Ah, Tamriel… Home to the wonderful world of magics and yore… The many races of Tamriel are unique and vast, and, thru the works of the Divines (Mods) and the Daedric Lords (More Mods) We can take a first hand look at how Fluffies, the strange bio-engineered toys, would be viewed, used, and raised in each of the defining land of The Elder-Scrolls universe.
In this world, Fluffies were made as a joke, by the mad god Sheogorath, and the Father of the Hunt, Hircine. after a rousing round of Orc-Blood ale, Sheo and Hircine came up with the idea of a truly interesting hunt, something that would cause madness after countless hours near them, yet so oblivious that they would openly invite danger.
The result… Was not what they wanted, so instead, they threw the Original Fluffies to free roam Nirn…
All to the dismay of the races…
Cyrodiil:
Imperials far and wide had taken kindly to the bizarre horses. Some use Fluffies as forms of Status, the higher pedigree of Fluffy, the better! Counts and Countesses from all over Cyrodiil have had at least One Fluffy in their homes, or on their land. All with stunning colors, and wonderful lineages. All trained in greeting and common etiquette, some have even heard that the Countess Arianna Valga had a Pure White Alicorn with a Golden Mane and Tail. Any who have witnessed it first hand have said that the Fluffy could speak in full sentences, no trace of its original “Fluffy-Speak”!
The Imperials of Cyrodiil also use Fluffies for more than just status, humble farmers and blacksmiths use the excrement of these stunted horse/pigs for their professions. Farmers are easy to explain, the nutrient rich compost of the Fluffies helps even Nirn-Root! Blacksmiths, on the other hand, use their highly gaseous dung for easier re-kindling of a forge! Before, a Blacksmith would have to hire mercenaries for Fire Salts, a rare ingredient produced by Flame Atronachs. Now it’s as easy as tossing a load of dung in, and setting it ablaze!
And in some of the poorer cities and towns, Fluffies are used for food, simple and true, just like most livestock, Fluffies are bred, raised with little care, and used as needed. A bit sad, but for the poor beggars that line the City Streets, any meal, is good enough.
While most in Cyrodiil see Fluffies as pets, some see them as omens, tell tale signs of Goblins and monsters in the night. Bruma has all but banned all Fluffy trade in it’s walls, all owners requiring proper documentation, or risk prison. Most in Bruma believe that Fluffies are the worst possible test of the divines, only used against cities that have seriously defied the will of the Divines.
During the Oblivion Crisis, Fluffies began to react strangely, convulsing. Reports said that when invading Daedra tried to invade homes with Fluffies occupied in them, every owner said their Fluffy protected them, as if a Daedra deterrent.
After that, the residents of Cyrodiil took to Fluffies like flies to dung, expanding Fluffy breeding and sales far and wide, only to be surprised that other lands, like Black Marsh and Skyrim had already know and had Fluffies for ages!
Orsinium:
While originally, Orsinium was started in the Wrothgarian Mountains. It has been ransacked and rebuilt countless times over, in different locations, all by different Orcs, but that is a story for another day, where here to talk Fluffies!
They were food.
What? Were you expecting a war faring, tribal people to NOT eat the easy to breed, kill, animal/daedra things?
They were Food. And most had their skins ripped off and used in dressed worn by forge-mothers.
The Orcs are a very simple people. Not that that’s a bad thing.
Elsweyr:
The Khajiit of Elsweyr and Fluffies are another weird mixture, while most would assume that Fluffies would never brave the harsh sands and blistering heat of the desert lands, the Fluffies of Elsweyr are clever, developing longer legs and shorter coats and manes, adopting the look most are common to compare to the Camel, well, minus the back humps.
Fluffies are mainly used as pets, or small carriers for notes and packages, and as Khajiit thieves are abundant in their homeland, these Fluffies are trained to be fast, quick and clever.
