| Valenwood | |
|---|---|
| Type | Province |
| Continent | Tamriel |
| Appears in | Arena, ESO, Blades |
Valenwood
exemplification of a distinctive Bosmer male Valenwood, besides called Ada-mor (Spirit Forest) or Ghul-Mora (Monster Wood), [ UOL 1 ] is a densely forested, sub-tropical region that encompasses the southwest coastal plain of Tamriel. In the words of A Pocket Guide to the Empire, Valenwood is “ a ocean of endless green, a maze of leaf with half-hidden cities growing like blooms from a flower, the home of the Bosmer is Tamriel ‘s garden. ” [ 1 ] Alongside the Wood Elves, races like the Wood Orcs, Imga, and Centaur besides call the forest their home. [ 2 ] [ 1 ] One unusual feature of Valenwood is its gigantic, migratory trees, many so large that the Bosmer have built entire cities in their branches. Falinesti is one such tree, a mile-high specimen that serves as the capital of Valenwood and seat of its kings. [ 3 ] [ 1 ] [ 4 ] The afforest is much referred to by Bosmer as ‘the Valenwood ‘ or ‘the Valenwoods ‘, designating the state as an entity in its own correct. [ 5 ] [ 6 ]
geography [edit ]
Valenwood borders Elsweyr to the east and Cyrodiil to the union, partially divided from the latter by the Strid River, and is merely across the ocean from Summerset Isle. Its landscape consists chiefly of rolling hills and clean blasphemous rivers, predominantly covered in rain forest and forest. The coasts of Valenwood are dominated by mangrove swamps and tropical rain forests, while heavy rainfalls nurture the temperate inland rain forests. The Bosmer exist in timber clanhouses at sites scattered along the coast and through the department of the interior. The few Imperial roads traverse huge dense woodlands, studded with bantam, wide separated settlements. [ 7 ]
Valenwood consists of four independent regions : Grahtwood, Greenshade, Malabal Tor, and western Reaper ‘s March. [ 8 ] There is besides a little Rictus [ UOL 2 ] chain of a least four islands off the Drowned Coast, [ 9 ] Tempest Island near the Strid, and by some accounts Stirk which has been claimed at times by the state. [ 10 ]
Grahtwood
Grahtwood [edit ]
Grahtwood is the southeastern region of Valenwood. The region is covered in a dense jungle containing many massive graht-oaks, from which the region takes its appoint. It borders Greenshade to the west, Malabal Tor and Reaper ‘s March to the north, and Elsweyr to the east. The Padomaic Ocean is off its southern shores. Its capital is Elden Root, a city built on and around the Elden Tree, an ancient and massive Graht-oak. The Elden Tree is said to be the lone Graht-Oak to have a definite association to the Green-Sap Tower at any given time, a side impression of Anumarils failed attempts to recreate White-Gold Tower. [ 11 ]
The other major cities are Southpoint and Haven, which can be found on the southerly shores. The bankrupt city of Gil-Var-Delle, celebrated for being destroyed by Molag Bal in the First Era, is besides located here. [ 8 ]
other luminary landmarks in Grahtwood include the Bone Orchard to the southwest, where herculean ancient spirits exist in a state reasonably resembling death [ 12 ], ampere well as the web site which once hosted the walking city of Falinesti in the winter, found precisely west of Elden Root. additionally, the settlement of Brackenleaf to the southeast contains the eponymous Brackenleaf, an ancient and herculean intent who claims to be one of the first trees in Grahtwood. [ 8 ]
Greenshade
Greenshade [edit ]
Greenshade is the southwestern region of Valenwood. It borders Grahtwood to the east and Malabal Tor to the north ; the isle of Auridon is barely across the sea to the west. The main city is Woodhearth, situated on the westernmost tip of the region. The other major cities are Greenheart and the Altmeri city of Marbruk, the latter of which once bordered Falinesti ‘s leap location. The region consists of smaller forests, clearings and meadows ; there is besides a swamp to the southeast of Woodhearth. [ 8 ]
