Shalidor

This lore article or section is in need of immediate attention because:
Page requires better formatting
Please improve this article however you can and remove this notice once finished.

Shalidor
Race	Nord
Gender	Male
Homeland	Skyrim
Faction	Mages Guild College of Winterhold
Family	Ulfsild (wife)
Rank	Arch-Mage
Appears in	Online

Arch-Mage Shalidor, sometimes referred to as Archmagus Shalidor, was a famous Nord Archmage and powerful wizard who lived during the First Era. He created the Labyrinthian in Skyrim, the mage sanctuary of Eyevea, and his personal compound of the Fortress of Ice, near Winterhold. Shalidor was said to have a vast knowledge of the workings of Magicka that few could ever compare to.

Projects

• Eyevea
• Glamoril
• Fortress of Ice
• Labyrinthian/Great Maze
• Shalidor's Insights
• Shalidor's Shrouded Realm
• Spellmirror

Feuds with the Dwemer

Shalidor once fought the Dwemer of the Rourken Clan. During their march to Hammerfell, the Rourken Clan clashed with Archmage Shalidor in the Battle of Rourken-Shalidor. The powerful Dwemeri artifact, Spell Breaker, a shield that could reflect any oncoming spells, saw action in the battle.

Research

The Archmage Shalidor was well known for his spell Shalidor's Mirror, which was a ward capable of reflecting offensive spells back at the caster. It is speculated that Shalidor created the spell after his battle with the Rourken Clan, trying his best to emulate the effect of the Dwemer shield, Spell Breaker. Shalidor was also known to put a large amount of effort into researching the dragons that once roamed Skyrim. Shalidor also performed rituals that extended his life so he could continue his work.

"Have you ever heard of Shalidor? Immensely powerful mage, back in the First Era. Had an understanding of magic few have ever matched. He holed himself up in Labyrinthian, and devoted all his time to research and study. Wrote more than you would imagine possible."

―Urag gro-Shub

Most of the research and writings that Shalidor wrote while in Labyrinthian were lost to the ages, but some of what he wrote is still out there. During the Fourth Era, the College of Winterhold attempted to seek out more of Shalidor's writings to expand The Arcanaeum, improve the arcane skills of the members there and to help the college expand and improve as a whole.

It should be noted Shalidor loved his research more than his wife, Ulfsild; as shown in one of Sheogorath's oblivion realms, his wife repeatedly questions him about his time and research and eventually leaves him due to "no communication."

Bargain with Sheogorath

While working on Glamoril, Shalidor reached an impasse that even his own knowledge and power could not overcome. He decided to make a deal with the Daedric Prince Sheogorath, who gave Shalidor the Folium Discognitum in exchange for Eyevea, Shalidor's own island sanctuary. Even though the Folium Discognitum contained great knowledge and power, Shalidor was not content with the bargain and believed Eyevea was stolen from him by Sheogorath.

Return during the Alliance War

Shalidor placed powerful enchantments upon his final resting place that would allow him to return to Tamriel whenever his legacy is threatened. The Alliance War was a threat to all mages in Tamriel and as such, posed a threat to Shalidor's legacy. Shalidor intended to offer Eyevea to the Mages Guild as a safe haven from the war, and required the assistancee of a Mages Guild Adept with bringing it back to Nirn from the Shivering Isles. Sheogorath tasked Shalidor and the Adept with obtaining four cursed tomes, which Valaste, the Mages Guild's Master of Incunabula had to translate, a feat that took a toll on her mental health. After obtaining and translating the tomes, Shalidor brought Eyevea back to Nirn, and confronted Sheogorath there alongside the Adept and Valaste. By then Valaste became fully insane and Shalidor realized the curse of the tomes was not meant to make them hard to decipher, and thus slow him and his allies down, but to drive Valaste mad. Sheogorath gave the Adept a choice between restoring Valaste's sanity and obtaining the Folium Discognitum for themselves, Shalidor urged the Adept to refuse the Folium Discognitum and save Valaste. Regardless of their choice, Sheogorath left Eyevea and the island became a sanctuary for mages from all over Tamriel under the control of the Mages Guild, and Shalidor was able to leave Tamriel.

Legacy

The statue of Shalidor in the courtyard of the College of Winterhold.

Shalidor was a prominent advocate in a movement to keep magic out of the hands of the common people and instead enact higher standards amongst mages. These beliefs are often credited with bringing forth the creation of magic academies such as the Mages Guild. The Labyrinthian was known as the Archmage's testing ground and it still exists into the Fourth Era. While Shalidor was in Labyrinthian, he heavily studied magic and the arcane arts, researching, writing, and experimenting more than anyone could imagine possible. He is believed to have constructed the Labyrinthian by himself and use it to hold an artifact called Glamoril, the secret of life, which was said to be stolen from Akatosh himself. Some claimed that Shalidor had destroyed the infamous Crimson Book of Skulls, but it was later discovered that the book still existed. Shalidor is also said to have built the city of Winterhold with a whispered spell, though whether this is true is unknown. It is possible that some of his achievements have been hyperbolized.

Appearances

• The Elder Scrolls: Arena (mentioned only) (spell)
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (mentioned only)
• The Elder Scrolls Online