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Doing research, a question about Dunmer.


Relativelybest

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Kinda sorta had an idea for an NPC/follower type character. (Actually, it's an idea for a whole adventure mod, but baby steps.) So I'm trying to do some research.

 

Consider the following character:

 

Dunmer from Morrowind, came to Skyrim as a refugee after the Red Mountan erupted. Is relatively well off for a refugee, hailing from a rich family (merchant, or possibly minor nobility) who managed to take some of their resources with them. Not so well off as to avoid hardship in Skyrim, however. Remains proud of Dark Elf heritage and does not stand for mistreatment by the Nords, but gets along with other races as long as they are not hostile. Is respected among the other refugees, and considered a leader of sorts by some of them. Owns a good sword and a suit of armor.

 

My question is: What kind of gear would such a person carry? I'm not sure what kind of quipment the Dunmer traditionally sport, or what would be realistic for a Skyrim dark elf. Also, is there anything in the above backstory that doesn't make sense or needs to be elaborated?

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Your idea sounds a lot like Atvir Dres.

 

Traditional Dunmer garb has no easy equivalent in Skyrim. They wore armor created out of native bus, native robes and leathers with Native American details and accents. I'd suggest checking out this page on UESP http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Category:Morrowind-Dunmer and clicking around to see the pictures of what Dunmer characters wore in game. You might end up having to create something custom (good idea) or ask permission to use a Skyrim version of a Morrowind armor.

 

Good luck :thumbsup:

 

edit - oh and there's always been racism in TES games. Morrowind's Dunmer were pretty hostile to everyone (including other Dunmer) but actively considered Khajiiti and Argonians to be fit for nothing but enslavement. I seriously doubt that the Black Marsh invasion endeared Argonians anymore to them since then.

Edited by Oubliette
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Your idea sounds a lot like Atvir Dres.

 

Well, mine's a woman. And they seem kinda different otherwise as well, just looking of that mod description.

 

Traditional Dunmer garb has no easy equivalent in Skyrim. They wore armor created out of native bus, native robes and leathers with Native American details and accents. I'd suggest checking out this page on UESP http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Category:Morrowind-Dunmer and clicking around to see the pictures of what Dunmer characters wore in game. You might end up having to create something custom (good idea) or ask permission to use a Skyrim version of a Morrowind armor.

 

Well, I don't know if I need to be that accurate. I'm just trying to get a feel for what is appropriate for the character. But thanks for the advice.

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In Vvardenfell some nobles in House Redoran worn ebony armor, Divayth Fyr had daedric armor and Buoyant Armingers of the Temple used glass armor often, and this are all available in Skyrim. As a noble you must have been part of a Great House. So first you have to decide from what House of faction you descended. I play a Redoran in ebony. This is my list of wear and weapon faction that could apply to Skyrim:

 

Hlaalu descendant: light armor, dagger/one-handed sword, bow.

 

Redoran descendant: ebony armor, two-handed sword.

 

Telvanni descendant: robes, destruction/conjuration.

 

Indoril descendant: heavy armor, one handed (sword or mace)*

 

Dres descendant: unknown**

 

*Based on the gear of the military members of the Tribunal Temple who were believed to be from House Indoril.

 

**Dres were not featured in game so it's mostly up to you to fill the gap.

 

Keep in mind that the Dunmer before the disaster were very disdainful of other races. Based on your idea I think Hlaalu would be the best choice (open minded merchants ).

 

 

Edited by vladlazar
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I wasn't quite sure how the Great Houses worked in practice - my impression is that they are basically clans? It seemed strange to me that people as long-lived as elves would have such large families. Anyway, are they the only level of nobility in Morrowind, with no equivalent of vassals?

 

Would it be possible to be a wealthy commoner merchant without being directly affiliated with the Houses?

 

Keep in mind that the Dunmer before the disaster were very disdainful of other races. Based on your idea I think Hlaalu would be the best choice (open minded merchants ).

 

Well, there is always the possibility that her disposition has softened since leaving Morrowind. (Or that she was always kinda liberal to begin with, one shouldn't generalize these things.)

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In Vvardenfell some nobles in House Redoran worn ebony armor, Divayth Fyr had daedric armor and Buoyant Armingers of the Temple used glass armor often, and this are all available in Skyrim. As a noble you must have been part of a Great House. So first you have to decide from what House of faction you descended. I play a Redoran in ebony. This is my list of wear and weapon faction that could apply to Skyrim:

 

Hlaalu descendant: light armor, dagger/one-handed sword, bow.

