Wulfharth Wulfharth , also known as Ysmir , Dragon of the North , Shor ' s Tongue , and the Breath of Kyne was an ancient king of Skyrim . He is the subject of several Nord ic myths and legends , and has become known as The Underking or The Ash King . Wulfharth was proficient at using the Thu ' um , and his voice was so powerful that he could not verbally take the oath of allegiance required of him by the Pact of Chieftains . He is said to have died and been resurrected multiple times throughout Tamrielic history . Mortal History . Wulfharth was born in Atmora in the First Era . He was chosen ruler of Skyrim in 1E 500 by the Pact of Chieftains after the death of High King Hoag Merkiller who was killed in the Battle of Glenumbra Moors . Religious Reform . Wulfharth ' s first act was to continue the work of his predecessor in restoring the old Nordic faith , outlawing the Alessian Doctrines and reinstating the traditional Nordic Pantheon . This was followed by persecution of the Alessian priests , many of whom were burnt at the stake . Military Deeds Against the Orcs and Elves . In addition to his involvement at the Battle of Glenumbra Moors , Wulfharth is recorded as having fought repeatedly against the Orcs , " shouted their Chieftain into Hell " , and then fighting against them and Alduin , who turned the Nords into children . Wulfharth pleaded with Shor to come to their aid , and Shor fought Alduin and Wulfharth learned the thu ' um of How to Shake the Dragon Just So . However , he shook too many years out of himself , and died . During his reign , he was also said to have driven the Direnni Hegemony from Skyrim . Resurrections . War of the First Council . With the Chimer and the Dwemer fighting among themselves in the First Era , the Nords either saw an opportunity to regain their old dominions and invaded , or were invited to participate in the war by House Dagoth and the Dwemer . The Tongues who led this war summoned Shor , who summoned Wulfharth to lead the Nords . Some sources claim that Wulfharth was involved in the Battle of Red Mountain and slew Dumac , the leader of the Dwemer , before Vivec blasted Wulfharth to pieces . Other sources imply Dumac was killed by the Chimer warlord Nerevar . The Khajiit claim that Alkosh summoned them to Red Mountain as well , and that Wulfharth shouted at the moons until they moved and turned the Khajiit into Senche , and rode Dro ' Zira during his final assault on Red Mountain . Yet another tale claims that the Nords and Wulfharth were at Red Mountain to reclaim the Heart of Shor . This version of events say that Wulfharth made peace with the orcs , causing a large portion of his army to desert . In the climactic battle , Wulfharth had obtained the Heart but needed time to acclimate to its power . During this time , he and Voryn Dagoth faced Nerevar and his two companions , Alandro Sul and Dumac Dwarfking . Wulfharth blinded Alandro Sul with a shout and slew Dumac , but was weakened by a blow from Dumac ' s warhammer , Sunder . Neravar took the opportunity to finish Wulfharth off and slay him with a surprise side attack with Keening . Other sources claim he survived the Battle however , and was just displaced , being carried back to Skyrim . The same book claims that the Battle gave Wulfharth a lasting enmity against the Tribunal . Second Akaviri Invasion . When the Kamal invaded Skyrim in the 2E 572 , Wulfharth was summoned again to aid the Ebonheart Pact , either by Almalexia or Jorun the Skald - King . It was during this time that Wulfharth began to be called the Underking , and disassociated with the Nords in some way . Following the invasion , Wulfharth disappears again . Wars of Tiber Septim . Three hundred years later , Wulfharth is woken by the " rumbling of the Greybeards " and a chosen one prophesied to restore the empire of Tamriel . Wulfharth goes to the Greybeards and gets shouted to pieces , before heading to find the chosen one , Hjalti Early - Beard of High Rock . It is possible that Wulfharth became the " stormcrown " of Talos , after a storm allegedly spoke to Hjalti in his tent before the battle and followed him above his head during the taking of Old Hrol ' dan . After this , Wulfharth , now called the Underking , assisted Hjalti in the governance of the expanding empire , pressing him to conquer Hammerfell and Morrowind , the latter to further his hatred of the Tribunal . When he refuses the do so , Wulfharth is furious and leaves Tiber ' s cause . The Mantella . After Tiber Septim was gifted Numidium by the Tribunal , he asks Wulfharth back , saying he was right all along . Wulfharth returns and is trapped by Tiber Septim . His soul is ripped out and possibly merged with that of Zurin Arctus and trapped within the Mantell , or possibly trapped within his body , in order to power the Numidium . The now functional Numidium allows Tiber to complete his conquest of Tamriel . The Underking . Despite no longer having his full soul , Wulfharth , now always called the Underking and conflated with Zurin Arctus , destroys the Numidium after finding out what it was used for . He also curses the tomb of the Reman emperors at Sancre Tor , which is then sealed by the Grandmaster of the Blades . During the events of the Warp in the West , the Underking regains the part of his soul that was trapped in the Mantella , allowing him to die in peace . Plaque . A plaque in Windhelm , located outside the Palace of the Kings , is dedicated to Wulfharth . Wulfharth ' s plaque reads :