User:Vincentius1/Sandbox 2

Introduction

The Alik'r Desert
Type	Region
Continent	Tamriel
Province	Hammerfell
Subregions	Deep Desert Hollow Wastes Myrkwasa Tigonus
Demonym(s)	Alik'r, Alik'ran, Alik'ri
Appears in	Daggerfall, ESO

The Alik'r Desert ca. 2E 582

"A sacred flame rises above the fire, The ghosts of great men and women without names, Cities long dead rise and fall in the flame, The Dioscori Song of Revelation, Bursting walls and deathless rock, Fiery sand that heals and destroys."—Weltan, "On the Immortality of Dust"

The Alik'r (best known as the Alik'r Desert) is a large region that takes a significant portion of the province of Hammerfell. It is a vast sea of sand and dunes, stretching across the inner province and surrounded by the mountains in eastern Hammerfell, and the grassland along the coastline. Borders between Hammerfell's nations in the Alik'r Desert are hazy; travelers in the vast desert can never tell where they start or end.

As stated earlier, the Alik'r Desert encompasses much of central Hammerfell and reaches as far north as Sentinel, Lainlyn, and Satakalaam, as far south as the Gilane region, Kelps Yat and the River Irk, and as far east as Skaven's outskirts. Geographically, it is bordered by Bangkorai and the Dragontail Mountains to the east, Cape Shira to the west, Dak'fron to the southeast, and Khefrem to the south. The northern Alik'r Desert converges with the Iliac Bay region found between Hammerfell and High Rock.

Map of Hammerfell

Society and Geography

Demographics

Alik'r Warriors

Sentinel, the Jewel of Alik'r

The Alik'r Desert is mainly populated by the Redguards who call Hammerfell their home, divided into many subcultures across the region. Generally in the province, there are those who live in the large cosmopolitan cities on the coast and the nomads who wander the Alik'r Desert. The two most influential factions in Hammerfell are the Crowns and Forebears. The Crowns adhere to ancient Yokudan customs and traditions and preside over the northern Alik'r via Bergama and Lainlyn in the Hollow Wastes.

In fact, most of northern Hammerfell is affiliated with the Crowns, which caused issues when the Iliac Bay coast was conquered by the Kingdom of Sentinel, a historically Forebears nation. The Forebears, descendants of the Ra Gada, have assimilated to Tamrielic customs and are open to the world outside of Hammerfell. At the time of Sentinel's takeover, it was ruled by King Lhotun. In an effort to quash the friction between both factions, he created a third party that respected Yokudan tradition but was open to Imperial customs called the Lhotunics.

Of the many nomadic tribes in the desert, one of the most well-known is the Ash'abah of the northern wastes. While they are shunned by the Crowns for rejecting traditional Yokudan practices toward the dead, they have been supported by local Forebears. They are an ancient tribe, an off-shoot of the Crowns and descendants of a Yokudan prince. Although not inherently nomadic, another subculture in the region are the barbarians, people who live in the wilderness and are dependant on wildlife.

Many of the Dwemer ruins that dot the Alik'r Desert were once settlements of the Rourken Clan. Their capital was Volenfell, the site where their mighty hammer, Volendrung first landed in Hammerfell. Their other holdings included Santaki, perhaps their northwesternmost settlement on mainland Hammerfell, Aldunz, and Yldzuun in the hills between Bergama and Tigonus, and Rkulftzel in the Sep's Spine plateau south of Lainlyn. Many of their sites had been left virtually untouched, but over time, Nordic and Akaviri have plundered them and wildlife has reclaimed it.

By the time the Dwemer appeared in Hammerfell, the Direnni Hegemony had repelled the Nords from High Rock and ruled over their human subjects known as the early Bretons. They also claimed parts of Hammerfell and as such, elves and men both lived in the northern Alik'r Desert, in places including modern-day Sentinel and Lainlyn. Salas En, a former Ayleid city-state, had been occupied by Altmer and later Crowns colonists from Yokuda.

Since before the Ra Gada arrived on Tamriel, Goblin-ken such as Orcs and Goblins lived in the Alik'r Desert's vast interior. They lived in strongholds and were divided into many clans and tribes. By the mid-Second Era, the Sandgrubber Tribe of goblins populated the hills around Divad's Chagrin Mine but in ancient times, the Flint-Tooth Tribe of giant goblins once dominated the land. The Hollow Wastes region had once been the home of an Orcish subculture aptly known as the Desert Orcs. Clan Korkhugg was one of the many tribes and clans at the time. Both of these original inhabitants barely survived the warrior waves and eventually helped build the foundations of Orsinium. By the late Third Era, Orcish strongholds such as Sekbith, Sashthrac, and the Stronghold of Dhortum remained active across the region.

Giants also lived in strongholds like Daghoth, Groleten, and the Fortress of Nhorchen. The Lamia is a beastfolk race that lives in the Alik'r Desert, mainly along its coast. Only in the Interregnum did local Alik'ri viziers discover evidence of an aggressive, untamed desert subspecies. Within the next few years, these Desert Lamia garnered a reputation worse than their water brethren and were even spotted as far east as Craglorn.

