Lore:Factions D

Overview | A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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Daedraphiles

The Daedraphiles were a faction of Ayleids who worshipped the Daedra. They can be contrasted with the older, Aedra-worshipping culture of the Barsaebic Ayleids. Unlike their more conservative cousins, the Ayleid clans that adopted Daedra worship were noted for their decadent and vigorous societies.

The Daedraphiles followed the Eleven Edicts of the Ten Ancestors, and believed that the Ten Ancestors venerated by the Ayleids were in fact Daedra worshippers.

Daedric Triad

The Daedric Triad (or simply the Triad) was an alliance between the Daedric Princes Nocturnal, Mephala, and Clavicus Vile formed in the Second Era. In 2E 582, they launched their plot to gain influence on Nirn and bypass Sotha Sil's Coldharbour Compact.

Daggerfall Covenant

"It is fortunate for our peoples — indeed, for all the peoples of Tamriel — that the true flame of the Empire of Man still burns in the Daggerfall Covenant. These are terrible times, but our destiny lies before us as straight and true as the Reman roads: we must march on Cyrodiil, overthrow the false empress and all her brood, and restore the Empire of Tamriel. Then once more peace and justice will rule the provinces, rather than blood and fire." —High King Emeric</noinclude>

The Daggerfall Covenant was a military alliance between the High Rock kingdoms of Camlorn, Daggerfall, Evermore, Shornhelm, and Wayrest, the northern Hammerfell kingdom of Sentinel and the city of Hallin's Stand, and also Orsinium during the chaotic Interregnum of the Second Era. It vied with the Aldmeri Dominion and Ebonheart Pact for control over the contested Ruby Throne in Cyrodiil. The Covenant saw itself as the successor to the Reman Dynasty and aimed to restore the Second Empire with the legitimacy to rule all of Tamriel. They advocated economic prosperity and the worship of the Divines. In this mission it was led by a Royal Council, presided over by High King Emeric, a Breton merchant lord of superb diplomatic skill. The Redguards were represented by King Fahara'jad, and the Orcs by King Kurog gro-Bagrakh.

Dark Brotherhood

The Dark Brotherhood is a guild of assassins shrouded in shadow and mystery which has been active all over Tamriel. While their business is certainly not legal, their existence has typically been tolerated or ignored. Whenever an individual with legal authority takes an interest in their dealings, the Brotherhood relies upon a combination of bribery, blackmail, coercion, and murder to keep their activities hidden. They have been bitter rivals of the Morag Tong since the Second Era. The Brotherhood is also known for their worship of the Dread Father Sithis (personified chaos, also known as the Void). Dark Sisters are accepted into the Brotherhood as equals of Dark Brothers (though members of either gender are often referred to as Brothers).

Daughters of Coldharbour

A Daughter of Coldharbour is a female individual who has been granted vampirism through a ritual with the creator of vampires, Molag Bal. The term is partially derived from the name of Molag Bal's plane of Oblivion, Coldharbour.

The first Daughter of Coldharbour Lamae Beolfag was a Nedic virgin and priestess of Arkay who was raped by Molag Bal. Legends recount that after the ordeal, Molag Bal shed a droplet of blood upon her brow and left her to die. During the night she passed into death, but as her funeral pyre was still burning, she emerged as the first pure-blood vampire.

Since Lamae, a tradition developed among cults dedicated to Molag Bal, which dictated that women be offered to him on his summoning day on the 20th of Evening Star. Few survive the ordeal, and those who do emerge as pure-blooded vampires. Being selected as an offering was considered to be an honor that was not to be rejected lightly.

Dawnguard

The Dawnguard are a group of Vampire hunters that originate from the province of Skyrim. They are based in Fort Dawnguard, in the region of the Rift, towards the provincial border in the Velothi Mountains. It is found in the Dayspring Canyon of the Velothi Mountains.

Deathbringer Clan

Deathbringer Clan (or Clan Deathbringer) is a Daedric clan of Dremora led by Valkynaz Seris, in service to Molag Bal. The clan is based in Coldharbour.

