Reman Empire

The Reman Empire, sometimes referred to as the Cyrodiilic Empire or Empire of Cyrodiil,  the Second Empire of Men, or simply the Second Empire,  was unofficially formed in the year 1E 2703 after Reman Cyrodiil defeated the invading Akaviri horde and incorporated High Rock and Skyrim under the reign of a reunited Cyrodiil. The Empire is often viewed as the heavenly ordained successor to the Alessian Empire, with the Reman Dynasty claiming lineage to Saint Alessia herself. While Reman I is often credited with being the founder of the Empire, he never took the title Emperor in his lifespan. The Empire's true date of establishment is unknown. After the fall of the Reman Dynasty in 1E 2920, the Empire was succeeded provisionally by the delegated Tsaesci Potentate, beginning the period known as the "Akaviri Potentate". The Second Empire would fall in the year 2E 430, after the assassination of Potentate Savirien Chorak, beginning the Interregnum period. During the years following its collapse, several pretender states claimed succession to the Reman Empire, though none would last until the coronation of Tiber Septim as the true heir to the Reman line in 2E 854.

The Legend
According to legend, Reman was the son of the Colovian King Hrol from the lands beyond Lost Twil, who sought to heal the long split Kingdoms of Colovia and Nibenay as a means to ward off the prophesized Akaviri Invasion. On one of his quests, King Hrol found the spirit of Alessia who held the long lost Amulet of Kings. In order to unify the Cyrodiil, Alessia's spirit, which took the physical form of a hillock, was impregnated by Hrol, who would die from his labors. After many months the mound of mud grew into the legendray hill of Sancre Tor, in which at its peak, the shepardess Sed-Yenna found a infant she named “Reman”, who bore the Amulet of Kings in his forehead. The shepherdess then brought the infant Reman to the White-Gold Tower and she placed him on the Ruby Throne without protest, where Reman stated “I AM CYRODIIL COME” and from then on ruled Cyrodiil. The legends of Reman further claim that at twelve years old he single-handedly crushed a major revolt, with the Colovian's taking up arms to break free of his unworthy rulership. The Colovian Kings would all swear fealty to him by the age of thirteen. Whether these Legends hold any truth is unknown, though it is often scoffed at by many scholars who view it as nothing more than propaganda designed to glorify and legitimize the Reman Dynasty. The only known contemporary reference to a "Hrol" outside of the legend is to a northern erfridder from Unsgrad who purportedly “set out from lands beyond Lost Twil”. It is believed this man may be the general basis of Reman's legend, which some scholars claim can't be reliably dated beyond the mid-Second Era. It has been speculated that Reman was a bastard Nord born to Hrol, who died of exhaustion mating with the young shepardess Sed-Yenna. According to this theory, Sed Yenna cleverly fabricated the legend to employ factions that would support Reman being placed on the throne. If the legends are fraudulent, it is unknown how Reman managed to gain possession of the Amulet of Kings.

The Akaviri Invasion
The accepted truth of Reman's reign holds that he was a general of the Colovian West and was responsible for rallying the armies of the Nibenay Valley alongside his own Colovian legions in the fight against perhaps the greatest foreign invasion in Tamrielic history. In 1E 2703 the whole of northern Tamriel fell under attack by the armies of the serpentine Tsaesci, with the Nords of Skyrim facing the brunt of the attack. While the Nords fought fiercely, their forces were no match for the Akaviri who quickly cut through Skyrim. Presumably fearing the Akaviri would extend their invasion into the heartland, Reman persuaded the fractious human kingdoms of the previous Empire to lend him their armies and march against the Akaviri. Reman would wage war on the Akaviri in every region of the north, erecting many of the old fortresses that dotted Skyrim as a protective shield against the Tsaesci. This war eventually culminated with the Battle of Pale Pass. Knowing that the Akaviri forces were commanded from a hidden post in the Jerall Mountains, Reman focused his forces along the Pale Pass, believing his foes would stage their attack from there. Given time, Reman's intuition was proven correct and his army halted the Akaviri advance while Vivec, commanding the armies of Morrowind, swooped in to intercept the Akaviri from behind, cutting off their reinforcements and supplies. A short battle ensued before the Akaviri abruptly surrendered en masse before Reman Cyrodiil. Hearing his voice, they fell to their knees before him revealing that he was who they sought after, they swore fealty and proclaimed him the legendary Dragonborn.

