A Cult’s Last Breath: Forelhost and Rahgot

Imperial Scholar Lucius Flavius

After cataloging our findings from Bromjunaar we set about finding the location of the last two highest ranking dragon priests. It took us the better part of a month searching Skyrim for any rumor or evidence of such locations. It was only after our mysterious friend sent word pointing us towards the foothills of the Jeralls in the Rift that we had a lead. This struck me as an odd place to find a dragon priest, it seemed much too far south. While the Rift is considered one of the Old Holds of Skyrim we hadn’t found much to date to suggest a dragon priest resided, but we proceeded anyway. What we found has the potential to rewrite the history of the Dragon Cult.

We continued south after we had stopped in Riften, heading for a promising location at the feet of the Jerall Mountains. We slowly wound our way up the side of the mountain until we finally came to it, an ancient Nordic fortress. Not as large as Bromjunaar but Forelhost was certainly impressive. There was a large and ornate central entrance surrounded entirely by an outside wall. It would be perilous to hold a siege here, the castellations looked easily defendable, yet we learned that is exactly what happened here. As we entered the ruins themselves it became apparent that this entire first level had been built with defense in mind. There were multiple way in and out of rooms, crisscrossing levels gave one a vantage point on areas we had passed through previously. We were not surprised when we found multiple booby traps impeding our progress, it stood to reason any defends would trigger these to ambush attackers or hold them off as they retreated further into the ruin. Also of particular note was that we found few draugr in this first area of the stronghold, we found the ash piles of spirits that had been defeated. Our mages told us through some of their machinations that these must have been the ghosts of the Dragon Cultists who inhabited this ruin. I immediately wondered why we would find their spirits instead of the usual embalmed dead. I didn’t have to wait long for an answer. As we wound our way through the ruins and collapsed tunnels we came into a room that didn’t look too unusual, but then I spied a remarkably well preserved tome on a far table. The contents contained revelations.

The journal was that of Skorm Snow-Strider, a commander of the Nords under the authority of Lord Harald, before he became High King in the First Era. The journal tells that Skorm was attempting to wipe out the remaining snow elves still in Skyrim. (Note: This is also important for any studying the Falmer as this group must have held out in the Rift for quite some time, possibly rejecting the offer of the Dwarves.) As they approached modern day Lake Honrich they encountered more attacks, and thinking there was a stronghold of Snow Elves in the area, set out to investigate. What they found was Forelhost and not guarded by snow elves, but a long surviving remnant of the Dragon Cult. (Note: This damning evidence against scholars who argue that the Dragon Cult dissolved following the end of the Dragon War and that dragon and animal worship died out with the introduction of the Alessian pantheon.)

It appears that Skorm and his men were caught out by a sudden storm that slowed their approach to the fortress and then turned into a grueling siege that lasted roughly two months. After a Tongue was brought in to break down the gate Skrom records that the Cultists had killed themselves in droves after blocking the main staircase to the rest of the ruin. Horrifically they had also poisoned their well and when half of Skorm’s remaining men had drank their fill, they also sucummed from the poison. He decided to let the rest of the Cultists slay themselves and to get the rest of his men out of there, but left his journal behind so that someone might finish what he had started. With this new information we were eager to press on and find out what had went undocumented in the higher chambers.

In the connecting room we found evidence of mass suicide, rows and rows of beds were occupied by the dead, vials of poison laid out nearby or on headboards. It was sobering to think that all these people had taken their own lives just to spite Skrom and his men. Continuing on we found an entire forge and metalworks and in a connecting area, a kitchen and dining hall. The Cultist must have made sure they could sustain themselves from inside the fortress indefinitely. Through a last set of tunnels in the stronghold part we came across a fire trap that worked even today and looked to have claim the lives of several adventurers and soldiers. A gate that had been closed to us from in an earlier part of the ruin we could now open, but we instead went to the set of doubled doors that lead us to the crypts.

Through the passageway we went and finally came to a dead end, but two passages forked left or right. On the left we found the well that the Cultists had poisoned, but after we tested the waters we found that its virtues were restored. The gate to the well had already been opened and so we decided to let one group rest as the other explored the right passageway. I elected to wait with the group near the well and put to ink all that we had learned so far. After several hours the other group finally returned telling of a massive crypt that contained hundreds of dead. We wondered if they had been part of the mass suicide or if they had already been here when the Cultists sought sanctuary here. We hoped that further exploring the ruin would help us answer that. Now since the Cultists had collapsed the main staircase there was only one way to access the rest of Forelhost, diving into the well. We were certain it connected to the rest of the ruin and resolved to test the path. It was a very cold and unpleasant swim, but for the sake of scholarship I soldiered on and eventually we found ourselves in a connecting cave. After another frantic dive we were proven right as we emerged into a room in a separate section of the ruin. After some observation and drying off we found a tattered note that had been well preserved. I shall record it here.

