The Tale of Telvanni Morgha Kul

Morgha_Kul

Morgha Kul was originally created for Morrowind, and I devised a backstory for him. I've adjusted it somewhat to account for his presence in ESO, and I thought I'd post the first draft for everyone's amusement.

Possible spoilers ahead, be aware.

Morgha Kul

Born in Sadrith Mora to a wealthy, influential noble family, Morgha Kul had the benefit of a first rate education. Strong and intelligent, Morgha Kul showed an immediate affinity for Magick. He was instructed in the use of Dark Magick, but demonstrated a preference for Summoning. After many years of instruction, he was deemed ready to join the Great House Telvanni.

He worked patiently and carefully as a member of the House, rising slowly through the ranks. Eventually, he managed an appointment as an Ambassador to House Redoran in Ald'Ruhn. He spent only a few years there, but learned an appreciation for martial skills. By the time he left for his next assignment, he had become quite proficient with a greatsword, and actually preferred heavy armour for battle. While he was away from Sadrith Mora, however, a rival took advantage of his absence and arranged for Morgha Kul to be sent as far away as possible.

Assigned to the town of Bleak Rock on a tiny island at the edge of Skyrim, Morgha Kul found himself with nothing to do. The people of Bleak Rock had no need of an ambassador, so he had obviously been sent to this place to be out of the way of his rivals. Thus, he resolved to leave the town and return to Sadrith Mora. However, circumstances changed around him as war started in Tamriel, and the Ebonheart Pact was formed. Refusing to become part of the Pact, House Telvanni ordered him to Mournhold to act as the Telvanni Ambassador to the King. However, the King required him to remain in Bleak Rock for a time to coordinate the new alliance with the Nords of Skyrim.

While he resided there, the town came under attack, presumably to act as a beach head for the Daggerfall Covenant. Trapped on the island, he aided the town folk in their escape to Bal Foyen. During the escape, he became enamoured with Seyne, a sergeant assigned to the town. As they fled through the nordic tombs, she gave him her dagger as a gift.

Once they arrived in Bal Foyen, they resolved to carry on to Davon's Watch, the major port on the coast, to warn them of the Covenant's attack. However, as they made preparations for the journey, Bal Foyen also came under attack. With the survivors of Bleak Rock safe in Fort Zeren, Morgha Kul joined Sergeant Seyne and Captain Rana at the small port in the region. Though they repelled the attack at the port, a larger force also attacked Fort Zeren, and the survivors of Bleak Rock were killed along with most of the Fort's garrison.

Morgha Kul travelled to Davon's Watch, and found that the city was already under siege by the Daggerfall Covenant. Working alongside the Magister of House Indoril, the siege was broken by using ancient summoning magic to release a terrible creature on the Covenant. With the city saved, Morgha Kul now had to use his training to help dispel the juggernaut they had summoned.

At the same time, the mysterious "Prophet" called upon Morgha Kul for aid, to thwart the plans of the Daedra Lord, Molag Bal. Intrigued by the notion of exploring the realm of Oblivion, Morgha Kul agreed to aid the Prophet. However, when it became clear that the Prophet had lied to Morgha Kul about his identity and the situation in general, Morgha Kul was outraged, and abandoned the Prophet and his allies to deal with matters on their own.

He instead journeyed south into Deshaan, intending to go to Mournhold as ordered. As he did so, he discovered the machinations of the Maelborne, and was at length was summoned into the presence of Almalexia, goddess of the Tribunal. She became enamoured by the young Dunmer, and aided him in his efforts to thwart the Maelborne and destroy their plague. That accomplished, he returned to Mournhold where he would reside as Almalexia's paramour and as Telvanni Ambassador for many years.

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Morgha Kul was still the ambassador to Mournhold when a new King came to power. Symmachus, once a mighty general, had claimed the throne. Morgha Kul and house Telvanni offered the new King their support.

Morgha Kul remained in the city then, and became close to the King and his young Queen, Barenziah. He was present for the births of her children, Helseth and Morgiah, and aided in their education, teaching them some basic magicks.

In time, however, the situation in Mournhold began to change. There was unrest in the populace, and Morgha Kul was recalled to Sadrith Mora, lest he be trapped there by a revolt. He refused his instructions, however, and remained to support Symmachus. The Queen and her children were sent to the Imperial City to be protected by the Emperor.

When the revolt came, Morgha Kul remained loyal to the King, and fought vigorously at his side. However, it soon became clear they would be overwhelmed. Symmachus ordered Morgha Kul to flee, and to see to the protection of Barenziah and the children. Reluctantly, Morgha Kul agreed, and swore he would protect the King's family. As he fled the city, he knew that Symmachus had fallen. Battered and weary, he crossed Deshaan and came to the borders of Cyrodiil.

As he crossed the borders, however, he was set upon by Imperial soldiers. Suprised to be attacked by supposed allies, and weakened by his ordeal in Mournhold and his long journey, he was no match for the Imperial soldiers. Taken captive, he was thrown into the dungeons beneath the Imperial City.

What Morgha Kul did not know was that the Emperor was not the Emperor. The Imperial Battlemage, Jagar Tharn, had usurped the Emperor's throne, and disguised himself as the Emperor. When Tharn heard that Morgha Kul was coming to the Imperial City, he feared the powerful Telvanni Sorceror would see through his disguise. Thus, he had Morgha Kul taken.