 

Redoran descendant: ebony armor, two-handed sword.

 

Telvanni descendant: robes, destruction/conjuration.

 

Indoril descendant: heavy armor, one handed (sword or mace)*

 

Dres descendant: unknown**

 

*Based on the gear of the military members of the Tribunal Temple who were believed to be from House Indoril.

 

**Dres were not featured in game so it's mostly up to you to fill the gap.

 

Keep in mind that the Dunmer before the disaster were very disdainful of other races. Based on your idea I think Hlaalu would be the best choice (open minded merchants ).

 

i'd say for dres... oh, something like... light armor, glass, with a knife, or sword, possibly of akaviri type or glass, oh & also lots of speechcraft. other than that... Redoran weren't all heavy armor, their scouts for instance, and some redoran might prefer dual swords ower two-handed. i can't think of adding anything else.

 

---edit

though house indoril was in a serious decline after the events in morrowind, so if your concept character is from a wealthy great house you might not want to use them. as for being a wealthy merchant without belonging to a great house it should be do-able, not having connection to one might be an advantage in the long run, moving freely between houses without arousing unpleasant sentiment form rival houses.

Edited by Invisible Man
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Perhaps your character is a distant relative of house Hlaalu. Married to a Hlaalu Noble, but because of the explosion of red mountain, he somehow died. So you're not a blood relative, however being married to a Hlaalu has given you some merchant skills and liberal thoughts.

 

As for the armour. In Morrowind they wore bonemold and Chitin armour. Perhaps by the dragonborn expansion and get the armour from there.

 

Otherwise search the nexus for some armours or go for the tips mentioned above.

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It would be possible for an Outlander to make a fortune in Morrowind, without being linked to a particular house, by attaching them in some way to the East Empire Company. Said company made it ritch by gaining the mining contract for Ebony (Which, prior to the Oblivion Crisis, was a state treasure and ONLY mineable by the East Empire Company). Other Imperial trade avenues existed in Morrowind at the time of the Red Year outside of the major houses, but the East Empire Company was by far the largest.

 

Also bear in mind that Morrowind, before the Red Year (and likely still) was a rather diverse place. The southren part of the Province was mostly plains and swampland, around Mournhold was relativly benign forest, and towards the border with Skyrim you had the snowy Velothi mountains. Vardenfel was the primary ash-based environments, and even it has plenty of diversity.

 

The first step, then, should be determining whether you want to belong to a house. If so, you can determine, largely, where they came from based on House holdings. If not, you still need to determine where in Morrowind your character comes from.

 

Once you know where they came from, and who they are associated with, their apparel becomes more of an easy match.

 

As for temperment... the Red Year seems to have mellowed a lot of the Dunmer who left Morrowind (though if Dragonborn is any indication, those who remained are still bitter old bastards :D ). a lot of the Dunmer who left Morrowind previously, or who were born and raised outside of the province, tended to be rather diplomatic and social, particularly known for getting themselves into the beds of the rich and powerful (one even became Empress at one point).

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So, if I understand this right: For armor materials we're looking at leather, glass, ebony, chitin or bonemold, with bonemold being more of a noble House thing?

 

Am I right in guessing that chitin is roughly equivalent of elven armor in the western style? (Culturally, I mean, not in terms of armor ratings.)

 

Also bear in mind that Morrowind, before the Red Year (and likely still) was a rather diverse place. The southren part of the Province was mostly plains and swampland, around Mournhold was relativly benign forest, and towards the border with Skyrim you had the snowy Velothi mountains. Vardenfel was the primary ash-based environments, and even it has plenty of diversity.

 

The first step, then, should be determining whether you want to belong to a house. If so, you can determine, largely, where they came from based on House holdings. If not, you still need to determine where in Morrowind your character comes from.

 

Once you know where they came from, and who they are associated with, their apparel becomes more of an easy match.

 

Actually, I think this would be doing it kinda backwards. Since this is a matter of character design, it would make more sense to decide on her appearance first and then use that to conclude where she comes from.

Edited by Relativelybest
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Actually, I think this would be doing it kinda backwards. Since this is a matter of character design, it would make more sense to decide on her appearance first and then use that to conclude where she comes from.

 

We take very different approaches when designing characters then. For me i design their history first, and shape their appearance around that.

 

As for Chitin... It doesn't really resemble anything... Except Bonemould, which is a more advanced form of it (Bonemould is to Chitin what Steel is to Iron).

 

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/File:MW_ChitinArmor.jpg

 

As you can see, it doesn't resemble anything in Skyrim.

Edited by Lachdonin
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