Unveiling the Mind-Blowing Twist in a Skyrim Quest Involving the Ultimate Series Antagonist

Highlights

Religion fuels major conflicts in The Elder Scrolls, like the civil war sparked by the ban on Talos worship, showcasing the importance of religious beliefs.

Daedric Princes, including Molag Bal, are characterized as self-serving and malevolent, as they derive pleasure from enslaving and manipulating their followers. This aspect of the game's mythology adds a dark element to their narrative.

The quest known as "House of Horrors," which revolves around Molag Bal, serves as a prime example of his mercilessness and manipulative tendencies. By compelling the player to commit atrocious acts, it introduces moral ambiguity and complexity to the game.

Religion plays a central role in numerous major conflicts within The Elder Scrolls series. In the latest installment, Skyrim, one of the primary storylines revolves around a civil war triggered by the empire's prohibition on worshiping Talos, a former human king who ascended to godhood. Similar to established mythologies in the real world, the fictional realm of Tamriel features a diverse pantheon of deities from different cultures. Many of these gods are portrayed as self-serving and malevolent, none more so than the Daedric Prince of Domination known as Molag Bal. Throughout the games, Molag Bal has made direct and destructive appearances, such as demolishing Bosmeri settlements during the First Era and attempting to merge his own realm with Nirn, the mortal plane. However, his most intriguing recent cameo occurred during the events of Skyrim in the Fourth Era.

The Daedric Princes are immortal and immensely powerful beings that reside in the realm of Oblivion, each governing their own plane. They oftentimes interfere in the affairs of mortal beings purely for their own amusement. Some residents of Tamriel view them as gods and may summon them for aid, albeit at a steep cost. In the case of Molag Bal, he subjugates his subjects, compelling them to endlessly carry out his commands for mere entertainment.

Molag Bal’s Skyrim Quest Takes Place in a Literal Haunted House

The Dragonborn comes across Molag Bal while in Markarth when a Vigilant of Stendarr named Tyranus questions if they have observed anyone entering or leaving a vacant home in the area. The priest then requests that the player accompany them into the house, suspecting that it may be housing worshippers of Daedra. This initiates the "House of Horrors" quest, fittingly named as what follows unfolds like a medieval horror tale.

Upon accepting the quest, the player joins the priest in investigating and potentially purifying the empty house. Descending into the basement, they discover a shrine dedicated to a Daedric entity. Objects and furniture in the house begin to levitate, and the Vigilant of Stendarr realizes they are confronted by Molag Bal, one of the most powerful Daedric Princes. Consequently, reinforcements are required. However, upon reaching the front door, they find it locked. A peculiar voice urges both individuals to kill each other. Recognizing there is no other escape, Tyranus unsheathes his weapon, intending to extinguish the Dragonborn in order to gain freedom. The player is left with no choice but to defeat the priest, satisfying the mysterious voice and prompting them to venture to the basement for their reward in the form of a rusty mace.

Why Skyrim’s House of Horrors Quest is the Perfect Side Story for Molag Bal

Instead of thinking that the quest will be complete after obtaining the mace, the player is faced with another mission given directly by Molag Bal himself. This task involves bringing a priest of Boethiah to a house and forcefully subduing him, ultimately leading to his death by using the rusty mace. As a result, the mace transforms into the powerful Magic Item known as the Mace of Molag Bal, which causes additional damage to magicka and stamina. This item is truly remarkable, but some Dragonborns may experience feelings of guilt when using or possessing it due to the actions they had to take to acquire it.

These feelings of guilt make the House of Horrors quest a perfect narrative for a malevolent and manipulative deity like Molag Bal. He fully lives up to his title as the "God of Brutality" by coaxing the protagonist into murdering two individuals, one of whom is defenseless and trapped inside a cage. The horror in this quest derives not from jump scares or otherworldly creatures, but instead from the moral weight of the atrocious crimes that Skyrim's supposed hero knowingly commits.

The Elder Scrolls 5 Skyrim is available now for the Nintendo Switch, PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.