The Elder Scroll V Skyrim Guide: Winterhold Collage

The College of Winterhold is a guild of mages centered in Skyrim. It is afaction and location that appears in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. It was a guild of magic-users similar to the Mages Guild of Cyrodiil and Morrowind. When the Dragonborn appears, the current Arch-Mage is Savos Aren, withMirabelle Ervine serving as the Master Wizard. During the faction's main quest, Tolfdir is replaced as Master Wizard.

Background Edit

The College is located in the northern section of the city of Winterhold, in northern Skyrim. Teachers of each magical discipline reside within, offeringtraining and various magical wares.

Outsiders view the college with indignation, believing its members to be the cause of the cataclysmic, "Great Collapse," which occurred in 4E 122. The event left Winterhold in ruins, in terms of physical destruction with the vast majority of Winterhold destroyed, the destabilization of its government, economy and social structure and the lasting emotional and pyschological damage to Winterhold's people, who believed that the College of Winterhold was to blame for the Great Collapse. It is believed that when this event occurred the majority of Winterhold fell into the ocean, as said by Jarl Korir, "cities just don't fall into the ocean".^[1]

Upon visiting the college, it can be joined by passing a test of merit, which requires the casting of a spell. The college must be joined during "Elder Knowledge" in order to progress the main quest. Joining the college opens a questline consisting of eight main quests and eight side quests, one of which is radiant. Because three followers are associated with the guild, completing their three personal quests allows them to become potential followers.

Three unique achievements can be unlocked by completing tasks for the college.

AdmittanceEdit

Before entering the college, the gatekeeper, Faralda, will wish to see a demonstration of the Dragonborn's magical powers. She requests to see a spell appropriate for the Dragonborn's level before gaining passage. These spells include:

Although she does not state it explicitly; some spells, e.g. Fear, must be cast at the emblem on the ground or she ignores it. If the spell she requests has not yet been learned, she offers to sell it for 30 gold

. The gate beyond the bridge does not open until the proper spell has been demonstrated for Faralda.

BypassingEdit

A persuasion check bypasses this test. Additionally, revealing one's Dragonborn-identity to Faralda causes her to ask for a Thu'um demonstration. Successfully using it bypasses the spell-casting test. This option can only be used during the quest Elder Knowledge.

Rules and expulsionEdit

Killing a student causes other college members to refuse speaking with the killer, starting the Rejoining the Collegequest. Stealing items from college members is also considered a crime.

Architectural designEdit

The College of Winterhold is located north of Winterhold on a large cliff. A narrow bridge in a state of disrepair connects the city to the college.

The central courtyard is dominated by a statue of the first Arch-Mage of the College, Shalidor who is also the supposed founder of the city; this is the hub of the facility, offering access back out to the bridge and into the three Halls. The exterior windows offer exceptional views of the coastline.

The courtyard branches off to the three halls of the college. The Hall of Attainment, the living quarters for mage apprentices, is off to the left upon entering the college, while the Hall of Countenance, the living quarters for more advanced mages, is off to the right. Straight ahead lies the Hall of the Elements, the lecture hall of the college.

From the Hall of the Elements, the Arch-mage's quarters branches off on the left while The Arcanaeum, the college's library, branches off on the right.

The Midden, a prison or storage area beneath the college, houses an Atronach Forge, the Augur of Dunlain, and theDaedric Relic. Ice Wraiths and Draugr inhabit the halls of The Midden. A tunnel here leads to Skyrim just outside of the college.

