Lore:House Hlaalu

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Houses and manors are often rectangular in style.

As a result of its close relationship with the Imperial administration, House Hlaalu has emerged as politically and economically dominant among the Great Houses of Vvardenfell and Morrowind. Hlaalu welcomes Imperial culture and law, Imperial Legions and bureaucracy, and Imperial freedom of trade and religion. Hlaalu still honors the old Dunmer ways -- the ancestors, the Temple, and the noble houses -- but has readily adapted to the rapid pace of change and progress in the Imperial provinces. — Great Houses of Morrowind

In the great wind of progress, tradition cannot stand. Grasp fortune by the forelocks. When you see your chances, seize them. When you see a chance to turn a profit, take it. But do not follow money blindly. There is value in reputation, more than many young Hlaalu realize. This value must be carefully balanced against the more tangible coins in any deal. Theft and murder are bad for business. You can steal from someone, but will he trade with you after that? You can't bargain with a dead man. — Grasping Fortune

House Hlaalu can be characterized as opportunistic, any morals they might have come second to business. House Hlaalu is one of the five remaining Great Houses of the settled Dunmer, their House color is yellow. Its council seat is in Balmora, with other Hlaalu-run towns at Suran, Hla Oad and Gnaar Mok. Hlaalu public buildings — tradehouses and craft guilds, manors and council halls — are designed as simple multi-storied buildings roughly rectangular in plan, featuring arched entranceways and modest decorated exteriors. More modest one-story private dwellings follow the same plan, except with less decoration. Hlaalu plantation estates resemble Temple compounds, with walled precincts enclosing outbuildings for craftsmen and servants, dominated by a grand manor residence in place of a Temple shrine.

1 The opening of Vvardenfell
2 Lands and Titles
3 Other Business
4 See Also

Its main concern is business and profit. This is their great strength - they are fast talkers and intelligent traders - and their great liability; most Hlaalu are bribable, either with gold or with other favors, and their leaders are no exception. House Hlaalu retainers are also masters of thievery, sneaking, lock-picking, blackmailing and backstabbing, both literal and metaphorical. While some councilors will obviously be honest and fair, many are under-handed and corrupt.

[edit] The opening of Vvardenfell

Historically, House Hlaalu was rather insignificant in the set ways of Tribunal-ruled, pre-Imperial Morrowind. Its holdings were centered around the ancient capital of Narsis in the southern region of Morrowind, on the fertile Deshann Plain. House Hlaalu's influence and wealth changed rather dramatically after the Treaty of the Armistice.

Areas of Vvardenfell controlled by House Hlaalu (yellow areas).

[edit] Lands and Titles

After the Armistice the ruling Lord High Councilor of House Indoril was assassinated, and replaced by a Hlaalu noble. Furthermore the role of the figure-head King of Morrowind was also filled by a Hlaalu, first Queen Barenziah and after her abdication followed by her uncle King Athyn Llethan. After Llethan's death the ambitious and ruthless King Hlaalu Helseth took the throne. Vedam Dren, another well-known Hlaalu noble, is the current Duke of the Imperial District of Vvardenfell. House Hlaalu is on the surface the most in favor of the Empire of all Great Houses, with allies in all the Imperial trade guilds.

When previously Temple-owned land on Vvardenfell was opened up for exploration and settlement in 3E 414, Hlaalu managed to grab the lion-share of the best lands in the Ascadian isles, and also got awarded the charter to the rich ebony mines in Caldera.

[edit] Other Business

These titles and close connections to the Empire and the East Empire Company didn't stop leading Hlaalu from being involved in the Smuggling and Slavery business. If one looks beyond the surface, close ties to the local criminal organization Camonna Tong are evident. And they are very close ties; the Camonna Tong's kingpin Orvas Dren is the brother of Duke Vedam Dren, and Orvas directly controls two Councilors. While Vedam disapproves of his brother's activities he does nothing to stop them. Of course, the majority of Hlaalu members do not know about the connection between their House and the Camonna Tong, nor quite how important it is, and indeed hate and fear the syndicate - for the majority believe they are doing quite well from their trade with the Empire, and have no wish for armed rebellion to disrupt their economic stability.

On the outside, House Hlaalu is also strongly against slavery, no doubt a side-effect of its relation with the Empire, but, since Morrowind is conveniently exempt, use slaves on their plantation, and the Camonna Tong also deals in slaves via connections to House Dres. The Telvanni, because of the many double-standards, have a generically low opinion of House Hlaalu, preferring Redoran's spirit and courage over Hlaalu's profit hunger and dishonorable dealings. One low-profile but well-connected member of House Hlaalu however is not just an abolitionist but a leader within the Twin Lamps movement. That's Ilmeni Dren.

Hlaalu relationships with the other guilds of Morrowind are generally neutral with exceptions to the other Houses and the Thieves Guild with whom they are hostile, and the Ashlanders, their only enemy besides the Vampire clans.

Among the Great Houses, the Hlaalu are also the most friendly towards foreigners, outlanders and non-Dunmer in general. In fact, at the present time, they are the only Great House to have non-Dunmer on their council: senior positions are occupied by two humans, the Imperial-born Crassius Curio and the Nordic-born Yngling Half-Troll.