Prologue: The Fall of the Second Empire
The fall of the Reman Empire was as swift as its rise had been monumental, marking a profound turning point in the history of Tamriel. The fateful event that precipitated this collapse occurred in the heart of the Imperial City, where the last emperor of the Reman dynasty, Reman III, met his untimely end. A Dunmer assassin, an ardent member of the secretive Morag Tong, plunged a dagger into the emperor's throat, delivering the final blow not just to his life, but to his family's centuries-old reign. Emperor Reman III Cyrodiil was not remembered for his grace or wisdom. His lust for conquest was matched only by his rapacious appetite for indulgence, particularly with mistresses. His reign saw the continuation of the brutal Four Score War, a bloody conflict with Morrowind that had ravaged the eastern provinces for decades. This prolonged strife fueled resentment across the Empire, especially in the provinces, where the weight of his policies was felt most deeply. Thus, when the assassin's blade struck in the Imperial Palace's audience chamber, few were surprised that it was held by a Dark Elf. The simmering tensions between Cyrodiil and Morrowind had long made the Dunmer a symbol of resistance to Reman's rule.
Emperor Reman III Cyrodiil of the Second Empire
With the death of Reman III, the empire was left without a clear successor from the Cyrodiil line, plunging it into a precarious power vacuum. In the absence of imperial leadership, authority shifted to the emperor’s closest advisors—the Akaviri Potentates. Chief among them was Versidue-Shae, a descendant of the Tsaesci Akaviri, the serpent-like race that had once invaded Tamriel, only to be defeated and absorbed into the empire by Reman I Cyrodiil. Known as "the Coiled King," Versidue-Shae was a shrewd and calculating leader, and he quickly moved to consolidate his power. Ruthlessly, he eliminated any rivals, ensuring that his grip on the empire was unchallenged. Versidue-Shae, together with the Elder Council, proclaimed the end of the First Era and the beginning of the Second, marking a new chapter in Tamrielic history. Though he claimed to uphold the continuity of the Second Empire of Reman, many saw this as the end of the Reman dynasty and the true beginning of Akaviri rule. Whispers abounded that Versidue-Shae himself had orchestrated the assassination of Reman III, further deepening the perception that the Reman Empire had truly fallen, and that the Akaviri now reigned supreme over Tamriel.
As decades gave way to centuries, the once-formidable rule of Versidue-Shae's Akaviri Potentate began to unravel. The provinces that had long been held together by the might of the Second Empire now grew restless, their loyalty fading under the increasingly strained rule of the Akaviri. High Rock and Hammerfell were the first to break away, their discontent with the distant and foreign leadership sparking rebellion. Skyrim soon followed, becoming a hotbed of dissent and resistance against the Potentates. Versidue-Shae, ever the shrewd tactician, launched several military campaigns to suppress these separatist movements. At times, his forces succeeded in restoring imperial authority, but the victories were fleeting. With each rebellion quashed, new uprisings emerged. The coffers of the empire, once overflowing from its vast territories, began to empty as war drained its resources. The infrastructure that had sustained the empire for so long started to crumble, especially in provinces far from Cyrodiil, which were now neglected and increasingly autonomous. The Potentate's grip on power would suffer its greatest blow in the year 2E 324, when Versidue-Shae himself fell victim to the same method of assassination that had ended the Reman dynasty. The Morag Tong, who had once claimed the life of Reman III, struck again. Versidue-Shae’s assassination was said to be in response to his plans for a full-scale invasion of Morrowind, but the true motives remain shrouded in secrecy. His death marked the beginning of the end for the Akaviri rule.
