The Goldbrand is an ancient artifact created by the dragons of the North which takes the form of a golden katana.[1] According to legends, they first bestowed the blade upon the Nordic warrior Sivdur, (ancestor to the modern Battle-Born clan)[2][3] who was sworn to protect them.[1] It contains the power of the Daedric Prince Boethiah,[4] and burns those that it strikes.
HistoryEdit
The last living dwarf, Yagrum Bagarn, at one point befriended the sorcerer Divayth Fyr.[5] At Fyr's behest, Yagrum Bagarn wrote the book Tamrielic Lore[6]:241 from the notes that he gathered over the centuries, listing Goldbrand among various items of "unimaginable significance".[1] By the Interregnum, copies of this book circulated throughout Tamriel, bringing to light some general information on the artifact to its readers.[7]
In 3E 427, the Nerevarine discovered the sunken shrine to Boethiah beneath the waves, west of the small village of Hla Oad in the Bitter Coast region of Vvardenfell. The Daedra was upset that his shrine had been allowed to remain in ruins, and ordered the Nerevarine to erect a new shrine in return for the Goldbrand. The Nerevarine funded an Orc sculptor to create the shrine at Khartag Point, a landmark northwest of Gnaar Mok. When the statue was complete, Boethiah rewarded the Nerevarine with the Goldbrand.[8] The blade is said to have been able to be empowered under mysterious circumstances and dubbed Eltonbrand.[9] It is unclear if the Nerevarine pursued this transformation, or if it was sold to Torasa Aram and put on display in the Mournhold Museum of Artifacts later that same year.[10]
In 3E 433, the Hero of Kvatch visited the Realm of Boethia and partook in the Tournament of Ten Bloods. After defeating all nine of Boethiah's Chosen in mortal combat, Boethiah declared the Hero as his Chosen One, gifting the Goldbrand as a boon.[11]
In 4E 175, Goldbrand was wielded by a Dremora named Reive, who was in the service of Thalmor general Lord Naarifin. Reive was slain by the Forgotten Hero, who may have wielded the Goldbrand at the Battle of the Red Ring while impersonating Emperor Titus Mede II. This led to a pervasive rumor that Titus II wielded it at the battle, although this has never been officially confirmed by the Imperial government.[12][13]
Sometime after the Battle of the Red Ring, Goldbrand was returned to the tomb of Sivdur located somewhere in the mountains near Windhelm, though only speculation remained as to who did so.[2] The blade was to be a reward to who could bring the head of Sivdur's betrayer, the Dragon Priest Magrathi, who had slain Sivdur's brother over a property dispute.[3] Circa 4E 201, discovering the notes of a slain researcher at the Sacellum of Boethiah, the Last Dragonborn took on the task of retrieving the blade. with Magrathi's tomb defiled, and his severed head at hand, Sivdur's tomb allowed entry, and Goldbrand was claimed by the Last Dragonborn.[14]
GalleryEdit
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Morrowind
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Oblivion
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Skyrim
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Legends
NotesEdit
- The wielder of this artifact is sometimes referred to as "Goldbrand" by devotees of Boethiah.[15]
- Eltonbrand is an Easter egg created in reference to the real American basketball player named Elton Brand. For more details on the Easter egg, please see the related page.
See AlsoEdit
- For game-specific information see the Morrowind articles for Goldbrand and Eltonbrand, and the Oblivion, Skyrim, and Legends Goldbrand articles.
ReferencesEdit
- ^ a b c Tamrielic Lore — Yagrum Bagarn
- ^ a b Eranya's Journal — Eranya
- ^ a b Eranya's Research Notes
- ^ Martin's dialogue in Oblivion
- ^ Yagrum Bagarn's dialogue in Morrowind
- ^ The Morrowind Prophecies — Peter Olafson
- ^ Tamrielic Artifacts
- ^ Boethiah's Quest in Morrowind
- ^ Shashev's Key possible reward in Morrowind
- ^ Events of The Museum quest in Morrowind: Tribunal
- ^ Boethia quest in Oblivion
- ^ Story of Legends
- ^ The Great War — Legate Justianus Quintius
- ^ A Matter of Pride quest in Skyrim
- ^ Boethia's Shrine generic dialogue in Oblivion