Defense of Morrowind, Volume II

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Terrifying Daedric Foe
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Defense of Morrowind, Volume II

Post by Terrifying Daedric Foe »

I've written a sequel to Xui'al's book, the [url=http://uesp.net/wiki/Tes3Mod:Tamriel_Rebuilt/Defense_of_Morrowind_Volume_I]Defense of Morrowind, Volume II[/url]. I'm not 100% happy with it and would appreciate any attempts to edit it. It feels very long, but it's only about 100 words longer than the first volume.

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Defense of Morrowind, Volume II

by Apelle Laecinnius

The purpose of this report is to inform Imperial authority on the fortifications constructed within the Province of Morrowind, should there be any issues with the local populace, or invaders from Akavir or another foreign continent of Nirn. It will discuss particular fortifications, as well as fortifiable locations and possible vulnerabilities. Skyrim and the Black Marsh will not be mentioned herein, as separate observers have been sent to those Provinces to draft similar assessments. In the first volume the fortifications of Vvardenfell, Solstheim, the Telvanni Isles and a number of other minor islands were discussed. In this second volume, the mainland east of the river Thirr will be discussed. In the third volume the mainland west of the river Thirr will be discussed. Great House fortifications will be mentioned, as they would prove a pivotal part of the Empire's defensive forces in the event of an invasion. While internal threats are certainly possible, such as rebellion in one or more of the Great Houses, or sabotage attempted by the Twin Lamps, they will not be discussed as such a rebellious group cannot, of itself, pose a significantly large threat to Morrowind and Imperial order therein.

The mainland of Morrowind has a long coastline bordering the Padomaic Ocean. Its sheer size makes it all but impossible to properly patrol, particularly as much of the eastern Imperial Navy is tied up in fighting criminal gangs smuggling ebony and Dwemer artifacts from Vvardenfell in the north and slaves from Black Marsh in the south. As a result it is likely that an invasion fleet from Akavir or another part of Nirn would remain undetected until a matter of days before making landfall on Tamriel. This is why Imperial commanders must have strong and robust strategies for defending Morrowind developed well in advance.

Excluding the Telvanni Isles, which were covered in the first volume of this report, there are only two large ports on the east coast where an invader could seek to land and supply an army of sufficient size to threaten the security of the Cyrodiilic Empire. The first of these is the sacred Dunmer city of Necrom and the second is Tear, the capital of Great House Dres.

Necrom is the most sacred city in Morrowind. It is where Dunmer have taken their dead to be interred for thousands of years, and almost every Dunmer will visit Necrom at some point in their lives. As a result the city has a large port but little naval protection, and none at all from the Imperial military. It is likely that in the event of a large-scale invasion Necrom would swiftly fall. However, the City of Ghosts would be much harder for hostile forces to hold than it would be to capture. Such is the spiritual significance of Necrom that most of the native population, as well as the thousands of pilgrims present at any one time, would fight to death rather than cooperate with the invaders. The city’s elite force, the Ordinators in Mourning, would retreat into the rabbit warren of crypts and tunnels, known as the 'city below' for their huge scale, and could fight a guerrilla war against the invaders for months, if not years. Dunmer are known to use their dead to defend their ancestral tombs, but the full military capability of the ancestors interred below Necrom is impossible to discern. Regardless, the Ordinators in Mourning alone would tie up large numbers of the enemy and give the Imperial military valuable time to prepare a counter-attack.

The second large port on the east coast of Morrowind is Tear. A mercantile city, Tear is the capital of Great House Dres, renowned across Tamriel for their use of agricultural slaves and their xenophobia. In fact, such is the distrust shown by the Dres to foreigners that I was not allowed off my ship as soon as they found out that I was a representative of the Imperial Legion! However, from my observations of the port and conversations with the few Dunmer who would speak to me I have gathered that the Dres leadership has developed plans for the event of seaborne invasion. I believe it involves using half their armed forces to contain the enemy in the area surrounding the port, allowing time for the remainder of the military and most of the civilian population to flee into the Deshaan Plain. They would then form into small units to fight a guerrilla war until reinforcements from the neighboring Dres city of Silnim arrive. Only in the absolute worst case scenario would the Dres leadership consider formally asking for assistance from the other Great Houses. It is my view that if faced with a choice between being wiped out to the last mer or accepting the help of the Imperial military to drive the attackers out, nine times out of ten the Dres would choose annihilation. Imperial commanders should be aware that a large intervention into Dres territory would probably be viewed just as much as an invasion as the original assault from the Padomaic. It would, however, be vital as the Deshaan Plain is often called the ‘breadbasket of Morrowind’ for its agricultural production and the consequences for the entire Province would be severe if it were to be lost.

