2920, Evening Star2920, First Seed2920, FrostFall2920, Hearth Fire2920, Last Seed2920, MidYear2920, Morning Star2920, Rain's Hand2920, Second Seed2920, Sun's Dawn2920, Sun's Dusk2920, Sun's Height36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 136 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1036 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1136 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1236 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1336 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1436 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1536 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1636 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1636 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1736 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1836 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 1936 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 236 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2036 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2136 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2236 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2336 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2436 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2536 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2636 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2736 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2836 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 2936 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 336 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 3036 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 3136 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 3236 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 3336 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 3436 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 3536 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 3636 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 436 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 536 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 636 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 736 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 836 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 9A Dance in Fire, Chapter 1A Dance in Fire, Chapter 2A Dance in Fire, Chapter 3A Dance in Fire, Chapter 4A Dance in Fire, Chapter 5A Dance in Fire, Chapter 6A Dance in Fire, Chapter 7A dying man's last wordsA Fair WarningA Game at DinnerA Hypothetical TreacheryA Less Rude SongA scroll written in bloodA Short History of MorrowindA worn and weathered noteAedra and DaedraAjira's Flower ReportAjira's Mushroom ReportAncestors and the DunmerAntecedants of Dwemer LawArcana RestoredArkay the EnemyAzura and the BoxBiography of Barenziah v IBiography of Barenziah v IIBiography of Barenziah v IIIBiography of the Wolf QueenBlasphemous RevenantsBone, Part OneBone, Part TwoBreathing WaterBrief History of the Empire v 1Brief History of the Empire v 2Brief History of the Empire v 3Brief History of the Empire v 4Brown Book of 3E 426Chance's FollyCharwich-Koniinge, Volume 1Charwich-Koniinge, Volume 2Charwich-Koniinge, Volume 3Charwich-Koniinge, Volume 4Cherim's Heart of AnequinaChildren of the SkyChimarvamidiumChronicles of NchuleftConfessions of a Skooma-EaterCorpse Preparation v ICorpse Preparation v ICorpse Preparation v IICorpse Preparation v IIIDagoth Ur's PlansDarkest DarknessDeath Blow of Abernanitdecoded packageDirections to Caius CosadesElante's NotesElone's Directions to BalmoraFellowship of the TempleFeyfolken IFeyfolken IIFeyfolken IIIFighters Guild CharterFive Songs of King WulfharthFor my Gods and EmperorFragment: On ArtaeumFrontier, Conquest...Galerion The MysticGalur Rithari's PapersGhost-Free PapersGrasping FortuneGreat Houses of MorrowindGuide to Ald'ruhnGuide to BalmoraGuide to Sadrith MoraGuide to VivecGuide to VvardenfellGuylaine's ArchitectureHallgerd's TaleHanging Gardens...Hanin's WakeHanin's WakeHomilies of Blessed AlmalexiaHonor Among ThievesHospitality PapersHow Orsinium Passed to the OrcsIce and ChitonIncident in NecromInvocation of AzuraKagrenac's ToolsLast Scabbard of AkrashLegions of the DeadLives of the SaintsLord Jornibret's Last DanceMages Guild CharterMaster Zoaraym's TaleMessage from Dagoth UrMessage from Master AryonMission to Vivec -- from CaiusMixed Unit Tactics v1Mysterious AkavirMystery of Talara, Part 1Mystery of Talara, Part 2Mystery of Talara, Part 3Mystery of Talara, Part 3Mystery of Talara, Part 4Mystery of Talara, Part 5MysticismNchunak's Fire and FaithNerevar at Red MountainNerevar Moon-and-StarNerevarine cult notesN'Gasta! Kvata! Kvakis!N'Gasta! Kvata! Kvakis!Night Falls On Sentinelnote from the ArchcanonNotes from HuleeyaNotes on Racial PhylogenyOdral's History of the Empire 1Odral's History of the Empire 2Odral's History of the Empire 3Odral's History of the Empire 4On MorrowindOn OblivionOrdo LegionisOrigin of the Mages GuildOverview of Gods and WorshipPackage for Caius CosadesPalla, Book IPalla, Book IIPeke Utchoo's last wordsPlan to Defeat Dagoth UrPoison Song IPoison Song IIPoison Song IIIPoison Song IVPoison Song VPoison Song VIPoison Song VIIProgress of TruthProvinces of TamrielRealizations of AcrobacyRed Book of 3E 426Redoran Cooking SecretsReflections on Cult WorshipRels Tenim Journal PageResponse to Bero's SpeechSaryoni's SermonsSaryoni's Sermons ManuscriptScroll of TyroniusSenilius' ReportSharn's Legions of the DeadSilenceSithisSmuggler's IslandSong of the AlchemistsSpecial Flora of TamrielSpirit of the DaedraStarlover's LogSurfeit of ThievesTal Marog Ker's ResearchesTamrielic LoreTarer's Aedra and DaedraThe Affairs of WizardsThe Alchemists FormularyThe Annotated AnuadThe Annotated AnuadThe AnticipationsThe Arcturian HeresyThe Armorer's ChallengeThe Art of War MagicThe Axe ManThe Battle of Red MountainThe Black Arrow, Volume 1The Black Arrow, Volume IIThe Black GloveThe Book of DaedraThe Book of Dawn and DuskThe Brothers of DarknessThe Buying GameThe Cake and the DiamondThe Cantatas of VivecThe Changed OnesThe Consolations of PrayerThe Doors of the SpiritThe DowryThe Dragon Break Re-ExaminedThe Eastern Provinces...The