The elder brother's tale.

Born the very first lovechild of a visiting Redguard military diplomat and an Imperial contessa. The arrival of the this illegitimate son triggered a major diplomatic crisis and a hastily arranged betrothal of the young lady to a distant cousin.

The young general was ignominiously banished back to Sentinel to be stripped of his diplomatic status as a sop to the Imperial court. However due to the his friendship with the Redguard king the general was only symbolically banished from Sentinel and often hunted and caroused with his royal patron.

In the Imperial palace our young hero focused on martial arts and often defeated his younger brother in their practice bouts. At the age of 12 he was commanded by his duke to fight a show bout with real swords and shields against his 10 year old brother at an Imperial royal banquet. The sheer force and brutality of his final, but thankfully non-fatal, blow brought an uneasy silence over the gathering. The younger brother only survived by skilfully parrying with both sword and shield simultaneously.

The fight was stopped by the court steward and the older brother ceremoniously declared the victor. The Imperial Empress and her court were very impressed at this forceful display and immediately drafted this forceful youth into the elite military academy. His younger sibling was ignored and followed a different path.

Despite his illegitimate heritage he won grudging admiration from his peers and superiors for his martial prowess. He also learnt a very important skill: diplomacy. This skil combined with his indomitable valor made him a highly valued collaborator and often led to exquisite treasures.

However while travelling through Tamriel on Imperial business he had a chance meeting with a hooded figure...