The legend went that in ancient days, before the creation of the world, the first gods dwelt in the infinite mind of their nameless mother. Their ideas would take form in the void, and then unravel as their attention turned away. Nothing was constant. Existence was ephemeral and fleeting. But the youngest god, whose name was Lorkahn, loved his creations and wished them to remain and breath of their own will. He poured his divine essence into his ideas, giving them permanence, and the universe was born and spread through the mother’s endless mind.
Angered by what they considered their younger sibling’s arrogance, the other gods determined to punish Lorkahn for his insolence. Azura, the eldest, tore Lorkahn’s heart from his chest and hid it deep in the earth of a nameless world. With the core of his power removed, Lorkahn fell into a deathlike slumber.
Millennia as we know them passed, little more than an eye blink to the gods. On the world where the heart was hidden, life sprung forth and evolved. The gods watched and became amused by the drama that unfolded there. After a time they were no longer content to watch, and they began to manipulate the players, each in their own way.
Several thousand years as we know them passed and the races had advanced considerably. One people, known as the dwemer, believed in technology over theology and had built a civilization many times more advanced than any other race in existence at that time. Their cities, lying partly underground, soaring partly in impressive towers, were marvelous to behold. The greatest of these complexes was nestled in the heart of the ancient volcano known as Red Mountain. As it’s inhabitants expanded they stumbled up a strange stone deep in Red Mountain’s bowls, a stone the likes of which had never been seen before, and which radiated untold energy.
After a great deal of study, the most skilled and renowned dwemer artificer, Kargnac, came to the theory that this was Lorkahn’s heart, and he devised a way to harness its divine power. He forged three tools with which to accomplish this, and brought his case before the dwemer elders, claiming that he could grant their entire race immortality.
The dwemer’s allies were uneasy with this prospect, for the dwemer were ambitious and had often waged war on the other races. The chimer, being the most powerful, were tasked with confronting the dwemer. The king of the chimer, Lord Nerevar, called counsel with the dwemer, but the dwemer refused to even accept parlay on the issue. The chimer declared war, and Nerevar rode forth at the head of an army with his wife, Almalexia, and his three closest advisors, Vivec, Sotha Sil, and Dagoth Ur.
The war was short and brutal, and in the end the chimer were triumphant. Seeing that all was lost, Kargnac and his personal guards fled into the depths of Red Mountain. Nerevar himself gave chase, along with his most trusted friend, Dagoth Ur. They pursued into Kargnac’s workshop, where lay Lorkahn’s unearthed heart and Kargnac’s unholy tools. Though they fought valiantly, they were unable to stop Kargnac from using the tools upon Lorkahn’s heart, but the results were not as Kargnac had predicted. When he struck the stone with his tools, the entire dwemer race disappeared from the face of the earth.
Realizing the dangerous power of this relic, Nerevar bade Dagoth Ur to guard the tools and returned to his wife and councilors that he might hear their minds on the issue of what to do with the relics. Nerevar was in favor of destroying the dangerous tools, and sealing Lorkahn’s heart away forever. His greedy councilors, however wished for him to use Kargnac’s tools and take Lorkahn’s dormant powers for himself for the benefit of the chimer. As they debated, the elder goddess Azura appeared to them and bade them do as Nerevar suggested.
Appearing humbled, the councilors accompanied Nerevar back to Kargnac’s workshop. However when they arrived they found that Dagoth Ur had been corrupted by the power that washed off the stone. He refused to relinquish the tools, and yet another battle ensued, ending with Dagoth Ur being driven into the deepest reaches of the mountain and Nerevar being sorely wounded.
Despite his injury, Nerevar prepared to carry out the wishes of Azura concerning the tools. However, the stone’s raw power proved too tempting to his councilors. His wife Almalexia stabbed him in the back with her own hand. An enraged Azura appeared before them, but they scoffed at her, saying ‘We shall soon be gods and rival your power. We fear you not!’
Azura prophesied, ‘Hear me betrayers! In time your stolen powers shall wane and you shall grow weak. In that time Nerevar, who trusted you, Nerevar, who you betrayed, shall be reborn into this world. He shall be the undoing of your false godhood, and shall finish the task that I had set before him. For your foolishness in opposing me, I curse you! Let all know your folly by this mark.’
At that exact moment all the chimer were changed. Fair, silvery skin turned black as coal, and pale eyes turned red as blood. The chimer were forever after known as the dunmer.
Almalexia, Sotha Sil, and Vivec refused to be daunted. After several months of studying Kargnac’s notes and the Heart of Lorkahn, Sotha Sil devised a way to empower the three without the deadly side effect that caused the disappearance of the dwemer. And thus the Triumvirate was born, three demi-gods who ruled and guided their race.
Deep in the bowls of Red Mountain, Dagoth Ur, who had also received a share of the stone’s power, plotted his revenge.
A thousand years later, Azura’s prophecy came to pass. Dagoth Ur’s power had grown mighty while the Triumvirate’s power had waned such that they could no longer fully contain him. His power touched the dreaming minds of the dunmer, mesmerizing hundreds into unwilling service. Ash storms rolled down from Red mountain, choking the land and spreading fearful new diseases.
The Nerevarine rose up and became mighty. He recovered Kargnac’s tools and confronted Dagoth Ur in his lair. A mighty battle was waged, and the Nerevarine used Kargnac’s tools to destroy Lorkahn’s heart, dispelling the power that granted immortality to Dagoth Ur and the Triumvirate. All four simply disapeared.
The aftermath was a time of both rejoicing and sorrow. The great enemy, Dagoth Ur had been destroyed, and with him the terrible disease ridden storms, but the dunmer’s beloved Triumvirate, whom they had worshiped and depended upon for a thousand years was also no more. Still, the dunmer would survive, and continue to live in uneasy peace with the other races.
It would be several years yet before the side effects of the destruction of Lorkahn’s heart were fully realized...
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Chapter notes: This is a quick background lesson for those who are unfamiliar with Morrowind. It's informative, but not strictly needed to enjoy the story. Feel free to skip it if you like.
Warnings: None
Disclaimer: Concepts and characters originating from Naruto, Okami or Morrowind are not my property.