Talin (Gilke001's Fanon)

Talin, also known as the Eternal Champion, was an Imperial Knight during the Third Era. During the Imperial Simulacrum of the Third Era, Talin single-handedly defeated the usurper Jagar Tharn and restored Uriel Septim VII as the Emperor of Tamriel. Subsequently, he would become the leader of the Imperial Guards and a key advisor to the Emperor. Talin was killed in duty leading the Imperial forces to the Illiac Bay during the Warp of the West, according to official accounts. Talin is the main protagonist in the Elder Scrolls: Arena, within this author’s canon.

Background
Talin Warheft the Younger, as he was originally known as was born in 3E370 in the Imperial outpost of Dunpar Wall in Skyrim province. He was born under the birthsign of the Lady, a trait of care and kindness would greatly help him with his trials later in life.

Talin's father and namesake, General Talin Warheft, was a Legate of Skyrim, then known as the Knight of the Garland of the Order of Solitude. Warheft the Elder's authority was well respected in Skyrim and acknowledged by the Imperial Guards and the Emperor. Hence, Warheft was promoted to Leader of the Imperial Guards during Talin's third year.

Talin was to follow in his father's footsteps and become a career soldier. After serving as Warheft's page for some years, he became a squire under Armsmaster Festil. Talin worked hard at his craft, but his traits of the Lady would get him in trouble on several occasions. One particular tale tells of how Talin defended a fraudulent merchant after he was chased by an angry mob near Bruma, which saw him imprisoned for three days as well as incurring light wounds. However, his father remarked that these traits were necessary for one to be a competent knight compared to a mere soldier or warrior.

The Interregnum
By the year 3E 389, at the age of 19, Talin grew to be a competent squire, but alas had some time to go before becoming a full Imperial soldier. He already had started to become a known face in the Imperial court and was acquainted with the Emperor. Though, he did spend a considerable amount of time outside the Imperial City, hunting and exploring.

On the Emperor’s birthday, his battlemage, Jagar Tharn, usurped Uriel Septim VII as Emperor by banishing him to a pocket plain of Oblivion, along with Warheft the Elder. To consolidate his power, he replaced the entire Imperial Guards with disguised monsters of his creation and imprisoned the gathered Imperial Court, including Talin.

Whist imprisoned, Talin received a vision from his best friend and apprentice to Tharn, Ria Silmane. Ria had found out about Tharn’s plot and attempted to warn the Elder Council. Sadly, she was destroyed by Tharn before she could do that. Using here remaining magical energies, she was still able to transmit herself into Talin's mind and tell him about the only device that can be used to stop Tharn: the Staff of Chaos. This was the staff that had imprisoned the Emperor and Talin's father and contained Tharn's lifeforce. Fearful of this weakness, he shattered the staff and separated the pieces throughout Tamriel. Ria implored Talin to recover the Staff, defeat Tharn and save the Emperor. Using a shift gate, Talin was transported from the Imperial City to his childhood home of Dunpar Wall.

Fang Lair
Ria determined that the first piece of the Staff was located at a placed called Fang Lair. This would lead Talin to Queen Blubamka, the ruler of the city-state of Rihad in southern Hammerfell. Whist there, he is tasked to retrieve a parchment necessary to determine the location of Fang Lair from a local goblin chieftain. Unfortunately, Talin would find that the goblin horde, including ghouls, was a lot stronger than originally anticipated and made a hastily retreat. He would spend a fair while in Rihad doing odd jobs and refining his craft before trying again, this time with success. With this parchment, Queen Blubamka was able to determine the location of Fang Lair, to Hammerfell’s north. Talin would be successful in collecting the first piece of the staff after a battle with a couple of heel hounds. Later, using the same power as Ria, Tharn sends his minions against Talin, but Talin was able to defeat them.

