I really do hope you get your mod recovered. I would like to offer my book on Dwemer ruins that will be a part of the next release of Books of Vvardenfell. I will also be making cover art, a map, and icons for this book shortly, and you may use it in its entirety for your mod if you like. I would even be willing to make some alterations to the content to make it more specific for use in your mod:
The Imperial Historical Society Handbook on the Excavation of Dwemer Ruins in Morrowind
Quite recently, the Imperial Historical Society has been given special dispensation to collect Dwemer artifacts for the purposes of furthering our studies. Though a vast majority of the Dwemer artifacts, confiscated from illegal traders, have been given over to the Society, we have begun to see the need for proper excavations in order to further our historical research. This operation is now primarily based out of the Guild of Mages, and we have offered to bestow the position of Chair of Dwemer Studies to any member of the Guild who shows the most promise in this endeavor.
It is through this endeavor that we are now able to share some of our recent breakthroughs in Dwemer studies. Though we have few theories to offer at this point in time, we will offer our empirical findings for peer review. The primary concern of this publication is the ruins of Vvardenfell, many of which now have their locations documented by the Society, and the physical artifacts that have been found within.
One might ask, is it against the will of the Nine Divines to know the Dwemer? Is their fate designed to teach us the consequences of dwemeri hubris? Should we merely be content to let sleeping dogs lie? This has been the position of the Empire, and the Tribunal of Morrowind, for quite some time. It is not our intent to offend those sensibilities by trying to replicate Dwemer experiments or gain their profane knowledge. The intent of the Imperial Historical Society is to shed a light on our darkened past. The more we know of the Dwemer, the more we know how they went wrong. Those who forget history, are doomed to repeat it.
The ruined Dwemer citadels and fortresses lie dotted across Morrowind like great tombs. They are each filled with their own horrors, jealously guarding their secrets. Dwarven spectres haunt the corridors alongside their centurions, patrolling empty halls in endless futility. These places will perhaps never truly be safe, but it is our hope to clear some of the ruins of their long hidden dangers. It is the hope of the Empire to eventually create tourism in some of the economically stagnant communities of Vvardenfell, and it is the hope of the society to create a place where we can study the long lost Dwemer race without fear.
This handbook will first discuss the elements of Dwemer architecture, its machinery, its artifacts, and finally a comprehensive catalogue of Dwemer ruins and their locations in the Vvardenfell region. It is important to know how to spot these ruins, what lies within, and what artifacts are of significance to the Society's studies before organizing an expedition into these ruins.
The Architecture of the Dwemer
The Dwemer were master metal-smiths, but their stonework is also quite impressive. The exterior architecture is constructed almost entirely in stone, with metal pipes and round heavy doors merging almost seamlessly with the stonework. They were master bridge builders, and these structures still remain intact and incredibly sturdy to this day. Dwemer ruins can be recognized by their large spired towers, steam stacks, and occasionally an observatory. The observatory is an impressive construction. These spherical buildings are constructed almost entirely out of perfectly formed metal plates, and house impressive telescopes which can be seen jutting up into the sky and pointing to the heavens. Dwemer architecture was inherently functional in nature, but still suggests a carefully thought out aesthetic, albeit somewhat austere in nature. Dwemer carvings and runes don their stone and pipework, the meaning of which is lost today.
Though the Dwemer were not overtly fond of imagery, statues of the Dwemer can still be found amongst some of their ruins. These statues depict the Dwemer themselves in long robes, bearing sword and shield, and are carefully cut out of smooth stone. They are not particularly decorous in nature, but are rather grandiose and austere. They are impressive in their own right. Other imagery found is usually astrological in nature, carved deeply into their stonework on doors, but such findings are quite rare.
The interiors comprise of long corridors delving deep underground, and mostly consist of smaller rooms. Most of the larger rooms house machinery, but the presence of furniture such as beds, desks, drawers and ovens suggest that they lived and worked in close proximity. The interior walls are mostly comprised of stone, with metal floors, and metal pipes traveling across the walls through every room and corridor. It has been suggested that these pipes carried steam, and served not only to power their machines, but to heat their living spaces as well. Their lighting is quite unlike anything seen in Nirn today. The Dwemer eschewed candles in favor of strange mechanical lighting comprising of glass tubes with metallic elements. We are uncertain of the inner workings of these lights, but most of them still function to this day.
