Lore:Dragonhold

Dragonhold
Type	Island
Continent	Tamriel
Province	Elsweyr
Region	Southern Sea
Appears in	ESO

Dragonhold floating in the sky

Dragonhold was a small island off the coast of Elsweyr. The island was rich in aeonstone formations, which eventually led to its destruction circa 2E 582 when it was lifted into the sky by the power harnessed by these stones.

History

When Elsweyr was composed of sixteen kingdoms, a dragon named Kaalgrontiid split off from the bulk of his kin in order to escape Alduin's rule and sate his own pride and ambition. Kaalgrontiid and his dragons came to dominate the skies of Elsweyr, where he planned to become the equal of Akatosh by consuming the power of the moon Masser (also known as Jode). Kaalgrontiid established Dragonhold as his seat of power, and his Khajiiti followers built a great temple devoted to the Dark Aeon, the name of the new moon Kaalgrontiid hoped to become.

However, in an effort to stop this plot and end the dragons' reign of terror, the great Khunzar-ri recruited four companions: Nurarion the Perfect, Flinthild Demon-Hunter, Anequina Sharp-Tongue, and Cadwell the Betrayer. Khunzar-ri tricked the dragons into entering the Plane of Jode and store their energy within Jode's Core, believing that they would combine the lunar power with their own. The gamble worked, and the dragons forced to retreat to the wilderness due to their weakened state. Khunzar-ri then managed to lure the dragons into the Halls of Colossus, where he sealed them away. Dragonhold was left abandoned and fell into ruin, and Khajiiti sailors continued to avoid the island for centuries after.

Circa 2E 582, Kaalgrontiid and his dragons were mistakenly released from the Halls of Colossus by the Imperial Battlemage Abnur Tharn. Kaalgrontiid once again managed to enter the Plane of Jode and began consuming the Core's power, but was banished from the plane by the Vestige and Khamira, a descendant of Anequina. Having recovered from this defeat, Kaalgrontiid made his way to Pellitine and took command of the remnants of the New Moon Cult established by his underling Laatvulon. Kaalgrontiid re-occupied Dragonhold, where he planned to siphon the energy he obtained from Jode's Core into a giant cluster of aeonstone on the island, hoping to amplify the energy and empower himself. To prevent anyone from disrupting his plans, Kaalgrontiid utilized the energy of the Aeonstone to create an aegis, a massive and impenetrable ward, around the ancient fortress of Dragonhold.

Kaalgrontiid's efforts to become the Dark Aeon almost succeeded. Using the power of Jode's Core and the mortal sacrifices of his followers, he managed to energize the aeonstone on Dragonhold to such an extent that the entire island was lifted into the sky. This immense concentration of power began corrupting those near Dragonhold, turning them into crystalline beings. Kaalgrontiid was confronted on the floating island at the height of his power by Nahfahlaar, Abnur Tharn, Khamira, Sai Sahan, and the Vestige; he was defeated, and his soul was consumed by Nahfahlaar. However, the power contained in the aeonstone did not dissipate, and Abnur Tharn was forced to remain behind to contain the resulting explosion and prevent the massive devastation the blast would have caused. Tharn disappeared in the explosion, which completely obliterated the collapsing remnants of the island.

See Also

• For game-specific information, see the ESO articles for The Dark Aeon version and the New Moon Rising version.