The History of Raven Rock
Volume III
by
Lyrin Telleno
Raven Rock is one of the more interesting colonies of Morrowind of the last two centuries. So much has happened to this tiny town in such a short amount of time, and so many lives have been affected by it, I felt it necessary to describe its rich history within these volumes. During my research, I lived in Raven Rock for almost three years, and I got to know many of my fellow Dunmer who call Raven Rock their home. I hope that my readers will appreciate the amount of fortitude and perseverance that it must take to endure life in such an inhospitable and untamed land.
All was going well in Raven Rock until 4E 95, when an attempt on Lleril's life was made without warning. Fortunately, the attack was unsuccessful thanks to the prowess of the Redoran Guard. Under questioning by Captain Modyn Veleth, the assassin was revealed to be Vilur Ulen of House Hlaalu. House Hlaalu had been at odds with House Redoran for years following their removal from the Council of Great Houses. The Hlaalu believe that House Redoran was instrumental in this reorganization, and have held a grudge ever since. Their attempt on Lleril's life was meant to send a message to the Council that House Redoran was not as mighty as they purported to be and that they were truly vulnerable and weak. The Redoran Guard investigated futhur and discovered that Vilur had been organizing a coup in Raven Rock in an attempt to fully wrest control of the island from Lleril's grasp. Vilur and his conspirators were executed and the coup was quelled.
Several recent events have served to solidify the Dunmer people's respect for Lleril Morvayn. In 4E 130, the Bulwark began to show its age and threatened to crumble. The councilor elected to use the bulk of his personal fortune to have it repaired. In 4E 150, a small force of Argonians landed on Solstheim with the intent of wreaking havoc on the island, and Councillor Morvayn led the charge against them personally. And in 4E 170, when the ebony mine finally began to dry up, he drained the remainder of his coffers keeping the people fed.
By 4E 181, the mine's ebony veins were completely exhausted. Lleril ordered the mine to be shut down, and Raven Rock turned to hunting and fishing for its trade. A few Dunmer families departed Solstheim and returned to the mainland, but most stayed behind.
At present, Lleril Morvayn is still the ruler of Raven Rock. The Redoran Guard continues to maintain order within the town and the surrounding area, keeping Raven Rock's residents safe, and in line. If even so much as a rumor of dissent reaches Lleril's ears, he has it quashed immediately. He's well aware that there may be a few Hlaalu loyalists still present among her population that would like to see him dead. The future may appear bleak for Raven Rock, but the spirit of its inhabitants will never be broken.
15th of Sun's Dusk, 4E 203
The Orc emerged from Mallory's house, exchanging a few words with the Nord along with some patting on the shoulders and then he walked away back to the ship. He was wrapped in additional clothes; a scarf around his neck and his face hidden under the leather hood that was part of his leather vest and a cloak of brown cloth hanging down his back. He carried himself with confidence and the way his throwing knives were positioned said he knew how to use them.
Mogrul snorted from his position at Ienth's apothecary shop and his elbow poked Slitter standing next to him. When the Dunmer looked at him Mogrul pointed at the Orc with his chin. “Follow him until he leaves the city.” Slitter just nodded and slowly walked in the direction the Orc was headed. Mogrul then turned back towards Milore Ienth. "Milore, you need to talk some sense into your husband."
"You can't get blood from a stone, Mogrul. As it is, we can barely make ends meet," she replied, only making Mogrul snort again. As if he really cared about their poor excuses.
"That isn't my problem. I was clear when I loaned Garyn the money that I wanted it back by the first harvest,” he growled.
"I'll see what I can do…” the Dunmer nervously rubbed her hands. “Just give us more time.”
“This conversation will not happen again, Milore. So make sure you have the money to pay,” ha bared his tusks at her and then walked away, heading towards the wharf where the Northern Maiden was docked. The Orc appeared from around the corner, heading towards the Bulwark and waving at Slitter who was leaning against the wall of Caerellius' house.
“Sunshine,” the Orc greeted Slitter who just growled in response. The Orc didn't even bother to acknowledge Mogrul. He just walked through the gate and out into the wastes.
Mogrul stopped beside Slitter and both watched as the new guy disappeared from their site when the Dunmer murmured: “I don't like the fucker. S'wit.”
“Why? Too smart for you?” Mogrul snorted, ignoring the look Slitter gave him. Just try me, brother. Don't forget who's paying you. “So what you got?”
