Tes4Mod:Oscuro's Oblivion Overhaul/A Brief History of War in Tamriel I

Throughout the last several eras, lust, vengeance, honour and fear have been the cornerstone for a great deal of the wars that have ravaged our precious continent, Dawn's Beauty. Even though the wars have left abrasions on the skin of the land, and deep cuts in the hearts of the beings involved, it is important to remember the causes and effects of the wars; so as to provide future generations with the knowledge they will need to either start them, or prevent them.

The Arnesian War:

The Arnesian War proved to be a painful one for the Dunmer Imperial family in Morrowind. As a result of the fact that slavery isn't illegal in Morrowind, unaligned slavers, brigands and agents of the Dunmer Great House Dres have scoured the fetid, murky lands of the Black Marsh for decades, in search of Argonian slaves. The disposition of the slaves towards their masters is often less than cordial, and rebellions are common, although they rarely grow into anything more than the occasional skirmish. Eventually it was bound that a small revolt would turn into a large one, and so this one did. The Empire was unable to intervene, as its true leadership was hidden away and was under the control of a faceless coward who deemed himself to be the most worthy of ruling Tamriel. Dunmer armies marched south, as the raiding bands of freed Argonian slaves, with a few Khajiit among them, targeted remote manner houses of wealthy Dres landowners, freeing the slaves as they went. With every Dres killed, the ranks of the rebellious slaves were bolstered, until they were a capable and dangerous fighting force. Argonians, ready for war, emerged from the mist and marched north to aid their free brethren and battle the Dunmer. While the Argonians proved themselves early in the war, it didn't take long for the tides to turn. They reached the walls of Narsis and Tear, but were unable to breach them. Holding the cities under siege, the bulk of the Argonian force continued north, where they met a large Dunmer army commanded by Symmachus. He was slain, and Barenziah fled to Wayrest, only returning to Morrowind in more recent years. Llethan, a Hlaalu noble, took the throne and continued the war, which very soon began to turn in favor of the Dunmer. Pushing the Argonians back into their swamps, Dres soldiers continued the battle, annexing Argonian land. The Dunmer were unwilling to secede, but as anyone who has visited Argonia knows that the swamps themselves are impenetrable, and through guerilla warfare the Argonians have successfully continued to struggle against the Dunmer for the return of their lands.

The War of the Isle

For over two-thousand years, the Maormer of Pyandonea had ravaged the coastlines of Summerset Isle, and occasionally those of Valenwood, causing misery and destruction. The Altmer soon learned that the most effective way to prevent the Maormer from causing harm to their island home was to stop them from initially reaching the beaches. Ancient visual texts in the Crystal Tower tell of a wealthy Altmer nobleman, who rebelled against the Altmer powers-that-be and was banished, along with his followers. While rumors persisted, it was not until 3E 110, when he launched an attack against Summerset was it revealed that the nobleman, known as Orgnum, still lived. Hoping for allies to assist her attack on the Septim line during the War of the Red Diamond, (which is chronicled later) Queen Potema of Solitude, the so called "Wolf Queen" met with Orgnum and his retinue for their assistance in the war. Having no issues with attacking Summerset, they agreed to the plan, and prepared for a massive invasion. However, the Psijic Order was not pleased with the actions of Potema, and even though they were separate from their former cousins of Summerset, they decided on a course of actions. This course of action makes it difficult to call the War of the Isle an actual war, as it was over in a single battle that wasn't even really a battle. A freak storm blew into the Maormer fleet, allegedly concocted by the magick of the Psijic Order, and annihilated them. The attack on Summerset Isle didn't continue, and little information from Pyandonea has reached the ears of scholars and the general populous for almost 330 years.

The Siege of Orsinium

Even though its name doesn't give it credence, the Siege of Orsinium starting in 1E 950 are actually more of a war than that of the previously mentioned War of the Isle. Displeased with the presence of the Orsimer, cities in High Rock and Hammerfell went to war against their neighbors. Marching north for King Joile of Daggerfall and over the Bjoulsae for Sentinel, along with soldiers from the Ansei Order of Diagna, they struggled against the strong walls and arms of the Orcs for thirty years. Very little information still exists as to what happened during all those years, but given the war-torn history of the Iliac Bay; it is likely that the battles were nearly incessant. Eventually the walls fell and the city was razed to the ground, with very few survivors, the Orsimer won themselves respect among the 'civilized' people of Tamriel. They showed that they were not simply bloodthirsty warriors who couldn't resist a charge, but steadfast and staunch defenders who were able to resist a siege by some of the most skilled and experienced warriors in all of Tamriel. The Orsimer proved the strength and hardiness of their warriors and their armorsmithing, as well as their ability to contend with the other races of Tamriel. Because the city was pounded to dust by the tenacious and finally victorious armies, accounts the war are few and far , which further goes to show the prowess of the Orcs in battle. \It is known that Gaiden Shinji, first arena Blademaster and elite Diagnete was killed during the fighting. Although it was the southern Iliac forces of Daggerfall and Sentinel that breached the walls and destroyed Orsinium, it was the Orsimer that won the battle in the hearts of the people of Tamriel, earning themselves acceptance and honour, and ultimately, their place on the continent.