The Use of Memory in Magic

[from “A History of the Last War” by Redoran Assur Sul, 6E 105]

“…the Thalmor had long been attempting to find a way back to the Beginning Place, as noumenal regression was the core of the ideology. For some time they attempted numerous methods – witness the "freezing" of Dawn magic via Dracochrysalis as described in Haintabi Suul’s ‘Folio Dispertitae Dyadem’. Their use of Memory as a weapon is believed to be derived from a mystical school known as Anuic Procession.

[from Sul’s footnote: Those unfamiliar with AP should consult Vespasius Marginalus’ excellent, ‘5th Era Magics – a Reference’, available through the University of New Gwylim Press. In essence the technique involved the mystical realization that all that Is comes from Anu, enabling the possibility to trace the pathway back to the Ground of Being, thereby achieving unitive symbiosis with the All.]

Thalmori Dracochrysologists attempted regression into "boundless being" via AP but discovered the process largely ineffective. What they -were- able to achieve was access to the memories/lives of their ancestors (Telvanni Kalas Sul Saren has noted the similarity to Dunmeri communion with their ancestors in his widely acclaimed – and in the author’s opinion, far under-read – ‘Towards a Unifed Theory of Magical Enactment’, available through the Imperial University Press).

By way of AP a Thalmor would – through techniques lost in the Landfall – draw upon their ancestors knowledge and/or power and temporarily "borrow" it. They quickly discovered, however, that this caused a distortion in the practitioner’s nymic, allowing a (temporary) blending-effect, resulting not only in the use of ancestor’s power, but also the experience of their memories. The depth of power drawn - or length of time used - exponentially increased the risk and some early practitioners were unable to distinguish between themselves and the personage from whom they had drawn power.

So while Anuic Procession had failed as way of returning to the Beginning Place, it afforded the Thalmor a new weapon. Used sparingly it gave their shock troops a vast superiority over the armies of the Last Men.

[from a footnote: There are, of course, rumors that the Most Holy Prophet utilizes this ‘Memory Magic’ but the current author believes this to be slander and libel…]