HistoryEdit

Winterhold was once a great, powerful and wealthy hold^[2] ^[3], and its relationship with the College of Winterhold was good.^[4]

In 4E 122, an unprecedented, cataclysmic event struck Winterhold and most of the areas along the coastline. A massive storm came in from the Sea of Ghosts which brought huge waves which crashed into Winterhold. Most of the city fell into the sea, leaving the city in ruins both physically in terms of the destruction of the city itself, and the emotional and psychological damage to Winterhold's people. This event would eventually be referred to as the "Great Collapse." The event left Winterhold in ruins, and some had said that things would never be the same again, including Winterhold's relationship with the College of Winterhold. The people of Winterhold would eventually begin to blame the College for causing the Great Collapse. Winterhold has never really recovered from the Great Collapse.^[5] ^[6]

Historical documentsEdit

Papers kept in the College's library are meant to prove its age, reportedly dating back 700 years. However, dialogue with Serana reveals it to be much older as she recalls the college from before she was entombed in the First or perhaps even Merethic Era.

The first recorded evidence of the College's existence is Pocket Guide to the Empire, Third Edition: Skyrim. Arguably, the documents in the College are not meant to date the institution's age. As noted in the Pocket Guide to the Empire, the College became home to an older library of documents, the Ysmir Collective.^[3]

Relation to the Mages GuildEdit

As the College was independent from the Mage's Guild, Necromancy was never made illegal by the College, unlike the Mages Guild in Cyrodiil. For the College of Winterhold, the practice was generally regarded as a tool, not a weapon, although practicing it outside of the College was advised against by Phinis Gestor. Like Cyrodiil, there were still wandering groups of Necromancers that did not function alongside the College. Since the College was independent of the jurisdiction of the Mages Guild, it was unaffected by the Necromancy Ban of 3E 431 and the subsequent eradication of that ban which led to battles against Mannimarco.

DistrustEdit

The College is often blamed for the Great Collapse of 4E 122 and is therefore widely distrusted. It is often believed that it was activities at the College that caused the disaster; the proof of this is that only the College remained untouched. The College has since been cautious as to avoid provoking the population of Skyrim.^[1] ^[7] Many nationalistic Nords also do not trust the College because of the fact that the immigrant Dunmer make up the vast majority of the members within the faction. Additionally, most Nords view magic and its practitioners as spineless and weak, as stated quite humorously by a pair of feuding siblings upon entering Winterhold.

The only positive relation the people of Skyrim have to the College of Winterhold are requests for various items to be enchanted for them. Sergius Turrianus explains that enchanting services are the only connection between the College and the people of Skyrim. ^[8] Occasionally, he will have his students travel to a specific location in Skyrim to pick up an item from a person who made a request to the College to have it enchanted.^[9]

LecturesEdit

Lectures are held in the Hall of the Elements during the day. These cover a wide range of subjects and the Dragonborn is welcome to listen, provided the college has been joined.

Colette Marence: RestorationEdit

Click to view the lecture.[hide]
"I would just like to remind everyone, once again, that Restoration is indeed a valid school of magic. It is absolutely worthy of research, despite many of the notes I've had left in my bed. And my desk. And on occasion, my meals. Anyone suggesting that Restoration is better left to the priests of the Temples, I think, is forgetting a few things. Firstly, the ability to repel the undead cannot be ignored. Skyrim is well known to be full of these... Draugr, ancient Nord warriors who cannot find peace. I submit that everyone in this College has, at one time or another, relied on one of the Restoration spells that can keep them at bay. Secondly, how can anyone forget wards? They have become essential to any mage working in dangerous situations. They are counted upon every bit as much as Candlelight, or Invisibility. But more importantly, wards have saved lives. This is a simple fact. Every mage in this College regularly uses wards for practice, so as to avoid physical harm. I truly hope that these points actually sink in, and that more care and thought is given to this subject in the future. Thank you."