Their is even rumor of a band of thieves in Elsweyr that uses Fluffies as distractions, branding the name “Bestes’ Shadows”.
They did not last long.
While most Fluffies adapted to heat and sand, some did not, keeping to the shade of large and dangerous mountain ranges of Elsweyr, having befriended the strange Minotaur that dwell their.
The Fluffies that have been taken in by the Minotaur play a surprisingly helpful role, most mothers are overfed and used to produce milk for the young minotaur calves, The males are treated with care and friendship, used as hunting ‘dogs’ as Fluffies have great senses of smell, they are mostly used for finding water, but the larger Toughie breed of Fluffy may actually fight along side their master, hurling insults, and spewing fecal matter at the unsuspecting adventurers that tread to far into the Minotaur’s territory.
The Mountainous Fluffies of Elsweyr are nothing like their sand striding brothers, they kept their massive fur, gained massive muscle increase, and height while being bred and raised by the Minotaur, Some reports say the the Mountain Fluffies of Elsweyr are as large as a goat! (like 3-4 feet tall)
High Rock:
It can be rightly said that history begins in High Rock. And so did Fluffies! When the Daedric Duo threw down their failed attempt at maddening prey, the Fluffies ended up in early High Rock! Bretons mistook it as a sign from the Divines! And as such, the two mistakes, were lavished and cared for, given everything the could ever desire!
The Stallion was named Akto, the first Stallion, and the Mare was named Maridah, the first Mare. Both were named after the Divines, Akatosh, and Mara.
The Bretons’ largely agrarian and hierarchical society is feudal in nature. High Rock is segmented into city-states, encouraging petty nationalism and infighting between the kingdoms that span the region. There is an old saying about Bretons, “give a Breton a fish, feed him for a day, give a Breton a Fluffy, he’ll be indented to you for life.”
The infighting of High Rock is either over two things, political power, or Fluffies. Every City-State, from House Dorell to House Plessington. All fighting because they think their Fluffy’s lineage was straight from Akto and Maridah, while renouncing the others.
Even owning a fluffy is something either strictly for nobility, or for the rich, A fluffy is a sign of power in High Rock, and people die, because of it. But funny enough, after so many years, the thought never dawned on them that the, now common, Fluffy were all related to Akto and Maridah.
Feral’s are no problem here, for their are no ferals, all Fluffies are taken care of, and the ones who escape are hunted down and brought back. if a owner is neglectful of their fluffy, its jail time, if one KILLS a fluffy in High Rock, their sentence will always end in death.
History begins in High Rock… But by the Hist, it should never have begun.
Skyrim:
While the lands of Skyrim are harsh and cold, the Fluffies who migrated west from High Rock and stayed in their cold new homes found that the lands were even harsher. To become accustomed to this new cold land, the Fluffy evolved, not only for it’s sake, but for the Nords as well.
Thru harsh and rigorous survival, the Fluffies of Skyrim grew as hardy as their Nord counterparts. The Norse-Fluffies, as they are called, are several times larger, rivaling cattle. Some can become as large as the hardy steeds the Northern people use for their traveling and labor.
Those few that ride high enough are trained from birth as war mounts, while , originally, their natural behavior would be weak an timid, the Norse-Fluffies are battle ready by a few years old. Most at that age grow magnificent Ram-like horns, and are covered in thicc protective Fluff. Most Norse-Fluffies have lost color in their Fluff, matching the Snowy mountains that dot the land.
Most of the Fluffies with Color are either given away to kids as pets, or given as gifts.
Some are given to the Jarls of the major holds as gifts, breeders often use this tactic to try and expand their claim on land, and most, unfortunately fail. Some more, respectful breeders will raise a Colored War-Fluffy, matching the banner of a specific Hold, and offer it to that Hold’s Jarl as a token of respect, gaining a favor in return.
The War-Fluffy is a unique one, it has lost it’s talkative nature and adopted one of a warrior, some are given armor before battle, but most do not require it for their Fluffy fur keeps them protected from arrows and short blades, their Fluff, simply bends to the nature of the fierce strikes, letting the blade slide along it, and Arrow tips to simply get tangled and stopped.
Some warriors create bonds with their War-Fluffies, creating pacts and friendships more loyal than any steed or dog. It is said in legend, that those War-Fluffies that died in battle along their riders are lead to the fields of Sovngarde, where they can finally play, and frolic for all of time, under the watchful eyes of Tsun.
Those faithful War-Fluffies who do not die alongside their rider leave, seeking glory in great battles, a way to see their riders again.
Feral Herds are abundant in Skyrim, most if not all are quickly wiped out by the average Foresworn, or Saber Cat.
But Skyrim is not just the land blessed by the warmth of the Sky and the crisp northern winds, no, in fact something dark… Twisted resides inside. Dim, devoid of Light… Is Blackreach, the forgotten and hidden lair of the Falmer, twisted and vile, these beings drag poor souls to the darkness corrupting them and using them for slave labor… Or lunch.
The same is said for Fluffies that are unlucky enough to be taken by Falmer. They end up meals, every one of them. Well, that’s not entirely true.
Hidden away from the vengeful eyes of the Falmer, few Fluffies have made Blackreach their home, a place where they grow with no Color on their fluff, their eyes, underdeveloped and weak, but their senses are turned to the maximum, their ears able to pick up the faintest sounds, from an arrow being readied, to the thunderous sound of the Dwemer Colossus spewing burning steam at its enemies.
These Fluffies are, and always will be, scared, afraid, and alone. Such is the fate of any traveler, that faces the dark, unprepared.
Morrowind:
Unfortunately the Common Fluffy is not a good sight in the Ash-Lands.
As the temperature skyrockets around areas of the Red Mountain, Fluffies die in droves, all due to heat stroke, not being able to fully adapt in time to Morrowind’s blistering heat, and ash filled dust storms.
And if the temperature doesn’t kill them, Rats, Kagouti, Guar, and Alit all hunt them down endlessly, the pleading Fluffies of Morrowind are either all but extinct, or doomed to be soon…
But surprisingly, that is not the end of the Fluffy of Morrowind, or at least… Their beginning…
Records from House Telvanni show that Fluffies dotted the great sunken and destroyed Dwemer ruins, and had been apart of Dwemeri culture for hundreds of years. Thou strange, recordings and scriptures say that the Fluffy that were in contact with the Dwemeri were taken in, uplifted, and given a grander purpose. For some of you who know, the Dwemer constructs that roam their temples and factories all still move and work, even without their masters, that is because of the core, each and every construct has their own, from the common spider-bot, to the massive Colossus.
These Cores are the Dwemer’s own hand crafted Soul-Gems… Dwemer made, and forged.
And inside, are the remnants of Fluffies an their souls. each larger construct requiring more and more Fluffies to function. It could be considered that a Colossus carries 1 to 2 herds within it’s core alone.
Each Core, pushing and working, hoping for their masters to return and to be near them, to fix them…
To love them.
Black Marsh:
My home… A land that is more or less, a large dense swamp land, a lush and threatening land teeming with poisonous plants and violent predators. As one might think, not the greatest place for a Fluffy.
While history shows that Argonians were not the only sentient races that lived among the bogs and swamps, it also shows that Flufflies adapted to the harsh humid enviroment alongside the early Argonian, the Kothringi and the Lilmothiit.
The Black Marsh Fluffy became bowl-like, allowing them to cary their young and travel across the deeper parts of the swamps, and, the lucky brown or green ones, were almost always able to cross, while the multi-colored ones were snapped up and eaten by the aquatic death dealing predators of my home.
The Hist deemed the Fluffy a neutral being, one that could go and leave as it pleased, but were to be watched, just in case.
