The Dragonborn, Delphine, and Esbern had found Sky Haven Temple as a forgotten ruin in the Karthspire mountain, swarmed by Forsworn inhabiting the cavern entrance as a fortified camp and unaware of the true treasure of the fortress they sat upon. After a day of grueling undertaking, the Dragonborn and his allies were able to reclaim the hidden keep and unlock its secrets. Delphine was pleased to discover the interior and a cache of arms in preserved condition, while Esbern exuded a scholar's delight at the collection of ancient tomes and, more excitingly, Alduin's Wall.
The Dragonborn had other matters on his mind. Once they had settled in and explored their new headquarters, how could they ensure keeping it? The three were battle tested and competent warriors, but they knew it would be futile to hold off the hordes of Reachmen and their Hagraven matrons from reclaiming their former base of operations -- particularly when the Blades and the Dragonborn needed to focus on the greater threat of Alduin. Delphine encouraged the recruitment of new members, and while the Dragonborn did have a few potential candidates already off the top of his head, he knew they would need a sizable detachment of able-bodied fighters to guard the lower entrance and surrounding area, making use of the now vacated Forsworn fortifications outside the temple. There was not enough time to initiate and train enough qualified individuals as new Blades; he had to find a force that was already mobilized and reliable.
The most immediate possibility was Markarth, but even in the unlikely event Jarl Igmund sanctioned the assistance of the already thinned city guard for their use, Delphine and the Dragonborn could not trust that those same men answered to the Jarl alone rather than the Silver-Blood family. Esbern was hopeful of convincing General Tullius to spare some soldiers from the Legion, but that idea was also quickly quashed: Tullius needed his troops to battle the Stormcloaks, and he could not risk the political implications of the Empire's highest-ranking agent in Skyrim reinstalling legitimacy to the former bodyguards of the emperor. The newly reformed Blades also lacked the funds to pay for mercenaries like the Companions. The little gold that was on hand was needed for provisions; they could only support three additional recruits to their order.
The Dragonborn contrived a solution: throughout his travels, he had encountered several groups of Orc hunters roaming the wilds of Skyrim and had rescued hunting parties in the Reach from ambushes by Forsworn. He set out to meet with his friend, Ghorbash the Iron Hand, from the Orc stronghold of Dushnikh Yal. They had traveled together through the Reach before, and the old Orc had taught the Dragonborn, a Nord, much about Orismer culture and the handful of independent strongholds in Skyrim, and he was familiar with the scattered communities of hunters. It was a large favor, but the Dragonborn convinced Ghorbash, given his experience in the Legion, to muster as many of the nomadic orcs as he could find, and bring them to Sky Haven Temple. They would be free to use the Forsworn's defenses as their own "stronghold", so long as they made oaths of secrecy and follow Ghorbash's command to defend the area from the violent Reachmen. Ghorbash would not only act as head of the camp, but also as the official go-between agent for the Blades inside Sky Haven Temple and outsiders wishing to interact with the newly formed Orc stronghold (a convenient front to maintain the secrecy of Sky Haven Temple) be it trade, provisioning, and so forth. The Orc hunters were happy to fight against the Forsworn, as the two groups were rivals and familiar enemies. Esbern and Delphine understood the honor system among Orismer and agreed to the arrangement.
With a base of operations secured and a force to defend it, all that was left to jumpstart the restoration of the Blades were...more Blades! Delphine and Esbern maintained that the Blades and only the Blades would be allowed into Sky Haven Temple, with the only exceptions being the trusted followers of the Dragonborn himself such as Ghorbash, which meant that any nominee needed to have the Dragonborn's trust before the other Blades would consider them. The Nord had three individuals in mind. Normally it would take weeks or even months for them all to be contacted and explained the situation, but the Dragonborn knew a reliable courier.
His first choice was Erandur, a Dunmer and priest of Mara: the Nord befriended and aided him in freeing the people of Dawnstar from Vaermina's phantasmagorical grasp. Since service to the Blades did not conflict with his dedication to the goddess Mara, he accepted the honor.