Labyrinthian & Elden Grove
The next piece led Talin back to Skyrim, to an elven maze called Labyrinthian by way of the College of Winterhold. Afterwards, Talin travelled to Valenwood to search for the fabled Elden Grove. At the border town of Arenthia, whist asking for information regarding the Elden Root, he is acquainted with Rianis, publican at the Thirsty Cup, and his sister, Miliril. After assisting the siblings with tracking down a criminal, Karomir, inside the nearby mines (abtly named “Mine of Karomir”), Talin is directed to the region’s capital, Elden Root, for help with his quest. As thanks, Rianis offers Talin a free room so Talin could take a much needed rest, and swore that Talin is always welcome to his inn.

After saving the Bosmer from a local sorceress & Mephala worshipper, Talin is directed to the Elden Grove. Just as he reaches the centre of the Grove, Talin is forced to battle with a vicious Medusa, for which Talin’s own sword, since he became a squire, to shatter. Luckily, Talin managed to find a dwarven sword nearby and used it to skewer the Medusa. Despite the victory and collecting the third piece in a ruin underneath the grove, Talin felt he needed something especially powerful, maybe enchanted, if he is to complete his quest.

The Ebony Blade, Halls of Colossus & The Crystal Tower
In Woodhearth, Talin is directed to an Inn called the Crimson Port, where a certain Coman Nightrun tells him of the Ebony Blade, a sword rumoured to heal the user with the energy of his foes. Entrigued, Talin takes him up on his offer, which leads him to the Fortress of Vegon in northern Valenwood. After retrieving the blade, Talin continues his quest for the Staff of Chaos in the neighboring province of Elsewyr, and the gigantic walls of the Halls of Colossus. Talin (not using the Ebony Blade at this point, using a new sword he acquired earlier) would make short work of the monsters here and collect the fourth piece of the staff.

Talin’s next location is the reclusive Summerset Isles and the revered Crystal Tower. After assisting the Lillandril Mages’s Guild in reacquiring a diamond from Sheogorath cultists, the Altmer loremaster, Corim Ashlen, uses it to locate the Tower. Before reaching the piece, he is shocked to discover a terrible foe ahead of him: an infamous and powerful Vampire named Saursara Lamae and her Fire Daemon pet. Whist Talin was able to defeat the Daemon, he resorted to using the Ebony Blade against Saursara. Not only he was able to kill Saursara but absorbing her lifeforce gave Talin a feeling of invincibility. Talin was now entranced by the Blade.

Crypt of Hearts & Exile
The Sixth piece of the Staff of Chaos lay in a place called the Crypt of Hearts, which Talin worked out is in the province of High Rock to the north, leading him to the city-state of Camlorn. To his surprise, he is told that a map to the Crypt was taken by a junior member of the Brotherhood of Seth cult who claims the Emperor had been captured and that the Staff can free him. Talin would find the map in a nearby mine (along with the deceased member) and return it to the Brotherhood for decryption. Talin would infiltrate the Crypt, defeat its monsters and vampires, and collect the sixth piece in the Staff of Chaos.

Upon returning to the nearby-city state of Evermore, Jagar Tharn sent another round of monsters against him. But these monsters were more viscious and was during the Mid Year Celebration the city was celebrating. Talin defeated these monsters and became the savior of the city. However, as they were celebrating, a drunk rogue would rile a now arrogant Talin (due to the power of the Ebony Blade) into a fight. Talin would toy with the drunk before killing him with one stroke of the Blade. Snapped out of his trance, Talin is shocked to see what he had done and how infuriated the townsfolk were. Hastily, Talin would scarper from the city and towards neighbouring Hammerfell. On the way, he would discard the Ebony Blade into the Illiac Bay.

Ashamed for what he had done and feeling he had betrayed his code as a knight, Talin would wander through Hammerfell and Cyrodiil, eventually making his way back to Rianis and Miliril in Arenthia. For the following three years, he would work for the siblings in their inn and around Arenthia. He would also begin a courtship with Miliril, as he would learn more about her and her brother.

