Hello, fellow SkyForgers. I come back after my leave of absence with a different kind of report than my typical norm. There was a request to do a report on the lore of the various magical guilds, particularly on the collapse of the Mage’s Guild during the Third Era and its subsequent splinter guilds – the Synod and the College of Whispers, both of which there is almost no information on other than what is provided in the various games they appear in. While I will at some point touch on the various magical guilds of the Elder Scrolls universe, I think, perhaps, it might be more prudent to do a lore report on magic in the Elder Scrolls as a whole, rather than jump right into the guilds. As such, we come to this week’s lore report: A History of the Magical Schools.

For now, let us begin with a simple question: what is magic?

Magic in the Elder Scrolls is more colloquially referred to by its name in Ayleidoon – magicka. It is a broad term for the focusing of raw material energy into a variety of purposes and properties. The energy itself, also commonly referred to as magicka flows into Mundus from Aetherius by way of the Sun and stars. Mundus itself was formed by this very energy. Magicka exists in all living things and can be harnessed in almost limitless ways. Despite having been studied extensively for thousands upon thousands of years, great degrees of speculation about the generation of magic and how it might be used and even how it flows between living creatures does still exist.

Magnus, the Architect, was the et’Ada that designed Mundus. Soon after its completion, he decided to terminate the project and fled back to Aetherius, tearing a hole in the fabric that separated what would become Mundus and the veil of Oblivion. This rift created by his departure is one of the many points through which the magic of Aetherius flows into Mundus, and it is well known across all cultures as the Sun. Other et’Ada took heed of Magnus’ order and fled into Aetherius as well, leaving other rifts, albeit smaller, that became the stars. It is for this very reason that a person’s birth sign has such great influence upon their life and why the things that fall from the heavens have great magical properties.

The first recorded usages of magic were in the First Era, by the Ayleids. Through the salvaging of fallen pieces of Aetherius, they garnered great arcane power, which they then used to enslave the human tribes of early Cyrodiil. A common phrase in Ayleidoon is “Av molag anyammis; av latta magicka” which translates roughly to “From fire, life; from light, magic”. Wizards in the First Era were generally solitary by nature, though there were a few exceptions, and magical collaboration beyond a master-apprentice relationship was almost entirely non-existent. Thus, there was also no standardization of magical practices. In fact, until the Arcane University was constructed in the Second Era, the Crystal Tower in the Summerset Isles was considered the pinnacle of magical research and study.

As many ways as magic can be harnessed, so, too, is the application and purpose of magic, ranging from warfare to technological advancements, from religion to divination. Often, many arcane scholars have impassable disagreements about pretty much anything relating to the subject. Notable endeavors of the arcane include the Redguard Shehai Shen She Ru, the Bosmer Beast Tongue, the Maormer sea-serpent taming, the Nord Thu’um, and all of the various inventions of the Dwemer. There are also many smaller versions of magic about which little is understand, as they are mysterious phenomena, such as the Towers or the process of “mantling the Aurbis and reaching heaven by violence” which is also called CHIM. There is also little understanding in the way of how much raw magicka one person can channel and this principle is often governed by unknown properties, and though a great many wizards throughout history have amassed extreme arcane power, none as of yet have harnessed the infinite energy of Aetherius that only Magnus himself can wield.

Beyond the basic principles, there is also other forms of magic, such as the power of the Aedra. Worshippers hold the belief that by worshipping one Aedra or another, the high spirit can instill some of their energy into the worshipper, shaping it into a distinctive form of magic that could be to the benefit of all others – or cause their downfall.

Many of the greatest mages have come from the Altmer of Summerset and the Bretons of High Rock, though there are also many notable Nibenese Battlemages, Telvanni Magelords, and Sload necromancers. For much of its history, Summerset rulers were advised by the Psijic Order, a council of elite mages who were concerned almost wholly with the practice of Mysticism. The Psijic Order believed only a select few not only could but should be allowed to wield magic at all. It wasn’t until the Second Era when Vanus Galerion, the prime wizard of his era, trained by the legendary Psijic Loremaster Iachesis himself, realized this was the wrong way to handle magical culture and broke away from the Psijic Order to found the Mage’s Guild, where the chief principle was that magic was a right of all those capable, regardless of worth.

