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<noinclude>{{Lore Gods Trail}}[[File:TR-creature-Almalexia 04.jpg|right|thumb|Lady Almalexia, as seen in Tribunal]]{{TOCright}}
:''"Ayem threw down her cloak and became the Face-Snaked Queen of the Three in One. Those that looked upon her were overcome by the meanings of the stars."'' — {{Lore Link|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 36|The 36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 36}}</noinclude>
{{Lore Link|Almalexia (god)|Almalexia}}, also known as '''Almalexia the Lover'''{{ref|name=TCOV|{{Cite book|The Cantatas of Vivec}}}}, '''Almalexia the Warden''',{{ref|name=Morrowind|Events of [[MW:Morrowind|Morrowind]]}} and '''Ayem''',{{ref|name=36L|{{Cite book|The 36 Lessons of Vivec}}}} {{Tense|was}} one of the three God-Kings who {{Tense|constituted}} the [[Lore:Tribunal|Tribunal]], or Almsivi, along with {{Lore Link|Vivec (god)|Vivec}} and {{Lore Link|Sotha Sil}}. She {{Tense|was}} very popular amongst the {{Lore Link|Dunmer}}, who {{Tense|called}} her "Healing Mother", "Lady of Mercy", and "Mother Morrowind". They {{Tense|knew}} her as the source of compassion, sympathy, and forgiveness, the protector of the poor and weak, and the patron of teachers and healers. She {{Tense|resided}} in the temple city of {{Lore Link|Mournhold}} within the city of {{Lore Link|Almalexia (city)|Almalexia}}, the capital of [[Lore:Morrowind|Morrowind]], and {{Tense|was}} closely associated with {{Lore Link|House Indoril}}. She {{Tense|was}} also the most personable of the Tribunal, and {{Tense|was}} well-known for walking amongst her people. As a mortal, she was the wife of Lord [[Lore:Nerevar|Indoril Nerevar]], {{Lore Link|First Council}}or of {{Lore Link|Resdayn}}. As a living god, she became the consort of Vivec,{{ref|name=Morrowind}} who associated her with the stars.{{ref|name=36L}}
Originally the counselors to Nerevar, the Tribunal came to power amongst the Dunmer following her husband's death at the {{Lore Link|Battle of Red Mountain}} circa {{Year|1E 700}}. Before his death, they swore oaths to Nerevar upon {{Lore Link|Azura}} that they'd never use the {{Lore Link|Kagrenac's Tools|Tools of Kagrenac}} on the {{Lore Link|Heart of Lorkhan}} in order to steal its divine essence for themselves. A few years later, Almalexia and her fellow Tribunes broke that oath to become living gods. This led to the transformation of the {{Lore Link|Chimer}} into the Dunmer, and the Tribunal became their immortal protectors, leaders, and gods.{{ref|name=TBORM|{{Cite book|The Battle of Red Mountain}}}}{{ref|name=KT|{{Cite book|Kagrenac's Tools (book)}}}} The truth of how they gained their divinity was covered up; according to the Heirographa, the orthodox public teachings of the {{Lore Link|Tribunal Temple}}, their divinity was a more spontaneous result of their supernatural virtue, discipline, wisdom, and insight.{{ref|name=POT|{{Cite book|Progress of Truth}}}}{{ref|name=FOTT|{{Cite book|Fellowship of the Temple}}}} <includeonly>For more information, see the [[Lore:Almalexia (god)|lore article]].</includeonly><noinclude>The power of Almalexia and the other Tribunes declined during their struggle with {{Lore Link|Dagoth Ur}} throughout the {{Lore Link|Third Era}}, and Almalexia eventually lost her mind along with her power. During the time of the {{Lore Link|Nerevarine Prophecies}} in {{Year|3E 427}}, she killed Sotha Sil and then died in a failed attempt to kill the {{Lore Link|Nerevarine}}.{{ref|name=Tribunal|Events of [[TR:Tribunal|Tribunal]]}}
==History==
[[File:TR-weapon-Hopesfire.jpg|thumb|right|Hopesfire, Almalexia's blade]]