Siege of Arenthia
In 3E397, two years after his self-imposed exile, a young Breton named Alabyn Wickham found Talin assisting the local blacksmith. Alabyn knew of Talin’s quest for the Staff of Chaos an wanted to help. Talin turned him down apathetically, but somewhat tolerates his stay after discovering he’s staying at the Thirsty Cup.

A few days later, Alabyn aks Talin for a practice spar, which gives Talin a chance to get to know the kid. Initially things are codial, as it became obvious to Talin this kid has only basic experience with a blade. However, the spar turns into more of a duel, as Alabyn realises Talin’s self-shame as a knight after the event of Evermore and that it has nothing to do with the Staff of Chaos. Talin disarms Alabyn and threatens to kill him if he doesn’t leave Arenthia by nightfall, which Alabyn scoffs and swears to be the knight Talin should’ve been.

That night, Arenthia found itself under siege by a group of Khajiiti warriors. Only a fraction of the buildings were destroyed in the raid, but they captured Arenthia’s ruler, King Coman. Talin and Rialis both warded off the invaders, one of which tried to make is way with Miliril. Rialis would be injured in the melee, leaving him to defend Miliril as Talin assisted the townsfolk. Talin and the civilians held off the assault and saved the city. He also spotted Alabyn briefly, seemingly holding off a larger group of Khajiit quite competently.

The following morning, the leader of the Khajiiti, Za’tabe, demanded the civilians to abandon Arenthia by the evening or die. In an act of seriousness, he personally killed King Coman in cold blood. With the civilians now incensed from the murder, it was up to Talin to organise a plan of attack to remove the Khajiit once and for all and avenge Coman. However, his plans changed when he finds out that a small group of vigilante civilians had already left to attack the Khajiiti encampment.

That afternoon, Talin went alone to the Khajiit camp to find Alabyn. To his surprise, Alabyn and his small group of townsfolk were waiting for Talin to lead them into battle. Alabyn explains that these Khajiit were a breakaway from an offensive force as part of the Sack of Athay further south. Despite his own objections, Talin agrees to a plan where Talin would try his luck in taking the camp from the front, whereas Alabyn would ambush from behind. They needed to hurry though, as one of the vigilantes, who came from Athay, warned that his townsfolk maybe summoning a Wild Hunt to take on the Khajiit, and anyone else in their way.

Talin would standoff against Za’tabe and warned him to return to Elsweyr. Za’tabe would scoff at this, referencing that no-one would stop this conflict until they destroy themselves, as the Empire is no longer able to resolve conflicts like this (echoeing a similar sentiment Alabyn made earlier). At that moment, Alabyn’s group launched their surprise attack, scattering everyone. Alabyn would reach Za’tabe first but is struck down after being distracted by Za’tabe. Talin would take Alabyn’s place and would finish off Za’tabe. Before they could do anything else, Talin, carrying Alabyn, and the vigilantes quickly retreat as the Wild Hunt bore down on the remaining Khajiit.

On the outskirts of Arenthia, Talin tries to tend to Alabyn, but Alabyn refuses his help. Alabyn admits to Talin his sole quest was to find Talin and convince him to continue his quest for the Staff, as it is the best way to defeat Tharn, and that there is enough discord in the provinces to potentially march on Cyrodiil despite Talin’s quest. To aid him, Alabyn would give Talin his Ring of Phynaster (the reason Alabyn had been able to hold off so many Khajiit), directions to someone that may help Talin find a replacement weapon for the Ebony Blade, and most importantly, the location of the Murkwood. Alabyn then dies, content he has made a difference.

Chrysamere & Murkwood
After making his farewells, Talin travels to Alabaster to meet with Alabyn’s brother Mordistyr, a scribe associate with the city’s archivists. Mordistyr would tell Talin of Chrysamere, a magical claymore that heals the user, resists fire and deflects spells to its user. He would tell Talin of a tablet inscribed with it’s location within the Hole of Yagirboth near Senchal. This tablet further leads to the Hole of Skorathoth near Blackrose, Black Marsh, in which the blade appeared before him as if he was destined to wield it. With the blade, he made short work of Murkwood. This prompts Tharn to, quite arrogantly, give Talin the final piece’s location – within the belly of Vvardenfell’s Red Mountain: Dagoth Ur.

