| Emperor Moricar | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Emperor Moricar |
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| Race | Reachman | Gender | Male |
| Born | 2E 518 The Reach |
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| Died | 2E 564 Imperial City |
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| Reign | 2E 542- 2E 564 |
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| Previous Ruler | Durcorach | ||
| Next Ruler | Leovic | ||
| Resided in | The Reach Imperial City Deadlands |
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| Appears in | ESO | ||
Moricar (also called Moricar the Middling)[1] was the second emperor of the Reachman dynasty called the Longhouse Emperors, who ruled the Empire of Cyrodiil during the Interregnum. He was the longest-reigning Longhouse Emperor, ruling for over twenty years. During his reign, he worked to fulfill the bargain known as the Four Ambitions that his father made with the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon.[2][3] In 2E 563, Moricar led an invasion of Western Skyrim, but High King Svargrim's army attacked and routed his army outside of Solitude, leaving Moricar gravely wounded.[2] As a result of his wounds, Moricar died the following year.[2] He was preceded by his father, Durcorach, and succeeded by his son, Leovic.[2]
BiographyEdit
Early LifeEdit
Moricar was born in 2E 518 to the Reachman chieftain, Durcorach the Black Drake.[2] Most of Moricar's youth was spent in the Reach, so he was raised in the ancient traditions and culture of the Reachmen.[2][4] In 2E 533, Durcorach and his horde of Reachmen conquered Cyrodiil, and his father was crowned Emperor of Cyrodiil.[2][5]
After the conquest, Durcorach appointed Imperial tutors to educate Moricar, including High Chancellor Abnur Tharn.[2][4] Moricar's Imperial education blunted his upbringing in the Reach, which allowed him to walk in both the Imperial and Reachfolk worlds in a way that his father never could.[2][4] By 2E 541, Moricar had become a vital advisor to his father.[2] In 2E 541,[6] or 2E 542,[7] Durcorach invaded High Rock, and he was killed in a battle outside of Daggerfall.[2][6][8] As soon as the news of Durcorach's death reached the Imperial City, Moricar declared himself emperor.[2] Moricar's son, Leovic, was born in 2E 542.[2]
Emperor of CyrodiilEdit
Immediately after Moricar's accession to the Ruby Throne, he had to decide the best course of action to bring High Rock under control in the aftermath of Durcorach's campaign in the province.[4] The Emperor debated with High Chancellor Abnur Tharn and Chief Councilor Tarnian Lovidicus about the risks and benefits of the different solutions.[4] He considered the risks and benefits, and when he reached a decision, the Emperor ordered Tharn to negotiate peace with High Rock, as he considered the invasion to be his father's quagmire and did not want it to become his own.[4] Moricar also ordered an aide to the Elder Council named Sentanus Marillin to prepare a decree recognizing the newly formed Daggerfall Covenant, which had formed in response to Durcorach's invasion.[4][8] There were reports of the Dark Brotherhood attempting to establish a presence in Bloodrun Cave early in Moricar's reign, but the assassins were driven out.[9]
Moricar's Imperial Court was said to differ from his father's.[4] Some had viewed Durcorach as a "savage playing at Emperor", who did not understand the procedures, protocols, and overall culture of the Imperial Court, while Moricar's Imperial education ensured that he not only understood the procedures and protocols of the Imperial Court but could also engage in the political nuances of the Imperial Court.[4][2] He could also demonstrate the ferocity and ruthlessness that made his father so feared, but Moricar's fear included a grudging respect.[4] His upbringing in the Reach combined with his Imperial education turned him into a strong and capable leader.[4]
In 2E 559, Moricar saw the need to establish some degree of Imperial authority over the increasingly restless clans of the Reach, so he chose to appoint a trusted kinfolk to the task.[5][10] He selected his kinsman, Caddach, and sent him to Markarth to serve as the Imperial Governor of Markarth.[5][10] To reassure the clan chiefs that he did not intend to impose Imperial law in its entirety on the free Reachmen, Moricar limited Caddach's writ to Markarth and the lands immediately surrounding the city.[10] Caddach's role was to both rule the city and maintain peace between the restive Reachfolk Clans.[5][10]
At some point during his reign, when Leovic came back from a successful campaign against border raiders, Moricar, the Tharn family, the Elder Council, and great nobles were in the Great Hall to receive him. Moricar praised his son and decreed that he could name his reward. Prince Leovic didn't hesitate, walking right up to the Tharns and saying, "Your Majesty, I want the Chancellor's daughter." He spoke of Abnur Tharn's daughter Clivia, and though the Chancellor had many daughters, it was understood by all which one he meant.[11][2]
Four AmbitionsEdit
