Lore:Greymoor Keep

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This article is about the subterranean castle. For the fort in Whiterun Hold, see Fort Greymoor.

Greymoor Keep
Type Settlement
Continent Tamriel
Province Skyrim
Region Blackreach
(Greymoor)
Appears in ESO
Greymoor Keep ca. 2E 582

Greymoor Keep is a large vampiric castle located in Blackreach, the legendary subterranean realm of Skyrim. It has stood over the underground since ancient history, long before the Dwemer built their cities here. Some legends even claim that the first vampires built it and that great power resides in its stone.[1] The keep is one of Blackreach's largest structures. It reaches to its ceiling and is even built directly underneath Solitude.[2] Not only is it the namesake of the Greymoor Caverns, the western section of Blackreach that runs under Haafingar, Hjaalmarch, and Karthald, but also its northern region also called Greymoor Cavern.[3]

History[edit]

Greymoor Keep's banner

Greymoor's origins reside in myth and superstition. It is said that the first vampires laid down its stonework.[1] According to legend, the first vampires are descendants of the original vampire, Lamae Beolfag, a Nedic woman[4] from the late Merethic Era, when her people roamed the modern northern provinces.[5] She is also the progenitor of the vampiric strain, Noxiphilic Sanguivoria.[6] Whether this information applied to Greymoor Keep's supposed founders is unknown.

The keep predates the Dwemer's arrival into Skyrim,[1] which was sometime after the Rourken Clan's flight from Morrowind in 1E 420.[7][8] Throughout history, Greymoor Keep has remained hidden in the most legendary place in Skyrim. It has even become a fable on its own.[9] It took several years for House Ravenwatch, who investigates anything related to vampires, to know about it.[10] But based on their subsequent research, they learned that no one person actually owns the castle and that powerful individuals claim it from time to time.[2]

For the longest time, it was ruled by Lady Essenia, a master alchemist, and the keep's high chamberlain.[10][11] Under her reign, Greymoor Keep avoided schemes and politics from other vampire clans, like the Volkihar, much to House Ravenwatch's surprise.[10] This was until she collaborated with the leader of the then revived Gray Host, Rada al-Saran. In 2E 582, she was recruited into his plans for the Gray Host and gave up her crown as Greymoor Keep's ruler. While she faced opposition from her elder kin, she preferred to study and pursue scientific endeavors.[11]

Preparations were made after this change in leadership. Essenia wrote a dictate of renewal calling for Greymoor Keep's repair. One of these requests was to remove passable stone alcoves that were previously helpful during a Falmer siege.[12] Using her influence, Essenia called every vampire in Skyrim to join the Gray Host in Greymoor[10] while the Gray Host set up the keep for a powerful harrowstorm, including having a field of Stone Husks to resurrect old Gray Host members.[2]

Rumors of harrowstorms and underground castles eventually reached House Ravenwatch, and two agents, Gwendis and Adusa-daro traveled to Western Skyrim to learn more. However, Adusa was captured and Lady Essenia kept her imprisoned for her unique bloodline related to Verandis Ravenwatch. Gwendis enlisted help from an adventurer to enter Greymoor Keep and recover Adusa-daro. The two encountered Essenia in the keep's Cathedral of Blood and killed her after she turned into a shadowy Harrowing Reaper.[13]

Rada al-Saran's plans continued and culminated in a final harrowstorm targeted at Solitude, with Greymoor Keep as the witch's pike and High King Svargrim as the one to control it.[2] The Gray Host invaded the city through Greymoor Keep, directly under it. Four heroes; the Vestige, Princess Svana, Fennorian of House Ravenwatch, and Lyris Titanborn entered Greymoor Keep, climbing to the top and entered Castle Dour through the Temple of the Divines. From there, they defeated Svargrim at the eye of the harrowstorm and saved Western Skyrim.[14] What became of Greymoor Keep after that is unknown, but the Gray Host in Western Skyrim was defeated.

Known Rulers[edit]

  • High Chamberlain Essenia (?E ? – 2E 582) — It is unknown how long Essenia had ruled Greymoor Keep. But by the time she gave it to Rada al-Saran, she ruled it for centuries.[11]
  • Rada al-Saran (2E 582)

Gallery[edit]

  • The inner courtyard

  • The Stone Husk Gallery

  • The belfry

  • The bridge passage under Solitude

  • The local wayshrine

  • A tapestry depicting Greymoor under Solitude

See Also[edit]

Books[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c Greymoor Keep loading screen text in ESO: Greymoor
  2. ^ a b c d Fennorian's dialogue during the quest, "Greymoor Rising" in ESO: Greymoor
  3. ^ Blackreach: Greymoor Caverns in ESO: Greymoor
  4. ^ Opusculus Lamae Bal ta Mezzamortie — Mabei Aywenil, Scribe
  5. ^ Frontier, Conquest — University of Gwylim Press, 3E 344
  6. ^ Vampirism mechanics and associated disease in ESO
  7. ^ Arkngthamz-Phng — Neramo
  8. ^ Pocket Guide to the Empire, 1st Edition: Hammerfell — Imperial Geographical Society, 2E 864
  9. ^ Greymoor Keep Banner, Hanging item description in ESO: Greymoor
  10. ^ a b c d Gwendis' dialogue in ESO
  11. ^ a b c Research Notes: Chaotica Vampiris — Lady Essenia, Master Alchemist and High Chamberlain of Greymoor Keep
  12. ^ Dictate of Renewal — Lady Essenia
  13. ^ The Lady of Blood quest in ESO
  14. ^ Greymoor Rising story quest in ESO: Greymoor
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