General:Uutak Mythos/Artifacts

Uutak Mythos Logo, featuring the Fourth Era symbol of Yneslea. (Drawn by Imperial Ascendance)

"It is said that Invighna, or who you Westerners know as Magnus, whispered secret words from outside the materium to little N'urnani in his exile. And with her older brother's cast-out wisdom she built the great stage that is N'uan, and bound it with metaphorical knots, arcane gears, and lyrical pulleys. This action birthed our world, the great stage of life, and the other gods were quick to copy her achievement to the best of their ability. Nirn was the first treasure, you see; the artifice of genesis. Every other trinket bestowed upon this Mortal Theater pales in comparison to it, and only a few of them have a fraction of its glory." — Arkeo Lo'Riaga, Former Ori-Gi of the Sorrowful Penitent Witch-Hunters

Within the Uutak Mythos, artifacts of power exist just like in the broader canon of the Elder Scrolls franchise. These mysteriously potent objects of arcane energy can exist in a variety of forms (including books, weapons, paintings, jewelry, currency, dolls, and sometimes even as intangible items), and may have been created for a plethora of reasons. Some are the inventions of powerful mages from Tamriel and beyond, who work can never and will never be replicated. Others were forged by the gods for use in wars and events long before the start of chronological time. And others still may have been created on accident or even formed naturally from places soaked in mystical auras, for even magical mishaps or evolutionary experiments can result in the creation of something god-like in capability within the Gray Maybe.

Like with the mainline artifacts of the Elder Scrolls games and media, artifacts within the UM also seem to be vaguely sentient (or at the very least, intelligent enough to disappear from the closet of its latest owner) and have a will of their own, making them hard to find and practically impossible to destroy. In truth, several artifacts have been reported to regenerate from physical and magical attacks that would disintegrate anything else they were directed at, which implies these strange relics are far more than meets the eye. Do artifacts truly have their own intelligence? Or is through the combination of myth, legend, faith, and mortal/godly power that gives them the abilities that they possess? No one knows, really. But hopefully these artifacts bring you interest and answer to these questions eventually down the line.

Major Contributors: IceFireWarden (Primary), Le Noodle (Secondary), Nekyn (Secondary), & those of the UM Discord.

Note: As of 10/03/2020, this page will be under constant renovation until all relevant texts are added and it reaches its completion. This process should only take a few months at minimum.

Common Magical Tools

A listing of arcane implements that aren't exactly artifacts due to widespread use in the East, but can be considered them due to lack of acknowledge in the West and their strange origins.

Salcoral Fragments

“Memories are tied to the unfathomable depths of the world’s oceans, as they in death naturally return from whence they came. Salt bubbles up from these memories on impulse, as the substance is driven for manic permanency, and sometimes large groups of salt form into crystals. However, salt crystals that have fused with coral are host to arcane powers beyond the usual salt, and even the most learned eastern mages cannot express an inkling as to why. Is it because coral is believed to be the music and color of the deep sea made manifest, a living embodiment of the Canvas of the World? Or is there some other eldritch truth to it? None know for certain, although that doesn’t stop the Daughters of Ravara from utilizing it in their smithing techniques.”

Salcoral is a type of rare mineral that can be found under the sea in naturally occurring colonies, no matter the continent or hemisphere. On its own, it holds no true value aside from bestowing a small measure of mental clarity upon those who possess it, but when smelted down alongside other metals and alloys within a forge, its true power reveals itself. The Daughters of Ravara were the ones who originally discovered this technique, having been taught by the fire god Aryus in ages past, and they have kept this secret guarded all this time. According to that sisterhood of blacksmiths, weapons of all shapes, materials, and sizes are truly living things due to having been made from things derived from the earth; the more one uses and takes care of their weapon, the more powerful and alive it becomes. Salcoral, due to its inherent mnemonic properties, is used by the Daughters to imbue weapons with important “combat memories” that strengthens the link between the weapon’s soul and the bearer’s soul. Salcoral husks (small), fragments (medium), shards (large), and hearts (very large) are known to be carved from the depths by explorers and sold to merchants up above for hefty prices.

Yacurian Purestone

“Yacuria is the goddess of mourning, the wife to Nameless Death, and is quite the perplexing entity. She is a deity whose sphere involves sadness, vengeance, death, war, sin, and atonement, meaning she has an abnormal influence amongst mortals and gods. She weeps eternally, and her tears are everlasting, which is why the temporary races of the Mundus collect them when they rain down into the material realms and harden into precious stones. The manasmiths of lost Zaida, a fiefdom that venerated Yacuria before all other divinities, discovered that the purest tearstones could serve as powerful conduits and vessels for outside energies, which they then begin to utilize in a manner similar to the soul gems found in the west (but without the necromantic leanings). If water is memory, and tears are both benevolent and malicious, then what happens when a purestone is imbued into a weapon? Does that weapon’s soul cower in grief? Or does it cry out for destruction?”

Yacurian Purestones are the largest and most densely concentrated tearstones that can be found throughout the world (although they are mostly found in the east). Their natural state resembles completely clear and transparent crystals shaped like tear droplets, although some resemble teeth if found conjoined, weirdly enough. The Zaida’han were the first to discover the hidden potential of purestones and used them as arcane batteries for otherwise intrappable energy and substances. Manasmiths in particular use purestones to permanently enchant weapons and armor with elemental properties. There are several different kinds of purestone and these types are listed below:

Hemorrhagic Whetstone

“One of the warped purestones, imbued with strength. Hemorrhagic Tears are created when a tearstone is soaked in blood for a concerning amount of time, causing it to grow spike-like appendages and take on a reddish-brownish coloring. Interestingly enough, it pulsates almost like a heart. Blood is the spiritual substance that binds the soul to the body, and is the conduit for which information travels between one and the other. If one finds their tears to be bloody, then perhaps they have been embroiled in war for far too long.”

Hemorrhagic Whetstones endow blood enchantments on arms and armor. For weapons, it causes them to become vampiric (draining/stealing health vitality from others while also making it easier to open bleeding wounds on people); a bearer of a blood-imbued weapon can also feed it their own blood to strengthen its attack. For armor, it increases resistance to blood magic and other sources of hemorrhaging, while also passively absorbing blood from the wearer to deflect other sources of damage.

Ishal Silkstone

“One of the warped purestones, imbued with strength. Like many of Cathnoquey’s magical items, it is defined by the influence of the Ferdra-Ishal. Created by wrapping a tearstone in Ishal Silk for a period between 3 days and 8 months, these tearstones appear almost like cocoons, wrapping themselves in silk once the covering is removed. Highly adhesive, and seemingly able to produce silk ex nihilo, they are highly sought out among the sailors of the Padomaic, as sufficient matting of their product can serve to patch even the worst of holes in a ship. Silk binds and conjoins the fabric of time. If one finds their tears silken, then perhaps it is time to focus more on the present.”

Ishal Silkstones endow silk enchantments on arms and armor. They're often confused with bloodstones solely due to their minor ability to inflict spontaneous blood loss, but most can tell the difference due to the unnatural hardiness and bruise-inflicting powers of silkened items. For weapons, it causes them to adhere to the flesh of those they’re used on, tearing skin away and leaving larger wounds. For armor, it serves to provide automatic bandaging over wounds that are sustained, as well as keeping the armour together longer for less frequent repairs.

Ada’Soom’s Breathstone

“One of the warped purestones, imbued with strength. The last three months in Yneslea are tormented by brutal, magical winters thanks to a curse bestowed upon the subcontinent by Kamal invaders long ago. Tearstones that fall to Nirn in the midst of these blizzards consume their bitterness, as many believe they are the ferocious roars of the Snow Demon’s immortal king made manifest. For from the mist the demons are born, and to the mist they must return. Frost is numb, harsh, and completely unforgiving. If one finds their tears to be cold, then perhaps one’s apathy should be reconsidered.”

Ada’Soom’s Breathstones endow frost enchantments on arms and armor. For weapons, it causes them to emit a chilling aura that freezes living and nonliving things. For armor, it increases resistance to heat and fire magic and provides a minimal protection from other sources of frost damage.

Miasman Illstone

“One of the warped purestones, imbued with strength. Although assassins aren’t as serious of a problem in Yneslea as they are in Tamriel or other lands, the practice is still an issue, and because of that the art of weaponizing toxins remains prevalent. The majority of foreign poisons are bought from the Miasman, a nomadic group of Padomaic men who hail from a group of northern islands ripe with deadly plants and wildlife. Warriors seeking stealthier alternatives would submerge purestones in vats of miasma or contaminated Dweech liquids, creating this form of stone. Poison is the tool of cowards, and yet it topples the greatest kings. If one finds their tears sickening, then perhaps a confrontation of envy is in order.”

Miasman Illstones endow poison enchantments on arms and armor. For weapons, it causes them to emit poisonous clouds that contaminate others upon direct contact. For armor, it bolsters natural resistance to toxins while also generating a toxic field that slowly contaminates others over time if they come near you.

Incandescent Emberstone

“One of the warped purestones, imbued with strength. Most commonly found within the vicinity of volcanoes, wildfires, and the impact sites of meteorites. If water is the residue of the mortal mind, then what does fire represent in the greater scheme of things? Perhaps looking to the West, where the Red Whelm sits belching into the sky, holds an answer to such a perplexing question. Fire creates us and destroys us, feeds us yet consumes us, but it is within its heat that we find glimpses into our true natures. If one finds their tears burning, then perhaps introspection can quench the coals of their soul.”

Incandescent Emberstones endow fire enchantments on arms and armor. For weapons, it causes them to radiate heat and inflict burns on impact. For armor, it boosts resistance to frost magic and cold environs when traveling through them.

Rapturous Stormstone

“One of the warped purestones, imbued with strength. These blinding white-yellow gems crackle with unadulterated lightning, which all know is the purest form of magicka, and are thus naturally attuned to the hands of those practitioners of that clever craft. When a purestone is struck by lightning or cast down into a melting pot of raw mana, stormstones are born. Sometimes associated with the goddess of rain, whose affair with the god of magic is omitted from the Elder histories. Magicka is divine power in its rawest form, and lightning is the greatest form of that power that any mortal can attain. If one finds their tears to be weathering, then maybe they've grown tired of a mundane existence.”

Rapturous Stormstones endow shock enchantments on arms and armor. For weapons, it causes them to constantly discharge electrical energy and inflict thunderous strikes on impact, while also draining magicka from any source they strike upon. For armor, it endows it with high resistance to lightning damage and adds minor magicka absorption as well, which aids in the fight against wizards and sorcerers of all stripes.

Ponderous Foolstone

“One of the warped purestones, imbued with strength. No one is quite sure where these frankly off-putting tearstones come from. Their visages are cloudy, white, and disturbingly boring… and yet they feel almost familial in a way and remind those who touch them of themselves. Is that a face you see swirling around in this unfamothable blandness? Who does it remind you of? The Mundus was achieved by higher thinking, but those who dwell within it are subjected to a lowly calling. If one finds their tears ordinary, then perhaps it's time for the extraordinary.”

Ponderous Foolstones endow stark enchantments on weapons and armor, and are considered to be the rarest form of strengthened tearstone known to mortals. It cannot be used, let alone touched, by daedric, aedric, and otherwise non-nirnic entities and inflicts damage upon them when they attempt to do so. For weapons, foolstones grant them additional damage towards other mortal creatures as well as minor damage to non-mortal creatures. For armor, it boosts all resistances except for elemental resistance.

