King Ranser King Ranser was a ruler of Shornhelm during the 6th century of the Second Era , crowned after the death of his father King Hurlburt of House Branquette in 2E 546 . After King Emeric of Wayrest married Maraya instead of his daughter , Rayelle , he started a civil war against High Rock and Hammerfell . He died at Traitor ' s Tor , where his undead skeleton remains after a curse . History . He was illegitimate , born to " a poor Tamrith cousin " , and had to compete with his legitimate younger brother Prince Phylgeon for their father Hurlburt ' s throne . The fourteen - year - old Phylgeon was descended from House Montclair , and his claim was supported by the codicil to the " Bretonnick Natalitie " , which declared " Howse Mount Clayre " the royal house of Shornhelm . However , the codicil was missing when the Council of the North met to discuss the two claimants . Prince Ranser presented a long - lost Direnni decree that named House Branquette their " Breton Royal Delegates " in Rivenspire , winning the crown by the vote of the Council . He had a daughter named Princess Rayelle , whom King Emeric of Wayrest courted before marrying Maraya in the spring of 2E 566 . Furious , he called back his ambassador from Wayrest , staying in Shornhelm when he was invited to Emeric ' s wedding . In Last Seed of the year , he launched a surprise siege on Wayrest , sparking what is now called Ranser ' s War . His army consisted of mercenaries and his own people , along with the noble houses of Rivenspire that he forced to fight under his banner . House Tamrith was the first to cease its support and called for peace , followed by House Dorell , while House Ravenwatch remained neutral throughout the war . House Montclair only surrendered to Wayrest right before the Battle of Traitor ' s Tor . Unsure if his brother ' s actions were righteous , Count Phylgeon offered to serve as a peace envoy to both Emeric and Ranser , but the latter angrily refused , insistent on winning the war . Overcome by the combined forces of Breton s , Redguard s and Orcs , Ranser ' s remaining troops were slain at Markwasten Moor , and the end of the conflict gave rise to the Greater Daggerfall Covenant . The Crown of Shornhelm as well as the Direnni decree has not been seen since the Battle of Traitor ' s Tor . While Ranser himself is thought to be dead , he fled from Markwasten Moor with a small troop of his most loyal soldiers . He prepared a ritual given to him by Reezal - Jul atop a then - nameless tor overlooking Hoarfrost Downs , during which he was murdered by his own general , Dathieu . Ranser ' s blood served as the sacrifice needed for the ritual , transforming him and his warriors into skeletal undead , and the tor from which he ruled became known as Traitor ' s Tor . After Scholar Cantier and the Vestige explored the ruins in 2E 582 , General Dathieu took the Vestige into a vision of the past , showing what happened during the final hours of King Ranser ' s life . After the Vestige and Cantier collected Dathieu ' s bones , they reassembled his animated skeleton . Dathieu and Ranser ' s undead skeletons then fought , and Ranser was slain once again , lifting the curse . Interactions . A Traitor ' s Tale . After Dathieu sends you into the past , Ranser can be found on the upper floor of the central tower . Once Reezal - Jul ' s packets have been poured into the braziers , Ranser will order you to inform Dathieu and Taern that he plans on charging towards the Orcs ' and taking out their ranks . Dathieu will instead order you to prevent Taern from leading the charge in order to prevent any needless deaths , and will head towards the north tower . At the tower , he and Ranser will have the following conversation : Ranser is killed by Dathieu , but rises up as an undead skeleton and kills his general . With Ranser ' s sacrifice , his blood powers the curse that keeps his soldiers at the Tor restless . Once Dathieu is reassembled , he will ask you to meet with him at the north tower , where he slew the king sixteen years ago . He will then charge at Ranser with the following battlecry : Their skeletons will duel , with Dathieu attacking Ranser with his sword and Ranser using a combination of melee and magic to attack Dathieu . Once Ranser is defeated , the curse is lifted .