Gold Coast

"The Gold Coast serves as a wonderful destination for travelers that seek the most interesting sights in Cyrodiil and enjoy the fine weather and sandy yellow beaches of Anvil."

- Astinia Isauricus

The Gold Coast otherwise known as the Strident Coast, or the Abecean Coast is the name of the golden savannah coastline in the Imperial Province of Cyrodiil located on the westernmost point of the Colovian West. Many things go through Anvil, such as rare oddities and exotic creatures while many travel to Kvatch to worship the Dragon God of Time, Akatosh.

Geography
The Gold Coast earns its name from its terrestrial biome which resembles a golden-colored savannah. The Coast is a downward incline from the center of Cyrodiil, and it also has a series of hills making the landscape quite ragged. The western coast has a long stretch of sand with little pockets of water in them. These areas are perfect for fishing as well as whale watching. As you move eastward towards the highlands, you start to go up above sea level, and eventually, it becomes stagnant.

The city of Kvatch is perched on a single mountain making the surrounding areas are more open and lightly forested. The area towards the town of Sutch is much less ragged and opens up more since it is much closer to Hammerfell. The Gold Coast contributed to the naming of the Gold Road, which extends far to the Red Ring Road and the Imperial City. Despite Anvil's success as a port, there have been no settlements built throughout the Road, only private estates, and the cities of Anvil and Kvatch.

Fauna
Minotaurs or called Man-Bulls are native warriors that have the body of a Bull yet they are built like they are Orcs or large Nords. Minotaurs live in small communities on the Gold Coast and many of the ruins in the area like in Garlas Malatar and Beldaburo. Minotaurs are extremely large and carry large weapons such as Warhammers and Cleavers. They can be adept in Destruction Magic and Magma based spells which make them all the more formidable. A corrupted Minotaur named Limenauruus existed near Kvatch, and it required many warriors to slay him.

Nixads are the small fairy like creatures that roam the Gold Coast and the twin rivers of the Coast. Nixads come in a variety of color combinations such as Light Blue/Black and Burgundy/Brown which makes them so mystical. Upon closer look, however, Nixads have very menacing faces that resemble feral Scamps. Nixads are a prime source for fishing material, so they are hunted for in the Coast.

Goblins are a barbaric folk that lives practically everywhere, from Morrowind to the Summerset Isles. Goblins live in tribes, but on the Gold Coast, they are a very divided people. Many Goblin Tribes lived on the Gold Coast, but they either scattered or became integrated into larger tribes. As of now, the Coast has two major tribes. The Long Tooth Tribe and the Sharp Stick Tribe live in County Anvil and County Kvatch respectively and make up various tribes. Goblins make makeshift weapons and can easily outnumber unaware passersby.

Wolves are a common predator found throughout Tamriel but the strongest variations live on the Gold Coast. These wolves are known as the Dire Wolves, and they can be useful when trained to be so. Dire Wolves are large gray/black wolves that stalk the Gold Road for anyone vulnerable enough. Wolves come in packs and can call upon other neighboring hounds to attack. People in the Colovian Highlands were able to train Dire Wolves to become Mounts.

River Trolls are an elusive type of Troll that are found exclusively around the Abecean Sea and are a rarity in the Gold Coast. They tend to live by themselves on the riverbank and feast on Fish and Mudcrabs. Hunters in Sutch seek out Trolls on the Cyrodiilic rivers, and their hides are treasured. A River Troll has water-shedding skin with a Sapphire/Silver Color to them. They also have bright orange fur and sharp teeth that can cut through Steel. According to some hunters, they can hold their breaths for a long period of time and can lurk in the shadows. If a River Troll can be a master of stealth, then anyone can.

Gold Coast has many different types of fish including the Ghastly Batfish, the Palatine Sabertooth, the Sleeper Shark, and the Bullface Wingfin.