There are many different magical guilds and schools that were constructed throughout history, most notably the Crystal Tower in Summerset, House Telvanni of Morrowind, the College of Winterhold in Skyrim, and the School of Julianos in the Iliac Bay. Despite the possibility of great magical collaboration between these powerful schools, most of them considered each other rivals or even enemies. The School of Julianos in particular held a vehement relationship with that of the Mage’s Guild, but considered the Cult of Clavicus Vile – a cult that by all means they should have clashed horrendously with – their allies.

(the Ceporah Tower as seen in The Elder Scrolls Online: Summerset is the headquarters of the Psijic Order on Artaeum) 

In the early Second Era, the curriculum of the Mage’s Guild was seen as haphazard and disorganized. Gabrielle Benele – a powerful member of the Mage’s Guild as seen in the Elder Scrolls Online – saw that the Shad Astula Academy had divided the numerous properties of magical into eight schools, resulting in novices being trained in half the time as normal. She suggested the Mage’s Guild adopt this practice as well. Though initially hesitant, the Guild did eventually adopt this principle, and though the various schools have changed many times throughout history, the practice of magical schools has endured since its inception.

(the School of Julianos as seen in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion)

And thus we come to the main focus of the lore report and a new question: what are the magical schools?

(the six major schools of magic: Conjuration, Illusion, Mysticism, Alteration, Destruction, and Thaumaturgy, though Mysticism is no longer considered a major school and Thaumaturgy has dwindled such in popularity that its abilities have been absorbed into Alteration and Conjuration)

Though there are various specific schools of magic, there are also several different ways in which magical energy can be harnessed, such as through Enchanting or Spellcasting. Let’s touch a bit more on those before we jump right into the Spellcasting schools.

Alchemy is the act of mixing, boiling, and distilling various substances to obtain chemo-magical properties and create various potions and poisons. Potions tend to be imbibed orally and grant the one who drinks it generally positive effects. Poisons, on the other hand, are typically introduced to the target’s bloodstream by applying it to a weapon and hitting the target with the weapon. Poisons are, more often than not, detrimental to the target, causing a variety of negative effects. Perhaps the most notable alchemist is the Direnni magelord Vorian Direnni, who was alive during the chaotic years of the Second Era. He is most famously known for being the author of De Rerum Dirennis, during the writing of which, he was reportedly six hundred and eleven years old.

Auramancy is a magical craft that can evoke the memories left behind by objects. When an individual in a state of strong emotional presence touches an object, they leave behind a powerful magical aura, through which an Auramancer can see the memories left behind. Auramancy works best on objects to which the possessor had a strong, almost intimate connection, like a family heirloom or a favorite goblet. The memories implanted are more often than not of important events. Most commonly, auramancy is used to divine the history of ancient civilizations or hidden lairs.

Auramancy can also be used to implant memories into objects. Similarly to an emotional infusion, casting an auramancy spell to infuse an object with a chosen memory is more effective on an item the caster is familiar with. Objects infused this way often glow, with a golden or red light.

Blood Magic is a dark and ancient form of magic. It is most often used by Vampires belonging to powerful bloodlines, who use it to drain life, reanimate the dead, use telekinesis, summon gargoyles, and paralyze their prey. Vampire Lords have the most powerful blood magic, but it is only available to them while they are levitating and it is limited by their magicka reserves. The most notable user of Blood Magic is Lord Harkon of the Volkihar, who made a pact with Molag Bal himself to gain immortality and exceptionally powerful Vampiric powers.

