Tales of Cyrodiil, entry 1 - Knights of the Thorn

The following is the first in a series of documents written early in the 4th era, during the brief reign of Thules the Gibbering and before the coup led by Titus Mede I to secure the Imperial City for his own dynasty. This was to be part of a new Pocket Guide to the Empire, but like other iterations it was never finished or published. I include it in this document for the Eternal Empress' eyes and those of her advisers so that we can better understand the political climate of Cyrodiil during this ancient time period. ~ Legate Cyclenophus

"I think if you'd had the chance to speak to any of the knights, they were happy to follow Farwil into battle. I'll be having a very long talk with my impetuous son. I don't blame him directly for their deaths, but he must learn to do things the proper way. He must realize he'll be ruling Cheydinhal one day. That's a responsibility I aim to make him ready for." Count Andel Indarys on his son Farwil

Visitors to the largely Dark Elven town of Cheydinhal are all-too-familiar with the famous Knights of the Thorn. This company of brave men and women are personally led by Farwil Indarys, scion of the powerful House Hlaalu clan called Indarys. In the decade since the Oblivion Crisis they've performed many heroic deeds for the people of Cheydinhal, and for their unfortunate Dark Elven relatives from the East.

They weren't always so efficient, however. By his own admission, Farwil was rather brash as a young Mer, and the earliest incarnation of the Knights was filled with members better at bragging and inventing stories than actually fighting. Their earliest blunder was sending a lone man - a Redguard named Pyke - into the mysterious gate in Niben Bay. The young man never returned, although later stories and legends tell that he became a permanent citizen of the Shivering Isles, and even happily married a young woman there. Although this tale is unlikely, it fits right in with the unlikely story of the Knights of the Thorn.

Scion of the wealthy and influential Indarys clan of House Hlaalu, Farwil Indarys is next in line to inherit the throne of Cheydinhal from his venerable father Count Andel Indarys, a close friend of Hlaalu Helseth (formerly King of Morrowind, but reassigned to another post after the unfortunate collapse of that country). The son of the Count shares his father's love for justice and order, and the Hlaalu propensity for the pursuit of knightly chivalry in the Western Style, which has been popular among the ranks of that House since the Tiber Wars.

From a young age, Farwil read tales of famous knights in his books and dreamed of riding on a horse decked out in shining plate armor. Being the son of the Count of Cheydinhal and a friend of royalty, one thing separated him from the throngs of other young men and women who dreamed of such adventures - he actually had the money and influence to make it happen. Building a lodge near the famous Black Waterside Stables and assembling a group of brash young men, Farwil proclaimed himself the leader of the Knights of the Thorn. Town guards from early in their career grumbled that they mostly just drank and bragged about defeating imaginary foes, and had little actual fighting skill.

This lack of discipline and training proved to be a fatal setback for many members of the Knights when the Oblivion Gate opened outside the city, right next to their lodge. The brash, inexperienced Farwil ordered his men to charge inside despite the odds, and they were quickly mowed down until only Farwil and his Nibenese friend Bremman remained. On the brink of disaster, they were saved by the Champion of Cyrodiil, who accompanied them to the Sigil Tower and closed the gate with their help. After this ordeal, the Count had a very long and serious discussion with his son and the surviving Knights, stressing the importance and gravity of being a real Knight. After this life lesson sank in, Farwil committed himself to honing his combat prowess and battle tactics, and has since grown into the commander of a fine and capable group of men and women.

In the years following the Crisis, Farwil and his growing band of compatriots performed many good deeds in the County. They helped repair the damage done by the Daedra to the countryside, and helped secure the roads by driving back agitated herds of Minotaur. Later, just before Red Year, they secured the mountain passes into Stonefalls from bandits, ogres and goblins. Then, the great calamity of the Dunmer people happened in 4E 5. Survivors of the horrific events that battered northern Morrowind and the subsequent Argonian invasions from the South began the long, desperate trek out of Morrowind. The Dunmer of Stonefalls and Deshaan who managed to escape favored the route into Cheydinhal, where the population swelled with immigrants.

Chancellor Ocato and the Elder Council were faced with quite the ordeal in trying to safely relocate the lawful citizens of Morrowind. In the interest of protecting citizens of the Empire, they were allowed Nibenese citizenship, but were told they had to contribute to Imperial society in some way, through service or craft. Many grateful Dunmer, eager to prove themselves to the Empire, joined forces with the Legions. However, far more were impressed with the Knights of the Thorn, who had personally led them through the dangerous mountain passes, not yet fully free of ogres and bandits. The striking figure of a heavily armored Dark Elf man on a black horse leading his countrymen to their new homeland inspired many of the fleeing Dark Elves, especially those of the crippled House Hlaalu, and thus in recent years the sight of young Dunmeri men and women riding under the banner of the Thornblade has become increasingly common.

Farwil has settled down with a comely young woman of his own race, and has fathered a young son who will someday follow in his footsteps. Farwil himself has become quite adept at stirring up the Imperial spirit in his Dark Elven relatives, and is set to inherit the throne when his father retires. May Cheydinhal continue to be a beacon of the civilized, cosmopolitan melting pot of Nibenay, and may Zenithar and the Nine continue to bless the Dunmer, Nibenese and Orcs who call it home.