Little is known of Almalexia before she became Nerevar's wife. Temple myth holds that on {{Lore Link|Mount Assarnibibi}}, {{Lore Link|Molag Bal}} oversaw the ninety-nine lovers of {{Lore Link|Boethiah}} who gave birth to her.{{ref|name=Morrowind}} She hailed from one of the {{Lore Link|Great Houses|Great Houses of Morrowind}}.{{ref|name=TWOTFC|{{Cite book|The War of the First Council}}}} Vivec's prose suggests she was already a ruler when she met Nerevar, who was working as a guard for a merchant caravan at the time.{{ref|name=36L}} Though Nerevar was a generation older than her,{{ref|name=MWVivec|[[MW:Vivec (god)|Vivec's]] dialogue in [[MW:Morrowind|Morrowind]].}} they eventually got married. The {{Lore Link|Dwemer}} king {{Lore Link|Dumac}}, who had become Nerevar's close friend, presented them with twin blades of the highest Dwemeri craftsmanship. Almalexia's was known as {{Lore Link|Hopesfire}}.{{ref|name=TRAlmalexia|[[Tribunal:Almalexia|Almalexia's]] dialogue in [[Tribunal:Tribunal|Tribunal]].}} Sources conflict on how her husband met his demise. Most attribute it to wounds he received during the Battle of {{Lore Link|Red Mountain}}. The {{Lore Link|Ashlanders}}, who rejected Tribunal worship, believe that Almalexia and her fellow Tribunes murdered her husband so he would not interfere with their plan to take divine power.{{ref|name=TBORM}}{{ref|name=NARM|{{Cite book|Nerevar at Red Mountain}}}}{{ref|name=VAM|{{Cite book|Vivec and Mephala}}}}
As soon as the Tribunal stole power from the Heart, Azura appeared and cursed them. The [[Lore:Daedric Princes|Daedric Prince]] issued the prophecy that the {{Lore Link|Nerevarine}} would return to punish them for breaking their oaths. When Sotha Sil waved off her omens, the Dunmer were created, and Azura gave a final prophecy: that the Dunmer would share the Tribunal's fate until the end of time. Though confused at first, the Dunmer (with the exception of Ashlanders) did come to accept the Tribunal as their new gods.{{ref|name=TBORM}} Theological concerns gave rise to the idea of the "Anticipations", the "Good {{Lore Link|Daedra}}" the Chimer had worshipped before the Tribunal's apotheosis (so while the Tribunal had once been mortal, and non-existent before that, their Anticipations were said to have guided the Chimer in their stead). The Good Daedra are those Princes of Oblivion who apparently acknowledged the Tribunal's authority over the Dunmer (as opposed to the Bad Daedra, spirits who did not accept the Tribunal). The Anticipation of Almalexia was {{Lore Link|Boethiah}}, Prince of Plots.{{ref|name=VAM}}{{ref|name=DD|{{Cite book|Darkest Darkness}}}}{{ref|name=TA|{{Cite book|The Anticipations}}}}{{ref|name=THOT|{{Cite book|The House of Troubles}}}}
===The Lady of Mercy===
Almalexia wielded her divine power for the protection and benefit of the Dunmer for thousands of years. Sotha Sil largely remained aloof and mysterious, but Almalexia and Vivec both took very active roles in leading their people throughout the {{Lore Link|First Era|First}} and {{Lore Link|Second Era|Second}} eras. Her acts of amazing power and kindness are countless. Her blessing was said to do extraordinary things, like protect a person infected with {{Lore Link|Corprus}} from suffering the disease's effects.{{ref|name=Morrowind}} {{Lore Link|Felms|Saint Felms the Bold}} is said to have been inspired by the voice of Almalexia in his head.{{ref|name=Morrowind}} The {{Lore Link|Hands of Almalexia}} were her personal guard, and were often called the greatest warriors in all of {{Lore Link|Tamriel}}.{{ref|name=Tribunal}} Like Vivec, she wrote extensively, though she focused on children's fables and similar works meant to nurture the morality of her people rather than Vivec's more cerebral, spiritual guidance.{{ref|name=TCOV}}{{ref|name=36L}}{{ref|name=HOBA|{{Cite book|Homilies of Blessed Almalexia}}}}{{ref|name=TBODAD|{{Cite book|The Book of Dawn and Dusk}}}}
[[File:ON-npc-Almalexia.jpg|thumb|right|Almalexia (ESO)]]
In {{Year|1E 2920}}, [[Lore:Mehrunes Dagon|Mehrunes Dagon]] destroyed the city of Mournhold. After an epic battle, he was defeated by Almalexia and Sotha Sil. This was portrayed in the historical fiction ''{{Lore Link|2920, The Last Year of the First Era}}'', which also suggested Almalexia foresaw in her dreams the end of the {{Lore Link|Four-Score War}}, as well as the end of the [[Lore:Reman Dynasty|Reman Dynasty]].
