Nedes, also known as Nedic people, were an ancient race of men long extinct who existed throughout Cyrodiil, Hammerfell, Skyrim, and Morrowind during the Merethic Era and First Era.
The Adabal-a reveals they consisted of several indigenous tribes in Cyrodiil, including the Kothringi, the Al-Gemha, Men-of-Ge, Al-Hared and Men-of-Ket.[1] While Nedes are often considered a single race of man, it has been said that they are more accurately a wide panoply of extremely varied mannish cultures and tribes who eventually would become more united through interactions within Tamriel.[2] The Imperial race can trace their roots to the Nedic people after they bred with the Atmorans.[UL 1]
The most notable of Nedes is St. Alessia, who defeated the Ayleid forces which enslaved her people.
By game
Physical appearance
Not much is known about the Nedes as they had all died in the ninth century of the First Era. In The Elder Scrolls Online when the Vestige travels back in time they meet multiple Nedic warriors. The Nedes have a similar appearance to modern Imperials and look slightly Nordic. They have skin tone that of Bretons, and have greenish-blue eyes.
History
Origins
Where exactly the Nedes originated from remains a mystery throughout history. The most commonly believed theory is that the Nedes originated from Atmora and migrated to Tamriel in a varying waves that took place during the early-mid Merethic Era.[3] However, according to the famed Imperial scholar, Hasphat Antabolis, the theory that the Nedes came from Atmora has little to no archaeological evidence supporting it. It is speculated that the idea had been implanted in Imperial culture with the coming of the beginnings of the Septim Empire and its Nordic Fatherland principles.[UL 2] The earliest known documented history on the Nedes, within Tamriel, is believed to date back to around ME 1000.[3] Some theories even say that the Nedes were always on Tamriel.[source?]
Living in the Deathlands of Hammerfell
During their time the Nedes lived in the area that is now called Hammerfell. They received numerous invasions from the Ayleids, Dwemer, and Orcs. Despite the attacks the Nedes survived and prospered within their region. They were skilled in stonework and constructed entire cities made of stone.[4] Some ancient cave paintings found in Craglorn seem to imply there were relations between the Nedes and the Orsimer of the region until war broke out between the two races, with the Orcs seemingly being defeated.[5]
They disappeared from the deathlands after the Yokudans (Ra Gada) came and wiped them out, although their culture had been slowly disappearing for a long time already.[4]
Enslavement Under the Ayleids
In the early First Era, the Ayleids had control over central Tamriel, or Cyrodiil. They conspired with Daedra to provide armies for them, and used this power to enslave the races of men, keeping them in line, or murdering them.[6]
A Nedic woman by the name of Alessia sought Divine aid. Sources vary on whether it was Kyne or Akatosh who answered her prayers.[7][6] Morihaus (who was said to be the son of Kyne), as well as Pelinal Whitestrake, was sent to help her.[7] Nords from Skyrim and rebel Ayleid also helped the slaves overthrow their elven masters.[8]
Alessia received the Amulet of Kings from Akatosh, and blessed her with the blood of dragons. So long as Alessia and her descendants kept true to the Dragon blood, the worship of the Divines, the Dragonfires remained lit, and bore the Amulet of Kings, Akatosh would keep the barriers between Oblivion and Nirn sealed.[6]
Peace with the Ayleids
By the time none of the Nedes who suffered from enslavement by the Ayleids were still alive, there was an uneasy peace between the two peoples. A servant of Azura named Culanwe was tasked with brokering peace between the Ayleids and the Nedes. At first the negotiations did not yield positive results and Culanwe feared the Nedes will break off negotiations. At some point during the negotiations an Ayleid messenger was murdered and the Ayleids suspected the Nedes were responsible. Realizing escalations between the two peoples might lead to another war, Culanwe used her voice to adjust reality to forestall conflict. Around the same time a Nede and an Ayleid joined together to solve the mystery, they discovered that a servant of Molag Bal murdered the Ayleid messenger in an attempted to ruin the peace negotiations. After the mystery was solved hostilities between the Nedes and the Ayleids ceased, and peace was established when the two heroes wed.[9]
War with the Chimer
During the early First Era, the Nedes were known to have had a war with the Chimer after they had recently arrived in Morrowind.[10] After a few years, the Nedes controlled an area known as the Stonefalls. Then the Chimer army came from the Inner Sea and brought reinforcements from Vvardenfell. Brothers General Balreth and Legate Sadal were with a small elite force that took refuge in a Daedric ruin. The brothers sacrificed themselves to create the Brothers of Strife and defeated much of the Nedic army, but had killed many of the Chimer in the process.[11] Because the Chimer had turned into the Dunmer following Azura's curse in 1E 700, it can be known that this battle had taken place prior to that.
