How did the Empire become an Imperial run govt.? You would think a Nord would want Nords ruling. Also how did the Septim bloodline become Imperial?

The Imperials materialised out of thin air in Morrowind. I believe the whole Tiber Septim thing was mapped out beforehand?
In any case, the child takes on the race of the mother so maybe that's how it happened eventually?

He was born in Alcaire, so probably not a Nord. He served a Cyrodilic king and became a Cyrodilic emperor, even if he styled himself as a Nord to win support from the north.

Race is mostly a gameplay mechanic when it come to humans. Many Swedes are visually indistinguishable from Italians.

Cyrodiil was created by Redguard, but Redguard was set in a time when the term Imperial would make no sense because the empire was so young. Before Redguard wrote the lore, Cyrodiil was the center of a continental empire inhabited by who-knows-what.

On the other hand the book that claims Septim was from Alcaire also contains factual innacuracies and is referred to as the Heresy in the title.

You say "factual inaccuracies", I say "the real story"*.


:spotted owl:





*Just playing Devil's Advocate here. I'm actually pretty neutral on the whole Arctus/Ysmir-Underking thingamajig.

Tiber Septim is essentially three people. The General Talos, The Battlemage Zurin, and Hijalti who actually became Tiber Septim.

Yeah, but the alternative of a mortal coming from long-dead Atmora is physically impossible. On the other hand, the Heresy's account of Wulfharth explains the Atmoran origin story.


General Talos' given name is Hjalti, except when Wulfharth was standing in for him. According to the Heresy, which is a lamentably incomplete bit of lore.

All I know is, Tiber Septim is made out to be this great saint and I wanna be awesome like him.

I actually look up to a fictional character besides Aya Brea..

Then don't read the Arcturian Heresy.

If you want a Cyrodilic Saint, try Reman or Alessia.

Oye, ya I constantly screw that up my apologies for possibly construing peoples interpretation.

The Greybeards told him he would rule but that he would have to go south to do it. So that's what he did

I was more referring to it calling Alcaire an Island Kingdom. (unless that particular part of Daggerfall geography has been revised)

Oh, that. Getting geography wrong has no bearing on Talos' story. Also, it's a draft-ish design concept document rather than a finished in-world source. That's why the language is like a forum post.

There are other problems, like Zurin Arctus not being very important and not meshing well with the prophecy bits of the official story. (Sorry, but the scene with the Greybeards is too awesome to let go)

Simple answer to the OP: race is passed down through the mother, one of the Septims married an Imperial, there ya go.