The New Cyrodiil
Impressed by their exotic weaponry and battle-prowess, Reman was more than happy to accept the Akaviri invaders into his ranks. The captured Akaviri horde was awarded amnesty in return for them making the up the bulk of Reman's new personal army, the Dragonguard. With the war over, Cyrodiil not only found itself united under Reman's rule, but also responsible for the protection of the weakened northern kingdoms of High Rock and Skyrim. With his new Dragonguard, Reman was determined to pacify the whole of Tamriel under his rulership. Reman's reign saw Cyrodiil become cosmopolitan, incorporating aspects of various Breton, Colovian, Nibenese, and Akaviri cultures into a common whole. While the Akaviri fancied Reman as the Emperor, he would never actually be officially coronated as such within his lifetime.

In 1E 2704, with the Akaviri no longer a threat Reman directed his attention to the Reach. Reman sliced the Reach in-between Imperial controlled High Rock and Skyrim, limiting the Reachmen's ability to ally and plot against him and equally splitting the regions many mines between the two kingdoms. Armies from Evermore and Solitude were often sent in to tame the region's wild populace and introduce them to a proper economy. Reman began again the process of human conquest and expansion, founding a once more strong Cyrodiilc nation. As the Elves grew wary of Reman's renewed human imperialism, so too did Reman grow wary of the Elves. In 1E 2714, after being devastated from relentless warfare and the Thrassian Plague, the Elven Kingdom of Valenwood fell to the forces of Reman. In order to assure the Bosmer would never unite against his occupation, Reman deposed the Camoran Dynasty and split Valenwood amongst varying independent Treethanes so that they would never again find a common enemy. Valenwood ended up being a small prize for Reman, deemed by many to be a wasteland province. The Bosmer, due to their strict nature laws, had no traditional cities, therefore every municipality within Valenwood grew from trade posts established by the Empire. The construction of roads within the province was approved by the natives, but they were neglected of maintenance and fell into obscurity.

Reman would at some point take the surname "Cyrodiil" to inspire a sense of pride and connection to his people and homeland. Reman would also institute the coronation rites that would be used by succeeding emperors, including the ritual geas of the Amulet of Kings. His reign would last until his death in the year 1E 2762, the causes of which are unknown. Tracing his ancestry to the Saint Alessia, Reman built splendid funeral precincts with the city of Sancre Tor ancient underpassages, where he and his descendants would be entombed. Sancre Tor would see a brief resurgence in wealth and culture during his reign, and those of his descendants. Sometime after his death, Reman began to be worshiped as "The Cyrodiil" or the "Worldly God", a cultural god-hero of the Second Empire, adored as a great conquering deity. He is assumed to have been succeeded by his probable son, Kastav.

Kastav's Reign
Emperor Kastav was the believed successor to Reman. He is the first known ruler of Reman's line to take the title equivalent of "Emperor", though whether or not he actually formed the titular "Reman Empire" is unknown. His rulership was marked by its notable incompetence in comparison to the other rulers of the Reman Dynasty. Kastav was known to employ a "Minister of Punition", a title in which was held by Excoraeus of House Tharn.

Emperor Kastav enforced overwhelming levies on his vassals, often having his Dragonguard seize hostages from neighboring lands to make sure their lords met their assigned conscription quotas. His excessive military actions were often objected by the leaders of the Dragonguard, but to no avail. By the break out of the Winterhold Rebellion in 1E 2804, no doubt in protest of Kastav's oppression, the Master of the Sky Haven Temple outright refused Kastav's call to arms, backed by the Grandmaster's claim that the order broke the Oath of Allegiance. In response Emperor Kastav cut off the Temple's supplies, and eventually besieged the Temple in 1E 2805. The Akaviri Kalien, who was denied entry to the Dragonguard, sacked the city of Winterhold. Kalien's presence gave the appearance that the Dragonguard had committed the sacking, thus ruining their reputation in Skyrim. The siege would be lifted in the year 1E 2806, after Kastav was deposed under unknown circumstances and replaced on the throne by Reman II.

Reman II's Reign
Emperor Reman II is often viewed as one of the most magnificent rulers of the Reman Empire, his glory only surpassed by Reman himself. Because of this, Reman II, much like Reman himself, is subject to many legends surrounding, most notably, his birth. Most scholars state that Reman II was a grandson to Reman, who resembled his grandfather in all ways save for his fair hair and stature inherited from his Nordic mother. Myth, however, holds that Reman II was the destined heir to Reman himself, born thirty years after his father's death from, variously, a cow, a river, a dragon, or a combination of these and other things.

