty, though outsiders often see them as ruthless, cruel, and needlessly tribalistic. Dunmer typically live several centuries, with some mages even surviving thousands of years. Dunmer culture is generally divided between the nomadic Ashlanders and the settled House Dunmer. Dunmer worship centres around the ancestors and the Three Good Daedra, as was laid down by Saint Veloth who led the ancestors of the Dunmer (known then as the Chimer) from Summerset in Exodus. The split between the House Dunmer and the Ashlanders would come during the days of the First Council, when Saint Indoril Nerevar Mora still ruled as Hortator and Great Ashkhan, fighting alongside King Dumac Dwarfking against the Nords of Skyrim (before the Dwemer would disappear from the face of Tamriel forever, leaving only their strange gilded brass ruins). He was felled at the Battle of Red Mountain, and a trio which would become known as the Tribunal would use the Tools of Kagrenac upon the Heart of Lorkhan then-buried in Red Mountain to transform themselves into living gods. Thereafter did the worship of the Good Daedra and the ancestors diminish, and the living gods of Almalexia, Vivec, and Sotha Sil became lords of the Dunmer (who the Chimer did turn into, after Goddess Azura cursed them for the sins of the Tribunal). The Ashlanders maintained their worship of the Good Daedra, and held that Nerevar was betrayed by the Tribunal, for which they would be persecuted and pushed into the poorest and most hostile lands by the Great Houses.

It would only with the arrival of the Nerevarine, the reincarnation of Saint Nerevar, that the Tribunal Temple would meet its end. The Nerevarine defeated Dagoth Ur of the Lost Sixth House and destroyed the Heart of Lorkhan which gave the Tribunal their power. Almalexia, Sotha Sil, and Vivec were reported destroyed in the Nerevarine's Fury, who would then vanish to the distant lands of Akavir.

After, the Dunmer people entered a period of soul-searching and reorganisation, during which the Tribunal Temple was reorganised into the New Temple, now once more worshipping the Good Daedra again as the Reclamations, while the Tribunes were relegated to the still-venerated role of saints for their safeguarding of Morrowind and to ease the transition. The rise of the New Temple vindicated the previously persecuted Ashlanders, who became lauded as keepers of the true ways. It is now quite common for many Dunmer to make the arduous pilgrimages into the ash wastes to seek the counsel of the wise women and ashkhans.

The Daedra collectively known as Three Good Daedra are Azura (Queen of Dawn and Dusk, associated with mystery and magic, fate and prophecy), Mephala (Whispering Lady, associated with murder, lies, deception, sex, and secrets), and Boethiah (Mistress of Plots, associated with deceit, conspiracy, battle, assassination, treason, and unlawful overthrow of authority). The Temple Saints make up the most honoured ancestors of the Dunmer, and are as follows: the Greater Saints of Almalexia the Warden, Sotha Sil the Magus, Vivec the Poet, Nerevar the Captain, and Veloth the Pilgrim, as well as the Lesser Saints of Rilms the Barefooted, Aralor the Penitent, Seryn the Merciful, Felms the Bold, Roris the Martyr, Olms the Just, Delyn the Wise, Meris the Peacemaker, Llothis the Pious, and Jiub the Eradicator of the Winged Menace. The House of Troubles makes up the four of the Daedra Lord that Saith Veloth introduced as the Four Bad Daedra, sent to test the resolve and faith of mortals. These are Malak (Orc-King of Curses), Mehrunes Dagon (Prince of Destruction), Molag Bal (Lord of Brutality), and Sheogorath (Mad Prince of Fools).

