Lore:Ocato of Firsthold

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Potentate Ocato of Firsthold
OB-npc-High Chancellor Ocato.jpg
Potentate Ocato of Firsthold
Race Altmer Gender Male
Died 4E 15
Resided in Imperial City
Firsthold
Reign 4E 1-
4E 15
Previous Ruler Martin Septim
Next Ruler Thules the Gibbering
Appears in Daggerfall, Oblivion

Ocato of Firsthold[1] was the Imperial Battlemage of Tamriel and Lord High Chancellor of the Elder Council to Emperor Uriel Septim VII during the late Third Era. Following Uriel VII's assassination in 3E 433, Ocato, as head of the Elder Council, served as the Empire's de facto ruler, and he helped lead the Empire through the Oblivion Crisis. At the conclusion of the Oblivion Crisis and the Third Era, Martin Septim, an illegitimate son of Uriel VII, sacrificed himself to end the crisis, but this rendered the Septim Dynasty extinct, so Ocato convened the full Elder Council to select a new emperor, but the council failed to make a selection.[2] Following this, Ocato reluctantly agreed to become potentate, and he served as the ruler of the Empire until his assassination circa 4E 15.[2][3][nb 1] Following his assassination, the Empire entered the chaotic period known as the Stormcrown Interregnum.[3]

Biography[edit]

Early Life[edit]

Little is known of Ocato's early life other than that he originally hailed from the city of Firsthold on the island of Auridon, the second largest of the Summerset Isles.[1]

Elder Council and Imperial Battlemage of Tamriel[edit]

Ocato in 3E 405

At some point, Ocato became part of the Elder Council.[1] Following Jagar Tharn's defeat and the restoration of Uriel Septim VII to the Dragon Throne in 3E 399, Ocato was appointed Imperial Battlemage of Tamriel and High Chancellor of the Elder Council.[1] Ocato eventually became Uriel VII's trusted confidant and chief advisor.[1]

In 3E 405, Ocato was present in the audience chamber of the Imperial Palace when Uriel VII sent an Agent of the Blades to the Iliac Bay to investigate the restless ghost of King Lysandus of Daggerfall and to find and destroy a letter the Emperor sent to Queen Mynisera of Daggerfall.[1][4]

In 3E 427, Ocato sent a letter ordering Trebonius Artorius, the Arch-Mage of the Mages Guild on Vvardenfell, to retire.[5][6] By 3E 433, some believed that Ocato and the Elder Council had been the real rulers of the Empire for fifteen years.[7][8]

Oblivion Crisis[edit]

On 27 Last Seed, 3E 433, Uriel VII and his heirs were assassinated by the Dagonist Mythic Dawn, extinguishing the Dragonfires and triggering an invasion from Oblivion known as the Oblivion Crisis.[9][10][11] After the assassinations, Ocato and the Elder Council were named the Empire's regents, following the ancient precedent of the Elder Council ruling the empire until the crowning of a new emperor.[11][12] Ocato, as head of the Elder Council, was the de facto ruler of the Empire.[13] Ocato, speaking publicly for the Elder Council, asked the imperial citizenry to remain calm and remember the Emperor, his sons, and the Elder Council in their prayers.[11] Ocato committed the available resources of the Elder Council, the Imperial Legion, the Imperial Guard, the Arcane University, and the Imperial Battle College to try to bring the assassins to justice.[11] He also gave assurances that the Elder Council was in control of the situation and could effectively govern the Empire until a new heir was found.[14]

Most of the counts and countesses of Cyrodiil applauded the High Chancellor's efforts to hold the Empire together and commiserated with the difficult situation he faced.[15][16][17][18] However, a few of the counts did not approve of Ocato's actions during the crisis, as Count Marius Caro of Leyawiin believed Ocato and the Elder Council were overly concerned with the other provinces and were leaving the Cyrodilic counties to fend for themselves, and Count Regulus Terentius of Bravil stated that he believed the High Chancellor planned to use his position as head of the Elder Council to become emperor.[19][20]

