The years 226-228, of the Fourth Era. Shortly after the Civil War in Skyrim, the Empire's grip on Tamriel was reduced to Cyrodiil. Though no hostilities were held between the Empire and any of the other Provinces, they claimed independence and were ruled by their own governments.
For years the Empire has been trying to find a way to spread out of Cyrodiil. To do this, they lifted the outlaw on slavery. With the failed attempt to take control of Skyrim, 27 years prior, still fresh in their minds, the Empire looked south. Before they could make a move, the Empire would need to know they would not have to worry about any northern intervention. The Emperor secured a treaty with High Rock, Hammerfell, Skyrim, and Morrowind to ensure this. Though the specifics of the treaty remain unknown, it is known that all four provinces were promised an equal stake in the south. Once the treaty was secured, the Empire made their move. With a combined force, from the five northern provinces, of 23,000 soldiers, the Empire invaded Elsweyr. Invading from north proved easier than initially expected. The Imperial Legion's warpath was almost unstoppable. The northern cities were easily conquerable, and their people were enslaved. Once the Legion started running into the southern jungles and forests, they were slowed considerably. The Mane, ruler of Elsweyr, assembled militias in these jungles and forests to stop the Empire. The guerrilla warfare tactics used by the Khajiit proved to much for the Empire, and they pulled back to the badlands in northern Elsweyr. Once Imperial control in northern Elsweyr was established, they moved east.
Black Marsh proved to be just as difficult as southern Elsweyr. The Argonian denizens of the marshlands were already expecting an invasion, so they took the weeks prior to prepare. The Empire faced many losses at the hands of the Argonian army, and even more at the hands of the King's elite Shadowscale assassins. However the sheer number of Imperial soldiers eventually overwhelmed the Argonians. The Legion eventually pushed to the capital city Helstrom. The siege of Helstrom was a bloody and terrible loss for the Argonians. Spreading out their forces on the border to prepare for the invasion made it impossible to fight back the Legion at the capital. The Argonian King was seized and publicly hung. The following months also proved to be brutal for the Argonians. Thousands of them were brought from Black Marsh and sold around the Imperial provinces. With Elsweyr and Black Marsh under Imperial control, The Empire looked to expand west.
Valenwood and the Summerset Isles were the last target of the Empire. The Thalmor, who now controlled Valenwood and Summerset Isles, would not be conquered by the Empire, but also saw that a war would cost them many lives. The Thalmor instead called for a rewriting of the White-Gold Concordat. The Thalmor still denied to see Talos as a God, but they could no longer hunt down his worshipers in the Empire because it had grown to strong. The new treaty legalized the worship and acknowledgement of Talos (which made the Nords happy). For years the Thalmor banished all non-Bosmeri and non-Thalmor from the lands. The truce would open trade and allow Imperial citizens, and officials, to enter Valenwood. In exchange, the Empire promised that no Bosmer or Altmer would be enslaved or encroached upon by the Empire. With the Emperor agreeing to this, it would seem like the Empire would stop it's rapid expansion.
The year 230, of the Fourth Era.
For two years the Empire has ruled almost all of Tamriel. With the downfall of the Argonian monarchy in Black Marsh and the peace made with the Thalmor, it would seem the only threat to Imperial supremacy that remained was southern Elsweyr. While the Empire was fighting in Black Marsh and making peace in Valenwood, the Khajiit in Elsweyr were planning to liberate the north. Once things had calmed down in the Empire, the Mane (leader of the Khajiit), led his first raid on the Empire. The Battle of Corinthe was the first step in a long campaign against the Empire. Because Corinthe was located on the border of Imperial/Elsweyr territory, many of it's citizens rose up against the Empire. The battle only lasted three days. On the third day the Imperial Emissary was beheaded and his remains were sent to Imperial City. Just weeks after the battle at Corinthe, the Mane led another assault. This time he attacked the city of Orcrest. This battle would last much longer, and result in many more casualties. Orcrest was home to many Orcs, and though the Orcs did not care for the Empire, they disliked Khajiit more. The Orcs and Imperial guard were outnumbered by the Khajiit but managed to hold to city for ten days. On the tenth day three Imperial garrisons arrived to reinforce the city and push back the Khajiit army. For six more days the battle raged. Eventually the Mane decided that the effort was in vain, and pulled back his forces. This was just a tactic though. Two Imperial garrisons returned north shortly after the Khajiit fell back. Once scouts informed the Mane of this, he decided to attack again. This time he caught the city of guard completely. Within two days Orcrest fell to Khajiit control.
With the Khajiit continuing the push north, the Emperor was looking for ways to stop them. It was only a matter of time before the Khajiit pushed to the southern border of Cyrodiil. His solution was to call upon his "allies" to the west of Elsweyr. The Thalmor were apprehensive at first, but eventually decided it would benefit them to help the Empire. Thalmor soldiers were sent in from the west. The Khajiit campaign climaxed at the Battle of Dune. The battle lasted for two weeks and three days. The Khajiit made their move first. They attacked at night thinking they would catch the Empire off guard, but spies had informed the Emperor that this was the Mane's plan. The Emperor was able to reinforce Dune in the days leading up to the assault. The first week and a half was a back and forth battle. Every few days the Khajiit would push into the city and then be pushed out. On the fourteenth day, the Thalmor arrived. Using a combination of might and magic, the Empire crushed the Khajiit army and captured all survivors. The Mane was also captured in this battle. Many thought the Emperor would have him executed, but that was not the case. Instead the Mane, and his officers, were sent to Blackrose Prison in Black Marsh. With the Mane captured and his fight against the Empire having failed, the Empire was able to spread into southern Elsweyr with almost no resistance. They recaptured all Corinthe, crossed the border, and then began capturing cities in the south. Due to bad blood created during the war, many Khajiit in the south were beaten and killed by Imperial soldiers. A hatred for the Empire is still strong to this day. Once the Empire had rooted out and killed all resisting Khajiit in Elsweyr, they were able to start shipping slaves north.