Culture and Industry

Society in the Settled World

Tu'whacca's Throne

Merric at-Aswala, a Redguard gallant

Though nations and their borders are depicted on maps, the shifting sands make it hard to discern where one region starts and where the Alik'r ends. Because of this, these people believe they are one with the desert. They share this philosophy with the desert nomads of the interior.

• Border-states/Outlying Territories

Many holidays and festivals in Hammerfell have existed since long before the main Ra Gada force arrived in 1E 808, with many being direct translations from older celebrations back on Yokuda. Many of these holidays are observed across the region but some are only celebrated in certain regions and kingdoms. These include Koomu Alezer'i Yaghoub (Sentinel), Riglametha (Lainlyn), and Serpent's Dance (Satakalaam).

In the Alik'r Desert at large, the Redguards observe several holidays. Two of these holidays venerate Frandar and Divad Hunding, history's most accomplished sword-singers and folk heroes to the Redguards. During Dirij Tereur on the 5th of Frostfall, people gather in temples to read through the Book of Circles. The Festival of Blades on the 26th of First Seed celebrates the Hundings' victory against Malooc's Horde of giant goblins. This holiday is very popular in the region, despite many scholars considering the story a myth.

Baranth Do, on the 18th of Evening Star is the people's farewell to the past year. Pageant-goers wear demonic representations of the year and revelers honor the new one everywhere. The 29th of Sun's Height is Fiery Night, celebrating the hottest day of the year. Ovank'a, on the 12th of Morning Star is a holy day dedicated to the Divine, Stendarr, the God of Justice and Mercy. People pray for a mild and merciful year. Although Stendarr is only recognized by the Forebears when the Third Empire took over Hammerfell, various regions had a patron Divines and their temples were established across several settlements. Stendarr was established as the Alik'r Desert's patron and his temple, the Temple of Stendarr has many chapters in the region. The Divine is also the favored god of gallants, who are prevalent in the Alik'r Desert.

The Motalion Necropolis

The Gallants of Hammerfell, also called the Knights of the Desert, are expert sword-wielders and horse riders. Their main steed of choice is the Yokudan Charger, a breed descended from the Yokudan Warhorses of Akos Kasaz that can traverse the Alik'r's harsh environment with ease. They are specially bred and raised in Aswala Stables, a settlement outside of Lainlyn that is run by the eponymous family of Crowns. The Gallants are an aspect of Redguard tradition that harkens back to Yokuda, where it predisposed the people to the culture surrounding knightly orders. Knights are present in some form across all Redguardic mythos, like the Order of Diagna who fought with Sentinel and Daggerfall in the Siege of Orsinium, and the God of War known as Reymon Ebonarm.

In northern Hammerfell, particularly the Alik'r Desert, the Fighters Guild are allies with Ebonarm's temple, the Citadel of Ebonarm. The guild's chapters are also considered temples to the God of War, to which they are alternatively known as Fighter Trainers. The Citadel of Ebonarm is considered an enemy of the Temple of Stendarr. The necropolises of the Alik'r Desert are large, sacred sites that resonate with spiritual energy. Tu'whacca's Throne, which sits at the top of a plateau over northwest Alik'r is one such temple. Not only is the eponymous deity's presence felt here, but the temple also serves a monument to the many Yokudans that perished in the destruction of their home. The Motalion Necropolis near Satakalaam is the largest in the region but is also considered a dark place.

Leki, also known as the Saint of the Spirit Sword, is the goddess of aberrant swordsmanship. She is at the center of a legend with a prolific warrior who boasted his powers named Rada al-Saran. As the story goes, Leki drew him to an oasis in the Hollow Wastes to challenge and humble him. He found her as a warrior of sand, wielding a blade made out of the hardest rock. Their battle lasted for three days and nights until, in one final strike, Rada broke Leki's blade, creating a great sandstorm that split the horizon. When it cleared, Leki built a shrine from the sand and it became the town of Leki's Blade. Another tradition, celebrated during the New Life Festival, involves a great wolf who shaped Tamriel with his ceaseless hunger. One example was that he drank the Iliac Bay dry enough to create the Alik'r Desert.

Many dishes come from the Alik'r Desert. Pomegranates are a distinct part of the Alik'r's culinary culture. Not only are they served during the Koomu Alezer'i Yaghoub, but they can also be made into the region's most popular wine, or used as a secondary ingredient, like in seared venomsteaks. The process of creating shrieking cheese is a tightly kept secret by the Redguards, but it is a dish that locals love to serve foreigners. At a certain melting point, the cheese starts to shriek. It is sometimes added to common spicy meat dishes while cooking. Another popular native dish is Beets with Goat Cheese.

The Alik'r people in coastal cities like Lainlyn and Sentinel developed a maritime industry. The Alik'r Caravel is a small type of ship built in places like the famous shipyards of Lainlyn, where King Fahara'jad of Sentinel previously had ships built for his royal navy and even the Daggerfall Covenant. The Impervious Vault in Sentinel was built in the First Era by Grandee Yaghoub and it contained the Alik'r Desert's greatest treasures, including the Ansei Wards.

Society in the Desert

Redguard Rain-Catchers

The Coil of Satakal

As stated above, there are several nomadic tribes in the Alik'r. While people more accustomed to the cities avoid the wastes, those that survive in the desert develop a hardiness and resourcefulness to live with the bare minimum. Over the years, however, the people have developed means to thrive in their harsh environment. Travelers commonly wear special clothing to protect their mouths from the coarse sand and wear typical Redguard leather armor, which offers lightweight protection and room to breathe.

The writer, Enric Milres contemplated the nature of the Redguards and their strong character to describe their relationship with the desert. As he puts it in his book, The Alik'r, "They are warriors by nature. As a group, there are none better. Nothing for them has worth unless they have struggled for it. No one fought them for the desert, but the Alik'r is a great foe. The battle goes on. It is a war without rancor, a holy war in the sense the phrase should always imply."

Many ancient ruins can be found buried in the sand. A single gust of wind could easily uncover and bury it again at a moment's notice. Some of these ruins, like the Alik'r Shade-Temples provide harborage from the sun. The sands, and even the winds themselves bare magicka and help Alik'r wizards develop a unique magical style. It is believed that the sands; broken, scattered, intermingled in infinite combinations, and repeated for miles on end, contain remnants of Magnus' gift to the mortal realm. And that this exposure and combinatorial explosion creates a breadth and diversity of magical energy that cannot be found anywhere. The Anka-Ra of Craglorn draw from the distant Alik'ri sands to create their warrior mounts.

The wind is viewed as the mechanism that lets the vast array of magic in the sands carry itself out and guide it into novelty and expression. The writer, Afa-Saryat in his treatise, Wind and Sand compared this line of thinking to the Nordic tradition of Kyne, whose winds are seen as a "celestial mourning" for the death of her lover, Shor and a gift for mortals to benefit from. He goes on to further state that "reading the knowledge of the sands" is in of itself, a difficult task that would take an army of clerical workers than a single wizard to fully realize. Locals use a sleeping goldspine boar's twitches to predict incoming sandstorms. By the morning, a vast, mysterious red mist envelops the desert. The poet, Weltan described this as a "sacred flame" that "rises above the fire". The Yokudan tanbur called Long Fire is named for the quiet nights in the deep desert when bard sings to his travel companions under the night sky.

The ancient Yokudan god, Satakal is a popular deity among the Alik'ri, particularly in the Crowns. Worshippers amongst them are known as the Satakals. It is a commonly held belief that everyone dwells upon the serpent and maps of the land would often depict a giant serpent as a symbolic representation. The Satakals are respected by the people, who in turn, provide for them through charity. They are said to wander the desert in a sidewinder fashion for hundreds of miles and band together like the ancient Ra Gada to terrorize the countryside. When the Third Empire established its presence in Hammerfell, they grappled with the Satakals and had to ban them from their cities.

A Tattooed Shorn Camel

Wayward spirits roam the Deep Desert and can lead camels astray as they cross the region. A tradition of Shorn Camels was developed in the Alik'r region. Floral designs of blooming flowers are popular and well-beloved. The Dervishes of Rihad shave their camels and tattoo mystical symbols to placate them. Even in the harsh desert environment, the Redguards have found ways to cultivate and sustain themselves with fresh water. The people use inverted tent-like structures called Rain Catchers, which take moisture from the air and funnel it into rainwater cisterns called johads. The water is then carried to the cities in large urns to be sold. When the elves lived predominantly in the region, they used glass divining rods to search for water and traverse the desert.

Amethyst geodes can be found across the central Alik'r Desert, with many jewelers and gem enthusiasts claiming the region produces some of the best examples. Some of the finest amethysts come from Kulati Mines, between Tu'whacca's Throne and Leki's Blade. Here, layers of sand and rock have not covered the ancient lava under the earth as it had across the rest of the region. The Coldrock Diggings mine near Lainlyn is important to the local shipwrights since it provides them with grit-rock and holystone. The Sandblown Mine near Kozanset was once a copper mine before it eventually ran dry.

The most dominant vampire bloodline in the Alik'r Desert is the Anthotis, who possess a great intellect and have spread to other neighboring regions like Dak'fron and Antiphyllos. The Witches of the Marsh are the local witches coven in the region. Although Dragons have been largely non-existent since the late Merethic Era or until 4E 201, denizens of the Alik'r Desert insist that the region is the home of many dragons. In the neighboring Dragontail Mountains, the Redguards observe a holiday called the Day of Waiting in which a dragon from the desert will come and devour the wicked.

Ecology

A grand vista of the Alik'r Desert, as illustrated by Flaccus Terentius

The Alik'r Cactus

The Alik'r interior is commonly referred to as the Deep Desert and is most notorious for its inhospitality. The Knight-Gallant Titianus Iulus describes it as a "nightmare land" devoid of nourishment, prowling with horrors, and treacherous. The ancient lava beds underneath the earth have been buried by rock layers and weathered by the sands. Salt pits also dry the land and poison the water, but despite everything, life has managed to find a way into the waste. The city of Bergama, for example, is a large city and the seat of a barony in the Deep Desert.

The interior is rich with mineral resources, something that attracted the Rourken Clan to settle in the desert. Amethyst in the Alik'r Desert is particularly noteworthy to gem enthusiasts and jewelers. Plant life can exist in the Deep Desert, but blooming flowers are rare and prized among the people. Satakal's Blossom is one such example. An extremely hallucinogenic flower used by the Ash'abah for rituals. Something more commonplace are cacti in the wilderness, from the signature Alik'r Cactus to the Torturer's Pillow. Palm trees are equally present in the desert, with a variant like the Calm Palm exclusive to the region. The Juniper trees, and even nirnroots on the water are also in the Alik'r Desert.

Most of the Alik'r's population lives on the coast, a tropical wet-dry climate typically described as green, albeit sparse coastline. The Sentinel region at times, consists of fertile fields; other times, it is a barren plain with poor soil. The locals harvest figs, olives, and pomegranates, staple foods in the Koomu Alezer'i celebration and thanksgiving in honor of the gods. Rainfall can be expected here, like in Myrkwasa city for example.

The Giant Scorpion

The Duneripper

• Geography (The Deep Desert)

• Beastfolk mobs (Harpies/Ogres/Goblins)

The Hammerfell Camel is the common yet reliable beast of burden in not just the desert, but the province as well. Though they are native to Tamriel, the Ra Gada brought many camels with them and it was these same Yokudan Camels that the Psijic Order modeled for their camel exemplars. Similarly, Alik'r night riders on a moonless Witches Festival may find themselves headless riding through the desert on shadowy camels and holding hollowjacks. Unlike most parts of Tamriel, horses are not well-suited for the desert landscape. However, horses with origins in Lost Yokuda have been able to adapt and find use in the region. The Ra Gada from Akos Kasaz brought Yokudan Warhorses with them and bred them into the modern Yokudan Charger, the ideal mount of choice for Gallants.

Desert canines also live in the region. Most common are jackals, widely known across Tamriel as the "thieves' dog" for being clever and resourceful scavengers, but also loyal companions once tamed. The larger speckled wolf has a gray and white pattern and rose in popularity as a companion mount after being featured in an Investigator Vale story. The desert hosts large and intimidating creatures. Giant Snakes, specifically Sand Serpents live in and around the oases of the Alik'r Desert. Assassin Beetles are large dark bugs that can blend in the shadows and stalk their prey. A legend persists that they were once known as Samara Scarabs and were once small pets in Yokuda until the Hunger of Sep corrupted them, turning them into the giant beetles of today. Gargoyles are living statue creatures, or rather a stone golem that can be found deep in Hammerfell's wastes. However, other cultures use them. The necropolises of the Alik'r Desert use Yokudan gargoyles as guards.

The Duneripper is one predator that thrives in the western wastes. They are immense creatures that can reach up to three horses in length, and their tails are covered in chitinous scales. When it comes to hunting, they are extremely patient and can lie in wait for days for their target. The first sign of a duneripper is its dorsal crest striking through the sand, and the trailing sand shifting into whirlpools. Alik'r nomad chieftains claim that dunerippers were much larger when the Ra Gada landed on Hammerfell than now. Another dominant predator is the Giant Scorpion, whose girth is compared to a large bull, and its enormous tail is described as the most feared natural weapon in Hammerfell. Legends have spurred around these creatures since before the Redguards arrived and native Ash'abah shamans value their giant stingers. Scorpion nests are some of the most abundant types of dungeons found across the northern Alik'r.

Across the Alik'r Desert, but particularly around Bergama are old mausoleums, each with plenty of dead interred. And with this endless supply of corpses are entities that will resurrect them with necromancy. Grave robbers have witnessed hooded and tattered wraiths; returned spirits without a memory either raised from the dead or summoned by magic. Common undead like skeletons and even mummies are likewise reanimated by necromancers. Mummification is a sacred and time-consuming practice in Redguard society and improperly interacting with the body post-death is considered sacrilegious across Hammerfell. The Yoku term for the undead is Ra-Netu (roughly translated as "Turned Warrior" in Tamrielic), but Ra-Netu specifically mean resurrected Redguard ancestors, either from the forgotten graveyards of the deep desert, or from the sea floor.

Across the desert are isolated bodies of water called oases. Some of these oases are found near settlements and important landmarks, like the Goat's Head Oasis near Tu'whacca's Throne and Ogre's Bluff near Bergama and Aldunz. Some like the oasis in Leki's Blade are the basis for the settlement. Goat's Head Oasis hosts all sorts of freshwater fish that can only be found in this section of the Alik'r Desert. These include the Banded Killifish, the Lungfish, the Saw Belly, and the rare Desert Pupfish. Foul water across the land contains the Cutthroat Eel, the Sand Moray, and the illusive Midget Salmon and Sand Eel. The Alik'r's access to the Iliac Bay provides it with a variety of sea-based creatures. Local fishmongers can find fish like the Alewife, the Driftfish, the Sablefish and the rare Bonefish.

City of Alik'ra

The City of Alik'ra

The capital city in the Alik'r Desert

Alik'ra is a walled city in the unconquered Alik'r Desert region and its capital in the Iliac Bay. It is located just north of Bergama, where the narrow strip of land begins to the west between Antiphyllos and Sentinel to the north, and Bergama to the south. Despite its importance in the area, no ruler claims it.

Notable Locales

Alik'ra Palace Cemetery Dark Brotherhood

Fighter Trainers Guildhall Mages Guild

Temple of Stendarr Thieves Guild

History

Before the main Ra Gada

Salas En

Where Volendrung first landed in Hammerfell

Before the Redguards lived in the Alik'r Desert and the rest of Hammerfell, the province was a barren wasteland, with only sparse settlements populated by the neighboring races on the coast. These settlements were established by elves, namely the Ayleids and Altmer and their Breton subjects from throughout the bay. They built outposts to protect the sea and fisherfolk from dangers in the deep desert, such as Goblin-ken (Orcs and Goblins). Legends even speak of a race of giant goblins, who lived in strongholds.

When the First Council was created in 1E 420, the Rourken clan of Dwemer self-exiled themselves from the east and followed Volendrung's path as it flew across the sky. The hammer landed somewhere in the Alik'r Desert, where they built their capital of Volenfell. The Rourken clan was quick to establish an easy trade relationship with their neighbors.

By roughly the sixth century, the Ayleids in Salas En were no longer present and it was taken over by the Corelanya Clan of Altmer, who were noticeably daedric worshippers. The Dwemer across Tamriel had disappeared within an instant in 1E 700, leaving the Rourken clan's holdings completely abandoned. All that was left was the elven and Breton settlements on the northern Alik'r coast. After the War of the Singers in 1E 780, Frandar Hunding, his son Divad Hunding and their entourage of Sword-singers called the Army of the Circle embarked from Yokuda and landed in Hammerfell. Their conquest of the Alik'r Desert is a staple in Hammerfell legend.

What they first found was the abandoned cities of the Dwemer and the land inhabited by giant goblin-ken. A great conflict occurred in which the Army of the Circle fought to destroy them but in one of their bloodiest battles, Frandar's life was claimed and Divad took up his crusade henceforth. At his side were several companions who aided him in the war, such as Sabasad the Shield who died fighting goblins near modern-day Tu'whacca's Throne temple, and Razul, whose biggest accomplishment comes later. Divad's victory over the giant goblins is recited in the Song of Divad, in which he and his band of sword-singers created five magical swords imbued with his spirit to banish them.

Early History

Sentinel, the modern Forebears capital in the Alik'r

Na-Totambu, the lost Crowns capital in the Alik'r

When Yokuda was destroyed, its people fled east and eventually discovered Hammerfell in 1E 808. The Ra Gada first landed on the shores of modern-day Hegathe and set themselves out across the coast to find new harborages. Grandee Yaghoub sailed north around Cape Shira to be the first of his kind to discover the Iliac Bay. He vowed to make his home here and as he followed the Steed on the 17th of Second Seed, his watchmen found a port occupied by elves and humans. Yaghoub named it "Sentinel" after the person who first saw it. When Yaghoub landed in town, he conquered the people and turned them into slaves, to which they built Sentinel into what it is today, including the Grandee's new home, Samaruik.

Many Na-Totambu that followed suit settled in Sentinel, but also expanded themselves further beyond into the northern Alik'r Desert. The town of Lainlyn, originally known as Tava's Blessing was a Crowns settlement built around the same time and the now buried city of Na-Totambu. It was founded by them as a place to reproduce Yokudan culture and it was named after the continent's former capital. In a terrific sandstorm, the city was lost to time. Yaghoub's warrior-wave, including the famed band of sword-singers, Yaghoub's Thirteen settled on a beachfront west of the city. The actions of one member, Navid the Singer, has cursed the site, and his story became a local legend.

The Ra Gada had also embarked into the desert, some of whom settled in the wastes, such as those that built the Hall of Judgment in Bergama. Others like the second warrior-wave traveled through it to other parts of Hammerfell like Craglorn. Oral traditions persist to this day about the Yokudans of Alik'r and their battle with the Firehide clan. Because of the Yokudan's terrible history with the Lefthanded Elves, the Ra Gada were just as relentless to the elves that inhabited Hammerfell as they were to the goblin-ken. Some of them eventually retaliated, such as the Corelanya Clan of Salas En, who attempted to drive the Yokudans of Yath out from their home in 1E 853.

King Xakhwan and his sons, Prince Haqmir and Sameer led the defense while the Corelanya clan was outside their walls. While the princes defeated the kinlady, King Xakhwan was killed and resurrected by the elven necromancer, Venerien. The King's sons were given the difficult task of dealing with their father's reanimated cadaver. One son decided to destroy his father's corpse and by tradition, forced themself into exile while the other son succeeded the King. The exiled one went on to form the Ash'abah, who dedicate themselves to fighting the defiled dead but have since become outcasts because of this creed. This, however, was not the last time the Ra Gada of Alik'r had to fight against elvish necromancy.