Final LessonThe FirmamentThe Firsthold RevoltThe Four Suitors of BenitahThe Gold Ribbon of MeritThe Hope of the RedoranThe Horror of Castle XyrThe House of TroublesThe House of TroublesThe Importance of WhereThe Legendary ScourgeThe Locked RoomThe Lost ProphecyThe Lunar LorkhanThe Madness of PelagiusThe Marksmanship LessonThe MirrorThe MonomythThe Old WaysThe Pig ChildrenThe Pilgrim's PathThe Posting of the HuntThe Prayers of BaranatThe Ransom of ZarekThe Real Barenziah v IThe Real Barenziah v IIThe Real Barenziah v IIIThe Real Barenziah v IVThe Real Barenziah v VThe Real NerevarThe Rear GuardThe Red Book of RiddlesThe Ruins of Kemel-ZeThe SeedThe Seven CursesThe Seven VisionsThe Third DoorThe True Nature of OrcsThe True Noble's CodeThe War of the First CouncilThe Waters of OblivionThe Wild ElvesThe Wolf Queen, Book IThe Wolf Queen, Book IIThe Wolf Queen, Book IIIThe Wolf Queen, Book IVThe Wolf Queen, Book VThe Wolf Queen, Book VIThe Wolf Queen, Book VIIThe Wolf Queen, Book VIIIThe Wraith's Wedding DowryThe Yellow Book of Riddlestradehouse noticeTrapUnnamed BookVampires of Vvardenfell, v IVampires of Vvardenfell, v IIVarieties of Faith...Vernaccus and BourlorVivec and MephalaWhere Were You ... Dragon BrokeWithershinsWords and PhilosophyWords of Clan Mother AhnissiYellow Book of 3E 426Zainsubani's Notes |
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Interviews With Tapestrists Volume Eighteen Cherim's Heart of Anequina by Livillus Perus Professor at the Imperial University
Contemporary with Maqamat Lusign (interviewed in volume seventeen of this series) is the Khajiti Cherim, whose tapestries have been hailed as masterpieces all over the Empire for nigh on thirty years now. His four factories located throughout Elsweyr make reproductions of his work, but his original tapestries command stellar prices. The Emperor himself owns ten Cherim tapestries, and his representatives are currently negotiating the sale of five more.
The muted use of color contrasted with the luminous skin tones of Cherim's subjects is a marked contrast with the old style of tapestry. The subjects of his work in recent years have been fabulous tales of the ancient past: the Gods meeting to discuss the formation of the world; the Chimer following the Prophet Veloth into Morrowind; the Wild Elves battling Morihaus and his legions at the White Gold Tower. His earliest designs dealt with more contemporary subjects. I had the opportunity to discuss with him one of his first masterpieces, The Heart of Anequina, at his villa in Orcrest.
The Heart of Anequina presents an historic battle of the Five Year War between Elsweyr and Valenwood which raged from 3E 394 (or 3E 395, depending on what one considers to be the beginning of the war) until 3E 399. In most fair accounts, the war lasted 4 years and 9 months, but artistic license from the great epic poets added an additional three months to the ordeal.
The actual details of the battle itself, as interpreted by Cherim, are explicit. The faces of a hundred and twenty Wood Elf archers can be differentiated one from the other, each registering fear at the approach of the Khajiti army. Their hauberks catch the dim light of the sun. The menacing shadows of the Elsweyr battlecats loom on the hills, every muscle strained, ready to pounce in command. It is not surprising that he got all the details right, because Cherim was in the midst of it, as a Khajiti foot soldier.
Every minute part of the Khajiti medium-weight armor can be seen in the soldiers in the foreground. The embroidered edging and striped patterns on the tunics. Each lacquered plate on loose-fitting leather in the Elsweyr style. The helmets of cloth and fluted silver.
Cherim does not understand the point of plate mail, said Cherim. It is hot, for one, like being both burned and buried alive. Cherim wore it at the insistence of our Nord advisors during the Battle of Zelinin, and Cherim couldn't even turn to see what my fellow Khajiit were doing. Cherim did some sketches for a tapestry of the Battle of Zelinin, but Cherim finds that to make it realistic, the figures came out very mechanical, like iron golems or dwemer centurions. Knowing our Khajiti commanders, Cherim would not be surprised if giving up the heavy plate was more aesthetic than practical.
Elsweyr lost the Battle of Zelinin, didn't she?
Yes, but Elsweyr won the war, starting at the next battle, the Heart of Anequina, said Cherim with a smile. The tide turned as soon as we Khajiit sent our Nordic advisors back to Solitude. We had to get rid of all the heavy armor they brought to us and find enough traditional medium armor our troops felt comfortable wearing. Obviously, the principle advantage of the medium armor was that we could move easily in it, as you can see from the natural stances of the soldiers in the tapestry.
Now if you look at this poor perforated Cathay-raht who just keeps battling on in the bottom background, you see the other advantage. It seems strange to say, but one of the best features of medium armor is that an arrow will either deflect completely or pass all the way through. An arrow head is like a hook, made to stick where it strikes if it doesn't pass through. A soldier in medium armor will find himself with a hole in his body and the bolt on the other side. Our healers can fix such a wound easily if it isn't fatal, but if the arrow still remains in the armor, as it does with heavier armor, the wound will be reopened every time the fellow moves. Unless the Khajiit strips off the armor and pulls out the arrow, which is what we had to do at the Battle of Zelinin. A difficult and time-consuming process in the heat of battle, to say the least.
I asked him next, Is there a self portrait in the battle?
Yes, Cherim said with another grin. You see the small figure of the Khajiit stealing the rings off the dead Wood Elf? His back is facing you, but he has a brown and orange striped tail like Cherim's. Cherim does not say that all stereotypes about the Khajiit are fair, but Cherim must sometimes acknowledge them.
A self-deprecating style in self-portraiture is also evident in the tapestries of Ranulf Hook, the next artist interviewed in volume nineteen of this series.
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