Stories of the Reach, Vol. 2: Cailleach Carries the Mountains

By Broichan Mac Gurman, Battlemage of the IV Legion

In the time before Empires, when the Gods still walked Nirn, the Reach was a lush valley, with plentiful water and pasture. Farms stretched from Evermore in the west to Hroldan in the east. With no jagged hills or mountains to hamper them, our people thrived. The Nords of the White River seen this, and grew jealous. They came down from their mountains with intent to raid and plunder, and every summer warred with the Children of the Reach. We thanked Torc for this adversity, for it made us strong, and every summer we rose up to defend what was ours. But Nords are lazy, and after several years they grew sick of raiding, and no longer wanted to farm the hard ground of the White Mountains.

They lifted their Voices, whimpering to Cailleach, “Mother! We are jealous of the Reach! Are we not your favored children? Do you not love us? Take these mountains that we may have an easy life!”. Cailleach heard their cry, and gathered all of the White Mountians to her, leaving only the fertile White Plains for the Nords. For the Nords are her favorite children, and she always does as they ask, though it spoils them. Cailleach thought to fly west and drop the mountains in the ocean, but even a God can become tired. The weight of the mountains began to drag Na Faol down, and she dropped them. She dropped them right onto the Reach. No longer a pleasant valley but a skeleton, with spines of rock and stone jutting up from the earth. Many Children of the Reach died that day, and our farms and livestock were crushed. The Nords yelled, “See, see how our Mother loves us so! We are truly Her favorite children!” But Cailleach looked, and seen how already we began to rebuild.

We carved our will into the mountains, and thanked Cailleach for the opportunity to prove ourselves worthy of this hardship. The Nords of the White Plains seen our people were greatly reduced, and planned one last raid. They gathered a great force and stormed into the Reach with blood and fire in their eyes. It was a massacre. The Nords got lost in the ravines, and when our warriors charged, they could not flee. They died with their backs against the mountains they once called home. This is where the Nord saying comes from, “If you want to live a long life, don’t get caught between a Reachman and a rock."