He Who Increaseth Knowledge, Increaseth Sorrow: Kolbjorn Barrow and Ahzidal

Imperial Scholar Lucius Flavius

If one wishes to learn about Solstheim, one must learn from the Skaal. After our discovery in White Ridge I set off immediately for the Skaal village on the eastern edge of island to see if they kept any lore of the dragon priests. However their shamen seemed rather reluctant to divulge any information, they seemed apprehensive, nervous about the subject. Finally after more imploring, they brought me a book (to appease me it seemed) that told of a man known as “Ahzidal” who was known to be a dragon priest. I will discuss at length this man and his deeds, but first I needed to know where to find him. Some scholars hold that he was buried or ran to ground in Saarthal, but the tales of the Skaal say he was entombed in Kolbjorn Barrow here on Solstheim. I had heard of some unpleasantness involving a score of dead miners and a barrow by the same name when I had stayed in Raven Rock. I therefore returned to the town to learn the location of this tomb.

What I learned from the miners who were smart enough not to work on the Kolbjorn dig was that four separate attempts had been made to unearth the barrow and locate the so called “Relics of Ahzidal.” After the fourth attempt, with all the miners dead from the awakened draugr, or worse and the foreman’s disappearance, all agreed that the tomb was a deathtrap and that none would now go near it. Even some of my fellow scholars appeared apprehensive, but I was driven to learn the truth of these Solstheim priests and declared I would go alone if necessary. In the end a handful of my companions decided to join me, the rest decided to learn of anymore priests located on the island.

Kolbjorn itself was not far from Raven Rock, and with the miners direction we found it without trouble. It was quite clear why it needed excavating, being located on the southern edge of the island ensured it was buried in ash from Red Mountain’s eruption. The barrow itself was designed much like smaller open air tombs back in Skyrim, except for the door that took one further into the ruins. The first room we entered was full of niches for draugr as well as the slain dezains who had occupied them. The blood from the miners could still be seen, but I paid it little heed as we pressed on. The next room was expansive and multi leveled. A central pillar connected by walkways the miners had constructed connected the various levels. It was here we found one of the first Relics, a pair of boots sitting upon a pedestal. We decided not to take any shortcuts and explore the barrow thoroughly rather than rushing towards the end. We did encounter something unexpected, a word wall on the bottom floor and I did detour to take down what was written upon it and the translation.

This) stone commemorates Hrodmir the Broken who (unknown) all his (unknown) and (unknown) to strike (unknown) (unknown) of his brother.

This translation put my abilities to the test and I am rather embarrassed to publish it with this many blanks in it. However we do get the general picture of it, yet another memorial to either a fallen kinsman or clansman. Returning to the top level and setting across the bridge into the next area we found yet more rooms for the buried dead, and there was no shortage of them. The area was also heavily guarded with more booby traps, mercifully most of these had been either set off by the miners or by the awakened dead. We did find two areas that must have been missed the miners and we opened these up to find yet more Relics, a ring and gauntlets this time. A staircase lead us further into the tomb and to a decision to go left or right. We chose right first and it opened up into a large room with a unique floor. Behind a gate was yet another Relic, a second ring. We quickly solved the puzzle and backtracked to the stairs and took the left passage. This room was contained yet more puzzles but we found out why. Ahzidal’s armor set lay behind another gate. It just a matter of finding the right animal totems and we had it. A winding staircase in the floor lead us down further. This final area contained more tombs for the draugr and traps. It was clear that Ahzidal wanted to protect his Relics from all others. We found his helm in a booby trapped room and hoped that would be the last of the rigged Relics. Our prayers were answered it seems as we entered into the final area. It was a round room with coffins lining the outside, above yet more arranged in a similar manner as in Bloodskal Barrow, and in the middle what appeared to be a summoning circle. In the middle of the circle lay what I sought, the mask of Ahzidal.

