Dagon's March - Chapter 1

• Posted by SpookyBorn2021 May 10, 2019 - Filed in TSC: CB Story - #Dunmer  #Dragonborn1721  #Morrowind  #Dagon's March  #Taladran Sarethi  - 2,244 views

  Ghostgate – 4E 433

  Daedric Invasion of Morrowind, shortly after the Siege of Ald'Ruhn

  

  This is the journal of Buoyant Armiger - Salyn Sarethi, Adept of the Tribunal Temple and forever in service to Lord Vivec.

  

  I have been stationed at Ghostgate since 3E 352, have repelled the Corpus for what feels like centuries and never failed to complete my duty. I know this place like a Mudcrab knows the inside of its shell, each ridge of the walls is a familiar friend, each little corner tucked away from view is a place that no longer has anything to hide from me. I have wandered, fought, bled and lived in these halls for nearly a century. But today, I feel like this is a dark place, somewhere different and twisted, a place that I can no longer call Aruhn. The skies wouldn’t look all that different to outsiders, ash and smoke still fill the air, clogging the senses of those not attuned to it and providing comfort for that have lived in the shadow of Citahl’Kili. But the sky is unnatural, filled with a haze that makes everything feel heavy. Lord Vivec would no doubt be able to explain it better than I, and the Telvanni Kenna would be able to explain the magic behind it, but all I can truly say is that wrongness permeates the air, and darkness shrouds us from life itself. Everything feels evil, and desolate but most would suggest that this is simply the way of Citahl’Kili so I cannot truly explain it better. The Deadlands have come to Morrowind, through the foul power of Mehrunes Dagon, of the House of Troubles, for he has come to test the Dunmeri people of Ghostgate.

   

  It is difficult to understand what it means to be tested by one of the Corners unless you are Dunmeri, and even then, most won’t truly understand it. Dagon is deadly and destructive, bringing pain and suffering wherever he goes and leaving naught but ashbehind. For all the death he brings, he is not cunning or tricky, not like Molag Bal or Sheogorath who will twist you within your own words until they get what you want. Dagon is, in some ways fair, and those who survive his coming will live to be stronger then their fallen allies. For our people, surviving destruction is living, any day Citahl’Kili could erupt and destroy everything we’ve built, and the strongest among us would find a way to survive. Our test hasn’t even truly begun. We’ve fought small parties of raiding Daedra but his true armies are nowhere to be seen, and no truly powerful foes have come through any nearby portals. What worries me are the rumours of Ald’Ruhn and the Redoran. There have been a few mer coming in from that direction claiming that the city had been sacked by a Daedric Shaldmas, crushing any outer defences and only being stalled when the Redoran resorted to Mass Necromancy. The tale is hard to believe only because they mention Skarrising from it’s grave to fight the Daedra, which is hard to believe.

   

  I feel that their words are true, no Dunmer would truly lie to an Ordinator about something as serious as this. Our only choice is to assume that we’re this armies next target, and that sometime in the following weeks, they will descend upon us as an unending horde. We have the men, better trained than nearly any others in Morrowind, but I feel uneasy for our next trial. May ALMSIVI give us praise, Vivec protect us from the horde and may the Nervarine bless our coming days.

  

   Closing Notes

  Please brain lets keep this section shorter than the story itself. I'll start off by thanking Ilani and Phil/Paws for their help with this, they provided some insanely useful tips about improving the chapter and encouraged me to post it at all. I also want to thank everyone that's been active on my thread related to the story for offering ideas about where to go with the concept. This is the first piece of work to come out of my Character Chat: Taladran Sarethi project, which is sorta exciting. My aim is to create a detailed history of the events leading up to Taladran's life and this is essentially the starting place, following his Grandfather, Salyn who was stationed at Ghostgate during the events of Morrowind. 

  I have to give full credit to Alexey Rudikov for the main image used here (and his other Morrowind art, it's simply amazing). Can't find the original artist for the hands but they aren't mine either. All of the Dunmeris was taken from that website, it's a really interesting source of information even if it's not technically official, odds are I got most of it wrong but it'll work.

  Translations:

  Aruhn/Ruhn –Home

  Kenna – A title representing respect towards a Telvanni Lecturer.

  Citahl’Kili – Red Mountain

  Daedra – Our better/stronger ancestors.

  Shaldmas – Army

  Mer – Elf

  Glossary:

  The House of Troubles – The ‘Bad’ Daedra that the Dunmer recognize as threats who attempt to test the faith, and lives of the Dunmer. Molag Bal, Sheogorath, Malacath and Mehrunes Dagon are the Four Corners of the House of Troubles.

  Ghostgate – The only known entry to Red Mountain over land, stationed by Buoyant Armigers and Ordinators who patrol it to make sure that deadly threats can’t escape into the rest of Vvardenfell.

  ALMSIVI – Almalexia, Sotha Sil and Vivec.

  Skar – an Emperor Crab (really big crab) that was killed sometime in the first or second eras. It’s carcass was kept in Ald’Ruhn after being formed into a building and was supposedly reanimated (fully…somehow) during the Daedric Invasion.

  Ordinator – The heavily armoured forces of the Tribunal who act as the general guard for Morrowind. They mostly guard holy sites, and major cities but can probably be found overseeing the Great Houses, Imperial towns and anything else that may bring harm to their province.

  Buoyant Armigers – Warriors loyal to Vivec who are generally considered to be some of the most powerful fighters in all of Morrowind. They typically dress in Glass Armor and are proficient with short blades, magic and stealth.