Lore:Spellbreaker

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Spellbreaker

Spellbreaker (also spelled Spell Breaker) is an ancient artifact stated to have been created on behalf of King Rourken.[1] Some believe it to be forged by a Daedric Prince themself,[2] but regardless of its veracity, it has become claimed by Peryite specifically.[3] Superficially a Dwarven tower shield, it is one of the most ancient relics in Tamriel. The shield not only protects its wielder from physical damage, but also from magical attacks, by reflecting magicks, dispelling curses, or silencing any mage about to cast a spell. It is said that the shield still searches for its original owner, and will not remain the property of anyone else for long.[4]

History[edit]

First Era[edit]

It played an important role in the historic Battle of Rourken–Shalidor.[4] King Rourken had the shield created for him in the conflict with Shalidor, it was ultimately lost in the final battle.[1]

Some time during the First Era, Spellbreaker was granted to the Dragon Priest Zaan the Scalecaller. After being abandoned by her Dragon lord, Zaan turned to Peryite—earning his favor and shield—before being killed by her dissatisfied followers.

Second Era[edit]

Around 2E 582, Zaan was awoken from death by a cult of Peryite, with whom she cooperated to unleash a terrible plague on Tamriel. Zaan was defeated by members of the Undaunted—but Spellbreaker was retaken by Peryite before they could claim it.[5]

The last living dwarf, Yagrum Bagarn, at one point befriended the sorcerer Divayth Fyr.[6] At Fyr's behest, Yagrum Bagarn wrote the book Tamrielic Lore[7]:241 from the notes that he have gathered over the centuries, listing Spellbreaker among various items of "unimaginable significance".[4] By the Interregnum, copies of this book circulated throughout Tamriel, allowing its readers to learn of some of the artifact's history.[8]

Third Era[edit]

The shield was uncovered by the Eternal Champion during the Imperial Simulacrum, in either Hammerfell or Valenwood (reports vary).[9] In the events leading up to the Warp in the West, an agent of the Blades contacted Peryite in search of power. The agent reminded the Prince of a mortal from the First Era, and Peryite took a shine to the agent. He had the agent slay a Vampire Ancient who had displeased him, and in return he had one of his worshippers give the Spellbreaker to the agent.[3]

Mastrius, a Dunmer vampire who had been imprisoned for centuries in the Salvel Ancestral Tomb near the Red Mountain of Vvardenfell by Azura, required the Spellbreaker to break the curse keeping him in his prison. In 3E 427, the weakened Mastrius was discovered by a fellow vampire who agreed to help free him. The Spellbreaker was found in the Dwemer ruin of Bthuand, near the skeleton of its previous owner who had died in a cave-in. Mastrius used the shield as a conduit for his spell and broke Azura's curse, returning to full strength. He then betrayed his fellow vampire and was slain; his accomplice then claimed the Spellbreaker.[10] Later that year, the shield came into the possession of Torasa Aram, and was put on display in her museum of artifacts in Mournhold.[11]

In 3E 433, worshippers of Peryite in Cyrodiil attempted to become closer to the Prince by performing a risky ritual which resulted in trapping their souls in Peryite's realm of Oblivion, the Pits. The Hero of Kvatch found the frozen bodies of the worshippers around Peryite's shrine by the Silverfish River. The Prince spoke with the Hero, and requested that they enter Oblivion and retrieve his worshippers' souls. The Hero obliged, and was rewarded with the Spellbreaker.[12]

Fourth Era[edit]

The artifact would later come into the possession of two distinct individuals from the Blades, both which went into hiding from the Thalmor after the Great War.[13] One belonged to a party known as the Sheathed Blades, and they looted Spellbreaker sometime between 4E 176 and 4E 201 off the remains of an Ancient Flame Atronach they defeated in Skyrim.[14] The second was the Warrior, who is thought to have looted Spellbreaker around 4E 180 from an extravagant chest.[15]

In 4E 201, the Last Dragonborn summoned Peryite and was tasked with killing the Bosmer Orchendor, a monk of Peryite who had rebelled against the Prince. He dwelled in the Dwemer ruin of Bthardamz in Skyrim, along with many Bretons from High Rock who had been cursed by Peryite with a terrible plague. The Dragonborn infiltrated the ruins, killing the afflicted Bretons before defeating Orchendor and sending his soul to the Pits. Peryite rewarded the Dragonborn with the Spellbreaker.[16]

Previous Owners[edit]

Notes[edit]

  • Shalidor is referred to as "the Spellmirror's forger",[17] and Shalidor said that he "bore [his] Spellmirror into battle".[18] It is unknown if this is the same artifact as Spellbreaker or a different weapon altogether.
  • A staff enchanted by Shalidor himself after his legendary First Era battle against the Rourken clan of Dwemer was named Spellbreaker's Staff.[19]

Gallery[edit]

  • Arena

  • Daggerfall

  • Morrowind

  • Oblivion

  • Skyrim

  • ESO

  • Spellbreaker barely visible to the mid-bottom left in Legends

  • Blades

See Also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b Dialogue from the quest to retrieve Spell Breaker in Arena
  2. ^ Mastrius' dialogue in Morrowind
  3. ^ a b Events of Peryite's Quest in Daggerfall
  4. ^ a b c Tamrielic Lore — Yagrum Bagarn
  5. ^ Events of Plans of Pestilence quest in ESO
  6. ^ Yagrum Bagarn's dialogue in Morrowind
  7. ^ The Morrowind Prophecies
  8. ^ Tamrielic Artifacts
  9. ^ Artifact Quest Dialogue in Arena
  10. ^ Events of The Imprisonment of Mastrius in Morrowind
  11. ^ Events of The Museum quest in Tribunal
  12. ^ Events of the quest Peryite in Oblivion
  13. ^ The Rise and Fall of the Blades — Anonymous
  14. ^ Ancient Flame Atronach legendary encounter reward in the Skyrim - The Adventure Game
  15. ^ Artifact acquisition methods in Blades
  16. ^ Events of The Only Cure in Skyrim
  17. ^ Valaste's dialogue in ESO
  18. ^ Arch-Mage Shalidor's dialogue in ESO
  19. ^ Spellbreaker Staff item description in ESO
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