The leathery book in which you hold is decades old. Dust has covered its surface and the molded parchment. The wear and tear has shown that this single book has been through a lot. On the front of the cover is the crest of the Dragonborn, commonly mistaken as the crest of the Third Empire, drawn disorderly with some sort of black pastel that has slowly smudged across the front cover. Behind the front cover contains the following written in charcoal-

Ian Newkirk, son of the Isaac and Janus Newkirk

Born 10th of Mid Year, 3e 370

Born within the walls of Taneth, Hammerfell

Male Redguard

The back of the journal is in relatively safe condition, with minimal folding or usage however that does not mean much as the binding is in horrid condition and is at the point were holes seem to begin to appear, revealing the large amounts of pages within the journal. Within this book holds the legends that once saved Tamriel, you open with care and begin to read. Before you get to involved however you notice the handwriting, very sloppy and messy, not to mention that some words that Ian probably did not understand were misspelled. Written in plain charcoal, much like the front cover however you find your way to read through it and understand it. You begin with the very first page.

Turdas, 3rd of Hearthfire, 3e 389

I just recently jumped into my bed at this inn. It was to dark for me to catch the name of the place and everyone inside was to drunk and drowsy to notice the wounds I carry all over my body. I plan on visiting a priest of sorts and have them heal me with their magic but for now I only want to rest on this comparatively soft bed. Until I visit the priest, bandages can do just fine and while I wait I can catch up on some sleep as well as start on this journal.

I have no idea where I am actually, because all I see are other Redguards and few other races; just a few hours ago I was in the Imperial Prisons underground dungeons, considered to be the most impenetrable prison on Tamriel where they hold the most heinous of people. Funny how the guards put me in there, thinking I was Jagar Tharn. I don't know what was up with them.

Wait a second; I am getting ahead of myself. This must be getting to hard to read now isn't it? I apologize, this is my first journal and I feel as if this is going to be a pretty big source material if I do actually succeed. Let me try this over again, at the very beginning.

My name is Ian Newkirk, I am a nineteen year old Redguard born in the city of Taneth. Two years ago I traveled to the Imperial City in an attempt to fix myself up since I was a lazy kind of kid and my family saw me as a disrespectful ass, I sought to fix that.

After receiving training from the Imperial Legion branch inside the city I found that I was alright at the whole soldier thing but not skilled enough to be put into the actual Imperial Legion. They placed me under the care of General Talin Warhaft, a semi-retired war hero who has been reduced into the task of caring for the Imperial Guard both for the Imperial Palace and for the Imperial City itself. I was placed inside the Imperial Palace as a middle-class guard, the kind that protects the libraries where the Elder Council members may go for their reading needs and the Ancestor Moth Priests, who do who knows what.

I am not regularly sent up to visit General Warhaft. I believe we have spoken little in the few years I have been working under the guard, however three days ago was different. On the morning of the first of Hearthfire I was called into his room per request. After sitting down next to his desk he gave me the following task-

"I need you to go and arrest the Imperial Battle-Mage, Jagar Tharn on suspected accounts of treason."

The General then preceded to hand me a letter, detailing the authorization of the sentence, allowing me strict access to the detaining of the Battle-Mage. Of course the orders shocked me; however at first I was wondering why only send one single man to detain the most powerful mage in all of Tamriel. Obviously if he was expected of treason he would resist, seems like I was the asses plan per say. Nothing about this made sense, was this plan only made just to make this suspected treason into absolute treason?

Either way I was ordered to, not to mention that I was too tired and groggy to question this all. Little did I know that this little task set up a storm, it was a point of no turning back. I said goodbye to Talin, wished him well and walked out of his room and I believe he shortly exited to visit the Emperor. Afterwards I went back towards my bed in the Guard's quarters just next door on the same floor and gathered my sword, shield, and other equipment, as if any of those things helped me at all.

I welcomed myself into Jagar Tharn's bedroom some time after, or as I should more accurately say his "Throne room", as he has positioned a small marble chair and carpet just inside the entrance and regularly positions himself on it whenever on duty. That was where I assumed to find him. In reality I found probably about four or five of his servants chatting beside it, students that Tharn taught his knowledge onto. I apparently shocked them, as I noticed them give off some order. It was the moment that the group of them raised their hands to cast some spell that I collapsed from pure exhaustion. I had suddenly felt as if I sprinted straight from my home at Taneth all the way over here, on the mid-level floors of the Imperial Palace's Tower.

