Antiquities Codexes: Furnishings

Antique Maps

Antique Map of Alik’r

An Alik’r nomad tribe’s map with a sparse frame of reference and no borders to speak of. Sentinel appears to be the only significant settlement of note. Instead, there is a focus on landmarks and hazards. A giant serpent’s body is woven throughout. —Verita Numida

Not unlike the sea serpents scrawled in naval charts, eh? This must be Satakal, the Yokudan serpent god. They believed we all dwell upon the serpent, so it’s safe to assume that this is a symbolic representation. —Reginus Buca

I’ve spoken at length with nomad tribal chieftains. Most claim that the dunerippers we see now are a fraction of the size of those the first Ra Gada encountered. Could be a correlation, but any evidence has long been weathered away by shifting sands. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Item Description: This map maker’s aesthetic depicts the vast desert of Alik’r in gentle flowing lines, representing dunes that have long since shifted.

Location: Alik’r

Antique Map of Auridon

Oh! Clearly this is one of the Summerset Isles! Auridon, in fact. Nine Prows Landing is marked on it, too, which makes me think it’s an early map. —Amalien

Or perhaps someone chose to note that location on this map since it is culturally significant, Amalien. Haven’t I seen you do that yourself when you’re sketching out your own maps? —Reginus Buca

Hmmm … you’re right. I definitely do that. And I see that there’s a note about potential locations for the Mages Guild, which puts this at around 2E 230, so much later than I had hoped! —Amalien

Item Description: One of the Summerset Isles, Auridon is painstakingly rendered on this map to the exacting standard of the College of Sapiarchs.

Location: Auridon

Antique Map of Bangkorai

I’d date this around the early to mid First Era. The kingdom of Ojwambu occupies the southern half of Bankorai. It was sacked by the warlord Mahgzoor Rockhand, likely in retribution for driving the Goblins from their lands in Hammerfell. —Reginus Buca

Attacks like these were used to justify the sacking of Orsinium, despite the fact that Goblins did not occupy the city. According to oral histories, the Orc clans and Goblin tribes maintained a truce within the Dragontail Mountains, but did not mingle. —Ugron gro-Thumog

If it was prior to the Siege of Orsinium, it was probably after the exodus of Orcs and Goblins in 1E 874. That narrows the fall of Ojwambu and establishment of Hallin’s Stand to the seventy-four years between! We’re close! —Reginus Buca

Item Description: The entire region of Bangkorai is shown on this antique map, though much of the detail is focused on the daunting Bangkorai pass.

Location: Bankorai

Antique Map of Deshaan

From the dark shading in the northern region of this map, it seems likely this maps dates to soon after the first eruption of Red Mountain. Sometime very soon after 1E 668. Deshaan experienced significant climate disruption during this period. —Reginus Buca

Ah yes. The Sun’s Death! I see several roads leading away from the darkened areas. Perhaps these were Dunmer escape routes, showing the way to new settlements?—Amalien

The idea that a cartographer managed to create a map in these conditions defies credulity. Red Mountain’s eruption, the end of the First Council’s war, the curse of Azura …. An artist probably rendered this as a historical map a hundred years later. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Item Description: The fertile plain of Deshaan stretches out on this artful map.

Location: Deshaan

Antique Map of Eastmarch

Skyrim, the Old Holds. Eastmarch, specifically–the former heartland of the Nord Empire. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Windhelm in particular is the oldest human settlement in all of Tamriel. One wonders what stories and treasures have been forgotten in this ancient land.—Verita Numida

I’m reminded of one: There’s an old Nordic legend about how the hero Wuundig fought a mighty Daedra here and melted it with a flaming hammer. The hot springs of Eastmarch are what’s left of the monster. —Reginus Buca

Item Description: A master cartographer lent their skills to the crafting of this map of Eastmarch untold years ago.

Location: Eastmarch

Antique Map of Glenumbra

Map of the Direnni Hegemony, circa 1E 484. I note some discrepancies in the topography. There are some, shall we say, natural borders that don’t align with the current lay of the land, or maps drawn a mere twenty years after. —Reginus Buca

I concur. These irregularities are taking great liberties with the region. This map from the same year omits Camlorn entirely. This hardly seems like a mere oversight. I believe this was a deliberate attempt to obfuscate their shrinking territories.—Verita Numida

The Direnni had some of the most powerful mages in the world at the height of their reign. Maybe they weren’t just changing the maps? What if their Camlorn really did disappear? Like the Dwemer? Or Artaeum? Maybe we’ll find it! Wouldn’t that be something? —Amalien

Item Description: This detailed map highlights the complex topography of Glenumbra thanks to the artistry of the cartographer who crafted it.

Location: Glenumbra

Antique Map of the Gold Coast

I think it’s fairly obvious that this is a depiction of the Gold Coast. A beautifully rendered one at that. —Reginus Buca

It’s interesting to think about maps drawn before and after the construction of Varen’s Wall. Each tell quite a different story about the land and it’s people! —Amalien

I’d be curious to see a map of this area from the First Era, if such a thing could ever be found. All that remains of the great Ayleid settlements is broken marble and subterranean dangers. A fitting end for such a terrible people. —Verita Numida

Item Description: Though this antique map doesn’t note it, the Gold Coast was once called the Strident Coast.

Location: Gold Coast

Antique Map of Grahtwood

Hmm, this is difficult to read, but I believe it’s a map of the southeast Valenwood. This region is known as the Grahtwood, after the graht-oaks that are found in great numbers there. —Verita Numida

Curious–Falinesti is marked on the map. I know that the city hasn’t been seen in many years, but even in the days when it was accessible, I thought that the Walking City’s location was uncertain. —Reginus Buca

Uncertain? No, although I can understand why you might think so. Falinesti moved with the seasons, traveling to different parts of the Valenwood. From year to year, it took root in the same spot during each season–this map marks its winter site. —Amalien

Item Description: Careful attention was paid to marking the well-trod footpaths through the old growth of Grahtwood.

Location: Grahtwood

Antique Map of Greenshade

This looks like southwestern Valenwood to me. Yes, this must be Greenshade. —Gabrielle Benele

Yes, this seems quite old. Modern maps of the region evince High Elf influence. Remember, the Dominion has tried to influence Greenshade both culturally and architecturally. This map seems to predate their concerted attempts to do so. —Reginus Buca

Yes, the Bosmer only barely tolerate my people. Hard to blame them. Travelers don’t know the true layout of the area because they stick to the cities for trade and travel. This is detailed enough that it might be from the Wood Elves themselves! —Amalien

Item Description: Nearly a work of art in itself, this map of Greenshade provides some insight into what the region might have looked like in an earlier time.

Location: Greenshade

Antique Map of Malabal Tor

An old depiction of Malabal Tor, the Bosmeri heartland. See, here’s Silvenar, and over here is Falinesti–the summer site, I believe. Of course, no one’s seen it in a very long time. —Gabrielle Benele

Interesting. Several Ayleid holds and cities are marked on the map: Abamath, Belarata, Ilayas. This map must have been made early in the First Era, shortly after the Ayleids withdrew to the Valenwood. Some of these sites were lost for centuries. —Reginus Buca

More likely the map was created by a cartographer working from older source material–mapmakers often incorporate the work of their predecessors into new maps, correcting and improving it. This parchment is old, but it’s not three thousand years old. —Verita Numida

Item Description: The cartographer paid special attention to the coast and waterways of Malabal Tor when rendering this map.

Location: Malabal Tor

Antique Map of Murkmire

Difficult to say with certainty since its shores change so often, but I’m fairly confident this map depicts southern Black Marsh. Specifically the Murkmire region. —Verita Numida

You’re right, Verita. And you certainly weren’t exaggerating when you spoke about the shores and terrain shifting. Just look where the cartographer placed Blackrose Prison and Lilmoth. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Black Marsh is virtually impossible to map effectively. Just ask any Imperial cartographer who’s tried it. Very few make it back out of that gods-forsaken place alive, and those that do are always disappointed. —Reginus Buca

Item Description: The surveyor who succeeded in mapping the impenetrable marshlands of Murkmire made certain to note the migration of swamp leviathans.

