Post by Jing'Ka on Jul 14, 2015 16:05:26 GMT
The Reach
Capital: Markarth
Jarl: Igmund
The Reach is one of the nine Holds of Skyrim. Its capital is the ancient Dwemer city of Markarth, where the Empire-aligned Jarl Igmund resides and holds court in Understone Keep. The symbol of the Reach is a ram's head.
The Reach is infamous for harboring the Forsworn, Reachmen who are fighting a long war of independence and seek to retake Markarth from the Nords and free the hold from Imperial authority. The Forsworn are the Reach's most common enemies and dwell in the majority of its locations. With the constant threat of Forsworn attacks looming over Markarth and its surrounding settlements, the Reach is often considered the most dangerous hold of Skyrim, fit only for seasoned adventurers or hardened mercenaries.
The Reach covers much of the western border of Skyrim, with High Rock and Hammerfell to the west. These are the Highlands of Skyrim, a rugged environment with few flat clearings, dotted with juniper trees and rich in valuable ores, especially silver. Surrounding holds include Whiterun to the east, Haafingar past the mountains to the north and Falkreath to the south-east.
Desperate to reclaim the Reach, Igmund enlisted the aid of Ulfric Stormcloak and his militia, promising them free worship of Talos in exchange for their assistance. Ulfric accepted, and his troops reconquered Markarth from the Reachmen soon after. The returning Legion, coming back to restore order in Skyrim after the Great War, was refused entry into Markarth until they granted free Talos worship. The Empire accepted, however, agents of the Aldmeri Dominion discovered the Empire was violating the terms of the White-Gold Concordat, and demanded the arrest of Ulfric and his militia. The disillusionment of Ulfric and his men over what became known as the Markarth Incident would prove to become one of the direct causes of the Skyrim Civil War.
The Reachmen took on the name of the Forsworn after their defeat in Markarth, and those not imprisoned fled to the highlands to continue their insurrection against the Empire's control over the Reach.