With the Empire now controlling almost all of Tamriel, one would think Titus (Mede III) would cease to try to expand his reach. That would be a false assumption. During his time as Emperor, Titus had heard many legends of far off lands that were ruled by no race of Man. Using history as a guide for his planning, the Emperor came up with an idea on how he would expand further. His next target would be either Pyandonea or Akavir. Both were extremely difficult to reach, and equally dangerous once reached.
The year is 231, of the Fourth Era.
The sun beats down on the deck of a large ship. Hanging above the ship's mast is an Imperial banner. The deck of the ship is almost covered by slaves. They are not solely Argonian or Khajiit slaves, they vary. Some are prisoners of war and some are criminals. Some volunteered themselves to pay of debts, but the rest were just captured and forced into slavery. There are six armored men walking up and down the deck. Each carries a sword in one hand and a whip in the other. Standing near the wheel is the captain. A mean spirited man of about fifty, his age shows. Below deck more slaves and more Imperial soldiers move about. The captain has the slaves work so there is no chance of revolt, no down time. Just two days earlier the ship left port at Senchal, destined for Solitude. All of the slaves were at one point housed at the infamous Blackrose Prison. The ship has one scheduled stop before Skyrim, the city of Anvil. In the distance pieces of the Valenwood jungles can be seen. A heavy mist comes in from the west, making the distant Summerset Isles invisible. The captain continues to look off in the distance. Eventually he yells to his first officer.
"A storm" the captain points to the gathering clouds. "Get them below deck! Do it fast". Imperial soldiers begin cracking their whips and barking out orders. The slaves are quickly ushered below decks. Once under the deck, the soldiers begin chaining their hands together. Because of the urgency, some chains are not completely latched, but no slave mentions it. The slaves sit ten to a row in three rows. They sit on wooden benches with their hands in their laps and their heads facing down. The Imperial soldiers yell out some more orders about being silent, and then go to their quarters. Above deck the storm draws nearer. Lightning cracks in the distance and the roar of thunder can be heard. Clouds begin to gather over the ship. The captain walks to his quarters, drink in hand, and sits down on the bed. Just as he goes to take a drink, the ship begins to shake. Monstrous waves crash against both sides of the ship. Lightning strikes the water near the ship. Eventually the luck runs out and a massive tidal wave capsizes the ship. The slaves whose chains are not fully latched, are tossed from their seats on the benches. Most of the freed slaves manage to break free of the ship and swim to the surface, only to be confronted with the horror of a massive ongoing storm. The waves manage to drown out the consciousness of those who escaped. Those who do not die awake hours later, half naked and exhausted, on the shores of Valenwood.
A timeline from 4E 201 to 4E 231
This timeline has the events that were more detailed but not too important to the plot
4E 201 - The Events of Skyrim unfold. Alduin and the dragons appear in Skyrim. The Dragonborn kills Alduin, many dragons still live. The Imperial Legion and Stormcloaks battle for control of Skyrim, eventually ending in a final battle at Solitude where General Tullius is killed. Contrary to popular belief, the Dragonborn does not interfere in the war. Titus Mede II is assassinated.
4E 205 - Titus Mede III ascends to the throne at the age of 24, and becomes Emperor. Morrowind, High Rock, Hammerfell, Elsweyr, and Black Marsh cut all ties with the Empire, establishing their own governments. The Forebears defeat the Crowns and take complete control of Hammerfell. Morrowind is divided into five sections and each section is given to one of the five Houses. The Mages Guild is rebuilt in High Rock. There they become the ruling faction of High Rock. Elsweyr's leader, the Mane, takes control of his province. A monarchy is established in Black Marsh to rule over the towns and tribes of the province.
4E 209 - The Thalmor dissolve all governments and tribes in Valenwood and the Summerset Isles and take control. The leader of the Thalmor is killed in battle in Valenwood. Wrestemor, a young Altmer from the Summerset Isles takes the reins, he calls himself "King of the Thalmor". Unlike his predecessor, Wrestemor takes a more lax stance on the worship of Talos, though he doesn't lift the outlaw on Talos worship.
4E 210 - Titus Mede III starts expanding the Imperial Navy and Legions. Soldiers are recruited at a younger age, and mandatory training is a requirement of all citizens in Cyrodiil. Thalmor are denied access to Cyrodiil. One of the Emperor's advisers comes up with a plan to enslave the southern provinces.
4E 215 - Titus Mede III addresses his people in Imperial City, he states: "I see a new Empire on the horizon, a stronger Empire, a unified Empire. An Empire that spans coast to coast, mountain range to mountain range, an Empire of Tamriel.". Most assume that he is planning to start invading other provinces because of the expansions to the military.