In {{Year|2E 572}}, Almalexia fought alongside {{Lore Link|Wulfharth}}, also known as the {{Lore Link|Underking}}, against [[Lore:Ada'Soom Dir-Kamal|Ada'Soom Dir-Kamal]] during an {{Lore Link|Akavir}}i invasion of northern Tamriel.{{ref|name=JTSK|{{Cite book|Jorunn the Skald-King (book)}}}}{{ref|name=MA|{{Cite book|Mysterious Akavir}}}} Sources seem to disagree on certain aspects of this conflict. ''{{Lore Link|Mysterious Akavir}}'' treats Morrowind as the target of the Akaviri invasion, though [[Lore:Skyrim|Skyrim]] was apparently the Akaviri's initial target. ''{{Lore Link|The Arcturian Heresy}}'' claims Almalexia was the one who summoned the Underking to fight alongside the Tribunal (even though in life, he had been one of their greatest enemies). ''{{Lore Link|Jorunn the Skald-King (book)|Jorunn the Skald-King}}'' contradicts this, crediting the {{Lore Link|Greybeards}} with summoning the Ash-King. The book also claims that Dir-Kamal's army was crushed by several Tamrielic military forces, not just the Dunmer army under Almalexia's command, and that this occurred at a place called {{Lore Link|Stonefalls}}. The other sources don't mention the {{Lore Link|Nord}}ic or {{Lore Link|Argonian}} forces which played roles, and ''Mysterious Akavir'' says Dir-Kamal was defeated at Red Mountain.
Following the Akaviri invasion, Almalexia was a strong supporter of the formation of the {{Lore Link|Ebonheart Pact}}. It was she who convinced the Great Houses (sans {{Lore Link|Telvanni}}) to join the Pact. During the {{Lore Link|Alliance War}} of {{Year|2E 582}}, {{Lore Link|Deshaan}} was threatened by a cult known as the {{Lore Link|Maulborn}}, who sought to topple the Tribunal and return the Dunmer to Daedra worship. They were led by {{Lore Link|Urili Vox|Magistrix Urili Vox}}, once a handmaiden of Almalexia who turned against her following her son's execution. The insurgents were ultimately put down.{{ref|Events of ESO}}
===The Return of Dagoth Ur===
In {{Year|2E 882}}, Dagoth Ur awoke beneath Red Mountain. The former Lord High Councilor of {{Lore Link|House Dagoth}} had been thought dead, but through unknown means, he had actually forged his own connection to the Heart of Lorkhan, drawing divine power from it just like the Tribunal did, and was merely sleeping. When the Tribunal arrived at the mountain for their annual ritual bath to replenish their power, Dagoth Ur and his minions attacked them and drove them away, decisively cutting them off from access to the Heart.{{ref|name=DUP|{{Cite book|Dagoth Ur's Plans}}}} The Tribunal would spend almost four hundred fifty years, virtually all of the Third Era, slowly losing ground to him. Their preoccupation with what had become the Devil Incarnate for the Dunmer people is perhaps one reason why Vivec avoided war with {{Lore Link|Tiber Septim}} and signed the {{Lore Link|Armistice}}, making Morrowind an autonomous province of the {{Lore Link|Third Empire}}.{{ref|name=OM|{{Cite book|On Morrowind}}}}
With the advent of Imperial rule in Morrowind, Mournhold became a town of two minds: there was the monarchy led by the Imperial-appointed king, and the Temple led by Almalexia. While there has been no open hostility between the two, there were always undercurrents of tension.{{ref|name=TRBarenziah|[[TR:Barenziah|Barenziah's]] dialogue in [[TR:Tribunal|Tribunal]].}} The power mainly stayed with the Temple, and the monarchy seemed to acquiesce to this reality (the king was, after all, the vassal ruler of the Empire, and Morrowind had retained its autonomy under the terms of the Armistice).{{ref|name=Tribunal}}{{ref|name=OM}} However, many feared the violence that would ensue should the king ever attempt to challenge Almalexia's authority.{{ref|name=Tribunal}}
The Tribunal made seasonal campaigns to Red Mountain, and slew Dagoth Ur and his kin, the {{Lore Link|Ash Vampire|ash vampires}}, though the Heart always revived them in time. Almalexia had always had a tendency to brood, and without access to the Heart of Lorkhan, her divinity ebbed.{{ref|name=MWVivec}} This weighed heavily on her,{{ref|name=MWVivec}} and she became a harsher, more unsympathetic patron.{{ref|name=Tribunal}} She stopped walking among her people around {{Year|3E 377}}.{{ref|name=TRGalsa|[[TR:Galsa Andrano|Galsa Andrano's]] dialogue in [[TR:Tribunal|Tribunal]].}}
When the Tribunal realized they couldn't defeat Dagoth Ur, they built the {{Lore Link|Ghostfence|Great Ghostfence}} to contain him around {{Year|3E 417}}.{{ref|name=MWVivec}}{{ref|name=TRMehra|[[TR:Mehra Helas|Mehra Helas']] dialogue in [[TR:Tribunal|Tribunal]].}} This seemed to work, until Almalexia and Sotha Sil were attacked during a campaign and lost two of the Tools of Kagrenac, {{Lore Link|Sunder}} and {{Lore Link|Keening}}.{{ref|name=MWVivec}} Though Vivec rescued his fellow Tribunes, the Tools were lost, and both the real impact of their loss and what it signified proved crippling.{{ref|name=Tribunal}} Almalexia and Vivec stopped communicating. Vivec grew concerned that she would pose a danger to herself and others, and might even try to harm him.{{ref|name=MWVivec}} Almalexia ceased appearing in public altogether,{{ref|name=TRMehra}} and the incident was the last known time Sotha Sil was seen alive. Vivec was left to spearhead the fight against Dagoth Ur alone.{{ref|name=DUP}}{{ref|name=PTDDU|{{Cite book|Plan to Defeat Dagoth Ur}}}} The Tribunal was undone.
