Skyrim: What Exactly Are The Briarhearts?

The Briarhearts are a mysterious and dangerous type of enemy within Skyrim. Here are the origins of the Briarhearts, as well as how they came to be.

Some of the more mysterious and grisly enemies in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim are the Forsworn Briarhearts, savage denizens of a territory known as the Reach. Unlike normal Forsworn, Briarhearts have tremendous strength, as well as a dark origin. Through investigation, players can learn more about these powerful foes, as well as the means by which they are created.

Forsworn Briarhearts are named for the items visible in their open torsos. On their own, Briar Hearts are used for alchemy in Skyrim, and can be used as an ingredient in Potions of Paralysis, Restore Magicka, Fortify Magicka, and Fortify Block. However, these seeds can be observed in the exposed chests of Briarhearts to be in place of their human hearts. This replacement heart, while gruesome, grants these enemies more power than their Forsworn counterparts.

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Skyrim‘s “Briarheart Necropsy” quest sheds light on how replacing the heart actually strengthens the Briarhearts. During the quest, the Dragonborn can assist the Dunmer wizard Neloth by bringing him a Briar Heart from the chest of a defeated Forsworn Briarheart. Neloth surmises that the seed somehow binds the individual’s life with the forces of nature, and after examining one he claims that the process links the subject’s heart, spirit and body to grant strength. This strength can be observed while fighting the Forsworn Briarhearts surrounding Skyrim‘s city of Markarth. Unlike normal Forsworn, Briarhearts are capable of wielding multiple enchanted weapons and utilizing both destruction and conjuration magic. As such, Briarhearts can be difficult to defeat at lower levels, though they have an exploitable weakness. If the Dragonborn can successfully sneak up to a Briarheart, they can pickpocket the Briar Heart they possess; doing so will cause the Briarheart to immediately become a lifeless husk.

Skyrim’s Forsworn Briarhearts Are Created By Hagravens

Forsworn can become Briarhearts through a ritual performed by Hagravens. The bird-like creatures are strong magic users known for a number of unsavory practices, and they can be found in areas of western Skyrim, similar to where one can find Briarhearts. In one of Skyrim‘s books, “The Legend of Red Eagle”, there is a historical account of a person’s transformation into a Briarheart. According to the story, the Forsworn called Red Eagle was approached by a hagraven who offered him power. In exchange, Red Eagle traded his heart, will and humanity, becoming remorseless and capable of little more than battle. Should players venture to Bard’s Leap Summit, it is possible to witness two hagravens in the process of creating a Briarheart, reanimating a heartless Forsworn with an incantation.

Because their hearts have been removed, Forsworn Briarhearts might be incorrectly thought of as mindless creatures. On the contrary, Briarhearts fight intelligently, proficiently using spells and melee weapons as well as putting distance between themselves and an enemy when at low health. Additionally, they are still capable of speech. In this way, Briarhearts are similar to Skyrim‘s vampires: undead in exchange for newfound power, but still cognizant of the world around them.

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