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 Miraak in Apocrypha - by Atomhawk Design; ©Bethesda Softworks | ||||
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| Race | Nord | |||
| Born | In the Merethic Era, Skyrim | |||
| Died | In 4E 201, Apocrypha | |||
Miraak,[N 1] also known as the First Dragonborn, was a Dragon Priest of the Merethic Era, and the champion of Hermaeus Mora. He was the first known Dragonborn, although the term did not come to be used in recorded history until after the time of Empress Alessia I Paravant. During his prime, Miraak ruled over Solstheim from his temple atop its highest mountain.
He is not remembered fondly by most peoples of Tamriel, with those who have encountered him considering him to be deceptive, power-hungry, overly-ambitious, and even traitorous. Miraak is remembered in Skaal legend as a traitor to his brothers in the Dragon Cult, plotting against the dragons with his master Herma-Mora, and attempting to occupy the island of Solstheim as his personal domain. He was eventually defeated in a legendary duel with the Dragon Priest Vahlok, but was saved by his daedric master. In 4E 201 he gathered enough strength to attempt a return to Tamriel and betray his master-turned-jailor, but was stopped by the Last Dragonborn, who killed him with the help of Hermaeus Mora himself.
Appearance and Character[]
Miraak's true appearance is unknown, although he was originally a Nord of Skyrim, so he likely had fair skin. Upon becoming a Dragon Priest he was given a dragon mask and robes which he wore for the rest of his life. The mask was golden-bronze in colour and made of metal. It had "horns" that curved up and around the head, and tentacle-looking appendages at the bottom of the mask that gently curved around where the mouth would be, forming a rough oval shape. The eyes of the mask were squinted, as most dragon masks were.
His robes were black with a tint of green, although the green tint may have come later in his life due to the influence of Hermaeus Mora's realm of Apocrypha. These robes were lined with gold thread in intricate Nordic patterns. He wore a belt made of the same golden-bronze metal as his mask, as well as intricately-carved shoulder pieces made of the same metal. The back of his head was covered by the hood of his long dark robes, which were tucked into the back of his dragon mask and fastened so as to not fall out.
Miraak is remembered as an ambitious and power-hungry Dragon Priest who had no regard for others unless it led to the growth of his own power. Even the Dragon Cult, which facilitated much of his eventual rise to prominence, and to which he owed so much, he eventually betrayed when better prospects presented themselves. He was quick to align himself with Hermaeus Mora in an attempt to discover more about his Dragonborn condition, as well as how he could use ancient knowledge to overcome his enemies. Through his studies and search for power he became a skilled sorcerer, mastering many forms of magic and even uncovering lost spells within Apocrypha he used against his foes. Most importantly of all, however, was the knowledge he discovered about being Dragonborn, which led to Miraak pioneering the creation of several new Shouts in the thu'um, including ones which could bend the will of mortal and immortal beings, such as the dragons themselves. He further uncovered the fact that as Dragonborn he could absorb the souls of slain dragons, killing them permanently and increasing his own power as he did so. In doing this, he believed he could make himself invincible by consuming enough souls, each soul making the next easier to harvest.
History[]
Early Life[]
Nothing is known of Miraak's early life, other than that he was a Nord of Skyrim during the Merethic Era, and was born a Dragonborn, gifting him a natural affinity for the thu'um and the ability to absorb dragon souls to make himself more powerful. It is unknown if Miraak ever made use of the thu'um before mortals were taught how to use it by Paarthurnax during the Dragon War. It is likely that Miraak made use of his innate Dragonborn powers to catapult himself into positions of high leadership, eventually becoming a Dragon Priest within the ruling caste of Skyrim's social hierarchy, the Dragon Cult.
