I’d like to live through a week that’s not a whole new verse of “We Didn’t Start the Fire.”

Martin Septim, at some point during the Oblivion Crisis, probably

Priest of Akatosh

What started as a quick doodle to try a new art style turned into hours of staring at Martin Septim. So really, a great day!

"What do you mean your hist forbids it ?! It's inactive! For over 200 years!"

"You heard me! I won't go near these... Things... and neither should you! The Rootmenders told us of their danger!"

"The Root-?! By Mora's great eye... Fine! Fine! We won't go there!"

"Are... Are you pouting?! By the Hist..."

"No, i'm not! ...you stupid tree-kisser..."

"I heard that!"

"Good!"

" ... We should gather some wood for the camp, Tentacle-kisser."

"... Yes we should, alright, let me help you, Tree-lover, hehe."

Sometimes a Child of the Hist and a Daedra Worshipper might get into a little argument when it comes to deadric relics and ruins but nothing that could hurt a true friendship :>

As well as being the Count of Skingrad, Janus Hassildor is a powerful mage. He has served for decades as the Count without a single scandal and is widely known as the Count most liked by his people, though they rarely see him as he lives a rather reclusive lifestyle. This is due to a dark secret that Hassildor is hiding: he and his wife Rona Hassildor are vampires. He can interact with the Hero of Kvatch several times throughout Oblivion, in both the Main and Mages Guild Questlines and some side quests. 

Biography

Around fifty years before the Oblivion Crisis, Janus and his wife Rona Hassildor were attacked and turned by vampires. Janus came to accept their new lives, but Rona saw it as a curse and refused to drink even donated blood. She would soon fall into a coma and Janus began to look for a way to cure his wife so that she could find peace once more. During his time as Count, Janus has been successful in helping Skingrad grow and thrive, which makes him very well-liked by the people even as reclusive as he is. Very few people are aware of his condition, but the Hero of Kvatch becomes one of them. He feels no kinship toward other vampires and hates vampire hunters. He also hates necromancers and the Mythic Dawn faction. 

During the Main Questline quest Allies for Bruma, the Hero of Kvatch will approach Hassildor and request his assistance to prepare for the Great Gate fight. He will refuse to send any aid while there is an Oblivion Gate outside of Skingrad as they cannot afford to lose any men. After the Hero of Kvatch closes the gate, he will agree to send guards to Bruma. Skingrad supplies one guard for the fight.

Hassildor is interacted with twice during the Mages Guild Questline. The first time, the Hero of Kvatch is sent by the guild to retrieve a book from Hassildor. After speaking to one of his stewards, Mercator Hosidus, the Hero of Kvatch is directed to a location outside of Skingrad where it is revealed that Mercator is a necromancer and will attempt to kill the Hero of Kvatch. Hassildor will appear and help to defeat the necromancers. It is revealed that there was never a book to be retrieved and that they were likely lied to and sent to spy on him instead. He tells them that he is not allied with the Necromancers and sends them back to the guild. The second encounter with Hassildor starts when he sends for the Hero of Kvatch to give them some information he has that will assist the council. Once they assist Hassildor by clearing out a vampire hideout and getting rid of a group of vampire hunters in Skingrad, Hassildor will reveal that Mannimarco has returned. 

Finally, the Hero of Kvatch can interact with Hassildor while searching for a cure for vampirism. Hassildor will explain that he and his wife had become infected and how Rona slipped into a coma. He then sends them to a group of witches who are rumored to know the cure and bring it back to him. Once the Hero of Kvatch finds the cure, Janus gives it to Rona and she dies after a short interaction between the two. The Hero of Kvatch is then free to also take the cure, but Hassildor will not as he wishes to continue ruling over Skingrad though he does appreciate knowing that he has the option for a cure. 

Cool Quotes

"You impossible fool. What possessed you to think I would suggest a meeting here, of all places? At least your gullibility served some useful purpose. I knew about Mercator, but not his friends. Now none of them are a threat any longer."

"Yes, I see that now. I regret that Traven has involved you in this way. At least you've survived... for now. Perhaps in the future, you can be trusted enough to deal with more serious matters. Now, our business here is concluded. I suggest you return to your Council."

