Dalacard Rethwode

"'The darkness has come before, and it will come again. Do not underestimate its power. That is why I have devoted my life to teaching the Blades, as I was taught, to strengthen those who would fight for good in this world against the tide of darkness that is sure to come.'" ―Dalacard Rethwode Dalacard Rethwode was a Mystic Breton male and a legendary Blade Master and member of the Cyrodiilic Empire of Therin during the Covenant Wars. After the Dragon Break, he went by the alias of Dal of Markwasten in order to hide from the Blood Pact and other forces that were gathering strength in the aftermath of the Covenant Wars. A nobleman known for his skills with Mystic magic and dueling abilities, Rethwode trained several important figures in the war as his personal apprentices, served as a Grand Admiral and Commander in the Seventh Legion of the Empire.

Born on the City of Whiterun in 4E 175, at the very end of the Great War, Rethwode was orphaned from a young age after the suicide of his father, Benteron Rethwode, and was thereafter sheltered and protected, even serving as a squire, to Jarl Alice of Whiterun. During the Crossing at Fort Greymoor, Dalacard earned his knighthood by helping fend off the Blades from neutral territory after a belligerent duel between Quintus Petreia and the Listener of the Dark Brotherhood. Dalacard also began mentoring and helping train Gabriella, the younger sister of Aurelia, who was supposed to be Jarl Alice's successor. Over the years, Dalacard earned a reputation amid the Guard of Whiterun for his skill with the khajiit martial art of Rawlith Khaj, and was rode to the rank of Commander of the Whiterun General Infantry. Although he had a kind heart to those he cared, especially his protegé Gabriella, he was known for his ruthlessness against those who would wrong the people of Whiterun and its laws, which he had written himself. As the tensions of the Covenant started to aggravate in Northern Skyrim, Dalacard was present as an emissary in Dawnstar when it was taken, secretly aiding Grandmaster Quintus Petreia in the evacuation of the survivors of late Jarl Kazu's court.

When the Covenant Wars began in 4E 225, Dalacard was sent by Gabriella, whom had risen to the rank of Jarl of Whiterun, to flee to Cyrodiil in order to seek the help of the Order of the Blades to liberate the city, days before its fall in the Siege of Azaron. He was thereafter inducted in the Blades and became the direct apprentice of Quintus Petreia after completing his initial lessons. In 4E 226, the Blades rallied to defend the Cyrodiilic Empire against the Free Armies of the Covenant, and Dalacard became a Grand Admiral and Commander in the newly-reformed Imperial Legions of Cyrodiil. Dalacard often served alongside the apprentices he had, such as Alea Lasharel, Makarov Zendai and Alucard Ashcrow, leading each their respective cohorts, but mostly the 7th Cohort of the 7th Legion. Although several of his students achieved fame for their efforts against the Covenant, it was while under Rethwode's tutelage that Makarov Zendai developed a fanatical desire for knowledge forbidden by the Blades, and abandoned his Master's wisdom in search thereof. However, in 4E 234, the Battle of Imperial City rendered the disappearance of the second King of the Covenant, Bor Roman, which led to an interregnum in the enemy ranks, until Mariber Sicarius claimed the Bandit Crown in Senchal, where the Free Armies of the Covenant had gathered for a final strike. Dalacard, who led the Grand Armada of the Imperial Legions in his flagship, marshaled the fleets to Elsweyr and drove the armies away. With King Sicarius fugitive from Imperial law, the Crown fell to the Regent of Whiterun, Dalacard's former apprentice that had fallen to the enemy side, Makarov Zendai. The ensuing katana duel between the former master and apprentice concluded when Makarov accepted the nature of his fate and fulfilled his part in the prophecy, signing the Accords of Whiterun and formally surrendering to the Empire in behalf of the Covenant.

