Lore:West Gash

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West Gash
Type Region
Continent Tamriel
Province Morrowind
Appears in Morrowind,ESO
A typical view of the West Gash region
Map of the West Gash

TheWest Gashis one ofVvardenfell's largest contiguous areas, stretching from the city ofBalmoraand theOdai River,to the northwest coastline around historicallyRedoran-owned settlements (i.e.,Gnisis,Ald VelothiandKhuul) The region is mostly rocky shrubland throughout the interior, marked by natural rocky bridges and arches, as well as the sparse highland along the north coast.[1]The land between theSalothran Ancestral Tombto the north, toCalderaand later Balmora to the south is a long stretch of land that separates theBitter Coastfrom theAshlandslike a gash in the earth.[2]

History[edit]

Early History & Tribunal Myth[edit]

Vivec and the Ruddy Man
Arkngthunch-Sturdumz

According toTribunal Templemythology, the West Gash was the result of an epic battle between the Warrior-Poet,Vivecand theRuddy Man,the fifth monster that escaped the warrior's spear,Muatra.[3]As the story dictates, a Velothi boy from Gnisis found the monster's carapace and became possessed by it. Vivec found the boy near his home village and their resulting duel created an upheaval of the land that created the West Gash. Pilgrims that travel down the land site will hear sounds from the battle.[4]The temple built the Shrine of Valor where the battle took place, in the old sea cave,Koal Cave.Pilgrims are advised to bringdreugh's waxto the shrine as a token to Vivec's victory.[5]In another story in Vivec's sermons, the Warrior-Poet had to fight the Flute-and-PipeOgresof the West Gash, another of the many factions stirred up by theDwemerwhile they prepared for theWar of the First Council.[6]

Both theChimerand Dwemer had lived in the region since antiquity, long before the Tribunal Temple was ever established. In the lateMerethic Era,High Velothi Culturehad come to a rapid decline and the Chimer decided to settle next to the abandoned Velothi towers throughout the region. The Chimer that would later create Gnisis settled south of the old tower, Arvs-Drelen, next to theRiver Samsi's estuary. The Chimer that settled in these settlements would become the House Dunmer while those that cling to their nomadic roots became theAshlanders.[7]TheUrshilaku Tribehave lived in the northern West Gash for years.[8]The earliest examples of Dwemer colonies also date here[7]but unlike the southeast, the Dwemer left barely a footnote in the West Gash, however, there are a couple of examples. The ruins ofArkngthunch-Sturdumzsits on the northwest point of the island, next to theInner Sea's western entrance. Its name translates to the "Graveyard of the Ghost Invaders" inDwemeris.[9]Other than that, the only other Dwemer ruin in the region isBethamez,located deep in the GnisisKwamaMine. It was discovered in the lateThird Era.[10]

The West Gash has a wide variety of ancient Velothi landmarks such as ancestral tombs, and Daedric shrines. Since at least KingWulfharth's reign overSkyrimin the earlyFirst Era,the temples,AshalmawiaandMaelkashishiwere active settlements. Ambassadors from these temples traveled to the compound,Assurnabitashpifor the wake ofMordrin Hanin.Many of the guests were killed during the ninth day of mourning in Hanin's attempt to bring them with him to the afterlife.[11]The ancestral tombs in the West Gash are noteworthy for their status and ancient history. Seven of the thirty revered families of Vvardenfell (Ginith,Rethandus,Salothran,Seran,Telvayn,Tharys,andUveran) are located throughout the region.[12]TheSalothanfamily was a warrior clan that fought in an important and monumental battle but barely left a footnote in history.[13]The Elves ofHouse Hleranare an ancient family that traces their origin to theAshlanderfolk-hero,Dranoth Hleran,who slew theEmperor Crab,Skarand united the four major tribes.[14]TheVeloth Clanhave a long and prominent history with Vvardenfell and also claim to descend from the prophet,Veloththe Pilgrim.[15]

The West Gash in the Second Era[edit]

Balmora
The Kudanat Ebony Mine

Vvardenfell by theSecond Erais lightly populated, except for the four ashlander tribes. The northwest portion of the island was taken over byHouse Redoranat the behest of the Great House Dunmer inBlacklight.They were sent there to exploit the land of its resource[16]but eventually by2E 582,House Redoran had expanded their control of Vvardenfell from the Gnisis region, all the way south toward Balmora andSuran.[17]

Begrudgingly, however, the Redoran were forced to employ their rivalsHouse Hlaaluto build these settlements and even trade. So even though their power extended to roughly half of the island, Balmora and Suran are noticeably built in the Hlaalu style than the Redoran shell design, and the Hlaalu now had a larger foothold than previously inSeyda Neen.[17]In that time also, theCircle of Championsbuilt a camp near the West Gash'swayshrineto the ruins,Ularra,where they engaged in arena combat.[18]

