Lore:Lainlyn (barony)

Lainlyn
Type	Barony
Continent	Tamriel
Province	Hammerfell
Region	Iliac Bay
Appears in	Daggerfall

Lainlyn ca. 3E 405

Map of the Iliac Bay

Lainlyn (formerly known as Tava's Blessing) is a region located on the north coast of Hammerfell, on the Iliac Bay. Lainlyn is a fairly large coastal region located in the forest area of the Hammerfell-Iliac region, east of the Dragontail Mountains and directly south of Balfiera. The region is affiliated with the Crowns, the remnants of the noble class of Yokuda, It is also known for its abundance of harpies, winged creatures that have a possible origin story tied to the region. The Host of the Horn is the barony's knightly order and they are sworn to protect both the royal family and their country.

History

Early History and the History of Ghraewaj

The Harpy

The Ansei Shrine in Tava's Blessing

Before the Redguards settled in Lainlyn or nearby Sentinel, there were outposts built by the Aldmeri and later the proto-Bretons. They were used to protect their fisherfolk from raiders such as Orcs and even worse creatures like giant scorpions, goblins, and even elemental spirits. It is unknown when the settlement nor the barony were founded; however, one of its oldest known citizens was the Ansei warrior, Maja. She was alive when the Ra Gada were still active and hunted down necromancers across the Alik'r.

One of the oldest traditions in Lainlyn is the holiday, Riglametha, which translates in the Banthan dialect of Yoku as "grateful-offering". It is a large-scale festival that thanks the gods for the graces they bestowed on the people for centuries. Part of the celebration is a series of plays and performances that depict the long and storied history of Lainlyn. One such tradition is called Ghraewaj, which translates in Banthan-Yoku as either "The Crows Who Were Punished" or "The Crows Who Punish".

The story revolves around a coven of Daedra worshippers led by their mistress, Noctyr-a, who seduced the unnamed Baron of Lainlyn. Since then, Castle Lainlyn had become an orgy-filled den of decadence. Before Noctyr-a convinced the Baron to commit suicide, the Baroness gave her a white robe, which turned her into a giant black bird. No longer charmed by the witch, the Baron slew the bird and had the cook prepare a large meal with it. Unbeknownst to the Daedra worshippers, they consumed their mistress, which turned them into harpies.

Details in the story have changed over time, such as when the fate of both Noctyr-a and the Baroness switch, and the witch and the Baron lived happily ever after. In the midst of the Akaviri Potentate in the early Second Era, the Barony of Lainlyn was ruled by the virgin Baroness, Viana the Pure, who reigned from 2E 120 to 148. During her tenure, Ghraewaj was altered so that the Baron character was a willing conspirator of Noctyr-a and the harpies consumed two birds instead.

Lainlyn in the Late Third Era

Baron Shrike

Baroness Dh'emka

By 3E 405, the Barony of Lainlyn was jointly ruled by Baron Shrike and Baroness Dh'menka. Shrike was known for his tyrannical rule and would often employ the Host of the Horn to intimidate peasants for tax money and harass the common folk. At the time, Lainlyn's patron deity was the God of Wisdom, Julianos, who is represented through the temple, the School of Julianos. The region bordered several other nations at the time, such as the Dragontail Mountains to the west, Kozanset and Totambu to the south, and Satakalaam to the east.

In response to the Baron's actions, his younger brother, Lord Kain and a noble from the Dragontail Mountains, Lord Harth formed the Knights of the True Horn, who were dedicated to overthrow the Baron and restore peace to the region. Sometime later, the Knights of the True Horn gathered enough momentum to stage their coup d'etat in Lainlyn. Their crusade ended in failure and the True Horn was exiled from the barony. Lord Kain's men were forced to spread out across the realms and await his message to rally their arms again, but it never came.

The Baron's reign continued but it is unknown how he fared during the Warp in the West, when the Kingdom of Sentinel annexed all of the southern Iliac Bay, from Abibon-Gora to the west coast and Satakalaam to the east. Because areas such as Lainlyn were affiliated with the Crowns, their acquisition by a Forebears country kept King Lhotun busy with military, diplomatic, and religious missions to keep them in check. As a way to mediate the situation, the King founded the Lhotunics party, a neutral third party between the Crowns and Forebears. However, it only made the situation worse, as a civil war between Sentinel and the Crowns commenced.

Known Rulers

• The Second Era
  • Baroness Viana the Pure (2E 120 – 2E 148)
• The Third Era
  • Lord Glavt (ca. 3E 389 – ca. 3E 399)
  • Baron Shrike (ca. 3E 405)

City of Lainlyn

Lainlyn (formerly known as Tava's Blessing) is a small city located on the north-central coast of the Alik'r Desert, in the province of Hammerfell. It is a small and minor port city that is occupied by the Crowns. The shipyards in town are well-known throughout the region and have been used by people such as High King Fahara'jad of Sentinel to manufacture ships for the royal navy. Lainlyn is the seat of power for the eponymous Barony of Lainlyn, a political region located in the southern Iliac Bay region, in the forest region east of the Dragontail Mountains. The city was specifically located on the northeast section of the region, on the coastline.

Gallery

• 

  The Lainlyn Palace (Daggerfall)

• 

  The Dragonsword of Lainlyn and the Shield of True Horn (Oblivion)

Notes

• The Dragonsword of Lainlyn is a longsword that was last carried by the Knights of the True Horn, specifically the last remnant that lived in Battlehorn Castle, on the edge of the Colovian Highlands.
• Sometime in the late-Third Era, the Breton battlemage and necromancer, Arielle Jurard had a sinister reputation in Lainlyn. One of her last known experiments was resurrecting Lord Kain, in the hopes of using him as a puppet king of Lainlyn and pleasing her lord, Mannimarco.
• The Montalion clan of vampires are active in the region.

See Also

• For game-specific information, see the Daggerfall article.

Books

• Ghraewaj by Tidasus — An overview of the Ghraewaj play, which portrays the creation of harpies
• Lord Kelvyn's Will by Lord Kelvyn — The last will and testament of the last knight of his chapter