Defense Plans
War Room, Imperial Palace
Martin was meeting with all his generals, except Jonna, who was still recovering. Once they were all seated around the main table, he got right to the point.
"As you all are aware, the Thalmor are marshalling their forces to invade The Empire. Their Ambassador left here under less than ideal conditions…"
"After you threw him against a wall, from what I hear," General Blackmane interrupted.
"Excuse me, General, I am speaking," Martin said sternly. "Yes, the diplomatic maneuvering got heated, descended into name calling and I used my Thu'um to deliver a message. Granted, not my best moment, but the Thalmor were gearing up for war for some time. It was not a matter of if, but of when."
Martin paused, took a breath and continued. "The fact is, Gentlemen, the Thalmor were irked by my very coronation. The Thalmor invaded Skyrim and attacked a company of our Legionnaires just outside of Skyhaven Temple. I believe that battle was a test. They believe they won that test and they believe we are weak. We are going to deploy our legions and as soon as they cross the border we are going to chase them all the way back to the Summerset Isles."
"Sire, if I may, what then?" General Whitestone asked.
"I have special plans for Summerset," was all Martin would say. "For now," he continued, "Let's discuss our plans. Our intelligence indicates they have two division in and around Arenthia, with a third down near Silvernar. We can take Arenthia with one Legion, but will need a second for our push into the jungle. We'll also need to adjust the make-up of our legions. If I'm not mistaken, each Legion is currently made up of ten cohorts, three heavy infantry, two light infantry, two archers, two cavalry and one magic."
General Laudis nodded in response and then added, "Calvary and archers will do little good in the Jungle areas. Calvary will be great for defending the Colovian hills and archers will be great for defending the Gold Coast. Mages can be spread out accordingly."
"There is a slight issue with the mages, my Liege," General Whitestone cut in.
"What is it?" Martin asked.
"Well, sire," Whitestone replied, "historically, the Shadow Legion has provided battlemages and healers. The Mages Guild provided the mages to the Shadow Legion. Once the Mages Guild disbanded, we had to rely on the 'generosity' of the Synod and the College of Whispers. Well, they've stopped being generous."
"I see." Martin observed. "Well, I am meeting with the three main magic schools of the empire. My intention is to re-establish the mages guild. That should help. For now, fill out he first and second legion. We have enough for those at least?"
"Yes, sire. It will be done."
"Thank you. The make-up of the first legion will not change. The second legion will trade their cavalry cohorts for light infantry with the third legion. General Laudis, you will command the Third Legion. Station your troops between Skingrad and Imperial City. You will provide backup where needed. General Blackmane, you will command the Fourth Legion. Station your troops north of Riverhold. Do not let the Thalmor cross into Cyrodiil. General Whitesone, you and your Second Legion will camp east of Anvil. Be prepared to support the First Legion, now commanded by General Tullius. Finally, General Aerin will command the Fifth Legion. Keep your troops near Leyawiin and patrol the hills. Any questions?"
"What of General Jonna?" Whitestone asked.
"I have asked Jonna to serve as Praetor, head of all the Legions. He will be my senior advisor on military matters and part of my council of advisors. All of you will report to him, if he accepts. He has done a tremendous service for our Empire and I have left the choice solely with him. It is my hope he will accept, but I must wait for him to recover."
"Thank you, sire," Whitestone replied. "If I may, what of my archers when we chase the Thalmor into the forests of Valenwood?"
"You can leave your archers behind to defend Arenthia and supplement your Legion with infantry from the First Legion." Martin instructed.
Both Whitestone and Tullius nodded.
"Gentlemen, General Tullius and I will lead the First Legion into Valenwood once the Thalmor attack. Our goal is 1) the elimination of the Thalmor Divisions and 2) to capture and hold the city of Arenthia." Martin explained.
"Sire, what of Elsweyr?" General Blackmane asked.
"Once we have secured a foothold in Valenwood, we'll move to take and hold Riverhold. For now, however, your mission is to prevent any Thalmor incursions into Cyrodiil. You must hold the line, General. Understood?"
Blackmane nodded in response.
