Lore:Artifacts
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This is a list of legendary artifacts in Tamriel.
[edit] Adamantium Helm of Tohan
The Adamantium Helm of Tohan is a legendary Adamantium artifact. The helmet is medium weight, while still being very durable and offering superior protection. It has an immensely high potential for enchantment. Nothing is known of Tohan or the helm's origins.
The helm came to rest in the ruins of Onnissiralis, a shrine to Sheogorath located on a small island in the Sheogorad region of Vvardenfell, far west of Dagon Fel. It was kept in a tightly locked chest, openable only by key. In the late Third Era, a Dunmer man by the name of Norvayne attempted to cleanse the ruins, but was slain by the Daedra worshippers. Years later, in 3E 427, his sons, Daris and Dalin Norvayne, set out to avenge their father and cleanse the ruins. Following rumors of the Helm of Tohan, the Nerevarine arrived at Onnissiralis. The brothers disagreed on whether to accept the Nerevarine's aid or not. It is unknown how the events unfolded, but the ruins were cleansed of worshippers. The brothers handed the Nerevarine the key to the chest which contained the helm, and it was taken from the ruins.
[edit] Amulet of Kings
The Amulet of Kings is a pendant traditionally worn by the ruling emperor of Cyrodiil. In the center of the amulet is the Chim-el Adabal, also known as the Red Diamond, a huge Soul Gem of Ayleid origin. It is held in a golden clasp surrounded by eight smaller gems that represent the Eight Divines of the original Cyrodiilic pantheon, created by Queen Alessia. It serves as the symbol of the divine right of the Cyrodiilic emperors, is an important component of the coronation ceremony, and is a powerful artifact when used for divination. The soul of each reigning emperor is enshrined within the central stone, presumably during the coronation ritual involving the Dragonfires and the divine Covenant. In this way Cyrodiil's rulers are brought together in death, forming an 'oversoul' that may provide counsel to their successors. The amulet may only be worn by certain individuals - those who can be said to have the 'Dragon Blood' in their veins. The specific requirements, however, are a subject of debate, and they may simply call for the attributes of a ruler or some divine mandate.
The gem was of Ayleid origin, but the particulars of its creation and use by the elves is not known. It entered the annals of human history when Akatosh (in some stories Shezarr) forged the Covenant with Alessia and her (symbolic) descendants while she lay in her death bed. Chim-el Adabal was fastened in an amulet and became both the symbol of the Covenant and of the legitimacy of Cyrodiil's rulers. Following the breakup of the Alessian Empire, the Amulet of Kings was lost amid chaotic civil war and its attendant looting. According to legend, a certain King Hrol tracked down the spirit of Saint Alessia, who wore the Amulet of Kings around her neck. They coupled, and a hill rose on the spot. The infant Reman Cyrodiil was found upon the crest, wearing the amulet on his brow. In any event, the Amulet of Kings was restored to prominence during the Reman years, lending legitimacy to that dynasty. Since that time, the Dragonfires ritual has become essential to the coronation of each new Emperor. During the ritual, 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. After the long decline of the Interregnum, General Talos reputedly recovered the amulet from the tomb of the Remans beneath Sancre Tor after retaking it from the Nordic and Breton invaders.
[edit] Anvil of Mithas
The Anvil of Mithas is an ancient anvil created by Mithas, the greatest Dwemer smith. It is twinned with the Hammer of Gharen, which is the only object strong enough not to shatter when used to shape metal upon the Anvil. When the Hammer strikes the Anvil, it produces a ringing which reveals the location of the entrance to the Dwarven mines beneath Red Mountain.
By the time of the Imperial Simulacrum, the Anvil had come into the possession of King Casik of Old Ebonheart. The King had the Eternal Champion bring him the Hammer, which had been lost in the dungeon known as Black Gate, and used the artifacts to craft the finest armor and weapons in the realm. The Anvil has never reportedly left the city's palace since.
[edit] Auriel's Bow
Auriel's Bow is an artifact used by the Elven god Auriel, an aspect of the Imperial Akatosh, the Dragon God of Time. Although it takes the form of a modest Elven Moonstone bow, it is one of the most powerful weapons on Tamriel.
The bow draws its power from Aetherius itself, channeling it through the sun. It has the ability to turn any arrow into a "missile of death", although its enchantment effects vary: it has been known to cause magical fire or shock damage, drain an opponent's stamina and magicka reserves, or harness the power of the sun. It can also make the wielder immune to lesser attacks, and is especially devastating when used against the undead. Occasionally it can be seemingly unenchanted. Without Auriel's power behind it, however, the bow uses its own store of energy for its power. Once exhausted of this energy, the bow will vanish, abandoning its owner to reappear elsewhere.
Because of its link to Auriel, the bow can manipulate the sun in various ways. It was involved in a prophecy recorded in the Elder Scrolls, which foretold that the bow would be used to block out the sun. The bow is twinned with Auriel's Shield. It purportedly smells like Ash Yams, a vegetable native to Morrowind.
Legend says that in the Dawn Era, the bow was created by Anuiel for use by Auriel against the forces of Lorkhan during the Ehlnofey wars. When Trinimac defeated Lorkhan and tore out his heart, Auriel fastened it to an arrow shot it long into the sea, where Red Mountain eventually formed.
The bow was traditionally held by the Chantry of Auri-El, the epicenter of the Snow Elf religion which was based in the secluded Forgotten Vale of Skyrim. The Snow Elves had discovered how to use the bow's ability to harness the power of the sun to greater effect, through the use of Sunhallowed Elven Arrows. These arrows could be fired at an enemy for massive sun damage, or could be fired directly at the sun to use its rays to strike down all foes in the surrounding area. Due to its isolation, the Chantry avoided being enslaved by the Dwemer or killed by the Nords.
The bow's involvement with the Tyranny of the Sun prophecy began when Vyrthur, the Arch-Curate of Auriel, was infected with Vampirism by one of his own initiates. Despite Vyrthur's devotion to Auriel, the god turned his back on him when he became undead. He swore revenge against Auriel; unable to kill a god, Vyrthur instead sought to destroy his influence on Nirn, by blocking the sun. To achieve this, he needed to create a Bloodcursed Elven Arrow, which involved cursing a mundane Elven arrow with the blood of a Daughter of Coldharbour, i.e. a pure-blooded female Vampire Lord who had received the disease directly from its creator, Molag Bal. Vyrthur allied himself with the Betrayed, the degenerated Falmer who has been crippled by the Dwemer and by centuries of living underground, and killed most members of the Chantry, claiming control of Auriel's Chapel to lay in wait for the prophecy to come true.
For hundreds of years, the bow appeared throughout Tamriel, with its most recent appearances being subject of gossip. The bow was uncovered by the Eternal Champion during the Imperial Simulacrum, in the province of Valenwood, Skyrim or Elsweyr (accounts vary). In the events leading up to the Warp in the West, a clue to the bow's location was discovered by a witch living in the Iliac Bay region. In return for kidnapping the witch's great-granddaughter to become the witch's successor, she revealed the clue to a questing member of a knightly order, who retrieved it from the dungeon where it lay. A fake copy of the bow also appeared in the Iliac Bay around this time; it was created by a mage in an attempt to bribe an agent of Nocturnal who has been sent to assassinate him. The fake bow functioned identically to the true artifact, but after several days it crumbled to dust.
Later in the Third Era, the bow was claimed by Ralyn Othravel, a Dunmer Ordinator and a member of the Tribunal Temple stationed at Ghostgate, a small military settlement along the Great Ghost Fence on Vvardenfell. In 3E 427, Mistress Therana, an eccentric Councilor of Great House Telvanni, discovered the bow's location through unknown means, although she claimed she could smell its Ash Yam scent. A member of House Telvanni took the bow from Ralyn Othravel and gave it to Therana, who grudgingly accepted it. Later that year, the bow was sold to Torasa Aram, who put it on display in her Museum of Artifacts in Mournhold.
In 4E 201, the Tyranny of the Sun prophecy was realized with the awakening of Serana, an ancient Daughter of Coldharbour, by the reformed Dawnguard. Serana was the daughter of Lord Harkon, the leader of the Volkihar vampire clan, who had spent centuries attempting to fulfill the prophecy. The prophecy brought Serana and the Last Dragonborn to the Forgotten Vale, where they encountered Knight-Paladin Gelebor, the single survivor of his brother Vyrthur's attacks on the Chantry of Auriel. The two ventured into the ruins of the Snow Elf chapel and defeated Vyrthur, who had planned to use Serana's blood. Auriel's Bow was retrieved and used to slay Lord Harkon, although it is unknown if Serana and the Dragonborn sided with the Volkihar or the Dawnguard.
