Hero of Kvatch

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"As for what you have done, it does not matter. That is not what you will be remembered for."

―Uriel Septim VII on the Hero of Kvatch

The Hero of Kvatch was an unnamed prisoner of the Imperial City during the end of the 3rd Era. The precise nature of the Hero's crime is unknown-it is believed that not even the Hero knew what they'd done that resulted in incarceration. It is also of note that the hero was placed in a cell considered to be "off-limits," a cell the Guard was supposed to keep empty at all times. These facts, combined with Uriel Septim's statement that the prisoner had been in his dreams, suggest divine intervention played a role in the Hero's destiny. The Hero of Kvatch was briefly part of Emperor Uriel Septim VII's retinue along with Blades Renault, Glenroy and Baurus as the Blades attempted to escort the Emperor to safety. The prisoner had been picked up when the Emperor's retinue passed through his cell on their way to a secret passage, and the Emperor mysteriously identified him as a person of importance. The Hero may have fought assassins in an attempt to defend the Emperor, but despite the best efforts of the Blades and the prisoner, the Emperor was eventually slain by a cultist striking from behind a hidden panel in a wall. The Emperor's last action was to press the Amulent of Kings in the hands of the Hero and command that it be taken to Jauffre. From Baurus, the Hero ascertained that Jauffree lived just outside of Chorrol and was Grandmaster of the Blades. The Hero immediately proceeded to Chorrol and presented the Amulet to Jauffre, who, after intial distrust, sent him to Kvatch, where he could find the final son of Uriel Septim-a man named Martin, serving as priest of Akatosh in Kvatch's chapel.

Kvatch was the city where the Hero earned his name. Upon his arrival there, he found the city in ruins in the aftermath of a Daedric invasion, with a small handful of survivors camped at the bottom of the hill on which Kvatch stood, and the City Guard attempting to hold a barricade. On the far side of the barricade stood a gate to the hellish realms of Mehrunes Dagon-on the far side of this gate were the gates of Kvatch. If the Hero sought to rescue Martin, his only option was to close the Oblivion Gate and help liberate Kvatch from its daedric invaders-and this was precisely what he proceeded to do. The Hero entered the gate and single-handedly stormed the tower complex at the center of the pocket realm the gate led to, seizing the Sigil Stone that anchored the realm. This action caused the realm itself and the Gate to collapse, depositing the hero before the gates of Kvatch. From here, the former prisoner and the Kvatch City Watch pressed into the City itself, where the Hero was able to rescue Martin and, after some convinving, brought him back to Weynon Priory.

However, when he and Martin returned, the Hero found it to be under attack from members of the same Daedric Cult that had assassinated the Emperor. A frightened Dunmer named Eronor informed the Hero that Prior Maborel was dead and that Jauffre, whom the Hero had come to see, was in peril in the chapel. The Hero, Martin and Brother Piner rushed into the chapel and were just in time to save Jauffre from more cultists. However, Jauffre and the Hero then searched for the Amuelt of Kings and subsequently discovered that it had been stolen by the cultists. The Hero then informed Jauffre of Martin's survival and Jauffre suggested moving Martin to the safety of Cloud Ruler Temple.

The three of them arrived at Cloud Ruler Temple many hours later. Here, they were greeted by Cyrus and the Blades recognised Martin as their new Emperor. The Hero was then inducted into the Blades before returning to the Imperial City to find Baurus, who had been researching who had been behind the Emperor's assassination.

As it transpired, a Daedric Cult called the Mythic Dawn had been behind the attacks on the Emperor, Kvatch and Weynon Priory.