The Dragonborn's second nomination was his dear friend Illia, whom he met in her former coven's lair at Darklight Tower. What started as a simple investigation on his part turned into a bitter but necessary misadventure of black magic and matricide. Once over, the Dragonborn offered Illia to journey together, and the young Imperial graciously joined him on more than a few escapades and capers. They temporarily parted ways in Winterhold so that Illia could study at the College. The mage did not need to finish the Dragonborn's letter upon receiving it (the sloppy handwriting unmistakably belonged to her Nord companion); all she needed to read were the words "meet me" and "Old Hrodan", the name of the inn located in the Reach. She excused herself from the College of Winterhold and made her way to Old Hrodan within a fortnight. From there, the Dragonborn brought her to Sky Haven Temple, and along the way described the past few months dealing with the dragon crisis and the Blades. She eagerly agreed to his request for her to join him.
The last recruit was nearby Karthspire, and the Dragonborn visited them personally in the Orc stronghold of Mor Khazgur: Borgakh the Steel Heart was the daughter of its chieftain. They had met when the Dragonborn first visited the settlement with Ghorbash. She was envious of his freedom to travel, as she had resigned herself to her fate of being married off to another tribe in the near future. The Dragonborn failed to convince her to accompany him on his current mission to clear out a redoubt full of Forsworn, and he almost failed again to persuade her to join the Blades at Sky Haven Temple despite the yearning in her eyes. He cut Borgakh's reluctance short when he paid her father her dowry, and the Orismer warrior felt the shackles of duty crumble away. She made her goodbyes and followed the Dragonborn to her new life of adventure under his leadership at Sky Haven Temple.
After several months, Sky Haven Temple was a functional citadel; well provisioned from routine visits by the always-discreet Khajiit caravans, as well as the defending Orc hunters under Ghorbash. Their clashes with the rebellious Reachmen also earned the Jarl of Markarth's silent support in supplies and equipment. Forsworn attacks lessened in frequency and strength, the new initiates proved themselves as a cohesive team, and Delphine grew hopeful that her role as acting Grandmaster would become more than formality. The Blades had returned to Tamriel!
The Dragonborn, with the help of his Blades and the guidance of the High Hrothgar, faced off against the Alduin, the World Eater. They battled through lost caverns, hidden ruins, and eventually in Sovngarde itself. The Dragonborn fulfilled the prophecy of Alduin's Wall, and seemingly destroyed his destined foe, leaving the rest of the dragons leaderless. They soon discovered most of the remaining dragons decided to lay low, and Skyrim soon turned its attention back to Ulfric and the civil war. But the Blades remained committed to protecting the land and all of Tamriel from the lingering threat. Expeditions were quickly made to slay the incognito beasts.
Delphine, while appreciative of the Dragonborn's accomplishments, sat alone at the long stone table in the main hall of Sky Haven Temple, with only her thoughts and foul mood to keep council. After learning of Paarthunax's identity and the Dragonborn's refusal to execute the draconic criminal, she and Esbern refused to offer their ally any further support until the duty was done.
But instead of mapping out potential dragon lairs with her, Esbern had traveled with the Dragonborn to High Hrothgar for a meeting with the Greybeards at the young Nord's request. Delphine, of course, refused the invitation: as acting Grandmaster of the Blades she was far too busy for such a journey, and she would never otherwise attend any discourse with those lethargic monks. So, she remained behind, claiming to be preoccupied with training or gathering intelligence, the excuses changed with each person she spoke to.
At the moment, Delphine was content to stew in a mix of feelings from suspicion to loneliness. Her head titled upwards to view the ancient carvings on the ceiling. The glory of Blades past judged her from above.
"Grandmaster," she mocked to herself. She refused to let it show, but she and everyone knew the title was on ceremony. Esbern had her back, but the new recruits tooth their oaths at face value and treated the Dragonborn as the defacto leader of the Blades.
The Breton woman sighed. I cannot blame them, she thought. I barely survived Kynesgrove. My skills are in espionage and fighting off Thalmor, not dragon slaying...
Her thoughts turned to the main dragon slayer himself, and a look of scorn flashed across her face. That man! Why won't he let me help him the way I want to? I thought he valued my experience.