 "While Skingrad is threatened by an Oblivion Gate, I cannot spare any soldiers for Bruma. Whatever you may think of me, I still protect my own. This is my city, and Mehrunes Dagon will not have it while I remain Count of Skingrad."

"Believe me, Mehrunes Dagon will know he was in a fight if he tries to take this city from me."

Another artwork, but a sad one this time.

The Bosmer in green is my Hero of Kvatch, Ervvan. I've drawn him recently, for the TESMerMay2022 event, but this more shows his features and it also shows his coloration.

When I first played Oblivion, I was probably 10 or 11 years old and had gotten it from a yard sale for 2$. The game immediately captured my heart and I spent so, so much time playing and exploring it. One fatal mistake of mine though, is that I became very attached to a Martin Septim throughout the main quest. Me and Ervvan visited him very often and I was excited to see how him being the Emperor would go.

Unfortunately for me, it went badly. The end of the Oblivion main quest obliterated my trust in video games (/dramatic) and I don't think I've felt anything since (/very dramatic). That was the first and last time I played the game, me and Ervvan, so he is my only HoK. And I'm okay with that, because I made him suffer because of Martin's death just as much as I did, if not more.

Ervvan grieved for a very, very long time, and he never fully recovered either. In this piece, he is sitting alone and praying, hoping that the gods will have mercy on him and make all of this stop. Martin's spirit(?) is draping over his shoulders and holding a spectral Amulet of Kings, trying but unable to comfort Ervvan.

🥲 Hope you like it.

My favorite thing about Oblivion Crisis from Elder Scrolls is that two nations that were "the best" at defending themselves from invading Daedric Armies were Redguards and Argonians. Even more, latter were even casually doing counter-invasions into Oblivion (Elder Scrolls's equivalent to HELL) everytime Daedric portal opened in Black Marsh

Yeah, I love that bit of lore.

The Hist basically turned Argonians into the Deadra's worst nightmare. They even started closing portals because fucking hell those lizards are mean!

Oh my god I am Tina Belcher...

Okay so I'm a huge fan of Bob's Burgers, okay? Like I can quote at least one line per two episodes (at *least*), I do Duncan impressions literally every day, I dressed as Tina for Halloween, I cried for an hour during episode 22 of season 13, etc.

I am ALSO a huge Skyrim fan... who is currently researching maps, Fourth Era political systems in the Summerset Isles, Greybeards age estimations, and random aspects of the Oblivion crisis. Because I am writing smut. Lore accurate, slow burn, plot-heavy smut. I do not know why I am doing this, nor could I accurately explain my reasoning, other than I was bored and it seemed like a good idea. But I look at my research, I look at the tags, and I see what I have done... who I have become... and I am merely an older Tina Belcher.

I think I need to lie down.

IN WHICH I WRITE AN OBLIVION FANFIC IN 2024 FORGIVE ME PLEASE!

Anyways, yeah. exactly that. I thought I’d let yall read, so if ya like Oblivion....here’s some content because I have been so fucking caught on what the hell happened to martin Pre-TES IV and I hope u wanna theorize with me and go along w me as I make this shit up lol.

MARTIN POV Pre-TES IV

Chapters: 3/? Fandom: Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Rating: Mature Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death Relationships: Martin Septim & Original Character(s), Martin Septim & Original Male Character(s), Martin Septim & Savlian Mathis Characters: Martin Septim, Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character(s), Savlian Matius Additional Tags: Daedra (Elder Scrolls), Daedra Worship (Elder Scrolls), Mages Guild (Elder Scrolls) - Freeform, Drunkenness, Drunken Shenanigans, Betrayal, Major Character Injury, Public Nudity, Emotional Hurt, Fighting, Drinking, Angst, Sanguine Rose (Elder Scrolls), Martin's POV, Kvatch (Elder Scrolls), Pre-Oblivion Crisis, Cyrodiil (Elder Scrolls), no beta we die like men, if u wanna beta pls message, bc i havent written since quizilla and have no idea how to ask Series: Part 1 of The Last Septim Summary:

A pre-Oblivion crisis look into Martin's life before he was thrown onto the throne, where he struggles with Sanguine and keeping his head attached to his body. From the POV of Martin.

