User:Vincentius1/Sandbox 3

Introduction

Cheydinhal
Type	Settlement
Continent	Tamriel
Province	Cyrodiil
Region	Nibenay Basin
Appears in	Oblivion, ESO

Cheydinhal ca. 3E 433

Map of Cyrodiil

Cheydinhal is one of the nine major cities in the province of Cyrodiil, situated in the boreal highlands of the Nibenay Basin. Cheydinhal is an idyllic and prosperous Nibenese city that is noted for its heavily Dunmeri inspired culture and architecture, which came in nearly half a century before the Fourth Era. The city is known for its broad, green parkland and neatly trimmed cityscape, all of which surround the graceful willows of the Corbolo River.

Layout and Geography

The Great Chapel of Arkay

The Knights of the Thorn Lodge

Cheydinhal is located in the northeastern portion of Cyrodiil, right on the Blue Road thoroughfare that branches the Red Ring Road in the Heartlands to the hinterlands near the Morrowind border where it reaches Kragenmoor. The city is the largest settlement in the Nibenay Basin and is surrounded by its evergreen woodlands. To the north and east, the land ascends into the Jeralls and the Valus mountain ranges. And to the south and west, it descends into the greater Nibenay region, toward the Heartlands and the Reed River.

There are very few settlements outside of Cheydinhal. Most of them are in the city's proximity like the farming village of Harlun's Watch just south down the hill or private estates like the Knights of the Thorn Lodge, and the Juncus family estate. Cheydinhal in the mid-Second Era was smaller than it was by the late Third Era. While its two main districts and the Great Chapel of Arkay were present, its seat of power or its ruined remains were absent. The city's walls in the mid-Second Era enclosed less of the river and half of the southern island, but in the late Third Era, the walls expanded and covered most of the river and the whole island.

The city is split between three districts: Castle Cheydinhal, the Chapel District, and the Market District, with the Corbolo River separating the city north-south down the middle and strewn with willow trees. Bridges are built to connect each side of the river, with the two southern bridges attached to an islet in the middle of the river. Castle Cheydinhal and the Market District are on the west side. The former is a large keep on a hill where the Count lives and its city guard is headquartered. More specifically, the Count lives in County Hall, the largest part of the castle while the guards live in the barracks along the wall.

Starting from the western gate, the Market District is a large stone-cut avenue that diverges north to Castle Cheydinhal, east across the river to the Chapel District, and south to the rest of the Market District. Shops and inns are strewn across the main street while institutes such as the Fighters Guild and the Mages Guild preside in the largest buildings.} East across the river is the Chapel District. It is centered around the Great Chapel of Arkay, the city's tallest building. From half a mile north of Cheydinhal, passed through the mountain trails, it can be seen poking out of the treeline. The chapel is built along the river bank and the city's graveyard right next to it, along the street.

Notable Locales

Blue Road Cemetery Corbolo River County Hall Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary

Fighters Guild Great Chapel of Arkay Haunted House Knights of the Thorn Lodge

Mages Guild Statue of Arkay Statue of Galerion the Mystic Wayshrine of Akatosh

Districts

Castle Cheydinhal Chapel District

Market District

County Cheydinhal

Quickwater Cave

County Cheydinhal is a region centered around the eponymous city in northeast Cyrodiil and is administrated by the Count of Cheydinhal. Like other counties in the province, its size is comparable to the holds in Skyrim, but their borders have yet to be explicitly defined on any map. The northeast corner of Cyrodiil, between the city and the Jerall Mountains is one of the only known parts of County Cheydinhal. A portion of this region, at least around Kingscrest Mine and Quickwater Cave is called Outer Cheydinhal and House Tharn has controlled it since the late First Era. Northern Cheydinhal County is centered around White Fall Mountain. At its southern base is Lake Arrius, and at its eastern base is the White Fall Valley region, which circles up and around into the Jerall Mountains.