Perfumed Sapstone

“One of the warped purestones, imbued with strength. Chieftain Ugok of the Yashraga Tribe is credited as one of the wisest bug goblins who ever lived, and his research into the drake-oaks of his homeland is still studied all the way into the modern day. He intentionally introduced purestones to the secretions of the dragon trees and utilized the results in many battles without fail, until he retired to a lonely island devoid of mischief and conflict. Sap is the blood of trees, and for trees that sprung up from the blood of a mighty dovah, that could mean something quite special indeed. If one finds their tears sweet, then perhaps they have lived a life devoid of sour temptations.”

Perfumed Sapstones endow great stamina boosts to arms and armor. For weapons, it causes them to generate dexterous energy that allows for quick attacks in rapid succession. For armor, it makes it feel lighter than it already is and boosts one’s running speed.

Kaos' Skullstone

“One of the warped purestones, imbued with strength. Skullstones, named such due to their ghoulish appearances, were creations of the Tamrielic lich Kaos, who studied underneath a legendary necromancer known to history as 'Vas' before undertaking undeath in order to travel abroad. Kaos is, or perhaps was, a rather neutral being who could be as cunning as a villain or as sweet as a pilgrim… but none can deny the darker connotations of his work. All things must die, and yet, many things refuse to do so. If one finds their tears deathly, then they should pray for consolation.”

Kaos' Skullstones endow necrotic energy upon weapons and armor when infused into them, but that is actually the secondary function of these stones. In general skullstones make for excellent tools for reanimation rituals amongst necromancers and are even able to raise Undead capable of using magic (as that has always been a difficulty of the Dark Arts); a few seasoned practitioners, like Old Kaos himself, even belief a skullstone would make for a perfect phylactery. Outside of those niche usages, however, skullstones are generally utilized in order to give weapons the ability to inflict necrotic damage (meaning living creatures are inflicted with more harm) and gives armor additional resistance to the unliving energy of certain monsters (like zombies, vampires, etc.).

Curious Aetherstone

“One of the warped purestones, imbued with strength. Sometimes a purestone will find itself in one of the outer realms of the multiverse, and become attuned to the creatia of its inhabitants. The most common of these are aetherstones due to the prevalence of divine winds in the realms of the higher heavens, where the kind gods dwell. Ether energy is both physical and spiritual, and these tearstones can be hard to scavenge on the material planes. It is usually the domain of mighty wizards to attain them by projecting astral forms into the Aetherius and using their willpower to force them into physical shape. Transparency was invented by one god, the Doom God, and it was soon adopted by all others. If one finds their tears intangible, then they should try committing to a singular goal.”

Curious Aetherstones are one of the few tearstone types that endow two different attributes on items they are infused with—air and phasing. Weapons that have been enhanced with aetherstones will not only make it easier to disorient and unbalance enemies with every strike, but will also randomly phase between being physical objects or entirely ethereal (meaning that if, per say, a blade becomes ethereal when striking a heavily armored knight it will deal critical harm by ignoring exterior protection). Armor infused with aetherstones are rare due to being finicky; additional wind resistance can be helpful, but having armor that transitions between being there or not being there can prove problematic.

Felis’ Oakstone

“One of the warped purestones, imbued with strength. The barken, root-like state of oakstones serve as clear indicators of their origins to the oblivious. When a tearstone is planted deep within the earth, it will attempt to be fruitful and multiply thanks to the lives of the plants it resides by. Felis of Esroniet, Hero of the Iron Waves, became famous due to unnoticeably stabbing his practice axe into an oakstone in his youth and using the now spectacular weapon to lead his village to victory. The earth provides everything that lives with the energy necessary for survival, and yet contains secrets to the apocalypse. If one's tears are fertile, then one should be wary of the thin line between love and overprotection.”

Felis’ Oakstones are slightly unorthodox by tearstone standards and, like aetherstones, endow two attributes upon the items they are infused with (but at a cost: infusing an oakstone with metal or crystalline gear is ill-advised, as it dulls them, making them less effective; infusions with wooden equipment, however, makes those usually frowned down upon armaments much more powerful). Weapons attain the unnatural hardiness of the longest living trees, making them great for bashing, and if someone is struck with an oaken weapon the point of impact will begin to temporarily grow bark, slowing them down. Armor, on the other hand, becomes highly resistant to strike and slash damage but is far weaker to fire.

Pegaeaen Soapstone

“One of the warped purestones, imbued with strength. Pegaeae are water spirits that are kin to nereids and naiads, and are usually found in ponds, small streams, and the occasional waterfall. They are quite common in the Yneslean archipelago due to its inhabitants’ love for communal parks and recreation, to the point that nature spirits can even apply for citizenships. One of their specialities is creating blessed soap from materials they collect from the strange water realms that exist in the depths of their aquatic abodes, and when a tearstone is allowed to absorb it, it transfigures into a conch-like rock emanating the sound of rolling waves. Water is the elixir of life born from the remembrance of old life, and is the foundation upon which sustaining blood and disinfecting soap was made. If one’s tears are soapy, then it is time to cleanse yourself of your life’s many sins.”

Pegaeaen Soapstones endow water enchantments on arms and armor. Although this naturally includes continuously generating torrents of water that impact foes with weapons, it also has a strong debilitation factor against metals and rapidly rusts metallic objects the more a water imbued implement is able to strike against them. In contrast, a piece or set of armor imbued with soapstone enchantments is resistant to rust and other forms of advanced deterioration (although it will be slightly weak to frost and fire damage due to the effects both of those elements have on water).

Umbral Weirstone

“One of the warped purestones, imbued with strength. Umbral Weirstones are tearstones that originate within the Shadow Realms. They are blackened, alien gems that seem to bend light around them and exist as spots of pure void and darkness within reality when brought to the material planes. Indeed, the fact that these tearstones are even capable of persisting outside of darkness betrays the inherent powers that lies in wait within those realms. If weirstones are left outside of shadows for too long they will slowly petrify, in order to keep themselves from withering away. Shadows are reflections of one’s true, primal self that exists within the dregs between time and space. If one’s tears are dark, then the unfortunate possibility is that you have lost your way.”

Umbral Weirstones endow shadow enchantments on arms and armor, which are slightly harmful to the bearer of the equipment as well as those they use the equipment on; shadows, being a sympathetic and synthetic imprint of ‘actual’ reality, desperately craves true life and actively harms animate and inanimate entities of the Mundus indiscriminately. Weirstone-imbued weapons and armor steadily drains the stamina of those who carry them, tiring them out faster and making them lose mental/emotional focus. In exchange, however, weirstone-imbued equipment gains the ability to slightly copy other elemental/magic damage it comes into contact with alongside draining an opponent’s stamina as well.

Nostalgic Quietstone

“One of the warped purestones, imbued with strength. Quietstones are not natural in the slightest, and are made by a sacrilegious ritual carried out by the Tongueless Faithful and Mute Venators, in service to their god Lyednharh: god of silence, anti-magic, and the judgement/detriment of bat elven souls. Lyednharh is known as the Cornerstone of all Faulty Plans and claims to be the wisest player within the Divine Game, despite being one of the younger deities. As his doctrines claim, Magic is the biggest facilitator of universal stagnancy, as mortals do nothing more than waste their ability to create and destroy, which is why Silence is the pinnacle truth of existence and one day existence will return to its voiceless nature. If one’s tears are soundless, then pay more attention to the joys life has to offer.”

Nostalgic Quietstones endow silence enchantments on arms and armor, which is why they are both incredibly powerful and coveted, but also quite rare and dangerous to work with; in In’eslae, at the very least, quietstones are immediately rounded up by the Eskar’eda and taken to Mustikos’arcere to be properly counted and controlled. For quietstone-imbued weapons, it causes them to gain the ability to weaken, disrupt, and otherwise erase magic and magic spells they physically encounter. For armor, it grants additional protection to magical damage by dispersing exterior magic upon impact.

Wands & Vessel Wands

“Wands are focusing points for spells in a similar fashion to staves, and have a cultural significance amongst the Hyu-Ket and Echmer that the Westerners view as odd. As magic in In'eslae is engineered into violent or productive stories, wands serve as the batons needed to influence and control one’s manifest fiction."

Wands are largely used as catalysts for sorceries in the home of the bat elves, and can be made from wood, metal, bone, hair, and other types of materials as long as they have been consecrated in some type of deific or magical power. Staves are usually viewed as 'greater wands' reserved for elite spellcasters by Yneslean natives (which is why they look down on Tamrielics for using them in overabundance), and generally boast greater power at the cost of fluidity of movement and mana synergy.

While any licensed practitioner of magic in Yneslea can easily buy a wand, the native tradition is usually for the prospective caster to create one themselves and imbue it with a fraction of their being in order to attune it to their natural power and personality. Traditional wands are generally only available to those with provisional magic licenses in Yneslea, but for people with mana deficiency, warriors who want to have a trick up their sleeves, or wizards who need a quick solution during a conflict, vessel wands were invented in the Fourth Era and traded with other nations for that purpose.

A vessel wand is a largely impersonal mechanical device that does not draw upon the wielder's mana, as it has its own stores of magical energy. Each one is inscribed with a particular spell that the magic within it fuels, and near its handle is a 'trigger' button that activates the infused spell. They are meant to be disposable and have a built-in dampener that weakens the magic cast with them to avoid possible abuse by unscrupulous persons, and generally cost a fair amount of coin.

Riftstars & Riftshrines

“Vaguely spectral crystals in the shape of miniature starbursts. Pink in color with an inner green glow. If you have somewhere you absolutely need to go, and you're not overly fond of walking, then a riftstar would be a worthwhile investment."

A recent innovation in portal technology brought about by collaborative Tamrielic and In'eslaen magineering. In simple terms, a riftstar is a condensed and solidified weir portal that has no anchor or trajectory, allowing it to be used as a blank canvas for transportation. The teleportation effect is activated by throwing the riftstar to the ground forcefully, causing it to break apart and envelop those closest to it in a small rip in space. Most riftstars are transfixed to one or more Riftshrines, which can be usually be found in the many adventuring/travel waystations scattered throughout the Ice Cream Isles and once served as altars to old gods of the Weir Realms. Once used, a riftstar shatters into liminal goo, although perchance riftstars aren’t limited to one use and can be used repeatedly (but are usually reserved for people of high importance in the civilized lands).

Grenades

“In Yneslea, alchemy isn't just a profession for healers and poisonists, but is also an art utilized for combat and technological progression. And for the magnephobic batmer that dominant the political landscape of Lapis Lazuli, items that can do the same thing as western spells is deeply treasured and idolized."

Grenades, or foo'caan, are alchemical devices manufactured by the Echmer and Hyu-Ket after advancements were made in the field of 'philosopher cooking' thanks to the study of ancient Noraken satchel charges; they were perfected in the middle of the In'eslaen third aeon, and became staples of that subcontinent's military strength. Most grenades are crafted from a mixture of cheap metal (like copper, tin, or brass) inner workings, a porcelain or leather outer shell, and a alchemical core created from a magicka-latent material like a tearstone or jade. The alchemical cores are filled with different types of salts (ex. fire salts, void salts, demon salts, rock salts, necrotic salts, fury salts) or items (ex. shrapnel, poisonous needles) and are connected to small chambers filled with special brews through small pipes and gears. By pressing a button on the outer shell of the grenade, the alchemical brews are drained down into the alchemical core and a chemical/magical reaction immediately occurs. These brews have been fine-tuned in order to cause most grenades to detonate after five seconds, in which case all the different ingredients and components will generate a hazardous effect (ex. exploding into a ball of fire, generating a concussive wave of force that knocks people black, a blinding blast of light, transmogrifying dust particles in the air into makeshift blades that eviscerate on impact, emitting toxic fogs, turning undead, and much more).

