Martin Septim (Oblivion)

"I hope I prove myself worthy of your loyalty in the coming days."

- Martin Septim

Martin Septim is the illegitimate son of Emperor Uriel Septim VII and the last of the Septim Dynasty.

Early life
Martin was the illegitimate son of Uriel Septim VII and an unknown woman. As a youth he grew up believing that his father was a farmer and his mother had died giving birth to him. Early on he discovered the seductiveness of daedric magic, practicing it and using it on a daily basis. Martin joined the Daedric Cult of Sanguine. Evidently, Martin briefly came into the possession of the Sanguine Rose. Martin noted that he and his friends got in over their heads and some of his friends died in some disastrous accident. Later on a priest managed to convert Martin to the worship of the Nine Divines. He became a priest at the Chapel in Kvatch.

Oblivion Crisis
With the death of his father and half-brothers by Mythic Dawn assassins, Martin became the only remaining Septim. Unaware that he was in fact the final heir to the Septim throne, Martin was sought out by the Hero of Kvatch. Formerly a practitioner of daedric magic, he was now a priest of Akatosh in the chapel of Kvatch. Upon being found and informed of his true heritage, he helped to end the daedric invasion of the mortal world. Soon after Martin's discovery, the Amulet of Kings was stolen by members of the Mythic Dawn; a Daedra cult based within Cyrodiil, who were also responsible for the invasion. To safeguard Martin, Jauffre, grandmaster of the Blades, took Martin to the fortress of the Blades, known as Cloud Ruler Temple, where he also offered to make the Hero of Kvatch a Blade.

A failed attempt by the Hero to recover the Amulet of Kings from Mankar Camoran did yield the Mysterium Xarxes, the holy book of the Mythic Dawn cult and a tome of massive dark power. This was taken to Martin. Martin, recalling his past as a practitioner of Daedric magic, translated the Xarxes. However, it was slow, painstaking work, taking much, much research. Eventually, he determined that the book could be used to open a portal to Camoran's Paradise, and that four other items were needed to do this. These included any Daedric artifact, the blood of one of the Nine Divines (obtained from armor Tiber Septim had fought and bled in before his Apotheosis), a Great Welkynd Stone, and a Great Sigil Stone. The Hero was able to obtain the first three objects alone, but the last could be obtained only by allowing the Mythic Dawn to open a Great Gate (which requires three minor Oblivion gates to open) near Bruma, which could potentially cause the destruction of Bruma. Martin donned the armor of Tiber Septim, and led a defense of Bruma, deliberately allowing the opening of the gate and buying the player time to secure the stone.

The four objects in hand, Martin bound himself temporarily to the Xarxes, and opened a portal to Paradise. The Hero of Kvatch (the player character) entered, killed Camoran and returned with the Amulet of Kings, presenting it to Martin. During this raid, Martin sends Baurus, a Blade, to the Imperial Palace to formally present his claim to the throne to Chancellor Ocato of Firsthold, who, with the Elder Council, considered and accepted the claim.

Arriving at the Imperial Palace with the player and Jauffre, Martin is about to be formally recognized as Emperor by Ocato, when a massive Daedric invasion erupts within the Imperial City. Martin, Ocato, the Hero and the Blades fought their way to the Temple of the One District to re-light the Dragonfires. However, they were too late: Mehrunes Dagon himself had entered Tamriel. Lighting the Dragonfires was no longer an option, as they had merely maintained the barriers between Mundus and Oblivion. They could not rebuild them, and Dagon's coming to Tamriel meant they had been completely obliterated. A despairing Martin turned to the Hero, and a brief conversation ensued, during which the Hero, desperate, asked "What about the Amulet of Kings?" Martin was inspired by the question, and ordered the champion to lead him to the Temple anyway. Upon their arrival, the champion and Martin bade each other farewell. Martin then shattered the Amulet of Kings, binding his blood with that of kings and gods held within the central gem of the amulet, in order to become the avatar of the god Akatosh; a giant dragon wreathed in flame. Dagon smashed the Temple Dome as Martin was transforming. The Dragon destroyed Mehrunes Dagon's physical body, banishing him back to the Wastes of Oblivion, but not without sustaining a mortal wound itself. After the fight ends, the Dragon arched its neck, roared into the sky, and petrified, becoming a statue.

Soon after this event, Ocato of Firsthold stated that Martin would be remembered as the last and greatest Septim, and went on to say that Martin would have been a great Emperor. As Martin died childless, as did all of his brothers, the Line of Septim is completely defunct. However, the nature of Martin's sacrifice ensured that an Emperor was no longer necessary to maintain the barriers between the worlds.

With Martin dead and the Septim line defunct, the Third Age was over but a new one dawns. Martin's death and the closing of the gates marks a new age and a new dawn. As the Septims were the Dragonborn line of Emperors, the ending of this bloodline fulfills the prophecy of the Elder Scrolls that foretells the return of Alduin. Thus leading to the events of the Dovahkiin's adventure in Skyrim.

Trivia

 * Martin is voiced by Sean Bean (in conjunction with Blindlight studios).
 * When he is first met in Kvatch, his name is Brother Martin. When he is brought to Cloud Ruler Temple, his name is changed to Martin. After returning from Paradise at the end of the Main Quest, he is known as Martin Septim.
 * The name Martin is a popular christian name

Appearances

 * The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion