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"Sprawling across both banks of the river stood the mighty graht-oak city, with groves and orchards of lesser trees crowding it like supplicants before their king. At a lesser scale, the tree that formed the moving city would have been extraordinary: gnarled and twisted with a gorgeous crown of gold and green, dripping with vines and shining with sap."
Waughin Jarth[src]

Falinesti is one of the eight major cities in the province of Valenwood, being the capital of the entire province. Falinesti is known as the Walking City, because it moves throughout Valenwood depending on the seasons. It is the seat of power for the Camoran Dynasty, who have reigned over Valenwood since the beginning of the first era.

By game[]

Description[]

Geography[]

Falinesti is one of the graht-oak, which means that they move accordingly to the seasons. Falinesti has four sites, each located in the four regions of Valenwood. The Winter Site is located in the Tarlain Heights of Grahtwood, between the city-states of Elden Root and Gil-Var-Delle. Falinesti Winter is situated atop of ancient ruin known as Nairume's Prison, a frozen ruin that is connected with Rajhin, the Khajiiti God of Thievery. The site overlooks the southern cliffs towards the sea. The Spring Site is situated within the depths of the forests in Greenshade, along the northern road between Marbruk and Woodhearth. Falinesti Spring is in the heart of Greenshade, connecting all three corners of the region. The site has been occasionally been used by Lhurgash Clan of Wood Orcs, but since this was when it disappeared in the second era, it is likely that the Lhurgash did not inhabit the area, most likely until it rooted. The Summer Site is where the city-state of Falinesti is currently rooted, amidst the wilds of Malabal Tor between Velyn Harbor and Silvenar. The site in itself is in a stretch of road, that divides the coast and the interior forest. On the outskirts of the city are some rather notable settlements, Deepwoods, where the Green Ladies that serve the Silvenar are from, and the fortress of Dra'bul, a prominent Wood Orc settlement in Valenwood. Finally, the Autumn Site is on the edge of the provincial border of Valenwood, just before the trading town of Rawl'kha and the Crescent River. Underneath the ruins is the Halls of Ichor, which contains a temple to Mephala. Falinesti Autumn is somewhat close to Colovian country, near cities of Colovian influence like Greenhill and Arenthia.

The graht-oaks of Valenwood are large trees with streets and platforms made out of the large branches of the Elden Tree. The people take Platform Ferries between each of the branching districts, which are connected through a writhing root system that elevates people all throughout the city. Groups of people pull them. One of the more notable districts is Havel Slump, which is located in the lower areas of Falinesti. The people of Havel Slump have weekly parties on Morndas. Mother Pascost's Tavern is located here. Another area is Western Cross, which is riddled with the Hoarvors of the lowlands. It is near Havel Slump along a bend. At the pinnacle of the tree lies the Camoran Throne in Falinesti, the literal seat of power in all of Valenwood. From the outskirts of the city, Falinesti is described as having groves of smaller trees surrounding it, as well as, a gnarled and twisted crown of green and golden leaves, with lengths of vines and shining sap.

Traditions[]

