Hello, forumites. I have been following Skyrim very closely from the day it was announced, but only recently decided to register on these here forums.

But this thread is not to discuss me, but a possible foreshadowing on Bethesdas part. You see, I was playing Oblivion recently, when I stumbled upon a book called "The Ravings of Fenroy". I am sure most who have played the game have read this book, and quickly discarded it as a madman's ramblings (Which it is, unarguably).

However, in light of recent revelations concerning Skyrim, the book becomes disturbingly lucid. What follows are a few excerpts from the book that better explain what I mean.

"Time is a private thing. The dragon hides it from us all, parceling it out in dribs and drabs. Save your time. Save your time. I keep mine locked up tight. Where no one can find it. Not even Him."

Now, the first thing I want you to notice is the fact that the author mentions a dragon. It is of course possible that this is a metaphor for some great, perceived evil. I believe that the author means to prepare when he writes "Save your time."

"He talks all the time, but his words are useless. Talking, talking. Let's talk. Never doing. Always talking. Words become meaningless. They float on the air. Dissipate like passed gas. Make him stop talking. Make him stop talking to me."

It has been confirmed that Dragons are capable of conjuring magical effects through speech alone, which would fit eerily to the part where the author writes "Words become meaningless. They float on the air.", as if the words gained physical properties.

"Just You wait and see
Good Gods come and go, but
All Lords eventually fall
A God can wake up mortal."

This one is uncanny. "Good gods come an go, but all lords eventually fall". Personally, I believe this could be a direct reference to the "fall" of Akatosh, when he becomes Alduin to devour the world. "A god can wake up mortal" sounds like it could be a reference to the Dragonborn, seeing how they are mortals with god-like properties.


This is of course just wild speculation and conjecture, and should not be taken seriously. I just found this rather interesting and decided to share it.

Thanks for sharing this information. I think you are seing what you want to see though.

Another Testament to the sixyness of Elderscrolls Lore, excellent find.

First of all, welcome to the forums, have a http://images.uesp.net//c/c4/Fishystick.jpg.

As for your theory, it could be quite possible. I had completely forgot about that book. Good catch.

That is a very good find indeed, can this book be purchased from first edition, I uh... never read it.

I'm hesitant to believe that the last bit has anything to do with Skyrim, because there's a rather clever array of capitalizations there.

Just
You
Good
Gods
All
Lords
A
God

JYGGALAG, the main enemy of Shivering Isles.

The other bits do seem like they may be hints about Skyrim, though. I'd forgotten about this- thanks for reminding me. Good catch.

I was wondering whether there were any hints on the next elder scrolls in Oblivion like there was in Morrowind for Oblivion, looks like you found it, great job really interesting to read.

Ah well, Book does have a good point though.

Oh wow, I can't believe I missed that. I feel extremely stupid now.

First off, great find, thanks for sharing. Second, we've seen Beth do this in the past. I'm pretty sure there was a book in MW that foreshadowed Oblivion. Sounds like this very well could be the book that foreshawdowed Skyrim.

Welcome to the boards. I hope you continue to find such terrific information and contribute often.

bet me to is, that was only there as an easter egg to spell out Jyggalag

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Shivering:The_Ravings_of_Fenroy
I think you're cherry picking. This book is completely random and coincidentally it makes a reference to something you recognize.

You've been "Nostradamused".

Akatosh is the head of the Nine Divines and, among other things, is in charge of time and aging. He also appears as a dragon (and his avatar shows up at the end of TES IV) so it's quite likely Fenroy is simply referring to Akatosh when discussing "The dragon."

Either way it's an interesting topic of discussion and given that Alduin is the Nordic name for Akatosh the book could still have relevance for TES V.

"He talks all the time, but his words are useless. Talking, talking. Let's talk. Never doing. Always talking. Words become meaningless. They float on the air. Dissipate like passed gas. Make him stop talking. Make him stop talking to me."

This part reminds me of Sheogorath, always talking nonsense in the game, I loved that about him in Shivering isles

No need, you can read books online http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Shivering:The_Ravings_of_Fenroy
It's a Shivering Isles book so I don't think first edition sells it.

It is very interesting, whether or not there's anything to it. A dragon who speaks and hides time most definitely seems to have some relevance to Skyrim's story.

I am now almost positive this is a reference to Skyrim.

Keeping in mind that first excerpt from the Ravings, I found this.

"Another legend says that Alduin can "eat" away the age of his victims, and that he once ate the entire Nord population down to age six after being summoned by Orkey"

This is detailed in the book http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Five_Songs_of_King_Wulfharth

Furthermore, maybe that hidden name of Jyggalag means he will play some part in what takes place in skyrim?

This first two sentences sound like Skyrim, but the JYGGALAG bit confuses me a bit :/

indeed good find

Since we are conspirering I might mention a quest in Daggerfall that cant hint the something about Oblivion. A quest in the Knightly Orders called "Invation from Oblivion". The quest itself have to do with a rift in the firmanent, but the title is fitting. This is however only me conspirering though. Oh, and before I forget: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Invasion_from_Oblivion

WOW I read that and....wow I never saw that coming...it's...wow...

But the quest ending indicates that the "rift in the firmament" was a deception, and did not really exist. So why bring it up?

Looks to me like pattern seeking or, as obxure aptly wrote, "Nostradaming"

Lies.. Yngvar doom sayers book tells all.

TL;DR: The Ravings of Fenroy are simply the disjointed thoughts of a mad prophet of the impending Greymarch, not the coming of Alduin.

The reference to a dragon is indeed a reference to Akatosh, but the reason for the reference is to suggest the 1000 year cycle of the Greymarch. Akatosh is the dragon of time. This is simply a poetic way of describing the long period between the coming Greymarch and the previous one.