Dagoth Ur
In the early months of 3E 399, Talin reaches the old Dunmer capital of Ebonheart and it’s Hlaalu councellor, Casik. Casik would inform Talin of plans of invasions of Cyrodiil, mainly by dunmer of Morrowind and Bretons from Wayrest, should Talin’s quest come to nought. He would also explain that his vision of Ria were further assistance given to him by King Eadwyre of Wayrest and his dunmer wife, Baranziah, whom was deceived by Tharn to gain the Staff of Chaos initially. To aid in these plans, Casik asks Talin to retrieve the Hammer of Gharen, an enchanted hammer that when used with the Anvil of Mithas, readily available in Casik’s palace, would give Talin the entrance to Dagoth-Ur as well as provide the dunmer with high quality weaponry and armor.

Once Talin retrieved the Hammer from the Black Gate, he makes his way to Dagoth-Ur in Vvardenfell, fighting past more golums, medusa, hell hounds and Lamae vampires before reaching the central chamber and the headpiece of the staff. But to his surprise, nothing happened. At that moment, Tharn himself appeared before him, not as a dream, but in the flesh. Tharn goes to explain that he drained the staff of it’s power before scattering it’s pieces, and that it’s power lies with Tharn in the Imperial city.

Showdown with Tharn
Mid year of 3E299, almost 10 years to the day it all began, Talin had returned home to the Imperial City. He also come with a small legion of Hlaalu soldiers in case things went sour in the city. To access the Palace undetected, Ria used the last of her energy to cast a spell of alteration to disguise Talin and gain him entry. Only Talin walked into the imperial palace in view of what looked like the Emperor, but dissolved into Tharn. After a brief exchange of words, Tharn disappeared, leaving Talin against Tharn’s monsters.

With Chrysamere in hand and the staff nearly complete, Talin fought through hordes of monsters as he made his way down to the fiery undercroft of the palace, where Tharn was waiting for him. A brief parry of magic and sword craft eschewed, with Talin doing nought to weaken Tharn. But then, Talin realised he need not fight Tharn, just touch the Jewel of Fire, where the power of the Staff, and Tharn’s own lifeforce. He nimbly avoided Tharn's attacks and made it to the Jewel. Upon touching it, the jewel activated, returning the Emperor and Talin's father from Oblivion, and causing Tharn to melt into nothing.

Aftermath
Both the Emperor and General Warheft were indebted to Talin, with the former creating the title 'Eternal Champion' in recognition to Talin's service to the Emperor. Talin was also named a member of the Order of the Dragon, the empire's most prolific military order, and a permanent advisor to both the Elder Council and the Emperor himself. Talin's later promotion to lead the Imperial Guards after his father's retirement set in stone Talin's reputation as 'the Right Hand of the Emperor'.

Meanwhile, Talin returned to Arenthia to ask Miliril’s hand in marriage, and offered to move both her and Rianis to the Imperial City. Rianis declined the offer, but gave his blessing to the two – partly as thanks for saving them both a few years prior. Although their courtship was dislike by certain individuals, the Emperor fully supported the pair. General Warheft would also grand his blessing over time. The couple would bear only one child, Ardwen.

Warp of the West & Death
In 3E417, Talin was placed in charge of the Imperial forces sent to quell unrest in the Iliac Bay, shared by the provinces of High Rock and Hammerfell. Among the forces was a reconstructed Numidium, having been reconstructed thanks to the efforts of the Blades.

Nothing more in known about Talin as this force was part of the Warp of the West, a phenomenon of unexplainable and contradictory events that change the political face of the Bay forever. Talin is believed to have perished in the conflict, along with a fair share of the Imperial forces.