Miraak’s Return
The Situation
In the year 4E 201, with Skyrim already riven by civil war and shaken by the return of dragons, another shadow moves quietly across the land. The Cult of Miraak, once confined to the remote island of Solstheim, has begun to appear on the mainland. Clad in strange robes and muttering half-forgotten chants, they spread whispers of an ancient master — a Dragon Priest who was more than priest, the first Dragonborn.
The cult claims that Miraak is returning, rising again after centuries of absence. They call him “the True Dragonborn,” destined to rule both mortals and dragons. To common Nords, Miraak is scarcely known, his name preserved only in obscure legends of the Dragon Cult. To scholars, he is dismissed as apocrypha. Yet his followers insist the old master lives still, his will seeping into Skyrim through dreams and visions.
Their sudden arrival suggests new movement in hidden places. With Alduin’s return already threatening the world, the cult’s timing is unsettling. Skyrim stands unprepared for another prophecy — and another Dragonborn.
Beliefs of the Cult
The cult teaches that Miraak was once a Dragon Priest, but unlike others, he was blessed with the soul of a dragon. They believe he turned against both mortals and dragons, seeking dominion over all. Where the Greybeards speak of balance and harmony in the Voice, Miraak’s cult speaks only of power and servitude.
To the faithful, the Dragonborn of prophecy — whether Nord hero or Imperial heir — is false. The true Dragonborn is Miraak, eternal and undying, who will return to enslave both man and beast. His worship is less religion than domination: chanting, sacrifice, and psychic enthrallment. New initiates often seem dazed, as if their minds have been broken and rebuilt to serve him.
The Cult in Skyrim
Reports from Skyrim suggest cultists are appearing in scattered villages, harassing those who speak of the Last Dragonborn. They accuse the newly revealed hero of being impostor, claiming only Miraak bears rightful soul of the dovah.
They travel in small bands, armed with curved blades and chanting strange incantations. Their robes are foreign, their speech accented with the tongue of Solstheim’s Dunmer settlers. Some accounts speak of them building shrines in secret places, chanting in unison until travelers collapse in trance.
Though small in number, they are unnervingly fanatical. Captured cultists speak little but Miraak’s name, and when pressed, they erupt in violent zeal. Their very presence fuels uncertainty: who was Miraak, and why does his cult return now?
Uncertain History
What is known of Miraak is fragmentary. Nordic legends tell of Dragon Priests who ruled Skyrim in the Merethic Era, enforcing tyranny of dragons over men. Miraak was among them, but said to have betrayed his masters, seeking to become greater than dragons themselves. Some accounts link him to Hermaeus Mora, the Daedric Prince of Knowledge, suggesting his survival may be bound to the secrets of Apocrypha.
Whether Miraak truly lived, died, or ascended to some Daedric plane is unclear. The cult insists he lingers, waiting for return. Scholars dismiss this as delusion. Yet their conviction, their spread across Skyrim, and the timing alongside Alduin’s return cannot be ignored.
How It Stands in 4E 201
The cult of Miraak has only just arrived on Skyrim’s mainland. Their numbers are small, their actions disruptive but not yet catastrophic. Still, their proclamations strike a dangerous chord:
If Miraak is real, then the Last Dragonborn is not alone — and may not be the chosen hero but rival.
If Miraak is myth, then the cult is dangerous heresy, feeding instability in a land already torn by war and dragonfire.
If Miraak’s return is imminent, then Skyrim faces not one but two prophecies colliding at once.
For now, they remain mystery and threat in equal measure, their presence a reminder that the past never sleeps. The cult claims Miraak stirs; whether Tamriel is ready for him remains uncertain.