Oblivion:Amulet of Kings

The UESPWiki – Your source for The Elder Scrolls since 1995

The Amulet of Kings is a pendant traditionally worn by the ruling emperor of Cyrodiil. The pendant is actually a very powerful Soul Gem infused with the spirit of the first empress Alessia. It is a central item in the main questline of Oblivion, which revolves around the delivery of the amulet to the last heir of the late Emperor Uriel Septim VII. The amulet may only be worn by members of the Septim bloodline; if the player attempts to equip it, it simply slips off his/her neck. Strangely enough, Mankar Camoran is able to wear it without any problems.

See the book The Amulet of Kings.

[edit] History

During the First Era, before the barrier between Oblivion and the mortal plane was erected, the ancient Ayleids regularly used monsters and daedra summoned from Oblivion to prey upon human settlements. After many years of seeing her fellow men brutalized by the Ayleids' daedric servants, Alessia went to Akatosh and asked him to take pity on humankind. The god drew blood from his own heart and blessed Alessia with it, saying that as long as her line was true to the dragon blood, he would keep the forces of Oblivion at bay. As a token of his vow, he gave her the Amulet of Kings, and told her that it must always remain in possession of her heirs, or the gates to Oblivion would open once more. Upon Alessia's death, Shezarr (in some accounts Lorkhan) captured her soul in the giant red gem in the center of the amulet. The eight smaller gems surrounding it represent the Eight Divines present in the Cyrodilic aedric religion at the time when the Amulet was created (before Talos became the ninth divine).

In the early years of the Second Era, Emperor Reman I instituted the ritual of lighting the Dragonfires which now accompanies the crowning of every new emperor. Following the official coronation ceremony, the new monarch is soul-linked to the Amulet of Kings and sent to the Temple of the One to light the enchanted Dragonfires, which burn until his death.

[edit] In Oblivion

The Amulet is given to the player by Emperor Uriel Septim VII during the game's opening tutorial, just before the emperor's assassination. The player is instructed to take the amulet to Jauffre, the leader of the Blades (Deliver the Amulet), who will give the player more information on how to find Uriel VII's last surviving heir.