Flora
The Gold Coast is a large grassland with a variety of wildflowers growing in the region such as Coneflowers and Corn Flowers. They give the Coast a beautiful hue of bright yellow with a mix of light gray which is coming from the rocky hills. Trees grow on the Coast and are as large as the Ayleid Ruins that dot the landscape. The common type of tree to find is the Ash Tree, they grow things such as Olives and Lilacs and provide immense shade for anyone basking in the sun. The Oak tree grow further away from the Gold Road than the Ash Tree and are much wider than any other tree on the Coast. Beech Trees are found more towards the Colovian Highlands rather than in the rest of the Coast. These trees give Anvil and Kvatch an advantage in the Lumber Industry since Ash is one of the more stronger materials used in Woodworking behind Mahogany, Nightwood, and the illustrious Ruby Ash.

Government
The Gold Coast name refers to the geographical region west of the Colovian Highlands and is not bound to a particular city like with the Holds of Skyrim or with the regions in the Iliac Bay. In reality, the Gold Coast is split into three administrative regions. These areas include County Anvil, County Kvatch, and County Sutch; each has their capital and their societies. Each County is governed by a Count and a Countess, both who live in a Castle. Counts and Countess are given the title hereditarily or by proving themselves worthy in one way or the other. The Gold Coast itself has no official leader to it and each of the three cities had their count, who all had equal power in their domain.

However, during the Interregnum when the Gold Coast became independent from Cyrodiil, the city of Anvil was taken over by the Red Sails Pirates and Fortunata ap Dugal. She became the Provincial Governor of the Gold Coast which technically makes her the Governor of the Gold Coast. Count Carolus Aquilarios was still in power as Count of Kvatch, so she did not have all the power, but it was regarded as such. Despite sharing the same region, none of the Counts ever gathered to deal with the overall area which makes them all the more isolated. During the Interregnum, a political triangle for power had risen with Dugal, Aquilarios, and Primate Artorius of the Order of the Hour.

Religion
Each city in the Imperial Province has a temple dedicated to the Nine Divines. Since there are three different cities located on the Gold Coast, there is no centralized religion. However, Akatosh is worshiped more on the Coast than the other divines. The city of Anvil worships Dibella, the Goddess of Beauty & Love and the religious temple is known as the House of Dibella. The temple is prominent in places such as County Anvil, the Menevia Fiefdom, and the Tigonus Fiefdom. The House of Dibella has no substantial power in County Anvil or the Gold Coast.

The city of Kvatch worships Akatosh, the God of Time & the Chief Diety of the Nine Divines. Religion for Akatosh in the Gold Coast is widespread because of their religious temple and their Knightly Order. The religious temple is known as the Akatosh Chantry which is prominent in places such as County Kvatch, the Wayrest Kingdom, and the Bergama Barony. The Knightly Order is known as the Order of the Hour, and they have a very notorious history with the Gold Coast. The leader of the Order is known as the Primate which is another name for a Grand Priest or an Archbishop. The Order had enforced worship on Akatosh primarily during the Interregnum when Primate Artorius wanted more power than the Count of Kvatch.

Under a Single Banner; Enter Rislav the Righteous
The Larich Bloodline has lived in Skingrad for generations while the Colovian West was separate from the Alessian Empire and the Nibenese East. The Kingdoms of Colovia all ruled their own domain and tend to fight each other for common territory. The Kingdoms of Skingrad and Kvatch fought each other for forty years or so. In 1E 472, the two cities came together when Prince Rislav Larich and Princess Belene married each other and Rislav joined the Kvatch Court.

In 1E 478, a plague swept the Cyrodiilic countryside and killed people in the millions. The Larich Bloodline died out to the point where only Rislav and his eldest brother, Dorald Larich were the only remaining heirs to the throne. At the time, Dorald was a priest of Marukh in the Imperial City under the Alessian Order and wanted to spread the Alessian Religion. When Dorald became King of Skingrad, he planned on integrating the Skingrad Kingdom into the Alessian Empire and enforcing the Alessian Religion. This caused a great uproar in Colovia and caused one of the greatest revolutions in Cyrodiil. Rislav marched to Skingrad with a large army from Kvatch and defeated Dorald and became King of Skingrad. Rislav would later fight against Emperor Gorieus and his army and win with his fleet of Colovian Warriors.