[[File:LO-npc-Almalexia 01.jpg|right|thumb|Almalexia in her War Headdress]]
===The Death of Almalexia===
Almalexia had changed. Those few who still saw her noticed that she had begun to act more like a warrior queen than the Lady of Mercy.{{ref|name=TREffe|[[TR:Effe-Tei|Effe-Tei's]] dialogue in [[TR:Tribunal|Tribunal]].}} Those closest to her knew that she had turned into a whole different person, one who was obsessed with maintaining power at the expense of everything else.{{ref|name=TRSalas|[[TR:Salas Valor|Salas Valor's]] dialogue in [[TR:Tribunal|Tribunal]].}} In lieu of divine power, Almalexia exploited her knowledge of ancient and powerful relics to inflict terrible punishments on her people for what she perceived as their lack of faith, such as by using Dwemeri machinery to cover her capital city in ash storms. But in her madness, she concocted a new goal: to become the one true god of the Dunmer, uniting all of her people under one faith and authority - and destroying any who interfered.{{ref|name=TRAlmalexia}} When the Nerevarine came to Mournhold after Dagoth Ur's fall in {{Year|3E 427}}, Almalexia sought to trick, entrap, and destroy him as part of this plot. She first turned on [[Lore:Sotha Sil|Sotha Sil]] and slew him in his [[Lore:Clockwork City|Clockwork City]], then unleashed its mechanical inhabitants into her own city in order to frame her old friend. Her ruse lured the Nerevarine to Sotha Sil's legendary home, where she hoped that the reincarnation of her husband would be killed by the inhabitants. When the Nerevarine persevered, Almalexia tried to finish the job herself. But her powers failed her, and she died at the Nerevarine's hand in the Clockwork City.{{ref|name=Tribunal}} Though Almalexia would call Vivec a fool in her final hours,{{ref|name=TRAlmalexia}} Vivec, the last remaining Tribune,{{ref|name=TRAzura|Azura's dialogue in [[TR:Tribunal|Tribunal]].}} only held pity for his fallen, deranged lover.{{ref|name=MWVivec}}
By {{Year|4E 201}}, the last vestiges of Almalexia's marks were gone from Mournhold.{{ref|name=TMFN|{{Cite book|To Milore from Nilara|ns=Dragonborn}}}} The Dunmer returned to the veneration of Boethiah, now called one of the "Reclamations", and managed to make their way without their Healing Mother watching over them. Almalexia is still remembered and honored as one of the greater saints of the Dunmeri faith,{{ref|name=TR|{{Cite book|The Reclamations}}}} but not one who was ever supposed to be one of the cornerstones of the religion.{{ref|name=DBGaldrus|[[DB:Galdrus Hlervu|Galdrus Hlervu's]] dialogue in [[DB:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]].}}
According to Azura, the death of Almalexia was a boon for all of Morrowind, even if the people didn't understand it at the time. The Daedric Prince professed that the Lady of Mercy would have betrayed the Dunmer as surely as she had betrayed all those she loved, for this was her true curse.{{ref|name=TRAzura}}
==See Also==
* For game-specific information, see the [[Tribunal:Almalexia|Tribunal]] and [[Online:Almalexia|Online]] articles.