During the Yneslean Annexation, the Third Empire tried and failed to replicate the grenade-making process and the bat elves refused to teach them (luckily for the latter, one of the terms and conditions of their servitude was that Echmeri technology remained the property of the Yneslean Directorate). However, in the years since then in the Fourth Era (the Yneslean Fifth Aeon) the Directorate has become a neutral trading partner with both the Mede Dynasty and the Aldmeri Dominion, and has become oddly less stringent in selling grenade shipments to their various troops and legions. By 4E 201, grenades are still an uncommon sight in Tamriel but perhaps in the coming decades their use will become much more regular and popular.

Rings and Adornments

Many people from across Tamriel and beyond find arcane jewelry to be not only practical, but also stylish, especially when they can help protect you from harm while ensuring you look good while surviving in the Arena. Here lies a listing of rare and mythical rings that can be found across Nirn, and were introduced within the Uutak Mythos.

Signet of Spite

The Signet of Spite. (NKartstuff)

“A Dwarven knuckle ring forged by M'lika, ancient manasmith of Zaida (one of the Ald-Fiefdoms of In’eslae). M'lika was perhaps the greatest jeweler that ever lived in In'eslae, if not the East itself, and etched magic so tightly into the adornments she shaped that modern mages cannot tell where the metal ends and where the enchantment begins. This ring, embedded with engraved wyrmstone, is curiously the most malicious of her creations. It seemingly hungers for pain, and hungers even moreso for vengeance.”

The Signet of Spite is a ring of Ancient Nemer (Echmeri) make. It was forged from a mixture of solarite and krakenium, like the majority of the arcane jewelry fashioned by M’lika the Delicate-Handed (other items attributed to her name have been forged from and/or with malachite, brinesteel, and lapis lazuli). Carries a strange damage enchantment that enhances the bearer's strength and anger every time their body suffers from external trauma. Note: Acquisition of this band is ill-advised, as it is painted to be highly addictive, dangerous, and masochistic. Last seen in 2E 345, in the hands of Tra-Yun the Hunter on the island of Moruii in the In'eslean archipelago.

Wanderer's Cracked Ring

“Once, there was a hero in the days of old. A hero so alone they sold their soul. In exchange they received this oddity of a ring, but from whom and from where has been lost to history. As the centuries passed, this ring made from silk and yarn grew hard and turned to stone, as if empathetic to the state of its original wielder. Seeks company, but seeps malcontent.”

The Wanderer's Cracked Ring is a ring of Unknown Make. It is recorded to have an unique emotional enchantment that calms the heart and nerves of the wielder when they travel in groups, while raising the stress and anxiety levels of their traveling companions. Last seen in 3E 110 after it was stolen from the Jorgen Vaults on Hairen Island by the Iron Mambas, a notorious Pyandonean pirate organization known to serve as mercenaries on occasion.

The Flayed Band

The Flayed Band. (NKartstuff)

“Do not believe the lies of every aspiring necromancer with some fame to their name; the dark perversion has existed since the first death came to mortals at Dusk. The Flayed Band, a ring constructed from the muscle and bone of some traitorous lich, serves as a testament to the historic documentation of death and death magic. Its maker is only referenced in legends as Thurajeil, a warlock from the Eastern North who fancied himself a healer of souls, only to be rejected from his brothers and sisters in arms when they ascended into worse shapes.”

The Flayed Band is a ring of Atmoran or Kamali make. Has the ability to instantly summon tortured spirits from a cursed outer realm to be transplanted into corpses without any cost or delay, allowing for the creation of numerous zombies to serve its wielder (which is why it is the admitted guilty pursuit of many aspiring necromancers). Last seen in 4E 130 in the hands of Knight Trystan of Wayrest, who recovered it from members of the Order of the Black Worm who had been hiding out in the Crypt of Hearts.

Weirtouched Seal

“One of the rare 'true fulljoint' rings made in the East, meant to fully armor a person's digit for symbolic purposes. All of them were made by Old One-Eye Gaoloman of Esroniet, who took the secret of forging flexiron to the grave (which is why false fulljoint rings are easily discernible). This simple band, adorned with hieroglyphics that resemble characters of the Elder Alphabet, lets the bearer step through solid objects as if they weren't there. Old One-Eye was a mystic after all, and he is remembered by his people to have been quite fond of portals and liminal magic.”

The Weirtouched Seal is a ring of Esri make. Bestows the ability to pass through solid objects like rock, metal, and wards unto its bearer. Last spoken of in the oral rendition of the Yellow Dragon's Dance, where an obscenely short man challenged the dragon Fuskiinyol to a test of entertainment and his subsequent victory earned him this liberating little ring. Unfortunately, there are no recent historical sightings trustworthy enough to cite.

The Sins of Ghan

“Ghan, a contemporary of M'lika, was one of the To'shema (Sorcerer-Kings) who led the ancient Kasuto Empire of Pa'vasaga, the ancestral home of In’eslean sorcery and the third largest island in the archipelago-continent. Born blind, he resented all which he could not feel, and took concerning comfort in the elements that reminded him of his tortured existence. His paranoia of the unseen grew so great that he betrayed his most powerful and beloved students and bound their souls to twisted metals found in the outer realms, crafting the rings that would later be known as his Sins. This decision would ultimately prove to be Ghan's undoing, however; the souls of the Damned cannot be so easily silenced, and his Magus Legions weren't so adverse in their judgement of him…”

The Sins of Ghan are rings of Ancient Nemer (Echmeri) make. The Sin Rings are the embodiment of the phrase 'be careful what you wish for' according to true enigmaticians of ring lore, and their risky enchantments are as follows:

• Ghan's Wrath is a ring tied to the primordial fire that lit the Aurbis at Dawn, and whose Voice heralded the approaching Darkness of Dusk. Those who use pyromancy while wearing it will notice a significant boost to their destructive power with the element, but will suffer from severe migraines and body temperature spikes with every additional casting of pyromantic spells.
• Ghan's Vanity is a ring tied to the essence of all life, that red drink that drives music to madness. It allows vampires, as well as those who dabble in the strange arts of blood magic, to subconsciously collect blood from the recently slain into the ring for later use (allowing them to perform blood magic without the need to attain blood from bodies directly), at the cost of the ring draining the life force of those who wield it.
• Ghan's Avarice is a ring tied to the first exhales of the gods, borne down from the heavens on gentle notes to become the first winds of the realms. Its power cloaks the wielder in a violent tempest that deters weapons, projectiles, and spells hurled at them by others, but drains the wielder's own breath and stamina when the cloak is in use.
• Ghan's Sloth is a ring tied to the orchestral storms of Nirn, with their drums of thunder and choirs of lightning. Those who wear it are not only able to hurl shocking bolts at their enemies, but are also able to temporarily absorb incoming electrical power and deflect it back to their original source. Unfortunately, however, its usage causes increasingly painful shocks to the bearer's nervous system and brain that can lead to moments of paralysis that will become permanent.
• Ghan's Lust is a ring tied to the bones of the land that shape the song of the world. The environment heeds the call of those who wear this ring by allowing them to call upon bestial aid and grow monstrous vegetation through some form of geo-telepathy. But the ring itself is unloving of the earth, and in the wake of its usage all life in the near vicinity of its user (ranging from plants to animals to the thinking peoples) will slowly be affected with a strange rot that spreads pestilence and famine at a gradual pace.
• Ghan's Envy is a ring tied to the whispered hymns of the world's oceanic depths. When one wears it they become completely immune to frigid temperatures and gain the abilities of several underwater creatures (waterbreathing, echolocation, and so on), but at the cost of constantly emitting an uncontrollable frost from their ring-hand and suffering from an unquenchable state of dehydration.
• Ghan's Cowardice is a ring tied to the duet sung by the solar and lunar planes, or to be more accurate, by sunlight and by shadow. Those who wear it during the day will find more fortune and affection from everything around them while slowly developing intense paranoia, mistrust, and narcissistic views. Those who wear it at night will generate a void of silence and camouflage around themselves that makes them nigh-undetectable to most avenues of perception at the cost of gradually losing their memories and sense of self.
• Ghan's Gluttony is a ring tied to the ancient stars of the universe, those divine trinkets that light the sheet notes of mortal life and funnel magic into the world, which is why it is considered the most powerful and dangerous of the Sins. When worn the band devours magicka from anything possessing mana in its close proximity (which can be people, items, enchantments, and even the light itself), granting the wearer a virtually limitless pool of power to conduct sorcery. However, the rings' hunger for magic is insatiable and eventually mana at its most basic and fundamental composition will become poisonous to the wearer, resulting in a cruel death of bloating, organ failure, and suffocation brought about by the wearer's own body becoming toxic.

It is believed that when all eight Sins are worn, Ghan and his betrayed foster children will either bless or curse the rings uniter with great power. Their last reported sighting as a group was in 3E 429 in Torasa Aram's Museum of Artifacts in Mournhold, five years before it was broken into during the chaos of the Empire's Fall.

Rings of Divorce

“Any devout follower of Mara knows the legend of Thiroyil and Agrass, the lovers who spurned her grace and bore witness to her heavenly anger. In the decades before the Alessian Order, the wild elf princess and her Nedic husband defied superstition and civilization in order to cherish their bond. But as Marukh's zealots ravaged the Heartlands in their prejudice, the two lovers performed the ultimate act of betrayal. Promises of riches, safety, and most importantly, validation, resulted in the mutual destruction of their tribes and city-states in a ritual that cost them the soul of their unborn child. Mara, furious that such strong love could be broken over something as petty and foreign to her as survival, cursed their rings of fidelity and oaths of betrothment forevermore to serve as a testament to those that sullied the generous nature of love.”

The Rings of Divorce are rings of Nedic (Ancient Imperial) and Ayleid make. One is inscribed with the phrase "we took his heart, to bring it closer to us" and the other is inscribed with "and with this act, brought you closer to me". When worn by two willing people, their names will respectively appear on the rings as well. According to legend, they were cursed by Mara herself to serve as the ultimate test of commitment. Once worn they cannot be removed, and both parties will be made painfully aware of one another's location, desires, doubts, and irritations. If the love each holds for the other begins to falter, the bands will tighten and pull the individuals together until their ring-fingers are severed as they suffer from the pain side by side, declaring to the world that they are people incapable of true love in the eyes of Mother Wolf. There have been no reputable sightings in recent reports, unfortunately.

Ashen God's Brand

“The origin of this ring is uncertain, but it's mythical importance to the Orcs is not. If the Crimson Tapestries of Old Orsinium can be taken as true, then this misshapen adornment once belonged to the Right-Hand of Auri-El himself. Shortly after he tore out the Doom-Drum's heart, the Starless Knight was consumed by a rampaging storm of soul-crushing emotion and chaotic divinities that forced upon him self-reflection. And as the god of champions died, a single ringlet departed from his neck and fell down to the Mundus so that his children could save it in the midst of their own changing. But of course, no one alive can attest to the accuracy of this tale; no one aside from the ring itself, of course, with its one side of burnt, brutish malachite and the other of gilded, delicate adamantium as if it were torn between worlds…”

The Ashen God's Brand is a ring of Ancient Aldmer (Orsimeri) make. One of the rare antiquated rings believed to have belonged to one of the gods themselves before becoming the plaything of mortals throughout the millennia, of which few are recorded. The rings' enchantment reflects its conflictive appearance quite well - those who wear it will be blessed with some of the strength, endurance, vitality, and charisma of the god of champions himself for as long as they wear it, but this boon comes with a cost; they will start to suffer from a mystic deformity that causes their skin to harden, grey, and crack as if it were stone, perhaps in representation of the ugliness within all living souls. Although there have been no recent historical sightings, it was rumored that King Gortwog possessed it when he ruled Orsinium in the latter years of the Third Era. However, this would mean that the ring was possibly lost during the 11th and 15th years of the Fourth Era, when Orc Town was razed to the ground once again.