4E 218 - Most in Tamriel forget about the speech made three years prior by the Emperor. The Thalmor sending soldiers to Valenwood.
4E 223 - The Crowns and Forebears engage in civil war in Hammerfell. Many are killed on both sides.
4E 225 - The Jarl of Whiterun and the Jarl of Markarth have a dispute that leads to a civil war. The other holds manage to stay out of it, but there is still a significant amount of casualties. Nobles are assassinated in both Holds.
4E 226 - Emperor Titus Mede III holds a meeting with the leader of the Forebears. He promises to help fight the Crowns if Hammerfell will join the Empire, they agree. The Emperor sends an emissary to Skyrim to meet with the Jarls from all 9 Holds. The emissary says the Empire will force the Thalmor to lift the ban on Talos worship if Skyrim joins the Empire. The Skyrim Civil War is ended and Skyrim joins the Empire. The Emperor sends an emissary to Morrowind to meet with the leaders of the five Houses. The heads of each House want the same thing, a stake at Black Marsh. They are promised a piece of Black Marsh and join the Empire. The Emperor meets with the Arch-Mage. The Arch-Mage wants to be able to open smaller sects in the other provinces, seeing no problem the Emperor agrees. High Rock joins the Empire.
4E 227 - The Empire sends soldiers into Hammerfell. There they kill the leaders of the Crowns and help install the Forebears as permanent leaders. After this the Empire assembles soldiers from all five provinces and launch an attack on Elsweyr. The Legions fight their way to the edge of the southern jungles but cannot advance, they create a border and cease their attacks. Imperial Legions attack Black Marsh from Cyrodiil and Dunmer soldiers attack from Morrowind. The Legions fight for the remaining months of the year, and in the last month they reach Helstrom.
4E 228 - The new year begins with the Siege of Helstrom. For almost two days the Argonians hold back the Legions, but eventually the city falls. The Argonian King is captured and publicly hung. Once Black Marsh fell, the Thalmor King, Wrestemor, sought an audience with Emperor Titus Mede III. During the meeting the White-Gold Concordat is re-written. Seeing that the Empire has grown to strong to fight, Wrestemor decides to make some concessions. The ban on Talos worship in Tamriel is lifted. Imperial citizens and officials are permitted to enter Valenwood and the Summerset Isles. In return the Empire does not invade and does not enslave any Altmer or Bosmer in Valenwood or the Summerset Isles.
4E 230 - The Mane leads an assault on the Empire in northern Elsweyr. The Battle of Corinthe lasts three days and on the third day, the Imperial Embassy is raided, the Emissary killed, and all Imperial soldiers are run out of the city. Weeks later the Mane attacks Orcrest. The Orcs and Imperials at Orcrest outlast the Khajiit militias for ten days before reinforcements arrive. The battle continues for six days. Eventually the Mane orders a retreat. Days later two Imperial Legions leave and the Khajiit attack again. Within two days they seize control of Orcrest. The Khajiit continue to push north. Titus Mede III calls upon the Thalmor for aid from the west. Knowing that the Empire would eventually be able to crush the Khajiit on their own, the Thalmor King decides to help because he did not want any retaliation from the Empire. The Khajiit attack Dune, resulting in the Battle of Dune. The battle lasts for two weeks and three days. The first week and a half prove to be a slaughter for both sides, the Khajiit look to have the battle. Then the Thalmor arrive. The Thalmor and Empire crush the Khajiit and capture the Mane. The Mane is sent to Blackrose Prison. A Khajiit hatred for the Empire still exists.
4E 231 - Emperor Titus Mede III plans to expand his Empire further, looking east to Akavir and southwest to Pyandonea, though this plan remains a secret to all but him. An Imperial slave ship is capsized off the coast of Valenwood.
General Information and Plot Information
Plot Information
The characters awake on the beach, semi free from slavery. Though their slave master is dead and the shackles are gone, they still bear the Mark of an Imperial Slave. The Mark is basically a circle with the Imperial logo inside of it, it is like branding cattle so to speak. They awake on a beach in Valenwood which is controlled by the Thalmor, and being Imperial slaves, the Thalmor have plans. Elsewhere, Emperor Titus Mede III plans to invade Akavir, unknown to him something in the east has already set it's plan in motion. The Tsaesci, snake-folk from Akavir, are planning to invade Tamriel once more.
The Tsaesci
The Tsaesci are entirely human, but their choice of armor (dragonscale), fighting style (katana blades with martial arts like maneuvers), and mounts (red dragons) earned them the name "snake men" from the Imperial Armies. Over centuries, this name came to be taken literally, until modern legend paints them as actual half snake, half man, monsters. The Tsaesci have snake-like gods they worship instead of the Aedra or Daedra. They try to look exactly like their gods and use a martial arts style that fits the snakes motion and teach their way to others.
Rules for Character Equipment
-Leather, Iron, and Steel: Very common and easy to come by. Usually pretty cheap. You don't need permission for your character to come across these kinds of items.
-Elvish and Orcish: these are somewhat easy to come by, and both have their unique advantages. They both happen to be fairly expensive and aren’t nearly as common as the previous category. Elvish weapons tend to hold an edge better than steel and are very sharp, as well as being much lighter and more flexible than most metals. Orcish material is very hard, very durable, and very heavy. It’s more difficult to work with and shape, but once it will never fail and requires virtually no upkeep while not being quite as sharp or flexible as elvish works. Please explain how your character came to obtain these items somewhere in their backstory due to their uncommon nature.
-Dwemmer/Dwarven: These items are sometimes found in Skyrim, Morrowind, or Hammerfell. They are usually in Dwemer ruins though. Most of their defenses are still working. Stores sell a small amount of these items.
-Ancient Nord: Very old Nordic weapons. These weapons are aged and known to break. They are found execlusively in old Nord Tombs, ruins, and sometimes temples. They are almost always guarded by or in the possession of Draugr.
-Akaviri: Akaviri weapons and armor are extremely rare. Due to a limited Akaviri presence on Tamriel (and the fact that it was centuries ago), these items are next to impossible to find. Unlike Ancient Nord weapons, all remaining Akaviri weapons are still as strong as the day they were made.
-Falmer: Falmer items are not hard to come by if you know where to go. Their armor is almost useless to anything that is not Falmer, but their weapons are sometimes very well made.
-Forsworn: Forsworn items are not hard to come by. Killing a Forsworn is the main way to acquire Forsworn armor and weapons. Forsworn items are made from natural resources.
-Glass: Glass is extremely high end and very expensive. Glass armor and weapons can usually be found in the possession of Thalmor affiliates, or those who have killed Thalmor. Now-a-days, the Thalmor are the main source of Glass weapons and armor, though a very skilled smith could forge them too.
-Ebony: Ebony is extremely high end and very expensive. Ebony armor and weapons can usually be found amoung the nobility of Morrowind (the five Houses). Ebony armor and weapons are only forged in Morrowind, which is rare, or by a skilled smith.
-Dragon: Dragons still exist and are far from extinct. Skyrim is chalk full of dragons. The thing that makes Dragon armor and weaponry rare and expensive is the fact that dragons are extremely hard to kill. Dragon weapons and armor are extremely durable, and if forged right, almost never break. A skilled smith would be needed to create dragon armor or weapons.
-Daedric: Daedric gear is almost as rare as Akaviri gear. You would be hard pressed to find any Daedric weaponry or armor left over from the Oblivion crisis. Daedric artifacts are impossible to find. The ones that exist are in the possession of people who have them locked and hidden.
-Enchantments: Any enchantments would require the specific soul gem and a skilled enchanter.
Scrolls take time to read, so you should probably not break them out if you are fighting alone. Potions take time to start healing. If you get your arm chopped off, the potion will heal the skin at the end of the stump and stabilize you. You'd need a legendary magician to bring that arm back. Damage will be realistic to a point.
The age, weight, and height of your character will play a factor. A 56 year old, 280 pound, 6'5", Imperial won't be doing much dungeon crawling.
Vampire and werewolf characters are acceptable but remember that most people will probably try to kill both.
Your character cannot carry 300 lbs of gear. Keep the amount of gear on your character realistic. Armor, a weapon, a shield, MAYBE A BACK UP DAGGER, a potion or two, maybe a scroll, some gold coins and misc items. That would be the absolute most a character could carry depending on the type of weapon and armor.
It doesn't matter if your character is the most skilled swordsman in Nirn. If you run into a camp of 20 bandits, you will almost certainly die. Keep that in mind when trying to fight things like dragons, mammoths, trolls, bears, giant serpents, things like that.
Vocations
Stealth Vocations
Acrobat - The kind of person that uses agility and endurance to their advantage. Unafraid of jumping long distances.
Agent - Charming when they can be seen and almost invisible when in shadow.
Archer - A marksman, adept at combat at great distances. Able to take down most foes before they have a chance to draw sword.
Assassin -Nimble and quiet, they move in darkness to strike at the unsuspecting. Locks hold no doors shut to them.
Bard - Intelligent and personable, they prefer to accomplish tasks with their words first, and sword second.
Monk - Quick and cunning with the empty hand, they are strong in spirit. They prefer to solve conflict by arrow or by fist.
Pilgrim - Hearty folk, well-versed in the tomes of old. They profit in life by bartering in the market, or by persuading the weak-minded.
Thief - Profiting from the losses of others is their love. Able to be swift in shadow, and crafty in bartering. Locks are enemies, and lock-picks are their swords.
Rogue - They use speed in combat rather than brute force. Persuasive in conversation, their tongues are as sharp as blades.
Scout - Preferring the rolling countryside to the city life, the forests rather than busy highways, they are gifted with the ability to evade, guard and protect themselves with great proficiency.
Fighter Vocations
Barbarian - Fearsome brutes who inspire fear and dread in the hearts of their enemies. Like a storm, swift and powerful. Finding little use for heavy armor, they rely on smashing their foes into the ground.
Crusader - A combatant who wields the power of brute strength and medicinal knowledge. Cheating death after every fight, they rely on their keen knowledge of restoration to fight yet again.
Knight - The most noble of all combatants. Strong in body and in character.
Warrior - Unafraid of light weaponry, they plow into the fray with little regard for injury. Masters of all melee tools, they put little faith in the magical arts.
Magic Vocations
Battle Mage - Able to resolve most conflicts with either spell or sword. They are a deadly mix of scholar and soldier.
