The Nightingales Vol . 1 Content . As a Nightingale , I feel compelled to place quill to parchment and record my thoughts regarding my knowledge of our order . If one day the Nightingales should vanish from Tamriel , then let this tome serve as a reminder of what we once were and to dispel any rumor or hearsay about our purposes and our motivations . Our trinity serves the Lady Nocturnal , the Empress of Murk and the Daughter of Twilight . We believe her to be our patron , if not the patron of all thieves worldwide . We serve her without prayer , without charity and without celebration . Our bond with Nocturnal is in the form of a business transaction we strike known as the Oath . Her terms are simple and binding . As Nightingales we are required to guard the Twilight Sepulcher , the Temple of Nocturnal , against those perceived as a threat . In return , we are allowed to use our abilities as Nightingales to further our own means and the means of the Thieves Guild . Upon our death , we are bound to the Twilight Sepulcher as guardian spirits until such time as Nocturnal feels our contract has been fulfilled . Our ultimate fate lies within the Evergloam , Nocturnal ' s realm . There , our spirits become one with shadow itself and we become the cloak which envelops all of our fellow thieves in their endeavors . This is the true origin of the phrase " walk with the shadows " uttered within the Thieves Guild . The Twilight Sepulcher is more than a temple , it contains a conduit from our world to the Evergloam , a swirling pool of liquid midnight we call the Ebonmere . This is the heart of the Sepulcher , and the source of Nocturnal ' s influence throughout the world . The Ebonmere can only be sealed by removing a unique key from its lock . This key , which occasionally finds its way beyond the walls of the Sepulcher , is widely known as the Skeleton Key of Nocturnal . The Skeleton Key is an often misunderstood artifact . Those that seek to possess it tend to use only a fraction of its potential . Most mistake it for a unique and unbreakable lockpick . While this is true , the wonder of this device can only be appreciated once the owner is willing to expand his mind and abstract what defines " unlocking . " This action refers to more than simple doors and portals . In the proper hands , the Skeleton Key has the capability to unlock hidden potential and untapped abilities . The extent of this power has yet to be discovered , which is a frightening thought if it ever fell into the wrong hands . As a member of the trinity of Nightingales , it is incumbent upon us to recover the Skeleton Key if it strays from the Twilight Sepulcher . Why Nocturnal allows the Key to be stolen in the first place is a mystery . Some say she revels in the chaos this artifact causes , others feel she simply does not care , that the petty squabbles of men and mer are beyond her attention . Whatever the case may be , it is our duty to ensure it remains safely within the confines of the Sepulcher . To say that the Nightingales are a holy order would be doing us a disservice . In our hearts , we are thieves . We enjoy the hunt and delight in the spoils . We might swear our loyalty to Nocturnal and hold some influence within the Thieves Guild , but the greatest allegiance a Nightingale holds is to himself .