A Void Sailor's Primer: What's Out There?

I suppose most landsmen figure the Void is empty, with the plane(t)s acting as islands, rather like a Nirnian ocean. But anyone who has sailed the Void (or the oceans) can tell you the truth: they both are teeming with life.

The plane(t)s are more like continents – like Tamriel, Akavir or Yokuda. Scattered throughout are small plane(t)oids; no one is sure of their origins. Ada that perished in Padomaic dissipation? Bodies of some untold adic war? There are many of them; some are large enough that the Remanites built voidstations on them, some of which still function. Others were mined by…someone. Still others hold the remnants of ancient bases, perhaps of pirates.

Oh, yes, there are pirates: a great number are Dremora, unsworn to any Prince. Over the centuries there have been whole fleets of the Kyn, pillaging the Void. The Khajiit fought them in the years after Reman, and we fight them in the 6th Era. There are mortals plying the trade as well, but that’s to be expected.

Daedra, too. You find clannfears, scamps and the smaller ones on the plane(t)oids; there are larger ones as well: ogrims, titans, things we haven’t named. Some of the lads claim they’ve seen twilights flying alongside the ships – heard them singing. That’s some Breton foolishness, though – long enough in the Void and you’ll think you’re seeing Ayem Herself.

Sometimes the Princes war. We stay away from their armadas.

But the void serpents are the worst…and best: beautiful and terrifying in equal measure. Try to imagine a blackness deeper than the Void, slithering amidst the shadows. You only know they’re there by the eyes; this pale silver that makes you feel like you’re falling through the stars. That’s how they get you. You’re lost in the sight until your feel the fangs, and that’s that.

Everything else is what you’d imagine: pilgrims off to the Realms to see lost loved ones, mananauts seeking Aetherius; explorers, Mages Guild researchers, Zero devotees, void-miners, mad wizards, slavers, the Legion. And the Bal cultists, Vehk take them.

What's that? You want to know about the Dark, f’lah? I won’t speak of it, not a word. You’ll have to ask someone else.