Lore:Sunhold

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Sunhold
Type Settlement
Continent Tamriel
Province Summerset Isles
Region Summerset Isle
Appears in Arena, ESO
Sunhold ca. 2E 582
Map of the Summerset Isles
"Enter Sunhold and be welcome, for we wish all who come in peace a long and healthy life, and those who come in search of glory, a quick and merciful death..." —In-game description in Arena

Sunhold is one of the eight major cities in the province of the Summerset Isles,[1] found on the south-central coast of Summerset Isle. The city is known for its narrow winding alleyways, tall impenetrable sea walls, and one of the island's largest harbors. It is not only considered the heart of shipping in the province but it also holds one of the largest naval fleets on Summerset.[2][3]

Layout and Geography[edit]

The local wayshrine

Sunhold is found behind the southern mountains of Summerset Isle, buried deep in the forests on the coast,[4] west of the Liriel River that flows from the mountains.[UOL 1] The city is described as a fortress; as attested by its history of conflict and overall layout. The main gate is on the city's east side, a large open park surrounded by a natural barrier of mountains. The city is known for its narrow alleys, labyrinthine streets, and interweaving bridges traveling northwest to the highest part of Sunhold. The harbor district makes up the city's southern section and spreads across the bay and through the mountain ridge. The port is riddled with warehouses for shipwrights, and fishmongers that sell their seafood across the city streets.[2][4] The city's palace is located somewhere atop a hill[5] and deep underneath the Mages Guild is an ancient ruin known as Sunnamere, a place of great magical energy.[6][7] Sunhold is neighbored by several settlements, such as Archen Grangrove to the east, Glenview to the west, and Holly Falls to the north.[1]

Notable Locales[edit]

†Either this location was destroyed or its associated faction is dissolved. See the linked page or reference for more information.

Districts[edit]

History[edit]

Sunhold's early history dates back to an ancient clan of Altmer that lived there. The tribesmer, Ulorome, discovered a lowly egg in an abandoned nest of gryphons and returned it to the tribe for a hearty feast. Assuming it would not hatch, the tribe placed it in a hearth of fire and sang ancient songs of hearth and family around it. Before Ulorome could bless the egg before the feast, it hatched and birthed a fledgling gryphon that reminded them of a phoenix. Ulorome, crying in joy from this gift from the gods, took it from the fires and named it Cel-hinwe. Ever since then, Ulorome's lineage ruled over modern-day Sunhold as its kinlords, and Cel-hinwe's progeny became the city's legendary dynasty of warrior gryphons. These two are so intertwined with each other that they cannot exist without the other.[9]

The city, in time, evolved into a sprawling fortress and a bustling metropolis. It has been the prize of King Orgnum of Pyandonea, who frequently invaded the Summerset Isles. Henceforth, a long-lasting tradition began where the Maormer attacked Sunhold.[5] One such incident involved Nurarion the Perfect, brother to the King of Sunhold in the Merethic Era. He bargained with Clavicus Vile for a voice that called a greater doom than Orgnum could ever create. In a counterattack, Nurarion led Sunhold's mages and defeated Orgnum's destructive storms. But his new voice was too powerful for his people to handle, so he was forced into exile. But his time abroad eventually brought him to the mythic hero, Khunzar-ri.[10]

The Fall of Sunhold

By the mid-Second Era, Sunhold was ruled by Kinlady Helenaere and, like many others before her, defended the city from the Sea Elves. On one occasion, Admiral Viscarne of the Storm Sharks sailed into the city's harbor only to find Sunhold completely devoid of people and ships, however at the city palace, as the Kinlady mounted on her gryphon-companion, Sunnawel, an army of gold crashed onto the Maormer fleet and razed their ships, driving them out of Sunhold.[5] When Queen Ayrenn opened Summerset Isle to the greater mainland, Helenaere was one of several people to argue against it.[3]

