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You ask me, Aryon, why I chose to appoint a feeble-minded healer to the position of Steward of Tel Uvirith? You are quite right that there were indeed more qualified contenders for the job, magically or intellectually. Certainly, they wanted it a good bit more, but that’s beside the point.

If I am to explain this to you in a manner that you might find satisfactory, allow me to first explain the broader philosophy I hold towards Telvanni governance here at Uvirith’s Grave. The less experienced Wizard-Lords at the table may find this instructive, so listen carefully.

I am the ultimate authority of Tel Uvirith. My word is absolute, and everyone within the walls of this settlement is here at my blessing. That I am a monarch is understood and accepted by all who choose to reside here. If not, then their charred corpse will feed the nix-hounds. This is the way of all true Wizard-Lords, as I am sure you all know well.

What I am not, esteemed Masters, is a dictator.

Trenam Faren, the Commander of my guards if you haven't met him, is the first and most prominent authority here at Uvirith's Grave. Through enforcement of the laws of our House and Empire, he and his soldiers maintain the social order, and resolve the majority of petty issues that arise, crimes and indiscretions that do not warrant my personal attention.

Conversely, dear Tunila is the calm and compassionate mother of our town. Illnesses, injuries, grievances, doctrinal instruction for the faithful - to put it another way, everything beneath the attention of the guards, and all those tasks ill-suited to soldiers. Uniquely among our Vvardenfell holdings, she has become loved and admired by the people of Uvirith’s Grave. This is your answer, Aryon: her talents as priestess were uniquely suited to the role I envisioned for my Steward, which is to say a diplomat and nurturer of my people.

Note that I did *not* envision the her as the overseer, manager, and enforcer of all things Uvirith. She would indeed be terrible in these roles, but I never imagined nominating one Dunmer to fill them in the first place. It would be a waste of their time and talents. My other retainers, who viewed the maintenance of the Archmagister's fortress as a prime opportunity to accrue to power, could not understand this, or did not care to. Thus they were passed over.

This is where old Gothren was wrong, or perhaps I should say one of the many areas where he was wrong. No leader can rule both efficiently and centrally. Fear and obeisance towards a singular Wizard-Lord is only effective if it is administered rarely and capriciously. Gothren, may his soul rest with Boethiah, had not one lieutenant with meaningful autonomy, which, while fitting his paranoia, was ultimately corrosive to his authority. Why, you ask, Master Uvoo? I'll get to that in a moment.

I do not wish to know all of the affairs of Uvirith’s Grave. If I did, if I attended to every squabble and officiated every judgment, I would become mundane. The people here would know me intimately, and thus would their fear be undermined. No, this wasn't how Gothren ran Tel Aruhn. He was a personal sadist. That is even worse than being personally kind. It breeds discontent, insubordination, Magister-talk. It was the folly of my predecessor to conflate being feared with being hated, and as direct a result, on that fateful day when we and our Daedric forces incinerated his stronghold with burning frost, not a single defender of Tel Aruhn rose up to defend their Archmagister. Not that they were obligated to under the terms of the Magister Law, but regardless, their voluntary reticence won me my seat at this table.

It's been a good dinner, my friends. The teleporter is to the left and one floor up the shaft. Mind the gap.