Tales of Old Tamriel #7 - On the Nature of Daemons

Editor's note: The following piece of lore is from a larger collection called Tales of Old Tamriel. Its exact origin is unknown, but some claim the library shelf containing the collection first appeared in the Imperial Library during the Middle Dawn, and has some connection to the blue star Mnemoli. Interestingly, many of these texts refer to events from the Second, Third and Fourth eras! When asked about this, the Moth Priests simply shrugged and informed me that compared to the mysteries of the Elder Scrolls and the Ysmir Collective, a magical bookshelf that contains historically misplaced lore is one of the less unusual things in the Library. When pressed for more information, I was politely informed that the Priests were too busy to address my concerns. Thus, I transcribed the stories and left with many unanswered questions. Perhaps future scholars can discover the true origin of these stories, which largely center around the lesser-known periods and rulers of history.

On The Nature of Daemons and The Folly of Ignorance, by the Alessian arch-curate of the Profane, Rimsin Tharn

The loss at Glenumbra Moors was a grim, sobering experience for our noble Empire. On that day, our forces were crushed and driven home defeated. We suffered further humiliation from the bull-men of Colovia during our long, pitiful march home to Nibenay. To say the least, the loss came as a total surprise. We did not expect to lose an inch of territory or influence in Tamriel. We did not expect to lose so many brave fighting men and women. While we took several of the heathens with us, notably Hoag Merkiller of Skyrim, the losses were just too grim and our Empire has suffered.

Coming off the heels of such a humiliating and humbling defeat, it is only natural that people ask questions. "Why did this happen? How could we have possibly lost? Has the One forsaken us? Have we sinned? Were we not worthy of victory?" I have asked many of these questions myself over the past few years, and I have heard them on the lips of fair citizens of Nibenay, from the lowliest stable hand to the battlemages and priests.

There are many among the priesthood and military elite who have circulated tracts denouncing the tactics of the late General Falchou, the legate in charge of this operation. One particularly vile and venomous tract was authored by the Inquisitor of One named Impermeable Micro Q in the odd style of the Canalus cabal. I am of the opinion this man's career and opinions are a farce and that his zealotry and those who embody it led to the hubris that contributed to our crushing defeat in the Direnni holdings. In his long, rambling, incoherent manifesto he denounces the supposed heathenism of General Falchou, implying he trafficked with "daemons" and was a heretic worthy of the death he received.

I intend to address and debunk such absurdly short-sighted opinions as these. Nibenay always has been and always will be, after all, the cradle of Imperial High Culture and the market place of ideas and open-mindedness. In the past the Alessian priesthood has been tolerant and open to studies of a wide range of subjects, including the Profane. My family has had a long and proud tradition of studying the "daemons" the prophet Maruhk (may his coat shine healthily in Aetherius) and others spoke of, and I have come to believe that it should not only be permissible for a wise and learned magus or priest steeped in the faith of the Empire to utilize such creatures and energies in our quest to bring enlightenment to Tamriel, but that such study and utilization of extra-mundic energy should be encouraged.

I can hear you now - angrily branding me a heretic or a daedra worshiper. I'll have you know, gentle reader, that I am no such thing. Please hear me out. You're all familiar with the Exlusionary Mandates, I'm sure. They're read at the Temple of the One and at your local chapels each Sundas, dutifully. Exclusionary Mandate One states: That the Supreme Spirit Akatosh is of unitary essence, as proven by the monolinearity of Time. Unitary essence, brothers and sisters. Do not believe the Elven Lie that there is a distinction between so-called Aedra, or between Aedra and Daedra. The Daemons that Maruhk spoke of are not the denizens of Oblivion, but the malcontents and atheists who deny the power of prayer itself. They have embraced the Elven Lie and believe in a plurality or division of the One into pagan and heathenistic gods.

"But surely" my critics will argue "to incant abominations like Atronachs or Clannfear in battle sullies the soul and invites darkness into one's heart." I've heard it all before, often from the same hypocrites who are all too happy to destroy our opponents with maces or swords, or to burn their camps with fire either arcane or mundane. What's the difference between killing a man with a poison-tipped arrow or summoning a Clannfear to rip him limb from limb? The important thing, dear brothers and sisters, is that the heretic dies. General Falchou realized this better than anybody else.

Falchou was an honorable, upright man who does not deserve the attacks upon his integrity that have been hurled at him since his demise. Even Emperor Gorieus himself has denounced the good General as a heathen and a daemon worshiper, but the One works in mysterious ways, and this so-called "curse of Hircine" was but one of many gifts that Father Akatosh has deigned to share with his chosen crusaders. We lack the divine horns of Morihaus and the killing light of Pelinal's hand, so we make do with what forces we can actually summon and control to crush the heretics and erase the Elven Lie.

What better testament can there be to our godliness and purity of cause than the blood and bones of our enemies, with which we can build a road to the future? The opposite of love is not hate, good brothers and sisters. It is apathy. Do not sit idly by and falsely presume that we can never recover from this setback. By embracing all of the gifts of the One and not simply the narrow, dogmatic teachings of the Arch-Primate and his Inquisitor we can spring back from this loss. To deny the utility of the ancient arts of summoning and the reanimation of fallen corpses is to quite frankly reject the gifts of Creation itself, and that is the true heresy, brothers and sisters. Who is the real daemon in this picture? Only the fool has said in his heart "The One loves me not." or "I reject the gifts of the One." To accept the Elven Lie and to cut yourself off from the divine gifts of Conjuration and Necromancy is to truly traffick with the daemons who have filled your heads with ignorance and apathy.

Denounce me if you will, but my family is old and powerful. We have long served the Empire, and always shall. We understand what it takes to get the good work of the Lord done, and we shy not from controversy. They may excommunicate me or even attempt to have me hanged, but my words shall endure. We may not banish the wickedness of the Elven Taint from their hearts, good readers, but perhaps we can see it within ourselves, and someday perhaps we can find a way to purify the land itself of the taint. I make this pamphlet public, and accept what fate may come. The One will watch over my soul - his faithful servant and yours, Rimsin Tharn.

Historian's footnote - It would appear that Rimsin Tharn was not executed for his views. In fact, he was given a higher government position, that of Imperial Battlemage, and lived to a ripe old age. In fact, he outlived Emperor Gorieus and three of his successors, and it is not entirely certain at what date he finally passed away. It is also uncertain how his teachings, views and leadership style influenced the Alessian armies and priesthood, but when Empress Hestra began her famously successful campaigns centuries later, she had her battlemage Gianmarco Tharn at her side, and employed many of his tactics against the Reachmen and pirate lords of that time period.