When the First Aldmeri Dominion was founded in 2E 580, Sunhold was used as the base of the Dominion's naval fleet but as the Three Banners War took most of its attention and resources, it left the city undefended.[11] This, in turn, led to the fall of Sunhold. In 2E 582, the Admiral returned to the city and swiftly took control of Sunhold, imprisoning citizens, burning domes, and capturing Sunnawel. The Kinlady was left defenseless and resorted to help from newcomers to retake her city. The battle was successful and Viscarne was slain at the height of Sunhold city.[12]

In 3E 110, the kings of the Summerset Isles formed a unified alliance to combat the Maormer[13] in their last-known invasion of the province, the War of the Isle.[14] Despite having assistance from Emperor Antiochus and the Imperial Navy, the Maormer were defeated because of a supernatural storm accredited to the Psijic Order.[13][15]

During the Imperial Simulacrum in the late Third Era, the city-state of Sunhold was an active settlement. It was ruled by King Sauriil and had a rivalry with Shimmerene.[8] The city was later sacked during the Oblivion Crisis in 3E 433 and any refugee that survived the assault or the rough seas fled to the Crystal Tower, which fell to the daedric horde sometime later. Among these survivors was Lathenil of Sunhold, who documented the Thalmor's rise to power and the events that transpired following the crisis. The information was later published and given the name, the Rising Threat.[16]

Known Rulers[edit]

Kinlady Helenaere

The progenitor of Sunhold's kinlord dynasty was Ulorome, who fathered the gryphon, Cel-hinwe. Since then, the city's symbol and spirit is personified in the kinlord's gryphon companion, which comes from a long line of gryphons starting with Cel-hinwe.[9][3] Judging by its descendant, Sunnawel, this lineage consists of Pale-Plume Gryphons,[17] who typically live in the southeast mountains near Dusk.[18]

For the longest time, the Psijic Order served as counselors to the rulers of the Summerset Isles. If anyone wanted their counsel, their best method was either through a select few places or the kings themselves. They continued this service up until their island of Artaeum first vanished in the Second Era, around when the Mages Guild was formed. When they returned several years later for the Third Era, they continued where they left off[19] until Artaeum disappeared a second time sometime in the Fourth Era for whatever reason.[20]

  • The Merethic Era
    • Ulorome[9]
      • Gryphon: Cel-hinwe[9] — The Maormer knew it as the "Red Wind" in legend.[9]
    • Unnamed King of Sunhold (ca. late Merethic Era)[10]
  • The Second Era
  • The Third Era
  • The Fourth Era — Once the Thalmor came into power, they abolished the monarchy across the Summerset Isles.[23]

Culture and Society[edit]

For more information, see the: Culture and Society sections on the Altmer page.
A portion of Sunnamere

Sunhold is a thriving city and the heart of shipping in the Summerset Isles. Locals like to sell seafood harvest from the Padomaic Ocean.[2] One of the city's more niche trades is called sunglass smithing. Local artisans zealously guard the secrets of this craft. Sometimes they make it into fishhooks.[24] Sunhold is considered the sister city of Alinor and people like to believe that, if the mountain did not separate the two cities, they would have inevitably merged into a massive metropolis that has not been seen since Aldmeris.[2]

Sunhold is also a significant military power. The city is known for being a capable fortress and contains one of the largest harbors in Summerset.[2] It also boasts one of the largest fleets in the province.[3] Under the First Aldmeri Dominion, Sunhold was the home port of the Dominion's famous navy.[11] It even has special protections for unwanted portals.[25] Sunhold's kinlords come from a dynasty of leaders and are always paired with their gryphon companions, who likewise come from a long line of mounts that represent the city's burning symbol of defiance.[9] For much of its history, the Maormer of Pyandonea have invaded the Summerset Isles, each time always led by King Orgnum.[14] Sunhold in particular was a prize long sought after by King Orgnum,[5] always making it the first line of defense against them.[3]