After the fall of the Therin Dynasty, Rethwode lived for two decades as a hermit in Avanchnzel, in the Rift of Skyrim, hiding from the remnants of the Covenant that had hidden in darkness for years, led by former Protectorate of Dawnstar Er-Shei Rak'tee. When the lost heir, Kayden Therin, beseeched him to join the loyalist cause in 5E 21, he was prepared to train the boy to become an Emperor like his father before him. However, their journey led to the city of Stros M'kai and to the discovery that the Order of the Black Worm had been arranging the events of the revival of the Blood Pact, the ravaging sundered kingdoms in Skyrim, the disarray in Cyrodiil, and had even personally orchestrated the events of the Covenant Wars. While attempting to abandon the island in his skiff, a battle ensued between him and Andras, the former master of Neo and orchestrator of the main events that in many ways traumatized Dalacard. Though he initially defended himself, he finally made use of the relic he been researching for the last two decades, Keening, and disappeared from the mortal plane. Yet that was not the end of Dalacard Rethwode, as he became a Shade and was therefore able to continue guiding those who would learn how to summon him.

Early life
Because his mother died when he was very young, Dalacard was raised during his early years by his father, Benteron. Benteron was famed throughout Skyrim, having saved Whiterun on at least one occasion; Dalacard in particular revered his father. During one of Benteron's missions - after Dalacard had begun his education under the tutelage of Jarl Alice and her courtmage - Benteron made the decision to save the lives of his comrades rather than complete the assignment. The mission's failure had disastrous consequences for Whiterun, causing many in the city, including the fellow guards he saved, to vilify him for abandoning his duties. Disgraced, Benteron committed suicide. Seeing what his father went through and determined not to make the same mistakes, Dalacard decided that following the laws and rules must always take priority.

Dalacard was taken under the wings of the State of Whiterun, thereafter becoming one of the foster children of Jarl Alice. During his education years, Dalacard earned top grades, earning him recognition as a prodigy and the best of his generation. Ultimately, he became very popular amongst his peers. With his talents soon being recognised, at age 8, Dalacard was deemed ready to begin training in magic and combat. Upon being sent to the Jorrvaskr for the learning of such arts, he was put under the apprenticeship of Raego Stormblade. To his surprise, only one other foster child of Jarl Alice did as well to be placed under Raego: Gabriella, the younger sister of one of the oldest foster children of Alice's, Aurelia.

By 4E 205, Aurelia rose to the rank of Jarl. She tried to help Dalacard emerge from the darkness he'd fallen into after being exposed for so many years to secret operations for intelligence by assigning him to the normal corps of the General Whiterun Infantry. Dalacard did well in the GWI, eventually becoming a Captain. However, his successes were owed to his cold behavior and his ruthlessness in combat, signs that he was still influenced by the personality he created during his time as a spy for Whiterun. Aurelia therefore tried a different tactic: assigning Dalacard to protect herself and her younger sister, Gabriella. Dalacard carried out his duties faithfully, monitoring Gabriella from the shadows whenever she left her home.

Over the years, he was placed in charge of teaching the arts of combat to several younglings, such as Raego had done to him, but none ever demonstrated the ability of teamwork he considered to be so important. Eventually, he started worrying that his own methods were too harsh, but from seeing how his former underlings that he previously failed prospered due to his teachings, his faith was reaffirmed

After the rise of the Free Cities of Skyrim,Dalacard was also involved in the attempt to mediate relations between the Order of the Blades and the Dark Brotherhood, an attempt that would sadly fail with the disaster at the Crossing at Fort Greymoor.

Temple of Kynareth
Upon the arrival of the survivors of the Second Siege of Solitude to Whiterun in 4E 225, Dalacard helped direct them to the Temple of Kynareth, where they were to be healed. After he was fully recovered, Master Quintus spoke with Dalacard, giving him a stern directive that he should alert Jarl Gabriella of the dangers of the Horde before it was too late. After receiving her word of agreement, Rethwode returned to the Dragonsreach to prepare for his next assignment. That night, he watched from a cliff in Whiterun as the armies of the Imperial Legion retreated to Cyrodiil.

Covenant Wars
Rethwode became a Blade Commander in the Imperial Legions during the Covenant Wars as he lead the Empire to many famous victories, since he had achieved the rank of Blade Knight under the tutelage of Master Quintus, beginning with the countering of the warship Fist of Bal alongside Lasharel and Master Za'kar. In the battles that ensued in the campaign of Mariber Sicarius' flagship, Rethwode usually participated from the mast of his flagship, the Cruiser of Justice. While the Blades were ultimately successful in countering the threat, Rethwode was disturbed at the firepower the Fist of Bal had. This was followed soon after by his brilliant leadership at the Battle of Bal Oyra in which he led the Empire to victory. As his reputation increased Rethwode earned the rank of Grandmaster of the Order of the Blades, title by which he was immortalized in history. Another testimonial to Rethwode's importance in the Covenant Wars was that his likeness was used, along with that of his apprentice, Alucard Ashcrow, in a projected illusion deployed on Imperial battlemage training ranges to train warlocks and battlemages in distinguishing between friendly and hostile targets.