Location: Murkmire

Antique Map of Northern Elswey

Ah! Hard to mistake this map, given the recent troubles in the region. It’s Anequina sure enough. Northern Elsweyr, I mean. —Gabrielle Benele

Hmm. It’s clearly quite old, but the cartographer didn’t include the boundaries of Elsweyr’s sixteen kingdoms. I suppose the artist rendered it shortly after the northern half of the province consolidated under the Anequine banner. —Verita Numida

Yes, this clearly depicts the region just after the Thrassian Flu. It’s quite odd to see a fully rendered map of the province. Travel in Elsweyr leans heavily upon word of mouth–mostly to keep Baandari caravaners employed. —Reginus Buca

Item Description: The lands of Anequina and its majestic aqueduct are the subject of this skillfully illustrated map.

Location: Elsweyr (Northern)

Antique Map of Reaper’s March

A map of the March. This land I know well. Bosmer, Khajiit, Colovians, and Imperials have fought over this place for centuries uncounted. The battles I could tell you of! —Ugron gro-Thumog

The region’s history of conflict no doubt shaped the warrior cultures of the nomadic Khajiit tribes. The rest of Tamriel knows the Khajiit as traveling merchants, but Anequina–the northern Khajiit realm–has always been a martial kingdom. —Verita Numida

Despite the name, the Reaper’s March is more than just a battlefield. It’s a melting pot of cultures. Yes, the Khajiit fought bloody wars here, but they also traded with other peoples and prospered in peaceful times. —Reginus Buca

Item Description: Skillful strokes create the boundaries and landmarks of Reaper’s March on this map.

Location: Reaper’s March

Antique Map of The Rift

Oh, this seems to be a map of the Rift! It’s hard to miss Lake Honrich and the Treva River. A much more temperate climate than the rest of Skyrim, really. —Gabrielle Benele

And Giant territory, too! I wonder if any Giant burial grounds are marked on this map? I’ve heard that Giants seek out their ancestral burial grounds when they feel death drawing near. —Amalien

Giant burial grounds are less interesting than you might think. They take few belongings to the grave, and their kin do not tend the place where they are laid. You’ll find little more than large bones and scraps of mammoth leather. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Item Description: Despite its name, the sweeping temperate zone called the Rift is a hospitable place for Nords to come together, and this map points the way.

Location: Rift

Antique Map of Rivenspire

An annotated draft of the political map of the kingdom of Rivenspire once belonging to the royal cartographer of Shornhelm. The lines have been redrawn numerous times in varying colors of ink. It seems the nobility was quite divided on the matter. —Reginus Buca

If they were anything like their descendants, then I’d say that’s an understatement. The three major houses are constantly vying for control. It’s a miracle that the kingdom isn’t in a constant state of civil war, especially without a king on the throne. —Gabrielle Benele

The stewardship of these assorted baronies and counties was at the pleasure of the king. Holdings of the nobility would have shifted constantly as individuals gained or fell out of favor. These drafts may be as close to final as was possible. —Reginus Buca

Item Description: Somehow the cartographer behind this map accurately rendered Rivenspire in great detail through all its gloom and fog.

Location: Rivenspire

Antique Map of Shadowfen

This is a treat! An Ayleid map of the Shadowfen region from very early in the First Era. The rendering of Stormhold looks almost aspirational. Several marks on here imply they had planned several locations for settlment. —Amalien

These marks don ‘t necessarily imply settlement locations. I suggest they could be warnings. The Argonian population would not take kindly to encroachment in this era. They were much more isolated then. —Ugron gro-Thumog

You may be right. There are stories of an enormous battle between local Argonians and the Barsaebic Ayleids for control of the land where they’d construct Silyanorn. A shame that they could not live together in peace. —Amalien

Item Description: On this aged map, someone took great pains to depict the common paths and hazardous areas of the mire called Shadowfen.

Location: Shadowfen

Antique Map of Stormhaven

This is an Orcish map. Hard to believe it’s real. Hardly anything from the time of first Orsinium survived the war that broke it. This map outlines the territory claimed around the Bjoulsae River. There’s a settlement marked: Golkarr. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Wasn’t that the name of the Orc king from the thirty-year siege? I’d read that he invaded Stormhaven and blockaded Wayrest’s trade lanes. There wasn’t any mention of an Orc settlement. Was Golkarr an early casualty of the war? —Gabrielle Benele

It may never have been built. I doubt a treacherous ruler like Jolie would have tolerated Orcs for neighbors even if Golkarr was established peacefully. The justification for the razing of Orsinium was likely just the first of Jolie’s many betrayals. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Item Description: Even early maps of Stormhaven like this one show population centers, making the map a window into the past.

Location: Stormhaven

Antique Map of Stonefalls

Stonefall’s early history is replete with tales of struggle and invasion. The borders shifted a lot during the Merethic and First Eras. This map displays a fleetiong moment in time when ancient borders resembled those of the present day. —Amalien

Indeed. Only a cartographer in service to the First Empire of the Nords would draft such a map. I’d date this to around the year 400 in the First Era. —Ugron gro-Thumog

If that’s true, then pity the poor cartographer who needed to redraw this map only a few years later. Morrowind pushed hard to expel the Nords. Empires based on brutality rarely last long. —Verita Numida

Item Description: Though the ashfall may obscure the features of Stonefalls, the clear lines of this map are an able guide.

Location: Stonefalls

Antique Map of Summerset

I’d recognize this map anywhere. Home. Summerset Isle. This map is old, but it’s not too old. I’ve seen maps drafted by the Aldmer, and honestly, the landmarks are barely recognizable. —Amalien

Amalien has the right of it. This map seems more utilitarian than strictly decorative. Something belonging to a ship’s captain or a trader perhaps. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Odd that it doesn’t include Auridon or Artaeum. I guess the cartographer wanted to express Summerset’s primacy in the region. —Gabrielle Benele

Item Description: While one wouldn’t want to use this map for navigation, given its age, it makes for excellent wall art.

Location: Summerset

Antique Map of Vvardenfell

Vvardenfell’s unique, volcanic geography make Vvardenfell one of the most difficult places in Tamriel to map. The island’s silhouette, however, is unmistakable. —Reginus Buca

Ha! Tribunal priests are the true impediments to cartography in the region. I can scarcely believe how often the island is locked away, reopened, and so on. Travel to the island is quite simple nowadays, but you’ll find many doors closed to outsiders. —Verita Numida

As you well know, few maps are original works. I’d wager this is a composite of several different maps — perhaps even Dwemer ones! —Amalien

Item Description: The vastness of Red Mountain is truly apparent in this scale map of Vvardenfell.

Location: Vvardenfell

Antique Map of Wrothgar

An aged depiction of Wrothgar if my eyes aren’t mistaken. —Reginus Buca

I don’s see any references to the original thirteen strongholds. Of course, Imperial cartographers never spent much time digging into the details of Orcish stronghold-law. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Not Imperial, Ugron. I detect a Breton influence on this. It seems overwrought to me–almost florid. A High Rock artist likely designed this as a commemoration of the first sack of Orsinium. —Verita Numida

Item Description: The treacherous mountains of Wrothgar are expertly depicted on this map, though safe passage through them is anyone’s guess.

Location: Wrothgar

Aldmeri Symphonia

Collecting these fragments allows you to craft the Music Box In Dreams and Memories music box.

Location: Auridon, Grahtwood, Greenshade, Summerset

Aldmeri Golden Embellishments

Much of the imagery from the Aldmer carried over into the descending cultures, like the High Elves. Amalien knows how fond her people are of aquiline imagery. That might explain the bird figurine. The Magnus connection is a bit puzzling, though. —Reginus Buca

I assume you’re talking about the sun marking? I’ve seen it in some of the mosaics in Firsthold. Particularly around Torinaan’s ruin. It looks more like heraldry than religion iconography to me. Maybe Torinaan’s calan-sigil. —Gabrielle Benele

Could this be a symbol from Aldmeris itself? We High Elves like to pretend we know everything about our place of origin, but what little we do know feels like wild conjecture to me. What if this is what they saw in their sky? A sun unlike any other! —Amalien

Lacquered Wooden Tone-Box

You can tell from the grain pattern here, the person who made this repurposed wood from another object. These minor warps make it no less beautiful. Hard to believe, given its finish, but I think this box used to be part of a ship. —Reginus Buca

Some of the oldest wooden relics on Summerset have a similar appearance. If they managed to turn something utilitarian like a boat into a magnificent object like this … well, I would hate to be a woodworker looking at this. —Gabrielle Benele

Maybe they took it from High Lord Torinaan’s flag-swan! A lesser-known prophesy foretold that the lost children of Aldmeris would “make of their branches a new home on distant shores.” The branches bit never made sense. Maybe they meant wooden ships! —Amalien

Preserved Music Box Mechanism

Despite the object’s age, the miniscule aspects of this music box seem to be in perfect working order. We should take care when handling it, though. Amalien, please resist the urge to take it apart. —Reginus Buca

Legends speak of Aldmeri music that could ease the mind and ward off grief entirely. A valuable property for such a long-lived race. Obviously, this mechanism isn’t capable of such things, but hearing an Aldmeri melody would likely bring joy to any Elf. —Verita Numida

I’m not so sure. This sounds like a mourning song. The sting of death was far more accute for my ancient kin since it reminded them of their mortal curse. I reminds me of traditional High Elf requiems. —Amalien

Other Furniture

Altar of Celestial Convergence

Nedic architecture–my specialty! This shrine conforms to the Nedic architectural aesthetics we found in Craglorn, with a few notable exceptions. The central element strongly resembles a Mundus Stone, but I don’t recognize the constellation. —Verita Numida

For once, we agree! Culturally distinct constellations do exist, but the Nedes’ conception of the stars mirrors our own in more ways than I can count. Perhaps they meant to re-write the stars in some way? To merge traditional archetypes into new wholes? —Reginus Buca

Seems pretty hubristic for the Nedes, don’t you think? In any event, I don’t detect any significant magical potency here. If they were trying to channel aetherial energy through this altar, it’s all but faded now. Still a beautiful piece, though! —Gabrielle Benele

Item Description: What occurs when the stars align to match the constellation at the heart of this ominous altar remains a mystery, but the sinister serpents on display conjure only catastrophe in the imagination.

Location: Craglorn

Anvil of Old Orsinium

This is a beauty. Most of the free-standing anvils in Old Orsinium melted into slag or still gather dust in Redguard treasure vaults. To see one in such great condition … it melts this tusker’s heart! —Ugron gro-Thumog

Just look at those hammer-strike indentations. It seems like 1E Orcish smiths wielded tools even larger than those used by Orcs today. I’ve never lifted hammer or tong personally, but I don’t see how tools that size would allow for finer touches. —Reginus Buca

Orcs of the First Era knew orichalc better than Argonians know mud. If they used larger tools, they definitely had a reason. In any event, I wager an anvil this big found more use in siegecraft fabrication than armorsmithing. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Item Description: Add a touch of Old Orsinium to your home with this well-crafted anvil and cinder-dousing bearskin rug.

Location: Orsinium

Ashen Infernace Gate

I’ve seen markings like this before, on the walls of Yasammidan. These etchings appear inert, but I’d still mind how you speak around it. Ensorceled gates–even long abandoned ones–aren’t something to tinker with. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Ugron, always the worrier! As you said, any magic this gate might have harnessed dissapated centuries ago! The structure doesn’t conform to any Chimeric aesthetic I’m aware of. It almost seems like something conceived in Oblivion itself! —Amalien

The inscription reads, Infernace. A command word, perhaps? Or simply the name of the realm it led to? With the appropriate ritual, an ancient Chimer have been able to coax an atronach out of this thing. Fascinating. —Verita Numida

Item Description: Foreboding and grim, this gate literally radiates danger and gloom. Are you fearless or foolish enough to welcome whatever might pass through it into your home?

Location: Stonefalls

Ayleid Lightwell

Ah, an Ayleid sconce of some variety. I can’t imagine it’s a lightwell. Far too small for Aetherial conduction. And this glass fragment at the center–is it a broken Welkynd Stone? It certainly does resemble a lightwell. Curious. —Reginus Buca

I’ve seen something like this before in a Barsaebic ruin down south. You’re right about the size, Reginus. I think the Ayleids used that stone in conjunction with the meteoric iron to help it function at reduced size. I’m no mage, though. —Ugron gro-Thumog

It’s certainly a lightwell, but our focus should be the crystal. The magicka it’s radiating feels less manufactured than a Welkynd Stone. This is a raw Aetherial Fragment. Untamed. The way it resonates with the iron … let’s not jostle it too hard. —Gabrielle Benele

Item Description: Ayleids believed that four elements composed Nirn: light, earth, water, and air. Light, when used in lightwells, allowed mages to restore their energy, though this one is primarily a showpiece.

Location: Grahtwood

Beacon of Tower Zero

What’s this? The White-Gold Tower rendered in miniature? Odd that it doesn’t include the city itself. Doubly odd that it’s giving off such a strong magical aura. What function did this serve? And what’s this light radiating from the top?—Gabrielle Benele

This isn’t the White-Gold Tower. It’s the Direnni Tower. Surely you can recognize the differences between the two? The light is a puzzle, though. Judging by the weight, this stone might house a metal core, just like the genuine article. —Verita Numida

Well, it’s not a simple lamp to read by, I can tell you that! It seems like a beacon of some kind–something to be seen at a great distance. The Direnni might have used it as a geographic marker to guage the distance of objects from the Adamantine Tower! —Amalien

Item Description: Long removed from the Direnni Tower, give the holy light of Ada-mantia a place to shine forth from your abode.

Location: Stormhaven

Blessed Dais of Mother Morrowind

What a spectacular example of early-Tribunal sacerdotal architecture! Few races take their religious designs more seriously than the Dark Elves. The Hand of the Tribunal decorates the central dais, but this clearly honors one over the other two. —Verita Numida

Yes, the Mournhold aesthetic is difficult to miss. And as you all know, Almalexia serves as that city’s patron deity. While all the Tribunes are the subjects of religious adoration, Almalexia-worship cleaves closest to Tamrielic norms, stylistically. —Reginus Buca

By “Tamrielic norms,” I assume you mean worship of the Eight Divines? You might consider Orc and Argonian religious practice before swinging the word “norm” around. Anyway, it’s a remarkable altar—especially considering it’s all in one piece. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Item Description: Elegant. Grand. Pointed. Much like Almalexia herself. Woe unto those who would let this blessed dais fall into dust and disuse.

Location: Deshaan

Branch of Falinesti

Difficult to say with certainty where this throne came from, but I think we can safely assume Wood Elves created it. Even a master carpenter couldn’t achieve results like the draping under the seat with conventional tools and methods. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Too right, Ugron. I spent some time in Elden Root recently, and I saw all manner of Green-wrought marvels there. Only thing that puzzles me is the shade and the grain. It doesn’t resemble any of the furniture I saw in Grahtwood. —Gabrielle Benele

I can explain that easily enough. This seat didn’t come from Elden Root. It came from Falinesti–the walking city, and true home of the Wood Elves! Trust me on this one. Once you run your hand over the wide grain of Falinesti, you never forget it. —Amalien

Item Description: Formed by the Bosmer tree shapers of the Walking City, this throne subtlely conforms to whomever sits upon it, providing strangely comfortable seating from this ancient hardwood.

Location: Greenshade

Brazier of Frozen Flame

What a find! I’d have to take a closer look, but the body of the brazier looks like stalhrim! Can you imagine? Ice infused with divine power, making it hard as steel! I’ve only ever seen it employed in arms, armor, and burial rituals. —Amalien

I assume you’re citing old Skaal stories, Amalien? Personally, I’ve never seen any compelling evidence of a godly connection to this material. The world is full of naturally occurring substances with fantastical origin stories. Stalhrim is no different. —Reginus Buca

Stalhrim is undeniably mortal-made. Focus on the brazier. I don’t recognize any of these markings as burial motifs, but stalhrim was traditionally used in funerary rituals. I know Nords abhor spellcraft, but this looks like an arcane focus to me. —Verita Numida

Item Description: With its dazzling mix of sapphire and silver hues, this brazier lights up dramatically with an icy blaze.

Location: Bleakrock

Carved Whale Totem

A whale totem, eh? The Nord god, Stuhn, still has totemic roots. Never seen something like this hewn from opal, though. You typically only see this kind of stone in Elsweyr. Can’t imagine the Atmorans traded with the Khajiit prior to the Dragon War. —Ugron gro-Thumog

I recognize the Stuhn connection, but this statue feels less devotional than other Stuhn-precursor carvings I’ve seen. It feels like a purely aesthetic exercise. See the whorls supporting the whale? Do they look like clouds to anyone else? —Amalien

Amalien, these rumors of flying whales are patently absurd. Nord warriors “cross the whalebone bridge” to reach Sovngarde. Flying whales are just a cultural metaphor for the transition from Nirn to Aetherius. In any case, they look like waves to me. —Reginus Buca

Item Description: Crafted from opal, this whale totem expresses a sense of simple joy to some. Others, however, believe it to hold more spiritual significance.

Location: Eastmarch

Cat’s Eye Prism

From the design of the plinth, I’d date this back to early First Era–at least a millennia before the Thrassian illness laid Elsweyr low. I doubt any of the sixteen kingdom outside Pellitine would have had the resources to craft something like this. —Reginus Buca

Odd to find it in Khenarthi’s Roost, unless Khenarthia was a client state of Pa’alatiin by that point. As for the crystal itself, I’ve never seen the like. I’ve found similar opal spheres used in Magrus worship. Perhaps a meteoric ritual object?—Verita Numida

The hue seems too dark for meteoric glass. This metallic banding is curious too. It’s almost like they were trying to keep something contained in the sphere. Seers might have used it as a scrying stone. It follows, given the Magrus connection. Curious. —Gabrielle Benele

Item Description: The strange stone on this pedestal appears to catch light as easily as it catches the eye, but how it does this remains a mystery.

Location: Khenarthi’s Roost

Coil of Satakal

A Na-Totambu ceremonial gong! I’ve only ever seen the disc–never the frame. Looks like they fashioned it to resemble their everything-deity: Satakal. According to myth, the snake devours itself in a never-ending cycle of rebirth. Brilliant, eh? —Amalien

Yeah, a handful of Crowns in Bergama tried to bring me into the fold. Just trust me on this: nothing good ever comes from snake worship. People bound to this idea of death and rebirth always wind up as wild-eyed cultists. Just the way of the world. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Honestly, Ugron. Satakal is not a sinister deity. It’s the personification of a timeless theme. What I find most astounding is the scale. Many Tamrielic religions profess belief in reincarnation. But reincarnation of Mundus itself? That’s truly something. —Verita Numida

Item Description: Call guests to dinner with this stunning ceremonial gong. Just don’t be surprised if your guests aim to consume more than what you prepared.

Location: Alik’r

Daedric Pillar of Torment

Don’t know if we can call this an antiquity. Age doesn’t mean anything in Oblivion, and this is definitely Daedric Prince-craft. A display piece of some kind. Or a warning to keep the servants in line. —Ugron gro-Thumog

This has all the hallmarks of Molag Bal. Torture, exhibitionism, the sharp-edged aesthetic, and so on. I doubt he uses it to motivate by fear. His whole realm of Coldharbour is a manifestation of fear and exploitation. This is something else. —Verita Numida

It may be hard to believe, but this is what passes for art in Coldharbour. Some people insist that lesser Daedra are incapable of creative expression and appreciation for art, but I can definitely imagine a Dremora Kynreeve staring at this for hours. —Gabrielle Benele

Item Description: Piece of art? Or torture device? Maybe both, depending on how you choose to view it.

Location: Coldharbour

The Dutiful Guar

I’ve got to say, the realism of this guar statue is positively uncanny! Sculpting busts of famous saints is one thing, but sculpting a beast like this in such vivid detail is pretty remarkable for ancient Dark Elf statuary. —Gabrielle Benele

There’s a reason for that, Gabrielle. This isn’t a sculpture at all. I’m surprised that you–a mage–haven’t considered the possibility that this is a real guar magically transformed into metal. Probably the work of some Telvanni apprentice!—Amalien

There’s a far more plausible–albeit less palatable–explanation for this. I’ve found several bronzed beetles in Dunmeri ancestral tombs. This beast likely suffered a similar fate. We can only hope it wasn’t still breathing when they sealed it in metal. —Verita Numida

Item Description: This guar looks so real it could draw breath, leading some to suggest the subject of this piece lies beneath the bronze.

Location: Bal Foyen

Dwarven Puzzle Box

What a fascinating bauble! Dwarven-make, obviously. But what does it do? Those circular elements at the center of each facet might fit into some secondary device. I’ve never see a Dwarven key that actually looks like a key! —Reginus Buca

No. Look at the seams and gears. This thing comes apart somehow, guaranteed. I’d bet my left tusk that it’s a coffer of some kind. No idea what we might find inside, though. Maybe a specialized dynamo? A gem of some kind? —Ugron gro-Thumog

A coffer? Come on! The Dwarves would never use a device like this for something so prosaic! This is a testing device–a puzzle. And judging by the number of pinions, cylinders, and junction-points, I’d say it’s a test none of us are likely to pass. —Amalien

Item Description: Is it a toy? A vault? A piece of an even more elaborate puzzle? No one will know until someone opens it.

Location: Stros M’Kai

Dwemer Star Chart

A Dwarven star chart! Marvelous! I think Guildmaster Vanus has one like this in his private study, but I doubt he has any clear idea of what it actually depicts. The key constellations appear on one of the discs, obviously. Beyond that? I’m not sure. —Gabrielle Benele

Open your eyes, Gabrielle! This is a treasure trove of Dwarven astronomical scholarship! The three orbiting spheres could be guardian equation-bodies, but we should at least consider the possibility that they are Dwemeric Aetherbell beacons. Right? —Amalien

Aetherbells? You mean Dwarven vessels that “dive” through the realms of Aetherius and Oblivion? Honestly, Amalien, do you have even a shred of evidence to support the idea that those even exist? These are clearly constellation markers. Nothing more. —Reginus Buca

Item Description: Show off your love of Dwarven astronomical knowledge by placing this wondrous star chart in your home.

Location: Stros M’Kai

Ebony Fox Totem

This is a remarkable find. We don’t see many fox totems in Skyrim. The style is unique as well. Atmoran totemic art typically features harder edges and more abstract shapes. I’m honestly not sure who made this. —Reginus Buca

Well, as you know, the Atmorans associated foxes with Shor–the totemic analogue for Lorkhan. No Elf would ever depict Lorkhan in such a flattering shape. But the smooth contours and sharp features feel merish to me. Consider me stumped! —Gabrielle Benele

You know, Atmorans did learn a few things from the Elves prior to the fall of Saarthal. Honestly, I’m surprised we don’t find more cultural crossover in art from that period. Ysgramor’s heirs must have gone to great lengths to destroy items like this. —Verita Numida

Item Description: The mischievous fox of this totem calls to kindred spirits. Watch closely anyone drawn to it, then judge accordingly.

Location: The Rift

Echoes of Aldmeris

What a gorgeous triptych. Someone clearly placed a fixative spell on the frame. The painting itself is probably far older than it looks. I have no idea what place it’s meant to depict, though. —Gabrielle Benele

I do. Home. Aldmeris. The beginning place for all the mer of Tamriel. I doubt the real Aldmeris looked anything like this. But just looking at it stirs up a feeling in me … like entering my father’s house after a long journey abroad. —Amalien

It pains me to admit that I don’t recognize this school of painting. It’s so vague, yet evocative. Proud spires, floating obelisks, wispy, concentric clouds …. The artist really made an effort to capture Elven majesty there. —Verita Numida

Item Description: This triptych may stir ancestral memories in Mer—a longing of the soul for home. Or so the antiquarian claimed.

Location: Auridon

Eight-Star Chandelier

You don’t see many of these. An Ayleid light fixture like this probably shed light over the banquet hall of some cruel sorcerer king. That’s definitely meteoric iron, and the welkynd stones are in fine condition. On the whole, a worthy discovery. —Verita Numida

Take note of the number of sconces in the chandelier–eight welkynd stones in all to honor the Eight Divines. This lends credence to my theory that Elven numerology played a role in Ayleid civilization, just as it does in modern High Elf culture. —Reginus Buca

You give the Ayleids too much credit, Reginus. The Heartland Elves turned to Daedra-worship long before Ayleid ironsmiths crafted this chandelier. If anything, it should feature sixteen stones to honor their cursed Daedric pantheon! —Verita Numida

Item Description: Brighten up a large space with this welkynd-stone chandelier dedicated to the blessed Eight.

Location: Grahtwood

Font of Auri-El

This architecture looks Elven, certainly, but the silhouette and the stone clearly differ from that of the Ayleids, Dwarves, Chimer and other mainland mer. Given the location, it’s almost certainly Snow Elf architecture. —Reginus Buca

Unquestionably. That leads us to puzzle over what purpose it served. Based on its shape, one might mistake it for a wayshrine. But it can’t be that. Look inside. The metallic shrine indicates a religious function.

Auri-El, but the looks of it. Seems a little abstract, honestly. Elves make a point of including an Elven likenesses in their shrines to reinforce their familial connections to the Divines. This probably rested near a statue of the Chief Divine himself. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Item Description: Nestled inside this massive stone edifice shines a glowing symbol of Auri-El, King of the Aldmer.

Location: Western Skyrim

Golden Idol of Morihaus

Gilded, Imperial bust depicting a winged bull? It’s got to be Morihaus, the bull-faced lover of Alessia. The questions with Morihaus is always, “how literal is too literal?” and “Is this literal enough?” I’m sure Reginus and Amalien have opinions….—Ugron gro-Thumog

The sculptor clearly did not intend for the viewer to take this as a literal depiction. The vacant, bovine affect on the subject’s face reveals no heroic personality, and the wings are far too small. This is a symbolic representation of the subject. —Reginus Buca

Obviously, the bust is symbolic. But that does nothing to prove Morihaus looked like you, Reginus! Surely, the existence of minotaurs is proof enough that chimeric creatures exist. A demigod exhibiting those traits is well within the realm of possibility! —Amalien

Item Description: Winged. Golden. Arresting, as the demi-god himself. Kneel before this idol and pray for a fraction of his might!

Location: Gold Coast

Greensong Gathering Circle

A Wood Elf ritual cauldron, eh? I find Bosmer magic absolutely fascinating! This is the first Wood Elf spell-focus I’ve seen, though. I was under the impression they could weave their magic with singing alone. What did they put in this bowl? —Gabrielle Benele

I’ve traveled with enough Wood Elves to know you should never ask what they put in their pots. If I had to guess, I’d say they probably filled it with bones and viscera. Blood to please Hircine, and bones to honor Y’ffre. —Ugron gro-Thumog

I’m not so sure, Ugron. I’ve seen etchings like this in Wood Elf wildpatches and sapling-chapels. I think they refer to growth and abundance. They may have filled it with soil and summoned Green Pact relics out of it. —Amalien

Item Description: With this cauldron, you can gather companions to honor the Green or simply display it as an interesting Wood Elf creation.

Location: Greenshade

The Heartland

What a stirring landscape! It resembles the work of Reman II’s court painter, Emilia Polus. She revolutionized the art of landscape painting–serving as a bridge between dreamy Alessian scenery-painting and the stark realism of early Potentate works. —Reginus Buca

It might be an early Laenius. I’m no artist, but as far as I’m concerned, Gavros Laenius doesn’t get anywhere near the credit he deserves. No one renders water like him. The Niben seems to wash across the canvass! Gorgeous! —Gabrielle Benele

I find this work puzzling. The Alessians placed severe restrictions on artists prior to their decline which grew into cultural taboos. Imperial painters didn’t resume painting the Imperial City in its entirety until well into the thirtieth century. Odd. —Verita Numida

Item Description: Bask in the beauty and grandeur of Cyrodiil and the Imperial City, unmarred by the Three Banners War.

Location: Alik’r

Hollowbone Wind Chimes

Well, this is unmistakably Wood Elf craft. Granted, I haven’t spent as much time around the Bosmer as Ugron and Amalien, but I’m fairly certain you can find chimes like this in present day settlements. Still … I sense something peculiar here. —Verita Numida

It’s the teeth, Verita! I’ve never seen fangs like that on a Wood Elf chime. Did you notice those brass rings? Why use metal to hang something when gut and sinew would do? I wager those teeth belong to rare quarry. A long extinct beast, perhaps! —Amalien

Yeah, I’m no naturalist, but those teeth look closer to swamp leviathan fangs than sabre cat cuspids. We might have proof of an Oddoak–ugly shape-shifting beasts that Y’ffre charged the Wood Elves with slaying back in the Merethic. Good find. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Item Description: This mix of bone, metal, and sinew provides a strangely soothing and meditative sound.

Location: Malabal Tor

Jeweled Skull of Ayleid Kings

Well, this is quite a discovery! Ayleid, by the looks of it. Sorcerer kings ruled the Tamrielic heartlands for centuries, but I’ve never seen one of their crowns. It seems fixed onto the skull, but I don’t see any rivets. —Reginus Buca

I doubt any amount of strength could yank that crown off, Reginus. It’s spell-locked. Tight. It probably has to do with all this meteoric glass. Do you see the inset stones? They’re exerting force on the iron.—Gabrielle Benele

No great surprise there. The Saliache were a proud and possessive people. Reign rarely passed to heirs without some kind of arcane intrigue. Perhaps this king suffered a devious, over-ambitious son and sealed the crown onto his head as a final insult. —Verita Numida

Item Description: If skulls feature prominantly in your decor, this jeweled skull can become the crowning piece of your collection.

Location: Glenumbra

Kingmaker’s Trove

King Emeric has a trove quite similar to this. Most people never get to see it, of course. But you’d be surprised how far a well-placed invisibility spell can get you in Wayrest Castle! —Gabrielle Benele

Judging by the filigrees, I’d date it back to the 1E 2200’s. I’ve seen paintings of Bretonic All-Flags warships with similar patterning around the prow. This coffer may have contained a bounty for a captain who participated in the attack on Thras. —Ugron gro-Thumog

I’ve seen the paintings you’re referring to Ugron. I agree, the patterning is similar. But this tree-shaped relief gives me pause. I wonder if this contained a bribe for nobles who helped Merchant-Lord Etien Lenac claim the throne of Wayrest in 1E 1270. —Gabrielle Benele

Item Description: Eye-catching, is it not? This gorgeous chest requires more than a second look to take in all its masterful filigree and accents.

Location: Glenumbra

Maormeri Serpent Shrine

We don’t often see renderings of sea serpents. Fascinating! It’s a bit difficult to determine the age given the corrosion, but we can deduce its origin easily enough: Pyandonea. The Sea Elves do love their snakes! —Reginus Buca

Excellent deduction, Reginus! You might be missing something, though. As you know, tapestries featuring the Sea Elf king, Orgnum, often depict him with three hands. You see? Three hands–three coils. This might be a sculpture of Orgnum himself! —Amalien

I guess that’s plausible if we’re just speaking metaphorically. I’ve tried to turn myself into a horse more than once and never met with much success. For a mage–even an immortal one–to turn himself into a gigantic sea monster? That’s a stretch. —Gabrielle Benele

Item Description: The Maomer are said to tame the great serpents of the sea, but while such magnificent creatures may be out of reach, this winding statue is the next best thing.

Location: Auridon

Meridian Sconce

To the untrained eye, this sconce might appear to portray Kynareth, but it depicts nothing of the sort. This is a votive chandelier to the Daedric Prince, Meridia, guaranteed. Hardly the sort of thing you’d want lighting your dining room table. —Verita Numida

As Daedric Princes go, she’s not all that bad. What interests me is the craftsmanship. Someone built a shrine to her in Skyrim, granted. But this hardly seems Nord-inspired. Those curled arms feel Nibenese to me. Odd to find it in Colovia. —Gabrielle Benele

If there’s a difference between Nibenese and Colovians, you would barely notice. In any case, I’d date this back to 1E 1900’s. Some Daedra-worshiper probably took it to the coast to escape the Alessian Order’s inquisitors. Guess it didn’t work out. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Item Description: It’s said that the light of Meridia is boundless and eternal. Sadly, the candles in this majestic sconce are neither, but the impression this installation creates is long lasting.

Location: Gold Coast

Mnemonic Star-Sphere

I’ve seen a little bit of everything, and I can say with total certainty, I have never seen anything like this. I haven’t the foggiest idea how it operates, what it’s made of, or what it does. You have my deepest apologies. —Reginus Buca

That’s your problem, Reginus. You have no imagination! This came from the Clockwork City—a world of arcane wonders where anything is possible! Based on these “exodromal notes” we received, it seems this is some sort of remembering-device. I guess? —Amalien

Exactly right! I have it on good authority that Sotha Sil (one of the Dark Elf gods) keeps his memories stored away in a great orrery full of stars. Another name for manufactured memory stones, I suppose. Who knows what memories this contains! —Gabrielle Benele

Item Description: Experts continue to deduce the purpose of this device, but for now it serves as a memorable decoration.

Location: Clockwork City

Moonlight Mirror

A Khajiiti ornamental mirror. Interesting. You’ve expect to find an object like this in one of the grand palaces of Anequina or Pellitine. The fact that it survived in such a war-torn region speaks to its quality, I think. —Verita Numida

The image is really something, eh? Masser and Secunda–or Jone and Jode–swimming in wispy clouds …. It’s sort of romantic, I think. I could weave a glamour like this for a moment or two, but to set an image in glass permanently? That’s rare spellcraft.—Gabrielle Benele

Am I the only one who noticed the third moon in the background? Enduring magical images are all well and good, but a genuine artistic expression of the Dark Moon? That makes me think this mirror might be a little more sinister than it looks. —Amalien

Item Description: Framed gorgeously, the moons dominate this mirror, making it more for gazing at than into.

Location: Reaper’s March

Moons-Blessed Ceremonial Pool

A brilliant stone basin of some variety, eh? Obviously, this served as some devotional object to the Khajiiti moon-gods, Jone and Jode. The smaller pools depict various lunar phases. Difficult to say what Khajiit actually used it for, though. —Reginus Buca

Not just any lunar phases. These seventeen arrangments correspond to the seventeen distinct furstocks of the Khajiit. The question is, what significance would a pool of water have? Perhaps new Khajiit were annointed in sacred water from Moonlit Cove? —Verita Numida

Possibly. It doesn’t explain the larger pools, though. Maybe the Twilight Cantors played a role? Priestesses of that order often sing at religious ceremonies and enjoy a rich bathing culture. I can definitely see one of them annointing ja’khajiit in this. —Gabrielle Benele

Item Description: Khajiiti legends claim that moon sugar comes from the light of the Two Moons trapped in the blessed waters of their homeland. The wondrous twinkling of this moonpool would lead you to believe it.

Location: Southern Elsweyr

Morwha’s Blessing

it’s rare to find a Yokudan statue that isn’t wielding a sword. Well done. This looks like a depiction of Morwha–the fertility goddess. Based on the items she’s holding, I’d say this statue came from Yokuda itself. —Ugron gro-Thumog

A fair observation, Ugron. Ra Gada-era sculptors rarely took the time to render softer details like those flowers. Bloody conquest took priority. The lack of orichalc does give me pause, though. Yokudan statuary normally features a metallic element. —Reginus Buca

Look at the stone. This Morwha’s rendered in gypsum alabaster–a favored material of the Yokudans’ hated enemies, the Sinistral Mer. The sculptor probably acquired the stone during the early days of the Ra Gada, thus explaining the lack of orichalc. —Verita Numida

Item Description: The four-armed Yokudan fertility goddess Morwha stands enshrined and flanked by her winged guardians, promising prosperity to all who stand before her.

Location: Hew’s Bane

Moth Priest’s Cleansing Bowl

I’ve seen one of these before. In the stacks, back in the Imperial City. The Moth Priests used it for ritual washing, or something. I assume clean hands are preferred when handling an Elder Scroll! —Gabrielle Benele

Yes, I met several Moth Priests during my years in university. The older priests made a point of washing their hands before, after, and sometimes during a reading. This residue in the bowl is interesting. Some kind of cleaning agent, perhaps? —Verita Numida

Sure, keeping the scrolls clean makes sense. But have you considered the possibility that they were scrubbing off something from the scrolls? Some aetherial residue that could deaden their fingers like the scrolls deaden the eyes? Think about it! —Amalien

Item Description: Don’t mistake this humble bowl as a simple object of sanitation! This cleansing bowl is believed to have removed impurities from the fingers of Moth Priests before they went about reading the Elder Scrolls.

Location: Elsweyr (Northern)

Nest of Shadows

There’s old magic clinging to this statue. No great surprise there. Ancient Argonian statuary always seems to carry some vaguely malignant power. Not an out-and-out curse, mind you! But something on that creepy spectrum. —Gabrielle Benele

A result of the lizard-people’s close ties to Sithis, no doubt. What I find odd is the more realistic aesthetic. Most Argonian stone-carvings appear blockier. More abstract. And what of this polished stone? It lacks the texture of an Argonian egg. —Verita Numida

Cultural exchange with the Kothringi, maybe? But that would set the origins of Kothringi culture farther back than we thought. As for the egg, it’s metaphorical. Eggs represent beginnings. So, a depiction of Sithis consuming some origin? Tough to say. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Item Description: Deadly and dramatic, this metal serpent encircles, and some say threatens, the lavender-hued egg nestled in its coils.

Location: Shadowfen

Nisswo’s Soul Tender

I find Argonian relics endlessly fascinating—particularly those from their “stone nest” period. This appears to be some sort of basin. Best not to assume, where Argonians are involved, but it stands to reason they’d use this for Hist sap rituals. —Reginus Buca

Look again. I’ve seen enough executioners’ axes to know old blood when I see it. The Argonians worship Sithis. They used to have a whole school of priests dedicated to the dark. Nisswos they were called. This looks like their handiwork. —Ugron gro-Thumog

I assume you haven’t visited Black Marsh recently. The Nothing-Speaker tradition is still very much alive in the southern and central regions of the province. I’ve even met one. He seemed cheerful enough … but I wouldn’t put blood rituals past him. —Gabrielle Benele

Item Description: This pedestal is considered sacred to the “nothing speakers” of Sithis, but it is believed to play a part in the eternal cycle of creation and destruction.

Location: Murkmire

Noble Knight’s Rest

Ah, a relic from the homeland! It’s clearly a sarcophagus. The question is, who’s buried inside? Judging by the state of the stone, I’d say late first Era. A servant of one of the pretender-kings that took power after the Alessian secession, perhaps? —Gabrielle Benele

Undoubtedly. The Alessian collapse struck High Rock harder than most, given the Bretons’ natural stubbornness and distaste for a unified governing structure. Warring fiefs sprung up all over the peninsula in the centuries that followed. —Reginus Buca

We Bretons are a stubborn lot, it’s true. I did some digging, and it looks like those seals on the side derive from House Moorcroft heraldry. This knight might have died in the Gavaudon Troubles, just before the flight from Wayrest. Fascinating! —Gabrielle Benele

Item Description: Become the caretaker of this knight’s sarcophagus and remains — but take your duties to heart lest you end up haunted!

Location: Stormhaven

Prismatic Sunbird Feather

I’ve seen a few weathered mosaics depicting a feather like this alongside strange Aldmeri triremes, but I’ve never seen the genuine article. Looks like some kind of meteoric substance to me, but the color’s unique. Gabrielle can probably speak to that. —Ugron gro-Thumog

By all the stars … it’s a Sun Bird relic! Back in the Merethic, an order of Aldmeri explorers managed to pierce the veil between Mundus and Aetherius using raw magic of the Ehlnofey. Or something. This might have been a focus–an orienteering tool! —Amalien

Yeah, I’ve read about them. I even traveled to Alinor to investigate. I’m sorry, Amalien, but I didn’t find any proof of a successful journey to Aetherius. It makes sense for the Aldmer to have tried, but we need more proof than a beautiful glass feather. —Gabrielle Benele

Item Description: Gloriously stunning doesn’t even begin to describe this unusual feather. Allow it to light up a dark nook or perhaps place it front and center in your personal collection of eye-catching objects.

Location: Summerset

Remnant of the False Tower

You found this in Rivenspire? Hardly a surprise there. That region attracts unsettling relics like a sweet roll attracts children. The crystal clearly has Ayleid origins, but I’ve never seen a Varla or Welkynd stone with such an angry hue. —Verita Numida

I met a band of explorers in Shornhelm a few years back. They swore up and down that a red crystal lies at the heart of the Doomcrag. I did some digging in Erokii afterward. Found a broken fresco depicting the creation of a crystal, but nothing else. —Ugron gro-Thumog

It’s definitely Ayleid-make, but I doubt they meant for it to look like this. Something corrupted its Aetherial resonance. This band … it almost feels diagnostic in design. Perhaps this was their attempt to understand the red crystal. To fix it even? —Gabrielle Benele

Item Description: Rich rose-hued colors delight the eye when gazing upon this unusual stone remnant.

Location: Rivenspire

Riven King’s Throne

No great mystery who this belonged to. Every Breton knows those motifs! It’s a throne of House Spenard. Good riddance to poor sovereigns! Rivenspire’s suffered more than its fair share of despots, but the Spenards put the others to shame. —Gabrielle Benele

Yes, prior to its dissolution by House Dorell, House Spenard’s territory was in a perpetual state of famine. Frestrien Spenard I to Frestrien Spenard VI maintained an era of misrule that lasted for one-hundred eighty-six years. —Verita Numida

That’s because all six rulers were the same person! I’ve found a wealth of documents that describe the rulers’ appearance and manner as identical. “The line of Frestrien bore stern features that appeared wrought from pale marble….” He was a vampire! —Amalien

Item Description: Add some elegance to your abode with this opulent throne from Rivenspire.

Location: Rivenspire

Ruby Dragon Skull

You find quite a few jeweled eyes in the dungeoneering business, but an entire skull fashioned from precious stones? That’s a true prize. Shows all the signs of a Dragon Cult relic. Probably some sort of ritual focus used during sacrifices. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Not just any sacrifices. Given the scarcity of Atmoran jewelry, I have a hunch that precious stones are far less common there–or perhaps just more difficult to excavate. Ruby effigies would be reserved for extremely important services only. —Reginus Buca

But why a Dragon skull? Prior to the Dragon War, those brutes had little cause to contemplate their own mortality. Unless … a Dragon itself suffered the sacrifice? Maybe Dragon Priests gathered to watch Alduin administer such a rite. A ghastly thought! —Verita Numida

Item Description: The size and luster of this ruby would be a magnificent addition to any Dragon’s hoard, even if wasn’t masterfully cut into their likeness.

Location: Bleakrock

Rune-Carved Mammoth Skull

Wood Elf villages produce the most proficient bonesmiths in Tamriel, but some Nord bone-dressers display a similar talent. While I’d never display such a macabre item in my home, there is a certain beauty to the craftsmanship. I guess. —Verita Numida

Come now, Verita, this is one of the rare Kjervilde Craniums! A product of the late First Era’s most eminent taxidermist! Did you take note of the pristine condition of the bone and the brilliant gold etchings? This is an object of rare beauty! —Reginus Buca

Orcs dress bones better. Eh. Debate for another time. Apparently, Kjervilde killed each of her subjects with a single arrow to the heart. Cant’s say as I’ve ever heard of an arrow that can fell a mammoth all at once, but few things surprise me anymore. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Item Description: The metal accents on this well-dressed mammoth skull add much to its impressive staging.

Location: The Rift

Sacred Chalice of Ysgramor

Here’s a pretty cup. Sturdy, too! This predates the rise of Harald by a few centuries at least. Difficult to identify the figure on the side with certainty, but here’s a good rule of thumb: if the artwork predates Harald, it’s a depiction of Ysgramor. —Amalien

Can’t say as I approve of such a sweeping principle, but it does tend to be correct. This certainly features Ysgramor, flanked by Atmoran runes.The Draconic silhouettes and ruby inlays clearly indicate this chalice belonged to someone of high station. —Reginus Buca

One of Ysgramor’s heirs, no doubt! We identify Harald as the thirteenth in Ysgramor’s line, but his forebears likely adorned their weapons, armor, even their silverware with Ysgramor’s image. His face would lend legitimacy to any official act. —Verita Numida

Item Description: Whether you choose to honor the Harbinger by keeping this chalice on display or by filling it with the best mead in Skyrim, it will serve you well.

Location: Eastmarch

Seat of the Snow Prince

If I didn’t know any better, I’d say this chair is of Snow Elf make. What a remarkable find! Icy stone would have been murder on the bum, but I suppose any cushioning would have disintegrated over the ages.—Amalien

It really makes one wonder how these children of the Aldmer managed the cold. The South Eltheric Ocean is hardly a frigid wasteland. In any event, this seat looks fit for royalty. A prince or high-ranking cleric perhaps? —Reginus Buca

Truth is, we know next to nothing about the Snow Elves’ governmental structure, because Ysgramor and his companions wiped the slate clean during their invasion. The Atmorans weren’t all that clever, but they were certainly thorough. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Item Description: The simple lines of this stone throne offer some insight into the personlity of the Snow Elf ruler who ordered its creation.

Location: Western Skyrim

Shrine of Boethra

Never seen anything like this, and I’ve spent many cold nights in Khajiiti tombs. The Riddle’Thar cult swept a lot of Khajiiti myths under the rug during the Elsweyr reunification. You think this is one of the spirits they scrubbed from the pantheon? —Ugron gro-Thumog

Undoubtedly! Note the sword and the figure’s morphology. You can correct me if I’m wrong here, but this doesn’t match any Khajiiti furstocks I’m aware of. Ohmes-raht come close, but the facial features are completely different. I think it’s Boethra! —Amalien

Boethra–the Khajiiti variant of Daedric Prince, Boethiah? The presence of a katana, the cloak, and the imperious expression all fit. Ancient Khajiit honored her as a patron of warriors and rebellious exiles. That feline companion’s a puzzler, though! —Gabrielle Benele

Item Description: Few can resist the instinct to tuck tail and scurry from this epitome of cool, feline ferocity on display.

Location: Southern Elsweyr

Silvenari Sap-Stone

A sap relic that didn’t come from Black Marsh? What a welcome surprise! I’ve never seen such a beautiful Wood Elf antiquity. I associate the Bosmer so much with bone, and rotmeth, and insect parts that I forget what wonders the Green Pact can produce! —Gabrielle Benele

Yes. Almost makes one wonder why the Wood Elves don’t request other things, like clothes that don’t smell like old mammoth cheese. I’ve never seen a tree in Malabal Tor leak sap like this. Could it have come from Falinesti? —Verita Numida

The graht-oak of Silvenar produces objects like this from time to time, but only at the urging of the Silvenar himself. Someone well-attuned to the Green could probably coax some Y’ffrine miracle out of it, but that’s well outside our capabilities! —Amalien

Item Description: This lovely sap-stone can add both a touch of the Green and dramatic flair to any wall you choose to place it upon.

Location: Malabal Tor

Sixth House Ritual Table

It’s been quite some time since I’ve seen such a well-preserved Chimer table. The volcanic rock seems consistent with the pre-Tribunal aesthetic. The sigil in the center is particularly noteworthy. Could this really have belonged to the Sixth House? —Verita Numida

Yes, this is definitely First Council-era craftsmanship. Note the script surrounding the seal. Dagoth written in Daedric runes. The other Houses went to great lengths to scrub House Dagoth’s legacy from the history books. This is quite a discovery! —Reginus Buca

Really makes you wonder–what threat did Dagoth pose to the Tribunal? I try to avoid Dark Elf politics, personally, but to wipe all mention of the Sixth House from the record seems excessive to the point of suspicious. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Item Description: Scholars of House Dagoth would find this ornate table both beautiful and thrilling—a marvel to admire, far away from Ordinators.

Location: Vvardenfell

Sorcerer-King’s Blade

An Ayleid sword, eh? Truly wondrous craftsmanship. Pity they probably used it to slaughter any of our ancestors who defied their supremacy. Odd that they would venerate this broken blade. Whoever wielded it must have commanded a great deal of respect. —Verita Numida

I still detect some residual magic swimming between the shards. Difficult to determine the nature of the enchantment after all this time, but it definitely feels tied to the illusory school … something to do with minds and mortal will. —Gabrielle Benele

Makes sense that Ayleid sorcerer kings would wield weapons capable of bending their subjects’ minds–especially during the civilizations’s latter days when their appetites turned dark as coal. No race, no matter how depraved, will stand for that forever. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Item Description: Complete with its own stone display furnishing, this broken blade was once wielded by an Ayleid ruler who held mastery over great magic.

Location: Reaper’s March

Spellscar Shard

This isn’t particularly old, but it’s still noteworthy. We don’t fully understand where it came from, but that obelisk in Craglorn stirred up all sorts of arcane mischief. Looks like it even managed to bend natural law here. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Yes indeed! It’s difficult to determine if this is Tamrielic matter transformed by the obelisk’s impact, or some fragment of the obelisk itself. I’d like to conduct some experiments on it. Those striations seem overloaded with magicka! —Amalien

I think the magicka stored in this fragment is largely spent at this point. Removing it from the crash-site might have diminished its connection to the obelisk, resulting in a slow degradation of its potency. It’s inert, yes, but still beautiful! —Gabrielle Benele

Item Description: This captivating shard of the great obelisk retains just enough energy to emit a dramatic electrical show.

Location: Craglorn

Stained Glass of Lunar Phases

A fully intact stained glass window? Simply remarkable! Someone clearly packed it away with great care. One can’t help but wonder why they squirreled such a masterpiece away. I’ve never seen a window like this in the Khajiiti temples I’ve visited. —Reginus Buca

That’s because the Khajiit never placed this window in one of their ancestral temples. See the similarities to Imperial glasswork? Clearly, Khajiiti glass workers made this for a converted temple. Perhaps the Chapel of Zenithar in Leyawiin. —Verita Numida

Makes sense. Bruk’ra wander-kings all but annexed the city after Darloc Brae’s conquests. It’s possible that the Imperials finished construction on the Chapel of Zenithar by then. But if the Khajiit did convert it, Imperial histories would never admit it. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Item Description: The Khajiit describe the changing of the Two Moons as a graceful dance, and this stained glass window somehow captures their elegance, especially under the moonlight.

Location: Elsweyr (Northern)

St. Alessia, Paravant

I can scarcely believe I’m saying this, but you may have discovered a sculpture of the mother of the First Empire, Saint Alessia. You see? She still bears the shackles of Ayleid enslavement, and holds the Amulet of Kings aloft. It’s her. It’s Paravant. —Verita Numida

I suspect this is a Bretonic work–perhaps given to Hestra as a gift after High Rock’s admission to the Empire. As you know, the Alessian Order placed tight restrictions on graven images of Alessia. We’ll likely never know what she really looked like. —Reginus Buca

Mara’s mercy, Reginus! For once in your life, can you just appreciate the majesty of what our friend uncovered? Obviously, the sculptor did not have the benefit of firsthand knowledge, but this is the truest depiction of Alessia we’ve ever seen! —Verita Numida

Item Description: Paravant, meaning “The First,” is a title given to Alessia, leader of the rebellion against the Ayleids. Perhaps you’ll be the first to display “The First,” eh?

Location: Grahtwood

St. Nerevar, Moon-and-Star

A bust of Saint Nerevar. A worthy discovery, to be sure. You don’t often find such realistic depictions of Dunmer religious figures. The sculptor may have spent some time in the Imperial City. I see similarities to Bruma School works. 1E 2800’s perhaps? —Verita Numida

The shapes featured in his panoply definitely match some of the pieces in the Gwylim First Council collection. Bit more conservative than I’d expect, though. I always had the sense that Chimer armor favored form over function. More exposed skin, etc. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Speaking of skin, I wish this bust included color! Dark Elf portraiture leans toward monochromatic, abstract compositions. I’m desperate to know if they conceptualize Nerevar with gold or ashen skin. I bet it’s gray. Dark Elves are master revisionists. —Amalien

Item Description: Behold the Champion of Azura, the Hero of Red Mountain, the Herald of the Triune Way, Saint Nerevar Moon-and-Star in all his glory from the comfort of your own home.

Location: Vvardenfell

Sweet Khenarthi’s Song

I’ve always loved Khajiiti needlework. The color and texture on this tapestry are tremendous, despite its age. I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but I suspect that winged figure is an artist’s depiction of Khenarthi–the Khajiiti goddess of the wind. —Gabrielle Benele

Yeah, it’s Khenarthi. She seems to be ushering that spectral Khajiit somewhere–presumably the Sands Behind the Stars. Khajiiti and Nord theology both present Kynareth as a guide to paradise. Odd considering how remote each civilization is from the other. —Ugron gro-Thumog

It’s not odd at all! Choice plays a central role in the process of death and rebirth for both Nords and Khajiit. Both have to earn their way to paradise. Kyne and Khenarthi reward courage and faithfulness respectively. A personal escort makes sense. —Reginus Buca

Item Description: The rich blues and golds of this tapestry, along with its subject matter, might just tempt you into hanging it opposite your bed, allowing it to be the first thing you see in the morning and last thing you see at night.

Location: Khenarthi’s Roost

Tall Papa’s Lamp

Ah, this exhibits the masterful craftsmanship one would expect from a Na-Totambu relic! These gold motifs seem consistent with Ra Gada heraldry, but the purple interior matches the hue of Ruptga prayer beads. The lack of star motifs seems odd, too.—Verita Numida

Is tethering military pomp to religious expression really that odd? For the Yokudans, warfare and religion were practically synonymous! Your comment about the stars does raise questions, though. Ruptga without stars is like Akatosh without a Dragon. —Reginus Buca

The lack of stars on the relic itself doesn’t necessarily mean it didn’t feature stars in another way. The oil reservoir has a layer of crystalline build-up–some kind of meteoric fuel, I bet. The light this lamp shed probably resembled starlight! —Gabrielle Benele

Item Description: The incense burned within this marvelous lamp is alleged to have guided Yokudans into transcendant experiences.

Location: Bankorai

Tri-Angled Truth Altar

Wow! Given the iconography on this pyramid, I think we can safely assume this object predates the rise of the Tribunal! See how there’s no reference to Almsivi? These marks venerate the old gods: Boethiah, Mephala, and Azura. —Amalien

Exactly right, Amalien. Odd to find such a fine, polished object carved in the Chimeric tradition. Velothi asceticism and Beothian values drove them to work in unconventional materials, even during their Golden Age. This feels modern. Overly geometric. —Reginus Buca

Nerevar and Dumac’s warm relationship likely led to some cultural exchange. Dwemer society was too intransigent to absorb traditions from other cultures, but even the most pious Chimer probably wanted a break from stone and chitin-carving at some point. —Verita Numida

Item Description: With markings that show veneration to old gods, this splendid altar required consummate geometric knowledge to create.

Location: Bal Foyen

Tusks of the Orc-Father

Always good to see a relic from the homeland. A tusk arrangement like this usually marks an entrance of a chief or forge-wife’ longhouse. The scale of these tusks is pretty damned impressive. Haven’t seen a mammoth that size in my lifetime.—Ugron gro-Thumog

Alas, I think the Bretons plundered most of these monolithic ivories after the sack of Orsinium in 1E 980. The Daggerfall ivory trade helped fuel the Bjoulsae economic expansion that catapulted High Rock to prominence in the centuries that followed. —Reginus Buca

No need to remind me. From what I hear, ivory restitution was one of Kurog’s demands when Emeric invited him to join the Daggerfall Covenant. We took tusks as part of our Ranser’s War spoils, too. We Orcs always get what we’re owed … eventually. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Item Description: None who see these imposing tusks from Wrothgar on your estate can doubt your bravery. Having them is one thing. Keeping them? Another entirely.

Location: Orsinium

Void-Crystal Anomaly

I’ve only seen something like this once–an artist’s rendering we found in a Worm Cult hideout. It’s radiating … something. I can’t really explain it, but I’m detecting a gap in the flow of natural magicka. —Gabrielle Benele

Fascinating! Makes one wonder how the Antiquarian’s Eye managed to find it. It clearly comes from Oblivion. The question is, what part of Oblivion? The connection to Molag Bal seems clear enough, but the shapes resemble crystals from the Spiral Skein. —Amalien

Molag Bal practices all sorts of bizarre alchemy in his Vile Laboratory. Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised if he managed to pry some facet of Mephala’s realm into his own. Corrupting the essence of another Prince would be difficult, but not impossible. —Gabrielle Benele

Item Description: Floating serenely, these black crystals provide an unsettling focal point to any garden or room.

Location: Coldharbour

Warcaller’s Painted Drum

What a prime example of Orcish musical craftsmanship. People tend not to associate music with Orcs, but we have a deep cultural investment in percussion instruments. I can pretty much guarantee this served as a war drum. —Ugron gro-Thumog

I sense some faded magic here. Did your people enchant these drums, Ugron? It’s something in the runes. there’s an intention there that seems … well, it seems very angry, to be perfectly honest. Sorry! —Gabrielle Benele

No need to apologize, Gabrielle. Orcs worship Malacath. My people’s connections with Daedric ritual ran twice as deep when they stretched this drum. The runes are Malacath devotionals. Grudge-marks. When the warcaller beat this drum, battle was certain. —Ugron gro-Thumog

Item Description: No musical instrument collection is complete without this massive drum. When used, all who hear it feel its beat deep within their bones.

Location: Betnikh

Yokudan Skystone Scabbard

What a grogeous scabbard. I suspect this belonged to a high-ranking Yokudan warrior–perhaps even a sword saint! I’m especially intrigued by this array of stones. They must be aehterial fragments of some kind. —Amalien

You’re likely right, Amalien. Yokudans wielded powerful magic where stones were concerned. The Redguards’ distaste for magic makes discussing it a little awkward. But these stones absolutely possessed some magical potency. —Gabrielle Benele

Sort of begs the question: why did a Yokudan warrior who could call a magical sword to hand at will need a scabbard? I guess this could have been purely ornamental. Or maybe having a physical anchor made summoning the weapon easier. —Amalien

Item Description: Imagine what the sword that belonged to this stunning scabbard might have looked like! As it stands, the scabbard alone deserves all the attention it garners.

Location: Hew’s Bane