The Skyrim Romance marketing team is full of talented writers, artists, and researchers. With that in mind, we’ve decided to showcase our members’ amazing abilities!
Forewarning:
Much of this is just speculation! There is currently not much information about these Reachmen.
Crow-Heart Warriors
“Some Reachclans are ruled by Hagravens, and those feathered terrors are protected by a personal guard known as Crow-Heart Warriors. Their fearsome helmets appear to incorporate the skull of a great predatory bird.” – ESO, Crow-Heart Skull Sallet item description
Extremely little information is known about these warriors. To my knowledge, they are only mentioned in this single item description for a cosmetic that doesn’t seem to actually be in the game yet. However, it does introduce a few interesting ideas. The Hagraven personal guard, Crow-Hearts, and the giant predatory birds. Warning, headcanon ahead!
To me, I believe it is possible that the Crow-Heart warriors could be powerful battlemages, given their close connection to the Hags they are devoted to. However, I am unsure what kind of magic they would be proficient in. Possibly standard reach-magics? Necromancy? Shadow and Crow magicks? Or maybe it varies between Hags and their specialties or Daedra? Either way, being warriors, they would probably come equipped with heavy weaponry as well. Personally, I’m thinking greatswords for their strength and speed. Or, their weapon sets could vary.
As for the idea of Crow-Hearts… I don’t know what to make of it. I believe it is possible that they are “crow-hearted” in name only, rather than an actual ritual. However, that doesn’t rule out Hagraven gifting fallen or favored guards with the Briarheart “blessing”. At the same time, there could be another “heart” ritual in a similar vein to normal Briarhearts, Ice-Hearts, and Bloodforged. Another point against being actual crow-hearts, are the other reach clan’s Bull-heart and Stag-heart warriors that seem to have no connections to heart magics.
Finally, an interesting note is the mention of “great predatory birds”. Not really much to go on, but exciting to know that giant birds of prey exist within the reach. (At least big enough for their skulls to fit on a human’s head.)
Primarily, I looked for making the outfit heavily feathered, mainly as a cloak and on the arms and lower body. Some Hag trinkets throughout could work as well.
Hag-Husbands
“Kloavdra’s hag-husband was a crude and vicious man named Cointthac. He was a gravesinger, a witchman shaman who could command the dead—in our land we’d call him a necromancer. He was always looking sidewise at Voanche and licking his lips, as at a savory roast fowl. Though he had power in the clan and was feared by all, Voanche treated him with disdain, which would sometimes provoke him into sending hoot-haunts into her tent at night, or hexing the horses’ oats with writheworm. Voanche never turned a hair, just threatened to complain about Cointthac to his hag-wife Kloavdra, which always sent him packing.” – ESO, A Life Barbaric and Brutal by Arthenice Belloq
Not much is known about Hag-Husbands either, other than that they are respected/feared by the rest of the tribe, and likely fear their wives. By my own headcanon, these men are probably picked out by the Hagravens themselves, probably by just finding them attractive. It may be possible that these Hags could take multiple Hag-Husbands, or even Hag-Wives. Probably at the discretion of the Hagravens or their daedric patrons.
Also of particular note, Hagravens are capable of giving birth through these unions:
“I began to attract the unwanted attentions of Aiocnuall, the loutish son of Kloavdra and Cointthach… …As the son of the hagraven he could do pretty much whatever he wanted with impunity, and Voanche couldn’t protect me by complaining to Kloavdra—the old virago would just cackle and wave her away.” – ESO, A Life Barbaric and Brutal by Arthenice Belloq
Briarhearts
“Violent rites and self-flagellation have scarred the Reachmen physically and mentally: Woad war paint, deep ritualistic scars, and primitive tattoo strike fear into those facing down the Reachmen berserker in combat. The Reachmen thirst for blood. The absolute pinnacle of warriorhood among these crossbreeds are the Briarhearts; communion with Hircine has allowed their own hearts to be cut from their chests and a ligament of poisoned briars sewn in their place. Legend states these atrocities are invincible. Feign no surprise if wereboars and werewolves are among the ranks of a Reachman battle nest; these “Blessings of Hircine” are seen as highly prized, not a woeful curse.” – ESO, Northern Bangkorai and the Mountains
The Care and Feeding of Briar Hearts:
Thorn and blood.
The briar heart’s limbs sway.
Feather and fear.
The briar heart’s limbs awaken.
Bone and claw.
The briar heart’s limbs kill.
Die, briar heart, and lurch to life again.
– ESO, Rites of the Abomination
Briarheart warriors are made in two ways- Either the hearts are placed within the bodies of dead or dying clansmen, slain in battle, given new life as an “Invincible” warrior. Or, they are transplanted to a living host during a Hag’s ritual. These living hosts must go through a ritual period of solitude before receiving the blessing. This is seen as a great honor to those still living.
A soon-to-be Briarheart: https://youtu.be/w84CtxDIG88?t=507
Are Briar-Heart warriors mind controlled? I don’t believe so. Instead, I believe that they are merely devoted to their Hags or clans. I feel that the Briarheart Kyrtos, met in ESO’s “Those Truly Favored” quest, is a perfect example of a self-thinking reachman. Acting against the Hags and his clan, hoping to save them from needless deaths over a daedric artifact.
Kyrtos also provides some interesting insight on what it’s like being a Briarheart:
About your exposed heart ….
“Yes? What about it?”
Doesn’t it make it easier for an enemy to kill you?
“Not exactly. It’s harder than steel—a powerful distraction in a fight, for those who think it a weakness.”
Does it hurt?
“Unbearably.”
Do you have any regrets about replacing your own heart?
“I often wake to buzzing and fluttering in my chest … with the occasional nibbling. I have to jump into ice cold water, then wait for all the beetles to boil out of my chest. It’s … unpleasant.”
Thanks for answering.
“It’s no trouble. I get these questions all the time, even in my own tribe.”
Some nasty stuff…
Misc: While researching I came across this one junk item mentioning Briarhearts in ESO:
Writer: Rusty Shackleford (Lore Researcher)
Cover art: D.D.