According to Ocato, imperial generals informed him that the Imperial Army forces in the other provinces were already fully committed and could not send troops to defend Cyrodiil.[14] Ocato also believed there would be a political crisis if he tried to recall any troops from the other provinces.[14] As a result, the Imperial Legion's participation in the defense of Cyrodiil's counties was limited.[21] Due to the lack of Legion reinforcements, Count Caro stated that County Leyawiin stood alone in the crisis.[19] However, according to Redoran Second Councilor Adril Arano, the Legion forces stationed in Morrowind were recalled to defend Cyrodiil,[22] and another source claims that the imperial guardsmen on Solstheim were likewise recalled.[23] The Legion forces at Fort Swampmoth in Black Marsh were also stated to have been recalled; however, the reason for their recall is unknown.[24]

Despite the best efforts of Ocato and the Elder Council, the Empire began disintegrating due to the crisis.[12] Martin Septim, an illegitimate son of Uriel VII, with the help of the Blades and the Hero of Kvatch, recovered the Amulet of Kings from the leader of the Mythic Dawn, Mankar Camoran, to relight the Dragonfires.[10][25] After the amulet's recovery, Martin sent a messenger to the Imperial City to inform Ocato that he wished to formally present his claim to the Imperial Throne to the Elder Council.[26] Upon Martin's arrival at the Elder Council Chambers in the Imperial Palace, Ocato informed him that the Elder Council accepted his claim to the throne and recognized Martin as emperor.[10][27] Immediately after this, an Imperial Legion messenger informed the new Emperor and the High Chancellor that Oblivion Gates had opened in the Imperial City and Daedra were inside the walls, so Ocato helped protect and escort Martin to the Temple of the One to relight the Dragonfires.[27] At the Temple of the One, Martin sacrificed himself by shattering the Amulet of Kings to become the avatar of Akatosh.[10][27] In the ensuing battle, the avatar defeated Mehrunes Dagon and sent the Prince of Destruction back to Oblivion, ending the Oblivion Crisis.[10][27] Martin's sacrifice marked the end of the Third Era and the beginning of the Fourth Era.[28] After Mehrunes Dagon's defeat, Ocato entered the temple, and the Hero of Kvatch informed him of Martin's fate.[14] Ocato rewarded the Hero of Kvatch for their service to the Empire by proclaiming them Champion of Cyrodiil, the highest rank in the Order of the Dragon, and ordering them a suit of Imperial Dragon armor.[14][29]

Potentate of the Third Empire[edit]

While Martin's sacrifice ended the Oblivion Crisis, it rendered the Septim Dynasty extinct, which once again made Ocato and the Elder Council the rulers of the Empire.[2][14][28] Ocato anticipated trouble for the Empire's future, as the provinces were restive even prior to the Oblivion Crisis.[14] Soon after the crisis, rumors circulated that some of the provinces were considering seceding from the Empire.[30] Ocato believed that the Elder Council could hold the Empire together short-term, but that it needed an emperor to hold it together long-term, so his primary concern after the Oblivion Crisis was to select a new emperor.[2][14] Ocato convened the full Elder Council to select a new emperor, but the council failed to make a selection.[2] Without an emperor, imperial control outside of Cyrodiil quickly began to dissipate.[2] In 4E 1, to try to hold the Empire together, Ocato reluctantly agreed to assume the position of potentate in accordance with the Elder Council Charter until imperial rule was reestablished.[2]

After becoming potentate, Ocato worked to stabilize the Empire and prevent its breakup, and by 4E 5, he had made some progress on these fronts.[2] In 4E 5, Red Mountain on the island of Vvardenfell erupted, which devastated Morrowind and plunged the province into chaos.[2][22][31][32]:234, 261 Following the eruption of Red Mountain, Black Marsh seceded from the Empire.[3][31][32]:206 The following year in 4E 6, the Argonians exploited the Dunmer's weakness by invading Morrowind in what became known as the Accession War, which further devastated the province.[3][32]:234, 261[33]:133

Ocato's reign as potentate witnessed the Thalmor's reemergence as a dominant political force in the Summerset Isles.[3] The Thalmor had always been a powerful faction in the Summerset Isles, but they had been a minority voice prior to the Oblivion Crisis.[31] However, during the crisis, the Thalmor were granted more power and authority, and they were credited with saving Summerset Isle from the Daedric invaders, which boosted their popularity among the Altmer.[31][34] Following this, the Thalmor began consolidating their power in the Summerset Isles.[3][34] Possibly because he was an Altmer, Ocato reportedly took the reemergence of the Thalmor as a dominant political force more seriously than most.[3] However, before he could address the Thalmor threat, Ocato was assassinated circa 4E 15.[3][nb 1] It was believed that the Thalmor ordered his assassination.[3] Following Ocato's assassination, the Empire entered the chaotic period known as the Stormcrown Interregnum.[3]

Notes[edit]

  • ^  Ocato's death and the subsequent beginning of the Stormcrown Interregnum are never given precise dates. In Rising Threat, the accession of Titus Mede I and therefore the end of the Stormcrown Interregnum, which lasted for seven years, is placed around the same time as the Thalmor takeover of the Summerset Isles, which The Great War states occurred in 4E 22. Dating seven years back from this date yields the year 4E 15.
  • The Gray Fox once pickpocketed a key to the Imperial Sewers from Ocato to allow a thief to steal an Elder Scroll from the Imperial Palace.[35]
  • In a 2023 interview, Ted Peterson said that the actor who portrayed Ocato in the opening FMV cutscene of Daggerfall was a member of Flashpoint Productions, a video game developer that was acquired by Bethesda in 1995 and that did additional work on Daggerfall. The actor's name is unknown, however.[36]

See Also[edit]

  • For game-specific information, see the Oblivion article.

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e f Daggerfall User's Guide/History
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Rising Threat, Vol. III — Lathenil of Sunhold
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Rising Threat, Vol. IV — Lathenil of Sunhold
  4. ^ Daggerfall Introduction Scene
  5. ^ Letter from Ocato — Chancellor Ocato
  6. ^ Events of the Arch-Mage quest in Morrowind
  7. ^ Letter to Mother — Brother Piner
  8. ^ Sjoring Hard-Heart's dialogue in Morrowind
  9. ^ Events of the Tutorial in Oblivion
  10. ^ a b c d e The Oblivion Crisis — Praxis Sarcorum, Imperial Historian
  11. ^ a b c d Assassination!
  12. ^ a b Jauffre's dialogue in Oblivion
  13. ^ Arriana Valga's dialogue in Oblivion
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h Ocato's dialogue in Oblivion
  15. ^ Millona Umbranox's dialogue in Oblivion
  16. ^ Narina Carvain's dialogue in Oblivion
  17. ^ Andel Indarys' dialogue in Oblivion
  18. ^ Janus Hassildor's dialogue in Oblivion
  19. ^ a b Marius Caro's dialogue in Oblivion
  20. ^ Regulus Terentius' dialogue in Oblivion
  21. ^ Events of Allies for Bruma in Oblivion
  22. ^ a b Adril Arano's dialogue in Skyrim: Dragonborn
  23. ^ History of Raven Rock, Vol. I — Lyrin Telleno
  24. ^ Black Marsh Radiant Conversations in Oblivion
  25. ^ Events of Paradise in Oblivion
  26. ^ Martin Septim's dialogue in Oblivion
  27. ^ a b c d Events of Light the Dragonfires in Oblivion
  28. ^ a b Oblivion Ending Scene
  29. ^ Events of Imperial Dragon Armor in Oblivion
  30. ^ Generic Dialogue in Oblivion
  31. ^ a b c d The Great War — Legate Justianus Quintius
  32. ^ a b c The Infernal City — Greg Keyes
  33. ^ Lord of Souls — Greg Keyes
  34. ^ a b Rising Threat, Vol. II — Lathenil of Sunhold
  35. ^ The Gray Fox's dialogue in Oblivion
  36. ^ Camelworks: Ted Peterson Interview
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