[edit] Auriel's Shield
Auriel's Shield is an artifact used by the Elven god Auriel, an aspect of the Imperial Akatosh, the Dragon God of Time. It takes the form of a small shield, sometimes rounded, made from either ebony or moonstone. It has several magical abilities that help to make its wielder nigh invulnerable. Its known enchantments include resistance to fire, shielding from either magical or physical attacks, healing properties, magical armor enhancement, and spell reflection. Sometimes it also appears to be seemingly unenchanted. The shield has the ability to absorb the power of blocked attacks; this energy can then be released by bashing an opponent with the shield, delivering a devastating physical blow. Its shielding ability is supposedly unsurpassed. The shield is twinned with Auriel's Bow. Like many great artifacts, the shield has a life and personality of its own, and does not feel bound to its user. A popular fable tells of it abandoning its owner in her greatest hour of need, but this story is thought to be apocryphal. Legend says it was created by Anuiel at Auriel's request so that the latter could use it in his campaign against the forces of Lorkhan during the Dawn Era.
The shield was uncovered by the Eternal Champion during the Imperial Simulacrum, in either High Rock or Summerset (accounts vary). In the events leading up to the Warp in the West, a clue to the shield's location was discovered by a witch living in the Iliac Bay region. In return for kidnapping the witch's great-granddaughter to become the witch's successor, she revealed the clue to a questing member of a knightly order, who retrieved it from the dungeon where it lay.
Near the end of the Third Era, the shield was recovered by Drelyne Llenim, a Dunmer Buoyant Armiger stationed at Ghostgate, a small military settlement along the Great Ghost Fence on Vvardenfell. In 3E 427, the shield is said to have been forcibly taken from Llenim by the Nerevarine, who then sold it to Torasa Aram. Aram put the shield on display in her Museum of Artifacts in Mournhold.
By 4E 201, the shield had come to the Forgotten Vale of Skyrim, once the stronghold of the Chantry of Auriel. Through unknown means, the shield was obtained by an anonymous Falmer Warmonger, a member of the Betrayed, whose ancestors had been blinded by the Dwemer and crippled by centuries of living underground. The Falmer used the shield to fight many Frost Trolls in a secluded forested region of the Vale. The Last Dragonborn located this Falmer and reclaimed the shield.
[edit] Azura's Star
Azura's Star is a Daedric artifact created by the Daedric Prince Azura. In appearance it looks like a large, intricately designed throwing star or gemstone, with eight star-like prongs. In the right hands, Azura's Star acts as a reusable soul gem of almost unlimited capacity. This makes it highly sought by mages and assassins. It can only capture white souls, but was once corrupted by mortals to trap black souls instead, becoming the Black Star. The Star is often used as a symbol of Azura.
An unknown agent of the Blades received the Star from the previous owner, a worshipper of Azura, in return for killing a healer in the Iliac Bay area who had insulted the Prince. Between 3E 411 and 3E 412, two friends named Charwich and Koniinge searched for the Star. It was discovered that a man named Hadwaf Neithwyr had summoned Azura in the town of Tel Aruhn in Morrowind and had accepted the Star. He then returned to High Rock, where he and his sister Peryra attempted to kill the lycanthropic caretaker of their family graveyard to power the Star. They failed, and the caretaker hid their remains in one of the crypts. Charwich found the Star, and tricked Koniinge into thinking he was dead by sending misleading letters. Charwich and his fiancée Lady Elysbetta Moorling ran away with the Star, using it to become wealthy and powerful. Eventually the Star vanished, and Koniinge caught up with both of them and killed them. The letters between the two have been published in the Charwich-Koniinge Letters series of books.
The Star was returned to the mortal realm when the Nerevarine did a service for Azura in 3E 427. She and Sheogorath had a wager that Azura's priestess, Rayna Drolan, could live in silence for one hundred years. The time was almost up, so Sheogorath sent his servants to disturb the priestess on her island in the Sheogorad region of Vvardenfell. The Nerevarine banished the Mad God's Daedric servants, and was given the Star in return. In 3E 433 the star was again given as a reward, to an adventurer who visited Azura's shrine in the Jerall Mountains of Cyrodiil. Azura sent the adventurer to cleanse a nest of vampires who had once been her worshippers. Their eternal suffering pained her, so she unsealed their prison in order for the adventurer to put them to rest. In the same year, the Star was needed by Martin Septim to open a portal to the realm of Gaiar Alata, Mankar Camoran's Paradise. The Champion of Cyrodiil was sent to recover the Star from the cave where it was held, and took it from the shrine's pedestal found within. The Star was consumed in Martin's ritual, and was not seen again for many years.
Some time in the second century of the Fourth Era, one Malyn Varen, a teacher at the College of Winterhold with a scholarly interest in soul gems, came into possession of Azura's Star and began to study it along with a few colleagues and students. Unknown to the others, Varen was dying and was trying to find a way to trap his own soul in the Star, becoming immortal. This research drove him insane, partly due to the visions sent to torment him by Azura, until one day he killed a student and used her soul in his experimentation. He was banished from the College, after which he and a few loyal disciples moved to Ilinalta's Deep, an abandoned Imperial fort which sunk into Lake Illinalta. This band of rogue necromancers continued their experimentation, and Varen eventually succeeded in corrupting Azura's artifact to accept black souls, renaming it as the Black Star. Varen eventually died, but his soul remained, trapped in the Star.
In 4E 201, the Last Dragonborn was summoned to the Shrine of Azura south of Winterhold, built by the Dunmer refugees who fled from Morrowind. Aranea Ienith, Azura's priestess, tasked the Dragonborn with finding her lost artifact. Azura's message led the Dragonborn to Nelacar, a mage living in Winterhold who was once a member of the college there. He knew of Varen, and directed the Dragonborn to Illinalta's Deep. There, the Dragonborn found the broken Black Star, and was captured by it. The interior of the Star consisted of crystalline paths suspended in a void, and was home to Varen and his Dremora minions. The Dragonborn destroyed Varen's soul, and had to decide whether to give the Star to Ienith, who would have Azura restore the artifact, or bring it to Nelacar, who offered to complete Varen's work and permanently corrupt the artifact, leaving it as the Black Star. It is unknown which option the Dragonborn chose.
[edit] Blade of Woe
| Oblivion | Demoralize, Damage Willpower, Damage Health, Damage Magicka |
| Skyrim | Absorb Health |
The Blade of Woe is a dagger that was given by Lucien Lachance to the future Listener of the Cheydinhal Dark Brotherhood chapter in 3E 433. In 4E 201, at the Skyrim chapter, The Blade of Woe belonged to Astrid, the leader of the only remaining Dark Brotherhood group. It was given to the new Listener after an assault on the sanctuary.
[edit] Bloodworm Helm
| Morrowind | Turn Undead, Summon Skeleton Minion |
| Oblivion | Fortify Conjuration, Essence Drain spell |
The King of Worms was said to have left behind one of his prized possessions, the Bloodworm Helm. The Helm is a construct of magically formed bone. The Helm allows the user to summon skeletons and control the undead. It is a prized artifact for necromancers.
[edit] Chillrend
Chillrend is an artifact of unknown origins. It takes the form of a glass shortsword, although, unlike regular malachite, it is blue instead of green. Like other glass weapons, its handle was fashioned from rare metals and moonstone. Its enchantment varies in strength and properties, but it always causes magical frost damage to the opponent. Other known effects include causing a weakness to frost, or temporary paralysis.
The sword's first known owner was Valus Odiil, an Imperial adventurer who wandered Tamriel (or at least Hammerfell). Valus eventually settled down in Cyrodiil, and bought a farm outside the walls of Chorrol. However, his farm was continuously raided by goblins from the Great Forest, and the town guard refused to help. In 3E 433, unable to fight in his old age, he asked the Champion of Cyrodiil to aid his two sons in killing the goblins. After the battle, Valus passed on Chillrend to the Champion for keeping his sons safe, saying that he was going to spend the rest of his days in peace.
The sword later came into the possession of Mercer Frey, the Guildmaster of the Skyrim Thieves Guild. Mercer was a renowned thief, whose possession of the Skeleton Key gifted him with great luck. By 4E 201, Mercer had placed the sword inside a display case in the secret basement of Riftweald Manor, his house in Riften. The sword was stolen by the Last Dragonborn when Mercer's treachery was discovered by the Guild.
[edit] Chrysamere
| Arena | Heals, Resist Fire, Shalidor's Mirror |
| Daggerfall | Resist Fire, Shalidor's Mirror, and Heal |
| Morrowind | Resist Fire, Restore Health, Reflect |
Chrysamere, the Paladin's Blade and Sword of Heroes, is an ancient claymore with offensive capabilities only surpassed by its defenses. It lends the wielder health, protects him or her from fire, and reflects any deleterious spells cast against the wielder back to the caster. Seldom has Chrysamere been wielded by an individual for any length of time, for it chooses not to favor one champion.
[edit] Daedric Crescent
The Daedric Crescent Blade is a Daedric artifact created by the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon. It has the power to paralyze those it strikes, and puts heavy wear on their armor; it has also been known to create a green ball of energy, but its effects are unknown. There were once many Crescents, which were used by Dagon's forces to take the Battlespire during the Imperial Simulacrum. When the Empire later reclaimed the ruined academy, the Crescents were gathered up and destroyed - all but one. Unknown to the Empire, one of the unique blades remained in existence somewhere in Tamriel, although none had ever seen it.
