Netruk44/uesp-wiki-content huggingface dataset:
History of the Dragon Cult I

Origins of the Dragon Cult

The Dragon Cult has its origins far back in the Atmoran period of Nordic history and the totemic beliefs of that time. The many tribes and clans of Atmora each followed their own totem, representing a tutelary spirit that guided and protected their people, though they recognised the totems of other groups as well as other more malign spirits. A ship's crew might follow a slaughterfish totem, for instance, that guided their ship to savage success in their raids across the sea.

The period of strife that preceded the exodus from Atmora had a profound effect upon their animistic religion as well. As warfare brought smaller tribes under the control of larger ones, the number of predominant totems shrank to a number closer to the Nordic pantheon of today. Furthermore, as the Atmorans are not believed to have had a written language, totems that did not survive into Tamriel are lost to history.

Although dominant groups established the primacy of their totems, conquered tribes continued to follow and share their own spirits with one another. At this time, accepting a plurality of totems became common - an Atmoran might follow, for example, the spirits for their family, clan, tribe and overlord, all concurrently - and the followers of the Dragon saw great success in spreading their beliefs amongst the agrarian, non-warrior classes. The Dragon had been a recognised figure throughout Atmoran mythology, but the teachings of "rebirth through destruction" resonated with those who were bearing the brunt of whatever it was that ultimately pushed the Nords out of Atmora.

By the time of the Return, it had become popular to view the greater spirits as anthropomorphised individuals (this was, perhaps, an import of merish theology brought back from Tamrielic colonies such as Saarthal). Similarly, the pressures facing the Nords in Atmora meant that they could not survive divided, and their co-mingling and cooperation led to a blending of their spirits as well - the first concrete existence of a Nordic pantheon.

The followers of the Dragon, with their influence amongst those in neither the noble nor warrior classes, rejected this reduction of powerful totemic spirits into mere individuals, and Alduin forever remained a dragon. As well as the more eschatological elements of their teachings, their practical associations with the mundane aspects of agrarian life - the cycle of the seasons mirroring the cycle of the kalpa, their oversight of crucial fire-farming practices - cemented the role of the Dragon in Nordic culture and (for a time) society.
History of the Dragon Cult II

Beliefs and practices of the original Dragon Cult

The influence of the Dragon totem on Nordic society remained all the way through the exodus to Tamriel and the settlement of Skyrim, although it took on an increasingly dour tone. Whether it was the loss of Atmora, the massacre in Saarthal and conflict with the Falmer, or some other dire portent, the followers of the Dragon (hereafter termed the "Dragon Cult") came to believe that the kalpa had already run its course and that Alduin's awakening had been delayed, likening it to an endless winter that held back the return of spring.

Dragon Cultists in the holds of weaker jarls and kings dared even to blame the new gods, in particular Shor, for this unnaturally-long kalpa and sporadic uprisings - a couple even temporarily successful - broke out against the upper Nordic classes and their veneration of those corrupting spirits that were preventing the world's fiery renewal.

Singing was a central part of the Cult's religious practice - there was, and remains, a belief that the songs of mortals influence Alduin's moods. In the present day, this is almost exclusively lullabies to keep the Dragon sleeping (see vol. iv of this series for changes in theology) but at the zenith of the Dragon Cult's power, great choirs would sing the notes and harmonies that it was believed would rouse the sleeping Alduin from his stupor.

Accusations of human sacrifice persist until the present day, but these cannot be verified. Although there is some evidence that the Nords of early Tamriel practiced sporadic human sacrifice, it seems just as likely that this charge against the Dragon Cult is persistent slur by King Harald and his successors.

What is known about the original Dragon Cult is their belief that Alduin's awakening - their most treasured hope - was imminent, and that those who feared they would die before its occurrence took extraordinary steps to overcome this. Mummification was a common Nordic funerary practice at this time, but the Dragon Cult went even further: through a practice not understood in the present day, the ghosts of the dead were kept bound to Mundus and induced back into their own corpses. Although this was deeply unpleasant and nothing like true immortality, these haunted mummies allowed dying Cultists to believe they would experience the kalpa's fiery end.
History of the Dragon Cult III

Harald's War and the end of the Dragon Cult

At the same time as the Dragon Cult's apocalyptic preachings were taking hold amongst the lower classes, the brutal wars of the Nordic kingdoms - both against the Falmer and amongst each other - were reaching their own height. A cunning Nordic king and   of Ysgramor named Harald Hand-Free was uniting the fractured holds under his banner, through both conquest and iron-willed diplomacy, until he was able to properly take the war against Falmer and begin pushing them out of Skyrim. However, as his campaign gained momentum, a series of Cult-inspired rebellions broke out and he was forced to return home and put them down.

