Three Banners War

Introduction & Historical Context

The Second Empire collapsed with the assassination of the last Akaviri Potentate in 2E 430. Centuries of Interregnum followed, leaving Cyrodiil fractured among warlords and petty kings. In 2E 578 the attempted coronation of Varen Aquilarios and the treachery of Mannimarco triggered the Soulburst and the Planemeld. Molag Bal’s invasion was repelled by mortal champions, but the Amulet of Kings remained lost and the Dragonfires unlit. In 2E 583, three alliances contest the Ruby Throne.

The Ruby Throne & the Heart of Cyrodiil

The Imperial City lies half-ruined, occupied by mercenaries, bandits, and Daedric remnants. Cyrodiil itself is a battlefield of shifting fortresses, ruined villages, and collapsing supply lines. None hold the Ruby Throne for long, yet all claim it as the symbol of legitimacy.

The Alliances & Their Goals

The Ebonheart Pact

The @Ebonheart Pact is an alliance of necessity, yet in this year of 2E 583 it has forged a surprising coherence under the iron hand of House Redoran. At its head stands Primarch Faron Athrendys, commanding from Blacklight with the sanction of the Tribunal Temple. Jorunn the Skald-King remains the Pact’s voice and symbol, but it is Athrendys’ discipline and Redoran martial tradition that set the tone of Pact strategy.

The Pact’s ideology rejects the ancient Cyrodiilic covenant. To them, the Dragonfires are no safeguard against Oblivion, but a deception — a tool to grant Men divine legitimacy over Tamriel. The true protection, they argue, lies in @Sotha Sil’s Coldharbour Compact, which already bars Daedric Princes from freely crossing into the mortal world. The Amulet of Kings, then, is not a relic of salvation but an instrument of oppression, binding Tamriel to endless cycles of empire and collapse.

The @Ebonheart Pact's goal is as radical as it is clear: destroy the Amulet of Kings. By doing so, the Pact hopes to end the pretensions of human dynasties, shatter the illusion of divine mandate, and restore the sovereignty of each province. They do not fight to claim the Ruby Throne but to unmake it as a symbol of power.

Militarily, the Pact seeks to secure Cyrodiil long enough to reach the Amulet, and see it destroyed. To this end, Redoran legions form the disciplined core of the armies, supported by Nord heavy infantry and Argonian guerrilla fighters. Their strategy emphasizes holding the northeast and Nibenay regions as buffers against Covenant incursions, while raiding further afield when opportunities arise.

Yet unity is not perfect. Many Nords are uneasy, their kinship with the Covenant gnawing at their loyalty. Argonians serve, but their scars of enslavement remain unhealed, and they eye Dunmeri dominance with suspicion. The Dunmer, for their part, believe this war is their chance to project power beyond their borders and prove themselves as Tamriel’s true bulwark against foreign domination.

The Daggerfall Covenant

The @Daggerfall Covenant , under the banner of High King Emeric of Wayrest, presents itself as the natural heir to the Second Empire. Where the Pact seeks to tear down the old order, the Covenant seeks to restore it. To Bretons, Redguards, and Orcs alike, the Amulet of Kings and the Dragonfires are the sacred covenant of Men, legitimizing their divine right to rule Tamriel.

Their win condition is simple and absolute: restore the Ruby Throne under a human dynasty and relight the Dragonfires. This, they proclaim, will re-establish the natural order and bring peace and stability to a war-torn continent. The Covenant fights not only for conquest but for the restoration of what they see as the rightful dominion of Man.

The Covenant’s armies are diverse but formidable. Breton knights and battlemages form the aristocratic backbone; Redguard swordmasters bring discipline and martial prowess; Orcish heavy infantry provide brutal strength and siege craft. Their strategy is to secure central Cyrodiil and its trade routes, dominate the Iliac Bay, and challenge the Dominion’s control of the seas.

But even within their alliance, tensions persist. Redguards distrust the Bretons’ reliance on sorcery, while the Orcs, long scorned, still struggle for full acceptance despite their value on the battlefield. Still, High King Emeric holds them together with promises of shared empire and equal standing within a restored order.

The Aldmeri Dominion

The @Aldmeri Dominion , led by Queen Ayrenn, frames its struggle in terms of destiny. To the Altmer, their lineage from the ancient Ehlnofey makes them Nirn’s true heirs. The younger races have squandered their inheritance, and only under Elven guidance can balance be restored.

Their goal is to seat a Mer upon the Ruby Throne and reshape Tamriel under Aldmeri law. The Dominion does not simply wish to conquer; it wishes to reorder all of Nirn. To them, the Throne belongs to the High Elves by right of birth and by the wisdom of ages.

The @Aldmeri Dominion forces are swift and adaptive. Altmer battlemages and fleets dominate sea and sky, Bosmeri Green Pact warriors fight with feral zeal, and Khajiiti warriors bring unmatched speed and versatility. They are further bolstered by Maormer allies, whose fleets grant the Dominion undisputed naval supremacy. This enables them to blockade Covenant ports, raid Pact coasts, and project power far beyond the Summerset Isles.

Yet even here, unity is fragile. The Bosmer’s Green Pact rituals often clash with Altmer ideals of order, while Khajiiti loyalty waxes and wanes with the moons and tribal politics. Still, Queen Ayrenn commands respect and vision, keeping the Dominion focused on the singular goal of Mer ascendance.

Nature of Warfare in 2E 583

The war in Cyrodiil is defined by sieges and shifting control. Fortresses, bridges, and Elder Scroll temples change hands again and again, with supply lines often proving more decisive than swords. The Ruby Throne itself rarely stays beneath one banner for long, yet each alliance declares legitimacy from even the briefest occupation.

Beyond Cyrodiil, the struggle spills into the provinces. In the east, @Ebonheart Pact and @Aldmeri Dominion skirmish across the marshes of Black Marsh and the borders of Valenwood. In the west, @Daggerfall Covenant and @Aldmeri Dominion fleets contest the Iliac Bay and Abecean Sea, raiding ports and choking trade. In the north, @Ebonheart Pact and @Daggerfall Covenant armies clash over the strongholds of Bruma and Cheydinhal, where every hill and bridge is paid for in blood.

The alliances are not alone in their struggles. The Fighters and Mages Guilds sell their services to the highest bidder, Daedric cults still fester in the shadows of the Planemeld, and outlaws exploit the chaos to carve out their own gains.