Deep under the local Mages Guild is a pre-First Era ruin known as Sunnamere. It was once an idyllic and beautiful place with grand courtyards and a vast collection of books, that because of a lack of proper preservation, date as early as the early-mid First Era. Only unchecked swirls of magic and unpreserved books can be found here. Sunnamere was later donated to the Mages Guild sometime after their founding in 2E 230. To keep it safe from cultists and tome-thieves, the guild sent the Order of the Lamp to patrol its halls.[6][7][26] Ulfsild the Evergreen used Sunnamere as her personal sanctum.[27] It was originally lent to her by a local Sunhold mage during the early years of her career.[26] She later built a portal in Sunnamere connecting it to the Scholarium, another magical ruin found under Eyevea.[28] For its part in "discovering the Scholarium", Sunnamere became mildly famous in the Mages Guild.[26]

Gallery[edit]

  • Sunhold (Arena)

  • Sunhold Medic (Legends)

  • Map of Sunhold (ESO)

  • The Banner of Sunhold

Notes[edit]

  • Ilmindil the Incendiary was an ancient vampire and master pyromancer that served in the Undaunted during the Second Era. He was known by many names, the "Master of the Whiteflame" and the "Bearer of the Burning Heart"; among these titles, he also claimed to be an ancient kinlord of Sunhold.[29]
  • The city is spelled "Sunhhold" on the Elder Scrolls Anthology map, though this is likely a misspelling.[30]
  • Arena was originally conceived as a fighting game featuring a tournament that took the player to each of Tamriel's cities to challenge different gladiatorial teams. According to a file from that stage of development left behind in the final game, Sunhold's gladiatorial team would have been called "the Griffins".[UOL 2] This likely served as the inspiration for Sunhold having a gryphon mascot and long-standing history with the creatures.[9]

See Also[edit]

Books[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Map of Summurset Isle – The Elder Scrolls: Arena
  2. ^ a b c d e Our Blessed Isles: A Guide — Runilstir the Surveyor
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Kinlady Helenaere's dialogue in ESO: Summerset
  4. ^ a b c d Sunhold in ESO: Summerset
  5. ^ a b c d e The King of Vipers, Canto 17
  6. ^ a b c Votary Nahlia's dialogue in ESO: Gold Road
  7. ^ a b Scholarium Outer Ruins loading screen text in ESO: Gold Road
  8. ^ a b c d Sunhold location and rumors in Arena
  9. ^ a b c d e f g The Flight of Gryphons
  10. ^ a b Moon-Singer Feziya-ko's dialogue in ESO: Dragonhold
  11. ^ a b Sunhold loading screen text in ESO: Summerset
  12. ^ Sunhold Sundered quest in ESO: Summerset
  13. ^ a b Brief History of the Empire v 1 — Stronach k'Thojj III
  14. ^ a b Pocket Guide to the Empire, 3rd Edition: Other Lands — Imperial Geographical Society, 3E 432
  15. ^ The Wolf Queen, v5 — Waughin Jarth
  16. ^ Rising Threat, Vol. I — Lathenil of Sunhold
  17. ^ a b Sunnawel in ESO: Summerset
  18. ^ Pale-Plume Fledging Gryphon mount description in ESO
  19. ^ Fragment: On Artaeum — Taurce il-Anselma, 3E 400
  20. ^ Tolfdir's dialogue in Skyrim
  21. ^ Ayleid Reference Text — Raelys Anine
  22. ^ Magic from the Sky — Irlav Jarol
  23. ^ a b Rising Threat, Vol. IV — Lathenil of Sunhold
  24. ^ Sunglass Fishhook item description in ESO: Summerset
  25. ^ Hyacinth's dialogue in ESO
  26. ^ a b c Loremaster's Archive - Scribing — Votary Nahila
  27. ^ Ulfsild's Notes: The Origin of Luminaries — Ulfsild
  28. ^ The Second Era of Scribing quest in ESO: Gold Road
  29. ^ Ilmindil the Incendiary's dialogue in ESO
  30. ^ Map of Tamriel — The Elder Scrolls Anthology

Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.

  1. ^ ESO Unused Strings
  2. ^ Original TES: Arena texts at the Imperial Library
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