| Evergloam | |
|---|---|
| Type | Plane |
| Realm | Oblivion |
| Appears in | Battlespire, ESO |
The Evergloam is a realm of Oblivion, created and ruled over by Nocturnal, the Daedric Prince of Shadow. It is a realm of perpetual twilight, and the "cradle of shadow". The Evergloam exists adjacent to all other realms of reality simultaneously, it can almost be glimpsed when one turns and looks quickly while in the dark.[1] It consists of a primary plane and several pocket realms, including the Shade Perilous and the Crow's Wood. These realms are thought to be constantly shifting, and are perceived differently by different mortals.[2] It is filled with forests, whose trees cast long shadows over a purple landscape. The land is dotted with crumbling buildings and sunken crypts.[3]
There is a portal to the Evergloam, the Ebonmere, in the Twilight Sepulcher, an ancient temple in Skyrim. The Ebonmere is held open by the Skeleton Key, although the artifact has occasionally been stolen from the Sepulcher by mortals. The Nightingales are a secretive subgroup of the Thieves Guild who pledge their souls to Nocturnal and guard both the Ebonmere and the Skeleton Key. When a Nightingale dies, it is believed that their soul becomes one with the shadows. As long as the Ebonmere remains open, the souls of dead Nightingales can "walk with the shadows" and bring luck to thieves.[4] As Agents of Nocturnal, Nightingales are permitted to drink from the Ebonmere and obtain powerful boons.[5]
Souls that end up in the Evergloam become Shadows. They are capable of sleeping, though they never awaken fully rested. They also crave the light, but can never enjoy it, as exposure to light will banish and weaken them.[3] Other inhabitants of the realm include nocturnal shrikes, crow daedra, hags, hagravens, gloam wolves, and shadowy werewolves.[6]
Pocket RealmsEdit
Shade PerilousEdit
The Shade Perilous is a pocket realm of the Evergloam coveted by many Daedric clans for the harvestable darkling mana present. It was taken by the armies of Mehrunes Dagon during his invasion of the Battlespire during the Imperial Simulacrum. Dagon's protégés, Faydra Shardai and Xivilai Moath, became overzealous and, instead of simply obtaining passage by negotiation, took the Shade Perilous by force. The clanless Seducers who inhabited the realm betrayed the Nocturnal Lieutenant Jaciel Morgen and the lesser Nocturnal Deyanira Katrece, claiming the area for Dagon. The Shade Perilous was left to the Fire Atronachs and Frost Atronachs, although the two enemy clans fought over ownership. An apprentice from the Battlespire, following the retreating Daedric armies, helped to partially liberate the Shade Perilous, although it is unknown whether or not the Nocturnals regained control of the area. It is likely that Imago Storm relinquished Clan Dagon's hold on the realm after assuming control following Dagon's banishment.[7]
Crow's WoodEdit
The Crow's Wood is an uncanny pocket realm of the Evergloam. It was made to resemble a nightmarish forest, although it is a poor imitation compared to Tamriel. It is inhabited by the feudal Blackfeather Court, sentient crows who view themselves as the realm's rulers. Other inhabitants include giant bats, ghosts, wolves, spiders, wisps, wispmothers, bears, and soul wraiths. The realm was once ruled by a powerful soul wraith called Ghyslain, although he was banished under unknown circumstances. A hagraven known as the Crow Mother then came to rule the realm as the head of the Blackfeather Court.
Sometime in the Second Era, a Dunmer member of the Mages Guild named Rulantaril Oran discovered the Crow's Wood in his search for powerful forgotten spells. He created an enchanted chest to open a portal to the realm, and hid it in a small cave near the city of Davon's Watch in Morrowind.[8] He attempted to gain favor with the Crow Mother by confessing his love for her. However, his trickery failed, and the hagraven imprisoned him in her tower. His son, Telbaril, entered the realm in search of his father in 2E 582. The Vestige entered Crow's Wood not long after, and Telbaril asked them for help in searching for his father. It is unknown if Rulantaril and his son were reunited. Ghyslain was also summoned back to the realm, but he was destroyed by the Vestige.[9] Using the enchanted chest, the Mages Guild Order of the Eye sent guild members into the pocket realm to recover the Nightlight, a strange relic of Sheogorath which had supposedly ended up in Crow's Wood due to the unexpected effects of the Planemeld.[10]
Garden of ShadowsEdit
The Garden of Shadows is a pocket realm located deep in the Evergloam.[11] To the mortal inhabitants of Tamriel, the realm seems both alien and familiar. It resembles a wooded clearing in eternal dusk, filled with graves, corpses, and endless carved pumpkins.[12] Circa 2E 582, Witchmother Taerma repeatedly used the realm to summon a powerful Wraith-of-Crows known as the Crowborne Horror. With the aid of the Vestige the Horror was defeated, delaying a potentially devastating attack on Nirn. The Witchmother coven also used this opportunity to drain some of the Horror's power for their own uses.[11]
See AlsoEdit
BooksEdit
- A Sky of Dusk by Romien Garvette of the Whispering Shadows — A Nocturnal cultist's notes on Evergloam
ReferencesEdit
- ^ Loading Screen for Evergloam in ESO: Summerset
- ^ Loading Screen for Evergloam in ESO: Clockwork City
- ^ a b A Sky of Dusk — Romien Garvette of the Whispering Shadows
- ^ Karliah's dialogue during Darkness Returns in Skyrim
- ^ Nocturnal's dialogue during Darkness Returns in Skyrim
- ^ Creatures found within the Evergloam in ESO: Clockwork City
- ^ Level 4 in Battlespire
- ^ Rulantaril's Notes — Rulantaril Oran
- ^ Events of A Son's Promise in ESO
- ^ Madness in Stonefalls quest in ESO
- ^ a b Witchmother Taerma's dialogue during Plucking the Crow in ESO
- ^ Garden of Shadows in ESO