As time went on, and the Kothringi and Lilmothiit disapeared into history, the Argonian was left to fend and take after Black Marsh, and as the Hist had warned, the Argonian waited, and watched for the Fluffy to make it’s first move.
As much as they tried, they could never get within a few miles from the Eastern and northern borders of Black Marsh. All would be eaten, or taken by hunters and wildlife. Hackwings would dart from the sky and slaughter an entire heard of Feral Fluffys, Clif Striders would watch from the northern moutains that bordered Black Marsh and swallow Foals and Mare’s whole, leaving Stallions to panic and flee, only to be caught and eaten soon after.
Voriplasms are another horrible trap to Fluffies, large gelatinous and uncaring. To Fluffies, they look soft, and nice, but a Voriplasm can strip flesh from bone in seconds, and each poor Fluffy follows a horrid cycle of “Nyu Fwend? Huggies! Melts away in seconds, without a scream. Fwend huwties?! Huggies make feew bettah! Melts away in seconds, without a scream. Fwend Huwties?!-”
they can clear out entire herds within a few seconds.
Even the many species of frog can eat a fluffy whole! and Hist forgive the poor Fluffy if they encounter a Death Hopper…
Spear-Ants, Wraxu, Behemoths, Wamasu… The Entirety of Black Marsh is not a safe place for Fluffies, all will either be eaten or killed, taken and sold.
My home… Is no place for Fluffies.
Good.
Valenwood:
Fluffies are here… And they are not… Well they once were, but now only… One… remains…
Valenwood would seem the best place for a Fluffy. Dense forest, lush grass, and few natural predators, not counting the Crocodiles, Hoarvors, Thunderbugs, Giant Wasps, and Senche-Tigers…
While one would see this as a ideal place for the little vermin to populate… Most forget about the Wood Elves that live their, and the Wild Hunt…
their have only ever been three recorded Wild Hunts, the first was in the 1E, 369. Right in the Heart of Cyrodiil, the second was at the end of the second Era, in an unknown location, but some believe that was the cause of the Fluffy dispersing in Valenwood… The Third was during the 3E 397, the last recorded Wild Hunt in known history…
What most do not realize is that, despite the great power and form changing the Wood Elves posses, each Wild Hunt creates a Monster in Valenwood, the First Hunt created Willy the Bitten, The Second created King Dead Wolf-Deer. Both lived long and violent lives, all living up till the beginning of the Third Era…
But, pray tell, what does this ‘Wild Hunt’ have to do with Fluffies?
Each Wild Hunt created a monster…as the first two birthed monsters, so did the Third…
From the Third Wild Hunt, accounts say it arose from the ground, others that it fell from the Sky.
Researchers who have left to study it, have caused cataclysmic levels of damage in annoying the beast. All resulting in their death…
Onik-Viing-Dinok… The unholy amalgamation of Fluffy, and Deadric Titan - a Failed attempt of Molag Bal, trying to make his own Dragons. What some would call a Smarty, the inhabitants of Valenwood simply call it. Death. It’s four Wings, large and as black as it’s mixed coat of Scales and Fluff, are able to give this beast the ability to fly. From it’s fanged maw, rows and rows of razor sharp teeth open to spew Fire and Lightning at all who oppose it.
Personally, I am glad to be here in my new home of Skyrim, away from such beast of legend. Some say that the beast will learn of other lands, wanting to conquer them as well… Hist save us if that happens.
Hammerfell:
Sad to say, but Fluffies litter the land, but steer away from Hammerfell, It appears that… Well… They refer to it as the ‘Bigges’ Poopie Place’. While some would see that as a jab at the Redguard that call it their home, as Fluffies have an affinity for abusing brown foals for not being pretty, and would absolutely make that correlation, this is not the case at all.
