Growing up in Cyrodiil I was inspirited by the epic stories of Imperial heroes such as Queen Alessia, Pelinal Whitestrake and Reman Cyrodiil. But I also remember with fondness the tales sung by the vagabond bards who would occasionally pass through our town on their peregrinations through the heartlands, of the Redguard sword academies trying to keep their ancient traditions alive. It became an ambition to one-day visit these august martial schools.

Alas that not only was I to witness the aftermath of the destruction of the Valley of Blades by a titan pet of the insidious worm king, but also the desecration of Leki’s Blade in the Alikr desert. And now on my first visit to the Rahni’Za, School of Warriors I discover the students and teachers have fallen victim to murderous betrayal. I fear my journal is fast becoming a chronicle of the final days of the Ansei tradition.

The absconded initiate Fada at-Glina tells that the once mighty Sword-Disciples of Rahni-Za have somehow been turned into thralls of the dread Celestial Serpent. If I am to put an end this sully I must first earn my entry to the school by passing the five trials of Rahni’Za. The first is the trial of Fire, where one must find the tombs of the flame-bearers, the spirits of former masters of the school, and lead them to light the braziers along the path to the doors of Rahni’Za.

I must confess that as I begin these trails I am uncertain whether my motive is one of mercy, vengeance, or vainglory.

S.K

Vanity in men and mer is little more then a defiler of our dignity, but in our emperors and kings it is their legacy, for where else do we inherit so much of our knowledge of history then from the vain monuments and biography’s of Tamriel’s rulers; and of course knowing our history allows us to better understand our present.

So where better to start our hunt for the leader of the Anka-Ra then in his own biographies and testaments recorded in the forgotten library of Rahni’Za. Indeed it is here where we discover that the body of the self-proclaimed emperor was interned at the Yokudan burial grounds of the Na-Totambu, but to gain entry we will first need to retrieve two magical seals.

It was no surprise when we find the burial grounds crawling with the risen Anka-Ra, whilst gargoyles, imps, dunerippers and many conspicuous traps also need to be overcome before we can finally coming face to face with Tarish-Zi, and return his walking corpse back to the dust.

Vanity… the defiler of men and mer, the legacy of emperors and kings, and ever the folly of the ambitious.

S.K

The warrior not of this time looks down upon his own sarcophagus. This tomb forgotten is the sum of every moment of his life; a heroic life yet unglorifed by the shallow rhymes of the vagabond bards, or the sugared yarns of the Spinners.

His every achievement in life, and every sacrifice, every decision made both foolish and wise. Every battle he fought whether won or lost, every ally saved and enemy slayed. Every laugh shared in joy, every tear shed in grief, every kiss, every touch, and every embrace. Every courageous stand he ever did make, every moment of cowardice an unfading stain. Every virtue laid bare and every vice that he hid, every graceful dance, and every drunken jig. Every curse, every prayer, every thought, every word, the sum of his every breath… forgotten.

S.K