===Books===
* {{Book Link|2920, The Last Year of the First Era}}
* {{Book Link|The 36 Lessons of Vivec}}
* {{Book Link|The Anticipations}}
* {{Book Link|Homilies of Blessed Almalexia}}
* {{Book Link|The Reclamations}}
* {{Book Link|Varieties of Faith...}}
==References==
<references/>
{{Aedra and Daedra}}</noinclude>
:''"Ayem threw down her cloak and became the Face-Snaked Queen of the Three in One. Those that looked upon her were overcome by the meanings of the stars."'' — {{Lore Link|36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 36|The 36 Lessons of Vivec, Sermon 36}}</noinclude>
{{Lore Link|Almalexia (god)|Almalexia}}, also known as '''Almalexia the Lover'''{{ref|name=TCOV|{{Cite book|The Cantatas of Vivec}}}}, '''Almalexia the Warden''',{{ref|name=Morrowind|Events of [[MW:Morrowind|Morrowind]]}} and '''Ayem''',{{ref|name=36L|{{Cite book|The 36 Lessons of Vivec}}}} {{Tense|was}} one of the three God-Kings who {{Tense|constituted}} the [[Lore:Tribunal|Tribunal]], or Almsivi, along with {{Lore Link|Vivec (god)|Vivec}} and {{Lore Link|Sotha Sil}}. She {{Tense|was}} very popular amongst the {{Lore Link|Dunmer}}, who {{Tense|called}} her "Healing Mother", "Lady of Mercy", and "Mother Morrowind". They {{Tense|knew}} her as the source of compassion, sympathy, and forgiveness, the protector of the poor and weak, and the patron of teachers and healers. She {{Tense|resided}} in the temple city of {{Lore Link|Mournhold}} within the city of {{Lore Link|Almalexia (city)|Almalexia}}, the capital of [[Lore:Morrowind|Morrowind]], and {{Tense|was}} closely associated with {{Lore Link|House Indoril}}. She {{Tense|was}} also the most personable of the Tribunal, and {{Tense|was}} well-known for walking amongst her people. As a mortal, she was the wife of Lord [[Lore:Nerevar|Indoril Nerevar]], {{Lore Link|First Council}}or of {{Lore Link|Resdayn}}. As a living god, she became the consort of Vivec,{{ref|name=Morrowind}} who associated her with the stars.{{ref|name=36L}}
Originally the counselors to Nerevar, the Tribunal came to power amongst the Dunmer following her husband's death at the {{Lore Link|Battle of Red Mountain}} circa {{Year|1E 700}}. Before his death, they swore oaths to Nerevar upon {{Lore Link|Azura}} that they'd never use the {{Lore Link|Kagrenac's Tools|Tools of Kagrenac}} on the {{Lore Link|Heart of Lorkhan}} in order to steal its divine essence for themselves. A few years later, Almalexia and her fellow Tribunes broke that oath to become living gods. This led to the transformation of the {{Lore Link|Chimer}} into the Dunmer, and the Tribunal became their immortal protectors, leaders, and gods.{{ref|name=TBORM|{{Cite book|The Battle of Red Mountain}}}}{{ref|name=KT|{{Cite book|Kagrenac's Tools (book)}}}} The truth of how they gained their divinity was covered up; according to the Heirographa, the orthodox public teachings of the {{Lore Link|Tribunal Temple}}, their divinity was a more spontaneous result of their supernatural virtue, discipline, wisdom, and insight.{{ref|name=POT|{{Cite book|Progress of Truth}}}}{{ref|name=FOTT|{{Cite book|Fellowship of the Temple}}}} <includeonly>For more information, see the [[Lore:Almalexia (god)|lore article]].</includeonly><noinclude>The power of Almalexia and the other Tribunes declined during their struggle with {{Lore Link|Dagoth Ur}} throughout the {{Lore Link|Third Era}}, and Almalexia eventually lost her mind along with her power. During the time of the {{Lore Link|Nerevarine Prophecies}} in {{Year|3E 427}}, she killed Sotha Sil and then died in a failed attempt to kill the {{Lore Link|Nerevarine}}.{{ref|name=Tribunal|Events of [[TR:Tribunal|Tribunal]]}}
==History==
[[File:TR-weapon-Hopesfire.jpg|thumb|right|Hopesfire, Almalexia's blade]]
