This is thoughts I've hade over the years concerning weapons designs in Morrowind. As I've been spending some time back at the forums and modding a bit I think it's time to get this out of my system and share it with you guys as it would be interesting to see others perspective on this.

Problem

Morrowind is a game which is incredibly rich in different armor styles and most of the great houses got som love in the original game. With TR it's even more diverse with the additions of Indoril and Dres style bonemold etc. One thing which has I've felt personally during the years of playing Morrowind is that there is a slight clash in the ascetics of several of the weapons when compared to the rather exotic Dunmeri armours. Both Chitin and Glass weapons does a great job covering low an high tire materials but what I'm thinking about is the lower mid, mid tire like iron, steel, orichalcum or any of the various exoskeletons of the Morrowind fauna which is hard enough to shape into weapons.

Research

Looking through the concept art I've found some clues on designs and suggestions in materials. This first gives a vague idea of a spear with a http://www.imperial-library.info/content/page-14, the bottom picture give some idea of the shape of a sword, but I figure that it is probably a scabbard of bonemold.

Next one gives some ideas of http://www.imperial-library.info/content/page-25. These suggest single edged swords which bears some resemblance to the ebony great sword in Skyrim except that the Skyrim design lacks a crossguard.

In the concept art of http://www.imperial-library.info/content/page-27the design reoccurs once more (single edged and straight with an asymmetrical tip). Without straying to far into speculation, I guess that we can presume that traditional dunmeric design includes these design choices.

Similar designs show up on the http://www.imperial-library.info/content/page-28, http://www.imperial-library.info/content/page-29. Their armours looks pretty 3:rd era to me. I figure that the design may still be present or as old heirlooms handed down in generations? Maybe the design diminished because of Imperial influence in Morrowind? Though I have a hard time believing that the Redoran would give up on "heirlooms of old, traditional ways, objects which once belonged to people of great honor, etc."

The next http://www.imperial-library.info/content/page-33 hints to the crossguard-less ebony weapons of Skyrim. That or possible a spear?

Materials

Another discussion is the use of materials. Chitin may simply not be suitable to form into weapons (As it is the lowest tire in the game) but being better suited as armour. This can explain the lack of chitinous middle and high tire weapons.

Bonemold is suggested as arrow and bolt tips but also as material for making bows. This may also lack the attribues to make it suitable to shape into more advanced weapons but opens up for a bonemold spear and possibly some cruder designs of spiked clubs.

Speaking of Dunmeri weapons it's time to mention the awesome mod: http://morrowind.nexusmods.com/Mods/42137/? inspired by the following http://www.imperial-library.info/content/page-26. What really bugs me about this weapon is that I've no idea what metal the blade is made of. Given that bonemold would not be suitable for making durable edge weapons and going simply on colour, I guess that both the Indoril spear tip and the yellow blades seen earlier is made of the strange alloy moonstone + quicksilver which was presented in Skyrim. Personally I don't know when Bethesda decided on the components in the elven weapons and if some one has another idea, please do post your thoughts.

To sum it up:

What has dunmer made weapons been made of during the different eras and what have they looked like?

Apart from the Indoril spear and the chiting extension in TR, is there any other good moods which adds weapons of dunmeri design?

Does the current set up with large amounts of imperial looking weapons reflect the influence it has on the various great houses, even the more conservative?

I don't have the brain power to give a detailed response to this. But I think your observation that, in the concept art, most Dunmer longblades are single edged is very interesting. It would be a simple thing to edit some of the more Dunmer-style weaponry to be single bladed instead of the double edged weapons which make up the majority of the selections. It would have to be done in such a way to still differentiate them from the katanas already available in the game.

I'm not much of a metallurgist, so I can't speculate on what Indoril, Royal Guard, Her Hand, etc armors/weapons are made of; but I think that's an interesting point of discussion.

Speaking of mid-low grade weaponry. We are severely lacking some http://www.imperial-library.info/sites/default/files/foulmurder.jpg. Dreugh wax is another weapon material. It's currently only used for staffs and clubs (I don't think it molds to points very well). But there is also Dreugh hide, which is used to make the armor. Other portions of Dreugh hide could possibly be combined with the wax to make additional weapons: spiked portions of Dreugh hide molded into a shaft of Dreugh wax, etc.

And brain power is gone... I started daydreaming about catching netch with hooks. Goodbye for now.

The concept art is just great.

I mean look at this:http://www.imperial-library.info/content/page-35

I always had the idea of a mod in my mind which adds the three missing daedric masks in the same way of the already existing ones (hidden in special spots).

What's also cool is the opened Telvanni dust adept helm (93):http://www.imperial-library.info/content/page-29

Have you seen the http://www.daryam.com/michael/?p=9of that picture? Extra information about their names and intended purpose.

As for typically Dunmer weapons, I don't think the Morag Tong weapons in http://www.daryam.com/michael/?p=23made it into the game.

Wow, that's some cool backround information. I didn't know that, thanks.

The Face of the Forbidden Tickle. That make me laugh every time I see that.

It's the same color as the Indoril armor, and probably the same material as well. Which would mean that it's basically a chitin tip, and the sheen and color is caused by a decorative and protective layer of resin.

Note that TR, since you mentioned it for armors, does introduce a few new Dunmer weapons: chitin swords, aena stuff, etc. Also a few pieces of equipment come directly from concept art, notably the Sixth House Sickle (http://www.imperial-library.info/content/page-42), Daedric Face of Humiliation (http://www.imperial-library.info/content/page-35, should have been "of the Forbidden" to echo what happened to the other concept names, such as inspiring fountain becoming inspiration, and so on), etc.

Speaking of concept art, take a look at http://www.imperial-library.info/content/page-39. Those could have been the shalk and bonewalker. The game would have been a lot creepier...

I didn't know the horns were intended to float. I always thought it was some sort of error in the mesh.

Great topic!

One thing that might be good to establish as a guideline is: does the lore, in any place, support the idea that Dunmer traditionally use metal for anything other than decorative purposes, i.e. cast metal?

That pic with the daedric helms and the info on them gives rise to a lot of ideas. I specifically like the idea of the Face of God and Face of Terror not actually being totally outlawed, but rather permitted to some. I'd love the idea of the top ranking temple members donning the Face of God for ritual purposes, or as part of their priestly attire. It ties in nicely with the mysticism and duality/bipolarity of the Vivec-worship. It also goes very well with the idea that the Dunmer culture has evolved out of the Daedra-worshipping culture of old. With reality as example, certain symbols, dates and motifs tends to get passed on and integrated when one religion replaces another.

Its a shame that Bethesda opted to omit a lot of the grime and darkness of Kirkbrides concept art. The things that DID make it into the game are almost always the most memorable things, the stuff that really made Morrowind stand apart.

Edit: The book about the origin of bonemold armor ('Bone', is it?) mentions a smith making "mixed metal armor". What is contained in that book is portrayed as having sort of a folklorish leaning, and is mentioned to be "nonesense" in the book, so this might not be considered a good source. Also, concerning bonemold, I'm thinking that it might be sort of flexible, seeing as it is used to make bows. This might be why it is not suitable to make sharp weapons, while still being a viable material for armors.

I've been slowly workin on this kind of stuff, modeling as well as I can the concept armors and also gas lamps, also trying to picture in my mind how some things would be for common use, ie: flower pots with lorkhan imagery on them or cerimonial robes/daggers

royal guard is adamantium, same with dark brotherhood armor. her hand armor is sort of almalexia's take on daedric. indoril is chitin plate and some sort of lite metal chainmail (possibly adamantium, or ebony).

pretty sure dunmer could make their own iron and steel armors and weapons, possibly silver too.

also I remember reading that dunmer know how to work with dwemer metals -- they can't make it but can smelt and form blades and such.

I always saw the Dark Brotherhood armor as being made of high quality leather and chitin. Her Hand Armor always seemed like it was made of a refined form of bonemold and admantium.

O.O Do people actually use my mod. O.o I didn't think I did good with the Indoril Spear. lol

DB armor made of Adamantium. http://morrowind.bonusweb.cz/obrazek/DarkBrotherhoodArmor.jpg. It's got rusty metal bits on it, and that's it. the rest is most likely cloth/quilted/leather or something.

This thread has been the first one where I've seen people claiming, as if it's fact, that Indoril armor is made of chitin. I also find that an unlikely concept, why would essentially chroming bug shells make them so much more effective at absorbing attacks? I don't know, I don't buy it.

I made my own https://www.dropbox.com/s/0nvevgayn51gxqh/MGE%20Screenshot%203.jpg. I've been messing around with Dunmer Steel as well, and silver. But nothing much has come of those yet.

But all of this is seriously detracting from the thread topic, which is about Dunmer weapons, not armor. Taken By Trees definitely wants to discuss weaponry, not armor. So let's all try and stay on topic.

