Lore:Morokei

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Morokei, the Deathless
SR-creature-Morokei.jpg
Morokei
Race Proto‑Nord† Gender Male
Born Merethic Era
Undeath Merethic Era
Final Death 4E 201
Labyrinthian
Resided in Bromjunaar
Appears in Skyrim, ESO, Legends

Morokei, also known as the Deathless,[1] was a Dragon Priest who inhabited Bromjunaar in the Merethic Era, when the city served as the capital of the Dragon Cult. Like many of his fellow priests, he managed to achieve a state of lichdom through the eternal worship of his draugr servants.[2][3] By virtue of his high rank, he was gifted a magical moonstone mask by his dragon overlord.[4][5] The power given to him by the dragons was such that even in undeath, he could not be killed by anything other than the Thu'um of a dragon.[6] As a result, he continued to dwell within the crypts of Bromjunaar's ruins, later known as Labyrinthian,[7] until his destruction circa 4E 201.[8] As a Dragon Priest, he was a powerful mage, also able to wield the Thu'um in battle.[9]

Biography[edit]

In life, Morokei was a Nord who dwelt in Bromjunaar, the seat of power for the Dragon Cult who ruled over Skyrim during the Merethic. During the Dragon War, the ancient Nords rebelled against the dragons and defeated the Dragon Cult. Morokei and his fellow priests were subsequently entombed, but many refused to remain dead. After Morokei's defeat, the full extent of the power gifted to him by the dragons became clear when it was discovered that he could only be killed by a dragon. As a result, four sacred fires were lit at the ruins of Labyrinthian by priests of Kyne to magically seal Morokei within the ruins. It was feared that, should he escape his magical bindings, he would use his terrible power to seek vengeance upon the people of Skyrim.[6]

Circa 2E 582, an Argonian necromancer named Dixulti the Moldering entered Labyrinthian with the goal of unsealing Morokei's tomb in order to steal his power. To do this, he killed Keldnyr, an elderly priest of Kyne who had come to the ruins to tend to the sacred fires keeping Morokei bound. This caused Keldnyr's granddaughter, Yrsild, to come to the ruins in search of him. Although she was a priestess of Kyne, Yrsild was unaware of her grandfather's sacred duty, believing his regular visits to Labyrinthian were academic in nature. With the aid of the Vestige, Yrsild discovered the danger posed by Morokei and succeeded in relighting the sacred fires. The Vestige confronted and killed Dixulti, and Yrsild took up the mantle of ensuring Morokei would never escape his tomb.[10]

At some point in the Fourth Era, Morokei awakened from his ancient slumber[4] and somehow obtained the Staff of Magnus. As a result, a group of mages from the College of Winterhold undertook an expedition to Labyrinthian in search of the Staff. The party encountered Morokei within the ruins, and the future Arch-Mage Savos Aren was the only member of the group to survive the encounter. Aren sacrificed two of his companions to eternally contain Morokei, and sealed the ruins.[11] Circa 4E 201, following the activation of the Eye of Magnus, the Last Dragonborn was sent to Labyrinthian by the College to retrieve the Staff.[8] The Dragonborn confronted and destroyed Morokei (a feat seemingly only made possible by possessing the soul of a dragon)[6] and claimed the Staff as well as Morokei's mask.[8]

Gallery[edit]

  • Morokei (Legends)

  • Morokei (ESO)

  • Morokei's mask (Skyrim)

Notes[edit]

  • †  The inhabitants of Skyrim during the Dragon War were variously labeled Nords[12] and Atmorans.[13] The truth may lie somewhere in-between; while the two are considered distinct races,[14] the men living in the transition period between the terms' respective usage have been considered 'proto-Nords'.[15][16][17]
  • Morokei's name means Glorious in the Dragon Language.[18][19]

See Also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Morokei, the Deathless card in Legends
  2. ^ Amongst the Draugr — Bernadette Bantien, College of Winterhold
  3. ^ Valdar's dialogue in Skyrim
  4. ^ a b Skyrim loading screens
  5. ^ Jorvuld Davaux's dialogue in ESO
  6. ^ a b c The Danger of Morokei — Keldnyr
  7. ^ Morokei in Skyrim
  8. ^ a b c The Staff of Magnus quest in Skyrim
  9. ^ The Guardian and the Traitor — Lucius Gallus
  10. ^ The Fading Fire quest in ESO
  11. ^ Savos Aren's dialogue in Skyrim
  12. ^ Paarthrunax's dialogue in Skyrim
  13. ^ First Servant's Letter, Page 2 — The First Servant
  14. ^ The Origin of Cyrus! — Michael Kirkbride
  15. ^ Frontier, Conquest — University of Gwylim Press, 3E 344
  16. ^ The Improved Emperor's Guide to Tamriel: Skyrim — Flaccus Terentius, 2E 581
  17. ^ High King Sunstone antiquity codex entry in ESO
  18. ^ Dragon Language: Myth no More — Hela Thrice-Versed
  19. ^ Songs of Skyrim — Giraud Gemaine, Historian of the Bards College, Solitude
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