Threats Within the Ruins
It is important to understand the threats within these ruins before mounting an expedition, which we will discuss in detail here. Some artifacts are "cursed" so it is important to use extreme caution before touching anything within the ruins. Picking up a cursed item may cause the unfortunate appearance of a Dwemer spectre. These spectres will immediately proceed to throw magical attacks at the interloper. These spectres can also be occasionally found roaming the halls. It is unclear how these spectres came to be. Are they the ghosts of the long dead Dwemer who died before their disappearance? Did they wander the halls alongside their living ancestors? Or are they shadows of the Dwemer who supposedly uncreated themselves? In either case, they do not take kindly to intruders. Enchanted or silver weapons are required to defeat them. They also have the ability to reflect spells, so use extreme caution in this regard. Like other ghosts, they are also a source of ectoplasm, which is of some value to alchemists.
The other threat remains the Dwemer centurions. Those still active will attack intruders on sight. It is in the next section that we will classify the known types of Dwemer annimunculi, as well as how to defend against their attacks.
The Classifications of Dwemer Annimunculi
There are, at this time, three distinct classes of Dwemer annimunculi that have been found in the ruins of Morrowind. Some of them are still active to this day, and pose a dire threat to our excavation teams. It is not known how these creatures are powered. Some scholars believe that the Dwemer somehow harnessed the power of the Heart of Lorkhan, and that the Dwemer annimunculi can only function in close proximity to Red Mountain. However, the discovery of other forms of Dwemer annimunculi in Hammerfell is evidence that the annimunculi there, and perhaps all annimunculi for that matter, may draw their power from another source entirely. These creatures are relentless in their task, to eradicate any intruders in the fortresses they were designed to protect, and attempt to do so diligently even in the absence of their masters. Note that their scrap metal is of use to both alchemists, and to members of the Society who wish to study them.
The Centurion Spider:
This is the most common construct found in the ruins. It is the weakest of the three centurion types, so it seems unlikely that these creatures were used as guards. It is more likely that these were used as maintenance workers. Nevertheless, they are aggressive. Their primary attack is poison, which is expelled from a large gas bag forming the top of the construct. The gas bag rests on a metal base which is attached to six hinged legs, which are able to move at a reasonably quick pace. However, the design of this construct is fairly delicate, and they break easily in combat. Damaging either the gas bag or the legs will immediately halt this creature in its tracks. If you can, try to damage only the legs. If the gas bag is ruptured, they cannot be reconstructed later by our scientific teams.
The Centurion Sphere:
This construct is the primary guard force of the Dwemer fortresses. This centurion has a complex gyro mechanism, enabling it to balance on top of the sphere and roll at an incredibly fast pace towards its target. The sphere centurion is able to retract into the sphere when it is idle, possibly sparing its complex mechanisms from wear when it is not needed. This construct has a head and two arms, allowing it to carry a sword and shield and target its enemy with its single eye. Its primary attack is melee, and it can also emit a lightning sheild to protect it from shock damage. If you are faced with one of these constructs during your excavations, the first mistake is to go for the eye. These contructs can function almost as well without it: they only lack accuracy in their sword attacks. Instead, they can be easily combated by hitting the gyro mechanism down the lower half of its midsection. Hitting this hard enough will essentially cause this creature to fall apart at the seams. Note that our scientific teams have not yet had any success trying to reconstruct this centurion type. It seems that hitting the gyro, and even magical attacks, causes irreparable damage to its delicate internal mechanisms, but there is no other way we know of to stop them, and the safety of our excavation teams is our primary concern.
The Steam Centurion:
This lumbering war machine can crush its enemy's as slow and steady as a rock. These are rarely found in the ruins, possibly because many were spent during the Battle of Red Mountain. These contructs were designed primarily for war, and not light guard duties. Their heavy metal bodies are stabilized on two massive legs. The clank of one of these centurions approaching causes an immediate instinctual fear in even the hardiest of warriors, and its appearance as a towering armored warrior must have also been used to great psychological effect. They must have dominated the battlefield in their time. On top of being difficult to damage physically, these hardy constructs are also highly resistant to magical attacks. One of its powerful arms acts as a massive mace, able to crush even the most heavily armored opponent. Its other hand is unarmed, possibly free to grapple and draw its opponent into range of its crushing blows. This creature has no magical attacks, but its physical attacks are enough. My primary advice to our excavation teams, if faced with one of these monstrosities, is run. Run out of the ruin and regroup. Do not attempt to engage this construct alone, and trust that the Guild of Fighters is always for hire.
Types of Dwemer Mechanisms
We will now discuss the various mechanisms found within the ruins. It is important for an expedition to clear these rooms of any threats so that the society may study them in detail. Please do not attempt to dismantle any of these devices. The Society wishes them intact so that we can study how they function in their environment.
