Netruk44/uesp-wiki-content huggingface dataset:
The Language of Birds

[If there ever existed anything like an Ayleid creation myth, it has been lost to the passage of time and the Marukhati destruction. This text, found in the margins of one of the Piukanda scrolls, probably comes closest: it is thought to be a children's fable, shedding a modicum of light on the origin of the Ayleid.]

In times past we were as the birds. The birds lived on an island which was eight; it was surrounded by a lake that was as if eight; it was surrounded by a jungle that was as if eight.

The birds knew no arts; they knew no crafts. They did not build; they lived under starlit benevolence. They knew no fire; they were warmed by blessings (eight). They did not write; they knew not speech; they knew to sing pleasing songs; they knew to listen to the stars; they knew to repeat them.

There on the far shores they were the people of Man. They were many (eight) and ruled in the jungle; the jungle was of their design; the jungle is loathsome. They knew to command the serpents of the lake; they knew to implore the beasts of the jungle; which they did by craft and not art.

The people of Man hated the birds and conspired to destroy them with fire. Many times (eight) they besieged the island which was eight; many birds were killed; the birds knew no arts; they knew no crafts.

Then came the Pilot; he sailed on a white ship. The Pilot was called Torval; because he was a seeker and he came from the west. The Pilot was charmed by the friendly bird people who welcomed him; they sang in a voice that repeated whatever they heard; not understanding.

To thank them for their hospitality the Pilot taught the birds the secret of language. Language is a great thing; language is the greatest thing. Language means all arts and all crafts; and all of writing and the alphabet; and all that can be said and sung; and all of culture and civilization; every white tower and every ceremony; theories and philosophies; the work of many and the work of the great that did cause empire to spring forth and bind the jungle and its unworthy creatures; how to make lights that are stars and spears that one may wield in starlit splendor; to build altars to the gods and ancestors (eight); to discern what is worthy and what is unworthy; and transmute unworthy matter; to build; to rule; to speak power; to be Ayleidoon.

The birds were very happy with the great gift of the Pilot who was called Torval. They gave him a great gift of the island which was eight; they made promise of friendship and loyalty in the new language.

And with language the birds were much stronger than the people of Man; they knew how to kill the serpents of the lake; they knew how to charm the beasts of the jungle better and set them against the people of Man. And the birds were happy; they built many houses (eight) on the land which now belonged to them; and this was Ayleidoon.
The Law and the Will

The Divines have made the world, and, for a large part, they are the world, freely giving their blood and flesh to the crucible of Man. As such, the Nine are the supreme authority on all moral and ethical questions that could even plague man: after all, they are both designers of the world, and inherent in its every aspect, having full knowledge of all possible circumstance varieties. If only we could converse directly with their radiant and titanic presences, they would be able to soothe all our worries and inform us of the right path to walk. Alas, for Man is weak, and incapable of interfacing directly with the Divine. Therefore, we are tasked to find other ways of taking knowledge of their good counsel. Here, in the mortal world, the Nine manifest in two ways: Divine Law and Divine Will.

The tenets and mandates of the Divines are revealed to the people by the priests in the form of Divine Law. While Divine Law usually shows at least some internal consistency or logic, this is not actually a requirement: Law, under the purview of Akatosh, must simply be obeyed. It is not up to us to understand the secret workings of the world, which sometimes favor evil men while the pious and the saintly seem to suffer. Accept that this is by design. Some of the provincial cults speak of sin, which is a false idea, but in Law there is something like debt: the debt of sacrifice we mortals have incurred for the creation of our world, which we can pay in full through obedience. The Law is revealed unto us by imperfect aspect facets, and is as such sometimes warped and refracted by the multiples. Therefore, it is imperative that the priests study the teachings and the covenants, so that they can interpret Divine Law in the proper way, and not give bad counsel. All Law of Empire is Divine Law, for all Law of Empire comes forth from Tiber Imperator, anon Talos.

