General:Uutak Mythos/Yneslea

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

“…but, alas, upon their return did their eyes gleam gleefully once more, as with surprise and joy did they see their young liege Uriel VI wearing the Chim-el-adabal around his neck. And when asked did the child say proudly that his father had lowered it upon his nape before kissing him goodbye. With such sweet words did all in Cyrod run to Mother Rumare just in time to see the ghostly ships of a sundered king swallowed in heavenly mists, and at the helm of the greatest one stood the Fighting Diamond himself; the serpent’s arrow in his throat no more. ‘Beyond the Starry Heart, Quey, In’eslae, and Akavir I must be!’ he cried out as boldly as he would in life. ‘For peace awaits beyond this dragon’d sea.’ And with that did the gods blow away such mournful visage and mist, and with great prayer did we usher off the fleet and the Bane…” — Anonymous, from the closing paragraph of The Final Days of the Imperial Expeditionary Force, or the Whereabouts of the Divine Ruby Fleet of Uriel V the Bane

Yneslea, also known by the names Duahvardn-Zel, Maluhropi, Lapis Lazuli, Sweet Melody by the Sea, the Ice Cream Lanes, Véi Wōng, and the Shieldlands, is a large archipelago-subcontinent that can be found to the southeast of Tamriel within the Padomaic Ocean; outside of the Empire and other Tamrielic-governed estates it is most commonly referred to by its true name of In’eslae. It is a land haunted by ghosts and those they left behind, of deep mysteries and varying climates, a place as unforgiving to outsiders as it is fulfilling to those who adapt to the lifestyle it takes to live there. It is the homeland of the scholastic Echmer, the naturalistic Hyu-Ket, the savage Broh-Kah, and the tranquil Terenjoe.

Despite the strangeness of this nation and its various peoples’, it struggles valiantly alongside the rest of Nirn in tackling danger and plights from both internal and external forces. Many hands have laid claim to Yneslea across the pages of history—from the disappeared deep elves to the conquering Imperials—and at one point in time it was ruled by mighty sovereigns, clan-dynasties, and god-heroes. In modernity, the subcontinent is governed by a collaborative council of representatives who oversee and control various aspects of Yneslean production and culture (e.g. military, agriculture, education); an oligarchy that enforces strict (and sometimes detrimental and hypocritical) rules regarding magic, religion, and foreign relations due to the failures of their ancestors in the past.

Note: As of 9/30/2021, 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.

Geography

An accurate map of the nation of Yneslea (Drawn by Wulkos).

Cathnoquey, the homeland of the Chimeri-quey and Keptu-quey, lies to the northwest of Yneslea and can be reached after three weeks of sailing (four to five during storms or sea monster migrations). Esroniet is usually only one to two weeks of sea travel from the Yneslean archipelago’s easternmost island (Astòs), and lies to the northwest of the archipelago as a whole. Pyandonea is far to the southwest of Yneslea and it takes four to five months to traverse the distance between them (although the small islets between the two landmasses often remain the coveted staging grounds of pirates and rogue mages, and can lessen the travel time). Small nations (like the Fire Giants of the Volcrags or the Miasman of the Rotskirts) that trade with the Yneslean Directorate on a semi-frequent basis are generally only a few days to a few weeks of travel.

Akavir is about four to six weeks (as the seas around the Dragon Land are notoriously difficult to traverse due to the weather and sea-walls of broken ships) of travel from Yneslea. Tamriel is the second furthest landmass of notable rapport from the Ice Cream Isles, taking two months and a half months or more of ship travel from the eastern ports of Morrowind and Skyrim.

In regards to climate, Yneslea is known for its northwestern islands being subtropical, with some islands differing in humid subtropics or dry summers, while the southeastern islands are hotter and are categorized as semi-arid. Biomes ranging from salt plains, rocky savannahs, treacherous jungles that descend into dreary swamps, and windswept mountain ranges can all be found here, but the archipelago does share an unique environmental trait as a whole: the Kamalite Coldfront, which was caused by the snow demons using a powerful artifact; every island within Yneslea is cursed to experience incredible snowfall, foggy blizzards, and dangerous ice storms for the latter months of the year.

In comparison, the Dweech—the enormous cavern system that connects the archipelago together—also has a self-contained environment that varies due to seismic activity or past destruction and excavation by others. The vegetation and lifeforms produced by these deep tunnels can live mostly devoid of light and water, and blur the line between what is plant and what is animal. The Dweech is even host to its own unique weather patterns influenced by self-sufficient spores, obsidian mesas, magma springs, and steamfalls, granting it an unique ecosystem in comparison to the climates up above. In truth, the existence of the Dweech leads to the scholarly assumption that in millennia passed the Yneslean archipelago was once as large as a province-and-a-half, before the oceans claimed most of it over time. Now, Yneslea’s combined landmass (excluding the Dweech) rivals only Summerset Isles and Pyandonea in both area and population; large enough to resist and thrive as a significant power, but small and meager enough to be a target of conquest by more ambitious continents.

A Shipmaster’s Paradise: Bodies of Water

Yneslea lies between Tamriel and Akavir within the Padomaic Ocean, the largest body of water on Nirn; an aquatic abode plagued by sea monsters, piracy, and legends of eastern terrors. Sailors have noted for centuries that the waves of the Padomaic are constantly in turmoil and incredibly dangerous to navigate, as if it embodies the divine traits of some obscure and primordial deity.

The islands that fall underneath the umbrella of ‘In’eslae’ are especially affected by the waters that surround them and the tsunamis and whirlpools it often conjures up against them. Even the Echmer, who have never been particularly interested in exploring the greater world, have admitted on numerous occasions that this environmental risk serves as a moderate deterrent to exploration.

There are several myths, legends, and historical evidence that modern scholars use in order to justify exactly why the Yneslean microcontinent has such strange maritime phenomena. Quite a few blame it on the Noraken-Clan’s ancient drilling for divine blood in the ocean floor, while others believe that the now-extinct Padomaic dreugh kingdoms might have some powerful sea-god or artifact that’s warping the nearby area (or worse, the Nemer—the bat elf primoculture—or the Broh-Kah plundered these underwater ruins and unleashed something terrible upon their descendants).

H’agre Gërein the Calm, one of the first Echmeri virago/venerants and a master seafarer, was the first Yneslean to make it his life’s mission to chart and name the local bodies of water that surrounded the archipelago (although a few of them came after his time): the Unari Sea, the Gunrun Sea, the Sh’aemiu Sea, and the Channel of Tru’gitet.

• The Unari Sea, or the Bitter Sea, is the northwestern expanse of water within the Yneslean perimeter. It is known for its perpetual thunderstorms, jagged rock formations, and cold winds (resulting in the Ynesleans giving it the nickname of the ‘Bites’). According to H’agre’s personal memoirs he decided on the name after tasting the water and waking up with the shivers multiple times during his voyage. In the more northern parts of the Unari it begins to meet the eastern outskirts of the Sea of Ghosts, and small icebergs can be observed within fine mists.

• The Gunrun Sea, or the Chaotic Sea, to the south and east is more dangerous than the Bites due to its high level of surface and underwater volcanic activity, causing it to be covered in a thick haze and having areas so hot that the water is boiling. Some sea beasts are attracted to this heat, and the haze benefits eastern invaders as a makeshift veil to launch strikes on the In’eslaen Fringe (something the Echmer loathe with a passion).

• Where the two seas meet between the islands of Yne and Slea forms the Channel of Tru’gitet (a word that means “peaceful winds”), known for its calm waves and gentle breezes; the Noraken Clan built the majority of their oil excavation facilities in these waters. Ships sailing from the eastern coast of Yne to the western coast of Slea (and vice versa) are able to conduct their business safely and efficiently without much complaint, outside of the occasional pirate or brigand patrol.

• Although he originally named it in honor of an ancient Nemeric war-god, the Sh’aemiu Sea, or the Blooded Sea, more than earned its name after becoming the graveyard of numerous naval battles, invasion attempts, merchant follies, and old rituals. Lying below the Channel of Tru’gitet and between the Gunrun and Unari, the Blooded Sea is infested with criminals, smugglers, and worse who use unimportant islets as bases for operation.

The Seventy-Two Realms: Categorizing the Islands

The Yneslean subcontinent consists of seventy-two islands of various shapes, sizes, and cultural importance; collectively they are known as the Seventy-Two Colours of the Lapis or Anhano’s Gems (Ynesleans will often use the expletive ‘by Anhano’s gems!’ in reference to the islands, or as a crude joke at the first gerent’s expense).

As some of the islands are naturally tailored to different uses (natural resources, strategic formations, intriguing artifacts, or completely inhabitable), the rulers of the Yneslean Directorate organized them into specific classifications so that they could administer them better. Examples of this includes:

• The Burial Islands, or Hu-Vhang, are home to massive ossuaries and sepulchers that belong to the bat elven sects (clans) and cover the entirety of the island both below and underground. It is here that the ashes of cremated Bat Elves are interred within life-size salt replicas of their mortal forms, which will stand ever vigilant with the rest of their bloodline for all eternity in remembrance of who they were and how they have finally attained true peace in the Void. Usually tended to by fossors (grave diggers/builders), who dedicate the entirety of their lives constructing burial-islands and being trained to defend them to the death.

• The Citadel Islands, or Ienaloni, are heavily fortified isles utilized by different Yneslean organizations. Votaries (exorcists, rectors, deepseekers, witch-hunters) and Eskar'edai often construct secretive and rival training facilities on citadel-islands due to differences in beliefs and monster-hunting techniques. Most of the Ienaloni belong to the Yneslean armare and armada, being strategic fortresses that have been rebuilt, abandoned, and Imperialized multiple times over their existence. As citadel-islands are incredibly important, a lot of them have entrances to the Dweech in order to maintain secure routes for troops and supplies.

• The Foundry Islands, or Niuhocs, are rich in minerals and ore deposits, and outside of general use by multiple factions of the Old Gerentate and the modern Directorate (like the Uutak Corpus, who specialize in the creation and development of auralmata/automatons) a decent amount are privately owned by individual manasmiths or the Daughters of Ravara due to the importance they place on blacksmithing. Incredibly powerful or influential manasmiths in particular often establish their oretowers on foundry-islands in order to have unlimited access to resources.

• The Unhallowed Islands, or the Kítaens, are normally found in the eastern portions of the archipelago and were once major areas of interest for the allegedly self-genocided Kítapoe, who worshipped esoteric un-star gods associated with insects and built impenetrable temples dedicated to them throughout ancient Yneslea before they faded from existence. These temple-islands are generators of much fear and superstition for modern day Ynesleans, due to the very air being laced with unsettling magicka.

Eternal Chimes: The Eight Islands

An older, slightly inaccurate map of Yneslea dating back to the third era (Drawn by Chieftah).

“When we first stepped into the region we learned to call the Grashian Wilds, sick to death of the torturous stretch of sharpened waves we had barely rowed our way through, I could’ve sworn I was dreaming or heavily fatigued; the battlemages our Lordship had acquisitioned from the university had calmed our nerves before we departed, fearful that senescence was settling deep within us, but now I am unsure if that did anything beneficial. The odd colors, the exotic smells…this place was both unfortunately new and oddly familiar to me. And the beasts, of a caliber only a child could imagine, filled me with dread as they resembled the reports of our spies all too well. Cursing as we fended off unsettling swarms of gigantic wasp-like mosquitos and slopped our way through grubby sand, we hurried to the rallying point of Admiral Tharn in case the chiropterans—skilled in their counter-espionage—knew we were here. Sheathing my blade after saving my squire from some wolf-like thing, I remembered how close we were to our fighting’s end and half-smiled; for the first time in months, I was genuinely glad.” — Commander Hungtat Torpal, from an excerpt of “Eyelid to Power”

This above paragraph from the renowned Eyelid to Power: The Eastern Fleet’s Futility is still considered a rather excellent and truthful (although antiquated in its grammar and wording) account regarding the islands of In’eslae during the Tamrielic Eastern Conquests (or the Failed Akaviri Invasion); strange and exotic territories ruled by a dangerously competent government, each hosting their own wonders and mysteries, and practically untouched by Tamrielic hands.

