This article is about the region. For the city, see Solitude.
| This page is currently being redesigned for the Lore Places Project (LPP). The page may need work to meet the standards outlined on the project page. |
| Haafingar | |
|---|---|
| Type | Region |
| Continent | Tamriel |
| Province | Skyrim |
| Subregions | Karth River Forest Giant's Coast Kilkreath Mountains |
| Appears in | Skyrim, ESO |
Haafingar (also called Haafingar Hold[1] and the Kingdom of Solitude)[2] is a relatively small, mountainous, coastal hold in northwestern Skyrim.[3] Its capital is the famed city of Solitude, and the two are sometimes treated as one and the same.[4] Solitude is perched atop a large rock outcropping known as the Great Arch, towering high above the Solitude Inlet, which is found at the end of the Karth River and the massive Karth delta. However, Haafingar is far more than just Solitude. The Karth River allows for a great deal of commerce in Solitude and the town of Dragon Bridge in the Karth River Forest (mostly in timber and fish), and the long Giant's Coastline with the Sea of Ghosts is littered with frozen shipwrecks and treasures.[4][5] Mount Kilkreath and its associated mountains take a large portion of the hold and it is filled with caves and ruins where bandits and creatures make their homes.
The hold shares borders with two other holds, the Reach to the south and Hjaalmarch to the southeast, and the province of High Rock borders it to the west, the Forgotten Vale found between the hold and Wrothgar. The mountains of Haafingar are only the tapered end of the Druadach Mountains, an enormous range of jagged mountain peaks to the south which rise up among the clouds of the Reach.
HistoryEdit
Given Solitude's obvious importance as a major city, many forts and castles were established around the hold to deter and defend from attackers. Most have fallen into disrepair or have been completely demolished.
Around the time of the Tiber War, in the late Second Era, it is insinuated that the Wulfharth Heirs reigned over Haafingar, and employed a militia of marines referred to as the Longboat Legions. Tobias Hold-None served the Heirs for a time as a Longboat marine, before he later deserted and turned smuggler.[6]
In 3E 127, after the death of Uriel Septim III, his mother, Potema, turned Haafingar for the next 10 years to the land of death. Stories of the ancient Wolf Queen being waited on by rotting skeletal chambermaids and holding war plans with vampiric generals terrified her subjects.[7]
In 3E 145, the Jarl of Solitude, Pelagius Septim III was declared Emperor. Unlike most Emperors he ruled mainly from Solitude and not the Imperial City. Almost from the start of the reign of Pelagius III, the eccentricities of his behavior were noted. He embarrassed dignitaries, offended his vassal kings, and, on one occasion, marked the end of a grand ball by attempting to hang himself. His madness is speculated to have been caused by Potema the Wolf Queen, whose own insanity was said to have been infused in Castle Solitude, infecting the next king to rule there.
In the Fourth Era, following the Great War, the Thalmor established an embassy in these mountains from which to root out the worship of Talos in Skyrim.[8] At the time, around 80% of the hold's population was in Solitude.[9]:692
Notable PlacesEdit
- Bards College
- A prominent institute of music and history for the aspiring Skalds in Skyrim
- Blackbone Isle
- A secluded island and the resting place of Cyrus' ship
- Blue Palace
- The Jarl's seat of power in Solitude
- Broken Oar Grotto
- A large cavern connected to the sea, situated north of Solitude
- Cascabel Hall
- A castle known for producing the finest apples in the Empire