Despite boasting sparser vegetation than the likes of Grahtwood or Malabal Tor, Greenshade is a identical spiritually significant part of the Valenwood. The region is home to many entities that act as emissaries for the forest and the Green. One such emissary is the Eldest, a reverence garroter purported to control the forests of Greenshade and to have created the first Silvenar and Green Lady. It is accustomed for many Bosmer to make a pilgrimage to its hideout. [ 13 ] Some Bosmer of this sphere besides consider themselves subjects of the cryptic entity known as the Wilderking ( or Wilderqueen ), an ascend deadly with firm ties to the Green itself. They typically reside in Greenheart and are creditworthy for shaping the bring of Greenshade to suit their caprice. [ 5 ]
The ancient city of Hectahame lies deep in the northeast corner of Greenshade, near the center of Valenwood. [ 8 ] here, the very soul of the Valenwood can be found, represented by the Valenheart. It was in the first place protected by the Ayleids, and is now guarded by the wards they left behind. Despite their boisterous fear for the site, very few Bosmer make bold travel to Hectahame, and those who do are frequently considered huffy. [ 14 ]
Malabal Tor
Malabal Tor [edit ]
Malabal Tor is the northwestern region of Valenwood. It borders Greenshade to the confederacy, Reaper ‘s March to the east and the Gold Coast of Cyrodiil across the Strid River to the north. The region contains the city of Silvenar, the spiritual kernel of Valenwood, and hosts the city Falinesti, where it has rooted itself since the Oblivion Crisis in what was once its summer locate. The region is covered in a jungle like to the one in Grahtwood, but dense and smaller in scale. [ 8 ]
The area contains many sites important to the Bosmer. It is the placement of Ouze, a tar hell believed to be connected to the feared Bosmeri afterlife of the Ooze, [ 15 ] vitamin a well as Treehenge, the final rest site for the souls of all greens Ladies. [ 16 ]
however, Wood Elves are n’t the only ones with significant landmarks in Malabal Tor ; The Wood Orcs besides have claim to many locations within the jungle. The largest of their strongholds, Dra’bul, can be found along the northerly coast, while ruins such as Abamath or the Bloodtoil Valley hold huge historical and religious significance for their people. [ 8 ] [ 17 ] [ 18 ]
Reaper ‘s March
Reaper ‘s March [edit ]
The western part of the Reaper ‘s March region, known as the Northern Woods, makes up the northeastern reaches of Valenwood. It is a sparsely afforest sphere that borders Malabal Tor to the west, Grahtwood to the south, and Elsweyr to the east. The biggest settlement is the multicultural city of Arenthia to the north while Falinesti used to be found in the south during fall months. Due to the airless proximity of Cyrodiil and Elsweyr, the region was much raided by the Colovians and the Khajiit. For the lapp reason, both Colovian crypts and ruins of Khajiiti temples can be found here. The forests of the Northern Woods gradually diminish as they merge with Elsweyr ‘s savanna to the east, which comprises the subregions of Dawnmead and Jodewood. [ 8 ] Because of its distance from Valenwood proper, the Green Pact is much overlooked by the Bosmer live hera. [ 19 ]
Elden Root
history [edit ]
Brackenleaf, one of the oldest trees in the Valenwoods
Dawn era [edit ]
Valenwood ‘s acknowledge history begins a early as the Dawn Era, when Y’ffre purportedly began to shape the amorphous Ooze with their naming of things. [ 20 ] It was in Valenwood that his first creations such as the Eldest could be found, many of which have survived into former eras. [ 21 ] Bosmer originated from the Valenwood, but how they came to inhabit the land is a point of competition. Bosmeri stories claim that Y’ffre gave the Wood Elves the supreme headquarters allied powers europe they inhabit today at the dawn of universe, before tied other animals were made. Y ’ ffre then shared with the Bosmer their alone ability of Spinning, provided they use it to protect Y ’ ffre ’ s first creation, the Green, which is what the Bosmer believe to be the origin of the Green Pact. [ 20 ] Altmeri and Imperial descriptions of their origins, however, are far less fanciful. They purport that early Aldmer arrived in Valenwood at some point during the Merethic Era and simply changed over the generations in order to survive in the hostile afforest, finally forming a symbiotic bind with it and becoming the Bosmer. [ 1 ]