Faralda: The Synod and The College of WhispersEdit

Click to view the lecture.[hide]
"It is no secret that both the Synod and the College of Whispers have recently made inquiries as to the status of our College here in Winterhold. At this time, there is no indication that either group is aware of the other's correspondence. The College of Winterhold has thus far declined requests for direct meetings. This has been at the specific request of Arch-Mage Aren. Aren believed that although the initial communications were innocent enough, they were sent with a particular motive in mind. The Synod's harsh rules and draconian structure are maintained only by suppressing any opposition to their Council's policies. It is entirely possible that they look to our College here in Winterhold in order to find supporters for their organization. Likewise, the College of Whispers has long been driven by its desire to directly oppose the Synod. They focus on research banned by the Synod, such as Conjuration and Necromancy. The College of Whispers hopes to learn that our College also supports these avenues of research. Thus they may claim that the Synod is indeed a political minority in the Empire and should be treated as such. Our actual position and policies are irrelevant. No matter the facts of the response, it will certainly be twisted to suit the whims of either group. Indeed, it has been jokingly suggested that we send the exact same response to both, which each will warp into support for their side. At present, these two groups do little beyond attempting to gain the attention and favor of the Emperor. They appear to have little interest in real study and research for the sake of gaining knowledge. Arch-Mage Aren believes that their conflict poses a significant threat to the autonomy of our College, and I concur. Falling in with either would threaten to draw much unwanted attention to our College. If either group goes through less official channels and attempt to contact you directly, please refer them to the College's Master Wizard. Say as little as possible so as to avoid compromising our neutral position."

Drevis Neloren: DoomstonesEdit

Click to view the lecture.[hide]
"The existence of so-called "Doomstones" throughout Skyrim has been repeatedly verified. The meaning of these stones has not. The prevailing opinion of Skyrim natives is that the stones are indeed magical in nature. While there is no direct evidence of this, it does seem likely. References to similar stones appear in lore throughout the various Tamrielic cultures. None, however, exactly match the markings or distribution of Skyrim's stones. At present, there is no confirmation of any of the various theories surrounding the nature of these stones. Their relative positions do not indicate that any individual stone is part of a larger, unobserved pattern. Also, their placement throughout Skyrim does not correspond to any known magical phenomenon. The age of the stones themselves has yet to be officially determined. It has been widely assumed that they were placed during the Merethic Era. Writings from that period, including those of Ysgramor himself, do not mention the stones and thus this idea cannot be verified. Nonetheless, many are drawn to these stones based on the local stories describing them as a source of significant power. The College will continue to research these intriguing objects, and of course any findings will be relayed with all possible haste."

Urag gro-Shub: Shalidor's writingsEdit

Click to view the lecture.[hide]
"As many know, there is an ongoing effort to research the work of the Archmagus Shalidor. He is most remembered for his great maze of Labyrinthian, said to hold "Glamoril", or the secret of life. While stories have persisted since the First Era, none have ever confirmed the existence of this "Glamoril" or its purpose or function. The College has developed some theories, however. We know that Shalidor had an understanding of magic that surpassed almost any of either his age or ours. The few works of his that have been recovered suggest that he had an understanding of magic and the world that few have ever achieved. What is interesting is that it appears he was also incredibly prolific, writing on a diverse array of subjects. An array so great, in fact, that it remains a source of curiosity. What, then, of this Glamoril? It means "secret of life" in elvish. Could this be an explanation for Shalidor's works? Is it possible that it somehow contributed to his work? Perhaps allowed him to life multiple lifetimes in a short span of time? Increased his intelligence and knowledge in ways unfathomable to us? We may never know for certain. The College is always searching for more of Shalidor's writings in an attempt to understand both our knowledge of the man, and of magic in general."

Phinis Gestor: Eye of MagnusEdit

Click to view the lecture.[hide]
"Projects are underway to discern the origin and nature of the College's recent find in Saarthal. Any and all theories are currently being considered. Those with ideas should please speak with Mirabelle. At this time, there is no indication that, as has been rumored, the object is in fact a physical part of Magnus, the god of magic. It has been suggested that the object is a gateway to the realm of Aetherius, but nothing has proven that idea one way or the other. It has been proposed that the object is in fact the entirety of Aurbis in one physical space. This would of course mean that Tamriel, indeed all of Mundus, is actually contained within the sphere. It further suggests that we are somehow then outside our own existence while looking in at it. While the idea seems dubious at best, it has not, at present, been entirely ruled out."