The Deathbringers rose to prominence in Coldharbour after betraying Foolkillers Clan, resulting in their imprisonment and banishment from the realm. Based out of the Pyramid, the Deathbringers rose high in Molag Bal's service, and were tasked with protecting the way to the Endless Stair and Molag Bal's inner sanctum. The clan's reign ended in 2E 582, when an exiled Foolkiller named Lyranth allied herself with an invasion force from Tamriel. In return for slaying Seris, Lyranth gave the army access to the Endless Stair on their quest to end the Planemeld. With Seris vanquished, the Foolkillers returned to Coldharbour and took control of the Pyramid for themselves.

Death Hunters

The Death Hunters were an organization of vampire and werewolf hunters. They operated throughout Tamriel during the chaotic times of the Three Banners War in the Interregnum. Recruiting from various races, including Altmer, Bosmer, Nords, Argonian, Dunmer, and Redguards, they were driven by a dual motivation of both enjoying the fun of killing and adhering to their faith. They utilized alchemy and magic. Engaging in conflicts with both werewolves and vampires, the Death Hunters frequently experienced casualties not only among the supernatural beings they hunted but also within their own ranks.

Deathwing Clan

Deathwing Clan was one of numerous clans of Reachfolk that lived in the Reach during the Second Era. They were a nomadic clan, known for their beautiful and purposeful artworks, such as carvings, which (typically for the Reachfolk art in general) were known for their impressive rawness of emotion. The belief that clans should not remain in one place for long and that any item wanderers carry must be worth its weight was widespread among its members. The Deathwings revered the cycle of life and death.

Direnni

"Few families in Tamriel can boast so many famous figures, wielding so much power over the fate of so many. Our warriors and kings are stuff of legend, and it is not to dismiss their honor and their achievements to say you have heard quite enough about them." — Vorian Direnni, De Rerum Dirennis

The Direnni (also known as Clan Direnni and House Direnni) are an aristocratic merchant clan of Altmer (formerly Aldmer) whose members laid the foundation for modern alchemy, conjuration, and enchanting. The Direnni are most credited as being the Elven ancestors of the Bretons, a race produced by their intermingling with the Nedic Druids of Galen for centuries during the Merethic Era. The Direnni established themselves a powerful sovereignty referred to as the Direnni Hegemony, which lasted from 1E 355 to 1E 498. However, some consider their rule in the years leading up to its establishment as part of the Direnni Hegemony as well. At its peak, this hegemony stretched from all of High Rock into large parts of Skyrim and Hammerfell.

Dissident Priests

The Dissident Priests are a secretive cult consisting of Tribunal Temple members who disputed the Temple's dogmatic foundations and question the process of the Tribunal's elevation to godhood. They disputed Temple doctrine and were uneasy about the practices of the Ordinators. One of the chief disputes between the Temple and the Dissident Priests was that the Temple hid the truth from its followers. The Dissident Priests' outlined their beliefs in the book Progress of Truth.

Divine Prosecution

The Divine Prosecution are a state-level law enforcement organization responsible for enforcing both secular and religious law, ensuring Altmeri social and cultural rules are adhered to. Under the First Aldmeri Dominion, they were a division of the Thalmor, and were the highest authority of law and order on Summerset Isle, second only to the Queen and her Royal Court. They target what they perceive to be heresy, including Daedra worship. The Divine Prosecution are wary of outsiders, but were known to have deputized skilled adventurers to handle dangerous threats after the island of Summerset was opened to outsiders by Queen Ayrenn circa 2E 582.

Doomdriven Clan

The Doomdriven Clan is a Dremora clan in service to Malacath based in Ashpit.

The Doomdriven are most commonly found as marshals and commanders to the Orcish spirit-legions of the Ashpit. They also, occassionaly perfrom the duties of emmissaries of the Daedric Prince Malacath, and send his word to his followers in Nirn.

Doomfang Clan

The Doomfang Clan was a Reachfolk clan that inhabited the Reach and occupied the Dwemer ruin of Bthardamz in the early 4th Era. They were known for their adaptability and survival skills. Doomfang Clan had skilled alchemists, capable of creating poisonous vapors among its ranks and utilized Dwemer Animunculi.

Dov-rha Axethanes

Dov-rha Axethanes were a group of elite warriors who served as guards and champions to the kings of Skyrim in the period between the height of First Empire of the Nords and the last years of the First Era. It was theorized that some members of the Dov-rha Axethanes were powerful Tongues, who wielded thu'um in battle. Dov-rha warriors or Dov-rha thanes were occasionally mentioned in the ancient Nord chronicles. Their name originates from the Nordic word for Dragon - dov-rha.

Sometime around 1E 2260, some members of the group joined All Flags Navy and sailed to Thras to fight the Sload.

High-rank members of the group were known to wear armor made of dragonhide. Such equipment was occasionally awarded by the rulers of Skyrim to their bravest warriors and was extremely durable. According to some scholars, their equipment could be a gift from the Dragons themselves.

Dragon Cult

The Dragon Cult (also known as the Atmoran Dragon Cult or Cult of the Dragon Priests) began as a sect within the traditions of animal worship brought by Atmorans to Tamriel. Certain scholars believe these were "totem animals" for the modern Divines; in which case, worship of the dragon corresponded to worship of Akatosh. Dragons were revered more than any other, and they were comfortable in assuming positions as god-kings over men. Their servants, the dragon priests, kept the peace between dragons and men, and their power was so great that uttering any word for "dragon" was forbidden to all mankind except them. They made laws for the society of men, and were on par with kings. Grand temples were built to honor the dragons and appease them in life and death, many of which survive as draugr-infested ruins today.

Some time during or soon after the migrations to Tamriel, the dragon cult began to assert more influence and become much more malevolent. From their capital Bromjunaar in modern-day Hjaalmarch, they ruled Skyrim with an iron fist, effectively enslaving the populace. While what led to this change was lost to historians, it was likely caused by Alduin, the First-Born of Akatosh and leader of the dragons, who had chosen to forsake his role as World Eater in favor of conquering Mundus for himself. Men eventually rebelled in the late Merethic Era, leading to the ancient Dragon War.

Men, with the help of several dragons, eventually secured victory with the defeat of Alduin. The dragon priests were overthrown and dragons were slaughtered in large numbers before fleeing to remote areas. Though they had lost their god-kings and were cast out of mainstream Nordic society, the dragon cult managed to adapt and survive for centuries. Whenever they could lay hands on the remains of a dragon, they would build a tomb for it known as a "dragon mound", a practice they maintained for centuries after the war. They believed that one day the dragons would rise again and reward the faithful.

When the priests of the Eight Divines arrived in Skyrim in the First Era, they found it very difficult to convert the Nords, in part because the Nords had abandoned the worship of the dragon along with the dragon cult. Thus, they only knew of the Great Dragon, Akatosh, as the elven god Auriel, whom they despised as a demon. The missionaries were able to allay some concerns by claiming that Alduin and those who followed him had acted against the wishes of Akatosh, and it was his intervention that led some dragons to assist men against their brethren. The dragon cult was eventually driven extinct, surviving only in the form of draugr who continue to prowl ancient ruins. The last known holdouts were discovered and besieged in the monastery of Forelhost in the mountains of the Rift by the forces of High King Harald, eventually committing mass suicide in 1E 140.

Dragonknights

The Dragonknights (or Dragon Knights), also known as the Children of the Mundus, were followers of a new martial tradition that emerged during the Interregnum of the Second Era, originating from the dispersed Akaviri Dragonguard. They were skillful masters-at-arms taught by a former member of the Dragonguard, whose name was lost to history, only known as the Grandmaster. He took it upon himself to ensure that the martial and mystical arts of the old Akaviri would survive into the new and turbulent Second Era. However, he would teach his skills only on condition that those he taught would go on to teach others. Their abilities were said to descend from the powers of dragons. Although initially, arts of the Dragonknights were of Akaviri origins, the art was relatively widespread among various races of Tamriel as of Second Era.

Dragonknights were particularly skilled at manipulating fire, and could wreathe themselves in it completely without being harmed. They were known to channel the energy of the earth, fire, and molten rock associated with the powers of the very heart of the Mundus. Their martial magic, known as Ardent Flame was fearsome art that pounds, shatters and physically alters the world around the caster. It was described as "Dragon magic" and was used to set foes afire, create flaming lassos, wreathe casters in a cloak of flame, and even breathe fire or poison similar to the legendary dragons. It was however considered a branch of Destruction Magic (as defined by Shad Astula academy) by Gabrielle Benele, a representative of the Mages Guild.