As stated previously, the Yneslean archipelago consists of seventy-two landmasses officially discovered and annexed by the Echmer during the Jên Shǎn Crusades (also known by the titles of the Progress Crusades and Post-Unification Years) shortly after the unification wars that occurred when the Noraken-Dwemer disappeared along with the rest of their race in 1E 700. Although there are a few other Padomaic islands that the Echmer have dominant influence in, these aren’t officially claimed by the Yneslean Directorate, and internal-wise out of these seventy-two islands only eight (occasionally nine or ten, depending on the era) are considered culturally and economically important.

The two largest islands of the subcontinent, Yne and Slea (which were conjoined into ‘Yneslea’ by Uriel V after mishearings of the actual name In’eslae), are the ancestral homelands of the bat elves and are where the majority of trade, industry, historical events, and tourist attractions occur. Pasa’vaga, Al’saia, and Hrahn’s Isles/Grasuojh/Amethyst Isles are notably smaller, but are incredibly relevant to Yneslean history and its inhabitants/capital cities continue to contribute to society in powerful ways. And Moruii and the Remnants of Zaida/Vaol Zaida Cí were once incredibly large k’haogunates (fiefdoms), but crumbled away due to natural disasters and reduced to shadows of their former selves; in their heydays they rivaled Pasa’vaga in regards to population and enlightenment.

Two other islands, Gēfésha and Hoü Cín Sung, were also at one point major landmasses of the archipelago but for one reason or another are only honorably mentioned in official documents for the sake of consistency. Hoü Cín Sung, an island slightly smaller than Pasa’vaga that laid north of Al’saia within the Sh’aemiu Sea, was once a magnificent merchant metropolis before its inhabitants discovered the land on which their cities were built was in fact an enormous shelled-megalodon; although the creature’s awakening was inevitable, the Sungho (as they came to be called) took this inevitability in stride and managed to tame the creature, and now live their lives traveling the seas on its hibernation paths.

Gēfésha, on the other hand, was lost to daedric forces. Once lying between Slea and Moruii, and being of substantial mass, the Gēféish consisted of numerous pompous nobles who grew bored of the gerencies in the past and were allowed to peacefully purchase a new home as long as they promised to stay peaceful with greater Yneslea and refrained from interfering with wars and trade. Gēfésha seemingly worshipped a demiprince known as Khurmeili, and after they lost a strange bet with the deity she stole them and their home away to her realm without a name. The Gēféshan Straits are still believed to be haunted by the island, which is thought to exist in and out of mortal perception.

The Broken Wall of the Keep: Yne

The great city of bells, J'uondo, that also serves as the capital of Yne (Drawn by Las Pinter).

“A little far from home, yes, but has just the right amount of Tamriel to feel reassuring in its strangeness.”

Yne (which means "reverberation" in Ek'hi), is the second largest island within the authority of In'eslae and the one most impacted by imperialism during the Directorate’s tenure underneath the Empire. It boasts a largely subtropical climate outside of a few features due to natural terrain shifts and historical alterations by its native inhabitants. It is generally divided into four distinct regions, with each having their own subregions: the ore-filled caverns and frigid moist forests of the Hae'macrin Mountain Ranges covers the northern area of the island, before giving away to the waterfall-basins and humid rainforests of the Euphonic Expanse in central Yne. If one travels west and southwest from the Expanse they will find themselves in the industrialized jungles, golden beaches, and beautiful peninsulas of the Ambient Littoral. Meanwhile, if you travel east and southeast, you will see the land transition into fern-prairies and swamps before encountering the ghost forests, giant mangroves, and salt plains of the iconic Opal Coast.

The Ynei (as natives of Yne are called) are notorious for being both accommodating and stubborn, and will more than naught make an error in better judgement if a more moral or decisive outcome presents itself clearly. This is why the other Ynesleans jokingly refer to it as the “Broken Wall”, as although it held up tremendously against western invaders and pirates for a long time, it would repeatedly lower its defenses and leave the rest of the subcontinent open up to potential espionage and attacks. The Ynei, of course, aren’t happy with this representation but have managed to turn it around by being the most welcoming of the Yneslean peoples and allowing their island to change in order to ensure a more peaceful future.

Major Settlements

• J’uondo | The City of Bells: Built out of the mountainous terrain of the Hallowed Winds subregion of northeastern Yne, and surrounded by rings of rice fields and citri orchards (a citri is a fruit best described as the combination of apples, strawberries, and lemons; quite tasteful), J'uondo is a well-known and historically important city within the Yneslean Directorate. It was originally built as a means of forging a tighter bond between the Omali and the Exul, as it was built around one of the six Noraken Elevators that lead into the Dweech, and could help facilitate trade between the surface and the underground communities. It became infamous, however, as the protective residence for the children of Esdras Raelei, the Struggling King. And although it survived the battles between Esdras and his aunt Ureasa during the Raelei Disputation that almost prematurely ended their bloodline, it would end up falling under the sway of Esdras' tyrannical grandson Oelin for several years. J'uondo is a powerful realm sculpted in a brutalist style, once being the seat of heirs apparent that transitioned to k'haoguns (local lord or governor) in modernity, and is famous for its dozens of intricate bellspires, ornate theaters, and public bathhouses that utilize the boiling waterfalls found deep underneath the dormant volcanoes within the Hae'macrin Mountain Ranges as a source of continuous clean water.

• Nuareih’an | Spear of the Sea: Built in 1E 2754 [2A 2051] after the Destruction of Uld Reih'an a decade-and-a-half prior, Nuareih'an is a moderately sized fortress-harbor that lies only a few dozen miles southwest of J'uondo (and therefore falls underneath its jurisdiction and trade, despite being within the sea-bordering lines of the Euphonic Expanse). While known for its fish markets and sushi stands, it is still advised that travelers remember that it was a town originally founded by hardened soldiers and guardsmen, and it still serves as an auxiliary station for the Echmeri armare (military) today. It is also the residence of several of the workers employed on the Falai-Non Gala Rig, which lies close by in the Channel of Tru'gitet between Yne and Slea that empties into the Sh'aemiu Sea. Like the majority of towns and villages standing within the In'eslaen archipelago, Nuareih'an was built from a mixture of wood and stone in the spherical-layer format inspired by the ancient Akaviri colonies that were abandoned long ago (a style officially recognized as the raeleic format).

• Braderik’s Helm | Silent Vigil: An average yet bustling raeleic town surrounded by Colovian walls that can be found in the midwestern Expanse; it makes a living as a trading post and resting stop for travelers. It was originally known by the simple name of Tram. During the Dragon Fear Riots of 3E 288, the Imperial Legion was nearly pushed to engage in full-scale war again due to massive civil unrest over Uriel V's status as a Dragonborn. Eventually, an Imperial Centurion by the name of Braderik Lornus (who had become culturally invested in the archipelago) challenged the head of the Riots, a Shen'shiyami marshal by the name of Naelöna, to a verbal-physical duel during Soulfast to prove the good intentions of the Empire. While he ended up losing, the crowd drawn to Tram were so moved by his speech that the Riots died down in a few days and Naelöna personally nursed him back to health. The two would come to govern Tram as cooperative k'haoguns, a practice that persists even now, and the town was renamed in honor of the helmet he shattered against the ground to demonstrate his integrity and honesty concerning the Empire's intentions. Now Braderik's Helm serves as the permanent home of House Lornus, who owns several of the vineyards and plantations in the area.

• A’zastalon | Bastion of Black Iron: While in Tamriel forts are largely built to serve as resupply stations or barracks and nothing more, Echmeri citadels are constructed to be average to large cities first and garrisons second; a place a soldier or a sentry and their immediate family can call home after periods of long war or guard shifts have ended. A'zastalon, also called A'zast Citadel, is the largest of the Yne Citadels and was constructed shortly after Terau-Io the Good King, First of the Cakaphon Blood, sat on the Rhetoric Throne after forcibly removing the then-corrupted Raelei Lineage from power; if only his descendants contained a tenth of his virtue. It lies along the northwestern coast of the Ambient Littoral, where it is connected to numerous supply lines and hidden underground vaults full of weapons and arcane devices. During the Imperial Occupation its name was briefly changed to Fort Gypsymoth by Admiral-Governor Varian Mothril, but that name did not last for long. An actual Fort Gypsymoth was later constructed in the southern reaches of the Littoral in 3E 303, and later became the home of the Crimson Legion that forsook imperial citizenship during the Yneslean Secession.

• Ostikulithan | Shardhome: Ostikulithan (which means “where stars shine underground” in Hyu-Ketic) is a strange city, not because of its inhabitants, but because of its history. It can be found within the Grashian Wilds, a southeast region of the Opal Coast well-known for its treacherous terrain and saltwater cave systems. The Echmer had long since given up on fully colonizing the area, despite wanting to acquire it due to the centuries old salt formations that could be found inside the aforementioned caves (hardened salt so old that it had crystallized into beautiful, precious stones mages loved to use as catalysts for staves and wands), resulting in numerous abandoned outposts and towns dotting the subregion. The Hyu-Ket held no such qualms towards the Wilds, however, especially once they were freed from bat elven enslavement. Numerous tribes marched there in the early third era and used a combination of their ancestral ways and Omali urbanization to create a functioning, traversable city amongst the abandoned buildings. The inhabitants of Ostikulithan would go on to trade the salt gems with the Exul for several centuries until the Imperial Occupation when the town caught the eye of Orc legionnaires who saw kinship with the bug goblins. These Orcs would later return with their fellows to build numerous strongholds within In'eslae (like Orsungur in the Expanse) and become the Ice Cream Orcs, but many would settle in Ostikulithan to better fortify and expand it with Old Orcish infrastructure and irrigation techniques that made it more valuable to the Directorate as a whole. With the discovery of brinesteel within the marsh-caves, the city became known as a haven for blacksmiths and jewelers.

• Elaan | The Abode of Healers: Although Elaan originally started life as a research outpost built by the Magus Legions of the ancient Kasuto Empire of Pa'vasaga in 1E 2634 [2A 1931], it didn't become a full-fledged city until 2E 134 - several decades after the Cakaphon Dynasty ended and the Divine Mandate reformed Echmeri society. It can be found in the Saline Plains of the Opal Coast region, that chromatically shine across the nearby Tanto Bay to the small villages in northeastern Yne. When Hanzu E'ga-Zi seized the Rhetoric Throne and ushered in a new epoch of change for In'eslae, her first step was to reconquer Pa'vasaga and force them to adhere to the Divine Mandate that restricted the Echmeri reliance on gods and their teachings. The Magus Crusades lasted for nearly a decade, but the Gerentess succeeded in her mission and was able to slowly convert the Pa'vasagians in due time. The Magus Legions (who eventually became the founding votaries: the rectors, exorcists, and witch-hunters of Mustikos'arcere) decided to use Elaan as an intermediary between islands, and over time it rose to become a major center of magical teaching and a hospice for the injured. Elaan itself is an engineering marvel, being built from the kasutoic style that oddly enough harkens back to Aldmeri construction with dominant Akaviri leanings, and is a place of hanging gardens/farms, freshwater pumps that extend deep into the underground Dweech, and salt refineries. It's most beloved feature, the Seawalk, extends downwards from the saline-mesa the main city was built upon and into the Nibenese pier-village of White-Gold Harbour, which was constructed in 3E 283 after the Expeditionary Force burnt down Elaan's original harbor during the war.