"The same goes for General Aerin. Once we secure Arenthia and the surrounding area, the threat to Anvil should be low enough to risk bringing the Second Legion into Valenwood. Gentlemen, I don't need to tell the importance of what is about to occur. The last time we fought the Thalmor it was nearly the end of the Empire. That remains their goal. Our goal is to chase them back to the Summerset Isles and secure both Valenwood and Elsweyr. Many Bosmer do not support the Thalmor, even after the purge, so if we are careful, we could be welcome as liberators. Still, we must proceed as invaders and we must not let any fighting to occur on our soil. The only way to eliminate the Thalmor threat is to eliminate the Thalmor. So long as the Aldmeri Dominion exists, the Empire is in danger. I have no doubt that we will be victorious. It will not be quick and it will not be easy, but we will restore the Empire to its former glory and we will eliminate the Aldmeri Dominion. You all have your assignments and your orders, Gentlemen. I expect no less than your full commitment. See you on the other side."
The Mages Guild Reborn
The next day, Martin was meeting with Nirya from the Collage of Winterhold, Surius Terek from the College of Whispers, Plautius Vantus from the Synod and his Imperial Battlemage, Rex Lornus. The atmosphere was charged before the meeting even began.
"Lady, Gentlemen, thank you all for coming," Martin began. "I have gathered you all together to share news that impacts everyone at this table. First, however, I have a matter of concern that I would like to discuss. It seems our Imperial Legion has a shortage of battlemages and healers. I believe both of your colleges have been sent the appropriate requests for recruits from the Shadow Legion."
"Bah! We won't support your warmongering." Surius sneered. "We are for the peaceful exploration of knowledge."
"Warmongering?" Martin replied. "The Thalmor are seeking to wipe the Empire off of Tamriel. Do you really think they will support your peaceful exploration?"
"Please. We survived the last so called Great War. We'll survive the next. We're untouchable," Surius bragged.
"I could commandeer your students. Impress your mages into service." Martin said.
"You can't do that!" Surius exclaimed.
"Excuse me?" Martin looked at him. "I am Tamriel's Emperor. I am the only one who can do that."
"Wait, I know you," Plautius said. "You are the mage who ruined our research at Mzulft. We spent months preparing for that expedition and you sabotaged all of our efforts!"
"Excuse me?" Martin said again. This meeting was not going well. "Your mages were killed by the denizens in Mzulft. I saved Paratus' life. He repayed me by lying to me and launch all sorts of false accusation in order to cover his own ineptitude."
Plautius scoffed at the notion. "We had everything under control. It was your own hoarding of magical devices, one with the Thalmor nearly got control of, if memory serves, that caused our research to be in vain. Lives lost in vain."
Martin could see he was getting nowhere fast. "Gentlemen, Lady, I will be issuing a charter for a new Guild of Mages. You all have the opportunity to participate."
"And why, pray tell, would we choose to participate?" Suruis asked.
Martin paused, looked at both of the borderline hostile mages and then continued. "Effective immediately upon the founding of the Mages Guild, all magical equipment, tomes, structures and land will become property of the Empire. I had Nirya prepare a draft charter. It is largely based on the original charter, with a few modifications. I had intended on letting you both review it and provide input, but now I will issue it as is and give you the choice of whether or not you and your respective organizations would like to join."
Martin brought forth five copies of the new charter, handing them out to the people at the table and keeping one for himself:
I. Purpose
The Guild of Mages provides benefits to scholars of magic and established laws regarding the proper use of magic. The Guild is dedicated to the collection, preservation, and distribution of magical knowledge with an emphasis on ensuring that all citizens of Tamriel benefit from this knowledge.
II. Authority
The Guild of Mages was established on Summerset Isle in the year 230 of the Second Era by Vanus Galerion and Rilis XII. It was later confirmed by the "Guilds Act" of Potentate Versidue-Shaie. It was disbanded in the tenth year of the Fourth Era by Emperor Titus Mede. In the year 202 of the fourth Era, Emperor Martin Septim II, the Last Dragonborn, re-established the Guild of Mages.
III. Structure
1. The Mages guild shall be led by an Arch-mage, appointed by the Emperor and confirmed by the council of mages.
2. The council of mages shall be composed of four Master-Wizards and the Arch-mage.
3. Each province shall have an overseer who is at least Wizard Rank. The Overseer will also be the guild steward of the hall in the province capital.
4. Each guild hall shall have a steward who is at least Warlock Rank.
IV. Rules and Procedures
1. Magic is the primary role of the Guild. The study of magic and the sharing of knowledge shall take priority in this guild. Members who put their personal pursuits (political, magical or otherwise, determined by the discretion of the Arch-mage) ahead of the guild will be disciplined.
