Lore:Maormer

Maormer, also known as Sea Elves or Tropical Elves (or derogatorily as Fish Elves), are a race of Mer that reside on the island kingdom of Pyandonea, far south of the Summerset Isles. Similar to their   cousins in build,  their skin can range in tone from pearlescent white  or grey  blue, and Maormer Leviathans can have scales.  Some Maormer have strange, chameleon-like skin  that is entirely colorless, as if their flesh were made of some white limpid jelly.  Some Maormer ears are more broad than those of other mer, and are flared along the outer ear like a clip point blade. Their ears are shaped in such a way that they resemble fins.  Maormer eyes can be pale blue, with a faint distinction between the sclera and the iris. Their eyes can also be blank.  Their tattoos are elaborate, and they tend to display a vicious demeanor towards the denizens of  .  Maormer are acclimated to life on the waves,  and are steady on their feet in even the roughest waters.  Maormer tongues can filter saltwater and make it potable. 

Among the Maormer, the leviathans are the most feared. They have been described by one scholar as "the spawn of some unholy and sorcerous coupling of Sea Elf and  ". They are scaly and massive, standing a head and a half over the tallest Nords when they draw themselves to their full height, which they don't often do because they carry themselves in a beastly posture. Maormer leviathans are usually hunched over, their backs bent and arced like a snake ready to strike. When they walk, their movements are akin to slithering in an uneven predatory lope. The Leviathans appear unused to using their legs on land. They move deftly in the water, and can climb effortlessly up the slippery sides of ships. They are capable of stretching their jaws out of place to swallow their prey.  
 

History
It was once believed that the Maormer of Pyandonea were originally exiles from the Summerset Isle. However, translations of tapestries in the Crystal Tower tell the tale of how the Maormer were likely separated in their original homeland of Aldmeris.   According to the legend, the Maormer leader King Orgnum was once a phenomenally wealthy Aldmer nobleman, who used his finances to launch a rebellion against the powers of the land. He and his followers were banished for this to a place separated from Aldmeris by an impenetrable mist, Pyandonea, "The Veil of Mist". This boundary proved so effective that the followers of Orgnum never again disturbed their former countrymen in Aldmeris. 

The Maormer were relentless in their drive to conquer Summerset, and there is scarcely a year throughout the First or Second Eras when they did not ravage the coastlines of the Altmer.  Every attack launched by the Maormer against Summerset has been led by Orgnum himself, and despite the number of wars and strategies employed by the Maormer, each of these attacks has proved to be an ultimate failure.  They also briefly controlled Khenarthi's Roost, and established a treaty with the resident Khajiit. 

Maormer slavers controlled the hinterlands of Hew's Bane in the latter years of the First Era, and were still active circa  .   They were also active in Elsweyr and cooperated with Euraxians. 

The Maormer were allies of the second Aldmeri Dominion,  although the Dominion allowed the kings of Colovia to eliminate Maormer outposts that had been established along the western coast of the mainland. 

The last documented appearance of the Maormer was in   in the War of the Isle.  The united alliance of the kings of Summerset and Antiochus Septim,  combining the Imperial fleet and the royal navies of Summerset Isle, together with the magical powers of the Psijic Order, succeeded in destroying the Pyandonean invading armada.  It was said that the storm brewed by the Psijic of Artaeum so annihilated Orgnum's fleet that he was never again able to muster together enough of a force to dare another battle. 

Culture
thumb|right|Maormer totems
The Maormer leader, King Orgnum, is a deathless wizard  who it seems is not only immortal but grows more youthful by the century.  He is said to be the Serpent God of the Satakal.  Under Orgnum, Maormer identity and culture is defined by the goal of capturing the Summerset Isles and hatred for the Altmer; this to the extent that it has been described as "practically all [the Maormer] live for".  Maormer of Pyandonea live in clan-based society. 

The Maormer are believed to practice a powerful form of snake magic, which they use to tame the sea serpents of their island for use as steeds and warbeasts.  These sea serpents serve as King Orgnum's guards and occasional mounts.  Local legends in Hew's Bane allege that in the latter days of the First Era, Maormeri snake magic was used on ensorcelled locks when capturing slaves to ensure that they remained docile and compliant.  Maormeri ships are described as looking insectoid, with membranous sails and a rugged chitin hull, flying a markedly alien flag.  Maormer use fire salts to warm their food on long voyages. 

Maormer sailors are nimble acrobats that excel at boarding enemy ships.  The Maormer have a reputation for being adept storm mages. They have harnessed the power of water, air and lightning to assault their enemies.  Their mages also conjure  s, and can shape them to look like animals, such as bears and tigers.  During naval battles, Maormer Sea Mages conjure winds and storms to toss their foes' ships around on the waves.  

The Maormer have many methods of using storm magic to obliterate their foes. They can whip up hurricanes with the intent to destroy entire fleets. They can do so with a ritual using serpent-shaped storm totems to siphon life energy from sacrifices marked with runes. Blood sacrifices such as these are only utilized when a summoner needs to rapidly accrue and release a lot of energy. The energy from the totems can be used to form powerful hurricanes,  or it can be funneled into a storm atronach, which can only hold so much energy before it discorporates. Maormer mages can use wind energies to bind the creature until it performs its intended function. When it explodes, it releases a wave of energy that kills everything it touches, except for creatures with an affinity for storm energy, such as  s. 

The Maormer breed and train a wide variety of marine predators as pets and tools for combat. The winged reef vipers are commonly trained for warfare, and can leap high out of the water to land on an enemy vessel.  Sea Serpents large enough to capsize warships are also among the beasts the Maormer have domesticated for warfare.  
 

See Also
For Maormer names, see here.
For a list of notable Maormer, see here.
 

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References