Most of the other lines in the book are disjointed (obviously maddened) rants involving an internalized battle between order and chaos, which is anologous to the battle between Jyggalag and his cursed alter-ego, Sheogorath. I'll break down some of it here:

"Mother said there was no reason
It's just the way it is
Mother lies
I can see rain, I can feel rain
I can only feel wind
Someone is hiding"

• Reason is symbolic of order, which is symbolic of Jyggalag, the someone who is hiding. The "lie" refers to the fact that there is reason (personified in the form of Jyggalag), everything is not chaotic (as Sheogorath appears).

"If I walk through the forest, the birds stop singing. They're talking about me. I'm sure of it. They're just too scared to do it to my face."

• This may refer to the impending silence of the Greymarch or it may simply illustrate the madness of the author.

"Boat
Moat
Coat
Float
Goat
Note
Wrote
secretnamesecretnamesecretname"

• These words are chaotic in meaning, but orderly in the fact that they rhyme. This is anologous to the dual nature of Jyggalag/Sheogorath. "Secretname" is obviously a reference to the hidden Jyggalag.

"He touches me when I'm not looking"

• Again, this is probably just madness, but "He" may refer to Jyggalag (the hidden one) if you consider the "not looking" part of the sentence.

"Sometimes I hear the people talking about their days. They talk about family and the weather and yesterday and tomorrow. They say What a good day it was and How was your day and Have a nice day. I say talk talk talk talk. How can you enjoy your day when you share it with everyone? Time is a private thing. The dragon hides it from us all, parceling it out in dribs and drabs. Save your time. Save your time. I keep mine locked up tight. Where no one can find it. Not even Him."

• This refers to the 1000 year cycle of the Greymarch. It's done in a very poetic way. Everyone objectively shares time but perceives it subjectively. The dragon refers to Akatosh, the dragon god of time, specifically in the way that time passes slowly. "Him" refers to Jyggalag who needs the 1000 year cycle to pass in order for him to again begin the Greymarch. This is why the author wants to hide his time from Jyggalag (no matter how mad or futile that may be).

"Hold me now
Rock me gently
My tears are burning, dear
Don't jinx it
Don't jinx it
Hold your breath, one big one now
One last gasp
And we're done"

• "One last gasp/And we're done" refers to the end of the Greymarch and the cleansing or rebirth of the Shivering Isles by the destruction caused by Jyggalag.

"He talks all the time, but his words are useless. Talking, talking. Let's talk. Never doing. Always talking. Words become meaningless. They float on the air. Dissipate like passed gas. Make him stop talking. Make him stop talking to me."

• This internalized battle of the voice in the author's head is anologous to the internal battle of Jyggalag/Sheogorath.

Always take care when dealing with women. They see things we do not. A smile. A glance. They mean nothing to us, everything to them. They twist their smiles to meet our own. They avert a gaze just so. Watch them closely. They rule the world; they just don't know it.

Am I indecisive? Yes and no."

• "Yes and no" refers to the duality of Jyggalag/Sheogorath, it's not just a joke, but a joke with a double meaning.

"They came to bring me food today. I ate it, though I know it was poisoned. They lace it with black flour and edgeroot. They think it keeps me quiet, sedate. I know better. Sometimes I chew up the bread and spit it into the corners of my cell. No one notices, and the rats eat it after a time. It keeps them quiet, sedate. When I eat the rats, the poison is more dilute. And I gain their memories.

I don't believe it's fair that I'm forced to deal with the stupid. Or the obtuse. Or the pedantic. Yet they give me rules, like Go here and Do that and Eat this and Kill that. They don't know that I know their names. Eventually I'll get to them. And I'll make the rules."

• I think this might strengthen a pet theory that I'll explain later.

"Just You wait and see
Good Gods come and go, but
All Lords eventually fall
A God can wake up mortal."

• While the capital letters spell JYGGALAG, this also suggests the reification of Jyggalag, which occurs at the end of the Greymarch. Once mortal, Jyggalag/Sheogorath can be destroyed.

"If I learn from my mistakes, will I eventually stop making them? Is there a balance I can achieve, a perfect harmony with my self? Shall I seek that point where there are no more mistakes to be made? All the lessons learned? When that happens, do we die? Do we become gods? Do the gods even want us?"

• This also adds to my theory (see below).

"Maybe all dogs go outside deliberately. Maybe a decision gets overly deliberate. Might a dream grow overly demented? He knows. He knows. He knows.

• The initialism that can be created by the first three sentences is "Madgod. Madgod. Madgod."

"Stories are for children and dreamers. Poetry is for weaklings and madmen. Epics glorify the vile and vilify the glorious. Read minds, not words.

I think it's time to go. He's still in my head, but I think he might leave if I'm quiet. Shh. Shh."

• "He's still in my head" is probably a reference to Jyggalag, the hidden one. My theory is that Fenroy is a failed champion of Jyggalag/Sheogorath. He refers to repeating mistakes, finding balance and inner harmony (in a way that suggests an extreme dichotomy), becoming the memories of "sedate" rats despite his madness. He also says, "then I'll make the rules," which suggests he desires order, like Jyggalag, but earlier in the same paragraphy he finds it unjust that he must obey order. Or, this phrase could equally mean that he desires to become Sheogorath. This is another example of the Jyggalag/Sheogorath dualism. He also suggests that "they" (probably a reference to Jyggalag/Sheogorath) gave him tasks to do (Go, Do, Eat, Kill), perhaps in an earlier attempt to stop the Greymarch.

No matter whether I'm reading too much into who Fenroy was, he was clearly ranting about the coming of the Greymarch - not Alduin. If you take any of this madness out of context it can mean a lot of strange things, but in context it is most certainly about the Greymarch and the dichotomy of Jyggalag/Sheogorath's existence.