Burnished Ophidian Ring

“A horned-ring belonging to Raenai, one of the Brine-Daughters of Orgnum, who is known as the Young God. Made from one of the fangs and scales of a Padomaic Krait, one of the intelligent great-wyrms that slumbers in the dregs of the world. In the Eastern and Southeastern mythics, snakes and sea serpents are the descendants of hydras, the forgotten dragons of the sea, and like all dragonkin are associated with the notions of lost treasure and avarice (which is why the very concept of wealth is so metaphysically important to the Maormeri narrative). This ring, having exchanged countless hands throughout the years, only carries but a touch of the Young God's divine charity originally bestowed upon it.”

The Burnished Ophidian Ring is a ring of Ancient Aldmer (Maormeri) make. Its effects are similar to a more minor variant of the enchantment bestowed on King Orgnum's Coffer; those who wear this ring will find valuable items and materials easier to come by (like rare ores, artifacts, and information), but currency itself will remain scarce and their pockets empty (not because of any curse, but because the ring's archaic spell has weakened through constant use). Attributed to have been made by King Orgnum himself, whose status as a god is up to much debate. It's last reported sighting was in 3E 429 in Torasa Aram's Museum of Artifacts in Mournhold, five years before it was broken into during the chaos of the Empire's Fall.

Bounteous Ophidian Ring

“A horned-ring belonging to Moretiya, one of the Brine-Daughters of Orgnum, who is known as the Young God. Made from one of the fangs and scales of a Speckled Jaunedice, a greater breed of hydra scioned directly by Carugharughurac, the Maormeri-Echmeri dragon god of the sea and drowned time. Hydras are kin to dragons, after all, and are tied to the greed that leaks perpetually from Father Time's mighty jaws (for only He seeks the total dominion of all the known worlds). Unlike the rings of her sisters, Moretiya's signature band was kept hidden from the worlds for many centuries until an Altmer thief relieved it from her sleeping frame, which is why the magic gifted to it remains strong and lively.”

The Bounteous Ophidian Ring is a ring of Ancient Aldmer (Maormeri) make. Its enchantment, granted by the absurd and mysterious powers of King Orgnum, grants the bearer immeasurable luck when discovering currency of any kind while exploring their environment, as if coins were drawn to their very presence and heeded an unspoken call to their side. When used in conjunction with the Burnished Ophidian Ring, it is said that the riches acquired would surpass anything Orgnum's Coffer could possibly generate. It was last seen in the 429th year of the Third Era in Torasa Aram's Museum of Artifacts in Mournhold, five years before it was broken into during the chaos of the Empire's Fall.

Kudera's Rings of Protection

“Yacuria, the goddess of tears and the mourning of the dead, is a popular goddess in the East due to her intimate relationship with Death the Firstborn. But it is of little known fact that she was once worshipped heavily in the West underneath the subnymic Kudera, who served as one of the matron-goddesses of the northwestern Nedes. Those Descendants of Galen, who inherited the chivalrous spirits of the primeval wanderers, sought to protect their realms and one another at all costs, and continued to do so even when the southern elves came to bind them to field and chain. According to the Galesh Tales, Kudera was so saddened by the state of her favored tribe of man that she journeyed tearfully to the east and was never seen again. Sai’s grace caused the tears she left behind to crystallize inside the soil of Altbal, and with them the first armsmen of that land fashioned powerful charms. It is said that the Kuderan Knights still make annual pilgrimages eastward in the hopes that they will one day bring their goddess back home.”

Kudera's Rings of Protection are rings of Galen/Galesh (Ancient Breton) make. One of the few legendary rings that are known to be in the multiple, although most legends depict them as only being around in the singular at any given time (the Kuderan Knights are rare nowadays, and their secret cabals even rarer, so it is hard to question them about the nature of the rings). These gold bands fixed with jade-like tearstones carry a divine enchantment that protects those who wear them from physical attacks; bolstering their armor and shields beyond the quality of the ore they were fashioned from. It is no wonder then why they are a popular errand of knights and soldiers. One was recorded to have been seen in Jehanna in the 64th year of the Fourth Era, when a Knight of the Rose lost it in a duel to Centurion Adrian Silmane.

Old Mage's Ring

“No one truly knows who the first sorcerer, the first mortal to stare into the great tear of heaven and find power in the light there, was and could have been. But every ethnic, of every culture, of every land, and of every race has a tale, and it is of no surprise that the First Sons and Daughters of Old Mary have the oldest tale. When the God of Magic, He-Who-Fled-The-Mythic and has Many Names, fractured at Dawn, a lone mer pondering the first Long Night followed a shooting piece of that god's great soul and found the constellations awaiting them at the riven top of a grand pillar. Within that rift they learned the trade of Aetherius from the mentoring metaphor that aired at its summit, and from him fashioned a simple and intricate ring. Quite the imaginative, unreliable tale, isn't it? But what is magic, if not the tool of rather creative narrators…”

The Old Mage's Ring is a ring of Ancient Aldmer (Altmeri) make. Seemingly made from neither adamantium or solarite, but is of a meteoric glass-like quality never before seen on Nirn, which lends credence to the idea it came from the far reaches of infinite Aetherius. It is unique amongst most rings due to possessing four different enchantments all related to light and magic:

• Allows the bearer to generate what seems to be pure, concentrated starlight from the ring's gemstone. Interestingly enough, this light harms vampires, ghouls, and other types of undead as if it were silver or sunlight.
• Extends the effect duration of even the quickest spells and scrolls.
• Gives a moderate boost to the bearer's dexterity, allowing them to cast magic faster than normal.
• Makes the casting of all magic by the bearer, including even the most noticeable spells, completely silent whether or not the incantation is voiced verbally or mentally.

The Old Mage's Ring was so sought after by wizards that the Psijic Order was forced to intervene and had the artifact whisked away to their secret vaults inside the Ceporah Tower of Artaeum (and that is where it stayed for several centuries). Unfortunately, however, it is believed that it was either stolen by Daedra or anarchic invaders when Artaeum was overrun by the forces of Mehrunes Dagon during the final year of the Third Era.

Archaic Shackle

“A fragment from an ancient, most unfathomable chain, of a quality no mortal civilization could ever create. And yet it radiates a power neither aedric or daedric, which betrays its somehow higher than divine nature. The Prisoner Cults of the Mundus, founded by fools who share the heretical viewpoints of a fictitious reality and its (eventual) apocalyptic unraveling, cherish this most curious ring. They believe it to be tied to the holy object of their affection⏤an entity unbound from the world, unbound from the gods, and unbound from the Elder Scrolls themselves. The Prisoner. They who dwell alongside the Egotist within the sideways center, and whose pursuit of freedom threatens to awaken this strained hallucination of a universe. Only these zealous minorities would believe rational folk would find value in an optimistic messiah who teaches nihilism, but contradiction is gullible, and fools will be fools.”

The Archaic Shackle is a ring of Unknown Make. The stark-gray metal of this chain-link feels cold to the touch but vibrates with an almost warm synergy, according to the legends, and is a fluid yet indomitable substance unseen before by any culture. Most bizarrely, its enchantment is still largely unknown; those who wear it feel a strange mental and emotional calmness, as well as a great overwhelming power building up deep inside, but have yet to be able to tap into the shackle's true potential. Many believe it has properties that allow the wearer to defy the chains of fate, but perhaps it can only be worn by true Heroes of Prophecy. Regardless, the mystery of its true power and purpose only increases its value to the Circle. Last seen alongside the Staff of Chaos, a fellow 'Weapon of Rapture' that can be found in the White-Gold Treasuries deep below the Imperial Palace, in 3E 410.

Withered Swamp Ring

“This ring, crafted from the now decaying roots of an ancient Hist, is adorned with a glistening piece of amber that encases the eye of some sort of supernatural creature. Charms like these were once plentiful before the Duskfall that engulfed Saxhleel culture in simplemindedness and primacy, but now they are considered evil omens that must be destroyed when encountered. According to the more superstitious Naga and Paatru tribes of the deeper Marsh, this ring is a relic of the monstrous Lizardmen who fade in and out of Argonia’s troubled history. The Lizardmen, not to be confused with the Saxhleel themselves, are rumored to have been creatures born from pure ignorance and rage; the beastial, uncivilized soul of the Marsh made flesh, who constantly shed skins between shadowed, humanoid, and spectral form so that they may return from the forest that ever moves and reclaim the land stolen from them. This ring, which constantly squints at everything it longs to devour, is their will made testament.”

The Withered Swamp Ring is a ring of Argonian or Lizardman (if they truly existed beyond rumor during the Simulacrum) make. The eye within the amber, as the above quote states, actually seems to follow everything that moves within its field of vision. The Withered Swamp Ring’s enchantment allows its wearer to form a small snake from the surrounding darkness, and this shadow serpent can then be used attack and gorge upon the shadows of others; this action is of course hazardous to the victim, who will grow increasingly more ill the more their shadow is consumed by the monstrosity conjured from this ring. Several people believe this relic has connections to Sithis and/or the Shadow Constellation, which are connected in Argonian culture. The last reported sighting was from the esteemed Divayth Fyr himself, who recovered it from the lost Star Gallery itself in 3E 417, before he managed to misplace it while traveling back home.

Cryng's Rock

“Before their disappearance, the Dwarves functioned as a reclusive society. Their experiments, habits, and apathetic dealings with the other races of the civilized world labeled them as a people to be mistrusted and feared. Thankfully, however, some northwestern fables speak of at least one Deep Elf whose character wasn’t as soulless as the machines his race sculpted. This mer was the sullen Cryng, who came to be called the Brass Knight in the years after he abandoned (or was abandoned by) his Rourken peers during their exodus. Mercenary-knights were quite rare in the early first era, and those petty warlords and nobles who encountered the survivalistic Brass Knight were both dumbfounded and intrigued by this nether-folk wanderer, who wielded a greatsword twice his size and wore a set of ‘steam-breathing’ armor so heavy it broke the spines of lesser warriors unworthy of its burden...”

Cryng's Rock is a ring of Dwemeri make. One of the few intact pieces of Dwarven jewelry in existence on both Tamriel and Yneslea, due to what appears to be a complete lack of interest in such physical adornments on that dead society’s behalf. Its design is especially peculiar, due to the band consisting of a series of interlocking scarabs with its centerpiece emblem being a cracked but cube-shaped piece of simple limestone. The ring has seemingly inherited a portion of Cryng’s unfathomable strength, making the equipment its bearers wear feel lighter in weight while also bolstering their natural strength so that they can carry additional items while traveling. It was last rumored to be in the hands of the Restless League pirates of Stros M’kai, an island considered to be a part of the province of Hammerfell, who discovered it in an indeterminate timeframe during the Western War of Grievance (read: the Great War).

Dark Sister's Hairstring

“Only a troubled soul would wear this blood-encrusted band, fashioned from the strands of the murdered and the guilty. The Foresters of Morrowind, who are unshy in their disapproval of the Children of the Void Father, have warred with them for centuries. One particular assassin began a personal crusade against what she considered to be the inferior organization, and with every head hunted became more and more unhinged. Soon came the time she began killing her own brethren, whom she realized were no different than those she had been previously killing due to an epiphany gained from soul-shattering pain, and soon she disappeared into the labyrinthine Halls of Blood to never be seen again. All that remains of her existence, and her will, are these vengeful hairs plucked from her countless victims.”

