Rising Threat , Vol . III Series . Rising Threat , Vol . III is part of the " Rising Threat " series : Content . The following is the account of Lathenil of Sunhold , an Altmer refugee from Summerset Isle who came to Cyrodiil in the early years of the Fourth Era . According to Lathenil , he did not flee in the aftermath of the Oblivion Crisis in Summerset - rather he fled " the darkening shadow of the Thalmor upon my beloved homeland . " Lathenil had a very intense presence , to put it politely , and some of his accusations of Thalmor involvement border on madness . This may be why his fervent warnings and outspoken criticisms of the Thalmor and the Aldmeri Dominion went unheeded , but history has at least partially vindicated Lathenil ' s claims . - Praxis Erratuim , Imperial Historian Ever so cautiously , I formed a cabal made up of others who distrusted the motives and methods of the Thalmor . Over several months , I liquidated my ancestral holdings and took whatever inheritance I could without raising any suspicions . I would follow after Rynandor and help him restore his reputation and status . We would then return to best the Thalmor at their own game and win back the mores and morals of the Altmer ! The rest of my cabal would stay on Summerset Isle and win the trust of the Thalmor on whatever level best suited each of them , sending clandestine missives to me when possible . After weeks of painstaking investigations and exorbitant bribes , I was able to learn that Rynandor was placed on a ship to Anvil . I booked my own passage to Anvil . My search almost ended there , for Rynandor had never arrived in Anvil Harbor . My instinct that Rynandor met a duplicitous end was confirmed when I sought out several of the deckhands who were reported to be aboard Rynandor ' s vessel . All died under mysterious and violent circumstances . The first of many attempts on my life occurred soon after . Needless to say , I survived , but my grand plan to stymie the Thalmor fell apart without an esteemed leader to rally behind . I went into hiding , waiting anxiously for word of the Thalmor ' s activities back on Summerset Isle . Over the following years , I tried to bend the ear of the Empire through various avenues and warn them of the Thalmor ' s doings . The Empire , however , was having enough troubles dealing with the aftermath of the Oblivion Crisis within its own borders without seeking trouble in far away Summerset . With the assassination of Emperor Uriel Septim VII and his heirs , and the self - sacrifice of Martin Septim ( the true savior of Summerset Isle and the rest of Tamriel ! ) the Empire ' s leadership was left defunct . High Chancellor Ocato convened the full Elder Council in an unsuccessful bid to select a new Emperor . Without an Emperor , the Empire beyond the reach of Cyrodiil began to splinter . Ocato reluctantly agreed to become the Potentate under the terms of the Elder Council Charter until Imperial rule could be reestablished , but a reluctant leader is rarely a strong leader . Potentate Ocato made admirable efforts to rein in the bedlam that threatened to rip the Empire apart , and was even making headway when the Red Mountain erupted and destroyed much of Vvardenfell ( likely from Thalmor tampering , but have yet to find proof of their misdeeds in this ) . What was left of Morrowind was thrown into absolute chaos . The effects of the eruption were felt even in Black Marsh , destroying roads and cutting off the Imperial garrisons there .