Battle of Dovah Skor

**Outcome**| **Imperial Victory*** Imperial deserters executed, while some joined back the Legion
* Altmer soldiers, nobles and generals imprisoned
* The White-Gold Concordat treaty was abolished by Flavius Varian

## **First Side**

### Commanders

Varian Empire
Marcella Varian

### Casualties

Dragoncrown Legion
Cyrodilic Infantry
Anvil Soldiers
High

## **Second Side**

### Commanders

Altmer-Bosmer Deserters Alliance
Imperial deserters
Calrim Elsinor†

### Casualties

Altmer Generals
Altmer Infantry
Bosmer Infantry
Bosmer Sorcerers
Bosmer deserters Battlemages
Imperial deserters
Altmer: High
Imperial: Low

*Not to be confused with Battle of Dovah Skor (Book).*

*"In 4E198, allied Altmer and Bosmer forces crossed the borders into Cyrodiil and occupied the major passes and settlements in the Lake Rumare, Aleswell. Making their headquarters for the winter at Dovah Skor, the Altmer-Imperial allies dared Emperor Flavius Varian's niece Marcella, to assault them in their mountain fastnesses."*
―Anonymous[src]
The **Battle of Dovah Skor**, sometime preferred as the **Battle of Caractacus**, took place in 4E 198, and was a battle fought in the Lake Rumare, near Aleswell where Marcella Varian, the future Empress retook the old lake fortress of Caractacus, who later renamed Dovah Skor, from Altmer-Imperial alliance that on their conquest of Flavius Varian's deposition of the Emperorship.

## Prelude

In 4E 198, joint Altmer and Bosmer forces, led by Calrim Elsinor crossed the borders into Cyrodiil and occupied many passes and villages in the Lake Rumare, near Aleswell before digging in at Dovah Skor for the winter.

After General Marcella successfully conquered the Padomaic islands, which she declined the governorship and was give it to her cousin. Marcella return to Cyrodiil, which her uncle, Flavius Varian wants Marcella one last time by destroying the Thalmor and Imperial rebels alliance. The war have been going on for couple years earlier, gaining the alliance an upper hand, until Marcella joined, which she accepted.

## Battle

Marcella left a small force outside the main gates of the fortress, tempting the Altmer-Imperial forces into a sortie and she met the combined small force of the Thalmor (part of the Third Aldmeri Dominion) and Bosmer who were hostile to Uriel, and were formerly part of the Cyrodilic Legion. Meanwhile, the main bulk of his forces approached from the rear, gaining entrance to the fortress through a secret passage in the unsalable rear, revealed by a turncoat.

Just like Tiber Septim did, the turncoat is traditionally a Altmer battlemage. Marcella and her legion, called the "Dragoncrown Legion" fought bravery, leaving the young general Marcella wounded multiple times. The now undermanned fortress was then taken by Marcella' forces, who captured the generals within the fortress and compelled the surrender of the Altmer-Bosmer forces engaged in the sortie. Her legions also played a role in Marcella Varian's victory at Dovah Skor, to honor this role, her uncle Flavius awarded her the fortress, which she accepted and become a personal home until her accession as Empress the following year.

## Aftermath

Calrim Elsinor was somewhat killed during the battle by either an Cyrodilic Archer or battlemage. The Bosmer army joined Marcella after she killed one of Bosmer deserter general with her Thu'um after the battle, and played a key role in Marcella's campaigns to make Cyrodiil and Tamriel peace at the end of the Fourth Era. Some of the deserters were executed, while the Altmer command was summarily executed or sold into slavery. While Marcella were recovering from her wounds, she recovered the Amulet of Rulership from the tomb of her grandfather Ramen in the catacombs beneath of Dovah Skor. Marcella Varian also received the blessing of Akatosh inside the catacombs.

Some sources claim this attack damaged the fortress so badly it had to be abandoned, while others say that it was abandoned some time after the battle due to its poor strategic value. However, the truth appears to be that the citadel was destroyed by Warlord Shamar gro-Rogdul, causing it to be sealed by the Grandmaster of the Praetorius Gustos some decades after the battle.

The Dovah Skor were the deathplace of the Varian Dynasty, and after Marcella died, her successors after her were buried until Titus Varian III.

## Appearances

* *The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim* (mentioned only)
* *The Elder Scrolls VI: Invasion* (mentioned only)

## References

1. ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 *Battle of Dovah Skor*
2. ↑ *Guide to Anvil*
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 *The Legendary Dovah Skor*
4. ↑ Inscription on the entrance to Dovah Skor
5. ↑ Dialogue with the Ghost of Rielus