The Great Houses which now rule Morrowind originally derived from ancient clans and tribes first organised by Mephala and Boethia and later elevated by the Tribunal, now functioning as political parties that make up the Grand Council. These historically all held great power and were known to constantly scheme and plot against one another, but after the events of the Oblivion Crisis and the Red Year, the Argonians of Black Marsh invaded Morrowind as revenge for the long slavery of their people at the hands of Dunmer, changing all of this in what would be known as the Accession War (even if the practice of slavery itself ended in the closing years of the 3rd Era, no longer being practised mainly due to the infeasibility of maintaining the slave trade than any moral qualms, though it was officially banned by the Imperial-backed King Hlaalu Helseth Ra'athim, the last King of Morrowind). They cut a bloody swathe through southern and eastern Morrowind, burning the lands of House Dres, House Telvanni, and House Indoril (notably including the capital of Morrowind, Mournhold). It was only due to the efforts of House Redoran, long respected as the defenders of Morrowind, that the invasion would be stopped. By this point, Morrowind became effectively independent from the Empire which had until then ruled it for centuries, now embroiled in its own troubles after the Septim Dynasty came to an end (now apparently ruled by some Colovian Warlord named Titus Mede and contending with a revived Aldmeri Dominion). House Redoran would become the most powerful of the Great Houses, using their newfound influence to relocate the capital to Blacklight and expel House Hlaalu (long reviled as collaborators during the time of Imperial rule, once a great boon to them which would later bite them in the back when the authority of the Empire collapsed after the Oblivion Crisis) from the Council, replacing them with House Sadras. House membership is largely a matter of birth and marriage, but outlanders may also become simple retainers of a Great House, or may be adopted fully into a Great House with the sponsorship of a councillor—becoming full kin, a great honour. All Houses have a traditional colour which they are known by, but the colour white is known as a symbol of unity between the Houses (following the example of St. Meris, that the Dunmer people must come together and cease the slaying of their brethren in the face of foreign aggression) and has become a common colour worn during the 4th Era.

Naming practices among the Dunmer differ from the west. In formal settings, ones first name is that of the Great House they serve. Then would be their personal name, followed immediately by the name of their clan. An example of this would be Dres Bolvyn Velas, meaning Bolvyn of Clan Velas, serving Great House Dres. Although all the Great Houses originated as single clans, they now hold many clans under them, for which this system exists. Those lucky enough to be counted among the prestigious original clan of a Great House (provided the lineage has not died out) are not expected to use their House Name as their first name as their prestigious surname is more than enough to show their allegiance. This is, of course, only a thing done in formal contexts, as in general conversation only ones personal name or perhaps clan name are used. Honorifics are also often put in front of names, such as serjo, usually only afforded to higher nobility as a mark of high respect—muthsera, a more general mark of respect—or simply sera, common courtesy.

As it stands at the start of our story the Great Houses are as follows:

The Red Party of Redoran, prizing the virtues of duty, gravity, and piety, whose symbol is the sacred scarab. They govern the surprisingly-densely-forested Redoran District of northwestern Morrowind from the northern city of Blacklight along the Velothi Mountains, as well as the northern ebony-mining isle of Solstheim (which was gifted by the High King of Skyrim as a sign of compassion for the Dunmer people and their plight). The style of architecture present in Redoran lands generally consists of organic curves and undecorated exteriors inspired by the landscape and the shells of the giant Emperor Crabs which once inhabited the Ashlands of Vvardenfell, often made of brick and clay on reinforced resin frames. House Redoran, whose patron is Saint Nerevar, has always focused on maintaining the traditions of the settled Dunmer and holding fast to the ways of the warrior, for which they have long served as Morrowind's de-facto military. They are the leading power in Morrowind, and the bonemold-clad Redoran Guard has busied itself with the defence and reconquest of Morrowind as the Argonian occupation continues, while simultaneously working to rebuild what once was as supplies and able-bodied mer from the Redoran District are sent over to aid the other Houses. Its current Archmaster is one Redoran Radene Heran, known as a natural leader well into her 500s.

The Blue Party of Indoril is orthodox and conservative, and their patron is Saint Olms. They have dominated Temple authority since time immemorial, for which they were preeminent among all Houses during the reign of the Tribunal, and whose symbol is a pair of feathery wings. The Indoril District which they governed stretched over the lands south and east of the Inner Sea, including large swaths of eastern Stonefalls and Deshaan (where lied Mournhold), as well as parts of the province's eastern coast along the Padomaic Ocean (where lies the City of the Dead known as Necrom, recently reclaimed from the Argonians as the new seat of Indoril and Temple power). Their architecture consists of ornate basalt buildings with bright turquoise roofs and floors with intricate designs of knots and swirls. House Indoril, whose fortunes were so entwined with the Tribunal Temple, suffered greatly from its fall. While House Indoril still technically exists, the priesthood of the Temple are now considered one and the same with House Indoril—those who become priests are now considered to have "joined Indoril". The political power of the Indoril has thus passed entirely into the hands of the Temple. Its current head is Archcanon Miara Indoril, for the Indoril are one of the few Houses to boast members of their original clan among them, besides only the Sadras and the Hlaalu.

