Summary
Part of the fun that comes from playing games in an established franchise likeThe Elder Scrollsis exploring the shared lore. A big bad in a previous game may be referenced inSkyrim, or a prequel could do a deep dive into significant events of the past.Skyrim’s Anniversary Edition, which was released in late 2021, contains some new quests and items that reference past titles. It even has a weapon that was once owned by one ofElder Scrolls Online’s (ESO) most prominent characters.
Despite being a newer game,ESOis set before the events ofSkyrimand even the very firstElder Scrollsgame, Arena. It takes place in the Second Era, a time when three warring factions decided to expand their territory upon the fall of the Reman Dynasty. The Tharn Imperial family, who wanted to protect their province from invading factions, decided to ally with a lich known as Mannimarco to form an army out of their dead soldiers. The necromancer soon betrayed his employers to instead assist Daedric Prince Molag Bal. This infamous character is referenced in various texts across multiple titles in the franchise, with the latest callback being a powerful item inSkyrim’s Anniversary content.
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Mannimarco was an Elven lich who had been involved in various major conflicts in Tamriel, like the Soulburst in theElder Scrolls Online’s lore. He started as a gifted mage in the Psijic Order, but he was exiled due to his experimentation with the dark art of necromancy. He spent years traveling around the continent and gaining followers who were impressed by his magical abilities and his power to raise the dead. Furthermore, he founded and led the Order of the Black Worm, a cult dedicated to the practice of necromancy. Mannimarco also became a lich, an extremely powerful and intelligent type of undead.
Despite being an powerful magic practitioner, he didn’t have a lot of artifacts. Mannimarco only left behind three belongings after his death: the Staff of Worms, the Bloodworm Helm, and the Necromancer’s Amulet. The first two items can be found during theDreams of the Dead quest inSkyrim, which is exclusive to the Anniversary Edition.
The quest starts with the Dragonborn heading to Mara’s Pond, which is southwest of Windhelm. There, they will find a wooden door on the side of the mountain which will lead to Gallows Hall. Upon entry, the player will notice a phenomenon similar toSkyrim’s House of Horrors quest, with the room filling with mist and items flying around violently. From here, the player will have to solve a series of puzzles to get Mannimarco’s prized possessions. These involve everything from activating a sequence of torches to collecting soul gems and putting them in the right places.
The Dragonborn will acquire the Staff of Worms and the Bloodworm Helm while solving the different puzzles. The staff, true to its necromancy roots, lets the player reanimate the corpse of a targeted NPC using theDead Thrall conjuration spell, making them an undead ally. Unfortunately, this does not work on slain animals. The helm, on the other hand, reduces the cost of Conjuration spells by 25% and increases damage to undead creatures by 25%. They can also use Gallow’s Hall as their new living quarters after finishing the quest, which houses a bunch of loot and comes with an enchanting table.
The Dreams of the Dead mission is one of the best pieces of content inSkyrim’s Anniversary Edition, as it offers two powerful new items and a free home in Windhelm. The Dragonborn can then choose to make Mannimarco proud by practicing necromancy using his Staff of Worms and Bloodworm Helm, displaying the historical artifacts in their new digs, or just selling the items for extra coin.
The Elder Scrolls 5 Skyrimis available now for Nintendo Switch, PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