Versidue-Shae, first ruling Akaviri Potentate of the Second Empire
In the wake of Versidue-Shae’s assassination, his son, Savirien-Chorak, assumed the mantle of Potentate. His reign, however, was marked by decline. The empire, already fractured, saw its power diminish even further. By the time the year 2E 400 arrived, marking four centuries of Akaviri rule, the Second Empire was a shadow of its former self. The Potentate’s authority extended little beyond the borders of Cyrodiil, the once vast empire now reduced to its heartland. Despite this, Akaviri rule in Cyrodiil seemed secure. The Imperial Legion remained loyal, and the local nobility had been successfully subdued, allowing the Potentates to maintain a semblance of stability. This illusion of stability would be shattered in 2E 430, when Savirien-Chorak was assassinated, not by the Morag Tong, but by the Dark Brotherhood. The motivations behind this assassination remain a mystery, and to this day, historians speculate about who ordered the killing and why. What is clear, however, is that the death of Savirien-Chorak dealt a fatal blow to the empire. Without a strong leader to hold the remnants of the empire together, the fragile structure of Akaviri rule collapsed. In the aftermath of Savirien-Chorak’s assassination in 2E 430, a power vacuum gripped Cyrodiil. The Akaviri elite, along with the Elder Council, swiftly proclaimed Savirien-Chorak’s son, Aixnieras, as the new Potentate. But the veneer of stability barely concealed the growing unrest. Among the lords and nobles of Cyrodiil, discontent had been simmering for years. Many had grown weary of the heavy-handed rule of the Akaviri Potentates, whose foreign bloodlines and serpent-like Tsaesci ancestry made them outsiders in the heart of Tamriel. A deep yearning emerged for a return to the days when men, not Akaviri, sat on the Ruby Throne.
Savirien-Chorak, the second ruling Akaviri Potentate
It was in the western region of Cyrodiil, known as the Colovian Highlands, that the embers of rebellion first caught fire. There, an ambitious and charismatic warlord named Attrebus Sosildor emerged as the leader of the resistance. A famed warrior and veteran of the Imperial Legion, Attrebus was well-known for his prowess in battle and his deep connection to the traditions of Cyrodiil. His family claimed distant descent from the Reman emperors, and Attrebus believed it was his destiny to restore their legacy. By 2E 431, Attrebus recognized that the rule of the Akaviri Potentates was far more fragile than it appeared. The empire was crumbling from within, weakened by economic decline, military exhaustion, and growing unrest in the provinces. Attrebus knew that a major rebellion would test the Potentate’s ability to maintain control, and that the Akaviri might falter when faced with widespread resistance. In the city of Chorrol, Attrebus made his move. Declaring that the time of the Potentate must come to an end, he announced his intention to march on the Imperial City and rid Tamriel of the "foul taint" of Akaviri rule. His fiery proclamation struck a chord with many, and soon he had rallied a powerful force to his banner. The Colovian Highlands, with its long tradition of independence and warrior culture, became the heart of his rebellion. The powerful Colovian Estates—the loosely allied territories of western Cyrodiil—offered their full support. Attrebus’ charisma and military reputation attracted a formidable alliance. The Imperial Counts of Skingrad, Kvatch, and Anvil, the most powerful nobles in western Cyrodiil, threw their weight behind the rebellion, lending it legitimacy and resources. His cause was no mere provincial uprising; it had become a full-scale war for the fate of the empire.
Aixnieras-Chorak, the third ruling Akaviri Potentate
While the Colovian Highlands erupted in rebellion under the leadership of Attrebus Sosildor, the eastern part of Cyrodiil, known as Nibenay, remained relatively quiet. Though many of the Nibenese nobility shared the Colovians' distaste for the Akaviri Potentate, their region was far more entangled with the power structures of the regime. The warm, fertile lands of the Nibenay Basin were home to several Akaviri colonies, remnants of the Tsaesci settlers who had integrated into Tamriel under the Potentate. Furthermore, the Imperial Legion maintained a significant presence in the region, fortifying the Akaviri’s control over Nibenay. This proximity to the Potentate’s power base made open revolt a far riskier prospect than in the more remote and fiercely independent Colovia. Nibenay's aristocracy was also fractured by Akaviri influence. The ancient House of Cuptor, rulers of Bravil, had been deposed by the Potentate in the early 2E 400s, replaced by a noble house of Akaviri descent. This political reshuffling had cowed many of Nibenay’s lords into submission, forcing them to navigate a delicate balance between their heritage and the Potentate’s dominion. Under this pressure, the Imperial Counts of Leyawiin and Cheydinhal—two prominent Nibenese lordships—declared their loyalty to Potentate Aixnieras, bolstering his army in preparation for the coming conflict with Attrebus' forces.