House Redoran acquired complete control of the West Gash, from Balmora to the coast. On the road north of the city, they built a large compound, and slowly but surely, they expanded their territory north into the environs of the West Gash. At some point in the mid-Second Era, House Redoran took control of the land north of the Caldera Crater[19]and opened with great fanfare, theKudanat Minefor its promisingebonyveins. It later became evident that the ore in Kudanat was shallow and the mine's hype was soon played out.[20]House Redoran was forced to leave the area when an ash storm blew over and in their absence, theZainab Tribetook it over.[19]Not long after, the Redoran nobleman,Ulran Relethsought refuge with them after he was exiled by his house in Balmora.[21]

The Redoran Garrison
Khartag Point

By orders of Ulran's father, CouncilorEris Relethordered his captain,Brivan Malromto displace the Ashlanders around Kudanat Mine,[22]unaware that his son was hiding there. Captain Brivan led his mercenaries,Ferhara's Warclawsto the mine and blindly slaughtered them.[22]Ulran tried to talk them out of it but he was killed amid the chaos.[23]All the while, his sister,Veya Relethwent missing, trying to find her brother. She eventually found her body andmemory stonein the hollow Kudanat Mine and set forth her plans for revenge against the captain and her father.[24]

As the Redoran Council assembled at the Redoran Garrison north of Balmora, Veya attacked the garrison and slaughtered her way to the meeting. In her wake, she killed her father and the captain until she was put down by her mentor,Naryu Virianand herassociate.Because she killed without a writ, theMorag Tongwould put Veya to death but with the help of the Redoran High Councilor, the whole situation was swept under the rug and Veya escaped to theSummerset Isles.[25]

By the mid-Second Era, a group ofOrcishabolitionists called theRopefishstarted making the rounds across the entire island while they set their base on a sea cave in the West Gash. They would liberate slaves from places such as theSadrith Moraregion and put them on a boat to the mainland. Eventually, they caught the attention of theCamonna Tongsyndicate and a meeting was arranged with the Ropefish leader,Khartag.That meeting went awry and the Camonna Tong, led byAvrusa Duleriattacked the cave. Despite the resistance, the Ropefish were unable to withstand the assault and Khartag was at his wit's ends. An adventurer traveled through the battlefield and rescued anyone they came across. Ultimately, they defeated the Camonna Tong commander but were unable to save Khartag's life. Defeated, but undeterred, the Ropefish continued their operations[26]while Khartag became a local hero to the Orcish people. The cave and rocky promontory that he called home were now calledKhartag Pointand became a famous pilgrimage spot for Orcs.[27]

Vvardenfell's Expansion and the Caldera Land Grab[edit]

Caldera
The Raw Ebony deposits of Caldera

Tiber Septim's invasion over Morrowind was interrupted when theArmisticesolidified the province's integration into theThird Empire.One of the treaty's terms was to mark Vvardenfell as a temple preserve protected by Imperial authority. It was previously undeveloped and unpopulated, except for the ashlander tribes and Great House settlements sanctioned by the Temple. However, several years later in3E 414,KingAthyn Llethanrevoked the Temple's ban, causing a vast flood ofImperialcolonists and House Dunmer to come and expand on the territory.[28]

The land grab for the West Gash between the Hlaalu and Redoran ended with both parties acquiring familiar territory. House Hlaalu managed to take over Balmora, as well as Vvardenfell's southern tier (i.e., Seyda Neen and Suran),[29]while House Redoran regained most of the West Gash from Gnisis to the coast, and even more withAld'ruhnandMaar Ganin the Ashlands.[30]The Redoran Council had split the West Gash politically three-ways,[31]from the West Gash around Gnisis, which was ruled by CouncilorHlaren Ramoran.[32]TheNorth Gash,which was governed by CouncilorMiner Arobarand theSouth Gash,which was governed by CouncilorAthyn Sarethi.[31]

Despite the spread of their newfound territory, the Great Houses squabbled for more land, especially land that intersected between them. The biggest example of this was the land grab for Caldera and the crater in the mountains. In3E 427,the land was acquired by theCaldera Mining Company,a company chartered by the Empire that was granted a monopoly to extract theraw ebonywhile working with House Hlaalu.[33]House Redoran believed that Caldera sat in territory that was rightfully theirs and because the company was hired by the Empire, they could not start a House War for it. Meanwhile, they were suspicious that the Hlaalu Governor,Odral Helvi,who oversaw the town was corrupted.[34]Odral Helvi was extracting ebony that was not reported to the Empire for his project called theAshlands Management Fund.[35]It is unknown if he was caught, but House Redoran sent one of their agents to find evidence of their corruption.[36]

In that same year, the Redoran noble,Arethan Mandaswent crazy when his daughter was kidnapped by the Telvanni lord,Divayth Fyr.Amid this crisis, Mandas fled to the cave,Milkand proclaimed himself, the "Lord of West Gash". He managed to gain a following of brigands and demanded tribute from travelers on the road towardMaar Gan.LordAthyn Sarethisent a lawman of House Redoran to deal with the Mad Lord of Milk. Arethan's reign was put to an end, but it is unknown if he was cured of hismadnessor if he was killed in action.[37]

