The Elder Scrolls Traveler -- weekly TES eZine

2007-05-20T13:28:00.000+10:00

Game Guides

OBLIVION Game Guides

The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Quest Guides
Complete Main Quest Walkthrough
Complete Dark Brotherhood Walkthrough
Complete Fighters Guild Walkthrough
Complete Mages Guild Walkthrough
The Arena: Complete Battle Guide
Complete Thieves Guild Walkthrough

Shivering Isles Quest Guides
A Door on Nibben Bay
Through the Fringe of Madness
A Better Mousetrap
Baiting the Trap
Understanding Madness
- The Lady Paranoia
- Addiction
The Cold Flame of Agnon
Ritual of Accession
- Ritual of Dementia
- Ritual of Mania
Retaking the Fringe
Rebuilding the Gatekeeper
The Helpless Army
Symbols of Office
- Ciirta's Eye
- Tree of Shades
The Roots of Madness
The End of Order
Prince of Madness

Knights of the Nine Quest Guides
Pilgrimage
Shrine of the Crusader
Priory of the Nine
Nature's Fury
Stendarr's Mercy
The Path of the Righteous
Wisdom of the Ages
The Faithful Squire
The Sword of the Crusader
The Blessing of Talos
Umaril the Unfeathered

Side Quests
A Brush With Death
Go Fish
Legacy Lost
Separated at Birth
Sins of the Father
The Battle for Castle Kvatch
The Forlorn Watchman
The Ghost Ship of Anvil
The Gravefinder's Repose
The Killing Field
The Siren's Deception
Through a Nightmare, Darkly
Unfriendly Competition
Where Spirits Have Lease
Zero Visibility

Gameplay Guides
Cheats & Tweaks
Complete Bestiary
Custom Classes Collection
Spell Vendors
Houses Guide
General Hints & Tips
Spell List

Construction Set Guides
Creating a Quest: Click by Click

Other Guides
How To: Become A Lore Buff

Mod Reviews

Natural Environments v.2.1.2. (Issue 2)
Maborashi Daikon's Saddlebags (Issue 1)

Traveler Talk

Interview with Dark0ne (Issue 8)
Creator of the Elder Scrolls Source.

Interview with Dave Humphrey (Issue 7)
Creator of the UESP.

Interview with APY (Issue 6)
Webmaster of Planet Elder Scrolls.

Interview with Karoush Ghazi (Issue 5)
Author of the Oblivion Tweak Guide.

Interview with Proweler (Issue 4)
Loremaster at the official forums.

Interview with Oscuro (Issue 3)
Author of the popular Oscuro's Oblivion Overhaul mod.

Interview with Max Tael (Issue 2)
Author of the popular Natural Environments mod.

Interview with Freddo (Issue 1)
Official forums moderator.

View all Bug Fixes from The Elder Scrolls Traveler

Mera's Maps

CYRODIIL
GamePressure.com's Oblivion Atlas - the Cyrodiil map is divided into 12 segments containing named markers.

Interactive Cyrodiil Map v1.5 (3.2mb): click on the name of a location to see where it is situated on the map. Useful if you know the name of where you want to explore.

Prowlinger's Cyrodiil Map: Location markers are not named, but colour-coded by type.

OblivionMap.com: a high-quality scan of the Collector's Edition map which allows you to pan the view in all directions. Terrain only.

CITIES
Imperial City: Arboretum
Imperial City: The Arcane University
Imperial City: The Arena
Imperial City: Elven Gardens District
Imperial City: Green Emperor Way
Imperial City: Market District
Imperial City: Prison
Imperial City: Talos Plaza District
Imperial City: Temple District
Imperial City: Waterfront
Anvil
Anvil: Docks
Bravil
Bruma
Cheydinhal
Chorrol
Leyawiin
Skingrad

CAVES
Mongrel's Tooth Cave
Bleak Flats Cave
Breakneck Cave
Breakneck Cave: Lower
Breakneck Cave: Inner Chamber
Felgageldt Cave
Felgageldt Cave: Wishbone Vault
Leafrot Cave
Leafrot Cave: Leafrot Hollow)
Mingo Cave
Muck Valley Cavern
Wellspring Cave
Yellow Tick Cave
Yellow Tick Cave: Hollows

FORTS
Fort Blueblood
Fort Blueblood: Halls
Fort Bulwark: Area I
Fort Bulwark: Area II
Fort Bulwark: Area III
Fort Carmala
Fort Coldcorn
Fort Empire
Fort Empire: Barracks Block
Fort Nikel
Fort Sutch
Fort Roebeck
Fort Roebeck: Winter Station
Fort Urasek
Fort Urasek: Company Billets

MINES
Crumbling Mine
Flooded Mines

SHIVERING ISLES
Cylarne
Cylarne: Altar of Despair
Cylarne: Underdeep
Dunroot Barrow
Dunroot Barrow: Kelp Fen
Dunroot Barrow: Drone Tunnels
Dunroot Barrow: Bramble Halls
Dunroot Barrow: Sanctum of Decandence
Greenmote Silo
Xedilian
Xedilian: Halls of Judgment

The Loremaster

Loremaster Papers

The Ayleids: Heartland High Elves - Sotha Sil
Vampire Physiology - Lycanthropic_Nerev
Basic Guide to Telvanni Construction - Xui'al
A History of Anvil and Piracy - Xui'al
A Short Study on Ayleidic Symbolism - Proweler

Archived Articles

Loveletter From The Fifth Era - Michael Kirkbride
The Aldudagga, Fight Two - Michael Kirkbride
The Aldudagga, Fight One - Michael Kirkbride

The Elder Scrolls Traveler: Issue 11

2007-05-13T09:46:00.000+10:00

A new issue will come out every Sunday (or Saturday, for those in the US).

Latest News
Some patch updates.

Game Guides
Shivering Isles Main Quest - The Helpless Army, Symbols of Office (Ciirta's Eye and A Branch from the Tree of Shades), The Roots of Madness, The End of Order, Prince of Madness.

I have a new project going, if anyone's interested. It's called RPG Blog, and will cover lots of role-playing games on a variety of platforms. If you like this site, you might like RPG Blog too.

LATEST NEWS

INTERNATIONAL OBLIVION PATCHES
Bethesda have added updated international Oblivion patches for most language versions of Oblivion. Read the patch notes and download the patches here.

GAME GUIDES

Shivering Isles Main Quest

The Helpless Army

Speak to Sheogorath to learn a few interesting things:

The forces of Order have attacked the Dark Seducer stronghold, Pinnacle Rock.
Jyggalag and Sheogorath are the same person. He is going to become Jyggalag soon.