Healer -Fighters of poison and illness. The ancient art of restoration is their ally, and the deadly art of destruction is their weapon.
Mage - Preferring to use their extensive knowledge of all things magical, they wield a might more powerful than the sharpest blade.
Night Blade - Spell and shadow are their friends. By darkness they move with haste, casting magic to benefit their circumstances.
Sorcerer - Besting the most well-equipped fighters, they rely on the spells of the mystic arts. Unique to these Mages is the bodily stamina to be armed with the thickest armors.
Spell Sword - More nimble and athletic than the sorcerer, and better suited for spell-casting than the knight, their attacks are unpredictable. Students of combat and magic.
Witch Hunter - Swift on foot and clever with spells, they use distance as their ally. Slower adversaries are fodder for their arrows.
1. No godmodding, metagaming, or anything of the like.
2. Please try to post a minimum of 1-2 paragraphs, minimum. Good spelling and grammar is also preferred.
3. Try not to telephone post. By that I mean give everyone in the group a chance to post. The exception to this would be if two characters are by themselves and interacting solely with each other.
4. If there is a disagreement, keep it friendly. I'd like to avoid huge OOC arguments.
5. If you have any ideas for events or questions, just let me know.
6. If you aren't sure about, ask OOC.
7. If you are going to be gone for awhile, let me know if you can. I won't kill off characters of people who have been gone for awhile, unless they message me asking me to do so.
8. I will rarely kill off a character without a good reason.
9. Have fun.
For all other informations
For things like landscapes, governments, weapons, history, race specifics, and other details go here
Race: (Altmer, Bosmer, Dunmer, Breton, Imperial, Nord, Khajiit, Argonian, Orsimer, or Red Guard)
Gender:
Age:
Family Origins: Where was your character born and raised? This might affect cultural outlook. It can be anywhere in Tamriel, just remember that, for example, a Cyrodiil born cosmopolitan Orc will have a different cultural outlook than a Skyrim born stronghold Orc
Height:
Weight:
Build: (Muscular giant? Lanky? Toned? That kind of thing)
Skin Color:
Hair Color and Style:
Note-able Features: (Scars, tattoos, and such)
Class: (Magic, Fighter, or Stealth. No stats, just a base for a characters IC abilities.)
Vocation: (Look at Vocation list. Again, just here as a base for character abilities, no stats.)
Shortly after the Civil War in Skyrim, the Empire's grip on Tamriel was reduced to Cyrodiil. Though no hostilities were held between the Empire and any of the other Provinces, they claimed independence and were ruled by their own governments.
For years the Empire has been trying to find a way to spread out of Cyrodiil. To do this, they lifted the outlaw on slavery. With the failed attempt to take control of Skyrim, 27 years prior, still fresh in their minds, the Empire looked south. Before they could make a move, the Empire would need to know they would not have to worry about any northern intervention. The Emperor secured a treaty with High Rock, Hammerfell, Skyrim, and Morrowind to ensure this. Though the specifics of the treaty remain unknown, it is known that all four provinces were promised an equal stake in the south. Once the treaty was secured, the Empire made their move. With a combined force, from the five northern provinces, of 23,000 soldiers, the Empire invaded Elsweyr. Invading from north proved easier than initially expected. The Imperial Legion's warpath was almost unstoppable. The northern cities were easily conquerable, and their people were enslaved. Once the Legion started running into the southern jungles and forests, they were slowed considerably. The Mane, ruler of Elsweyr, assembled militias in these jungles and forests to stop the Empire. The guerrilla warfare tactics used by the Khajiit proved to much for the Empire, and they pulled back to the badlands in northern Elsweyr. Once Imperial control in northern Elsweyr was established, they moved east.
Black Marsh proved to be just as difficult as southern Elsweyr. The Argonian denizens of the marshlands were already expecting an invasion, so they took the weeks prior to prepare. The Empire faced many losses at the hands of the Argonian army, and even more at the hands of the King's elite Shadowscale assassins. However the sheer number of Imperial soldiers eventually overwhelmed the Argonians. The Legion eventually pushed to the capital city Helstrom. The siege of Helstrom was a bloody and terrible loss for the Argonians. Spreading out their forces on the border to prepare for the invasion made it impossible to fight back the Legion at the capital. The Argonian King was seized and publicly hung. The following months also proved to be brutal for the Argonians. Thousands of them were brought from Black Marsh and sold around the Imperial provinces. With Elsweyr and Black Marsh under Imperial control, The Empire looked to expand west.
Valenwood and the Summerset Isles were the last target of the Empire. The Thalmor, who now controlled Valenwood and Summerset Isles, would not be conquered by the Empire, but also saw that a war would cost them many lives. The Thalmor instead called for a rewriting of the White-Gold Concordat. The Thalmor still denied to see Talos as a God, but they could no longer hunt down his worshipers in the Empire because it had grown to strong. The new treaty legalized the worship and acknowledgement of Talos (which made the Nords happy). For years the Thalmor banished all non-Bosmeri and non-Thalmor from the lands. The truce would open trade and allow Imperial citizens, and officials, to enter Valenwood. In exchange, the Empire promised that no Bosmer or Altmer would be enslaved or encroached upon by the Empire. With the Emperor agreeing to this, it would seem like the Empire would stop it's rapid expansion.
The year 230, of the Fourth Era.
