Through the main quest ofOblivion Remastered, players will naturally get close to Martin Septim as they work to stop the Daedric invasion. Quiet, humble, and unsure of himself, Martin is the complete opposite of the adventurous Hero of Kvatch, but as the two work together, many players will feel a certain affinity for Martin.
Martin’s quiet demeanor hides an intelligence and strong will. Having to deal with suddenly becoming the most important man in the Empire, and grappling with the deaths of a family he never knew he had, Martin focuses on the task at hand – but he was not always like that. Martin Septim used to live a very different life before the events ofOblivion.
Who Was Martin Septim Before the Oblivion Crisis?
Martin was born as the illegitimate son ofemperor Uriel Septim VIIto an unknown mother, but instead of being naturalized into the family, he was sent away with no knowledge of his true heritage. He believed his parents were simple farmers, and that his life would follow a similar path. As he grew up, Uriel asked Jauffre to check on Martin from time to time, keeping a distant eye on the estranged son without revealing the emperor’s interest.
Seeking something less mundane, Martin enrolled in the Mages Guild, but soon grew tired of the rules and protocols placed on apprentices. Martin and some other students began seeking out more exciting ways of exploring magic, looking into darker, forbidden lore that led them to Daedra worship. Martin was particularly drawn to theDaedric Prince Sanguine, a popular choice among young Daedra worshipers, as he could fulfill their wildest desires. At one point, the Prince of Revelry even gifted Martin with his artifact, Sanguine’s Rose, a reward for just how deeply involved he was with the Prince.
ButSanguine is darker than he seems, and does not just let his followers live in leisure. The Prince demands that each new exploration of desire is deeper and darker than the last. What began as a fun time can quickly devolve, and Martin found out the hard way. As he sank into Sanguine’s grip, his friends began to die around him, a consequence of their pursuits, and Martin knew he had to get out.
Martin ran away from his old life, joining the Chapel of Akatosh in Kvatch, where he became a priest, tending to the locals and reflecting on the mistakes of his past. When a Daedric portal opened in the city, Martin organized the defense of the chapel, barricading himself and many of the locals inside, safe from the Daedra until theHero of Kvatchcould rescue them all.
Spoilers ahead for the main quest of Oblivion
Why Is Being a Septim So Important for Martin and the Fate of Tamriel?
The Mythic Dawnsucceeded in opening portals to Oblivion because an ancient contract between mortals and Akatosh, the dragon god of time, was broken. As long as a Dragonborn emperor sits on the throne, and the Dragonfires are lit, Tamriel cannot be accessed freely by the Daedra. As a symbol of this arrangement, emperors past were given the Amulet of Kings, which only they can wear. With Uriel Septim dead, and no emperor to take his place, the Dragonfires went out, and the barrier between Mundus and Oblivion was severed.
Martin comes from the long line of Septim emperors, descended fromTiber Septim, founder of the Third Empire, and he is the last hope of having a Dragonborn ruler on the throne. Martin’s final sacrifice at the end of the main quest was something he was forced into by the extreme circumstances of Mehrunes Dagon himself entering Tamriel, as ordinarily, lighting the Dragonfires would be enough. With his transformation into an avatar of Akatosh, the barrier was sealed forever, but the Empire would never be the same again.