2. Crimes against fellow members of the Guild are treated with the harshest discipline. Whether a member may regain their status in the Guild is determined by the Arch-Mage.
3. Disobedience to the charter or guild superiors will be disciplined.
4. All property of a magical nature is property of the Guild of Mages. This includes, but is not limited to, structures, alchemical equipment, tomes, enchanting equipment, etc.
5. Necromancy shall be permitted to a limited extent. Mages may only use white souls in their experiments. The use of black souls is strictly prohibited and subject to discipline.
6. No experiments shall be conducted on fellow guild members without their express permission. No human experiments shall be conducted without full consent.
V. Membership Requirements
1. The Guild of Mages only accepts candidates of keen intelligence and dominant will.
2. Candidates must exhibit mastery in the great schools of magic: Destruction, Conjuration, Alteration, Illusion, and Restoration.
3. Candidates must also display practical knowledge of enchantments and alchemical processes.
4. Candidates must be of impeccable character. There shall be no outstanding warrants or fines due by candidate at time of admission. Prior indiscretions will not be held against candidates in right standing with the law.
VI. Applications for Membership
Candidates must present themselves to the Steward of the Guild Hall for examination and approval.
Martin let them read it for a few minutes. Surius opened his mouth to comment, but Marin held up his hand. "No, no comments. My offer is very simple. Each of you, representing one of the colleges of magic in Tamriel, may have a seat at the Council of Mages. As such, your respective organization will become chapters of the new Mages Guild."
"Who do you think you are to dictate to us?" Surius said.
Martin kept his voice even. "I am the Arch-mage of the College of Winterhold and the Emperor. If I wanted to, I could disband your organizations. Instead I am offering you a seat on the council of the Mages Guild. The choice is yours."
"Is rule 1 really necessary?" Plautius asked.
Martin was struggling to maintain his composure. "The old mages guild failed due to internal political strife, just as much, if not more so, then from external forces. I will not let that happen again. Both of you seem more concerned with garnering favor and hoarding artifacts than you do about obtaining and sharing knowledge."
They both bristled at that. Martin continued. "You all know that what I am saying is true. We are going to centralize magical learning and exploration. Between the four organizations represented here, there is a good infrastructure already in place. I would prefer to use that infrastructure rather than be forced to start over from scratch."
"Who will be our first Archmage?" Surius asked.
"At first, I will be. Each of you will be on the council of mages. Once the integration is complete and thing have settled out, I will appoint an Arch-mage and you all will confirm him or her. It will be up to you all to determine who will be overseers, who will be guild stewards and who will replace you all on the council when you choose to retire."
Martin looked around the table. Eyes were softening. "I am serious when I tell you that political strife will not be welcome. All of you must work together for the good of the Empire. I am not simply co-opting your organizations, I am giving you the opportunity to create a new organization, one where each of you has input on how to arrange the guild, how to structure it, who to appoint. This will be Empire wide, and I don't mean the pale remnant you see now. I am going to restore all of Tamriel and each of you have the chance to shape the future of magic in our realm."
"It doesn't seem like we have much choice," Surius complained, albeit weakly. "Either take a seat on the new guild council or lose all we have."
Plautius seemed a little less unenthusiastic than Surius. "A chance to shape the guild anew. To fix everything that was wrong with the old guild. I suppose it's worth considering."
"If all of you are agreed and all of you choose to integrate your respective colleges, and all of you agree to work together to lay out the structure and operations of the Mages guild, I will have a formal document drawn up for each of us to sign." Martin said.
He looked around the table.
"I think it's a grand idea," Nirya said.
"I'm honored to be included," Lornus said.
"I'm…not opposed to the idea," Surius said.
"I suppose I'll try it for now," Plautius said.
"Great," Martin enthused. "I'll have the document drawn up and we'll have a formal signing ceremony in a few days. For now, consider the Second Guild of Mages founded in principal. Each of you will begin integration efforts. Gentlemen, this will include sending recruits to the Shadow Legion. Whether your support so call 'warmongering' or not, the Thalmor are coming and not just for conquest. They are coming to destroy us, our way of life, our institutions, our homes, our people. Please, lend your efforts to help us."