Hours past and I awoke with two other guards holding onto me. I was weary and confused as to what was going on. How did I fall asleep? What was today again? Why am I being dragged away? Who are these people? What was I doing? Was it sleeping? Let me catch up on that.

It was not long before I was given a few slaps to the cheek, just enough to wake me up. In front of me I saw my drill instructor for my training at the Academy based in the Imperial Prison. Shocked by his sudden appearance I looked around to find myself at the front desk of the Imperial Prison being held by both my arms as if I was dragged along this way.

In front of me sat this hefty Nord that I once learned from sitting at his desk. It seemed as if he did not recognize me and I was partial to that, whatever is happening right now I am glad he does not recognize me. His desk was a large mess filled with papers involving the crimes. Who is who, who did what, who gets in, who gets out. Who was holding what, what is legal, what is illegal, that sort of thing. To my left laid the entrance towards the deeper dungeons, just a smaller set of the deep catacombs that actually is the Imperial Dungeons; there they kept the worse of people, people charged with treason just like Tharn had been and people who where awaiting execution. These people were going to die there. Towards my right was the jail cells, the smaller and more cared for section of the prison where crimes do have limits. Skooma dealers, murderers, and the thieves are watched over here, nothing to serious.

"Wait, I recognize your face" spoke the Jailor, shit! I thought I had it going in my favor for a seco-, "Your that Battle-Mage that the Emperor got a fuss over years ago. I remember that! The Elder Council couldn't stop bitching over your presence, guess you've done proved them right." What! No! It's me! Ian! The once lazy kid that you absolutely hated! Remember me? It was only two years ago, you should know who I am!

I am seconds away from objecting before I notice the two that are holding me. Ignar and Quintus, my two best friends of all people, surly they would object and explain to me what is going on.

"What's he in for?" continued the warden.

"Treason and murder of an Imperial Guard." Quintus replies. That asshole, I thought he was my friend. He seemed rather sad when he said it though. I don't like where this is going, I don't remember anything about murder.

"Who was the sorry fool that died?" continued the Nord jailor.

You could hear the two swallow their throats before continuing, "Prefect of the Imperial Guard, Ian Newkirk".

The words hit me hard. I was Ian! They think I am Jagar and they think I am dead, what was going on? I didn't understand! Did this have to do with those mage's magic? Probably was. I did not object, I was tired again and I collapsed.

I had the weirdest dream however, weird in that all of it was actually true…

Uriel Septim VII, along with General Talin Warhaft walked into Tharn's Throne room. Upon entering with a squadron of my friends and fellow mates I witnessed them all turn into these lizard-like monsters and turn against the Empire. Uriel and Talin were thrown into some dimension of sorts and Ria Silmane, a dear friend of mine was eaten and her dead corpse violated by the monsters I once called my friends. It was as if I was a direct witness to these historical events.

As soon as I awoke, I was in a cell within the deeper cells, the ones directly beneath the room I last found myself. The only source of light was a small barred window at the top of a wall, to high for me to reach. I was without the armor and weapons I recently had and I was without anything more than this book, something that was just lying on the desk beside me, next to a clay chalice and platter. I have no idea why it was there, only that it must have been used by the previous owner of this cell. Strange as it may be, it was void of any sort of ink, graphite, charcoal, or pastel anywhere so I wonder why it needed to be here in the first place. The previous owner obviously had no way to write in it himself.

Aside from obvious conjecture, I was trapped and I was unable to do anything about it, not to mention that anyone that looked at me only saw Jagar Tharn's face. Funny how it was, as an attempt to keep me as evidence of the Empire's safety from Tharn and now he is now free to masquerade as the Emperor all he wants; genius.

It does not take long for me to hallucinate as it were. An odd image of a young girl appeared before me and it did not take long for me to recognize the face since I was so familiar with it, it was of the young wizard Ria Silmane. The girl that I chatted with regularly, the same girl I just imagined being killed, standing in front of me? What!? I was shocked, whether or not what I had was a dream, she should not be able to be in here. What is she doing?

