Lore:Trident-Kings

A Dreugh wielding a bident
(Morrowind Concept Art)

The Trident-Kings are an obscure faction believed to be the leaders of the Dreugh people. Little is known about them, but they were active during the First Era and fought against the Tsaesci. According to the teachings of Mankar Camoran, the tyrannical dreugh-kings ruled over Mundus and enslaved the oceans before Lyg was destroyed by Mehrunes Dagon, and that "the King of Dreugh fell to Mehrunes the Razor".

History

Vivec

First Era

In addition to the Dreugh kings, the Queen of Dreughs is also present in Dunmeri accounts. According to the Tribunal Temple, the Ruddy Man was created when a Velothi child from Gnisis found a dead carapace, supposedly Molag Bal's old image from long ago when he ruled Mundus as chief of the dreugh-kings. Wanting to scare his village, the child wore the carapace, and the Ruddy Man was formed. Vivec did battle with the monster at the Koal Cave site near Gnisis, creating the West Gash region of Vvardenfell; it is said that the sounds of battle still echo in the region. Vivec was victorious, and went to give the carapace to the dreughs who once modified his mother. However their leader, the Queen of Dreughs (whose name is not easy to spell), was in a period of self-incubation. Her wardens took the carapace from Vivec in her stead and promised to safeguard it, but this is the first recorded account of the dreughs being liars. Instead, the dreugh imbued the living armor with mythic inflexibility. The Ruddy Man appeared again ten years later at Tear, this time worn by a wayward shaman of the House of Troubles. After defeating him a second time, Vivec gave the carapace to the devout and loyal mystics of the Number Room, who made it into "a philosopher's armor", sealing one of their own sages inside for eternal study.

Second Era

Kra'gh the Dreugh King

Brood Queen

In 1E 2703, the Tsaesci of Akavir, as they promised, sailed to Tamriel to seek vengeance on the west. As they aimed to reach northern Cyrodiil to confront the army of the Cyrodiilic Emperor Reman Cyrodiil, the Tsaesci marched through Morrowind, which deeply offended Vivec. In response, Vivec forged an unlikely alliance with his former foes, the Dreugh, teaming up with the Trident-Kings. From Morrowind, Vivec launched an attack on the rear flank of the Akaviri, forcing them to fight on two fronts and disrupting their reinforcements and supply lines from the sea.

Kra'gh the Dreugh King was a land dreugh who resided in Fungal Grotto in mainland Morrowind as of 2E 582. He was known for his control over crabs. He fought a war against the Goblin Ozozai, chief of the Murkwater Tribe. Although referred to as a king, his connection to the Trident-Kings is unclear.

The significance of Kra'gh allowed him to be documented within the Infinite Archive in Apocrypha. There, copies of various entities were subsequently created as maligraphies, creatures composed of vivified ink manifested by stories from books, and serve as mindless extensions of the Daedric Lord Tho'at Replicanum. A maligraphy copy of Kra'gh was formed, which was destroyed by an adventurer or two who were aided by augmentations directly from Hermaeus Mora.

Dreugh Queens were also known to exist during this period, although their role was more similar to that of a broodmother.

Third Era

A Dreugh Warlord

Countess Narina Carvain

Although their status at that time is unclear, by the late Third Era, the Trident-Kings were still acknowledged. Countess Narina Carvain, the leader of Bruma, who was known for her great interest in Akaviri artifacts, possessed some knowledge about the Trident-Kings.