Enchanting is the process through which magical properties are imbued into an object through the use of a soul, almost always through the use of a soul gem. Weapons expend charge energy with each use, forcing the wielder to use more soul gems to keep its enchantment potent. Sometime during the First Era, a powerful magelord by the name of Raven Direnni is credited with the creation of enchanting, though it is thought that she only discovered a new method of enchanting, revolutionizing a process that, before her, failed nine out of ten times.

Flesh Magic is an obscure, ancient, and almost unused form of magic, believed to actually be even older than the world itself. Its use is categorized by a sixth element, flesh. It is widely regarded in myth that, when time began and darkness turned to day, the other five elements created flesh when the Void took a corporeal form.

Necromancy is the manipulation of souls or corpses of the dead. Dragons call it alok dilon. Different cultures consider it varying forms of magic, though most seem to agree Necromancy is separate from Conjuration. Though both involve summoning spirits and using the power of Oblivion, Necromancy is actually the manipulation of souls, often binding them to a physical form, usually prepared ahead by the necromancer, rather than simply plucking a form out of Oblivion. Necromancy is generally considered immoral and even illegal in most cultures, as it is believed to go against the natural order, so to speak. Redguards in particular abhor necromancers since they place so much stock in their view of the afterlife and those who have passed on.

The most notable necromancer in Elder Scrolls history is Mannimarco, the King of Worms himself, who eventually became Tamriel’s first true Lich. During mid Second Era, Mannimarco tricked the Five Companions into using the Amulet of Kings to trigger the Soulbust, allowing Molag Bal to enter Mundus and merge Nirn with Coldharbour, an event which became known as the Planemeld. Sometime later, Galerion, who had recently left the Mage’s Guild, led an assault on the Worm Cult. This assault claimed Galerion’s life, and it seemed Mannimarco had fallen as well. However, Mannimarco returned in the Third Era, seeking the Totem of Tiber Spetim, a device which could control Numidium. He planned to use it to become a god, and he used an agent of the Blades to fetch the Mantella for him. Unfortunately, whatever events may have transpired immediately following the Blade agent’s return to Nirn with the Mantella are unknown. An unusual phenomenon known as the Warp in the West occurred during this time, an event which distorted time itself. Whatever else may have occurred, it is clear that Mannimarco did in fact succeed in his apotheosis, resulting in the creation of the Revenant, Mannimarco’s divine body. A few decades later, Mannimarco appeared again in Mundus, this time to destroy the Mage’s Guild and capture the soul of the Arch-Mage – something he had done many times in history to learn their secrets. The Arch-Mage of the time, Hannibal Traven, had recently outlawed necromancy, causing many wizards to flock to Mannimarco’s side, but Traven had a trick up his sleeve. During the final confrontation, he sacrificed himself and used his own soul to empower the Champion of Cyrodiil, preventing Mannimarco from acquiring it, and resulting in the Champion of Cyrodiil succeeding in finally and totally destroying Mannimarco in Echo Cave. Mannimarco’s death, however, had no effect on the Necromancer’s Moon and many necromancers still offer souls to the Revenant to darken soul gems.

Sight is an extremely obscure form of magic about which little is known beyond its function: the ability to divine information through visions. Most prophets throughout the history of Nirn have had some form of Sight magic.

Soul Magic is another obscure magic focused on the manipulation of souls and vestiges. The most common occurrence of soul magic is that of the binding of powerful liches, such when the Nedes of Skyreach bound Vilmaril the Betrayer, sacrificing their own souls to become his immortal watchers. As a result of the Planemeld, in 2E 582, research into Soul Magic became rather widespread. Many mages began to experiment with Soul Magic due to the abundance of souls now available to them. Such behavior was not commonplace everywhere, though. The elves of Summerset frowned upon this, considering Soul Magic to be an even darker form of Necromancy, which they disallowed as well. It is believed at one point that the Crystal Tower itself was going to be used by Nocturnal as a beacon of an extremely powerful source of Soul Magic. Her plan was to siphon the life energy of every inhabitant of Tamriel to increase her own power and influence, extending her reach into all realms of existence. Her plans were foiled mysteriously during the Planemeld.