• Yuarial | Gateway to the East: After the Fighting Diamond died in Akavir, his surviving Expeditionary Force engaged in their sorrowful journey back across the Padomaic, and while several of the surviving ships abusively used the eastern territories for supplies and artifacts, others decided to abandon the long sail home and permanently rooted themselves inside these newly acquired lands. These deserters would go on to help the East Empire Company in their construction of an Imperial city on top of the ruins of Do Raan S're, an ancient Nemeric city near the midwestern/southwestern coast of the Littoral (something the inlanders decried as insanity due to the negative aura surrounding the place), and with their efforts, the foundations of Yuarial were born. Since those chaotic days of centuries past, the city that was given the localized Ek'hi name for Uriel V in honor of the fallen emperor has become an incredibly large and profitable realm. It contains Morihatha's Summer Villa (which became an intercultural landmark), the largest East Empire Company base in the Padomaic, and the highly acclaimed “Red Diamond District” that draws in entertainers from all over the civilized world. The Nibenese architecture that seamlessly weaves in and out of the ancient Nemeric structures also adds a unique appeal to the wondrous city, which finished its ten year long construction in 3E 301.

Notable Landmarks

• Breezesong Meadow: A nature spirit locale that can be found in the Respondent Fields, the centermost subregion of the Expanse. A great picnic spot to observe the eternal lives of sylphs, pixies, nymphs, and satyrs.

• Crossed Swords: A river dam constructed in the middle of the River Ix, which flows inward from Tanto Bay all the way to the Ambient Littoral. The Kamal once tried to destroy it during one of their many raids on the archipelago but were driven back by a coalition between the Echmer, Hyu-Ket, and Terenjoe. Recognizable by the giant statues of, well, crossed swords that serve as a natural gate for it.

• Noyx's Mere: A naturally occurring freshwater lake that can be found in the Stormpoints, a midnorthern subregion of the Hae’macrin Mountain Ranges. It is under a constant shadow, no matter the time of day, and is believed to be a permanent portal to Noyx's realm (which all the keeping-gods seem to have).

• Greater Sibi & Lesser Sibi: The former is a large Dwarven-made lake utilizing underground waterways and advanced machinery that can be found in the Euphonic Expanse, and is the origin point for the Sibi Dia River and its offshoots across Yne; its lesser twin was made hundreds later by the Cakaphons in the Opal Coast, who struggled with the innovation process but succeeded nevertheless. Both are famous tourist spots.

• Obelus of Hrahndeyl: The Obelus of Hrahndeyl is a gigantic rune stone that symbolizes the talk-goddess' ascension and her Pleonastic Spire. It can be found within the Opal Coast region.

• Old Nibenium: Old Nibenium was the first incarnation of the city of Yuarial, but its construction came to a halt for mysterious reasons in 3E 289 and was never completed. What remains of it can be found in the central-east area of the Opal Coast.

• Ganthd-Kel (Begetter’s Hillock): A large, aboveground Noraken-Dwemer ruin that has been retrofitted into a museum for artifacts and In'eslaen history. Can be found in the central-western Feywoods of the Ambient Littoral.

• Kzurthaund: A large Dwemer research center located in the Hae’macrin Mountain Ranges, renowned for its odd ability to reshape its interior design and connect to other facilities. Normally off-limits to common travelers, and requires a special permit for in-depth exploration.

• Mthulft: A small Dwemer ruin that can be found in the Opal Coast. Although on the surface it seems like a simple meeting spot, there are several locked doors operated by strange puzzle-cubes that no one has been able to solve for centuries.

• Bagraafa: The last example of Kítapoe architecture still standing on Yne, and seemingly immune to magical and physical tampering. Some believe it to be some kind of temple, and yet there are no perceivable ways to enter it. Considered creepy by many due to being built in the shape of a giant, overturned spider. Can be found in the Expanse, surrounded by numerous votary outposts warding off thrill-seekers and adventurers.

• Trebates' Bluff: A derelict Bretonic tower that was once the home of the notorious Edmunus Reeds, a necromancer who used his talents for positive actions in the archipelago before he was murdered by an overzealous Vaultwarden. It is now home to the eccentric Trebates family, who wish to follow in their late cousins' footsteps. It can be found in the Euphonic Expanse.

• T’ienvakk Sanctuary: Also known as Mount Ophiuchus, this E’ga-Zi Dynasty dated monastery is one of the sacred pilgrimage sites of the A’zukyii—a nomadic ethnic group of bat elf ascetics—and a place shrouded in mystery. It has long been recorded that the place was once a resting place for khimerae and other dragon-kin that flew in from other lands, and that sometimes the ancestors of the A’zukyii would worship them as aspects of nature. In modern times, however, the elaborate climbing/rope systems needed to reach the top have fallen into disrepair and only the ascetics know of the hidden passages to reach the top. Still, the distant roars from the sanctuary’s peak have entranced natives and foreigners alike for decades. It can be found just slightly northwest of Nayuri’s Pass, a minor boundary-fort, in the Echoing Peaks of Hae’macrin.

• Lzarkla’s Grace: A large but half-submerged statue of the famed Noraken queen that can be found wallowing within the quicksalt pits of the Longmarch, an often ignored region of the Opal Coast. Packs of the beautiful flamingo bird are known to gather here monthly, and as their meat is quite delicious when cured correctly, determined hunters will attempt to brave the swamps in order to trap them.

• Ria-Na’s Sneer: A bellspire that can be found in the northwestern areas of the Grashian Wilds, where it faces towards Pasa’vaga and the Bitter Sea. It was named after the Decadent Queen, one of the last rulers of the Cakaphon Dynasty, and is located near the ruins of the Carnal Cavities of the Cachexic Corridor, a daemonic brothel best left forgotten about.

The Iron Wall of the Keep: Slea

The Stone Choir of Slea, N'rehnao, where the faces sing to the stars (Drawn by Las Pinter).

“Sun burns hotter down south….gives everything there a coarseness. Even the rice fights you back when you chew it!”

Slea (which means “melody” in Ek'hi) is the largest island within the authority of In'eslae and the one that resisted the efforts of foreign change the longest. Due to differences in altitude, wind temperature, and lower latitude the island of Slea bears a more semi-arid climate in comparison to the western holdings of the microcontinent. It too is divided into four distinct regions with their own subregions, just like its sister-island of Yne: the north and northwestern Melodic Forest is the only part of the island that hosts a lot of vegetation due to being on the same 'line' so to speak as the Hae'macrin Mountain Range and the Euphonic Expanse, and is host to mountainous vinewoods that intertwine with beautiful multicolored mesas. Directly to the south of the Forests is the small region known as Ravara's Divide, that sits below the great-steppes and ridges that places it and the rest of the island at a lower elevation than the Forests; it is nothing but mountains, shrub-lands, and fungal cave-valleys that create the basin waterfalls that drain directly into the drier region of Harmonious Urroal. Urroal is the central savannah of Slea that is home to geysers, drylands, and sporadic crags that funnel into a rocky bottleneck to the southern areas of the island, which formed Gtutur's Arids—a large desert surrounded by a palm-jungle ring, and is renowned for its glistening white sand dunes, oases, and mineral deposits.

Whereas the Ynei are gullible and accommodating, the Sleao are hardy and unapproachable folk. They do not like change and never once wanted to be a part of the old gerencies, the directorate, or the empire, but once subdued by the new laws of their land became staunch defenders of them every single time and personified the trait of gruff loyalty. Even discounting the myriad amount of ethnic and cultural identities scattered throughout In’eslae due to how the archipelago runs itself, Sleao are known for their love of fighting and resisting; if Al’saia is the kingdom of outcasts, Slea is the kingdom of rebels. In fact, a common saying about the Sleao is “first for the fight, last to accept defeat, but oh, do they like to start crap again for no reason” and on more than one occasion they prove it true.

Major Landmarks

• N’rehnao | The Stone Choir: Sitting on the western coast of the Harmonic Urroal, and only a dozen kilometers away from the base of Ravara's Divide, N’rehnao is the centre of aboveground ancestor worship and a somewhat notable Imperial travel destination (especially for septimologists). Built over the thermal vents of the Dweech, the ancient Nemer and their descendants carved their ancestors into the rock faces, building the city in such a way that the air releasing from deep underground travels through these formations in order to create a near-constant sound of ethereal singing. Eloisa, twin-sister of Empress Morihatha, once lived within this city for a decent amount of time and upon Eloisa's death Morihatha commissioned that a statue of her be carved within the Stone Choir so that she may become one with the land in spirit. N’rehnao as a whole is considered one of the greatest culture exchanges of the Padomaic, and is a favored pilgrimage site for composers, philosophers, and monks. There are infrequent reports that the singing of the choir often reveal messages from the past, present, and future (including full-blown prophecies) on particularly holy days, and as such many major Echmeri ceremonies and festivals honouring the dead are held within the city whenever possible.

• Oǔ Zhī Khéng | We-Who-Remember-Rain: Founded by Gerent Giisan Raelei, who became known to Yneslean history as the Albino Beast, in 1E 1203 [2A 500]. Giisan’s rule was one composed of infighting, as he was charged with defending the legacy of his grandfather Esdras by defeating his uncle Oelin in J’uondo and exterminating his great-great-aunt Ureasa once and for all. Despite his illness making him sensitive to sunlight and the heat, Giisan was unrelenting in his pursuit of his traitorous great-aunt and finally cornered her in a rebellious village hidden within the Sleao dunes. As the Ralei Dynasty hadn’t fully tamed Slea by this time, the Albino Beast had to fight his way to Ureasa, whom he decapitated with two swings of his sword. Legend says that the fires brewing between Yne and Slea fizzled out in the miraculous rain that poured down into the desert as the act was completed, and although Giisan went on to become a wise warrior-king, this act of kinslaying weighed heavily on his soul and shortened his lifespan considerably. His greatest triumph was elevating that former rebel village into a prosperous city of mercantile trade and progress, using its close proximity to the four great lakes as a boon (which alongside magic and innovation helped make the surrounding area surprisingly fertile). Oǔ Zhī Khéng also remains closely associated with the armare and armada; its streets are lined with the chiseled viragos of great commanders and martyrs and the Noraken Elevator at its core leads to Tije’geutsaz (“Shattering Fusion”)—the Penta Ward of War—in the Dweech. It is located within the pale dunes of Gtutur’s Arids.

• Wurs | It Can’t Get Much…: The Tale of Wurs is a strange one. Shortly after the crowning of Uriel VI as the new emperor of Tamriel, he worked alongside his sister Morihatha and a few others to rectify the growing problem of the Elder Council’s and Regent Thonica’s narcissistic self-importance. Because of this, the children of the Fighting Diamond schemed for years behind the backs of their elders and became veterans of the political battlefield; they visited or struck deals with foreign powers to utilize their services honorably, reunited the Blades with their former codes of subterfuge and silence, and constructed several “vacationing” spots in their newly acquisitioned territories that not even the shrewdest councilor would bat an eye to. The village-resort of Wurs became one such vacationing spot, and it is where Councilor Sings-In-Vines, Treasurer Armanda Terrius, and his own mother were forcibly retired to in 3E 311 after information regarding their indibellaen trysts was unexpectedly brought up during a monthly provincial discussion. Wurs itself is a truly decent town—one of safe Nibenese walls, loud taverns, and sweeping vistas—but it was also built on secluded, semi-infertile land within the region of Urroal and infested with amoral & downright suspicious characters on purpose to give it a grim reputation amongst its neighbors. And the native Ynesleans, overly bureaucratic as ever, were quick to notice expired traveling papers and forbid the traveling of certain individuals. The fates of the exiled nobles are lost to time, but Wurs eventually devolved into a bustling yet dreary town of miners, glaziers, and gamblers who became very close to the Dunmeri home of Nerehold to the west.