This area has minor, dirt roads that travel in and around the mountains to connect Cheydinhal with County Bruma and the Silver Road in north-central Cyrodiil. The road travels north near Cheydinhal's east gate and diverges southeast near Lake Arrius. The short west road travels south around White Fall Mountain and past the Desolate Mine to cross a long ridge overlooking the Heartlands. The north road first passes through the White Fall Valley, past Fanacas, Kingscrest Cavern, and the Shurgak Clan Estate. Then it travels west through remote, mountainous country, where notable locations such as Azura's shrine, Sedor, and the Temple of the Ancestor Moths are found. Both of these roads intersect together between Fort Horunn and Silver Tooth Cave and continue north into County Bruma.

Several communities have lived in County Cheydinhal. Local magic-users from the city are familiar with the coven of Azura worshippers north of Lake Arrius and are generally receptive to each other. Some people avoid their shrine out of superstitious fear but the coven opens themselves up to anyone that welcomes them. Moth Priests of the ancient Nibenese cult have a monastery in the northernmost corner of the region. It is where retired Moth Priests, who were previously blinded by the Elder Scrolls, live with the ancestor moths and harvest their silk to create unique fabrics. Several Ayleid footholds exist outside of Cheydinhal's walls, some with extensive history. A purported ancestor of House Tharn, Tharanus Ye Redde-Hand was a Nedic overseer of the mining colony in Fanacas. Sedor, in the northwesternmost part of the county, was once the home of the Thousand-Strong of Sedor, a long-forgotten tribe of Nedes that were rescued by Pelinal Whitestrake.

In these northern highlands, a town called Mountain Watch was built by the early Fourth Era. Because of passing wagons and the steep road, it was roughly a day's worth of travel to reach Cheydinhal. East of the city and south of the Blue Road is the Cheydinhal Foothills. It is a large portion of northeast Cyrodiil; between Blue Road Keep, the Reed River, and the hills around Kemen and Fort Scinia. It extends into much of the eastern Heartlands and the Valus Mountains. Several locations exist in this area, like Barren Cave, Harlun's Watch, and Hero Hill. The Order of the Black Worm built a dark anchor in this region, east of Cheydinhal. County Cheydinhal is neighbors from across the provincial borders with the Rift in Skyrim (where many of its citizens regularly visit its capital, Riften) and Stonefalls in Morrowind.

Gallery

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  Cheydinhal Foothills Dolmen

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  White Fall Mountain

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  Shurgak Clan Estate

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  Lake Arrius

History

Early History and the Three Banners War

Sylvian Herius of Cheydinhal

Chancellor Abnur Tharn

When Cheydinhal was founded is unknown but House Tharn has existed in the area since before the First Empire. The earliest possible ancestor was Tharanus Ye-Redde Hand, who worked as a slave overseer in Fanacas and was mentioned in the Tamrilean Tractates of 1E 200. The Tharns assumed control of Outer Cheydinhal in the 1E 2300s after General Turpis Tharn married Baron-Admiral Bendu Olo's niece.

At some point, Cheydinhal was caught in a conflict in the mid-Second Era and General Meric Renmus' tactical withdrawal from the city was studied by aspiring legionnaires of the Empire. When the Planemeld occurred and left Cyrodiil ruined in 2E 582, Cheydinhal and its environs had likewise fallen.

The local Imperial commander assembled his troops and wrestled control over the town, ruling it with an iron fist. The soldiers turned the people into slaves and stole everything in their possession. Namely, they forcefully drafted young able-bodies into their ranks. The catalyst that drove Cheydinhal into chaos was when the Imperials attempted to recruit Donus Falto, one of the several local men. Before they reached his home, Donus Falto fled into the wilderness. This incident sparked a rebellion in Cheydinhal and tore the city apart between the east and west.