For two years the Empire has ruled almost all of Tamriel. With the downfall of the Argonian monarchy in Black Marsh and the peace made with the Thalmor, it would seem the only threat to Imperial supremacy that remained was southern Elsweyr. While the Empire was fighting in Black Marsh and making peace in Valenwood, the Khajiit in Elsweyr were planning to liberate the north. Once things had calmed down in the Empire, the Mane (leader of the Khajiit), led his first raid on the Empire. The Battle of Corinthe was the first step in a long campaign against the Empire. Because Corinthe was located on the border of Imperial/Elsweyr territory, many of it's citizens rose up against the Empire. The battle only lasted three days. On the third day the Imperial Emissary was beheaded and his remains were sent to Imperial City. Just weeks after the battle at Corinthe, the Mane led another assault. This time he attacked the city of Orcrest. This battle would last much longer, and result in many more casualties. Orcrest was home to many Orcs, and though the Orcs did not care for the Empire, they disliked Khajiit more. The Orcs and Imperial guard were outnumbered by the Khajiit but managed to hold to city for ten days. On the tenth day three Imperial garrisons arrived to reinforce the city and push back the Khajiit army. For six more days the battle raged. Eventually the Mane decided that the effort was in vain, and pulled back his forces. This was just a tactic though. Two Imperial garrisons returned north shortly after the Khajiit fell back. Once scouts informed the Mane of this, he decided to attack again. This time he caught the city of guard completely. Within two days Orcrest fell to Khajiit control.
With the Khajiit continuing the push north, the Emperor was looking for ways to stop them. It was only a matter of time before the Khajiit pushed to the southern border of Cyrodiil. His solution was to call upon his "allies" to the west of Elsweyr. The Thalmor were apprehensive at first, but eventually decided it would benefit them to help the Empire. Thalmor soldiers were sent in from the west. The Khajiit campaign climaxed at the Battle of Dune. The battle lasted for two weeks and three days. The Khajiit made their move first. They attacked at night thinking they would catch the Empire off guard, but spies had informed the Emperor that this was the Mane's plan. The Emperor was able to reinforce Dune in the days leading up to the assault. The first week and a half was a back and forth battle. Every few days the Khajiit would push into the city and then be pushed out. On the fourteenth day, the Thalmor arrived. Using a combination of might and magic, the Empire crushed the Khajiit army and captured all survivors. The Mane was also captured in this battle. Many thought the Emperor would have him executed, but that was not the case. Instead the Mane, and his officers, were sent to Blackrose Prison in Black Marsh. With the Mane captured and his fight against the Empire having failed, the Empire was able to spread into southern Elsweyr with almost no resistance. They recaptured all Corinthe, crossed the border, and then began capturing cities in the south. Due to bad blood created during the war, many Khajiit in the south were beaten and killed by Imperial soldiers. A hatred for the Empire is still strong to this day. Once the Empire had rooted out and killed all resisting Khajiit in Elsweyr, they were able to start shipping slaves north.
With the Empire now controlling almost all of Tamriel, one would think Titus (Mede III) would cease to try to expand his reach. That would be a false assumption. During his time as Emperor, Titus had heard many legends of far off lands that were ruled by no race of Man. Using history as a guide for his planning, the Emperor came up with an idea on how he would expand further. His next target would be either Pyandonea or Akavir. Both were extremely difficult to reach, and equally dangerous once reached.
The year is 231, of the Fourth Era.
The sun beats down on the deck of a large ship. Hanging above the ship's mast is an Imperial banner. The deck of the ship is almost covered by slaves. They are not solely Argonian or Khajiit slaves, they vary. Some are prisoners of war and some are criminals. Some volunteered themselves to pay of debts, but the rest were just captured and forced into slavery. There are six armored men walking up and down the deck. Each carries a sword in one hand and a whip in the other. Standing near the wheel is the captain. A mean spirited man of about fifty, his age shows. Below deck more slaves and more Imperial soldiers move about. The captain has the slaves work so there is no chance of revolt, no down time. Just two days earlier the ship left port at Senchal, destined for Solitude. All of the slaves were at one point housed at the infamous Blackrose Prison. The ship has one scheduled stop before Skyrim, the city of Anvil. In the distance pieces of the Valenwood jungles can be seen. A heavy mist comes in from the west, making the distant Summerset Isles invisible. The captain continues to look off in the distance. Eventually he yells to his first officer.
"A storm" the captain points to the gathering clouds. "Get them below deck! Do it fast". Imperial soldiers begin cracking their whips and barking out orders. The slaves are quickly ushered below decks. Once under the deck, the soldiers begin chaining their hands together. Because of the urgency, some chains are not completely latched, but no slave mentions it. The slaves sit ten to a row in three rows. They sit on wooden benches with their hands in their laps and their heads facing down. The Imperial soldiers yell out some more orders about being silent, and then go to their quarters. Above deck the storm draws nearer. Lightning cracks in the distance and the roar of thunder can be heard. Clouds begin to gather over the ship. The captain walks to his quarters, drink in hand, and sits down on the bed. Just as he goes to take a drink, the ship begins to shake. Monstrous waves crash against both sides of the ship. Lightning strikes the water near the ship. Eventually the luck runs out and a massive tidal wave capsizes the ship. The slaves whose chains are not fully latched, are tossed from their seats on the benches. Most of the freed slaves manage to break free of the ship and swim to the surface, only to be confronted with the horror of a massive ongoing storm. The waves manage to drown out the consciousness of those who escaped. Those who do not die awake hours later, half naked and exhausted, on the shores of Valenwood.
