Lore:Anticlere

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This article is about the polity. For the city, see Anticlere (city).

Anticlere
Type Region
Continent Tamriel
Province High Rock
Appears in Daggerfall
Anticlere ca. 3E 405
Map of the Iliac Bay

Anticlere (formerly known as Reich Gradkeep)[1] is a historical country in southwestern High Rock, right on the Iliac Bay region.[2] Beyond the three original kingdoms in the region, Anticlere is one of the primary powers in the Iliac Bay.[3] The region, as well as southern High Rock is known for its rolling, verdant hills.[4] The Goddess of Love and Fertility, Mara is considered the goddess-protector of Anticlere and by the late Third Era, the Knights of the Flame served as the region's knightly order and protector of the royal family.[2]

History[edit]

For the history specific to the city, see the: History of Anticlere

Early History[edit]

Topal the Pilot

When Anticlere, the political region was founded is unknown, but the region may have been first discovered by Aldmeri explorers from the middle Merethic Era.[4] In Florin Jaliil's translation and dissertation of the Udhendra Nibenu, Topal the Pilot's written records of his voyage, he believed that the Aldmeri explorer sailed northeast from Firsthold and found the Iliac Bay after roughly two months of travel. As Topal wrote, he landed on a "sun-kissed meadow of gentle dells" but as his men rested, ferocious Orcs from the glen attacked them. This note would contradict the ancient tradition of how Trinimac's defeat gave rise to the Orsimer after the elves had already inhabited mainland Tamriel.[4] Suffice it to say, no Orcish tribes or strongholds existed in Anticlere in the late Third Era.[5]

The settlement of Reich Gradkeep was founded in the early First Era by the Nords of the Nordic Empire, who built fortified coastal towns amid their conquest of High Rock. These settlements became assimilated by the Bretons over time and turned into modern-day cities.[6] Other races and subcultures historically live in the Anticlere region. Barbarians live in strongholds throughout the region, and minor races such as giants and harpies live in dungeons.[5] The Haarvenu bloodline is the most dominant one in the region.[2]

Citizens of Anticlere observe the 21st of Last Seed as Appreciation Day, an ancient holiday held in honor of the goddess-protector, Mara. It is a holy and contemplative day with a thanksgiving celebration dedicated to the bountiful harvest.[7] By the fifteenth century of the First Era, Reich Gradkeep was ruled by a Duke,[8] whom by tradition governs a duchy of the same name.[9] By the time the Camoran Usurper traveled north toward the Iliac Bay, the Lord of Reich Gradkeep was deathly ill and could not build a defensive effort against the invader. They passed away at the end of 3E 266 and did not live to see the Usurper's defeat the year later.[3]

Reich Gradkeep and the War of Betony[edit]

Lord Auberon Flyte
Lady Doryanna Flyte

By the late Third Era, Reich Gradkeep was a fiefdom ruled by the Graddock family. When the War of Betony occurred between the kingdoms of Daggerfall and Sentinel, Reich Gradkeep took a neutral stance,[10] and as King Lysandus began to advocate for a peace treaty, Lord Graddock stepped forward to serve as the facilitator with other notaries. At the time, Lord Graddock was married to Lady Graddock and had two children, the heir apparent Mara Graddock, and a sickly infant.[1]

The summit for the treaty's signing was held in 3E 403 in the capital city's palace. Despite its promising start, it ended in complete disaster as violence broke out in the palace and into the city streets. The bloody massacre within Reich Gradkeep's palace took the Graddock family's lives, except for the infant while the kingdoms' armies met in battle one last time in Cryngaine Field. With no one else in the royal family to ably rule the region, Lord Graddock's cousin, Auberon Flyte was appointed as a regency until the child was old enough.[1]

Lord Flyte's early reign was described as "strong, almost dictatorial" but was able to restore order admirably, for both the town[1] and even the Knights of the Flame, who swore fealty to the Flyte family for centuries.[11] When the infant passed not long after, Auberon Flyte was able to properly succeed as ruler of Reich Gradkeep and in honor of his ancestral house, renamed both the city and region to Anticlere. His wife, Lady Doryanna Flyte was just as instrumental in Anticlere's success as her ability to coerce counselors and merchants is how Lord Flyte's imperious demands were executed.[1] With his transition into power, he appointed the Knights of the Flame as the region's knightly order.[11]

Anticlere in the late Third Era and onward[edit]

Lord Flyte had an apparent disdain for everyone in his company, including his wife but all of that changed when he contracted the Guedoilic Plague from an Argonian ambassador. He became sick and feeble and retired to his bedchamber while he gave Lady Doryanna significant power to effectively rule in his stead. She was quick to replace Anticlere's previous council of older, more experienced members with newer, younger members that she could easily manipulate.[1] The Knights of the Flame, consisting of loyal citizens of Anticlere were well-received in the region.[11]