Merethic era [edit ]
In either case, Bosmer had become well established in the Valenwoods by the center Merethic Era, though they were far from the only settlers of the kingdom. Wood Orcs have reportedly lived in the forest for adenine long as the Wood Elves, if not longer. [ 2 ] A Pocket Guide to the Empire besides states that the likes of Centaurs, Satyrs, Minotaurs, giants, fairy folk music, and the ape-like Imga “ flourished there before the first Aldmeri stepped onto its shores. ” As a whole, club within the Valenwood would remain a disjointed fix of disparate peoples throughout the remainder of the Merethic era. [ 1 ]
In the final examination class of the Merethic Era, Eplear Camoran achieved the impossible and united the many clans of Bosmer into a single kingdom known as Valenwood. The constitution of the Camoran Dynasty has been considered momentous enough to have signified the end of the Merethic Era and the beginning of the First Era. [ 1 ]
First era [edit ]
Under the early dynasty, the kingdom of Valenwood became a seaport for outsiders. It welcomed at large human slaves of the Ayleid Empire with open arms, a well as a mass of Ayleid refugees after Alessia overthrew them in 1E 242. [ 1 ] [ 22 ] Relations between the two elven races were park, and there is testify to suggest that quite than confront extinction, the Ayleids of Valenwood simply interbred with Bosmer until they became indistinguishable. [ 23 ]
The Ayleid diaspora would besides cause friction with the other races of Valenwood. The Wood Orcs in particular were hit hard by their arrival, as they were driven from their consecrated enshrine to Mauloch during the construction of the Ayleid city Abamath. [ 17 ]
Relations with the First Empire and Valenwood were amicable to start with. The Camoran Dynasty would even forge a trade treaty with the Alessian Empire in 1E 340. [ 1 ] This placement would not last long, however, as Marukh ’ s fierily anti-elven Alessian Doctrines would be adopted by the Empire a mere two decades later. [ 23 ]
By 1E 369, the Empire and its allies began to prepare for war with Valenwood. In reply to this, the Bosmer unleashed the foremost documented Wild Hunt, a ritual where many Bosmer revert into aboriginal monstrosities, and invaded Cyrodiil. This led to the death of High King Borgas of Skyrim, a Marukhati patron who had come to Cyrodiil to help convince the Empire to invade Valenwood. [ 1 ] This death would have far-reaching implications for Tamriel as a hale, kickstarting a fifty-year war of succession within Skyrim, [ 24 ] granting Morrowind and High Rock their independence, [ 25 ] and ending the invasion of Valenwood before it could begin. [ 1 ]
Though boundary line skirmishes would continue for years to come, Valenwood would ultimately outlast the Alessian Empire. It would not be until 1E 2714 that Valenwood was ultimately conquered by its successor, the Reman Dynasty. Emperor Reman Cyrodiil would allow the Camoran Dynasty to continue to rule over Valenwood as a province of the Empire but besides granted many lesser nobles independence to break up their charm. [ 1 ]
In the last year of the First Era, during the chaotic events preceding the assassination of Emperor Reman III, Molag Bal was summoned within the Bosmeri city of Gil-Var-Delle and subsequently razed it. This consequence would inspire the Dunmeri demigod Sotha Sil to draft what would be known as the “ Coldharbour Compact ”, an agreement between Sotha Sil and the most powerful of Daedric Princes to never manifest physically within the Mundus and act only through intermediaries. [ 26 ]
second era [edit ]
Around 2E 382, the walking city of Falinesti, the traditional home of the Camoran King, seemed to vanish from the face of Nirn during one of its everyday migrations. [ 27 ] This caused mass panic throughout Valenwood and the initiation of the Falinesti Faithful, a group operating under the impression their faith could return the lose city. Despite many efforts to discover the truth, Falinesti ’ s cryptic disappearance would remain unexplained for at least two hundred more years. [ 28 ]
