User:Tyrvarion/Sandbox 04

General

"These warriors take no oaths, swear no fealty. They serve their clan, the Reach, and the courage painted on their hearts. No one and nothing else." — Arana of Wayward Guardians

Wayward Guardians are a Reachfolk faction led by Arana.

(definitelly)

(maybe)

Structure and Membership

Following their rescue from the Thornroot Clan, members of the Hillhunter Clan considered joining forces with the Wayward Guardians. Chieftain's daughter, Medone, intended to speak with her father, Faorin, about the Hillhunters fighting vampires alongside the rebels, but the exact details of their cooperation remain unknown.

History

Witch-rebels

Witch-rebels

In 2E 582, Ard Caddach was approached by the Gray Host, who had been causing trouble in the kingdoms of Skyrim at that point. The Host proposed a deal: if the Ard allowed them to search the Reach for an ancient relic and kept his people within the city walls, Markarth would be spared during their impending conquest. While Caddach agreed to this arrangement, it was met with resistance from some of the Reach's inhabitants. In response, a rebel faction known as the Witch-rebels emerged, led by Arana, the former witch of the Ghostsong Clan.^{[citation needed]} Arana, utilizing her network of spies, urged the people of Markarth to abandon the city and join them at their base in Karthspire, a camp called Rebel's Retreat, nestled in the foothills east of Markarth. This decision made the witch-rebels enemies of the Court of Markarth, much to the Ard's dismay. Tensions between the rebels and the citizens of Markarth grew, with some of the Ard's loyalists seeing the witch-rebels as a larger threat than the Gray Host, and even hoping to take action against them. Some Reachfolk citizens of Markarth, along with some members of the Crow-Eye Clan who were not directly associated with Ard, voiced their discontent with the activities of the rebels, claiming their endeavors to be foolish.

Jano Vestalis, an Imperial Cartographer, encountered a unit of Witch-rebels while traversing the hills and ravines southeast of Markarth, led by their leader Arana. They were on a mission to hunt down vampires and werewolves associated with the Gray Host. After a brief interrogation, Arana allowed Jano and his escort to leave unharmed.

The Wayward Guardians weren't the only enemies of the vampires of the Gray Host. Count Verandis Ravenwatch and his House Ravenwatch also sought to end the Gray Host's threat. Initially, Verandis and his agents worked to convince the Ard of their benign intentions and investigated the actions of the witch-rebels. They gathered information on the rebels' spy activity in the city, the estimated location of their main base, and the identity of their leader. Additionally, they uncovered Gray Host intelligence indicating that the Gray Host vampires were aware of the witch-rebels' presence in the city and intended to kill any Reachfolk leaving the city to instill fear among the rebels. Using the information they gathered, Verandis and his agent secured an audience with the Ard. The Ard and his advisor, Lady Belain, tasked them with tracking down Arana to urge her to stop meddling in Markarth's affairs. According to Belain, since the arrival of the Gray Host, the land beyond Markarth's walls had become perilous, making Arana's actions reckless and dangerous to the Reachfolk citizens. However, unbeknownst to many, Belain was secretly a vampire in league with the Gray Host. As a result of Verandis' associate's investigation, a member of the rebels, Tayfaern, met with an agent working for House Ravenwatch at one of the rebels' minor bases south of Markarth. To gain an audience with Arana, the agent was tasked with proving their dedication to fighting against the Gray Host. Tayfaern assigned them the mission of inspecting the stockpiles the Gray Host had set up nearby to the east and south, to uncover what they were storing. The agent discovered that the vampires were gathering materials necessary for creating harrowstorms, as well as documents detailing a meeting between the forces of the Gray Host and their associate in Markarth, Lady Belain. During their investigation, Arana met with the agent and requested them to spy on a meeting that was to be held in Valthume. The agent accepted the request, successfully spied on the gathering, obtained valuable information, and ensured further cooperation with the rebels. They discovered that the Gray Host sought to find Arkthzand Keystone. Rada al-Saran, leader of the Gray Host, noticed the agent but allowed them to leave, requesting they deliver a message to Verandis. The agent returned to Understone Keep and spoke with Verandis to whom they brought Rada's message, and Caddach, who had already suspected Belain's deception. Although he and the rebels had not yet reconciled, both turned their attention to the threat posed by the Gray Host.