At the helm of this rebellion was Sylvian Herius and much later, Vyctoria Girien, who were often at odds with each other. The Great Chapel of Arkay, under Primate Renthias was still active at an unknown capacity but the chapel was completely torn down and looted by the Imperials' control. Any information the rebellion had on the Imperials came from a spy named Belya. Taking advantage of the rebellion, bandits, and other malicious factions attacked Cheydinhal and outlying settlements. A bandit group called the Thorns stole the remaining city folk's valuables and took them to their lodge outside town. The Shadowed Path, a fairly large necromancer group at the time burned down the Juncus family estate and built standing stones to draw daedric power. Vyctoria Girien was only made aware of this months later when someone from outside contacted them. Harlun's Watch had also fallen for some time. Previously it was taken over by Bravilese freebooters until they were wiped out by the Dusksabers.

When the Alliance War occurred at the time, the Ebonheart Pact swiftly took control of northeast Cyrodiil and Cheydinhal fell into their borders. How much the Pact or the other alliances influenced the conflict is unknown but the powers that held Farragut Keep had guards patrol the city outskirts. Wandering soldiers of the alliances directly helped Sylvian Herius and Vyctoria Girien on various tasks for the rebellion, whether it was sabotaging the Imperials in the east, disrupting outside groups, or personal quests in and around the city. It is unknown how long Cheydinhal stayed destroyed but after Tiber Septim established himself as Emperor, Cyrodiil underwent a great reconstruction and its cities were rebuilt. Farragut Keep, however, was not refurbished and remained abandoned.

The Indarys family and the Oblivion Crisis

Count Andel Indarys

The last of the Knights of the Thorn

Throughout the late Third Era, many Dunmer refugees left Morrowind for the neighboring provinces. One of the earliest migrations was roughly half a century from 3E 433 (circa 3E 393) when they crossed the border to Cyrodiil and largely stayed in Cheydinhal. They left to escape the Tribunal Temple and the province's rigid society. But in doing so, they quarreled with the local Nibenese who valued and pushed the Church's doctrines and Imperial values.

One of the refugees was Andel Indarys, at the time a regular Hlaalu trader who quickly became Count Cheydinhal. At his side was his wife, Llathasa, and their child named Farwil. The Count's sudden rise to nobility is hard to explain and his reign for the rest of the Third Era was controversial. Plenty of rumors were spread at the time, namely that he was a puppet for the King of Morrowind, Helseth and his mother Barenziah.

Other rumors like his degeneracy, rage, and infidelity also spread. Some of his contemporaries, especially most of the old Imperial families call him a "presumptuous upstart". In 3E 431, Farwil Indarys founded the Knights of Thorn with a group of friends. In these early years, the knights were loud, brash, and often at odds with the city guard. They often made great boasts and talked about big adventures, but the actual hard work was given to the city guard. Their behavior was tolerated because of the Count's influence, however Farwil's goals were ultimately honest and for the good of Cheydinhal. He treated his fellow knights as equals but it took some time for their first true victory to come.

In 3E 433, Countess Llathasa was discovered murdered on the foot of County Hall's stairs. The Count's negative reputation led people such as the writer Alessia Ottus to believe her mysterious death has darker intentions. Later that year, an oblivion gate opened in front of Cheydinhal's west gate, one of many in Cyrodiil during the Oblivion Crisis. Farwil promptly assembled seven of his knights and stormed the gate, where they immediately faced resistance. After the first wave, three fell; after the second wave, two more perished until only Farwil and Bremman Senyan were left. Two days later, no one had returned from the gate, and worried for his son, the Count enlisted the city guard to watch the gate in the meantime.

At the time, the Hero of Kvatch arrived in Cheydinhal and entered the oblivion gate to destroy it. After passing through several tunnels, they found Farwil and Bremman on the other side. The Hero entered the Chaos Stronghold, where they found the Sigil Stone and destroyed the oblivion gate. It is unknown if either Farwil or Bremman survived the ordeal, but Cheydinhal was saved and in gratitude, Count Andel offered the hero either the Staff of Indarys or the Thornblade. For saving Cheydinhal, the Count later offered guards to the Hero for the defense of Bruma.

