Pyandonea

Culture

Pyandonea is the island continent far south of Summerset, homeland of the Maormer, or Sea Elves. It is a land of tropical jungles, jagged cliffs, and storm-wracked coasts, where serpent cults dominate and seafaring defines daily life. Unlike the crystal towers of Summerset, Pyandonea’s culture is martial, austere, and bound to the ocean.

Maormer society is ruled by an absolute monarchy, centered on the immortal sorcerer-king Orgnum. From his palace, Orgnum directs fleets, priesthoods, and nobles. Beneath him, captains, warlocks, and serpent-priests govern cities and fleets. Loyalty to Orgnum is total; defiance is treason. This hierarchy ensures unity for conquest, piracy, and survival.

Religion revolves around serpent worship. Sea serpents are revered as divine, symbols of eternity and power. Through ritual and sorcery, Maormer bind serpents as steeds and weapons, their fleets riding into battle accompanied by living leviathans. Ancestors are honored but subsumed into serpent cults, with Orgnum himself worshiped as god-king. Their rituals emphasize sacrifice, storms, and domination of sea.

Daily life is maritime. Most Maormer are sailors, fishers, or warriors, trained from childhood to serve the fleet. Settlements cluster along coasts, blending harbors, temples, and fortresses. Families are organized into naval households, with status tied to ships owned or captains served. Food relies on fish, seaweed, and stolen grain, supplemented by jungle fruits. Clothing is light, woven of silk or linen, often adorned with shells and serpent sigils.

The Maormer value discipline and cunning. Piracy is sanctioned, but always under Orgnum’s will. Loyalty is prized, treachery punished. To them, the sea is life: harsh, unpredictable, and eternal. They see themselves as exiles turned masters, rejected by Summerset but destined to rule Tamriel through waves.

History

Pyandonea’s early history begins with exile. According to legend, Orgnum was once an Altmer prince who rebelled against Summerset’s rulers. Banished with his followers, he sailed south, claiming Pyandonea as his kingdom. There, his sorcery and serpent-worship transformed his people, making them distinct from Altmer, pale-skinned and serpent-bound.

In the First Era, the Maormer launched repeated assaults on Summerset. Their fleets, cloaked in illusion and accompanied by sea serpents, harried Altmeri coasts. Orgnum himself led campaigns, claiming immortality. Despite setbacks, Maormer raids never ceased, shaping Altmer identity through constant vigilance.

In the Second Era, Maormer power reached its height. In 2E 486, Orgnum led a massive fleet against Summerset, nearly overwhelming the Altmer. Only the intervention of the Psijic Order and allied powers saved the Isles. Throughout the Interregnum, Maormer fleets exploited chaos, striking Valenwood and Elsweyr, enslaving captives, and raiding coasts. Their power made them feared across the southern seas.

Under the Third Empire, Imperial fleets clashed with Pyandonean pirates in the Abecean. Though the Maormer never conquered Summerset, they remained a threat. The Summerset Accords briefly curtailed hostilities, but piracy continued. Orgnum’s ageless reign persisted, suggesting either sorcery or mythic immortality.

In the Fourth Era, Pyandonea remained isolated, its fleets striking unpredictably. Rumors persisted of vast serpent armies and Orgnum’s undying rule. By 4E 201, little had changed: Pyandonea remained distant yet dangerous, a reminder that Tamriel’s seas are never safe.

Other Information

Physiology:
The Maormer are tall, pale-skinned Elves, their eyes milky-white and hair silver or white. Their appearance is distinct from Altmer, marked by serpent-like pallor. Some tales describe faint scales or serpent traits, though this may be exaggeration. They are lean and strong, adapted for life at sea.

Architecture and Settlements:
Pyandonean settlements are coastal fortresses, built of stone and coral, often rising from cliffs. Harbors dominate cities, with docks, shipyards, and serpent pens. Temples to Orgnum and serpent cults stand at their centers, decorated with mosaics of coils and waves. Inland, jungle villages harvest fruit and timber, but true power rests on the coast.

Warfare:
Maormer warfare is naval. Their fleets are swift, sleek, and cloaked in illusion magic. They summon storms, ride sea serpents, and strike with boarding parties of swordsmen and archers. On land, they are agile but less formidable, preferring ambushes and raids. Their discipline ensures cohesion, but their strength lies in sea mastery.

Magic and Attitudes:
Illusion and weather magic define Pyandonean sorcery. Their mages cloak fleets in fog, confuse foes with phantasms, and summon tempests. Serpent-binding rituals are unique to them, making sea beasts extensions of their fleets. They avoid Daedra, focusing instead on serpents and Orgnum’s divine power. Magic is practical, not philosophical, always in service of fleet and faith.

Naming Conventions:
Maormer names resemble Altmer but harsher, often sea-tinged: Orgnum, K’juran, Lhialna. Titles reflect naval power: Captain, Corsair, Warlock. Epithets reference storms or serpents, e.g., “Stormrider,” “Wave-Bound.”

Relations with Other Races:
The Maormer are enemies to nearly all. Altmer despise them as traitors, Bosmer suffer raids, Imperials see them as pirates. Khajiit and Argonians know them as slavers. No enduring alliances exist; Pyandonea is insular and hostile. To outsiders, Maormer are villains, but to themselves, they are righteous exiles reclaiming destiny.

Art and Expression:
Maormer art is maritime, with jewelry of shells and coral, sails painted with serpent symbols, and mosaics of waves. Music uses horns, drums, and chants, echoing sea rhythm. Stories exalt Orgnum’s immortality and naval victories, passed orally through sailors. Art serves devotion: each carving, sail, or song affirms serpent cult and king.

Afterlife and Philosophy:
The Maormer believe souls join endless sea under Orgnum’s rule. Serpent cults promise eternity in coils of divine beasts. Philosophy emphasizes exile: rejection by Summerset became source of strength. They see themselves as chosen to master ocean, immortal through king and serpent. Unlike Altmer stasis or Dunmer struggle, Maormer destiny lies in endless waves.

Legacy of Pyandonea

Pyandonea remains shrouded in mist: distant, hostile, and mythic. It is homeland of Maormer, shaped by exile and ocean, sustained by Orgnum’s sorcery. Though little is known, its fleets shaped Tamrielic history, raiding Summerset, Valenwood, and beyond. By 4E 201, Pyandonea was still alien and unknowable, feared for its serpents and storms. Its legacy is exile and dominion: proof that those cast out can forge power in isolation, becoming eternal threat from the sea.