The Fall of Thras & The Battle across the Abecean
In 1E 2200, the Sload of Thras had unleashed a severe disease that managed to affect Western Tamriel in a series of ways, this event was known as the Thrassian Plague. The Colovian King of Anvil, Bendu Olo created one of the biggest naval fleets seen in Tamriel. This large fleet of ships was dubbed the All Flags Navy; it consisted of the navies of Colovia, Hammerfell, the Summerset Isles, and Valenwood. These large ships were capable of destroying the Sload Airships and their Necromantic abomination. An Altmer known as Syrabane contributed to the All Flags Navy and became a part of the Altmeri Pantheon for his contribution. The conflict ended when Thras sunk into the sea and became an archipelago near the Chain.

In Times of Religious Order; The Order of the Hour
"The Order of the Hour is one of the oldest knightly orders in the Empire. It was born early in the life of the Empire, during the First Era, and eventually faded into obscurity during the Second Era."

- Exordor Vasidius

The Order of the Hour is one of the oldest knightly orders in Tamriel, and they held a significant amount of power in their area. The Order originated in the Gold Coast, and it was started by Ennon Decan, who wanted to spread the teachings of Akatosh. The Order eventually faded into obscurity up until 2E 432 where Cavor Merula reestablished the group in response to Emperor Leovic's reign and the end of the Second Empire. Cavor gathered priests and militants to establish the order at the Cathedral of Akatosh in Kvatch. They had started out as a formal organization but had some training for whatever happens. The Order began to lose trust with the people after different incidents.

In 2E 467, the Kvatch Bread Riots occurred when the Red Wheat Blight killed crops across the countryside. They had turned on the order when they believed their prayers were not doing enough to help. Sister Severa and her warrior-priests brutally slaughtered the angry mob. The Primate at the time prayed after the tribulation up until the Blight died out. In 2E 480, the Primate of Akatosh authorized the Order to become a private militia in times of Religious Order and protected Kvatch from a horde of Orcish Berserkers led by Baz Swordbreaker. The Army disbanded and continued to their worship. Eventually, when Primate Artorius Ponticus became the leader of the Hour, he immediately established power in the independent Kingdom of the Gold Coast and used Commander Marcus Scipio to enforce this. Artorius was the beginning of a three-way triangle of power in the Gold Coast.

The Colovian Revolution & the Rise of Dugal
"The Gold Coast has undergone some radical changes since Varen Aquilarios led his rebellion against the Longhouse Emperor Leovic in 2E 576..."

- Midara Salviticus

In 2E 576, Varen Aquilarios of Chorrol began to rise up against Emperor Leovic of the Longhouse Emperors for his decision of legalizing Daedric worship in Cyrodiil. Aquilarios hailed from the city of Kvatch and to protect his original domain; he commissioned the construction of Varen's Wall, a stone wall guarding the Gold Coast against any of Leovic's forces. The Gold Coast decided to use the wall as an excuse to seceded from Cyrodiil to form the independent Kingdom of the Gold Coast.

In 2E 577, the Gold Coast had finally finished Varen's Wall and had fully removed themselves from Cyrodiil. But this time of freedom did not last, a fleet of ships had entered the Anvil Bay donned with a white flag with a crimson red sabre and took control of the Anvillian Government in a matter of a single day. Fortunata ap Dugal of the Gold Coast Trading Company killed the Anvil Governor and became the Provincial Governor. She promised Anvil to be a haven for pirates as well as a piece of her wealth would be shared with everyone if they supported her. She ruled with an iron grip, but she managed to keep the region together under the banner of the Red Sabre.

Aquilarios' legacy in the Coast; The Wolf of Kvatch
"Between a slim wall that stretched from the shores of the Abecean Sea to the banks of the Strid River and a surrogate champion in the form of his nephew Carolus"

- Midara Salviticus

When Aquilarios left for the Heartlands, he needed someone worthy to rule his original domain of the Gold Coast and he gave the position to his nephew, Carolus Aquilarios. He wanted to help his uncle in the Colovian Revolt but Varen had other plans to have Carolus become Count of Kvatch. Carolus swore to protect the Gold Coast from future threats until Varen comes back. By the time Carolus became temporary Count of Kvatch, the Gold Coast was ruled by Count Ephrem Benirus and he sought Varen's wealth in the city of Kvatch. In retaliation, Carolus used a single cohort of Second Legion soldiers to fight Benirus' army and successfully defeated the Anvillian army.