The Redguard people congregate to the shores east of Hammerfell, living along it’s coast and the surrounding islands like Stros M’Kai. While most Fluffies avoid the land of Hammerfell, those who wander in, only to see the nomadic tribes that venture along the sands, are sometimes taken in by the nomads, and are genuinely loved and cared for, most see the land as a place to defecate and move on to the east or further south, while those who enter never leave, as they have adopted it as their home. The offspring of the nomadic Fluffies that are taken in, adjust well to the heat, and as they all move closer and closer to the east, they soon see the real Hammerfell…
As the majority of the land is tropical climate, Fluffies their have developed thin and softer coats, being able to better regulate the heat, some have even adopted panting, a tried and true way canines regulate their own internal temperature.
Like the People that dominate the land, the Fluffies that call Hammerfell home, have grown accustomed to ships, over years and years of sea faring, some even help take care of the ship, basic jobs of course, but still vital none the less, food guard, scraps cleaner, captain’s pet, etc, etc.
The sea faring Fluffies of Hammerfell are strange and beloved by it’s people.
But the ones forced to walk the tropical deserts, alone, not lucky enough to fine a tribe willing to take them in, are in constant danger. Dunerippers, Assassin Beetles, Giant Scorpions, Crocodiles, Jackals and Harpies. Giant Wasps, Lamias and Lions all call the sands their home, and will guard it with their lives, and unfortunately for the Fluffy, it does not put up a good fight against the predators of Hammerfell.
Summerset Isle:
Summerset Isle, sometimes just called Summerset, is a large island to the southwest of Tamriel’s mainland. It is the largest of the three main islands in the Summerset Isles, which encompasses over a dozen more smaller islands, so originally the common Fluffy would never have made it here… Without a little help of course.
During the sixth century of the Second Era, Queen Ayrenn, daughter of King Hidellith, formed the first Aldmeri Dominion, an alliance with Valenwood and Elsweyr. This first dominion allowed trade between the two lands, and of course, smuggling was bound to happen.
As Fluffies acme upon the shores of Summerset, they were greeted as vermin, and horrid ones at that.
It was common to see a dead Foal, hanging from a windowsill, a warning to any ferals who would try to enter unwelcome land. But while the Altmer threatened them, the fauna welcomed them. Indriks greeted them, allowing them passage thru the beautiful tree ridden Isles, there, the Fluffy thrived, evolving and, after quite a long time, began developing magics of their own. The Fluffies of the Summerset Isles became excellent druids, developing the ability to talk to the trees themselves.
Learning fast they soon had to defend themselves, as the Isles are teeming with Dire Wolves, Reef Vipers, and Yaghra Large and Small. As the Druidic Fluffies fended against the predators of Summerset, the found the magically inclined had an affinity Electricity, shocking and blowing away monsters left and right, The Little Druid Fluffies or, the Pinya Magis, developed a small alcove, a place hidden away from the claws of Griffons and the threats of Altmer.
Just south of Skywatch, you can find, and even barter with the Pinya Magis, as they mostly trade anything for food and things to keep their foals happy, one could easily walk away from the hub with enchanted items for dirt cheap.
Currently, the Alcove is a bustling small city, filled with gifted, nature loving Fluffies. They even have a steady trade with Skywatch and the northern Firsthold, and have developed a panel of Smarty Friends, all deciding what would be best for the Alcove.
There is rumors, warnings from the Pinya Magis, sightings of the Sload are reemerging more and more… The Altmer consider it a joke, or a msitake, thinking the Small Druids have been seeing larger Frogs… But… I wonder if the Fluffies eyes are true, that they have seen the likes of Sload… Those cursed, fat, abominations… I wonder if they could fight back against their return…
Currently, it is the the 4th Era, 198… As I finish my studies on these strange creatures, I hear of talk and rumors that my home, Skyrim, may be brewing trouble for the Empire… I write this, and pray, that the Hist watch over us, over the small, strange creatures that dot Tamriel… I pray that if war comes… Those who need protection may be blessed with it.
Written By, Otumos Geeltius of clan Adzi-Kostleel.