Little is known of Almalexia before she became Nerevar's wife. Temple myth holds that on {{Lore Link|Mount Assarnibibi}}, {{Lore Link|Molag Bal}} oversaw the ninety-nine lovers of {{Lore Link|Boethiah}} who gave birth to her.{{ref|name=Morrowind}} She hailed from one of the {{Lore Link|Great Houses|Great Houses of Morrowind}}.{{ref|name=TWOTFC|{{Cite book|The War of the First Council}}}} Vivec's prose suggests she was already a ruler when she met Nerevar, who was working as a guard for a merchant caravan at the time.{{ref|name=36L}} Though Nerevar was a generation older than her,{{ref|name=MWVivec|[[MW:Vivec (god)|Vivec's]] dialogue in [[MW:Morrowind|Morrowind]].}} they eventually got married. The {{Lore Link|Dwemer}} king {{Lore Link|Dumac}}, who had become Nerevar's close friend, presented them with twin blades of the highest Dwemeri craftsmanship. Almalexia's was known as {{Lore Link|Hopesfire}}.{{ref|name=TRAlmalexia|[[Tribunal:Almalexia|Almalexia's]] dialogue in [[Tribunal:Tribunal|Tribunal]].}} Sources conflict on how her husband met his demise. Most attribute it to wounds he received during the Battle of {{Lore Link|Red Mountain}}. The {{Lore Link|Ashlanders}}, who rejected Tribunal worship, believe that Almalexia and her fellow Tribunes murdered her husband so he would not interfere with their plan to take divine power.{{ref|name=TBORM}}{{ref|name=NARM|{{Cite book|Nerevar at Red Mountain}}}}{{ref|name=VAM|{{Cite book|Vivec and Mephala}}}}
As soon as the Tribunal stole power from the Heart, Azura appeared and cursed them. The [[Lore:Daedric Princes|Daedric Prince]] issued the prophecy that the {{Lore Link|Nerevarine}} would return to punish them for breaking their oaths. When Sotha Sil waved off her omens, the Dunmer were created, and Azura gave a final prophecy: that the Dunmer would share the Tribunal's fate until the end of time. Though confused at first, the Dunmer (with the exception of Ashlanders) did come to accept the Tribunal as their new gods.{{ref|name=TBORM}} Theological concerns gave rise to the idea of the "Anticipations", the "Good {{Lore Link|Daedra}}" the Chimer had worshipped before the Tribunal's apotheosis (so while the Tribunal had once been mortal, and non-existent before that, their Anticipations were said to have guided the Chimer in their stead). The Good Daedra are those Princes of Oblivion who apparently acknowledged the Tribunal's authority over the Dunmer (as opposed to the Bad Daedra, spirits who did not accept the Tribunal). The Anticipation of Almalexia was {{Lore Link|Boethiah}}, Prince of Plots.{{ref|name=VAM}}{{ref|name=DD|{{Cite book|Darkest Darkness}}}}{{ref|name=TA|{{Cite book|The Anticipations}}}}{{ref|name=THOT|{{Cite book|The House of Troubles}}}}
===The Lady of Mercy===
Almalexia wielded her divine power for the protection and benefit of the Dunmer for thousands of years. Sotha Sil largely remained aloof and mysterious, but Almalexia and Vivec both took very active roles in leading their people throughout the {{Lore Link|First Era|First}} and {{Lore Link|Second Era|Second}} eras. Her acts of amazing power and kindness are countless. Her blessing was said to do extraordinary things, like protect a person infected with {{Lore Link|Corprus}} from suffering the disease's effects.{{ref|name=Morrowind}} {{Lore Link|Felms|Saint Felms the Bold}} is said to have been inspired by the voice of Almalexia in his head.{{ref|name=Morrowind}} The {{Lore Link|Hands of Almalexia}} were her personal guard, and were often called the greatest warriors in all of {{Lore Link|Tamriel}}.{{ref|name=Tribunal}} Like Vivec, she wrote extensively, though she focused on children's fables and similar works meant to nurture the morality of her people rather than Vivec's more cerebral, spiritual guidance.{{ref|name=TCOV}}{{ref|name=36L}}{{ref|name=HOBA|{{Cite book|Homilies of Blessed Almalexia}}}}{{ref|name=TBODAD|{{Cite book|The Book of Dawn and Dusk}}}}
[[File:ON-npc-Almalexia.jpg|thumb|right|Almalexia (ESO)]]
In {{Year|1E 2920}}, [[Lore:Mehrunes Dagon|Mehrunes Dagon]] destroyed the city of Mournhold. After an epic battle, he was defeated by Almalexia and Sotha Sil. This was portrayed in the historical fiction ''{{Lore Link|2920, The Last Year of the First Era}}'', which also suggested Almalexia foresaw in her dreams the end of the {{Lore Link|Four-Score War}}, as well as the end of the [[Lore:Reman Dynasty|Reman Dynasty]].
