Thalmor Report on the Factions of Skyrim: The Forsworn

This will be the last of these reports for right now. I've save my favorite group for last, hope my Forsworn bias doesn't show too much. If anyone has more information on them, I'd love to hear it. Thanks for your continued reading.

To new Justiciars that will be operating in the Markarth under Ondolemar, this new report is for your information (and safety) before you enter the Reach. It is well known that the hold is wild country these days due to the group that calls themselves the Forsworn. This group has been called many names, Madmen of the Reach, Witchmen of High Rock are the more popular ones. The Forsworn history is relatively recent, but their history stretches further back into history.

For ages the people who have called themselves Reachmen have inhabited the southwestern Skyrim and have called it their rightful homeland. These people are a mongrel race a mix, of Nedic and Breton blood. They maintain a tribal mentality and appearance often wearing furs and feathers of the beasts they slay. Their weapons are a mix of bone, wood and primitive metals that they are able to wield with a deadly efficiency. These people also practice hedge magic, applying ancient spells and wards. Popular conjecture holds that is was the tribal Orcs who taught the Reachmen this craft. After the inevitable collapse of the First Empire of the Nords by Aldmeri conquest the Reachmen flourished in the hills of the Reach, developing into stable society. History says that ten kings ruled the Reach in this day. These were not a united ruling body and appeared to war amongst themselves. Also notable and disturbing is the place of hagravens in their society, they appear to be held as matriarchs. These hags appear to guide the tribes and act as augurs for them as well. The presence of these hagravens and the modern appearance of the Forsworn indicate that these people are Daedra worshipers. Hircine appears to be prominent, and connections to Molag Bal and Malacath can be drawn. Raids on modern Forsworn encampments have found a puzzling reverence for Dibella. Although this is purely conjecture it seems that they worship her as a fertility goddess, shrines have been found smeared and covered in blood. Forsworn claim to worship the “Old Gods” and it seems like their pantheon is a mismatching of Daedra and primitive incarnations of the Divines, or wild spirits.

This society was thrown into disarray in the First Era after Empress Hestra of the Alessian Empire rode north, conquering new territory. The Reachmen legend of the Red Eagle arise in this time, apparently he resisted all Imperial attempts to conquer and fought them from the hills for years. His story also chronicles the inception of a barbaric and bizarre ritual into Reachmen culture. The Red Eagle was approached by a hagraven that promised immense power, at the cost of his humanity. He took the deal and agreed to have his own heart cut out of him and replaced with a briar seed. This is the first recorded description of a Briarheart, those who undergo this transformation can still be found among Forsworn ranks today. It appears that this new heart grants the bearer immense power from nature itself in the form of physical strength or magical ability. It seems that the Red Eagle took this new power and nearly drove the Imperials from the Reach before they countered and besieged his stronghold for a fortnight. The legend (if its to be believed) says that he killed a thousand soldiers before he succumed to his wounds, before dying he made a pact with his people, giving them his sword and promising that when the Reach is free of invaders, he will rise again to lead them once more. (Such it is with legends and returning heroes…)

The woes of the Reachmen did not end here. In the 9th Century of the Second Era the Reachmen remained largely independent (although some had allied with the Second Aldmeri Dominion) until the arrival of Talos (or whatever the pretender was called then) and the Battle of Old Hrol’dan. After Talos used the power of the Voice to shout the Reachmen down, the rest of Reach was taken with relative ease. The Nords occupied the territory and claiming it as their own, and both Nordic and Imperial propaganda started to label the Reachmen as barbarians, lawless rebels, and “them.” The people now seemed to quietly accept the Nordic yoke. This continued on well into the Fourth Era.

After the Aldmeri Dominion had captured the Imperial City in the Great War, the Legions all but turned a blind eye to the other provinces. The long suffering Reachmen used this opportunity to rise up against the Nords in 4E 174 and created an independent kingdom. Nordic propaganda has portrayed this as a violent uprising, but it seems that the rebellion was relatively peaceful and only the harshest Nord landowners were put to death. The Reachmen under the rule of one called Madanach, maintained this for two years. This came to an abrupt and bloody end in 4E 176 after the Jarl of Markarth petitioned Ulfric Stormcloak and his militia to retake the city. The militia carried out all manners of atrocities against the populace and executed anyone with even remote ties to the Reachmen leadership. The survivors of the Markarth Incident as it came to be called fled into the wilds and have officially became known as the Forsworn.

The Forsworn now control virtually every major stronghold in the Reach and carry out raids against any and all passing through the hold. They desire to drive out both of the Nords and the Empire and establish their own independent kingdom once again. It should be noted that they consider the Thalmor and the Dominion enemies and no effort should be made to reason with these savages. Travel through the Reach is considerably dangerous and one should not venture far from the roads and travel with substantial numbers, still even this may not be enough to deter raids by the Forsworn who will seize any and all opportunities to strike against their enemies. It must be said though that as savage as their methods are, they are an aggressive political force in the Reach and are de facto rulers of all save Markarth proper. Irregular warfare is their trade and they carry out it effectively. It is also said that they have agents within Markarth itself, infiltrating the Silver Blood families inner workings. Justiciars are encouraged to confirm this rumor, but not to expose their agents, let them do their work, they can weaken the biggest Stormcloak supporters in the city. In short Dominion agents are advised to avoid any Forsworn at all cost, they can easily surprise and ambush out in the wilds. Travel in large groups if you must at all, and during the day. You are free to eliminate any and all Forsworn you encounter in the wilds. At that point all you can do is try to stay alive.

Status: Avoid engagement at all cost in the wilds, exterminate any who threaten you. Track down their agents in the city and monitor them. Emissary Level Approval

By my hand and seal

Elenwen