Prior to Durcorach's conquest of the Imperial Province, he entered into a fifty-year bargain with Mehrunes Dagon to ensure the success of his conquest and secure his rule for generations.[2][12][13][3] Upon Durcorach's death, Moricar inherited the bargain that his father had made with the Prince of Destruction.[13][3][2] Moricar made his own bargain with Mehrunes Dagon.[3][13] As part of the bargain, the Emperor induced Elegian, a moth priest and renowned seer, to produce visions of how Dagon might spread his cataclysms across Nirn and gain control over the mortal world.[3][14] Moricar then permitted servants of Mehrunes Dagon to abduct Elegian to force him to design the cataclysts for the Prince of Destruction.[15] In exchange for Elegian, Moricar's imperial line was to gain power above all other mortals.[3][14]
The preparations and rituals required to bring the Four Ambitions into being were carried out in secret by his hidden Daedric priesthood, the Order of the Waking Flame.[2] Moricar understood that the bargains with Mehrunes Dagon made it imperative to ensure the survival of his bloodline, so he took consorts and fathered a number of children.[3] He acknowledged some of the children, while others were unacknowledged, and some were not even aware that Moricar was their father.[3]
Moricar maintained a number of advisors, among them witchfolk from the Reach, mystics, charlatans, favor-seekers, and influence-peddlers.[16] In 2E 556 or 2E 557, Disastrix Celdina, a member of the Order of the Waking Flame, came to the White-Gold Tower, and she received a minor court appointment.[16] At times, Celdina seemed to be constantly by the Emperor's side, but she rarely offered him any counsel in front of the rest of the Imperial Court, and she disappeared for months at a time.[16] The true purpose of Celdina's presence in the Imperial Court was that Mehrunes Dagon appeared to her in a dream and commanded her to become Moricar's consort, and the Prince of Destruction instructed her to bear a child for the Emperor.[17] Dagon also forbade anyone from knowing the child's parentage.[17] Celdina became pregnant with Moricar's daughter around 2E 560, and she disappeared from the court to give birth to Mairead, one of the Four Ambitions.[16][17]
He did not trust Mehrunes Dagon to uphold his end of the bargain, and as a contingency, he prepared Mairead and the other Ambitions as weapons that could be used to banish Dagon.[18][19]
In 2E 561, Moricar and Leovic spent much of their time in the Imperial Palace preparing sacrifices to Mehrunes Dagon with rituals that would finally see the creation of the long-promised Daedric Weapons.[2][20] During this time, he witnessed the sacrifices of Ramin and Lestra Brolus by Councilor Ertus Vandacia, as well as the empowerment of Calia and Destron, two of the Four Ambitions.[20]
In 2E 562, Moricar emerged, and he began planning an invasion of Western Skyrim.[2]
Invasion of Western SkyrimEdit
In 2E 563, Moricar led his forces out of the Reach and into High King Svargrim's territory.[2][1] Moricar and the Imperial Army met no resistance until they approached the gates of Solitude.[2] At Solitude, High King Svargrim's army fell upon Moricar's forces and routed them in a single battle.[2][1] Moricar survived and managed to make it back to the Imperial City, but he was gravely wounded.[2] Moricar never fully recovered from his injuries, despite the best efforts of both Imperial and Reachfolk healers.[2] He succumbed to his injuries in 2E 564, and he was succeeded by his son Leovic.[2] Upon his death, Moricar's soul was sent to the Deadlands.[21]
See AlsoEdit
- For game-specific information, see the Elder Scrolls Online
article.
BooksEdit
- Secret History of the Longhouse Emperors by Councilor Vandacia — A brief history of the Longhouse Emperors
- Audiences with the Longhouse Emperors From the memoirs of Sentanus Marillin, aide to the Elder Council — The author's account of meeting the three Longhouse Emperors over his career
GalleryEdit
-
Emperor Moricar's soul in the Deadlands
ReferencesEdit
- ^ a b c The Wolf of Solitude — Pjetr the Skald, of the Bards College
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z Secret History of the Longhouse Emperors — Councilor Vandacia
- ^ a b c d e f g h Secrets of Moricar the Inheritor — Devastator Irenian Dast
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Audiences with the Longhouse Emperors — Sentanus Marillin, aide to the Elder Council
- ^ a b c d History of Markarth: A Story in Stone — Consul Cardea, the Ard's Administrator
- ^ a b Triumphs of a Monarch, Ch. 3 — His Majesty King Emeric
- ^ The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel: Northern Bangkorai and the Mountains — Flaccus Terentius, 2E 581
- ^ a b Guide to the Daggerfall Covenant
- ^ Councilor Lovidicus' dialogue in ESO: Blackwood
- ^ a b c d Report on the Despot of Markarth — Lady Nilene Devierin of Stormhaven
- ^ Meet the Character - Clivia Tharn — Magus-General Septima Tharn
- ^ A Deal is Struck
- ^ a b c Xynaa's Book of Contracts — Xynaa
- ^ a b Mairead's dialogue in ESO: The Deadlands
- ^ Elegian's dialogue in ESO: The Deadlands
- ^ a b c d Meet the Character - Sister Celdina — Captain Rian Liore
- ^ a b c Letter to the High Priest — Disastrix Celdina
- ^ Emperor Moricar's dialogue in ESO: The Deadlands
- ^ Partially Hidden Journal — Moricar
- ^ a b Events of Weapons of Destruction in ESO: Blackwood
- ^ Events of The Last Ambition in ESO: The Deadlands