Madanach

"This was our land. We were here first. Then the Nords came and put chains on us. Forbid us from worshipping our gods. Some of us refused to bow. We knew the old ways would lead us back to having a kingdom of our own."

- Madanach

, also known as the King in Rags, is the leader of the Forsworn Rebellion. He is imprisoned in Cidhna Mine, deep beneath the city of Markarth.

Escape of Cidhna Mine
Before Madanach allows the Dragonborn to escape the mine with the rest of the forsworn, he will order you to dispose of Grisvar the Unlucky, as Grisvar has been in and out of cidhna mine, possibly leaking information thus being branded a snitch and useless. With Grisvar dead, Madanach and his followers will escape through a tunnel they've been digging, traveling under Markath, and eventually to the city's surface. Upon reaching the surface, Madanach will give a speech to his followers after which a battle will ensue between the city guards and his men.

Once the battle concludes, Madanach and his followers will retreat to Druadach Redoubt.

If the Dragonborn decides to kill Madanach before escaping the mine, the remaining prisoners will become hostile to them. He can then use Madanach's Key to escape through the tunnel next to Madanach's quarters. Thonar will meet the Dragonborn at the entrance to the Markarth Ruins and will inform him that they have done a great service to the Silver-Blood family and that they have been pardoned by the Jarl of Markarth.

Personality
"That is who we are. Criminals in our own lands. And we will cut a bloody hole in The Reach until we are free."

- Madanach

The King in Rags proves to be a strong willed and shrewd character, totally enthralled with his cause. He is no stranger to murder, as long as he usurps the Nords and regains peace for his fellow Forsworn. He has particular distaste for outsiders too, being hostile to the Dragonborn in their first meeting. Madanach shows absolute belief for his creed, he fully believes what he is doing is right and the Nords are evil, and that Forsworn rule is the only rule for the Reach.

Madanach shows talent for manipulation and cunning. In the shadows, he lures Thonar into a false sense of security before striking at him and Markarth, with the right agents in place. He forces the player to kill the loose end, Grisvar, who could be disloyal. Honeyed words and speeches are his specialities, as he attempts to convert the player and justify his cause. He empowers those who follow him, and seeks to win through slyness what brute force can't obtain. He fancies himself to be ruthless and cunning, although he reveals that all he really wants is the peace they had before Ulfric's attack.

In Combat
If the player decides to attack and slay Madanach, they should take caution. If attacked in his cell, the player will have little equipment, the only availible weapons being a pickaxe or a shiv. This is the same for Madanach, but he has magic on his side as well. If confronted directly, he will invoke a Frost Cloak spell, which can be effective in lowering the Dragonborn's health. He will also hurl Fireballs and Ice Spikes relentlessly if the player is within range. To avoid being slaughtered, a sneak attack is recommended to ease the battle. Magic users will have a much easier time of this battle, as they don't have to focusing on getting close and near the Frost Cloak. Shouts are also very useful, as a single Fire Breath shout with all 3 words of power results in an instant kill.

Slaying Madanach after aiding him will pit you against his followers too. At this stage, some may have died by the hand of the enemies in the ruins. You may or may not have recovered your equipment by then, so this may vary in difficulty. Avoid being surrounded, as some of the other prisoners have magic of their own, and the crossfire will surely finish you if not avoided. Also take note that Madanach will have improved and enchanted gear if you wait until you've obtained your own gear.

If Beast form is unlocked it can be used to slaughter just about everyone in the prison as it requires no equipment to use.

Trivia

 * If the Dragonborn kills Madanach (by selecting revenge or simply attacking him), he or she will be pardoned upon escaping the prison.
 * Accordingly, it is possible that Madanach may not survive the escape from the mine.
 * If the Dragonborn does not intervene, the Forsworn may be too weak to battle the guards and will die. Their bodies can be looted for a decent sum of gold.
 * Even if Madanach dies while fighting the guards, all NPCs from Markath will still act as if he is alive.
 * While Madanach and his followers make way for Druadach Redoubt, it is possible (due to pathing issues and ensuing guards) for Madanach to be found somewhere between Markarth and Druadach Redoubt.
 * Oddly, if Madanach is selected using his reference ID and moved near a Forsworn while he is in Cidhna Mine, the Forsworn's temperament will become hostile, and vice-versa.