The West Gash in the Fourth Era[edit]

WhenRed Mountainerupted in4E 5,the entire island of Vvardenfell was destroyed by the waves of lava coming from the fire cone. The West Gash was obliterated in the wake of the destruction. The town, Gnisis was plowed over by the lava and its people were burned alive, even unaware of what was happening. One of the only things left from the town was the resident,Neria Relethyl,who passed out on the Samsi's riverbed and managed to avoid the fire. She recovered two days after in the Temple of Azura in Blacklight and essentially found Gnisis had been wiped off the face ofTamriel.[38]The widespread destruction was reported all over the province and many mourned the loss of loved ones in cities such as Balmora. Balmora was barely recognizable but a relief effort led by House Redoran fromMournholdwas sent to repair the city and other settlements hit the hardest. It took roughly two months or so for the town to recover.[39]

Notable Locales[edit]

West Gash's wayshrine
Balmora
The second largest city on Vvardenfell and the seat of power for the Great House Hlaalu in the district.
Gnisis
A medium-sized town owned by the Great House Redoran and occupied by the Velothi, Ashlanders that settled to life as a House Dunmer.
Caldera
An Imperial charter town that was founded in the late Third Era by the Caldera Mining Company. It is built in the Western Imperial style and is comprised of colonials.
Caldera Crater
A large crater in the mountains of southwest Vvardenfell. It has a large vein of raw ebony that is prized by the Great Houses.
Khartag Point
A rock formation that is famous to the localOrcs.It was named after anOrcishchampion and it later became the site of a statue dedicated toBoethiah.
Koal Cave
A holy site to the Tribunal Temple, where Vivec fought the Ruddy Man and confiscated his carapace.
Veloth Ancestral Tomb
The tomb of an ancient family with prominent ties to the province's history.

Gallery[edit]

  • West Gash (ESO)

  • West Gash fungi concept art

  • Concept art of a shrine to Dagon

Notes[edit]

  • TheMossy Netchis a greenish-type ofNetchthat lives in the West Gash. Compared to other types of Netch, they are timid and docile, and will sometimes follow people that smell like their favorite fungi.[40]

See Also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^Guide to Vvardenfell
  2. ^West Gashlocation inMorrowind
  3. ^36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 18—Vivec
  4. ^36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 28—Vivec
  5. ^The Pilgrim's Path—Tribunal Temple
  6. ^36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 31—Vivec
  7. ^abBefore the Ages of Man—Aicantar ofShimerene
  8. ^Ashlander Tribes and Customs—Ulran RelethofHouse Redoran
  9. ^Arkngthunch-Sturdumzloading screen text inESO:Morrowind
  10. ^Bethamezfaction quest inMorrowind
  11. ^Hanin's Wake
  12. ^Ancestral Tombs of the Thirty Revered Families—Librarian Bradyn
  13. ^Ivulen Andromo's dialogue inESO:Morrowind
  14. ^Dranoth Hleran's dialogue inESO:Morrowind
  15. ^Veloth Ancestral Tombloading screen text inESO:Morrowind
  16. ^ESO LiveEpisode 15: Lore-time with Lawrence Schick — The Imperial Library
  17. ^abHlaalu Construction Syndic—Manaran Renim,First Clerk of House Affairs, Vvardenfell
  18. ^Ularralocation inESO:Morrowind
  19. ^abCouncilor Eris' dialogue inESO:Morrowind
  20. ^Kudanat Mineloading screen text inESO:Morrowind
  21. ^Wise Woman Khamishi's dialogue inESO:Morrowind
  22. ^abHouse Redoran Orders—Captain Brivan
  23. ^Ulran Releth's dialogue inESO:Morrowind
  24. ^Of Faith and Familyquest inESO:Morrowind
  25. ^Family Reunionquest inESO:Morrowind
  26. ^A Smuggler's Last Standquest inESO:Morrowind
  27. ^Khartag Pointlocation inMorrowind
  28. ^A Short History of Morrowind—Jeanette Sitte
  29. ^House Hlaalufaction inMorrowind
  30. ^House Redoranfaction inMorrowind
  31. ^abRed Book of 3E 426
  32. ^Hetman Abelmawiageneric description inMorrowind
  33. ^Calderageneric description inMorrowind
  34. ^Calderalatest rumors inMorrowind
  35. ^Secret Caldera Ledger
  36. ^Evidence of Corruptionfaction quest inMorrowind
  37. ^The Mad Lord of Milkfaction quest inMorrowind
  38. ^The Red Year, Vol. I—Melis Ravel
  39. ^The Red Year, Vol. II—Melis Ravel
  40. ^Mossy Netch Calfpet description inESO
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