ARMED FORCES
Skyrim appeared to have no national armed forces. Each Hold had its own section of Hold Guards who acted as both a national guard and police force. These soldiers were the first line of defense against any opposing force who threatened Skyrim and her people. After the Skyrim Civil War erupted in 4E 201, the Hold Guards of Skyrim were divided just as Skyrim herself was, with Haafingar, Hjaalmarch, The Reach and Falkreath Hold under Imperial control and Eastmarch, The Pale, The Rift and Winterhold Hold under Stormcloak control.
ECONOMY
Skyrim was a wealthy and powerful province; the hold of Haafingar had always been one of the richest and most influential regions. Solitude was the capital of both Haafingar and Skyrim, and so dominates politically, but also economically. Recently, Solitude has grown ever more powerful, controlling much of the northern coastline following King Thian's alliance by marriage with Macalla, the Queen of Dawnstar. It has sought to expand its influence further by annexing several former Imperial fiefs, such as the island of Roscrea, ruled directly by the Emperor since Uriel V conquered it in the 271st year. There are also influences from Morrowind because refugees from Morrowind escape there, bringing new ideas, cultures, and stimulating the economy. In some cities, a citizen becomes a part of the economy by either logging or blacksmithing. In the fourth era, Skyrim was politically unified until the outbreak of civil war, which pitted the Eastern Holds against the Western Holds. Though this, coupled with the Great Collapse, has caused some damage to Skyrim's economy, the city of Riften has become an industrial powerhouse, producing mead and fish. This has led to some political corruption, however, but on the whole, Skyrim is one of the more powerful and wealthy nations on Tamriel.
There were many forms of economic production in Skyrim. This included agriculture (farming), which was common despite the harsh and cold conditions, as well as grain production, mining, stone-cutting and logging. There was also fishing, honey farming and food and mead production. In Skyrim, there were many farms, Grain Mills, Mines, saw mills, docks and ports that produced goods and services. In addition, the trading and shipping industries were another part of Skyrim's economy. In each major city in Skyrim, of which there were five of them, there was a central marketplace where business, trading and social activities took place.
Some cities, towns and villages produced specific goods and services. During the First Era, Rorik's Steading (Rorikstead) produced grain, leather and horses, Korvanjund produced hides and meat, Volunruud produced meat and worked ivory, Bromjunaar produced lumber and stone, Granite Hill held a weekly market and Hillgrund's Steading (Ivarstead).
The East Empire Company was a multi-national, monopolistic trading and shipping company based out of Cyrodiil. The East Empire Company essentially dominated the shipping and trading industry in Skyrim. They controlled the flow of ships, goods and trade and business coming into the ports of Skyrim.
The Thieves Guild was an organized guild of thieves who operated based out of organized crime. They were headquartered in the Ratway beneath Riften, and had major effects on Skyrim's economy, whether it was positive or negative.
Skyrim used the Septim, which was the main currency used in Cyrodiil and throughout all of the Empire.
CULTURE
Skyrim and her people, the Nords, had a diverse culture that spread across multiple aspects, such as general culture, holidays and festivals, music, religion, architecture and infrastructure and education. Some pieces of culture even dated back to the Merethic Era used by the Atmorans, the Nords' ancient ancestors.
There was a spiritual relationship between Nords and breathing, which was associated with the goddess Kynareth. Though the art of speech was usually associated with the goddess Dibella, the art of Thu'um, or Storm Voice, was associated with Kynareth, who gave Men the ability to speak. Nords considered themselves to be the children of the Sky. They called Skyrim the Throat of the World, because it was where the sky first brought the North Winds upon land and formed them. Breath and the voice was the vital essences of a Nord; the art of breathing, speech and articulation was with them. Nearly all Nords had the capability to speak, but some had the capability of using Thu'um, or Storm Voice. The power of those Nords could be articulated into a Shout. The Way of the Voice was a pacifist philosophy developed by Jurgen Windcaller. The philosophy preached the Thu'um should only be used for worship and glory of the Gods rather than martial exploits. Jurgen Windcaller first developed this philosophy after the First Battle of Red Mountain in 1E 416. He then founded the The Greybeards, a monastic group of Tongues who practiced the Way of the Voice.
There was a relationship between Nords and combat skills, whether it was one-person melee weapons, archery, blocking, heavy weapons, hand-to-hand combat. Nords were simply just associated with battle skills, the art of combat, improving battle tactics and increasing overall experience of combat. Nords and their culture also focused on quests for honor and glory.
Saunas were popular in Skyrim.
MUSIC
Many songs were found in Skyrim's culture; some notable songs included Ragnar the Red, the Song of the Dragonborn, The Dragonborn Comes and Tale of the Tongues. Music was also popular in relation to war and propaganda. In the Third Century of the Fourth Era, when the Skyrim Civil War was taking place, two songs were produced with either song supporting a side. The Age of Aggression was for the Empire and The Age of Oppression was for the Stormcloaks and Skyrim.
These songs were sung by Bards in Inns and Taverns all across Skyrim. The Bards College (Location) in Solitude was a school for Bards.
Many songs were still sung by people in the modern era that were sung by people of the Merethic Era and the First Era. One very notable song of the past was King Olaf's Verse. The verse, written by Bard Svaknir, criticized King Olaf One-Eye and his adventures and referred to his adventures as "lurid and false." In response, King Olaf One-Eye ordered Svaknir to be imprisoned and all copies of his verse to burn. In 4E 201, the Last Dragonborn joined the Bards College, and his or her first task was to retrieve the last known copy of King Olaf's Verse in Dead Men's Respite. Queen Elisif the Fair banned the Burning of King Olaf, a festival of the Bards College, and the Bards desired for the festival to take place, and not just for them but for all of Solitude and Skyrim. Viarmo and the Last Dragonborn went to Elisif the Fair and presented to her King Olaf's Verse. Elisif soon allowed holding of the Burning of King Olaf festival. The festival was to be held that day, and for all days in the future when the festival was to take place.
