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Ahemmusa

The Ahemmusa Tribe is one of the four native Ashlander tribes of Vvardenfell. Living in their current settlement in the northeastern corner of the island, the Ahemmusa have been gravely affected by the Blight disease, ash storms and the recent activity of Red Mountain. The peaceful Ahemmusa suffer from attacks of corprus creatures and other animals that have gone mad due to the blight storms.

The Ahemmusa have little in the way of gold, subsisting mostly by barter. The tribe is currently under stress due to a scarcity of food. Hunting and herding have become arduous because of attacks by maddened creatures, dying plants, and sick animals. Many members of the tribe have died, including the Ashkhan, who left no clear successor.

In the absence of a true Ashkhan, they are led by one of their wise women, Sinnammu Mirpal, whose primary concern is the safety and health of the tribe. To this end, she has been looking for a safe destination for migration, following the nomadic nature of native Vvardenfell people. The tribe has another wise woman, Urshamusa Rapli, and Mamaea is their healer.

Akatosh Chantry

The Akatosh Chantry is devoted to the worship of Akatosh, the Great Dragon. Akatosh is the most constant of gods, for his sphere is time itself. Donations to the Chantry result in a blessing from Akatosh. The priests and priestess in the Chantry have a variety of other skills and services available for members. One has to be judged worthy by the Chantry before he is sheltered under the Great Wings of Akatosh.

Alessian Order

The Alessian Order is a once-popular but now defunct monotheistic religion originating in the coastal jungle of southeastern Cyrodiil, in the Nibenay Valley. The order was started by the prophet Marukh, who had spoken to Saint Alessia (the Enlightened One) and began to question the Elven rule. Although the Order was led, initially, to believe in an abstract, unknowable but intrinsically single deity, they tolerated the worship of polytheistic pantheons as well, such as the animal gods of the Nibeneans. The repressive, militaristic empire of the Alessians was inexplicably charismatic and saw Cyrodiil to a position of great power both as a state and a theocracy. They were responsible for the sacking of Malada, an ancient Ayleid temple, in 1E 393. Although they ruled for "nearly one third" of the First Era, the Order undid itself within a decade during the War of Righteousness, caused by infighting among the order itself due to money and land. During this war, their great monastic complex at Lake Canulus was razed. A sect of the order, the Maruhkati Selective, is said to have caused The Middle Dawn, a Dragon Break spanning one thousand and eight years by attempting to exorcise elements of elven Auri-El from Imperial Akatosh.

An-Xileel

The An-Xileel are a political party in Black Marsh formed sometime during the Oblivion Crisis, consisting primarily, if not entirely, of Argonians. They supported Black Marsh's independence from the Empire and were said to spread anti-Imperial propaganda, capturing prisoners of war. Many Argonians firmly held the belief that the An-Xileel were the sole reason that Mehrunes Dagon failed to conquer Black Marsh during the Oblivion Crisis.

Anthotis

Anthotis is one of the vampire bloodlines of the Iliac Bay area.

Apostles of Light

The Apostles of Light were an order of heretics in the Shivering Isles. They were led by Ciirta, a woman who had witnessed Sheogorath's disappearance during the Greymarch. Because of her belief that Sheogorath had abandoned his people to die, she founded a separatist faction of those who have lost their loyalty to Sheogorath. They call themselves the "seekers of light", and, as a symbol of this, they use Illusion magic to emit light from their robes. Luminary Kaz was second-in-command of the order. The Apostles were based in The Howling Halls, where they planned to one day storm Sheogorath's palace and overthrow the Prince.

In 3E 433, Sheogorath's Champion infiltrated the group in an attempt to get Ciirta's eye, needed for the reconstruction of the Staff of Sheogorath. Ra'kheran‎ confronted the Champion, seeing past the disguise, and requested the Champion to retrieve several ritualistic daggers for him and a group of rebels in the order, as Ciirta had banned them from possessing weaponry. Once armed, Ra'kheran led an attack on Ciirta and the Champion took her eye. Following the death of their leader, Ra'kheran attempted to take control, to the dismay of the surviving loyal Apostles. The group later seemed to have disbanded and became indistinguishable from the common heretic found throughout Mania.

Ashlanders

Concept art from Morrowind of an Ashlander

The Ashlanders, also called the Velothi after the prophet Veloth, are Dunmeri nomads that traditionally hail from Vvardenfell's wilderness. In the Merethic Era, Ashlanders and Dunmer were very much alike and on equal footing, but after the formation of the First Council and the Great Houses, they have steadily been forced into the poorest and most hostile lands. They travel along with their herds, camping wherever is suitable. Additional resources gained by hunting the local wildlife are used to manufacture huts, armors, clothing and general household items. Ashlander culture is the remains of the ancestor-worshipping tribal culture that evolved into the theocratic Great House culture of "civilized" Dunmer. Unlike the settled Dunmer of the Great Houses, they do not acknowledge the power of the Tribunal; rather, they believe the Tribunal betrayed Lord Nerevar at the Battle of Red Mountain and are kept alive by means of magic not unlike necromancy. Furthermore, the Ashlanders are very xenophobic, shunning all outlanders, and are known to be aggressive towards foreigners in their lands. However, if an outlander performs a good deed for an Ashlander clan, he may be named Clanfriend, and thus be adopted into the Ashlander faction.

The Ashlanders are divided into four clans: the Ahemmusa tribe of the Azura's Coast region, the Erabenimsun tribe of the Molag Amur region, the Urshilaku tribe of the Ashlands and West Gash regions (strong believers in the Nerevarine Cult), and the Zainab tribe of the Grazelands region. They are often at odds with each other. Each clan is traditionally led by an Ashkhan, whereas the spiritual leadership lies with the Wise Woman. The secrets of the Wise Women are passed from one generation onto the other. Several prophecies, in the form of verses such as the Stranger, have survived throughout the years. Many others are believed to have been distorted or lost, but, as rumor will have it, the Dissident Priests may have recorded them and thus preserved them for posterity. The Wise Women of the Ashlander clans interpret dreams as prophecies, another major difference with the Tribunal Temple. All Ashlanders in a tribe, young and small, are born into the Ancestor cult of their clan; the Nerevarine Cult is a different, small cult with the Ashlander tradition.

If an Ashlander commits a crime against another member of a clan, he will be cast out of the clan. These outcasts have small camps in isolated areas; they often either become laborers in the mines or resort to banditry. Ashlanders in general are very proud, and they do not like to admit to things that shame them, especially the men; it is suspected that these tendencies may have contributed to their reputation amongst other Dunmer for being untrustworthy liars. Their internal culture is very polite, but they hate foreigners and have been known to be aggressive towards them (even though one of their own forgotten prophecies claimed the Nerevarine would be a foreigner).

Ashlanders think it shameful to attack unarmed persons, but they will kill without hesitation an armed person who offends them or their clan laws. Those who do not know their customs risk offending them just by speaking. Challenges for sport can be declined without shame, but not challenges for honor. Honor challenges come from perceived offenses or arise from customary formal challenges of status or ritual. Ashlanders may challenge a stranger who enters a yurt without invitation; customs differ with different tribes, but polite visitors who leave when requested may be forgiven. Gift-giving is particularly important in their culture. Among Ashlanders, a gift is a token of courtesy among strangers, and affection among friends. A thoughtful gift signals the giver is cautious, considerate, and aware of the receiver's wants and needs. For more information, see the Lore article..

See also: Ahemmusa, Erabenimsun, Urshilaku and Zainab Tribes.

Aundae Clan

Aundae Clan is one of the three major vampire bloodlines found in Vvardenfell.