Speak to the Dark Seducer messenger, who tells you to to travel to Pinnacle Rock straight away. You’ll receive a map marker, which is right on the tip of the ‘Madgod’s Boot’ area of Shivering Isles – the tail-like section at the bottom. If you’ve not explored that area of the map before your closest marker will be Xedilian.

Once you reach Pinnacle Rock speak to Adeo. She’ll tell you that Syl’s treachery has allowed the forces of Order to occupy Pinnacle Rock. Their commander, Dylora, is trapped inside. Your priority is to rescue her. Adeo and two Dark Seducers will accompany you. Go through the ancient doors into the Hall of Honor, and follow the blue line on the map below.

When you reach the chamber marked 'Dylora' you'll see a large chime hanging from the roof. Activate it to strike it and the crystal blockages in the chamber will shatter. Dylora is freed from her prison. Speak to her for your next goal: you must secure the Wellspring of the Mazken – the key to their survival.

Heading into the Hall of Devotion area will trigger a surprising event. Dylora speaks to you, urgently telling you that the forces of Order have done something to the Wellspring. The Mazken fall to the ground, their bodies having turned a strange shade of green. You’re to continue on your own.

I’ve located the Wellspring of the Mazken. It’s been covered in Order crystals; I’ll need to destroy them to restore the Wellspring.

In each corner of the room is a Chime, marked C on the map. There are a lot of Knights in this room, so try to deal with them one by one. A good way to do this is to let one see you and retreat into the entry passage before another one spots you, thus leading the lone Knight into an area where you can dispatch him with ease. Once the room has been cleared, proceed in a clockwise circle around the room, starting by activating the chime to the left of the entrance to the chamber. Run directly to the next chime, ring it, and continue to the next chime until all four chimes are harmonizing at once. The pile of hearts of Order will shatter, revealing the well-spring. You’ll receive a journal entry:

The Wellspring of the Mazken has been restored. I need to speak to Dylora.

The Dark Seducer warriors who had fallen are now rejuvenated by the Wellspring. Speak to Dylora. She’ll teach you the spell ‘Summond Dark Seducer’ and gift you with a suit of Dark Seducer armor. It’s really good, and it looks cool too.

Before you leave, pick up six Hearts of Order.

Head back to the New Sheoth Palace. Before you speak to Sheogorath, put the six Hearts of Order in one of the alcoves in the throne-room – say, at the foot of the Gatekeeper’s head. They’ll come in very handy later on. Speak to Sheogorath. It won’t be long before a significant spanner is thrown in the works – Sheogorath makes the transition into Jyggalag, right before your eyes! He expands, then disappears.

You receive a journal entry:

Sheogorath has vanished before we could complete the plan to stop the forces of Order. Perhaps Haskill will know what steps we should take.

Symbols of Office

Speak to Haskill. He tells you that there still may be a way to save the Realm: to have you occupy the throne when Sheogorath storms the Palace. Yep – you’re to become the new Madgod. Though you’re not a Daedric Prince, you can achieve this by wielding the appropriate ‘Symbol of Office’ – Sheogorath’s Staff. Its power has faded, but Haskill believes it can be remade. He says there’s one being that may know how to do so.

Your journal informs you of your next step:

Before I can claim the Throne of Madness and stop the forces of Order, I must remake the Staff of Sheogorath. Haskill has advised me to seek out a remnant of the great library of Jyggalag in Knifepoint Hollow.

Make your way to the entrance of Knifepoint Hollow. On the outside it looks similar to Dunroot Barrow, which you explored earlier in the main quest. Your goal is to seek out a remnant of a great library… your quest marker seems to know more than you do. Follow it.

Your reach an Ancient Door. Activate it to place the Knifepoint Crystal in its socket and destroy it. The door crumbles, revealing a pale man, sitting on a chair of old wood. Speak to Dyus of Mytheria. He was imprisoned here by Sheogorath – thus we can assume he’s been there for an era. No wonder he looks a little under the weather. Apparently, Sheogorath prevents Dyus from dying because he doesn’t want to see the destruction of the knowledge he holds.

Dyus says he can create the physical shell of the staff, but two sacred items will be required in order to make it whole. Firstly, the staff requires the eye of one who’s witnessed that which no other has – the Eye of Ciirta. The second is a branch from the Tree of Shades, located in Milchar.

Let’s relieve Ciirta of her eye first.

The Eye of Ciirta

Ciirta is located within the Howling Halls, north-north-east of Crucible. Enter the Halls. The ancient doors will deposit you in the area called Narthex. Follow the blue line on the map below to your goal. The caves are populated by Apostles. Kill the first one you encounter, then take his robes. Put them on, equip the Apostle’s dagger, and unequip all your other armor and items. As you continue on you’ll see that the Apostles have been taking their shoes off before entering the next area. Do so too. If you encounter an Apostle while dressed in your normal stuff, they’ll attack. If you dress as an Apostle, they’ll ignore you. In a conversation I overheard, it’s hard to miss this hint. One says: “With all the new recruits, it’s hard to tell who’s who these days.” Of course, you could disregard that and kill them all – but you know I’m always a fan of the sneaky option.

"Hey dudes what's happenin'."

You can now talk to the Apostles to find out what they’re up to. You can also learn that Ciirta is their leader, and that you’ll need to speak to her if you wish to join them. Ah, sure… thanks. You can take all of the offerings lying around the place without causing the Apostles to so much as blink. Stop by the Alms Collection Chest to uh… collect some Alms, I guess. Once again, these guys don’t really mind. They seem to be quite a trusting bunch - maybe they’re blinded by all that shining mauve? Head through the ancient doors and into the Congregation Chambers.

To the left you’ll see a named Khajiiti apostle, Ra’Kheran. He has a name, therefore he must be important. Speak with him, and he offers you the opportunity to have Ciirta killed without lifting a finger against her. If you bring him three Apostle Daggers, he says, he and his followers will kill Ciirta for you. It’s up to you whether you decide to unlock Ciirta’s ‘Very Hard’ door and kill her, or do things the sneaky way. You know which one I’m going to choose, though you can do it differently.

You will have killed an Apostle in the first area of the Howling Halls, which you took the robes from. He has a knife on him if you didn’t grab it. While you’re near the Narthex I’d suggest heading back into the previous area and killing one of the two Apostles there – get him alone if possible, and take his dagger. The third knife can be found on a bedside cupboard in the Congregation Chambers area, marked A on the above map. When you’ve collected three daggers bring them back to Ka’Kheran. You receive a journal entry as he runs off to do the deed:

I’ve given Ra’Kheran the daggers that he needs to begin his revolt against Ciirta. I should follow him and retrieve Ciirta’s eye once she’s dead.

Follow Ka’Kheran to his supporters. He distributes the knives, then it’s off to finish Ciirta. The three Apostles surround her, then the battle begins. Ciirta is aided by Luminary Kaz and her summoned Hungers. You should help the Apostles defeat her to guarantee victory. Once Ciirta is dead open her inventory and take Ciirta’s Eye.