Dark Sister's Hairstring is a ring of Dunmer make. According to popular description, the disgusting hairs woven into the ring have turned white and gray from age while the dried blood forms a Daedric script that is completely incomprehensible and unpronounceable. Befitting a cruel artifact tied to the dreadful practice of assassination, the ‘ring’s’ enchantment causes the bearer’s weapons to become invisible to the naked eye, allowing killers who stalk their victims to more easily end their lives. Interestingly enough, however, is that the ring seems to drive those who wear it to kill more after every successful murder (which is why the Morag Tong and even the Dark Brotherhood are adverse to procuring it, despite its usefulness). Last seen in the hands of Ilaine the Alley Rat, a former member of the Crimson Scars who escaped Imperial custody three years ago and has yet to be tracked down again by Tamrielic authorities.

Whetstone Ring

“Simple-minded, and by that we mean foolish, people believe that the multiple species of goblin are incapable of true intelligence and reasoning. And although their various cultures lack complex mechanics on the surface, it is within this straight-forward and simplistic thinking that they hide their more worldly wisdom and mortallic judgement in the face of constant strife and adversity. Unlike their admittedly more rational and civilized Hyu-Ketic brethren to the east, the average Tamrielic goblin associates their deities not by name but by color. To them, colors are the abyssal nature of emotions made manifest on the physical spectrum. Blue is the solemn, ever-mournful love the heavens have on the blasphemous. Red is the fierce, indifferent hand inking the quill that writes time. And silver? Silver is the cold blessing of pain serrated on the backbone of hard work. Which is why even non-goblins accept this boon from the Silver God.”

The Whetstone Ring is a ring of Ancient Goblin make. Forged from a mixture of bone, riverstone, and quicksilver ore by a blacksmith with techniques modernists will never be able to replicate (if only Western goblin culture and history was more documented). Befitting an artifact associated with whetstones, the enchantment provided by this ring sharpens the weapons borne by the bearer. And while this may seem only related to the physical sharpening of a blade’s killing edge, stories actually dictate it provides mental clarity and emotional focus as well as martial benefits. Truly a legendary object that hints at a much deeper aspect of its native culture. Its last reputable sighting was in Cyrodiil in the hands of the unknown chief of the Paleknives, a goblin tribe allegedly hired by the Imperial Legion to use guerilla tactics against the Aldmeri Dominion during the Battle of the Red Ring.

Sinistral Joint-Band

“Discussions that revolve around the left-handed elves always end in the debate of whether or not they were actually of elvish stock. Did the Yokudan, and subsequently Redguard, cultural habit of abhorring the left hand as unsightly and demonic stem from their hatred in their mer neighbors? Or were the left-handed elves merely a political faction of humans whose extreme values and beliefs resulted in this cultural mindset, after their actions caused the downfall of Yokuda? No one can say. But this ring radiates with sinister magic that not even the bravest sword-singer will harness.”

The Sinistral Joint-Band is a ring of Yoku make, although it is unclear if the design is more Mannish or Merish. A strange trinket, due to having a noticeable weight despite being constructed of phoenix feathers held together by some obscure resin. This ring’s enchantment will (obviously) only work when worn on a finger of the owner’s left hand, and if someone were to attempt to wear it on the right hand the results are…disgusting, to say the least. The power imbued into this ring allows the wearer to manifest something the Redguard myths refer to as a ‘blade-wraith’, a magical construct that apparently manifests into existence when an Ansei or Ansei-in-training’s soul is corrupted by negativity, and their spirit-sword is consumed by malice. It is unknown if the blade-wraith conjured by the ring belongs to the bearer themself or was forged by the one who created it, but it is known that this evil power can only be used once per day at the cost of scarification of the left-hand. Historical records paint Queen Afsar the Ruthless as the last individual to own the ring way back in the First Era.

The Bashful Ring

“Another one of M’lika’s creations that survived the test of time. Parables link the origin of the ring to a pair of humorous thieves who called themselves Coat and Steel. The two worshipped both the goddess Noyx, who served as their matron in the shadows, and the god Raen-N’tai, who served as the patron of their love, and it is well remembered that the lovers treated their crimes as venereal acts dedicated to one another. So when Coat and Steel came to steal treasures from M’lika’s Oretower of Contrition, the mansmith laid the perfect trap for them; she ordered her apprentices to spread rumors that she had invented knuckle-rings capable of conjuring the finest armor in the Auribex House and waited for the lubricious duo to come and take them. And when they did, they decided to wear the rings during the civil hours in their arrogance. Imagine their surprise when they discovered the karmic enchantment placed upon the rings!”

The Bashful Ring is a ring of Ancient Nemer (Echmeri) make. According to the parable there were originally two of these rings, but M’lika had one of them destroyed after teaching the robbers a lesson. The ring’s gimmick is admittedly on the jocular side and not for the prudish at heart. When worn, the bearer will believe themselves to be wearing a fine suit of armor and can even ‘feel’ its weight and texture, but this is only the first effect of an extremely powerful illusion enchantment; the ring’s second effect is its true one, which renders the bearer’s clothes completely invisible (and displaying their indecency to all who can see). Because Coat and Steel weren’t evil folk, and only used thievery as an outlet for adventure and romance, M’lika personally came to reacquire the ring and was even able to convince the two of them to become head guardsmen of her oretower. There have been no recent sightings of the ring to report, to the relief and dismay of a few.

The Eclipsic Band

“Relics related to the Lunar Lattice are not uncommon in the lands of the feline elves, but only a few of them are truly special beyond religious or symbolic purposes. It is said that before the Denizens of Old Mary walked the Starry Heart, the Khajiit harnessed the ability to create artificial eclipses that aided in the creation of powerful rulers who made giant leaps in societal development. One such ruler was Lord Jo’rahin, an Ohmes-Raht of reputable power. When his kingdom of Tara’nel-lia was threatened by the Sand Giants of the Great Divide, he used a mineral found deep within the earth to harness the unique light formed when the moons blot out the sun to visionary effect, and banished those barbaric creatures to another realm. His sons and daughters came to cherish this ring, even though it would not offer them the same wondrous abilities it afforded their father, until the grandson of the feudal lord discovered that it required a special sacrifice…”

The Eclipsic Band is a ring of Khajiiti make. The centerpiece of the ring, as well as the Old Ta’agra letters etched upon its slim and delicate surface, consist of an abnormal type of aeonstone that doesn’t naturally occur underground in southern Elsweyr (many scholars believe that the crystal’s natural composition and behavior was fundamentally altered by perplexing sorcery, resulting in the gold color instead of the normal green). The ring’s enchantment is perhaps one of the more puzzling ones listed in this book, as the cat-folk legends either list two different enchantments or one enchantment with two different effects. The first legend (‘Storm of the Dunekings’) explicitly states the ring absorbs moonlight and sunlight into itself, and when an eclipse happens allows the bearer to use the acquired power to destructive capability. The second legend (‘Jo’rahin and the One Hundred Visions’) is much different, however; the enchantment described within that oral history states that the ring bestows clairvoyance during an eclipse, allowing the one who wears it to effect the present with accurate knowledge of the future. Whatever the case may be, the ring still served its purpose of wiping the Sand Giants from existence. According to popular rumor, the Eternal Champion discovered the ring when they explored the Halls of Colossus in search of one of the Staff of Chaos pieces and gifted it to Uriel VII after they killed Jagar Tharn.

Fingerwraps of Anuiel

“At first glance these bandages look as if they were spun from wool, but in actuality consist of snowflakes magically woven finely into a fiber as soft as the winter clouds, which the Falmer called ‘autadenai’. After the Five-Hundred Companions laid waste to Old Mereth and drove the snow elves into extinction, the Atmorans raided and dismantled the Falmeri cities for treasure and supplies. This relic was one of those mighty treasures appropriated by the northern men in ancient times and subsequently convinced the southern cultures were their own. Enigmaticians have determined that the fingerwraps were consecrated in a holy site of Anuiel, the Soul of Anu who Lies-In-Visions, at the case of the Sunlit Stair. Befitting an artifact tied to Father Stasis, who helped parent the younger gods, its touch is cold yet oddly comforting…”

The Fingerwraps of Anuiel are rings of Ancient Aldmer (Falmeri) make. While this artifact will be described in the singular upon these pages, it is wise to remember that there are five fingerwraps intended to be worn on the hand and the artifact’s magic will not work if one fingerwrap is misplaced. As the Nordic tales say, the enchantment bestowed upon this ring causes it to emit a constant frost that has incredible regenerative and healing properties. But there is, however, a daemon’s catch in regards to how one may use it. Nothing malicious thankfully, but the fingerwraps will only heal the people around the wearer and not the wearer themselves. Last seen within the Ysmir Collective of the College of Winterhold in the 134th of the Fourth Era (and there is no reason to assume it still isn’t there, unless the mages somehow misplaced it).

Potentate's Ring of Aphaeresis

“Associating vampirism with the Snake-Men is…dubious, to say the least. And while this ring is definitely one of the Tsaesci ‘blood-drinker’ relics, of which items ranging from longswords to amulets belong to, the Akaviri usage of the words ‘blood’, ‘snake’, ‘skin’, and ‘eat’ have long been suspected to be unusual euphemisms for ‘life’, ‘dragon’, ‘language’, and ‘incorporate’. Sidri-Ashak, one of the Potentates that ruled the Second Empire of Men for a time, was perhaps the only Akaviri in recent memory to be ‘open’ about certain aspects of his culture, and described life as ‘an everlasting scale, coiling deep into and without itself, shedding layers to avoid the fangs of time in search of a greater existence.’ With quotes such as this it is no surprise to historians that the Dragonguard safe-guarded this ring when the Potentate vanished into thin air at the end of his reign; their descendants, the Blades, still believe that Sidri-Ashak yet lives…shedding lives, in search of a higher purpose…”

The Potentate's Ring of Aphaeresis of Ancient Akaviri (Tsaesci) make. Made from a dark, burnt orange-black metal never before seen in the far western hemisphere, although those who live in the Padomaic Territories and Freelands have only encountered it in its raw ore form out on the Esri Rim (and in that state the ore is incredibly brittle and toxic). Similar to the blood-drinking longswords that can still be found in Tamriel and In’eslae, the ring consists of two distinct bands intertwined together through gruesome, serrated fangs. The ring’s enchantment makes this wearer immune to both mundane and extracelestial poison by biting down on the ring-finger its worn upon and circulating blood through the ring itself, purifying it through powerful magics that then recycle the cleansed blood back into the body. The Dragonguard had once kept it in the island of Dragonhold, but that unfortunately detonated into dust during the Mid-Tamrielic Interregnum, which resulted in the loss of the ring.

Solar Pearl Ring

The Solar Pearl Ring. (NKartstuff)

“The Giants of Atmora, despite their multiple bloodlines, are classified as a dying race. In order to survive, many of their smarter clans migrated to parts unknown in search of less discriminating pastures, and the one-eyed Fire Giants of the Padomaic Volcrags are no exception. They are peaceful outside of their occasional raiding and largely value trade with the other islands, especially Yneslea, where they dealt with the Noraken and later the Echmer many times. This ring was gifted to a forgotten merchant many moons ago, and stands as a symbol of their craftsmanship."

The Solar Pearl Ring is a ring of Ancient Giant Make. It was sculpted from the obsidian deposits of the Volcrags and studded with magmite gems, which gave the band an aura of warmth that outlasts any coldness. It carries an enchantment that gives its wearer the strength of the Fire Giants by making them sturdier when delivering and receiving blows, allowing them to weather tough assaults in order to enact a critical strike. Why this ring meant for warriors was bestowed upon a merchant remains unclear, but it was last seen in the care of a fellow named Belethor of Whiterun Hold circa 4E 200.

