Markarth (Skyrim)

Markarth, also known as Markarth Side, is one of the many major cities in Skyrim. It is known for its rich silver mines that use convict labour, which are mostly owned by the influential Silver-Bloods family. The cutthroat intrigue surrounding Markarth's silver producing industry popularized the local saying, "Blood and silver are what flows through Markarth...."Loading Screens (Skyrim) The city is located in the far west of Skyrim, in the mountains of The Reach, west of the Karth River. As a result, the city has a good natural defense, even from the skies. Being a long distance from any other major city and with both main roads cutting through mountains, valleys and rugged terrain, venturing to and from Markarth is one of the most treacherous trips for travelers.
The city is split by a large running river and comprises two parts: Riverside, where the native Reachmen and the working district are found; and the Dryside, housing all the houses of Nord nobles and Silver-Blood ownership. The Jarl's palace, Understone Keep, is located at the top of the city and contains the Hall of the Dead, the Dwemer Museum, and the Nchuand-Zel Excavation Site where the internal part of the old Dwemer city remains in ruins. Most of the city's residents tend to be quite unfriendly to outsiders.
==History==
===Origins===
Markarth was the former city of Nchuand-Zel, belonging to the ancient Dwemer (also known as the Dwarves) who resided in Morrowind, Skyrim, Hammerfell and High Rock during the Merethic Era and First Era. Following the disappearance of the Dwemer from the face of Nirn after they attempted to control the power of the Numidium,The Battle of Red MountainNerevar at Red MountainKagrenac's Tools Markarth was abandoned until the natives of the Reach known as Reachmen, moved into the city. The rise of High King Olaf One-Eye, who expanded Skyrim's boundaries when he conquered the Reach, saw that the city be turned over to Nord control.Plaque outside the Palace of the Kings
===Establishment===
In gratitude for the service of the Tongues in Tamriel's long and complex history, Emperor Tiber Septim established the Imperial College of the Voice in Markarth, which was dedicated to returning the Way of the Voice to the ancient and honorable art of war. So it may be that the mighty deeds of the Nord heroes of old will soon be equalled or surpassed on the battlefields of the present day.Pocket Guide to the Empire, First Edition: Skyrim Unlike the other Dwemer cities and strongholds located in Morrowind, Hammerfell,High Rock and Skyrim, the city of Markarth was not constructed out of metal, but instead was primarily built out of stone. According to Amanda Alleia, a mercenary in Markarth, Dwemer miners had cut out the city from the mountains, which probably means that the external part of the city that's outside of the mountains was built by the Dwemer themselves.The City of Stone
===The Forsworn Uprising===
 
In 4E 174, Markarth, and the Reach as a whole, were subjected to what is known today as the "Forsworn Uprising." While the Empire was beset by the Third Aldmeri Dominion in the Great War, the native people of the Reach, called the Reachmen, took this opportunity to seize control of the city.The Bear of Markarth This was only possible as the Imperial Legionnaires stationed in Markarth were recalled to fight the forces of the Dominion, leaving the city highly vulnerable to conquest.Dialogue with Igmund
Jarl Igmund's father, Hrolfdir, was Jarl at the time, but could not quell the uprising and was driven out of the city. The rebellion was successful and the Reachmen ruled over Markarth and The Reach as an independent kingdom from Skyrim from 4E 174–176. According to one Imperial source, the kingdom was relatively peaceful during this time; the Reachmen allegedly ruled their lands fairly, and even made overtures to be recognized by the Empire as a legitimate kingdom. Others claimed that it was a chaotic uprising and that Markarth's nobles grew desperate when the Reachmen refused their offers of peace.Dialogue with Igmund
===Markarth Incident===
Desperate to reclaim the Reach, Hrolfdir and his family enlisted the aid of Ulfric Stormcloak and his militia, promising them free worship of Talos in exchange for their assistance. Ulfric accepted, and his troops reconquered Markarth from the Reachmen soon after. The returning Legion, coming back to restore order in Skyrim after the Great War, was refused entry into Markarth until they granted free Talos worship. The Empire accepted, however, agents of the Aldmeri Dominion discovered the Empire was violating the terms of the White-Gold Concordat, and demanded the arrest of Ulfric and his men, or face another Great War between the Empire and the Dominion. The disillusionment of Ulfric and his men over what became known as the Markarth Incident would prove to become one of the direct causes of the Skyrim Civil War and be the foundation for the creation of the Stormcloaks.
In the aftermath of the Markarth Incident, the Reachmen took on the name of the Forsworn and fled to the highlands to continue their insurrection against the Nord nobles' control over the Reach and Markarth.