FESTIVALS AND HOLYDAYS
A few notable holidays and festivals were customary in Skyrim and in Nordic culture. One notable festival was the Feast of the Dead, which was held on the 13th of Sun's Dawn in Windhelm to honor Ysgramor and the Five Hundred Companions. During the festival, the names of the Five Hundred were recited. Another notable festival in Skyrim was the Burning of King Olaf.
RELIGION
There were two religious pantheons of Skyrim, both worshiped in different time periods throughout Skyrim's history. The first was the Ancient Nordic Pantheon, worshiped during the Merethic and early First Era. The second was the Nordic Pantheon, revered during the rest of Skyrim's history.
The Nordic Pantheon consists of various deities, resembling or drawing influence from the Nine Divines. Specific deities venerated by Skyrim and her people include: Alduin, Dibella, Orkey, Tsun, Mara, Stuhn, Kyne, Jhunal, Shor, Ysmir, Herma-Mora, Maloch. Shor is considered the father deity of the providence, as opposed to Akatosh, the chief Divine of Cyrodiil. Some scholars report that Akatosh and Alduin are the same deity, while others disagree. Conversely, the Ancient Nordic Pantheon venerated animal gods; the deities were the hawk, wolf, snake, moth, owl, whale, bear, fox, and the dragon.
Sovngarde is believed to be the Nordic afterlife created by Shor. When Nords, as well as anyone who believed in the Nordic Pantheon, died a heroic and honorable death, they ascended to Sovngarde.
Daedra worship is rare in Skyrim. The main pantheon consists of Herma-Mora, an Atmorian demon who some claim is the incarnation of Daedric Prince, Hermaeus Mora. Mephala, the Daedric Princess and webspinner, is Herma's sister, supporting claims that he is a Daedric Prince. Maloch, an incarnation of Malacath, is the patron of the ostracized. This Daedric Prince was brought to Skyrim by the Orcs. Other Daedric Princes worshiped in Skyrim include Azura -- whose followers fled Morrowind after receiving spiritual dreams from their liege; Nocturnal -- worshiped by the Nightingales; Namira -- worshiped by a cult of cannibals; and Hircine, largely patronized by lycanthropes.
Talos worship
Because Tiber Septim liberated Skyrim from the elves, many consider his divine apothesized form, Talos, as worthy of veneration. Worship of Talos was prevalent in Skyrim until the Thalmor and the Elder Council signed the White-Gold Concordat as a treaty to the Great War conflict. Within the document contained explicit demands by the Third Aldmeri Dominion to uproot the worship of Talos in Cyrodiil and its territories. Skyrim, at the time, was a territory of the Empire of Tamriel, its High King being a member of the Elder Council. Loyalists supported the efforts of Imperial Legion and the Thalmor to eradicate Talos worship in Skyrim, although rebellious groups such as the Stormcloaks refused to relinquish these beliefs. Popular insurgents included the Jarls Elisif the Fair (of Solitude) and Ulfric Stormcloak (of Windhelm). Sometime after the Concordant was signed into law, the shrine of Talos in the Temple of the Divines was vandalized and removed.
ARCHITECTURE AND INFRASTRUCTURE
The architecture and infrastructure of Skyrim was a mix of rural and urban; part of Skyrim was complete wilderness that was untamed, there were nine cities spread across the nation. Of the nine cities in Skyrim, there were five that were more urbanized, heavily populated and more city-like, and the other four were smaller, less populated and more rural in nature.
The actual architecture of the buildings varied, but it was unknown what it depended upon. The city of Markarth was originally built by the ancient Dwemer. The buildings were made of stone and the unique metal known only to the Dwemer. After the Dwemer disappeared in 1E 700, people started to settle into Markarth, so the Nords who settled the city did not have to use their cultural styles of architecture and infrastructure.
Ancient Nordic architecture included longhouses, with "each beam and cornice festooned with carvings of dragons, bulls, boars, leering wild men, and dancing, long-tressed women." The Ancient Nords, known as the Atmorans, built massive structures called Word Walls. Whether it was out of fear or respect, the Ancient Nords learned the language and writing system of the Dragons (Lore). One purpose of these Word Walls was to teach Words of Power to those who could learn and use Shouts.
There was also Akaviri architecture present in Skyrim. Sometime during the First Era (1E), Sky Haven Temple was constructed for and by the Akaviri Dragonguard. In 1E 2812, Emperor Reman II permitted the construction of Alduin's Wall within Sky Haven Temple. Alduin's Wall was a massive stone mural built to record all of the Akaviri's accumulated dragon-lore and the Prophecy of the Dragonborn. Sky Haven Temple and Alduin's Wall was a testament to Akaviri architecture and sculpturing, and was considered to be some of the best preserved examples of early Akaviri structures and sculptures.
EDUCATION
Three colleges exist in Skyrim: the Imperial College of the Voice, the Bards College, and the the College of Winterhold. |
Re: Skyrim: Total War [WIP]
Originally Posted by Vladyvid
I suppose I have seen some brilliant magic used in a few other mods too, but the names of are slippering from my memory I am afraid.
To-do list is getting long you see...
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