Uriel Septim VII

Uriel Septim VII (3E 346(25/1/98) Bethsoft - Timeline – 433) was the twenty-first ruler of the Empire of Tamriel. Throughout The Elder Scrolls series, Uriel plays a major role, with being a notable exception. He acts mainly as the catalyst of the events of each game, whether intentionally, such as sending the protagonist of , known as the Nerevarine, to Morrowind; or indirectly, such as being kidnapped by the character Jagar Tharn, an Imperial Battlemage, in the first game, .
==Background==
Uriel Septim VII is the son of Pelagius Septim IV. Uriel came to power in 3E 368, and reigned for several decades before his eventual death as an aged monarch in 3E 433. Uriel's reign was marked by great change over Tamriel, as the Empire moved further towards becoming a fully unified state spread across the continent.
==Biography==
===Early life===
Uriel Septim assumed the title of Emperor of Tamriel when his father, Pelagius Septim IV, died in 3E 368. At the time of Pelagius' death, Tamriel was in the midst of a long process of unification between the provinces, and was close to becoming a fully fledged confederation state. Uriel, at the age of 22, sought to continue this integration by pursuing bold, aggressive policies within the Empire and on its fringes.
===An Emperor's Life===
The early decades of Emperor Uriel's life were marked by aggressive expansion and consolidation of Imperial influence throughout the Empire, especially in the east provinces of Morrowind and Black Marsh. There, the Empire's powers were limited, Imperial culture was weak, and native customs and traditions were strong and staunchly opposed to assimilation. During this period, Uriel greatly benefited from the arcane support and shrewd council of his close advisor, the Imperial Battlemage Jagar Tharn.
Uriel was married to Lady Caula Voria and had three sons together, Geldall, Enman and Ebel. Though she was said to be a beautiful and charming woman who was much loved and admired by the people, the Empress in private was also a deeply unpleasant, arrogant, ambitious, and grasping person. Uriel found himself subjugated in his relationship and came to regret his mistake of marriage. He was repelled by her, and thus he fathered at least two illegitimate sons, Calaxes and Martin. The latter of the two eventually succeeded him to the throne, if only briefly. The relationship gradually grew more bitter, and their three children were to bear witness to this unhappy marriage.
Through this time, however, it became evident that Uriel was in possession of an agile mind; he had outstripped his masters in the skills of threat and diplomacy. Uriel's success in co-opting House Hlaalu as an advance guard of Imperial culture and economic development in Morrowind is a noteworthy example.Grasping FortuneGreat Houses of Morrowind However, during this time, Uriel also grew in pride and self-assurance. Through this time, Jagar Tharn had purchased the complete trust that led to Uriel's betrayal and imprisonment in Oblivion and Tharn's usurpation of the Imperial throne, which followed the dark period known as the Imperial Simulacrum.
===Cast Away===
Uriel spent ten years in Oblivion, being sent there in 3E 389, before his eventual rescue in 399.Brief History of the Empire, Book IV Little is known of Uriel's experience while trapped in Oblivion. He says he remembers nothing but an endless sequence of waking and sleeping nightmares. He explains he believed himself to be dreaming, and had no notion of the passage of time. Publicly, he long claimed to have no memory of the dreams and nightmares of his imprisonment, but from time to time, during the interviews with the Emperor that form the basis of this biography, he would relate details of nightmares he had, and would describe them as similar to the nightmares he had when he was imprisoned in Oblivion. He seemed not so much unwilling as incapable of describing the experience.
===Return to Nirn===
The Emperor emerged from Oblivion as a changed man, while in 3E 389 he was young, full of pride, energy, and ambition. By the time of his restoration, after his rescue and return to the throne, he was aging, grave, patient, and cautious. He also became conservative and pessimistic, and it became clear that the days of his bold policy-making were over. Uriel accounts for this change as a reaction to and revulsion for the early teachings and council of Jagar Tharn. Uriel's exile in Oblivion also drained and wasted him in body and spirit, although his mind retained the shrewd cunning and flexibility of his youth.
