Lore:Mannimarco

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Lore:King of Worms redirects here. For the book, see Mannimarco, King of Worms.

Mannimarco, an Altmer lich, is the leader of a band of necromancers and an enemy of the Mages Guild. He is also known as The King of Worms, though it is currently unknown whether or not that title is specific to him or if it belongs to the leader of his cult of necromancers, whoever that might be. He carried the Staff of Worms as his weapon. Around 3E 433, he launched an all-out attack against the Mages Guild in Cyrodiil. Though he initially had some success, his cult ultimately failed to destroy the Mages Guild, and Mannimarco himself was killed during the struggle.

Contents 1 Background 2 Artifacts 3 In Daggerfall 4 In Oblivion 5 Notes 6 References

[edit] Background

While little is known about Mannimarco himself, some is described in the book Mannimarco, King of Worms. While the book is a poem, it still reveals many facts about Mannimarco's life. A summary follows.

There are many descriptions of time periods and Galerion throughout this summary. This information is integral to learning more about Mannimarco.

• Mannimarco lived on the island Artaeum, described by the fragment of the book On Artaeum to be the third largest island in the Summerset archipelago.
• His birthdate is unknown. However, it is known that he started studying magic 230 (ten score and thirty) years after the "mighty Remans" fell. This presumably is a reference to the end of the dynasty of the Reman emperors, which coincided with the end of the First Era. His study of magic would then coincide with the founding of the Mages Guild, which occurred in year 2E230. It is likely that Mannimarco was born roughly 20 years earlier, i.e., around 2E210.
• Mannimarco was a "brilliant student," along with another student, later named as Galerion, founder of the Mages Guild. Galerion had a "light and warm" heart, while Mannimarco unsurprisingly had a "dark and cold" heart. See Galerion the Mystic for more information about Galerion.
• Mannimarco used necromancy and trapped souls even while studying.
• Galerion eventually confronted Mannimarco about his use of necromancy beneath the "Ceporah Tower" (an ancient tower on Summerset Isle used by the Psijic Order^[1]).
• Mannimarco ignored Galerion's warning.
• For an unknown reason, Mannimarco was later sent to Tamriel by his masters (almost definitely his teachers in magic).
• Galerion left for the mainland as well (it was time for him to leave, implying after a certain time students of Artaeum left for Tamriel). This could imply Mannimarco was older or more intelligent than Galerion (or at least considered so by his teachers).
• Mannimarco's evil began spreading throughout Tamriel.
• He gathers a following of Necromancers.
• He became the first lich (explaining his longevity, as he was approximately 1,130 years old by the beginning of Oblivion). It is not specified if he was the first lich ever or the first humanoid to make the transformation.
• He lost his body and mind; they became a living, moving corpse. His blood became acid, and all matter of non-human things happened to him.
• Galerion left the Mages Guild, calling it "a morass" (a type of swamp).
• Galerion attacked Mannimarco in a great battle. Galerion calls Mannimarco "The Worm King." While it appears Mannimarco had his nickname, if in an altered form, at this point, it may be extrapolation by the author.
• Mannimarco began, literally, breathing death. However, he felt his powers fail. A thousand men total died in the battle. These included Galerion, and it appeared Mannimarco died as well.

The book Mannimarco, King of Worms ends with a verse warning children to beware the Worm King.

[edit] Artifacts

Despite Mannimarco's great age, only a few artifacts have been identified by scholars as belonging to him. The most wide-spread is the Necromancer's Amulet, appearing in Arena, Daggerfall, Morrowind, and Oblivion. The Necromancer's Amulet was thought to be the last surviving artifact of Mannimarco, but the recent evidence in Oblivion has obviously disproved that. In Arena, the Necromancer's Amulet is found in Summerset and allows the wearer to absorb spells and regenerate. The wearer also has fortified intelligence. In Daggerfall, it is the gift for completing a Knight's Guild quest and will absorb spells. In Morrowind, it is no longer considered to be the last surviving artifact of Mannimarco (the Bloodworm Helm has been found), and is held by the Arch-Mage of the Morrowind Mages Guild. The Morrowind version allows the wearer to resist normal weapons, fortify intelligence, restore health, and absorb spells. Finally, the Oblivion version is not found until the The Necromancer's Amulet quest and this will drain the wearer's Strength and Endurance but fortify their Willpower, Intelligence, Conjuration, and Magicka.

Another relatively common artifact is the Bloodworm Helm. It is described to be one of Mannimarco's treasured possessions and it is made out of magically shaped bone. In Morrowind, this item is found on Crazy Batou in the Maren Ancestral Tomb. It will Turn Undead and summon a Skeleton Minion. In Oblivion, it may be found during a quest of the same name. It fortifies the player's Conjuration skill and, while worn, will allow the player to use a spell called "Essence Drain." This spell absorbs fatigue, health, and magicka on touch. While this can be replicated with the Spellmaking Altar in the Arcane University, it costs 50% more than the helm's version of the spell. To continue with the Mages Guild quest line, the player character must give the Bloodworm Helm to Hannibal Traven, who, as with the Necromancer's Amulet, will remove it from the player's inventory for further study (and as before it can be found in the nightstand with the UOP mod).

Mannimarco's third known possession is only in Oblivion. This is the Staff of Worms. The Staff of Worms is presumably an entirely unknown artifact until the player character recovers it from Mannimarco's body. The staff of worms will "reanimate" an NPC for thirty seconds. Specifically, when used on a dead NPC, the NPC will be "reanimated," or brought back to life, and will follow and defend the caster. The reanimated corpse of said NPC can salvage and equip any weapons they might come across. They may not be conversed with in any fashion, however.

[edit] In Daggerfall

Mannimarco made his first appearance in "Daggerfall" as one of the political behemoths the player could align him/herself with. When given the Mantella he ascends to godhood. This suggests that he was far more powerful in the Iliac Bay politically and magically was more powerful before and during the events of the game. Due to Daggerfall's multiple endings and the subsequent retcon (The Warp in the West) however, it is unknown if the Mannimarco you face in Oblivion is the "True" Mannimarco, another Mannimarco created by the Dragon Break that didn't receive the Mantella, a possessed vessel, or just a necromancer who took the name for effect. It is revealed in the correspondence of a Worm Anchorite that the Necromancer's Moon is the God of Worms- a heavenly body that eclipses Arkay and allows soul gems to ensnare those usually protected by the Divine. This moon is the remnant of Mannimarco's apotheosis, and his divine form.

[edit] In Oblivion

After the player character completes the recommendation quests, the Mage's Guild quest line deals almost entirely with Necromancers, as the player finds that Mannimarco has returned and is planning an attack on the Guild. It is likely he chose this time to attack either because he had a strong following (after Hannibal Traven's ban of Necromancy in the Mages Guild), or because he believed the Daedric invasion would weaken the Mage's Guild, or both.

His role in Oblivion is further described on the Oblivion:Mannimarco page.

[edit] Notes

• The name Mannimarco comes from the similar but transposed name of a Germanic tribe, the Marcomanni, which the historical Roman Empire defeated. An explanation for this may be that Cyrodiil, and hence the Imperials, are based on the Roman civilization.

[edit] References

• Mannimarco, King of Worms
• Galerion the Mystic
• First Era
• Second Era
• Origin of the Mages Guild
• Vanus Galerion

1. ↑ On Artaeum