Once the invading army had established a beachhead on the mainland it would then have to march further inland to achieve its strategic objectives. An army marching from Necrom into Indoril lands would be vulnerable to flank attack by two Imperial Legion forts in the area. However, neither of them can be fully relied upon, a situation that must be swiftly rectified for the long-term security of the province. Windmoth Legion Fort in the south of Telvannis District is in the middle of the Mephalain Mountains with no facilities to entertain the men. As this strategic location requires a strong commander and a diligent garrison I recommend implementing a rotation policy so Windmoth is always occupied by eager troops who won't fall into the trap of idleness or routine. The second fort in Indoril lands has been abandoned for hundreds of years, its original name long lost and replaced with the moniker ‘Ruinous Keep’. Like Fort Firemoth in the Inner Sea (see Volume I of this report) it has been taken over by a lich who must be killed to remove this potential weakness in the defenses of Morrowind.

Once Necrom, Windmoth Legion Fort and the 'Ruinous Keep' have been bypassed or captured, an attacking army must deal with the capital city of Morrowind, Almalexia, and the largest Imperial city in the province, Old Ebonheart. The invaders could turn south in an attempt to avoid these two obstacles, which would lead them into Dres territory and cost them valuable time. Another option would be to run the gauntlet between Almalexia and Old Ebonheart, and then try to cross the river Thirr at the only bridge that crosses its entire width -- Almas Thirr. This would be a poor strategic maneuver for a slow moving infantry army, as it leaves both flanks wide open. On the other hand, a mainly cavalry army might be able to run the gauntlet. They would probably have to travel by road, however, which would carry them too close to Old Ebonheart for comfort. In short, the invaders would probably have to attack at least one of these two cities, if only as a diversion to pin the defenders long enough for the bulk of the attacking army to cross the Thirr.

Almalexia is a sprawling city, by far the largest in the East, built around the Mournhold citadel. Its sheer size makes it difficult to defend, and despite the best efforts of the Indoril guard and the small Imperial Legion garrison at Fort Lutemoth nearby, it is likely that the outer city would fall under a concerted attack by a large hostile army. Like many Dunmer cities however, it would prove difficult for an invading army to hold. Not even the Dunmer royalty are safe from the innumerable Almalexian citizens, as the death of General Symmachus, husband of Queen Barenziah, at the hands of a mob during the Imperial Simulacrum demonstrates. Pity the army that tries to keep the native population in check while they prepare to besiege Mournhold! With its strong defensive position and enormous walls, Mournhold is a daunting prospect for any attacking force. Mournhold is also the home of two elite Dunmer infantry forces, the Royal Guard whose duty is to protect the king of Morrowind, and the High Ordinators who protect the Temple of Almalexia. If that wasn’t enough, Mournhold is home to the living goddess Almalexia, for whom the city is named. It is my belief that nothing short of direct Daedric intervention in the mortal plane, akin to the destruction wreaked on the city by Mehrunes Dagon at the end of First Era, could break open Mournhold.

Although Old Ebonheart does not have a defender as powerful or revered as the Lady Almalexia, it is well defended nevertheless. Old Ebonheart castle is the largest Imperial stronghold in the East, and it commands excellent views over the surrounding landscape. The city itself is enclosed by walls on three sides and by the Inner Sea to the north. Unless the invading army was able to bring a blockade fleet around the north of Morrowind and through the Inner Sea, then Old Ebonheart would be able to hold indefinitely with vital supplies and reinforcements being brought in by sea, and casualties and non-essential civilians being evacuated via the same route. Of course, military plans must account for every eventuality, so we must assume that at some point the city will fall. However, that still leaves Old Ebonheart castle. Built on an island with only a long, narrow bridge linking it to the mainland, the castle was specifically designed to be defensible with a tiny garrison. There are contingency plans for Imperial battlemages to destroy the bridge, but even if that is not possible the attacking army would have to cross the bridge no more than four abreast at the mercy of Imperial archers stationed on the walls. They would then be pushed east around the inner walls, harried every step of the way by archers on the inner and outer walls, before entering into the bailey to be picked off by yet more archers. Once they penetrated the keep the attackers would face the daunting prospect of searching every inch of the castle for defenders. They would suffer heavy casualties from ambushes launched from the hidden passageways throughout the keep and the delay leaves them vulnerable to counter-attack from Imperial and Dunmer forces.
Last edited by Terrifying Daedric Foe on Fri Jan 17, 2014 9:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
'The strange thing about TR is that I think it is by and large accepted that we will finish. We are all the sort of crazy people that would do such a thing. We are inevitable.' ~ Thrignar Fraxix
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gro-Dhal
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Post by gro-Dhal »

This is good and detailed. I have two suggestions/comments:

-The defensive capabilities of Necrom are impossible for an outlander to guess at. I'd emphasise the uncertain role of ghosts in defending the city, but not go into detail. Assume the reader understands that Necrom is a city of ancestor spirits.

-Don't go into detail about the problems at Fort WIndmoth. This isn't the sort of information the Legion would want in the public domain. Better if you stress how crucial it is for the fort to have a strong commander and diligent garrison, and let the player see for themselves how bad the real situation is in comparison.
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Terrifying Daedric Foe
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Post by Terrifying Daedric Foe »

I was under the impression that this was more of a semi-confidential document for high-ranking Imperials, but I'll make the changes.
'The strange thing about TR is that I think it is by and large accepted that we will finish. We are all the sort of crazy people that would do such a thing. We are inevitable.' ~ Thrignar Fraxix
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Post by Terrifying Daedric Foe »

Updated.
'The strange thing about TR is that I think it is by and large accepted that we will finish. We are all the sort of crazy people that would do such a thing. We are inevitable.' ~ Thrignar Fraxix
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Post by arvisrend »

Sorry but this still sounds gamey at some points. Suggestion for first paragraph (red = changed):
The purpose of this report is to inform Imperial authority on the fortifications constructed within the Province of Morrowind, should there be any issues with the local populace, or invaders from Akavir or another foreign continent of Nirn. It will discuss particular fortifications, as well as fortifiable locations and possible vulnerabilities. Skyrim and the Black Marsh will not be mentioned herein, as separate observers have been sent to those Provinces to draft similar assessments. In the first volume the fortifications of Vvardenfell, Solstheim, the Telvanni Isles and a number of other minor islands were discussed. This second volume is concerned with the mainland east of the river Thirr; the western half of the mainland will be addressed in a third and final [or not? a fourth one making conclusions and suggestions or an assessment of likelihood of an attack could also make sense] volume. Great House fortifications will be mentioned, as they would prove a pivotal part of the Empire's defensive forces in the event of an invasion. While internal threats are certainly possible, such as rebellion in one or more of the Great Houses, or sabotage attempted by the Twin Lamps, they will not be discussed as such a rebellious group cannot, of itself, pose a significantly large threat to Morrowind and Imperial order therein.
This here is bad and I don't know how to fix it:
The second fort in Indoril lands has been abandoned for hundreds of years, its original name long lost and replaced with the moniker ‘Ruinous Keep’. Like Fort Firemoth in the Inner Sea (see Volume I of this report) it has been taken over by a lich who must be killed to remove this potential weakness in the defenses of Morrowind.
At the very least we need a name for that fort -- while it might not be obvious to the player, the Empire certainly does remember how it was called. And the lich is very recent and it's not likely this Imperial agent visited that cursed place. Just say that the fort was abandoned and barred so as to prevent the wildlife of the bog from taking it over. Add that the writer of the book did not have the time and budget to visit the place (hint to the addressees of the report). Let the player do the exploration.
There are contingency plans for Imperial battlemages to destroy the bridge
The report is too widely circulated to mention plans like this.
(This is a bit of a judgment call though. Abstractly mentioning the existence of hidden passages in the castle is okay because it leaves the attacker none the wiser; mentioning a concrete trap is bad.)

All in all it's a very good book, though.
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