For some weeks, Morgha Kul languished in a cell before fate intervened. Another prisoner escaped from his cell, and during a battle outside Morgha Kul's cell, damaged the door. Finally able to break the lock, Morgha Kul escaped and tried to find his benefactor. He was delayed and beset by all manner of vermin there in the dungeons, however, and had great difficulty locating him.

When he finally did locate his unknown, unknowing ally, it was just as the man passed through a magickal gateway to freedom. Unfortunately for Morgha Kul, the gateway closed and he remained trapped.

That mysterious champion went on to confront Jagar Tharn, gathering the parts of the Staff of Chaos and slaying the usurper. With his captor slain, no one knew of Morgha Kul's presence, and he was left for many years to scrape out a wretched existence, eating the rats and vermin, drinking the putrid waters of the sewers.


When he was finally discovered many years later, he was a mere shell of what once he was, weak and pathetic. The Emperor believed he saw an opportunity to use the emaciated Dark Elf, however.

The Emperor had learned the story of the Nerevarine, that the Dunmer hero Nerevar would be reborn and lead the people of Morrowind to greater glory. Having discovered Morgha Kul in the depths, he thought he could be made to conform to the prophecy of the Nerevarine while remaining in the sway of the Empire. Thus, he had Morgha Kul sent to Seyda Neen in Morrowind, where he would be instructed by an Imperial Agent in Balmora.

However, the Emperor had forgotten with whom he was dealing. Already something of an elitist, Morgha Kul's long imprisonment had bred in him an intense hatred for the Empire. He arrived in Morrowind and carried out the orders of the Emperor. He met the Imperial Agent in Balmora as he had promised to do... then murdered the agent and took up residence in the man's home while he made arrangements to return at last to Sadrith Mora.

When he finally reached Sadrith Mora, he found he had been all but forgotten by House Telvanni. Most of his family were gone now, and his holdings had been siezed during his long absence. Not deterred, he returned to the House, and began rebuilding his life.

He performed tasks for many masters, even things he deemed menial, in his drive to restore himself. He rose rapidly through the ranks, quickly surpassing even his old rank. More, his skills and powers were returning swiftly. With the assistance of his patron Divayth Fyr, he was soon in a position of power over all of the house as Arch Magister. Now, he could begin.

His rise to power was fueled by a new ambition, born of his hatred. The Empire had conquered Morrowind without even a single battle. Even the name of his homeland was wrong, the Imperial designation, "Morrowind." He would see his home restored. RESDAYN would once again be a land for DUNMER, and no others, unless they be slaves.

On his own at first, then with growing numbers of allies, he turned to eradicating all signs of Imperial influence. The Imperial Garrison at Sadrith Mora was the first to know his wrath, as the very building was razed, the garrison routed by an army of summoned creatures. He next marched across the plains of Vvardenfell, slaughtering anyone not Dunmer as he went. The other Great Houses, Redoran and Hlallu, opposed him, but were reluctant to do so militarily, as he was just one person with a handful of allies. By the time it became clear the entirety of House Telvanni was behind him, Morgha Kul had gathered the Ashland tribes under his banner. More, as he encroached on Redoran and Hlallu holdings, he did not conquer or pillage them. His only victims were Imperials and their allies. This gained him support with many in the other Houses, and soon all of Morrowind was on the edge of revolt.

By now, the Emperor was fully aware of his error in judgement, and sent a message to Helseth, Symmachus' son, now King of Morrowind. He must eliminate Morgha Kul and end the threat of rebellion. Calling upon the Dark Brotherhood, Helseth secretly sought to have Morgha Kul assassinated. However, even the Dark Brotherhood was unequal to that task, and soon Morgha Kul returned to Mournhold to face his attacker. Upon discovering it was King Helseth, Morgha Kul was torn between his need to keep his word to Symmachus and his need to protect himself. In the end, he slew Helseth's personal guards, one a powerful Imperial Knight, right there in the throne room. While Helseth cowered, Morgha Kul sat upon the throne of Morrowind and declared that Helseth would live and be King, but he would never again threaten Morrowind or Morgha Kul, on pain of death.

Morgha Kul's power seemed to have reached its peak. However, there was more yet to come.

Ash storms rose around the city, preventing Morgha Kul's departure. Investigating the matter, he finally came into conflict with the Tribunal itself. He entered the clockwork city of Sotha Sil to confront the ancient god, and found that Sotha Sil was already dead. Slain by Almalexia, who now planned to slay Morgha Kul as well.

Once her paramour, Morgha Kul now stood as Almalexia's enemy, and the two clashed. After an epic battle, Morgha Kul not only struck down the mad goddess, but even trapped her soul in a specially prepared Soul Gem, the Star of Azura.

With the power of the Tribunal largely broken, the ashstorms of Dagoth Ur now swept across Vvardenfell. Returning to meet with Vivec, last of the Tribunal, Morgha Kul now had to find and confront Dagoth Ur himself. Do do so, he would need to do that which he had once refused to do, to walk the path of the Nerevarine.

Gathering the tools to meet and battle Dagoth Ur, Morgha Kul descended into the heart of the mountain and once again fought with a mad god. With the ancient Dwemer tools in hand, he destroyed the Heart of Lorkhan and slew Dagoth Ur. When he returned to the surface, he found the ashstorms had gone for good. He returned to Vivec, but found that the last survivor of the Tribunal had disappeared with no trace.

After so much exertion, Morgha Kul returned to Sadrith Mora to rest. He would not get that chance, however, as the Emperor had seen enough. The insurrection in Vvardenfell had to be stopped.


(TO BE CONTINUED)