Golden Age of the Second Empire
Reman II took the throne as acting Emperor in 1E 2806 after the deposition of the inadequate Kastav, evidently twelve years of age at the time. Reman II, though still young, quickly demonstrated his diplomatic prowess, negotiating a swift end to the Winterhold rebellion erupted by his precursor. In the year 1E 2811, Imperial forces made early progress in the conquest of the Argonian people, cutting deep into the region's borderlands in the easily won Battle of Argonia. By the year 1E 2812, the annexed territory was officially incorporated into Imperial governance as "Black Marsh". This year also saw the official coronation of Reman II as Emperor, now at the matured age of eighteen, using his Imperial authority to permit his Dragonguard to construct Alduin's Wall.

Reman II would go on to bring about a golden age within the Second Empire through his unmatched diplomatic and tactical genius. His martial acumen was likely responsible for the conquest of Hammerfell, the Khajiit kingdoms, and possibly the Summerset Isles, though certain sources imply the Altmer may have straightforward submitted to Reman II in fear of conflict. When admitting new territories into the Empire, Reman II did so with a careful hand, avoiding the disruption of local cultures and traditions, as well as established trade. Reman II gathered advisers from the annexed lands to keep focus on their respective populations. Given time, the conquered peoples began to accept and support the Second Empire, reaping the benefits of free trade, political stability, and improved infrastructure. Under Reman II's rulership, Necromancy and Daedra worship were abolished, trade flourished, and order was brought across Tamriel. Many great fortresses were constructed during Reman II's reign, including Skyspire keep in Betony, and likely Fort Sphinxmoth in Elsweyr. Reman II's affluent reign eventually embellished the idea of a great "Reman Dynasty", with Reman I being viewed as the idealized founder of the Reman Empire.

The Blackwater War
While the rest of Tamriel thrived, continued Imperial expansion into Argonia did not prove quite as prosperous. The second phase of the Black Marsh campaign, the Blackwater War, led by the young General Bucco, ended after nine years in 1E 2820, a complete disaster resulting with the destruction of the entire Fourth Legion and little to no territorial gains. In order to avoid appearing weak due to Bucco's inexperience, the Elder Council reconstituted the Fourth Legion and once more renewed the Blackwater invasion, led by the much more competent General Sardecus. Under Sardecus' strict regiment, the Empire regained all of Bucco's lost territory by the year 1E 2823. Sardecus tripled the size of his forces by allying himself with the disenfranchised Argonian tribes, and issued the tedious process of fighting the swamp itself, deconstructing it through various means. However, Sardecus' demolitions ended up bringing a halt to his campaign in 1E 2828, when sappers set fire to a large peat bog unknowingly part of a massive underground network that traversed the entire region. This event, referred to as the "Great Burn", began to erupt fires randomly in areas as far as Soulrest and Gideon eventually spreading throughout the entire area, fueled by swamp gas. The burned lands were rendered uninhabitable and many troops succumbed to diseases brought about by toxic fumes, forcing the legion to retreat. In the 2830's Reman II began to focus on the province, with the slow conquest weighing heavy on him. Reman II renewed the conquest of the region once more in 1E 2833, placing the Fourth Legion under the command of General Lucinia Falco. Falco split her forces into hundreds of smaller units, using them to push through the swamp on many fronts, and privateers were used to land Imperial marines in southern coastal territories. The Blackwater war evolved into complex guerilla war, and for the two years after 1E 2834, each side orchestrated various intimidation tactics on each other. In later years, infighting began to break out amongst the various Argonian tribes, and the war would come to abrupt end in 1E 2836 after the Argonians merely refused to continue fighting and returned to their homes. With the war inexplicably over, the Empire quickly claimed the territory in 1E 2837, with Reman II officially creating the province of Black Marsh.

Beginning the War with Morrowind
Instead of learning from the long and bloody war for Black Marsh, Reman II was emboldened by his victory and grew even more ambitious, turning his gaze to Morrowind. In 1E 2840, after growing mistrust between the two nations, Reman II declared war on Morrowind, completely shattering their already tenuous relations. This war would devastate both sides and result with Emperor Reman II's death in battle against the Dunmer in 1E 2851. The Four Score War, as it would come to be called, continued to be waged by Reman II's heirs, bleeding the Empire's resources dry and bringing an end to the golden age he worked so hard to create. Reman II would be succeeded by Brazollus Dor.