Verandis then sought to make a deal with the Witch-Rebels and sent his agent to consult the local specialist on Dwarven machinery, Nolovan, about crucial information regarding the Arkthzand Keystone. It was ultimately discovered that Bthar-Zel, a Dwemer ruin to the north, housed the item sought by the Gray Host.

[how verandis meeting go, gwendis dialouge]

Later, at the Rebel's Retreat, a binding pact was made between House Ravenwatch and the rebels during a ritual involving a briar heart seed, a Hagraven's eye, and a handful of bright river-shale. The ritual revealed locations in the Reach forming a pattern corresponding to the Serpent's constellation. Arana and the agent investigated these sites and ultimately found the entrance to the Bthar-Zel in Deep Folk Crossing. After entering, House Ravenwatch and the rebels discovered a large deposit of enchanted silver ore inside, which they began using to forge weapons and arm themselves against the Gray Host's supernatural threats. As they ventured underground, they encountered Rada al-Saran and Belain. They confronted them, but ultimately failed to prevent the Gray Host from retrieving the Keystone. Soon, the rebels began making use of the silver found in the vaults, incorporating the enchanted ore into their armor designs. They also started mining silver themselves to further bolster their equipment. While the rebels were bolstering their ranks and equipment, the agents of House Ravenwatch investigated the caverns beneath the Reach and uncovered Belain's schemes. Ultimately, they discovered the vampires' plan to awaken the Dark Heart.

After learning from the House Ravenwatch agent about Belain's plans involving the Dark Heart, Arana decided to seek the assistance of her sister Nathari, the current matron of the Ghostsong Clan. She met with Bradan, a clan member and childhood friend, at Hroldan Ring to inquire about Nathari and the clan. Bradan informed her that Nathari had relocated the clan to the Lost Valey Redoubt, an ancient religious site. They soon discovered that Nathari was allied with the Gray Host and had received their assistance to activate the Dark Heart. This activation required the ritual sacrifice of her fellow clansmen. Arana and the agent interrupted the ritual and killed Nathari in combat. Despite their efforts, the energy from the sacrifices still managed to stir the Heart, though not to the extent Nathari intended. According to Count Verandis Ravenwatch, the souls were sufficient to prime the Heart and open a path between Nirn and the Void. A group of Ghostsong werewolf clansmen, including Bradan, survived Nathari's betrayal. They later joined the rebels.

[details from guardians perspective]

House Ravenwatch then assaulted Lady Belain's Nighthollow Keep under Blackreach, and discovered the Heart deep within the keep's depths, as well as the ongoing ritual to fully reawaken it. It was too late, and the Heart was reawoken, pulling the souls of Markarth's denizens into it, and resurrecting the Nighthollow clan from its ashes. Lady Belain unsealed the doors of Nchuand-Zel, catching those at Understone Keep off guard and almost killing Ard Caddach. The Vestige followed Arana into the Nchuand-Zel, and recovered the keystone within the ruin's depths to gain access to the Orrery of Arkthzand, which al-Saran required to harvest the Heart's power to its full potential. There, Lady Belain teleported the intruder's to the Dark Heart's chambers, and bathed in its power. Despite this, Namira intervened through Arana, and gave her the strength to press on despite her wounds. Together, the duo slew Belain, striking another blow against Rada, though Arana succumbed to her wounds after the battle. [this section needs more, also rewrite]

Wayward Guardians

Wayward Guardians

After the Gray Host's threat in the Reach was neutralized and an agreement was reached between the Witch-rebels and the Ard, the rebels adopted the name Wayward Guardians, bestowed upon them by the people. Following the defense of Markarth, they emerged as protectors in a region desperate for aid. The Wayward Guardians offered assistance to the locals, safeguarding them from threats, and extending their reach to Markarth. They viewed themselves as beacons of hope in lands plagued by danger, growing stronger with each passing day. They collaborated with hired mercenaries due to their stretched forces across the region, tackling various issues and objectives for the betterment of the people of the Reach. They were also known as the Defenders of the Reach.

