Harkon's Sword
A serrated relic of the night, forged to drink the light and feast on the soul of any who dare stand against the sunless dawn.
Harkon's Sword is the jagged, blood-drinking blade wielded by Lord Harkon, the ancient patriarch of the Volkihar clan and the architect of the Tyranny of the Sun. Forged in the shadow of millennia-old ambition, this weapon is less a tool of war than an extension of its master's will: to blot out the sun and plunge Tamriel into eternal night. It stands as the most lethal symbol within Castle Volkihar, radiating a cold, parasitic power that unsettles even seasoned warriors.
The blade becomes the focal point of the climactic confrontation in *Kindred Judgment*. Whether you stand with the Dawnguard or embrace the vampire's curse, the sword remains locked in Harkon's grip until his final breath. To claim it is to secure a tangible trophy over one of Skyrim's most terrifying supernatural threats, turning the instrument of apocalypse into your own.
- Wielder
- Lord Harkon
- Type
- One-Handed Sword
- Enchantment
- Health Absorption
- Location
- Castle Volkihar Throne Room
- Source
- The Elder Scrolls V: Dawnguard
Lore & Background
Long before recorded history, Lord Harkon twisted his fate with an ancient prophecy. His personal blade, honed over centuries of scheming and slaughter, was crafted not just for combat, but as a conduit for his dark legacy. The weapon's enchantments are inextricably linked to the vampiric condition; it does not merely cut flesh, but actively siphons life force from victims to sustain its master's unnatural vitality. This symbiotic bond turns every strike into a desperate act of survival for Harkon.
Within the gothic halls of Castle Volkihar, the sword hung as a silent promise of doom until the Dragonborn intervened. Its presence was a constant reminder that the vampire lord intended to use Auriel's Bow and the Elder Scrolls to extinguish the sun forever. When Harkon finally fell during *Kindred Judgment*, the blade lost its master but retained its hungry magic, transforming from an instrument of global extinction into a relic of a failed apocalypse now wielded by the hero who saved Tamriel.
In Their Own Story
The throne room vibrated with the clash of steel and the crackle of ancient magic. Harkon stood immovable, his grip tightening on the silver hilt as crimson runes flared to life along the blade's edge, drinking in the castle's ambient energy. You parried a brutal strike that threatened to drain your very essence, the enchantment biting through your armor like frost against bone.
"The sun sets now," Harkon hissed, thrusting forward with lethal precision. The air suddenly thickened with the metallic scent of old blood and ozone. You sidestepped, the sword carving a vacuum in the space where your heart had been a heartbeat before. Seizing the opening, you surged forward, driving your weapon into the ancient lord's chest. As Harkon crumbled to dust, the malevolent light within the blade flickered and died, leaving only cold, silent metal on the stone floor.
Reader's Guide
This blade serves as the primary weapon of Lord Harkon during the events of the Dawnguard conflict.
To acquire it, you must defeat him in the final confrontation known as Kindred Judgment. Regardless of whether you allied with the Dawnguard hunters or the Volkihar vampires, Harkon meets his end at your hands within Castle Volkihar's throne room. Once he falls, simply loot his remains to claim the weapon for yourself.
In-game mechanics favor this sword for sustained combat due to its enchantment. It drains vitality from foes with every strike, restoring your own health simultaneously. This makes it exceptionally useful against high-health enemies like trolls or dragons where healing potions might run low. The blade functions as a standard one-handed weapon, compatible with all smithing improvements available in Skyrim.
While powerful, it is not unique in its enchantment mechanics compared to other legendary items, but its lore significance remains unmatched. It represents the culmination of Harkon's centuries of planning and his desire to extinguish the sun. Wielding it connects you directly to the history of the Volkihar clan and their dark prophecy. Use it wisely as a symbol of your victory over the ancient vampire threat.
Did You Know?
- The sword is obtainable regardless of faction choice (Dawnguard or Volkihar).
- It uses a unique model distinct from standard Elven or Steel swords.
- Harkon wields it in both human and Vampire Lord forms during the final fight.
- It does not have a unique name beyond 'Harkon's Sword' in game files.