The earlier hostility seemed to vanish. Both Surius and Plautius nodded solemnly.
Emperor's Sword
Riverwood
Martin Septim had a very small entourage. Having sown the seeds of restoration for the Thieves' Guilds and the Mages guild, his next target was firming up the foundation for the blades. First, however, he needed a new sword. He had an idea for a very specific sword, one he wanted to craft himself. He decided to return to his roots, in a way and headed to Riverwood to see Alvor the Blacksmith.
Alvor was at the workbench, hammering away at a piece of armor. He turned when heard the commotion. It wasn't every day that the Emperor visited a small town like Riverwood, and while Martin had tried travelling incognito, he was well known in Riverwood. Alvor was big enough that he easily moved to the front of the crowd. "So, Martin now, is that what you're calling yourself?"
"Yes, Alvor, Martin Septim II. Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"
Alvor laughed. "Not really, but you are the one who has to live with it. So you really were serious, eh? I told ya that your claim was not crazy. Them accepting ya? That was crazy! HA! So what brings you back here?"
"I need a sword."
Alvor laughed even harder. "You've come all this way for a sword? Surely you have blacksmiths in the Imperial city?"
"I have a legion of blacksmiths at my disposal," Martin confirmed. "But this is a very specific, very custom sword. I will be making it myself, and I figured why not return to where it all began? I'd like to use your forge again, with your permission of course."
"You're my emperor now, you don't need my permission, but I appreciate you asking all the same. My place is your place, anything you need, my friend. The offer always stands."
Martin nodded and smiled. Then he scanned the crowd. He found who he was looking for and strode over to him. "Orgnar, good to see you."
"So, lad you style yourself emperor now, eh? How may this lowly cook help you?"
"You haven't changed a bit, have you? I'd like to rent your inn for the night."
"We got rooms, food and drink. Don't have any fancy royal food, won't be getting any neither."
"That's ok, Orgnar, just cook what you have and keep all the rooms open for us." Martin said.
Orgnar nodded and headed back inside. Martin shook his head, failed at suppressing a smile and headed over to the forge.
"Lydia, you and the rest head into the Sleeping Giant. You remember our special room?"
Lydia nodded.
"Good, show, Esbern, Hadvar and Aldis. Everyone else stays out in the main room. Food and drink won't be very good, but it's free for all of you."
Lydia smiled and lead the emperor's entourage into the inn.
Martin went to the forge to work on his sword. He took out his dragon bones, ebony ingots, gold ingots and a few gems. He got straight to work. Over the next several hours, he crafted himself a very special dragonbone sword. He started with the base sword, then he overlaid the ebony with gold.
He set in a diamond on the center of the crossguard, on each side. For the pommel, he used the exquisite sapphire he got from, well, Sapphire. He rounded out the pommel with ebony overlaid with gold. The sword was a sight. It was white and gold. When it was finished, he took it to the grindstone to sharpen it up, and then he showed it to Alvor.
Alvor was quite impressed. "You've come a long way from iron daggers and hide helmets." He balanced the sword in his hand and then took a few swings. "Weighted correctly, well balanced, even with the extras. Looks like it will do a fair amount of damage. This is a sword fit for an emperor, alright."
The Sleeping Giant
Martin entered the Sleeping Giant inn, nodded to Orgnar and went straight towards his special room. The door was closed, so he opened it, went through and then closed it again behind him. He was a little disappointed that the secret entrance was left wide open. He was sure to close the false backing after he went through.
He descended the stairs to find Esbern, Lydia, Aldis and Hadvar seated around the table. "Please make sure the false backing is closed when you are down here. Granted, there doesn't seem to be much of a risk in this town, but it's still best not to take any chances."
They all nodded in response.
"Good," Martin began as he took a seat. "The reason why I brought you all up hear, is not just to watch me make a sword. I would like to discuss expanding the blades footprint. Cloud Ruler Temple has lied in ruins for decades now. My plan was for Hadvar to oversee its rebuilding, but with the current situation, Hadvar is needed in Cyrodiil and Valenwood."
"Excuse me, my liege," Esbern interjected, "but what good is expanding our footprint, if we don't have the people to fill it out?"
Martin smiled. The old man was wise as ever. "I'll actually be getting to that in a moment, Esbern. Please bear with me for a little bit."
