The Unsolved Mysteries of Oblivion


Here is a summary of the main points discussed in the Unsolved Mysteries of Oblivion thread on the Official Forums (unfortunately the thread is dead, and no longer available), devoted to outrageous speculation concerning the plot of Oblivion based on the flimsiest evidence, clues and hints in the TES lore and other sources (plus a good dose of wishful thinking):

The Oblivion Prophecy
  • From Oddfrid White-Lip's Prophecy in Bloodmoon, Daedric writing seen during the Oblivion countdown in September 2004, and in the borders of the game box-art (with capitalisation following Oddfrid's example, note that line 7 first appeared as a circular phrase that could start anywhere):
    • Quote
    When the dragon dies, the Empire dies.
    Where is the lost dragon's blood, the Empire's sire?
    And from the womb of the void, who shall stem the blood tide?
    So long as the blood of the dragon prince runs strong in her rulers,
    the glory of the Empire shall extend in unbroken years.
    His heart's blood bleeds in darkness.
    For once the portals are opened, who shall shut them upon the rising tide?
    ... forever reborn in blood and fire from the waters of Oblivion for Lord Dagon ...
    Find him ... and close shut the marble jaws of Oblivion.
  • The prophecy implies a mystical connection between the bloodline of Tiber Septim (aka Talos the Dragonborn and Ysmir, Dragon of the North) and the defense of the Empire against the Daedra, although there are few hints in the lore to explain how this might work practically. A connection with Lorkhan's power is a possibility.
  • Alternatively, the line "So long as the blood of the dragon prince runs strong in her rulers" may just refer to a period of time in which the Empire remains safe from destruction, if not (temporary) invasion. Unless the heir possesses a special power inherited from Tiber Septim, then restoring him to the throne may not be enough on its own to close the gates of Oblivion.
  • There have certainly been periods in the Third Era when the throne has not been occupied by direct blood relations of Septim - e.g. Uriel Lariat, aka Uriel IV - and no invasion of Daedra resulted (see History of Tamriel: Third Era). For more on the other references in the prophecy, see Waters of Oblivion, On Oblivion and Xan's Book of Daedra.
  • Some events in Oblivion may have been predicted or foreshadowed as early as Daggerfall. From Intro to Daggerfall: History: "The civilization that Tiber Septim forced onto the subjects of his Empire has nearly fallen: as The Elder Scrolls predicted, the bloody wheel has nearly turned all the way back to anarchy." And this comment by Uriel in connection with the restless spirit of Lysander: "You could close the marble jaws of Oblivion and put his soul to peace." This phrase is echoed in the Oblivion Prophecy.
  • Best summary of the major plot elements, from the Jolt interview with Gavin Carter:
    • Quote (Gavin Carter - Jolt Interview)
    Can you tell us about the story to Elder Scroll IV and how it continues on from Morrowind?

    The actual plot is not a direct continuation from Morrowind. It takes place in the same world, and many themes hinted at during Morrowind will be plot points, but the game requires no knowledge of Morrowind whatsoever to enjoy. The story of Oblivion is the story of the fall of the Empire of Tamriel. The game begins with the Emperor suffering assassination by mysterious forces. The absence of a blood heir on the Dragon Throne loosens the magical bonds that shore up the barriers to the demon realms of Oblivion. As demons begin to swarm the land, you find yourself caught up in the hunt for the assassins, as well as a desperate search for a way to “close shut the jaws of Oblivion".
Heirs Unapparent
  • From a screenshot of The Black Horse Courier, the names and ages of the known heirs are confirmed as: Crown Prince Geldall - 56, Prince Enman - 55, Prince Ebel - 53. The article's headline: "Special Edition! Emperor and Heirs Assassinated! Elder Council Named as Regents!"
  • The suggestion that one or more of these known heirs might have been doppelgangers in the service of Jagar Tharn was most likely a malicious rumour spread by some (unknown) faction attempting to foment rebellion (from The Story of Morrowind, Unrest in Cyrodiil City : "Uriel Septim is sick, and wizards say his heir, Geldall Septim, and the younger Septims, Enman and Ebel, are just doppelgangers placed in the household during Jagar Tharn's tenure as Imperial Battlemage. They say the Guard charged a mob demanding destruction of the false heirs...lots of folks were killed.").
  • From The Dragon's Chilled Blood, A New Era?, we discover exactly what the Emperor told an unknown prisoner before dying: "The Emperor has a secret, living heir! His known heirs to the throne were also assassinated during the same, sweeping attack that took his life. Of this living heir, we do not know a single thing."
  • From various hints and suggestions in previews and interviews, we can surmise that: the "secret, living heir" is either lost or in hiding, or both; he could be ignorant of his own identity, which may have been concealed from him; he may be trapped or hiding somewhere in Oblivion itself; he could be evil, or may have fallen under the malign influence of another human or Daedra, and is either being manipulated or hunted by them.
  • We know from the devs that the heir will not be difficult to find, but that unravelling the mysteries surrounding the assassination plot will be a much greater challenge.
  • Uriel Septim VII is also known to have sired another child: his bastard son Calaxes, who may have been assassinated on the orders of the Emperor (see Plots and Plotters below). Calaxes was never considered to be in the official line of succession, though, despite his Septim blood.
  • Barenziah is known to have become pregnant following an affair with Tiber Septim, but this child was most likely terminated at the command of the Emperor (see The Complete Real Barenziah). Or the unborn child might have been brought to term and spirited away by some magical means. In any case, there is a small chance that the heir isn't the child of Uriel Septim VII himself, merely a blood relation of Tiber Septim, as the Prophecy suggests.
  • Although the devs have mostly been ambiguous about the precise relationship between Uriel Septim VII and the heir, the following two interviews indicate that he is indeed Uriel's son:
    • Quote (Pete Hines - Gamecloud Interview)
    The main storyline is about your character finding the long lost son of the Emperor and getting him to take his rightful place on the throne. It’s a bit of a twist from what we’ve done in the past where you were the person who had to save the world. We’re really asking you to find the only guy who can save the world and help him do it. In a sense, it’s almost more noble and heroic than being the guy who does it all, because you’ve got to find him, protect him, and clear the path for him to do what needs to be done...things he can’t do himself.