In 3E 427, this last Crescent was discovered by the Nerevarine. It had been in the possession of Lord Dregas Volar, a Dremora who dwelled in the Daedric shrine of Magas Volar, a Daedric sanctuary inaccessible without teleportation. Divayth Fyr of Tel Fyr had come to possess an amulet which would teleport the wearer to the hidden shrine; the Nerevarine used the amulet and defeated Lord Volar, claiming the last known Daedric Crescent.
[edit] Dreamworld Amulet
The Dreamworld Amulet is a dangerous magical device created by Henantier of the Mages Guild in 3E 433. It allows the wearer to enter their own mind and control their dreams. Henantier designed the amulet with the intent of bettering himself by using his dreams as a personal training ground. However, Henantier became trapped in his dreams and was unable to wake up. Kud-Ei, the chapter head of Bravil and a good friend of Henantier's, was the only one who knew of his ensnarement. Henantier would be summarily dismissed from the Mages Guild if word got out about his performing of an unsanctioned dangerous experiment, and Kud-Ei could not enter his dreams herself as she would be dismissed as a figment of Henantier's memories. Instead, Kud-Ei put out word that Henantier was "missing", and on the third day of his entrapment a stranger approached Kud-Ei about the reward. Kud-Ei confided in the stranger, who agreed to help. Using a secret method to remove the amulet from Henantier's neck, Kud-Ei gave it to the stranger to be used as a conduit into his dreams (although the range was limited, requiring them to sleep in the same room). The stranger entered Henantier's Dreamworld, and discovered the mage bewildered and confused. Henantier had lost the Elements of Patience, Courage, Resolve and Perception. To recover them, the stranger had to complete the four tests Henantier had devised. Once all four were returned to Henantier, he realized his situation and woke up.
Henantier's Dreamworld consisted of six interlinked areas. The nexus of the Dreamworld was a contorted version of Henantier's house in Bravil, with doors leading to the four tests. The Test of Patience was a collection of dark, Ayleid-style plateaus covered in pressure plates which would trigger dart traps. To navigate the area, one needed to analyse a mysterious scroll and figure out the pattern of safe pressure plates. The Test of Courage was a deep flooded cave network, which one had to quickly swim to the bottom of to avoid drowning. At the bottom of the caves was a door leading to an outdoor abandoned fort which contained the Element. The Test of Resolve was a hellish arena. One is given time to choose one's equipment, before facing two minotaurs in combat. Once the minotaurs were defeated, one would ascend a rising staircase to a viewing platform where the Element was held by a bone-like claw. The Test of Perception consisted of a patchwork path floating in a void. One was given a torch with which to light the way, avoiding the many traps. With the death of the dreamer, all those who share the dream die as well, making the amulet very dangerous and unlikely to see further use.
[edit] Ebony Blade
| Arena | Lifesteal |
| Daggerfall | Far Silence, Vampiric Touch, and Energy Leech |
| Oblivion | Absorb Health, Silence |
| Skyrim | Absorb Health |
The Ebony Blade, sometimes called the Vampire or the Leech, resembles an ebony katana, and its power is very dark indeed. Every time the Ebony Blade strikes an opponent, part of the damage inflicted flows into the wielder as raw power. The Blade itself may not be any more evil than those who have used it, but at some point in its history, a charm was cast on it so it would not remain with any one individual for long. The wizard who cast this charm sought to save the souls of any too infatuated by the Blade, and perhaps he was right to do so.
[edit] Ebony Mail
The Ebony Mail is a Daedric artifact created by the Daedric Prince Boethiah. In appearance it looks like an ebony suit of armor, or often simply a cuirass. It can either be medium or heavy in weight. The artifact grants its wearer resistance to fire and magical attacks, magical protection from physical blows, quieter movements and the ability to poison enemies who get too close. The artifact was created before recorded history by Boethiah, and it is Boethiah alone who determines who should possess the Mail and for how long a time.
The Ebony Mail was uncovered in Black Marsh by the Eternal Champion during the Imperial Simulacrum. Just before the events of the Warp in the West, an unknown agent of the Blades in the Iliac Bay area summoned Boethiah in a search for power. In return for killing an innocent spellsword who had displeased the Prince, the agent was gifted with the Ebony Mail from a worshipper of Boethiah. During the play A Hypothetical Treachery, a group of adventurers (Malvasian, Inzoliah, Dolcettus and Schiavas) recover the Ebony Mail from the legendary Eldengrove of Valenwood. In the end, Inzoliah alone is left alive and sells the artifact to the king of Silvenar.
In 3E 427, the Nerevarine was sent by the Tribunal Temple at the request of Archcanon Tholer Saryoni to make a pilgrimage to Mount Assarnibibi, where Molag Bal oversaw the ninety-nine lovers of Boethiah, who gave birth to Almalexia. Upon completing the pilgrimage, the Nerevarine received the Ebony Mail and brought it to Tholer Saryoni. The archcanon wouldn't accept it, saying it would be put to better use by the Nerevarine. The Nerevarine later sold it to Torasa Aram, who put it on display in the Mournhold Museum of Artifacts. In 4E 201, Boethiah tasked the Last Dragonborn with assassinating the Prince's previous champion and his group of bandits. The Dragonborn retrieved the Ebony Mail from the corpse of the ex-champion.
[edit] Fearstruck
Fearstruck was a Daedric artifact created by the Daedric Prince Boethiah. It took the form of a shield. It belonged to Lyrisius, a hero from Tamriel famous for leading his army against the Akaviri slavetraders in their homeland of Akavir. The shield was utterly destroyed in the First Era by the fiery breath of a wyrm who Lyrisius encountered after his army was routed. No other reference has ever been made to the shield outside this legend.
[edit] Fork of Horripilation
The Fork of Horripilation is a cursed artifact created by the Daedric Prince Sheogorath. In appearance and in function, it is a mundane iron fork. However, Sheogorath is fond of forcing mortals to use it as a weapon, in which case it curses the wielder with Fork's Wound, a magical effect which stunts the wielders magicka or drains it completely. It is unknown what relation the fork has to horripilation.
In 3E 427, the fork was in the possession of Big Head, a mad Argonian hermit and a worshipper of Sheogorath who lived in a small shack on an island in the Sheogorad region of Morrowind. Big Head was obsessed with forks and spears, which he had filled his hut with. Sheogorath instructed the Nerevarine to kill a Giant Bull Netch with the fork. Big Head willingly gave the fork to the Nerevarine, who then killed the Bull Netch and returned the fork to Sheogorath to earn the Prince's favor.
In 3E 433, Sheogorath returned the fork to the Shivering Isles, his Plane of Oblivion. Rumors circulated among the mortal population of the Isles about its return. Big Head entered the Isles in search of the fork, which "sang" to him, and took up residence in Bliss, where he collected a great many forks. The fork was of great importance to both the Heretics and Zealots, two outcast religious factions. The Heretics had obtained possession of the fork and had taken it to Longtooth Camp, near the Gates of Madness on the Mania side of the Isles. However, news of this reached the Zealots, who launched an attack on the Heretic base. The Fork supposedly changed hands several times, with the Zealots bringing it to Hardscrabble Camp, their nearby base in Dementia, only to have it reclaimed by the Heretics. Eventually, Big Head requested the assistance of Sheogorath's Champion, who then learned of its location from the beggar Bolwing. The Champion recovered the fork from the outcasts and returned it to the grateful Big Head.
[edit] Goldbrand
The Goldbrand is an ancient artifact, which takes the form of a golden katana. It was created by the dragons of the North. According to the legends of thieves, it was given to a great knight who was sworn to protect the dragons. It contains the power of the Daedric Prince Boethiah, and burns those that it strikes. The sword is said to have a more powerful form known as Eltonbrand, which lends its wielder stamina and greater skill in battle.
In 3E 427, the Nerevarine discovered the sunken shrine to Boethiah beneath the waves, west of the small village of Hla Oad in the Bitter Coast region of Vvardenfell. The Daedra was upset that his shrine had been allowed to remain in ruins, and ordered the Nerevarine to erect a new shrine in return for the Goldbrand. The Nerevarine funded an orc sculptor to create the shrine at Khartag Point, a landmark northwest of Gnaar Mok. When the statue was complete, Boethiah rewarded the Nerevarine with the Goldbrand, which was later rumored to have transformed into Eltonbrand. In 3E 433, the Champion of Cyrodiil visited Attribution's Share and partook in Boethiah's Tournament of Ten Bloods. After defeating all nine of the Daedra's Chosen in mortal combat, Boethiah declared the Champion as his Chosen One, gifting the Goldbrand as a boon.
In 4E 175, Goldbrand was supposedly wielded by Emperor Titus Mede II in the Battle of the Red Ring against the Aldmeri Dominion, although this has never been officially confirmed by the Imperial government.