Branch of the Tree of Shades

Milchar is a bit remote. The closest main quest marker you’ll have is Dunroot Barrow, if you want to fast-travel. If you have one closer, lucky you. Milchar is entered via a large tree stump surrounded by Elytra. Once inside, head forwards. The Grove of Reflection is almost directly in front of you as you enter, accessable via a large membrane. Once inside, you’ll receive a journal entry:

I’ve arrived in the Grove of Reflection. According to Dyus, I must locate the Tree of Shades and find a way to reveal my true self before I will be allowed to take one of its branches.

Once you drop down, you won’t be able to get back up. There’s a button on the far wall that, by the looks of the map, appears to open a secret passage back into the Nexus. For now, however, an ‘unseen force holds it fast’. Save your game here, then enter the Grove of Reflection.

You’ll have a few moments to survey your surroundings before a bright trail of energy sprouts from the grove and focuses on the ground in a dark cloud. When it dissapates you’re faced with a new enemy – a shadow of yourself. Defeat it however you can. Unsurprisingly, it’s a tough battle, and the threats you face will depend on your own character’s strengths and weaknesses. When your shadow is dead, you receive a journal entry:

After I approached the Grove of Reflection, a shadowy image of myself appeared from the waters of the grove and attacked me. I defeated it, and now the Tree of Shades is beckoning me…

Activate the Tree of Shades, which is the dark mushroom-like tree at the other end of the Grove. The tree will allow you to take the ‘Screaming Branch’. You’ll receive a journal entry:

I have both items that Dyus needs to recreate the Staff of Sheogorath. I should return to Knifepoint Hollow and speak with him.

Press the button against the wall and use the teleport pad to return to Milchar’s upper level. It’s a hop skip and a jump to the exit and out into the Realm of Sheogorath. Head back to Knifepoint Hollow and bring the items to Dyus – who strangely, hasn’t moved, despite his new freedom. Ask about the ‘Staff of Sheogorath’ and Dyus will create its physical form. You receive a journal entry:

With the Staff of Sheogorath now in my possession, I should make my way to the Tree of Madness in Sheogorath’s throne room. There I can tap into the tree’s power and begin my transformation.

Head to Sheogorath’s throneroom and you’ll notice something strange – Order crystals cover the Font of Madness. Speak to Haskill about this unfortunate development to learn that if the Font of Madness remains tainted by Order the war will be lost. He believes it was Syl’s doing, as Jyggalag’s never thought of anything so inventive. You can’t make the staff whole until the taint has been removed.

The Font of Madness has been poisoned by Order! If it becomes fully Ordered, the realm is lost and Jyggalag has won. Haskill suspects that Order has somehow gained access to the Pools of Madness that nourish the Font. I need to enter the Fountainhead beneath the Tree and find the source of the poison before it is too late.

The Roots of Madness

The Fountainhead can be reached via a door in the back of the tree. Kill the Gnarl wandering the tunnels and enter the room on the right. A strange, pulsating chrysalis hangs from the roof. Activate it and the chrysalis will spawn a ‘Gnarl Cultivator’. Hold that trigger finger until your receive a journal entry:

I’ve discovered a chrysalis that generates a tame Gnarl Cultivator. Perhaps these Gnarls can help me halt the spread of Order throughout the Fountainhead.

Watch the Gnarl make its way through the previously blocked door.

I’ve witnessed a gnarl removing the Order crystals that were poisoning a door here in the Fountainhead. It seems that the tame gnarls here can halt the spread of Order throughout the dungeon. I may be able to use their help as I work my way to the Pools of Mania and Dementia.

At the locations marked 'Tainted Pool' on the map you’ll encounter Priests of Order poisoning the Font. To stop the poisoning, kill the Priest. The crystals will recede. In some cases you’ll be able to retrieve a ‘Shard of Order’ from the Priest which can be used to access tree stumps which have been covered by crystals, or to open doors which have been blocked.

You’ll find Syl within the Pool of Mania. Kill all the standard Priests of Order before taking her on, as she won’t attack until you’ve heard her diatribe. She complains for a while, even saying (in regards to Thadon) “what did he ever do to you?”. What kind of Duchess of Dementia asks a question like that? Clearly, her time amongst the forces of Order has changed her.

She’s not too hardy, though her hammer packs a punch. Dispatch Syl and you’ll receive a journal entry:

I’ve killed the Priests of Order who had cursed the Pool of Mania. The traitor, Syl, was among them. Now that I’ve cleansed both Pools that feed the Font of Madness, I should be able to imbue the Staff of Sheogorath with power.

Leave the tunnels and re-enter the throneroom. You’ll notice the Font of Madness has been removed of its taint. Activate it to place your staff in the font. Your incomplete staff will be replaced with the Staff of Sheogorath.

Not long after you’ve done this a Golden Saint will approach you – apparently, Aurmazl Zudeh needs your immediate assistance.

The End of Order

Aurmazl Zudeh enters the throneroom. Speak with her to learn that an Obelisk has opened just outside the Palace. She feels this might be a final confrontation, and that Jyggalag himself might appear before the end. In other words, congratulations, you’ve reached the last quest.

The Captain of my Palace Guard has informed me that an Obelisk has activated in the Palace courtyard! It seems that Order is launching its final attempt to take control of the Shivering Isles. I need to defeat Jyggalag and his minions once and for all.

Remember the six Hearts of Order I told you to set aside in the throneroom. Here is where they come in. Pick them up and take them with you when you head outside to commence the final battle.

An Obelisk has risen in the courtyard. Use three Hearts of Order to overload it. As you do so, another Obelisk will rise. Use the other three Hearts of Order to close that one too, dodging blows from Knights of Order while you wait until the Obelisk can take the next heart. When you overload the second Obelisk Jyggalag himself will come down from the heavens for a final battle.

He’s a tough opponent – final bosses tend to be. Remember to use everything at your disposal – potions, spells, etc. to bring him down. Rather than fighting him toe to toe, run in, make a quick attack (if your single attack is powerful, or a flurry if you rely on enchantments to do the damage) and retreat to avoid his counter-attack. Jyggalag is big, but he’s also slow. When he drops, his body will fade. His face manifests itself in bright blue light above the courtyard. He tells you what he is, and what it means that you’ve defeated him. You are the new Sheogorath, the new ruler of the Shivering Isles. A God. Your journal tells you that Haskill might know what to do with your new-found power. Before you leave, check both Obelisks for loot.

The Prince of Madness

You can find Haskill in the throneroom. He tells you that, as Lord of this land, there are a number of benefits to which you are entitled. And a number of duties to which you must attend.