From this point on, Harald was always fighting a war on two fronts: one against the remaining Falmer tribes, and one against his own people. The fighting devastated the still-incipient Nordic kingdoms, but the king was able to cling to power and with great brutality reclaimed Skyrim inch by bloody inch. A very plausible legend states that holdouts in a great temple of the Dragon Cult were the last resistance Harald faced, and it was upon their bloodied altar that he declared the first Empire of the Nords (before tearing the entire structure down, brick by brick).

Although their original apocalyptic beliefs have experienced occasional resurgences through the   (most notably during the ominous portents of the Year of Winter in Summer in 1E668), the Dragon Cult were thoroughly crushed and reformed by King Harald. He recognised the important role the Cult played in the daily life of common Nords, and rather than ban it outright he brought the veneration of Alduin within the (admittedly loose) religious framework of Nordic kingdoms.
History of the Dragon Cult IV

The Dragon Cult today

Although Harald did not exterminate the Dragon Cult completely, he reworked it in such a fashion that veneration of Alduin today bears almost no recognisable similarity to that of the mighty demagogues of early Skyrim.

Ideas of waking Alduin or hastening the end of the kalpa were strongly discouraged. Instead, those who follow the Dragon continue their practices of harvest festivals and agrarian administration, but are also charged with singing the lullabies that keep Alduin sleeping and this age of Man alive. The renewal wrought by the Dragon's destructive flames is kept esoteric and allegorical: Alduin may be propitiated when one seeks the destruction of want or weakness, for example, but the matter of the kalpa's end is best left to the gods themselves.

Although ruined, the temples of the Dragon Cult (which, it should be said, represent another departure from the generally decentralised religious practices of the Nords) can still sometimes be found in use. Those near villages, in particular, may be occupied by one or two Dragon Cultists, who assist local agriculture and oversee the various rituals and rites of Alduin across the seasons. Today, the Dragon Cult is generally an institution only in rural, traditional areas.

However, during the sacred reign of the late Reman Cyrodiil a number of remote and long-unoccupied temples were excavated and opened. Forty years on, we can still only speculate what future scholars may uncover deep within the walls of these maligned spaces. A word of warning, nonetheless:

The lower levels of these ruined temples remain dangerous. Those who feared they would die before the return of the Dragon practiced strange magicks to bind themselves to their corpses, willingly trapping themselves in a tortured existence in anticipation of the kalpa's imminent end. As the millennia have passed, a few of these baleful watchers still roam the catacombs, attacking intruders in their madness and despair. Tread carefully, truth-seeker, for the path of knowledge is overgrown with violence.
Skyrim:Spear of Bitter Mercy

The Spear of Bitter Mercy''' is an unobtainable two-handed spear in the possession of Gogh, a goblin champion of Hircine, who can become a follower after the Blue in the Face quest.  
 
Related Quests


Notes
The Spear of Bitter Mercy previously appeared in Battlespire, Morrowind, and ESO.
The weapon functions effectively the same as the Giant Club or Dwarven Sphere Centurion Arrow items, which cannot be directly picked up by the player, but can be picked up by followers. With console commands, you cannot add it to your inventory, but it can be spawned in as a physical object.
 
-->
Online:Barracks (Fort Morvunskar)

thumb|right|InteriorIt's been trashed in the recent Stormfist invasion.
 

Related Quests
Online:Cygnus Irregulars

The   are a sect of the Imperial Legion led by Prefect Calo. They are primarily military engineers, scouts, and trainers. 
 
Members


Locations


Quests




Books
Lore:Shady Grove

Shady Grove (also called Shadymarch)  is a village found in the Khefrem region of southern Hammerfell, near the waters of Hubalajad's Bay and the city-state of Gilane.  

The village of Shady Grove has been in existence since the Tiber Wars.  During the   in the late- , the town of Shadymarch was an active settlement. It was ruled by Lord Maoler and had a rivalry with  .  Shadymarch was neighbored by a few settlements, including   and   to the east, and Gilane to the south.  By  , the forests of Shady Grove were overrun by hostile wildlife and had a number of abandoned buildings within. 
 

Gallery
 
Notes
Shadymarch was renamed to Shady Grove during the development of Redguard as an easter egg reference to the area of Shady Grove, where Bethesda's offices at 1370 Piccard Drive, Rockville, Maryland are located. 

See also
For game-specific information on Shady Grove, see the Arena and Blades articles.

References
Lore:Karnver Falls

Karnver Falls (also spelled Karrnver Falls)  is a location found in central Hammerfell, near the mouths of the Irk and Tark north of the city-state of Gilane. 

Karrnver Falls has been in existence since at least the Tiber Wars.  During the   in the late- , the village of Karnver Falls was an active settlement was ruled by Lord Blebem and had a rivalry with Corten Mont.  Karnver Falls is neighbored by several settlements, including Verkarth City to the north,   to the east, and Taneth to the south. 
 

Gallery
 

References
Online:Orc Spectator

Orc Spectators are Orcs associated with the of the Stormfist Clan who are found at Cradlecrush Arena. They will watch your fight against Lob the Cleaver. 
 

Related Quests


Quest-Related Events
They will panic and run off when you defeat Lob.
:Orc Spectator: ''"Lob's dead! Let's get out of here!"''
Skyrim:Gogh

Gogh in combat alongside his storm atronach summon|thumb|right
Gogh is a goblin hunter from Cyrodiil and an apparent champion of Hircine who has been sentenced to death for discovering the truth about his tribe's new leader, the supposed Blue God, posing as an aspect of Malacath through the use of blue dye. He can be found inside Gromm's Pass where he is battling for his life in a fighting pit. If the Blue God is slain and Gogh is freed from the pit, Gogh can be recruited as a follower.

His appearance can be altered through dialogue, and he wields the Spear of Bitter Mercy, a Daedric artifact which summons a storm atronach. The spear cannot be taken from him, and is only usable if equipped via console commands. The armor options available are: no armor; leather or iron armor; and/or leather, iron, or skull helmet. These options are purely aesthetic and do not affect Gogh's stats.

Gogh cannot be ordered to stay at one of your houses. Instead, he will return to the throne area within Gromm's Pass when he leaves your service as a follower.
 
Related Quests
 

Dialogue
You can ask Gogh various questions, but will be unable to understand him as he will only respond with snorting and grunts.

When you first meet him:
:Are you all right?
:Did you kill all these goblins?
:'''I take it you realized that orc wasn't a god.
:Wait, why am I talking to a goblin?

:Do you think you'd want to follow me?
:You can handle yourself in a fight. I could use someone like you.
:You seem friendly, but so does a bear until it's chewing your face off.
:I've always wanted a goblin for a friend. What do you say?

:All right then, let's go.

After recruiting him:
:I want to talk about your spear.

:Where did you find it?
:Can I try it out?
:Does it have any special abilities?
:Does your spear have a name?

:I don't understand.
:This is a waste of time.
:I'm not sure why I expected an actual answer.
:That's interesting. Well, good talk.
:I wonder if they teach goblin at the Bard's College.

If you asked if you could try out the spear, you can respond with:
:I'm guessing that's a "No."'''

Gallery
 

Notes
Gogh functions similarly to the Riekling Warrior follower.
He is the only goblin that uses a weapon.
Gogh is unable to follow if the dragonborn is already accompanied by a Riekling.
Skyrim:Gromm's Pass

Until a recent collapse, it served as an underground pass through the Jerall Mountains to  .

It consists of one zone: Gromm's Pass.
 

Related Quests
 

Walkthrough
Exterior
The cave entrance is marked by a lit brazier among the bones and blood. A bear spawns right where the fast travel marker is, so be prepared for an ambush if you aren't approaching on foot. An iron ore vein can be found to the right of the entrance.

Gromm's Pass
thumb|left|Gromm's Pass interiorthumb|left|Gogh next to the throne
 

Notes
This cave is the only place where Steel-Blue Entoloma grow naturally.
If Gogh leaves your service as a follower, he will return to the throne room here.
Online:Assassin (Vulkhel Guard)

thumb|right|A deal gone wrong?
Assassin is a High Elf who can be encountered within the main warehouse in Vulkhel Guard. He finishes his business with a Bandit before vanishing.
 

Related Quests
 

Quest-Related Events
As you enter the warehouse, you may overhear a conversation:
:Bandit: "Please, I did just as you asked!"
:Assassin "Yes. Yes, you did."

The assassin then stabs him and disappears. You can then walk up and take the  .
Skyrim:Over the Edge

Quick Walkthrough
#Look for a note at the Four Shields Tavern.
#Search downriver for the body.
#Read the guard's note.
#Confront Aldepius.
#Meet Peladius on the Dragon Bridge.
#Defeat Peladius.
#Retrieve the armor.

Detailed Walkthrough
A Suicide in Haafingar
Upon installing the Alternative Armors - Steel Soldier Creation, you will be directed to read a note located in the Four Shields Tavern in Dragon Bridge. Reading it, you will learn of an apparent suicide which took place at the town's eponymous Dragon Bridge. A new recruit guardsman had gone missing, but a fellow guard named Aldepius claims to have seen him leap from the bridge.

You will find the guard's body just downstream to the northeast of the bridge. On the guard's body, you will find a note that shows the dead guard suspected Aldepius of being a bandit informant rather than a stationed member of the Dragon Bridge garrison. You will need to return to town to confront Aldepius.

Duel at the Dragon Bridge
thumb|right|Face Peladius on the bridge
Upon re-entering the Four Shields Tavern, you will find that Aldepius is nowhere to be found. Instead, he has left a confession at one of the tables, inviting you to face him in honorable combat at the Dragon Bridge. In it he admits that his real name is Peladius and that he is a former member of the Crimson Dirks bandit gang.

Peladius will be waiting for you on the bridge and will attack on sight, so be prepared to fight to the death. Grant him the honorable death he wishes for, and loot his body for a full set of enchanted steel soldier armor. This will complete the quest and will grant you the ability to craft this new armor for yourself.

Notes
If the Imperial Legion still holds Solitude, the guards involved in this quest will be wearing Solitude colors. If the Stormcloaks have taken the city, the guards will be wearing Stormcloak armor instead.
 
Quest Stages
Tollmen's Hall

It consists of two levels resembling long hallways, with a locked gate leading to a store room on the lower level. The building serves as offices for the local tollmer, bureaucrats who direct the flow of goods in   lands.

 
Related Quests
Skyrim:Skjol the Tongueless

Skjol the Tongueless is a hostile Nord warrior. He is a mute due to his lack of a tongue. He is also the author of ''Skjol's Journal and is responsible for the murder of an innocent Skaal villager. He has fled to an unnamed island northeast of Northshore Landing in search of stalhrim, and you will need to kill him during the related quest in order to claim a set of Stalhrim Fur armor located within a sarcophagus on the island.

Skjol wears a full set of scaled armor with matching helmet, boots, and bracers. In combat he wields a fearsome Stalhrim Battleaxe of Freezing.

 
Related Quests
 

Notes
Skjol is mentioned in The Crimson Dirks, v5'', which describes his early life as a member of the Crimson Dirks bandit gang.
Skyrim:Tyra Blood-Fire

Tyra Blood-Fire is a hostile Nord nightblade and former leader of the Crimson Dirks bandit gang. She can be found praying at the shrine of Talos southwest of Windhelm during the related quest.

She wears a full set of enchanted Ebony plate armor and wields two matching ebony swords. She also carries a steel dagger, an elven bow, 50 steel arrows and a ruby, as well as a copy of The Crimson Dirks, v1 and a letter titled To (Player).

 
Related Quests
Online:Lighthouse (Silatar)

It is a of typical Altmeri design and has a exterior top level.
 
Related Quests
Online:Manor

Related Quests
Online:Black Kiergo Brigand Style

:''"As Caska can tell you, in the den of cutthroats called Black Kiergo, the greater the risk you take, the greater the reward you gain. They don't let just anyone in—but your chances increase if you look like you belong." &mdash; Crown Store description
The Black Kiergo Brigand Style''' is an outfit style made available in the Crown Store from January 2 to January 5, 2020. It returned from October 7 to October 14, 2021. It can only be learned by purchasing the style from the Crown Store. Armor cannot be crafted in this style, but the style can be applied to an outfit using an outfit station. There are no weapons in this style. Like all styles, it is purely cosmetic. The Black Kiergo Brigand Style was available for  . The pack comes with one Outfit Change Token.

Armor


Gallery
Online:Andoriel (Woodhearth)

Andoriel is a Wood Elf member of the Thalmor who can be found at their headquarters in Woodhearth. 

During Veil of Illusion he will be disguised as an Altmer female.

 
Related Quests


Quest-Related Events
:''"We've heard a lot about you, Queen's Eye. Have a word with Fariel. She's been waiting for you to arrive."''

After you've spoken to Fariel, he (she) will tell you:
:"I feel so beautiful and … tall. I could get used to this."
Online:Dead Horse

Eastmarch
 
A Dead Horse appears in a vision where Valdia Lastblood's ghost chants over its corpse, having seemingly sacrificed it. Hadmal mentions that she rode the ponies at Hfirorg Farm and buried her at the flower grove by the pond.
 

Related Quests

 

Reaper's March
 A Dead Horse can be found in Arenthia.
 

Craglorn
 A Dead Horse is located along the path south of the Scorpion Ravine, next to a Dead Imperial.
Online:Sea Viper Tormentor

The Sea Viper Tormentor is a Maormer who can be found in Seaside Sanctuary. He is holding Ulmion captive.
 
 

Related Quests
 

Quest-Related Events
When you enter the house, you'll hear a Sea Viper Tormentor having a discussion with Ulmion:
:Sea Viper Tormentor :  ''"I won't kill your precious Fariel. When we take Woodhearth, I'll keep her for myself."
:Sea Viper Tormentor :  "What? Who are…"
:Ulmion :  "Speak of her now, snakecharmer."''
Ulmion kills the tormentor.
Skyrim:Suicide at Dragon Bridge

One of the locals who frequents the inn has been reported missing. I was about to tell the innkeeper to report it to the guard, but Aldepius said he saw the person in question leap off Dragon Bridge. 

A sad state of affairs, but not our concern.
Skyrim:Guard's Note on Aldepius

I am beginning to suspect Aldepius is not who he claims to be.

He seemed rather old for a new recruit, but it wasn't until he started asking about our bandit informant that I began to suspect something was amiss. Still, I would've forgiven this as natural curiosity had he not asked to meet him.

So I checked with the list of the garrison, and no one by the name Aldepius is on it. I don't know who he is, but he's not a member of the guard. He's stationed at Dragon Bridge at the moment, when my shift is over I'm going to confront him about it.
Skyrim:Aldepius' Confession

I should've made sure that body sunk to the bottom of the river, but in my old age I've gotten sloppy.

I guess I should come clean. My real name is Peladius. I'm a bandit. At least, I used to be, until our group was betrayed by one of our own. I started this whole charade because I wanted to know who.

But to be honest, it doesn't matter anymore. There was never any honor among thieves. I lost what little claim I had to it, the day I joined Tyra's crew. 

Then again, maybe I can still have an honorable death.

Meet me at Dragon Bridge. We can settle this there.
Online:Dark Heart of Skyrim

thumb|right|Dark Heart of Skyrim
The Dark Heart of Skyrim is the fourth main story arc of the Elder Scrolls Online, following on from the Season of the Dragon. It is an overarching story which spans multiple content updates in the form of DLC, Chapters, and free quests, covering the entirety of 2020's content releases. Details of the plot were officially announced on January 16, 2020, though teasers in the form of a letter from Sai Sahan and maps with Daedric text and tribal objects were sent to various influencers prior to this. 

The eventual return to Skyrim has been hinted at in the past, with Lyris Titanborn being mentioned as having returned to her homeland to deal with an urgent matter.

The Dark Heart of Skyrim concluded with Markarth and was followed by a new story called Gates of Oblivion.

Quest Order
thumb|lt|Dark Heart of Skyrim
Due to the multiple content releases involved in the Dark Heart of Skyrim, there are no prerequisites for completing these quests and they can be done in any order. However, they do follow a chronological order as listed here.

Harrowstorm Storyline  — Quests involving a dark benefactor.






Greymoor Storyline  — Quests to stop an evil deep beneath Western Skyrim.
 (only available to new characters created for the Greymoor chapter)








Stonethorn Storyline  — Quests to hunt down the reclusive allies of the Gray Host.






Markarth Storyline   — Quests to end an ancient vampiric plot that threatens the Reach.







Epilogue   — The final arc surrounding Rada al-Saran's Darkstorm and concluding the Dark Heart of Skyrim. (requires completion of Greymoor and Markarth storylines)




Notes
The Jubilee Cake 2020 is vampire-themed in reference to the Dark Heart of Skyrim storyline.

References