The popular gameSkyrimhas an amazingly colorful cast of characters. From talking dragons to ancient snow elves and even insanely wise scientists who have lost their minds, there’s a quirky character to charm just about anyone in the game. However, many of these characters, while seeming somewhat paper-thin, are surprisingly intelligent.
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If you think about their stories, some have spent centuries living in Skyrim or Tamriel in general. The knowledge they hold of the world and its events is significant, even if it’s never properly showcased within the game. That’s why we’ve decided to rank 10 of the most intelligent characters inSkyrim, so that we might all better appreciate their wisdom next time around.
10Maven Black-Briar
When it comes to strong, independent women, Maven is definitely the first one that comes to mind. As the leader of the Black-Briar family, she wields incredible political power and influence all around Skyrim. Her ties go all the way deep into the Dark Brotherhood as well as the Thieves Guild.
She might not be the most educated person out there, but we’d argue that it takes a special type of intelligence to be able to juggle a powerful family and all your connections at the same time. She has the power to punish those who get in her way, and things always seem to magically go according to her plan, especially in Riften.
9Esbern
Esbern might be old and he might seem a little freaked out when we first meet him, but he’s only that way because of all he needs to protect. He’s one of the two last Blades in all of Tamriel, a former guard of the Emperor. His devotion to the Blades has allowed him to accumulate a lot of knowledge over the years.
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Perhaps the most significant factor is that Esbern actually predicted the return of dragons. While he may have been belittled initially, he was correct in assuming that Alduin would once come back and wreak havoc in the mortal world.
8Calcelmo
In all of Tamriel, there’s no greater mystery than that of the the Dwemer. Their sudden disappearance from the face of the world remains completely unanswered, although many theories float about. Calcelmo, the Court Wizard in Markarth, is an expert of the knowledge we do have.
He’s an insanely accomplished scholar in the matter of all things Dwemer. The three books about Dwarves you may find around Skyrim are all written by him. Not to mention, Calcelmo is the only one who has been able to translate the language of the Falmer, once known as Snow Elves.
7Savos Aren
It’s truly unfortunate that Savos Aren plays such a relatively small role in the College of Winterhold quest line. However, even with the information we have, we can deduce that he’s an incredibly wise and powerful mage. After all, he’s the Arch-Mage of the College himself.
Not just that, he went deep into the Labyrinthian years ago with a group of fellow apprentices. When they stumbled across Morokei, Savos was able to seal the Dragon Priest away by leaving two of his friends behind to keep him within a magical barrier. It may not have been the nicest thing to do, but it goes to show he knows his magic.
6Augur Of Dunlain
Once a man and now known as a mere concentration of energy, Augur of Dunlain inhabits the Middens of the College of Winterhold. He’s a well-kept secret that people seemed to refuse to talk about, but his existence is absolutely undeniable, as is his wisdom.
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Augur attained his current state by pursuing the study of magic far too hard. He was a devoted and talented mage, wise beyond his years. One can only wonder the things he knows about magic, or the things he has seen during his time in the College.
5Arngeir
Arngeir is someone we become very familiar with during the main quest ofSkyrim. He’s the one who teaches us the way of the voice, and how to harness our ability to use Thu’um to our advantage. His old age suggests he has spent eons in High Hrothgar, learning about Thu’um.
To know the language of the dragons, which are practically immortal beings, is a pretty impressive feat. Due to his age, he has seen quite a bit happen politically around Tamriel, and even predicted the arrival of the Dragonborn accurately, a testament to his wisdom.
4Vyrthur & Gelebor
A long time ago, Snow Elves were once a prosperous race that lived in Skyrim. When the Dwemer enslaved them and trapped them underground, however, they turned into twisted Falmer, which is how they mostly appear in Skyrim. Until, of course, we meet Vyrthur and Gelebor, the last remaining Snow Elves.
Having lived in the seclusion of the Chantry of Auri-El, they’ve both been able to survive the passing of years. They’re absolutely ancient, considering they probably both date from the First Era, and Skyrim’s timeline is in the Fourth Era. The sheer amount of historical knowledge these two have is absolutely immense.
3Septimus Signus
The second most incredible mystery of Skyrim and all of Tamriel is without a doubt the existence of Elder Scrolls, which are essentially holy prophecies about the past, present and future. It is said that to read one would turn a man mad, and such was the fate of Septimus Signus.
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This man took on the hardest of challenges: to study these scrolls and to understand where they came from and how they work. Unfortunately, it cost him his mind. While he might not be the most coherent, he knows more than almost anyone else in Skyrim, because of all the things he has witnessed by reading just one of the Elder Scrolls.
2Psijic Monk
The Psijic Order is a pretty mysterious one. Their existence is questionable in these days, but they remain an extremely ancient group of magic specialists. Their home is said to have been the island of Artaeum, which is an island known for disappearing from existence at a regular basis.
It’s unclear why the island does this, but we can assume the Order has something to do with it. Considering the Order’s old age and the amount of magical knowledge these monks have, it’s safe to say they know something that most creatures and people of Tamriel have no idea about. They’re also highly coveted by politicians, which goes to show they have something special.
1Paarthurnax
Dragons are a very special species in Skyrim, as rare as they are ferocious. It was once theorized that dragons are unlike any other animal creature, because they’re not actually born. In fact, dragons simply are, which would make them a constant in the universe, a type of immortal deity similar to Aedra.
This is why Paarthurnax, the dragon who guides the Dragonborn to save Skyrim and who betrayed Alduin to do so, is the most intelligent character in the game. His wisdom and knowledge of the world and its history is without equivalent, because it’s that of a god-like creature. Plus, who could forget his iconic quote: “What is better: to be born good or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?”