Duties:

Attend to the needs of your subjects.
If you ask him about Defending the Realm, he will tell you of a threat to its inhabitants and give you the choice to send guards, or not to send guards. You must go to the location of the threat and, either with the help of the guards or not, deal with the attack. Return back to the throneroom once you’ve succeeded to receive a reward of gold.

Benefits:

You can summon entertainment to your throneroom. Asking Haskill about ‘Entertainment’ sends a woman in a dress to do a short dance before the throne.
You can affect the weather in the realm.
You receive the ‘Benefit of Sheogorath’s Protection’. Cast this upon yourself, and if your life is threatened, you will be returned to the throneroom.
The Court Healer can heal your wounds.
You can speak with either the Golden Saint or Dark Seducer escort on either side of the throne to get them to follow you and act as your bodyguard.
The Sword of Jyggalag will appear on the last pedestal behind the throne, though you may have to leave the palace and return before it appears.
And lastly, another reward – Sheogorath’s Regalia lies folded on the throne.
The Staff of Sheogorath, which paralyzes all in range, can be recharded at the Font of Madness.
All Obelisks of Order throughout the realm have been deactivated.

And that’s it, the main quest of the Shivering Isles has been completed. Take a moment to rest on your laurels, but remember – there’s still much to do. Many ruins in both Mania and Dementia, full of dangers and loot. A bevy of side-quests promising unique and considerable rewards. Or, if the Isles have grown tiresome, resume your life in Cyrodiil.

But perhaps, after spending so many weeks in the Realm of Sheogorath, it will be Cyrodiil that seems like a crazy place!

The Elder Scrolls Traveler: Issue 10

2007-05-06T13:57:00.000+10:00

A new issue will come out every Sunday (or Saturday, for those in the US).

Latest News
Some patch updates.

Game Guides
Shivering Isles Main Quest - Retaking the Fringe and Rebuilding the Gatekeeper.

Bug Fixer
Bruma Gate and the Antipodean Hammer fixes.

The Elder Scrolls Traveler is a weekly eZine (that is, online magazine) dedicated to the Elder Scrolls series of games. The eZine is created and published by Le Driver, who was previously involved in maintaining Beyond Oblivion, the old website at this address.

The aim of this site is to provide weekly updates and content relating to current or upcoming games in the Elder Scrolls series. Each issue comes out on Sunday (or Saturday, depending where you are from) and contains several regular features.

Members of the community are encouraged to contribute: articles and other content can be submitted to ledriver @ gmail dot com. Some suggestions for contributions are:

Features -- any article relating to the Elder Scrolls series, its developers, or the TES community (500 words or more).

Game Guides -- any guide for a TES game that is your own work.

Mod Reviews -- comprehensive review of a mod (250-500 words).

Bug Fixer -- any bug fix not currently on the site.

The Loremaster -- any lore-related article you have written. Some articles which help introduce aspects of lore to the general gamer would be great (500-1000 words).

LATEST NEWS

SHIVERING ISLES & OBLIVION UPDATED PC PATCHES
Bethesda have released updated patches for all language versions of Shivering Isles. Download the patches here. An Xbox 360 update for Shivering Isles is now available for download from Xbox Live. Bethesda have also released an updated patch for Oblivion for the English US version only. Read the full patch notes here and download the patch here.

GAME GUIDES

Shivering Isles Main Quest

Retaking the Fringe

Angry over Thadon’s replacement as the Duke of Mania, Syl has betrayed Sheogorath and joined with the forces of Order. According to Syl, Order has already taken the Fringe. I should travel to the Fringe and investigate her claims.

If you look at the quest marker on your map you’ll see that it points to the Gates of Madness. The fast travel locations within the Fringe have been removed. Head to the Gates and through the dark tunnel back into the Fringe.

You’ll notice immediately that all colour and life has been sucked out of the place, and grey crystals line the pathways. You’ll receive a journal entry:

I’ve arrived in the Fringe to find that it has been completely conquered by the forces of Order. Passwall may have been attacked. I should take a closer look.

As you make your way down the path to the town center, everything is quiet. The ruined tower which stands at the center of passwall, once solemn and silent, now burns with a bright flame. As you reach the town center, a skirmish begins between Golden Saints and the Knights of Order – or Dark Seducers, if you’re the Duke of Dementia. The forces you’ll work with for this quest differ depending on which side of the Isles you rule. I’ll write the walkthrough from the perspective of the Duke of Mania, because that’s how I played it. Substitute Golden Saints for Dark Seducers if you’re the Duke of Dementia, however. You can assist in the battle. Once it’s over, speak with Aurig Desha. She says that first, the Spire in the center of town sprang to life. Second, the area was leeched of energy and crystals began to sprout from the ground. Thirdly, the Knights of Order came. Aurig will also tell you that the Knights are seemingly limitless. She believes the Spire may be the key to their power, and that it may need to be disabled before your forces have any chance of emerging victorious. For now, though, the goal is simply to survive. She believes you may be able to help with that. As the Duke of Mania/Dementia, you have the right to command the forces. You can ask Aurig how this is done, delegate the responsibility to her, or take over yourself. Take over. Why? Because it’s fun! You receive a journal entry:

I’ve talked to Aurig Desha about what has happened in Passwall. Order has been attacking the town non-stop. She’s asled for my help in protecting the Passwall. I must place the Golden Saints in the best positions possible to prepare for the attack. When I am satisfied, I should speak to the Aurig.

The Golden Saints aren’t necessarily chuffed that they have a new commander. Meh to them. I found the most effective formation to assign 50% to bear axes and stand ground, 25% bow and 25% outflank with sword and shield. Make a save here. The battle itself is not that hard but it’s difficult not to accidentally hit the Golden Saints as you fight and thus turn them against you. When you’re ready to go, speak to Aurig Desha. The Knights will come in two waves. You’ll need to throw yourself into this battle. If you stay out of it, your forces may be eliminated. Once the last of the Knights has been eliminated you’ll receive a journal entry:

The force of Knights attacking Passwall have been eliminated. I should speak to Aurig Desha about the situation.

Do so. She says that she has an idea to shut down the Spire. Unless that is done, the battle will not end. Apparently, the door to the ruins of Xeddefen have been recently opened and now Knights of Order guard the entrance. The ruins run beneath the Spire. She says that if the Golden Saints assault Xeddefen, Passwall will be lost. She suggests that you go. You receive a journal entry:

The Golden Saint commander Aurig Desha has a plan to retake Passwall. I need to slip through the gate into the ruins of Xeddefen while her Golden Saints distract the knights. They will continue to hold the line at Passwall. I have to use this opportunity to slip into Xeddefen and find Order’s source of power.