==Residence==
When the Jarl approves the Dragonborn after helping the people of Markarth, they become eligible to buy Vlindrel Hall for 8000 from his steward, Raerek. Vlindrel, like the rest of the houses of Markarth, is built in the Dwemer architectural style with a large golden door leading into the cliffside. The house is the highest of every residences of Markarth and gives a great view of the city's buildings, waterfalls, and mountains of The Reach.
==Points of interest==
===Inns===
*Silver-Blood Inn
===Shops===
*Arnleif and Sons Trading Company – General goods
*The Hag's Cure – Alchemists
*Ghorza gra-Bagol – Blacksmith
*Moth gro-Bagol – Court blacksmith
*Hogni Red-Arm – Meat stall
*Kerah – Jewelry stall
*Calcelmo – Court wizard
===Houses===
*Endon's House – Thieves Guild Fence
*Nepos's House
*Ogmund's House
*Smelter Overseer's House
*Vlindrel Hall (ownable)
===Jarl's residence===
*Understone Keep
===Other===
*Abandoned House
*Cidhna Mine
*Hall of the Dead
*Markarth Lumber Mill and Forge
*Guard Tower
*Markarth Stables
*Shrine of Talos
*Temple of Dibella
*The Treasury House
*The Warrens
==Quests==
*The Taste of Death – Brother Verulus has closed the Hall of the Dead in Markarth because someone has been defiling the dead
*The House of Horrors – Vigilant Tyranus needs help searching an abandoned house in the city for traces of Deadra worship
*The Forsworn Conspiracy
*The Lost Expedition
*The Heart of Dibella
*Skilled Apprenticeship
*The Steward's Potion
*Coated in Blood
*Nimhe, the Poisoned One
*Buy Dwarven artifact
*A Few Words with You
*Delivery to Calcelmo
*Search and Seizure
*Dibella's Shine
*Recover Hrolfdir's Shield – Jarl Igmund wants the Dragonborn to recover a shield that once belonged to his father
==Characters==
===Understone Keep===
*Aicantar – Nephew and Assistant of Calcelmo
*Anton Virane – Cook in the keep
*Calcelmo – Court Wizard of Markarth
*Legate Emmanuel Admand – an Imperial Legate
*Faleen – Jarl's Housecarl
*Jarl Igmund – The current Jarl of Markarth
*Moth gro-Bagol – Court blacksmith
*Ondolemar – A Thalmor Justiciar
*Raerek – Uncle and steward to the Jarl
*Rondach – Servant in the Keep
*Thongvor Silver-Blood – Thonar Silver-Blood's Elder brother
*Brother Verulus – Priest of Arkay and caretaker of the Hall of the Dead.
*Voada – Servant in the Keep
===Others===
*Adara – Daughter of Endon and Kerah
*Anwen – Priestess of Dibella
*Betrid Silver-Blood – Thonar Silver-Blood's wife
*Bothela – Owner of The Hag's Cure
*Cairine – Beggar of The Warrens
*Cosnach – Local drunk at the Silver-Blood Inn
*Degaine – Beggar of The Warrens
*Donnel – Old servant of The Treasury House
*Dryston – Messenger
*Eltrys – Beggar of The Warrens
*Endon – Husband of Kerah and local Thieves Guild Fence
*Frabbi – Wife of Kleppr
*Garvey – Beggar of The Warrens
*Ghorza gra-Bagol – Orc blacksmith
*Hamal – Mother and Head priestess of Dibella
*Hathrasil – Breton Smelter
*Hogni Red-Arm – Meat vendor and secretly part of the Coven of Namira
*Hreinn – Kleppr's son
*Hroki – Kleppr's daughter
*Imedhnain – Assistant of Lisbet and cousin of CosnachDialogue with Imedhnain
*Kerah – Jewelry Merchant and wife of Endon
*Kleppr – Operator of the Silver-Blood Inn
*Lisbet – Owner of Arleif And Sons Trading Company and secretly part of the Coven of Namira
*Nana Ildene – Old servant of The Treasury House, secretly a Forsworn agent
*Margret – Traveler
*Morven – Servant to Nepos the Nose
*Muiri – Bothela's assistant at The Hag's Cure
*Mulush gro-Shugurz – Orc Smelter Overseer
*Nepos the Nose – Elderly man, secretly a Forsworn agent
*Ogmund – Nord Bard and Expert Trainer in Speech
*Omluag – Breton Smelter and resident at The Warrens
*Orla – Priestess of Dibella
*Reburrus Quintilius – Resident of The Treasury House
*Rhiada – Receptionist of The Treasury House
*Senna – Priestess of Dibella
*Tacitus Sallustius – Ghorza gra-Bagol's blacksmith apprentice
*Thonar Silver-Blood – Owner of The Treasury House
*Tynan – Servant to Nepos the Nose
*Uaile – Maid to Nepos the Nose
*Verulus – Priest of Arkay
*Vigilant Tyranus – Daedra hunter
*Vorstag – Mercenary at the Silver-Blood Inn
*Weylin – Forsworn agent who takes orders from Nepos
*Yngvar the Singer – Works for the Silver-Blood family
===Cidhna Mine===
*Braig – Forsworn prisoner
*Borkul the Beast – Forsworn prisoner
*Duach – Forsworn prisoner
*Grisvar the Unlucky – Prisoner
*Madanach – Leader of Forsworn prisoners
*Odvan – Forsworn prisoner
*Uraccen – Forsworn prisoner
*Urzoga gra-Shugurz – Mercenary of the Silver-Bloods
==Nearby points of interest==