Skirmish at the Port of Winterhold
Rethwode was eventually dispatched with Lasharel, a group of legionnaires of the Third Cohort of the Seventh Legion, transported by Alesan, a traitor that Dalacard once saved from summary execution, to investigate the new warfare weapon of mystery that had been ravaging the Imperial outposts garrisoned at the coast of Morrowind. Rethwode and Alesan would often converse during the mission, but as it was Alea Lasharel's first assignment, she was nervous. During the mission, Dalacard was attacked by a Covenant sentry and the dreaded mercenary Mariber Sicarius took notice. The ensuing skirmish saw Lasharel steal the blueprints of the warships the Covenant had been secretly designing and Dalacard create a diversion for Sicarius' soldiers. Rethwode and Lasharel nevertheless managed to resist against Sicarius, even while being shot by many arrows, until the timely arrival of Alesan and the legionnaires. Rethwode and Lasharel eventually misled the soldiers, and met a mythical creature in their way back home, which made Alesan's ship invisible to any hostile eyes.

Battle of Skyshroud Barrow
After the incident on Winterhold, Rethwode, accompanied by Lasharel and Legate Sha'dra, commander of the Seventh Legion of the Seventh Cohort that was assigned to Dalacard's command, were dispatched to Yasammidan under orders of the Council, since the Beldama Wyrd predicted there was a large shadow forming in the ruin that would prove instrumental to turning the tide of the war in the favor of good. Rethwode pondered much the meaning of these words and the fluidness of prophecies, but Master Quintus assured him that the work of the Council was to interpret the prophecy and the work of a Knight was to see it fulfilled.

Once they arrived on the Daedric Ruin where the shadow was thought to be, they found nothing but corpses of Dremora and a ritual recently made. When they were setting up camp, Sha'dra received a projection from a legionnaire of the Fifth Cohort with a mayday message in Skyshroud Barrow. The Seventh Cohort and its command took the Cruiser of Justice and witnessed the utter destruction of Master Za'kar's flagship, the Wandering Lion, and the execution of many legionnaires of the Fifth Cohort. Lasharel and Rethwode then executed a risky stealthy mission to safely transport the survivors into the Imperial vessel and return them to Cyrodiil.

That was the first act of aggression outside Skyrim or Cyrodiil, which would, unfortunately, spread to many other provinces. It was thereafter known as the Battle of Skyshroud Barrow, and it led to a rise of the voluntary enlistments in the Imperial Legion, mainly because it was what alerted the people of Cyrodiil that this was no regional conflict, but a war.

Battle of Bal Oyra
Charged by the Prince of Anvil, Kydonius Therin, with protecting the Imperial Legion Outpost of Communications on Bal Oyra from the Covenant, Rethwode chose Lasharel, his apprentice, as his second in command, having not been able to dissuade Therin from the pursue of the battle. Devising a battle plan to relieve Therin's outnumbered organization, the Order of Light, Rethwode and Lasharel's initial plan was met with failure. Crafting a desperate rescue mission for the men and women on the ground, Rethwode was able to lead a successful assault on the region while Lasharel was able to capture the mercenary Mariber Sicarius.

Gathering at Deepscorn Hollow
After their endeavors on Bal Oyra, Dalacard departed Morrowind on urgency, seeing the need for medical care for most of his men and also Kydonius'. Embarking the Cruiser of Justice, he led the remainders of the Imperial fleet downwards the Padomaic Ocean to Leyawiin, a place which Kydonius had informed they would be welcome in, since he had managed to make contact with one of its most influent politicians, the Viscount of Telepes. Dalacard agreed, albeit remembering the government of Leyawiin for its exaggerated neutrality in the war. Thus they sailed to Leyawiin's coast, more specifically, Deepscorn Hollow.