As time went on, Anvil sent smaller portions of their army to attack Kvatch only to come back dwindling in numbers. After the fourth attempt, Benirus finally gave up and left Carolus alone to his kingdom. By the time Varen ascended to the Seat of Sundered Kings, Carolus became the officially Count of Kvatch and created the Wolf Insignia that Kvatch continues to have to this day. Carolus' golden days came to a screeching halt when Primate Artorius Ponticus of the Order of the Hour arrived into Kvatch to undermine his rule and to craft his own sphere of influence into Kvatch. When the Red Sails took control of Anvil, it posed a threat to Carolus' and Artorius' sphere of influence in the Gold Coast. This caused a three-way triangle of power in the Gold Coast.

Rise of the Dark Brotherhood
In 2E 583, the Dark Brotherhood of Colovian West had made a resurgence in the Gold Coast resulting in a string of murders of noblemen and an eventual witch hunt for the Brotherhood led by the Order of the Hour in Kvatch. The first assassination was of Lord Quintus Jarol on the western coast who died in his escape tunnel. Investigations were able to deduce that the assassin traveled through a secret tunnel in a nearby inn and killed the Estate Guards and eventually Quintus Jarol. Primate Artorius Ponticus of the Order of the Hour began to call upon the citizens of Kvatch into bringing the Brotherhood out of the Shadows and to justice. Many Akatosh Sermonizers went into the streets of Kvatch by order of Grand Sermonizer Fithia at-Himah To bring out the brotherhood. They eventually captured a member but, the Brotherhood banded together and defeated the Order at Fithia's estate. Fithia was assassinated by the Brotherhood.

Ode to the Pirate Queen of the Gold Coast
"She may be a cruel and merciless dictator, but she keeps the region under control and prevents anarchy from running rampant."

- Midara Salviticus

Business was booming for the Dark Brotherhood, many nobles wanted each other out of the picture and used the brotherhood and eventually the Morag Tong to carry out their wishes. Archives of the Colovian West Sanctuary state that Governor Fortunata ap Dugal performed the Black Sacrament and summoned the Brotherhood to assassinate Commander Marcus Scipio of the Kvatch Guard because of his disrespect to Dugal. The Brotherhood sent their prized recruit into traveling to Kvatch and infiltrating Castle Kvatch. Deep within the Castle, the recruit killed Scipio and later encountered Count Carolus Aquilarios of Kvatch who performed the Black Sacrament to have Dugal assassinated.

Dugal's assassination was entirely unexpected because of Dugal's previous contract so no one could have done anything about it since the recruit was affiliated ap Dugal. The rookie arrived into Castle Anvil with another assassin, Mirabelle Motierre and murdered Dugal on her balcony where she fell of and into the Anvil Bay.

Enter the Black Dragon
The Order of the Hour had lost their patients with the Brotherhood and hired a professional assassin known as the Black Dragon, who's real name was Lyra Viria, to destroy the brotherhood. The Order had a stronghold known as the Enclave of the Hourglass where the Black Dragon was stationed in. The Black Dragon had slain many members such as Mirabelle Motierre, Green-Venom-Tongue of Blackwood, and Brema of the Mages Guild and wanted to call upon Akatosh to exterminate them at the ruins of Knightsgrave. In the depths of the tombs, the prized recruit assassinated the Black Dragon and planned to kill Primate Artorius in Kvatch.

Feel the Wrath of Sithis; The End of the Hour
"Primate Artorius Ponticus: The head of the Akatosh faith and the leader of the Great Cathedral, presents an interesting and complicated man. He practically burns with religious fervor and truly believes that Akatosh guides and supports his efforts."

