Mundus Remanada, or The Life of Reman Cyrodiil, CH. VII-VIII
A note pinned to the front of the leather-bound folio reads: [The continued translation of the “Mundus Remanada” has proven challenging; the first and last chapters are written in a more archaic form of proto-Tamrielic than the middle chapters, obviously indicating an earlier origin. The final chapter, a small passage compared to the rest, is strangely enough the oldest of all, and is proving exceedingly difficult to translate. I’ve partnered with a trusted agent of the Mages Guild in an attempt to make a breakthrough; expect it soon. As for the contents of CH. 7-8, their mythical nature and dark themes are certainly disturbing, if not outrightly heretical. I told you the Emperor wouldn’t like it. ~A.]
###Chapter 7: Tower-Talk with Vehk and Vehk
Now in these days no land was feared more than the Ashmeri east, a place of volcanoes and disease, and that most dreaded crime of slavery, which held a special hatred in the hearts of the people of the Cyrodiils.1 Reman’s power was at its height, yet still his councilors advised diplomacy, fearful of the consequences of an eastern war.2 Even Orochi-Syf, who lead Reman’s Dragonguard throughout his conquests and was his most trusted advisor besides his Wives, spoke of the dangers of war with the east.3 The men-of-Sci had already fought the Ashmeri on their way to the Pass years before, and knew well their talents for war.4 For their part, Sed-Yenna and Shonni-Et sought only what Reman sought, and thought well of his claim over all the Imperial earth.5 Yet the Ashmeri rulers were also fearful of war, and thus did their own God-King make pilgrimage to the White-Gold Tower in secret, not to acquiesce, but to parley.6
The Thief followed Vehk as he traveled unseen across the land, entering Reman’s chamber in the heart of the Tower by means of whim.7 There he found Reman and his Wives, who rarely parted, naked together in a bed of silks and furs and loving one-another.8 Vehk waited patiently for them to complete their task, pondering the dark beauty of the Nibenese and their strange belly-magics.^9
When at last their passion was complete Reman rose from his bed, leaving his Wives to approach Vehk, the Chim-El Adabal aglow with his climax. He spake with many voices as one, saying:10 “I know your two faces, Vehk and Vehk, as you know mine. You stand before the crowned king of all the land, will you not bow?”11
Vehk answered with his Water Face, “I do know your face, Cyrodiil, for I have seen it refracted in your Ruby 1,008 times over. But should I bow? For my sovereignty is as ancient as your own, and flows from the same places. We are one and one, souls risen above our station.”^12
“I was born of glory and crowned by the dragon, while you were born to rewritten iniquity and rose through stolen godsblood.”^13
“I witnessed your gestation-in-mud as did many others, and the Thief heralded your coming as it did mine. We are both thieves, I of golden light and you of blazing flame. You are offended by this, as you are with any notion of equality to your eminence, but it is true. The lands of Resdaynia are Dunmeri by ancient claims as grand as those of your Dragon.”^14
And at this did Reman Shout with anger, saying: “Your in-between spirits have no claim over this earth, to give or to take, for it belongs to the blood of the ada. Why, then, should I leave the east unmolested when all other lands have fallen before me?”^15
“The Gods of the Velothi tasted adasblood when proud Trinimac fell, Cyrodiil. And why should you claim the east, O King of All the Lands of Men? Vvardenfell has ever been an isle of mer. As for the mainland, which was seldom the home of men, I can offer you something much greater in return for its autonomy. I can give you claim to an Empire Across the Stars, and further still, perhaps a means to claim it.”^16
Thus did Vehk teach the Cyrodiil the secrets of changing the ancestor moths into great vessels of travel, and the forbidden art of binding-gates to the Underworld.17 For such was Reman’s sense of glory that he believed even the souls of the dead belonged by rights to him.18 Thus did the Ashmeri devil play on Reman’s manifest destiny, and twist him into what he thought an inescapable trap, and none would know of Vehk’s part in it save his Wives and the Syf, who witnessed their Tower-talk as he guarded the Cyrodiil from the shadows, as he always did.^19
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###Chapter 8: Interdiction
For 3 years did Reman train his elite force known as the Void Navy, preparing them for war on a different plane.1 This Void Navy was composed of Reman’s greatest soldiers, almost entirely men-of-Sci, though the Syf did caution the King against his excursion, hissing that some holdings may be beyond even Reman’s claim, at which Reman almost beheaded him with rage.2 None other dared to speak against him, though his Wives shared concerned looks when he turned from them.^3
In the spring of his 17th year upon the throne did he make ready to march his Legion unto the Underworld, to claim it, and its terrestrial consequences, for his own.4 A great weir-gate was built on the banks of the Rumare, crafted of white stone and embedded with welkynd-runes.5 Here did Reman and his Void Navy come, and here did Reman open his gate, speaking unto the aether with many voices as one, saying:6 “By the right of my sacred inception-in-earth and my sacred blood, I do demand, aad semblio ae ehlnokhan, that the path unto the Underworld be made open to me!”7 Then did the swirling portal form, a door of magicka to a forbidden plane.8 Those few Colovians among the Navy, who knew well the stories of Sovngarde and the Lord that lie beyond, dropped to their knees before it.9 But Reman rallied his forces with brave words, calling them to follow him beyond to one final battle which would win them all immortal glory.10 Then he did pass through the door, the Ruby of Kings blazing on his brow, followed by his Wives.11 Yet as soon as the three had passed through the gate did it collapse behind them, and no sorcery that the Navy could muster would open it again.12 Hours later, as black clouds gathered in the firmament above, two stars of the Lady faded to black.13
And of the things they did witness on that failed conquest we will never know, but it was tragedy beyond compare for the King.14 A black storm descended on the Rumare for three days and three nights, and on the fourth day the lightning of the heavens struck the weir-gate, destroying it entirely, and our King was returned to us, bloody, aged threescore years, alone and weak and full of biting grief and rage.15 As a wild man did he return, striking and Shouting at any who approached him, howling in despair until night fell, and the Syf did dare approach him to shake and slap him until his sense returned, which caused the storm to pass.16 He returned to his Tower on a skiff, crossing the flooded Rumare his Wives had so loved with silent grief, and locked himself away for many long days, and the Provinces wondered if the Empire of the Cyrodiils would crumble sooner than any had dreamed.17
But he awoke from his stupor a changed and hardened man, and increased his grip (and taxation) on the Provinces in order to fuel his new dream of extra-Mundial conquest, a desire to claim the moons that was, in truth, a vengeful obsession.18 His last mortal miracle would be to call a great conclave of the Princes of Misrule, where each pledged their nymic oath of noninterference to his godsblood conquest of the Outer Holdings, ensuring the formation of his New Void Navy, which many had cautioned him against, including even the Syf, who thought his lord’s goals misaligned with those of his Empire.19 Alas, Reman would not live to see his glorious dream fulfilled.^20
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