Elven necromancers fled into the deep desert and lived in towers, where they raised the dead to combat the warrior waves. The future King of Hammerfell, Fahara'jad claimed this was the Alik'r's greatest threat. Three Ansei warriors; Halelah, Maja, and Radan stepped up and created three, powerful swords made from the Shehai. They placed their souls into the swords and allowed the people to consecrate the dead in Tu'whacca's name while upholding their faith. One of these Ansei, Maja was born in Tava's Blessing. After the deed was done, the Ansei Wards were placed in the Impervious Vault in Sentinel.

Post-Ra Gada History

Leki's Blade

Derik Hallin

Once the Ra Gada invasion was complete, the Na-Totambu had fully made landfall and established themselves as Hammerfell's ruling faction, but to secure the Ra Gada's influence, Razul, Divad Hunding's former battle companion, established himself as Yokeda and cemented his legacy as the first Forebear. He was later put to rest in Tu'whacca's Throne.

At roughly the same time, another sword-singer, the Ansei Rada al-Saran wandered the desert and found the Saint of the Spirit Sword, Leki at an oasis. The two warriors commenced a duel that lasted for three days and three nights, and ultimately ended in a draw when Rada struck Leki's rocky blade in its weakest point. The blade broke in two and a great sandstorm split the horizon. When it passed, Leki built a shrine and the oasis held the purest water in the desert. A school was built around the shrine and became known as Leki's Blade.

Despite Frandar and later Divad's crusade against the goblin-ken, among the last denizens of pre-Ra Gada Hammerfell were the Desert Orcish tribes of the Hollow Wastes and the few remaining goblin tribes. Though they have held their own against the coastal Redguard kingdoms, the battle gradually went out of their favor and the goblin-ken felt trapped on multiple fronts. But warrior-chief Thulgeg's defense against the Redguards of Hegathe gave them the hope to oppose them. Even with their combined effort, the newly named Warlord Thulgeg saw defeat in their future and made the march east through Tigonus and the Fallen Wastes to escape through the Bangkorai Pass. Though the Redguards believe they destroyed the goblin-ken in 1E 874, remnants of these desert clans helped establish the foundations of Orsinium. This conflict would continue with Sentinel's involvement in the Siege of Orsinium, from 1E 950 to 1E 980.

Sometime in the First Era, by the time the art of sword-singing was nigh lost, the goblin warlord, Mahgzoor Rockhand descended on the city of Ojwambu and forced their people to retreat across the mountains to the Alik'r Desert, while Derik Hallin, the last Ansei stood alone to defend the city. While they evacuated, Hallin's students constantly drilled the Book of Circles into the people. Queen Ojwa led her citizens through a secret path to the Alik'r. After Derik Hallin had managed to defeat the warlord at the cost of his life, Queen Ojwa led her new army of sword-singing warriors to defeat the Endwise Army.

The Alik'r in the Late First and Second Era

King Fahara'jad of Antiphyllos

The Palace of Sentinel, where the Crowns moved from Hegathe

In the late First Era, the Thrassian Plague had made landfall in Hammerfell via the old capital, Hegathe and traveled up north into the Alik'r Desert. The Crowns of Salas En were effectively wiped out by the middle twenty-third century, while the population in the Iliac Bay at large radically decreased. Only nobles in Sentinel and other kingdoms were able to escape it by making safe passage to the Isle of Balfiera.

At roughly around the same time, a woman named Afsar ascended as a Queen of Alik'r when she quelled the civil unrest that came about after her predecessor died without an heir. She killed any opposition to the throne, and despite the bloody circumstances, her reign was peaceful. Upon the arrival of the Second Empire, the Redguards formed two parties to administrate the newly-named Imperial Province of Hammerfell.

The Crowns were established from the previous Na-Totambu and settled themselves in the Alik'r Desert via Bergama, Lainlyn, and other states in the north, while the Forebears, descendants of the Ra Gada based themselves in Sentinel. Concurrent with the annexation, the Dragonguard built one of their temples in the Alik'r Desert, namely Wind Scour Temple underneath HoonDing's Watch. The Phyllocid Dynasty ruled over the province during this time from Hegathe but at some point in the Interregnum, the capital was moved to Sentinel by the High King.

By the mid-sixth century of the Second Era, Sentinel was ruled by High King Ramzi the Distrait but as the Knahaten Flu took hold in 2E 560, the land devolved into chaos and the king sealed himself away in Samaruik. In the wake of it all, Prince Fahara'jad of Antiphyllos arrived from Bergama and named himself King of all of Hammerfell. The southern rulers resisted his claim and rumors spread of a Forebears plot, but with support from the north and other Forebears, Fahara'jad was able to restore Sentinel to its previous glory. The new King of Sentinel assembled a circle of advisors, some of whom were Forebears that openly opposed Ramzi's reign. One of these viziers was Suturah, who orchestrated an assassination plot by killing all of the King's other advisors and resurrecting them to attack. Though Fahara'jad escaped, so did Suturah, who fled into the Deep Desert and created an army of Ra-Netu to sack Sentinel.