In his absence, a period known as the Imperial Simulacrum, the traitor mage Jagar Tharn had neglected and mismanaged Imperial affairs. This resulted in a steady decline in the Empire's economic prosperity, and allowed many petty lords and kings to challenge the authority of the Empire. It also permitted strong local rulers in the East and the West to indulge in open warfare over lands and sovereign rights.
When Jagar was finally deposed in 3E 399,Events of Events and dialogue in Uriel Septim turned from the aggressive campaign of military intimidation and diplomatic accommodation of his earlier years, and relied instead on clandestine manipulation of affairs behind the scenes, primarily through the agencies of the various branches of the Blades.
Two achievements occurred in the post-Jagar period. These include the Miracle of Peace, also popularly known as Warp in the West, that transformed the Iliac Bay region from an unruly assortment of warring petty kingdoms into the well-ordered and peaceful modern counties of Hammerfell, Sentinel, Wayrest, and Orsinium. Secondly, the colonization of Vvardenfell, presided over by the skillful machinations of King Helseth of Morrowind and Lady Barenziah, the Queen-Mother, brought Morrowind more closely into the sphere of Imperial influence.
The Empire entered a period of peace and prosperity comparable to the early years of Uriel's reign. With the Imperial Heartland and West solidly integrated into the Empire, Uriel was able to turn his full attention to the east - to Morrowind.
Exploiting conflicts at the heart of Morrowind's monolithic Tribunal Temple and the long-established Great House system of government, Uriel took advantage of the terrible threat that the corrupted divine beings at the heart of the Tribunal religion presented to the growing colonies on Vvardenfell. Uriel worked through the shadowy agents of the Blades and through the court of King Helseth in Mournhold to shift the center of political power in Morrowind from the Great House councils to Helseth's court, and took advantage of the collapse of the orthodox Tribunal cults to establish the Nine Divines as the dominant faith in Hlaalu and Vvardenfell districts.
===Death===
At the beginning of , Uriel Septim VII still ruled Tamriel. The game is set in the year 3E 433, the year of Akatosh. The very beginning of the game covers the final hours of Uriel Septim's reign. Uriel gives the Hero the Amulet of Kings, before he is killed by a dagger wound inflicted by an assassin of the Mythic Dawn cult. The emperor, having heard of the recent assassinations of his other sons, was attempting to make his escape through a network of passages underneath the Imperial Prison. The Emperor had reigned in Tamriel for 55 years (65 including his time in Oblivion), and was aged 87 when he died. Uriel was fully aware of his impending demise, of the looming threat to Tamriel as a whole, and of the cosmic importance of the prisoner in the cell containing the secret passage (the Hero of Kvatch), probably from his nightmares during his incarceration in Oblivion during Arena.
Shortly before the Emperor's death, it is revealed to the mysterious prisoner accompanying the Emperor that an illegitimate heir remains, thus keeping alive the hope that the Septim bloodline may continue. The Emperor's death marked the beginning of the invasion of Tamriel by the Daedric forces of Mehrunes Dagon and Oblivion. It is explained that, as long as an Emperor of Septim blood wears the Amulet of Kings and the Dragonfires are kept alight, the forces of Oblivion are held at bay. Uriel's death, and the subsequent extinguishing of the Dragonfires, thus allowed the barrier between Tamriel and Oblivion to be breached, heralding the end of the period of peace which Uriel fostered in his later years.
His illegitimate son, Martin, briefly became the 22nd official Emperor, before sacrificing himself to save Tamriel during the Oblivion Crisis.
==Dialogue==
Show: The Imperial Prison
In the Imperial Prison:
"You ... I've seen you ... Let me see your face... You are the one from my dreams... Then the stars were right, and this is the day. Gods give me strength."
:What's going on? "Assassins attacked my sons, and I'm next. My Blades are leading me out of the city along a secret escape route. By chance, the entrance to that escape route leads through your cell."
::Who are you? "I am your emperor, Uriel Septim. By the grace of the Gods, I serve Tamriel as her ruler. You are a citizen of Tamriel, and you too, shall serve her in your own way."