General Attrebus Sosildor, leader of the rebellion of 2E 431
The two armies eventually clashed at the town of Ceyatatar, near the city of Skingrad. It was here, in 2E 431, that the decisive moment of the rebellion occurred. Attrebus Sosildor, the seasoned warlord, led his rebel forces with precision and ferocity. His army, drawn from the battle-hardened nobles of the Colovian Estates, proved too strong for the Potentate’s loyalists. The Battle of Ceyatatar ended in a crushing defeat for Aixnieras’ forces, forcing the Potentate to flee back to the safety of the Imperial City. His army in disarray, the rebellion gained momentum, and Attrebus turned his sights on the heart of Nibenay. Sensing an opportunity to weaken the Potentate’s hold on eastern Cyrodiil, Attrebus marched his forces toward Bravil, hoping to sway the Nibenese lords to his cause. His gamble paid off. As the rebel army approached the city, the citizens of Bravil rose up in defiance of the Akaviri overlords. The banners of the Potentate were torn down, and the people, emboldened by the presence of Attrebus' forces, launched a furious purge of those they believed loyal to the Akaviri regime. In the midst of the chaos, the Imperial Countess of Bravil, Qyen Drassi, barricaded herself in the palace, desperate for rescue. Her position had become untenable, and as her husband, the local Nibenese magnate Aloys Fleccian, saw the tide turning, he proposed a solution. He gave his wife a calming potion, instructing her to sleep while he dealt with the crisis. The next morning, Aloys emerged from the palace to face the angry mob. He claimed that his wife had taken her own life, poisoning herself in despair over the rebellion. Aloys then declared himself her rightful heir, assuming the title of Imperial Count of Bravil. In a shrewd move, Aloys immediately proclaimed his loyalty to Attrebus Sosildor and the rebellion, aligning himself with the popular uprising. This calculated decision earned him the favor of Bravil’s citizens, who celebrated his newfound allegiance. The defection of Bravil to the rebellion was a pivotal moment, signaling to other Nibenese lords that the Potentate’s grip on their lands was weakening.
As Attrebus Sosildor’s rebellion gained momentum in Colovia and Bravil, the flames of revolt spread across the Nibenay Basin, sparking a new chapter in the fall of the Akaviri Potentate. On the mainland of Nibenay, across the bay from Bravil, another uprising erupted—this one led by Venaros Cuptor, the fiery son of the last Cuptor Count of Bravil. With a deep personal vendetta against the Akaviri, whose rule had deposed his family, Venaros became a lightning rod for popular discontent. Venaros Cuptor's rhetoric was fierce, and his methods even fiercer. Rallying the common people of Nibenay, he tapped into the deep-seated resentment many felt toward the Akaviri overlords. His forces began attacking Akaviri colonies scattered across the fertile Nibenay Basin, sparking a wave of violence. What started as battles soon degenerated into brutal pogroms, as the Nibenese rebels ruthlessly hunted down anyone suspected of being Akaviri or of possessing even a trace of Akaviri blood. The violence spiraled out of control, turning from rebellion to ethnic cleansing. Local lords, initially hesitant to join the rebellion, were soon forced to take sides, fearing that their own men might turn against them if they did not align with the insurgents. Although Attrebus Sosildor did not fully trust Venaros Cuptor, whose violent methods and ambitions raised concerns, he nonetheless voiced support for the uprising. In his eyes, Venaros’ actions represented “rightful justice for centuries of tyranny” under the Akaviri Potentate. This alignment, however tenuous, added fuel to the rebellion’s spread, further weakening the Potentate’s grasp on Nibenay.
