Conjecture on the Treaty of Stros M’Kai

Preface

When the Treaty of Stros M’Kai was signed in 2E 864, it was afforded a wide berth of secrecy that would have seemed odd, had Tamriel not been in such high spirits, having just come under the rule of Tiber Septim and out of the red mist of the Interregnum. There is no evidence of substantially sensitive events to which the treaty may have pertained, other than the obvious twin rebellions at Stros M’Kai and Sentinel, the events of which are already known quite well – it is alao worthy of note that the state of the Empire now, in 3E 317, is nowhere near as volatile as it was in its infancy. While the Treaty of Stros M’Kai is certainly not the only Imperial treaty that is not public, the reasoning behind why the Empire would not simply release such a most-likely harmless document is next to inscrutable. I would posit that in the treaty’s time, wounded Imperial pride (especially that of a certain Emperor then riding on a series of great victories among the kingdoms of men) was the primary reason for the treaty’s non-release, and ever since, no bureaucrat has deigned to change that stance.

All that to say, I will now present my approximation of what the Treaty of Stros M’Kai must contain, keeping as closely as possible to the tone of the scholars who likely did the work of writing this.

Treaty Between the Empire of Tiber Septim in Cyrodiil and the Province of Hammerfell, Signed on the Island of Stros M’Kai, Regarding the Matter of the Rebellions at Stros M’Kai and Sentinel; or, the Treaty of Stros M’Kai

Being a Treaty between the Province of Hammerfell and the Empire of Tiber Septim in Cyrodiil to ensure Peaceful and Continued Relations between the two, and to ensure that Hammerfell remains Content and Loyal as a Part of the Empire, but not a Subject.

The Invocations of the Eight Divines

To AKATOSH whose perch from Eternity allowed the Day.

To KYNARETH who returns the Masculine Breath.

To DIBELLA who pays Men in Moans.

To ARKAY who braves the Diminuendo.

To JULIANOS who incants the Damned Equation.

To MARA who fills the Empty and drains the Stones.

To ZENITHAR who is the Provider of our Ease.

To STENDARR who suffers Men to read.

The Invocations of the Gods of the Redguard People

To RUPTGA who teaches us to Walkabout.

To HOONDING who Makes Way wherever our feet fall.

To ZEHT who makes our seed grow strong even among the sands.

To MORWHA who makes us many, that our Warrior Wave may break over the sands of the Far Shores.

To TAVA who whispered us to Herne and gave us breath.

To LEKI who sharpens the Best Known Cuts onto our blades.

To ONSI who makes our blades reach far to the necks of our enemies.

The following are the conditions established by this Treaty:

1. Hammerfell’s Integration into the Empire as a Province – Hammerfell is henceforth to be a Province of the Empire, subject to the minimum deference expected of a Province of the Empire; the Emperor holds authority to levy taxes on the Province, and to call on loyalty of the Province in times of War. Outside of these realms, the Province of Hammerfell is afforded the right of provincial self-government in the form of a Republic.

2. Cease in the Hostilities between Hammerfell and the Empire and the Pardon of those Involved in Said Hostilities – With the integration of Hammerfell into the Empire, all hostility between the two is ended. The Empire and the Province of Hammerfell are to interact as allies. Both parties agree that in the Realm of the Empire, those persons who engaged in acts of Rebellion against the Empire are henceforth pardoned, and may continue to freely live within the Empire. Among these encompassed by said pardon, special mention is to be made of Cyrus “The Restless” and Iszara (present at these negotiations), who are pardoned for their special roles as leaders in the Rebellion of Stros M’Kai, and Baron Volag (also present at these negotiations), who is pardoned for his special role as the leader of the Rebellion of Sentinel. It is also deemed important by all those present at these negotiations that Prince A’Tor be posthumously pardoned for the murder of Admiral Amiel Richton of the Imperial Navy and Dram, Imperial assassin, if the reports of the sword to which his soul was bound slaying said individuals are to be believed. (Note that Queen-Regent Iszara is now in possession of this so-called “Soul Sword”.) In turn, all who acted under the authority or orders of the Empire during both the two Rebellions and the entire occupation of Hammerfell are to be pardoned in the eyes of the Province of Hammerfell.

May the Empire and this accord of peace and unity last forever!

Signed: Emperor Tiber Septim, Representative of the Empire in Cyrodiil; Baron Volag, Representative of the Forebear faction of Hammerfell; Queen-Regent Iszara, Representative of the Crown faction of Hammerfell.