We are still uncertain about the purpose of most of their machinery, but we do know that the majority of it is powered by a combination of steam and magicka. Many of these machines are still running to this day, a testament to Dwemer engineering. They are connected by a vast series of pipes, and comprise of mighty pumps with spinning cogs, wheels and belts. It is only through continued excavation that we may glean the function and purpose of these machines.
The Dwemer often dug deep into the great wells of lava pools underground, and so they tended to favor regions closer to Red Mountain in order to tap this vast resource. The Dwemer tapped underground water sources, as evidenced by their large and serviceable wells, and channeled them through pipes to be heated by the lava. The steam in turn is channeled through pipes throughout the entire structure. The Dwemer machines are powered by the earth itself, an endless resource, and a testament to Dwemer ingenuity.
The Dwemer Telescope:
The Dwemer telescope perhaps represents their most formidable scientific achievement. This grand piece of machinery can be found in the large domed observatories, of which few exist. This device once allowed the Dwemer to gaze closely at the stars along the outer edge of Oblivion, and perhaps even into the sparkling pinholes to Aetherius themselves. It is in the field of astronomy that the Dwemer excelled beyond all others. It is almost a shame that the greater part of their knowledge vanished along with them. Had they not sought such knowledge to such profane ends, who knows what could have been accomplished in the eras that followed.
The Artifacts of the Dwemer
The Imperial Historical Society is in possession of the full range of Dwemer artifacts currently known to exist. We offer this full catalogue to our members and the members of the Guild of Mages currently engaged in Dwemer studies.
Everyday Objects of Dwemer Society:
Dwemer Coins: This is was the primary currency of the Dwemer race. It has often been a staple of illegal trade in Morrowind because it fetches a high value on the black market due to various unscrupulous collectors. The Society's greatest interest in these coins is in studying the alloy of the metal, which our alchemists have not yet fully determined.
Dwemer Tableware: These come in the form of ornately decorated bowls, goblets, mugs, and pitchers. They are highly prized by collectors, so getting our hands on them has required much detective work and the law on our side. The study of these objects offer only a glimmer of insight into the life of the ancient Dwemer people. They represent something small and beautiful in the otherwise grandiose and austere cities of the Dwemer.
Components of Dwemer Machinery:
The Dwemer Tube: This object still remains a mystery to our scholars. It is a glass tube that is capped on either end with metal. Was it some sort of magicka container, or did it serve some sort of hydraulic or steam powered function? What were these tubes attached to? We must obtain more of these, along with other key components of Dwemer machinery, in order to further our research.
The Dwemer Cylinder: This seems to be some sort of glass flask, sitting on a metal base, and capped on the top with metal. Our excavation teams have reported that these cylinders are a component of Dwemer machinery. They can be found inserted in most of the machinery found in the ruins. We have yet to determine its exact function. We believe it either served as magicka containment, or steam containment.
The Dwemer Coherer: This object resembles a Dwemer cylinder with two tubes protruding out of the sides. Our scholars have recently proposed that this device was used in the reception of magicka, transmitting magicka from another source, often across great distances, and into the mechanical device it is designed to power.
Dwemer Cogs: These cogs transfer mechanical power along a device and are found in most of the moving parts of Dwemer machinery.
Dwemer Armaments:
These are the most rare artifacts of the Dwemer, but we have examples of almost every form of weapon and armor known to exist. All were constructed with a rare alloy, the production of which was known only to the Dwemer. It is heavier than steel, and yet resists corrosion. It is also highly resistant to wear. This is the same metal used on the plating of Dwemer centurions.
Dwemer Armor: This armor, as stated above, was constructed from the same metal as their centurions. In fact, the Dwemer resembled their constructs while donning this armor. A full set covers the whole body, and though it is carefully jointed to minimize gaps and seams, it allows easy movement for the wearer. It is heavy and resistant to blows by lesser metals. Their shields come in the form of a slightly elongated buckler. They are heavy, but small enough to provide better mobility of the shield arm. There is a large groove going up along the base of the shield, possibly designed to allow the shield barer to disarm an opponent by catching the weapon and drawing it to the side.
Dwemer Weapons: The Dwemer had a wide range of weapons, most of which are designed for heavy melee combat. They are all heavily weighted, and yet have excellent balance. Among these weapons are the battle axe, claymore, halberd, mace, shortsword, spear, war axe, and warhammer. The Dwemer also utilized heavy crossbows for ranged attacks. Our researchers have enlisted the aid of certain knowledgeable members of the Guild of Fighters in order to enlighten us on possible Dwemer fighting tactics. We eventually hope to release a definitive paper on the subject.
