#lots of thoughts about knight enchanters/arcane warriors as living weapons

[hollytree33]

JUDGEMENT

Finally, her fourth and final card for Trespasser!!

1. The Hanged Man

2. The Chariot

3. The High Priestess

[scalecallerpeak]

Headcannon: Dremora Classes a Basic Overview

The Dremora class system is something that is only briefly talked about in lore and I’m using my own thoughts to fill in the blanks. This class system is not an economic based one as Dremora have a known social society, but it seems more likely their economy would be more trade based (food for food) between clans and gold seemingly having little purpose other than to wear. The classes are meritorial and every Dremora starts at the bottom.

Varlets, Churls and Caitiffs

Varlets

Despite the way Dremora talk about Churls and Varlets every dremora begins as a Varlet. Varlets are Dremora who just formed from the creatia for the first time. Essentially, they’re infants. While yes, all dremora start out fully formed and don’t have a ‘child’ stage this is basically it.

Varlets still have to learn they can often be physically distinguished by their smaller size and the softness of their primary horn rack. Varlets will have no Wisdom horns (secondary horn sets Dremora grow later) and their primary horn rack will be very ‘nubby’. Varlets are not often seen as it’s a stage they grow out of with in a year, and do not serve any use in battle because they don’t even understand the commands they are being given.

 Churls

There is a reason ‘churl’ is often hurled as an insult by older Dremora. This is because churl for dremora generally equates to ‘child’. Churls are young Dremora who have now figured out how to control their body, they can read and write and understand both Dremoric and Tamrielic.

Churls are mean and aggressive with a lot of energy. They’re rebellious teens combined with mean eight-year olds who know how to point out your insecurities. Churls are constantly fighting, getting into scrapes, their horns are fully hardened by this point so they’re often butting heads. It’s not uncommon for Churls to leave the clan at this stage and join another. They swear no oaths at this stage for this reason.

Churls seen in battle are often there because of their arrogance, they rush ahead without listening to the older Dremora and due to lack of training are easily defeated.

Caitiffs

Caitiffs are the stage in which Dremora begin to ‘calm down’ at this point they are generally assumed that they’ll stay with their clan and thus sworn into oath of Clan-Bond.  These Dremora generally begin a more specialized education in the form of apprenticeships and squires.

In battle Caitiffs are usually only present in battles that their elders believe they can gain experience from and win. Since while Dremora cannot permanently die, a clan with a large majority of its population in the darkness however will struggle. There is no limit to how long a Dremora will remain a Caififf as this is where the meritship really begins.

 Kynval and Kynreeves

Kynval

At Kynal a Dremora is generally seen as ‘graduated’ in their occupation. Most Dremora seen in battle are Kynval. Kynvals are not necessarily just warriors and to call them such would be a generalization of their fighting styles and other skills, some are healers, other different types of mages and others generally what you’d associate as more combat based like rouges and warriors.

A Kynval dremora is seen as fully mature and accountable for their actions by the Kyn.

Kynreeves

There is honestly not much difference than a Kynval and Kynreeve. A Kynreeve is seen as a much more experienced even master of their art in comparison to a Kynval. Kynreeves usually serve as teaches as well as their chosen profession and teach Caitiffs previously spoken about. Kynreeves may also goven a small patrol of Kynval, usually with the same occupation.

Kynmarchers and Clan Leaders

Kynmarchers

Kynmarchers are clan leaders. A Dremora must be at Kynmarcher level or higher to be officially recognized as a clean leader. If a lower rank challenges their clean leader in combat and wins they automatically become Kynmarcher upon victory.

Commonly clans only have one Kynmarcher and maybe some Kynreeves serving as second in commands. But cases have been recorded of multiple Kynmarchers leading one clan. Kynmarcher is the highest rank a Dremora can earn with in their clan.

In the event that a Kynmarcher is defeated by another Clan member in a challenge for leadership the Kynmarcher is given the choice on if they would like to remain in the clan or if they will leave the Clan. In most cases the former Clan Leader will choose to remain in the clan as they believe themselves to have been honourably bested. It is then the new Clan leader’s choice on if the former leader retains the rank of Kynmarcher or is demoted to a lesser rank such as Kynreeve.

Like all leader positions it is the Clan Leader’s responsibility to make sure the clan is cared for, has high moral and to provide any punishments in the event of oath breaking. A Kynmarcher must be bested in honourable combat or step down willingly to be demoded from Clan leader. Kynmarcher is the highest rank that a Dremora can earn via merit within the Clan.

Markynaz, Valkynaz and The Overkyn

The Overkyn

In terms of the Markyn and Valkyn they must be specifically chosen by their Overkyn, the overkyn is usually a daedric prince such as Mehrunes Dagon, but there are cases in witch Dremora clans serve such as a Demiprince or just very powerful daedra, in this they are the Overkyn.

 Markynaz

Despite common sources indicating that the Markyn and Valkyn are very different there’s really not much difference. Both Markyn and Valkyn serve as the Overkyn’s court however Valkyn also serve as bodyguards and direct servants to the Overkyn.

Markyn are court advisors, they help battle plan and advise the Overkyn. Markynaz are extremely powerful and just because they are shifted into an advisor position does not make them any less formidable. Markyn are often Clan Leaders but will leave a kynmarcher member in charge of the Clan while they are away in court.

Valkynaz

The Valkyn are seen as the highest rank a Dremora can achieve, singled out and appointed by the Overkyn. It’s a very rare title and most Daedric Princes have only less than a handful if any Valkyn. Valkyn are notoriously hard to defeat in battle and luckily are mostly confined to politics with the Markyn.

Valkyn are often clan leaders but will leave a kynmarcher member in charge of the clan while they are away in court. It is unknown if a clan can have both a Valkyn and a Markyn but it is deemed highly unlikely due to the rarity. A Valkyn or Markyn does not need to be a clan leader to achieve this rank however the two often corrilate.

Valkyn and Markyn often have to do something notoriously outstanding and note worthy to be acknowledged and summoned by their Overkyn.

Subclasses

As mentioned previously Dremora have multiple ranks within these levels. These sub classes are reserved for Kynval and Kynreeve usually. As the title of Kynmarcher and up tends to be more rewarding to say. The known ranks are as follows:

·        Baunekyn – A melee type of Dremora that usually uses two handed mauls. They appear to also know basic magic and or enchanting on their weapons.

·        Beldakyn – Commonly assumed to be labelled as a ‘dremora’. Knights, tanks, usually uses sword and shields.

·        Fearkyn – A type of illusion mage, usually Kynval level found primerally under Boethiah and their demiprince Fa-Nuit-Hen.

·        Feydnaz – Not much is known on the Feydnaz, but it assumed they are a magical engineer. They specialize in arcane focus and are known to be the ones who create and maintain sigil Stone before and after they are given to a Daedric Prince. While a portal mage can control the gates a Feydnaz actually maintains them.

·        Gandrakyn – Mistakenly assumed to be fire mages Grandrakyn are actually Healers. The mistake came from the fact the first records of Gandrakyn where from Daegonic Dremora. Gandrakyn in service to Mehrunes Dagon are commonly called ‘cauterizers’ by mortals because of the fire magic they are seen to use to defend themselves and is severe cases cauterize wounds. Gandrakyn seem to have their own in class class system and is head by a ‘head Gandrakyn’ sometimes called a Gandravalkyn “High Healer of the People”. Gandrakyn are seen in pretty much all clans universally.

·        Harstryl – Archers who commonly work with lesser daedra like Daedroth, Clanfears and Scamps.

·        Hauzkyn – Hauzkyn are strange in the sence that the meaning sort of differs between realms. It’s generally agreed they are a form of Necromaners while those in service to Mehrunes Dagon are generally more necro defenders while those in service to other realms tend to be more offensive.

·        Hunterkyn – Hunterkyn is not a true occupation and more of a part time one in Dremora society. Hunterkyn is generally a punisher for oath breakers. But when they are not punishing oath breakers they return to their normal lives. A Clan leader automatically becomes a Hunterkyn as well.

·        Kynbek – Kynbek is one of the few ranks seen as ‘bad’ and can be used as an insult or a mark of shame to most Dremora clans. Kynbek are dremora who have a very high Blood Rage, this goes under many names such as Red Rage, Blood Craze and so forth. In most realms this is treated as a bad thing as a dremora can very easily kill their clan mates just so. In Coldharbour this is more celebrated as Coldharbour dremora are practically disorganized rabble in comparison to say Daegonic Dremora.

·        Kyngalds – Fire mages specifically under Boethiah.

·        Kynlurkers – Another rouge type of Dremora, these often dual wield and travel solo. Though may work in groups coming at different angles and tend to ‘pick off’ around the edges of enemy troups.

·        Mafrekyn and Soldakyn – Both of these are frost mage classes. However, Mafrekyn appears to be Coldharbour specific dremora terminology.

·        Morikyn – Morikyn are storm mages.

·        Narkynaz – Narkynaz are Necromancers but they differ from being Hauzkyn in the sense that they are primarily mages, unlike Hauzkyn who either go unhanded or with a melee weapon. Narkynaz are generally assumed to be stronger necromancers than their Hauzkyn cousins.

·        Shadowkyn – A umbramancer mage.

·        Sunderer – A variant of a Kynlurker, in fact sometimes Kynlurkers are Sunderer’s. Sunderers are just assassins and could technically be any rank that kills politically. These are rare though and seen as dishonourable among daegonic dremora but are more commonly seen under Boethic Dremora and Coldharbour Dremora.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is all a mix of lore and personal Headcannon, it’s more a personal interpretation of what I think each Dremora rank (that we’ve seen) means. Feel free to ask any questions!