Callan, one of the rescued exiles

Among their endeavors was the rescue of clanless exiles from the depths of Blackreach, where they had been taken captive by the Falmer. They were held captive in a camp situated along an underground river. Some of the captives were liberated, with some expressing a desire to join the cause and ranks of the Wayward Guardians. However, not all of them survived. The Guardians sought to provide those rescued with a place to stay and prepare better for their protection in case of danger. For those who perished, the Wayward Guardians buried their amulets on the banks of the Karth River in hopes that their spirits would find peace.

Following their valiant defense of Markarth during the Gray Host's attack, the Wayward Guardians remained steadfast in their mission to eradicate the vampiric threat lurking within the ancient tunnels of Nchuand-Zel beneath the city. Dispatching skilled hunters to the sealed-off passages, they sought to slay members of the Gray Host's vampire army and retrieve their sigils as proof of their defeat. With determination and resolve, the hunters ventured into the depths, confronting the darkness that threatened the realm above. Upon their return, victorious and bearing the sigils of their fallen foes, the tokens were proudly displayed from the city's ramparts. It was believed that with each victory, the Gray Host's fear of the Wayward Guardians would grow, eventually forcing the remaining few to scatter into the shadows.

Bthardamz

Continuing their efforts to strengthen their ranks, the Wayward Guardians sought to equip their members with the finest materials available. While they had previously gained access to Bthar-Zel and its valuable silver, they also hired adventurers to excavate silver ores from its depths, aiming to acquire more of the material for their weaponry. The silver ores obtained by them hummed with arcane power, though whether the enchantment was cast by the Dwarves or originated from the deep veins of the world remained unknown. They also opted to utilize Dwarven metal from Dwarven scrap to further enhance their armaments and armor. To obtain these valuable resources, they enlisted the aid of a hired adventurer tasked with recovering scraps from the ancient Dwemer ruin of Bthardamz. While some Reachfolk harbored superstitions regarding Dwemer metallurgy and viewed it as unnatural, the looming threat of the Gray Host justified the necessity of utilizing such materials against the supernatural forces they faced, underscoring the pragmatic approach adopted by the Wayward Guardians in their quest to safeguard the Reach. The materials procured by the adventurer were utilized to bolster the effectiveness of the Guardians, enhancing their capabilities in readiness for the challenges ahead.

As their numbers grew, so did the Wayward Guardians' need for quality armaments. To this end, they dispatched an adventurer to recover the blue Aetherium gems embedded within the Dwemer Architons. These gems were sought from the constructs guarding the recently rediscovered Library of Arkthzand. Shamans among the Wayward Guardians claimed that these gemstones held powerful enchantments, which they hoped to utilize in their defense against the forces of the Gray Host. Incorporating these gemstones into their armors, the Reachmen aimed to bolster their defenses, though whether they successfully harnessed the powers of Aetherium remains uncertain.

Witches among the Wayward Guardians were determined to unravel the mysteries of the magic of the vampires of the Nighthollow Clan. Their quest led them to search for scrolls detailing the arcane practices of the Nighthollow clan, as well as a tome to decipher their language. Tasking an adventurer with this mission, the Guardians sought these texts within the depths of Nighthollow Keep, nestled deep in Blackreach beneath the Reach. Despite the perilous nature of Blackreach, it was believed that the knowledge concealed within the keep held the potential to safeguard lives. Upon recovering the scrolls and tome, the witches set about studying them diligently. Their aim was to harness this newfound knowledge to fortify the defenses of the Reach against its adversaries.

They also took measures to arrange the ritual cleansing of the Shrine of Lorkh, located at the pinnacle of the Lost Valley Redoubt, which had been tainted by the presence of vampires. The cleansing ritual involved the use of sacred water from the Karth River. This water was renowned for its magical properties, aiming to purify the shrine and rid it of the vampire's influence.

[The future, npc dialogues, perhaps bit more about Reach history in general]

Notable Wayward Guardians

• Arana — Leader of the Guardians
• Ardanir — Member of the Guardians tasked with negotiating the assignments that the Guardians delegate to mercenaries.
• Bradan — Arana's confidant and the leader of the remnants of the Ghostsong clan that survived Nathari's betrayal.

See Also

• For game-specific information, see the Elder Scrolls Online article.

Gallery

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  Wayward Guardian Style

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  Ritual sealing the alliance

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  Arana in the Wayward Guardian robes

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  Arana in her witch attire

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  Ardanir

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  Bradan