• Loatororu | Valley of Drums: To the northwest of Wurs and close to the Divide-Urroal border, where the Abbey of Kings sits (an old Nemeric chapel that was converted into a plantation for marula trees and wild melons, owned by a monostatic priesthood of the Talos Cult that hailed from Wurs), you will find the bug goblin city of Loatororu. Also known as the “City of One-Hundred Rhythms”, it was founded by the Great-Chieftain Kaangu in 3E 183. It can be found within the Barbin’s Wetstones subregion of the Divide. Known for his jovial disposition and unusually large size for a Hyu-Ket (the town’s statue of him depicts him at around the height of a short Orc), Kaangu used his guileful mind and vast resources to buy his freedom and a new land from Gerent Doro E’ga-Zi during his time as a slave-advisor to him; not only was Doro surprisingly respectful of Kaangu’s trickery, he instructed the bug goblin to build heavy walls around his estates in order to deter slave traders and bandits in the future (as the concept of a walled city was incredibly foreign to Hyu-Ketic culture). This caused Loatororu, built along the banks of a shallow river that would one day bear its name, to become an early haven for his people (especially ones that avoided ending up in chains). Unfortunately, however, the chieftains that succeeded Kaangu weren’t as forgiving as he was to the crimes of their former Bat Elf masters and would conduct numerous raids on neighboring villages like A’dak and Neskrul until they eventually sided with the eponymous warlord of the Hannar Wars. It took decades for the great silk-orchestras of Loatororu to lose their notes of anger and blood, and return to the happiness Kaangu felt for all living things.

• Nerehold | New Moon, No Stars: When the Nerevarine left Morrowind shortly after (allegedly) killing all of its living gods, they seemingly disappeared from that western province and were never seen again. But sailors carrying rumors back to the land of the Dark Elves spoke of a divine warrior with the grace of a king and the aura of a god traveling towards the Dragon Land, and several members of the slowly dying Tribunal Temple—needing something to keep their faith afloat and optimistic—immediately took to following the reincarnation of their Hortator on their new testing path. Quite a few of them found their way to In’eslae, and although the Bat Elves and the Dark Elves don’t get along, the former were not so rude as to lie to the latter about the credibility of these rumors; in truth, the Ynesleans were as unsure of the validity of these statements as the priests were. And when the Dunmer began to despair, the Echmer invited them to create their own community within the Directorate so that they may better find “their way”. Thus, was the town of Nerehold born in the Urroan Mists subregion of the Sleao savannah in 3E 422 and finished its completion in 3E 431; a pious place for a people trapped in a crisis of faith. The native Dunmeri population utilized a combination of Velothi and Echmeri designs for the town’s architecture, and its port is constantly visited by the neighboring Chimeri-quey. After the Red Year, the town received an influx of refugees that nearly collapsed its economy. Shartooth Farm, which breeds guar and kagouti, can be found in its near vicinity. The native panda breeds were not amused by this introduction of more rowdy fauna.

• Maǔtoin | Maw of the Sun: Maǔtoin is unique in that it is one of the last surviving pieces of Lilmothiit architecture known to the civilized races of Nirn, as that entire race was nearly wiped out by the ancient Knahaten Flu of the Second Era. The Ek’lilith (a subrace of vulpine-like Echmer) are descended from Lilmothiit survivors of the Flu that fled eastward from Black Marsh and found themselves within In’eslae. At first, the native Ynesleans were keen on wiping out the refugees of the west as they feared it would lead more Tamrielics to their shores, but eventually relented in this behavior, as they realized the Fox Folk were nearly extinct already and weren’t putting up a fight against them. The Yneslean-Lilmothiit would go on to create one city, a city dedicated to the sun and mythical animals, that would take on additional Hyu-Ketic and Echmeri inspirations as time went on. Now, this city that can be found in the northeastern Melodic Forest is home to numerous Ek’lilith and other adherers of the fading ways of Lilmoth in an attempt to preserve that peoples’ unfortunate history. Laolikan can be found in the vibrant perimeter of this city quite often, and its inhabitants either work on the Jik’een Gala Rig off the northern shore, work as miners in the numerous forest caves, fish for crimson slaughterfish, or earn their trade as treasure-hunters of Lost Zaida in the hopes of selling valuable oddities to traveling archaeologists.

• Haikklus | Shadows By The Sea: Another notable settlement that can be found within the Melodic Forest is the port-city of Haikklus, which has an extensive history of tragedy. When K’haogun Ho-Bun refused to accept Uriel V as his new lord and liege despite the signing of the Lapis Letters, he was purportedly visited by an eldritch deity known as the Tenebrous God in his sleep and was given ominous dreams of a great evil beneath his city of Vóni within Ravara’s Divide. Ho-Bun became obsessed with rooting out this evil, even with the combined forces of the Imperial Legion and the Yneslean Armare moving against him, and his delusion accidentally uncovered a Kítapoeic ruin protected by exceptionally powerful dark magic. Although the Yneslea-Tamriel coalition forces saved as many people as they could, the majority of the town and its people were consumed by a flesh-eating dark fog that still slightly permeates that area to this day. The survivors would eventually go on to create a new home, Haikklus, which attracted members of the Imperial Cult and amateur kítapoelogists due to the unfortunate event that occurred. As a result, the growing new city became a cosmopolitan one that cherished faith and worship (earning it the ire of other Ynesleans who adhered to the Divine Mandate and its practices). But it seems like the people of Haikklus and its descendants are now cursed as a result of Ho-Bun’s deeds, as they see the black mists of Vóni all around them, and have persistent inclination to explore its ruins (as well as the ruins of Noprek) whenever they come of age, even though several do not return from the endeavor. Scholars, mages, and votaries of all races are unable to determine the source of this curse, but hope to unravel its secrets in the future.

Notable Landmarks

• Spineyard of Drakes: Before the Yuarial Crusades, during the first to third aeons of In’eslaen history, dragon sightings and landings were somewhat common. The Noraken-Dwemer despised the creatures and would war with them often, while the Kítapoe and Hyu-Ket would only come into conflict with them when absolutely necessary. The Nemer and their Echmeri descendants have a complicated disposition towards dragon-kin and dragon-gods, but Ióng-fa’rong—otherwise known as the Spineyard of Drakes—is a large tract of desert within Gtutur’s Arids containing the bleached-white bones of these mythical creatures.

• Lingua: Lingua is a dormant volcano that hasn’t erupted since the first aeon, and the ruins of ancient Nemeric temples dedicated to the god Aryus can still be found at its base. This mountain stands in the Melodic Forest, in the subregion known as the Lyrical Hollows.

• Dra’vak-ei: Another landmark that can be found in the Melodic Forest. This old Nemeric fortress is unique in that it is one of the few Exul buildings that extends underground into the Dweech, and is believed to have once been a grand library of sorts back in its heyday, before some earthquake or volcanic eruption caused it to sink into the earth and crumble apart.

• Arx Wikan: A terrifying place built under the reign of Jagar Tharn when he masqueraded as Uriel VII. The Arch-Traitor, in his endless pursuit to annihilate or otherwise control anyone that could discover his deception, built this experimentation facility far away from spying eyes in Tamriel in order to forge dark instruments and torture those who opposed him. Although the Council of Dull Chimes had been suspicious of this order from the Empire they also allowed it to pass without much interference or investigation, as Tharn supposedly had history with the archipelago in his youth. This nibenese-style complex/mansion can be located in the Desolate Paths subregion of Harmonious Urroal, although it has become rundown in the passing centuries.

• Raemoh’s Gaze: The eponymous Raemoh’s Gaze is (seemingly) a natural indent that resembles a dozen of interlocking eyes that can be found in the northern parts of Urroal; it is associated with the Bat Elven equivalent of Hermaeus Mora, who has strange ties to their votaries and Mustikos’arcere that the Directorate isn’t too keen on discussing.

• Anhano’s Tears: A series of large waterfalls that flow down Ravara’s Divide; they are the source of Raelei Basin and the Five Pups (rivers named after Anhano’s and Ravara’s children, like River Raihan) that drain into/out of it into the rest of Slea.

• Gri’ta-dir-Kamal: The preserved remains of a snow demon shrine-fort that is reminiscent of the Cloud Ruler Temple once owned by the Blades, but it is quite clear to even the novice architect that the two eastern races have very different design philosophies. Gri’ta-dir-Kamal was constructed in Ravara’s Divide during one of the Kamali occupations of In’eslae in the past, but was left undestroyed by the then-emperor of the time as a curiosity needed to be studied in order to attain knowledge that would aid in the next violent attack.

• M’star-Ao-Pah: The four great Mystaran Oases can be found at the heart of the Arids, close to the city of Oǔ Zhī Khéng in the Salted Dunes subregion. As a plentiful source of freshwater for the inhabitants of the desert, many villagers and traders with their pack beasts can be found in the area.

• Ibdtharand: An extensive, nearly city-level Noraken ruin that can be found in Ravara’s Divide just outside of the Esdras’ Folly subregion. It is well-known for being the site of the Battle of the Brass, where Gerentess Ravara personally led a contingent of Raelei soldiers and flame-witches to destroy a troublesome group of automaton-tinkering bandits (all while pregnant with her third child).

• Noprek: A moderately-sized Kítapoe that eerily resembles a tarantula in the throes of death. However the Insect Men created their cities, it was in a way the modern races are unable to comprehend. It can be found within the central area of the Melodic Forest, a few miles west of Kzark in the Sinfog subregion.

• Kzark: A rather large Dwemer ruin that can be found in the Melodic Forest region. It’s entrance has been magically sealed by vines and roots for millennia, suggesting it was once used as a place for occult activities.

• Theasthai: A small Kítapoe ruin that bears an Old Ek’hi name, as its original nymic was apparently lost long ago. It can be found within Gtutur’s Arids, in the region known as the Drywalk.

• Cen: A highly visited grove within Ravara’s Divide that is sacred to the Hyu-Ket and protected by the Bloodtaker subdivision of witch-hunters and votaries; it is home to several sylph and a strange salt-oak known as the Hollow Tree, that apparently bleeds pale blood and bestows miracles upon well-deserving individuals.

• Yuarial’s Way: This small naval-citadel, having been rebuilt with Colovian stylings after its original Nemeric architecture was nearly destroyed outright, can be found in the southeastern Arids (within the Tsaescan Jungles subregion). Notable for being the place Uriel V stepped off from on his voyage to conquer Esroniet and dominate the eastern seas.

• Iridieen’s Glare: A bellspire that can be found along the eastern coastline of Harmonious Urroal, where it faces the Chaotic Sea. Constructed in defiant memory of the Great Drownings that happened after the death of the Cakaphon Dynasty.

• Starburst Hurst: The cutely named Starburst Hurst is a hillock that can be found in Urroal that overlooks Gtutur’s Arids, and is the impact site of an extremely large aetherial meteorite that has yet to be removed from the land (and has seemingly fused with it).

The Scouring Wall of the Keep: Pasa’vaga

The Last Hall of the Sorcerer-Kings, an entire island, frozen in snow and sorcery (Drawn by Las Pinter).

“Cold weather and cold hearts, that’s all that lies here beneath the enchanted snow. Stay too long on top of the frozen walls and you’ll find yourself wrapped up in some arcane conspiracy or plot.”

Pasa’vaga, or Pa'savaga (its inhabitants intentionally make the spelling unclear as some arcane game) is the third largest island in the Yneslean archipelago-continent, and the second most northern one, which is why it contains colder fronts. In Ek’hi the name translates to an archaic phrase that means “a palm of thorns and mana”. It doesn't have as much regional differentiation as the parts of the subcontinent—the southern Vergai Lowlands are the most temperate part of the island, with greenish-brown plains interspersed with trees and caverns. The Fro'sai Highlands are a pure mountainous taiga of snow and rivers of ice that leak down from the ice volcanoes of the A'zast Mountain Range; the most northern region of the island and its coldest point, where many miners and sorcerers go to find valuable minerals and diamonds in its plentiful caves, blistering valleys, and long abandoned Dwemeri outposts.

The majority of Pa’savagans are descendants of the ancient Kasuto Empire and its royalty, who believed magic was the one true power of the world and that without it life was meaningless. This has led to them becoming proud, articulate people with incredible talent at documentation, literacy, and crafting thanks to the prevalence of magic in their society. Although as wary of foreigners as any true Yneslean, the Pa’savagans crave new knowledge and magical discovery to the point they are more eager to treat with outsiders if there is any exotic information to gain from the interaction.