Only the exalted are privy to Divine Will, which manifests in the visions of the oracles, the great revelations, and the physical manifestations, which is when the Divines cast themselves in flesh to descend upon the world and perform great and secret works. Through the perfect aspect facets, the Divines speak with great clarity to their chosen ones, who must meditate upon their message before revealing it unto the people as Divine Law. Divine Will is to be a secret, for it is difficult to grasp, and easy to misinterpret. Many the shapes of Will that seems contrary to our sense of right and wrong, for the Divines in their perfection are one-sided, beautiful in their singularity, and not beholden to the strictures of one another.
Lesser Catechism of Julianos

Q: What is the domain of Julianos?

A: His domain is Wisdom and Logic.

Q: What is Wisdom?

A: Wisdom is seeing beyond the veil and discovering the true Nature of things.

Q: What is Logic?

A: Logic is the paved road whereupon the mortal may journey from Ignorance to Knowledge.

Q: How does the mortal use Wisdom and Logic?

A: The mortal uses Wisdom and Logic to establish and maintain Law.

Q: What is Law?

A: Law is how the World functions.

Q: Where is Law found?

A: Law is found in all things. Law commands Magnus to rise in the east and set in the west. Law commands a tiny seed to grow into a mighty tree. Law commands the ruler to punish the Law-breaker.

Q: How can Law be determined?

A: Law can be determined through observation and through the declarations of rulers.
Life Cycle of the Dreugh

Contrary to local myths about the origins of this base species, the dreugh migrate from the Abecean Sea into the lakes and inlets that feed into the Iliac Bay. In addition to their mass of clawlike limbs, pincers, and scuttling feet protruding from a human-torso-sized skeletal frame, the dreugh wear armored hides and secrete shell wax that are prized in some quarters. They are aquatic scavengers, spending much of their time in deep ocean water. Local fishermen tell of altercations with this species (such as when the dreugh cut fishermen's nets to steal fish), but dreugh are mostly mild-mannered, except during karvinasim, their period of transformation.

During karvinasim, dreugh walk upon the land, favoring shoreline marshes and rivers close to the open water. Hatchlings are closely guarded, and broodmothers are extremely territorial, reacting to invaders with both speed and hostility. This leads credence to the notion that karvinasim heightens the dreugh's martial instincts: Indeed, after witnessing the evisceration of our lead geographer Pulcherius Pomptinus, our raiding party thought twice before capturing and culling further specimens.

After a year of land walking, the dreugh return to the water. As they submerge, they undergo a final transformation known as "meff," where they devour their land skin and air organs - the body parts they no longer need - and then vomit the congealed remains as small fibrous balls that are approximately a foot in diameter. These disgusting and foul-smelling spheres are known as "grom" and are found in clusters around lakes. So far, our apothecaries have discovered no virtues in grom, aside from inducing queasiness in some of the more weak-stomached members of this contingent.
Light Armor Repair

There are two classes of light armor, metallic and non-metallic. Chainmail, Elven, Mithril and Glass are all examples of metallic light armor. You may be surprised to think that Glass can be thought of as metallic, but appearances are deceiving. What we call Glass is nothing like the windows panes you see in houses. The greenish material is far stronger and has a much higher melting point.

Non-metallic armors are Fur and Leather. For these armor types, the hammer is less useful than the sewing kit. A sharp awl is necessary to restitch the thick material. Holes frequently have to be patched with spare material. The rule of thumb is once you have to patch a patch, it's time to throw out the armor and get a new set.

Metallic armor will occasionally need a patch. Usually it can be repaired by hammering the torn pieces back together. Elven and Mithril will repair better when heated. Chainmail is usually malleable enough to work on cold.

The trickiest of all is Glass. Hammer blows struck across the grain run the risk of shattering the armor. Whenever possible,   the hammer blows with the grain. In extreme cases, place the armor in tub of oil. Place the anvil so that the affected piece is on the anvil, but just under the oil. Vibrations from the hammer blows are absorbed by the oil and less likely to shatter the Glass.
The Line of Emperors IV

XI.REMAN II

Emperor Reman II assumed the throne in the early twenty-ninth century, receiving the mandate of power from the dying hand of Emperor Kastav, his caretaker and foster-father, in a time when the Empire was beset by Nordic and Argonian insurgents. Reman II wasted no time in putting an end to these uprisings, making clever use of his Tsaeci servants as he did so, sending these brave and loyal warriors first to the north, where they brought down the Nordic rebels, and then south, where they fought the great Battle of Argonia, establishing Imperial Law and the Rule of the Emperors in that stygian land.