Ligneous Ring

“In the West, people thank those that helped them up for being there to support them. In the East, people thank those that kick them down so that may learn how to stand on their own. The bug goblins believe in this sentiment wholeheartedly; it is exemplified by every part of their history. So no wonder then that they would create this strange little talisman and soak it in waters blessed by their gods. And besides… Some people deserve a good kicking, no?”

The Ligneous Ring is a ring of Ancient Hyu-Ket Make. An unsuspectingly simple ring carved from the wood of a drake-tree soaked in ambrosian waters. Its utility is simple but highly effective; it allows its wearer to survive falls from great heights and bolsters their natural ability to exert force upon others. Last known to have been worn by the Hyu-Ket Ukkon, a traveling warrior from 4E 125, who used the ring to great effect in many battles like the Tumbling of Faalong. Ukkon would eventually meet his fate in a skirmish with a group of brigands inside a Dwarven Ruin, where he was sucked up a ventilation shaft, and the ring has been lost ever since.

Brawler’s Molar

The Brawler's Molar. (NKartstuff)

“An orichalcum knuckle-ring fixed with an unusually large tooth blackened by age. Fighting unarmed is considered foolhardy by warrior elitists, who place value in expensive adornments rather than willpower and personal skill. But those that choose to fight with their bare fists are more disciplined than most, as it takes a certain type of martial artist to dance gently on the breeze and become one with their surroundings, before enacting their perfect mastery of environmental agency and delivering a crushing blow akin to the angry stings of a thousand wasps. Sticks and sticks may break one’s bones, but words are an open invitation; fists are simply a method of replying.”

The Brawler’s Molar is a ring of Colovian and Orcish Make, and might have been an early collaborative effort between those two cultures. The main body of the ring is designed to appear like a series of interlocking fists, which signify the power it bestows upon others. As one can guess, the ring’s main enchantment is boosting one’s arm strength and increasing the durability of the muscles, bones, and joints within one’s hands, making punches deadlier and decreasing the likelihood of hurting oneself upon a successful strike. The only catch is that the enchantment is nullified when the bearer has any form of weaponry aside from caesti on their person. It's last reported sighting was in 3E 429 in Torasa Aram's Museum of Artifacts in Mournhold, five years before it was broken into during the chaos of the Empire's Fall.

Objects and Furniture

A listing of legendary oddities and comfortable housewares that display strange and wondrous powers in the world of Nirn.

Chaos Monoliths

“Before In’eslae was faced with the Disappearance of the Dwarves, it experienced the Extinction of the Insect Men. The Kítapoe, according to Hyu-Ket stories, were a kind and roaming people with a great love for all life. And yet they seemed to carry within a great darkness that sprouted roots from a terrible secret they all shared. No Kítapoe genuinely smiled or laughed, and their eyes always seemed hollow, as if they knew their time was coming to an end. Only a fate worse than death appears to await those that worship the gods that dwell beyond the stars…”

The Chaos Monoliths are uncanny, towering obelisks that can be found all over the subcontinent-archipelago of Yneslea. They were originally constructed by the Kítapoe, the Insect Men of Akavir, who dwelled in Yneslea during the Merethic Era before mysteriously dying out. They are quite similar to western Mundus Stones and Doomstones due to being attuned to celestial bodies, but what makes them more unique and unsettling is the fact that the Chaos Monoliths are attuned to the un-star constellations, which are considered evil and demonic by both eastern and western peoples.

There are six main Chaos Monoliths—the Mantis Monolith, the Centipede Monolith, the Scorpion Monolith, the Wasp Monolith, the Blowfly Monolith, and the Shrine to the Tenebrous God—that are known to exist in the archipelago, although several smaller ones and the remnants of ones can be observed in the environment. They are seemingly indestructible, having been made from some alchemical resin and unnaturally strong chitin, and depict the constellations they represent with glowing yellow light. The Ynesleans people commonly believe them to be cursed (not even the Broh-Kah will mess with them), and believe tampering with them will cause them to bestow a hex upon you. Whether or not they truly have power in ways that Tamrielics believe the Mundus Stones have power remains to be seen.

Sytherio’s Pillow of Majesty

“In the midst of the Null Epoch, or what the westerners knew as the Middle Dawn, Yneslea was host to an incredibly eccentric individual. He called himself Sytherio the “Britun” (a mishearing of the word Breton), and styled himself as a traveling merchant-wizard who sold and invented numerous oddities during his stay in Lapis Lazuli. Despite being a wise and caring figure, he was heavily indifferent to Yneslea and its cultures even after having come to live there in solitude. Many attempted to arrest, detain, and exterminate him, but all attempts to do so either failed or were nullified despite one-hundred percent certainty of success. To this day, several scholars believe Sytherio might have been a minor godling as legends of his appearances extend all the way to the modern day. His most treasured possession was a rather posh cushion that smelled of hickory, alcohol, and powerful, resentful magicks…”

Sytherio’s Pillow of Majesty is an artifact of unknown make, although its design is clearly reminiscent of manmer interior decoration. It is completely indestructible, and doesn’t stiffen to all-manner of elemental or magical interference. Those who sit upon it gain the ability to levitate and fly, with the pillow being able to move at speeds faster than a falcon diving towards its prey. The pillow can also shoot fireballs at foes, and manifest books and beverages from some obscure pocket dimension for its owner. Last seen in the possession of Sytherio himself, who was allegedly spotted on the island of Rihl teaching farmers new irrigation techniques in the 83rd year of the Fourth Era. The mysterious man even says the pillow has dozens of mystical powers, but he could certainly be lying.

Pillars of Heaven

“Once, the god Tre'am got into an argument with his younger brother Aryus over the state of infrastructure within the higher heavens. The flamboyant Smith God perceived the lands of his elder as too brittle and dour, while the ever-stern Work God considered his misty pits, narrow castles, and beautiful gardens as the epitome of craftsmanship. The fighting got so intense that Aryus swung his mighty hammer into the support beams of Tre'am's realm, spine-like as they were, and caused one to splinter into tinier beams that became scattered throughout the universe. Small as these may be, they are still heavier than the entire Mundus, and ought to be left alone…”

The Pillars of Heaven are metallic-bone fragments the length and size of most spears and pylons, except for the fact they are quite literally impossible to move with physical strength and can only be tampered with by high-level magical effects. Most people who find one tend to use them as traps or as ways of confinement, as 'dropping' one in space will cause it to just levitate in that space unless removed somehow. They can be found all over Nirn and the Mundus (some have even been seen in the Outer Realms).

Yiketo

“A powerful artifact forged within the frozen bellows of Snow Hell, where one’s temperament and one’s temperature are one in the same. The Akaviri allegedly scorn the gods in a way the Dwemer (and the Echmer, by association) did not, and took their arcane research down a far more superstitious path. Controlling weather, long thought to be divine phenomena, was one small step to attaining ultimate power for those denizens that dwell at the Edge of Time.”

The Yiketo is, or was, a legendary artifact of Kamali make that was utilized by their armies long ago; it is also sometimes referred to as the Alchemists’ Font. Although it hasn’t been observed for quite some time, its appearance is described as being the cross between an hourglass and a candelabra, with its inner chambers filled with enchanted snow that glows in a myriad of colors. By feeding the Yiketo complicated mixtures of souls and alchemical components, it gains various powers derived from the weather: it can discharge lightning, conjure up blizzards, emit pulsating blasts of murderous heat, and can even turn rain droplets into corroding acids. The bat elves learned the full extent of the Font’s power when the Snow Demons used it to permanently alter the subtropical climate of their homeland in the winter, cursing it to experience three months of cold fronts and snowstorms forevermore.

Expeditions to Kamal from several Padomaic nations have tried to capture or destroy the Yiketo, but none have ever succeeded. It is rumored, however, that the Snow Demons may have destroyed it themselves since it hasn’t been seen in their hands for several centuries.

Ageless Wellspring

“What madness must overtake someone for them to consider godhood? Does such a desire stem from weakness, power, ego, parental instinct, or a craving for universal destruction and change? None can truly say. But the concept is truly intriguing for mortals, who are cursed with an everlasting yearn to be special, and never realizing how truly unique they are in comparison to everything else that exists.”

The Ageless Wellspring, also called the Nenanya, the Hû Raoi, or the Fountain of Youth, is a popular legend concerning the existence of a magical fountain that grants immortality discussed within all of the civilized cultures of Nirn; it is commonly associated with Glamoril, or the “Secret of Life” thought to have been created by the supreme dragon god Akatosh. There are several origin stories surrounding the creation of the Wellspring but the most popular tale involves its waters being the physical representation of the memories of Nir (or Mother Creation) in the Mortal Theater, having been saved from dispersion by the younger et’Ada during the Dawn Era.

The Ageless Wellspring, as its name suggests, grants eternal youth to those who sip from its depths. It also grants divine rights to that individual, meaning that they can truly ascend to godhood by carving out a sphere of influence tailored to their personal interests. A well-known individual who achieved apotheosis through the Fountain of Youth was the sea elf Earena, one of the nine brine-daughters of King Orgnum, who became the goddess of piracy and treasure hunting acknowledged in the Echmeri and Maormeri pantheons.

Rhetoric Throne

“Forged in times immemorial, this legendary seat of kings was commissioned by Gharen Noraken, leader of that ancient dwarven clan, shortly after the evolution of the Nemer. It is the ruminating throat of In’eslae, and its quiet hums echoes throughout the history of that timeless land.”

The Rhetoric Throne, also called the Seat of Kings and the Sovereign Cathedra, is one of the eight Begetter Relics treasured by the Echmeri people, and a symbol of incredible importance. While it’s primary function upon its installation was to allow absolute control of every Dwarven facility within the Dweech and make it easier to process tonal-communication between them, it became much more advanced in the later years to come. After her ascension to godhood, the scholar Hrahndeyl used her newfound deific power to attune the memories of every past ruler of Yneslea within the Rhetoric Throne and strengthened its magical ties with the ancient technologies of the Deep Folk; she also linked it telepathically with her own godly recluse, the Pleonastic Spire, which houses copies of every ritual and spell to have ever existed. Not only did this give new gerency candidates the ability to examine the thoughts of their forebears and herself to make better decisions, but it also lessened the physical and mental strain that came with sitting on the Throne itself, which had led to the untimely deaths of several prior rulers.

These ‘enhancements’ made the Seat of Kings quite powerful, as well almost sapient in a way, as it began judging members of royal bloodlines for their merit often; this led to the Council of Dull Chimes using it as a test of lordship for young children of royalty to determine the true heir to the throne. However, this would all change when Gerentess Ilia was overthrown by the Warlord Hannar, who was a descendant of the Second Rhetoric Dynasty (the Cakaphons). By all ancestral rights Hannar should have been made king, but the manner in which he did so seemed to have ‘broken’ the Rhetoric Throne, which started radiating nether energy from Har-Gaun and reactivating dangerous Dwarven automatons from their long slumber.

When the Almost-King died at the end of the Hannar Wars, the Sovereign Cathedra became eerily still and refused every new gerent candidate the Council tried to appease it with. Those that tried to force themselves on it would be subjected to horrific psychological spasms and occasional bodily harm, which led to the end of the In’eslaen Gerentate and the birth of the In’eslaen Directorate. Whether the Rhetoric Throne believed Ilia or Hannar was the true successor remains a highly debated topic, but none can know for sure. Hrahndeyl and Lyednharh both have refused claiming it, as neither desire to be political rulers of their people, and although Uriel Septim V was given the opportunity to claim it for himself he unexpectedly declined as he feared the implications of such a decision in the West.

Combat Arms and Armor

A listing of rare and mythical swords, daggers, bows, axes, and other tools of violence that can be found across Nirn, and introduced within the Uutak Mythos.

