[Scene] An Unusual Audience

[Soleman1989]

Overall Progress:

• [x] Writing
• [x] Proofreading
• [ ] Voice Acting
• [ ] Implementation
• [ ] Play Testing

[Soleman1989]

Just finished writing this scene between the Sovereign and a Thalmor Ambassador. This should explain some of the reasons behind the Thalmor's interest in Luftahraan among other things. It was written on my phone bcz my PC died yesterday. :(

[Arkaash]

Were you wanting me to proofread this? You didn't include a link!

[Soleman1989]

Yep, here it is. Excuse the mess I'm on my phone as I said... https://docs.google.com/document/d/1vMeOVfWs7BRcdo2LOKD_cIv1lQLhetVbGzacTCsgJnA/edit?usp=docslist_api

[Arkaash]

Alright, I've gone over it. I'm curious as to the context of this, though - what plight does the Thalmor agent refer to?

[Soleman1989]

He refers to the civil unrest and the deaths that occurred because of it. I've added an extra line to point this out.

Thanks for the help Sam.

[Arkaash]

You're welcome :)

One other thing that I just noticed looking again is this line "that so long as your High King is allied with the Empire ". Do you mean the High King of Skyrim? Luftahraan isn't de jure part of Skyrim; it doesn't answer to Skyrim's High King at all. Technically, it is a member of the Empire with the same status as the Kingdom of Skyrim.

[Soleman1989]

I was under the impression that Luftahraan's Sovereign is a "vassal" to the High King of Skyrim. It makes sense because Luftahraan isn't a kingdom comprised of several different Holds, like Skyrim is. Luftahraan is nothing but a fortified city and a couple of acres of surrounding lands, thus making it similar to a Hold .

For it to exist independently in a region where there is so much geopolitical strife (the civil war between the Empire and the Stormcloaks), Luftahraan would have to be a super power, which it isn't. Not anymore. If we take into account that Yorgen tried to conquer Skyrim and failed because of the Gray Beards then it makes sense for the Sovereign to have sworn some sort of pledge of allegiance.

In the case of an Oath of Fealty, Luftahraan retains it's identity as a separate region (country/land/what have you) in Skyrim in exchange for support (gold, soldiers, etc.) offered to the High King.

Regarding the Thalmor, they are an unwanted presence in Luftahraan, at least according to the Sovereigns, because they would only serve to destabilize the region when it comes to it's freedom of religion (something that has happened in the past and a Sovereign died as a result) and they would also soon discover the Tower and start to meddle with it.

I'm also aware that Luftahraan isn't cannon but in our version of the ES Universe (using the Dragonbreak) the city and it's surrounding areas do exist and they have to be a part of Skyrim, So we must take into account the geopolitical nature of the area.

TL;DR: Sam, why you no learn from that lame ass game you're playing?

[Arkaash]

Luftahraan is rather like the Republic of Venice. Surrounded by larger powers for most of its existence but always independence due to its wealth and the defensiveness of its position.

The Sovereign is in effect a Petty King; someone who claims the title of a king but whose lands are more the equivalent of a feudal Duchy. He would be a Hold in Skyrim, for example, except he's independent.

When Luftahraan was founded the land it belonged to wasn't really claimed by anyone - High Rock was n't a homogeneous entity and so Luharaan claimed some land just outside of Skyrim's borders and shooed anyone from High Rock away. His entire objective in founding it was to get away from Skyrim's political mess, and so he certainly wouldn't have sworn fealty.back to the High King he'd just gotten away from.

There are several times in Luftahraan's past that it could have been occupied by High Rock or Skyrim, but it wasn't for various reasons.

Firstly, when Solrin, Duke of Jehenna in High Rock invaded shortly before Yorgen's reign, Luftahraan could have become part of High Rock. However, according to Feudal law, the title of Sovereign of Luftahraan (as a Petty Kingdom) is equivalent to that of High Rock, and full Kingdom. Therefore, Solrin became a King in his own right when he conquered Luftahraan and thus was absolved of his oath to the King of High Rock (although, firstly, there wasn't a unified High Rock then and secondly the entire invasion was purely orchestrated by the Vampire Sovereigns and meant nothing). This is similar to when William, Duke of Normandy, invaded the Kingdom of England - England didn't become part of France.

The second time is when Yorgen failed in his invasion of Skyrim. Despite the defeat of his Dragon by the Greybeards, he had mostly won the war arleady - he occupied Solitude and most of western Skyrim. He new that without the Dragon he would not be able to complete the invasion, but he also knew that, if he resisted, he would cripple Skyrim for hundreds of years if he refused to give up the land he held. Therefore, the sensible option would be for the two sides to agree to a neutral peace - they both just go back to how they were and stop fighting. Luftahraan itself is also in too good a position for the High King to take in a siege if Yorgen had retreated and held his border and so it is the least damaging option for both parties.

Finally, the War of Bend'r-Mahk - in this war, Skyrim defeated High Rock and Luftahraan, which had sided with High Rock (it was primarily led by Bretons at this point in history, and had been ever since Solrin invaded). Luftahraan, and much of High Rock were held by Skyrim and could, if Skyrim had wished, been maintained. However, at this time both High Rock, Skyrim and Luftahraan were part of the Empire, and even though the Empire was severely weakened by the war with Haymon Camoran, it would not have allowed Skyrim to take such a large amount of land from another province - High Rock would have been furious and would probably have declared independence from the Empire whilst it was weak. Therefore the Emperor would have brokered a peace between the three parties that gave Skyrim the advantage but didn't overly disadvantage the other parties - much like the Habsburg Emperors did during the many internecine wars of the Holy Roman Empire. If a member state took too much of another, the Emperor would step in and redistribute the land as he wished - usually putting both parties back to a mostly neutral position.

As for a full invasion that could have happened at any other point - whilst Luftahraan was a very valuable price for most of its history, one of Skyrim or High Rock annexing it would have had the other furious and up in arms, and they would do all they could to ensure their rival state didn't maintain control. The effort to take it and keep it was just too great for what was, in the end, a relatively small and very mountainous piece of land.

[Soleman1989]

Consider me vetoed. :)