The Thu’um, also known as Storm Voice or simply The Voice, is a form of magic native to Nords, though most mortals can be taught to wield it. It utilizes the language of the dragons to form what are called “Shouts”, an equivalent to spells, only far more powerful. Thu’um, quite literally, translates to “shout” in Dovahzul, the dragon language. It is said dragons have no distinction between a verbal debate and fighting, as the words in their culture have always held great power. The Nordic belief is that Kyne – the Nordic aspect of Kynareth – “breathed onto the land of the Throat of the World, creating life”. As such, they believe their voice and breath is their entire essence, so the act of a Nord using the Thu’um is equivalent to the act of expressing their very spirit. Nords who can use the Thu’um are often referred to as “Tongues”. While it is true all Nords can use the Thu’um in some aspect – or at least have the ability to do so – it takes decades of practice and study to learn how to use the power, how to shape it into shouts using the dragon language, and learn the various words of dragons themselves. Once learned, the Thu’um can be used to perform a variety of tasks.

The Shehai, also called the Spirit Sword, is a magical sword created from pure spiritual energy – though lesser versions might use an actual blade as a catalyst. The most elite Yokudan Sword Singers, called the Ansei, were famous for being able to craft these mystical swords, though when Yokuda sank into the sea, the knowledge of this technique faded into myth and legend. By the fourth era, no record of any Sword Singer existed at all beyond the teachings of Hunding, and even those were regarded as conjecture.

This brings us to Spellcasting, which was the focus of this report. Spellcasting is the ability to draw on one’s own magicka to generate some effect into the physical world. The practice of this is called “casting a spell”. The Psijic Order refers to it as “[an] intensely personal exercise”. No two mages weave their spells in the same way, similar to art in which each artist has their own distinct style. There are generally seven widely accepted schools of spellcasting, each with a number of spells pertaining to their particular purpose:

                Alteration is the practice of altering the physical and magical properties of the target. The most common application of Alteration magic is in Flesh spells, which bolster the physical defenses of the target. It also has a more effective combat mechanic in the ability to make things heavier – or lighter – and can affect the battle with this.

                Conjuration is the art of using magic to call forth an otherworldly entity or object. Skilled conjuration mages can even form telepathic links with each other. These spells are most commonly used to summon creatures from Oblivion, spiritual animals or familiars, or even conjure ethereal weapons. The art of raising undead is a source of controversy among mages as to whether it belongs in the Conjuration tree or if it should really be its own subdivision of spellcasting. 

                Destruction is perhaps the most well-known spellcasting class. It is used to shape magic into spells that cause harm to the target, either by damaging it directly, or producing some elemental effect, such as shock or frost. Destruction spells can also cause the target to become weaker to these type of effects – though this ability typically lie in the realm of Alteration – and can also damage weapons and armor.

                Illusion spells affect light and perception. The most common application of Illusion spells is to cloud the target’s mind and make it unable to process specific feelings – such as the Calm spell, which forces a hostile target to temporarily become amicable. They are also used to command, demoralize, paralyze, silence, or frenzy a target. This skill also deals with enhancing night-vision or tracking down objectives.

                Mysticism is the most obscure of the seven schools, dealing with the manipulation of magicka itself. Mysticism spells are more closely related to Soul Magic than Conjuration, used most often to bind souls for various uses. Because of this, it has a close relation to Necromancy. Mysticism spells can also be used to enhance a target’s magicka by enabling it to detect life – or dead – reflect damage, absorb or reflect spells, or even to harm the target by dispelling any magical effects and binding its soul. Mysticism also deals with the abilities of paralysis and telekinesis.

                Restoration is the use of magicka to bolster a target’s health force and enhancing its resistances. If Destruction is the most well-known school, Restoration is probably the second most well-known, dealing with the magical art of healing magic. Restoration does also have other uses, namely curing diseases, nullifying poisons, granting the target the ability to resist disease and poison, and also even harming a target by afflicting it with poison or even using a Restoration spell to absorb health, magicka, stamina, attributes, or skills.

