| Lord Harkon | |||
|---|---|---|---|
Lord Harkon |
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| Race | Nord | Gender | Male |
| Died | 4E 201 Skyrim |
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| Resided in | Castle Volkihar | ||
| Appears in | Dawnguard | ||
Lord Harkon was an ancient Nord Vampire Lord and progenitor of the Volkihar vampire bloodline. He lived in a castle on an island a ways away from Solitude with his wife, Valerica, and their daughter, Serana. Lord Harkon was a very wealthy king, but feared mortality. He made a pact with Molag Bal and sacrificed a thousand innocents to the Prince so he and his family could become pure-blooded vampires.[1] His obsession with the Tyranny of the Sun prophecy caused his wife and daughter to flee from his grasp before he could fulfill it.
Lord Harkon would search for his wife and daughter until the fourth era, when the Dovahkiin became involved in his affairs. The Dovahkiin, accompanied by Harkon's estranged daughter and armed with Auriel's Bow, slew Lord Harkon in his castle.[2]
HistoryEdit
Long ago, Harkon ruled over a large part of Skyrim. He was a cruel tyrant who oppressed his people ruthlessly in his quest for wealth and power. Eventually, the realities of his mortal life began to sink in. So great was his appetite for power, he could not bear the thought of losing everything in death.[3]
Despite the protests of his wife, Valerica, and his daughter Serana, Harkon began to explore the dark arts. When he learned of vampirism, he knew he had found a way to cheat death. But the immortal king quickly grew frustrated with the limitations of his newfound powers. He longed to walk the world in daylight with no fear of the sun's enfeebling effects. Harkon spent decades searching through ancient lore to find a solution to this problem, and so it was that he stumbled across an old prophecy that foretold of a day in which the vampires would gain power over the sun.[3]
Hidden for many years in Castle Volkihar, Lord Harkon became obsessed with the Tyranny of the Sun, a prophecy that foretold a time when the sun would be blotted out of the sky, shrouding the world in eternal darkness. He sought to carry out this prophecy so vampires could rule Tamriel without fear of burning in the sunlight. As he delved deeper into the prophecy, his wife became increasingly estranged. When she learned of his mad plan to fulfill the prophecy and darken the sun, she feared that he would kill every living thing in Nirn.[3] To this end, he sought several Elder Scrolls and Auriel's Bow.[1] Harkon's relationship with his family was strained after they became vampires, but animosity between him and Valerica rose rapidly after he discovered the Tyranny of the Sun.[4] Two Elder Scrolls which detailed the prophecy fell into his possession at some point,[5] making him dangerously close to achieving his goal.[3]
Valerica, seeking power in her own right, worked to prevent her husband from achieving his ultimate goal.[6] She arranged for Serana to be hidden away in Dimhollow Crypt with one of the Elder Scrolls that Harkon had acquired. She took the other scroll and fled into the Oblivion plane known as the Soul Cairn. Since that time, Harkon has searched tirelessly for his wife and daughter and the lost Elder Scrolls.[3]
As Lord of the Volkihar, Harkon remained leader of the clan for millennia, turning some into vampires and accepting them into the coven, where they would remain at his side for hundreds of years.[3] Harkon's search for his wife and daughter finally bore fruit in the fourth era, when the Dovahkiin became involved in his affairs. As a reward for bringing his daughter to the Castle from Dimhollow Crypt, he offered the Last Dragonborn the power of a Vampire Lord. Whether they accepted a place into the coven or remained with the Dawnguard is unknown, but after going to the Forgotten Vale with Serana and discovering the truth about the prophecy from its creator, Vyrthur, Serana turned on her father as fulfilling the prophecy would mean sacrificing her.[7] The Dovahkiin, accompanied by Harkon's estranged daughter and armed with Auriel's Bow, slew Lord Harkon in his castle, where he made a final cry to his daughter's betrayal before melting into a pile of red ash.[2]
NotesEdit
- Circa 4E 201, Lord Harkon had a Mythic Dawn banner and a Dragon Priest dagger displayed in his personal chambers. Whether or not these items may simply be featured as artifactual decoration, and/or possibly indicate some sort of personal allegiance/reverence, is unknown.[5]
GalleryEdit
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Harkon in his Vampire Lord form
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Lord Harkon's sword
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Harkon's altar to Molag Bal
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Concept art
ReferencesEdit
- ^ a b Lord Harkon's dialogue during Bloodline
- ^ a b Events of Kindred Judgment in Skyrim
- ^ a b c d e f The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: Prima Official Game Guide — David Hodgson - Dawnguard Quests: The Vampires
- ^ Serana's dialogue during Beyond Death
- ^ a b Events of Skyrim: Dawnguard
- ^ Valerica's dialogue during Beyond Death
- ^ Events of Touching the Sky in Skyrim