The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion - The Brief Life of Martin Septim

gamerant.com:

Martin Septim is one of the main characters of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion. He plays such a prominent role in the game’s primary story that many players believe him to be the main protagonist, not the Hero of Kvatch.

This is certainly believable, given how much he does for Tamriel in such a short time, but not much is known about what he did before the events of Oblivion. Delving into his dialogue lines reveals some interesting possibilities, however.

Why Oblivion Won't Be Forgotten Even After The Elder Scrolls 6's Release

Martin was the illegitimate child of former Emperor Uriel Septim VII — one of the most important rulers in The Elder Scrolls — and an unnamed mother. While he was an infant, Grandmaster Jauffre of the Blades took him away from the Imperial Palace. It’s unknown where Jauffre brought the young Martin, but the child was raised by a farmer and never knew of his true lineage.

When Martin grew up, he joined the Mages Guild. However, the group had strict rules on what type of magic students could and could not practice. Martin soon grew tired of the restrictions, so he and a handful of apprentices either left the guild or practiced in secret. They yearned for forbidden knowledge, eventually landing on studies of daedric magic.

It’s believed that Martin ended up joining the cult of the daedric prince Sanguine because of a specific dialogue line. In the quest, “Blood of the Daedra,” Martin requests that the Hero of Kvatch bring him a daedric artifact that he could use to open a portal to Mankar Camoran’s Paradise. Any daedric artifact in The Elder Scrolls world would do. If the player gives him the Sanguine Rose, Martin will comment that he thought he’d never see the staff again, further stating that he had owned