Uutak Genesis: Yneslea

''“Yneslea. In Echi, it means ‘Echoing Mirror.’ But I mostly call it home.”'' – Echmer Toiler

In the swirling mists of the Padomaic Ocean lie the twin isles Yne (Reverberate) and Slea (Glass) known conjointly as Yneslea (Echoing Mirror), the homeland of the Echmer. A strange place of semi-tropical climate, to some it is a mysterious plot in the sea. For others, it is just an island not worth mentioning. But for the Echmeri, it is the most beautiful of places, and its’ sound ‘feeds’ the choir of the universe.

Geography and Landscape
Yneslea is unique amongst most islands; while the surfaces of the islands is very stunning in landscape, the Echmeri themselves (due to their bat ancestry) live within the massive cavern systems underneath them. Yne and Slea themselves are connected underground because of these caverns, but are separated on the outside by the Channel of Tru’Gitet. Each island is host to three distinct regions.

Yne
Shaped vaguely like a curved capital ‘E’, Yne is the first island in the Yneslea group. It is the ancestral home of the Hemaechi and Entoechi Echmer clans.

The Hae’macrin Mountains
The Hae’macrin Mountains are the northernmost region of the island. Its boundaries are roughly NOCKT’s Mere (a naturally occurring freshwater lake) and the Descender that leads to the Urb Mkikeff’lorisaz. It is the only place that snow and ice can be found in the entirety of Yneslea, and is considered the least hospitable of all biomes. Of particular note is the Begetter’s Hillock, an ancient hill where a solitary Dwemer aboveground ruin stands.

Opal Coast
The Opal Coast is a region that covers the western and central parts of the island. Its boundaries are the Descender that leads to the Urb Tije’geutsaz and the Obelus of HRAHNDEYL. A cross between a beach and a prairie, and dotted with palm trees, it is the most beautiful part of Yne.

Ambient Littoral
The Ambient Littoral is comprised of the eastern and southern portions of Yne. Its boundaries are Whisper Pass and the Descender that leads to the Urb of Oexra’numsaz. It consists of a coastal taiga that thrives on saltwater, and the main source of wood on the island. Strangely, it is also rich in multiple Solarite ore veins.

Slea
Shaped vaguely like an inverted and fattened capital ‘F’, Slea is the final island in the Yneslea group. It is the ancestral home of the Pomiechi and Lactechi Echmer clans.

Gtutur’s Arids
Gtutur’s Arids is the northernmost expanse of the island of Slea, and named after HRAHNDEYL’s father who carried the god through them as a child. It is abundant in Solarite ore, which usually occurs in hot climates. Its boundaries are The Father’s Nest and the Descender that leads to the Urb of Gratiu’tiusaz.

The Melodic Forests
The Melodic Forest consists on both the eastern and western sides of Slea. Its boundaries are MORRAH’s Eye and Lingua. It is also home to the Descender that leads to the Urb of Furq’mitysaz. This region is moderately covered in trees and other vegetation.

Urroal
The region of Urroal lies in the southern part of Slea. Unlike it’s sister island Yne, whose south is warm, Urroal provides only a cool breeze. It does, however, have a constant threat of thunderstorms and hurricanes. Its boundaries are the Precipice of Banishment and the Descender that leads to the Urb of Raz’xensaz. It’s a barren wasteland, with few vegetation and almost constant rain.

Descenders
Because the Echmer live beneath their islands, there are hardly any aboveground cities. However, the Echmeri do travel to the surface of Yne and Slea in order to cultivate food and watch after their livestock, as well as mine the valuable mineral Solarite. To make these excursions to the surface easier, they converted the Dwemeri elevators into massive self-heating steam lifts (that harness the natural lava flows within the island), that uplifts them on their wings. There are three Descenders on each island that lead to their respected Urb (city).

Yne

 * Mkikeff’lorisaz
 * Tije’geutsaz
 * Oexra’numsaz

Points of Interest
These are the various points of interest that can be found throughout Yneslea, on both islands.

Yne

 * NOCKT’s Mere – A naturally occurring freshwater pool, entranced with constant shadow.
 * Begetter’s Hillock – The remnants of a Dwemer home. It is used mainly for pilgrimages, and is being preserved to negate decay.
 * Obelus of HRAHNDEYL – A large rune that symbolizes the Talk God and his second death as he ascended from mere mortal to godhood.
 * Whisper Pass – An ancient dried up river that was used by Akaviri forces during one of their attacks on Yneslea. They were successfully driven back into the sea, and an Akaviri katana embedded in the ground marks the site of the battle.

Slea

 * The Father’s Nest – The place where Gtutur slept for fifteen nights and passed on the last one. Supposedly, HRAHNDEYL buried his father in this exact spot, but Echmeri scholars refute this because the body has never been found.
 * MORRAH’s Eye – A large natural indent in the ground that resembles a large eye. It is associated with MORRAH because the Eye is his symbol.
 * Lingua – A minor volcano that hasn’t erupted in many centuries.
 * Precipice of Banishment – All the way to the south of Slea, the Precipice of Banishment is used for the execution of violators of the Law.

