Lore:Belarata

The UESPWiki – Your source for The Elder Scrolls since 1995
Jump to: navigation, search
Belarata
Type Ayleid Ruin
Continent Tamriel
Province Valenwood
Region Malabal Tor
(Xylo River Basin)
Appears in ESO
Belarata ca. 2E 582

Belarata is an Ayleid ruin located on the river basin of Malabal Tor, in the province of Valenwood. The ruin was infamous for many years because of its locked doors and the mystery behind them.[1] In truth, the ruins acted as a tomb for the noblewoman, Elanwe, the Lady of the Weald, whose spirit yearned for her long-lost love, Lord Varondil the Gold. She magically sealed the ruins and its bounty of treasure from intruders and it would only respond to her lover's enchanted sword.[2][3] The spirits were eventually reunited and the ruins were pilfered of its treasures.[4]

History[edit]

The town of Belarata predates the Ayleid Diaspora that took place in the early First Era and it was the seat of a powerful kingdom. They possessed a vast army of Nedic slaves; Varondil joked that the army was so large it could stretch from the Xylo basin to the Niben in the east. When the Alessian Slave Rebellion took place in 1E 242, warriors and knights of Belarata joined the core Ayleid Empire in their defense; but, like the rest of the Empire, they died in battle, including a knight named Varondil the Gold. Meanwhile, the town was completely taken over by the Nedic slaves and the nobility were slain, including Lady Elanwe, the Lady of the Weald.[2]

Elanwe's spirit remained on the mortal plane and guided Varondil's spirit to her with words of light. But, when Elanwe's spirit did not recognize Varondil, she placed a magical barrier that forced him out. The enchantment on the knight's sword blinded her to everything else, making her believe her lover had returned if it appeared. Since then, the barrier had been preserved and Varondil was stuck in the ruins of Belarata.[2] As the Ayleid Diaspora took place after the slave rebellion, many Ayleid refugees traveled south and re-inhabited Belarata.[5] The former King of Abagarlas, Anumaril arrived in Belarata and built the Great Seal that closed off the ruins from the outside.[6] After many years of living with the Bosmer, the Forest Ayleids and their culture eventually disappeared; their settlements, such as Belarata, were abandoned two thousand years after the diaspora.[5]

Many years later, in 2E 582, the Khajiiti con-man, Jurak-dar, found Varondil's sword at the bottom of a lake in Skyrim and traveled to Belarata, where he opened the tomb. When he delved into Belarata, he encountered Elanwe's spirit, who recognized the sword and mistook Jurak-dar as Varondil. She gave him trinkets and oddities and, seeing a profit, the Khajiit opened a store on the ruins and sold them to passersby.[3] One of these travelers found Jurak-dar and managed to convince him to open the ruins. With the help of scrolls, the traveler met the spirit of Varondil and returned his sword to him. Elated to be reunited, the two spirits ascended into Aetherius and the ruins were no longer cursed. With the ruin's treasure made readily available, Jurak-dar made plans to make a lucrative profit, such as dealing with the Mages Guild.[4][1]

Gallery[edit]

  • Varondil the Gold

  • Elanwe, Lady of the Weald

  • The Great Seal of Belarata

See Also[edit]

Books[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Raelys' dialogue in ESO
  2. ^ a b c Varondil's dialogue in ESO
  3. ^ a b Jurak-dar's dialogue in ESO
  4. ^ a b Buyer Beware quest in ESO
  5. ^ a b Ayleid Survivals in Valenwood — Cuinur of Cloudrest, 4th Tier Scholar of Tamrielic Minutiae
  6. ^ Laranalda's dialogue in ESO
Retrieved from "https://en.uesp.net/w/index.php?title=Lore:Belarata&oldid=3132042"