Welkynar

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Welkynar
The Welkynar in Cloudrest.
Province	Summerset Isles
Region	Summerset
Locations	See below
Members	See below
Quests	See below
Allied Factions	Divine Prosecution

The Welkynar, also known as Welkynar Gryphon Knights and Welkynars of Eton Nir, are a faction that appears in The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset. They are a military order of Alinor which form the Summerset Isles' main defense force. The Gryphon Knights are a point of patriotic pride for the Altmer, who have composed songs of the deeds of the order.

Based in the city of Cloudrest atop Eton Nir, the Welkynars remained vigilant to answer any urgent calls for aid. This need for quick mobility is what led to the first Welkynars to tame the native gryphons and use them as their mounts. Given the city's central location on the island, and the help of these flying creatures, the Welkynars were able to quickly render aid across the entire realm. While any member of Summerset's governance or military could petition the Wekynars for aid, accepting the petition was at the order's discretion. Between assignments, Welkynars patrolled Summerset for signs of danger, often stopping in cities and collecting information on any potential threats.

Description

The Welkynars consists of only four members at any one time—a representation of each of the cardinal directions. Typically, each Welkynar takes on an apprentice before they retire. When the Welkynar eventually does either retire or die in the line of duty, their apprentice replaces them. Joining the ranks of the Welkynars is a long and arduous process. Initiates are first required to prove themselves highly capable in battle in order to be eligible. Although the order is well known for producing the finest battlemages within Summerset, magical ability is not necessarily a requirement to join.

In addition to battle prowess, initiates were expected to find a wild gryphon egg and raise the hatching until fully grown. The initiate and hatchling would undergo magical rituals in order to create a supernatural bond between the two, resulting in the gryphon becoming the initiate's personal mount and life-long companion trained to fight by their side. Some claim the gryphon becomes an extension of the initiate's very being, sharing each other's thoughts, feelings and needs. Indeed, the gryphon itself became the Welkynar's sigil and their affinity and respect for the creature was such that their arms and armor were replete with symbology and feathers.

History

Around 2E 583 the Welkynars captured a dangerous Sea Sload sorceress named Z'Maja and brought her to Cloudrest. Unbeknownst to the Welkynars, Z'Maja was plotting to capture the city by allowing the Gryphon knights to take her captive and bring her into their home where she could enact her plan.

Once within the city walls, Z'Maja escaped confinement and used shadow magics and a Daedric amulet in her possession to enslave three of the four Welkynar knights and capture Cloudrest. With the aid of numerous adventurers, Olorime, the surviving Welkynar knight, fought back against Z'Maja and retook the city. What became of the enslaved Welkynars is debated — some reports claim that she was forced to kill her former comrades who had been reduced to shadow thralls, however other accounts say that they were freed after Z'Maja's defeat.

Quests

• Woe of the Welkynars

Members

• Galenwe
  • Falarielle (Gryphon)
• Olorime
  • Darremalatu (Gryphon)
• Relequen
  • Belanaril (Gryphon)
• Siroria
  • Silaeda (Gryphon)
• Mornyalemar the Battle-Hardy

Locations

• Cloudrest Aerie, Cloudrest

Appearances

• The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset