Lore:Artifacts E
Ebony Blade
The Ebony Blade, also known as the Vampire or the Leech, is a Daedric artifact created by the Daedric Prince Mephala. It resembles an ebony katana, and is considered to be an artifact of great evil, having the ability to absorb the life essence of those that it strikes. Part of the damage inflicted flows into the wielder as raw power, draining the victim of their health and sometimes stamina. It has also been known to fortify the wielder's skill at using long blades, magically silence those that it strikes to prevent them from casting spells, and deceive victims.
The Blade has corrupted and perverted the desires of great men and women, and is infamous due to the many lives it has taken at the hands of its dark owners. It is known to drive all who wield it insane. Wielders of the blade consign their everlasting soul to Oblivion. In 2E 582, a charm was cast on it by a mage so it would not remain with any one individual for long, in an attempt to save the souls of any too infatuated by the Blade.
Some time in the early Second Era, an Altmer named Nerien'eth uncovered the Ebony Blade while scouring Tamriel for artifacts to study. He brought it to the Agea Relle for study, believing it to be an ancient Akaviri blade. Mephala's whisperings slowly began to corrupt Nerien'eth's mind, until eventually he snapped and ensnared the souls of his students and fellow researchers. He summoned Daedra to torture their souls for eternity, and shattered the soul of his wife Alanwe so that she would suffer the most. The Agea Relle became known as the Crypt of Hearts, and was avoided by the people of Rivenspire for many years. In 2E 582, a group of Undaunted entered the Crypt and cleared it of undead and Daedra, freeing the captured souls and restoring Alanwe's spirit.
Instead of departing for the afterlife, Alanwe stayed behind to protect the vault from Nerien'eth, who returned in force later that year. Using the Ebony Blade, Nerien'eth summoned minions of Mephala, powerful Daedra who aided him in recapturing the lost souls. The group of Undaunted returned, and once again aided Alanwe by investigating Nerien'eth's return. The group managed to locate the Ebony Blade, and were forced to slay Nerien'eth when he wielded it in battle. Alanwe's spirit then took the blade and communed with Mephala, the unknown whisperer. Mephala attempted to corrupt her by promising to help destroy the weapon, but Alanwe refused to listen to the Prince. Instead, she used her own soul to place a charm on it so that it would never remain with an individual for long. She then sent it far away, although the blade was fully empowered at the time and fought against her will, yearning to eventually return home. However, Alanwe's sacrifice did deny Mephala the blade's use during a great war between the forces of Oblivion.
The Ebony Blade was later uncovered during the Imperial Simulacrum by the Eternal Champion, in the province of Valenwood. In the events leading up to the Warp in the West, an agent of the Blades summoned Mephala and was tasked with assassinating a noble in the Iliac Bay area. In return, a worshipper of Mephala rewarded the agent with the Blade. In 3E 433, the Champion of Cyrodiil summoned Mephala and was tasked with starting a feud between two prominent families, the Nordic Ulfgar and Dunmeri Dalvilu, in the settlement of Bleaker's Way. The Champion murdered the leaders of the two families and planted evidence which implicated the other. The settlement descended into chaos, and the two families fought until only one remained. Mephala then rewarded the Champion with the Blade.
Some time in the Fourth Era, the Ebony Blade came into the possession of the jarl of Whiterun, who attempted to destroy it by placing it within the Skyforge. Not even the hottest fires could melt it, and in fact the sword seemed to cool the coals when it was placed within. As a last resort, the Blade was hidden away deep within Dragonsreach, with access granted only to the Jarl of Whiterun and his trusted court wizard. In 4E 201, Nelkir, the young son of Jarl Balgruuf the Greater, stumbled upon the locked door to the chamber where the Blade was kept. Mephala spoke to the child through her artifact, whispering secrets through the door. Word spread through the city of the jarl's "dark child", and the Last Dragonborn was tasked with helping the child. When questioned, Nelkir spoke of the "Whispering Lady". The Dragonborn investigated the "Whispering Door", and was contacted by Mephala. Under the guidance of Nelkir, the Dragonborn obtained a key to the door, and retrieved the Ebony Blade. However, having been locked away from so long, the weapon had lost much of its power. Mephala instructed the Dragonborn to nourish the Blade with the "blood of deceit" by murdering trusting friends.
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Ebony Mail
The Ebony Mail is a Daedric artifact created by the Daedric Prince Boethiah. In appearance it looks like an ebony suit of armor, or often simply a cuirass. It can either be medium or heavy in weight. The artifact grants its wearer resistance to fire and magical attacks, magical protection from physical blows, quieter movements and the ability to poison enemies who get too close. The artifact was created before recorded history by Boethiah, and it is Boethiah alone who determines who should possess the Mail and for how long a time.
