A Pocket Guide to Skyrim and Its Environs: Hjaalmarch, Third Edition (Chapter 2)
>#The Ice City of the Lowest Marshes: Snowhawk
As Windhelm is to Eastmarch as Solitude is to Haafingar, that is the relationship that Hjaalmarch has with its capital city of Snowhawk. A settlement that has long-since adapted to the sharp winds and sinking muck of its environment, it has (mainly due to its high population of mages) prospered into one of the most beautiful towns in all of Skyrim. Snowhawk rests in the northern part of Hjaalmarch, and on first glance one will realize that is unique for a typical Nord city as it seems to have been built upwards rather than outwards^1 in an interesting display of stone and wood craftsmanship.
>Annotation 1. > >Architecture in the North: Snowhawk (Excerpt)
>Author: Imperial Association of Architectonics > >[…]are welcome to newcomer’s to the city, but one should be careful to note that Snowhawk interesting design can result in grievous injury if one is not careful. The fact that they were able to build this place with stone and wood alone speaks wonders. There are four districts in the city, which I will list from lowest to the ground to the highest and named after the magical constellations: > >The Atronach District > >The Atronach District is the lowest tier in Snowhawk (actually on the ground), and is home to the common citizenry. Peaceful and lovely looking, there are also many trading shops in this part of the city. > >The Apprentice District > >The Apprentice District is the middle tier in Snowhawk, and is home to aspiring scholars of various professions. The forge, alchemy, and magicka shops can be found here as well as many students. > >The Ritual District > >The Ritual District is the second-highest tier in Snowhawk, and is where the Nordic Gods are venerated. Priests, Priestesses, and Shamans can be found here in the many chapels and altars, and it is also where many rites are performed. > >The Mage District > >The Mage District is the highest tier in Snowhawk, and reserved for the brightest and well-respected spellcasters and nobles. Libraries and Institutions of Learning can be found here. It is also home to the infamous Zephyr Keep, where the Jarl manages the law and order in the city.
The patron god of the city is Jhunal^2, the Nordic God of Knowledge and Hermetic Orders, and the precursor of the Imperial God Julianos. Jhunal has fallen out of favor with the rest of Skyrim due to the warlike nature of the Nords, but also because of events that date all the way back to the Dawn Times. According to Nordic myth, Jhunal had the foresight of Shor’s defeat by the merish gods but chose to not reveal that information until the god-king was defeated. Because of this the other gods refused to speak with him anymore, leaving him alone amongst his studies. He continued to help the ancient Nords by teaching a few of them his ‘clever craft’, and they became the mages of today. The shamans that reside within the city even paint their bodies with intricate runes in honor of the god, making them almost seem like Giants from a distance.
Kyne is the other deity worshipped most fervently in the city, as it was her counsel that allowed Snowhawk to be originally built^3 back in the Merethic Era. This reverence for both magic and nature has resulted in its citizens being attuned to the environment, and they frown down upon those that would seek to harm it in any unnatural way.
>Annotation 3. > >Songs of the Return, Volume 39: The Final Tale of the Brahtmiir (Second Half) > >Author: Unknown > >[…]And as the crew of the Brahtmiir came into the sights of the mer that presided in the city, their enemies cried out in fright for they thought the men were gods in disguise because of their garb and ran off to their Mage-Lord to learn how to confront them. And Rolthryn the Ethereal listened to what his warriors said, and mustered a force of mer thrice greater than the heads of the Brahtmiir and glided out to meet them. As the wretched elf passed the trees wilted and the grass died in his wake, and his army transformed into shades of the lightest blue unable to be touched. > >Hjaal signaled to the others to remain where they were, and as Rolthryn approached he readied the incantations he spent so much time in preparing and knew that once it was completed he would no longer be able to exist in this realm. For the captain, a great Clever Man, knew that in order to defeat a spirit one must first sacrifice a spirit. With his own being he used his own soul to enchant his axe, and with a war cry that shook the trees he struck at Rolthryn, who attempted to become like spirit to avoid the blade. But a soul can hurt another soul, and the axe passed through the mer’s neck and his head flew into the horizon, and Kyne turned it into a massive stone in the forest. > >With the defeat of their leader, the mer that remained became touchable by flesh and the crew of the Brahtmiir descended upon them in their fury as Hjaal fell into the snow as dead. The soil became mud from the blood that poured into it, and when the elves had been defeated they laid siege to their city and made it crumble to the ground. And from that point on, they knew that they had found the place where they would stay in the new land, and they buried Hjaal beneath the city that they built the Brahtmiir into, and they named the region Hjaalmarch in his honor. No other mer troubled them for the rest of their days.
One cannot walk the streets without and balconies without seeing some form of magic being practiced or displayed. Experienced Clever Men teaching their apprentices how to properly bind atronachs, new rune systems being carved on the city streets; all and more are common sights to those that dwell within, but can be seen as extraordinary to those unaccustomed to such things. At night, lanterns fueled by magelight light the darkness for those returning from work to their homes.
