"Muthsera d'Alcaire, my Master has long forwent these things, It may be a shame, certainly, or a opportunity for others to learn. I do suspect, however, that his particular inertia regarding this council stems more from a reluctance to confront his own lack of knowledge, than any Telvanni habit, or sorcerous hoarding... All that needs to be said, is that whilst one drop of Corprus still exists, he shall be wedded to it. Should there be anything that divorces him, it must obviously be of a greater personal intrigue to him than the issue that has summoned us here. I however do not share in all his sentiments, especially this one."

"Alas, dear Nord, I am not too particular to drinking after long periods of magical travel... Only now is the sensation of ripped apart by a million Sithic tendrils beginning to pass... I may pick you up on that offer, depending on whether or not the Thalmor say anything particulary ridiculous."

((I'll pretend I know what's going on and continue writing little stories of gods seducing insects.))

A woman, dressed in the robes of an Imperial Librarian, breaks her silent vigil in the corner of the hall, causing her moths to scatter and mythograms to dissipate. Though she looks Nordic, her speech is tinged with the trill of the far west.

"Serjo Hyamentar, your master seems to be forgetting one important example: the Amulet of Kings itself, the bloody heart of Shezarr, a stone in name and form and function. A precedent to Martin's dragon if there ever was one. The Adamantine, our Lord's umbilical of mortal to divine, must surely also qualify. The crystallization of an Aedric manifestation is nothing new - an Aedra co-opting a mortal's body, while retaining all their power, and then leaving behind what may be a new stone... now that is something to ponder."

"As for its purpose, I believe I agree with our fair server. The Empire Actual needs symbols, and our Lord is happy to provide."

She glances toward the barmaid, asks for a glass of wine, a knowing smile upon her lips. The moths reform, and glyphs again start swirling.


((Thoughtcriminal: It's the age old question of what happened at the end of Oblivion, but with myth-babble and lore forum wankery.))

*Sufjan rises, offering his chair to the newly arrived Magister, extending a handshake warmly*

Hail, magus Telvanni. I am House Cousin Sufjan Sarethi, of the Redoran. It is my understanding that your brethren were instrumental in the defense of the realm during the Corner's Rise, doing a job that my decimated House could not. Some Redoran might hold this against you and your kin, believing you to be usurpers of our House's place, but they do not see that when a duty cannot be carried out by one's self, others more capable must take your place, and there is honor in gratitude.

I must ask: what news do you bring of our subject of discussion from the Planes? There is a saying common among the Hlaalu: keep one's friend's purses close and one's enemies' purses closer. Like all Hlaalu sayings, it revolves around money. However, I feel that it has a broader application than mere commerce. Who would know more of Aka than his archfiend, the Dagon?

Without speaking, Arynel rises from his seat. Shaking his head gruffly and mumbling something indiscernible, the Breton exits the chambers.

(OOC: Friday night -- time to imbibe).

"Muthsera Sarethi, I will be honest, I played not a part in the defence of the homeland during Dagon’s mischief. It is also not my place to account for the actions of my master during that time, either.

From what I have gathered, I spent the entirety of the duration of the Dagon's invasion in the not-entirely volitional presence of the most cantankerous Dremora, Dregas Volar. The Lord of Strife has punished him for the losing of the Crescent Blade, and Dregas was given no station whatsoever in the ranks of the invading armies. This was a very bitter blow, and hurt the Dremora's pride as much as a Dremora can feel such a thing... I spoke much with him during my time there, and when I eventually gleaned from him the full intent of his Lord, I desperately tried to leave, if only to warn the Council. However, by this time, I had no effort or will left in me to attempt another journey. To do so would have almost certainly killed me. Dregas wasn't too annoyed by my presence, actually. But for all our conversations, I got little from him by way of true understanding of the mechanics of his Lord's endeavour. Obviously, Dagon did not see him fit to even furnish him with any understanding of how the invasion was going to happen... However, one turn of phrase does stand out, I remember now. As I frantically attempted to conduce another luminal step, he harassed me with his Xivilai, who stopped me and tore down my symbols, he said; "Paper folded too much wears thin, wait for the new sheet to arrive." Then I gave in, and with him drank some Daedric wines his scamps had thieved off with before his banishment.

I have no idea when this was, and for all I know, it could have been years before the actual invasion. I may have been the first Dunmer to know about Mehrune's designs, or maybe not. What a curious thing if I was... Forgive me, though, as the passage through the gradient spirals of irreality has left my memory in all sorts of dissarray. I will talk more on this, once I've drunk some of the Shein."

Perhaps and perhaps not lady of the moths. It seems unprecedented. But surely such events have not not happened. Taela brings up age old wounds bathed with the tongues of her people. To us, this wound is the harbinger of apocolypses misunderstood. To you, he is Pel-i'nel. This one's time in the temple of Mara has aloud her to brush up on faiths of a different path. He was a man, or maybe not just a man, but a being who practically was the embodiment of the great trickster himself.

I bid you do take my seat, Muthsera. It is not a Redoran's station to sit in an honored place when another Velothi must make do with what's left.

By the gods, I thought that only the leaders of the Imperial Cult would be here, An emissary from the Thalmor, a Khajiit priestess, members of the Tribunal Temple... Why couldn't it just be us? I have half a mind to return to my estate, drink the entire wine cellar and perform 'rites to Dibella' with my wife six times in one night to get rid of my frustration. However, I recognize the importance of this meeting, and I must stay in the likelyhood that you say important things.

