Ebony ore vein locations... : The Elder Scrolls Series Discussion

» Tue May 08, 2012 10:15 am

Knowing what ebony is in terms of the lore, the placement of ebony ore veins has me curious...

It's all over Vvardenfell; why there we all know to be caused by Lorkhan's Heart being cast down there.

But what about the locations in Skyrim?

The ebony ore veins at the very tip-top of the Throat of The World may have some linking to the fact that it's the peak of a Tower...

...But what about Gloombound Mine, next to the orc stronghold of Narzulbur in the Eastmarch Hold? Why is there so much in there?

EDIT: And Shor's Stone too? what relevance does the mine's 'red mist' there have?

» Tue May 08, 2012 9:09 am

Knowing what ebony is in terms of the lore, the placement of ebony ore veins has me curious...

It's all over Vvardenfell; why there we all know to be caused by Lorkhan's Heart being cast down there.

But what about the locations in Skyrim?

The ebony ore veins at the very tip-top of the Throat of The World may have some linking to the fact that it's the peak of a Tower...

...But what about Gloombound Mine, next to the orc stronghold of Narzulbur in the Eastmarch Hold? Why is there so much in there?

When the heart flew over it bled, some of the blood fell on the ground creating ebony mines... Honestly that's the best I can come up with. That or the heart is now in Skyrim.

» Tue May 08, 2012 8:51 am

Which is the one where they complain they can't mine because of the red mist, and they don't know that they have ebony? The one with the "weird ore" sample? It would seem that even in Skyrim, ebony has some reason for being there, even if it's not obvious to the player.

» Mon May 07, 2012 8:18 pm

Oh yeah, forgot about the mine in Shor's Stone too, they struck ebony too.

» Tue May 08, 2012 4:54 am

When the heart flew over it bled, some of the blood fell on the ground creating ebony mines... Honestly that's the best I can come up with. That or the heart is now in Skyrim.

U know I actually like that explanation. Makes perfect sense to me.

» Tue May 08, 2012 6:32 am

Shor's blood wants to climb home.

» Tue May 08, 2012 3:45 am

Hearts pump blood, last time I checked. Pump, as in, "make go places".

» Mon May 07, 2012 7:47 pm

As Lorkhans heart was ripped out of his chest it was cast down and on the way it was pumping blood like a stranded sailor in the middle of the pacific ocean bailing water within shark infested waters while he has a open wound on his body. Something like that.

Also his body could have continued dripping blood after his heart was ripped out. Maybe his drops of blood are comets and shooting stars or something.

» Tue May 08, 2012 5:09 am

Two possibilities come to mind:
1. That the eruption of Red Mountain had something to do with it
2. That in ancient times, Vvardenfel was attached to Skyrim and some of the veins extended through it.

» Tue May 08, 2012 11:24 am

Note that both Gloombound Mine and Shor's Stone are not far from that volcanic caldera.

» Mon May 07, 2012 7:49 pm

Is it not just possible for the Ebony Ore Veins to go underneath the Inner Sea, across Morrowind and into Skyrim?

» Tue May 08, 2012 1:27 am

Is it not just possible for the Ebony Ore Veins to go underneath the Inner Sea, across Morrowind and into Skyrim?

Is it not possible for ebony to be found elsewhere besides Morrowind? I doubt the Dremora get their ebony from Morrowind.

» Mon May 07, 2012 11:04 pm

Well most theories here seem to relate Ebony Ore to the Heart of Lorkhan. Maybe Ebony could come from any volcanic area?

» Tue May 08, 2012 9:29 am

And what the hell is this 'malachite' junk?

» Mon May 07, 2012 11:11 pm

And what the hell is this 'malachite' junk?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malachite. I guess Bethesda used it because of the "Mala" like Malacath, whom the Orcs worship. (And Malachite makes Orcish Armour)

» Mon May 07, 2012 11:46 pm

Well most theories here seem to relate Ebony Ore to the Heart of Lorkhan. Maybe Ebony could come from any volcanic area?

That's what I've been thinking.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malachite. I guess Bethesda used it because of the "Mala" like Malacath, whom the Orcs worship. (And Malachite makes Orcish Armour)

I believe Oricalcum is used to make orcish equipment, whereas Malachite is used to make glass equipment. Like ebony, the largest collection of Malachite veins is not far from that volcanic caldera.

» Mon May 07, 2012 10:11 pm

Is it not possible for ebony to be found elsewhere besides Morrowind? I doubt the Dremora get their ebony from Morrowind.

Ebony is said to be formed of the blood of a god. Perhaps Mehrunes Dagon's battle wounds are harvested?

» Mon May 07, 2012 10:34 pm

Ebony is said to be formed of the blood of a god. Perhaps Mehrunes Dagon's battle wounds are harvested?

It's also said to be volcanic glass. And yes your theory is possible, but I've not actually known of anything saying it's god's blood beyond common Dunmer belief.

» Tue May 08, 2012 8:29 am

It's also said to be volcanic glass. And yes your theory is possible, but I've not actually known of anything saying it's god's blood beyond common Dunmer belief.

Though in either case, Mehrunes Dagon would have easy access to ebony.

» Mon May 07, 2012 11:51 pm

Maybe Shor got into a fight with something in Eastmarch (and parts of the Rift)? Tongues can "sing" his "ghost" into the world.

» Tue May 08, 2012 5:40 am

I believe Oricalcum is used to make orcish equipment, whereas Malachite is used to make glass equipment.

Oh yeah.... Whoops!

» Tue May 08, 2012 1:28 am

Or, of course, the idea that Ebony is god-blood is just incorrect.

» Mon May 07, 2012 10:06 pm

Or, of course, the idea that Ebony is god-blood is just incorrect.

To rule it out as falsehood would be to ignore the whole truth.

» Tue May 08, 2012 1:49 am

Now I may be misremembering but weren't Orcish arms and armours in Morrowind just made from a specially refined steel? Much like Skyforged stuff, but.. Orcforged stuff.
But they just pulled Orichalcum out of the Greek Mythologies? But even in there it was just a special copper, not some green stuff that only develops wherever Orcs live.

» Tue May 08, 2012 4:17 am

But they just pulled Orichalcum out of the Greek Mythologies? But even in there it was just a special copper, not some green stuff that only develops wherever Orcs live.

Don't take the names to mean the same thing in TES as it does in real life. EG glass is a green meteoric iron and ebony isn't a type of wood in TES. Orichalcum, conundrum, etc. probably aren't the same either.