The Dunmer shrugged and pointed at the Northern Maiden still docked with goods being loaded on her upper deck. “Just walked there, gave Gjalund some piece of paper and then came right back.”
Mogrul wasn't really sure it was all, no one could be really sure when it came to that Orc. Not that he really knew him, he just knew his type. A smartass who thinks he knows how the world works, always with some agenda. They always think they're smarter than others. Mogrul bared his tusks and his tongue tested the tip of the right one, testing its sharpness. And it was reasonable sharp, yes. There was something that irked Mogrul about that Orc and he didn't like it when something irked him. Carrying yourself as if you were better or something…Well, met plenty of much better fuckers than you, runt - or worse, depends on your point of view. “Alright,” he rumbled. “Let's go have a look at that mysterious paper.”
He strolled down the wharf, among the sailors carrying crates and sacks of various goods to the upper deck of the Northern Maiden. The smell of fish, dried skins and salted meat was hanging in the air and Mogrul's nostrils widened as the smell literally hit him over his nose. Since the ebony mine dried out, Raven Rock was forced to shift towards fishing and hunting to have some goods to trade with the outside world. Frankly, it didn't go so well for them because there was enough fishing towns along Morrowind's coast already and Solstheim was basically frontier.
He laid his foot on the ship's upper deck and that was when Gjalund noticed him. “Mogrul!” he extended his arms. “My friend. I'm going to pay you back right when I get back from this trip-”
“Just give me the damn paper, Gjalund,” Mogrul growled and the confused look on the Nord's face made him even more annoyed.
“I have no idea what you are talking about-”
Mogrul stepped right to him and grabbed him by the collar of his tunic. He then reached with his hand behind Gjalund's belt and pulled out that piece of paper Slitter told him about. He waved it in front of the Nord's face. “You recognize it?”
“Ah, that paper. It's just a letter I’m meant to deliver to some Sapphire in Riften,” the captain peeped when Mogrul started examining the paper. It was just the letter, with no seal or anything, just that weird symbol he had already seen on Mallory's doorway. He opened it and read it, the grin on his face getting wider with every word. When he finished he flashed his yellow teeth at Slitter.
“Well, well. This is better than I expected.” He gave the letter back to Gjalund. “Thank you for your cooperation.” He walked back to the wharf and then towards the market again, with Slitter behind his heels. He then stopped at the corner of Caerellius' house and Slitter almost bumped to him. Mogrul's eyes were fixed on Mallory working his forge and he bared his tusks in vile grin.
“You remember those times back Veloth's Hold, Slitter?” he asked, stroking his mutton chops.
“Yeah, I remember those very well.”
Mogrul remembered them too. “It was much easier back then, eh? If we saw an Orc, we just grabbed him, chained him and sold to the highest bidder. If we saw a pack of Argonians, we slaughtered half of them and left the strongest ones and sold them to Dres or Sadras. Those were good business partners, right? Not like these Redoran assholes.” He then looked at Slitter who had a dreamy smile on his face, remembering those days. “It was all about skill back then and we were good. But here? Sometimes we just need little bit of luck. And luck smiled on us this day.”
“Is that so?” Slitter raised his eyebrows and Mogrul smiled, his eyes going back to Mallory again.
“Yeah. We just have to figure out how to squeeze the most out of it.”
Grulmar passed under the Bulwark and when he appeared on the other side, outside the comfort and relative safety of Raven Rock, he took a deep breath. In front of him was a coast beaten by the waves of sea-water and clouds of ash carried by the wind. To the south-east, in the distance, was the shadow of Red Mountain spouting a column of ash into the sky and Grulmar had to wonder how it must have looked in Morrowind itself. If there are people who think that Solstheim is bad they should visit Morrowind, that place has to be much worse.
"There's nothing beyond the Bulwark except wild Nords and ash wastes, outlander,” a guard stationed at the entrance to Raven Rock addressed him, probably confusing his deep breath for hesitation. “But if you insist on travelling there, keep your eyes on the ground. Ash spawn are likely to spring from nowhere.”
“Thanks, matey,” Grulmar nodded, enjoying the sound of that word rolling off his tongue. It probably earned him raised eyebrows from the guard, but he couldn't say for sure with that narrow visor of the bonemold helmet.
