Lore & Description

Origins

The earliest documented records of the Briarhearts trace back to approximately 1E 1028. As per Reachfolk legends, King Faolan, also known as Red Eagle, was prophesied by the vashterans to unite the scattered clans of Reachmen under one common flag. This prophecy materialized when the Alessians, led by Empress Hestra, invaded the Reach. Red Eagle staunchly resisted yielding to the Empire while his fellow kings either surrendered or fell to the southern forces. Eventually, as his allies defected or perished, Faolan faced exile imposed by his clan's elders.
 

During his exile, Faolan encountered a powerful hagraven, also referred to as the Hag in earlier accounts, who presented him with an offer: the power to liberate his people in exchange for his heart. To embrace his destiny, Red Eagle had to clear his mind, filling his heart with what he cherished most—his people. He accepted the offer, becoming the inaugural Briarheart, unleashing relentless violence against the occupying Imperials.

Following two years of resistance, Faolan liberated the Reach from Imperial occupation, but not without personal sacrifice. His pact with the Hag changed him irreversibly; his eye turned pitch black, and he seemed devoid of humanity, transformed into a relentless avenging spirit.
 

Subsequently, in 1E 1030, the southern armies sought retribution against Faolan. It's said that it took more than a hundred arrows to finally bring down Red Eagle. Upon his demise, the Hag returned to claim his darkened briar heart. Despite attempts by his followers to thwart her, she proved overwhelmingly powerful, transcending mortal weapons. Yet, witnesses among his fellow warriors claimed his eyes appeared clear in his final moments.

"At last he traded his Eagle's heart
To the ravens who covet our power
In his breast they planted the briar seed
That grows from the corpse's flower."
—Red Eagle's Song

Ritual
 

The briarheart ritual involves a connection with Hircine, who decides whether to allow or deny the implantation of a briar heart into a proficient Reachfolk warrior. This briar heart functions as a genuine, pulsating organ due to hagraven magic. During the ceremony, the individual's chest is opened, their heart removed, and a swollen bud from a briar thicket is implanted in its place.

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This rite mirrors the Reachfolk's aspiration for self-improvement and resilience in the face of adversity. It symbolizes Lorkh's enduring sacrifice, where a candidate sacrifices their life to be reborn as a living weapon. Briarheart warriors exhibit immense strength and endurance; the briar heart bestows upon them considerable invincibility in battle.

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The ritual is applicable to both living and deceased warriors, holding profound significance among the warriors of the Reach. Conducted by hagravens, these rituals are regarded as a sacred and worthy tradition among the Reachfolk if executed correctly.

Receiving a briar heart is deemed a prestigious honor, particularly profound if the ritual is performed on a living Reachman. For live subjects, the chosen warrior meditates in a ritualistic period of seclusion before their heart is replaced. Some sources suggest that hopeful warriors bear infected tattoos and ritual scars before accepting the briar heart, believing it grants invincibility in combat. Certain candidates undergo a marking ceremony long before the ritual, displaying ornate feathers and claws etched into their skin as a sign chosen by the Reach Hagravens. Often, these marked individuals lead others into battle, and these markings have been subjects of study for artists.

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However, the ritual can be misused; if the subject is transformed into a Briarheart against their will, the free will of the Briarheart is stripped by the hagravens after the completion of the ritual. Using the ritual as punishment is also disapproved of. While typically performed on Reachfolk, it can be applied to other races and was once utilized on a Breton.

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A Briarheart's essence is intricately connected to natural forces, rendering them deeply attuned to nature. The soul thread linking their lifeforce is knotted thrice—once for the heart, spirit, and body—providing robust strength and stability to the seed's connection with the soul. Comparable magical practices involving heart stones bear resemblances to the Briarheart ritual.

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The specifics of the ritual process may vary among clans. Chants by hagravens often accompany the ritual, although they are not mandatory for its completion. Certain clans possess distinct practices: the Thornroot Clan shamans use tools to conduct the ritual without unsettling the spirits, while the Cinder-Heart Clan, who revere Molag Bal, augment the ritual with intense pain by filling the subject's chest with hot coals.

Members of the Winterborn clan's hagravens possess limited abilities to observe the actions of revived Briarhearts and sense objects they touch from a distance.

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Additionally, the White Phial's creation utilized a lost magical art that parallels the Briarheart Ritual. A briar heart seed can be employed to mend the Phial and solidify its magic into a physical form, a technique lost by the 4th era.

"I know their beliefs, the way they attune with nature. Those briarhearts? They're as natural as you and I."
—Alinon the Alchemist

Characteristics

 

Briarhearts possess a distinctive trait: the absence of a visible heart, ceremoniously removed during their transition. Instead, their chest cavity houses a pulsating seed from the Briar Heart tree, often referred to as their 'essence'.

These new hearts, harder than steel and resistant to heat, carry considerable weight despite their appearance. Exposed, the heart serves as a distraction to adversaries who might perceive it as a vulnerable spot. Briarheart warriors occasionally contend with insects seeking shelter within their open chests.

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Their incredible power comes at a price—constant suffering. Yet, they wield this power to safeguard their clans, enduring immense pain for the greater good.

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Within the Winterborn clan, some Briarhearts undergo rituals led by hagravens, transforming themselves into briarheart tree lurchers using fire, vines, and blood.

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Often occupying high-ranking positions within their clans, some Briarhearts are esteemed as chiefs. Their sacrifice for the Reach people demands respect and reverence, with any attempts to exploit or control them seen as sacrilegious.

The briar heart seed itself possesses properties that bolster and regenerate magicka when integrated into alchemical solutions. It fortifies the energy used in spellcasting, extending its duration. It enhances stamina, accelerates physical recovery, and offers a muffling effect.

Despite their reanimation through rituals, Briarhearts are not classified as undead, evading the effects of spells and enchantments designed for undead entities. They also do not succumb to silver's influence.


Afterlife
"His punishment for failure is to roam the Hunting Grounds as prey. His chest, a gaping hollow, a reminder of his weakness."
 

Mortals are thought to determine the fate of their souls based on the choices they make in life.

Under certain circumstances, Hircine may condemn Briarhearts he deems unworthy or those who have disappointed him to an eternity of being hunted within his realm. The destiny of Briarheart souls under his dominion remains uncertain, including his claim over them.
 

Furthermore, a Briarheart's transition to the afterlife can be obstructed by desecrating their original heart, leaving their spirit trapped in the mortal plane. To ensure peace for the departed Briarheart, their initial heart must be cleansed at a Mara shrine and properly interred before their spirit can find rest and transcend to the afterlife.