Brazollus Dor's Reign
Emperor Brazollus Dor was the successor to Reman II, and he continued to wage the war Reman II started. Like Reman and Reman II before him, Brazollus Dor bravely fought in the vanguard of his battles, though the war still remained a stalemate through the entirety of his reign. Dor was not a particularly capable ruler and was very disinterested in matters of state. All the details of rule and issues of policy and politics were assigned to his capable potentate Sidri-Ashak, Dor preferring to instead spend his time at his country estate near Skingrad. Emperor Brazollus Dor would be succeed by his heir, Reman III, after his inferred death in 1E 2877.

Reman III's Reign
Emperor Reman III was the rightful heir to Brazollus Dor and he too would continue the war in Morrowind, begun by his grandfather. Reman III was believed to be plagued by constant paranoia, trusting only the people very close to him. Reman III's paranoia was possibly brought on by his wife, Tavia's, betrayal in 1E 2899, whom he had locked away near Gideon.

The Last Year of the First Era
Emperor Reman III was wisely advised by his Potentate, Versidue-Shaie, to lead his armies from the rear to make certain he would not die in battle, or from more insidious means. In the year 1E 2920, after suffering a crushing defeat at the border territory of Bodrum, Reman III was forced to retreat his army back to Cyrodiil. However, Reman III's gifted son, Prince Juliek, managed to achieve an important strategic victory at the stronghold of Ald Marak, turning the tide of the war in the Empire's favor. Realizing the war could only now bring ruin to Morrowind, Vivec met with Prince Juliek to sue for peace. It was eventually agreed that Morrowind would surrender its coastline, as well as other strategic fortresses such as Ald Marak, Ald Umbeil, Tel Aruhn, Ald Lambasi, and Tel Mothriva. In return, the Empire would cease all hostilities against Morrowind and allow the nation to expand into territories of Black Marsh the Empire deemed unnecessary. However, this treaty would be postponed multiple times for several reasons. The first being the sacking of Black Gate, orchestrated by Reman III's armies, then the assassination of Prince Juliek at Dorsza Pass who held the signed treaty. It was eventually decided that Reman III would sign the treaty in person at the White-Gold Tower. However, before the treaty could be signed, Reman III's paranoia was proven correct and he was assassinated by an associate of the Morag Tong; slain at the treacherous order of who many assume to be his trusted Potentate, Versidue-Shaie. As Reman III died with no living heirs, trouble ensued over who would succeed him. The Elder Council refused to acknowledge the claims of the Dynasty's distant cousins and instead installed Potentate Versidue Shaie as the acting ruler of the Empire. The Potentate's first act was honoring the Emperor's treaty, meeting Vivec at Caer Survio to finally bring an end to the grievous Four Score War. Presumably due to its failure to protect Reman III, the Dragonguard was officially disbanded. Since the Reman line was now broken, the Amulet of Kings was buried with Reman III at Sancre Tor and would be lost for many generations. At Versidue's public inauguration, he pronounced that with the fall of the Reman Dynasty a new era would begin, thus entering the first year of the Second Era.

The Akaviri Potentate
Since the inception of the Second Empire, each Emperor was advised by an Akaviri member of the Elder Council, bearing the title of Potentate. The Potentate aided the ruling Emperor in all matters regarding the Empire. Being the chief advisers to the Reman Emperors, control of the Empire reverted into the hands of the Potentate after the end of the Reman Dynasty. While not true Emperor's, the Potentates regency gave them the same authority as the Cyrodiils before them. The period of rule under the Akaviri shares the name of the "Akaviri Potentate". Many viewed the suspicious ascendancy of the Akaviri Potentates as a patient act of subversion intended to bring a long delayed victory for the long-lived Akaviri invaders of 1E 2703. For many, with the Cyrodiil line dead, the Amulet of Kings lost, and a new era beginning, their reign portended to the end of the world.

Versidue-Shaie
Potentate Versidue-Shaie was a trusted adviser and the acting successor of Reman III. His reign officially begins with the first year of the Second Era. He was believed to be the son of the Tsaesci warlord who led the invasion that Reman I defeated in 1E 2703. A notable action of Versidue was the unofficial re-institution of the disbanded Dragonguard, now acting more so as a secret intelligence agency than the honor guard the Reman line was accustomed to. Versidue-Shaie would also construct the most notorious prison of Black Marsh,"The Rose", within the ruins of the city of Blackrose.