The citizens of Snowhawk are quiet and reserved, and newcomer’s to the city will be quick to note their disdain to speak with foreigners. This may seem rude at first, but is understandable if one remembers the capital’s strained relationship with the other holds due to its pro-magic nature, which many Nords believe is merish influence4. For that reason, the Imperial Cult of the Nine Divines are not welcomed in the city due to its high respect of the Nordic Gods (especially Jhunal; Hjaal-Nords look upon the Imperial Julianos as an upstart and a imposter), therefore rendering Snowhawk the least imperialized5 city in Skyrim.
Despite this, Snowhawk is one of the most prosperous cities in the Fatherland because it is the main forger of the enchanted ice known as Stalhrim6. In ancient times, the first settlers of Hjaalmarch were the first creators of the mythical but very real smithing substance, which they used to combat the Falmer dwellers of the region in order for the men to claim it3. Every day men and women (collectively known under the monikers ‘Icemen’) from the city head out into the western and southern mountains, where they mine for normal ice and bring it back to their homes. Once there, the ice undergoes a strange and unknown process that makes it incredibly durable, and able to be refined into weapons or more ideally into armor.
>Annotation 6. > >On Stalhrim (Excerpt) > >Original Author: The Ancient Sage of Solitude > >Edited By: Unknown > >As detailed in the Songs of Return, 39 of the Nords, the origin of Stalhrim is grounded in godly origins. Whether this account is true or not is of course unknown, but it’s one of the few sources that reference this incredible ice in detail. Stalhrim was once mainly used to entomb the Nord dead in barrows (the crumbling ruins that can be found scattered across Skyrim but also the island of Solstheim as well), but has now become an invaluable ore used for the creation of weapons and armor[…]
The most interesting sight in Snowhawk, at least to historians, is the Brahtmiir. The ship that the original inhabitants of Snowhawk used to sail from old Atmora to Skyrim in the Merethic Era, most of its timber was used to construct the growing city. However, the hull was transformed into a museum of magical artifices that still holds much knowledge for those that take the time to study the objects within it. An interesting feature outside of Snowhawk is the growing Fort that will bear the city’s name. The Jarl requested that this stronghold be built to store arms and train Hjaalmarch’s army, and it seems it will be one of the holds most famous landmarks in the years to come.
When it comes to people, this magical city has more than its fair share of infamous Nords throughout history. It was the home of King Hjalmer the Mystic before and after his crowning as High King of Skyrim, and his descendants still serve as Jarl to this very day. Archmage Shalidor, the greatest mage of the First Era, was said to have been born within its enchanted walls (but conflicting accounts make this somewhat unfounded).
One former citizen that we can confirm is the Ancient Sage of Solitude. An old Nord that resides in the capital city of Haafingar, his own personal accounts state that his parents were from Snowhawk and that he lived there when the city “was still celebrating its first winters as a realm of brave people.” This statement raises eyebrows, as the Ancient Sage is believed to be the oldest man currently in existence. No one knows exactly how old he is, if he is even still mortal, but this powerful individual has resided in the Blue Palace since times immemorial^7. But to learn more about the Sage, read A Pocket Guide to Skyrim and its Environs: Haafingar, Third Edition.
Here we are, the end of the chapter on the Northern City of Magic. But not all within its walls saw it as the perfect place to live. And with those words we turn to chapter three, on the mysterious settlement of Morthal.
^2. ^Interesting ^fellow, ^Jhunal. ^For ^the ^Nords ^to ^be ^so ^into ^how ^their ^‘gods ^are ^so ^greater’ ^than ^the ^Imperials, ^they ^sure ^neglect ^him. ^He’s ^almost ^like ^the ^Imperial ^Shezzar, ^but ^I’m ^not ^sure ^any ^of ^you ^young ^ones ^will ^get ^that ^analogy.
^4. ^Everything ^magical ^is ^of ^merish ^influence ^to ^a ^Nord. ^Reedit ^and ^come ^up ^with ^something ^original.
^5. ^True, ^even ^though ^you ^could ^argue ^Windhelm ^and ^Riften ^are ^this ^as ^well.
^7. ^This ^is ^also ^indeed ^true. ^I ^am ^old ^myself, ^but ^nearly ^not ^as ^old ^as ^the ^Sage. ^I ^once ^visited ^him ^once ^during ^the ^Second ^Era. ^The ^only ^other ^person ^that ^can ^be ^just ^as ^old ^would ^be ^the ^Dunmer ^Divayth ^Fyr ^and ^his, ^um…friend…as ^well.
Previous Chapter: Into The Frozen Mists: Hjaalmarch and Its History
Next Chapter: The Hamlet of the Gelid Mire: Morthal