Controversially to the south, Fahara'jad personally requested help from the Ash'abah, at the time led by Headman Marimah. Though the terms of this alliance are unknown, Marimah defeated the undead army and killed Suturah. To the public, the King attributed their defeat to divine intervention, while keeping his pact with the Ash'abah a secret. In the time since then, he married Za-Rifah of Taneth and had three children, Maraya the Jewel of Satakalaam, Lakana the Star of the Almandine, and Azah the Lion of Antiphyllos and Crown Prince.

In 2E 566, Princess Maraya married High King Emeric of High Rock and thus inducted Fahara'jad's kingdom into the Daggerfall Covenant. The Covenant had also brought in the Orcs of Wrothgar, despite protest from nobles of Rivenspire and Crowns of the Alik'r region. Much of northern Hammerfell, including Hallin's Stand in Bangkorai stood with the Covenant while outer territories remained distrustful. Although the Redguards were least represented in the alliance, the Covenant benefitted greatly by using the shipyards of Tava's Blessing to supply the navy for example.

The Withered Hand and the Ansei Wards

Uwafa

Though Suturah remained in the Motalion Necropolis, his plans to conquer the Alik'r with the undead lived on through his children; Uwafa, Alasan, and Shiri. The brothers, Uwafa and Alasan created a necromantic cult called the Withered Hand and conducted the first phase of their plan, the attack on Sentinel. It began with the resurrection of many Ra-Netu, who were raised from the water and stormed the city harbor. Meanwhile, the brothers attempted to dig through to the Impervious Vault, bypassing the impenetrable doors and taking the Ansei Wards. By the time Sentinel's forces had opened the vault themselves, the swords were gone.

Much like the previous event, Fahara'jad sought the help of the Ash'abah, but through an Agent of the Covenant. By becoming an honorary member of the tribe, they were able to gain their support and trust. Uwafa had been tracked to Tu'whacca's Throne with the ward of Ansei Radan, where he took over the temple and resurrected its dead. With help from the Throne Keeper, the Agent cleansed the temple and defeated the necromancer, thus securing the first ward. Meanwhile, Prince Azah and Shiri, under the guise of his new assistant, find Alasan in Tava's Blessing with the ward of Ansei Maja. The town at that point was lost and Alasan performed his ritual in the lighthouse across town. The Agent destroyed his focuses across town and killed the necromancer. However, they had inadvertently broken the ward and Alasan's spirit remained and proved to be invulnerable.

However, with help from Ansei Maja's spirit, her Ansei Ward was restored and sealed Alasan's spirit into it. Before her spirit was put to rest, however, Maja revealed the presence of a third sibling. Shiri, in an attempt to lead the Agent astray, told them to find the last ward; the Ward of Ansei Halelah in HoonDing's Watch, claiming she knew its last location. While the Agent was distracted, however, Shiri went to Satakalaam to uncover her father's text and proceed further with her brothers' plan. By the time the Agent and Sentinel had learned the truth,

The Alik'r and the Third Empire

The Kingdom of Sentinel ca. 3E 405

Partial map of the unconquered Alik'r Desert ca. 3E 405

Well after King Fahara'jad's reign, the Crowns regained their High Kingship in Sentinel, with the last of their line being Thassad II. In an attempt to strike peace, the Forebears Baron Volag of Sentinel's outlying territories struck an accord with Thassad II that lasted until the latter's death in 2E 862. The Purge of the North, as it is remembered today, was Baron Volag's attempt to claim the throne and an attack on Sentinel that forced the Crowns to flee. While Prince A'tor led the Crowns to Stros M'Kai to plan a counterattack, Volag assumed power over Sentinel. In the ensuing war, the Forebears were on the back end until they enlisted help from the Third Empire, at the time growing under Tiber Septim.

After the Battle of Hunding Bay ended the war, Baron Volag disappeared into the hills and Provisional Governor Senecus Goddkey was left to govern Sentinel. As a result, a new treaty was signed that allowed the Imperial Legion to settle in the province's cities. The Satakals, Alik'ri nomads that normally terrorize the countryside and border states attacked these garrisons. They were, in turn, run out of the towns by the Provisional Governors. After the Stros M'Kai Uprising ended its governor's reign, Baron Volag used this moment of weakness to retake Sentinel.

With the Crowns Regent-Queen, Iszara, the Baron and Tiber Septim went to Stros M'Kai and formally incorporated Hammerfell into the Empire by signing the First Treaty of Stros M'Kai. Though Sentinel was a Forebears kingdom, northern Hammerfell was mostly Crowns territory and its people stuck to traditional Yokudan traditions. The Iliac Bay region was ill-prepared for the Camoran Usurper's Invasion. As refugees fled north, the Usurper's armies followed suit in an unstoppable northward march from southern Hammerfell. The King of Sentinel at the time, was unable to unite its people to fight back, but the invasion was halted in 3E 267 by unlikely forces from High Rock.