- Mirabelle Motierre

The remaining assassins of the Brotherhood banded together and planned a whole assassination attempt on Primate Artorius in the Chapel of Akatosh. The Brotherhood dug from the hidden crypts and fought many warriors working for the Order of the Hour. Many soldiers died in the catacombs, and the Brotherhood encountered Artorius in the cathedral. The recruit murdered Artorius by impaling him with his staff. The Order had disbanded the brotherhood continued his business.

The Sweetroll Killer
The brotherhood's recent accomplishments had inspired many citizens of the Coast to undertake murders of their own, usually with Brotherhood acknowledgment. In 2E 583, a Dunmer woman named Louna went under the alias of the Sweetroll killer and killed many citizens throughout the Gold Coast. Razum-dar of the Eyes of the Queen and a mysterious traveler known as the Vestige underwent an investigation about who was committing the crimes. With the help of Naryu Virian of the Morag Tong, they were able to defeat Louna and saved the Gold Coast.

The Legend of Torradan ap Dugal
"Now, me business was fightin', sailin', and lootin'. I became a leader of sailin' men, the most feared in hist'ry, or so they tells me."

- Torradan ap Dugal

It is no surprise that the Dugal Bloodline has had a substantial impact on the Gold Coast as seen before with Fortunata ap Dugal during the Interregnum. However, in 3E 286, a new member of the Dugal family would become on of the most infamous pirates in all of Nirn. His name was Torradan ap Dugal. He was born in the town of Dunbarrow, Skyrim and was sold to a pirate at the age of 9. The Pirate Captain traveled all along the Sea of Ghosts and was eventually executed in Hammerfell.

Torradan lived in Hammerfell doing a few odd jobs here and there up until the Camoran Usurper arrived and reeked havoc across Western Tamriel in places such as Arenthia and Anticlere. While the Imperial Navy and the Iliac Navies fought the Usurper, Torradan gathered buccaneers and scalawags from Hammerfell to Valenwood to form a large fleet of pirates under the banner of the Red Sabre. He commanded a ship known as the Black Flag and led armies to besiege cities. Commodore Fasil Umbranox of Anvil sought his attention to the Red Sabres after the Usurper's death at the Battle of Firewaves. The Red Sabres and the Umbranox Navy fought an incredible battle and it destroyed Torradan's legacy and army. His navy was sunken into Smuggler's Cave and all of the crew members died out.

The Battle of Kvatch and the Oblivion Crisis
"Some kind of portal to Oblivion. The enemy used them to attack the city -- they appeared outside the walls and daedra poured out! They've opened one right in front of the city gates."

- Savlian Matius

In 3E 433, Emperor Uriel Septim VII was assassinated while escaping the Imperial City via the sewer systems. He asked a prisoner he foresaw in his dreams to meet Grandmaster Jauffre in Weynon Priory to find the last heir to the Seat of Sundered Kings. Meanwhile, the Mythic Dawn summoned Mehrunes Dagon to Tamriel, and he began to destroy everything from Skyrim to Summerset Isles. According to Jauffre, Uriel's last son was named Martin Septim and was sent to Kvatch as a young baby to avoid assassins when everyone died, and a new emperor was needed. Dagon besieged the city and left it decimated in his wake. Many citizens escaped to the outskirts while some were trapped in the Chapel of Akatosh.

The Leader of the Kvatch Guard, Savlian Matius lead the battle against Dagon's Legion, but it was in vein as the city was completely obliterated. Many soldiers died in the fight, and with no support coming from any nearby town, it seemed hopeless. The prisoner was sent by Jauffre to bring Martin to the Imperial City, but upon arriving, they joined the cause and fought valiantly against the Daedric Horde. The prisoner destroyed the Oblivion Gate guarding the Kvatch Gate and stormed the inner city. After finding Martin at the Cathedral, the prisoner entered the Castle and destroyed the remaining daedra. For their bravery in the battle, the prisoner was dubbed the Hero of Kvatch. The Hero caught the attention of Dagon, and so began the end of the crisis.

The Battle across the Physical & Spiritual Planes
"Has Umaril the Accursed found a way back? The foulest of a foul race. A thousand curses upon his unholy name! I thought I'd won. But I should have known. The Slavemasters are a cunning breed. Umaril found a way to cheat death, as I could not."

