i really want to see what happens with this subject. while the provinces influince are to be kept seprate i just can't help the feeling that there may be a carryable crossbow (there are 2 CB traps in elder scroll ruin) morrorowind wouldn't have had any if it wasnt for the empire comming in to keep order, and here we find the empire in the same state so... will they be reinforced with supplies? and one more point it has been 200 years right? tech hasn't seem to evolve at ALL.

This is another of the game / lore dependencies I think.

There are spears, and crossbows and even throwing stars... but magically concealed by the power of "streamlining" so you can't see them.

Towers are the defiant pillars of "I AM" holding the Mundus aloft and apart from the ?unyatic ocean of the endless void. The loss of any one of those towers means a little bit more of the world sinks back into literal and metaphoric Oblivion.

Hence, when Red Mountain went offline, crossbows, spears, levitation, teleportation, medium armor, the distinct cultures of Nibenay and Colovia, Snow Whales, etc. all of it sunk back into Sithis' exposed bosom.

You changed the subject from crossbows to Towers in a single post...

I salute you, sir.

Good show, Haute. Perfect answer!

Oh hush, I'm starting to blush...

And now you rhymed which I saw just in time.

By Minerva! This is the most incredible hand-wave I've ever heard!

I love it!

Keep in mind, the Crossbow is Sheogorrath's either favorite or second-favorite weapon, if Daggerfall is to be believed.

The crossbow was a Dwemer weapon. People in Morrowind comment that the Imperial version is mostly just a cheap copy and not very good.
Weird thing is, that actually makes sense.

Enter a Dwemer hold. Gaze upon the forearm of the constructs. Note the crossbow. Now sever said arm and fashion a trigger mechanism with your 100 smithing skill. What? You can't?

Odd.

there is one useable crossbow in Blackreach