The Tsaesci's inherent immortality allowed Versidue to rule over the Second Empire for many years. However, by the year 2E 283, Versidue-Shaie was faced with an Empire on the verge of falling apart. Tamriel's vassal kingdoms had grown tired of complying with the Potentate's excessive demands. Many lords began openly rebelling against Versidue's levies, with some even taking up arms against Imperial garrisons. After an especially crippling loss at the Imperial fortress of Dawnstar, Versidue-Shaie called to order the Council of Bardmont where he declared universal martial law, demanding the lords of Tamriel to disband their armies or face his wrath. Over the next thirty seven years, Versidue-Shaie waged a bloody campaign to crush the armies of Tamriel's royal families. After sacrificing many legions, and nearly bankrupting the Empire, Potentate managed to secure the future of the Empire under the military might of his armies alone. With Versidue's forceful subjugation of Tamriel's disobedient rulers, the Empire faced another great challenge. Both Versidue and his rebellious vassals invested their entire treasuries into the conflict. By the war's end, the entirety of Tamriel was impoverished, farmers and merchants saw their livelihoods ruined, and the Potentate's subjects were incapable of paying their taxes. With the land now devoid of local guards and militias, crime escalated severely, a crisis Versidue's centralized legions could not effectively attend to. In order to accommodate for this issue, Dinieras-Ves "the Iron", in 2E 320, proposed the creation of a mercenary organization that nobles could hire to stand in for their own personal armies. The "Syffim", as they were called, gave the aristocracy the ability to uphold the law in their realms while also supplying the Empire with a steady flow of capital, thus easing two of the Potentate's dilemmas. While originally composed of only Tsaesci, the Syffim eventually became comprised of citizens throughout Tamriel to meet the demands of local geography and politics, as well as make up for the lacking Tsaesci population. There was also a general air of suspicion surrounding the all-Akaviri Syffim, with many fearing it was the Potentate's attempt to secure complete Tsaesci dominance over Tamriel. The Syffim made swift progress against the criminal underworlds of Tamriel, quickly becoming a guild spanning the entire Empire.

The success of the Syffim inspired Potentate Versidue-Shaie to approve of the Guilds Act in 2E 321, thus officially sanctioning many of Tamriel's various guilds, including the long distrusted Mages Guild of Summerset. The Syffim was also re-sanctioned, however it was from then on known as the Fighters Guild. Every guild recognized through this act would be protected by the Empire and allowed to expand their influence through payment. The Guilds act was accepted in every province and would establish a standardize regulation of trade throughout Tamriel. The Empire was strengthened by its creation and the Imperial coffers were once more filled.

While the Potentate Versidue-Shaie had successfully managed to stabilize the crumbling Second Empire, he would not continue his reign much longer. In the year 2E 324, he was said to be murdered by the Morag Tong within his palace in the Elsweyr kingdom of Senchal. The barbaric assassins, in their hubris, reportedly painted "MORAG TONG" on the walls of the palace in the Potentate's own blood. With this action, the Morag Tong was immediately outlawed across Tamriel, and the cult's eradication became the highest priority of every sovereign state within the Empire. Upon his death, Versidue Shaie would be succeeded by his son, Savirien-Chorak.

Savirien-Chorak
The Potentate Savirien-Chorak was not the able administrator his father was, and often responded poorly to the crises of his reign that began to tear the Empire apart. Shortly after Versidue's death, Savirien allowed the aristocracy to reform their personal armies, nullifying his father's bloody crusade to centralize Imperial authority.

Under Savirien-Chorak, the lands of Orsinium were recognized as a legitimate Imperial Province, with the Potentate believing it was better to have the Orcs as friends rather than enemies. However, this act would come to an end once Savirien, like his father before him, was murdered by the Morag Tong in 2E 430, alongside all of his heirs. With no capable successor to the Potentate, the Second Empire crumbled within a fortnight, bringing about the chaotic period of misrule and insurrection known as the Interregnum.

Legacy
Following the assassination of Savirien-Chorak, the closest known ruler of Cyrodiil to succeed him was Durcorach the Black Drake in the early sixth century of the Second Era. He was succeeded by his son Moricar and grandson Leovic in a bloodline known as the Longhouse Emperors. It ended when Varen Aquilarios killed Leovic in 2E 573, and Varen in turn was succeeded by his wife Clivia Tharn in 2E 579. For many years there was no stable Empire, until Tiber Septim was crowned in 2E 854. The Third Era began when he united Tamriel, and his Empire ended with the death of the last Septim ruler, Martin Septim, in 3E 433.