Follow your quest marker to Xeddefen. A number of Knights guard the outside area of the ruins. When you kill them, take their Hearts of Order. They can be used to close Obelisks within the Realm of Sheogorath. As you proceed, dark crystals will suddenly spring up, spawning Knights of Order. The Spire is powerful indeed. Once inside, you’ll receive a journal entry telling you what to do:

I’ve made my way into the ruins of Xeddefen. I must seek out the spire’s source of power and find a way to deactivate it.

If you explored Xeddefen earlier in the game you’ll find it a very different place now. Dark crystals will break through the rock and the forces of Order pepper your path. They’ll keep regenerating as long as the Spire’s active, so it’s in your interests only to fight those that you have to. If your character has the skills, sneaking to the power source would be a good idea. Follow the route outline on the map below:

Once you reach the Great Chamber of Xedeffen you’ll receive a journal entry:

I’ve discovered the source of Order’s power – an obelisk is having its power amplified by the spire that leads to the center of Passwall. I must find a way to shut down the obelisk.

Shelden, the Redguard from Passwall, sneaks up on you. He tells you he ran to Xedeffen to escape. Felas, his friend, has joined the Knights of Order. You can tell Shelden to stay here, or ask him to come with you. I told him to stay, but he decided to try and get out on his own. Idiot. I’ll look for his corpse on the way out.

Head into the chamber with the obelisk and quickly place a Heart of Order in it. You’ll need to fight off the Knights and eventually place three hearts of order in there before the obelisk is overloaded. You’ll receive a journal entry: I’ve overloaded the obelisk and collapsed the spire. The carverns are now coming down around me and I must escape before I’m trapped.

Head back to the door exiting the Great Chamber, avoiding fallen rocks and still-surviving Knights of Order. You’ll find the door has been caved in, however, but another entry has been revealed. A door to Xedeffen, Felles. Enter it.

Once outside Xedeffen you receive a journal entry:

I’ve survived the collapsing ruins of Xeddefen. I should seek out Aurig Desha and ask her how the battle above ground went.

Head back to Passwall. If the Golden Saints are skirmishing with the Knights, help them out. When the battle is over speak to Aurig. She congradulates you, but says that your work, and hers is not yet done. You’ll receive a journal entry:

Passwall has been liberated and the forces of Order have been defeated. I should speak to Sheogorath.

Head through the Gates of Madness and return to the Palace in New Sheoth. Speak to Sheogorath. He says he has an important task for you to perform, and details it for you.

Rebuilding the Gatekeeper

Sheogorath has tasked me with rebuilding the Gatekeeper. He has given me instructions to visit the powerful sorceress named Relmyna Verenim in Xaselm to petition her assistance.

Xaselm is within walking distince of the Gates of Madness and appears just above the words ‘The Low Road’ on your map. Head into Xaselm’s outer ruins, deal with the two shambles, and enter. Your next task is to find Relmyna Verenim, who you may have spoken to when you were first trying to discover the Gatekeeper’s weaknesses long ago. The blue line marks the route you should follow to Relmyna.

Once inside the Experiment Chambers you can take a left to see a particularly nasty situation (marked V) on your map. An elven maiden is trapped in the chamber below, and a decrepit shambles walks around her in circles. Read the note ‘Hunger vs. Shambles’ on the table to get an idea of what Relmyna is up to here. You can perform her experiment yourself if you like. The button closest to the desk releases the hunger into the chamber. The findings of the experiment? The hunger wins, and kills everyone. Pressing the button second from the desk sends a shower of darts into the room to draw blood from the victim. The third button from the desk collapses the floor and sends everything in the chamber to an instant death – probably the most humane choice. I like this because it highlights the moral ambiguity in the Shivering Isles: there’s simply no way to save the girl.

Another live experiment is set up in the area marked B, which Relmyna has titled ‘Reptilian Appetite Conditioning’. You can press the button to set the reptiles on the Breton, or put him out of his misery with a ranged spell or arrow.

Once inside the follow your quest marker to Relmyna. She recognizes you as the adventurer who slew her gatekeeper. Tell her she’s mistaken. She lets it go for now, though she seems suspect, and asks on what authority you disturb her work. Choose all the responses that end in an exclamation mark, because Relmyna likes you to be nasty. She’ll send you on an errand to retrieve the components needed to restore the Gatekeeper: Blood Liqueur, Osseous Marrow, Dermis Membrane, and the Essense of Breath. They’re located within the Gardens of Flesh and bone. You may have been there before to retrieve the bones of a dead Gatekeeper, but at that point you couldn’t get inside. Relmyna gives you a key that will allow you to enter, and to exit Xaselm from this area, rather than backtracking through a number of sections.

Here you’re given an opportunity to end the suffering or Relmyna’s victims. Talk about ‘Victims’ and insist she stops torturing them: offer to suffer in their place if she lets them go. She’ll cast a spell which will knock you down, but it doesn’t seem to hurt as much as she thought it would. She’ll cease experimenting on the test subjects. If you want to claim a bonus, you can talk to Relmyna about ‘Exalted Pain’, and she’ll give you the Manacles of Pain, which bear Drain Endurance, Fortify Strength, Fortify Willpower and Drain Intelligence enchantments. A nice roleplaying item for an evil character, or something to sell: the set she gave me was worth 1500 septims.

Your journal entry tells you what you must do next:

Relmyna has asked me to enter the depths of the Gardens of Flesh and Bone, and retrieve some mystical components needed for the ceremony to create the new Gatekeeper. I am to return with Blood Liqueur, Osseous Marrow, Dermis Membrane, and the Essence of Breath. She has given me a key that I can use to get into the Gardens and directly to her Sanctum when I return.

Head back to the Gates of Madness and back into the Fringe. The Gardens of Flesh and Bone are marked on your map. Head into the outer grounds and then use your key to unlock the ancient doors and enter. Here is the route you should follow to claim all the items.

The Caverns of Susseration overlap too much for my blue line to make any sense. But it's a maze - and how do you solve all mazes? You follow the right-hand wall. If you stick to the right, you'll eventually find your way to the Essence of Breath, though you might end up doubling back on your tracks a bit. It's a good way to explore, though, without getting lost. You'll also find the exit into the Natatorium as well.

On the map of the Natatorium you start at the door marked 'Caverns of Susseration'. Head to the Blood Liqueur and then north to the door back into the Gardens of Flesh and Bone.

I now have all of the items required by Relmyna Verenim. I should return to her.

Head back through the Gates of Madness and return to the Secret Entrance to Xaselm marked on your map. Re-enter the Sanctum of Vivisection and talk to Relmyna. She says that now you have all the components, all that remains is to choose the bodyparts. Talk to her about ‘Bodyparts’ and you’ll receive a journal entry:

Relmyna has instructed me to choose the body parts with which we will create the new Gatekeeper. I am to pick out a head, a torso, a heart, a right arm, a left arm, and legs. I should speak with her when I am finished.

