Hjalti Early-Beard was born on the island of {{Lore Link|Alcaire}}, in High Rock.{{ref|name=TAH|{{Cite book|The Arcturian Heresy}}}} Amid rumors of a warlord destined to rule Tamriel, he rose to prominence in the service of King Cuhlecain and fought to unify Cyrodiil. Few knew of the existence of his secret ally, the {{Lore Link|Underking}}, {{Lore Link|Ysmir Kingmaker}}.{{ref|name=TAH}} The Underking provided assistance to the young General, but the manner of his assistance is vaguely described in the book. There are references to a storm that talks all night with Hjalti and deflected arrows while Hjalti shouted down the wall of Old Hrol'dan, where Hjalti was given the name Talos, meaning Stormcrown, by his men.{{ref|name=TAH}} This storm is most likely the Underking, as his body had recently been blasted to ash by the Greybeards, and he is referred to as 'Ysmir, the Grey Wind' and 'the Storm of Kyne'.{{ref|name=TAH}} After the province was conquered, Hjalti murdered Cuhlecain and his contingent in the {{Lore Link|Imperial City}} and blamed the deaths and ensuing blaze on assassins from High Rock.{{ref|name=TAH}} The Underking continued to aid in his conquests, and Hjalti took the name Tiber Septim, ascending to the Ruby Throne.

According to stories out of {{Lore Link|Morrowind}}, Tiber Septim appeared to the {{Lore Link|Nerevarine}} just before his reconquest of {{Lore Link|Red Mountain}}. He was an old man named {{Lore Link|Wulf}} that no others could see, and he gave the hero {{Lore Link|Old Man's Lucky Coin|one of his own septims}} and granted him {{Lore Link|A Lucky Coin|luck}}. The levitating {{Lore Link|Boots of the Apostle}} are attributed to the Emperor, though it remains they remain veiled in mystery.{{ref|name=TL|{{Cite book|Tamrielic Lore}}}} There is some suggestion that the Nerevarine may also have found them. The {{Lore Link|Armor of Tiber Septim}} was supposedly recovered from a ruined fort in Cyrodiil for use by {{Lore Link|Martin Septim}} in his effort to stop the {{Lore Link|Oblivion Crisis}}.

* In the ''[[Skyrim:Skyrim|Skyrim]] '' quest [[Skyrim:The Ghost of Old Hroldan|The Ghost of Old Hroldan]], an ancient ghost repeatedly refers to the defeater of the Witchmen of High Rock as "Hjalti", and makes reference to the time they spent together learning from "the sword masters of Alcaire".