He took a step forward and then another, feeling extremely light that morning. It was strange, the sense of freedom and new beginning hanging in the air. He didn't expect any such thing when he decided to head to Solstheim, but here it was. A whole new world here. That evening he spent with Mallory, drinking sujamma and laughing about old times in the guild...it was good. He couldn't remember when was the last time he laughed like that. It was almost as if by leaving Skyrim, he was leaving behind all the shit that had happened, with the prospect of a new beginning overshadowing all his mistakes and fuck ups. Ya better not mess it this time, he said to himself as he walked along the coast.
He took the letter and gave it to Gjalund, to get it into Sapphire's hands. He had no idea if she would believe it, if she would do something about it, but there was this feeling that no matter what she would do, he did something good. Is this how Sir Shiny feels? Doing all those heroic deeds? He snorted and then laughed out loud. Well, it doesn't feel so bad actually.
The Orc had just crossed a small dune of ash when he noticed figures approximately fifty steps away from him, near some kind of farm. He saw the brown-yellow of bonemold armor but also a strange brown and orange, almost like burning ash. For a moment, he considered rushing forward, to see what was going on there, if there was someone in need of help, but then he shook his head. Ya daft? One good deed is enough for the day, matey. He reached to his belt and pulled a vial filled with turquoise liquid. He removed the cork and downed it in one big gulp. His body shook on its own volition after tasting that sour liquid and then he felt a tingling all over his body. Grulmar extented his arm, waving with it in front of his face, but there was nothing there. Good batch, matey. This invisibility turned out better than the last.
He recalled the map Mallory gave him and he knew he had to follow the coast down south and then turn east, so he had no other choice than to go around that fight. He took a deep breath and slowly began walking towards the battle. As he drew closer, he recognized the figures as Redoran Guard with all those red scarves over their bonemold armors and their opponents… Those has to be none other then the Ash spawn everyone’s warned me about.
They looked like grotesque imitations of human bodies, covered by hardened ash or rock, with their eyes glowing with a vile orange-red glow, the same glow that was shining through the cracks on their chests. They were carrying crude weapons that looked like hardened magma still smoldering with heat and when he saw how one of those weapons burned one of the guard's face off, he had his confirmation they still burned. Lovely… He was getting closer with each step, cheating towards the sea, to avoid all that, but his eyes were watching, looking for anything that would help him survive.
There was a Dunmer who probably lost his helmet during the fight, swinging something that could have been a Daedric two handed sword. While his men were being slowly slaughtered, he was cutting his way through those creatures as if they were made of paper. One swing removed an Ash spawn's arm but it didn't even notice, continuing its assault. The Dunmer buried his heels into ground and shoved the creature with his shoulder, staggering it and then he swung his sword at its chest, cutting through the ash shell and revealing something that looked like a stone made of magma. When the Daedric sword cut through that, the Ash spawn crumbled into dust.
It didn't take long for only the Dunmer with the Daedric sword to be left standing and the last two Ash spawns. One released a fireball from its hand, which seared the Dunmer's chestplate, leaving a burn mark on the armor and then he charged, cutting off the spawn's head with one swing and another swing again cut the chest. The last Ash spawn ended up with the sword piercing its chest, eventually crumbling into dust too.
Grulmar was already sneaking past the last survivor who raised his head, wiping the sweat from his brow as he looked in Grulmar's direction, most likely because he heard his feet shuffling through the ash and then he just shook his head, going from one corpse to another.
The Orc, still invisible, kept sneaking until he was sure he was far enough and then he continued with a slightly increased pace. What he saw made him twice as careful where he was placing his feet, because he certainly didn't want to step on some Ash spawn's head. So whatever that stone is, it works like a heart. Pierce the heart and ya destroy the body. Though those other guards didn't fare as well as the one with the Daedric sword. How much force is exactly needed for piercing the shell and the stone?
Careful, Grulmar. Draugr barely reach these Ash spawn's ankles. If he didn’t encounter any trouble, he had a pretty good chance of reaching his destination before dusk, and if he could choose he would definitely pick the option where there is no trouble. So watch yer step, matey.
Comments
"He strolled down the wharf, among the ... more
"He strolled down the wharf, among the sailors carrying c... more
I'm curious what the text in the picture translates to, unless that's just Daedric gibberish you scrawled on there.
I'm curious what the text in the picture translates to, unless that's just Daedric gibberish you scrawled on there.