- Castle Dour
- The headquarters of the Imperial Legion within Skyrim
- Castle Volkihar
- A large fortress on an island far west of Solitude, north-northwest of Northwatch Keep
- Dragon Bridge
- A small town built near the ancient iconic Dragon Bridge over the Karth River
- Fort Hraggstad
- A fort located north of Dragon Bridge
- Karth River
- A river flowing from Markarth to Solitude
- Kyne's Aegis
- An isle off Haafingar's northern coast that was once a bastion of the Dragon Cult
- Mount Kilkreath
- A sizeable mountain that occupies much of the region and is the site of Nordic ruins connected to Meridia
- Northwatch Keep
- A medium-sized military fort used by the Thalmor
- Thalmor Embassy
- The Third Aldmeri Dominion's diplomatic mission to Skyrim, which serves as the center of Thalmor activity in the province
- Forgotten Vale
- An isolated region of Skyrim once inhabited by the Snow Elves to worship the God Auri-El
- Solitude Lighthouse
- A stone building on the northern coast of Skyrim that helps to guide ships into Solitude harbor
- Wolfskull Cave
- A cavern occupied by cultists of Potema the Wolf-Queen
- Volskygge
- An ancient Nordic ruin found on the coastal mountains
Known RulersEdit
- King Hylfrald (1E or 2E ? - pre-2E 582)[10]
- King Erling (1E of 2E ? - pre-2E 582)[11]
- Unknown Jarl (at least 1E 369 - 1E ?)[12][13]
- Queen Roleke (1E ? - 1E ?)[11]
- King Irthvyd (1E ? - 1E ?)[11]
- King Temylda (1E ? - 1E ?)[11]
- Unknown Child Monarch (1E ? - 1E ?)[11]
- King Alldimar (1E ? - 1E ?)[11]
- King Svartr (at least 2E 431 - pre-2E 582)[13]
- King Svargrim (2E 561 - 2E 582)[UOL 1][14]
- Jarl Svana (2E 582 - 2E ?)[15]
- Wulfharth Heirs (2E ? - at least 2E 807)[6]
- King Mantiarco (at least 3E 81 - 3E 100)[16]
- King Uriel Septim III (3E 100 - 3E 121)[16][17]
- Queen Potema Septim (3E 121 - 3E 137)[16][17]
- King Pelagius Septim III (3E 137 - 3E 145)[16]
- Queen Jolethe Septim (3E 145 - 3E ?)[18]
- Unknown King (pre-3E 405 - 3E ?)[19]
- Queen Hania (at least 3E 389 - at least 3E 399)[20]
- Unknown King (at least between 3E 246 and 3E 427)[21][22]
- King Thian (3E ? - at least 3E 433)[23]
- King Istlod (4E ? - at least 4E 175)[24]
- King Torygg (4E ? - 4E 201)[25]
- Jarl Elisif (4E 201 - ?)[26]
See AlsoEdit
- For game-specific information, see the Skyrim and Elder Scrolls Online
articles.
ReferencesEdit
- ^ Letter from the Skald-King's Agent — B.
- ^ The Wolf Queen, v8 — Waughin Jarth
- ^ The Holds of Skyrim
- ^ a b Pocket Guide to the Empire, 1st Edition: Skyrim — Imperial Geographical Society, 2E 864
- ^ Map of Skyrim
- ^ a b Tobias' Biography – The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard
- ^ Biography of the Wolf Queen — Katar Eriphanes
- ^ Events of Skyrim
- ^ The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Legendary Prima Official Game Guide
- ^ Falkfyr's Complete Report
- ^ a b c d e f Scandals of Solitude's Royalty — Erisa Sylbenitte of the Coterie of Organized Scholars
- ^ Ode to the Founding — Elde of the Wells
- ^ a b The Crown of Freydis — Taleon Mythmaker
- ^ Greymoor Rising story quest in ESO: Greymoor
- ^ Appearance of Jarl Svana in ESO
- ^ a b c d Biography of the Wolf Queen — Katar Eriphanes
- ^ a b Brief History of the Empire v 1 — Stronach k'Thojj III
- ^ The Madness of Pelagius — Tsathenes
- ^ Wabbajack
- ^ Solitude location and rumors in Arena
- ^ The Rear Guard — Tenace Mourl
- ^ Appearance of Aerin in Morrowind
- ^ Pocket Guide to the Empire, 3rd Edition: The Throat of the World: Skyrim — Imperial Geographical Society, 3E 432
- ^ Sybille Stentor's dialogue in Skyrim
- ^ Hadvar's dialogue in Skyrim
- ^ Appearance of Jarl Elisif in Skyrim
Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.
