#tes apocrypha

(The following is the end result of what can only be described as brainworms. This is the resolution of my brainworms with regards to the infamous Arcturian Heresy. It is my attempt to resolve its internal contradictions with. You can find the original post on the teslore subreddit, here. In addition, I put it on AO3, so it has a permanent place to reside. You can find that here.)

Account of the Battlemage

Testimony of the Founder of the Empire, Zurin Arctus, the Underking

In High Rock, Zurin Arctus is born at a certain time to uncertain parents. He is raised in the Breton manner, learning magic and chivalry and history. He has talent in the Art, but he does not have a purpose.

In the closing days of the Second Era, he hears the Greybeards Shout. The world is broken, and it is time to put it back together again. But Zurin does not yet know his purpose. It passes through his mind like a dream, implanting a sense of destiny without explaining it. He continues to live in the world, but now that he knows it is broken, it is not the same.

As Zurin walked through a field, he felt an ashen wind. He turned to look upon it, and saw the form of a King in Ash. I am Wulfharth, he proclaims, the Underking (not Zurin Arctus). And Zurin trembles, for he sees the Soul of Man inside Wulfharth. He sees himself, he sees a man Breathe Royalty and turn jungles into paradise, and he sees a Star-Made Knight driven mad by the weight of Prophecy. He sees that he is Talos Stormcrown, but so are many others. But it is too much, and he forgets, only remembering one name: Ysmir.

The Ash-King remains with him, an invisible ally, whispering and urging Zurin forward. Seeking his destiny, he joins the court of the pretender-emperor Cuhlecain, who declares him Grand Battlemage. But it is not Cuhlecain that he serves.

He sees a man standing by Cuhlecain, a Breton with Nordic features. His name is Hjalti Early-Beard. And Zurin remembers, and sees that he is Ysmir, just as Wulfharth is Ysmir, just as Zurin is Ysmir. Just as the Star-Made Knight was Ysmir. He falls to his knees and weeps, as the Underking leaves him to join Hjalti.

From here, Zurin and Wulfharth are united in service. They know that Hjalti will usher in a new age of Man. Wulfharth speaks of destroying Mer and realizing Shor's vision. Zurin does not think much of this. To him, it is only unity that matters. Only Hjalti that matters.

At the gates of Old Hrol'dan, Zurin watched as arrows flew towards Hjalti. He trembled and shouted, fearing the end of their dream. But Hjalti had no fear. Hjalti Shouted, and as he did, the Underking flew to his side. Others saw only storm and wind, as if Kyne herself were protecting the general. But Zurin saw the Underking. Zurin saw Wulfharth, and he saw that he and Hjalti were Two-Become-One. His troops proclaimed him Talos, or Stormcrown, ruler of the Wind.

Hjalti finally takes notice of Zurin Arctus, and they converse. In each other, they see kindred spirits. Zurin comes to love Hjalti, and knows he is the one to save Tamriel, to repair what is broken. Hjalti sees in Zurin a useful tool, one who can take blame for what must come next. Wulfharth whispers to both that the Cuhlecain has lost his usefulness.

Thus, after taking the Imperial City, Zurin Arctus arranges for Cuhlecain's death. How it is done is forgotten, but perhaps it was Wulfharth, always eager to do dark deeds in service of destiny. Zurin crowns Hjalti Emperor of Cyrodiil, and he takes a new name for his new people: Tiber Septim. A fiction is crafted. To the Nords, he is the last King of Atmora. Wulfharth spreads this in the hearts and minds of the Nords, appearing in dreams. To the Cyrods, he is a Colovian warlord of virtue and honor. Zurin Arctus ensures this fiction is believed. The Breto-Nordic Hjalti is erased.

The realms of man are united. Skyrim and High Rock fall easily, almost willing to serve this future Man-God. Hammerfell is more difficult. Wulfharth, who appears as Tiber Septim, is the hard fist of the Empire. When diplomacy fails, he is the leader of the Legions. Septim is the mastermind, using cunning and diplomacy to achieve his ends. Zurin feels as though he is going mad, for only he can see that they are different. And yet his mind still knows they are the same. His obsession with Septim deepens.

Wulfharth declares he will have vengeance on the Mer-Gods of the East, the Tribunal. Septim is not sure. He does not think a war with Morrowind is worth it. Not even Reman Cyrodiil could conquer Resdayn, and he thinks it is not worth it. But Zurin Arctus is as obsessed as Wulfharth, for different reasons. He knew the secret of godhood was found in Morrowind, in ancient ruins of the dwarf-folk.

Together, Wulfharth and Arctus convince Septim to invade. The war is hard fought, and in the end, an Armistice is reached. Zurin thinks this is good; they got what they needed. Septim got his Ebony, and Zurin now has access to the ruins of the Dwemer. But Wulfharth wanted only to destroy the Tribunal. When he demands answers from Zurin, asks why he will not fulfill his destiny, Zurin laughs and dismisses him.

Zurin's obsession grows. His love for Tiber Septim drives him to find a way to defeat their last obstacle, the Aldmeri Dominion. To the Men of the Empire, this is a religious war, a final confrontation between Man and Mer. But to Arctus and Septim, it is nothing personal. They must unite Tamriel. Septim sends Arctus to Alinor, to negotiate treaties and promote integration. All the while, Arctus works on the mystery of Walk-Brass, so that Tiber Septim the man can become Talos Stormcrown the God.

Soon, the pieces are found, and Zurin contemplates the Divine Metaphysics. He finds the Egg of Time, and he comes to understand the Tribunal, Dagoth Ur, and the Heart. He sees the danger, but it is worth it. Tiber Septim must become a god. He rebuilds the Numidium, its parts gifted by the Warrior-Poet Vivec. He does not question why Vivec aids them. Wulfharth screams in silent rage.

There is one obstacle. The Numidium requires the Heart of Lorkhan, avatar of Man, to function. Zurin has dim memories of his vision. He remembers that he dreamed Wulfharth was Ysmir, and that Ysmir was not-quite-Lorkhan. Perhaps it would be enough. Tiber Septim and Zurin Arctus hatch a plot, and lure the Underking back to the Halls of the Colossus. They craft a soul gem, the Mantella, to house Ysmir.

Wulfharth sees the deception, but also opportunity. With the Numidium, he can destroy the Tribunal, and then Alinor, and wipe out Mer. He comes willingly. While he fights against Arctus and Septim, he knows it is his destiny to become Anumidium. Tiber Septim strikes the final blow, and his soul is captured in the Mantella. Only now does Zurin Arctus realize his error.

Tiber Septim, the man Zurin Arctus loved and followed, stabs Zurin through his empty chest and slays him.

The souls of Zurin and Wulfharth both become trapped in the Mantella. Zurin remembers their connection. Flashing before his eyes, he sees that he is Wulfharth, and that he is Tiber Septim. His thoughts are jumbled, and now he knows that Tiber Septim does not need the Numidium to be a god. He is Shor reborn, the Star-Made Knight. He is Wulfharth and he is Zurin Arctus. He is Ysmir, dragon of the North. He is Lorkhan.

The Numidium will be used to commit a great crime, to kill many elves. Zurin only wanted to gift his lover godhood, for the good of all. In horror, he watches. Wulfharth laughs as his goals are realized, and Zurin understands the nature of Lorkhan. He is the God of Man, but the God of Madness. He is the contradiction of Man and Mer personified. He sees the Star-Made Knight, and he understands what drove him mad. Tiber Septim sheds all that came before, to define new meaning for Man, in the name of ambition.

Tiber Septim has freed himself from his other aspects. No longer bound by Wulfharth's all-consuming hatred of elves. No longer chained by the Battlemage's idealism. The three are now one, and he is Ysmir in his totality. A God not of madness, nor a God of ideal, but a God of Man. He displays a fraction of his might and levels Alinor, and now Tamriel is his. He does this not because it is fate, but because he can.

Talos Stormcrown cannot fully destroy that which is part of his essence. While their soul is trapped, Zurin and Wulfharth have become one. They return as the Underking once more. Talos is not truly free of them. They remain the dark reflection of Talos, the side of his divinity He discarded, that He wishes the world to forget.

They will haunt the Septim dynasty until its dying days, because Talos cannot escape the past. The lies have been made reality, but the truth remains the truth. The Underking is Talos, and Talos is the Underking.

[Included along with Master Neloth's letter of acceptance is a brief excerpt of his proposed lecture]:

To begin, Theory and Method (of any particular subject) I consider, at times, to be dialectically opposed. The theory of summoning in many cases does not hold even a single drop of water in comparison to the actual torrent of the practice itself. I have no doubt that you’ll find an inexhaustible stream of scholars willing to drone on about theory until they’ve lectured themselves hoarse, so I shall skip forward into the methodology to save us all time and precious mental capacity.

First and foremost, a summoner is nothing without a strong, well-honed force of Will. Any budding mage could feasibly rip a gash into Oblivion and fish out a passing scamp, but to control such a thing requires the ability to assert your Will over another’s mind. The more powerful the intelligence of said creature, the more difficult it becomes to maintain control. Low-level summoning forms, usually of the more animalistic variety—scamp, imps, clannfear, and the like—are often considered ‘beginner’ summonings. Theirs is a lower-level, more primal intelligence based on survival instinct, and one that is easily overpowered when one knows how and where to apply the correct amount of pressure.

The practice of strengthening one’s Will begins with a simple act that has set many an apprentice groaning and bemoaning my cruelty when I require it as part of their daily routine: meditation. The ability to filter one’s thoughts with needle-thin precision is nothing short of mandatory. If you cannot manage to sit still for five minutes without planning your next meal or scratching your nose, what makes you think you’ll be able to control a sentient creature with any amount of success? 

Once you have strengthened your Will, then it is simply a matter of practice. Novice summoners will find great success working with atronachs and lesser churls, as these are creatures who are predisposed to servility. However, it is important not to get too far ahead of one’s own abilities in the process. To reference one of the preeminent scholars on the matter, the current Master of Conjuration at the College of Winterhold, Falion: to wrangle with a bound summons is not unlike attempting to wrangle a very large fish on the end of a line. If you have not exercised the proper muscles or crafted a tenacious tether, you may find yourself with a snapped line and a very angry fish that will attempt to kill you.   

Now, given the namesake of your little convention, I can only assume that to delve further into the subject might very well see me in shackles in one of your fine correctional institutions. So, for the sake of adhering to the legal limitations of your country, I will state that, to attempt to bring anything more powerful than a Kynval onto our plane is unwise and unsanctioned. Hopefully that will suffice.  

Due to popular demand on Discord, Reddit, and the 16 notes I got on tumblr (thanks guys!) I am going to continue writing about the various Knightly Orders of Tamriel. Next on my list is the Order of the Circle, or as I like to call them, the Circle of Arkay. Reblogs with feedback are appreciated, I genuinely LOVE reading your responses :D.

And back to apocrypha we go