Why hasn't a major Tamriel Military power weaponized Magic?

ArchMikem

To the extent of splitting the Atom.

We've seen several times how much destructive energy a massive build up of Magic can achieve. We've seen a natural Crystal, the Aeon Stone, harness and amplify Magic to a point of critical mass where it detonates with catastrophic force. A confined Aeon explosion at the end of the Season of the Dragon obliterated an island. It was hinted an unrestrained explosion would decimate a portion of the Continent.

Tamriel, in essence, has Weapons of Mass Destruction, and with Magic being an abundant resource in this world, it's safe to assume if the powers that be had the mindset to order their Mages to do so, creating these weapons would be easy. An appropriate chunk of Aeon Stone given a magical catalyst has the capability to destroy armies, and Elsweyr is, by our knowledge, the only place on Tamriel it's found.

Thevampirenight

There is several issues with that. Many mages are part of the Mages guild and the Mages guild works for no alliance they are independent and Neutral.
Magic is very wide yes but such power like the Aeon stones is not well known. It can even be suppressed and knowledge of them either kept quiet or books talking about them destroyed. If a group wanted to make a weapon of mass destruction there are groups that will work to prevent it if a power artifact that can cause mass destruction happens to appear then the Psijic order might get involved to take that item and lock it away or hinder the efforts.
The mages guild would surely suppress knowledge anything that dangerous just like they did with soul trap magic when they modifed it and taught a modifed spell that couldn't trap noraml souls in grand soul gems.Then there are independent mages and other mage groups. For example Skyrim there are court wizards that work for the Jarls to advise them in magical matters a jarl would likely never order his court wizards to come up with a weapon of mass destruction. Nords tend to not like the Clever craft and are suspicious of it.

There are objects that can count as weapons of mass destruction, the Doom Crag artifact that could have turned every one in Rivenspire into a bloodfiends if it wasn't taken out of Tamriel. Another artifact that Captain kaleen wanted to use to help the Covenant that stole souls and entrapped them is another good example of a mass destruction weapon. I'm sure there are other examples of weapons of mass destruction in Eso but people might have to make mention of those as I have not played through every questline.

There are other powerful artifacts that could be used for mass destruction Eye of Magnus that really could cause mass destruction if used properly and could tear open breaches and cause magical annomlies to happen. The Staff of Towers which could cause Dragonbreaks is another weapon.
So there is powerful and destructive things out there. Thing is Mages guild plus Psijic order have enough sensible members to make sure such powerful magic can't be acquired possibly have people to deal with such situations.
But anything the races come up with pales in comparison to this. Almost forgot about it but its very important to this conversation.

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Numidium
This thing has the potential to wipe out all existence. Its uses can cause mass destruction like no other. Its the most powerful thing in Elder Scrolls in terms of Mass Destruction capability. It causes Dragonbreaks it can do a lot of things wipe people from existence to forcing reality to accept certain things like accepting Imperial Rule to elevating races like the Orcs to where everyone has to somewhat accept them as civilized people and also allowing Mad Evil Power Hungry Necromancers to ascend into Godhood and wiping out armies and stomping them out. For those reasons this is the weapon that pales against all other magical weapons of mass destruction there is. Nothing and I mean nothing compares to this. All the Magical weapons combined and this thing still comes out on top. All it has to do is say no to those weapons and bam gone.

As it exists to Deny reality. Its a big giant robot that does one thing deny reality and say No. No to this no to that no to this no to that. That is why its so powerful and destructive.

Its also supposed to be a god so that is another big factor in why this trumps everything else Mortals can come up with. So in terms of magic this trumps it all. Anything Mortals come up with and this thing stampedes against it. The only way to beat it seems to be tricking it to say yes to something. That is in C0da but that is not canon but if it was canon it goes to show how powerful this thing can be. In C0da it wipes out all of Nirn and the only races that survive are the Dunmer and Khajiit but they survive on one of the moons.

KillsAllElves

Three words >>>LACK OF IMAGINATION<<<

Cardthief

Not only is the Numidium the most powerful weapon as well as considered a god, but its also one of the 8 towers holding reality together.

Technically anyone harnessing the stones which power any of the towers could potentially use them as weapons of mass destruction; however the knowledge to properly utilize them is another matter all together.

Thevampirenight

Cardthief wrote: »

Not only is the Numidium the most powerful weapon as well as considered a god, but its also one of the 8 towers holding reality together.

Technically anyone harnessing the stones which power any of the towers could potentially use them as weapons of mass destruction; however the knowledge to properly utilize them is another matter all together.