                Thaumaturgy does not directly change the appearance or structure of a force or object, but it does temporarily alter the laws affecting it. Acts which before might only be possible through brute force can be done without it using Thaumaturgy. Skilled Thaumaturgists are capable of levitation, water walking, teleportation, or even the manipulation of other spells or magical effects. Thaumaturgy can even be used as a substitute for Conjuration, though Conjuration is still far more viable in distanced scenarios, as Thaumaturgy summons are volatile at best, drawing from the surrounding area. During the First and Second Eras, many magical artifacts were of a Thaumaturgical nature, particularly many of those contained within the Battlespire, but, in recent Eras, Thaumaturgy has dwindled in popularity to the point it is no longer even considered one of the major magical schools, and many of its spells and effects have been absorbed by the other schools. Of the other abilities associated with Thaumaturgy, many are no longer used at all.

Now that we finally have a grasp as to the understanding of magic in the Elder Scrolls as a whole, we can delve into what we discussed earlier, the history of the schools themselves.

We will begin with Alteration. Alteration seems to originate with the Ayleids of southern Cyrodiil, during the Second Century of the First Era, when they used spells that became associated with Alteration against the armies of Alessia. Alteration was again demonstrated at the end of the First Era when the Imperial armies used it to outwit Vivec by sending an entire army beneath Lake Coronati to take the city of Ald Marak.

(the College of Winterhold's Alteration Master Wizard Tolfdir performs a spell, as seen in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)

In Third Ere 431, the Council of Mages decided that Alteration magic in Cyrodiil was to be the responsibility of the guildhall in Cheydinhal. A bit less than a century later, the Alteration guildhall in Cheydinhal outlawed levitation magic with the Levitation Act, forbidding the use of Alteration magic to enhance leaps and jumps, reduce the speed of which a target falls through the air, and true levitation itself.

Conjuration was a widely underused – and perhaps underrated – school of magic. Up until the Warp in the West, Conjuration was scarcely used and it was barely even considered one of the schools. Even since then, it still is not considered one of the six major schools. Sometime in the Third Era, some of the Conjuration spells that dealt with dominating creatures and humanoids were made a part of Illusion magic instead. Additionally, Restoration spells dealing with Undead were also once considered Conjuration spells. In Third Era 431, the Council of Mages assigned the responsibility of Chorrol.

(the College of Winterhold's Conjuration Master Wizard Phinis Gestor controls his Storm Atronach, as seen in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim)

Destruction was one of the original spellcasting schools and one of the six major schools. Despite this great accolade, a powerful Illusionist by the name of Berevar Bero once gave a speech in the Imperial City in which he described that Destruction was not a true school and should be dissolved into Alteration. His theory was not popular and a powerful Battlemage by the name of Malviser delivered a stinging rebuke. In Third Era 431, the Council of Mages decided the responsibility of Destruction magic would fall to the guildhall in Skingrad.

(Thalmor Ambassador to the College of Winterhold, Ancano experiments his lightning magc on the Eye of Magnus, as seen in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim) 

Illusion is one of the six major schools of magic. Its most famous – or perhaps infamous – use is when the Imperial Battlemage Jagar Tharn used it to imprison Uriel Septim VII and assume his shape, allowing him to rule the empire for an entire decade. In Third Era 431, it was decided by the Council of Mages that the responsibility of Illusion magic would be handled by the guildhall in Bravil.

