Morrowind & Oblivion Characters Who Return After Death In Skyrim

Like many other games in the Elder Scrolls series, Skyrim is packed full of references and Easter Eggs to older entries in the franchise, and its NPCs are no exception. There are a handful of returning characters from games such as Morrowind and Oblivion, the Daedra being perhaps the most prominent of these, but there are quite a few mortals who make surprising returns as well in the form of spirits or undead. More than once, the Dragonborn travels beyond the mortal realm or otherwise summons figures from beyond the grave, allowing certain NPCs to return from death itself.

As the latest entry in the Elder Scrolls franchise, both timeline-wise and as far as officially numbered titles go, Skyrim connects itself to the tail end of the series’ lore. The events of Skyrim take place around 400 years after those of Oblivion, with Morrowind in turn being set only a few years before the Oblivion Crisis. As a result, many characters from the previous games, especially the races of man which are notably short-lived compared to elves, aren’t alive by the time Alduin returns to Tamriel.

Characters such as the mage Neloth are one of the rare exceptions, having managed to survive through the events of Morrowind – where he first makes his appearance – and Oblivion to return in Skyrim‘s Dragonborn DLC. Other characters may have been around during earlier points in Tamriel’s history, but weren’t specifically shown in any other Elder Scrolls game. As such, this will only be addressing characters who died between the events of Morrowind or Oblivion and Skyrim and are present to be encountered in the game proper.

Skyrim’s Spectral Assassin Is Oblivion’s Lucien Lachance

What may be one of the most well-known Oblivion references in Skyrim is the appearance of Lucien Lachance, the Speaker for the Black Hand during the events of Oblivion‘s Dark Brotherhood questline. Players interact with him extensively throughout Oblivion‘s questline, naming them as the new Silencer and even gifting them his horse Shadowmere. Unfortunately, as the questline proceeds Lucien Lachance is wrapped up in a plot devised by traitor Mathieu Bellamont and eventually hunted down and killed by the members of the Black Hand.

Following his death, Lachance entered the service of Sithis, the Dread Father of the Dark Brotherhood, and can subsequently be bound to the Dragonborn as a summon years later during the events of Skyrim. Shadowmere returns as well, though the horse was already undead even when encountered in Oblivion. He can be summoned once a day and will comment on a variety of areas and situations around Skyrim, allowing players to essentially have a fan-favorite Oblivion NPC as a follower. What makes him more useful is that he only temporarily vanishes once killed, making him a convenient ally even in death.

Morrowind’s Karstaag Is One Of Skyrim’s Strongest Enemies

While not necessarily an NPC that can be interacted with, Karstaag is still a unique Easter Egg that harkens back to a character featured in the Morrowind DLC Bloodmoon. During the events of the Bloodmoon Prophecy, he was taken from Castle Karstaag to participate in the Hunter’s Game. Once successfully defeated by the Nerevarine, his remains are relocated to his throne, where the Dragonborn is able to encounter them years later while exploring during Skyrim‘s Dragonborn DLC.

Skyrim gives players the option to retrieve Karstaag’s skull, which, once placed upon the throne with the rest of his skeletal remains, will summon his spirit to engage in combat. Karstaag, though difficult to find, is notable for being one of the more difficult bosses in all of Skyrim. He’s level 90 and resists most types of damage, providing new Elder Scrolls players with an exciting challenge and returning fans a chance to revisit a unique character from the time of Morrowind.

Jiub From Morrowind Appears In Skyrim’s Dawnguard DLC

Jiub is one of the first characters that players meet in Morrowind, and according to the lore of the Elder Scrolls series, he went on to become one of the most celebrated characters of the third era. Jiub made it his mission to eradicate cliff racers, a notoriously frustrating enemy that players can encounter all throughout Morrowind, eventually earning him the title of Saint Jiub. Unfortunately, the events of the Oblivion Crisis ultimately lead to Jiub’s untimely death.

Luckily, players have another chance to encounter him in Skyrim, specifically during the events of the Dawnguard DLC. His spirit is located in the Soul Cairn. Players can help him retrieve his scattered memoir notes, gifting the first volume to the Dragonborn as thanks for assisting him after death. If Bethesda chooses to include the Soul Cairn as an explorable area in The Elder Scrolls 6, perhaps Jiub could make another triumphant return in the future of the Elder Scrolls series.

Bloodmoon’s Ulfgar The Unending Appears In Sovngarde

Ulfgar the Unending is an unusual case in terms of Elder Scrolls lore, as he’s been around for quite a while especially when compared to other Nords. It’s speculated in Morrowind that he may be from the second era or even earlier, and in the Morrowind DLC Bloodmoon he’s able to meet the Nerevarine to recount his exploits alongside Ysgramor as a member of the Five Hundred Companions. While it isn’t exactly clear whether or not any of his stories are true, his later appearance in Sovngarde does lend some weight to them.

During the events of Bloodmoon, he asks the player to help him find Sovngarde, a quest he and his close companions undertook hundreds of years in the past. Unfortunately, one of the only ways to reach Sovngarde is to die a heroic and honorable death in combat. The Nerevarine has the option to help him fulfill his request, and later on his soul goes on to appear in the Nordic afterlife during the events of Skyrim.

Morrowind’s Falx Carius Becomes An Enemy In Skyrim

Falx Carius is a major character in Morrowind‘s Bloodmoon DLC, specifically during its main questline. He’s stationed at Fort Frostmoth as a Knight Protector for the Imperial Legion and has multiple dealings with players as they progress throughout the expansion’s storyline. He goes on to survive the Hunter’s Game, earning himself the rank of General. When Red Mountain erupts at the beginning of the fourth era, Carius is unfortunately killed.

That isn’t the end of his story, however. Neloth’s apprentice, Ildari Sarothril, resurrects Falx Carius through Necromancy, resulting in him retaining only a small measure of intelligence along with a vengeful amount of hostility. By the time the Dragonborn encounters the sealed-away General during Skyrim‘s Dragonborn DLC, Carius has launched a full-on war against Raven Rock, leaving it up to the player to defeat him once and for all. It’s a tragic ending to such a notable Morrowind character, but Falx Carius’ fate serves as a unique reminder of the strange and interesting lore of the Elder Scrolls series and how its many interlocking stories all weave together.

About The Author

Ky Shinkle
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Ky Shinkle is a Senior Gaming Features Writer for Screen Rant as well as an overall avid gamer and writer. Her prior experience is primarily that of a narrative designer for video games, although her writing has covered all formats from screenplays and novels to stage scripts. A graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design, when she isn’t writing she works on digital media projects and other types of fiction writing. Ky currently works out of Ohio and enjoys spending her free time either playing RPGs or running with her dog.

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