Ancestral Elf Style
Ancestral Elf: Axes
This book has some kind of material spread on it. It’s almost waxy in apperance. It must have been some kind of resin to preserve the pages … and it seems to have done the job! —Amalien
Location: Khenarthi’s Roost
Ancestral Elf: Belts
I love the sass in this entry! I don’t think it was necessarily meant to be funny, but the “needlessly large buckle” part made me laugh out loud! —Amalien
Location: Khenarthi’s Roost
Ancestral Elf: Boots
The leather on the binding of this book is hard as stone! I nearly dropped it and was terrified it would shatter into a thousand pieces! We should take extra care with this one. —Amalien
Location: Grahtwood
Ancestral Elf: Bows
This is an interesting read! It’s as much a comment on the history of the time as well as an insight into what these Elves valued in their weaponry. —Amalien
Location: Auridon
Ancestral Elf: Chest Pieces
This book has a strange, golden hue to it. Or maybe I’m imagining things? There’s a lot of golden imagery in this book, it made my heart all … fluttery! I may have stared at this for a bit too long. —Amalien
Location: Auridon
Ancestral Elf: Daggers
It makes me sad to see the state of this one. The pages are all torn up, the binding came unraveled and some of the ink is in danger of fading. —Amalien
Location: Greenshade
Ancestral Elf: Gloves
I would give anything to hear about the favored killing moves of the Elves that wore these gloves. How fascinating! —Amalien
Location: Malabal Tor
Ancestral Elf: Helmets
It must have been so beautiful to see the sun gleaming off the eagle-like helms of this army. While reading this, I could picture it with such clarity! I wonder what that means … —Amalien
Location: Khenarthi’s Roost
Ancestral Elf: Leg Greaves
I think some heavy restoration went into this book. The binding certainly isn’t the original material. Not that I’m complaining! At least the text is authentic, that’s really the part that matters. —Amalien
Location: Reaper’s March
Ancestral Elf: Maces
I think someone with a mace beat this book thoroughly before it came into our hands. This poor thing is so mangled its barely legible! —Amalien
Location: Grahtwood
Ancestral Elf: Shields
The author writes about felling enemies with such beautiful language. It practically reads like poetry! It must have been inspiring for the warriors reading it. —Amalien
Location: Reaper’s March
Ancestral Elf: Shoulders
This book looks like it will crumble to dust at the slightest provocation. We should be extremely careful when handling it, if we need to handle it at all! —Amalien
Location: Greenshade
Ancestral Elf: Staves
I like to imagine myself as a smith during this time, following these directions. It must have been terrifying to try and make something to these grand specifications. The pressure is unimaginable! —Amalien
Location: Khenarthi’s Roost
Ancestral Elf: Swords
The ink in this book is remarkably well preserved. It almost looks as though someone just penned it moments ago! I wonder how it remained so well preserved. —Amalien
Location: Malabal Tor
Ancestral Nord Style
Ancestral Nord: Axes
Despite Harald’s desire for a uniform army in Skyrim, sagas from this period still revolve around grandiose warriors with storied weapons. Either exceptions were made for those who could provide their own equipment, or the skald took creative liberties. —Reginus Buca
Location: Bleakrock
Ancestral Nord: Belts
The author omits the fact that insignias had to be approved by the king himself and were withheld from those who were in Harald’s poor graces. Though this occasionally resulted in exacerbating feuds, the social pressure brought many rivals in line. —Reginus Buca
Location: Bal Foyen
Ancestral Nord: Boots
There are quite a few comedic works featuring a blustery, madcap brawler named Korm No-Toes. This is the first historic mention I’ve seen of him. Makes me wonder if some of his unlikely feats and misfortunes are based on true events. —Reginus Buca
Location: Deshaan
Ancestral Nord: Bows
Many of Skyrim’s pre-Imperial forts were built during this period since the lack of infighting allowed for more substantial construction to proceed unmolested. Blocks were chiseled from catapult stone as they were whittling palisades down to arrows. —Reginus Buca
Location: Stonefalls
Ancestral Nord: Chest Pieces
While minting the royal insignia in steel might appear to be a needless extravagance during a period of material shortages, Urgon assures me that the placement of the medallion is one of the most commonly struck locations on the body during in a melee. —Reginus Buca
Location: Stonefalls
Ancestral Nord: Daggers
Perhaps it’s due to their stature, but historically Nords do possess a predilection for enormity, whether it be for mugs, cheese wheels, mounts, daggers, or anything really. Not a people fond of half-measures. I can respect that. —Reginus Buca
Location: Shadowfen
Ancestral Nord: Gloves
I am told that some Nords also swore by using troll spit to enhance their grip in battle. I can’t confirm this, but judging by the smell it might have been involved in binding of this book. —Reginus Buca
Location: The Rift
Ancestral Nord: Helmets
Nord helmets in theatrical productions tend to be woefully inaccurate representations of their traditional designs, much to the chagrin of the Bards College. —Reginus Buca
Location: Bleakrock
Ancestral Nord: Leg Greaves
Thankfully, Harald emphasized practicality, thus sparing the Nords from the same dark period of preposterously proportioned cod pieces found in High Rock around this time. —Reginus Buca
Location: Eastmarch
Ancestral Nord: Maces
This movement toward common fittings didn’t entirely carry on in the weaponsmithing trade, but was embraced by blacksmiths for the manufacture of common tools and hardware.