Remembering the ideals of his predecessor, Reman I, who did intend to join all of Tamriel under his rule, and seeing what good his regime did in the newly joined province of Black Marsh, Reman II decided to honor this great ambition, and to that purpose declared war on the lands of Morrowind, for the Dunmer who lived there were in thrall to dark powers, and their resuscitation was a noble goal indeed. For Four-Score years the war against the Dunmer raged, as they were abetted by a dark three-headed spirit, who went by the name of Ephen. With his great endeavor unfinished, Reman II was slain in battle in the year of 1E 2851, and his people did weep over the fall of so mighty a man.


XII. THE EXPUNGED REMAN


XIII. REMAN III

In the year 1E 2877 Reman III did take the throne, fated to be the last of the line of Reman. Brave as his predecessors, Emperor Reman III fought the Dunmer of Morrowind to a standstill, though he was undermined at every turn by treachery and deceit. Even his own consort, the Empress Tavia, conspired against him with revolutionaries and tribesmen of the Blackwood borderlands, who were moved by perverse instincts to struggle against legitimate authority. So it came to be that the Emperor was forced to confine Tavia in the dread prisons of Black Marsh.


Though these actions may seem harsh, Reman III was a more gentle ruler than his predecessors, and was known far and wide for his mercy and kindness. As such, he is remembered by the people of Cyrodiil as a martyr of kindness and good governance, for his enemies did wound him, and killed his only son, and assassinated him as well, on the eve of his triumphant victory over the Dunmer. So the Second Era began, which was an Era of chaos, in which no true Emperor would appear.


With his last breath, Reman III entrusted the administration of his Empire to his Tsaeci servant, Versidue-Shaie, who safeguarded the Empire as Potentate for many years, as did his son, Savirien-Chorak. But the lands of Cyrodiil did not prosper under an alien hand, and the Potentates were never a good substitute for the true rule of the Emperors. In time, they too fell to the hands of murderers, and the Empire was left in the delinquent care of the Interregnum Pretenders, a ceaseless flow of hapless warriors and champions who sought the legitimacy that only the White-Gold Throne could ensure. Without a true Emperor, the land was soaked in blood, and the people of Tamriel knew despair.
The Line of Emperors IX: Add.

As of this writing, the blessed Emperor Pelagius IV has passed away, to be succeeded by Emperor Uriel VII. After twenty years of his enlightened reign, Emperor Uriel VII has graciously granted me, Tyr Ymanwe, the privilege of publishing this small addendum to "The LINE of EMPERORS vol. IX: from CEPHORUS II to MORIHATHA", further describing the life and deeds of Pelagius IV. Also included is a preliminary draft of the life of Uriel VII, unfinished, of course, as this scholar sincerely wishes our Emperor many years of good health to come.


XXXIV. PELAGIUS IV SEPTIM

Emperor Pelagius IV ascended the throne in 3E 339, after the brutal and untimely end of his beloved aunt and predecessor, Morihatha. In his ascension many saw a sign of continuance and unification, as he was named Pelagius, as many of the great and wise Emperors of the original line of Septims, as as such indicated their continuing relevance.


Pelagius IV was quick to continue the good work of Morihatha, pacifying the provinces, and bringing them closer still through a grand investment in the good infrastructure of the Empire, the building of good roads across Tamriel, and bold strongholds to project the mighty hand of the Legions far and wide. If some claim that Pelagius' work of peace was less absolute or durable than that of Morihatha, it should only be noted that the former is continuing this work where the latter did not venture, cracking even the hardest and most obstinate of the provincial rulers. Indeed, the Empire in its present state is more peaceful and unified than ever before, and the legacy of Pelagius IV is sure to continue a hundred years or more.


XXXV. URIEL VII SEPTIM

When in 3E 368 Pelagius IV passed on to his rightful place by the side of the Divines, the current Emperor, Uriel VII, twenty-first Emperor of the Septim dynasty, ascended the White-Gold throne. Truly, a more splendid ruler has not been seen since the days of Tiber Septim himself! For Uriel VII combines within him the diligent diplomacy of Empress Morihatha, the cunning and patient political acumen of Emperor Uriel VI, and the military genius and foresight of Uriel V.


In the ten years of his reign, our youthful Emperor has cunningly and with a noble sense of purpose defeated any and all challenges in his path, safeguarding Tamriel from they who would do it harm. In his visage, we see the keystone of this present age, which is in itself the iron foundation of an age yet to come! By the love of the Divines, may his reign continue from the present day for many an age, as may the reign of his sons! The reign of the Septims, now and forevermore!
Mace Etiquette

Warriors sometimes make the mistake of thinking that there are no tactics with a mace. They assume that the sword is all about skill and the mace is only about strength and stamina. As a veteran instructor of mace tactics, I can tell you they are wrong.

Wielding a mace properly is all about timing and momentum. Once the swing of the mace has begun, stopping it or slowing it down is difficult. The fighter is committed to not just the blow, but also the recoil. Begin your strike when the opponent is leaning forward, hopefully off balance. It is completely predictable that he will lean backward, so aim for a point behind his head. By the time the mace gets there, his head will be in   path.

The mace should be held at the ready, shoulder high. The windup should not extend past the shoulders by more than a hand's width. When swinging, lead with the elbow. As the elbow passes the height of your collarbone, extend the forearm like a whip. The extra momentum will drive the mace faster and harder, causing far more damage.

At the moment of impact, let the wrist loosen. The mace will bounce and hurt a stiff wrist. Allow the recoil of the blow to drive the mace back into the ready position, thereby preparing the warrior for a quicker second strike.
Manifesto Cyrodiil Vampyrum

To you whom We have seen 
Stalking at night by eyes keen 
Transcendant of savages 
Sating thirst sans avarice 
Your coffers stay stuffed 
By social graces robust 
None know your nature;
::save Us 
None share your fate;
::save Us
None welcome you as kin;
::save Us

On Our Order:

Know first that we are no simple tribe of savages, tearing throats with the orgiastic abandon of our scattered, tribal brethren. Ours is a civil fraternity, to which we are bound - every one - by our dual hunger for flesh and influence. By the virtue of Imperial structure and bureaucracy, Cyrodiil has become our stronghold in the third era, and we suffer no savage rivals within our boundaries, reveal ourselves to none, and manipulate the hand of society to mete out our agendas.

On Our Dual Patrons:

To Kin-father Molag Bal, who brought forth the Bloodmatron Lamae to spite Arkay, we owe our existence, as do all vampires, though not all honor Him. For him we revel in the feast, and acknowledge the gift adrift in our veins.

To patron Clavicus Vile, beacon o’er our affairs, we owe our successes and social stature. Our bond with Vile makes us unique among our kind, for his guidance steels our savage craving with reason and savvy. For him we live amidst mankind, and twist them to our will from offices of power.

On Our Rivals:

Most barbaric tribes think themselves powerful by the gift of Bal’s blood alone, and squander the gift. There are those, however, who show signs of enlightenments, and earn our attention - those such as the Glenmoril Wyrd, who live within the walls of Breton cities, or the Whet-Fang sodality of Black Marsh, who use magicka to keep captives catatonic and harvest from them the red nectar. These foes may one day threaten to impugn our sovereignty within the boundaries of Cyrodiil, thus compelling our vigilance. Should any encroach upon our dominion, our wrath must be swift and total.

On Our Conduct:

To preserve our ideals and way of life, two primary edicts shall be observed. Above all, reveal thyself and our Order to no other, for discretion is the greatest of our virtues. Do not feed where you may be found out, or on those who may suspect your passing. Avoid daylight by lifestyle; dispel common belief in our kind, and maintain supple appearance through satisfaction of the thirst. Second, devote your pursuits to the procurement of influence, political and otherwise. Our strength is not in physical numbers, but in skillful manipulation of society. Always be mindful of our Patrons, and preserve the Order. Devote yourself to these ideals always, and the Order shall count you amongst our own.
Manual of Armor

This manual contains information on the different types of armor and their uses.

