The Temptation of Apotheosis: Temple of Miraak and Miraak

Imperial Scholar Lucius Flavius

This was it, the final piece of the puzzle, the final priest. All of the answers lay with Miraak. I returned to the Skaal Village for a final time, to demand answers. They knew more than they were telling me when I first visited. After much discussion I revealed what I knew of the other priests of Solstheim and that Miraak was the final link in this mystery. The shaman then looked at me solemnly, he said that Miraak had attempted to return to Solstheim not long ago and that the whole island fell under his spell. Great pain had been brought to the Skaal because of it, but they wouldn’t go into detail. I was told that I could find what I sought in the center of the island, where the foundations of a temple encased the Tree Stone. The shaman turned to me and gravely said that I was following a dark path and that I should turn away, lest evil befall me. I packed my things and left, thanking the Skaal for their hospitality. I wouldn’t stop now, not when I was this close.

The ascent to the temple was unbelievable, countless skeletons of dragons lined the slope, I couldn’t keep track of how many there were. The temple itself was clearly being rebuilt but only the bottom level and surrounding wall had been finished. The information the Skaal had told me suddenly shed light on rumblings I had heard around the rest of the island. Tales of people entering a trance in their sleep to wander off and build vile structures around the Sacred Stones of the island, and this temple. I could only ask myself why and how Miraak was able to do such a thing. The architecture of place was not the Atmoran style I had become accustomed to, this was something wholly different. The Tree Stone itself was in the center, I wondered if the stone held some special significance for it to be preserved in the middle of the temple. I continued down a circular path that lead to the entrance to the temple, it appeared to be well disguised.

Inside the architecture changed to the familiar Nordic stonework. I shall discuss by what matter the temple was destroyed later, but I reason that the first temple would have looked very much like any other ancient Nordic temple and this new one would have reflected the change in masters. This temple layout seemed to be focused on corridors and smaller passageways connecting to larger chambers and so forth. After the first large hall that containing dozens of cages with the remains of the tortured, I came to the burial chambers. This series of rooms was immense, but had collapsed in several parts and left it very difficult to navigate. I wondered if Miraak had held a following even after his beytal and defection from the Cult, due to the number of dead within these crypts, I assumed he had. I came to a long hallway where a myriad of swinging blades were suspended, luckily they had already been deactivated. What I did notice at the edge end of the hall was the mechanism for sealing the door. Simple steel spikes raised and lowered to allow or deny access. Yet shattered and strewn upon the floor was the remains of an ancient Nordic puzzle door. It was clear that someone, or some force had fought their way to this level and cast down the door, the question was how far had they gotten and would they have looted everything of value. It was clear that defense had been a foremost consideration in the temples construction. Levers for doors would be hidden well, and there was an inordinate amount of traps down here. Finally I came to the next section of the temple, the sanctum.

This area of the temple appears to either have been constructed around the existing tunnels through the rock, or they built sparingly after they dug down to this point. He I found more evidence of horrific acts and torture, bones interwoven through a cage overhang. I feel like Miraak would make harsh examples of those who showed any sign of sedition or rebellion. I just questioned if this was during his time as a dragon priest, or after he had accepted Mora as his master. I descended further into the bowels of the temple hoping that the end would be near, but as I wound my way around the tunnels I came across a sight that only begged more questions. Down a flight of stairs came a room with a large ceiling, suspended from that was the complete skeleton of a dragon. It was like a trophy a hunter mounts on his wall after a successful hunt. It was clear that this was meant to send a message to the dragons, but what manner of power did Miraak command to kill scores of them? I finally put the pieces together from all that I had heard from the Skaal, read in lore, or just picked up from this temple, Miraak was Dragonborn. The ancient Nord legends spoke of such people who could absorb the power and knowledge of a dragon directly after slaying it. They could also wield the thu’um or Voice with no prior training, Miraak must have had the same power. In the same room stood a word wall and I was eager to get its translation.

All praise glorious Miraak. Most power(ful) servant of all Dragon Priests, whose strength (unknown) by (unkown) of mankind.

I have a feeling that this wall was erected before Miraak turned against his dragon masters, yet it could also be that he himself raised it, an act of hubris no doubt, to go with his dragon trophy. I thought this would be the end of the temple, but inside an upright sarcophagus was a door, there was a hidden area to this temple. Immediately through the door and in the next room was a dining area and kitchen. I believe that Miraak did not act alone in turning against the Dragon Cult and this is where he and his henchmen would meet and plot their moves. Secrets breed more secrets it seems and even here in the dining area was another hidden passageway, disguised as a rock wall. Through a homemade tunnel we arrived at a new area, and here parts of the architecture made a macabre change. Fonts and torches upon the walls took image of horrible creatures. Further in and yet more repugnant statues stood silent. Their shadow seemed to loom over me and shift eerily in the flickering light, as if they moved to watch my every move. Yet I was not to be stopped so close to my goal by even these statues. I decedent even further into the ground, convinced I would emerge on the other side of Nirn by this point. What I found was a large avenue graduating rising in the ground, with various Atmoran stonework overhead, but also scattered about appeared to be the bones of more dragons, fashioned this time into bizarre garden sculptures. Miraak must have truly felt he was untouchable to make such a mockery of those he must have once considered gods. At the end of this wide avenue I found a sculpture that must have been symbolic. Here stood a...mass of sorts, covered in eyes with the pincers of crabs extending upward. I have seen its like before, Hermaeus Mora’s shrine high in the Jerall Mountains of Cyrodiil. I felt that this was symbolic due to Mora’s likeness being above the shattered remains of the dragons, as if it implied the power of the Daedric Prince of fate above those who considered themselves gods of men once. I came to yet another carved out tunnel and followed it for what seemed like ages, but then I came to it, the room and what was contained within.

This room completely forsook the previous architecture, I knew then I was looking at the designs of Hermaeus Mora himself. It was piercingly dark and all light seemed to fade and die in here. From inside a noise of utter evil sounded forth to greet me, a guttural growl that reverberated from the room. Emanating from what I sought yet sent a shiver down my spine as I perceived it. A Black Book sat on the pedestal in the middle of this scene. I had swore when I started this search that I would never open one of these Books, the peril was too great, and yet I knew that the answers to my questions lay inside. I had no choice, I must finish this quest.

By the Eight...the tentacles, the ooze and smell of them, they seized me in a vice as I tried to pull away, but I was too weak, too weak… How much time had passed, I knew not, but I knew where I was when my senses returned to me. Apocrypha, the realm that has trapped countless droves of those who sought out forbidden knowledge or secrets. I cannot begin to explain every sensation I felt there, my body was in revolt, the smell, the air, every sensation felt horribly wrong, twisted to some disgusting and insidious purpose. I felt then that eyes were watching me, as if the very walls were ready to betray my presence to their master. It was only after I had stood for what seemed like ages and calmed myself did I take stock of my surroundings. I felt as if I was up high, and in front of me stood a large, oversized book upon a pedestal. Surrounding this were the skeletons of three dragons, I did not expect to find any of their kind here. Then I slowly turned to the foot of this pedestal, there lay the skeleton the size of a man, but it was partially covered in robes, and covering the skull was a mask. Suddenly I was seized with the feeling that I may be trapped here if I didn’t flee as quickly as I could, I grabbed the mask and opened the book that had brought me to this foul place. I lost all sense of time and space and remember no more.

I sit here now in a safe location with the mask and the book. I have learned a great deal about the mask, perhaps more than I wanted to know. I know not the material that this mask is made of, and its appearance is different even from the masks of the Solstheim priests. It has an almost haughty appearance, with narrow slits for eyes and carved tentacles descend downward from the middle. I know that the mask is able to fortify one’s magika to absurd levels, I have donned it myself to figure this ability out, not without some trepidation though. I finally have my answers. Miraak, once a dragon priest and the ruler of Solstheim sought to expand his power and did so by devouring the souls of dragons to increase his own knowledge of the thu’um. I believe that this radical change was implemented by Hermaeus Mora to further his own twisted agenda involving the dragons and their cult. As I have translated before, “Miraak” means “Allegiance Guide” in the dragon language. Its dubious as if to this was his original name given to him by the dragons but I believe it holds another meaning. The mask I have with me I am sure was given to Miraak by Mora himself after the betrayal. I can’t claim to know the motives of a Daedric Prince, but I feel that Mora was trying to somehow bring the Dragon Cult under his dominance and Miraak would be the instrument by which that was carried out. It was a clear message to the dragons, either follow Mora, or be devoured by his new champion.

Miraak seemed to have also corrupted several other priests and brought them under his banner. I hold that the Bloodskal Clan followed Zahkriisos when he joined Miraak. (Note: This could explain why there is hardly an mention of the Bloodskal Clan in history, perhaps they were completely dishonored because of their actions and were forcefully removed from the histories.) Dukaan seemed to be dishonored in the same manner for reflecting the Cult and embracing the path that Miraak was forging. Ahzidal must have been seeking an ally after he was banished from Skyrim proper after he sought out the knowledge of Apocrypha and was driven mad because of it. However I don’t think Mora fully accounted for the ferocity and devotion by which Valok fought and nearly killed Miraak. Mora saved his champion at the last second and it seems the Miraak lived out the rest of his days in Apocrypha. The more recent events of Solstheim reveal that there might have been a schism between master and pupil. Why else would Miraak attempt to return to Tamriel unless he was trying to escape the clutches of Mora? And yet… I feel like there was something larger at work than Miraak simply trying to escape his master. The power to hypnotize and subtly control nearly an entire islands population, and not only force them to build in his name, but nearly worship, must indicate a type of power that only a few in history could hope to equal. I struggle to describe by what way this power could be achieved or used. Yet the power that Miraak exercised could be argued by some to rival those of the gods themselves. Even the Daedric Princes have attempted to do the same. The feeling that my mind hasn’t yet even began to comprehend this manner of power or process is one of futility, of despair, and curiosity.

I have completed what I set out to do, I have documented the history of the men who called themselves the inner circle of dragons priests in Skyrim and the priests that followed Miraak on Solstheim and the one who fought against him. I have learned much in this time, knowledge that could rewrite history. Yet I feel like the real knowledge, and the power and wisdom that it brings is eluding my grasp. I sit here with this Black Book. “Waking Dreams of a Starless Sky” it is called. The knowledge is there, forbidden as it may be, I only have to search carefully and suss it out. I could know the true history of Skyrim, of Tamriel, free of the doubt that this scholarly work brings. I know of the peril though, the horror of Apocrypha, the enteral trap of Mora and yet...