Skorm and his dogs shall never take us alive. Thorallod has foreseen the return of the dragons and has given instructions that we are to poison the well. Better that we should die than fall into the hands of these infidels - they have forgotten that the gods were once dragons and shall give us life again once they return.

What I find most interesting about this note is that the Cultists augur was eventually proven right, the dragons have indeed returned. We continued onward through yet another part of the crypt where draugr lined the slots in the walls. When we did come across another set of doors we came across another foul site. Bodies upon bodies wrapped up and stacked atop one another on either side of the door. How many had taken their own lives? We weren’t through yet and still desired to find out exactly what happened here.

The next area we discovered was called the Refractory, typically a room like this is associated with communal meals held for religious or educational purposes. We thought it was most likely the former as we entered into the new area. Just inside we found yet more dead wrapped in linen scattered about the passageway. Moving onward we located the reason for the areas name, a chamber with a large table running down the middle, we had located the dining area. A gate blocked our access to a direct area and it appeared that we would have to go around. We found yet another well preserved note here in the dining area with more prophecy of the Cultists.

In an era far across the seas of time, it has been foreseen that Alduin shall return to cleanse the land in the fires of his wrath. Rahgot is right, the walls will soon be breached by the heretics and we must secure the inner sanctum. Do not fear the embrace of death for it shall last only till the dragons rise again. Then we too shall walk the lands and bring back the true faith.

We find it curious that the cultists auguries and prophecy eventually was proven correct. Also we finally had the name of the Dragon Cultist’s leader, Rahgot. We weren’t sure if he was a dragon priest at the time but the name was telling and we felt like were were on the right track. We still had much of the ruin to explore though. It was in the next area that we came across yet another atrocity. Half buried in the ground in the middle of the room surrounded by plants such as snowberries and deathbell we found the bodies of children. A note we found nearby read,

All the blossoms are to be harvested at once and brought up to the alchemical lab. Then clear space and begin burial of the children's bodies.

All of us stood in silence coming to the reality of what had happened here. We quickly left that place. Climbing up further we came to an alchemy laboratory, various paraphernalia of alchemists was scattered about along with many ingredients, much of which was deathbell. We concluded that this is where they mixed the poisons that they eventually used on themselves and the well. We couldn’t believe our luck when we found two more legible notes. The contents were both disturbing and revealing. Both are recorded here.

But surely we cannot use these poisons on our own brothers and sisters! This plan is madness! Even if the main stairway is collapsed and they find those in the front chambers poisoned there is no telling that they will stop from clearing the rubble and coming through to burn our bodies before Alduin's return! Rahgot, it is not that I fear death or refuse to lay down my life in the service of the gods. The snow elf raids in the northern lands may not be enough to draw off the Snow-Strider when he finds us dead. All know of his tenacity. If we are to die, then let us die with blades in our hands, rather than with poison on our lips and daggers at our children's throats! --Head Alchemist Froda

Froda, do not deter the other alchemist from their work. Your views are known to me and we shall have words about them shortly. -- Rahgot

It appears that the head alchemist Froda was as appalled as we are at the measures that were being taken by the rest of the cult. It should be said that we found Rahgot’s reply to a body that had appeared to have been stabbed and shot with arrows. Clearly this Rahgot would suffer no sedition from his subjects. We were growing weary as we continued on, this ruin was one of the most expansive we had explored and there seemed to be no end to it. We finally found our way to a room that contained a ornate glass claw that we took with us as we went forward, eager reach the final area. Climbing up further we came to a door large square doorway that must have been where a puzzle door had stood, but now rested in the ground. We finally climbed a short staircase to a larger chamber that had light streaming into it from the outside and a large coffin in the middle. Many powerful draugr lay around it, slain in its defense, scorch marks all around looked as though a fire had burned fiercely. Near the coffin we found the sight we had been seeking. Ruined armor, ash, and a mask.

We had no doubt that this was the remains of Rahgot and his mask. It appeared forged from Orichalcum and as a result was green as was the hue of the enchantment. Our mages said that this mask grants a massive boost in the wearers stamina. Now from what I can translate, “Rahgot” can either mean “Rage” or “Anger.” I find this a very fitting moniker for this priest. It is clear from the evidence we have found in this ruin that he was ruthless and obviously didn’t hesitate to order all of his followers to commit mass suicide in order to prevent the other Nords from reaching him. Truly a priest who thought the the ends justified the means. Now given when this cult was found, it leads to an interesting conclusion. We are not certain as to when the Dragon War started or ended precisely, but it had been ended quite sometime before the beginning of recorded history, the First Era. Skorm and his men located this holdout in the year 139. This at least makes Rahgot a hundred and thirty nine years old, he is obviously older than that and appeared to be able to unnaturally prolong his life. I also put forward that Rahgot was the last living dragon priest in Skyrim. He somehow held his cultists together from the end of the Dragon War and lead them to Forelhost sometime before 139. That feat alone is remarkable, but when the end came he willingly ordered his followers to pay the ultimate price, and silenced all opposition to his plan. Truly a terrifying figure that lingered from the times of myths and legend into recorded history.