Ashlander Tribes and the Great House system

Post » Mon Aug 11, 2014 11:18 am

I'm curious about the Ashlander rejection of the Great House system adopted by the majority of Dunmeri society.

As I understand it, mytho-history has it that the organising of dark elf society into the Great House system was Mephala's initiative. If this is true and the House system was indeed one of the teachings bestowed upon the Dunmer by one of the 'Good Daedra', why would the Ashlanders, known for their traditionalist adherence to Daedra and ancestor worship and condemnation of the Tribunal, reject such a teaching and instead organise themselves into nomadic tribes?

I wonder, does anybody with a good memory recall any Ashlander NPCs commenting on their decision to form wandering tribes and live outside House-controlled 'civilisation'?

I would understand the Ashlanders' living a nomadic existence if they decided to abandon House society after worship of ALMSIVI became mainstream, but I don't think it'd make sense for them to live in wild tribes before the Great Houses adopted worship of the Tribunal as their primary faith.

It could be that, with the Tribunal Temple's tendency towards historical revisionism that they attributed the Great House societal system to the teachings of the Anticipations in order to somehow bolster the legitimacy of the Tribunal, but I think the Great Houses, with their constant bickering, drama and sabotaging of each other in order to get ahead, feel very much like the brain-child of Mephala. A whole society structured around fostering rivalries to match the feud of the Montagues and Capulets sounds like something the Webspinner would delight in. Sociological popcorn for her to munch upon!

But, if we can confirm (with somewhat 'concrete' lore sources) that the Great Houses were Mephala's idea and were implemented before the rise of ALMSIVI, why do the Ashlanders not follow that Daedra-bestowed custom? Has Mephala actually ever taken credit for the idea herself? I think that's the only way we can be somewhat sure that it was all her idea. :laugh:

User avatar
Ross Thomas
 
Posts: 3371
Joined: Sat Jul 21, 2007 12:06 am

Post » Mon Aug 11, 2014 2:56 am

Did the division happen after the red mountain? I don't remember know and it was long time since I last played Morrowind but I could swear that ashlanders and Great houses was something that predated ascension of Almsivi.

User avatar
ONLY ME!!!!
 
Posts: 3479
Joined: Tue Aug 28, 2007 12:16 pm


Return to The Elder Scrolls Series Discussion