Yep going by what happened in Summerset some towers might be able to be used in this manner. But still that is if they know how to use the Towers. Many might not know about the Tower concept. However I'm sure after Tiber Septim did his thing with the Numidium many wanted to get their hands on it. For Various reasons so its a weapon that if rebuilt really can effect reality. That is what happened with Daggerfall. The Tower Stone of White gold tower which I believe is the Amulet of Kings a ritual using it gave the Vestige the power to take on Molag Bal so the towers hearts could also be used as a weapon of mass destruction if you know how to use them. Have the heart and then access to the tower one could basically use that tower for their own ends it could even be worse.
So its not to far fetched at all actually that the towers could be used for this purpose. As well as the Tower Hearts, like the Amulet of Kings which was powerful enough to allow a vestige to take on a Daedric Prince in their own realm.

Given how Powerful Daedric Princes are a Towers Heart could hold almost as much power as Daedric Prince. Not something you want your average villain getting their hands on. Especially ones that know how to use Tower Hearts. Mannimarco seemed to believe the Amulet of Kings could be used to hold the Vestige of Molag Bal and allow to absorb that power into himself to become a God. Given those implications he likely knew the full extent of the Power of the Amulet and likely knew how to use it for that purpose. Given it could grant enough power to take on the Prince. Its not far fetched it could have been used for the purpose Mannimarco Intended to use it for.

Had he been successful he would have had the full power of Molag Bal and then would have been able to Rule all of Coldhabour and Nirn once the two merged together. Becoming the God he always wanted to become but he had to brag and Molag Bal was listening in and once he was slain Molag took him. He basically had control over the Empire or a very heavily influence in the White Gold Tower. With the Amulet he would have been able to use the tower to steal Molag Bals Power.

If my theory about that is correct that was his plan. It makes sense because he was able to use another Tower and its Proxy Heart Stone during the Warp in the West. He knew the Tower and its heart could be used for becoming a God. So I think that would be what he was trying to do during this time period but he got a prisoner hero that interfered and stopped him before could try it.

VaranisArano

Probably because depending on how you feel about Michael Kirkbride, its entirely possible that someone already did: the Ansei sword-saints, resulting in the destruction of Yokuda.

Unofficial source: https://www.imperial-library.info/content/lord-vivecs-sword-meeting-cyrus-restless
In particular: "Surahoon," he said, "We are the ansu, the greatest warriors that live in men. Our swords sent the Left-Handers into the oceans, whose empire was four times the size of the white king. When we fight, our swords can kill the laws of nature itself. Yokuda is as you see it because our hira-dirg swords can cut the atomos, the uncuttable, and we did. " Later, Cyrus threatens to "cut the atomos" in his fight with Vivec, which is implied would destroy the land as well as killing both of them.


While ZOS hasn't actually confirmed that the Yokudan Ansei actually split the atom with their spirit swords, they have at times hinted in that direction. The Warrior in the Craglorn questline confirms that the spirit sword of a powerful Ansei sank Yokuda. PEG3 speculates that it was either sunk by natural geologic disasters or by Ansei wielding stone magic and desiring to destroy the land after they were defeated. https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Pocket_Guide_to_the_Empire,_3rd_Edition/Other_Lands

Abnur Tharn also comments: "Despite his inability to resurrect a lost tradition—for the best, probably, given its supposed implication in the destruction of the Redguard homeland—Sai Sahan's abilities with a longsword are awe-inspiring."
https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Chronicles_of_the_Five_Companions_5


My personal suspicion is that while Bethesda is happy to flirt with Kirkbride's story, they'd probably rather not open up the nuclear can of worms when their other major RPG series is heavily based on nuclear power and its implications.

DocFrost72

https://youtu.be/uYbl66iLRxk

TL:DR Magic in TES as a whole doesn't actually take the time to explore how such fantastical forces would be treated in a realistic way.

My take: It'll only be there for you to have something to fight, because good guy, bad guy, superweapon has been the staple for fantasy forever.

Elsonso

DocFrost72 wrote: »

My take: It'll only be there for you to have something to fight, because good guy, bad guy, superweapon has been the staple for fantasy forever.

Yes. The reason that this never happens in TES is that some do-gooder, like Us, comes along and stops it.

Nomadic_Atmoran

Maybe if there wasn't a perpetual sense of victimhood in Tamriel where heroes have to come along and save the day these people might accomplish great things. Including the advancement of their own societies and the full exploration of what magic can accomplish in the hands of mortals. I don't hold any hope for that though.