Although the Hei’paogun of Mustikos'arcere sits on the Council of Dull Chimes, the island as a whole is governed mainly by the Didagistrate (a council of the most powerful and well-respected teachers at the academy) and only occasionally takes direct orders from their superiors in the Dweech, with the Hei'paogun also fulfilling the role of headmaster or “sorcerer-king”.

Major Settlements

• Mustikos’arcere | Last Hall of the Sorcerer-Kings: There is only one true city on Pa'savaga, no, only one true settlement on the island, and that is Mustikos'arcere. When the Toe'shema that ruled the Sorcerer-Kingdoms of old were overthrown by the E'ga-Zi Dynasty, this grand cathedral to the gods and goddesses of magic was all that remained. The Magus Legions and peasantry who survived used their knowledge of sorcery and construction to rebuild and connect the cathedral to the other ruined towns and city-states that once stood, resulting in the creation of a gigantic school of learning that intertwined through the Mountains, Highlands, and Lowlands in order to house multiple towns and villages within the safety of its nigh-impenetrable walls. In modernity Mustikos'arcere serves as the main academy of learning for chirurgeons, rectors, exorcists, witch-hunters, deepseekers, and flame-adherents (as well as a few other magical professions) in the In'eslaen microcontinent. It's districts and walls are adorned with incredibly detailed and ornate bat, dragon, sea serpent, and shark statues alongside iconography of elements and the stars, and it is said that even Tamrielic wizards wish to replicate its hallowed halls in their foreign lands. The only place that rivaled its majesty was Zaida, a lost kingdom of old that shared Pa'savga's strange architectural design that harkens back to more Aldmeri and Dwemeri concepts not prevalent in other parts of bat elven culture.

• Xøi'nan | Castle of a Thousand Eyes: Built on top of a Noraken elevator that sits at the heart of Pasa'vaga, Xøi'nan bears the name of the greatest sorcerer-king of the lost Kasuto Empire; a mer remembered for his usage of magicka as a means to gain superhuman levels of physique and intellect, which he would then use to subjugate the peasantry and visiting powers and force them into his infamous “Winter Games”. In modern times the imposing structure is used as the lodgings for and administrative headquarters of the Didagistrate (complete with a dungeon repurposed into a detention chamber for rowdy truants), who use its spacious and ancient fields to breed the exotic woolly reindeer that Xøi'nan once designed as combat beasts as their own personal steeds and mana detectors (as the creatures have a high intellect and an affinity for wizardry).

• Tí’chá | Lecture-Town: Founded by Virago Tiun-Rilèn the Builder originally as lodgings for his apprentices and workers, this is the largest district of Mustikos’arcere, and can be found in southeastern Vergai close by the sea. Outside of its bustling dock and trading company warehouses, it also houses around a dozen “dormitory-villages”—the two most notable ones being the villages of Fal and Charas within its jurisdiction and its perimeter is secured by archaic walls and guard towers. As long as one is a student or member of the staff of Mustikos'arcere they are free to live within Ti'cha for as long as they please, and gain access to certain privileges that are unavailable elsewhere within the archipelago-continent (ex. Registered inhabitants of Ti'cha are free to practice magic under reason however and whenever they want on Pasa'vaga and certain specified areas of other islands).

• Rancleft | The Western Burrows: Originally, Rancleft was the abandoned W’ǎtas District of Fro’sai that had been left to rot and stagnate for nearly one hundred years after an unfortunate experiment permeated the region with poison and disease. After the Yuarial Crusades saw In’eslae acquisitioned into the Empire, several magical organizations like the Psijic Order, Shadow Legion, and Mages Guild became infatuated with the idea of learning more about Mustikos’arcere as a whole and convinced the Didagistrate to let them rebuild W’ǎtas as much as they could and use it as a temporary home away from home. Eventually, a lot of Tamrielic mages decided to stay and have children here (many of whom were admitted into Mustikos’arcere as students), and after a labyrinthine-like ruin of Kítapoeic mines and tombs were discovered, a lot of them swore to unravel its secrets (naming it the Temple of the Red Sky). The district was thus renamed Rancleft after the Breton archmage who earned the Directorate’s respect, and outside of being a predominantly foreign town, eventually became an integral part of the academy as a whole (introducing several new classes, items, and spell techniques to the delighted Pasa'vagans).

• Ë’gazal | Where-The-Fire-Rained: Shortly after bringing the ancient Pasa’vagans to heel, Gerent Hanzu feared that the districts she destroyed as part of her campaigns against the sorcerer-kings would leave the island open to possible attacks in the future and therefore commissioned for a large part of the destroyed territory to be replaced by a massive citadel around the starting point of the Yneslean Third Aeon (which would be the Tamrielic Second Era). This would later become known as E’gazal Citadel, although it was briefly renamed to Fort Icemoth during the Imperial Occupation, and still bears signs of the iconoclastic symbols and renovations forced upon its stationed votaries by the tougher battlemages of the Septim Empire. Interestingly enough, this is one of the few forced Imperial epithets that was surprisingly accurate to the culture it was placed upon; the Shrieking Plains subregion of the Lowlands in which E’gazal is located is actually home to a species of giant ice moth said to be as beautiful as it is graceful.

Notable Landmarks

• Mausoleum of Kaos: Unlike Edmunus Reeds, infamous within the confines of Yneslea, Kaos was a necromancer who utilised his forbidden skills in the pursuit of power and enlightenment. Said to have been a rival of the King of Worms before his ascension unto the heavens, Kaos sought to refine and perfect the process of transformation that is the Ritual of Lichdom. To this end, he had his constructs create a towering spire of strange, dark stone within the highest peaks of the Black Mountain Range (known as the Shivering Crags). Long since sealed by the witchhunters and exorcists, the spire became known as the Mausoleum of Kaos, both due to it becoming the final resting place of the necromancers' remains, and to the immense number of corpses the Magus Legions discovered within its walls. The purplish stone the tower is constructed of does not seem to appear anywhere within the territory of the Directorate, and is carved with forbidding and grotesque symbols and runes, though their purpose remains unknown to this day.

• Iet Nong: A lonely mountain carved with the stern and spiteful visages of sorcerer-kings who were disposed of long ago and had their negativity immortalized by a rival warlock. It can be found near the tail end of the A’zast Mountains, having been broken away from the rest of the range by its infuriated carver on purpose.

• Bo Reiko’s Arch: An ancient shrine dating back to the Third Era that commemorates Bo Reiko, a traveling summoner that split his soul into four pieces in order to seal monsters brought by Kamali invaders into Oblivion. It can be found within the Slumbering Valley subregion of the Fro’sai Highlands.

• Zrif’s Sting: A rather large Kítapoe ruin that can be found partially constructed into the side of Aæi Falls, which flows down into the Highlands and Lowlands as the Aæi River. At first glance it looks like it was made from solid ice, when in reality it’s just been completely frozen over due to a blend of climate, ancient magic, and time.

• Caleft (Deep Folk’s Panorama): The remnants of a Noraken orrery that can be found along the western coasts of the Vergai Lowlands, near Bitten Beach.

• Ezukmel: A medium-size Dwemer ruin that can be found in the Fro’sai Highlands, close to Rancleft.

The Oaken Wall of the Keep: Grasuojh

Truly, the culture of the bug goblins does indeed remain unbroken, as the translation of this city's name proclaims! (Drawn by Las Pinter).

“Bat Elves in this day and age don’t normally interfere with the bug goblin lands, and rightly so, as they must take into account historical precedence. But still, a warm hearth and a loaded pipe await all who make the trip regardless.”

Yrol, Namies, and Hua are the three main islands that make up the grouping known as Grasuojh (often referred to as the Amethyst Isles due to its environment or Hrahn’s Isles after an old hero-prince), and are perhaps the most beautiful traversable areas on the In'eslaen archipelago-continent due to its overabundance of nature spirits and distinctly unique flora. The isles themselves are largely a mountainous taiga-boreal forest hybrid, interspersed with misty canyons and rolling moss-dunes host to strange species of flowers. As the islands are fractured due to natural oceanic drift, one will be delighted to see the existence of free-formed sweetmold and limestone bridges connecting the vibrant groves and windy woodlands over the 'saltwater rivers' of the ocean below them. The Silktimber trees, with their weaving blackish-brown trunks, are the dominant trees in the Hrahn Forests; the less plentiful but more culturally significant drake-oaks tower above the silk-timberlands, with their thick pale white trunks and canopy like pines forming an umbrella over the major Hyu-Ketic population centers. Interestingly enough, the trees of the isles have adapted to having bluish leaves in the spring and summer months that change color to a dark violet in the fall and winter months, which is why they are referred to lovingly as the Magenta Forests of Grasuojh.

Major Settlements

• Aogithiyak | Our-Gods-Remain-Yet-Unbroken: Aogithiyak is the hope and pride of the bug goblin peoples; the one place that refused to grow old and wither away when they were bound in chains. It sits nestled in the central region-landmark of Yrol known as Drakescar, and is a testament to the cunning and wisdom of the ancient Ket. While the small region gained its name from the Dragonscar Canyon that runs through it and nearly cleaved the island in two, the region itself is actually within a basinic depression; to the western left of the Dragonscar, freshwater from the rivers of the Sprigwoods and geysers from the Dweech drain downwards from waterfalls into the Blue Lake, which subsequently drains slowly from small tunnels in the side of the Drakescar down into the ocean. To the eastern right of the Drakescar, connected to the Blue Lake by way of hardened sweetmold-bridges, is the city of Aogithiyak itself; the outer ring of the city is filled with bustling tents, yurts, and trade stalls constructed by visitors, pilgrims, and merchants. The closer you get to the heart of the city you start to see more permanent structures that harken back to what may be the original Aldmerish ideals the Ket brought with them to the East and combined with the Kítapoeic aesthetic, culminating in the great temple Fuouliti built on top of and around a Dwarven Elevator. Because the region is ultimately shaped like a bowl, with the denizens, plantations, and water source at the bottom while the mountainous top is obscured by the Magenta Forests of Yrol, it is no surprise that many refer to it as the Lost City of Spirits.
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Notable Landmarks

• Balzar's Depression: A large Noraken ruin that can be found on Namies, and appears to have been constructed in what was once a great lake that became drained over time (perhaps explaining the Falling Lake within the Dweech, which more or less sits directly underneath it).

• Kakre’na: The ruins of an ancient Kítapoe trading post-city nestled within the Sapphic Outskirts of Namies; also known by the epithet Bedlam of Desolation. Echmer and Hyu-Ket alike try to avoid this place as much as possible, as it is rumored that if one walks amongst the petrified carapaces and eyeless halls on starless nights you will be dragged into a nightmarish realm beyond the world.

• Dark Brothers Retreat: A cave system that served as the Dark Brotherhood’s last shelter before they were driven out of the Yneslean subcontinent by the Hȳdan Cwellan. It can be found within the Magenta Forests of Yrol.

• G’dok Citadel: A rather large castle that was constructed during the short reign of Hannar Almost-King; it is sometimes referred to as Hannar’s Keep. As the Echmer have no need for it, and the Hyu-Ket would rather abandon it, it can be found in disrepair and in isolation on Hua, the southernmost isle.

• Nzinthar: A small Dwarven facility that can also be found on Hua. It is used frequently by the Broh-Kah as a slaughtering ground for their adolescents due to its proximity to the ocean.

The Defeated Wall of the Keep: Al’saia

Here, the sol-stringers of the Cak'kaan play wistfully into the sand of their home...and prison (Drawn by Las Pinter).

“What do you see in those eyes? You see the eyes of a soldier, of a tribe that has never known peace...”

Al’saia (a word that translates into “eye of paradise”; a twisted joke by the island’s beneficiaries) is the fifth largest landmass within the In’eslaen subcontinent. It is similar to Pa’savaga in the sense that they both have rather consistent climates with no major regional deviations, but Al’saia is more unique thanks to its inherent hostility. Outside of a few areas along the coast and in the central wastes, as well as mer-made lakes and gardens created through natural redirection of Dweech resources, this island is nothing more than an arid wasteland; a world of burning plains, blistering sandstorms, and treacherous canyons filled with hostile creatures and natural hazards.

