The Incoherence of Solstheim

Praise Reman, who freed us from the coils of the snake-men!

I'm Blackfyre, and I'd like to talk to you about...Solstheim.

Specifically, about all of the inconsistencies we are given in Dragonborn, 4E 201. For those of you who don't know me, I'm the scholar who has been writing "Through Eastern Eyes" so this is a matter that I have been delving into a great deal.

The problem that truly presents itself here is that on Solstheim in 4E 201, histories of Cyrodiil, Skyrim and Morrowind all seem to conflate and mix on this little island, and no one seems to have a decent, consistent narrative. This makes it exceedingly difficult to separate fact from fiction when we are traversing the lore.

INCOHERENCE I: ORIGINS

For those of you who didn't play Morrowind, we first visited Solstheim when we played Bloodmoon.

At this time, Solstheim was not part of Morrowind, but in early 4E (16, I believe) the High King of Skyrim (who didn't rule Solstheim when we visited in 3E) "gifted" Solstheim to the Dunmer. More than a little strange, considering that Solstheim has never really been considered a hold of Skyrim- though during Oblivion the Nords were rumored to be attempting the conquest of all Solstheim. UESP (not an actual source) tells us this was the Skaal attempting to throw out the Empire. Which doesn't fit with the High King "gifting" Solstheim to the Dunmer. Nor does the Skaal being on the cusp of taking the whole island fit with their complete sociopolitical backwardness in Dragonborn.

Oblivion does also tell us that Redoran went to war with Skyrim, so the result might have been Skyrim trouncing Redoran and snatching Solstheim.

If you've read Infernal City, we're told somewhat sarcastically by Sul, that this "gifting" might have just been an empty gesture by the High King, to assert influence on the situation, since he asserts Dunmer were already flooding to the island and more or less ruled the place. Additionally, Tel Mithryn seems to have been founded before the Red Year. As was the Dunmer settlement in Raven Rock, apparently a result of the Oblivion Crisis' destruction of Ald'Ruhn.

What should we make of the actual origins of Solstheim being largely Dunmer?

INCOHERENCE II: THE EMPIRE/THE EAST EMPIRE COMPANY

The second inconsistency concerns the Empire and the East Empire Trading Company (EEC).

In Dragonborn, they are conspicuously absent, though there are very clear signs that they have recently been there. The whole town is littered with East Empire Company crates. The mine still has EEC paraphenalia all through it.

Adril Arano tells us that the Imperials left Morrowind when the Oblivion Crisis hit and then "released it's grasp" on Morrowind. Read this if you want to read my refutation of Adril Arano and all of his hokum.

Clearly, Adril, who is at any rate, every bit as biased against the Empire as Ulfric Stormcloak, isn't necessarily telling us the truth. Especially since History of Raven Rock (one of the most patchy, biased histories in the entire game) tells us the Imperials left when Skyrim handed over Solstheim in 4E 16. Very clearly, this isn't true either, because the EEC is not a Skyrim owned/based enterprise, thus, the transfer of a province from Skyrim to Morrowind is irrelevant to their operations.

Especially when one considers that 4E 16 was a year earlier than the earliest date for the Imperial restoration by the Mede Dynasty (4E 17- not necessarily correct either). And, in History of Raven Rock, Brara Morvayn is shown to be regularly negotiating with the EEC in the years prior, to the point that she asked permission to augment security with Redoran Guard, and generally seemed to recognize EEC ownership of the island. If Titus Mede was building momentum in 4E 16, very soon to be restoring the empire, it makes no sense for this group, and Imperials in general, to be evicted en-masse from Solstheim, especially if Morvayn was working well with them and making buckets of Septims. And she was making BIG buckets of Septims- her son was rich enough to support the town for some time after the ebony ran dry.

In an uncharacteristic moment of clarity, History of Raven Rock, tells us the end of ebony mining occurred from 170-181. Considering that Raven Rock is a frontier town, which is 4E 201, is clearly in decline, and had its basis in production of a commodity, I find the later date to be the more convincing. Why? To my mind I think the continuation of a mining town for almost two hundred years after the conclusion of mining seems more than a little far fetched.

Also, the townsfolk seem to be convinced that the EEC "abandoned" them. I can't remember the name of the person who had this conversation regarding the EEC with Fethis, but chances are, it was his daughter.

Additionally, Old Crescius Caerellius seems adamant that the Imperials left when the Ebony ran dry. And while he is an old nutter, he is an old nutter who has been unfairly dismissed as insane. His musings are partially vindicated in one of the central quests for Raven Rock.

Thus, I think the reason for any bitterness against the Empire stems not from some centuries previous alleged withdrawal, but from the more recent withdrawal of the EEC, leaving the town high and dry and reliant on folks like Gjalund Salt-Sage.

Thoughts anyone?

INCOHERENCE III: THE HLAALU CONSPIRACY

This is a right kicker, but a small one. Stemming once more from our hapless friend Adril Arano, we learn a bit of interesting history about the Fourth Era.

When or After the Argonians invaded, the Hlaalu were removed from the Grand Council, because they did not have the backing of the Empire and were thus, powerless. Well, I've already above noted my objection to the notion that the empire withdrew after the Oblivion Crisis. Enough said there.

But are the Hlaalu powerless? The Accession War saw the decimation of Telvanni, the probable loss of all Dres lands (and the probable decimation of their house), the sack of Mournhold (whose rulers, the Indoril Priest Lords were already reduced in power due to the religious crisis of the Temple). It seems that every single house except Hlaalu and Redoran got brutalized. Hlaalu still had Old Ebonheart, Kragenmoor, Narsis, Cheydinhal.

Additionally, I would say it is clear that they are by far and away the richest of the Great Houses.

Redoran = soldiers = power.

Hlaalu = wealth = mercenaries = power. And while the collapse of the empire might have impaired their access to Legion aid, there surely couldn't be any house that could possibly outbid them in an attempt to get mercenaries to fight for them. And mercenaries would surely, surely have thrived in a situation like the Stormcrown Interregnum.

Wealth is what made the Nibenese into the heart of an empire. To my mind, Hlaalu are also the most cunning Great House. Moreover, Geldis Sadri, inkeeper of the Retching Netch tells us that in 4E 95 a Hlaalu noble arrived and spread enough money to turn half of Raven Rock against Lleril Morvayn. Would a house that values cunning and coin truly leave themselves so open to dismemberment as to allow themselves to be torn apart in the event of an Imperial Crisis like the Stormcrown Interregnum? Especially after having weathered 2 Imperial Wars of succession (Red Diamond & Andorak-Cephorus Wars), the Camoran Usurper Crisis AND the Imperial Simulacrum? In which nothing happened to them?

Moreover, I'm somewhat troubled by the fact that even as Adril Arano and Geldis Sadri call the Hlaalu traitors, and have us pursue the Hlaalu plot, a merchant named Fethis Alor displays, in front of his shop, in full view of the town, a banner that looks remarkably like the Hlaalu crest.

Strange no? Thoughts?

INCONSISTENCY IV: TIMELINE

The Timeline of the IV Era does not add up. At all, in any part of Skyrim. In fact, the timeline of the Fourth Era might as well begin with the LDB waking up on a cart. Anyone who has read my Eastern Eyes knows the gripe I have had with the timeline. It's unbelievably incoherent.

CONCLUSION

I'm not here to bash Dragonborn - I loved it. It was great to play. And I really enjoyed it. What I enjoyed less is trying to wade my way through the inconsistencies as I try to write my Apocrypha.

So please, share your thoughts on this matter with me, and assist me in trying to navigate the wild Isle of Solstheim!