King Camoran Aeradan, co-founder of the first Aldmeri Dominion After the Second Empire ultimately fell in 2E 430 with the death of the Akaviri Potentate, the Camoran Dynasty would attempt to re-establish its dominion over Valenwood to limited success. The many clans had drifted excessively far apart under Imperial and Akaviri rule, and tensions had grown hot between the ardent Green Pact supporters and those who lived happily under Imperial principle, making reunion an extremely unmanageable undertaking. [ 1 ] [ 29 ]
In 2E 489, these tensions erupted into a civil war between the Bosmer which would come to be known as the Blacksap Rebellion, instigated by Camoran Gelthior under the belief that his cousin Aeradan refused to uphold the Green Pact. [ 29 ] [ 30 ] It ultimately took the interposition of Summerset to put an end to the war in 2E 580. [ 31 ] [ 29 ] Afterward, Camoran Aeradan would be recognized as the King of Valenwood and joined into the First Aldmeri Dominion with Summerset and Elsweyr [ 32 ] while Gelthior was imprisoned below Cormount, [ 30 ] the identical web site of the slaughter which ended the war. [ 31 ]
In 2E 582, an obscure entity took control of the cadaver of Prince Naemon Aldmeri during a botch resurrection in Greenshade. The shade sought to overthrow the Valenwood and replace it with its own Shadow Wood. [ 33 ] It intended to plunge the state Valenwood into dark, unleashing dark spirits and driving all Bosmer within delirious. [ 34 ] It was ultimately stopped by the Vestige and the newest Silvenar before it could successfully claim the Valenheart in Hectahame. [ 35 ]
The First Aldmeri Dominion would finally dissolve, and Valenwood once again fell into disunity. By 2E 830, another civil war between Camoran heirs had broken out. One cabal of Bosmer attempted to make peace with their longtime enemies to the north, the Colovians, in order to secure their defend. This caught the attention of Summerset, who quickly joined with the opposing slope to crush the Colovian sympathizers. Following the appointment of the new Camoran king Anaxemes, the second Aldmeri Dominion was formed. [ 36 ]
Valenwood avoided most of the active during the Tiber Wars, as Tiber Septim ’ south practice of the Great Numidium on Summerset brought an end to the conflict. [ 37 ] Both Summerset and Valenwood were absorbed by the Third Empire in 3E 0. Camoran Kings were once again allowed to reign over Valenwood, so farseeing as they pledged loyalty to the Empire. [ 1 ]
Third era [edit ]
By 3E 249, many Bosmer had become discontent with biography under Imperial rule. [ 1 ] Haymon Camoran took advantage of this and, with his united states army of mercenaries and Daedra alongside the blessing of a cryptic benefactor, would claim the Camoran toilet for himself and begin to engage war on the other provinces of Tamriel. [ 38 ] He would go on to conquer western Cyrodiil and the majority of Hammerfell before finally setting his sights on High Rock in 3E 266. [ 39 ] however, whatever boons his master had provided had long faded, [ 38 ] and the people of Valenwood soon revolted against him. [ 1 ] After losing his dwelling province, he would ultimately be defeated by the compound might of High Rock ’ s many kingdoms. [ 40 ] Haymon Camoran fell in struggle good outside of Dwynnen in 3E 267, though his son Mankar was born soon after. [ 38 ]
Following Haymon ‘s rule, Valenwood was a broken land. The Bosmer no long trusted outside rule or the rule of their own leaders. The Imperial Simulacrum merely made things worse, with Summerset and Elsweyr both seizing state from the province in the chaos [ 1 ] and the forest liveliness Selene attempting to wrest control of Valenwood. [ 41 ] The cities were abandoned for forest life, the tribal council was all but abolished, and what small national pride remained seemed to die. [ 1 ]
In 3E 433, the Oblivion Crisis struck. Falinesti rooted itself in space for the first time in history to prepare for the consequence, and a Wild Hunt broke out across the state to defend it. [ 1 ] Though scarred, Valenwood would survive and enter into the Fourth Era .
