Morrowind:Duke Vedam Dren

Duke Vedam Dren is the Duke of the Imperial District of Vvardenfell in the province of Morrowind. Of noble descent, Dren was Hlaalu Grandmaster of the Vvardenfell district before he inherited his title. He rules from the Grand Council Chambers in Ebonheart, surrounded by Dunmer and Imperial Counselors.

Vedam Dren is a Dark Elf knight but also considers himself a noble, a leader and a diplomat. Additionally, he is the older brother of Camonna Tong head Orvas Dren, who runs the Dren Plantation, and the father of Ilmeni Dren, the leader of the abolitionist group Twin Lamps, whose goal is to end slavery by means of constant activism.

For more information see the full Lore article.

The Duke is essential for completing many high-ranking House Hlaalu, Redoran, and Telvanni quests, since he is the only one who has the authority to grant you a construction contract for your stronghold. If you belong to House Hlaalu, Dren is also the only person in the game who can promote you to Grandmaster.

The Duke is guarded by the Duke's Guard but is otherwise surprisingly weak himself, mainly because he uses a shockbite mace even though he is not well-trained with a Blunt Weapon. Still, he wears an almost complete set of ebony armor (without the helm) which makes him pretty tough. He also has a Construction Contract on him, though it is useless without the relevant quests (aside from its value of 5000 drakes of course). Aside from his natural resistance to fire and the sanctuary provided by his ancestors, he knows the spells Rest of St. Merris, Great Heal Companion, Resist Fire, Seryn's Gift, and Cure Poison.

 
Related Quests
House Hlaalu




House Redoran


House Telvanni


Dialogue
Greetings:
:*"I am Vedam Dren, Duke of Vvardenfell. Welcome to Ebonheart, outlander."
:*"I am surprised to see you here again. Do you have some business for me?"
-----
Advancement:
:*"Once our business is concluded, I will consider naming you the new Grandmaster of House Hlaalu."
:*"You are the Grandmaster of House Hlaalu, %PCName."
Background:
:*"I am Lord Vedam Dren, Duke of Ebonheart and Vvardenfell."
business:
:*"Surely you do not expect me to discuss business with you when you have broken the rules. You must make amends, %PCName."
:*"Perhaps I will discuss business with you when you have earned a higher rank in House Hlaalu."
:*"In order for House Hlaalu and the most virtuous aspects of the Empire to survive, we must find a way to control the Ordinators."
:*"To be %NextPCRank in anything other than name, you must win control of the Cammona Tong from my brother, Orvas Dren."
:*''"House Hlaalu's business is in your hands now, %PCName."
Camonna Tong: 
:*"The Camonna Tong is the traditional Thieves Guild of Morrowind. It predates the Empire's Thieves Guild, but it is more brutal and takes every chance to interfere with the Empire. If you are to be Grandmaster of House Hlaalu in anything but name, you must reach an accommodation with my brother, Orvas Dren, who leads the Camonna Tong. Spare his life if you can."
:*"As I said, if you want to be Grandmaster of House Hlaalu in anything but name, you must reach an accommodation with my brother, Orvas Dren ."
:*"I was going to ask you to speak with my brother, Orvas Dren, but now you bring me  news of his death. If he is truly dead, there is nothing to stop me from naming you the next Grandmaster of House Hlaalu."
:*"Yes, I heard that you were the Hortator of House Hlaalu. You could not hold that rank if Orvas Dren did not wish it. Since you already have some agreement with Orvas Dren, I will name you the new Grandmaster of House Hlaalu."
:*"You have won my brother's support. I do not wish to know how you have done this. I only hope you will use House Hlaalu and your new connections in the Camonna Tong with wisdom and a touch of compassion. I will name you the new Grandmaster of House Hlaalu."
:*"Use your rank and influence to help the people of Vvardenfell."
construction contract: 
:*"I am not sure if I should issue you a contract. Vvardenfell faces many threats today. I will grant you a contract if you vow to do what you can for my people."
::*I vow that I will do what I can. "That is good enough for me. Take this contract. Use your stronghold for the defense of my people, and as an aid in your fight against our enemies."
::*Nevermind. "Then I will not grant you a contract."
:*"Yes, I know of your deeds, Nerevarine. I will give you a construction contract. Here, take it as a token of my gratitude for all you have done for my people."
:*"I have issued you a construction contract. I am not going to issue you another."
control the Ordinators: 
:*"Berel Sala, the leader of the Ordinators, is a fanatic. The Archcanon Tholer Saryoni, on the other hand, seems to be a decent and reasonable man. I need you to convince Archcanon Saryoni to put a stop to the worst of the Ordinator's zeal. Saryoni may be found at the High Fane in Vivec. Here is a key to his quarters."
:*"Go speak with Archcanon Tholer Saryoni in Vivec. Get him to put a stop to the worst of Berel Sala's excuses."
:*"I have heard that the Archcanon will speak with Berel Sala and the Ordinators. Perhaps he can convince them to leave House Hlaalu's business alone. Please accept my gratitude."
:*"You bring me news that Berel Sala is dead. Perhaps this will help use control the Ordinators, but perhaps it will not. Only time will tell."
:*"Berel Sala has been murdered. There are rumors in town that you were responsible. If you are so careless,  I do not believe you should be the Grandmaster of House Hlaalu."
:*"The Ordinators seem to be under control now."
Dunmer: "It will be difficult to overcome the Dunmer's lingering resentment of Imperial occupation. Ironically, it is now, in the face of the menace of Dagoth Ur and Red Mountain, that we have a great opportunity to unite natives and colonists against a common threat. When the Dunmer fight side by side with outlanders like you against the hosts of Dagoth Ur, our common peril and purpose must unite us."
latest rumors:
:*"I'm told you claim to be the Incarnate -- Nerevar reborn according to legend. My father used to say, 'When you hear something unbelievable, don't believe it.' From what I hear, your story is remarkable enough without relying on ancient prophecies. I suggest you stand upon your reputation, and leave superstitions to the prophets and holy men."
:*"The Great Houses have named you Hortator? Remarkable. My staff have kept me up-to-date on your adventures, of course. But uniting the fractious Great Houses under a single war leader is a remarkable achievement. Now you must marshal the Great House forces against Dagoth Ur and the Sixth House."
:*"The four Ashlander tribes have named you Nerevarine? Remarkable. My staff have kept me up-to-date on your adventures, of course. But uniting the squabbling Ashlander tribes under one ashkhan is a remarkable achievement. Now I hope you will lead the tribes in our war against Dagoth Ur and the Sixth House."
:*"So you have been named Hortator and Nerevarine, fulfilling the Nerevarine prophecies. I would not have believed it. But my informants assure me it is true. If now you can also achieve a reconciliation with the Temple, you may be able to unite all of Morrowind's force against Dagoth Ur and Red Mountain."
:*"The Archcanon has announced that Lord Vivec has selected you as a champion of the Temple in the war against Dagoth Ur and the Sixth House. Now the fate of Morrowind and its people lies in your hands."
:*"You have slain Dagoth Ur, defeated the Sixth House, and ended the Blight, Nerevarine. That's all anyone is talking about now, %PCName."
little advice: "Don't make enemies. If someone is determined to be your enemy, then fight. But do not turn friends or potential friends into enemies through arrogance or carelessness."
little secret: "Orvas Dren is my brother. I don't know what you've heard of him. I won't defend everything he's done. But don't become his enemy."
Morrowind: "Morrowind is a peculiar mixture of Dunmer tradition and Imperial modernism. The council system of government works well, and the Temple provides shelter, education, and health for all. At the same time, the Legions and magistrates guarantee rule of law and justice, and free trade makes us prosperous. Looking forward, we must overcome lingering resentments by engaging the Great Houses in the creation of a new Morrowind rooted in Dunmer tradition but incorporating the best features of Imperial civil society."
Morrowind lore:
:*"We have grown too complacent about the threat of Dagoth Ur and Red Mountain. For ages we've relied on the Tribunal to contain the menace. But Dagoth Ur's power is waxing as the Tribunal's power is waning. The Legion garrisons here are insufficient to protect our settlements, and there's no hope for reinforcements. Our people have always relied on a charismatic leader to rally squabbling factions against a common foe. Now would be a good time for such a leader to emerge."
:*"We have grown too complacent about the threat of Dagoth Ur and Red Mountain. For ages we've relied on the Tribunal to contain the menace. But Dagoth Ur's power is waxing as the Tribunal's power is waning. The Legion garrisons here are insufficient to protect our settlements, and there's no hope for reinforcements. Our people have always relied on a charismatic leader to rally squabbling factions against a common foe. Perhaps you are that leader. Only time will tell."
:*"We have grown too complacent about the threat of Dagoth Ur and Red Mountain. For ages we've relied on the Tribunal to contain the menace. But Dagoth Ur's power is waxing as the Tribunal's power is waning. The Legion garrisons here are insufficient to protect our settlements, and there's no hope for reinforcements. Our people have always relied on a charismatic leader to rally squabbling factions against a common foe. You are that leader. Now we must rely on you."
my trade: "I am a noble, a leader and diplomat."
Orcs at a Daedric ruin: 
:*"I have no reason to hate Orcs. In fact, I admire King Gortwog for his political skill. In the case of the Orcs at Alof's farm, however, I've heard that the leader is the Barbarian Burub gra-Bamog. She is wanted for murder, theft, and banditry. If Burub is gathering forces in Ashunartes, I want someone to put a stop to it."
:*"You have prevented Barbarian Burub gra-Bamog from becoming a threat to Vvardenfell and for that you have my gratitude."
Orvas Dren: 
:*"He is my brother and head of the Camonna Tong. You may find him on the Dren Plantation between Pelagiad and Suran. Spare his life if you can."
:*"I am glad you were able to spare his life, %PCName."
:*"I am saddened at his death, but perhaps it was necessary."
:*"Yes, he is my brother."
someone in particular: "I'm Duke Vedam Dren. The other Grand Council members are with me here. Rufinus Alleius is the Imperial magistrate. Cavortius Albuttian is the head of the Imperial Guard, my palace guard, Frald the White, Knight Bachelor of the Imperial Legion, is the head of the Hawkmoth Legion Garrison. Lalatia Varian is the head priest of the castle's Imperial cult shrine. The wealthy Canctunian Ponius is the chief factor and banker of East Empire Company."''

Notes
The Duke is the only head of a Great House who freely interacts with you and willingly promotes an outlander to replace him; Archmaster Bolvyn Venim of House Redoran and Archmagister Gothren of House Telvanni are both hostile to outlanders.
After he grants you a stronghold Construction Contract, you can steal a second one from him. It won't enable you to have a second one built if you used the "backdoor method" to join two Houses - but you can turn it in for some extra journal updates, or keep it for a trophy item.
  also appears in the Houses of Morrowind card expansion for Legends.

Bugs