Esbern nodded and Martin continued. "As I was saying, the construction efforts are going to be delayed, but there is no reason we cannot start preparations. Aldis, I would like you to oversee the preparations."
"Yes, sire." Aldis nodded.
"Officially, you will be stationed in Solitude, as General Rikke's aid/deputy. Unofficially, you will be in command of Skyhaven Temple. Your mission is to clear out Helgen of bandits and then to rebuild and fortify the town. This room can been your command post for that effort, if you'd like. It's closer than either Solitude or Skyhaven Temple. Feel free to use legion resources to aid in the restoration of Helgen, but once it is complete, while it will officially be a legion fort, I would like you to ensure that only those legionnaires who are members of the blades are assigned there."
"Sire, what about during its construction? I'll need more soldiers than there are blades for that effort." Aldis noted.
"Use any Imperial Legion personnel or resources that are necessary for construction," Martin replied. "Once construction is complete, ensure that only blades are garrisoned there. The fort will double as a supply depot for resources and materials for the rebuilding of Cloud Ruler Temple. I want you to slowly purchase and store whatever is needed for that effort. That won't happen until after the Thalmor are defeated, but I want to ensure we are ready. As far as personnel, you know the soldiers here better than any of us. If you feel any of them would make a good addition to the blades, then feel free to recruit them. I trust your judgement, but please be discrete and cautious."
Aldis nodded in understanding.
Martin turned to Esbern, "Esbern, there are a fair number of priests of Talos, especially here in Skyrim. They've largely operated underground, but they are out there."
"I am aware, sire," Esbern responded. "I have been contacted by a few. Some are cautious, some are optimistic, some are flat out distrustful."
"That is to be expected," Martin confirmed. "Please reach out to them. I think all of them should be given the position of high priest of Talos, due to their dedication and unwavering service in the face of danger and persecution. They will, at the very least, be inducted into the blades. Have those you think are fit for the task go out and proselytize. Re-establishing the order is in your capable hands. We can discuss who go into the blades and who remain priests at a later date, but I trust you with recruitment and establishment of the order."
Esbern nodded.
Martin turned towards Lydia. "Lydia, you are in charge of my personal guard. A fitting position for my first housecarl." They both smiled. Martin continued, "You will be with me in each battle we fight, but I don't want you engaging the enemy. Instead, I would like for you to watch the soldiers as they fight. Observe them for the qualities that would be fitting for the emperor's personal guard. Not just fierceness in battle, but those who fight with honor, those who show loyalty to their comrades, those who refuse to retreat in the face of danger. Right now, you alone are my personal guard. I'd like for you to establish something a little more suitable and appropriate."
Lydia nodded.
Martin addressed the entire group. "Thank you, everyone. I'm trusting each of you to establish and expand your own divisions within the Blades. Our numbers are few right now, but we will grow. As our empire expands, so will our legions. As our legions expand, so will our order. We're not just warriors though, but priests, scholars and spies. Still, I cannot do any of this with each of you, and I want you each to know that I am grateful."
"I am grateful for the opportunity, sire." Esbern said. "and, if I may be so bold, have you given any thought to the intelligence division?"
"You still think Delphine should be permitted to participate?" Martin asked. "Even after what she did?"
"I think you should talk to her, my liege. She is partly responsible for my rescue and she did assist you when you needed it."
Martin sighed. "Very well. Bring her back to the Imperial Palace. I will talk to her, but that is all I can promise at the moment."
Esbern bowed his head slightly. "Thank you, sire."
Author's Note: First, full disclosure. I took the Mage's Guild Charter from Oblivion and made some slight modifications, so I cannot claim sole credit. In my mind, it makes sense that they would use an established document rather than start from scratch, so I figured it fit in context. Second, the votes are in! Thank you everyone who contributed. We'll find out Delphine's fate in the next chapter. Third, another request from you all. What do you think the next war between the Aldmeri Dominion and the Empire should be called? Message me your thoughts and ideas. I'll choose the best one and give props to the person who came up with the name. Finally, this chapter is the end of the first part of the story. The next few chapters will focus on the war itself. We'll revisit some familiar places :). Thank you all for your support and encouragement. As always, if you notice anything amiss, typos, lore issues, etc, please feel free to message me and let me know. I will fix things as soon as I can. If you'd like to be a Beta Reader, send me a message and let me know. Thanks!