Category: Commentary

A mixed bag of writing analyses, gameplay reviews, player-created lore, and other tidbits to do with fandoms other than FoxFireFiction.

A Crook-Tailed Khajiit, On the Lunar Lattice

Now this one is here, with these strange bent-lovers in their tall heavy buildings, saying words of devotions to still figures all painted in glass who do not hear. This is not Khajiit’s way, so this one understands your confusion, and your question.

Khajiit never say what they mean. It may be because their religion emphasizes secrecy, or because their religion is kept a secret. Still, if you were to ask a Khajiit about their worship of the Divines, this might be what one of them would say. Continue reading “A Crook-Tailed Khajiit, On the Lunar Lattice”

Conflicting Accounts: Davon’s Watch

I saw his form limned in ash and torment
Abreast two beasts of war / The township quaked
They sang to him / Women in fiery form
Darvon [sic] was no more / And the Beast was sealed

Back when Tamriel Rebuilt was still trying to play nice with The Elder Scrolls: Online lore, I wrote up this post to help bridge the gap between our differing canons. Continue reading “Conflicting Accounts: Davon’s Watch”

The Unarmed Traditions of Morrowind

Morrowind is home to three recognized unarmed and unarmored fighting traditions. Although perhaps not as famous as their counterparts in Elsweyr or Akavir, the Golden Reed, Marshmerrow, and Salt Rice styles have their own equally fascinating histories and theories of practice.

A simple informational post. The names of the traditions and Taren Omathan’s story are found in canon sources, while I followed the convention of the Mage, Warrior, and Thief archetypes to characterize them. Continue reading “The Unarmed Traditions of Morrowind”

The Origin of the Ash Yam

The origin of the name “ash yam” seems deceptively simple: it is a species of yam domesticated and cultivated in the ashy steppes of Morrowind. I have made a study into the taxonamy of the ash yam however, and come upon surprising results. Ash yam is not a geographical or botanical term.

While I was reading “1493” by Charles C. Mann, I came upon the fact that there are apparently hundreds of species of potatoes cultivated for human consumption in the Andes. Some of these are poisonous unless also eaten with a bit of clay. As I reflected on the ash yams being grown in Morrowind, this post almost wrote itself. Continue reading “The Origin of the Ash Yam”

The Hungry Nix-Hound

There once was a nix-hound. There once was a patch of ash yams. The ash yams were succulent, but they were also atop a high hill, where none of the animals of the Ashlands could get to them easily.

Meant to be spoken aloud instead of read, this folktale probably grew out of the oral traditions of the Ashlanders. Continue reading “The Hungry Nix-Hound”

The Magicka of a Moons-Dancer

First comes the mastery of the breath.

I’ve always seen Khajiit as an under-developed race with a lot of potential. One of the areas that I felt needed more love is the connection between Magicka, soul, and the Khajiiti martial arts. This post seeks to unite all these things with themes taken from real life kung fu. Continue reading “The Magicka of a Moons-Dancer”

The Peculiar Case of the Murder of Yakum-Fel

General, I write to you now of the peculiar case of the murder of Sedura Yakum-fel of the Bashipal plantation. Most of our inquiries have been into the possibility of whether a slave uprising was the cause of the Dunmer’s death, which is an understandably unpopular notion among the locals.

This story came out of a discussion on how to handle the lore of the Argonians, the Hist, and House Dres in Tamriel Rebuilt. Tamriel Rebuilt has since moved away from this interpretation, but I am still rather fond of this piece. Continue reading “The Peculiar Case of the Murder of Yakum-Fel”