The Locations of Dwemer Ruins in Vvardenfell:
Aleft: This small ruin is located on the northwestern edge of the Bitter Coast. It is southeast of the small fishing village of Gnaar Mok, and northwest of the Dunmer stronghold Hlomarn. It is the only Dwemer ruin to be found in this region. However, it is not of any particular interest to the Historical Society.
Arkngthand: This large ruin sits atop a mountain in the Molag Amur region, located just east of the recently installed Moonmoth Legion Fort. On the road just northeast of the fort is a sturdy Dwemer bridge that leads directly to the ruin's entrance. This ruin also has a visible observatory, and is of considerable interest to the Historical Society.
Arkngthunch-Sturdumz: This is a small ruin located near the northwestern coast of the West Gash, just southwest of Ald Velothi. A large Dwemer bridge leads to the entrance. This ruin is not currently of any particular significance to the Historical Society, but further investigation is pending.
Bthanchend: This ruin has been identified and sighted just within the Ghostfence near Maar Gan. Because of the inherent danger of venturing into the Red Mountain Region, there are no plans to further investigate. Though it remains tantalizingly just out of arms reach, we warn prospective expeditions not to make any attempt on this ruin.
Bthuand: It is rumored that this ruin has been sighted somewhere in the central northern Ashlands. The exact location is currently unknown.
Bthungthumz: This large ruin has been located north of Maar Gan, across the large craggy valley that cuts across the northwestern Ashlands like a great scar. Also nearby is the Dwemer ruins of Druscashti. Attempts to enter these ruins have been largely unsuccessful, as few adventurers have returned from their depths. These ruins have been listed as more inherently dangerous than others, and should be avoided until a significantly large excavation team can be mustered.
Dagoth Ur: This ruin remains merely a legend, the famed final battleground of Lord Nerevar, and is rumored to sit in the center of Red Mountain. The Historical Society has no plans to uncover this ruin, ever. It is sometimes best to let sleeping dogs lie.
Druscashti: Located just north of Bthungthumz. See above entry.
Galom Daeus: This ruin is located deep in the center of the Molag Amur region, west of the landmark known as Uvirith's Grave. An observatory has also been sighted in this ruin, but the Historical Society has no plans to investigate further at this time. It is of considerable interest for future investigations however.
Mzahnch: This ruin is located on a large island in the southern Azura's Coast region, northeast of Vivec, an southwest of Molag Mar. Current reports suggest that this ruin, though accessible, is of little interest to the Historical Society. It contains few remaining artifacts, and contains little in the way of machinery.
Mzanchend: This ruin is located in the heart of the Molag Amur region, northwest of Uvirith's Grave and northeast of Galom Daeus. This ruin is of some interest to the Historical Society, and further investigations are pending. However, we currently lack the resources to mount a full excavation team so deep into this region.
Mzuleft: This large ruin is located southwest of Dagon Fel on the main island of Sheogorad. This ruin is currently under investigation by the Historical Society, and there are current plans to mount a full excavation within a few years.
Nchardahrk: This ruin is located near Dagon Fel and Mzuleft. The Historical Society plans to further investigate this ruin as part of the Mzuleft excavation project.
Nchardumz: This ruin has been located in southeastern Molag Mar at the end of a large valley along the mountains bordering the Grazelands region. It is not of any particular interest to the Historical Society.
Nchuleft: This ruin is located in the Grazelands west of Tel Vos, on the mountains bordering Molag Mar. It is of some interest to the Historical Society as it is mentioned in the book the Chronicles of Nchuleft. However, this ruin has not yet been investigated by members of the Society.
Nchuleftingth: The ruin is located in Molag Mar between Mount Kand and Uvirith's Grave. The Historical Society is currently mounting a full expedition into this ruin, and excavation is well underway. Results are pending.
Nchurdamz: This ruin is located in the eastern Azura's Coast region, and is not to be confused with Nchardumz, which is just to the northwest. There are no current investigations into this ruin. However, reports are welcome from adventurers and prospective members of the Historical Society.
These are the current known locations of most of the Dwemer ruins in Vvardenfell. There little historical account of others, possibly located deep within the Red Mountain region, but there will be no Society sponsored investigations into this zone.
This is just the first draft, and I may revise it later.
VV Edit: Oops, just a typo. I tend to let my fingers do the thinking and they spell out what they think is coming next (damn...lol). Thanks for pointing it out. I've fixed it.
» Thu Feb 10, 2011 7:59 pm 