This timeline has the events that were more detailed but not too important to the plot
4E 201 - The Events of Skyrim unfold. Alduin and the dragons appear in Skyrim. The Dragonborn kills Alduin, many dragons still live. The Imperial Legion and Stormcloaks battle for control of Skyrim, eventually ending in a final battle at Solitude where General Tullius is killed. Contrary to popular belief, the Dragonborn does not interfere in the war. Titus Mede II is assassinated.
4E 205 - Titus Mede III ascends to the throne at the age of 24, and becomes Emperor. Morrowind, High Rock, Hammerfell, Elsweyr, and Black Marsh cut all ties with the Empire, establishing their own governments. The Forebears defeat the Crowns and take complete control of Hammerfell. Morrowind is divided into five sections and each section is given to one of the five Houses. The Mages Guild is rebuilt in High Rock. There they become the ruling faction of High Rock. Elsweyr's leader, the Mane, takes control of his province. A monarchy is established in Black Marsh to rule over the towns and tribes of the province.
4E 209 - The Thalmor dissolve all governments and tribes in Valenwood and the Summerset Isles and take control. The leader of the Thalmor is killed in battle in Valenwood. Wrestemor, a young Altmer from the Summerset Isles takes the reins, he calls himself "King of the Thalmor". Unlike his predecessor, Wrestemor takes a more lax stance on the worship of Talos, though he doesn't lift the outlaw on Talos worship.
4E 210 - Titus Mede III starts expanding the Imperial Navy and Legions. Soldiers are recruited at a younger age, and mandatory training is a requirement of all citizens in Cyrodiil. Thalmor are denied access to Cyrodiil. One of the Emperor's advisers comes up with a plan to enslave the southern provinces.
4E 215 - Titus Mede III addresses his people in Imperial City, he states: "I see a new Empire on the horizon, a stronger Empire, a unified Empire. An Empire that spans coast to coast, mountain range to mountain range, an Empire of Tamriel.". Most assume that he is planning to start invading other provinces because of the expansions to the military.
4E 218 - Most in Tamriel forget about the speech made three years prior by the Emperor. The Thalmor sending soldiers to Valenwood.
4E 223 - The Crowns and Forebears engage in civil war in Hammerfell. Many are killed on both sides.
4E 225 - The Jarl of Whiterun and the Jarl of Markarth have a dispute that leads to a civil war. The other holds manage to stay out of it, but there is still a significant amount of casualties. Nobles are assassinated in both Holds.
4E 226 - Emperor Titus Mede III holds a meeting with the leader of the Forebears. He promises to help fight the Crowns if Hammerfell will join the Empire, they agree. The Emperor sends an emissary to Skyrim to meet with the Jarls from all 9 Holds. The emissary says the Empire will force the Thalmor to lift the ban on Talos worship if Skyrim joins the Empire. The Skyrim Civil War is ended and Skyrim joins the Empire. The Emperor sends an emissary to Morrowind to meet with the leaders of the five Houses. The heads of each House want the same thing, a stake at Black Marsh. They are promised a piece of Black Marsh and join the Empire. The Emperor meets with the Arch-Mage. The Arch-Mage wants to be able to open smaller sects in the other provinces, seeing no problem the Emperor agrees. High Rock joins the Empire.
4E 227 - The Empire sends soldiers into Hammerfell. There they kill the leaders of the Crowns and help install the Forebears as permanent leaders. After this the Empire assembles soldiers from all five provinces and launch an attack on Elsweyr. The Legions fight their way to the edge of the southern jungles but cannot advance, they create a border and cease their attacks. Imperial Legions attack Black Marsh from Cyrodiil and Dunmer soldiers attack from Morrowind. The Legions fight for the remaining months of the year, and in the last month they reach Helstrom.
4E 228 - The new year begins with the Siege of Helstrom. For almost two days the Argonians hold back the Legions, but eventually the city falls. The Argonian King is captured and publicly hung. Once Black Marsh fell, the Thalmor King, Wrestemor, sought an audience with Emperor Titus Mede III. During the meeting the White-Gold Concordat is re-written. Seeing that the Empire has grown to strong to fight, Wrestemor decides to make some concessions. The ban on Talos worship in Tamriel is lifted. Imperial citizens and officials are permitted to enter Valenwood and the Summerset Isles. In return the Empire does not invade and does not enslave any Altmer or Bosmer in Valenwood or the Summerset Isles.
4E 230 - The Mane leads an assault on the Empire in northern Elsweyr. The Battle of Corinthe lasts three days and on the third day, the Imperial Embassy is raided, the Emissary killed, and all Imperial soldiers are run out of the city. Weeks later the Mane attacks Orcrest. The Orcs and Imperials at Orcrest outlast the Khajiit militias for ten days before reinforcements arrive. The battle continues for six days. Eventually the Mane orders a retreat. Days later two Imperial Legions leave and the Khajiit attack again. Within two days they seize control of Orcrest. The Khajiit continue to push north. Titus Mede III calls upon the Thalmor for aid from the west. Knowing that the Empire would eventually be able to crush the Khajiit on their own, the Thalmor King decides to help because he did not want any retaliation from the Empire. The Khajiit attack Dune, resulting in the Battle of Dune. The battle lasts for two weeks and three days. The first week and a half prove to be a slaughter for both sides, the Khajiit look to have the battle. Then the Thalmor arrive. The Thalmor and Empire crush the Khajiit and capture the Mane. The Mane is sent to Blackrose Prison. A Khajiit hatred for the Empire still exists.