(an Alfiq mage casts an Illusion spell)

Mysticism is one of the six major schools of magic and is also the least understood. The Psijic Order prides itself on being one of the few bastions of Mysticism, having produced several of the only masters of the art, calling their study “the Old Way”. As such, the school is sometime referred to as the “Way of the Psijic”. Sometime in the closing years of the Third Era, Archamge Hannibal Traven began to ban the use of Necromancy, and many Necromancers tried to argue it was involved with Mysticism to protect it, but failed. Many of the spells in Mysticism are back and forth whether they are Mysticism spells or Restoration spells. In Third Era 431, the Council of Mages chose the guildhall in Leyawiin to handle the responsibility of Mysticism. By Fourth Era 201, Mysticism was no longer considered a school of magic by the College of Winterhold and there is no Mysticism specialist in Skyrim.

(a Psijic Monk begins to cast a rare Mysticism spell) 

Restoration is the manipulation of magicka to heal, restore, and fortify the body’s natural attributes and abilities. It can also be used to cure diseases and protect the body from other malign influence. Despite its versatility in the world of magic – as well as its utility in the world, it is not considered one of the major schools of magic. In fact, up until the Second Era, Restoration was considered one of the most unknown and underused forms of magic. Even spells to cure diseases in the First and Second Eras were uncommonly rare. In Third Era 431, the Council of Mages decided the responsibility of overseeing Restoration magic in Cyrodiil would be fronted by the town of Anvil. Since the Third Era, the growing popularity of Restoration is mostly accredited to religious workers.

(the College of Winterhold's Restoration Master Wizard Colette Marence heals a fallen comrade, as seen in The Elder Scrolls Legends)

Now that we understand magic as a whole and the lore around the various spellcasting schools, I’d like to introduce a bit of information on a few of the most powerful and acclaimed mages in the history of the Elder Scrolls universe. A list of the top ten mages in the Elder Scrolls, according to lore, if you will, though I will keep it brief.

Coming in at number ten is Vanus Galerion. Perhaps the second most well known mage in Tamrielic history – possibly only outshone by Shalidor – Vanus is most famous for two events: the founding of the Mage’s Guild and the defeat of Mannimarco. Vanus Galerion was born to common laborers, his father teaching him to read and write, despite it being against ancient Altmer law for them to learn. His father was eventually caught and executed, after which Vanus fled at only eight years old. He found refuge with some troubadours who nursed him back to health. Eventually, a sage determined Vanus was gifted and sent him to Artaeum to learn magic from the Psijics when he was only eleven years old.

Mannimarco, the King of Worms himself, only hits number nine on this list. The most infamous necromancer in Tamrielic history, he was once a Psijic Monk alongside his former friend and then nemesis, Vanus Galerion. He was eventually banished from the Psijics for his study of Necromancy and he then founded the Worm Cult and attempted to use his dark arts to become a god, of which he nearly succeeded when he became the first Lich.

Potema Septim just might be the most ignored, underrated, and underwritten character in the Elder Scrolls. She was horrendously powerful and an extremely gifted necromancer – perhaps not in the same league as Mannimarco, but in a class of her own compared to most other necromancers. She is most infamous for attempting to subjugate the Empire and for starting the War of the Red Diamond.

(concept art of what Queen Potema Septim might have once looked like) 

Divayth Fyr is a powerful necromancer from House Telvanni. His dark arts mark him as one of the oldest living elves – and the oldest living Dunmer – at over 4,000 years old. Alongside necromancy, he also studied under Sotha Sil, in Oblivion, and even with the Psijic Order. He is most famous for creating four female copies of himself. While this might not sound so impressive, each copy has its own will and personality, a feat unheard of before or since he achieved it. For this, he ranks as the seventh most powerful mage in Elder Scrolls history.

Neloth is another powerful Telvanni wizard. You may recognize him from The Elder Scrolls V: Dragonborn, but did you know he also appeared in The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind? Regarded as possibly the most powerful and most gifted sorcerer among House Telvanni and is one of the oldest living Dunmer. His high ranking membership among Telvanni wizards and his seat on the Telvanni Council proves his ability. Many think him the most powerful wizard in all of Morrowind. He is most famous for supplanting living hearts with heartstone without disastrous results, like many of his other experiments.