It was gjerkson who said that DB armor was made from adamantium. Also I meant to say that I thought indoril armor was made of some form of chitin. BTW I really like the iron armor you designed.

With regards to the original discussion on dunmer weapons, I think that the dunmer had access to metals before the arrival of the imperials. I think creating a set of "Traditional Iron" and "Traditional Steel" weapons would be the way to go.

dark brotherhood armor is supposed to be adamantium mail or sorts. the rusty parts I think are supposed to be leather, at least the texture looks like leather close up. that's why DB armor had high value and armor rating, it's made of adamantium. could swear it was either in the manual or one of the promos that explained it.

indoril was originally a heavy chitin armor. it used to explain that ordinator armor was highly ornate heavy chitin plate armor with gold leafing. at least that's how it was explained on the official site up until release. texture-wise it looks like there's some sort of chainmail material, could be ebony since it's dark.

I would think dunmer weaponry would continue in the organic style like the armor, perhaps utilizing bonemold, chitin, etc with metals. i'd say the adamantium weapons look rather dunmerish, though crude.

I think in lore adamantium is highelven

Well, if you have a source on any of that, I'd be interested in seeing it. Some of the Indoril armor in the concept art looks more chitinous, but we aren't told that that's the same armor the Ordinators are wearing. It could just be House Indoril Chitin Armor. But, anyway, there may be a reason the website said that "up until release": design intent may have changed.

I did take another look at the https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/42876609/DB_armor_texture.jpg. It definitely looks like it has a metal mesh underneath the more cloth looking bits. And what I called the "rusty metal" parts certainly look like leather. Whether or not it's adamantium? I don't know and won't conjecture.

Buuuuttt... back on topic. I took a weak stab at making some of the longswords https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/42876609/w_DE_longswords.png based on your research, Taken. I just tried to make them look a little more single edged in general, but I didn't edit any textures to do so, so the effect is small. I was thinking of adding the new swords to a bunch of Dunmer, while leaving their names and stats the same as the original weapons, so you'd just occasionally see Dark Elves with a slightly variant weapon, meant to be more Dunmer in style.

Moving on to a discussion of what other materials may be used by Dunmer smiths: I wonder if the shalk/vegetable resin that is used in making bonemold armor could be used to make its own armor and weapons, Amber Armor style. It could potentially be a more recent discovery in Morrowind, so only a few prototypes exist in the possession of nobles and thieves. And Ashlanders could possibly use Resin Clubs.

edit: grammar

http://web.archive.org/web/20050207091315/http://www.elderscrolls.com/codex/codex_armor.htm

"Indoril armor is the ornate heavy armor style worn by Ordinators, a military order of knights in service of the Tribunal Temple. Gold leaf details the pauldrons, bracers, and helm of this insect-shell laminate armor. So many Ordinators come from House Indoril that the armor style is known as 'Indoril' armor, though knights of all Great Houses may serve as Ordinators."

I want to say the dark brotherhood/adamantium link is in the addendum, which I can't find.

here's what it also says about chitin weapons:

"These native Dunmer weapons are created from the sturdy but light exoskeletons of local creatures. Layers of chitin are typically laminated using bug resin glues to form strong but flexible weapons. The serrated edges of the original materials are exploited to create especially wicked daggers and slashing weapons." unfortunately they didn't quite follow that in-game.

So melchior this could all tie into your thread about consstency.
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Still not sure if I buy the concept of traditional dunmer metal weapons (and plate armor, but as said, that is a different discussion, although that iron armor of yours, MD, does look very good) from a lore point of view. The weapon sets in the game that are explicitly of dumner manufacture are all made from exotic/weirder materials, through different seemingly complex processes. If they had knowledge about working materials like steel and iron, as well as access to the raw materials, why would they insist on making things like chitin weapons, which are the lowest tier of weapons in the game?

It could be argued that this is simply a matter of availability: as established above, dunmer DO use ebony for armor parts, although it would seem mainly for mail armor. If you look at the mines on Vvardenfell, both glass and ebony are mined, while there is no evidence of iron mining. So it could be assumed that the dunmer have simply used what materials they've had access to, to the best of their ability.

I don't know, I'm just musing here. But for my two cents, I would love the idea of a mid-tier set of weapons of dunmer manufacture, based around the materials more explicitly established as used by the dunmer: glass, ebony, chitin, resins and dreugh bits.

Oh, and MD, I think you're on to something with those single edge longblades. Dunmer or not, some of them look really good.