The Ebony Mail was uncovered in Black Marsh by the Eternal Champion during the Imperial Simulacrum. Just before the events of the Warp in the West, an unknown agent of the Blades in the Iliac Bay area summoned Boethiah in a search for power. In return for killing an innocent spellsword who had displeased the Prince, the agent was gifted with the Ebony Mail from a worshipper of Boethiah. During the play A Hypothetical Treachery, a group of adventurers (Malvasian, Inzoliah, Dolcettus and Schiavas) recover the Ebony Mail from the legendary Eldengrove of Valenwood. In the end, Inzoliah alone is left alive and sells the artifact to the king of Silvenar.
In 3E 427, the Nerevarine was sent by the Tribunal Temple at the request of Archcanon Tholer Saryoni to make a pilgrimage to Mount Assarnibibi, where Molag Bal oversaw the ninety-nine lovers of Boethiah, who gave birth to Almalexia. Upon completing the pilgrimage, the Nerevarine received the Ebony Mail and brought it to Tholer Saryoni. The archcanon wouldn't accept it, saying it would be put to better use by the Nerevarine. The Nerevarine later sold it to Torasa Aram, who put it on display in the Mournhold Museum of Artifacts. In 4E 201, Boethiah tasked the Last Dragonborn with assassinating the Prince's previous champion and his group of bandits. The Dragonborn retrieved the Ebony Mail from the corpse of the ex-champion.
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Elder Scrolls
The Elder Scrolls (Kelle in the Dragon Language), also called the Aedric Prophecies (though the accuracy of that term is often disputed), are scrolls of unknown origin and number which simultaneously archive both past and future events. The number of the Scrolls is unknown not because of their immense quantity, but because the number itself is unknowable, as the Scrolls "do not exist in countable form". They are fragments of creation from outside time itself, and their use in divining prophecies is but a small part of their power. They simultaneously do not exist, yet always have existed.
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Eleidon's Ward
Eleidon's Ward is an enchanted shield especially built for Eleidon, a renowned holy knight of legend in Breton history. One of the many stories about him is that he saved a baron's daughter from sure death at the hands of a warlord, and the baron spent all his riches on the creation of the shield to show his gratitude. It grants the wielder the opportunity to heal wounds. The Nerevarine reportedly recovered the shield from a tomb in the Sheogorad region of Vvardenfell and sold it to the Mournhold Museum of Artifacts in 3E 427.
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Everflow Ewer
The Everflow Ewer was an ancient artifact believed to be capable of supplying endless water once filled. The Ewer has been described as a pitcher made of either crystals or silver. The origin of the Ewer is unknown; some say it was a gift from Mara, while others claim that it was enchanted by a powerful sorcerer. Garridan Stalrous, a Knight-Errant of Farmantle Glens, sought out the Ewer due to a drought and a small yield of crops. To save his people from starvation he began his hunt for the Ewer. A sage informed him it was located in Frostfire Glade and he set off at once along with his friend, Lord Jaren Aethelweald. He eventually found the Ewer resting on an altar in the frozen glade, filled with water as the legend told. However, when Garridan removed the Ewer, a Frostfire Atronach Glade Guardian appeared and battled Garridan. The Atronach knocked him to the ground and attempted to finish Garridan, but his blow was intercepted by the Ewer itself, destroying it and causing a rush of frozen water. This locked the two in everlasting combat under the ice, where the fragments of the Everflow Ewer lie. Jaren Aethelweald escaped and returned to Farmantle Glens, only to discover that Mara had blessed the settlement with rain. The Legend of Garridan Stalrous was later recorded by Kirellian Odrenius in the book Knightfall, Tales of Heroism and Chivalry.
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Eye of Magnus
The Eye of Magnus is an ancient artifact of unknown origin. It possesses a great amount of magical power and can be manipulated with the Staff of Magnus, which once belonged to the God of Magic himself.
It was discovered by the ancient Nords when they were building the city of Saarthal. The Nords attempted to keep it buried, but the elves learned of its existence and coveted it for themselves. During the Night of Tears the elves assaulted Saarthal to secure this powerful artifact for themselves. Ysgramor rallied together his people to keep the elves from seizing it, and the Nords were successful in preventing the elves from obtaining the artifact. The Eye was buried deep below the earth and sealed away.
In 4E 201, during an expedition in Saarthal, the Eye of Magnus was uncovered by members of the College of Winterhold. The artifact was transported to the college for examination. Ancano, a Thalmor agent, attempted to draw power from the Eye, but was prevented and killed by members of the college. Monks from the Psijic Order, who had been observing the situation, arrived to take the artifact, claiming that it was too unstable to keep in Mundus. Ancano's meddling with the eye had long-term effects, causing Ruptures to appear across Skyrim, through which dangerous Magic Anomalies emerged. The college tried its best to close these Ruptures using the Staff of Magnus.
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