Madanach Madanach , also known as The King in Rags , is the leader of the Forsworn Rebellion . He is imprisoned in Cidhna Mine , deep beneath the city of Markarth . Escape from Cidhna Mine . Before Madanach allows the Dragonborn to escape the mine with the rest of the Forsworn , he will require the disposal of Grisvar the Unlucky , as Grisvar has been in and out of Cidhna Mine , possibly leaking information , and thus is suspected of being a spy . With Grisvar dead , Madanach and his followers plan to escape through a tunnel they ' ve been digging under Markarth , leading eventually to the city ' s surface . Upon reaching the surface , Madanach will give a speech to his followers , after which a battle will ensue between the Hold Guard s and his men . Once the battle concludes , Madanach and his followers will retreat to the Druadach Redoubt . If the Dragonborn decides to kill Madanach before escaping the mine , the remaining prisoners will become hostile . One can then use Madanach ' s Key to escape through the tunnel next to Madanach ' s quarters . Thonar will meet the Dragonborn at the entrance to the Markarth Ruins , reward them with the Silver - Blood Family Ring , then he will inform them that they have done a great service to the Silver - Blood family , and that they have been pardoned by the Jarl of Markarth . Upon helping Madanach escape and choosing not to kill him at Thonar ' s behest , Madanach will reward the Dragonborn with the Armor of the Old Gods . Personality . The " King in Rags " proves to be a strong - willed and shrewd character , totally dedicated to his cause . He is no stranger to murder , as long as he expels the Nords and regains the Reach for his fellow Forsworn . He has particular distaste for outsiders too , being hostile to the Dragonborn in their first meeting . Madanach shows absolute belief in his cause , he fully believes what he is doing is right and the Nords are evil , and that the Forsworn are the only legitimate rulers of the Reach . Madanach shows talent for manipulation and cunning . In the shadows , he lures Thonar into a false sense of security before striking at him and Markarth , with the right agents in place . He forces the player to kill the loose end , Grisvar , who could be disloyal . Honeyed words and speeches are his specialities , as he attempts to convert the player and justify his cause . He empowers those who follow him , and seeks to win through slyness what brute force can ' t obtain . He fancies himself to be ruthless and cunning , although he reveals that all he really wants is the peace they had before Ulfric ' s attack . Combat . If the Dragonborn decides to attack and slay Madanach , they should take caution . If attacked in his cell , the Dragonborn will have little equipment , the only available weapons , aside from magic , being a pickaxe or a shiv . This is the same for Madanach , and he has magic on his side as well . If confronted directly , he can invoke a Frost Cloak spell . He will also hurl Fireballs and Ice Spikes relentlessly if the Dragonborn is within range . A sneak attack may be the best course . Magic users will have a much easier time with this battle , as they don ' t have to get close to the Frost Cloak . Shouts are also very useful , as a single Fire Breath shout with all three words of power may result in an instant kill at lower levels . Slaying Madanach after aiding him will make his followers hostile , too . At this stage , some may have been killed by the enemies in the ruins . One may or may not have recovered their equipment by then , so this may vary in difficulty . Avoid being surrounded , as some of the other prisoners have magic of their own . Madanach will also have improved and enchanted gear if the Dragonborn ' s equipment has been recovered . Beast form or Vampire Lord Form may prove useful as it requires no equipment to use .