Barenziah Barenziah was a long - lived Dunmer woman who was a part of the royal family of Mournhold . She had many skills including thievery , spellcasting , speechcraft , and negotiation . Barenziah experienced many important events throughout her life , and had a number of notable descendants . Biography . Early life . Barenziah was born in 2E 893 , the daughter of the Lord and Lady of Mournhold , and was a member of House Ra ' athim . She grew up in Skyrim , banished after Tiber Septim conquered Morrowind . She joined the Thieves Guild in Riften and was taught the skills of thievery by a Khajiit named Therris . Symmachus , a general in the Imperial Legion , who was said to have the friendship and the ear of Tiber Septim himself , captured her . Barenziah was then sent to the Imperial City to spend some time as part of the Emperor ' s household as the Queen of Morrowind . Tiber Septim was fascinated with Barenziah ' s beauty . After Symmachus left to return to Morrowind , she had an affair with the Emperor , and became pregnant . Hearing of her pregnancy , Tiber Septim was furious . Avoiding any scandal , he ordered the pregnancy to be aborted , and then sent Barenziah to Morrowind . Once there , she married Symmachus . From their marriage , Helseth and Morgiah were born . Imperial Simulacrum . In 3E 376 Barenziah was seduced by a bard ( and thief ) known as Nightingale . In fact , Nightingale just wanted to retrieve the powerful artifact known as the Staff of Chaos , which was hidden in Old Mournhold , the ruins beneath Mournhold . Due to Nightingale ' s manipulation , Barenziah opened the way to Old Mournhold , allowing Nightingale to snatch the Staff of Chaos and disappear . Symmachus sent a message to the Emperor Uriel Septim VII for help , but he was directed to seek aid from Jagar Tharn , the Imperial Battlemage . Symmachus was reluctant to turn to the battlemage because he suspected that Tharn was behind the theft of the Staff of Chaos . It should be noted that during her time with the Nightingale , Barenziah may have become pregnant with a daughter . According to " The Nightingales Vol . 2 " , Barenziah left the infant with a midwife to conceal her affair and possibly to avoid scandal . There is no information on the childhood of the girl , who " called herself " Dralsi . As an adult , she finally found her father , the elusive Nightingale , in Skyrim . Dralsi settled there and became a talented thief . She married and had a daughter of her own , Karliah . Death of Symmachus . It was then reported that Jagar Tharn and Ria Silmane had died and that the Emperor had suddenly raised taxes . The citizens of Morrowind revolted , and Symmachus did his best to suppress the rebellion . He sent Barenziah and their two children to the Imperial City to beg the Emperor for help . According to the " The Real Barenziah , Book V " , not long after Barenziah left , Symmachus was killed when the Royal Guard deserted and joined the rebellion . Bringing Down Tharn . Barenziah met with Emperor Uriel Septim VII , but she knew that this was not the real emperor . It was a magically disguised Jagar Tharn . She gained nothing from the audience and was then shocked by the news that Symmachus had been betrayed and murdered by the Royal Guard . Barenziah had no time to mourn . She needed all her strength and wit to face Jagar Tharn . Barenziah knew that Tharn had split the Staff of Chaos into eight parts and hidden them in several obscure places . She used Tharn ' s diary to figure out where he ' d hidden the pieces of the staff . After the last location was discovered , she and her children escaped the Imperial City with King Eadwyre of Wayrest . Afraid of public scandal , Tharn did nothing to prevent their escape . Barenziah later married King Eadwyre , becoming the queen of Wayrest . Eadwyre adopted her children Helseth and Morgiah . Queen of Wayrest . During her time in Wayrest her biography was still banned . King Gortwog of Orsinium was gathering information on all High Rock ' s royal families and managed to get a copy of the biography . Unfortunately , Gortwog was not the only one looking for secrets . The necromancer , the King of Worms , was also interested in the book . One of his minions stole the book . Afraid of creating a major issue in the Wayrest Court , Barenziah asked Uriel Septim VII ' s agent to retrieve the biography . For the agent ' s help , she offered him information on the Totem of Tiber Septim . The scandalous book was finally Barenziah ' s again , and the agent got the information for the Emperor . Back to Morrowind . Several years after the Second Numidium Effect , King Eadwyre passed away , leaving the throne of Wayrest to be fought over by his daughter , Elysana and his adopted son , Helseth . Elysana gained the crown and banished Helseth and Barenziah from Wayrest . They returned to Mournhold in Morrowind . Barenziah ' s daughter , Morgiah , had already married the King of Firsthold and was no longer living in Wayrest . Sometime after the arrival of Barenziah and Helseth in Mournhold , Helseth ' s grand - uncle King Llethan , died . Helseth then took over the reign , and became the new King of Morrowind . Although there has never been any official inquiry or proof , many citizens who were loyal to the old king claim Helseth poisoned Llethan . After the destruction of Dagoth Ur , the Nerevarine was attacked by a Dark Brotherhood assassin . The Nerevarine tracked the assassin to Mournhold and ultimately , King Helseth . The king was threatened by the power and influence of Morrowind ' s new hero . After a bit of manipulation , Helseth managed to get the Nerevarine on his side to face yet another threat , the mad goddess , Almalexia . It was during this time that Barenziah met the hero of Red Mountain , offering wise council and guidance to the Nerevarine . It is not known how , when or if she died , but mentions of her alive ( as well as those of Helseth ) cease after the catastrophic events following the fall of the Ministry of Truth : the Red Year and the Dunmer - Argonian war . It is said that her Palace had remained completely unoccupied for some time by 4E 201 .