::Why am I in jail? "Perhaps the Gods have placed you here so that we may meet. As for what you have done... it does not matter. That is not what you will be remembered for."
:::What should I do? "You will find your own path. Take care... there will be blood and death before the end."
:::I go my own way. "So do we all. But what path can be avoided whose end is fixed by the almighty Gods?"
After finding the Emperor again:
"They cannot understand why I trust you. They've not seen what I've seen. How can I explain? Listen. You know the Nine? How they guide the fates with an invisible hand?"
:The Nine guide and protect us all.
:I'm not on good terms with the Gods.
:I don't know. I don't think about it.
:"I've served the Nine all my days, and I chart my course by the cycles of the heavens. The skies are marked with numberless sparks, each a fire, and every one a sign. I know these stars well, and I wonder... which sign marked your birth?"
After picking a birthsign:
"The signs I read show the end of my path. My death, a necessary end, will come when it will come."
:What about me? "Your stars are not mine."
*(Atronach Birthsign) "Today the Atronach shall aid you with your appointed burden."
*(Lord Birthsign) "Today the Lord shall prove a faithful patron as you confront your fate."
*(Warrior Birthsign) "Today the Warrior shall prove a stalwart companion when fortune fades."
*(Lady Birthsign) "Today the Lady shall fortify you in your quest for glory."
*(Mage Birthsign) "Today the Mage shall light your way on the paths of glory."
*(Lover Birthsign) "Today the Lover shall sweeten your journey as you confront your fate."
*(Apprentice Birthsign) "Today the Apprentice shall serve you at the forge of destiny."
*(Ritual Birthsign) "Today the Ritual shall speed you on your star-patterned path."
*(Shadow Birthsign) "Today the Shadow shall hide you from destiny's cunning hounds."
*(Steed Birthsign) "Today the Steed shall speed your progress on the road to destiny."
*(Serpent Birthsign) "Today the Serpent shall sting the foes who seek your blood."
*(Tower Birthsign) "Today the Tower shall prove a stout refuge in time of need."
*(Thief Birthsign) "Today the Thief shall guide your steps on the road to destiny."
::Can you see my fate? "My dreams grant me no opinions of success. Their compass ventures not beyond the doors of death. But in your face, I behold the sun's companion. The dawn of Akatosh's bright glory may banish the coming darkness. With such hope, and with the promise of your aid, my heart must be satisfied."
::Aren't you afraid to die? "No trophies of my triumphs precede me. But I have lived well, and my ghost shall rest easy. Men are but flesh and blood. They know their doom, but not the hour. In this I am blessed to see the hour of my death... ... To face my apportioned fate, then fall."
:::Where are we going? "I go to my grave. A tongue shriller than all the music calls me. You shall follow me yet for a while, then we must part."
At the ambush:
"I can go no further. You alone must stand against the Prince of Destruction and his mortal servants. He must not have the Amulet of Kings! Take the Amulet. Give it to Jauffre. He alone knows where to find my last son. Find him, and close shut the jaws of Oblivion."
At the ambush, should the rare second option be achieved:
"My guards are strong and true, but even the might of the Blades cannot stand against the Power that rises to destroy us. The Prince of Destruction awakes, born anew in blood and fire. These cutthroats are but his mortal pawns. Take my Amulet. Give it to Jauffre. I have a secret son, and Jauffre alone knows where to find him. Find the last of my blood, and close shut the marble jaws of Oblivion."
:What Amulet? "The Amulet of Kings. It is the Empire's sacred emblem of rulership. It must pass to the last of the Dragon's Blood. Keep it safe from the pawns of the Destroyer."
::So, this is it? "For me, it ends here. You are our only hope to stem the blood tide. Give me your hand."
:::With all my heart... farewell... "Stand true, my friend. May your heart be your guide and the gods grant you strength."
:::I won't forget you... "Remember me, and remember my words. This burden is now yours alone. You hold our future in your hands."
:::I'll take it from here... "Then go. Take with you my blessings and the hope of the empire."