Dragonborn

A Dragonborn (or Dovahkiin in Dragon Language) is a mortal blessed with the Blood and soul of a dragon by Akatosh, the Father of Dragons and chief of the Divines. Some sources claim that Dragonborn are fragments of Akatosh's soul and share this status with Alduin and possibly all of Dragonkind. Those with the blessing have an extraordinary aptitude in the use of the thu'um, being able to absorb knowledge of shouts directly from the souls of slain dragons. This ability breeds fear and hatred in dragons, as the removal of their soul severs their immortality and renders them beyond the reach of any necromancy. The first known Dragonborn was Miraak, a dragon priest of the Merethic Era who used the thu'um in an unsuccessful revolt against his masters. However, the title itself is most often associated with the "Dragonborn Emperors" of Tamriel, who were in a divine covenant with Akatosh which maintains the barriers between Mundus and Oblivion.

Dragonclaw Clan

Dragonclaw Clan, also known as Dragonclaws was a clan of Reachfolk that lived in during the Second Era. Members of the clan participated in a tournament at the Dragonstar Arena, an inter-planar arena complex devoted to Boethiah.

Dreadhorn Clan

The Dreadhorn Clan was a Reachfolk group of the Keptu origins, that was active in 2E 582. They made an alliance with powerful minotaur warlord Domihaus the Bloody-Horned. After forming the alliance they uncovered the long forgotten Bloodroot Forge and besieged Falkreath. Many of the members of the clan went through arcane ritual that empowered them and turned into powerful warriors known as Blood Forged. They worshipped Hircine, made pacts with Cernunnon and utilized magic related to Kyne.

Dremora Clan

The Dremora clan (also styled Clan Dremora) is a Daedric clan led by Imago Storm. It is in the service of Clan Dagon, led by Mehrunes Dagon. The clan is based in the Havoc Wellhead. It represents the principle of destruction as evolution, aspiring to arts and powers of ever-increasing potency and aesthetic refinement. The Dremora have not always been in the service of Dagon, and indeed individuals have come to serve many Daedric Princes.

Along with Shardai Clan and Xivilai's Clan, the Dremora clan aided Dagon in his invasion of the Battlespire during the Imperial Simulacrum. However, Dagon neglected to heed the counsel of Imago Storm, who advised against accepting the aid of the clanless Seducers. Storm viewed Dagon's tolerance of the antics of Faydra Shardai and Xivilai Moath, along with his acceptance of the Seducers, as an unfortunate divergence from his otherwise prudent policies. He saw the invasion as a failed move, and allied himself with an apprentice from the Battlespire in order to restore Clan Dagon to its normal stability following the unnecessary invasion of the Shade Perilous. He supplied the apprentice with the protection of the Dremora clan, along with the incantory neonymics of Faydra, Xivilai, and Dagon. The apprentice tricked Xivilai and successfully banished Faydra and Dagon to the Void, which allowed Storm to take control of Clan Dagon and relinquish its hold on several realms. This ultimately resulted in the destruction of the Battlespire.

Driladan Clan

The Driladan Clan is a group of Bosmer that lived in eastern Greenshade, in the province of Valenwood and the general vicinity of Marbruk. Before the city was built, the clan lived in the eponymous Driladan Pass north of Marbruk and south of Whisper Grove.

Drothmeri Army

The Drothmeri Army was an army of mercenaries led by renegade Telvanni Arch-Mage Frathen Drothan. The army was assembled in secret on the border between Cyrodiil and Morrowind with the goal of destroying the Empire. Most residents in the hidden Drothmeri village were Dunmer, although some Khajiit and Argonian laborers were also employed. The Drothmeri Army was mostly wiped out at Sundercliff Watch while Drothan was trying to excavate Mehrunes' Razor.

Dumonte

The Dumonte family is an old and famous Breton line known for having a considerable familial connection with the Clan Direnni of Balfiera. During the Three Banners War, in 2E 582 they were known to live in Gavaudon, a region in central High Rock, within the larger region of Stormhaven.