There were rumors at the time that claimed Lady Doryanna was consorting with the local guildmaster of the Thieves Guild and that she participated in midnight raids, under a disguise on Anticlere's highways.[1] At the same time, the Knights of the Flame could not patrol the fiefdom's roads and were only regulated to the cities, much to their confusion. Some of these knights also served as Lady Doryanna as her personal guard.[12]:100

By 3E 405, Lady Doryanna Flyte continued to hold power over Anticlere. Since Mara is the region's goddess-protector, the Benevolence of Mara was Anticlere's main temple and found across its many cities. These cities included Aldingborne Commons, Aldshire, Aldwall Rock, Charborne Wood, Chestermarket, Cromward, Crosswych Wood, Eastcastle, Gallovalloe, Grayborne, Holleigh, Ipscart Rock, Ipstale, Kirkhope, Lamtown, Newwell, Oxfort, Stoklech, and Tamham.[2] Anticlere was neighbored by several nations, including the Daenia to the north, Dwynnen to the east, Shalgora to the west, and Urvaius to the northeast.[13]

In the wake of the Miracle of Peace in 3E 417, the kingdoms of the Iliac Bay annexed the many minor nations of the region and expanded their borders. Anticlere was caught by Daggerfall and Wayrest, and split between them[14] as a buffer. These separate halves of the region were referred to respectively as Daggerfallian Anticlere and Wayrestian Anticlere.[UOL 1] The land between kingdoms were blackened, desolate wastes that no mortal army could create.[14] While violence between the neighboring kingdoms had waned over the years, localized skirmishes on the border continued into the twilight years of the Third Era.[6]

Known Rulers[edit]

The Palace in Anticlere

While the region is considered a fiefdom, as a state ruled by lords and ladies, Anticlere is known as a lorddom.[11] In the mid First Era, Reich Gradkeep was formerly a duchy.[8] Families descended from the house of Anticlere had presided over the region since before it was renamed. In the late Third Era, the Graddock family was the ruling house and their cousins were the Flyte family. The ruler of Anticlere is a separate entity from the mayor of the capital city.[1]

  • The First Era
  • The Third Era
    • Unnamed Lord of Reich Gradkeep (3E ? – 3E 266)[3]
    • Lord Graddock (3E ? – 3E 403)[1]
    • Lord Auberon Flyte (3E 403 – 3E ?)[1] — After Lord Graddock's passing, the next ruler in line was a sickly infant. The council in Reich Gradkeep appointed Graddock's cousin, Auberon Flyte as a regent until the infant's passing. Sometime later, after contracting the Guedoilic Plague, Auberon gave his wife, Doryanna Flyte much of his authority in his stead.[1]

City of Anticlere[edit]

The City of Anticlere
The capital city in the Anticlere region

Anticlere (formerly known as Reich Gradkeep) is the capital of the eponymous region in the Iliac Bay region of southern High Rock. The town received its modern name from Lord Auberon Flyte, who renamed it in honor of his family, the ancestral house of Anticlere.

Gallery[edit]

  • An Anticlere Surcoat

  • Knights of the Flame banner

  • Reich Gradkeep (Arena)

Notes[edit]

  • Even though the region was renamed to Anticlere by Lord Auberon Flyte in the late Third Era, the Pocket Guide to the Empire, 1st Edition uses the name despite being written around 2E 864.[8] However, early versions of Father of the Niben (specifically versions that were circulating in 2E 582) did not mention the name Anticlere, which appeared in later versions in the Third Era.
  • There is an unnamed island off the coast of the fiefdom, south of the capital city. There were some towns and ruins on the island by the late Third Era.[2] It could possibly be Dourstone Isle, given its location.

See Also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m The Daggerfall Chronicles/Narrative
  2. ^ a b c d e Anticlere in Daggerfall
  3. ^ a b c The Fall of the Usurper — Palaux Illthre
  4. ^ a b c Father Of The Niben — Florin Jaliil
  5. ^ a b Anticlere dungeons in Daggerfall
  6. ^ a b Pocket Guide to the Empire, 3rd Edition: The Sons and Daughter of the Direnni West: High Rock — Imperial Geographical Society, 3E 432
  7. ^ Appreciation Day holiday description in Daggerfall
  8. ^ a b c d Pocket Guide to the Empire, 1st Edition: High Rock — Imperial Geographical Society, 2E 864
  9. ^ Noble Ranks and Titles — Hercian, Steward at Castle Navire
  10. ^ The War of Betony — Vulper Newgate, 3E 404
  11. ^ a b c d Knights of the Flame generic descriptions in Daggerfall
  12. ^ The Daggerfall Chronicles — Ronald Wartow
  13. ^ Map of the Iliac Bay – The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
  14. ^ a b The Warp in the West — Ulvius Tero

Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.

  1. ^ Ted Peterson's Posts in Campaign 7/The Evening Star Parade – Loranna's RP
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