She looked down at me, frowning, and a pile of tears about to collapse from her cheeks. Oddly enough she still has room for another one of her smiles, the ones I always did enjoy.

"Please don't fear me Ian. It's me, Ria Silmane", she spoke, their was a very odd echo towards her voice, as if she was speaking the multiple times immediately after saying it. If anything I should be scared now, what is going on!?

I found the courage to speak; I swallow my fears and began to speak, "What… what happened to you?" I spoke in a shocked whisper, nice job I did for conserving my manly nature.

That was when the frown came back again. Her eyes did tear up again, this time the tears raining down her face. That was when I noticed that the tears never made it towards the ground, they just… disappeared.

"I am dead Ian, only my powers keep me in this form and the pull of the afterlife is beyond my strength.", dead… then what I did see was true, "I can resist, but only for a limited time. I fear that Tharn will bring the Empire to ruin"

My legs could no longer hold themselves upwards. What she said was frightening to say the least. The last time the two of us talked was just three days prior to this whole debacle; she was eating some bread in the middle of the Imperial Palace's rotating hallways and I came to chat about how our days had been, what it's like to be a mage and what it's like to be a legionnaire and I remember it very well. She chatted about her studies and the possibilities there was towards her replacing Jagar Tharn and I told her about what it's like to sleep in a room filled with dozens upon dozens of other loud, rude, and obnoxious men.

"I was able to show you what happened, after I saw them carrying you away from Jagar's room I knew that you were the only person I could trust"

She trusted me. She wanted me to save the Empire? At the moment it seemed rather futile, I was trapped inside the most impenetrable building with no means of escape or resistance. She must have had some plan.

I was stuck in thought; something about all this seemed unsettling. Then the idea of the importance towards the Emperor came to mind, in particular the Amulet of Kings. During my time at the academy, during training and all I had to take some minor courses of history and the culture within Tamriel. I at least knew what the Amulet of Kings was and how they affected the Dragonfires.

"What of the Amulet of Kings? Shouldn't we be able to tell if that is not the Emperor? I was in the understanding that the Amulet of Kings had the ability to notify the Elder Council of such events."

"The Emperor is not dead Ian. Only in the event of his demise would the amulet warn the council. Tharn was very thorough in his planning, down to using you for his own alibi. With time in Oblivion only running at a fraction of what it does here, it could be centuries before Uriel Septim does indeed pass and by that time noone will even care, the damage would have already been done"

Damn it, I was not given much wiggle room for failure. Everything in this situation was fragile and I was not given much of a chance.

"I can probably only survive for another decade…" that is great Ria! We can save the country yet! Start a rebellion! Save the Empire! We could win this, maybe.

"What exactly should I do? I am being rushed into this Ria, I don't even know how best to handle this." This was a good answer, I was flustered and nervous. I needed to take this slow, find out what to do and focus on that, not on what the risks are.

Ria smiled and waved her hand above the table, atop the clay dish and suddenly a form of an ruby key appeared. Ria then placed her hands atop a stone brick adjacent to a recess in the wall big enough for me to sit down in. Suddenly the wall behind it collapsed and revealed a rather hastily carved out passageway, leading downwards into some sort of ancient ruin of sorts. Could this have been here before the Empire existed? I was unsure, the designs on the walls and floors though said passageway seemed to not have been made by Imperials or any other race I was inherently aware of, however I did not have much of a good look yet.

"I know I am putting all my trust into you; however you're still not strong enough to do anything right now. Escape this place, you won't have much time before Jagar Tharn decides to have you executed. Once I feel as if you are stronger we can begin our fight against him."

Ria had a way to make things simple, it was simply how she was. It was impossible for someone like her to impose stress on anyone, and at a moment such as that I was greatly appreciative over it. I knew what to do I remember moments where I would listen in on her conversations with her fellow apprentices and understanding the most of it. Things were simple, she gave me a task one at a time and I was able to calm down because of it. Forget about Tharn and the Emperor, just escape and from this place!