In {{Year|2E 572}}, Almalexia fought alongside {{Lore Link|Wulfharth}}, also known as the {{Lore Link|Underking}}, against [[Lore:Ada'Soom Dir-Kamal|Ada'Soom Dir-Kamal]] during an {{Lore Link|Akavir}}i invasion of northern Tamriel.{{ref|name=JTSK|{{Cite book|Jorunn the Skald-King (book)}}}}{{ref|name=MA|{{Cite book|Mysterious Akavir}}}} Sources seem to disagree on certain aspects of this conflict. ''{{Lore Link|Mysterious Akavir}}'' treats Morrowind as the target of the Akaviri invasion, though [[Lore:Skyrim|Skyrim]] was apparently the Akaviri's initial target. ''{{Lore Link|The Arcturian Heresy}}'' claims Almalexia was the one who summoned the Underking to fight alongside the Tribunal (even though in life, he had been one of their greatest enemies). ''{{Lore Link|Jorunn the Skald-King (book)|Jorunn the Skald-King}}'' contradicts this, crediting the {{Lore Link|Greybeards}} with summoning the Ash-King. The book also claims that Dir-Kamal's army was crushed by several Tamrielic military forces, not just the Dunmer army under Almalexia's command, and that this occurred at a place called {{Lore Link|Stonefalls}}. The other sources don't mention the {{Lore Link|Nord}}ic or {{Lore Link|Argonian}} forces which played roles, and ''Mysterious Akavir'' says Dir-Kamal was defeated at Red Mountain.
Following the Akaviri invasion, Almalexia was a strong supporter of the formation of the {{Lore Link|Ebonheart Pact}}. It was she who convinced the Great Houses (sans {{Lore Link|Telvanni}}) to join the Pact. During the {{Lore Link|Alliance War}} of {{Year|2E 582}}, {{Lore Link|Deshaan}} was threatened by a cult known as the {{Lore Link|Maulborn}}, who sought to topple the Tribunal and return the Dunmer to Daedra worship. They were led by {{Lore Link|Urili Vox|Magistrix Urili Vox}}, once a handmaiden of Almalexia who turned against her following her son's execution. The insurgents were ultimately put down.{{ref|Events of ESO}}
===The Return of Dagoth Ur===
In {{Year|2E 882}}, Dagoth Ur awoke beneath Red Mountain. The former Lord High Councilor of {{Lore Link|House Dagoth}} had been thought dead, but through unknown means, he had actually forged his own connection to the Heart of Lorkhan, drawing divine power from it just like the Tribunal did, and was merely sleeping. When the Tribunal arrived at the mountain for their annual ritual bath to replenish their power, Dagoth Ur and his minions attacked them and drove them away, decisively cutting them off from access to the Heart.{{ref|name=DUP|{{Cite book|Dagoth Ur's Plans}}}} The Tribunal would spend almost four hundred fifty years, virtually all of the Third Era, slowly losing ground to him. Their preoccupation with what had become the Devil Incarnate for the Dunmer people is perhaps one reason why Vivec avoided war with {{Lore Link|Tiber Septim}} and signed the {{Lore Link|Armistice}}, making Morrowind an autonomous province of the {{Lore Link|Third Empire}}.{{ref|name=OM|{{Cite book|On Morrowind}}}}
With the advent of Imperial rule in Morrowind, Mournhold became a town of two minds: there was the monarchy led by the Imperial-appointed king, and the Temple led by Almalexia. While there has been no open hostility between the two, there were always undercurrents of tension.{{ref|name=TRBarenziah|[[TR:Barenziah|Barenziah's]] dialogue in [[TR:Tribunal|Tribunal]].}} The power mainly stayed with the Temple, and the monarchy seemed to acquiesce to this reality (the king was, after all, the vassal ruler of the Empire, and Morrowind had retained its autonomy under the terms of the Armistice).{{ref|name=Tribunal}}{{ref|name=OM}} However, many feared the violence that would ensue should the king ever attempt to challenge Almalexia's authority.{{ref|name=Tribunal}}
The Tribunal made seasonal campaigns to Red Mountain, and slew Dagoth Ur and his kin, the {{Lore Link|Ash Vampire|ash vampires}}, though the Heart always revived them in time. Almalexia had always had a tendency to brood, and without access to the Heart of Lorkhan, her divinity ebbed.{{ref|name=MWVivec}} This weighed heavily on her,{{ref|name=MWVivec}} and she became a harsher, more unsympathetic patron.{{ref|name=Tribunal}} She stopped walking among her people around {{Year|3E 377}}.{{ref|name=TRGalsa|[[TR:Galsa Andrano|Galsa Andrano's]] dialogue in [[TR:Tribunal|Tribunal]].}}
When the Tribunal realized they couldn't defeat Dagoth Ur, they built the {{Lore Link|Ghostfence|Great Ghostfence}} to contain him around {{Year|3E 417}}.{{ref|name=MWVivec}}{{ref|name=TRMehra|[[TR:Mehra Helas|Mehra Helas']] dialogue in [[TR:Tribunal|Tribunal]].}} This seemed to work, until Almalexia and Sotha Sil were attacked during a campaign and lost two of the Tools of Kagrenac, {{Lore Link|Sunder}} and {{Lore Link|Keening}}.{{ref|name=MWVivec}} Though Vivec rescued his fellow Tribunes, the Tools were lost, and both the real impact of their loss and what it signified proved crippling.{{ref|name=Tribunal}} Almalexia and Vivec stopped communicating. Vivec grew concerned that she would pose a danger to herself and others, and might even try to harm him.{{ref|name=MWVivec}} Almalexia ceased appearing in public altogether,{{ref|name=TRMehra}} and the incident was the last known time Sotha Sil was seen alive. Vivec was left to spearhead the fight against Dagoth Ur alone.{{ref|name=DUP}}{{ref|name=PTDDU|{{Cite book|Plan to Defeat Dagoth Ur}}}} The Tribunal was undone.