Calm yourself Archbishop Julius. The events which bring meaning to this gathering was entirely of Cyrod nature, but it's affects transcend boundries seen and unseen.

The Nordic lass served the asked-for wine to both librarian and Telvanni, frowning at the Archbishop of Zenithar. "Who said these matters were only important to the Imperial Cult, Holiness?" she asked. "The honorable host has seen fit to accept all who may step forward to speak - nay, he has shown remarkable patience even in enduring slanderous and unenlightened rhetoric to be spewed about, in the name of good manners. Why vex him further by impugning his choice to hear all who would come forward? 'Tis a bit inhospitable, if I may venture to say."

===

Loranna

I see your point, and apologise for my outburst.

Your apology is most honorable, however, I now feel it important to ensure that all understand the reason for those not specified in the invitationvocation to be present.

I, my family, my comrades, and my very home rose up against the Dagonites. I lost almost everything I owned, save my life, my title, my honor, and these vestments, to the House of Troubles. To claim that this is a matter exclusive to Cyrod is to be utterly blind. Do tell the Thalmor that he has no stake in this jurisdiction, when the Dagonites imprisoned here today are responsible for the fall of his beloved Crystal-Like-Law. I would take great joy in his response. Those gathered here today have a seat in this hall because all of Tamriel has a seat in this hall.

*Kai Ocean-Mist scratches his head*

"Oh by Kyne, what are these people talking about? Martin sacrificed himself and The Dragon appeared. What more is there to it? But all of these.... priests and librarians, who do nothing but blab on and on and on and on, and make everything too complicated. By this point I have forgotten about half the things everyone has said! The Dragon, like something out of a legend, appeared and defeated Dagon. If you want a more complex answer you should talk to a Greybeard, if that's even possible. I heard the most powerful can talk without turning you to ash, as could the weakest."

I sympathise with you. I became Supreme Patriach because of my organisational skills and my faith, and I suddenly had to deal with everyone expecting me to know very confusing things. When I was a Knight of Iron, I thought three Atronachs at once and was so injured that the Resolutiion's healer couldn't fix my scars, but the suffering and challenge was nothing compared to all the research I had to do when I became Archbishop.

The tension in the chamber continues to rise as differing cultures clash. Taela opens a pouch on her belt and takes out a small ounce of moon sugar; consuming it.

The wild looking woman in the habit of Kyne giggled to herself in the corner, rocking back and forth. This wasn't what she had imagined a Ecumenical Council of the Imperial Cult to be like, but was finding it all the more delightful for it.

I think the confusion lies she speaks gleefully, from the rather un-Akaish behavioured from our beloved drake. I don't know about the rest of you, but I was under the impression the benign Divines were supposed to be rather passive towards us mere mortals. 'Tosh does't flick a wing when Jagar Tharn usurps the Ruby throne, nor does the drake puff a wisp of smoke from his sacred nostrils when the Devil in the East tried to blight all Tamriel. But something peculiar in the state of events that day on Lake Rumare caused an unfurling unprecedented in history. And I'm as interested as any of you to know what it was.

It's not just the difficulty in understanding it, it's the point. Why bother trying to figure out what really happened when you never will, unless the gods come down and tell you themselves? And even then, you'll question them, too. Or someone will. No one here will be satisifed with the answer. Or you will, for a few days at most and then begin arguing again.

I'd rather here an epic telling of this story, rather than a "logical" deduction of something like this.

The barriers between Oblivion and Mundus were weak at that time. Who was to say that it didn't work the other way around? Perhaps it allowed Akatosh the ability to act on Nirn in a direct manner, instead of a subtle way like mortal incarnations or divine visions.

Perhaps your Akatosh had a special stake to claim in defeating Dagon?

Here I go, getting involved in all this...

Martin Septim was the Dragonborn, as were all the Septims. Old tales say that the dragons, and dragonborn, could absorb each others power. Perhaps this is what happened with Martin and the Amulet of Kings? If I understand Cyrodiilic religion correctly, all of the previous Dragonborn Emperors of Cyrodiil were in that Amulet.

I doubt that's even close to the whole answer, but I reckon that would play at least some part.

Then again, I'm not a priest, or a bard. But there's my view on it... at least my current opinion.

Wasn't one of your heroes, Ysmir, said to have been so powerful that every man saw him as a Dragon?

Aye, that's how Ysmir appeared. At least to many Nords, I'm not sure about the southerners. Much more popular than Akatosh up in Skyrim, and even Bruma.

The Dragon twisted and coiled and shed its scale on the one, as it always did, as it always would have, as it always was going to!
Why are we debating Aurbical happenstance as if it were what the milkmaid saw on her way to the tavern?!
The Drake broke what Alessia made, as symmetry demands. What, there is no price?
You knew this, of Cyrod. Your Talos told you.
(Drenim gesticulates wildly, pauzes, mumbles to himself a second, and reseats himself)

I think it is time for another perspective.

So perhaps a similar thing happened to Martin. He absorbed so many of the souls in the Amulet of Kings that we saw him as a Dragon. Of course this is conjecture, and I do not know enough about these legends to say for sure that this is the case.