She pointed towards the pathway she had created, "Down there is your path towards freedom, the ruby key will give you access towards the tunnels. You should be able to find some equipment on your way towards a portal I have set up that will lead you far away from here, until we meet again."

She smiled one last time before fading into the bright light from the window outside. I had to make it out, keep it calm and focus. Of course anyone would take a small break, some time to think over things a bit before heading out. After realizing that I was not making anything better by overcomplicating it myself, I grabbed the key and ran down the hallway.

It took longer than I expected to get things figured out. I had no idea a place like this was here, under the Imperial Prison, and I have no idea that Ria Silmane would know about it. The barred door where the key was supposed to go just had some weaponry right next to the door. The poor guy probably was murdered by the Goblins infesting these tunnels.

The entire place was a labyrinth. It took days to find a way around, hence why I am writing this three days since the disaster. I did not want Tharn to grow suspicious along with the leftovers of the Imperial Guard, so I made it regular duty to rest up in my cell during the night when they would check in on me and give me my food for the day. Little did they know I had hidden my escape key inside the pitcher of water that was sat on top of the table, just so no one in the guard would see it. The collapsible wall, my exit to the outside could easily be opened and closed and as such it was easy to make my escape. Since I did not want to cause suspicion when I was checked, I would lock the gate again with the ruby key to keep Goblins from outside and then leave my equipment I had gained inside the room in between the gateway and the Gobin infested sewers.

The Goblins and rats were a different story on their own. Being unprotected and all I found myself constantly wounded and scarred by the army of Goblins that plagued me. While time was able to heal the smaller wounds from the first day, I still hold the deep scars where small lumps of my own flesh were torn off. I took the cloth the Goblins used for clothing as a way to bandage my wounds, not the best way to heal them considering how filthy they might be but it works out just fine.

It was not until the first night however that I received another visit from Ria, back in my cell. I was tired, panting and exhausted of all strength and then suddenly I noticed Ria looking down on me. I was shocked and immediately jumped upwards, completely phasing through her. I heard some laughter, the usual teasing anyone would get from a girl, and was promptly annoyed. The girl expects me to save the world while she is laughing at every little thing I do, I get it Ria. I get it.

It did not take long for her to stop as she noticed my bandages and wounds, not to mention that I was in the exact same room still. A look of guilt took over her.

"You're wounded." She echoed.

"Just a bit"

"You can't get wounded 'just a bit'"

"And you usually can't live after you die, Ria."

"Do you know what necromancy is?"

"What?"

"Never mind."

This conversation got a real awkward feeling; it was almost like it used to be. She promised that she would come see me once I got stronger to explain more about it. I probably did get some bit stronger however she probably expected me to be outside by now. She is wasting time, and I know she is going through just as much pain resisting the afterlife like she is. I wonder how it feels, where she is right now as opposed to when I can see her. She is not dead but neither alive, can she read this journal as I write it? I want to know, but I am afraid to ask. I would hate to waste her time on this world.

"I did say that I would give you more information didn't I?" continues Ria, as she shifted the conversation back towards it's more serious tone. "Not long after Jagar threw the Emperor and Talin into Oblivion, Jagar had a fit. He became scared of his life and that he had paid such a big price for something he only needed for a short time."

Ria's ethereal hands wave around, and suddenly the gaseous image of the same staff I remember seeing Jagar Tharn holding. It was smaller than the actual staff since this cell was to narrow for the full staff to take its full form anyway. She pointed at it, as to make it the focus.

"This staff is our goal. As a sacrifice to gain its full power, Jagar had to bind his own life to it and as such make him vulnerable. If anyone got a hold of it he would die in an instant and all magic cast by Jagar would be undone. Jagar however knew of this weakness and as such he has separated the stave into several different pieces and had them spread across Tamriel's providences."

So the same staff that Jagar Tharn used to get us into this mess will get us out of it, irony at its finest. Not only that, but I am also saving my fellow guards also, since they were turned into those lizard freaks by the staff, the one I will undo. That left one problem however; the fact that these pieces are spread across the entire land of Tamriel. How was I to achieve this quest of finding them?

