The Holy Vessel
Be very careful when you handle the holy vessel. It is the most important relic in our temple and the reason why our temple exists at all. Saint Veloth is best known for wielding his hammer, Veloth's Judgment, but he also carried this vessel in his time. Like many objects the saint blessed, it has the power to heal. But it also possesses a variety of other interesting magical properties. Indestructibility is not, unfortunately, one of them.
—Tidyn Arthalen
Relics of Saint Veloth
Next to the living gods of the Tribunal, Saint Veloth is among the most revered figures in Dunmer history. Several houses of worship exist in Deshaan dedicated to Veloth's memory and to the veneration of icons left to us by the saint and his original followers. A description of some of these relics and their significance follows.
Veloth's Judgment:
Saint Veloth wielded this warhammer during the exodus from Summerset. Veloth saw fit to set aside this weapon when he vowed to turn his attention from war to the task of building a new home for the Chimer in Resdayn. Today, the Judgment resides in the Tribunal Temple and is said to have powers related to cleansing corrupted souls.
The Tear of Saint Veloth:
This radiant crystal is believed to be a tear shed by Veloth when he first laid eyes upon the land of Resdayn, the new homeland he had seen in his visions. According to the legend, the tear froze as it slid down Veloth's cheek. Kept by the monks of the monastery of Muth Gnarr, this crystal has great healing and restorative powers—provided the monks maintain a constant vigil and pattern of prayer.
The Holy Vessel of Veloth:
Used by Veloth to carry water to quench the thirst of his sick followers during the exodus, and then later to irrigate the young crops of the new homeland, the Holy Vessel now resides in the temple in Selfora.
The Reliquary of Saint Veloth:
The Reliquary that stands in the Shrine of Saint Veloth in Deshaan is not a relic, per se, but instead contains perhaps the most powerful and holy relics associated with Veloth—his skull and bones. The bones of the saint are said to have many magical properties, and pilgrims travel from across Morrowind to receive the saint's blessing. Legends claim that the most faithful sometimes receive visions of the saint while meditating and praying before the Reliquary.
The Judgment of Saint Veloth
A number of powerful healing relics are associated with Saint Veloth the Pilgrim. Of these, perhaps the most famous and well-remembered artifact remains the Judgment of Saint Veloth. This mighty Daedric warhammer stands as a shining symbol of everything Veloth embodies as the patron saint of outcasts and seekers of spiritual knowledge.
Stored with other holy artifacts in the protected vaults of the Tribunal Temple, the Judgment of Saint Veloth served the prophet and mystic well in life, but has gained legendary powers since his ascension to sainthood. The God-Kings of Morrowind watch over the relics, keeping them ready for the day when their powers would be needed in defense of the realm.
Saint Veloth personifies daring, and those who follow the lessons of his life and teachings learn boldness and cultivate an adventurous outlook. He defined the difference between good and evil Daedra, and even negotiated the original arrangements with the good Daedric Princes. This ability to distinguish the good from the bad was a hallmark of the living saint, as was his penchant for healing and healing items. Both of these aspects combined into his personal symbol of power, the warhammer known as Judgment.
Veloth's Judgment rang with authority throughout the land, using its enchantments to cleanse corruption from the souls of those it struck down. It was a weapon, of that there can be no doubt. But Veloth was able to wield it with the same precision that a surgeon uses to wield a scalpel, removing the corruption from a soul and leaving the remainder alive and healthy. The warhammer stored the corruption for a time, turning it into energy that could be used by the wielder to enhance the power of the weapon.
Of course, in the wrong hands such a powerful artifact could accomplish more harm than good. For this reason, among many others, the Tribunal keeps the Judgment and other artifacts locked away. It has been suggested that instead of being used as an instrument of healing, the Judgment could be used to siphon a living creature's entire soul, thus making the wielder infinitely more powerful. This conjecture has never been put into practice, and if the Tribunal has its way, it never will.