The Circle of Champions was a guild formed in the Second Era to test the greatest fighters of Tamriel in games of martial skill.[1] Led by a Dunmer gladiator named Battlemaster Rivyn, the group would seek out dangerous locales for use as battlegrounds, and would reward fighters for taking part in various lethal games at these remote locations. Games were team-based, with participants being divided into three factions: the Fire Drakes, the Pit Daemons, and the Storm Lords.[2][nb 1] Many soldiers from the Three Banners War took part in these games, as they were encouraged to participate in Battlegrounds exercises with payments of scrip known as Alliance Points.[3]
The various teams that compose the Circle of Champions have their own styles of armor. The Fire Drakes utilize draconic symbolism in their armor. The Pit Daemons favored skull motifs, and the Storm Lords bore lightning and crown motifs on their armor.[4] The teams are also known to wear armor resembling the Ordinator's Order of War armor, something normally forbidden by the Order.[5] Furthermore, representatives of the teams have been known to sell the knowledge of crafting Ordinator armor to those that have earned the most honored of participants.[6]
Circa 2E 582 the Circle of Champions had established camps in several of Tamriel's major cities. Known as Gladiator's Quarters, these camps were located outside the walls of Alinor, Daggerfall, Davon's Watch, Gonfalon Bay, Leyawiin, Necrom, Rimmen, Skingrad, Solitude, Vivec City, and Vulkhel Guard.[7]
HistoryEdit
The Circle of Champions first clashed with the Soldiers of the Void of Deslandra, who tainted the Circle of Champions brand just prior to the start of the Planemeld.[8]:52 Due to the dangers posed by the Three Banners War, the Circle of Champions avoided central Cyrodiil, only staying to the outer parts of it such as Istirus Outpost along the Strid River.[8]:25[9] Unsanctioned battles created by the cult were ran under the Circle of Champions brand in the Arcane University. Those that impressed the cult they attempted to recruit into their ranks.[8]:25,46 The person responsible for these illegal matches was the traitor Big Bad Bazri,[8]:46 a Khajiit known for her flawless win record within the Circle of Champions. The Circle tracked her down to Valenwood, where she was found and slain.[10]:33,45
The Soldiers of the Void subsequently infiltrated the Wayrest Throwdown fighting tournament hosted by the Circle of Champions.[11]:25 Eveli Sharp-Arrow or her ally Bodean of the Outer Watch entered the tournament with some adventurers, emerging victorious from the first round. However, rumors spread of tournament participants having their food spiked with narcotics. Eveli's team investigated the potential source of these incidents in Shornhelm,[11]:30 finding it to have been robbed and its apothecary to have had an attempt on his life. The responsible party were hoping to win the tournament so they may be given the honor of being invited to Castle Wayrest, which housed High King Emeric's reliquary that they wanted to steal.[11]:34 Eveli and her team journeyed back to Wayrest and won the Wayrest Throwdown, and she used the opportunity to warn Emeric's retainers of the enemies seeking a powerful item in his possession.[11]:44
After the mining disaster at the mines of Mor Khazgur, opportunists made off with some of the mine's ore reserves and medical supplies that were donated to the sick and injured. To thank the residents for lending for lending Mor Khazgur for use in Circle of Champions matches, Battlemaster Rivyn had members of the organization go and recover the missing goods from the thieves responsible.[12]:37 The trail led them to their near Blackreach, allowing them to recover the goods, but they continued onto Blackreach to find clues about whereabouts of the thieves' employer.[12]:43 They discovered the thieves were in league with vampires from under Blackreach, and were stealing the stonemelt solution from the Mor Khazgur for nefarious uses. With the solution recovered, the Circle of Champions sent it back Chief Urzikh with the suggestion that it be destroyed.[12]:54
An agent of the Circle of Champions also traveled to Black Marsh to put a stop to the illegal smuggling of Amberplasm, these criminals working for the Soldiers of the Void using Circle activities as a cover.[13]:23,29,35,44
In Morrowind, the Circle of Champions put on a good show via various exhibition matches for disillusioned Ebonheart Pact soldiers during their Morrowind Morale Tour.[14]:24 The matches caught the attention of potential business partners, who suggested an arena match within Davon's Watch so alliance soldiers could cool off during the war within neutral territory.[14]:24 The match however was interrupted by undead that emerged from Necrom towards the northeast, ruining a day of entertainment.[14]:34 While aiding in transporting the dead to their graves in Necrom, the Circle of Champions investigated reports of graverobbing in the region as being a possible reasoning for the restless undead, and slew the responsible parties.[14]:37,42
The schemes of the Soldiers of the Void led to multiple factions being involved in trying to stop them and Deslandra's schemes. A hero took down Deslandra, but reports vary on when and to who they gave their allegiance to, with the Circle of Champions, the Dark Brotherhood, Eyes of the Queen, Fighters Guild, Mages Guild, Outer Watch, and the Psijic Order being possible factions. Regardless, Deslandra was unable to complete the Great Nullification,[8]:44 which would have forever severed the flow of magicka from Aetherius into Mundus, meaning magic would no longer have existed.[8]:52[11]:50
Some Circle of Champions members sought the Blessing of the Whitestrake - a boon that was said to imbue warriors with a "holy fervor for righteous carnage" and improve their contributions to the war. Priests of St. Alessia were found in each gladiator camp during Pelinal's Midyear Massacre offering to bestow blessings on anyone who asked for them.[15][16]
List of BattlegroundsEdit
Many dangerous and exotic locations were used by the Circle of Champions to host their games:
- Ald Carac
- Arcane University
- Coldharbour Colosseum in Coldharbour
- Deeping Drome
- Eld Angavar
- Foyada Quarry
- Huntsman's Fortress on Whalefall
- Istirus Outpost
- Mor Khazgur
- Mota-ka
- Port Dufort
- Reman's Folly
- Shehai Waystation
- Strid River Valley
- Ularra
GalleryEdit
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From left to right: Pit Daemon, Fire Drake, and Storm Lord armor
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Medium Fire Drake, Light Storm Lord, and Light Pit Daemon outfit styles
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Battleground participants outside team outfits
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Fire Drake's Skull
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Skull of the Pit Daemon
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Crown of the Storm Lords
NotesEdit
See AlsoEdit
- For game-specific information on Battlegrounds, see the Elder Scrolls Online article.
ReferencesEdit
- ^ Battlemaster Rivyn's dialogue in ESO
- ^ Battlegrounds in ESO
- ^ Alliance Points flavor text in ESO
- ^ Fire Drake Style, Pit Daemon Style, and Storm Lord Styles in ESO
- ^ Various NPCs across all the Province's Gladiator's Quarters in ESO
- ^ Battlegrounds Supplies Merchants wares in ESO
- ^ Gladiator's Quarters in ESO
- ^ a b c d e f Betrayal of the Second Era Cyrodiil Gazetteer
- ^ Istirus Outpost loading screen in ESO
- ^ Betrayal of the Second Era Valenwood Gazetteer
- ^ a b c d e Betrayal of the Second Era High Rock Gazetteer
- ^ a b c Betrayal of the Second Era Eastern & Western Skyrim Gazetteer
- ^ Betrayal of the Second Era Black Marsh Gazetteer
- ^ a b c d Betrayal of the Second Era Morrowind Gazetteer
- ^ Predicant Maera's dialogue in ESO
- ^ Pelinal Predicant's dialogue in ESO
Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.