Book 3 - Argonian

Discussion about the history of the blades, as told by Waalx, the Elhazan's and the Vocha's.
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Waalx
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here goes the writings of the third book in the Chronicles of Steel.
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Elhazan
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Book III - Sea Steel

What I love most about Argonians is how many of them there are! Mothers don’t give birth to children, but to entire towns! But from this wealth of populace springs many a talented smith to aid their fierce Argonian warriors in fights.

I already mentioned the Hazadirs and the Twitsys in "Shalioma the Black”, so now I’ll move on to the Zeeus family. It is said that ever since the Zeeus family existed, they were making something. This, of course, goes into the rule of commerce where making something always equals something to sell, and the Zeeus family has taken advantage of this indisputable fact.

One of the most important contributions the Zeeus’ has made to the pantheon of Tamriel blades are the famed Corralnium blades. I heard the following from the mouth of a Zeeus (I can’t remember if it was Logi or Ha-Zar who told me. Or maybe one of their other brothers, either Jin’Dar, Runs-With-Hammers, Jee-Tan, Runs-With-Hammers-Too, Tun-Klius, Bay-Swimmer, Kud-Dor, Also-Runs-With-Hammers, Klarz, Trips-On-Tail, Kreezus, Walks-With-Tongs, Larz-Ai, or Jeff), so it must undoubtedly be true.

One of the already long line of Zeeus smiths, Othon, was a practitioner of average talent. He was a strict and unforgiving saurian, and had no mind for innovation and forging (hah, a pun!) (Editor’s note: and a bad one, at that) new ways to work steel. But he was reliable, hard-working, and—most of all—liked his business.

Unfortunately his son, Than-Zeeus, did not share his father’s zeal. In Othon-Zeeus’ stern shadow (legends have been passed down that Othon was so by-the-book that his shadow still looms over the place where his forge was sitting, still working to this day!) poor Than worked hard and did the studies his father put before him, but it was to no avail. Instead of following in the family business that had already spanned generations, he became a fisherman. Othon-Zeeus was so enraged that he refused to acknowledge his son’s existence any longer.

But his son was content with the life of a fisherman, and he was glad to be out from under the yoke of his sire. The gods, however, seemed to think otherwise. One day Than-Zeeus, diving deep into the sea in search of the rarest and tastiest of crustaceans, swam by a corral reef when a thought struck him (I hope it wasn’t a piece or corral!). He knew the idea was likely folly to begin with, but years of being instilled with the mind of a smith and generations of it in his background, he broke off several pieces and, his meal forgotten, swam back to his father’s home to beg to use the forge.

Struck almost speechless, Othon-Zeeus could only nod and mutter a “Do whatever you wish” whilst he watched his son vigorously get to work. Likely the Argonian was hopeful inside, wishing that his son would finally live up to his family’s name.

But his hopes must have been dashed, initially, when he saw what his son was doing. The idea was ludicrous—combine the power of the sea and the power of the earth. Land rock and sea rock, together as one. Othon-Zeeus watched in silence, never saying a word, finally giving his son the freedom to do what he wanted instead of constantly berating him for his techniques, or belittling him for straying from customs long enforced. No, he let his son’s mind go wild, and after many days of constant toil, Than-Zeeus held in his scaled hands a blade unlike any other. It would be the first in a rich line of Corralnium blades.

Corralnium (also called SeaSteel) is an alloy forged of blue steel and Roseyellow corral, and is actually one of the most resilient materials known. The blades have been known to last several generations, and these are sword that have seen combat, not hanging on a wall, collecting dust. The edge is keen and difficult to dull, which makes a Corralnium blade a truly valuable possession for anyone fortunate enough to own one.

I was shown the original blade when last I visited the Zeeus family, and passing my finger along the perfect edge and fascinating blade texture, I did indeed cut myself! The designs that have followed never strayed once from the masterful craftsmanship of the original. They bear a resemblance to the first mass-produced Argonian blades, the beautiful Gull swords. And, unlike the way that contemporary Argonian blades sport fearsome blades, the Corralnium swords have retained a classic beauty, only aided by the mother-of-pearl blades. Despite their undeniable aesthetic value, the Zees family produced so many since the first and the existing blades last so long that Corralnium literally flooded the market, making their supply greater and, ironically, their value less expensive. Truly a bargain.

(Editor’s note: We have to wait another eight-hundred years after Waalx’s writings for another Zeeus, Tun-Zeeus, to relight the marvel of the Zeeus legacy. In what can be described as either a happy accident or a skooma-inspired mishap, he mixed phosphore with the Corrallnium alloy to develop Corralor, a steel that glows in the dark and that can be hand-ground to an even sharper edge! Tun-Zeeus also designed a more modern hilt for the blade. Contrary to the simple and cheap Corralnium blades, Corralors are the most expensive blades sold in the Empire—and that has ever been sold, if the books are to be believed!

The blades are a long trial to manufacture, but the taciturn Tun-Zeeus never married or took a wife (which makes me worry about the future of the Zeeus legacy) and always has plenty of time to make more. The blades have helped his family become one of the richest in Cyrodiil, and in south-western Black Marsh and the area around Leyawiin the common phrase “Rich as a Zeeus” exists in the common vernacular, much to the ire of the respectable family).
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Vocha
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Elhazan wrote:I already mentioned the Hazadirs and the Twitsys in the “Barrow and Panther,”
I just looked over it quickly for some inspiration, and I noticed that you will have to amend this one since the text that used to be entitled "Barrow and Panther" is now called "Shalioma the Black". :)

Oh! And I have PM'd you.
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Elhazan
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Ah, thanks Vocha. I know Waalx wanted to change the name but I wasn't aware he had already done it. Good eye!
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Tracinya
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If I understand correctly you will eventually find these books in-game? Unfortunately Tamriel will be destroyed because of it, my character will turn into a bookworm.

These stories are well-written in a good, slow pace that keeps you interested, but you don't just rush through things. Excellent work. I'm hooked.
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Waalx
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Tracinya wrote:If I understand correctly you will eventually find these books in-game? Unfortunately Tamriel will be destroyed because of it, my character will turn into a bookworm.

These stories are well-written in a good, slow pace that keeps you interested, but you don't just rush through things. Excellent work. I'm hooked.
You are correct! The Chronicles of Steel is the story of RealSwords blades. Lots have been written, still lots to do to complete the volume. Actually we have around the size of a small novel written already. I figure we must have over 300-400 pages of stuff in TCOS.
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Tracinya
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And is it possible to somehow get to read these 400 pages? :-P

I definitely like them a lot. All the chronicle stories have a sort of familiar tone to them. You feel like you read Waalx's diary rather than a history book - which is good. Nobody likes history books.

I have to admit in the beginning I found the chronicles boring. But once you get into it, well... Maybe it's a good thing I don't have all these 400 pages...
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