Miraak atop his dragon mount Sahrotaar - ©Bethesda Softworks
The Dragon Cult & Hermaeus Mora[]
Miraak served as a principle leader of the Dragon Cult and was counted among their few Dragon Priests. In this capacity Miraak served the dragons of Skyrim, enforcing their will, making offerings, and ruling their domain in their stead. He was, however, endlessly ambitious, and eventually took to covertly exploring his Dragonborn abilities at the expense of his dragon overlords. It was around this time he sought deeper knowledge about his abilities, and eventually came within the influence of Hermaeus Mora, the Daedric Prince of Forbidden Knowledge, becoming his champion. Hermaeus Mora taught Miraak how to bend the will of dragons with the thu'um, resulting in him turning against his winged overlords by slaying them, controlling them, and absorbing their souls to bolster his own power. Through doing this he killed a great many dragons, and provoked the fury of his fellow Dragon Priests. Three priests, however, saw the powerful potential in what Miraak was doing and opted to join him instead. These three renegade priests, Ahzidal, Dukaan, and Zahkriisos, came to be known as the Acolyte Priests and were Miraak's most powerful followers.
Firstblade, the sword wielded by Miraak - ©ZeniMax
It was at around this time that Miraak relocated to Solstheim, seeking an isolated domain to rule away from the Dragon Cult and their masters. At some point Miraak also came to possess the daedric artefact Firstblade, likely gifted to him by Hermaeus Mora. Additionally, it is suspected that this was the period in which he dominated the will of a dragon known as Sahrotaar, who subsequently swore allegiance to Miraak as the only true Dragonborn, and was used by Miraak as his personal mount.
The Dragon War[]
History remembers that during the Nord struggle against their dragon oppressors, Nordic leaders sought the support of Miraak in their cause, particularly Hakon One-Eye. With most of the resources of Skyrim marshalled against them, the Dragon Cult and their masters were a near insurmountable foe for the Nordic rebels. Miraak was reportedly confident he could defeat Alduin if he should choose to do so, but was unconcerned about the raging Dragon War in Skyrim.
Miraak's Defeat[]
While Miraak remained on Solstheim the Dragon War continued to rage in Skyrim. Miraak and his followers began a plot to undermine the rule of the dragons and their cult, with the knowledge of Hermaeus Mora to ensure their victory. This would have presumably meant entering the war, although it is not clear whether he was intending on joining the cause of the rebel Nords, or as a third belligerent intending to conquer both warring factions. Scholars of ancient Nord history, like Orun Yelmar, have pointed out that Miraak would have likely sought to conquer Skyrim for himself, becoming a new tyrannical overlord rather than a liberator. Such was in line with his character up until that point.
Miraak dwelling in Apocrypha - by ©Hieronymus7Z
Miraak's plot against the Dragon Cult earned him the epithet "the Traitor" among the local Skaal tribes of Solstheim that he ruled. Given that Miraak had already betrayed the Cult by this point in history, it is likely that the Skaal were not aware of Skyrim's politics, and merely assumed that their ruler was a loyal member of the Dragon Cult the whole time.
Despite the ongoing war with the Nordic rebels, the Dragon Priest Vahlok caught wind of how Miraak plotted their downfall with Hermaeus Mora, and set out to confront the renegade dragon priest and his followers himself. Vahlok and Miraak engaged in a magical duel so vicious and destructive that, according to legend, the landmass of Solstheim was ripped from mainland Skyrim and became an island. Vahlok eventually defeated Miraak, but before he could strike the killing blow, Hermaeus Mora reached into Nirn and pulled Miraak safely into his plane of Oblivion, Apocrypha. Following this, dragons razed Miraak's temple to ashes, and tasked Vahlok with remaining on Solstheim to guard for signs of Miraak's return, thereafter earning him the name "Vahlok the Jailor".
Miraak's Return & Death[]
A Miraak cultist of the Fourth Era - ©Bethesda Softworks
For millennia Miraak remained with Hermaeus Mora in Apocrypha, forbidden from leaving. It is not entirely certain how Miraak managed to live so long, although it might have been Mora himself extending his lifespan while in Oblivion, or it could have been Miraak himself who uncovered hidden knowledge within Apocrypha on how to achieve immortality. During this time Miraak poured over ancient and forbidden knowledge, building his strength and eventually plotting to return to Tamriel against the wishes of his master.