Location: Deshaan
Ancestral Nord: Shields
Eschewing the need for buoyancy made Nord heavy infantry second to none in their resilience, except arguably the Orcs. One account claimed that one of these shields could crumple an Elven cuirass with a full speed charge. —Reginus Buca
Location: Eastmarch
Ancestral Nord: Shoulders
Imposing features are common in armor design. Imperial cuirasses have, at times, been molded into the shape of a powerful physique. Both the Aylieds and the Akaviri employed Daedra-like masks to inspire fear, with the former going so far as to wear wings. —Reginus Buca
Location: Shadowfen
Ancestral Nord: Staves
It’s unclear how commonly Nords employed magic in war. Clever Men and Women likely assumed advisory roles to rulers far more often than they were seen on the battlefield, but this does present evidence that such things occurred. —Reginus Buca
Location: Bal Foyen
Ancestral Nord: Swords
Swords are some of the most commonly found weapons from this period of Nord history, but it’s unclear if that is due to their popularity or a large surplus that never saw battle in favor of some other instruments of death. —Reginus Buca
Location: The Rift
Ancestral Orc Style
Ancestral Orc: Axes
Time nearly disintegrated this book. I’m surprised the contents are still legible. We should handle this with care, the binding won’t last much longer unless we take precautions. —Ugron gro-Thumog
Location: Stros M’Kai
Ancestral Orc: Belts
Orcs of the past depicted historical figures in their armor. It’s a practice we’re only just now rediscovering. I’m sure the origins go back even farther, too. This was just the first one produced with some kind of consistency. —Ugron gro-Thumog
Location: Betnikh
Ancestral Orc: Boots
This book smells like some Orc stuffed it in his boot and kept it there for the last few centuries. Still, a good read. —Ugron gro-Thumog
Location: Stormhaven
Ancestral Orc: Bows
If stories are to be believed, Torug gro-Igron loved bows and became proficient while hunting game. Most of the time he’s depicted weilding dual axes, but that might be artistic interpretation. —Ugron gro-Thumog
Location: Glenumbra
Ancestral Orc: Chest Pieces
Orcs are just rediscovering these kind of precise metalwork techniques. They were lost to us during the fall of Orsinium in 1E 980, and it is only by historical accounts such as these that we’re able to reclaim them. —Ugron gro-Thumog
Location: Glenumbra
Ancestral Orc: Daggers
This book looks like it went through the jaws of a Sabre cat and then came out the other end. A few of the words were hard to make out, but with a little effort you can parse it out. —Ugron gro-Thumog
Location: Rivenspire
Ancestral Orc: Gloves
There’s an old folktale about a warrior named Urzatash the Bloody who picked a bar fight with the wrong Orc and got his face punched in. In the story, he has to live with a concave face for the rest of his life. Maybe it was based on some truth. —Ugron gro-Thumog
Location: Alik’r
Ancestral Orc: Helmets
This is in great condition. Someone took great efforts to preserve this book. It looks as though there was a bit of restoration done to the inside binding but otherwise, this has all the original material. —Ugron gro-Thumog
Location: Stros M’Kai
Ancestral Orc: Leg Greaves
The leather binding on this book is odd. It’s soft, but hasn’t completely disintegrated over time. Someone might have replaced it early on, or tried to pretty it up to make it part of a display. —Ugron gro-Thumog
Location: Bankorai
Ancestral Orc: Maces
Maces are an Orc favorite, always have been. The ones addressed in this book seem particularly brutal. Maces with pointed heads are an entirely different breed of weapon. —Ugron gro-Thumog
Location: Stormhaven
Ancestral Orc: Shields
It’s rare to find descriptions of Orc craftsmanship that include the word beautiful. The author seems to have great reverance for the detail found in the shields they describe. —Ugron gro-Thumog
Location: Bankorai
Ancestral Orc: Shoulders
This book looks … flat. The text is still legible, but it looks like a mammoth stepped on it. The binding is crushed, the pages thinned, and the cover is almost comically stretched out. —Ugron gro-Thumog
Location: Rivenspire
Ancestral Orc: Staves
I’ve never known an Orc to carry a staff that didn’t look like it could double as a bludgeoning weapon if push came to shove. Even though many of these practices were lost to history, it seems as though instinct carried this one through to present day. —Ugron gro-Thumog
Location: Betnikh
Ancestral Orc: Swords
A good read. The author posits some theories that I’ve not heard debated, but perhaps they were at the time it was written. I don’t think it matters nearly as much as the design itself. Note that Turog is featured once again here. —Ugron gro-Thumog
Location: Alik’r