    Quote (Xboxgamers Interview)
    You are tasked with finding the rightful heir to the throne after witnessing the assassination of the Emperor. With no true Emperor, the gates to Oblivion open and demons flood the land, wreaking havoc. The only way to close the gates and restore order is to find the Emperor’s son.
  • Todd Howard confirmed in the Game Chronicles interview that part of the main quest will involve re-uniting the heir with the Blades:
    • Quote (Todd Howard - Game Chronicles Interview)
    Favorite sequence, hmmm, there’s a part after you find the heir and reunite him with the Blades that I love.
    Quite what "re-uniting" means in this contexts remains to be discovered...
  • While Uriel Septim VII was being held captive in Oblivion by Jagar Tharn, there is a remote chance that he could have sired a further child by a Daedra or other being. This child might have remained there in hiding or captivity, ageing at a slower rate than on the mortal plane (see The Arena).
  • VXSS posted this in the ES Lore Forum in response to speculation regarding Barenziah's child with Tiber Septim:
    • Quote (VXSS aka Wormgod)
    You must remember, Tiber is LONG dead. IF indeed that aborted child did live on, it would have most likely have died of old age, given it was more human than dunmer (remember, it was stated that Tiber's juices flowed well and were very potent, which could very well mean the child could very well be MORE human than dunmer). If indeed it were more dunmer and life was extended more (not 100% of a dunmer life expectancy), it would still be quite old or have passed on). The Temple clearly frowned upon abortion so there could have always been a conspiracy within to save the child without Tiber's knowledge. Regardless, all is unknown as there is no printed documentation regarding this. A better question yet would be, what of the Nightingale's child [the child of Berenziah and Jagar Tharn]?"
Plots and Plotters
  • Terence Stamp commented that he would be voicing "the villain in the story, who is a very thoughtful man from a different line of kings who seeks to realize his own vision for the empire." (see The British are Coming...) The RPGamer preview suggests that, following the opening of the gates, "a sinister plot unfolds to reshape the empire to another man’s dark design." Whether this 'other man' caused the opening of the gates or is merely an opportunist remains to be seen.
  • Gavin Carter confirmed in the Jolt interview that Oblivion would be a dark game full of political intrigue.
    • Quote (Gavin Carter - Jolt Interview)
    The political landscape of the game world is highly fractured following the emperor’s assassination, and you will have to be cautious of the motives of those who would befriend you.

