Lore:Hrothmund's Barrow

Hrothmund's Barrow
Type	Ruin
Continent	Tamriel
Province	Morrowind
Region	Solstheim
Appears in	Bloodmoon, Dragonborn

Hrothmund's Barrow circa 4E 201

Hrothmund's Barrow is a Nordic barrow on the island of Solstheim, located in the Moesring Mountains.

HistoryEdit

The barrow is the resting place of Hrothmund the Red, a Skaal who left Skaal Village and founded Thirsk in 3E 326. He ruled over Thirsk for twenty-one years, but was slain and devoured by Ondjage, the Fell Wolf, in 3E 347.^[1] He was buried in the barrow with two of his prized possessions: Hrothmund's Axe, which became a conduit for speaking with his spirit, and the Amulet of Infectious Charm, a famous magical trinket which he had used in life to woo women despite his great ugliness. A body encased in stalhrim was placed in the barrow, although it's unknown if it was the remains of Hrothmund. The barrow was guarded by draugr, bonewolves and undead skeletons, and the entrance was magically sealed. To gain entrance, one needed to speak the correct password ("Ondjage"), or the barrow would be sealed forever.^[2] The main chamber was flooded with water, which would recede when approached.^[3] A geoglyph called Hrothmund's Bane was assembled around the barrow to resemble the head of a wolf, with the entrance as its eye.

Following Hrothmund's death, the inhabitants of Thirsk began the tradition of sending their new chieftains to the barrow to receive Hrothmund's blessing. It was during one of these visits, in 3E 427, that the Nerevarine entered the barrow, seeking to become chieftain following the death of the Udyrfrykte. The Nerevarine also looted the stalhrim, and took the Amulet of Infectious Charm for Louis Beauchamp, a Breton mage from Ald'ruhn who had sent a failed expedition to the barrow earlier that year in a patchwork airship.^[2] By 4E 201, the seal on the entrance was no longer in place and the barrow's undead guardians were gone. After Thirsk had been taken by rieklings earlier that year, the warriors of Thirsk had fallen out of Hrothmund's favor, and it's unknown if the tradition continued.^[3]