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| “ | This was our land. We were here first. Then the Nords came and put chains on us. Forbid us from worshipping our gods. Some of us refused to bow. We knew the old ways would lead us back to having a kingdom of our own. That is who we are. The Forsworn. Criminals in our own lands. And we will cut a bloody hole into the Reach until we are free. | „ |
| ~ Madanach |
Madanach, also known as The King in Rags, is a minor antagonist in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
He is the leader of the Forsworn, a group dedicated to conquering The Reach and freeing the native Reachmen from Nordic oppression, serving as the main antagonist of the "The Forsworn Conspiracy" quest and a main protagonist of the "No One Escapes Cidna Mine" quest if the player chooses to side with him.
He was voiced by Stephen Russell, who also voiced Mercer Frey.
Biography[]
Backstory[]
Madanach is the leader of the Forsworn, a rebel group of Reachmen who, while the Empire of Tamriel was preoccupied by the Great War with the Aldmeri Dominion, conquered the Reach and drove out the Nord rulers, establishing an independent kingdom. He ruled as King for two years, during which accounts of Forsworn rule are conflicted; while some scoff at Forsworn rule being anything more than a chaotic uprising, others claim that the Forsworn ruled the land relatively peacefully and fairly, with the only crimes commited by them being against former Nordic landowners. After the Great War ended, Madanach began petitioning the Empire to recognise The Reach as an legitimate kingdom. Desperate to reclaim the Reach from the Forsworn, Jarl Hrolfdir and his son Igmund turned to Ulfric Stormcloak and his militia for assistance; Ulfric agreed to reclaim Markarth for Hrolfdir on the condition that the people of the Reach would be free to worship Talos. Ulfric's forces successfully took Markarth back from the Forsworn, killing any they believed to be affiliated with the rebellion or did not do their part in fighting them. Madanach was among those captured and sentenced to death, but his execution was overturned by Thonar Silver-Blood of the influential Silver-Blood family, who saw the Madanach and the Forsworn could be of use to him. In exchange for his life, Madanach would continue to command the Forsworn into doing Thonar's bidding from behind bars, such as attacking mines in order to force the owners to sell their lands to the Silver-Bloods in exchange for their protection, allowing Thonar to consolidate his power throughout the Reach and aquire vast wealth, which he used to put the Hold Guards in his pocket and prevent any investigations into the Forsworn attacks.
Skyrim[]
During the Dragonborn's first visit to Markarth, they witness a Reachmen mineworker named Weylin murder a woman named Margret in the city's marketplace, declaring himself to be a member of the Forwsworn before being killed by the guards (alternatively, the Dragonborn can kill the Weylin before he can kill Margret, saving her life). Investigating the incident on behalf of a man named Eltris, the Dragonborn discovers two leads, one of which takes him to Nepos the Nose, a elderly Reachman who sent Weylin to kill Margret at Madanach's request; the Dragonborn is forced to kill Nepos and the Forsworn agents watching him upon confronting the former regarding his involvment in the incident. The other lead takes them to Thonar Silver-Blood, after discovering that Margret was an Imperial agent sent by General Tullius to acquire the deed to Cidhna Mine, the mining prison of Markarth owned by the Silver-Bloods; Thonar had discovered Margret's plan and had Madanach send Weylin through Nepos to kill her. Upon confronting Thonar, he denies any involvment to the Dragonborn, only for two Forsworn agents to murder his wife, Betrid. Thonar then reveals to the Dragonbron the deal he made with Madanach, but declares that the King in Rags has now gone out of control. For their interference, Thonar has the city guard murder Eltris and frame the Dragonborn for the crime, leading to their imprisonment in Cidhna Mine.
Once inside the mine, the Dragonborn tracks down Madanach, who offers to help the Dragonborn escape after they listen to the tragic story of fellow prisoner Braig and perform an act of loyalty in the form of killing another fellow prisoner, Grisvar the Unlucky. Following Grisvar's death, Madanach leads his fellow prisoners through a secret tunnel that leads from the mine into the city, where they rendezvous with Forsworn agent Kaie, who provides the prisoners with Forsworn armour and weapons and returns the Dragonborn's confiscated gear to them. As thanks for the Dragonborn's help, Madanach gives them the Armour of the Old Gods, a set of Forwsworn Armour with special enchantments, and takes all the credit for the crimes the Dragonborn was framed for, clearing their name in the Reach. Madanach and the Forsworn then proceed to leave the passage and enter Markarth, where they are confronted by Thonar and the city guards; the Forsworn fight their way out of the city, killing everyone in their way, including Thonar. After escaping Markarth, Madanach and his group travel to the Druadach Redoubt, where he plans to reorganize the Forwsworn as a united fighting force and eventually reclaim the Reach once again; if the Dragonborn travels to the Redoubt, Madanach will greet them amicably, and the other Forsworn there become friendly.
Alternatively, the Dragonborn can opt to kill Madanach, turning the other prisoners hostile, and escape Cidhna Mine by themselves; upon exiting, they are greeted by Thonar, who thanks them for killing Madanach and for performing a great service to the Silver-Blood family. As thanks, Thonar has the Jarl of Markarth grant the Dragonborn a full pardon and gives them the Silver-Blood Family Ring.