[[File:LO-npc-Almalexia 01.jpg|right|thumb|Almalexia in her War Headdress]]
===The Death of Almalexia===
Almalexia had changed. Those few who still saw her noticed that she had begun to act more like a warrior queen than the Lady of Mercy.{{ref|name=TREffe|[[TR:Effe-Tei|Effe-Tei's]] dialogue in [[TR:Tribunal|Tribunal]].}} Those closest to her knew that she had turned into a whole different person, one who was obsessed with maintaining power at the expense of everything else.{{ref|name=TRSalas|[[TR:Salas Valor|Salas Valor's]] dialogue in [[TR:Tribunal|Tribunal]].}} In lieu of divine power, Almalexia exploited her knowledge of ancient and powerful relics to inflict terrible punishments on her people for what she perceived as their lack of faith, such as by using Dwemeri machinery to cover her capital city in ash storms. But in her madness, she concocted a new goal: to become the one true god of the Dunmer, uniting all of her people under one faith and authority - and destroying any who interfered.{{ref|name=TRAlmalexia}} When the Nerevarine came to Mournhold after Dagoth Ur's fall in {{Year|3E 427}}, Almalexia sought to trick, entrap, and destroy him as part of this plot. She first turned on [[Lore:Sotha Sil|Sotha Sil]] and slew him in his [[Lore:Clockwork City|Clockwork City]], then unleashed its mechanical inhabitants into her own city in order to frame her old friend. Her ruse lured the Nerevarine to Sotha Sil's legendary home, where she hoped that the reincarnation of her husband would be killed by the inhabitants. When the Nerevarine persevered, Almalexia tried to finish the job herself. But her powers failed her, and she died at the Nerevarine's hand in the Clockwork City.{{ref|name=Tribunal}} Though Almalexia would call Vivec a fool in her final hours,{{ref|name=TRAlmalexia}} Vivec, the last remaining Tribune,{{ref|name=TRAzura|Azura's dialogue in [[TR:Tribunal|Tribunal]].}} only held pity for his fallen, deranged lover.{{ref|name=MWVivec}}
By {{Year|4E 201}}, the last vestiges of Almalexia's marks were gone from Mournhold.{{ref|name=TMFN|{{Cite book|To Milore from Nilara|ns=Dragonborn}}}} The Dunmer returned to the veneration of Boethiah, now called one of the "Reclamations", and managed to make their way without their Healing Mother watching over them. Almalexia is still remembered and honored as one of the greater saints of the Dunmeri faith,{{ref|name=TR|{{Cite book|The Reclamations}}}} but not one who was ever supposed to be one of the cornerstones of the religion.{{ref|name=DBGaldrus|[[DB:Galdrus Hlervu|Galdrus Hlervu's]] dialogue in [[DB:Dragonborn|Dragonborn]].}}
According to Azura, the death of Almalexia was a boon for all of Morrowind, even if the people didn't understand it at the time. The Daedric Prince professed that the Lady of Mercy would have betrayed the Dunmer as surely as she had betrayed all those she loved, for this was her true curse.{{ref|name=TRAzura}}
==See Also==
* For game-specific information, see the [[Tribunal:Almalexia|Tribunal]] and [[Online:Almalexia|Online]] articles.
===Books===
* {{Book Link|2920, The Last Year of the First Era}}
* {{Book Link|The 36 Lessons of Vivec}}
* {{Book Link|The Anticipations}}
* {{Book Link|Homilies of Blessed Almalexia}}
* {{Book Link|The Reclamations}}
* {{Book Link|Varieties of Faith...}}
==References==
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{{Aedra and Daedra}}</noinclude>