Camaraderie

Together 
we fall as blind 
through broken 
dirt littered with 
mourning sounds 
synched with swords 
whimpering their tales 
of sorrow and remorse

It was all around us 
Broken shields 
Severed arms 
Bodies twisted to the pounding beat 
of horse hooves 
and war drums 
The gnashing clash 
of our generation

Victory? 
We have victory? 
Does it shine in our open palms 
drop into our outstretched 
child-hands 
like mountains of diamonds and emeralds? 
Does it cut away 
child-hands 
finger by finger, 
limb by limb, 
until there is nothing but 
a pile our severed pieces, 
useless meaningless 
mountains of flesh?


For the glory of the Empire 
For the glory of Tiber Septim 
For the glory 
For the glory

:- Caius Lutinus, Imperial soldier

 

" . . . While they can be violent and vicious, they are profoundly dedicated to one another in battle. They have proven themselves to be the best keepers of Tiber Septim's glory, and the glory of his descendants. I reinforce this in my design for their training. They are set aside for a time from their ordinary routines. I give them special sharings which they can look back upon with pleasure for the rest of their lives. They come of age in the company of their brothers in preparation for events more profound. What you share in companionship always prepares you for greater things. The haze of nostalgia covers their days among their brothers, making those days into something different than they were. That's the way today changes their history. All contemporaries do not inhabit the same time. The past is always changing, but few realize it . . ."

" . . . Make no heroes. A hero inevitably results in the breaking of comradery. The group becomes dependent upon that hero as though he were a father and they were his children. The ability of the group to function as it was meant to function ceases, and the system breaks apart. So long as the soldiers are set on equal footing, they are a perfectly synched fighting group. The system of hierarchy is a system that breeds weakness into otherwise strong and competent warriors . . ."

" . . . The relationship between soldier and commander is analogous to the relationship between serf and lord, apprentice and master, and even worshiper and god. Each association requires absolute subordination on the part of the lesser member in order for the system to continue appropriately. The serf must obey his lord, the apprentice his master, and the worshiper his god. Thus it is with the soldier. The greater member must use a judicious blend of punishment and reward. If the master applies excessive punishment, the servant will become docile and weak, incapable of bravery or initiative. However, if the master does not grant rewards shrewdly, the servant loses respect for the master and becomes difficult to control. Thus, the relationship between soldier and commander must be a balance . . ."

" . . . Most civilization is based on cowardice. It's so easy to civilize by teaching cowardice. You water down the standards which would lead to bravery. You restrain the will. You regulate the appetites. You fence in the horizons. You make a law for every movement. You deny the existence of the dynamic. You teach even the children to breathe slowly. You tame . . ."

:- Lucio Argelus, Imperial Commander

 

I walked through the desert 
alone. 
The unceasing sun 
as a slaver's lash upon my back. 
My skin was burned, 
my water spent. 
I would die as a silhouette, 
dark skin on white sands.

Then I was found, 
alone no more. 
She gave me water, 
she gave me food, 
she gave me life. 
We were entwined by blood 
and we live forever.

:- Taken from the Oral Histories of Hammerfell