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by High Chronicler Valerius of Winterhold
A history of Skyrim's early High Kings
- The death of the child-king Jafnhar was a turning point in the history of Skyrim (or "Keizaal" as it was known as under dragon rule). It marked the point when the will of the Atmorans was broken and priesthood assumed full control of Ysgramor's kingdom. The mastermind behind the coup was a newly appointed high priest named Miraak. Miraak was born in Skyrim shortly after first wave of priests arrived in ME 95. His parentage remains unknown, but they were no doubt part of the priesthood. Much of his early life remains a complete mystery, other than he too joined the priesthood as a novitiate and studied at the remote Valthume Chantry under high priest Hevnoraak.
- Mikaak, unlike any other before him, was gifted in an extraordinary manner. He was a Dragonborn. The first of many throughout history. According to the Tract of the Allegiance Guide written by Miraak himself, he came to know of this power when he witnessed a sky-battle between two dragons vying for territory in at the summit of the Throat of the World. One of the dragons, mortally wounded, fell from the sky and perished. Miraak approached the corpse and without warning began to absorb its very soul. The victor of the battle, Sahrotaar, witnessed this astonishing feat and made Miraak as his student. The tract reads:
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- ...and as I beheld the clash of the blessed Dovah in the skies above, I wept tears of sorrow. Noble Kahvozein slain at the Monahven. Brit grah. To prepare the burial mound I neared the [untranslatable] uttering the Chant of Consecration and Apology. My [heart?] began to burn in a fire of holy incandescent light as Kahvozein's [essence?] filled my [soul?]. Vonmindoraan! Sahrotaar then spake and said unto me: "Sossedov joor!? As elder I will speak first. Hear my Thu'um! Feel it in your bones. Match it, if you are Dovahkiin!" His Thu'um washed over...
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- [the remainder of the tract is missing]
- Being Dragonborn afforded Miraak enormous influence within the priesthood. He quickly rose through the ranks and held influence with several high priests. When Miraak became aware of the priesthood's distaste of Totem-King Heimverlund, he orchestrated a plot to assassinate him and his entire clan and take power. The high priests were in agreement, and although Heimverlund survived his clan's massacre in Windhelm, he was in no position to rule and was ousted from the ruling council. Miraak took his place, cementing the priesthood's total control over Skyrim in ME 60.
Miraak's Iron Fist
- Within a year of taking power, all manner of civil unrest was extinguished as the ruling council tightened its grip on Skyrim and began subjecting the populace to immense cruelty. Dragons terrorized the countryside, entire towns were made into slaves and forced build grand temples, tombs and and shrines. One of the more notable tragedies was the rebellious village of Vundeheim, which was completely reduced to ash after a high priest conjured an unending lightning storm upon it as punishment. With the people cowed into submission, the priesthood continued its subjugation for many years. The borders of Skyrim expanded rapidly to the south and west, into present day Falkreath Hold and the Reach respectively. Historians speculate that with dragonkind protecting them, the priesthood could have expanded further were in not for the mighty Jerall and Druadach mountain ranges slowing down their slave army.
- By ME 09, Miraak wielded immense power second only to the dragons themselves. Some of the elder priests had died and their title and masks passed onto their successors, but Miraak remained steadfast in his position as de-facto leader of the priesthood. That was until an event prophesied for untold generations came to pass. Alduin the World-Eater awoke and descended upon Skyrim.
The Treacherous Dragonborn
- For most of the priesthood, the arrival of Alduin to herald the end times is what they had been waiting for. According to their beliefs, a second eternal life was promised to those who ascended to the priesthood when the World-Eater returned. However, Alduin grew proud and chose to forsake his proper role as World-Eater in favor of conquering Mundus for himself. This resulted in a reign of cruelty upon the Atmorans that surpassed the lordship of the priesthood.
- Miraak had other ambitions. According to an ancient manuscript found in the Grand Archives of Bromjunaar, Miraak refused to kneel and forsook his masters. With the power of the dragon blood within him, he no longer consider Alduin to be his lord, but his role as the de-facto leader of the priesthood did little to sway the other high priests.
- In an effort to assert his authority Miraak did the unthinkable. He climbed to the highest towers of Bromjunaar and bellowed Alduin's name, challenging the World-Eater himself. Panic broke out in the streets below and his fellow priests drew their daggers at the sight of such blasphemy. Alduin didn't heed his challenge, but instead three of his most loyal Dovah descended upon Miraak. The ensuing battle didn't last long as Miraak unleashed a barrage of Shouts. As each Dragon fell, Miraak grew more powerful until all three were slain. In the aftermath, Miraak summoned his old master Sahrotaar, who was enraged at his betrayal. Miraak enslaved him with a Shout unknown to the Dovah, forcing him into his service. The priesthood was no longer useful to Miraak, so left abruptly for the island of Solstheim with Sahrotaar and his most devout acolytes.
- The other high priests soon learned where he had fled to and sent one of their own, a priest named Vahlok, alongside numerous dragons to kill the heretic. The Battle of Tahrodiis Dovahkiin, as it was later named, raged for two days. Numerous Skaal tapestries depict this supposedly destructive battle in vivid detail. The sky is always emblazoned with fire. Mountains are shown to be crumbling into rubble and the earth is torn asunder. While the veracity of these accounts is debatable, what we do know is the dragons burned Miraak's temple to the ground before he slayed each and every one of them with his immense power. Vahlok and Miraak eventually met on the battlefield, but the details of their encounter was lost to history and Miraak was never seen again.
- Although Miraak's rule was largely forgotten about in later eras after his name was purged from the Annals, his rebellion was of monumental importance. Historians attribute Miraak's defiance as the inspirational spark which ignited a full scale war against the Dragons and the priesthood. Leading this rebellion was hero named Valdimar Fireforge.