Post by Lucien Lachance on Aug 4, 2009 17:25:56 GMT -5
Nation: Elsweyr Confederacy
Capital: Torval
Native Populace: Khajiit
Founded: Common Era 309
Head-of-State: Mane
Official Language: Ta'agra
Currency: Septim
Elsweyr is a province of the Cyrodilic empire that lies on the southern coast of Tamriel. It is bordered by Valenwood on the West and Cyrodiil on the north.
Elsweyr is home to the feline Khajiits. The Khajiiti government is a confederacy held together by the Mane, which are the rarest of the various Khajiit breeds. An important part of Khajiiti culture is the Moon Sugar that is harvested in Elsweyr. Moon Sugar is said to be created by mana falling from the Ja'Kha-jay into the Bay of Topal on the southeastern coast. The waters are then drawn into the sugar plantations of the jungles of Tenmar, which cover much of the southern area of the province.
History
Elsweyr is home to an ancient civilization that, it is commonly held, predated the coming of mer and men. Though this would be hard to verify, it is known that there were hundreds of cities in the province. Some cities have been buried by the sands of the northwest desert; some have been overgrown by the southern jungles; others have been destroyed by men, mer and Khajiit. It has also been said the Khajiit roamed Tamriel before other creatures. Described in A Pocket Guide to the Empire: "Topal the Pilot in his peregrinations around Tamriel encountered the Khajiit not in Elsweyr, but far up the Niben River, close to the Imperial City, where they preyed on other native creatures." Also, "...certain parts of Valenwood were to be avoided for fear of the great jungle cat men." It is thought that Khajiit had already developed while other races were only beginning to discover the basic feats of modern life. Historically, Elsweyr was split into a number of smaller states (speculation suggests as many as sixteen states) until the time of the Great Plague that devastated the whole of Tamriel. Only the kingdoms of Anequina and Pellitine are known to have survived this catastrophe intact and they decided at that time to forge an Alliance of Peace, thereby creating a unified confederacy. During the formation of this new nation it is possible that an old Khajiiti proverb was recalled, which ran along the lines of "perfect society is always elsewhere", thus resulting in the union's name. Another possibility is a reference to Llesw'er, a paradise promised to the Khajiit by the Riddle'Thar. Regardless of the name's specific origin, it appears to inspire a sense of optimism that is not likely to be backed by reality. Recently, Elsweyr has been involved in much chaos, it seems only some Manes and the Cyrodilic and Septim Empires brought peace, but only for brief periods of time. Best described in A Pocket Guide to the Empire, "It may be fair to say Elsweyr is in crisis. And it may further be accurate to say that such chaos is home."
Geography
The northern part of Elsweyr contains arid badlands; the southern part is a lush sub-tropical environment with many forests. Only a few cities have been established, and most of the settlements are small villages.
Politics
During the The Five Year War, Elsweyr expanded west into Valenwood. Near the end of the Imperial Simulacrum, an attempt to return the land occurred but the Khajiit settlers did not comply, and no further action was taken. However, they lost land to the east near the Imperial city of Leyawiin, after an agreement between the Count and the current Mane. Also, the city of Senchal, once a slum town, has been turned into a beautiful coastal resort, proving the economy is rising.
Notable Places
Corinthe
A city in central Elsweyr.
Dune
A city in northwestern Elsweyr, near the Valenwood border.
The Halls of Colossus
The secret complex that housed Numidium during its reconstruction and activation.
Orcrest
A city in northern Elsweyr, south of Riverhold.
Rimmen
A city in northeastern Elsweyr, near the border to Cyrodiil.
Riverhold
A city in northern Elsweyr, near the Cyrodiil border.
Senchal
A slum turned into a coastal resort, it lies on the northern shores of the southeastern "tail" of Elsweyr.
Torval
A city in southwestern Elweyr, near the Valenwood border.