Armor of the Old Gods
| Armor of the Old Gods | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Armor Rating | 24 |
| Weight | 3 |
| Value | 611 |
| Slot | Body |
| Set | Old Gods |
| Level | - |
| Class | Chest Armor |
| Skill | Light Armor |
| Unique | Yes |
| Item ID | 000eafd0 |
| Game/DLC | Skyrim |
The Armor of the Old Gods is a unique light armor cuirass and a special version of Forsworn Armor. It has a base armor rating of 24, weighs only 3 and makes Destruction spells cheaper. It is a reward for helping Madanach in No One Escapes Cidhna Mine, the Markarth jailbreak that follows The Forsworn Conspiracy.
Armor Enchantment
Destruction spells cost 15% less Magicka to cast.
The Enchantment Effects page lists every armor enchantment.
Armor of the Old Gods Map Location and Quest Guide
Armor of the Old Gods map location:
The Armor of the Old Gods is handed over during the escape from Cidhna Mine in Markarth. It is a reward for No One Escapes Cidhna Mine, which follows The Forsworn Conspiracy.
- Complete The Forsworn Conspiracy and go to jail in Cidhna Mine.
- Get a shiv for Borkul the Beast to reach Madanach.
- Talk to Madanach in his cell.
- Follow Madanach's instructions and escape with the prisoners.
- Take the Armor of the Old Gods when it is handed over before the breakout.
Map credit by Map Genie.
Killing Madanach after he hands over the set also earns the Silver-Blood Family Ring.
How It Plays
The Armor of the Old Gods is an enchanted Forsworn cuirass. Its enchantment makes Destruction spells cost 15 percent less to cast. That is an unusual gift on light armor, and it suits a battle mage who throws fire, frost and lightning while wearing hides and bones.
The cuirass shares the look of ordinary Forsworn Armor. It weighs half as much, gives two points less armor and is worth far more. At a weight of 3, a character who carries it barely notices it.
The cuirass is tempered at a workbench with a piece of Leather. As an enchanted item, it needs the Arcane Blacksmith perk for tempering.
The Full Set
The Old Gods set has four pieces. The Helmet of the Old Gods adds 30 points of Magicka, and the cuirass cuts the cost of Destruction spells. The Boots of the Old Gods make sneaking 20 percent better, and the Gauntlets of the Old Gods make bows deal 20 percent more damage. The set suits a hybrid who mixes destruction magic, archery and stealth.
When the full set is worn, a visual glitch can leave gaps at the wrists and ankles or make the boots and gauntlets vanish. The glitch changes only the look, and reloading a save restores it for a while.
Perks and Builds
The Destruction skill tree builds on the cuirass. Novice Destruction through Master Destruction each let spells of their level be cast for half the Magicka, and the cuirass cuts the cost further. Augmented Flames, Augmented Frost and Augmented Shock then raise the damage of each element.
The Light Armor skill tree covers the armor side. All four pieces are light armor, so the full set meets the Custom Fit condition of light armor on head, chest, hands and feet. Matching Set adds a further 25 percent armor for a matched set.
Quest Background
The Old Gods set is a reward of No One Escapes Cidhna Mine, the quest that follows The Forsworn Conspiracy in Markarth. The conspiracy begins on the first walk into the city, when Weylin stabs Margret in the market. A man named Eltrys then asks for help, and his questions lead to Thonar Silver-Blood and to Madanach, the King in Rags. Once the truth comes out, the city guards frame the investigator for the murder of Eltrys and throw them into Cidhna Mine.
Madanach rules the prisoners of the mine from a private cell guarded by Borkul the Beast. Getting past Borkul takes a shiv, and the shiv comes from Grisvar the Unlucky in exchange for Skooma. Madanach then sends the newcomer to hear the story of the prisoner Braig. After that he asks for one more proof of loyalty: the death of Grisvar, whom he suspects of spying.
With Grisvar dead, Madanach leads his followers through a tunnel they have dug under Markarth. The set is handed over in the tunnels, just before the final break out into the city. Killing Madanach instead earns the Silver-Blood Family Ring from Thonar Silver-Blood. Both rewards can be won by taking the armor first and then killing Madanach before he leaves the tunnels.
Lore
Madanach is a Breton witchblade and the leader of the Forsworn Rebellion. The Forsworn are Reachmen who want to drive the Nords out of the Reach. Madanach once ruled the Reach as its king for a short time. Ulfric Stormcloak ended that rule when he took Markarth back for the Nords and captured him. The King in Rags has directed the Forsworn from his cell in Cidhna Mine ever since.
Gameplay Tips
- Temper it at a workbench with one Leather. The Arcane Blacksmith perk is needed.
- It weighs 3 against 6 for the plain Forsworn Armor, for 24 armor against 26.
Smithing Guide
Enchanted weapons require the Arcane Blacksmith Perk to upgrade.
Upgrades
Armor of the Old Gods is improved at a workbench with one Leather per improvement. An enchanted copy can only be improved with the Arcane Blacksmith perk.
| Quality | Smithing | Armor |
|---|---|---|
| Fine | 14 | +2 |
| Superior | 31 | +6 |
| Exquisite | 65 | +10 |
| Flawless | 100 | +13 |
| Epic | 134 | +17 |
| Legendary | 168 | +20 |
Armor Set
Armor of the Old Gods belongs to the Old Gods set. The table shows every piece of the set.
| Name | Image | Slot | Armor | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Armor of the Old Gods | 
|
Body | 24 | 3 |
| Boots of the Old Gods | 
|
Feet | 7 | 1.5 |
| Gauntlets of the Old Gods | 
|
Hands | 7 | 0.5 |
| Helmet of the Old Gods | 
|
Head | 12 | 1 |
Armor Categories
All Chest Armor
Light Armor
All light armor chest pieces are listed below with their armor rating, weight, set and upgrade material.
Heavy Armor
All heavy armor chest pieces are listed below with their armor rating, weight, set and upgrade material.
