Why isn't it reliable?

Perhaps because the only possible sources I can think of would be from a survivor from Uriel V's failed invasion or being told of it by the Tsaesci.

Who was the author?
When was it written?
What were the sources?

It reads very much like the Author sat in a pub, listening to, and writing down the tales of various sailors on a mysterious land he had never visited, or piecing it together from Reman era myths and legends. A better report on the conditions on Akavir is "Disaster at Ionith".

I've read "Disaster at Ionith" but it doesn't really describe any physical appearance?

Last Year in the First Era suggests the form of the Akaviri. Also "origins of the fighters guild"

People say the Tsaesci mounted and that means they aren't serpents. We still don't know what they mounted.

I personally suspect there is an "Asian" race of humans (the Tsaescii have Japanese weapons/armor) and a golden serpent race. Both are under the same Empire.

Akavir is to the east. We all know that the farther east you go on Tamriel, the weirder things get. Morrowind and Black Marsh are the eastern most provinces on Tamriel. I get the feeling that Akavir will be even less Earth-like.

But the Last Year series is basically historical fiction or a dramatized history that was also incorrect about the Akaviri not using shields. As for History of the Fighters Guild, it only says they couldn't wear certain armor, which could mean any number of things. Because I'm fairly certain that the Akaviri did have armor of their own.

Someone used the skeletal remains of "Akaviri" as evidence of their form earlier.

Now, I'm guessing this is during Pale Pass exploration?

Could I point out, that I've not ONCE seen Khajiit or Argonian skeletal remains depicted in the game. This doesn't mean that they don't exist (obviously) nor does it mean that they're immortal (obviously).
The reason I bring this up, is because I'm trying to understand at what point does graphical depictions in game stop and start relating to what the lore states as truth/fact/whatever?

Because Alduins wall could easily be totally discounted on that basis alone IMO.

The Kahjiit and Argonian can vary greatly within their species. Why not Tsaescii? Just thought of this. Sounds very unlikely but I thought I might bring it up as a springboard for other ideas.

Yeah, Orc skulls would be pretty scary lookin. I've had this complaint since Oblivion came out.

Interesting concept.

I'm sure I read an in game book in one of the games once describing the Tsaesci as humanoid with snake-like features and scales.

That sounds like Mysterious Akavir.

When Alduin's Wall was first released, the three figues behind Dovahkiin were thought of as Alessia, Reman and Tiber Septim. I'm inclined to believe Esbern just has it wrong.

Look at this, pretty handy.
http://media1.gameinformer.com/images/site/pages/esv/index.html?es=5#

They're definitely blades. But they could just as easily be Delphine, Esbern and a follower for all that wall shows.

Or, here's a thought: there is no publishing date anywhere on Mysterious Akavir, so it's possible, or judging by the evidence almost certain, that there were men in Akavir in the First Era, and they participated in the invasion alongside the Tsaesci. It was a human regiment at Pale Pass and the human Akaviri dragon hunters (who wore armor, whivh is something the Tsaesci don't do) put themselves on Alduin's Wall instead of caring about being multicultural and including their Tsaesci allies/masters.

Yes, that's a possibility.

When you enter Sky something Temple with the blades, there is a seal that needs to be activated with your blood. The door there doesn't look quite human to me. I reckon it's the face of Tseasci.

Thoughts?

This is pretty crazy logic. I've never seen Khajiit or Argonian skeletons in-game, but I HAVE seen Akaviri skeletons in-game. Thus, the Akaviri skeletons are refuted? I don't follow the thinking...



"When we were shown an asset without context, forum people had a theory. When a game was released that explicitly cleared it up, the forum theory is still better"
This is like saying the slightly absurd misheard English lyrics for the Dovahkiin song are correct, because people posted about them on the forums before the real Dragon Language lyrics were released, and also because they are vaguely and subjectively better.

Edit: And by the way the three figures are three actual people who are present in Skyrim: Felldir the Old, Gormlaith Golden-Hilt, and Hakon One-Eye. Oh, unless I guess you mean the ones in Blades armour. Dunno why Alessia would wear Blades armour...



It's pretty strongly implied in dialogue that that is Reman Cyrodiil. Esbern is going on about 'look how they revered Reman!' at the time.

I don't see how it's at all far-fetched that the "Snakemen" description is someone's flight of fancy.

Look at medieval depictions of Jews and Muslims. Descriptions abound of them with red eyes, forked tongues, horns, etc. Ignorant, hateful people will believe things, and turning your enemy into a monster is probably the oldest trick in the propaganda book.

Yeah, but....

Orcs

Argonians

Khajiit

Also: word of god says that the Tsaesci were, at least at one point, supposed to be literal immortal vampire snake men.

My point is, that the depiction of the Akaviri skeletal remains aren't necessarily accurate.

In Oblivion, a Skeleton was a Skeleton regardless of what race it was supposed to be from.

To my mind, it makes sense that the Tsaeseci are Argonian like in appearance.

I'm leaning on two theories, not sure which one to support more. The first would be that Tsaesci are like Yuan-Ti Purebloods from D&D: having humanoid shaped bodies but having various snakelike features, and that they wore the armor that is associated with the Blades. The second is that the Akaviri invasion was done with both Tsaesci and Akaviri men, and the Akaviri men wore the Akaviri armor.

Edit: Come to think of it, the Akaviri men had plenty of time between invading and the end of the First Era to mix with Imperials to the point at which they're the same and only the Tsaesci would be recognized as "Akaviri". If they did have the lower halves of snakes, it would pretty much rule out interbreeding with Imperials like the Men could do, but they could transmit their vampirism, giving others, like the first Blades, similar eyes and lifespans.

Except that, as you specifically pointed out, none of those other skeletons is identified as Khajiit or Argonian. The Akaviri skeletons (and ghosts) are explicitly identified as such. Once again: muddled logic, jumping through hoops, Occam's Razor.

So being that there are no skeletal remains of Khajiit, Orc or Argonian origin, should I deduce that they're either phantoms or immortal?