Fourth era [edit ]
In 4E 29, Valenwood ‘s Imperial-friendly government was overthrown in a Thalmor -backed coup. Bosmer loyalists and supporting imperial forces were subsequently defeated by better-prepared Bosmer troops aligned with the Thalmor. In the aftermath, Valenwood ‘s newly politics proclaimed a union with Summerset Isle, now known as Alinor, and the third Aldmeri Dominion was formed. [ 42 ] Since the Great War, surviving Blades have claimed that the Aldmeri Dominion has been covertly “ purging ” Valenwood of sealed Bosmeri families. [ 43 ]
Silvenar, an example of a Bosmeri tree-city
architecture [edit ]
Bosmeri cities are normally located on the branches and in the trunks of the graht-oaks, with some individual tree-houses on the forest floor. The green Pact does not allow the Bosmer to shape the trees in the traditional way, therefore rather Bosmeri Pod-Singers magically persuade Valenwood trees to grow into houses. [ 44 ] [ 8 ]
however, Valenwood does not consist entirely of the Bosmeri tree-cities. Some of the cities are built in early architectural styles : for example Haven and Marbruk are primarily Altmeri, Southpoint is Colovian, and Arenthia is a mix of Colovian and Khajiiti styles. [ 8 ]
Valenwood is besides dotted with numerous Ayleid ruins, built by Ayleid refugees from Cyrodiil. In the northeastern contribution, old Khajiiti temples can besides be found. [ 8 ]
Flora [edit ]
The Shimmering Kollopi Tree Valenwood ‘s sub-tropical climate supports a bang-up wealth of flora, which often grows to enormous proportions. The green Pact forbids the Bosmer to harm the plants, so they grow uncontrollably, resulting in wild, dense jungles and forests. The massive graht-oak trees are coarse in the state, which are sometimes hollowed out and inhabited by the Bosmer. [ 45 ] These graht-oaks occasionally uproot themselves and migrate to a different share of Valenwood on juncture, with some wish Falinesti following seasonal migrations. [ 46 ] The canopies they create are therefore big, they are sometimes referred to as a moment sky ( or the “ middle greens ” ). [ 47 ]
aboard graht-oaks, there are perspicacious trees such as Brackenleaf who are allied with the Bosmer. [ 48 ] The belittled palm leafed Kollopi trees are another common sight in Valenwood. Their kernel and seeds are much used in rituals by the native population. [ 49 ]
Fauna [edit ]
Valenwood ‘s alcoholic environment is home to many creatures, such as monkeys, antelopes, giant wasp, thunderbugs, spriggans, crocodiles and tick-like hoarvors. Timber mammoth inhabit Greenshade and Malabal Tor. Senche-tigers are present all throughout Valenwood, but are most numerous in Reaper ‘s March and Greenshade. [ 8 ] The Kollopi is an arboreal rodent which lives and feasts entirely on branches of graht-oak trees, despite sharing a name with the kollopi tree. [ 50 ] A sort of winged mimic is rumored to inhabit Valenwood and regurgitate whatever words they overhear. It is described by celebrated writer Waughin Jarth as a legless creature with crimson eyes and a fat belly, darting through the air like sparks from a fire. [ 51 ]
The lines between fauna and plant can become blurred in Valenwood, and many plant-like animals inhabit the forests arsenic good. carnivorous Stranglers inhabit the heavily wooded portions of Malabal Tor and Grahtwood, while spriggans and evening the larger lurchers can be found all throughout the Valenwood. [ 8 ]
luminary Places [edit ]
- Arenthia
- A multicultural city in Reaper’s March, near the border with Cyrodiil and Elsweyr.
- Diss
- A location that existed in the late Second Era.
- Elden Grove
- A sacred forest known as the birthplace of the First Tree.
- Elden Root
- An ancient city in central Grahtwood.
- Falinesti
- A city in northern Malabal Tor and the traditional capital of Valenwood, it formerly migrated between four sites depending on the season.
- Gil-Var-Delle
- A town located in eastern Grahtwood that was razed by Molag Bal.
- Greenheart
- A city in southern Greenshade, near the shore.
- Haven
- An Altmeri city in southeastern Grahtwood, near the shore.
- Hectahame
- An Ayleid ruin containing the Heart of Valenwood.
- Marbruk
- A major Altmeri city in eastern Greenshade.
- Selene’s Web
- A hidden forest between Malabal Tor and Reaper’s March ruled by Selene, a mysterious forest spirit.
- Silvenar
- A city in eastern Malabal Tor, the spiritual center of Valenwood.
- Southpoint
- A port city in southwestern Grahtwood founded by a cohort of Imperial soldiers in the early days of the Second Empire.
- Velyn Harbor
- A port town in western Malabal Tor.
- Whisper Grove
- A city in eastern Greenshade destroyed by the forces of Mehrunes Dagon.
- Woodhearth
- A city in western Greenshade, near the shore.
drift [edit ]
Maps [edit ]
See besides [edit ]
Books [edit ]
References [edit ]
Note : The trace references are deemed to be unofficial sources. They are referenced to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive .