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  • The Wood Elves of Falinesti celebrate the New Life Festival on the 1st of Morning Star. It is a day of celebration where the drinks are free and people party in the streets all day. It truly is, a day of merriment.[1]
  • The Wood Elves of Falinesti celebrate the South Wind's Prayer on the 15th of Morning Star. It is a day to pray to the Gods for a bountiful harvest, and it is for citizens who cannot afford to heal from the local temple to get healed from an ailment.[1]
  • The Wood Elves of Falinesti celebrate Heart's Day on the 16th of Sun's Dawn. It is in honor of a legend passed down from generation to generation about a couple named Polydor and Eloisa. Every Inn in Tamriel become free for visitors arriving into town.[1]
  • The Wood Elves of Falinesti celebrate the First Planting on the 7th of First Seed. It is the day that begins the harvest, where neighbors reconcile their difference, bad habits are dropped, and the clerics heal people for free.[1]
  • The Wood Elves of Falinesti celebrate the Second Planting on the 7th of Second Seed. The holiday is ideally the same holiday as First Planting, to improve one’s soul, and to improve relationships with others.[1]
  • The Wood Elves of Falinesti celebrate the Mid Year Celebration on the 16th of Mid Year. A day to distract everyone from the increased taxes. It is a day celebrating the halfway mark in the year, where many warriors feel blessed and venture to dungeons they normally cannot defeat.[1]
  • The Wood Elves of Falinesti celebrate Sun's Rest on the 20th of Sun's Height. It is a day when the workers of Tamriel take a day to relax, businesses across town are closed in observance of this day. Some people have to have to leave the province to actually buy something.[1]
  • The Wood Elves of Falinesti celebrate Harvest's End on the 27th of Last Seed. It is the final day of the harvest, and it is where the people eat the crops they have grown since the First Planting. Travelers are given the option to join a farmer’s family for a feast.[1]
  • The Wood Elves of Falinesti celebrate Tales and Tallows on the 3rd of Hearthfire. It is the day of superstition where the elderly do not speak for an entire day, in fear of evil spirits entering their body. The Mages of Tamriel favor this day since it is a day to study the oldest forms of magic.[1]
  • The Wood Elves of Falinesti celebrate the Witches' Festival on the 13th of Frostfall. A day when Lord Hollowjack of Detritus spreads his influence across Tamriel. Monsters and Ghouls swarm across Tamriel, terrorizing the innocent. Many people do not dare to leave their home, in fear of being nabbed by these creatures.[1][2]
  • The Wood Elves of Falinesti celebrate the Warriors Festival on the 20th of Sun's Dusk. It is a day where many warriors gather to practice their fighting prowess. Travelers buy weapons in stores since their price's drop by half. Young children foolishly buy weapons, only to stab themselves by mistake.[1]
  • The Wood Elves of Falinesti celebrate the North Wind's Prayer on the 15th of Evening Star. It serves as a thanksgiving to the Gods for the year's harvest. It is a day when the local temples heal and bless anyone for a lower price.[1]
  • The Wood Elves of Falinesti celebrate the Old Life Festival on the 31st of Evening Star. It is a day of rest, where many leave the events of the passing year behind and to reflect their past. They rest for the New Life Festival.[1]
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  • The Wood Elves of Falinesti celebrate the Rooting Ceremony during the end of every season. When Falinesti moved between Valenwood, the people would celebrate the beginning of Falinesti's migration, but when it rooted, it was no longer celebrated.[4]
  • The Wood Elves of Havel Slump holds parties and revelries every Morndas. It takes place a platform wide enough as any town plaza. Everyone dances and sings, from the Wood Elves, the Wood Orcs, and the Imga. They dress in a colorful arrangement of feathers and bones.[5]
  • The Wood Elves of Falinesti makes simple dishes from the Kollopi, a rodent that lives in trees called the Shimmering Kollopi Tree. They are little balls of flesh, seasoned with spices and juices, feeding on tender branches of Falinesti.[6]

History[]

Merethic Era[]

The Perchance Acorn & Green-Sap[]

Falinesti is one of the Graht-oaks of Valenwood, which all derive from the original Elden Tree, the one seen in the city-state of Elden Root. The original Elden Tree was grown from the Perchance Acorn. The story of the Elden Tree relates to the story of the Towers, structures that stabilize the barrier between the planes of Nirn and Oblivion. The tower of Green-Sap is located in Valenwood, but it is not a single structure, rather it is the culmination of each Graht-oak, including Falinesti. The Perchance Acorn had grown into Elden Root, and it moved between the seasons. Falinesti, like the other walking cities, moved between the realms in accordance to the seasons. While the other cities, Elden Root and Silvenar rooted themselves, Falinesti continued migrating across Valenwood in the four sites we know today, as the Wood Elves took refuge in the branches.[7][UL 1]

First Era[]

The Camoran Dynasty & the Second Empire[]

The city-state of Falinesti had been the capital fo Valenwood for many years, being the seat of power for the Camoran Dynasty, who began their movement during Year Zero with the arrival of King Eplear. Eplear united the divided kingdoms of Valenwood under the banner of the Camorans, issuing the First Era as it was unanimously agreed upon. The denizens of the forest took refuge in Falinesti, not just the Wood Elves. Most notably are the Imga, the Great Apes of Valenwood, and the Wood Orcs, variations of the Orsimer that migrated to the forests of Valenwood instead of the northern mountains. The Centaurs are also known to live Falinesti, alongside the other races. In 1E 2714, the province of Valenwood was conquered by the Second Empire after their combined force with the Colovians of Western Cyrodiil and the abrupt arrival of the Thrassian Plague. The Camoran Dynasty had lost a substantial amount of power. To prevent an uprising, the Empire had given independent power to the Treethanes of Valenwood, turning them into fully-fledged powers from simple trading posts. Falinesti was one of these cities, with the Camorans still residing in the city. At this time, the people of Valenwood were obedient members of the Empire but were not entirely loyal.[8]

Second Era[]

Main article: Falinesti (Online)

The Disappearance of Falinesti; Tamriel's Greatest Mystery[]

During the Interregnum around 2E 582, the city-state of Falinesti had disappeared on its way to the Autumn Site. The once important capital had disappeared for quite some time, leaving the sites available to the wilds. Amidst the city's disappearance, a group known as the Falinesti Faithful had begun to appear in the sites, waiting for the city's arrival and pondering its location. Many have theories on why it is no longer in Valenwood, and quite possibly Tamriel, some include the "Daedric Interference Conjecture", the "Accelerated Invisibility Theory", and the "Chicken Nonconformity Detonation". But with Falinesti gone, so is the Imga, the Great Apes of Valenwood. Most of the Imga population in Valenwood were in Falinesti and were no longer in the province with the city's absence. Humorously enough, the subject of Falinesti's absence has created the vastly popular board game, "Where's Falinesti?", Which contains a leather board and pieces made out of turquoise. Many people from the Mages Guild, to the Falinesti Faithful, had tried to uncover the secret, but it remained a great mystery.[4][9][UL 2][UL 3]

The Mantle of Rajhin & the Seasonal Sites[]

In 2E 582, Queen Ayrenn of the First Aldmeri Dominion had arrived onto the city-state of Elden Root, with the intent of entering the Orrery and proving her worth as the leader of the Dominion. One of the components to operate the Orrery is a divine spark, and the ruins of Nairume's Prison in the Winter Site, contains Rajhin's Mantle, an artifact of Rajhin, the Khajiiti God of Trickery. And so, the Dominion ordered the Jade Dragoons, under General Endare to dig up the site for the ruins, much to the dismay of the Faithful. As Endare encountered the mantle, she had become deranged, forced to be stopped by an Agent of the Dominion. In the end, the curse on Nairume was lifted and the mantle was retrieved for the Dominion. As time went on, the other sites were still doing research, all the while being interfered by groups of the surrounding region. The Spring Site had been overrun by the Lhurgash Clan of Wood Orcs, while the Summer Site was overrun by Daedra. The Autumn Site had been working alongside the Mages Guild and Telenger the Artificer. Although, the site had been overrun by the Arbordawn Cult of Mephala, with the Daedric Prince herself appearing the Artificer. With gods such as Mephala and Rajhin having a connection to the sites, one can assume that Falinesti is no longer in Nirn.[10][11][12][13][14][15]

Third Era[]

Main article: Falinesti (Arena)

The Camoran Usurper; The Rise and Fall[]

Sometime in 3E 249, Haymon Camoran had usurped the throne at Falinesti over his brother, Camoran Kaltos. Haymon would conquer the entire province of Valenwood, and amass an army of Redguards and Bosmer mercenaries at the city-state of Arenthia, eventually moving across Western Tamriel. The Camoran Usurper's onslaught had left many people, including Kaltos in shock, and by the time the Usurper destroyed Rihad and Taneth at the Battle of Dragontooth, support for him had dwindled. By the time he reached the Iliac Bay, his army had weakened substantially, losing at the Battle of Firewaves and the Wrothgarian Mountains. The aftermath back home is unknown; it was likely that Kaltos inherited the throne. While the Usurper died in vain, his legacy continued through his child, Mankar Camoran, who would go on and initiate the Oblivion Crisis in 3E 433.[16][17]

Falinesti during the Imperial Simulacrum[]

During the Imperial Simulacrum from 3E 389 to 3E 399, Emperor Uriel Septim VII was imprisoned along with Talin Warhaft in the Deadlands by Jagar Tharn. Tharn planned for months to capture the throne, and he was able to achieve so in ten years. Tharn had a powerful weapon called the Staff of Chaos, and he split it into nine pieces and scattered them across Tamriel, the staff was the only thing keeping Uriel Septim and Warhaft in Oblivion. A warrior escaped his clutches and traveled all corners of Tamriel to retrieve the missing pieces. The hero was known as the Eternal Champion, and he assembled the staff and defeated Jagar Tharn at the Imperial Palace. The Eternal Champion had at one point visited the city in their quest to recover the pieces. The city of Falinesti was under the rule of King Elisgorn.[18]

Minor events[]

  • ?E ? – The site of Falinesti (Autumn) was the location of one of the main battles between the Wood Elves and the Khajiits. After a disastrous battle at Fort Sphinxmoth, the Khajiit under their commander, Eagle Eye retreated to the Falinesti Vale, where they were ambushed by the Bosmer.[19]
  • 3E 432 – During the waning years of the third era, in 3E 432, the city-state of Falinesti had finally rooted in the Summer Site in Malabal Tor. This was among other noteworthy events, such as the Wild Hunt occurring after several years of inactivity, and the appearance of the Precursor, a prophet that preaches the words of Y'ffre and gives gifts to everyone.[8]
  • 4E ? – The city-state of Falinesti was badly afflicted by the Blades, in an event known as the "Falinesti Incident", which was orchestrated by Esbern, the loremaster of the Blades. This is considered by the Thalmor as one of the Blades' more damaging operations on them.[20]

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • In an earlier stage of development, Arena was going to be a tournament-based game, where each city had their own gladiatorial team. Falinesti's team was known as the Wyverns.[UL 4]

Appearances[]

Notes[]

  1. Falinesti is known to be located in four different spots depending on the season. Based on maps of the province, Falnesti is always located in the summer site and when it finally rooted, the map shows the summer site in Malabal Tor.

References[]

Notice: The following are unlicensed references. They are not copyrighted by a ZeniMax Media company, but can still be considered part of The Elder Scrolls lore and are included for completeness.
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