This manual is commissioned by General Warhaft to serve as a guide and manual to armor for all officers in the Imperial service.

On the battlefield, a soldier's armor should reflect his principal duties. Scouts, light cavalry, archers, and raiding skirmishers should wear light armor. Mobility and speed is of paramount importance to these troops. It is recommended that a cuirass and greaves be worn at all times. Helmets, gauntlets and boots are of value to cavalry and skirmishers, but not scouts or archers.

Light armor is made from fur, leather, chainmail, mithril, elven or glass. This is also the order of their quality and expense, fur being the least protective and cheapest, and glass the best and most expensive. Fur, leather armor, and chainmail are readily available throughout the empire. Mithril, elven and glass are exceedingly rare and are only found in ancient ruins and remote tombs.

Heavy armor should be reserved for the frontline infantry, pikemen, heavy cavalry or foot knights. All officers should be issued heavy armor. Helmets, cuirass and greaves should be standard issue at all times. Boots and gauntlets are only necessary for the cavalry and foot knights.

Blacksmiths can forge heavy armor from iron, steel, dwarven,  , ebony or daedric. This is also the order of their quality and expense, iron being the least useful and cheapest, with daedric the most effective and expensive. Iron and steel plate mail can be found in most any blacksmith's shop. The other materials are rare and armor made from them is only found in ancient treasure hoards hidden deep underground.

Advanced practitioners in the Mages Guild know the secrets of placing enchantments upon pieces of armor. The greatest enchantments are typically placed on armor made from rarer, more durable materials, such as ebony and daedric, but even iron can be made to take an enchantment.

The self-styled Bard of Battle, Amorous Janus, once penned a comedic ballad about a Colovian general who was constant removing and re-equipping his armor every few minutes to conserve the magicka powering it. By way of response to the implied criticism, the general had him mounted on the front of a battering ram during the siege of Castle Fallow.
Manual of Arms

This manual is commissioned by General Warhaft to serve as a guide and manual to arms and weapons for all Imperial officers in the field.

Obviously, a soldier's weaponry should reflect his skills. Skill with a blade is recommended for daggers, shortswords, longswords, and claymores. Skill with blunt weapons is desirable to wield the war axe, mace, battle axe and  . To the uninitiated, axes and hammers may seem to be very different weapons, but the rhythm, drill, and physical strength used by both weapon types are virtually identical. Only those with marksman skill should be outfitted with the bow.

Most of these weapons are commonly used in combination with a shield. The claymore, battle axe and war  , require both hands to use. These two-handed weapons are best suited to heavily-armored knights, berserkers and those soldiers that hold the flanks of the line.

Arms have been made from many materials over the ages, and each material varies in weight, durability, and cost. These materials are here ranked in order of   and cost, with cheapest and least desirable listed first: iron, steel, silver, dwarven, elven, glass, ebony, and finally daedric. Some armorers correctly observe that silver weapons are slightly less durable than steel; nonetheless, its unique ability to affect ghosts, wraiths and certain types of Daedric creatures is undisputed.

Bows can be made with laminated cores of the same materials. This provides a higher tensile strength and therefore greater power on the draw. The materials used in the arrow, particularly in the arrowhead, can affect its mass and penetration. Thus, the quality of the bow and of the arrow are taken together to determine the weapon's overall armor penetration.

Enchanted weapons are mentioned in virtually every fable and song. The magic on such items lies dormant until they strike an opponent. At that moment the enchantment is activated, causing distress and injury to the target. Enchantments on bows are transferred to the arrow at the moment of release. Should the arrow have an enchantment of its own, however, the missile now carries both enchantments and delivers them to the target.

An enchanted weapon has a limited reservoir of magicka. Each blow drains some of its reserves, until finally it is drained dry. The enchantment can be recharged by arcane processes involving soul gems. The more powerful the soul in the gem, the more magicka is restored to the item.