The War of the Bend'r-mahk was a conflict that started in 3E 397 during the Imperial Simulacrum period between the provinces of Hammerfell, Skyrim and High Rock.[1]
During the war Skyrim defeated the forces of Hammerfell and High Rock and claimed many miles of the eastern parts of those provinces, including the cities of Elinhir and Jehanna.[2] Some of these territories were claimed to have been lost in previous wars at the expense of Skyrim.[3] The Redguards harbored a fierce grudge against Skyrim, and yearned for a chance to take back land that was seized from them.[4]
Behind the scenes, the conflict was being used by Jagar Tharn and Pergan Asuul to create a Shadow of Conflict, or Umbra' Keth.[5] However, the villains' plans were put to an end by the Soul of Conflict, a commoner from Azra's Crossing that was roped into the shadow wars of higher players through a series of events.
After peace was established, a commission was created to repair the damage done by the war.[6]
SkyrimEdit
Jagar Tharn wanted to establish a foothold in Hammerfell with him paying bandits such as Lakvan to kill Hammerfell soldiers.[7] The agents of both Hammerfell and Skyrim were worried by these actions and both attempted to enlist the Soul of Conflict to help them in dealing with Lakvan and gathering intelligence on the Empire's aims.[8][9] It is unknown which side the Soul of Conflict helped but it is known that they did travel to Lakvan's Stronghold in Skyrim and killed Lakvan and acquired his Shadowkey, Lakvan also revealed he was also working with Pergan Asuul.[10]
Another group of bandits that Tharn was paying were known as the 'Spire Thieves' and were based out of a citadel known as Broken Wing. These spire thieves were helping Tharn kidnap and bribe prominent families of Dragonstar to collude with Skyrim.[11]
General Duvais was the leader of the forces of Skyrim that were attacking Dragonstar from the east. He was attempting to establish a foothold in Loth' Na Caverns to the west but was killed in the caverns by an agent of Hammerfell.[12]
During the war the invading forces of Skyrim used the Earthtear Caverns in Hammerfell as a meeting point. However, one of their numbers was attacked within by Pergan Asuul, who summoned vermin to overrun the caverns. Namely, Earthtear became host to rats, spiders, and wormmouths, including a giant Diamond Spider Queen. There was only one survivor, a mage known as Rogurin.[13]
Tanyin Aldwyr was a Redguard knight whose sympathies lay with Skyrim. She was known to have stolen a guild roster from the Mages Guild of Dragonstar East[14] and also rescued an agent of Skyrim from jail.[15]
During the War of the Bend'r-mahk, Redguard forces and allied Orcish mercenaries laid siege to Snowhawk in Skyrim from Frostfall 3E 397 to Sun's Dawn 3E 398. Though they failed to take it, a magical attack caused all stone walls and structures in the city to disappear. The city fell, and most of the survivors moved to Karthwasten, Solitude, and Whiterun.[UOL 1]
HammerfellEdit
One known agent of Hammerfell during the war was an Argonian known as Porliss Caith.[16]
The most peculiar situation in Hammerfell's territory in the war arose in the city of Dragonstar, where the city was divided into western (Hammerfell) and eastern (Skyrim) sections of the city, walled off from each other, with each section having its own government and a desire to take control of the entire city, even resorting to acts of terrorism.[2] One such act was members of the Mages Guild of Dragonstar using noxious enchantments on Skyrim soldiers.[14] The Thieves' Guild of Dragonstar were also known to be aligned with Hammerfell despite being in Skyrim's section of the city.[17][18] The Fighters Guild of Dragonstar was also involved in attacking Skyrim's soldiers.[19] The national divide in Dragonstar persisted for thirty odd years after the conflicts conclusion.[2]
The war resulted in a deeper division between the Redguard factions of Crowns and Forebears, as the Forebear cities showed no inclination to help the Crown cities assaulted and occupied by the Nords, which in turn was a response to the lack of help by Crowns to the Forebears during the Camoran Usurper's invasion.[4]
High RockEdit
A famous hero of the war on the side of High Rock was Sir Roderic of Wayrest, who fought in many battles throughout the course of the war.[20] Seemingly, High Rock and Hammerfell fought as allies in the war against invading Skyrim.[20]
The Kingdom of Wayrest is noted as having lost the war.[20]
GalleryEdit
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The Umbra' Keth created by the conflict
NotesEdit
- The conflict described in The Rear Guard may be part of the War of Bend'r-mahk, which describes a Wood Elf mercenary defending Cascabel Hall in Skyrim in a war between the King of Solitude and the King of Farrun, which takes place some time in the latter half of the Third Era.
ReferencesEdit
- ^ The in-game map in Shadowkey
- ^ a b c Pocket Guide to the Empire, 3rd Edition: The Throat of the World: Skyrim — Imperial Geographical Society, 3E 432
- ^ Pocket Guide to the Empire, 3rd Edition: The Sons and Daughter of the Direnni West: High Rock — Imperial Geographical Society, 3E 432
- ^ a b Pocket Guide to the Empire, 3rd Edition: The Ra Gada: Hammerfell — Imperial Geographical Society, 3E 432
- ^ Events of Shadowkey
- ^ A Dance in Fire, Chapter 7 — Waughin Jarth
- ^ Red Scroll
- ^ Tanyin Lakvan Evidence quest in Shadowkey
- ^ Porliss Lakvan Evidence quest in Shadowkey
- ^ Lakvan's dialogue in Shadowkey
- ^ Bribery Papers quest in Shadowkey
- ^ Porliss Loth' Na quest in Shadowkey
- ^ Rogurin's dialogue in Shadowkey
- ^ a b Tanyin Mages' Guild quest in Shadowkey
- ^ Tanyin Prisoner Free quest in Shadowkey
- ^ Porliss Caith in Shadowkey
- ^ Porliss Thieves' Guild quest in Shadowkey
- ^ Clever Sed's dialogue in Shadowkey
- ^ Dominus' dialogue in Shadowkey
- ^ a b c Lathon's dialogue in Oblivion
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.
- ^ Skyrim In the New Era — Soren Long-Tooth