The Brown Party of Telvanni, which values talent, knowledge, and initiative, whose patron is Saint Roris the Martyr. It is led by wizard-lords who isolate themselves in their mushroom towers pursuing wisdom and mastery in solitude while protecting the commonfolk who would build villages around them, and their symbol is a spiraling fungal tower. The aloof Telvanni never cared much for politics, and were similarly said to be careless in their worship of the gods. They were known to be the most isolationist of the Dunmer, and had an odd system of hierarchy whereby eliminating or otherwise incapacitating ones opposition earns you their position, as you are concluded more worthy than the opponent who was unable to defend themselves. The eastern Telvanni District historically stretched over the lengthy Telvanni Peninsula (at the tip of which lied their House seat of Firewatch) and eastern Vvardenfell. They were struck hard during the Accession War, as their mainland holdings were ravaged by the Argonians who had a particular vendetta against the slavemasters of the Telvanni. The Telvanni were crushed entirely, while the remnants of them have focused on resettling their old holdings on Vvardenfell which were buried in ash during the Red Year, refounding the old city of Tel Aruhn amidst the rocky islands of Azura's Coast while dust adepts and wizards reclaim the land, though Argonian raids from the Scathing Bay (where Vivec City once stood before the celestial rock known as Baar Dau smashed into it) are semi-frequent. The Telvanni Peninsula has remained wild and lawless, inhabited by Argonian tribes, bandits, and local militia groups resisting the lizards (occasionally aided along by Redoran and Indoril patrols arriving from Necrom). The remnants of the Telvanni are "led" by Archmagister Telvanni Baladas Demnevanni, though plenty of the other old Telvanni wizards have fled elsewhere for greener pastures.

The Black Party of Dres, whose symbol is a linked chain. They long viewed themselves as keepers of Dunmer culture and always sought to improve the position of the Dunmer as a whole, abhorring the infighting that plagued the other houses. It was their duty to spread enlightenment to the n'wah, the foreigners, so that they may know "civilisation". An agrarian agricultural society, their large saltrice plantations relied completely on slave labor for their economic viability, and the Dres District of southern Morrowind stretched from the lands around the dreaded city of Tear that served as their capital to even northern Black Marsh, where the Dres would hold raids into Argonian territory to capture slaves. They suffered the most when the invasion began as their holdings were ravaged entirely while the people were slaughtered wholesale. The remnants of Dres exist only as refugees and the court of the Magnate-in-Exile, who has taken refuge among the Sadras in Kragenmoor until the Dres can reclaim their lands. The current Grand Magnate is the young and hot-headed Dres Alandro Dreloth, recently of age.

The Green Party of Sadras, who in 4E 5 succeeded the Yellow Party of Hlaalu which they originally were a vassal clan of. Their symbol is a three-spiked triskelion representing either the Good Daedra or the Tribunal. Though the old Hlaalu seat of Narsis nestled in the south was conquered by the lizards, the western city of Kragenmoor in the rural inland region of Varanis (once held by the Dres) would come to serve as the seat of Sadras. The west-central Sadras District stretches from the Valus Mountains to the coast around the Inner Sea, where lies the Black City of Ebonheart (former Ra'athim seat, later Dren, then Uveran). Besides fallen Narsis, the District survived relatively unscathed and the Sadras lands remain prosperous. The architecture here is generally plain, where buildings are designed as simple multi-storied buildings roughly rectangular in plan, featuring arched entranceways and modest decorated exteriors usually of volcanic ash concrete. Western styles are also common in Ebonheart and old Imperial towns. Saint Veloth is the patron saint of House Sadras, and they are led by Grandmaster {{user}} Sadras. Other clans part of House Sadras (formerly serving Hlaalu) include Arenim, Arvel, Nerano, Norvayn, Tharys, Thelas, Uveran, and finally Clan Sadras, the heads of which all make up the Sadras Council. The clans which continued to swear allegiance to House Hlaalu and denounced the Sadras openly, being thus stripped of their official estates and titles, included the Dren, the Ulen, and of course the Hlaalu.