4E 231 - Emperor Titus Mede III plans to expand his Empire further, looking east to Akavir and southwest to Pyandonea, though this plan remains a secret to all but him. An Imperial slave ship is capsized off the coast of Valenwood.
Rules for Character Equipment
-Leather, Iron, and Steel: Very common and easy to come by. Usually pretty cheap. You don't need permission for your character to come across these kinds of items.
-Elvish and Orcish: these are somewhat easy to come by, and both have their unique advantages. They both happen to be fairly expensive and aren’t nearly as common as the previous category. Elvish weapons tend to hold an edge better than steel and are very sharp, as well as being much lighter and more flexible than most metals. Orcish material is very hard, very durable, and very heavy. It’s more difficult to work with and shape, but once it will never fail and requires virtually no upkeep while not being quite as sharp or flexible as elvish works. Please explain how your character came to obtain these items somewhere in their backstory due to their uncommon nature.
-Dwemmer/Dwarven: These items are sometimes found in Skyrim, Morrowind, or Hammerfell. They are usually in Dwemer ruins though. Most of their defenses are still working. Stores sell a small amount of these items.
-Ancient Nord: Very old Nordic weapons. These weapons are aged and known to break. They are found execlusively in old Nord Tombs, ruins, and sometimes temples. They are almost always guarded by or in the possession of Draugr.
-Akaviri: Akaviri weapons and armor are extremely rare. Due to a limited Akaviri presence on Tamriel (and the fact that it was centuries ago), these items are next to impossible to find. Unlike Ancient Nord weapons, all remaining Akaviri weapons are still as strong as the day they were made.
-Falmer: Falmer items are not hard to come by if you know where to go. Their armor is almost useless to anything that is not Falmer, but their weapons are sometimes very well made.
-Forsworn: Forsworn items are not hard to come by. Killing a Forsworn is the main way to acquire Forsworn armor and weapons. Forsworn items are made from natural resources.
-Glass: Glass is extremely high end and very expensive. Glass armor and weapons can usually be found in the possession of Thalmor affiliates, or those who have killed Thalmor. Now-a-days, the Thalmor are the main source of Glass weapons and armor, though a very skilled smith could forge them too.
-Ebony: Ebony is extremely high end and very expensive. Ebony armor and weapons can usually be found amoung the nobility of Morrowind (the five Houses). Ebony armor and weapons are only forged in Morrowind, which is rare, or by a skilled smith.
-Dragon: Dragons still exist and are far from extinct. Skyrim is chalk full of dragons. The thing that makes Dragon armor and weaponry rare and expensive is the fact that dragons are extremely hard to kill. Dragon weapons and armor are extremely durable, and if forged right, almost never break. A skilled smith would be needed to create dragon armor or weapons.
-Daedric: Daedric gear is almost as rare as Akaviri gear. You would be hard pressed to find any Daedric weaponry or armor left over from the Oblivion crisis. Daedric artifacts are impossible to find. The ones that exist are in the possession of people who have them locked and hidden.
-Enchantments: Any enchantments would require the specific soul gem and a skilled enchanter.
Scrolls take time to read, so you should probably not break them out if you are fighting alone. Potions take time to start healing. If you get your arm chopped off, the potion will heal the skin at the end of the stump and stabilize you. You'd need a legendary magician to bring that arm back. Damage will be realistic to a point.
The age, weight, and height of your character will play a factor. A 56 year old, 280 pound, 6'5", Imperial won't be doing much dungeon crawling.
Vampire and werewolf characters are acceptable but remember that most people will probably try to kill both.
Your character cannot carry 300 lbs of gear. Keep the amount of gear on your character realistic. Armor, a weapon, a shield, MAYBE A BACK UP DAGGER, a potion or two, maybe a scroll, some gold coins and misc items. That would be the absolute most a character could carry depending on the type of weapon and armor.
It doesn't matter if your character is the most skilled swordsman in Nirn. If you run into a camp of 20 bandits, you will almost certainly die. Keep that in mind when trying to fight things like dragons, mammoths, trolls, bears, giant serpents, things like that.
High Rock
Skyrim
http://images.wikia....intoenglish.jpg
1. No godmodding, metagaming, or anything of the like.
2. Please try to post a minimum of 1-2 paragraphs, minimum. Good spelling and grammar is also preferred.
3. Try not to telephone post. By that I mean give everyone in the group a chance to post. The exception to this would be if two characters are by themselves and interacting solely with each other.
4. If there is a disagreement, keep it friendly. I'd like to avoid huge OOC arguments.
5. If you have any ideas for events or questions, just let me know.
6. If you aren't sure about, ask OOC.
7. If you are going to be gone for awhile, let me know if you can. I won't kill off characters of people who have been gone for awhile, unless they message me asking me to do so.
8. I will rarely kill off a character without a good reason.
9. Have fun.