Lore:Sanguine Barrows

Sanguine Barrows
Type	Barrow
Continent	Tamriel
Province	High Rock
Region	Rivenspire (Westmark Moor)
Appears in	ESO, Legends

The Sanguine Barrows circa 2E 582

The Sanguine Barrows are an ancient Breton burial ground in Westmark Moor, in the Rivenspire region of High Rock. It lies along the road between the village of Moira's Hope and one of the entrances to the Crypt of Hearts. It consists of a number of barrows, centered around a tall mound containing the Central Crypt. Ancient Breton graves and crypts can be found scattered across the barrows, abandoned and desecrated. Although the area is still an active burial site used by the nobles of Rivenspire, looting and desecration is a common occurrence. Despite patrols by the constabulary of Hoarfrost Downs and occasional royal hangings, the allure of riches is enough to draw graverobbers after every noble burial. These thieves have been known to loot entire crypts in one night. Many of the ruined crypts are infested with skeevers and trolls. Offerings of gems are left on stone altars, and much of the ancient stonework is engraved with triskelion symbols. A Breton wayshrine can be found just across the road.

HistoryEdit

The true vintage of the Sanguine Barrows is unknown, but it is an ancient burial ground containing the graves of many notable Breton families. House Montclair, House Dorell, and House Tamrith have ancestral crypts here, and the grave of Saint Marben can also be found here. The once-prestigious Tribulation Crypt is also located nearby, and was the final resting place of the legendary Dame Marcelle Stenric. By long tradition, the nobles of Rivenspire have always interred their dead here in Westmark's cold earth. The one exception to this has been the Kings and Queens of Shornhelm, who are traditionally transported to the great cemetery at Cath Bedraud, to be buried alongside their fellow monarchs.

Feuds between the noble houses over the legal title to gravesites in the Sanguine Barrows are common. The Sanguine Barrows obtained their common name as a result of one such legal dispute which occurred in Mid Year of 2E 551, in an event that became known as the Bloody Funeral. The Tamrith and Montclair houses had both suffered the loss of a family member on the same day, and a long-standing border dispute led to violence when both families attempted to claim the same hill. As sunset approached and after hours of poring over documents and maps, steel was drawn, and the resulting slaughter left a black mark on both houses in the minds of Rivenspire's people.

Circa 2E 582, the former spymaster of King Ranser, Gerard Althen, came to the Sanguine Barrows to hide from the Ring of Daggers. High King Emeric had hired the Daggers to track down and execute Althen for the war crimes he committed against Orc civilians during Ranser's War. Seeking to evade capture, Althen modified some of the ancient mechanisms to lock himself inside the Central Crypt, with no way to open it from the inside. He had planned to wait within the crypt until a friend could arrive and free him, but he became trapped within when said friend was killed and eaten by one of the many trolls inhabiting the barrows. Instead, he was released from the crypt by the Vestige, who had been hired by the Ring of Daggers to find and deliver him to justice. Hoping to demonstrate his repentance for his actions during the war, Althen provided the Vestige with evidence of his patronage of Orsinium—and the Orsinium Home for Displaced Children in particular—and asked to walk free. His ultimate fate is unknown.

That same year, a priest of Arkay named Alvaren Garoutte came to Rivenspire seeking holy relics of Arkay. He tasked a devotee named Edweg with locating Saint Marben's grave at the Sanguine Barrows and retrieving the Fingerbone of Saint Marben, a holy relic. Rather than risk his life venturing onto the barrows, Edweg deserted the cause, requiring Garoutte to hire the Vestige to retrieve the bone instead. A time breach also opened at the Sanguine Barrows that year due to a Psijic mage's meddling with the Staff of Towers. This breach was swiftly sealed by the Psijic Order.

Circa 3E 427, Sotha Sil foresaw his own death at the hands of his fellow Tribune, Almalexia. Seeking to protect the Mechanical Heart from misuse, he decided to hide the replicas of Kagrenac's Tools he had made. Sotha Sil chose the depths of a long-forgotten crypt within the Sanguine Barrows as the hiding place of Wraithguard II, where it would remain for many years.

Circa 4E 201, the Forgotten Hero used the Doors of Egress to teleport to the Sanguine Barrows from Clockwork City. After fighting past the undead guarding the tomb, the Hero's party located Wraithguard II and returned to Clockwork City to continue their quest.

GalleryEdit

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  The Sanguine Barrows circa 4E 201

See AlsoEdit

• For game-specific information, see the ESO and Legends articles.