You've experienced Tamriel in your own way, but want to learn more about its story. Well-
to get to the heart of the story, you have to go back to the beginning...
"You have chosen your fate, and the fate of your people, and all the Dunmer shall share
your fate, from now to the end of time.
The War of the First Council was over...
The Dwemer stronghold at Red Mountain had fallen. The Dwemer had been obliterated. Their
mechanical abominations stood lifeless, still and dark. All across Morrowind there was much
rejoicing and honoring of those who had fallen in glorious battle.
Though Almalexia mourned the loss of her husband Nerevar with her every breath, she found comfort
in Vivec and Sotha Sil, and the three of them established the Grand Council, which benevolently
governed over Morrowind for many years. Unknown to Queen Almalexia and Lord Vivec, Sotha Sil
had continued to study the profane mysteries of the Tools of Kagrenac, the very instruments
which caused the War of the First Council and the disappearance of the entire Dwemer
race. The tools had been contaminated by a dark taint when they had been used on the
Heart of Lorkhan, and many suspect it was the tools that drove Dagoth to betray his
people. Possessed by visions of an all-powerful Chimer empire, Sotha Sil persuaded the other
two members of the Tribunal that they could become immortals...they themselves could be
as gods. All they needed do...was renounce the sacred
oaths they had sworn to the Daedric Prince Azura. To break the oath that forbade them
to use the unholy Tools of Kagrenac. Beneath Red Mountain each member of the Tribunal
struck the Heart of Lorkhan with Kagrenac's Tools, and in that moment it transformed them,
and rendered them immortal. Once the act was complete, they reveled in
their newfound powers and envisioned a world of peace, honor, nobility and justice. That
was until an enraged Azura appeared before them. The Daedric Lord was monstrous in her
wrath, as terrifying and furious a sight as has ever been, yet the three man-gods stood
resolute. Sotha Sil in his foolish pride, went so far as to mock Azura, and question
her authority and her right to preside over the lives of the Elves.
In her righteous anger, the forsaken deity pronounced judgment upon the three rulers,
and all Chimer on the face of Nirn would bear the mark of her rage. "This is not my act,"
said Azura. "But your act." and her radiance faded, leaving the Tribunal in utter darkness
and with a vague, unknowable dread. They did not yet know that in that instant,
the flesh of every Chimer had turned the color of darkest ash, and each had eyes that suddenly
glowed red with a hellish flame. Upon the discovery of their new appearances The Chimer
hid their changed faces in anguish and bitterly wept. In their minds Azura had turned her
face from them, even as they knew not why. That day the Chimer were forever transformed.
For now and forever they would be called "Dark" Elves, the Dunmer of Morrowind.
Upon returning to mainland Morrowind Sotha Sil, Lord Vivec , and Queen Almalexia addressed
all of the Dunmer at once, imploring them to take heart and be proud of their changed
appearance. Sotha Sil spoke of the new Dunmer regime, a society of intellectual and spiritual
advancement where the only limits were that of their imaginations. He challenged every
Dark Elf to embrace their new appearance and to know that from that day forward, the Chimer
were no more and that now and forever they were Dunmer.
It has been said that upon their speech, the very ground beneath everyone's feet trembled.
The Dunmer immediately kneeled and made worship in the name of the Tribunal.
Over time, a new civilization of honor flourished and thrived here, based less on Daedric worship
and more on benevolent rule. The Dark Elves knew prosperity and happiness unlike any before
them, and for centuries beyond measure the immortal Tribunal looked across the land at
what they had created- and were pleased. The Five Great Houses of the Dunmer grew in wealth
and influence under the watchful authority of the Tribunal, and Morrowind became a place
of great contentment. Sotha Sil, Vivec, and Queen Amalexia went
on to achieve the highest elevation of the three virtues of the Dunmer.
Almalexia was as unto the Daedric Lord Boethiah for her infinite Mercy; from her Temple in
Mournhold she was worshipped as the incarnation of Compassion and Love. Her selfless nature
was sharply contrasted when Mehrunes Dagon was summoned by a vengeful witch and attacked
Morrowind. With Sotha Sil by her side, it was Amalexia who battled the Daedric Prince
and banished him back the realm of Oblivion to protect her beloved city of Mournhold.
Even the Daedric Princes were made to pause before the might of the Tribunal.
Sotha Sil was known as the Anticipation of
most blessed Azura, representing the Mystery of the Dunmer. He devoted his time and energies
to teaching the secretive Psijic Order, and to establishing his Clockwork City. It was
from the Clockwork City that the brooding deity attempted to reshape the physical world
and even the nature of life itself. He might have been born Chimer, but Sotha Sil was Dwemer
through and through. And as for Vivec? The Warrior-Poet? He was
considered the avatar of the Daedric Prince Mephala, and was renowned for his Mastery
of words as he sat in contemplation at his Temple in the city named after him. It was
Vivec who would wage war repeatedly against the invading Akaviri legions. First by allying
Morrowind with the forces of the Reman Dynasty, thus enabling rise of the Second Empire of
Men. Then again, when he taught his people the secret of breathing water before flooding
Morrowind and drowning the Akavir occupiers as they invaded yet again.
The Dark Elves of Morrowind knew a Golden Age of prosperity under the Tribunal, but
it could not last. Before leaving the Tribunal in darkness at the heart of Red Mountain,
Azura had assured them that the spirit of Nerevar himself would come again to punish
the Tribunal for their forsaken oaths, and to strip them of their stolen power and false
godhood. He would come to do what they had failed to do, and their doom would follow
close behind him. The decline of the Tribunal's power began
with Prince Julek of the Reman Dynasty. Disregarding former alliances, Julek himself invaded Morrowind
in a conflict that came to be known as the Four Score War. Ultimately it was Morrowind
that fell. Vivec and by association, the Tribunal was forced to surrender Morrowind to the Empire
for the good of her people. First Morrowind had to answer to Prince Julek, and later they
would answer to the famed Tiber Septim. While the Tribunal did control Morrowind,
it had quickly come to be considered another part of the rapidly growing Cyrodilic Empire
of Men. In tribute, Vivec bestowed upon Tiber Septim the Numidium, the very thing that had
helped trigger the War of The First Council, although Vivec would not teach the Emperor
how to actually use it. No one really knew why the power of the divine Tribunal had begun
to slowly diminish; only that it had. None, not even the Tribunal themselves knew
the frightening truth. After thousands of years and from a place
very dark and very deep, Dagoth- now known as Dagoth Ur, had begun to rise. Once he stirred,
a vile darkness cast itself over Red Mountain causing Blight Storms, and a terrible Soul
Sickness that crept its way into the minds of the citizens of Morrowind. Rumors of the
coming of the Nerevarine; and the fulfillment of Azura's prophecy, began to spread despite
the best efforts of the Temple to quell them. Red Year drew ever closer, and the world of
Nirn trembled to its foundations, for it meant the end of the Rulers of Morrowind, and life
for the Dunmer would never be the same. But that...is a story for another day.