Religion is at the center of many major conflicts in The Elder Scrolls franchise. In its latest mainline title, Skyrim, one of the main storylines is a civil war brought on by the empire’s ban on the worship of the human king-turned-god Talos. Just like established mythologies in the real world, Tamriel has a stacked pantheon of deities from different cultures. Many of them are self-serving and evil, and there’s no better example than the Daedric Prince of Domination himself, Molag Bal. His appearances in the games have been quite direct, with him destroying Bosmeri settlements during the First Era and almost fusing his realm with Nirn itself. However, his most interesting cameo in recent memory happened in the Fourth Era, during the events of Skyrim.

Daedric Princes are immortal and powerful beings that reside in the realm of Oblivion, each of whom has a plane they have control over. They meddle in the affairs of men and mer mostly out of amusement, and are seen as gods by some residents of Tamriel who would summon them for assistance, often for a heavy price. In the case of Molag Bal, he enslaves his subjects and forces them to do his bidding ceaselessly for amusement.

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Molag Bal’s Skyrim Quest Takes Place in a Literal Haunted House

The Dragonborn encounters Molag Bal in Markarth when a Vigilant of Stendarr named Tyranus asks him if they have seen anyone go in or out of a vacant home in the area. The priest will then request that the player accompany them into the home, as they suspect that it may harbor Daedra worshipers. This starts the “House of Horrors” quest, which is perfectly named because what comes next plays out like a medieval horror story.

Once the player accepts the quest, they will accompany the priest in investigating and possibly purifying the empty house. Upon descending to the basement, they find a Daedric shrine. The various items and furniture in the home start floating, and the Vigilant of Stendarr realizes they're facing Molag Bal, who is one of the strongest Daedric Princes. As such, he'll need reinforcements. When he reaches the front door, however, he finds that it’s locked. A strange voice beckons both occupants to kill each other. Tyranus, realizing that there’s only one way out, draws his weapon with the intent to slay the Dragonborn to earn his freedom. The player has no choice but to kill the priest, satisfying the strange voice and calling upon them to head to the basement for their reward, which comes in the form of a rusty mace.

Why Skyrim’s House of Horrors Quest is the Perfect Side Story for Molag Bal

While it may seem that the quest will be completed once the player takes the mace, they’re greeted with another mission. This time, it’s straight from Molag Bal himself. The Daedric Prince then tasks them with taking a priest of Boethiah to the house and then beating him to submission - and eventually death - with the rusty mace. It then turns into the Magic Item called the Mace of Molag Bal, which deals extra magicka and stamina damage. The item is indeed a sight to behold. However, some Dragonborns may feel guilty about wielding or even keeping the weapon because of what they had to do to get it.

It’s that guilty feeling that makes the House of Horrors quest a fitting story for a deity as evil and manipulative as Molag Bal. He lives up to his title of “God of Brutality” by goading the protagonist into killing two people, one of them defenseless inside a cage. The horrors don't come from jump scares or eldritch monsters, but from the weight of the heinous crimes that Skyrim's supposed hero knowingly committed.

The Elder Scrolls 5 Skyrim is available now for the Nintendo Switch, PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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