The tome the Skaal showed me told that Ahzidal was the first great enchanter of the Nords, if Ysgramor had mastered Elven runes first, then it was Ahzidal who had mastered their enchantments. Indeed after surpassing his Nordic masters, he left his home of Saarthal to learn from the elves. After many years he returned to Saarthal, only to find the place had been razed to the ground after the Night of Tears. It was here that he swore an oath of vengeance and took the name “Ahzidal” which can translate to “Embittered Destroyer” or “Bitter Destroyer” the meaning is the same though. We only known him now by this name, his first name is lost to the ages. He understood that alone he was powerless to take his revenge, but with insidious purpose, delved into the craft of enchanting like never before, learning all he could from the elves so that he might one day turn this knowledge against them. After learning of Ysgramor’s return with the Five Hundred Companions, he rode for three days and nights nonstop to offer his services and skills. So it was with Atmoran steel and Ahzidal’s enchantments, they laid the Snow Elves low, forcing them from the land. He finally had his revenge, but he was not satisfied. He began to learn from the dragons and their runes, eventually becoming a priest in the Dragon Cult. However this still was not enough and he sought out the knowledge of Oblivion and found it, at the cost of his sanity.

Ahzidal’s tale is remarkable and holds a warning for all, yet I feel like the old lore holds important truths that can help us understand the history of Skyrim, as well as a few gaps that I will attempt to explain and discuss. First of all it is clear that Ahzidal was part of some of the earliest immigrants to Skyrim from Atmora, Saarthal was the first capital of men in Tamriel so he must have arrived here around the late Merethic Era. Now it is unclear who he studied with for those first three years but he was spared from the Night of Tears because of his absence. After taking his oath of revenge it appears that he traveled extensively throughout Tamriel to learn his craft. We find that he learned from the Snow Elves in Skyrim, he must have been a man of much patience and restraint to learn from those who had burned his home. It seems though that he labeled all mer his enemies and learned from everything he could from them. I find it intriguing that he was able to learn from the Dwemer who were known for their secretive and reclusive nature. The tale says that he “learned the seven natures of metal and how to harmonize them.” What this means though I fear is lost with the Dwemer, yet it is interesting that they were willing to share their secrets with an outsider, a Nord no less. For the simple fact that he did learn from them, I feel that he sought out the clans in Resdayn (modern day Morrowind) rather than the clans in Skyrim. My belief in this supported by the fact that he also learned from the Chimer, also from Resdayn.

He also must have traveled into what is now Cyrodiil because he from the Ayleids he learned, “the ancient runes and dawn-magic even the elves had begun to forget.” The fact that he learned from the Ayleids is also remarkable, because we know well from history that they enslaved men, which lead to their eventual downfall. Perhaps it was a splinter group of the Ayleids that taught Ahzidal, but he must have held immense knowledge to even begin to study from that ancient race. Finally it says that he learned from the Altmer, and this presents a problem to me. Now I highly doubt that he was able to travel all the way to the Summerset Isle. However he ancient Aldmer had settled in High Rock and given that this was in the late Merethic Era, I hold that the earliest Altmer were also located here and it was in High Rock that Ahzidal learned from them.

From his tale we can also clear up some lingering questions about Skyrim’s early history. We know now that the famous Return of Ysgramor and his Companions took place before the Dragon War. Ahzidal’s rise to priesthood in the Dragon Cult wouldn’t make sense if the War had taken place beforehand. Indeed it was after the Return that Ahzidal began to learn from the dragons themselves. In becoming a priest it seems that he was able to retain the name he had given himself, probably due to what he was able to accomplish in his time amongst the elves. Yet he it appears that even the dragons knowledge could not sate his lust. It says that he sought out the knowledge of Oblivion but I now believe he sought out a particular Daedric Prince.

I found another one. Another Black Book. It was deep inside Kolbjorn just past the chamber Ahzidal was interred in. It’s starting to make sense now. The legend says that after he was driven mad by the knowledge of Oblivion he was cast out by his fellow priests and feld here to Solstheim. I believe he sought out the forbidden knowledge of Apocrypha the realm of Hermaeus Mora. Its only a feeling, but I think Ahzidal was not cast out because of his loss of sanity, but for who he sought out. I believe the other priests and even the dragons had a reason to particularly fear Mora for a reason that seems just beyond the edge of my knowledge. And then he came to Solstheim, because I think that he knew he could find allies here, other priests who already swore service to Mora. That would explain the connecting between Zahkroiisos and Dukaan, something was different on Solstheim that cause this defection from the ranks of the Dragon Cult and into Mora’s clutches. I still feel like I am missing something, that a piece of the puzzle is missing...