Venaros Cuptor, leader of the Nibenese Rebellion
Back in the Imperial City, the news of the escalating violence in Nibenay sent shockwaves through the capital. Panic gripped the populace, especially among those of Akaviri descent. Even those with no direct ties to the Akaviri feared they would be punished for any perceived collaboration. The city, home to many Akaviri families, now stood on the precipice of unrest. Potentate Aixnieras, faced with the growing rebellion and the loss of his control over large swathes of Cyrodiil, chose a strategy of defense. Believing the Imperial City could withstand any siege, he withdrew behind its towering walls, confident that the city could hold out for years. His hope was that the rebels, divided by internal rivalries, would eventually turn on each other. What followed was nearly a decade of intermittent siege, blockade, and skirmishing around the Imperial Isle. Attrebus and his forces, supported by an ever-growing alliance of rebel nobles, made several attempts to breach the city's defenses, but the formidable walls of the Imperial City, combined with the discipline of the Imperial Legion loyal to the Potentate, thwarted each assault. The siege, though not constant, left the city isolated and increasingly reliant on its dwindling resources. During this time, the pogroms against the Akaviri continued across the empire. Many Akaviri fled Cyrodiil, seeking refuge in the border regions of Elsweyr and Skyrim. Those who remained in hiding feared discovery and retribution. The rebellion had taken on a darker, more violent tone, as the lines between political revolt and racial hatred blurred. Meanwhile, Venaros Cuptor’s power continued to grow in Nibenay. His forces, now entrenched in the region, held sway over much of the countryside. With his newfound influence, Venaros began making bold claims about his intentions to take control of Bravil, the city that had once belonged to his family. This declaration sent shockwaves through the rebel camp, threatening to fracture the fragile alliance between Attrebus and Venaros.
By 2E 442, after over a decade of intermittent siege and warfare, the walls of the Imperial City were finally breached. A team of rebel battlemages, skilled in arcane warfare, found a way to weaken the ancient defenses, allowing Attrebus Sosildor’s forces to flood into the city. The long-awaited battle for the heart of the empire commenced in a furious onslaught, with rebel soldiers tearing through the streets and systematically overwhelming the Potentate’s loyal defenders. The chaos quickly devolved into a brutal massacre, as the rebels, driven by years of pent-up rage and thirst for vengeance, slaughtered any who stood in their path. At the forefront of this assault was Attrebus himself, who personally led the vanguard into battle. His reputation as a formidable warrior was on full display as he cut down Akaviri warriors in single combat, his blade striking with precision and fury. The decisive moment came on the steps of the White-Gold Tower, the very heart of the Imperial City and symbol of the empire’s power. Here, Attrebus confronted Aixnieras, the last Akaviri Potentate. The battle between the two leaders was a climactic showdown that would determine the fate of the empire. Attrebus, driven by both ambition and a desire for revenge against the foreign rulers who had held Cyrodiil in their grasp for centuries, fought with unmatched ferocity. Aixnieras, though formidable in his own right, could not withstand the relentless assault. In a final blow, Attrebus struck down the last Potentate, bringing an end to Akaviri rule over Tamriel. With Aixnieras’ death, the remaining Akaviri forces surrendered, and the Imperial City fell into rebel hands.
In the wake of his victory, Attrebus wasted no time in consolidating power. Declaring himself the new Potentate, he immediately began purging the Elder Council of any who had ties to the Akaviri or were suspected of sympathizing with them. His rule was swift and brutal, mirroring the methods of the Akaviri he had just overthrown. In one of his most significant and controversial acts, Attrebus issued a proclamation declaring all Akaviri and their descendants to be rogue elements, marking them for elimination. This decree set off a mass exodus of Akaviri and those of Akaviri descent, many fleeing to the borders of Cyrodiil where friendly kingdoms, such as the Kingdom of the Rim in northern Elsweyr and the island of Tideholm in the Topal Sea, offered them refuge. Though the Akaviri were now driven out of the Imperial City, peace did not follow. Attrebus’ swift rise to power and his assumption of the Potentate’s mantle without consulting the nobility ignited suspicion and resentment. Many of the lords and nobles who had supported the rebellion had envisioned a return to traditional rule, with greater autonomy for their regions. Instead, they saw Attrebus acting with the same unchecked authority as the Akaviri Potentates before him. His unilateral decisions, particularly the purges and his harsh decrees, fueled growing discontent. Venaros Cuptor, the rebellious leader from Nibenay who had already gained a substantial following, became Attrebus’ most vocal critic. Venaros condemned the new Potentate as a tyrant, likening him to Versidue-Shae, the Akaviri ruler who had dominated Tamriel for centuries. Venaros’ words struck a chord with many, particularly those who had grown weary of centralized imperial authority. In a bold move, Venaros declared himself Grand Overlord of Nibenay and openly proclaimed the region’s independence from the Imperial City. The Nibenese revolt was quickly followed by a wave of secession across Cyrodiil. The powerful Colovian cities of Skingrad, Kvatch, and Anvil, which had once been united under the rebel banner, now declared themselves independent kingdoms. The dream of a unified empire under Attrebus Sosildor crumbled as quickly as it had been realized. Instead of forging a new era of Cyrodiilic dominance, Attrebus found himself embroiled in a new and deadly civil war, with the empire he had sought to restore fracturing into pieces.