[edit] Gray Cowl of Nocturnal
The Gray Cowl of Nocturnal is a daedric artifact that once belonged to Nocturnal. It takes the form of a dark leather cowl, which obscures the face of the wearer. Nocturnal is revered as a god by thieves across Tamriel. Her reputation as the Mistress of Shadows has sometimes led thieves to attempt to steal an item from her to prove their greatness. As Nocturnal is usually depicted wearing a cloak and a cowl, it is around these two items that legends have arisen. The story of the theft of Nocturnal's cloak is probably fiction, as is at least one story of the theft of the cowl, but the cowl is known to have left her possession. It appears to have been stolen by a thief named Emer Dareloth, the first guildmaster of the Thieves Guild, although a curse bestowed upon the cowl by Nocturnal meant that the name of cowl's owner is lost to mortal memory. "Whosoever wears it shall be lost in the shadows. His true nature shall be unknown to all who meet him. His identity shall be struck from all records and histories. Memory will hide in the shadows, refusing to record the name of the owner to any who meet him. He shall be known by the cowl and only by the cowl." This curse was broken when history was rewritten through the use of an Elder Scroll.
The cowl is inscribed with the phrase "Shadow hide [y]ou" written in the Daedric Alphabet, though as is common in the daedric alphabet, the letter Yahkem (Y) is omitted from the inscription. The phrase is also used as a code between thieves, either as a form of praise to Nocturnal or a literal expression of hope. The Office of the Unseeing Eye, a section of the Cult of the Ancestor Moth, expressed a desire to find the cowl in order to see if the curse does exist, and research further on how to remove it.
After having been stolen by Emer Dareloth, the cursed cowl was handed down from one guildmaster to the next in the Cyrodiil branch of the Thieves Guild. This forced the guildmasters to work under the persona of the Gray Fox. Thought to be a myth by most members of the public, the identity of the Gray Fox came about over the course of three hundred years, as the guildmasters lost their individual identities and became known only as the bearer of the Cowl. Legends propagated around the mysterious master thief, who was thought to possess immortality and supernatural thieving abilities. He was viewed as a hero by the beggars and the lower classes of Cyrodiil, but he was hated by the nobility and the Imperial Watch. The curse was broken in 3E 433, when Count Corvus Umbranox, the contemporary Gray Fox, organised the theft of an Elder Scroll from the Imperial Library in the Imperial Palace. Umbranox used the Scroll to rewrite history and remove Nocturnal's curse. Without the curse, the past guildmasters were able to work openly, and the Thieves Guild became more prosperous. Umbranox regained his identity and his title as Count of Anvil, and the Cowl was passed on to a new guildmaster. Even without the curse, the Cowl still had the ability to cloak the true identity of the wearer, and it was still identified with the infamous Gray Fox. By 4E 201, the Gray Fox remains a revered character among thieves.
[edit] Hammer of Gharen
The Hammer of Gharen is a legendary hammer created by the Dwemer Gharen. It is twinned with the Anvil of Mithas, and is the only object strong enough not to shatter when used to shape metal upon the Anvil. When the Hammer strikes the Anvil, it produces a ringing which reveals the location of the entrance to the Dwarven mines beneath Red Mountain.
Late in the Third Era, the Hammer was lost in Black Gate, a dungeon on mainland Morrowind. During the Imperial Simulacrum, King Casik of Old Ebonheart had the Eternal Champion retrieve the Hammer. King Casik, who was already in possession of the Anvil, used the artifacts to craft the finest armor and weapons in the realm. The Hammer has never reportedly left the city's palace since.
[edit] Helm of Oreyn Bearclaw
The Helm of Oreyn Bearclaw is a prized artifact which once belonged to the legendary Valenwood hunter, Oreyn Bearclaw. Although legends claim that Bearclaw performed many great deeds, these were falsely credited and were actually performed by his friend, an orc named Kharag gro-Khar. After Bearclaw's demise, caused by the Knahaten Flu, his helm stood as a monument of his stature, although it was eventually lost after his clan split. The helm itself is an enchanted skull, which is said to improve the wearer's agility and endurance.
In 3E 427, Malacath sent the Nerevarine to end Bearclaw's bloodline and undeserved fame. The supposed last descendant of the false elven hero was Farvyn Oreyn. Farvyn knew of his ancestor's falsehood, and sought to perform heroic deeds to justify his own fame. With his death, Malacath believed the family line to have ended and rewarded the Nerevarine with the helm. The Nerevarine then sold the helm to Torasa Aram, who put it on public display in the Mournhold Museum of Artifacts.
Some time after the events of 3E 427, the helm was brought from Morrowind to Cyrodiil and given to Modryn Oreyn, another descendant of Bearclaw who was unknown to Malacath. Modryn was the second-in-command of the Cyrodilic branch of the Fighters Guild. In 3E 433, after the Blackwood Company almost ruined the guild, Modryn gave the helm to the new Master of the Fighters Guild, who replaced Vilena Donton. Modryn hoped that the new Master would restore the Oreyn name to glory by wearing the helm of his ancestor.
[edit] Hircine's Ring
| Daggerfall | Allows bearer to transform into a werecreature at will (must already be a werecreature) |
| Bloodmoon | Allows bearer to transform into a werewolf at will (even if not already a werewolf) |
| Skyrim | Grants the wielder additional werewolf transformations daily (must already be a werewolf) |
[edit] Keening
| Morrowind | Fortify Magicka, Health, Attack, Agility, and Speed |
| Skyrim | Absorb Health, Magicka, and Stamina |
[edit] Lord's Mail
The Lord's Mail (also called the Armor of Morihaus or the Gift of Kynareth) is an artifact given to mortals by Kynareth, one of the Eight Divines. It is an ancient plated mithril cuirass of unsurpassable quality, considered to be heavy armor. It grants the wearer power to absorb or regenerate health, resist the effects of spells, and cure poison. It is said that whenever Kynareth deigns the wearer unworthy, the Lord's Mail will be taken away and hidden for the next chosen one. The Mail was originally owned during the Merethic Era by the bull Morihaus, a demi-god and early cultural hero of the Cyro-Nordics who was closely associated with Kynareth. The cuirass is sacred to the Imperial Legion and the Imperial Cult, and is accepted as uniform in the Legion.
The cuirass was uncovered by the Eternal Champion during the Imperial Simulacrum in either Skyrim or Black Marsh (accounts vary). In the events leading up to the Warp in the West, a clue to the artifact's location was discovered by a witch living in the Iliac Bay region. In return for kidnapping the witch's great-granddaughter to become the witch's successor, she revealed the clue to a questing member of a knightly order, who retrieved it from the dungeon where it lay.
Later in the Third Era, the Mail came into the possession of the Imperial Legion. It was stored in a shrine in Castle Ebonheart, the seat of Imperial authority on Vvardenfell. In 3E 427, the cuirass was stolen by Furius Acilius, a member of the Legion, who then deserted and fled into the underground cave network beneath Ebonheart. A Knight Protector of the Legion recovered the cuirass and gave it to Varus Vantinius, the Knight of the Imperial Dragon on Vvardenfell. The Knight Protector later challenged Vantinius for the title of Knight of the Imperial Dragon; the two dueled in the arena in Vivec City, and Vantinius was slain. The victor then claimed the Lord's Mail. Later that year, the cuirass was sold to Torasa Aram, who put it on display in her Museum of Artifacts in Mournhold.
[edit] Mace of Molag Bal
The Mace of Molag Bal, also known as the Vampire's Mace, drains its victims of magicka and gives it to the bearer. It also has the ability to transfer an enemy's strength to its wielder. Molag Bal has been quite free with his artifact. There are many legends about the mace and it has been said to be a good weapon of choice for vanquishing wizards.
In the events leading up to the Warp in the West, an agent of the Blades received the Mace of Molag Bal in exchange for eliminating a heretic mage. In 3E 427, the mace was also awarded to a supplicant who dispatched a lazy minion for not wreaking the havoc and terror he was created for. During the Oblivion Crisis, Molag Bal spread corruption by having a follower incite a local pacifist to murder; again, the mace was given as a reward. During the Stormcloak Rebellion in Skyrim during 4E 201, Molag Bal presented the mace to the Last Dragonborn for helping to capture the soul of a priest of Boethiah.
[edit] Masque of Clavicus Vile
| Daggerfall | Improves reputation as Charm spell |
| Morrowind | Fortify Personality |
| Oblivion | |
| Skyrim | Prices 20% better Fortify Speech +10 Fortify Magicka Regen +5% |
Ever the vain one, Clavicus Vile made a masque suited to his own personality. The bearer of the Masque is more likely to get a positive response from the people of Tamriel. The higher his personality, the larger the bonus. The best known story of the Masque tells the tale of Avalea, a noblewoman of some renown. As a young girl, she was grossly disfigured by a spiteful servant. Avalea made a dark deal with Clavicus Vile and received the Masque in return. Though the Masque did not change her looks, suddenly she had the respect and admiration of everyone. A year and a day after her marriage to a well connected baron, Clavicus Vile reclaimed the Masque. Although pregnant with his child, Avalea was banished from the Baron's household. Twenty one years and one day later, Avalea's daughter claimed her vengeance by slaying the Baron.
[edit] Mehrunes' Razor
Mehrunes' Razor (sometimes Mehrunes Razor), also called the Dagger of the Final Wounds, the Bane of the Righteous and the Kingslayer, is a Daedric artifact created by the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon. This powerful ebony dagger has the ability to kill instantly.
