By Sikaar, Midwinter 1E 3
Rahgot Thuri believes we shall hold out forever, but I know better. The other priests have already given up and retreated into the depths of their temples, or to far-off mountaintops, or to hidden caverns and tombs with their servants, waiting for their inevitable mortality to run its course. Our overlords have fallen– what hope is there now? We are the last of the dragon cult to hold out, to fight for our rule. Thus far we have fought off the blades and the others who have attempted to destroy us, but we have taken damage as well– only a few of us remain. Within a year, I would expect that we will be destroyed, sealed within this tower and lost to the ages. Thus I scribe this brief account of the history of the cult, of the sonakke, and of our ways. We shall not be easily forgotten.
The cult is quite possibly as old as time itself. It began in Atmora, where the dovah was one of a pantheon of animals worshipped by the ancient Atmorans. Of course, the dragon was revered the highest of these creatures, particularly because they, the children of Akatosh, possess understanding equal or greater to many mortals, and willingly accepted the worship given to them. After Ysgramor and his people settled in Keizaal, the cult gained influence throughout the land. In the year three-hundred ninety-seven of the Merethic era, the first of the sonakke the dragon priests, were ordained by the dov to act as a bridge between the divine creatures and the mortals within the cult. These early priests came together within the following years and built a temple to the dov atop the mountains in the north of Keizaal. This temple was named Bromjunaar, which is “North-kingdom” in the common tongue. At first it was merely a temple, where the sonakke lived amongst one another, frequented occasionally by pilgrims and worshippers bringing offerings. Within fifty years, however, Bromjunaar expanded, growing into a city which sprawled across the mountaintop, in its center the great sanctuary.
Pilgrims still travelled from far and wide to visit the city and the temple, and it was not long before the construction of other temples began. The Sonakke began to ordain others to follow after them, and they spread through Keizaal and Veysenor, building temples as they went. As the cult’s influence spread, its power increased. The devout members sought not only to revere the dov, but to claim them as rulers, as god-kings. The dov willingly accepted their invitation, and thus the dragon cult became the ruling body of Tamriel. Sonakke ordained by the dov were seen as kings. Many were brought into the order, but the greatest remained a part of a council that met once a year in Bromjunaar, to test one another, and to write laws and discuss customs. The sonakke gained tribute from lesser nobles that governed beneath them, and tax from peasants and cultists. Those more firmly involved in the cult, naturally, were better off, but in those early days, the dov were content to receive their tribute, and the sonakke content to rule as kings.
The rule of the cult changed when the greatest of the dov, the firstborn of Akatosh, Alduin Thuri, deigned to look upon us. He was pleased with our worship, and took then his rightful place as ruler of the dragons. From that moment, our power increased greatly, and the power of the dov even more so. The Sonakke-kinbokke, those who governed the temples, were given enchanted masks, which hold such power as I can only imagine. They also gained absolute authority. Alduin Thuri’s will to dominate was iron– he quickly became discontent with mere worship, wishing instead for constant, unrelenting obedience. He ordered a temple built for his own use, and thus the great Skuldafn was built with the sweat and blood of a thousand slaves, laboring endlessly until this great structure, like none that has ever been seen, was complete. Those that fell under the force of the labor were entombed deep within, their place within the great temple a reward for their service. Alduin Thuri reigned supreme– all sonakke in Keizaal were firmly bound to his will, were extensions of his will. For some reason, those in Veysenor and in Atmora seemed to lack the same drive for dominance, the people of those lands remaining free far longer than those of Keizaal.
The benefits of this, though, were great. While Alduin Thuri and the dov gained a ceaseless flow of tribute and offerings and whatever they should wish from their subjects, the boon of the sonakke was much the same. We gained tribute, we ruled the lands with an iron fist, and we did as we pleased within the will of our thurre. Our culture thrived within the order, but clearly those beneath us were not fully satisfied.
In the year twenty-five of the Merethic era, the commoners revolted, attacking many temples all over Keizaal. Obviously, the sonakke were able to drive them back, but they were not destroyed. They retreated into the hills, their movement growing. Once in a while they would continue to attack the temples. Smaller shrines were occasionally completely decimated, looted, and defiled. Two years after the attacks began, the dov stepped in, and the war began in earnest. It was more difficult than expected. All but those of the order of the sonakke had joined the rebellion, or remained neutral.
And yet we prevailed for five long years. The rebellion had nearly been crushed, despite their evasive maneuvering. It was at that point, though, that the lieutenant of Alduin Thuri, Paarthurnax, betrayed us and taught the power of the voice to the base commoners. With this power they managed to hold their own for even longer. Two years after this, our Konahrik, Vahlok, discovered a plot by the ruler of the cult on Veysenor to overthrow the dov himself. Vahlok managed to destroy him, but the distraction allowed the mortals to gain traction, to fortify strongholds. Within the next four years, they were strong enough to face the dov atop the largest mountain in Tamriel. They slew many, and in the end, they banished Alduin Thuri.
Our overlords have been slain by the tens, and without their power, our own has been lost. Most of the cult has retreated by now, wisely allowing the world to believe them lost. Some have been sealed away already. And still Rahgot fights.
But I do not worry. Even if we are sealed away, even if we are slaughtered, the greatest boon was offered by Alduin Thuri– life eternal. Someday, the dov shall return, and when that day comes, they will reward those of us who remained faithful. Then, the people of Keizaal will know that we shall not be so easily forgotten.