Disappearance
Many events caused the Nede population to shrink in Tamriel, and as of the ninth century of the First Era they had been confined to the Alik'r Desert.[12] When the Ra Gada of Yokuda had arrive in 1E 808, they attacked the Nedes. The Nedes had fled to Craglorn but were quickly annihilated by the invaders.[4]
While the Nedic people have long since disappeared from Tamriel as a distinct culture and ethnicity, their bloodline still persists through the Imperials of Cyrodiil and to a lesser extent through the Nords of Skyrim. Many Nedes became the ancestors of today's Cyrodilic Imperials, while northern Nedic tribes interbred with the newly arrived invaders from Atmora in the Merethic Era, giving rise to the modern-day bloodlines of Skyrim's Nords.
Legacy and descendants
Their legacy is passed on by their descendants; mainly the Imperials of Cyrodiil. Despite playing a large part in eradicating the race, much of Nedic culture was also adopted by the Redguards.[13] The most notable Nedic legacy was the slave queen St. Alessia's "Amulet of Kings," which was eventually sacrificed by Martin Septim in order to stop the Oblivion Crisis in the third and fourth eras.[14] The Nedic people are still remembered for their profound feats in Metallurgy.[15]
Few Nedes are known to have survived beyond the First Era, and even fewer remained sane. The most notable was Lamae Beolfag, or Lamae Bal, a young tribeswoman who was transformed by the Daedric Prince Molag Bal into the first known vampire. Her state of undeath caused her to persist well into the later stages of the Second Era, as well as some of her clan members, who were also Nedic vampires.[16][17] Another was Titus Valerius, who came from the First Era. He was brought into the year 2E 582 by The Warrior, who later returns him to his own time once his task is done. The Nedes in Shada's Tear lived as undead due to a curse, though only Nhalan remained conscious out of all of them. A Nedic vampire known as High King Durac lived into the Second Era as well, but was killed by the Vestige in 2E 582.[17]
The Imperials are believed the most direct modern descendants of the Nedes.[18] The Bretons are descendants of both Nedes and elves, though they are more prominently men.[19][20] It is claimed that the most traditionally Nedic area of Tamriel is Nibenay, and that the Nibenese people are the closest thing to purebred Nedes.[2]
Culture
Religion
The Nedes were known to have originally worshiped the star-oriented beings known as the Celestials, having a particular fascination with the constellations and their aspects.[21][22] The earliest Cyrodiilic Nedes were known to primarily venerate Shezarr as their patron deity, until they were conquered and enslaved by the elves, eventually taking up the Aldmeri Pantheon. After Alessia's rebellion, in order to appease the Nords who helped and the Nedes who were now accustomed to the Aldmeri Pantheon, she merged the two faiths into the Eight Divines religion.[23]
Architecture
The Nedes were known to have been skilled in stonework and made multiple cities and buildings out of stone, though much of it did not survive.[4] One well Nedic ruin was that of Skyreach, built around and within the Dragontail Mountains.[24]
Notable Nedes
- St. Alessia – Founder of the first Cyrodiilic Empire, original bearer of the Amulet of Kings
- Lamae Beolfag – First vampire in existence[16]
- Titus Valerius – A Nede who was sent forward in time and helped defeat The Serpent
- Zal'ik – A Nedic general who defended Shada's Tear against invading Yokudans
- Zuathas the Clever-Cutting Man – Nedic healer who helped injured Morihaus[25]
Trivia
Nedes are similar to the ancient Etruscans, who were assimilated by the Romans while also contributing much to the Roman culture.confirmation needed
Appearances
- The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (mentioned only)
- The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (mentioned only)
- The Elder Scrolls Online
References
- ↑ The Adabal-a
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Loremaster's Archive – The Slave Rebellion
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Frontier, Conquest
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Nedes of the Deathlands
- ↑ Orcs of Tamriel, Volume 3
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 The Amulet of Kings
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 The Song of Pelinal, Book II
- ↑ The Last King of the Ayleids
- ↑ Journal of Culanwe
- ↑ Dialogue with Sorcerer Vunal
- ↑ The Brothers of Strife
- ↑ Pocket Guide to the Empire, First Edition: Cyrodiil
- ↑ Pocket Guide to the Empire, First Edition: Hammerfell
- ↑ Events of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
- ↑ Nedic Dueling Swords
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Opusculus Lamae Bal
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 Events of The Elder Scrolls Online
- ↑ Pocket Guide to the Empire, Third Edition: Skyrim
- ↑ Pocket Guide to the Empire, Third Edition: High Rock
- ↑ The Bretons: Mongrels or Paragons?
- ↑ Defaced Nedic Prayer Book
- ↑ Loremaster's Archive: Mysteries Of The Mundus Stones
- ↑ Shezarr and the Divines
- ↑ Skyreach Explorer, Volume One
- ↑ The Song of Pelinal, Book IV
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