The Dark Brotherhood was once decimated by a vicious internal power struggle, and it is suspected that the Razor was involved. Around the time of the Warp in the West, an unknown agent of the Blades was given the weapon by Dagon for slaying a rebellious frost atronach.
It is said that the Telvanni master of Sadrith Mora, Neloth, was once in possession of the blade and used it to inspire his troops in battle against the rival Telvanni master of Tel Aruhn, Gothren, before it was stolen by a troupe of acrobats whom he had wronged. The troupe used the dagger for a time in their acts, Master Mearvis in particular using it to turn marshmerrow reeds into papyrus. In 3E 427, the Nerevarine recovered the razor from Alas Ancestral Tomb, where it lay disused and rusted by the corpse of Varner Hleras. In return, Dagon imbued the razor with his power and returned it to its former glory.
In 3E 433, a rogue Telvanni Arch-Mage named Frathen Drothan assembled an army of mercenaries and searched for the razor in Sundercliff Watch, an abandoned Imperial outpost and iron mine. It was rumored that the entrance to the ancient Ayleid city of Varsa Baalim had been uncovered, and with it the Nefarivigum. This was an evil construct of Mehrunes Dagon, created to test pilgrims seeking the razor. Msirae Faythung, a previous champion of Dagon's, stood guard over the Razor after having failed the Prince. As punishment, the Kyn cut open his chest to reveal his heart and cursed him to stand statue-like in the Nefarivigum for eternity. Drothan decrypted the runes in the Nefarivigum, which summoned the razor, but before he could recover it the Champion of Cyrodiil defeated him and claimed the dagger..
After the Oblivion Crisis, a group devoted to eradicating the Mythic Dawn from Tamriel stumbled upon the razor. They broke the razor into pieces and divided them between the three most senior members of their order, pledging to keep the pieces safe. They renamed themselves "The Keepers of the Razor" in honor of their new role. The hilt, pommel, and blade shards of the razor were passed down through the Keepers' descendants, but the scabbard was not.
In 4E 201, the Last Dragonborn was contacted by Silus Vesuius, a Dagon enthusiast trying to establish a Mythic Dawn museum, who had found the scabbard. He hired the Dragonborn to collect the three missing pieces. The two journeyed to a shrine to Mehrunes Dagon to have the Razor repaired. Dagon demanded the life of Silus Vesuius in return. Vesuius offered the Dragonborn gold to ignore Dagon's request, wanting to add the shattered pieces to his museum if he couldn't have the restored artifact. It is unknown whether the Dragonborn accepted his offer or killed Vesuius and claimed the dagger.
[edit] Mysterium Xarxes
The Mysterium Xarxes was a tome written by Mehrunes Dagon. The knowledge within, originally from the Oghma Infinium, was given to Xarxes by Hermaeus Mora. Xarxes then gave this knowledge to Dagon, who scribed the Mysterium Xarxes in "the deserts of rust and wounds". The tome was an artifact of great - and evil - power. The book was dangerous to handle; reading from it required magical protection from its power.
The book was given by Dagon to Mankar Camoran. After studying the tome, Mankar wrote the Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes (also known as the Mythic Dawn Commentaries). Inspired by the prophecies and promises within the book, Mankar founded the Mythic Dawn, a Daedric cult which worshipped Mehrunes Dagon. The Xarxes acted as the cult's holy book, and was stored in the Mythic Dawn's hidden shrine in the caverns beneath Lake Arrius in Cyrodiil. Using the power of the book, Mankar created Gaiar Alata, or "Paradise", an alternate realm where the souls of Mythic Dawn cultists went in death.
In 3E 433, following the Mythic Dawn's assassination of Emperor Uriel Septim VII and all of his legitimate heirs, the Blades infiltrated the cult and stole the Mysterium Xarxes from their shrine to Mehrunes Dagon. It was taken to Cloud Ruler Temple, where Martin Septim, the bastard son of Uriel and the heir to the throne, translated the Xarxes and discovered a way to create a portal to Camoran's Paradise. The ritual required a Great Welkynd Stone, a Great Sigil Stone, a Daedric artifact, and an Aedric artifact. The Hero of Kvatch entered Gaiar Alata and defeated Camoran, retrieving the Amulet of Kings. The Xarxes was destroyed in the process.
A single burned page from the tome survived the events of the Oblivion Crisis, and came into the possession of the Vesuius family, who were once members of the Mythic Dawn. In 4E 201, the page was put on display by Silus Vesuius in his "Mythic Dawn Museum" in the Skyrim city of Dawnstar.
[edit] Necromancer's Amulet
The Necromancer's Amulet (also known as the Necromancer Amulet) is a legendary artifact created by Mannimarco. In appearance it is an exquisite amulet, often with a skull emblazoned upon it. It grants the wearer magical protection equivalent to plate armor, as well as the ability to regenerate from injury, resist mundane weapons and absorb magicka. The wearer also becomes wise beyond his years and far more capable in the School of Conjuration. This comes at a price, as the amulet can drain the wearer's strength, endurance, health and stamina. The artifact is popular among both thieves and mages. The amulet is unstable in this world, and is forever doomed to fade in and out of existence, reappearing at locations distant from that of its disappearance.
The amulet was uncovered by the Eternal Champion during the Imperial Simulacrum, in either High Rock or the Summerset Isles. In the events leading up to the Warp in the West, the amulet was recovered from an ancient lich by a knightly order in the Iliac Bay area. The amulet later fell into the hands of the Underking, who promised it as a reward for any who would return the Totem of Tiber Septim to him. Due to the Warp in the West, the fate of the amulet is unknown, although it may have been given to an unknown agent of the Blades. By 3E 427, the amulet had come to be owned by Arch-Mage Trebonius Artorius of the Vvardenfell branch of the Mages Guild. It was later claimed by the Nerevarine, although the circumstances as to how Artorius lost it are contradictory, ranging from the death of all the Telvanni councilors to the Nerevarine dueling for the title of Arch-Mage.
By 3E 433, the amulet had been transported to the Arcane University in the Imperial City for safekeeping. With the return of Mannimarco after his ascent to godhood, Caranya of the Council of Mages turned traitor and took the amulet and her supporters to the abandoned Fort Ontus, where she intended to return the amulet to its creator, making Mannimarco nigh unstoppable. The Champion of Cyrodiil uncovered Caranya's treachery and killed her, returning the amulet to Arch-Mage Hannibal Traven. By 4E 201, long after the dissolution of the Mages Guild, the amulet had been discovered by Calixto Corrium of Windhelm after he had been driven to madness at the death of his sister Lucilla. Attempting to bring her back to life, Calixto turned to necromancy and believed the amulet to be a Wheelstone. The amulet was found by the Dragonborn, who was investigating a string of murders in the city, attributed to a serial killer called "the Butcher". The Butcher was none other than Calixto, who was eventually discovered and brought to justice.
[edit] Oghma Infinium
The Oghma Infinium is an ancient tome of knowledge, and an artifact of great power. It was written by Xarxes, the scribe of Auri-El, who had been granted the knowledge within by Hermaeus Mora, and in turn gave the knowledge to Mehrunes Dagon who used it to write the Mysterium Xarxes. The name of the tome comes from Oghma, the wife of Xarxes, whom he created from his favorite moments in history. The knowledge within the tome grants the reader access to the artifact's energy, which can be manipulated to achieve near demi-god abilities. The Paths of Steel, Shadow and Spirit are the three main sections of the tome. Once the Oghma Infinium is used, it disappears from its owner's possession. Through the reading of Black Books, individuals can obtain much more power than that gained from the Oghma Infinium alone.
The tome was uncovered during the Imperial Simulacrum by the Eternal Champion, although conflicting reports place its discovery in either Skyrim or Elsweyr. Just before the events of the Warp in the West, an unknown agent of the Blades in the Iliac Bay area was sent by Hermaeus Mora to assassinate a noble who had displeased the Prince. In return, Mora promised the Oghma Infinium, which was in the possession of one of his worshippers. The agent succeeded, and the tome passed hands. In 3E 433, Mora again offered the tome as a reward, this time to the Champion of Cyrodiil. Mora summoned the Champion to his shrine in the Jerall Mountains, on the border with Skyrim, after seeing how capable the Champion was with dealing with the other Daedric Princes. Mora had the Champion collect souls from the ten main races of Tamriel, which were needed by his followers to perform a divination. The Champion succeeded and was given the tome. Signus believed the lockbox contained the Heart of Lorkhan, even though its physical manifestation was destroyed in 3E 427 by the Nerevarine. Signus was told by Mora that he would need the knowledge of an Elder Scroll to divine the way to open the lockbox. Signus was an expert on Elder Scrolls, and when the Last Dragonborn came looking for one in 4E 201, Signus pointed them towards Blackreach. The Dragonborn found the Elder Scroll within the Tower of Mzark, taking it and inscribing its knowledge onto a blank Dwemer lexicon. Signus used the knowledge to discover how to open the lockbox. As the Dwemer were all but extinct, Signus theorised that he could inject himself with the blood of all surviving elves to trick the lock. Mora then appeared to the Dragonborn in the form of a Wretched Abyss and revealed that Signus was no longer of use to him due to his broken mind. The Dragonborn retrieved samples of blood from Altmer, Bosmer, Dunmer, Falmer and Orcs. Signus succeeded in opening the lock, only to discover that it contained the Oghma Infinium. He was turned to dust attempting to read it. The Dragonborn took the tome and was contacted by Mora, who was pleased that his knowledge would again be put to use.