Other events during the Oblivion Crisis

Rythe Lythandas

The Sword of the Crusader

Ulrich Leland, the Captain of the Guard, manipulated his position to raise taxes and use that money for his own devices, all while the Count was preoccupied. It reached a dangerous point after Aldos Othran lost his home after being taxed six times, and was killed by a guard for protesting. An adventurer, caught up in all of it, was given two options for getting rid of Leland. Another angry citizen, Llevana Nedaren suggested retribution but the city guard's second-in-command, Garrus Darelliun suggested finding proof of Leland's misdeeds. While it is unknown which method they chose, in the end, Ulrich Leland was incarcerated, and Garrus Darelliun took his position as Captain of the Guard.

One day, a Bosmer thief broke into Rythe Lythandas' studio and tried to take his Brush of Truepaint by knocking him out. Rythe found that the thief entered his painting and created painted trolls to protect him. Rythe went in after them but could not get past the trolls. His wife, Tivela Lythandas grew worried and after two days, Rythe did not return. An adventurer offered to help and delved into the painting only to find Rythe right after. Using his bottles of turpentine, the adventurer defeated the painted trolls and Rythe used the brush to escape.

For their service, Rythe gifted them the Apron of Adroitness. Rythe's return was covered by the Black Horse Courier, but when interviewed, Rythe and Tivela refused to comment on what exactly happened and who rescued them. The city guard speculated that it was a ransom kidnapping, however, no proof of it was ever found.

• Dark Brotherhood Purification

By the late second century of the Fourth Era, ghosts from the Purification still haunted the sanctuary.

After the massacre of Anvil's Great Chapel of Dibella, Cyrodiil's other temples were targeted by Umaril the Unfeathered's Aurorans. At the same time, adventurers heeded the call to gather the crusader's relics all over the province. While the soon-to-be Divine Crusader acquired the crusader's sword from Underpall Cave, they took it to Cheydinhal's chapel to have reconsecrated by its associated divine, Arkay. As they reached the chapel, it was attacked by the Aurorans and in the end, both Primate Gruiand Garrana and Arkay's living saint, Errandil were murdered. After defeating the daedra, the Divine Crusader purified the evil energy embedded in the sword and Inius Colus replaced Garrana as the Primate.

Cheydinhal in the Fourth Era

Emperor Titus Mede II

Umbriel

In 4E 48, a floating city known as Umbriel; severed from the Fields of Regret traveled northeast from the ruins of Vvardenfell to the Imperial City in central Cyrodiil, and following it was a wave of aggressive undead unaffectionately called wormies. In its direct path was Cheydinhal and as it crossed the Valus Mountains, the army of wormies followed suit. The Knights of the Thorn were occupied elsewhere in the south so the Cheydinhal Guard and a mix of Imperial Legion soldiers were there to defend the city.

The undead army was positioned a hundred yards away from the city, out of range of Cheydinhal's siege weapons, and attacked any group attempting to reach the city, like a contingent of Legion soldiers escorting citizens from Mountain Watch. As refugees piled in, camps were built to house them near the castle. As Umbriel approached, Cheydinhal's defense led a mad charge to escort the people out and held two lines on each side of the gate. But because of the wormies' unrelenting assault, they retreated to the Blue Road and made their way to the Imperial City. Several people, who either never received word of the undead's march or were too stubborn to leave Cheydinhal were killed by Umbriel.

The Knights of the Thorn, led by Ilver Indarys returned to Cheydinhal to find it empty of wormies. They rendezvoused with the refugees on the Blue Road, who were led to safety by Captain Arges. But with the news that the city was unoccupied, some refugees left with no resistance from the group while the rest wanted the march to turn back home. After the Umbriel Crisis subsided, Cheydinhal was re-populated, even its most famous resident, Rythe Lythandas still lived there by the turn of the third century.