The years between 2E 443 and 448 marked the death throes of the Second Empire, as Attrebus Sosildor’s desperate campaigns to hold onto power ravaged Cyrodiil. His aggressive attempts to quell rebellion and restore central authority had the opposite effect, plunging the province into chaos. The devastation caused by his campaigns led to the collapse of what remained of imperial infrastructure. Roads crumbled, farmlands were abandoned, and trade routes were overrun by marauding bands of brigands. As imperial control disintegrated, warlords seized the opportunity to carve out their own fiefdoms. It became common to say, “Where there was a fort, there was a kingdom,” as countless local leaders, many of them former soldiers or disillusioned lieutenants of Attrebus, established their own petty realms. By 2E 448, Attrebus’ authority was confined almost entirely to the Imperial Isle itself. His lieutenants, once his staunchest supporters, had turned against him, each setting up their own territories and abandoning any pretense of loyalty to a central power. The dream of a unified empire had become a nightmare of fragmentation and civil strife. In this desperate situation, Attrebus devised one final gambit to reclaim his lost dominion: a march on Chorrol, his former stronghold in the Colovian Highlands, which had recently rebelled under the leadership of his former steward, Ilnori Aquilarios. Aquilarios had once been a trusted lieutenant of Attrebus but had grown disillusioned with his former overlord’s increasingly tyrannical and erratic rule. Now leading the revolt in Chorrol, Aquilarios represented the growing opposition to Attrebus' dwindling power. Attrebus, seeing Chorrol as a vital foothold in Colovia, believed that if he could rally the city back to his side, he might reignite his campaign to reunify Cyrodiil. However, this final campaign would be his undoing. The Battle of Chorrol, fought in 2E 448, turned into a disaster for Attrebus. Leading a reckless cavalry charge in a last-ditch attempt to break the rebel lines, Attrebus was killed in the chaos of battle. His death marked not just the end of his life, but the collapse of any hope for the restoration of the Second Empire. Without their leader, Attrebus’ forces quickly disintegrated, and his so-called Potentate evaporated. His lieutenants, already fractured and distrustful of one another, scattered to consolidate their own holdings, leaving no one to pick up the banner of imperial authority.
With Attrebus dead, the illusion of a united Cyrodiil under imperial rule was shattered. The Elder Council, which had served in a nominal capacity under successive rulers, now formally dissolved the remnants of the Second Empire and declared their own governance over the Imperial City. However, their rule was short-lived. In 2E 450, Caius Lex, the last remaining legate of the Imperial Legion and a man of considerable ambition, declared himself Lord Protector of the Heartlands—the fertile regions surrounding the Imperial Isle. Backed by the loyalty of the Legion and his control of key strategic positions, Lex quickly consolidated power, amassing enough personal authority to disband the Elder Council altogether. By ruling through decree, Lex ushered in a new era for Cyrodiil: the Interregnum. It was a period defined by the absence of a central authority, with Cyrodiil splintered into competing warlord states. The empire’s heartland, now ruled by Lex as Lord Protector, became a shell of its former self. The imperial dream had died with Attrebus on the battlefield of Chorrol, and with it, any hope of a unified Tamriel.