In the distant past Al’saia had once been used as a penal colony due to its rough environment by the Raelei and Cakaphon Dynasties. But it was the latter of those two dynasties, due to its rampant descent into depravity, that experienced the greatest irony when the E’ga-Zi Gerency abruptly ended their harsh rule, disposed of the more rowdy family members, and then condemned the lesser bloodlines and sect-allies to Al’saia without any chance for them to challenge it. Over time these ostracized folk became a new ethnic group known as the Cak’kaan, and gained a near supernatural reputation as warmongering bandits and pirate-sages that rebelled against the Gerentate/Directorate whenever possible (which wasn’t helped by the fact that the Cak’kaan did rebel whenever a strong leader revealed themselves to the world, like Hannar Almost-King). Most of the time, however, the Cak’kaan are more than content to be left alone by their neighbors and attempt to be productive members of society. This is aided by the Council of Dull Chimes actively trying to reverse a lot of the negativity towards them, such as removing ancient laws and embargos that constantly left the inhabitants of Al’saia with no other choice but to react violently to outsiders.

Major Settlements

• Li Paun | The Desert’s Eye: Although there are numerous hamlets and villages scattered throughout Al’saia, these have a habit of rising and falling with the sand, and offer no real significance. Li Paun, however, is the ancestral city of the Cak’kaan and one of the oldest cities in Yneslea as a whole. Constructed on top of the great Vetala Oasis at the center of the island, Li Paun was once the home of an illustrious Noraken-Dwemer noble who fashioned his estate to also perform the necessary functions of a foundry, resulting in the massive structure extending deep below the island’s surface and providing a continuous source of water to the immediate area. When Néa Caesi Cakaphon “inherited” the estate upon the banishment of her sect, its retainers, and most loyal supporters to Paradise’s Eye, she did know what to do with it; she was only fifteen at the time. But even at a young age she both understood and despised what became of her family, and as her people reworked the structure left behind and built upon it, it became an almost animalistic city where only the forlorn and vengeful could survive in. Expanding on the oasis around them with a combination of irrigation/trenches and magical innovation, the early Cak’kaan built towering walls, spires, and minor keeps of baroque/istana architectural influences alongside that of traditional Echmeri designs, leading to a strange yet imposing settlement that would be extremely hard to conquer. Li Paun is infamous for its numerous bazaars and black markets (where shadow brokers dealing with occult artifacts and piracy make their trade), as well as the rising vices—vertical brothel-inns dedicated to old gods of gambling and pleasure designed to evoke the visages of different breeds of dragon. Extending from the city’s eastern gate into the sandy wastes is the Soulway, a magically maintained road lined with the statues of former Cakaphon rulers that leads to Xaril and protects those that do not stray from the path from such terrors like the al’saian death worm and manananggali. To the northwest, one can see the towering goatish/draconic structure of Mùjie-Han’r from the peak of Misery Mount.

• Xaril| Gateway to Exile: Although the Cak'kaan would prefer to ignore their more well-off neighbors until the potential unmaking of the universe itself and beyond, their circumstances do not allow for such a course of action—Al'saia is largely barren land with infertile sand and controlled sources of freshwater. With this in mind, the early inhabitants struck up (then) illegal trade bargains with independent kingdoms like Gēfésha and Zaida, who utilized morally ambiguous pirates to deliver much needed supplies for them in secret. Eventually, the cove became a port town of questionable rapport known as Xaril, often quoted as a “smuggler's paradise”.

Notable Landmarks

• Mùjie-Han’r: The Mùjie-Han’r, or the Sanctum of Hannar, is one of the few notable places of interest in the otherwise bleak and forgettable environment of Al’saia. It is the place where Hannar’s Legion, the remnants of the Almost-King’s army, allegedly buried the body of their liege with the help of old sorceries known by the demons (re: Dremora) Hannar’s divine father loaned to him in his time of conquest. It is a foreboding and confusing place, its corridors eternally lit by coldflame and its chambers chained shut and rattling as lost souls from beyond desperately try to escape their torment. To some hannarists, especially the superstitious ones, the Sanctum feels more like a prison than a tomb. It is even rumored that in the deepest recesses of the tomb that the enslaved soul of Rih’fan the Betrayer, the Oathbreaker, retains a silent vigil over the sarcophagus containing Hannar’s soul as it desperately tries to weed out its impurities and reform itself, but since neither of their bodies were confirmed recovered at the end of the Hannar Wars there remains a heavy doubt in the minds of many Ynesleans regarding these claims.

• Ol’ Eight-Eyes: The gigantic, petrified carcass of an ancient and abnormally intelligent al’saian death worm known in legends as Ahd’pásl; the eponymous “Ol’ Eight-Eyes”. Said to have become sapient after devouring a shipment of crystals filled with souls that washed ashore long ago, Ol’ Eight-Eyes was more than content with birthing more of his kind and sharing incomprehensible wisdom with the Cak’kaan before he became the hallowed game of the supernatural Blood Chase and his soul was captured by Huntsmen dedicated to the Deer-Dragon in the fourth aeon. It can be found near the mining settlement of Rankor to the southeast of the island.

The Fallen Walls of the Keep: Zaida and Moruii

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The Glimmering Wall: Zaida

“Oh, we who remember Zaida….”

Many Ynesleans and foreigners alike have traveled to the watery expanse north of Slea and south of Hrahn's Isles, and have felt the nostalgic bitterness that permeates the area like a painful dream. They have seen the scant peoples' there toiling along the reef-crested ruins of once great cities in violet garb, as mourners do, searching for a sense of purpose and respite. These are the remnants of the Zaida'han (“the Forgiving Folk”), a once great people, still mustering up the courage to hold fast to their ancestral duties and brave the assaulting passage of time.

Zaida (a word in an outdated Ek'hi dialect that means “where we cast aside hate”) was once a prosperous kingdom independent of the Old Gerencies that formed during the bizarre (un)time period of the Null Epoch; at one point of time it was the third largest landmass in the archipelago, and resembled Grasuojh in environment. The legends of its surviving descendants speak of its founding in joyous prayers—of Oai, Prophet-in-Pearls, who befriended the frog-folk and shark-folk of the deep, and spurned the land and the heavens in favor of an infinite curiosity born from gods of uncertainty. Perhaps the Zaida'han were arrogant, or simply more open-minded than others in this world, but these doctrines and philosophies created an oligarchy of kindness and protection never seen before or after its passing.

The Zaida'han were benevolent and pacifistic in nature, a republic of free peoples that preferred diplomacy over war unless as a last resort. While Pasa'vaga engineered magic into a war-form used by tyrants, its calming sister transformed the creative sciences into an art form unlike anywhere else on Nirn by inventing the art of manasmithing and utilizing tearstones as a paradoxical form of enchantment. Their gods were all gods of the sea, with their head of the pantheon being the goddess of tears herself, which says a lot about the essence of their personalities (and forbade a terrible fate).

Like Moruii, which is discussed further down below, a terrible cataclysm befell Zaida and it crumbled swiftly into the sea and became a series of islets known by many names (the Zaidan Remnants, the Tearpoints, and Jíon). And when it did, the Pasa'vagans and Grasuojhites—who either coveted its secrets or despised its alliances with the Broh-Kah—tore apart its carcass like spiteful vultures. Relics of the kingdom are now either lost, stolen, or buried beneath the sea for aquatic adventurers to find. But for those that remember Zaida, the land is a bitter memory and one that stands as a warning: beautiful things do not last long in the world. To persist, one must be found wanting.

The Ravaged Wall: Moruii

The mystical art of 'surfing' originated amongst the natives of this sombering place (Drawn by Las Pinter).

“To ride the waves, to hunt the serpent and to live in peaceful squalor….can one, even a native of this forlorn place, truly call that living?”

Once a grand island rivaling the size of Pasa'vaga and home to a cosmopolitan kingdom that pushed back against the starving need for expansion of the Old Gerencies, Moruii (“Fear not Death”: formerly known as Moru'xibái) is the sixth largest landmass and experienced immense loss from the Great Quake of 2A 1979 as recorded in the Whisperings of Anguish of its native lorekeepers. The parts of the Dweech that stretched out underneath the landmass underwent a cave-in of colossal proportions, either from a malfunctioning Dwarven facility or simply bad luck, and the island broke apart in great shards that sunk deep into the oceanic depths. And now only a fraction of this marvelous place remains.

Before the Echmer crawled out from the ashes of the Underworld Crusades and their dwarven begetters, before the dwarves even came to the east, and before the Ket were changed once more, they lived peacefully with the Kítapoe in the Yneslean subcontinent and on Moruii. Great cities built in a mixture of ancient Akaviri styles combined with what historians can only note as early Aldmeri/Orcish or old goblinish features weaved in and out of this tropical place of buzzing jungles and soothing sands. Iconic statues of un-star gods and insectoid statues can still be found submerged within what remains of the landmass, alongside crumbling temples shaped like cocoons, burial pits carved to infest arachnophobia within the blasphemous, and the chaos monoliths—seemingly manifested out of primal curiosity and fear of the unknown—that seem to distort one's perception and open doors where there are only walls to be found.

After the Kítapoe went extinct from uncertain causes, the Hyu-Ket inherited Moruii as a second homeland after Grasuojh, and were led by the mythical Chieftess-of-Shadows, Vrula, who intimidated death for hundreds of years. Vrula, in some shape or form, would go on to accept Nemeric colonists to the island after the bat elves began their starving expansions outwards from the underground, and over time the two races became a singular culture: the Loiocho (“wave-makers”). Both species were violently opposed to Dwarven society and its creations for several reasons, seeing it as an affront to the standard the gods beyond the stars coveted about this world, and shunned all others who would disagree.

But, after the destruction of their kingdom, the Loiocho fell from grace and attention. Their bizarre un-star religion, already disturbing as it was, descended out of favor even amongst themselves and they had to learn to reluctantly rely on the aid of the Old Gerencies in order to survive (in fact, Moruii is the only main island of Yneslea that was never officially incorporated after formerly being independent; it quietly fell in line after a regional disaster). A humorous, if not ponderous and oddly depressing at times people, the Loiocho are renowned soothsayers and hydromancers who often become healers abroad to support their loved ones while spending a good deal of their free time fashioning odd wooden boards with which they 'ride the great moments of the sea'.

Hüvrok-kang is the only 'city' of important note left on Moruii after its destruction, and it barely qualifies as one at that. Formerly a Kítapoean temple dedicated to the Mantis un-star constellation, its foundations of large Hyu-Ketic headstones, astral towers, communiums, and Kítapoean scrying plazas have been bolstered and refitted to serve as homes, shops, tradehouses, and entertainment establishments for those who live there.

The Dark Wall of the Keep: The Dweech

“Deep below the earth, beyond the bounds of man and mer, lies a world so large perhap it encircles the mortal plane on all sides….”

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The Consuming Womb: Humoskar

Although largely tamed, this region of the Dweech is still no place for the foolhardy (Drawn by Las Pinter).

The largest region of the Dweech is the extremely colorful and humid Humoskar, which dominates the central, northeastern, eastern, and southeastern areas of the In'eslaen Underground; its name translates to the “Forest that Eats Itself”. As the subterranean metropolis of Oexra'numsaz and its three largest districts (Mei'korisaz, Tije'geutsaz, and Raz'xensaz) can be found here, it is normally the most accessible region of the Dweech to outsiders.

As its name implies, Humoskar is a self-containing ecosystem where the boundaries between what is animal and what is plant are blurred. Although the environment itself is reminiscent of a large swamp or rain forest, nearly one-hundred percent of the native vegetation consists of several different varieties of omnivorous fungi, mold, and algae that merely resemble surface plant-life. Towering sac-headed jaong trees pulsate at the touch as they inhale, exhale, and purify water through their tendrils beneath the mossy ground, vak-vak bushes engage in autocannibalism in order to release fertile spores into the air that are useful for creating minor healing potions, and the devious nekori stalker will trick unsuspecting individuals into taking one of it's pretty petals so that it may uproot itself and silently crawl along the floor with its tentacles so that it may find the perfect moment to ambush them.

