Lore:Weather Magic

A summoned Hurricane

Weather Magic (also known as Storm Magic and Air Magic) is magic that involves manipulating the weather. There are quite a few recorded instances of mortals altering the weather using magic.

Weather magic has never been an exact science because of the temperamental nature of what it seeks to control. Minor spells to conjure gusts of wind or forks of lightning are common, but manipulation of a region's climate is much more difficult to achieve. Maormer war wizards have longed for the ability to lower catastrophic hailstorms onto enemy borders as a preamble to invasion, or to halt a blizzard to make an unexpected march through inclement weather.

Although weather magic is sometimes attributed exclusively to certain races such as Maormer, everyone can learn how to manipulate weather.

Argonian

On the western shore of the Oliis Bay is an ancient calendar called the Xinchei-Konu Monument. It is a device from the Days of Stone-Nest that manipulates the weather for the benefit of the people; at least, that is one of its many abilities. The Argonians call it the "ku-vastei", which translates from Jel into the "catalyst of needed change". The tablets that make its calendar function depict each of the twelve months and the components for the ritual are brackish mud, deathly bloom, and wood from the Tree that Crumbles Stone.

Ayleids

The Ayleids along the coast of their empire used an artifact called the Sphere of Storms, which controlled the weather and manipulated the waves for a multitude of reasons. They mostly used it to protect the shoreline, water the local crops, and speed the waves for transport. While most of them have long since been forgotten, one in the ruins of Ilayas remains and is protected by the Stormwardens, an order of Bosmer lightning mages that protect the Strident Coast on Malabal Tor.

Druids

The Druids possess the ability to manipulate the weather using nature magic. The Gloomlantern is an example of this; created by the Deep Druids, this artifact is infamous among pirates for its ability to shroud a ship in a thick veil of fog. Circa 2E 582, the Ascendant Order used a druidic ritual to summon an unnatural storm targeting the three Alliance leaders as they approached High Isle for peace talks.

Dwemer

The Weather Witch in Bamz-Amschend

The Dwemer created machines called Weather Witches that are capable of manipulating the weather. They were created by the Dwemer at the height of their civilization.

Enchantment

A Prismatic Banner Ribbon

Enchanted ribbons that created localized rainbows, minor blizzard-creating mementos, and Clan Direnni devices that generated artificial aurora effects were accessible for use.

Harrowcraft

A Harrowstorm

Harrowstorms are arcane weather events created with a combination of the magic of the Icereach Coven and ancient vampire alchemy that appeared without too much warning, leaving death and destruction behind. The energies created by those storms were capable of instantly killing many people or transforming them into near-mindless shells known as harrowed, although others become feral vampires known as harrowfiends, but some who were in the vicinity of the storms were not always affected. The use of the ritual fetishes and alchemy needed to summon harrowstorms is known as harrowcraft.

Maormer

A man being sacrificed to power a Maormeri hurricane

A Conduit stone and "sudden storm"

The Maormer have many methods of using storm magic to obliterate their foes. One Stormreeve in the Second Era was able to unleash powerful gusts of wind and create twisters that could electrocute enemies on contact. The Maormer can whip up hurricanes with the intent to destroy entire fleets. They can do so with a ritual using serpent-shaped storm totems to siphon life energy from sacrifices marked with runes. Blood sacrifices such as these are only utilized when a summoner needs to rapidly accrue and release a lot of energy. The energy from the totems can be used to form powerful hurricanes, or it can be funneled into a storm atronach, which can only hold so much energy before it discorporates. Maormer mages can use wind energies to bind the creature until it performs its intended function. When it explodes, it releases a wave of energy that kills everything it touches, except for creatures with an affinity for storm energy, such as Thunderbugs.

Psijic Order

Members of the Psijic Order have been long-rumored to possess spells cast in the Old Way of magic that can bend the elements to the user's desire. There are recorded instances of sudden lightning and flash rain turning to small-scale blizzards along the coast of Artaeum. Ancient Maormer scholars believed it possible that instructional texts on the usage of such spells exist. The Psijic Order also created the powerful storm that annihilated Orgnum's fleet in 3E 110 during the War of the Isle.

Reachfolk

The Reachfolk Skyweaver Clan is known for their weatherworking skills. The Tale of the Sister Who Turned Her Skin Red, a Reachfolk legend, mentions the witch Tancia, who wielded powerful Air Magic. According to the tale, she was capable of feats, such as conjuring a whirlwind powerful enough to move a cart, making the clan's hunters as light as air, letting them walk into the sky and back down as easily as if climbing or descending a set of stairs, and even boiling the air to such temperatures to roast people alive.

Redguard

Redguards were known to be able to harness the powers of the air and sand associated with deserts. Magic wielded by Alik'r wizards was focused into reflection and purpose. Shifting sands and air are one of the key components not only of the desert, but of its natural magics.

Sheogorath

It is known that Sheogorath possesses a spell capable of changing the weather. However, this spell changes the weather according to his mood; the spell is unpredictable and it functions at Sheogorath's whim, no matter who casts it—meaning it functions entirely randomly. The Daedric Prince has previously taught the spell to mortals in his favor, allowing them to alter the climate of an entire region. There are stories of his followers trying to stymie flashfloods but summoning torrential rain instead, or trying to put out brush fires and feeding the flames with unwanted lightning storms, to Sheogorath's delight.

Sotha Sil

The Celestiodrome during the day

Sotha Sil created simplified simulations of the weather to emulate the climate of Nirn inside his Clockwork City. The systems and mechanisms employed to create these simulations are enormously complex.

The Clockwork City's celestiodrome is a glass sphere around the structure that functions as the realm's sky. It is capable of mimicking the day–night cycle. Sotha Sil achieved the proper humidity needed for a breathable atmosphere for his realm with the creation of the Halls of Regulation, which maintain the City's water cycle, breathable air, humidity, temperature, and wind currents, as well as creating drinkable water.

Thu'um

Dragons can summon storms with their shouts. Nordic Tongues could also wield the Thu'um, allowing them some mastery over the weather. Accounts of such abilities displayed by Tongues during the Dragon War include the power to diminish fogs, mists, and clouds with the sheer bravado of their shouts. According to Negil's "Dragons at Windhelm", an army of the Tongues was capable of foiling an airborne sneak attack by Dragons who sought to strike under the cover of storm clouds. Another use of the Thu'um allows for the creation of powerful tornadoes.

Tsaesci

The Tsaesci are believed to wield powerful arcane forces that can control the weather across vast regions. Numerous feats were accredited to the Tasaesci's magical aptitude. During Uriel V's failed invasion of Akavir in 2E 288, the Tsaesci altered the weather during the summer season and created the hot, dry wind that prevent rain from falling. This created a drought that caused the crops of their Imperial enemies to fail and dried up an entire river.

Wyrd

Wyrd elemental plumes were used to invoke elements of wind and air into swirling vortexes.