- Pelinal Whitestrake

In 3E 433, the incarnation of Pelinal Whitestrake who was known as the Second Divine Crusader gathered many capable warriors from all corners of Tamriel and reformed the Knights of the Nine, a group of crusaders that fight for the Nine Divines and their ideals. The Undead Ayleid King known as Umaril the Unfeathered had risen from the grave to seek vengeance against Cyrodiil for the genocide of his people under St. Alessia's authority. Umaril commanded an army of daedra known as the Aurorans and used them to spread his influence on the post-Septim Cyrodiil. After collecting the Relics of the Crusader, the Knights of the Nine stormed Umaril's stronghold of Garlas Malatar and fought through his warriors. In the Inner Sanctum, the Divine Crusader defeated Umaril's physical form, but his spiritual form remained. With the Blessing of Talos, the two battled in the skies atop of the Imperial City. In the end, the Divine Crusader destroyed Umaril once and for all.

The Fall of an Empire; The Great War
The Oblivion Crisis and Martin Septim's sacrifice had an incredibly massive impact on Imperial Society. The Crisis attacked cities such as Kvatch and Bruma, and the Septim Bloodline perished with Martin's death along with the legend of the Dragonborns. The United Provinces in Tamriel began to split apart starting with the Summerset Isles and Valenwood who have formed the Third Aldmeri Dominion under the Thalmor in Alinor. By 4E 168, Titus Mede II inherited the Ruby Throne his father and the weakened Cyrodiilic Empire where only Cyrodiil, High Rock, and Skyrim remain prosperous. The Dominion arrived into the Imperial City on the 30th of Frostfall with an ultimatum that Titus was not willing to accept and the Great War commenced. Two of the Dominion's higher ups lead two powerful forces on both sides of Cyrodiil. Lady Arannelya led her immense from Malabal Tor and bypassed the Gold Coast to the Northern Brena River. Her army moved northwards to Hammerfell and the Alik'r Desert. She eventually transferred to the Gold Coast in 4E 172 and sacked Anvil & Kvatch. Her army kept moving eastward to the Red Ring Road and the Imperial City. From 4E 173 to 4E 175, the Imperial City was sacked, the cities of Hegathe & Ska'vyn were attacked, and the Dominion was eventually repealed from Cyrodiil. Titus Mede had to go forth with the ultimatum and the White-Gold Concordat was created. The results of this were that the war continued in Hammerfell until it ended with the Second Treaty of Stros M'kai and Skyrim going into civil war with the Mede Imperial Legions.

Settlements

 * Anvil
 * Castle Anvil
 * Chapel of Dibella
 * Anvil Lighthouse
 * Anvil Outlaws Refuge
 * Kvatch
 * Castle Kvatch
 * Kvatch Arena
 * Chapel of Akatosh
 * Sutch
 * Enclave of the Hourglass
 * Gold Coast Sanctuary
 * Gweden Farm
 * Lord Drad's Estate
 * Shetcombe Farm
 * Whitmond Farm
 * Jarol Estate
 * At-Himah Family Estate

Ruins

 * Beldaburo
 * Colovian Revolt Forge Yard
 * Crowhaven
 * Dasek Moor
 * Fort Faleria
 * Garlas Agea
 * Garlas Malatar
 * Knightsgrave
 * Fort Strand
 * Fort Sutch
 * Niryastare

Caves

 * Belletor's Folly
 * Bleak Mine
 * Brittlerock Cave
 * Hrota Cave
 * Smoke Hole Cave
 * Smuggler's Cave

Landmarks

 * Abecean Sea
 * Anvil Bay
 * Brena River
 * Dragon's Teeth Mountains
 * Gold Road
 * Malacath's Shrine
 * Strid River
 * Varen's Wall

Trivia

 * The Gold Coast shares its name with many real world locations such as the City of the Gold Coast in Queensland Australia, and the Gold Coast region of Ghana.

By Game

 * Gold Coast (Oblivion)
 * Gold Coast (Online)