"I know where these staff pieces are, however I am not sure of their exact location in Tamriel. Your first goal should be to focus on a dwemer ruin known as Fang Lair, located in your home Providence of Hammerfell."

Great, I got the help of one of the strongest wizards on Nirn and she doesn't know the crucial part to all of this. It's nice of her to find out about all of this for me, but names won't do anything if I don't have an idea where to look at. I was about to bring it up, before she answered it for me.

"I am sure the residents have a better understanding of your own home, you could just ask them if you need to." again with her smiles as she parted again, fading away. Some weird way to say goodbye I guess. That was the last time I saw her, only being yesterday night.

That day, I forced my way around the dungeon. It took forever however I managed to clear the entire location and loot it all. The portal itself was weird, as if it were a part of the hallway it was in itself. I could not see beyond it however the bluish swirls that made up the portal almost reminded me of the ocean during a hard storm.

Scribbled towards the side of that last sentence reads "The things a fisherman can say…". You decide to assume that aside from being an Imperial Guard Ian's family must have been fisherman in Taneth, a well known port city in Tamriel, as this is the only logical solution.

As I walked into the portal, I fell down at least seven feet before landing 'safely' on my face. That was only a hour ago… or maybe it was three hours ago? I have been writing for a good while now and I no longer have any idea what time it is and I think I see the sun rising from outside my window.

Anyway I walked a while in the dark, injured and bruised, looking for a way to rest. I was almost at the point where I wanted to break down a door to one of the houses and pillage it, taking the bed for my own. Luckily I found this place, a cheap and rackety inn. If it was five days ago, I would have hated this bed. I know the Imperial Guard's beds were never the greatest however they were by the "Imperial standard" as most of the Nords, Bretons, and other Redguards call it. I better get to sleep because I just looked outside and I can say without a doubt that was the sun I saw. I want to get some rest before I do anything. Sleep sounds amazing right now.

I have journeyed around this town for a while now. Ria Silmane ceases to amaze me, I was in Cyrodiil yesterday and now I am suddenly in Hammerfell's more western locations. That is insane! Why is this magic not used more often? Why have I never heard f it before? The village is known as Thorstand Place, it is very well kept establishment however there is a noticeable lack of residents here. Mostly the middle class call this their homes though the place where I did stay, the Silver Golem, was part of it's poorest district, near the south-eastern border.

I do not relatively know about this place much, I had to buy a map to find out where this place is. It is on the north-western border of Hammerfell just on the border of the sea and High Rock. In between us are the capital city of Sentinal and the fairly moderate city of Skaven.

Obviously, my first concern was getting back to health. I got odd looks from people while I walked around Thorstand and I obviously could not blame them for it, though it was very embarrassing. The priest was kind enough to give me an extended treatment; apparently I was on my last legs. I probably should have found him before going to the Silver Golem. It did cost a lot to get through the treatment however I could handle the pay.

After getting that all settled, I went to the nearest blacksmith and got myself equipped as fast as possible. I did not want to return to that same priest again. Bought myself a full set of steel plate armor, a katana, as well as bargained my way though a cheap discount while I was there. I had to sell the ruby key to the cheap merchant while I was there, however I did leave the place with a profit instead of a debt, gained around a few hundred septims in total.

Then came the Mages Guild. They are almost the only source of any sort of potions you can find, not only that but they have some magical appraisers that can find out what things are. If an object looks weird in any way or has any sort of enchantment, these guys can find out what the thing is and does before you sell it for cheap coin. I bought enough healing items to keep me away from any restoration mages inside the chapels.

Onto the topic of Fang Lair, I cannot find anything. I took a visit towards Thorstand's Chieftess, who was happy to comply for adventurers. She however could not find anything on the matter inside their small village. She did however recommend one simple thing however, that I go and visit my hometown of Taneth and ask around there.

That was everything I could have found on the matter and as such I should follow it. I am waiting for a butcher to finish chopping up some pork while I write these last few thoughts into my first day in this journal. After this I will pick up a hatchet for some wood during my trip as well as some tents and buy a horse while I am at it. I will then make way for Taneth. The trip could take around seven days however I am alright with that. I have a lot to think about now that I am all healed up and away from any Imperial threat.

Now I must journey.