During my bug testing I’ve recently been doing a run-through of Molag Mar in Skywind, loving how it turned out. Did a bit of wandering in Vivec City last week, love how unique and diverse the cantons look now. You can really see the difference between them from a distance.

Dagon gets a bad rap from you all. It may be hard to see as a mortal, but as an et'Ada he's genuinely funny. For example, the Oblivion Crisis was far more humorous than you believe. Really, it was a joke we all were roped into helping with. Consider my part in it. Why would Mehrunes title a book he wrote "The Mysterium Xarxes"? A title literally meaning "The Secrets of Xarxes" sounds a lot more like it was written by Xarxes to me. But that's the point. Note Xarxes's position in Bosmeri culture. All that's in the Mysterium, really, is a list of transgressive potentials for great change. I cataloged some of Akavir's stranger histories in exchange for Dagon telling me how he failed to trick Alduin. Letting him take the credit for writing it lead to the most robust joke of the whole thing. Mankar Camoran was this joke. The bastard child of a (usurper) king, elevated to cosmic importance by learning of his bloodline and receiving a grand artefact to help him achieve his destiny. Remind you of anyone? He's a carefully engineered reflection of Martin Septim. The whole Septim bloodline killed by what amounts to Martin's evil twin; the empire toppled by a single elf with a stupid book! This is why the Mysterium Xarxes had this name — to convince Camoran it was of his history and make him feel more connected to it. How could the situation be made any funnier? Do not take the Deadlands' invasion of Nirn as a failed campaign. See it as a change of the channel which lead to much more interesting programming. Though I never much cared for television.

Martin, literally at any point in his life: I'm just trying to have a nice time despite knowing facts and information.

‘I prayed to Akatosh all through that terrible night, but no help came.’

- Martin my beloved

Martin’s royal robes inspo board/ ideas:

they can’t pry the Martin lives AU out of my cold dead hands even if they tried.

Burd is the Captain of Bruma’s City Guard and helps to lead the Defense of Bruma during the Oblivion Crisis. He also assists the Hero of Kvatch and the Blades in uncovering the Mythic Dawn hiding in the city. 

Biography

Not much is known about Burd before the events of Oblivion. As captain, Burd is considered to be tough but fair by the townspeople. His position also allows him to serve as an advisor for the Countess of Bruma, Narina Carvain. 

Once the Mythic Dawn and their spies begin to look around Bruma for weaknesses in Cloud Ruler Temple, Burd grants the Hero of Kvatch permission to search a potential spy's house. When the Hero finds proof that the Mythic Dawn is preparing to attack Bruma and Cloud Ruler Temple by opening a Great Oblivion Gate nearby, Burd does everything within his power to prevent Bruma from becoming another Kvatch. 

Once the Oblivion Gates begin to open all around the city, Burd enters the first gate alongside the Hero of Kvatch to learn how to close the gates. After closing the gate with the Hero’s help, Burd returns to the guard and puts his men on constant alert to help prevent Burma from being overrun by Daedra. He also communicates with the Blades throughout this. Burd fights in the Battle of Bruma while the Hero of Kvatch enters and closes the Great Oblivion Gate. 

Cool Quotes

"Believe me, it was no picnic. But thanks to our friend here, I now know we can close these hell-gates. We can defend Bruma!"

"It was an honor to serve with you, sir. Now that I've seen how it's done, I think my guardsman can handle any new Gates that open near Bruma."

"This is no place I ever wanted to find myself. I don't see how we can ... No ... no, we can do this. We have to do this. We have no choice. I'm glad you're here. We wouldn't have a chance otherwise. What's our next move?"

"Thanks for coming. Since we had the Hero of Kvatch available, I didn't think it made sense to try this on our own the first time. We're ready when you are. Just say the word and we'll follow you into that hell-spawned Gate."

"Change, change will preserve us. It will move mountains...it will mount movements"

I don't know about y'all, everything uncle sheo said made perfect sense to me. Oblivion was a love story.