By the fifth century of the Third Era, the northern Alik'r was split between several regions, each with a patron deity from the Imperial Eight divines and their associated temple. Most of them laden the coastline, from Abibon-Gora to Sentinel and Tigonus, but some landlocks nations like Antiphyllos, Bergama, and Santaki also existed. Most of the Alik'r Desert was considered unconquered territory, with the city of Alik'ra as the provincial capital of the northern wastes, though no ruler claimed the region. Stendarr was its patron god and the Temple of Stendarr was its most prominent temple. Despite its large size, the region's settlements were sparsely spread across it but among them were several other cities; namely, Agogurana, Anteliiga, Berbaaqnia, Ceranda-Kom, Ceriburea, Isfunnusa, Kaloguja, Mettula, Mogandaton, Ramoaweyn, Rhogila, and Tsetissiara.

The political landscape in the Iliac Bay had drastically changed in 3E 417 with the Miracle of Peace. This magical intervention transformed the many nations, including unconquered territories like the Alik'r into four Imperial counties made from the four kingdoms. It occurred between the 9th of Frostfall and the 11th of Frostfall, within the span of a second. A Blades agent who was stationed in the Alik'r Desert and en route to Bergama reported that a ginormous sandstorm blew across the land and by the end of it, the Sentinel, under Queen Akorithi took control of not just the barony, but the entire southern Iliac Bay. While former independent countries in northern Hammerfell became apart of Sentinel, it is unknown how much of north Alik'r was absorbed by the kingdom as by the end of the Third Era, it sat between the Alik'r and the Iliac Bay.

Post-Warp in the West and Onward

Wind Scour Temple, the Blades hideout in the Alik'r

Queen Akorithi and her heir apparent, Greklith passed away from a plague, leaving the Kingdom of Sentinel with the youngest sibling, Lhotun. Although he now reigned as one of the strongest kings in the Third Empire, much of these lands were Crown territories. The king went to great lengths to keep them under his wing and his main solution to this was the creation of the Lhotunic party that took aspects of both the Forebears and the Crowns. Many figures from both factions took issue with this, namely the High Prophet of Elinhir, Ayaan-si, who called upon the True Crowns to wage war against Sentinel and even had forays built on Bergama and Dak'fron's borders. What became of this war is unknown, or how it was affected by the Oblivion Crisis.

On the 30th of Frostfall, 4E 171, the Great War erupted throughout Cyrodiil and Hammerfell. The Alik'r Desert was a central location in the war, starting with the March of Thirst. The province's southern coast was swarmed by the Aldmeri Dominion and the outnumbered Imperial Legion retreated across the desert, hence the name, the March of Thirst. Before the war, a Thalmor ambassador approached Emperor Titus Mede II with an ultimatum, to which the Emperor rejected.

One of the stipulations of the ultimatum was the Blades' disbandment, but despite the Emperor's unwillingness to dissolve the Blades, the Thalmor were quick to hunt them during the Great War. Many of them died defending their temples, such as Wind Scour Temple in the Alik'r Desert. While the Crowns and Forebears reconciled and secured Hegathe, Lady Arannelya's main army crossed the Alik'r Desert and barely took the city of Skaven from the Legion led by General Decianus. When the General was called back to the Imperial City in late 4E 174, he left behind a contingent of "invalid" soldiers that formed the core of the army that retook Skaven and forced Arannelya back across the Alik'r. En route, they faced heavy losses and constant harassment from Alik'r warriors.

Notable Locations

Alik'ra, capital of the Alik'r region

Alik'ra

The walled capital of the political Alik'r region, found just northwest of Bergama's border

Bergama

A large city and small barony historically owned by the Crowns. It is a sanctuary in the harsh Alik'r environment

Kozanset

An open-aired town in the eastern Alik'r Desert and the capital of a small Third Era barony

Lainlyn

A coastal town occupied by the Crowns. It was formerly known as Tava's Blessing and is now the capital of a large barony

Leki's Blade

An outpost in the Hollow Wastes, where people train and practice the Ra Gada's martial tradition

Salas En

An ancient city originally built by elves of the Merethic Era and later occupied by the Yokudans of Yath

Satakalaam

A walled city in Tigonus, where the Redguards have continued to worship the Yokudan pantheon

Sentinel

The largest city in the Alik'r Desert, as well as the capital of Hammerfell, the Forebears, and the eponymous kingdom

Tu'whacca's Throne

A large temple dedicated to the Redguard deity of the same name. It is where the Redguards' most honored ancestors and heroes are buried

Volenfell

The former capital of the Rourken Clan of Dwemer, where their hammer fell from across the continent

Gallery

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  Bergama (Daggerfall)

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  Kozanset (Online)

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  Satakalaam (Online)

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  Tava's Blessing, also known as Lainlyn (Online)

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  Alik'r Bandit (Legends)

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  Alik'r Survivalist (Legends)

Notes

• ^	Some locations present in ESO's version of the Alik'r Desert area are found in a jungle area east of the Dragontail Mountains in Daggerfall, separate from the desert area in Hammerfell. These locations include Kozanset, Lainlyn/Tava's Blessing, and Satakalaam.

See Also

• For game-specific information, see the Daggerfall and Elder Scrolls Online articles.

Books

• The Alik'r
• Alik'r Survival for Outsiders
• Amethyst Mining in the Alik'r
• Inscription found in ruins of an ancient shelter for travelers
• On the Immortality of Dust
• Wind and Sand

References

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.