Thankfully, the Noraken-Clan and the Echmer after them utilized magic and technology to clear large swaths of the foliage to build their highways and light the darker passages (or in the latter's case, maintain them), but even then this did not take into account the local fauna. From the docile but skittish herds of tardigrade, to the eel-like and easily threatened gastrotriches, nematodes, and lahoo, as well as the dangerous megamite breeds like the arachnamite or scorpimite, and the incredibly gargantuan and grotesque but thankfully permanently stationary loricifera that feeds on crystals and produces enough bioluminescent fog to light up the caverns, there are many different species of creature in Humoskar that have made living beneath the ground difficult for Ynesleans (but not intolerable).

The Uirengaoi Valley is one of the most notable subregions of Humoskar, being host to hot fogs and meticulously constructed river beds for subterranean farmlands. It also hosts the gate to Raz'xensaz.

Where the Great Night Freezes: Kídiala

The Kídialan Reaches cover the northern and northwest dominions of the Dweech, where the dwarven bulwarks enclosing good soil and fresh meat separated their ruling lands from the Gnawing Dark.

While Humoskar is well-lit by a large variety of biological, technological, and magical light, Kídiala is depressingly dim; outside of the flickering eisla torches lining its few Noraken highways, only the soft glow of its local flora and mineral deposits maintain a consistent candescence for travelers. And not only is it dim, but also frightfully cold at times thanks to its higher elevation and artificially made sea-vents and wind-channels constructed by the Noraken at the height of their civilization, leading to the region's cyclic subweather patterns of normalcy leading into cold fronts that ebb away with minor floods.

Kídiala has always been used as a mining colony because of the area's supple ore deposits, which is why it is host to the remnants of Noraken hamlets and Nemeric slums that are still inhabited to this day by workers. There is also a large amount of Hyu-Ket tribes that wander this area, as the Noraken Elevator within Hrahn's Isles leads down to this region, and many bug goblins were utilized as laborers in the days of mass slavery. The urb of Gra'tiusaz, the fourth district, can also be found here.

Large copepods and cladocera, ranging from dendoa to mækori prawn are fond of this region, usually building their nests underneath the many cold lakes and crumbling tunnels; the locals tend to breed the more intelligent specimens as beasts of burden and mounts.

No Mer's Land: Bö-Ti'dhan

Bö-Ti'dhan, the Western Dweech, is generally considered the buffer zone that shields the civilized areas from the terrors of Vthurn-Karkng (see below). When the Deep Dweech became structurally unbound, Bö-Ti'dhan was wracked with earthquakes and became a rocky, mountainous place full of cliffs and prone to landslides. The Noraken buildings here were largely reserved for the outcasts and the lower class, those who did not display ample craftsmanship or artistic pedigree, and in time they fell victim not to time but to the creatures that dwelled in this realm. Many of them are covered in centuries-old web, slime, saliva, and worse that have hardened considerably in the passing ages.

The Western Dweech is considered to be infested by Vu'dwero, an ostracized Yneslean ethnic group comprised of numerous races that share the same practice of worshipping the Dwemer and unraveling their secrets. They live the majority of their lives studying archaic dwarven technology and living in hidden communities like the social outcasts they are.

The Dangers In Seeking: Vthurn-Karkng

The Stronghold of the legendary Deepseekers sits on the very cusp of Hell itself (Drawn by Las Pinter).

The second largest but most dangerous region of the Dweech is the fabled Vthurn-Karkng, an incredibly old Nemeric/Dwemeris word that translates loosely into “the Infernal Marine”. Its entrance lies cracked, slanted, below the western and southwestern Ti'dahnic Edge.

When one hears dragomer or Omali speaking of the 'Deep Dweech' or the 'Chasmic Dweech' it is the Infernal Marine that they are truly referring to and nothing else, as its cataclysmic birth 'unmoored' it from the same depth level as the rest of the Yneslean Underground. Upon Irkngthur-Anum's supernatural implosion a millennium ago, what would become Vthurn-Karkng suffered from numerous cave-ins and was breached by torrents of sea water, all of which were contaminated by the large deposits of ythan (an unnatural liquid the Noraken had begun mining from the ocean to refine into oil) within Irkngthur-Anum and its holdings.

While the water began to recede and pathways through the Deep Dweech became open once more to future expeditions by various races in the coming decades, the landscape had been terribly changed; the ever-present portal to the Nether Realm, the Maw of Har-Gaun, had an extremely hellish effect on the ythan that saturated the region and transformed it into a half barren, half flooded wasteland of unbridled hostility. There are no towns here, no merchants, no dungeons, and no glory—only the derelict ruins of sunken dwarven metropolises & Nemeric slave-ghettos covered in carnivorous moss, perpetual subterranean saltstorms of blood red clouds and corrosive lightning, and roving bands of abominations of nature.

Only one structure truly persists in this nightmarish place, and that is the grand stronghold of Portentous Whelm, cathedral-fortress of the legendary Deepseekers who built it from what little remained of Irkngthur-Anum's central infrastructure so they may keep a watchful eye on the Maw. Adventurers and Tourists are warned persistently to not tread down the Deadmer’s Mile—the only Dwarven highway that reaches into the Deep Dweech—by local authorities, for no one will come save them if they do.

The Sunken Wall of the Keep: Abakirkngth

The final resting place of the ancient dreugh kings, or that's what it 'wants' you to believe... (Drawn by Las Pinter).

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The Lost Walls of the Keep

The In'eslaen Archipelago is home to several other locations that are more minor in nature than the above listings, such as:

Nroh

“A blighted part of history, best left to rot….”

Nroh, or the Maelstrom, is an island comparable to the size of Bleakrock Isle that lies to the far north of Pasa’vaga (where the Bitter Sea, the Padomaic Ocean, and the Sea of Ghosts blend uncomfortably together) and is one of its most ancient holdings; it has also been left to rot for centuries.

Constructed as a prison-facility for whomever dared to challenge the rule of the Toeshema, the legends of what were contained behind its barred windows and chained doors are best to bonfire tales: Apex-Kah purposefully inflicted with mutated strains of lycanthropy…dreugh liches forced to siphon off their unique magical chemicals before being allowed to feed on the residential ‘volunteers’….kennels devoted to the illegal study of daemonic possession and supernatural impregnation….

Every day, every week, new nightmares continued to occur until the mainland Pasa’vagans grew sick of the reports that flowed in from that place. Even the Sorcerer-King Ghan, a notoriously amoral man who would one day commit a truly unspeakable crime, was noted to be disgusted by the affairs occurring in Nroh. Arming their Magus Legions to the teeth, the Toeshema stormed the island and razed the majority of its surface structures to the ground, although the magically sealed vaults and underground laboratories remain disturbingly closed to this very day.

Padomaic Rim

“An island of volatile soldiers. Just what this world needed….”

The Padomaic Rim (also known by the monikers of the Dragon’s Spine, Uriel’s Shard, the Red Divide, and simply the Rim) is a moderately sized island-holding of Esroniet and the Mede Empire, but one that the Yneslean Directorate has been entangled with for several centuries. After the events of the Longday War, the Yneslean and Esri peoples came to a peaceful resolution that nearly sparked additional conflict when the Council of Dull Chimes wished to bargain for the crescent moon-shaped Rim, as they viewed it and its towering salt-washed cliffs as a natural bulwark against future Akaviri invasion attempts.

The peoples of Esroniet, however, were quite irritated by this proposition and refused to part with a chunk of their domain (and rightly so). The Directorate viewed this as a perfectly rational yet infuriating response, as they knew the Esri were far too timid to utilize the Rim to its full potential, and would attempt to persuade Black Harbor several more times in the future until both nations fell underneath the Imperial Boot. A consequence of these annexations was that In’eslaen legionnaires were often stationed and ingrained their culture on the Padomaic Rim, and after the Directorate’s secession, the authorities of Black Harbor, the Empire of Man, and the Directorate have settled on a belligerent coalition manning the island’s numerous defenses due to their mutual overreliance on each other’s benefits.

Terelóng

“The Shark Folk, despite their general oddness, are still treasured members of the ruling government of the Directorate and are protected underneath its citizenship laws completely….”

Terelóng is a medium-sized island found to the south of Yne and Slea in the Sh'aemiu Sea, and has great historical importance. It is here that the E'ga-Zi Dynasty formally inducted the Terenjoe into the Yneslean Gerentate during the Summit of Hairo in the third aeon, and it is also where the Terenjoe send their emissaries to better communicate with Hyu-Ket and Echmeri representatives (as their aquatic natures limit them from entering several landlocked locations within the Dweech or Grasuojh).

As it lies north of Al'saia, its climate is much more temperate (although the southern areas do get quite dry). The majority of the island is covered with administrative buildings and seawater lodges maintained by menials outside of diplomatic hours.

Government and Hierarchy

As the Yneslean peoples are splintered not only by race, but by ethnic and piety, it took several years for the entirety of the archipelago-subcontinent to unite under one banner (and even then, many both in and out of office would scoff at the idea of a homogeneous Lapis Lazuli). This banner is known as the Yneslean Directorate, undeniably the most stable Padomaic government in the eyes of the West, and a beacon of civilization and commerce to others. It governs through a conclave of well-experienced and driven representatives ranging from a variety of disciplines (e.g. war, agriculture, magic) to specific peoples, who then maintain authority over these societal divisions until retirement or death.

Beyond that, things fluctuate and regress back to tradition. The Echmer originally had an incredibly pious system of monarchy implaced upon their various societies, and as they are the leading race of their land, vestiges of this antiquated drive for enlightenment and virtue remain from the old gerencies. The Hyu-Ket are a matriarchal bunch sworn to tribes and chieftains, and continue to follow this outlook in their interactions as the Directorate's co-leading class. The Terenjoe are allowed to do as they wish in their roaming schools beneath the sea, sending forth their greatest preachers as diplomatic missionaries. And the Broh-Kah (even when they manage to produce a specimen with intelligence) are only protected under the barest Directorate citizenship laws out of begrudging obligation; their kind is nothing more than bandits and are treated as such, unless proven to be level-headed.

Authorities, Past and Present

Within In’eslae there are many different organizations, each led by a prestigious senior, that make up the ruling bodies of the ancient Gerencies and modern day Directorate. The more important roles an individual could end up inheriting and how they related to other forms of leadership are listed below for convenience and documentation:

G'eren

Although he never sat upon the Rhetoric Throne, the Fighting Diamond was often called the first foreign g'eren of In'eslae (Drawn by Las Pinter).

The G’eren was the Most Blessed Lord, the Echmeri equivalent to the Tamrielic Emperor or the High King/Queen of Skyrim. The word g'eren itself is a gender neutral term that was derived from a phonetic corruption of Gharen—the ancient Noraken-Dwemer king of Yneslea; a male g'eren is referred to as a gerent and a female g'eren is referred to as a gerentess by Tamrielic scholars, as Ynesleans don’t generally consider it important to note the difference. As can be surmised, it is the duty of the g'eren to lead the Gerentate as an example of spiritual and legal practices while also being the one most keen on providing proficient change and progress. The worst g'eren in history were those viewed as cowardly, excessive despots whose reigns were largely stagnant in regards to innovation and enlightenment. There were four unique gerencies before the practice died out in the aftermath of the Hannar Wars, and the Directorate was founded after the Curse of Lordship inflicted the Rhetoric Throne. These gerencies were the Raelei, Cakaphon, E'ga-Zi, and Aiko Dynasties.

Caesi

A Caesi was an heir apparent of the current G'eren (or other powerful lord), chosen by their parents due to a combination of promising potential and religious ritual in the past (oddly enough, the Echmeri did not believe that the firstborn should inherit the throne based off that fact, despite their deep respect for bloodlines and ancestral duty). It is highly believed that the term originated from Akaviri texts found in the eastern islands of the Yneslean archipelago due to its linguistic similarities to the word tsaesci. The word is also gender neutral despite being akin to the Tamrielic words prince and princess, and unlike the word g'eren - which translates rather well into gendered forms - caesi is hard to assign gender to, as it simply means “next in line” or “to have power as one's inheritance”.