Wings of the Queen of Bats

An artifact forged for war can quickly change the tide of battle, but it would be wise to know caution; tools that crave blood usually care little for where the blood comes from... (Morrowind)

"Ages ago, back when the bat elves still called themselves Nemer in their self-denial of their own existence, the gods held sway in the lands of the dwarves-now-turned-to-dust. Narhi'ma was the strongest of these early deities who persisted beyond the chiropteran folks' early days, to the point she gained the affectionate nickname of 'Mamma Namma'. Whenever the Nemer needed something, something so bad they cared little for the cost, they would pray to the Mother of all Critters of the Dark for guidance and salvation. So when a conclave of Nemeric vampire begged their divine matron for a cure to their condition—the condition that she and her husband had bestowed upon their favored folk after they were scorned by her brother—she felt spited, and demanded sacrifice. The conclave was cured of their vampirism in the end, of course, but only in the matter of flesh; their souls were bound to twisted metal, and left hungering for blood."

The Wings of the Queen of Bats is a two-handed ebony battleaxe associated with the Lady of Decay and the Bat Elves of In'eslae (although its documentation in ancient Tamrielic history has existed long before the Invasion of Akavir that brought the Echmer into the Empire's fold, which suggests some form of transchronic nonsense), who possess an unique strain of vampirism in their lands that was (apparently) created independently from the other vampiric bloodlines by the Spirit Daedra herself. According to legend, the axe contains and is powered by the souls of multiple vampires, which is why it radiates an intense field of necrotic energy, and is said to carry two enchantments: the first allowing it to drain a physical target's health steadily the more it strikes it, while the second allows it to absorb spiritual/magical energy from ethereal targets the more it strikes them.

The Hammer of Gharen and the Anvil of Mithras

The Hammer of Gharen. (Arena)

"Amongst the myriad races of Nirn, it is the Dwemer that serve as the most mysterious as well as the most dumbfounding. Although their collective of divisive clans still followed the strange codes and customs of their entire people, it is still hard for the more persistent races to be able to discern their true motives and aspirations. The Noraken Clan especially were obtuse, due to their philosophical differences with their brethren, and their focus on more biological pursuits. They believed that the physical form was just a material extension of an orchestra, and that through the 'reforging' of the body, one could ascend to a higher way of thinking. Perhaps this is why these arcane and priceless relics are coveted by both the Ynesleans and the Tamrielics, who seek to attain the higher-thinking the Dwarves struggled to achieve..."

The Hammer of Gharen. (Las Pinter)

The Hammer of Gharen is one of the most precious artifacts treasured by the Echmer, being a relic left behind by the Noraken Clan of Dwemer. It belonged to the leader of the clan, Gharen himself, and is a massive unique Dwarven Warhammer that was also designed to look akin to and function like an ornate smithing hammer with attributes reminiscent of windchimes. It is capable of producing tonally-charged shockwaves with each swing and upon impact with another object, and was linked to several Dwarven facilities in the Dweech; if struck on a certain unsuspecting device or door, the tone generated by the Hammer would change and reveal a secret pathway. It was eventually apprehended by the Empire (who craved all Dwemeri technology in order to study it), where it was discovered that when struck on the legendary Anvil of Mithras the Hammer revealed a secret pathway into the heart of Red Mountain. After the Oblivion Crisis, the Yneslean Directorate successfully regained the Hammer and have kept it ever since.

Darknight Armour

“Armor of an ancient Cloaked Conqueror, who scoured conclaves of villainy underneath umbral veils. Hailing from the prison-island of Guth'da, the warrior beseeched chaotic powers in hopes of receiving the tools necessary for cleansing a rotten society. His prayers did not go unanswered, as this mail hewn from the essence of a storm cloud persists to this day as a representation of that crusader's vigilante insanity.”

The Darknight Armour is a legendary set of chiropteran-esque leather and chainmail armor. The blackened chainmail was woven from voidsteel, while the dark grey leather is said to have been cured from the hides of beastial zephyrs that materialize on rainy days. A voidsteel belt is outfitted with a great deal of sheathes and satchels for equipment, and a dark grey full-body cloak sweeps the shoulders. Each piece of the armor has it's own separate enchantment. The chainmail/leather grants a decent boost to stamina and strength. The storage containers on the belt have been magically altered to have double the space inside than others of their make and size, and are also more durable. And the cloak, when fully enshrouded, allows the wearer to fully blend into dark surroundings.

Bloodscorch Armor

“Attire of the unfortunate Deepfinders of Portentous Whelm, badly burnt and calcified by the bloody flames of the Netherrealms. The Deepfinders were one of several splinter groups that formed to better serve the Deepseekers, those brave warriors who guard Yneslea from the existential terrors of Har-Gaun, and swore an oath to chart the lands of the daemons that dwelled within the Heart of Nirn. Their entire expedition was swallowed whole in the Boiling Rains, transforming them into feral monsters. Their armor survived, however, as did their oaths, which are given to those insane individuals who wish to complete their lofty goals.”

Bloodscorch Armor are combat attire of Echmeri Make, and are only considered artifacts due to each set’s minimal mystical abilities combined with cultural significance. Light, medium, and heavy variants exist for Bloodscorch Armor, but all sets share a tarnished, almost golem-like visage. The flexible leather bracings and straps have blackened from soot and dirt, its once pristine brass chainmail has melted into solid plates ‘growing’ malformed pipes and cogs, and the bright blue of its forearm scarfs and waistcoats have discolored into a violent purple with fibrous undergrowths. As the Deepfinders are trailblazers by trade, they are constantly beleaguered by the hostile environments of the Underworld, and because of that Bloodscorch Armor has become highly resistant to its harsh conditions. It is also impervious to curses and provides ample protection from possession, and gifts the wearer the ability to understand otherwise incomprehensible ghosts and lesser spirits.

Undred

“One of the extremely rare greater-swords, known for their immense size and unbearable weight. This weapon was the tool of choice for a legendary hero who was constantly lured into darkness and battled against the inner-beasts he found there. He struggled so long within the Abyss that his armor grew dark and jagged, and his sword took on the properties of the spirits he killed there. And although he never found rest or mercy, hopefully the light of his companions found him a peaceful home. It'll take guts to wield such a mighty blade, but if one can muster the strength, they'll be able to effortlessly slay a hundred men.”

Undred is a rare greater-sword of Unknown Make but Tamrielic aesthetic. Is made from a mixture of black steel and red meteoric iron, and is an astonishing twenty-one inches in length and eight inches in width (sans hilt). Most warriors are incapable of even lifting it, much less swinging it, but in combat it functions more like a hacking/club-like weapon than a true sword due to its unusual size. Undred was used to destroy so many undead and malicious spirits by its original bearer that it developed an enchantment born of soul magic and rage that inflicts special damage against those types of foes. It was last seen in the personal armory of Uriel Septim V, who discovered it yearning in the campaigns of his youth.

Ebonpact

“A relic from an ancient alliance formed long ago in Tamriel between its eastern nations. When the snow demons attacked the West in the centuries after the collapse of the Second Empire, a new government was formed—albeit temporarily—upon a combination of mannish, elven, and bestial beliefs for the longest time in Dawn’s Beauty. This pact would eventually collapse inward due to the immense hatred its members held for one another, but the sense of unity and power generated from their collaboration would not be so easily broken. The fact this sword still exists is proof of that alone.”

Ebonpact is a slightly larger than normal greatsword of Dunmer, Nordic, and Argonian Make. It is thoroughly unique amongst blades due to having been smithed with all three of those races techniques in mind (the metal used for the blade itself is ebony, a staple of dark elf blacksmithing; the actual blade shape is reminiscent of the saw-like swords used by the people of the root; runed Nordic steel was inlaid upon the edges of the blade). Only the hilt is rather strange and oddly barbaric for such a sophisticated weapon, having been forged from one of the bleached tusks of the Kamal invaders and carries that folk’s startling chill. The weapon has no true power of its own most of the time, aside from being lighter than it looks and sporting immunity to rust, heat, and frost. But the legends say that it hungers for war with snow demons and specializes in damaging them, to the point it even nullifies their use of eastern winter magicks.

Jovious Buckler

“Ah, now who could be mad at that face? It’s such a happy looking face, etched in divine yet excruciating detail. Please, just be happy for that face… no, be happier for that face. Keep hitting and hitting that charming little face, until your smile begins to split your lips from your bones…”

The Jovious Buckler is a small iron shield of unknown origin, although the rumors state it had to have been created by an overly optimistic or incredibly insane god or sorcerer. The front of the shield is engraved with the visages of multiple people from the civilized races with grand but unnerving smiles of genuine happiness and content. It is within these enthusiastic faces that lies the incredible danger in this shield, as the more a person looks at and strikes at the front of the Jovious Buckler the happier they become, steadily increasing more and more until their joy causes shortness in breath and panic attacks. Eventually this magic-induced contentment with life will result in heart attacks, suffocation on one’s own breath, complete numbness of the mind, and in extreme cases death if exposure to the shield persists. Its current whereabouts are unknown, but let’s be truthful: whomever searches for this relic is a fool.

Tearmonger’s Longbow

“According to a popular fable, there was once a talking tree on the island of Nugai called the Mourning Oak. It was a very spiteful tree that bemoaned its terrible faith over and over again, until one woodsmer had enough and with a great swing from his axe silenced it for good. But while the Mourning Oak itself never spoke again, its bark became imbued with its negative personality, and from that point onward anything made from it weeped miniscule tears for a livelihood it never wished for.”

The Tearmonger’s Longbow is a large bow of Unknown Make (some legends place it as having originated in the Cathnoquey flotillas, but the actual appearance and style of the bow is more reminiscent of Esroniet techniques). The wood is an odd greenish-white in hue, and the ‘string’ on which arrows are nocked is in reality a very fine length of sap that never snaps and is incredibly flexible. The bow is said to have a depressing aura that causes those who use it immense unhappiness, and arrows loosed from it are enchanted with a psychological effect of fear, dread, and hatred that turns some warriors into cowards and makes others betray their comrades in a frenzy.

Voracious Twinspear

“Exotic weapon of Nylia the Avaricious, who hailed from a foreign world. Long ago, two adventurers calling themselves Nylia Illward and Evelyn Mochig roamed kingdoms as spellswords after being ‘belched’ out of a doorway into darkness. Powerful wizards believe they came from the Shadow Realms that lie behind primary time, which are infinite, finite, and everything in-between. Nylia was a quiet yet boisterous woman with a combat thirst that could never be quenched. Legends say she came from a world that yearned for living fire, but in the end embraced the lonely dark.”

The Voracious Twinspear is the inspiration behind the rare eastern twinspear (a long stave-like weapon with two halberd-sized blades on both ends, which can be spun, thrown, or used for cleaving), and is of Unknown Make. While the wood that connects the blades together appears to be from an ash tree, the metal the blades were forged from appears to have been a jaune ore believed to not exist in the civilized world. It is an acrobatic weapon that requires great strength and nimble fingers, and has two enchantments: the primary enchantment carries the force of lightning, and the secondary enchantment drains mana from others the more hits it lands in quick succession.

Maxor’s Jawblade

Maxor's Jawblade. (Las Pinter)

“Exotic weapon of Evelyn the Prospective, who hailed from a foreign world. Long ago, two adventurers calling themselves Nylia Illward and Evelyn Mochig roamed kingdoms as spellswords after being ‘belched’ out of a doorway into darkness. Powerful wizards believe they came from the Shadow Realms that lie behind primary time, which are infinite, finite, and everything in-between. Evelyn was a solemn yet dedicated woman with a sense of duty that greatly encumbered her shoulders. Legends say she came from a world ravaged by terrible beasts, which caused its residents to resort to depraved means of protection.”