    Quote (Gavin Carter - Jolt Interview)
    Faction Questlines

    We like to think of each faction as almost its own game within the larger game. So elements of the larger plot will weave in and out of the story of what’s going on with these factions.
  • Candidates for the "different line of kings" may include one of the five Counts who rule over the Imperial Province. The noblemen of the Colovian West are particularly to be watched, given the history of Nord-aligned Western kings conquering East Cyrodiil during times of strife: e.g. Reman, War of Righteousness, Tiber Septim, etc.
  • It is not known whether any of the former royal families of the Colovian Kings remain in Cyrodiil. However, in the E3 Demo, the player character name chosen by Todd Howard is Bendu Olo, who was the 1E Colovian King of Anvil and Baron-Admiral of the All Flags Navy who led the campaign to wipe out the Sload from the coral kingdom of Thras in 1E2200. This may or may not point to the importance of Anvil and its current ruler in the plot of Oblivion.
  • The Bendu Olo reference may or may not signal the return of the Sload to the affairs of Tamriel. These slug-like creatures unleashed the Thrassian plague in the First Era, wiping out half of Tamriel's population. The Sload are infamous necromancers and worshippers of the King of Worms.
  • We know that at least one of the villains in the game is a being intent on raising an army of undead, from the Jolt interview with Gavin Carter:
    Quote (Gavin Carter - Jolt Interview)
    There are even rumours circulating that in this black time, some have turned to the dark art of necromancy, and seek to raise armies of the dead for evil intentions.
    Possible candidates include Mannimarco, the King of Worms and patron of necromancers from Daggerfall who may have raised himself to the status of a Daedra with a realm in Oblivion (in which guise he is known as the God of Worms). The MW book Arkay the Enemy includes strong hints of KoW plotting through his "children of Cyrodiil", including missionaries sent to the "unbound dead, to the Vampires and Liches."
  • The real fate of Calaxes, the bastard son of Uriel Septim VII, is a genuine mystery. Was he assassinated by Lady Benoch on the orders of the Emperor (who, at the time, was Jagar Tharn masquerading as Uriel Septim), or did she aid his escape from Cyrodiil (see Lady Benoch's Words and Philosophy)? Was he imprisoned in Oblivion? In any case, the former Archbishop of the Temple of the One in the Imperial City was an important figure about whom we may learn some more when we visit the Temple, which is described by Barenziah as being near the Imperial Palace and the Mages Guild (see The Complete Real Barenziah).
  • Calaxes was rumoured to have been plotting to overthrow Uriel Septim VII and replace his rule with a theocracy. He may therefore have been sympathetic to the ancient doctrines of the monotheistic Alessian Order, who ruled over the Empire in the First Era and may remain in some form within present-day Cyrodiil, possibly as a covert faction within the Nine Divines (see the side-bar on "The Alessian Order" in the Pocket Guide to the Empire, and trace the rise and fall of the Alessians in the History of Tamriel: First Era, starting 1E361).
  • The Alessians' intolerance for Elven culture may make them opponents of any Ayleid faction (see below), or they may share the same goals. A fanatical sect of Alessians known as the Maruhkati Selectives were responsible for the mysterious Dragon Break, a disruption in time that caused a temporary return to the "non-linearity of the Dawn Era." The Mythic Dawn cult may be attempting to achieve the same effect by methods learned from the Selectives (see The Dragon Break Re-examined and Where were you when the Dragon broke?).
  • From the Nu-Mantia Intercept, Spying on the Spies we know that the Ayleids are active again in Cyrodiil. This mysterious First Era race of Elves - aka 'Wild Elves', aka 'Heartland High Elves' - were the original inhabitants of the Nibenay Valley, and were overthrown by the future Empress Alessia, the 'Slave Queen of the South'. The lore dev posting as Nu-Hatta has hinted that the Ayleids may be a wider faction that includes other races: "Ayleid is as much a metaphysical designation as it is a cultural one ... This distinction becomes important later, when "Ayleid" begins to designate other, and ofttimes foreign, agencies." This faction may be attempting to restore Ayleid rule in the Heartland again, or at least recover possession of the Ayleid artifacts and sacred sites in Cyrodiil (see Frontier, Conquest and Accommodation: A Social History of Cyrodiil and The Wild Elves).
  • The Ayleids could also be candidates for the Mythic Dawn cult. This is confirmed as a screenshot of a Mythic Dawn cultist: the golden skin and slanted eyes - although not marked features - may suggest a High Elven race. The ears are hidden by the hood, of course ...
  • The Camoran Usurper may also be connected with the Ayleids - see the previous post by Astarsis setting out this theory in detail.
  • Azura may have manipulated the Nerevarine to bring about the destruction of Dagoth Ur and the 'liberation' of the Heart of Lorkhan in order to destroy the power of the Tribunal and pave the way for an invasion from Oblivion (see The Battle of Red Mountain and the Rise and Fall of the Tribunal).
  • The End of Times cult encountered in Mournhold suspected a Daedra plot to invade Tamriel: "The Daedra Princes are not our ancestors. Nor are they our allies. They will wash over the land, destroying all that man and mer have built over these thousands of years" (see The Story of Morrowind). This may confirm Azura's deception. The lore dev Nu-Hatta has also hinted as much:
    • Quote (Nu-Hatta)
    The fall of Red Tower [Red Mountain] should not be seen as the suave conquest of Cyrodiil's agencies, for we have been tricked again by the Dagonites.
  • Mysteries also remain concerning the motives of Tiber Septim, who appears in MW in the guise of Wulf and remarks on the need for radical change in the ageing Empire, before offering to help the Nerevarine in completing a quest that ultimately threatens the Empire's future. Members of the Talos Cult in Vvardenfell were also caught in an assassination plot against Uriel Septim VII to place their own "strong man" on the throne. They may have continued plotting in the Imperial Province itself. Read about the encounter with Wulf in The Story of Morrowind, and review the Talos Cult Quest over at UESP. See also: Reflections on Cult Worship in the Empire.
  • The new book posted in the Codex - Commentaries on The Mysterium Xarxes: Book One - has Deadric writing in its heading that translates as 'O Dagon', and much of the book appears to concern a secret Dagon-worshipping cult whose members are intent on achieving a type of divine status "as it was in the mythic dawn." The author claims to have learned this secret from the book 'Mysterium Xarxes', which he suggests was written by Dagon himself "in the desert of rust and wounds." The author's name 'Mankar Camoran' may point to the Camoran Usurper - see the theory by Astarsis in this thread. It seems likely that this book is a manual for initiates in the Mythic Dawn cult.
  • The first letter of each paragraph in the book spells out GREEN EMPEROR, which may refer to the Camoran Usurper (from the 'Green' Camoran Dynasty of Valenwood) or the Green Emperor Road in Cyrodiil City. From The Pocket Guide to the Empire: Cyrodiil: "One garden path is known as Green Emperor Road - here, topiaries of the heads of past Emperors have been shaped by sorcery and can speak. When one must advise Tiber Septim, birds are drawn to the hedgery head, using their songs as its voice and moving its branches for the needed expressions." There are also numerous references to the sea, water, and a "fleet" that could point to the "blood-tide" from Oblivion described in the Prophecy, and/or the book Waters of Oblivion. Finally, the first words of each paragraph spell out the following verse, which may or may not be describe the rituals of the cult (or perhaps point to vampires?): "Greetings Reader ... Enter Every Night ... Enter My Palace ... Endlessly Roaring ... Offering Red-Drink."
Miscellaneous Mysteries
  • The Amulet of Kings, the heirloom of the Cyrodiilic Empire that is handed over by Uriel Septim before he dies, may be able to communicate via its 'oversoul' of previous Emperors (see the entry on the Amulet in the Artifacts of Elder Scrolls database). In the E3 demo and trailer, what is probably the Amulet of Kings is visible around the neck of the Emperor: a large red diamond on a gold mounting, surrounded by lesser gems. The diamond with dragon crest is a symbol of the Empire.
  • Nu-Hatta has also indicated that the Amulet of Kings is an ancient artifact of the Ayleids, and is connected to the power of the White-Gold Tower. It's original name was Chim-el Adabal, or "the spirit stone of high royalty." There is a possibility that the Amulet itself has caused the opening of the gates of Oblivion in its search for the lost heir.
  • The White-Gold Tower was the former capital of the Ayleids that was captured by Alessia (see Shezzar and the Eight Divines) in a battle depicted by the Khajiti tapestrist Cherim (see Interviews with Tapestrists: Volume 18), who also features in a coded line of Sermon Zero: "White Gold Netch Merchants Cherim Muzariah" (for more on on the signicance of this line and Sermon Zero generally, see Nigedo's analysis at The Theoretical Whirling School of Vivec). The White-Gold Tower may be the one seen at the beginning of the E3 trailer; alternatively, the current tower might have been built on the ruins of the old.
  • The White-Gold Tower was built by the Ayleids as a copy of the Ur-Tower (aka Adamantine or Direnni Tower) and the Zero Stone, at which the Aedra gathered in the Convention to decide the fate of Mundus. The Aedra also created the Red Tower and the First Stone (Red Mountain & Heart of Lorkhan). Further copies by the Elves include: Crystal-like-Law (Crystal Tower, Summerset Isle = Altmer), Walk-Brass (Numidium, Morrowind = Dwemer), Snow Throat (Throat of the World aka High Hrothgar, Skyrim = Falmer), Green-Sap (Falinesti or Silvenar, Valenwood = Bosmer), Orichalc Tower (location unknown, perhaps Yokuda - from which orichalc weapons originate - or Pyandonea, realm of the Maormer).
  • The Amulet of Kings is the Stone of the White-Gold Tower, which was created by the Ayleids as the central hub of a network of eight lesser towers in order to tap and focus the power of Oblivion (see What is the White-Gold Tower?). It seems likely that we will need to first identify and then find these other 'towers' (if that's what they really are) in order to close the gates of Oblivion.
  • We may see some resolution of the mystery behind the disappearance of the Dwemer in the game. They may have been cast into Oblivion by Azura, and Kagrenac (or another Dwemer) may be plotting his revenge. From Sermon Zero: "To the Dwemer and Oblivion belong this treasure and they are there dead." Does this mean that we may find either the Dwemer or the "treasure" (or both) when we visit Oblivion? (See The History of the Dwemer and Sotha Sil's Last Words)

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