Hei’paogun

A Hei’paogun is a member of the Council of Dull Chimes, or Hei'paogunate. On its own the word translates to “Theoretical Lords” or “Advisors of the Hypothetical”, which is why they are called the High Hypothesians by foreign linguists. Hei'paoguns have powerful estates and influences but do not own land, being more akin to administrators of powerful districts and regions in their secondary roles while their primary role is to offer advice, counseling, and alternate viewpoints to the current g'eren. After the Hannar Wars shattered the Old Gerencies, the hei'paogunate founded the Yneslean Directorate as a suitable replacement until a new g'eren could secretly be found (although one has yet to be discovered). There are many things the hei'paoguns are in charge of, ranging from architecture to war to magical learning, and as In'eslae evolves as a country, so too does the size of the Council fluctuates to better accommodate new changes. As of the current era, there are around forty-five seats on the Hei'paogunate which include allied representatives of various western nations, oceanic territories, and the Elder Council itself.

Toe'shema

The Toe'shema, or Sorcerer-Kings, were the rulers of the Kasuto Empire of Pasa'vaga. As this event occurred during the Middle Dawn (otherwise known as the Null Epoch), its true founding and original members are lost to the ages. The Kasuto Empire was heretical in its beliefs and caused great fear with their experiments into mana, resulting in the Cakaphon Dynasty (in one of it's finer moments) amassing en force and bringing them to heel. Despite being brought into the greater fold, the Didagistrate fought against complete servitude to the Gerentate and in this defiance earned a great measure of autonomy. The Magus Legions were dissolved and became the underlying foundation to the various types of modern day Yneslean sorcerer (witch-hunter, exorcist, rector, etc.), all but one Sorcerer-King lost their status, and Mustikos'arcere went from a stronghold to a prestigious academy; in exchange, however, Pasa'vaga was allowed to ignore the future Divine Mandate in it's near entirety, the last Sorcerer-King (or toe'shaigun) gained a seat on the Council of Dull Chimes, and the Didagistrate formed a secondary government with its own justice system and trading policies.

Although it can be confusing to outsiders, traditionally the title of Kah’enaku (“one well-learned in the sorceries”, a word many scholars, especially Dark Elves, believe is an extremely corrupted form of Kagrenac) is used by the native inhabitants of Pasa’vaga to refer to the current Toe’shaigun. Even more confusing, the term is also used by the chief artificer of the Uutak Corpus (the group that creates Echmeri auralmata, or automatons).

Ys'laigun

An artistic remembrance of the greatest traitor in Yneslean history; Rih'fan the Betrayer (Drawn by Las Pinter).

An Integriarch, a term mistranslated from the word Ys'laigun (which means “Boundless Lord” or “Liege Devoid of Want”), was a practice instituted by Gerentess Nekari Raelei with the former bandit-king Hoko of Dusk, who restored his honor by rescuing the future leader of Yneslea by slaughtering his way through a conclave of would-be liberators attempting to sacrifice her to a wyrm. The Integriarch was both the greatest seat of military office and lesser lordship granted by the Throne, but those who received the title inherited no lands, spouses, or legacies outside of it. They served as the First Knight of the G'eren, their Spiteful Hand and Protective Shadow, whose duty was to defend them and nothing else until their untimely death or retirement when another ascended the throne. As befitting of their station, an Integriarch would train under master combatants and sorcerers in order to become a terrifying force of conflict, being nigh-unstoppable in a fight due to their plethora of abilities. Although this tradition was broken several times, the Integriarch’s gender would usually differ from that of their g’eren in homage to Nekari and Hako.

Unlike other positions of high office that survived the dissolution of the Gerentate, the practice of elevating Integriarchs came to a complete end with Rih'fan Xaed the Betrayer, a Champion of P’hanoikhei. He was perhaps the greatest individual to grace the title of Ys’laigun in Yneslean history based off his virtue and prowess but horrified the archipelago when he betrayed Gerentess Illia Aiko and joined up with the Almost-King (gaining dark powers from fiendish gods as an reward) at the very start of the Hannar Wars. He then went on to surprise both sides of the conflict again by betraying Hannar as well near the end of the conflict. As if possessed, Rih'fan cut a mythical bloody path through troops on both sides of the battlefield before disappearing into the Elder Histories…an act that disgraced the role of Integriarch permanently (although if the conspiracists are to be believed, Rih’fan never fell).

Eskar'edai

Laoga, the Spear of the Morning, was the first Hyu-Ket member of the Eskar'edai (Drawn by Las Pinter).

Known as the Spirit Lawsmer throughout the archipelago-subcontinent, the Eskar'edai are an elite force of government detectives, espionage experts, and occultists who were founded by G'eren Hanzu E'ga-Zi and their Moral College to enforce the Divine Mandate. The organization’s original roster consisted of former members of the Shen'shiyami and Magus Legions considered to be the cream of the crop, a decision that resulted in the merging of both groups teachings and creating a secretive guild of shadow operatives dedicated to keeping the peace and ensuring the crimes of the Cakaphon era could never be repeated. And although the Council of Dull Chimes would prefer this fact to remain hidden, even after the Gerentate died out the Eskar'edai would be called upon to moonlight as deadly assassins and agents of subterfuge against powerful cults and enemy nations (in fact, the Hýdan Cewan—an obtuse group of Yneslean hitmer constantly being hunted down for their crimes—claim they are in actuality a branch of the Eskar'edai so far removed from the official accounts that their brethren have no idea they belong to the same organization). The Spirit Lawsmer are quite fond of roaming the land, which is why they are often mistaken for votaries, but are chiefly assigned to the various shuls, virago shrines, ancestral parishes, and domiciles throughout Yneslea. They can be distinguished with relative ease upon notage of their iconic candle-like arms and armor.

K'haogun

K’haoguns at one point in In’eslaen history, could be likened to the Counts of Cyrodiil, but are more similar to governors and mayors in the modern age. Those who led k'haogunates were wealthy merchants, well-decorated military leaders, or noble-descendants with valuable skills that either inherited or conquered large parcels of land and ruled over them under permittance by the Gerentate. It is interesting to note that it was rare for a k'haogun to receive an official seat on the hei’paogunate, as they usually pledged their allegiance and kinship to a particular hei’paogun’s sect (or house, in western terms). As k'haogunates interacted much with and therefore held close relationships with the peasantry, it was a usual occurrence for their leaders to be challenged for their positions by rebels and heroes alike, leading to the position of k’haogun being one that changed relatively often. This practice has been largely eradicated by the fourth era, however, as in current times the various k'haogunates have installed a more hereditary system of inheritance influenced by Tamrielic ideals.

Humorously, the word k’haogun means “the lord who takes”. This would dictate that a more or less accurate translation of k’haogunate would be the rather redundant “realm taken by the realm-taker”, something that doesn’t occur much in the majority of Ek’hi to Tamrielic translations.

Shen'shiyami

Originally nothing more than a group of puckish rogues and bandits led by the ever-cheerful Hamaya, the Shen’shiyami bent the knee to Gerent Anhano Raelei during the Unification Wars and reformed into the Sentry Corps of Yneslea, becoming the “hands of the law” and “fists of justice” their fellowship’s name would eventually translate to over time. Hamaya went on to become the first Shen’shaigun, or “the one who judges” (a rank mistranslated into “cardinal fist of justice” by westerners), the Honored Hand and Judge-in-Light, of the first Bat Elf ruler of Yneslea and helped write the majority of nonreligious laws the Directorate still abides by today. Although many would consider the Shen’shiyami as nothing more than a highly organized group of city guards and investigators, they are still considered an official part of the Yneslean military and serve as auxiliary troops during wars (meaning their training and instincts is a bit more refined than your typical guard), and receive their daily wages directly from the Council of Dull Chimes instead of the numerous k’haoguns. Western colonists of the Ice Cream Lanes often call them sentries due to how similar the word is to the first two syllables in the organization’s name (“shen’shi”).

Virago

A Virago (this word is both singular and plural), or Venerant, is a well-respected paragon of Yneslean culture that has been elevated upon their death to semi-apotheosis due to the incredible merits they held in life; they are often compared by Aldmerologists to the Dunmeri temple saints and Altmeri sapiarchs as staples of the ancestor worship that permeates all merish cultures. The majority of virago are Echmer, but there can be and have been several exceptions to this rule (Uriel V and the Gol-Thek, for example), similar to how a few virago throughout history have been given the title before their unfortunate passings.

Western clergies often have trouble distinguishing venerants from demigods, especially due to folk tales and authentic accounts of aedric, great-winged saints manifesting in a Yneslean's time of greatest need matching the appearances of several virago throughout history; there are even powerful spells amongst the Pasa'vagans and Eskar'edai that function similiar to the ancestor magic of the Dunmer (cloaking themselves in familial light, or great wings derived from holy ash). Many attribute this to the Echmer constructing the venerant statues that hold a deceased virago's ashes on ancient Kítapoean leylines, imbuing said ashes with strange powers that have transformed their souls into something near deified between life and death.

Neitah

Although the religious climate of the Ice Cream Lanes has undergone numerous dramatic changes over the centuries, the Neitah (“criers of the word”) social class have retained their positions of influence throughout these ages of questioning and strife. For all sakes and purposes the Neitah are a large collective of orthodox priests and nuns split into two main groups: Suffragans and Diocesans. The former deal with the stories and achievements of the gods, using these divine metaphors and anecdotes as inspiration or dissuasion for the common youth; the latter are much more learned in the lives and deaths of ancestor-heroes and venerants, having once been the caretakers of the Rhetoric Throne that oversaw the true natures of g'eren before becoming the homely arbiters and preachers of the mortal word they are today.

Neitah are traditionally celibate, choosing to not have spouses or children, but not abstinate, in order to ensure they're frustrations do not result in foul occupational perversions. Multiple minor villages and homesteads will be considered an ancestral parish, being host to a local shul and chapel maintained by neitah-in-training, whereas two to three parishes will be a collective diocese located in grand cathedrals inside the capital cities of the archipelago. The upper echelons of the Neitah comprise the Moral College, who work closely with the votaries and perform administrative duties over the Eskar'adai. Another one of their duties is the scrutiny and societal reinforcement of the Divine Mandate.

Votaries

Witch-Hunters and Exorcists are just two of the many different types of votary (Drawn by Las Pinter).

There is no real Ek’hi term for the various groups of directorate/gerentate-licensed agents that deal in anti-magic operations, as each group has their own individual titles and nomenclature, but Tamrielics have come to call them votaries—a class of warrior that combined the characteristics of clerics, crusaders, warlocks, and monster-hunters with a zealous sense of duty and pragmatic intelligence. Although the Deepseekers, a group of extremely competent and fearless paladins who halt the spread of the Nether Realms from their fortress-monastery of Portentous Whelm, are as old as the Raelei Dynasty, other votaries can trace their origins back to the Magus Legions of Old Pasa’vaga. No one remembers how members of the Magus Legions were chosen, as the modern Kah’enaku have either lost those records or remain incredibly tightlipped about it, but most scholars believe it was through a combination of superior intellect, incredible proficiency in combat, and some form of blood/soul/mana tampering.

After the Kasuto Empire was absorbed into the Gerentate, the Magus Legionnaires dispersed into small splinter groups that traveled on their own for a time until the reformed Didagistrate managed to unite them through some lost accord. This led to the birth of the rectors (battle-hardened healer-puppeteers), the forlorn exorcists who stalk battlefields in search of the paranormal, and the unforgiving witch-hunters who seek out the cultist, the heretic, and the rogue mage in order to bring them to justice.

Due to the self-driven and personal nature of their work, votaries will often come into conflict with other political institutions more times than naught. The fact they are not considered members of the native military also makes their movements harder to predict and control.