Maxor’s Jawblade is an odd weapon of Unknown Make, that resembles the bizarre cross between a meat cleaver, club, and a pair of scissors. It was apparently carved, sculpted, and bleached from the lower jawbone of a creature its original owner killed in the distant past before being reinforced with high quality steel. The sharpened far edge of the weapon is used for cutting and stabbing, while the blunt and toothened near edge is used for blocking and bashing; if someone’s limb is unlucky enough to get stuck in between both parts of the weapon, then the two edges can be brought together in order to sever it. The weapon is permanently stained with some kind of balm that inflicts poison damage on those struck by it.

Inconspicuous Tunic of Simplicity

“Sometimes even the most ordinary of things contain greater power than what was originally perceived. Of course, finding out what that power is can be troublesome and full of burden. But those with steadfast determination and an impeccable fashion sense (or none at all) can usually sort them out.”

Many have sought out the Inconspicuous Tunic of Simplicity throughout the eras, but have repeatedly failed in finding it for one reason—it is so unremarkable, that even if one manages to get their hands on it they might not even realize the true value of what they have attained. It is a rather drab western tunic of low colors and meaningless emblems that could have easily been tailored as boring night wear for a highborn noble or spun as something cheap and comfortable by a peasant out in the sticks. Those that know about this relic believe it was made by the gods, specifically the Aedra, as it seems like it might have been made for a divine test of morality in order to dissuade mortals from greed.

The Inconspicuous Tunic of Simplicity offers no additional protection from magic, physical damage, or the elements; nor does it allow whoever wields it to conjure fireballs in their hands or travel through time or any other flashy powers and abilities. It justy simply, subtly, affects the probability of everything that affects the person who wears it. Finding coins, not losing their shoes, being thought as incredibly beautiful by a person they fancy, or even escaping death can all work out in someone’s favor by wearing the Inconspicuous Tunic of Simplicity. But ever so little every day, to the point of barely noticing a change.

Wearing it won’t make you wealthy beyond imagining or a famous celebrity, but it does seem like a handy little trinket nonetheless. It’s just the finding of it that mortals consider to be difficult (and who knows, it could be collecting dust somewhere in your wardrobe!).

Garland of Pain

“The last great speech of the Almost-King was, ‘I will break this land as this iron breaks my throat, suffocate it in its own blasphemy, and have it aspirate upon grander ideals.’ Even in death, some say he got what he desired…”

The Garland of Pain, or the Baara’kaht, was once the accursed iron chain Hannar the Almost-King wore around his throat. It was a ‘gift’ from his deific father, Gralmoghal, and in his youth gave Hannar incredible protection at the expense of constant pain—the chain, incapable of being removed due to having been fused with the flesh, would occasionally constrict and begin choking the Almost-King for several minutes. It was through this foul practice that Gralmoghal would instil the lesson of self-domination within his half-mortal son, which admittedly helped Hannar in his skills at fighting, commanding, empathy, and introspection. After his death, the Baara’kaht unfused from Hannar’s dissolving corporeal form and was spirited away by his loyalists to be worshipped as a symbol of his power and rightful kingship.

Wearing the Garland of Pain either as a circlet or necklace is ill-advised, as it still carries the self-harming curse placed upon it by the Brutal God and requires great physical and mental strength to endure it. If one is capable, however, the chain contains within it the vestiges of several spirits of chaos that will briefly materialize within the physical plane to protect whomever wears it.

Aegis of the Integriarch

“Armour of the disgraced Ys'laigun Order of In’eslae, who served as the great champions to the old rulers of the Echmeri Gerentate. Hoko, the first integriarch, had it forged from the body of Bíak’rahnor—a khimera who arose from the sea in the shape of a great serpent—alongside dwarven metal and solarite ore, creating a warrior’s attire that was almost as protective and as beautiful as the Raiment of the King. The last to wear this armour was Rih’fan the Betrayer, who after defiling it with his treason to the throne discarded it amongst the corpses he left behind in his last desertion, which is why the once snow white scales that adorn it are still coated with the blood of the innocent.”

The Aegis of the Integriarch is a legendary set of medium armour forged from khimera scale, khimera bone, dwarven metal, and solarite metal with a mixture of silk and leather padding underneath it to prevent discomfort. It is a hybrid suit of laminar, dwarven plate, and the traditional “Ō-yoroi’ six-piece designs of the Akaviri; thanks to the underlying divine nature of draconic materials, the Aegis of the Integriarch is extremely hard to damage permanently and boasts incredible defenses to the elements (including pure magical power, although the only one it is completely immune to is fire). The Ys’laiguns of old often mused they could hear the thoughts and feel the rage of Bíak’rahnor when they wore the attire, drawing upon his strength and knowledge to perform feats only prophesied heroes have accomplished in their times of greatest need, and perhaps this was true...the myths do say the great dragons are bound to their physical forms, even in death. If Bíak’rahnor truly becomes one with whomever wears the Aegis, then perhaps that explains the Betrayer’s fall…

Du’malkeinah

“The infamous great-hammer of Rih’fan the Betrayer, who trained with maces and warpicks twice his side from a young age. Despite being born in a Yneslea affected by the Divine Mandate for generations, Rih’fan grew up as a member of the incredibly small-in-number and conservative Wings of the Center—a conservative conclave of Echmer clinging to the old ways of nemeric culture, especially the outdated reverence for the all-goddess P'hanoikhei. But despite being groomed as a great priest and leader for his tribesmer, Rih’fan craved a better destiny, and struck out on his own. And although he never saw his family again, he did carve for himself a just and terrible place in history. Rih’fan encountered Illia on the battlefield during the Dusk War when he was but a commander, and it was during the Third War for Al’saia that he was named her integriarch upon her official coronation. Many have discussed how and why Rih’fan turned traitor to the Throne and joined with the Almost-King, and even more theorized why he eventually backstabbed Hannar himself near the end of that brutal civil war, as he was so close to the gerentess that it was often joked they shared the same bed. But perhaps Rih’fan, the Champion of the Universe-Mother, saw more than most. And in that thought lies the most startling theory: that perhaps Rih’fan never fell after all….”

The Du’malkeinah, a High Ek’hi word that means “Resolve is the Gift of Will”, is an ancient warhammer of tremendous weight and incredible power, considered lost to time just like it’s infamous wielder. It’s head is of peculiar fashion, having been designed to resemble a gigantic otensoria (this one carved with multiple images of bat-winged Echmeri venerant-saints) combined with a tone-grail (a bell-shaped goblet used to properly ordain leaders of the faith in the older Yneslean religions) and made from a combination of brinesteel & krakenium from the Padomaic Depths, while it’s shaft was meticulously carved from the great drake-oaks of Grasuojh (the latter of which being a great material for conducting magicka) and ended with a small spearhead; this allowed Rih’fan to quickly smash through any would-be opponents with the hammer, before driving the bladed-end upon exposed vitals once they hit the ground or were reeling from pain. But what made the Du’malkeinah incredibly potent in battle was how Rih’fan, an accomplished sorcerer like all Ys’laigun before him, utilized it as a catalyst for his magical abilities during combat. Records of those who witnessed him in the fray speak of every impact roaring with earth-shattering thunder and siphoning lightning straight down from the sky, earning Rih’fan the epithet of ‘Earthbreaker”. Although none have seen the great-hammer for many centuries and therefore cannot confirm this, its legends often speak of it inheriting the Betrayer’s sorcerous abilities into itself after years of channeling them through it.

Drake Spears

“Spears forged from the ribcage of the Drowned Drake that flew up from the dregs of the sea to terrorize Hrahn's Isles long, long ago. They are a brownish-red in color, except for the very tips, which are white as snow. Incredibly powerful weapons that carry smidgeons of tonal magic, but once used, they break and are lost from the material realms forever.”

The Drake Spears are the pride and heritage of the Hyu-Ket people, and are of Ancient Hyu-Ketic Make, featuring heavily in their folklore. They are believed to have been created by their Spirit Chief, the demigod Gol-Thek, after he slew the ancient drake who terrorized Hrahn’s Isles long ago. Each spearhead was fashioned from the bones of that villainous dragon and were attached to hilts carved from blessed, petrified wood; originally they numbered ten, but since they break every time they are used in battle, only three of these powerful weapons remain. Outsiders to bug goblin culture might believe the Drake Spears to be ordinary javelins and halberds, but in reality they are capable of summoning the Spirit Chief himself when wielded by a worthy candidate.

When one is used to evoke him, it is typically the Spirit Chief’s weapon of choice for any battles during his limited manifestation within the mortal realm and is used to great effect during times of peril. According to various priests from the roaming amethyst tribes, when the last Drake Spear is used the Gol-Thek will be summoned for the last time in the Mundus. It is left ambiguous if this means that the ‘bug dragon’ god will fade from existence or will simply no longer be needed by his people ever again.

Sunweave

“The first gerent might have been a gentle king, but he was a fearsome warrior. He made a name for himself in the ancient Noraken flesh rings for refusing to fight with anything but a shield, with which he garnered many victories. When his time for leading his people came, his soon-to-be wife made him an even better one.”

Sunweave is a special shield of Ancient Nemeri (Echmeri) Make. It is a hybrid between a medium shield and a chakram, meaning that it can be used for protection as well as deadly attacks. It is commonly misnamed to be a Begetter Relic, when it is actually one of the Four Kingly Treasures attributed to the Nemeric peoples the bat elves descended from. In battle, Anhano Raelei would use Sunweave to block attacks, before utilizing its serrated edges in melee or throwing it like a discus at faraway opponents; this fighting style would go on to become a Yneslean martial art of much renown in other parts of the world. Sunweave was forged from a mixture of solarite, gold, and ivory and is particularly potent against supernatural entities. After the gerencies of In’eslae came to an end, the shield was respectfully interred in the Unadorned Catacombs beneath the Rhetoric Throne and the Twilight Palace.

Raiment of the King

“The ceremonial armor of Anhano Raelei, as designed by his soon-to-be wife, was made to function as well as it looked, as what is the point of armor that does not protect? Learning the ways of enchantment from the small folk and combining it with Dwarven symbolism was no easy feat, but the Queen in the Forge worked tirelessly on this practical piece of art.”

The Raiment of the King, alongside its sibling-item Sunweave, lies within the Unadorned Catacombs and is considered one of the Four Kingly Treasures of the old gerencies. It is a full set of hybrid armor forged from studying dwarven plate and brigandine, alongside far eastern tatami and kusar armors that were captured and kept for research by the Noraken. It was predominantly forged from brinesteel reinforced with solarite and inlaid with Dwarven metal trimmings, making it extremely durable and hard to destroy. Gerent Anhano wore this in his duel with Ban’gei the Reignited and every subsequent battle he partook in before his untimely death; it would eventually come into the possession of Gerentess Ravara, who would pass it down to her triplets Diika, Haava, and Ureasa, and so on and so forth. After the Rhetoric Throne began rejecting new lords of In’eslae, the Raiment was sealed away as it was deemed sinful for anyone other than a true ruler to wear it.

What makes the Raiment special is the ancient glyphs imbued into every inch of its frame, that gives its bearer increased strength, speed, agility, endurance, and vitality. It also inherently halves any damage or force inflicted upon it, making the person who wields it nigh-invulnerable. Like most incredibly arcane armor, the Raiment of the King will alter its frame to fit the shape of whoever inherits it (but when without a possessor, its default shape is that of the First King Anhano). A common legend is that the Raiment changed itself multiple times during the Hannar Wars due to the presence of multiple gerent candidates, but once those candidates died, it reverted to its original shape and became scalding to the touch for a brief interim.