The Ebonheart Pact is a Lie

1st Rain’s Hand, 587

For the eyes of The Skald-King alone:

Hail, your highness. I believe I have uncovered a conspiracy most foul; a betrayal against the noble international co-operation that we Nords have strived toward for these two decades past. Upon reading this letter, one of two things will occur – you will have me fired as your Spymaster and cast into exile for treason, or you will open your eyes to the possibility that we have all been tricked. I hope with all my heart it is the former, and that the only thing rotten in our realm is my paranoia – for if you do share my fear, the Pact is well and truly doomed.

If you are unsure what I refer to, cast your mind back before Fildgor’s return, before the Soulburst, to the founding of the Pact. The Akaviri were resisting the efforts of our joint assault with the Dunmer forces, and the outcome of their Stonefalls campaign was yet uncertain – our defeat, despite the combined might of the Nords and the Elves, was entirely possible – until we were reinforced by the surprise Argonian attack under their leader Heita-Meen. At the time, this was a shocking twist of events – the Dunmer and Argonians’ mutual despise after millennia of slavery meant such an alliance seemed to be plucked out of a child’s fable –and indeed today, one does not have to venture far into Black Marsh to find Saxhleel resentful of their former masters. While the common misconception is that Heita-Meen supported us in return for the emancipation of her people, this deal was not even conceived until the negotiations from which the Pact was formed. Rather, she outlines her true motivation in her memoir ‘From Argonian to Saxhleel’, a copy of which I attach.

So, is my meaning clear? If not, I apologise for my vague accusation; despite the amount of Hexes and Enchantments I have placed on this letter, I must take every possible precaution to ensure its secrecy. Cast your gaze to the city of Ebonheart. It is evidence of our secret aggressors and the spread of their power – hiding in plain sight. They have been working behind the scenes, through the Pact to spread their influence and weaken both us and the Dunmer. My sources reveal that the so-called Hero of the Ebonheart Pact has communed with them – and since that time, they have been at the heart of all the instability in our realm - the attempt on your life, your highness, back in 582 was coincidentally mere days after they arrived in Windhelm , and rather worryingly, they were reportedly on Vvardenfell during the recent, ah, mess there. This individual isn’t the one solving the problems, but rather the once causing them.

The Ebonheart Pact is a lie. Unbeknownst to us, the roots of treachery have been spreading since the inception of the alliance. We know so little of these shadowy foes, but they have established a foothold at the heart of Morrowind, and possibly even Skyrim. An immensely powerful artefact with a direct mental link to our foes, even now, lies in our most holy place - It is no coincidence that these alien monsters sent an eye to watch the entrance of Sovngarde. I urge you, your highness – watch the future carefully.

-R