Interregnum, 854 of the Second Era Options

[Destri Melarg]

To the Reader

This story takes place over the course of one year, 854 of the Second Era. It details the end of interregnum and the founding of the Septim line of Emperors. Inspiration for this story is drawn from two sources. The first is a one line entry in the timeline for the Second Era:

2E 854 - The Emperor was assassinated by a High Rock nightblade who also burned the Imperial Palace to the ground and attempted to kill General Talos.

I have come to believe that history is merely the propaganda of the winning side. This entry tells you what happened, but it doesn’t tell you how or why it happened. I have attempted to address those questions in this story.

For the second source of inspiration I express no embarrassment in saying that the form is blatantly lifted from my favorite of the in-game books, Carlovac Townway’s remarkable 2920: The Last Year of the First Era

Some of the characters you will encounter in this story have been lifted from the in-game books. Others are the product of the author’s imagination. I do not claim to have mastered the lore so if I stray too far from it, please don’t hesitate to call me on it. That said, there are a few ‘liberties’ that I have taken in this story which I feel I must draw to your attention:

- Tamriel is a much larger place than the game world. A day’s journey in game takes a week (weather and terrain permitting) in the story.
- Cities are larger and far more populated than they are in the game.

My deepest gratitude goes out to RemkoNL, mALX, Acadian, hauteecole rider, Winter Wolf, SubRosa, and treydog for their steadfast support of this story. Without you I doubt that it would exist.

As always any comments, criticisms, or suggestions are most welcome.

* * *

Table of Contents

Book One: Morning Star
Book Two: Sun's Dawn
Book Three: First Seed

This post has been edited by Destri Melarg: Aug 14 2010, 12:15 AM

[Destri Melarg]

The Sweetroll Negotiations! Yes, I remember Acadian's comment about the role the common, humble sweetroll played in this parley from the other forum.

Did you rewrite this chapter a little?

haute - You have officially given name to this section of the story. 'The Sweetroll Negotiations', I love it!

I have rewritten this chapter a little, most notably the comments made by Ri’Dargo about the Khajiit cultural affinity for ambition, which to my way of thinking they would equate with courage and daring.

I kept in mind the metaphor of the carrot and the stick during the writing of this chapter. Talos chose the location for the parlay with the express purpose of keeping his adversary off balance and ever mindful of the terrible price the Khajiit had paid the night before trying to seize a single fort on the Cyrodiil border. The fact that you describe Talos’ attitude during the negotiations as ‘bone-chilling’ is exactly what I was going for. Thank you.

A very interesting situation, one that reminds me of Caesar in his last years in Gaul, when it was becoming apparent to everyone that his ambition to become First Man in Rome was finally matched by his actual ability to make it so.

Are you a Farscape fan by chance? The name Ri’Dargo immediately makes me think of Ka D'Argo.

nits:
Considering the circumstances, Lord RiDargo, I would advise you to mind your tongue.
You missed the apostrophe in Dargo's name.

SubRosa - Once again you have skewered my intention. I have always seen Talos as Tamriel’s version of Caesar, and I have tried to imbue Cuhlecain with aspects of Pompey. Think about it, Cuhlecain is the one who ‘discovered’ the tactical genius of Hjalti Early-Beard and lifted him up so that he could become Talos Stormcrown. I think it makes for a far more interesting story if the would be Emperor of Tamriel sows the seeds of his own destruction during those early battles at Old Hrol’dan.

I am of course familiar with Farscape, but I have never seen an episode. Ri’Dargo came from the etymology of Khajiit names in which the prefix ‘Ri’ is a sign of status, like a tribal elder, and the name Dargo is a contraction of the name of the first Khajiit I ever encountered in an Elder Scrolls game. He was a slave named Baadargo in the smuggler’s cave outside of Seyda Neen in Morrowind.

And thank you for locating my wayward apostrophe. It has been addressed.

Or a third time.....
Seriously, I know you stated you changed little things, things other people wouldnt notice but I feel it's the little things that made the story EVEN better. Like the first chapter. I remember being impressed the first time but by the Nine.... it's epic now!

Remko - I think it’s safe to say that you have earned the ‘Long Suffering Merit Badge’ for slogging through this beast THREE times! By now you probably know this story better than I do. I am so glad that the rewrites are making the story better for you. One of the best things about bringing this story to a new board is that I get to address issues that I wasn’t too happy with in the original version . . . like that first chapter.

Ah yes, once again, the sweetcake has stolen my heart. I am so pleased you kept the little fellow in this new version. Wonderful stuff as always Destri!

Acadian - Are you kidding? I would have dropped Ri’Dargo from the story before I got rid of the sweetroll! During the rough draft that poor little thing must have changed hands at least a dozen times. It was beginning to border on the ridiculous! I had to cut it down considerably to get it to the point that it is now.

By the way, WOW!!! The new Buffy is SMOKIN’ HOT!!!!

More, Destri, more. Now !!!!!

Winter Wolf - I hereby proclaim myself the pot calling the kettle. Here I am, extolling you to write faster, and then I leave you for two weeks without an update! I will try to address that over the weekend. For now I need to get caught up with Aradroth and, rest assured, your ‘more’ is coming.

If I ever grow up (doubtful), I want to write like that!

And finally, the negotiations (sweetroll and all!), along with the young Captain's insights.

This is story-telling on a grand scale, yet you manage to make the characters 3-dimensional and fully-realized.

treydog - It is always so nice when you drop by Interregnum. There is always a chair near the fire left open for you (or would you prefer a rug?). I am humbled by your comments; from a writer of your proven ability they mean a lot!

When I grow up I want to write like treydog.

No, I was complaining that you answered everyone's comment but mine at the head of the previous chapter, ROFL !!!!! - just kidding, obviously.

mALX - First things first, it was inexcusable for me to ignore your comment from before. Allow me to address it now:

ARGH!!! A TEASER !!!!!!! ARGH!

I loved this chapter before and still do - the beginnings of the K'Sharra Prophecy !!! You ROCK !!!

You can blame Remko and SubRosa for the teaser. They were the ones who asked me if there was going to be anything new added to Interregnum.

As for the K’Sharra Prophecy, I first envisioned this chapter through the final line that Dar’Zhan says to his son, so the germ of the idea began with K’sharra. From there everything else was put into the chapter to serve that final line. Thankfully it all seems to work.

Now for your latest comment:

I am depressed, out right bummed
from no updates on Interrignum
Sitting, waiting, sad and blue
for any updates that come from you

I feel as if I have achieved some rite of passage! Who knew that absence was the surest way to illicit a poem from you. Reading it brought a much needed ray of sunlight into what has been a gray, dreary November in my soul for the past few weeks, thank you for that. You're the one that ROCKS, mALX!

I am sorry that I have made you wait so long. As I told Winter Wolf, I hope to address that issue this weekend.

_____

Everyone – Thank you all for your comments. I am sorry that it has taken me so long to respond. I find myself tied to the tracks of circumstance with a deadline bearing down on me like a freight train. The last few weeks have been without social interaction (or very much sleep) of any kind. The good news is that I anticipate a window of time this weekend in which I can try to get caught up with the exploits of Maxical & Shivani, Julian, Teresa, Rales & Zerina, Aradroth, Athlain & Athynae, Firen, and anyone else that I am unforgivably forgetting right now. But as that great unrecognized sage, the Reverend Al Swearengen once said:

“Announcing your plans is a good way to hear God laugh.”

More Interregnum coming soon . . . I promise.