The Assassination of Pelagius I

Many scholars have pondered while writing a poem, or reading a volume of thickness about the assassination of Emperor Pelagius the first. How does one explain the events that happened at the Temple of the One? There are many terms to summarize it, and many have been suggested: strange, odd, suspicious, disturbing, mysterious, etc. Some have even gone to lengths by calling it blood-curling. Truly, however, for those who were there at the time will agree, was something to be forever nervous about.

Before we start to go into depth about Pelagius the First, we will illustrate his background. His grandfather, the Great Tiber Septim, was one of the most praised kings of all of Tamriel. During the second era Tiber Septim, despite the efforts of the King Tyrants of the second era, managed to bring peace to all of Tamriel as Emperor in 2E 896. The following year, Tiber there forth declares the end of the Second Era, or the "days and nights of blood and venom" as the poet Tracizis calls them, and the beginning of the Third era. At the end of a long and glorious reign of thirty-eight years, the great Tiber Septim passed away. It was said that it rained for a fort-night after his death.

Following Tiber Septim's passing, his grandson Pelagius the First, was crowned second Emperor of the Septim dynasty. Pelagius' reign was short, however. Only three years passed before he was assassinated., even though he was said to be as strong and skillful as his grandfather during his short reign.

Yet the thing that is mysterious is not so much as his heritage or reign but rather his assassination. While he was praying at the Temple of The One, Pelagius was assassinated by a group of Dark Brotherhood assassins. The Dark Brotherhood were at that time, and still remain to this very day, an illegal assassination faction.

The original client that hired the Dark Brotherhood is to this day unknown, and may not be known for a great deal longer. The mystery is very disturbing though. It continues to irritate the mind, juggling your thoughts as if they were toys. Theories from all over Tamriel have been expressed, some as ridiculous as a secret daedra cult of Sheogorath scrib-worshipers. Others much more realistic, such as a secretive plot composed by Pelagius the First's cousin Kintyra, former Queen of Silvenar. She assumed power after his death, considering he had no children.

Though wherever the hypothesis comes from, uncertainty always follows. At one point, it was said that there was a poor beggar running through the streets of Cyrodiil, literally screaming that he had seen the truth behind the Emperor's death, until, after being pursued by two guards for about half an hour, mysteriously vanished while sprinting through a back alley. While this case was never officially proven to have happened, the rumors that spread out of it stirred the population.

There have been similar versions of the story, where the beggar was in-fact a guard, and the pursuer was actually a shadowy figure. This was only one story though. There have been several others. This one, however, seemed to be the most interesting and well known.

During my research, I uncovered several magnificent interviews on the event. Including one from a pilgrim that was in the Temple at the time of the assassination:

It was very quiet that night when His Majesty entered. I was staying at the Temple for a few days to study and write poetry. I remember hearing footsteps from outside my bedroom door. There were no windows in my room, and I was falling asleep. I remember the lights in the hall had dimmed, perhaps even completely blown out. The footsteps continued until one was at my door. I got up quietly and noticed a faint screeching noise. Like a small but solid piece of metal scratching and pulling against a maze of gears and wires.

It was then when I realized what was happening. My door was locked, and someone wanted in. I knew that the door lock was the product of my own magic, and that it would not open easily, not even to the most professional lock picks. So I hurried to make up my bed, to ensure that my presence would not be noticed. As I was about to slip under my bed to hide, the door started to open. I did not have any more time.

In the less than a second that I had to concoct a solution, I remembered the ring of Brevuta's Averting Eye I was given for riding a nobleman's house of an unusual cave rat infestation in his wine cellar. I quickly, but silently, slipped on the ring and activated its enchantment. Thirty seconds. That was all I had before the spell wore off. The door opened revealing a man of average height and weight, dressed in what seemed to be some sort of black colored suit, head covered completely by a black helmet mask, with some sort of goggle-like lens on the right side where the eye would be.

He first glanced at the bed. It was now that I started to carefully slip of the thick, red carpet to make sure that who ever he was did not notice I was there. He started to turn his head. I was shivering uncontrollably. Any second now the incantation would seize and I would be revealed. I slipped off the rug just in time. He turned his back and walked toward the door. As he grasped the handle, I started to reappear, until finally I was all there, and the door was closed. After that I wasn't sure what happened; it was all a blur. I woke up the next morning in a prison cell and began being questioned. I think I must have fainted.

Many others reported seeing mysterious figures entering the Temple grounds during the night. Not many clues were found. The interviewed pilgrim was the only one that survived in the Temple that night.

To this day, the death of the Emperor Pelagius the first remains a mystery. For the sake of knowledge I hope that the search continues, and perhaps one day may actually be discovered. But, then again, a scholar's work is to learn and uncover things. And this proves amusing to all; if there were no great mysteries to be solved or other things to test our minds, then the world would be a boring place. Perhaps one day the truth of Pelagius will be uncovered, and until that day comes, may all scholars rejoice in the joy and liberty of all that is forgotten.