In the spring of 4E 175, the Great War was at an end when Emperor Titus Mede II prepared to retake the Imperial City from the Aldmeri Dominion. His army was split three ways, with the second army positioned near Cheydinhal. Led by General Jonna, these forces comprised mostly of Nordic legions. The Battle of the Red Ring began on the 30th of Rain's Hand and while the first army led by General Decianus attacked the Imperial City from the west, Jonna's forces drove south of the Red Ring Road to surround the city and regroup with Decianus.

By 4E 188, the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary in Cheydinhal was one of the last ones still active, the others being in Falkreath Hold in Skyrim and Corinthe in Elsweyr, but on the 5th of Last Seed, the Corinthe Sanctuary closed and merged with the Cheydinhal branch. After Bravil erupted in a destructive drug war, the Night Mother's coffin was transported to Cheydinhal but only a year later, on the 1st of Hearthfire, 4E 189, the city also broke out in chaos and violence and the sanctuary fell apart. Its leader and self-proclaimed Listener Rasha was murdered by one of the assassins, Pontius was killed by a common bandit in Cheydinhal, and Garnag disappeared to find food. Its last member, the Night Mother's keeper, Cicero left the sanctuary and safely transported her to the Falkreath Sanctuary in 4E 201.

Known Rulers

Castle Cheydinhal

The ruler of County Cheydinhal is also known as Count Cheydinhal or Countess Cheydinhal, depending on their gender. Anyone can acquire land outside of the city under the right pretenses. Nobles that rule a portion of land hold the title of Earl, such as the Earls of Outer Cheydinhal, House Tharn. A citizen can become a charter-holder for a town in the region, as seen with Mountain Watch circa 4E 48.

• The Second Era
  • Unnamed Duchess of Cheydinhal — They ruled sometime during Septima Tharn's tenure as Magus-General of the Seventh Legion in the mid-Second Era.
  • Unnamed Imperial Legion Commander (ca. 2E 582) — This commander led the local Imperial garrison and took over Cheydinhal during the Alliance War.
• The Third Era
  • Count Andel Indarys (fl. 3E 393 – 3E 433) — According to Alessia Ottus' guide to Cheydinhal, Andel Indarys was one of the Dunmer refugees that came to Cyrodiil half a century from the book's publication. Each of her books is written in 3E 433 and references recent events at the time.
    • Countess Llathasa Indarys (3E ? – 3E 433) – When Llathasa married Andel Indarys is unknown. Her death was considered recent by at least the 27th of Last Seed, 3E 433.

Culture and Society

The Symbol of Cheydinhal

Staff of Indarys

For more information, see the: Culture and Society sections on the Imperial page.

Cheydinhal's main demographic are the Imperials of Nibenay; the eastern half of Cyrodiil. The town is noted for its cleanliness and neatly-trimmed parks and streets. The same could be said about its people, even its poorest citizens are bright and clean, as the writer Alessia Ottus notes. Citizens are generally welcoming and have no problem inviting people to come and admire their homes. Locals use the river to go fishing, even catching them in bulk with large nets.

One of their most distinguished families is House Tharn, who lived in the region since the early First Era and have always served in high places in the Empire. But despite how much the Nibenese defined the city culturally, the more recent influx of Dunmer from Morrowind helped shape Cheydinhal. The county also had a decent population of Orcs, from the City-Orcs in the capital to the noble Shurgak clan in their eponymous clan estate.

Black horses are a breed associated with Cheydinhal. They are known across the province as the fastest horses, though not as strong as the white horses in Anvil. The city's largest landmark is the Great Chapel of Arkay, the centerpiece of its chapel district. It is overseen by the Order of Arkay and its Primate, who themselves represent their patron deity in the Council of the Nine. Fibonaccus was a wizard from Cheydinhal who is most well-known for his attempt to animate the mermaid statue in Anvil and his conical hat that twisted into a spiral. Rumors say that whenever Fibonaccus was surprised, the hat unfurled and stood straight up.

There is a play called the Legend of Krately House written by the playwright, Baloth-Kul that is based on a famous haunted house in Cheydinhal. It is based on a real-world folktale that he happened upon in Cheydinhal, about a house that locals were certain was haunted. The story frightened him so much that it inspired him to create the script. By the time he had started his first draft, he was already in talks with the Actors Guild to see it performed on stage. Baloth-Kul claims that his story explains the layout of the original haunted house to a tee.

In 3E 431, the Elder Council mandated that the sale of spells throughout Cyrodiil should be re-distributed to separate guildhalls and that certain halls in the county cities should focus on a specific school. The Cheydinhal Mages Guild was the province's center for the School of Alteration, at least up until the guild's dissolution in the Fourth Era.

Late in the First Era, a farmer outside of Cheydinhal discovered a large carrot of significant proportions, one that stood taller than a fully grown Breton. It was bought for an undisclosed amount of money by Emperor Brazollus Dor's castellan and turned into the centerpiece of a dish called Sinmur's Carrot. It was part of the third course in a feast hosted by Emperor Brazollus Dor, the feast of Saint Coellicia. Cheydinhal is reportedly famous for its thirty-layered cake.

Dark Elf Diaspora

Cheydinhal's half-timbered architecture

For more information, see the: Culture and Society sections on the Dunmer page.

When the Dark Elves of Morrowind came to Cheydinhal, they brought much of their culture, which has shaped the city ever since. For the longest time, Cheydinhal was built in the traditional Imperial style seen across central Cyrodiil, but after the Dark Elves migrated into Cheydinhal, it soon took on aspects of their ornate architecture style and developed a new style called half-timbering.

Most of the timber that supports the house is exposed, while its foundation, the lower floor, is made of stone. The beams and struts that hold the upper floor are held together with plaster and arranged in whimsical patterns. The roofs are concave peaks and the shingles look like scales. The late Third Era author, Alessia Ottus compliments the architectural style and notes the well-trimmed houses and neat stonework as well as its striking designs in glass, metal, and wood."

Not only did they bring their architecture, but they brought over their celebrations, such as the St. Jiub's Fair, which honors the eponymous saint of Morrowind, Jiub the Eradicator. One of the town's most prominent Dunmer citizens from this time was Rythe Lythandas of Dar-Ei, a well-known painter from the late Third Era to the early Fourth Era. In his possession was the Brush of Truepaint and with it, he created great landscape paintings of the Great Forest and other locations. With it, he created a unique type of troll called a Painted Troll and produce a unique alchemic ingredient called Painted Troll Fat. People write to Lythandas to ask for more samples of the troll's fat.

By the late Third Era, Cheydinhal was ruled by a Dunmer family, Clan Indarys, whose crest depicts a tied thorny bramble. For several generations, they have lived in Castle Cheydinhal with two family heirlooms, the Staff of Indarys and the Thornblade, the latter of which serves as a symbol of the city's knightly order, the Knights of the Thorn.

Gallery

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  Cheydinhal (ESO)

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  Statue of Arkay

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  Statue of Galerion the Mystic

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  The Market District

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  The Chapel District

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  The Great Chapel of Arkay

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  The Cheydinhal Sanctuary

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  The Cheydinhal Guard

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  Cheydinhal Sapper (Legends)

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  Cheydinhal Conscript (Legends)

Notes

• ^	The Corbolo River is actually much further south and next to the Niben Bay. The closest river is the Reed River, which is in itself, an extension of the Corbolo River.

See Also

• For game-specific information on the settlement, see the Oblivion and Elder Scrolls Online articles.
• For game-specific information on the region, see the Elder Scrolls Online article.

Books

• Guide to Cheydinhal
• Legend of Krately House

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.