Lore:Wabbajack

This article is about the artifact. For the book, see Wabbajack (book).

The Wabbajack is a Daedric artifact created by the Daedric Prince Sheogorath. It takes the appearance of a Daedric staff that is usually engraved with angry gaping faces at the top. As befits the Prince of Madness, his artifact is unpredictable in its effects. The staff has the power to transform its target into a completely random creature. This can be helpful to the wielder, turning a fearsome opponent into a docile animal; similarly, it can be detrimental, transforming a relatively weak enemy into a powerful monster.^[1] The staff can produce other effects, such as damaging, healing, turning to stone, or instantly killing the target.^[2] The staff's victims that are turned into animals, and are cooked after the fact, become the meat known as Wabbajerky. The meat has created debates on whether eating it would be considered cannibalism.^[3] Sheogorath finds only a few worthy of Wabbajack's "absurdly sweet power".^[4]

An anonymous author wrote about how he obtained the staff sometime shortly after he ascended the throne of Solitude in the book Wabbajack. In his search for the Oghma Infinium, the author was tricked into summoning Sheogorath, believing him to be Hermaeus Mora. After serving the prince, Sheogorath's servant gave him the Wabbajack.^[5] Some time in the late First Era, the staff came into the possession of Prince Maleel al-Akir, a formidable Yokudan warrior. In death, Maleel was entombed in the necropolis of Asakala in the Alik'r along with his generals and army.

History[edit]

During the Alliance War, the dead of Asakala rose from their graves due to the ongoing conflict in the region. In 2E 582, Arch-Mage Shalidor and the Vestige recovered the Wabbajack from Maleel, who guarded it fiercely even in undeath. The Vestige was then commanded to use the staff on denizens of Shivering Isles as part of Sheogorath's trials.^[6]

In the events leading up to the Warp in the West, an unknown agent of the Blades summoned Sheogorath and dispatched a battlemage who had displeased the Prince. In return, the agent was given the Wabbajack from a worshipper of Sheogorath.^[7]

In 3E 433, Sheogorath was aided by the Hero of Kvatch in tormenting the Khajiit settlement of Border Watch in Cyrodiil. The inhabitants were very superstitious, and were driven into a state of frenzy when the Prince simulated their K'sharra Prophecy, said to mark the end of the world. These occurrences were reported in a special edition of the Black Horse Courier newspaper entitled Rain of Burning Dogs!.^[8]^[9] It is unknown whether this took place before or after the Hero assumed the position of Sheogorath; regardless, the Hero received the Wabbajack from either Sheogorath or Haskill.^[8]^[10]

In 4E 201, the Last Dragonborn unknowingly entered the mind of the dead Pelagius Septim III, tasked with convincing Sheogorath to return to the Shivering Isles. He agreed to return, but only if the Dragonborn could escape Pelagius' mind. Sheogorath decided to assist the Dragonborn by providing the Wabbajack, along with instructions on how to use it to remedy Pelagius of his insanity. Having completed several challenges and conquering the dead emperor's inner fears, the Dragonborn was able to return to Tamriel, but not before being given the Wabbajack by Sheogorath as a parting gift.^[11]