Coming in at number five is King Orgnum. I’ve done a bit on Orgnum before, that he is often believed to be the mortal avatar of Satakal, the snake god. It is speculated if his magical ability is inherent or a gift from otherworldly entities. He is also theoretically immortal, believed to have been alive for thousands and thousands of years. Despite his infamy, his power is such that, to date, no race in Tamriel has dared invade Pyadonea to find the extent of his ability.

Shalidor just might be the most famous mage in all of Elder Scrolls. He battled the Dwemer of Rourken – an impressive feat when one considered King Rourken wielded the Spellbreaker. It is said Shalidor created Winterhold with nothing but a whisper. It is said he forged the College of Winterhold to be a fortress of ice. He constructed Labyrinthian as a training ground for mages to prove themselves. He discovered many various uses for magic thought impossible before him. His greatest accomplishment, however, is probably the creation of Eyevea, an island in the Abecean sea where mages can find sanctuary and practice magic without discrimination. And yet, Shalidor only ranks as the fourth most powerful mage in Elder Scrolls history.

If Shalidor is the most famous mage with Vanus Galerion as the second, and Mannimarco is the most infamous mage, the second most infamous mage has to be Zurin Arctus, Tiber Septim’s Imperial Battlemage. He created the Mantella, a massive soul gem through which Numidium could be powered and controlled. His skill was said to be unmatched by any other during his life. It was speculated Magnus himself, the God of Magic, lived in Zurin Arctus. Others still thought him a Shezzarine, an avatar of Lorkhan. After Tiber Septim used the Mantella to power Numidium, Zurin Arctus was inhabited by the soul of the Underking and he sought to take over all of Tamriel. He was eventually defeated – sort of – by Septim, though the Underking persisted and cursed Sancre Tor and the soldiers sent there to stop him.

Vahlok the Jailer is an mysterious and ancient mage from Solstheim. Blessed by the Dragons themselves, he was thought to be one of their highest ranking Dragon Priests. When Miraak rebelled against the Dragons, Vahlok was sent to stop him. Despite Miraak’s incredible power – whether from magic, his Thu’um, or his alliance with Hermaeus Mora – Vahlok managed to defeat Miraak, banishing his soul into Apocrypha – though Miraak is of the impression he fled into Apocrypha on his own. When Vahlok died, the Dragons made his soul eternal, that he might watch over Miraak’s imprisonment forever.

If you had not guessed it by now, you may not, but the most powerful mage in the entirety of the Elder Scrolls history – according to lore – is Azhidal. He was the first Nord enchanter, hailing from Saarthal. He spent his life learning magic with the Nords. When they could teach him no more, he studied with the Elves – a rare feat at his time, a human studying magic the Altmer. When he learned of the Night of Tears and Ysgramor and his 500 Companions desire to march on the Snow Elves, he offered his services, gifting them with his knowledge and enchanting their weapons and armor. It is said that, had it not been for Azhidal, Ysgramor and his Companions might have been slaughtered by the Snow Elves. Following this battle, he became a Dragon Priest, seeking to learn more and more about magic. He became Miraak’s most powerful subordinate among the Dragon Cult – even more powerful than Miraak himself. His thirst for knowledge and power led him, similarly to Miraak, to Oblivion, where he learned secrets of magic from the Deadric Princes, notably Hermaeus Mora. However, his time in Oblivion twisted his soul and broke his mind. Azhidal descended into madness and the Dragons themselves intervened to seal him away. He makes a reappearance in the Fourth Era, during the events of The Elder Scrolls V: Dragonborn, being brought back to life as a lich by Ralis Sedarys, though the Dragonborn was able to defeat him and destroy him for good before Azhidal came back into his full power.

And there you have it. A brief – sort of – history of magic, a synopsis of the various Schools of Magic, and a run down on some of the most powerful mages according to the lore. Stay tuned for the next report about magic, where I’ll be running down the various institutions of magic, such as the Mage’s Guild and its two splinter groups, the Synod Council and the College of Whispers.