| The Vestige | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Race | Unknown | Gender | (gender unknown) |
| Born | 2nd Era |
||
| Died | 2E 582 |
||
| Resided in | Tamriel | ||
| Appears in | ESO | ||
—The Vestige
The Vestige, known by a plethora of other names, was a Soul-Shriven hero of prophecy. As a mortal, they were sacrificed to Molag Bal by Mannimarco as part of a dark ritual in 2E 582.
With the aid of former emperor Varen Aquilarios, the Vestige escaped imprisonment in Coldharbour and reformed the Five Companions, as foretold by the Elder Scrolls in the omen "The soulless one will become the brightest of five stars, and they shall guide us to the coming dawn."
After participating in the Three Banners War for one of the three alliances throughout its territory and Cyrodiil, the Vestige joined an invasion of Coldharbour by the Fighters and Mages Guilds. The Vestige became instrumental to that effort, restoring Meridia's Hollow City in Coldharbour as a beachhead for the invasion. The Vestige, with Meridia's assistance, thus ended Molag Bal's Planemeld and regained their soul.
Meridia then sent the Vestige to explore events as if they had been part of the other alliances of Tamriel. The Vestige then explored the aftermath of the Planemeld in Craglorn, facing the Celestials corrupted by the Serpent. Thereafter, the Vestige joined the Dark Brotherhood of which they became a Silencer, the nascent Thieves Guild in Hew's Bane, and aided in the rebuilding of Kurog's Orsinium.
The Vestige then became involved in a Daedric war involving the Daedric Triad of the Princes Clavicus Vile, Mephala, and Nocturnal when they foiled the Triad's plot to sap Vivec of his power, before preventing their takeover of the Clockwork City. The Vestige then traveled to Summerset and became a member of the Psijic Order. Nocturnal, however betrayed the Triad, and was promptly defeated by the Psijics, Vestige, and champions of Meridia and the betrayed princes. The Vestige then journeyed to Murkmire with the Cyrodiilic Collection Agency, discovering the lost Root-Whisper tribe.
The Vestige later reunited with Abnur Tharn, inadvertently aiding in his sister's plot to have him release dragons across Tamriel. Abnur and the Vestige prevented Euraxia's dragon allies from siphoning Jode's Core and reclaimed the kingdom of Rimmen from Euraxia for its true heir, Khamira. The Vestige would also ally with Sai Sahan to re-establish the Dragonguard in Southern Elsweyr. The Dragonguard forged an alliance with the dragon Nahfahlaar, who empowered the Vestige with the Mask of Alkosh. The Vestige, Abnur Tharn, Khamira, Sahan, Nahfahlaar, and the Dragonguard thus stopped the leader of the unleashed dragons, Kaalgrontiid, from ascending to godhood, though their mission came at the apparent cost of Abnur Tharn's life.
Eventually the Vestige met Lyris Titanborn once again in Icereach and aided her in defeating the Icereach Coven. They also helped the last Pyre Watch Sentinel and Fennorian, an investigator from House Ravenwatch, defend Unhallowed Grave against grave-robbing necromancers. The hero later met with Lyris and investigated a lead on the Icereach Coven in behalf of the Skald-King. The Vestige travelled to Western Skyrim where they saved Solitude from a harrowstorm, and ousted and slew the High King of Western Skyrim for being a pawn of the Gray Host. The Vestige subsequently aided Gwendis in defeating a Vampire Lord and a mad alchemist, both of which were allies of the Gray Host. They continued aiding the Ravenwatch in investigating the Gray Host.The hero's journey led them to Markarth where they ousted and defeated a traitor in the Despot of Markarth's court, temporarily saving Markarth in the process. Finally, the Vestige traveled to Grayhaven and put an end to Rada al-Saran once and for all, stopping the Gray Host and saving the Reach.
In the Blackwood region of Cyrodiil and Black Marsh, the Vestige uncovered a dark pact between the fallen Longhouse Emperors of Cyrodiil and the Daedric Prince, Mehrunes Dagon. Four children were imbued with the egonymic of Dagon himself so that they would attune him to Nirn when rejoined with him. Though the power of three Ambitions were claimed by Dagon, the Vestige allied with the final Ambition to banish him from Nirn once more.
In the Systres archipelago, whilst working under Lady Arabelle and Lord Bacaro Volorus, the Vestige uncovered a plot to assassinate the Alliance leaders - Emeric, Ayrenn and in Jorunn's case, his son Irnskar - by the Ascendant Order during crucial peace talks to end the war. Coralling the leaders to All Flags Islet, the Vestige arranged a defense of the isle, succeeding in protecting the leaders and defeated the Ascendant Magus, second-in-command of the Ascendant Order. The Vestige then unmasked Bacaro as the Ascendant Lord and revealed his plot to become the new Druid King and bring an era of destruction to Tamriel, replacing the fallen Empire with his own "Ivy Throne". The Vestige confronted them at Mount Firesong, defeating the Lord and saving the archipelago from destruction.
TitulatureEdit
The Vestige took on a number of titles throughout their Aurbic adventures. They were given their first title, the Vestige, by the former Emperor Varen Aquilarios, who learned of a Soulless One who would save Tamriel from the clutches of Molag Bal through his studies of the Elder Scrolls. After defeating the Lord of Domination, they were also bestowed by him the titles of the Savior of Tamriel, the Hero of Coldharbour, and Meridia's Champion. For their efforts against Prince Fildgor and solidifying the Ebonheart Pact in Eastmarch, the Vestige was named the High King's Arrow, or just the King's Arrow by Prince Irnskar. In Auridon, while working as an agent for Queen Ayrenn, they were named an Eye of the Queen. Similarly the Vestige was named an Eye of Raz by Razum-dar. In Reaper's March, the Vestige was chosen to be the Moon Hallowed, the person who would help the Lunar Champion walk the path to become the Mane of the Khajiit. Upon uniting the Orcish tribes and stopping King Kurog's plot, they were deemed the Hero of Wrothgar. When they fought the Daedric Triad throughout Tamriel, the Vestige was recognized as both a Champion of Vivec and the Savior of Summerset, To the people of Murkmire they are known as Rootmender. The people of Northern Elsweyr named them the Champion of Anequina for their part in stopping the dragon Kaalgrontiid, while their ally Nahfahlaar gave the Vestige the dragon name of Ahkahtuz. They were named Champion of the Alliances by the three Alliance leaders and Lady Arabelle Davaux, and the Defender of the Three Thrones and the Savior of the Systres by Lord Bacaro Volorus. The Vestige was known as The Scourge by the inhabitants of Bal Sunnar.
NotesEdit
- The Vestige can read the ancient Nord language.
- In early drafts, the working title for the Vestige was originally going to be the "Numinous".
- Dunmer during the Imperial Simulacrum were known to exclaim "By the Soulless One".
ReferencesEdit
Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.