Lore:Ardanir

Wayward Guardian Ardanir
Wayward Guardian Ardanir
Race	Reachman	Gender	Male
Born		Second Era
Resided in		The Reach Markarth
Appears in		ESO

Arana and the Wayward Guardians

"I don't sleep much. Not anymore. But it's a price I'm willing to pay if it means a child of the Reach dreams of better days to come."
—Ardanir

Ardanir was a Reachfolk warrior and a prominent member of the Wayward Guardians in the service of Arana. He represented the interests of the Wayward Guardians in the City of Stone, Markarth, and coordinated several efforts to protect and aid the people of the Reach against the schemes of the vampires of the Gray Host.

History

"We do not fear death, but we understand the value of a fleeting life. What wonders might we see? What wisdom might we gain? What mark will we leave upon this world?"
—Ardanir

Shrine of Lorkh

Ardanir

Little is known of Ardanir's past before joining the Witch-Rebels. During a skirmish with the Nords, he was wounded and, though victorious, suffered a severe and festering injury. Near death, he was prepared to end his suffering when Arana intervened. She declared that his name was kingly and that his story was not meant to end, then proceeded to heal him. Following his recovery, Arana offered him a choice: to leave freely or to join her in defending the Reach. He chose to fight alongside her, dedicating himself to serving the homeland and its free folk. Following the defense of Markarth in 2E 582, the rebels were dubbed the Wayward Guardians by the people. Although the Gray Host had been defeated, much work remained to address the ongoing threat from their remnants and to maintain the safety and stability of the local community. Ardanir was among those who took charge of coordinating efforts to combat their remaining activities and assist the people of the Reach in need.

One of the urgent tasks Ardanir was responsible for coordinating was ensuring that the Wayward Guardians received the necessary materials to enhance their combat abilities against their supernatural foes. These included aetherium infused with ancient enchantments recovered from the Dwemer Animunculi in the Library of Arkthzand, Dwarven Metal scraps from Bthardamz, and enchanted silver ores from Bthar-Zel.

He also coordinated efforts to clear the vaults beneath the city of Markarth, requesting contractors and adventurers to remove the Gray Host from Nchuand-Zel and bring him their sigils as proof of their defeat. He chose to hang these sigils on the walls of Markarth's ramparts to show its inhabitants that the Guardians would defend them and that there was no need for fear.

Bthar-Zel's silver vault

Ardanir was also responsible for coordinating the deployment of adventurers and contractors to recover tomes from the Nighthollow Clan's keep, as the witches of the Wayward Guardians sought to understand the magic of their vampiric foes. He believed that the knowledge concealed within the keep could prove crucial in saving lives. Thanks to his efforts, scrolls on Nighthollow magic and a tome to aid in translating their ancient language were successfully retrieved. This knowledge was subsequently used to bolster the Reach's defenses against its numerous enemies.

Among the endeavors Ardanir tasked adventurers with was the rescue of clanless exiles from the depths of Blackreach, where they had been taken captive by the Falmer. They were imprisoned in a camp located along an underground river. A number of the captives were freed, with some choosing to join the cause and enlist in the ranks of the Wayward Guardians, as Ardanir offered them a place should they wish to do so. However, not all of them survived. Ardanir sought to provide those rescued with a place to stay and teach them how to better defend themselves. For those who perished, Ardanir buried their amulets on the banks of the Karth River, hoping their spirits would find peace.

He also ensured that the Shrine of Lorkh at Lost Valley Redoubt, which had been tainted by the presence of the Gray Host, was properly cleansed with the pure water from the Karth River by the allies of the Guardians.

Those who aided him in the efforts to help the locals grew closer to the Wayward Guardians, earning ranks such as hirelings, oathsworn, and eventually being considered allies of the group.

Notes

• Additional details and backstory for characters like Ardair and Arana were developed. The writer, Andrew Young, has expressed interest in exploring these aspects further in the future.

See Also

• For game-specific information, see the Elder Scrolls Online article.

References

Note: The following references are considered to be unofficial sources. They are included to round off this article and may not be authoritative or conclusive.