In 4E 201 Miraak was able to use magic to control the minds of many commoners of the island of Solstheim as they slept, compelling them to construct shrines in his honour upon the island. Many, in a trance, were sent to the ruins of his ancient temple and began reconstruction. The shrines in question were built around Stones of Power on the island, focusing their magic and allowing Miraak to harness their power, likely in an attempt to use them to pull himself back into Nirn. Some residents of the island became aware of Miraak's presence and chose to actively worship him, carrying out his will in whatever way they were commanded.
Several of his cultists were commanded to seek out and kill the Last Dragonborn residing in Skyrim, as Miraak believed they were the only real threat to his dominion after escaping Apocrypha. The Last Dragonborn slew the cultists sent to kill them and then traced their orders back to Solstheim. On the island, the Last Dragonborn puzzled out the strange occurrences, and with the aid of the local Skaal tribes managed to understand who exactly was behind them, and how much of a threat he posed to Skyrim. The Last Dragonborn set out to thwart Miraak's plans, stopping him from returning to Tamriel and destroying his shrines. Throughout this process Hermaeus Mora aided them, evidently aware of the fact that Miraak plotted to betray him. It was at this time that Mora struck a deal with the Last Dragonborn, compelling them to become his new champion after Miraak is defeated, replacing one Dragonborn servant with another.
Eventually, the Last Dragonborn was allowed into Apocrypha by Hermaeus Mora, and upon a spire battled with Miraak in a ferocious duel. The Last Dragonborn successfully overwhelmed Miraak, weakening him enough that Mora himself intervened to strike the killing blow. Hermaeus Mora conjured a large tentacle from a nearby dark pool and impaled Miraak with it, hoisting him into the air and allowing the Last Dragonborn to absorb his soul (along with the other dragon souls Miraak himself had absorbed), reducing Miraak to a mere skeleton. During this duel, Miraak's personal dragon mount and companion, Sahrotaar, also perished.
Quotes by Miraak[]
You have no idea of the true power a Dragonborn can wield!
—Miraak boasting to the Last Dragonborn
This realm is beyond you. You have no power here. And it is only a matter of time before Solstheim is also mine. I already control the minds of its people. Soon they will finish building my temple, and I can return home.
—Miraak to the Last Dragonborn
And so the First Dragonborn meets the Last Dragonborn at the summit of Apocrypha. No doubt just as Hermaeus Mora intended. He is a fickle master, you know. But now I will be free of him. My time in Apocrypha is over. You are here in your full power, and thus subject to my full power. You will die. And with the power of your soul, I will return to Solstheim and be master of my own fate once again.
—Miraak to the Last Dragonborn
Beware. Hermaeus Mora will betray you as he has me.
—Miraak warning the Last Dragonborn
Hermaeus Mora: Did you think you could escape me, Miraak? You can hide nothing from me here. No matter. I have found a new Dragonborn to serve me.
Miraak: May they be rewarded for their service as I am!
Hermaeus Mora: Miraak harbored fantasies of rebellion against me. Learn from his example. Serve me faithfully, and you will continue to be richly rewarded.
—Miraak and Hermaeus Mora before Mora kills him
Quotes about Miraak[]
Here in his shrine, that they have forgotten. Here do we toil, that we might remember. By night we reclaim, what by day was stolen. Far from ourselves, he grows ever near to us. Our eyes once were blinded, now through him do we see. Our hands once were idle, now through them does he speak. And when the world shall listen, and when the world shall see, and when the world remembers, that world will cease to be.
—the chant of Miraak's workers under his mind control
Notes[]
- ↑ Literally meaning "Allegiance Guide" in Dovahzul.