The following is a list of some surrounding points of interest:
*Bard's Leap Summit
*Karthspire
*Old Hroldan Inn
*Sky Haven Temple
*The Lover Stone
==Interactive map==
==Gallery==
Markarth guads.png
Markarth 3.png
Markarth 2.png
Markarth 2.jpg
Markarth 00.png
Markarth 01.jpg
Markarth Map.jpg
MarkarthbyRiniir.jpg|Markarth (aerial view)
MarkarthbyRiniir2.jpg
Markarth Exterior View.jpg|Markarth concept art
==Trivia==
*Guards remark that Markarth is the safest city in Skyrim.Dialogue with The Reach Guards
*Vampires appear on the walkway between the smelter and the Warrens, within immediate detection range of five guards, as opposed to other cities where they appear at a lightly guarded major entrance.
==Bugs==
Click to see the list of bugs encountered
* If choosing to help the Forsworn in the quest "The Forsworn Conspiracy," it is possible the bounty will never be able to be removed from the city. After finishing "No One Escapes Cidhna Mine," guards will approach and enter the dialogue to start the quest again. If the option to be arrested and thrown into Cidhna mine is selected, the dialogue loops back to the beginning again. It is impossible to do quests in the city as canceling the dialog results in the guards going hostile.
**Patch 1.4 fixed this issue.
*It is possible to get a free house in Markarth, it involves finding the Jarl while he is sleeping. Go into his room and put money in a dresser. Either leave the money in the dresser and wake him up and he will say "You have done me a great service," or the money will have to be removed from the dresser and the Jarl will need to be woken up to talk to him.
* If a truce between the Imperials and the Stormcloaks is negotiated before visiting Markarth for the first time, the scripted event that triggers upon entry (in which Weylin attempts to murder Margret) will cause both Imperial guards and Stormcloak guards to spawn. The outnumbered faction will fight until killed by the city guards, causing no other problems.
* Helping Madanach escape may trigger all the guards to constantly chase the Dragonborn in an attempt to arrest them, even long after the quest (it can also occur if the Dragonborn commits a crime in Markarth and reaches a high bounty). On the
** In the console set all three factions that rule Markarth back to 0 fine. Codes being player.setcrimegold 0 00018aac, player.setcrimegold 0 0008e764, and player.setcrimegold 0 0002816c.
** Solution: Enter Markarth at a high enough level. Upon entering the city, do not be detected by any guards, and enter the Shrine of Talos. The three guards from the previous quest, "The Forsworn Conspiracy," will still be there, and the middle guard will engage in the same conversation as at the end of that quest. The other two guards will attack. Answer the guard with "You're corrupt, Thonar is paying you," and then again with "Fine, I'll come quietly." The guard will then do nothing. After a few seconds, the same guard will attempt an arrest, and give the option to pay off the bounty.
**Solution: Give Markarth to the Stormcloaks at the negotiations of "Season Unending." All of the Markarth guards will be replaced with Stormcloak Soldiers who will no longer attempt an arrest. However, if any criminal acts are committed, such as trespassing, theft, or murder it will start up again.
*Even if the Forsworn questline went off without a hitch, the corrupt guards may still be present in the Shrine of Talos and attempt an arrest or attack. The only real solution is to avoid this place all together after completing the quest.
* The river flow may go the wrong way. This does not affect gameplay, but it is a visual bug that occasionally fixes itself.
* After starting "The Forsworn Conspiracy," a dead Markarth Guard may be found outside the Silver-Blood Inn.
* After starting "The House of Horrors" and entering Abandoned House, there is a small window of time to exit the building before it locks itself which, if used, will bug the quest permanently and trap any followers inside. This will make it unable to recruit anyone else, and the Dragonborn will not be able to get the Mace of Molag Bal.
* With the installation of the High Resolution Texture Pack, the banners for Markarth may malfunction and display the text "MARKARTH" instead of the actual banner.
==Appearances==
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==References==
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ru:Маркарт
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uk:Маркарт
Category:Skyrim: The Reach Locations