Upon their arrival, Dalacard was uneasy after the presentation of Awaken, believing it to be too much of an omen of war. At night, their de facto host, Viscount Thryn, held a feast in the honor of the survivors. Garmented in his formal millitary robes, Dalacard attended, sitting between the Viscount and his apprentice, Alea Lasharel. Although a little uncomfortable with Thryn's continued attempts at seducing his apprentice, Dalacard was more relaxed at the dinner. Eventually, Alea felt uncomfortable and left the hall, being followed by Dalacard and the Viscount himself. At that moment, Kydonius gave a speech, declaring his intent of going to war and founding a new political movement, shoulder by shoulder with the Blades.

Facing the reality, Dalacard chose to leave the company of his host and apprentice, returning to his pavillion. Upon arrival, he stumbled upon the figure of Elvyria Asteria. They briefly discussed the nature of war and its cyclic aspect, when Asteria revealed that she was being deployed to infiltrate Covenant territory, with the end of discovering more about a Covenant plot involving the Dark Brotherhood and the Hold of the Rift. Rethwode attempted to object, but Asteria was too convinced that such actions were necessary to prove her worth to the Order of Light.

Moments after Elvyria left the pavillion to join the Order of Light in their side of the feast, legionnaires informed Dalacard that Mariber Sicarius' cell had been invaded and the intruder was attempting to flee with the mercenary. Dalacard and Alea arrived to intervene, but using ancient and forbidden magic, an assassin of the Dark Brotherhood managed to extract the prisoner from Deepscorn Hollow. Therin arrived and expressed his dissatisfaction, claiming the Brotherhood had no rights to act that way in Imperial territory, to which Dalacard responded that, since the Prince had so eagerly declared war, the word rights was very changeable in such state.

Personality and traits

 * "'Not just a military battle for the dominance of a few cities—this is a war of light and darkness, and at the center are our own mistakes from within.'"
 * "―Dalacard Rethwode"

Dalacard Rethwode was a pious warrior in his quest against the powers of forceful domination, regardless of their form. His devotion to righteousness extended beyond direct confrontation with the enemy to preparation of future Knights for the dark times that he felt were sure to come. The urgency with which the Covenant wrought interprovincial havoc dismayed him immensely. Makarov's willful defection to the Covenant deeply troubled Rethwode even more, and he harbored considerable guilt for the fall into darkness of what he considered an inadequately trained apprentice on his behalf, blame for which was also laid at his feet by others. Still, he felt compelled to help Makarov, a sign of foolish naiveté according to Bor Roman. Rethwode assumed full responsibility for ending the threat posed by his fallen apprentice and resigned himself to whatever outcome resulted from their confrontation. He gained a deeper understanding into the seductive grasp of power and greed through his experience with Makarov.

Rethwode was a firm believer in the virtues of the lifelong, never-ending training of a Blade Knight, and readily imparted measures of wisdom to both the curious and uninterested, indiscriminately. Such was the deference conveyed upon him that other Masters often sent their own apprentices to him for further instruction, and Rethwode could often be seen in the midst of his actively engaged students. He was deeply attuned to the emotions of others: dejection and misgiving were met with comfort and reassurance; overconfidence in those with great promise was swiftly admonished; darkness and emptiness were misunderstood—and pitied. Wisdom born of such an illustrious, decades-long career earned him the respect of war heroes young and old. By the end of the Covenant Wars, he was a vocal and influential member of the loosely collected Elder Council, and his counsel was often sought on matters of import.

As a Blade Knight, Rethwode was cynical, though wise beyond his years. His humble and soft-spoken demeanor belied his warrior prowess. Despite his numerous complaints during sailing, he was also a skilled navigator. In many ways, he represented the strength of the old Order of the Blades: steadfast, selfless, and modest.

During his time as a wanderer, Rethwode was a recluse, keeping contact with people to an absolute minimum and maintained his strong sense of pride; he is willing to help cities if their problems are beyond their expertise but ignores their requests if facing insignificant issues. He also sometimes acts independently on his own and helps governmental organizations, but does not even bother to interact with anyone during such instances, although he does leave strong hints he was responsible. On some occasions where does interact with others while helping out rulers and their citizens, his conversations are often one-sided where he speaks briefly before vanishing without giving the other person a chance to reply. He is also not above acknowledging significant events as he sent a note congratulating Alucard Ashcrow for the birth of his son. Acknowledging his mistakes and once free from the hate the war awakened within him, Dalacard reverts back to the type of person he was prior to the war; being kind to others and displaying a sense of humour but maintaining his aloof exterior. Although publicly regarded as a hero for his role in the war, Dalacard feels that his crimes and imperfections outweigh anything heroic he has ever done.

