Siding with Lord Harkon: A Vampire‘s Guide to Power
As an avid Skyrim player with over 800 hours focusing on the Dawnguard DLC, I‘ve traversed the deep roads of Dimhollow Crypt, faced off against the monstrous gargoyles, and made the fateful choice between the Dawnguard and the Vampire Clan Volkihar more times than I can count. So when Lord Harkon offers you the dark gift and a chance to join his vampiric ranks, you must weigh your decision carefully.
If you accept, Harkon‘s bite transforms you into a Vampire Lord – granting formidable abilities and access to the hidden powers of bloodmagic, but binding you to the vampire faction as you aid their plot to extinguish the sun itself.
Undeath‘s Allure: The Rewards of Vampirism
Becoming a creature of the night brings its perks. Here‘s what you gain from joining Harkon‘s bloodline:
Vampire Lord Transformation
This powerful form augments your abilities for combat, stealth and magic use. You can access it once a day and customize it as you level up.
- 370% increased health, magicka and stamina
- Drain life from enemies or turn foes with Vampiric Grip
- Night Powers: Invisibility, flight as a cloud of bats etc.
- Access to Blood Magic spells to raze enemies
- Faster movement speed and increased resistance
| Ability | Effect |
|---|---|
| Unearthly Will | +100 health, magicka and stamina |
| Supernatural Reflexes | Faster movement +50% resistance to spells/poisons |
| Blood Healing | Drain health to heal yourself |
| Summon Gargoyle | Call winged gargoyle ally to aid you |
Vampiric Skill Boosts
Your vampiric condition improves skills like illusion and sneak while granting you new passive traits, like ignoring part of your victim‘s armor when feeding on them.
Castle Volkihar
A hidden fortress on the Sea of Ghosts becomes your clan‘s sanctuary and home. You can feed freely on its inhabitants and access secret vampire armories packed with treasure.
……
But it‘s not all goblets of blood and haunting misty halls. If you join Harkon, you enter a dark path with no return – serving his plot to block out the sun forever.
The Road of Shadows: Cost of Joining Clan Volkihar
The Tyranny of Thirst
As a vampire, the hunger is relentless. Feeding frequently becomes essential for survival, especially with sunlight now greatly damaging and sapping your undead vigor. This burden can be lifted with Potions of Blood or becoming a Nightlord vampire.
Forfeiting the Dawnguard
You lose out on the Dawnguard faction including access to Crossbows, Exploding Bolts, Rune artifacts etc. Their armory holds unique bonuses like 50% extra damage to vampires you‘ll also have to abandon.
Serving Lord Harkon‘s Plot
While Serana still joins you to advance the main quest, aiding Harkon eventually means undertaking the prophecy to blot out the sun itself using Auriel‘s elven bow and bloodcursed arrows…
Facing the Tyrant
When Harkon discovers your planned betrayal to stop his eternal eclipse ritual, you finally confront the vampire lord himself. Only defeating his winged bloodmagic form and piercing his black heart ends his cruelty for good.
……
The Ascension: Leadership After Slaying Lord Harkon
Destroying Harkon ends the prophecy yet the Volkihar Clan endures.
As his executioner, I gained lordship over Castle Volkihar including full access to the vampire armory and cattle. The entire clan showed renewed fealty to my rule, unlocking trainers and new recruits.
But this power has its price. I still faced wariness from mortals and aggression from the Dawnguard. My days become confined to nighttime travels and I must feed constantly to sate my bloodthirst.
Yet I embraced the shadows without regret. My vampire bride Serana and I would ensure this clan prospered under darker skies…where the winters belong to us forevermore.
In Conclusion: A Choice Between Light and Dark
Siding with the vampire clan Volkihar brings great but terrible power. You must ask yourself what sacrifices you can live with:
- The relentless thirst for blood outweighing any vampiric strength?
- Betraying the Dawnguard‘s noble cause by serving Lord Harkon‘s cruel plot?
- Murdering Harkon to rule the clan yourself – and living forever in darkness?
For those willing to walk the Volkihar‘s thorny path, magnificent rewards of bloodmagic may await. But it remains a lonely road bathed in sacrifice and shadow you must tread carefully.
So choose well, hunters of the night! Lord Harkon‘s gift does not come freely. The sun‘s tyranny may burn, but its judgment lies lightly on the honorable.
May the ruby drops sustain you on the long nights ahead. And remember, dawn always rises…one way or another.