:Your Amulet? Then this is "Goodbye"? "This is where my journey ends. For you though, the road is long and dangerous. Now, give me your hand."
==Quotes==
Quote 	Audio
"Let me see your face..." 	
"You are the one from my dreams..." 	
"Assassins attacked my sons, and I'm next." 	
"I am your emperor, Uriel Septim. By the grace of the Gods, I serve Tamriel as her ruler." 	
"Perhaps the Gods have placed you here so that we may meet." 	
"You will find your own path. Take care... there will be blood and death before the end." 	
"I've served the Nine all my days, and I chart my course by the cycles of the heavens." 	
"The skies are marked with numberless sparks, each a fire, and every one a sign." 	
"I know these stars well, and I wonder... which sign marked your birth?" 	
"My dreams grant me no opinions of success. Their compass ventures not beyond the doors of death." 	
"But in your face, I behold the sun's companion. The dawn of Akatosh's bright glory may banish the coming darkness."	
"With such hope, and with the promise of your aid, my heart must be satisfied." 	
"No trophies of my triumphs precede me. But I have lived well, and my ghost shall rest easy." 	
"Men are but flesh and blood. They know their doom, but not the hour." 	
"In this I am blessed to see the hour of my death..." 	
"... To face my apportioned fate, then fall." 	
"I go to my grave. A tongue shriller than all the music calls me." 	
"This is where my journey ends. For you though, the road is long and dangerous. Now, give me your hand." 	
"The Amulet of Kings. It is the Empire's sacred emblem of rulership." 	
"It must pass to the last of the Dragon's Blood. Keep it safe from the pawns of the Destroyer." 	
"For me, it ends here. You are our only hope to stem the blood tide. Give me your hand." 	
"Stand true, my friend. May your heart be your guide and the gods grant you strength." 	
"Remember me, and remember my words. This burden is now yours alone. You hold our future in your hands." 	
"Then go. Take with you my blessings and the hope of the empire." 	
"Who now will save us from the coming darkness?" 	
"This can only lead to your death. My guardians are sworn to protect me." 	
"Your destiny calls you down a different road. Please help us." 	
==Trivia==
*Emperor Uriel Septim VII is the only major character in Arena and Daggerfall that is confirmed to be of the Imperial race, though this knowledge only comes from the later installments of the series; the Imperials would not be considered a distinct race until .
*Some of the dialogue used by Uriel at the beginning of Oblivion are quotes from the William Shakespeare play Julius Caesar. For example, "A tongue shriller than all the music calls me," and, "Seeing that death, a necessary end, will come when it will come."
*In , there is a mistake in which at one point during the new game introduction, Uriel is referred to as "Uriel IV."
*According to Ted Peterson, Septim's actor in Daggerfall was a local theatre actor, for whom he directly wrote the script."Ted Peterson Interview | Designer & Writer on Arena, Daggerfall, Morrowind & Oblivion" The actor, John Gilbert, died in 2006 from cancer.John Gilbert: 1939-2006: Actor played legendary role in Seattle theater, politics
*In , Uriel Septim VII is voiced by Sir Patrick Stewart, who is notable for his role as Captain Jean-Luc Picard on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
==Gallery==
The Emperor Returns - Ending (Arena).png|Septim (left), and General Warhaft (right) rescued from Oblivion in the floppy disk version of Arena.
Uriel Septim VII - Floppy Disk Appearance (Arena).png|Septim, before his appearance was updated, from the floppy disk version of Arena.
==Appearances==
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==Sources==
*A Short Life of Uriel Septim VII
*Black Horse Courier
==References==
cs:Uriel Septim VII.
de:Uriel Septim VII.
es:Uriel Septim VII
fr:Uriel Septim VII
it:Uriel Septim VII
pl:Uriel Septim VII
ru:Уриэль VII
Category:Emperors of the Septim Empire
Category:Oblivion: Characters
Category:Lore: Characters
Category:Lore: Males
Category:Lore: Imperials
Category:Oblivion: Quest Givers
Category:Royalty
Category:Septim Bloodline