In The Elder Scrolls series, there is no shortage of prominent characters; individuals who have, in some form or other, changed the fate of not only themselves and those around them, but even that of an entire nation or world. The different types of people — or even gods — who have done this are few, but it is entirely rarer when such an individual is both a man and a god. The greatest of these individuals is none other than Talos.

Talos is a revered figure to the people of Tamriel. He is a man seemingly touched by the hands of fate, one whose life and destiny are so acclaimed, so favored, that one can not help but look upon him with admiration, hope, and aspiration. The legend of Talos is a tale that even now inspires countless others across Tamriel, for he was a man who became Dragonborn, a Dragonborn who then became emperor, and finally, an emperor who became a god.

Before There Was the God Talos, There Was the Man Tiber Septim

The Man Who Would Become Emperor

Before there was the god or the emperor, there was only the man — that man’s name was Tiber Septim. He was born in the Second Era in the year 828, during the time of the Interregnum, a period where Tamriel was subject to the throes of multiple ambitions, many more rulers, and even more uncertainty. There is little to no detail of Tiber’s early life, and what little is known is subject to numerous rumors, hearsay, and other uncertainties, his race and place of birth being just a few examples.

The generally understood sentiment, however, was that he was destined for greatness, as while his lineage and race may not have been known, his blood line was. Within Tiber Septim’s veins was the blood of kings, the proof of an ancient pact forged between his ancestors and the dragon god Akatosh. He was Dragonborn: one with the body of man, but the soul of a dragon.

Tiber Septim was an accomplished military general, one who served his country with both the ferocious might of his Thu’um and the sound strategy of his mind. But this general would soon become emperor, for after the death of Cuhlecain, the former ruler of Tamriel, Tiber would take his place soon after.

Tiber Septim was an accomplished general and tactician
He came to power after the death of his former ruler Cuhlecain
Tiber Septim not only unified Tamriel but introduced the greatest dynasty in its history

His ascension was met with little to no debate, as he not only proved himself able to command because of his military background, but also possessed the dragon blood, as those with such were considered to be the living proof of Akatosh’s blessing and pact, and therefore the only ones considered worthy by divine right to sit the Ruby Throne. And so, when he took his place as emperor, his work would then begin.

This work would be the unification of Tamriel, a daunting task that no ruler or empire before him had accomplished. Yet under Tiber’s rule, it was done, not by his own might or even his Thu’um, but by his strategic mind. From his throne, the new emperor would use his forces and strategies to bring all of Tamriel under one banner, one ruler, and one empire. This effort, which would become known as the Tiber War, would take years to complete; decades of conflict, strife, and reluctant compromise.

But this goal would eventually reach its fruition, as Cyrodiil, Skyrim, High Rock, Hammerfell, Morrowind, Elsweyr, Black Marsh, Valenwood, and even the distant Summerset Isles all capitulated to Tiber’s rule. And at the end of the war’s conclusion, all of Tamriel’s provinces were unified under the banner of Tiber Septim, a feat that had never before been done in the continent’s history. And with the unification of Tamriel came the end of the Interregnum and the Second Era, and the beginning of the Third Era and a new empire: the Septim Dynasty.

The Man Tiber Septim Would Become the God Talos

The Emperor Who Would Become a God

With the birth of the Septim Dynasty, Tiber Septim continued to rule for several years. These years he spent consolidating his new empire and ensuring its survival and persistence so that Tamriel remained unified even after his death. During this time, there existed a time of peace and prosperity that the continent had not seen for centuries.

That isn’t to say that his rule was not met with its share of conflicts and dangers, for there were a few to be certain, some of which included the rumored affair of a certain Dunmer and the opposing threat of the powerful Underking. But these troubles, like all others, were eventually put down and dealt with.

Tiber Septim died in the year 38 of the Third Era
His line and dynasty would continue for centuries after his death
Tiber Septim died, but the Ninth Divine Talos was born

After decades of war, rule, and eventual peace, Tiber Septim died in the year 38 of the Third Era, 38 years after the founding of his empire. The Ruby Throne would be passed down to his grandson and heir Pelagius, and his descendants after him. This would begin the culmination of the Septim Dynasty, arguably the greatest dynasty to have ever ruled the lands of Tamriel. This dynasty would continue on for centuries, as would Tiber Septim himself, for his death was not the end of his journey, but just the beginning.

Tiber Septim, after his tenure of mortality, became immortal, and ascended to the realm of Aetherius. So great was his life and his deeds, that he was ascended into godhood, becoming the Ninth Divine to the Imperial Pantheon. Just as his mortal life was gone, so too was his former name.

Tiber Septim was now gone from the mortal realm, but in his place would be Talos, the God of Governance, King of the Earth and Sky, Dragon of the North and the Dragon Prince, the Most High. With his ascension, the Eight Divines would become the Nine, and he would become one of if not the most famed gods among his new number.

The Legacy of Both Tiber Septim and Talos Would be Famed For All Time

Unforgotten, Highly Favored, Revered, and Immemorial

Tiber Septim’s empire would exist for hundreds of years, his dynasty not only introducing but continuing an era of peace and unification that was unlike any other before its time, and one whose likeness may not ever be emulated again. This dynasty would unfortunately, and tragically, be put to an end during the events of the Oblivion Crisis, where the last of the Septim line was extinguished, and with it the glory of the Third Era.

Though the Septim Dynasty is now ended, its progenitor still lives on, both in godhood and the hearts and minds of others. The legacy of Tiber Septim, from his mortal life to his ascension as Talos, lives on to inspire countless others for centuries. The tale and glory of his life, and his recognition from the gods themselves, has made him — aside from perhaps Akatosh, the single most important hero god in the realm of man. He is the source of inspiration and idolization for many of Tamriel’s denizens, all of whom adore him.

The legacy of Tiber Septim/Talos would live on for centuries
The Septim Dynasty would rule for nearly half a millennium before its tragic end
Talos is regarded with much admiration and adoration, even by the events of Skyrim

But the most loyal of his followers would be the Nords, as these Northmen outright revere and worship him. To them, Talos is the most honored and the most favored, and one who most of if not all Nords pay the most homage to. This reverence and worship still persists even in the Fourth Era, where the Thalmer and Aldmeri Dominion abolished the worship of Talos and inspired a civil war in Skyrim that will determine the country’s future.

Throughout Tiber’s life, he was accomplished, venerated, and adored; with his death, he was mourned and missed. But with his ascension, he is now all of these things, yet so much more. He was the emperor who ended the chaos of the Interregnum, the founder of Tamriel’s greatest line of rulers, and the man who had become a god. He is Tiber Septim the emperor, Talos the Ninth Divine, and Tamriel’s greatest example of one who has achieved not only mortal, but divine greatness.