One rainy morning you arrive at the Imperial Academy of Cyrodiil and notice an unassuming pamphlet covered in an elegant script nailed to the large wooden doors. Something about it intrigues you and you decide to read it despite its controversial nature and banned content.

What is Life but Death postponed?

There are many long lived species and individuals that grace our world who are blessed by the gods some say. Yet we humans are condemned to death and decay. We are not some primitive form of life where a short life would be appropriate, no we can rival those long lived species in intelligence and talent. We know that the elves and dwarves easily live longer than several of our generations. The gods are nigh untouched by the ravages of time and those few mortals who bear their blood are gifted with an unnatural long life. Yes I hear you call out "but there are ways for us to live longer" yes there are indeed if you hold divine favor but that requires it to be gifted to you. Many mages and learned scholars have sought out ways to slow the aging process or to indefinitely extend their lives through so-called spells and elixirs of youth or immortality. This task is folly often ending in those who seek immortality dying from that common mortal affliction: time. Yet those who do succeed in this task guard their secrets jealously not parting with it even at threat of death and sell their services only to those few rich enough to afford it or those fewer who gain their favor. Men have grown accustomed to living their lives according to the whims of their gods and hoping that when their allotted time is up they are escorted into some grand afterlife better than what they could find in life.

Why should we give up our right to live when we are what some call 'fated' to die? Because some immortal gods say it is time for us to pass from this world to the next? What does an undying creature know about death?

So what is to be done? If the common man cannot earn enough to buy more time or hope to get fortunate enough to discover a way to extend their time among the land of the living or by chance receive divine favor what is he to do? The solution is obvious: abandon the pursuit of more time among the living and embrace a goal which is much easier to acquire if one is willing to sacrifice of themselves: Undeath.

Death is inevitable, embrace this truth and move on, we do not have the time to waste on such trivial facts, true death can be ignored if you welcome an existence as an Undead.

How many of our kind in their last few moments before death beg or cry desperately wishing for more time? That they had spent their time better? The Elder Races do not have this same problem, at the end of their long lives they pass on peacefully. Too many of our people die before achieving their goals without experiencing the things they desire and even more have their lives cruelly taken from them leaving only that most basic of desires … revenge. Undeath, in whatever form you choose, grants those with regrets or unfulfilled desires the time they need to live the life they wanted and to pass on when they are ready.

Will undeath make you a god? Nay! Do not be so foolish as to believe this will make you a god or even close, it will only do what I have promised, offer new strength and powers but most of all time. If you choose to use this time to amass more power to rival gods or to perfect your art or craft or to simply spend more time with loved ones that is up to you.

I say to you that undeath is the last best hope for anyone to live their life free from external whims to be master of their own life ….. oh pardon me "life" is not the correct term. Undeath is the last hope one has to exist on their own terms free from such mundane concerns such as illness and godly benevolence. Yes this will displease some gods but ask yourself do you truly think that the gods, whichever of that great multitude are relevant to you, know you personally? When was the last time they spoke to you or answered your prayers? Yes we all know a hero or two who received divine favor and so we tell ourselves that the gods know and hear all who pray to them lying to ourselves in the hope that we will be the next to receive their favor yet we are all of us ignored.

Unshackle your mind from the yoke that has been placed upon it. You are not an ox, you are a man/free being! Undeath is not oppression or evil it is liberation! It will allow you to be your own master with new abilities and power only rarely found in life however be warned …... how you use your new found time and abilities and the consequences, shall be yours to bear.

Choose wisely or choose your own destruction …

At the bottom of the pamphlet you notice the Author's initials signed in a large flowing hand reading simply: L.W.