[edit] Ring of Khajiiti
- Also known as: Ring of Khajiit
| Arena | Invisibility, Sanctuary, Fortify Speed |
| Daggerfall | Invisibility, Fortify Speed |
| Morrowind | Invisibility, Fortify Speed |
| Oblivion | Chameleon, Fortify Speed |
The Ring of the Khajiiti is an ancient relic, hundreds of years older than Rajhin, the thief who made the Ring famous. It was Rajhin who used the Ring's powers to make himself as invisible, silent, and quick as a breath of wind. Using the Ring he became the most successful burglar in Elsweyr's history. Rajhin's eventual fate is a mystery, but according to legend, the Ring rebelled against such constant use and disappeared, leaving Rajhin helpless before his enemies.
[edit] Ring of Namira
- Also known as: Namira's Ring
| Daggerfall | Opponent takes damage from own attacks |
| Oblivion | Reflect Damage, Reflect Spell |
| Skyrim | Stamina is increased. Feeding on corpses grants you increased Health and Health regeneration. |
Namira is aligned with the darker side of nature, as is her ring. While the ring is being worn, any damage the bearer takes is suffered by the attacker as well. Spells and missile attacks are ignored. How much damage the attacker suffers depends upon his nature. Animals and Spriggans take no damage, being creatures of natures. Daedric beings only take half the damage they do, being supernatural creatures. Humanoids and monsters take full damage. Undead take twice the damage they dole out, because they are wholly unnatural creatures.*
*The information in italics applies only to Daggerfall.
[edit] Ring of Phynaster
| Arena | Shield, Resist Poison, Spell Shield, Resist Shock |
| Morrowind | Resist Poison, Shock, and Magicka |
The Ring of Phynaster was made hundreds of years ago by a person who needed good defenses to survive his adventurous life. Thanks to the Ring, Phynaster lived for hundreds of years, and since then it has passed from person to person. The ring improves its wearer's overall resistance to damage and grants total immunity to poison, spells, and electricity. Still, Phynaster was cunning and said to have cursed the Ring. It eventually disappears from its holder's possessions and returns to another resting place, uncontent to stay anywhere but with Phynaster himself.
[edit] Rueful Axe
The Rueful Axe is a Daedric artifact created by the Daedric Prince Clavicus Vile. It takes the form of a large iron battleaxe engraved with images of werewolves, although it is actually made of ebony. The axe is very heavy, and has a wicked blade that looks sharp enough to cut through a god. It is enchanted to magically fatigue anyone that it strikes.
The axe was created by Vile for Sebastian Lort, a powerful Breton conjurer. Sebastian's daughter was a worshipper of Hircine, and was cursed with Lycanthropy. Sebastian prayed to Vile to cure his daughter, and, in response, the Prince gave him the axe, giving the mage a means of "curing" his daughter by slaying her.
In 4E 201, Vile tasked the Last Dragonborn with retrieving the axe from Sebastian, who was residing in a cave named Rimerock Burrow in Haafingar Hold, Skyrim. In return, the Dragonborn requested that Vile would forgive Barbas, who he had banished to Tamriel. Vile gave the Dragonborn the option of keeping the Rueful Axe and using it to slay Barbas and temporarily vanquish him to the Void, or going through with the original deal, in which Vile would take the axe and Barbas in return for the Masque of Clavicus Vile. It is unknown which option the Dragonborn chose.
[edit] Sanguine Rose
The Sanguine Rose (sometimes spelled Sanguine's Rose) is a Daedric artifact created by the Daedric Prince Sanguine. It can take on many forms, including that of an actual rose, a wooden stave carved like a rose and a staff-sized rose. Although powerful, the Rose is not an artifact most would care to possess. It can be used to summon a lesser daedra, who will attack all except the holder. The daedra is uncontrollable, unlike those summoned by conjuration, but similar to conjured creatures it is only bound to the mortal plane temporarily. Each time the Rose is used it wilts a little, and when all the petals fall off, it loses its power. Somewhere in Oblivion a new rose blooms and is plucked by Sanguine to be given to another champion. For more information see the main article
[edit] Savior's Hide
- Also known as: Cuirass of the Savior's Hide, Saviour's Hide
| Battlespire | unknown (?) |
| Morrowind | Resist Magicka |
| Oblivion | |
| Skyrim | Increases Magic Resistance by 15%. Increases Poison Resistance by 50%. |
Another of Hircine's artifacts was the Cuirass of the Savior's Hide. The Cuirass has the special ability to resist magicka. Legend has it that Hircine rewarded his peeled hide to the first and only mortal to have ever escaped his hunting grounds. This unknown mortal had the hide tailored into this magical Cuirass for his future adventures. The Savior's Hide has a tendency to travel from hero to hero as though it has a mind of its own.
[edit] Scourge
Scourge (also known as the Daedric Scourge or Scourge, Blessed of Malacath) is a legendary Daedric artifact. It was forged from sacred ebony in the Fires of Fickledire, and is associated with Malacath. It is a fierce weapon, and takes the form of a steel or ebony mace. Malacath dedicated it to mortals, and any daedra who attempts to invoke its power will be banished to the Void. It is the bane of the Dark Kin, and has the ability to banish daedra to the Void with a single blow. It also has the power to conjure daedra from Oblivion to do the wielder's bidding; specifically, Dremora and Scamps can be summoned. It has been described as a "bold defender of the friendless", which can be related to Malacath's role as the Daedric Prince of Outcasts.
Scourge was once used by Mackkan, who banished many of Mehrunes Dagon's minions with it. The mace eventually came into the possession of the Third Empire. It was hung in the armory of the Battlespire, and used in the name of the Emperor by the Shadow Legion against the Daedric Lords. In the aftermath of Dagon's invasion of the Battlespire during the Imperial Simulacrum, the hidden mace was recovered from the Caitiff section of the Battlespire by a battlemage apprentice and used to help fight back against the retreating Daedric forces. Scourge survived the ensuing destruction of the Battlespire, and was returned to Tamriel. It now wanders the land with adventurers. The mace once came into the possession of Divayth Fyr, who kept it in Tel Fyr, a Telvanni wizard tower in Morrowind's Zafirbel Bay. The Nerevarine supposedly liberated the weapon from Fyr's collection in 3E 427.
[edit] Skeleton Key
The Skeleton Key (also called the Skeleton's Key) is a Daedric artifact created by the Daedric Prince Nocturnal. In appearance it doesn't always take the form of a skeleton key, and sometimes manifests as a lockpick instead. In its key form, it can be used to unlock any lock. The two limitations placed on the Key by wizards who sought to protect their storehouses were that the Key could only be used once a day and it would never be the property of one thief for too long, eventually disappearing. As a lockpick, it is nigh unbreakable and can get past even the toughest locks. The artifact acts a tool for "unlocking" all things, including portals, hidden potential, and other unknown possibilities. Its normal function is to unlock and hold open the Ebonmere, a portal to Nocturnal's realm, Evergloam, located in the Twilight Sepulcher of Skyrim. The Nightingales are tasked with guarding the Sepulcher and retrieving it should it be stolen. Unfortunately, the Prince is said to allow the Skeleton Key to be stolen or lost constantly, whether by purpose or apathy.
The Skeleton Key was uncovered during the Imperial Simulacrum by the Eternal Champion in either Valenwood or Summerset Isles (reports vary). In the events leading up to the Warp in the West, an unknown agent of the Blades was tasked by Nocturnal to kill a mage in his stronghold. The agent was then gifted the Key by a worshipper of the Prince. The Key later came into the possession of Gentleman Jim Stacey, leader of the Thieves Guild in Vvardenfell. The Key was passed on to the Nerevarine in 3E 427, although how Stacey came to lose it is unclear: some say it was in return for killing Sjoring Hard-Heart, the Master of the Vivec City Fighters Guild, while others say the Nerevarine took it by force.
Circa 3E 433. an artifact known as the Eye of Nocturnal was stolen from Nocturnal's shrine in Cyrodiil's Blackwood region. Nocturnal tasked the Champion of Cyrodiil with recovering it. The thieves, an Argonian couple in Leyawiin, hid it in a flooded cave in Topal Bay. The Champion returned it to Nocturnal and was rewarded with the Skeleton Key.
Some time before 4E 201, the Key was stolen from the Twilight Sepulcher by Mercer Frey, a corrupt Nightingale. Its long-term loss resulted in a decline of the Skyrim branch of the Thieves Guild due to bad luck without Nocturnal's influence. The guild's influence declined until their only presence was in the Ratways beneath Riften. Mercer used the Key to bring himself luck, but he was eventually confronted by the Nightingales beneath the Great Statue of Irkngthand. Mercer was killed, and the Last Dragonborn brought the Key back to the Sepulcher, reopening the Ebonmere.