Powers and abilities
Despite his Order's tendency for the preference of diplomacy and mediation, Dalacard Rethwode was one of the greatest swordsmen and Mystics in the history of his Order, and especially in his time. As a young soldier in Whiterun, Rethwode showed much potential. He accomplished many feats by strategically using all vast possibilities of mystical magic to a similar end, something even Blade Masters have trouble with. This displayed not only his strength in strategic mindset and knowledge of the art of war, but also his strength of character. Rethwode was a skilled Blade Master with broad magicka reserves, a talent with which he displayed a wide variety of uses, from trivial character assessments to perceived impressions of despair in faraway places. From disarming telekinectic maneuvers to the ability to mark and recall, Rethwode often preferred non-aggressive Mystical techniques in combat. Rethwode was gifted with bursts of augmented speed due to a Mages Guild ring, and would meditate to use the Elder Scroll of Warp. He achieved the ability to appear in spirit form after his death whenever summoned by a talented conjurator. A bona fide scholar, Rethwode was intimately familiar with the lore and histories of the Cyrodiilic Empire, the Order of the Blades, and even the Order of the Black Worm, much of which he recorded into several texts.

A scholar of artifacts
As a proved General and a Knight of the Blades, Rethwode's primary talents lay in the field of battle. His combat reflexes were second to none; a ring crafted by the traitorous Arch-Mage of the Mages Guild, Sabrina, allowed him to effect highly acrobatic maneuvers and recoveries, while he still managed to struck at targets with blindingly rapid efficiency. His unparalleled knowledge of armed combat saw him recognized as a a consummate katana-wielder, one who often indulged aspiring Blades with instruction in both the weapon's construction and use. Despite his renown as the greatest of a knightly order of formidable fighters and legendary status as a duelist, Rethwode was one of few known Blades who preferred not to carry or wield any other weapon than katanas. He was the wielder of the legendary relics Goldbrand and Sunderblade. Goldbrand, Boethia's artefact, was able to penetrate bodies with the power of fire, and was more than in one occasion used to cut through objects due to the fire it produce. Sunderblade also served him well in combat, and allowed him to disarm underestimating opponents, as it deteriorated any type of metal it touched, and was enchanted to be without any weight. That enchantment, added to Dalacard's enchanted ring of speed, made Sunderblade almost invincible, as it could barely be seen before it would struck its enemy.

Dalacard was also in posession of the Skull of Corruption, which he would often use as a quarterstaff in battle when he intended not to use lethal force. The Staff also had the ability of producing an exact copy of the enemy its bolt struck, often forcing any who would challenge Rethwode not only to fight him, but also a version of themselves. Furthermore, in the early months of the Covenant Wars, Rethwode came to own a Daedric Helmet imbued with magical powers of sensing the presence of others, which, allied with his speed and destructive power, made him a formidable duelist.

Mysticism, magical prowess and other abilities

 * "'There is a secret to the warrior arts. One that has nothing to do with training. Nothing to do with fancy movements. It is the willingness to trade lives with your enemy. To never fight for anything you would not die for. Those who fight for glory, or gold, or power, stand on shifting sand, not the bedrock of true courage.'"
 * "―Dalacard Rethwode to Alucard Ashcrow"

Dalacard Rethwode proved himself to be a great military strategist and a highly studious man, which resulted in his attaining the rank of Grand Admiral during the Covenant Wars along with his apprentice, Alucard Ashcrow. Though Rethwode focused largely on the use of a katana he was also very skilled and powerful in use of the magic, having been trained as a spellsword. He was trained in use of the Mark and Recall techniques, Dispel and the more advanced Illusion skills, such as the ability to control the will of other people. After the war, Rethwode deeply studied the disappearance of the Dwemer in Avanchnzel, and following the doctrine and the studies left by Arniel Gane, Rethwode eventually learned the ability to become a Shade after death.

His strategic ability was also shown in his use of the many magical artifacts he owned. Applying the principles of the Rawlith Khaj, he often took advantage of his superior offensive capabilities and position on the battlefield to win his battles with as little effort exhausted as possible.