The Dwemer
Known to the Echmer as the Begetters, in unknown times a clan of Dwemer made their way to Yneslea after a schism with their Vvardenfell cousins. As they built their underground cities, the Dwemer encountered bats that were unintentionally evolved by their tonal architecture, resulting in the creation of the modern day Echmer. In a strange way, these Dwemer can be considered the ‘parents’ of the Echmer. Under Dwemeri tutorage (after the former realized that the bat people were now sentient), the Echmer began to learn much about the nature of Nirn. However, the Echmer secretly believed that the gods should be worshipped, unlike their masters. After the Dwemeri disappearance, the Echmer eventually began to reverse-engineer their architecture and adapt most of their practices to their own styles.

The Echmer
Yneslea’s most distinguished inhabitants, the Echmer are a race of beast folk that originated as multiple species of bats evolved by tonal architecture. They have strict – but liberal in many areas – society. The Echmer are unique because despite believing in both gods and faith (their Collective of ATEDA), they also only believe in things that exist as fact and has actual evidence supporting said facts. Because of this, they are a naturally mistrustful people unless convinced that what you are saying is absolutely true in its entirety. This also results in them viewing wishes in disdain, calling them ‘hollow words.’ Strangely, they do not mind lying if what you are lying for is important.

The Hyu-Ket
The Hyu-Ket is a race of insectoid goblins that inhabit small, primitive villages scattered across Yne and Slea. At one period of time, they were the slaves of the Echmeri people. However, when the work they were made to do began to kill many of their people, the Echmer freed them and allowed them back to the surface. They are carnivorous, and hunt the Yaks as their main source of food. In appearance, they are covered in coarse, bristle brown fur and have red fly-eyes. Some are still capable of speaking Echi. However, only around one hundred Hyu-Ket still exist in this current age.

Saltcane
A type of plant that resembles real-life bamboo, Saltcane grows along the coasts of Yne and Slea and are processed into salt for Echmeri cuisine. Its greenish-red stalks distinguish it from other plants.

Honeymell
The Honeymell is a type of flower with golden petals. It is naturally sweet, and its syrup is used for Echmeri cuisine and the making of cream. It can be found in forested areas on either island.

Harmonious Potare
A vile fungus, Harmonious Potare grows on both islands, on the surface or underground. It is extremely poisonous, but if used the right way can create a powerful healing potion (however, not performing the right steps can instantly kill the maker in the attempt).

Vet’fli Leaves
A type of shrub that consists of multiple extremely large leaves that grows on Yne. It is mostly eaten by the species of insects that live on that island.

Citri Trees
This type of tree only grows on the island of Slea. The fruit known as Citri can be found on its branches, and resemble a cross between a lemon and an apple and are pink in color.

Yaks
The most important animal on both islands of Yneslea, the Yak is a livestock animal that the Echmer use to create their largest source of income for the Toilers (Working Class) – cream. Cream created from Yak milk is used to create types of wine, as well as ice cream (which became a major export to Tamriel after Yneslea was conquered in the Third Era). Many Yak farms can be found scattered across the islands of Yne and Slea. The animals themselves resemble shaggier versions of Tamrielian cows, with tan fur and massive grey horns. The Hemaechi also harvest Yak blood for nourishment.

Myriapods
These animals inhabit both Yne and Slea, but are largely more important on Yne. They have thousands of legs and an armored shell, range from a murky green color to a shiny black, and largely eat smaller insects. They are the major source of food for the Entoechi.

Burrow Wasps
Highly aggressive and slightly poisonous, Burrow Wasps are green and blue striped in color and construct hanging underground nests made from their own spittle. Their stingers carry a neurotoxin that can result in paralysis. They are also capable of diving beneath the ground when threatened; only to rise back up when their attacker has their back turned.

Yneslian Wolves
Yneslea is host to their own species of wolves, which are very similar to the wolves found on Tamriel. Bluish-grey in color, they are rather shy of the Echmer and have been domesticated and used as mounts by the Hyu-Ket. Feral Yneslian Wolves can be found still roaming parts of the island, however, and are known to attack travelers.

Bruorl
The Bruorl are absolutely terrifying creatures. Resembling the cross between a lizard and a troll, and entirely dark red in color with glowing yellow eyes, the Bruorl often live in surface caves. However – on occasion – they have been capable of digging into the Echmer Urbs belowground despite their low intelligence.

Solarite
A metal ore that can only be found on Yneslea, it can be refined into Solarite ingots that can then be used to craft the alloy that the Echmer use to create their mechanisms and automatons. It can only be found in areas that are directly hit by sunlight. It is the counterpart to Euphitrite, organic music that the Echmeri use to craft their armor and weaponry.

Port White-Gold and Fort Musicmoth
The abandoned Port White-Gold can be found on the island of Yne, left behind after Uriel Septim’s failed invasion attempt of Akavir. Fort Musicmoth was built to be the Imperial headquarters on Yneslea, and is a few miles from Port White-Gold. Both are actually in remarkably good condition, but look extremely out of place on the island.