[edit] Skull of Corruption
The Skull of Corruption is Vaermina's signature artifact. It is an incredible staff that creates a duplicate, or "clone", of whomever it is cast upon. This clone then attacks the original at the behest of the caster. Legends say that the staff has a mind of its own, and can feed on the memories of those around it.
[edit] Spellbreaker
The Spellbreaker (also spelled Spell Breaker) is an artifact attributed to the Daedric Prince Peryite. Superficially a Dwarven tower shield, it is one of the most ancient relics in Tamriel. The shield not only protects its wielder from physical damage, but also from magical attacks, by reflecting magicks, dispelling curses, or silencing any mage about to cast a spell. It is said that the shield still searches for its original owner, and will not remain the property of anyone else for long.
It played an important role in the historic Battle of Rourken-Shalidor. The shield was uncovered by the Eternal Champion during the Imperial Simulacrum, in either Hammerfell or Valenwood (reports vary). In the events leading up to the Warp in the West, an agent of the Blades contacted Peryite in search of power. The agent reminded the Prince of a mortal from the First Era, and Peryite took a shine to the agent. He had the agent slay a Vampire Ancient who had displeased him, and in return he had one of his worshippers give the Spellbreaker to the agent.
Mastrius, a Dunmer vampire who had been imprisoned for centuries in the Salvel Ancestral Tomb near the Red Mountain of Vvardenfell by Azura, required the Spellbreaker to break the curse keeping him in his prison. In 3E 427, the weakened Mastrius was discovered by a fellow vampire who agreed to help free him. The Spellbreaker was found in the Dwemer ruin of Bthuand, near the skeleton of its previous owner who had died in a cave-in. Mastrius used the shield as a conduit for his spell and broke Azura's curse, returning to full strength. He then betrayed his fellow vampire and was slain; his accomplice then claimed the Spellbreaker. Later that year, the shield came into the possession of Torasa Aram and was put on display in her museum of artifacts in Mournhold.
In 3E 433, worshippers of Peryite in Cyrodiil attempted to become closer to the Prince by performing a risky ritual which resulted in trapping their souls in Peryite's realm of Oblivion, the Pits. The Champion of Cyrodiil found the frozen bodies of the worshippers around Peryite's shrine by the Silverfish River. The Prince spoke with the Champion, and requested that they enter Oblivion and retrieve his worshippers' souls. The Champion obliged, and was rewarded with the Spellbreaker.
In 4E 201, the Last Dragonborn summoned Peryite and was tasked with killing the Bosmer Orchendor, a monk of Peryite who had rebelled against the Prince. He dwelled in the Dwemer ruin of Bthardamz in Skyrim, along with many Bretons from High Rock who had been cursed by Peryite with a terrible plague. The Dragonborn infiltrated the ruins, killing the afflicted Bretons before defeating Orchendor and sending his soul to the Pits. Peryite rewarded the Dragonborn with the Spellbreaker.
[edit] Staff of Magnus
The Staff of Magnus is one of the elder artifacts of Tamriel. It was created by Arch-Mage Magnus, the God of Magic who served Lorkhan in designing Mundus. It served Magnus as a metaphysical battery, but remained behind when the god fled Mundus in the Dawn Era. Since then, it has served mortals. In appearance it is a metallic staff, sometimes made of Daedric Ebony, often with a sphere at the end of it. It has the ability to protect its bearer from magical attacks, restore the bearer's health, or allow the bearer to absorb spells. It can also be used offensively as a blunt weapon, and to absorb an enemy's magicka, and eventually their life force. In time, the staff will abandon its owner before he becomes too powerful and upsets the mystical balance it is sworn to protect. The staff can be used to manipulate the Eye of Magnus, although their true relationship is unknown.
The staff was uncovered by the Eternal Champion during the Imperial Simulacrum in either Elsweyr or Valenwood (accounts vary). Some time in the Third Era, the staff was taken from a wizard by the Mages Guild. In death, the wizard's spirit remained bound to Nirn, until one of his descendants sent an adventurer to recover the staff from the Mages Guild. A fake copy of the staff also appeared in the Iliac Bay before the events of the Warp in the West; it was created by a mage in an attempt to bribe an agent of Nocturnal who has been sent to assassinate him. The fake staff functioned identically to the true artifact, but after several days it crumbled to dust.
By 3E 427, the staff had come into the possession of Dreveni Hlaren, a Dunmer sorceress and summoner. She dwelled in Assu, a cave on the slopes of Mount Kand, on the island of Vvardenfell. The Mages Guild learned of the artifact's location, and the Nerevarine was sent to slay Dreveni and claim the staff. Later that year, the Nerevarine sold the staff to Torasa Aram, who put it on display in her Museum of Artifacts in Mournhold.
In the Fourth Era, the staff appeared in the possession of an undead Dragon Priest named Morokei, who had, relatively recently, awoken from his ancient slumber. Morokei was entombed in the Labyrinthian, which was once the ancient Nord city of Bromjunaar, the capital of the Dragon Cult. A group of mages from the College of Winterhold journeyed to Labyrinthian to recover the staff, but only Savos Aren survived the ordeal. Aren sacrificed two of his companions to trap Morokei, and sealed the main entrance to the ruins. In 4E 201, the Synod came to Skyrim in search of artifacts, and attempted to use the Dwemer Oculory in Mzulft to detect magical power. With the aid of a member of the College of Winterhold, a Synod researcher used to Oculory to find the location of the Staff of Magnus, but all other readings were blocked out by the Eye of Magnus which was currently being tampered with in the College. The College member entered Labyrinthian and defeated Morokei. The staff was then used by the College to control the Eye of Magnus until the Psijic Order removed the Eye from Mundus.
[edit] Staff of Sheogorath
The Staff of Sheogorath, a powerful Daedric artifact, is the symbol of the Daedric Prince of Madness. It contains the power of the Shivering Isles, and is needed to assume the title of Mad God and sit upon the Throne of Madness. The Staff is the namesake of Sheogorath. In its traditional appearance, the Staff is a simple walking stick, often with an eyeball attached to the top. During each Greymarch, the Staff's power waned and it became a useless twig. This marked the beginning of Sheogorath's transformation into Jyggalag.
[edit] Umbra
The Umbra Sword was a Daedric artifact designed with the sole purpose of the entrapment of souls. The ancient witch Naenra Waerr created the sword at the request of Clavicus Vile, who wanted the sword as a tool of mischief which would send him souls from the mortal realm. Naenra created the sword, but it was unstable. Vile gave the witch a piece of his power to be imbued in the sword, which stabilised the weapon. However, Naenra (sometimes accredited with being Sheogorath in disguise) supposedly tricked him, as the piece of Vile's power imbued in the sword became a sentient being which called itself Umbra. Naenra was executed for her evil creation, but not before she hid the sword. The sword took on a life of its own, remaining hidden until a worthy wielder was found. Umbra would then slowly take control of the wielder. The Umbra Sword had the ability to change shape, but it was always in the form of a bladed weapon. It has been reported as a black and silver claymore, a jet black longsword and as a black sword emblazoned with red markings.
In 3E 427, an Orc warrior who went by the name of his sword, Umbra, was spotted in the mountains outside the settlement of Suran on the island of Vvardenfell. The Orc's only desire was to die in battle, but no foe could defeat him. At his request, the Nerevarine bested the Orc in mortal combat and claimed the Umbra Sword. The sword came into the possession of Torasa Aram later that year, and was put on display in her museum in Mournhold.
Sometime after the events of 3E 427, the sword was discovered by a Bosmer named Lenwin, from the small settlement of Pell's Gate in the Heartlands of Cyrodiil. She became bloodthirsty, and began calling herself Umbra after the sword. In 3E 433, Clavicus Vile sent the Champion of Cyrodiil to retrieve the Umbra Sword. Barbas, Vile's Hound, advised the Champion against bringing him the sword, foreseeing that it would bring ruin to the Prince. Despite the warning, the Champion tracked down and slew Lenwin in the Ayleid ruin of Vindasel and gave the sword to Vile in return for his Masque.
Once the sword arrived in Vile's realm, Umbra escaped and cut away some of the Prince's power for itself. Umbra took the form of a dark being, in the shape of a man but with eyes like holes into nothing. The Prince did not want Umbra to escape with his power, so he changed the walls of his realm, essentially trapping Umbra there. Using his stolen power, Umbra was able to conceal himself in one of the cities at the edge of Vile's realm, fearing that Vile would return him to the sword. In the early Fourth Era, Umbra was attracted to the influx of souls coming from the rift in the realm caused by the first ingenium, which held Baar Dau aloft above Vivec City. Casting a fortune, Umbra learned that the rift would one day become wide enough to throw the Umbra Sword through, lessening the threat posed by Vile. That day came when the ingenium was destroyed; Umbra threw the sword to Mundus, while at the same time Sul and Vuhon, two Dunmer responsible for the ingenium, were sucked through into Clavicus Vile's realm.
Umbra took them captive, and in return for his life Vuhon promised to build a new ingenium, which would tear a piece of Vile's realm away and let Umbra "escape", in a sense. Umbra agreed, and the two created Umbriel, a floating city powered by souls. Umbra fused with Vuhon and placed their joined soul into the new ingenium. Vuhon then began to call himself Umbriel, and ruled the floating city. The city of Umbriel was called to Tamriel circa 4E 40 by Chief Minister Hierem and the An-Xileel, who had gotten in touch with the city via the Hist, who in turn had made contact with the related sentient trees which ran the ecosystem on Umbriel. Hierem had promised use of the White Gold Tower to separate Umbriel from Vile's realm, but Vuhon first went north to the ruins of Vivec City, fearing that the Umbra Sword may be used to trap Umbra.
However, when Sul and Prince Attrebus Mede arrived at Scathing Bay on Vvardenfell in search of the Umbra Sword, it was nowhere to be found. The sword had already been retrieved by the minor House Sathil eight years previous. Without Umbra stabilising the sword, it drove whoever touched it insane. Elhul Sathil had been the one to recover it, and had been driven into a killing frenzy. He was chained down and brought back to Castle Sathil on Solstheim. Once there, he regained possession of the sword and would not relinquish his grip. His father, Lord Hleryn Sathil, constructed a dungeon to hold his son until a cure could be found. Elhul stopped eating after the first year, and his father spent years reading up on the sword. Sul and Attrebus Mede eventually tracked down the sword, and were locked in Elhul's prison by Nirai Sathil, who feared the sword. The two defeated Elhul, who had become skeletal and impervious to pain, and used the sword to teleport to Vile's realm.
With his power stolen by Umbra, Vile and his realm were weakened. The Prince tried to take the sword, but he couldn't handle it without Umbra stabilising it. Attrebus negotiated with Vile, and agreed to free his lost power in return for passage to the Imperial City. Sul and Attrebus found their way into Umbriel, and Sul wielded the sword in battle against Vuhon. It had no effect on him, as his soul was in the ingenium. In a final battle beside the ingenium, Attrebus was forced to wield the Umbra Sword and plunged it into the machine. This separated Umbra from Vuhon, trapping Umbra in the sword and mortally wounding Vuhon. With the veil over Umbriel destroyed, Clavicus Vile could enter. The Prince possessed Attrebus and used the Umbra Sword to stab Sul. Sul punched Attrebus and returned him to normality, before jumping on the orb of the ingenium with the sword still embedded in his chest. This turned his body and the Umbra Sword to smoke, likely destroying the artifact for good.
[edit] Volendrung
Volendrung, also known as the Hammer of Might, is an ancient artifact created by the Rourken clan. In appearance, it is a large ebony warhammer, although it may sometimes take the shape of a blade. For unknown reasons, Volendrung became a Daedric artifact of Malacath. It is enchanted with the power to paralyze foes and drain them of their strength, conferring it to the wielder. The hammer is prone to disappearing like its Dwarven creators, sometimes resurfacing in days, sometimes in eons.
The hammer originally belonged to the chieftain of the Rourken clan. When his clan refused to join the other Dwemer in the First Council, the chieftain threw his hammer across Tamriel, promising to settle where ever it landed. The hammer landed in western Tamriel, and the Rourken called the land Volenfell, literally "City of the Hammer". This area later came to be called Hammerfell. The Rourken's journey across Tamriel is depicted in many of the ruins of the region, Volendrung appearing as a shining star showing the way.
Sometime after the Dwemer disappeared in 1E 700, Volendrung ironically came to embody the power of Malacath, one of the Dwemer's most bitter foes. The hammer was uncovered during the Imperial Simulacrum by the Eternal Champion in either Morrowind or Hammerfell (reports vary). In the events leading up the Warp in the West, an agent of the Blades summoned Malacath seeking power, and a worshipper of the Prince gave the agent Volendrung in return for slaying a Daedra Seducer who had betrayed him.
Volendrung later came into the possession of Divayth Fyr of Tel Fyr, Vvardenfell. He kept it in a locked chest in his Corprusarium, near Yagrum Bagarn's living area. A hobby of his was to invite thieves to steal from his chests to amuse him, as they would often fail. In 3E 427, the Nerevarine succeeded in unlocking the chest and liberating Volendrung. In 3E 433, the Champion of Cyrodiil summoned Malacath and was tasked with freeing the ogre slaves of Lord Drad from his mines. In return, Malacath gifted the Champion with Volendrung.
Circa 4E 201, the Orcish settlement of Largashbur began to be openly attacked by the giants in the area. The giants had desecrated a shrine to Malacath and taken possession of Shagrol's Warhammer, a mundane hammer. Malacath cursed the tribe for its weakness, and the Orcs asked how they could obtain forgiveness. Chief Yamarz was tasked with clearing the giants from Malacath's shrine by the Prince. He was accompanied by the Last Dragonborn, but he was a weak leader and was slain when he turned on the Dragonborn. Malacath praised the Dragonborn for killing Yamarz. He then ordered the Dragonborn to return Shagrol's Hammer to Largashbur. Malacath transformed the hammer into Volendrung and gave it to the Dragonborn, while naming Gularzob as the new chief of the tribe.
[edit] Wabbajack
The Wabbajack is a Daedric artifact created by the Daedric Prince Sheogorath. It takes the appearance of an ebony staff. As befits the Prince of Madness, his artifact is unpredictable in its effects. The staff has the power to transform its target into a completely random creature. This can be helpful to the wielder, turning a fearsome opponent into a docile animal; similarly, it can be detrimental, transforming a relatively weak enemy into a powerful monster. The staff can produce other effects, such as damaging, healing or instantly killing the target.
An anonymous author wrote about his obtaining of the staff in the book Wabbajack. In his search for the Oghma Infinium, the author was tricked into summoning Sheogorath, believing him to be Hermaeus Mora. After serving the prince, Sheogorath's servant gave him the Wabbajack. In the events leading up to the Warp in the West, an unknown agent of the Blades summoned Sheogorath and dispatched a battlemage who had displeased the Prince. In return, the agent was given the Wabbajack from a worshipper of Sheogorath.
In 3E 433, Sheogorath was aided by the Champion of Cyrodiil in tormenting the Khajiit settlement of Border Watch in Cyrodiil. The inhabitants were very superstitious, and were driven into a state of frenzy when the Prince simulated their K'sharra Prophecy, said to mark the end of the world. These occurrences were reported in a special edition of the Black Horse Courier newspaper entitled Rain of Burning Dogs!. It is unknown whether this took place before or after the Champion assumed the position of Sheogorath; regardless, the Champion received the Wabbajack from either Sheogorath or Haskill.
In 4E 201, the Last Dragonborn unknowingly entered the mind of the dead Pelagius Septim III, tasked with convincing Sheogorath to return to the Shivering Isles. Sheogorath agreed to return, but only if the Dovahkiin could escape Pelagius' mind. Having completed several challenges and conquered the dead emperor's inner fears, the Dovahkiin was able to leave and was given the Wabbajack by Sheogorath.
[edit] Warlock's Ring
The Warlock's Ring is an artifact originally owned by the Arch Mage Syrabane, an Aldmeri god-ancestor. In appearance, it is a ring with a large gemstone, either red or green in color. It is best known for its ability to reflect spells cast at its wearer and to fortify the wearer's speed and health, though it may have additional powers. These magical effects are sometimes named "Shalidor's Mirror" and "Feet of Notorgo". It is not necessary to wear the ring to benefit from its magic.
In the late First Era, Syrabane judiciously used the ring to save many from the Thrassian Plague. Because of this, he is attributed with helping to save the entire continent of Tamriel. The ring has passed hands many times, helping adventurers to reach their goals. No one may possess the ring for long, as it is said that the ring is Syrabane's alone to command.
The Warlock's Ring was uncovered by the Eternal Champion during the Imperial Simulacrum in either Morrowind or Elsweyr (reports vary). Some time in the Third Era, the ring was taken from a wizard by the Mages Guild. In death, the wizard's spirit remained bound to Nirn, until one of his descendants sent an adventurer to recover the ring from the Mages Guild. A fake copy of the ring also appeared in the Iliac Bay before the events of the Warp in the West; it was created by a mage in an attempt to bribe an agent of Nocturnal who has been sent to assassinate him. The fake ring functioned identically to the true artifact, but after several days it crumbled to dust. The ring later came into the possession of Magnessen Brisienna, a Blades operative. Brisienna offered the ring as payment in return for the Totem of Tiber Septim, which would give the Empire control of the Numidium. Due to the Warp in the West, it is unknown what became of the ring.
The ring resurfaced several years later in the possession of Vindamea Drethan, a powerful sorceress who lived in a cave on an island off the shore of Vvardenfell, along Azura's Coast. News of this reached the Mages Guild, and in 3E 427 Drethan was killed by the Nerevarine, who then claimed the ring. Later that year, the Nerevarine sold the ring to Torasa Aram, who put it on display in her Museum of Artifacts in Mournhold.
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