Your quest markers lead you down to where Relmyna keeps the body parts she has cultivated. For each part you are given two or three choices. The property of each part is summarized in the name, and certain parts differ in appearance. The parts you choose don’t have any real effect, though you might want to go for the coolest looking bits, as the Gatekeeper will be made in the image you choose. When you’ve chosen one of each type of part, head back to Relmyna. Your next destination is the statue of Sheogorath in the Fringe – where the previous Gatekeeper used to dwell. Make your way to the Gates of Madness and proceed into the Fringe.

Once near the statue of Sheogorath, speak to Relmyna. She instructs you to place the Gatekeepers body parts in the Cistern of Substantiation. Activate the magical pool and the body parts will be thrown in. Watch Relmyna speak for a bit, until she asks you to place the Dermis Membrane into the Cistern. Activate the Cistern again to place the Dermis Membrane inside. Next she asks you to place the Blood Liqueur into the Cistern, then the Osseous Marrow, then the Essence of Breath. Relmyna then summons a Flesh Atronach to the Cistern. Soon after the new Gatekeeper will be created in a vortex of blue energy. Mine looked like this:

Wait around a few moments and a troupe of Knights of Order will attack. The Gatekeeper repulses them with ease. This should keep the Isles safe for a while.

Return to Sheogorath to complete the quest.

BUG FIXER

Please submit unsolved bugs or bug fixes to ledriver @ gmail dot com.
Unsolved bugs should be submitted in this format:

Quest name:
Description of bug:
Platform (PC or XBOX360?):
Have you downloaded the latest patch?:
Have you tried anything so far to fix it?:

Here's a fix for a problem with the Bruma Gate quest:

The Great Gate
After activating the Sigil Stone at the Bruma Gate my character is not transported back to Bruma. Instead, I'm stuck in the gate world.

Solution: If you make your way down the tower and back to the way you entered (through the Oblivion gate) the main quest will proceed as normal. Because you've technically closed this gate, you can really get away with opening the console with ~ and typing TCL (if you're on PC). This removes all the material barriers in the world allowing you to move through the air and through objects, and it'll be the quickest and safest way to leave the Bruma gate.

The Antipodean Hammer
When you character talks to the Armor in Bliss her respons only with "It's time to get down to business," and the conversation ends.

Solution: Download the latest SI patch.

The Elder Scrolls Traveler: Issue 9

2007-04-29T09:53:00.000+10:00

A new issue will come out every Sunday (or Saturday, for those in the US).

Latest News
Reviews, reviews, reviews... and that's it, really.

Game Guides
Shivering Isles Main Quest
The Cold Flame of Agnon
- Maps of Cylarne
- Mazken vs. Aureals
- Aureals vs. Mazken
- Retrieving the Flame
Ritual of Accession
- The Ritual of Dementia
- The Ritual of Mania

Bug Fixer
Send them in!

I'm only able to do game guides at the moment. Quest in the Shivering Isles are more complex than those in Oblivion and I've also resolved to write longer, more detailed walkthroughs. When the quest walkthroughs are finished, however, you'll see a lot more of the old TES Traveler content return.

LATEST NEWS

Well, the gaming media can't stop talking about Oblivion and the Shivering Isles. But then again, neither can I. This site is evidence of that.

New SI reviews @ GameShark, GamesRadar, Just RPG, Gaming Nexus, Pro-G, Strategy Informer, The New York Times.

New Oblivion PS3 reviews @ GamePro, Animetique, GameShark, GameVortex.

And for those of you who are interested in Bethesda's other First Person RPG pursuits, there's a new Fallout 3 site on the scene. It's called the Fallout 3 Survival Kit and it's run by some girl with a wierd name. Le... Le Driver? Wierd.

Screenshot of the Week - Charlie's Angels

GAME GUIDES

Shivering Isles Main Quest

The Cold Flame of Agnon

Talk to Sheogorath.

S: “Now, to the reason for your being here, and the likely cause of your death.”
PC: “What do you mean?”
S: “You’ll be stopping the Greymarch. Altering the course of events, breaking the cycle. A fly in the ointment, a new cause for a different effect. We’re going to change things. No! Things will be different this time around . You’ll be my champion. You’ll grow powerful. You’ll grow to be… Me! A new prince of Madness. A new Sheogorath. Or you’ll die trying.”

If you ask why Sheogorath has picked you, he’ll give a vague, amusing answer, ending in a threat. This is Oblivionish for: you're the player character. Duh!

Then, to the most important question: “How can I be a Daedric Prince?”
S: “A fair question. You won’t, really. At least I don’t think so. But you’ll have power. My power. Try not to lose it, it’s a pain to replace. For all intents and purposes, you’ll be a me. A me to fight the him. Because I won’t be around. It’s simple really, if you don’t think about it.”
PC: "Where will you be?”
S: “Not here. Didn’t I say that? I’m never here when Juggalag walks. It’s one of the rules. I’ve told you too much for now. Listen to me prattle on. I can see your mortal brain straining. We’ll talk more later.”
PC: “What’s next?”
S: "Now... You’ve seen the Great torch that burns brightly over New Sheoth. No? Because it doesn’t! But it should!” Etc. He reminds you to make use of Haskill.

Sheogorath wants me to relight the Great Torch of New Sheoth. I need to go to the ruins of Cylarne, kindle the Flame of Agnon there, and return with its holy fire. Sheogorath warned me that the Golden Saints and Dark Seducers who guard the shrine often fight each other, so I should proceed cautiously.

The ruins of Cylarne are located just beneath where it says The Isle of Flame on the map. A path leads there from Overlook road. Once there, mind the Knights of Order Obelisk out the front. Getting close enough that the Obelisk will start spawning Knights is not a good idea at this point in the game.

Once inside Cylarne’s walls you’ll enter a pristine courtyard with two gates. The gate on your left is guarded by a Dark Seducer, Vika. The gate on your right is guarded by a Golden Saint, Chuna. Both gates are locked. Talking to Vika, the Dark Seducer, will yield a hostile response. She asks you to state your business at Cylarne. If you answer that you are here on Sheogorath’s business you’ll be given the Master Key to Cylarne – allowing you to enter and to open any door. Tell her you need to light the Flame of Agnon and you’ll be hit with a few strange words: Aureals, Grakedrig Ulfri… Your journal clears it up a little.

I should speak to Ulfri, the Dark Seducer commander, about kindling the Flame of Agnon.

But wait a moment: you may not want the help of the Dark Seducers with this quest. Speak to Chuna and you will have essentially the same conversation, with a few words switched around. You’ll receive a similar journal entry:

I should speak to Kaneh, the Golden Saint commander, about kindling the Flame of Agnon.

If you walk into the area where the Golden Saints are gathering together, you can overhear a conversation between the lieutenant, Mirel, and the Golden Saint commander. You receive this journal entry:

I overheard two Golden Saint officers arguing about the best way to attack the Dark Seducers. The lieutenant, Mirel, mentioned something about the Underdeep, a secret side passage leading to the Dark Seducer altar. I should find out more about this passage from Mirel.

This clears things up a bit. It seems the Flame of Agnon must be lit from two points – one is currently controlled by the Dark Seducers, the other by the Golden Saints. Both sides want to light the flame and claim the bounty for themselves, hence the impending battle. You will have to choose which side you want to join with in order to defeat the other. Before you make your choice, you might want to suss out the Dark Seducer camp.

Head through the gate which is guarded by Vika, through the ancient door and into what I'll call the Dark Seducer HQ. Continue through the door, through the chamber attended by a Dark Seducer, and past the two urns. A soldier named Stela will come through the door and challenge your presence, asking what you are doing inside Cylarne. You’ll receive several options to respond – but remember that both the Dark Seducers and Golden Saints respond to the word ‘Sheogorath’ like a dog responds to the word ‘walkies’. Drop the Prince of Madness’ name and Stela is all of a sudden at your service.

You can speak to her on a number of topics. Exhaust them all to get a better overview of the situation. The Altar of Rapture is held by the Aureals – the ‘so-called Golden Saints’. The Altar of Despair is held by the Mazken – the Dark Seducers. The holy flame can only be lit from both altars. Here you get to make a choice. Which side of madness do you prefer, Mania or Dementia? Will you work with the Golden Saints, or the Dark Seducers?

This quest plays out differently depending on who you choose, so I will write a walkthrough for both choices. The side you pick doesn't mean you are aligned with that side for the rest of the main quest, however. It would be a good idea to make a new save here, in case you want to change your mind later on, or replay the quest supporting a different side after you complete it the first time. Which side you pick is really a matter of your character’s personal preference. Do the words paranoia, chaos, pain, torment and fear bring him/her pleasure, or does she/he prefer mania, euphoria, wierdness, eccentricity and hedonism? The distinction is not so clear as good and evil.

Maps to help you out

I want to help the Dark Seducers (Mazken) defeat the Golden Saints

This quest is quite open ended. You can fight the Golden Saints in two ways:

Wait until they attack and defend against the attack.
Lead them into an ambush.

This walkthrough will detail the second option – the sneakiest one. You’re welcome to try the first if you find it more appealing, though.

Head onwards into the next large chamber in the Dark Seducer HQ. You’ll receive a journal entry with some important tactical information if you were to fight against the Mazken. But you’re fighting for them, so you can instead take that as a cue to turn up the stairs on your right and enter the chamber where Grakedrig Ulfri is hanging out. She challenges your presence within the Dark Seducer HQ. Tell here you’re here to light the Flame of Agnon, and she’ll say you’ve arrived just in time to help defend the Altar of Despair. Keep talking with her and eventually she’ll ask whether you want to defend the Altar, lead the Saints into an ambush, talk to the Saints first, or not get involved. You can pick either of the first two, but this walkthrough will explicitly cover option two: lead the Saints into an ambush. It just sounds so much more wonderfully malicious, doesn’t it?

Tell Grakedrig Ulfri your intentions. She’s startled that the Golden Saint commander, Kaneh, was audacious enough to plan an attack via the Underdeep. You’re going to use their plan against them, however. Under the guise of aiding the Aureals you’ll lead them through the Underdeep where a deployment of Dark Seducers lay in wait. Betrayal is something Dementia’s residents and sympathisers do well.

Ulfri rushes off to issue the new orders. You’re instructed to return to Kaneh and set things in motion. Head back to the assembly of Golden Saints and speak to Aurmazl Kaneh. Drop the ‘S’ word and all hostilities will be swept aside. Talk battle plans, and ask “What about the Underdeep?”. Wisely, she’s not too fond of the idea, and seems to have anticipated a surprise attack. Apprach the ‘battle plans’ topic again and insist the Underdeep is used (“I’ll help, but use the Underdeep”). She asks why she should be persuaded by you when her own lieutenant failed to change her mind. Reply: “The Underdeep is undefended. [Lie]”. She asks if you’ve seen this with your own eyes, as she must be sure this isn’t a trap. Allay her fears: “It isn’t a trap. [Lie]”. She’s convinced. That wasn’t very hard, was it? You’ve now locked in place the tactically soundest battle, though it won’t be a walk in the park.

Aurmazl Kaneh orders her Golden Saints into action. You should save, as the battle ahead is quite tough. They proceed through the Underdeep door at a run. Follow them closely until they reach a watery area. The ambush is sprung, replete with dart traps and ranged attacks. At this point, the Golden Saints will turn on you, realizing your betrayal. Fight alongside the Dark Seducers, staying within the first watery chamber until all the Mazken there have been defeated, or until the Golden Saints move on. As long as the Saints are distracted by Mazken opponents they should not pay you too much attention, allowing you to throw in a few spells, slashes or bludgeons without taking too much damage in return.

The next area contains a falling rock trap, so be careful to avoid it. There are a few more Dark Seducers to provide backup up the stairs. Keep in mind that this battle is losable – there are a finite number of Dark Seducers and you do not want to be left to take on several Golden Saints at once on your own. Once Kaneh has fallen you’ll receive a journal entry telling you to finish off the rest of the Golden Saints. When they’ve all been defeated you receive a journal entry:

The Golden Saints in Cylarne have been utterly destroyed. I should speak to Ulfri about lighting the Flame of Agnon now that her forces control both of the altars.

Your quest marker will point you in the direction of the Mazken commander. She tells you that she’s already ordered the Altar of Rapture lit, and that it is her honor to sacrifice herself on the Altar of Despair. Say what? The altars can be kindled only by the willing death of an immortal. But don’t worry – she’s actually quite overjoyed to have that opportunity.

Make your way to the Altar of Despair, or follow Ulfri there. She kneels to pray at the altar, surrounded by loyal followers, and is consumed by a firestorm of green flame. You receive a journal entry:

Ulfri sacrificed herself on the Altar of Despair in order to light the Flame of Agnon. I can now retrieve the Flame from the courtyard and bring it back to New Sheoth as Sheogorath commanded.

Before you leave, you might want to try walking your character into the flame and going into vanity view. It doesn’t hurt your character, and it looks cool. Fodder for a few screenshots, at least…

Another thing to do before you head off is to speak with one of the praying Dark Seducers. She says that they will toast your name at Pinnacle Rock. Ask her about that location and you’ll learn that it’s the main Dark Seducer base in the Shivering Isles. Probably an interesting visit – though perhaps we’ll end up going there as part of a quest, anyway. You’ll receive a map marker for Pinnacle Rock.

Oh, wait, another thing for you to do before you leave. See all those urns around the altar? You can find a few goodies among the ashen remains. Skip down to the next section of the walkthrough, where the outcome is the same for players who supported the Mazken or the Aureals.

I want to help the Gold Saints (Aureals) defeat the Dark Seducers

This quest can be completed in several ways:

Attack the Dark Seducers by blazing through their HQ. This is the hardest option.
Attack via the Underdeep, surprising the Dark Seducers.
Alert the Dark Seducers of the Golden Saints’ plans to attack via the Underdeep. Have them relocate their defensive forces to the Underdeep, then attack via the Dark Seducers HQ where the Altar of Despair lies, relatively undefended.

Option two, attack via the Underdeep, surprising the Dark Seducers, is tactically your best bet. Nothing’s to stop you trying the others, and they all lead to a battle to exterminate the Dark Seducer forces – only the location is different. But we'll cover option two in this guide.

At this point you’re already inside the Dark Seducer HQ, so why not do some scouting? Continue onwards to where Stela said Ulfri would be. You’ll receive a journal entry as you walk through the well-defended halls:

The main passage leading to the Altar of Despair is strongly defended by the Dark Seducers. I should scout the Underdeep to see if it might provide an easier attack route.

Head up the stairs on your right and you’ll be confronted by the Grakedrig Ulfri. She challenges your presence within the Dark Seducer HQ. Tell here you’re here to light the Flame of Agnon, and she’ll say you’ve arrived just in time to help defend the Altar of Despair. You can keep talking with her, though eventually she’ll ask whether you want to defend the altar, lead the Saints into an ambush, let you talk to the Saints first, or not get involved. If you’re still planning to help the Saints, pick either of the last two options and be on your way. Head back to Kaneh where the Golden Saints are assembling for attack.

You’ll find Aurmazl Kaneh praying at the Altar of Rapture. She challenges you, but drop the ‘S’ word and her hostility will be swept aside. Ask about the Flame of Agnon, then about Battle plans. Tell her you’ll scout the Dark Seducer position – she won’t accept your recommendation of the Underdeep unless you can assure her it’s secure. Offer to scout it and she instructs you to return at once when you have their deployments.

Because you’ve already visited the main section of the Dark Seducer’s base you’ve already completed one half of your task. Head into the Underkeep and follow your quest marker until you reach the heart of the Underdeep. You're given a journal entry:

The Dark Seducers are defending the main passage to the Altar of Despair in strength. The Underdeep, by contrast, appears to be only lightly defended. This information might convince Kaneh to attack through the Underdeep.

Make your way out of the Underdeep and back to Kaneh. Talk about battle plans again and agree to help the Golden Saints, but tell Kaneh to use the Underdeep. When she questions your suggestion, tell her that the Underdeep is lightly defended, and that you’ve seen this with your own eyes. Kaneh draws her sword and orders the troops onwards, and through the door to the Underdeep.

While traveling through the Underdeep you’ll encounter only meagre resistance. Stick close to the Golden Saints and you probably won’t have to lift a finger. Head into the Altar of Despair where the real battle begins.

Stick close to the Golden Saints. This means that the Dark Seducers will be more likely to focus their attacks on them than you. Throughout the course of the battle you’ll receive a journal entry telling you that the Dark Seducers’ commander has been killed, and to finish off the rest of her fighters to win the battle. Once the last Dark Seducer is dead you’ll receive a journal entry:

The Dark Seducers in Cylarne have been utterly destroyed. I should speak to Kaneh about lighting the Flame of Agnon now that her forces control both of the altars.

Your quest marker will lead you to her. Kaneh says that she has selected a sacrifice for the Altar of Despair: herself.

She is overjoyed at the opportunity to die in such a manner. She walks on to the altar and is consumed with brilliant flame. You receive a journal entry:

Kaneh sacrificed herself on the Altar of Despair in order to light the Flame of Agnon. I can now retrieve the Flame from the courtyard and bring it back to New Sheoth as Sheogorath commanded.

You should stop to loot the bodies of the Mazken and Aureals. Both have some cool weapons and shields you can claim.

At this point, the quest outcome becomes the same

Head out into the courtyard. The Flames of Agnon are hard to miss. Walk into the flames and you’ll receive the Flame of Agnon ability. Step out and you’ll receive a journal entry:

I stepped into the Flame of Agnon and am now ablaze with the holy fire. I should return to New Sheoth and light the Great Torch in the Sacellum Arden-Sul.

It’d be quite tempting to ignore the demands of the quest and go adventuring across Cyrodiil and the Isles all ablaze. It would certainly add something to your character’s legend! You’ll find the flames tend to obscure your vision quite a bit, though, and it might be best to spend a little time in vanity mode and then get yourself together. Fast travel back Crucible in New Sheoth and follow your map marker to a door leading to the Sacellum Arden-Sul.

Once inside you’ll be approached by a robed man named Dervenin. He encourages you to light the Great Torch on the Mania side, thus becoming a hero to the people of Bliss.

Tell him you’re leaning towards Dementia… and he’ll try to tempt you with the promise of a more ‘earthly reward’: the Raiment of Arden-Sul. Answer that you’ll think about it and see what kind of ‘earthly reward’ Dementia has to offer by speaking to Arctus, dressed in blue robes. He’ll exhort you to light the Torch for Dementia. You should tell him that you’re leaning towards Mania, to prompt an offer of a more material award: the Ring of Intrigue – a boon for those who would gain access to hidden knowledge.

The Raiment of Arden-Sul is a blue and gold outfit which bears Fortify Intelligence, Shield, Resist Paralysis and Fortify Willpower enchantments.

The Raiment of Intrigue is a black outfit which bears Fortify Speed, Fortify Security, Fortify Sneak and Fortify Luck enchantments.

If you decide to light the Torch on the Dementia side (the left) walk into the shallow bowl on the left and it will become ignited, and in so doing, close off the shallow bowl on the Mania side. Speak with Arctus to receive the Raiment of Intrigue.

If you decide to light the Torch on the Mania side (the right) walk into the shallow bowl on the right and it will become ignited, and in so doing, close off the shallow bowl on the Dementia side. Speak with Dervenin to receive the Raiment of Arden-Sul.

When you’ve made your choice and collected your reward, you might notice that the Sacellum of Arden-Sul is now populated by one extra body: Sheogorath. He sits on a pew, drumming his fingers on the handle of his cane.

The Ritual of Accession

Sheogorath: “Aren’t you off to a good start. That’s important: for me. Really – your work is going to save me a lot of time.”
PC: “Save you time?”
S: “The Greymarch is upon us, and the Ordering begins. Armies of Order sweep my realm. Death, destruction! Then I have to pick up the pieces. And there are always lots of pieces. I don’t like it, having to rebuild my realm every era. Sometimes I forget where things go, like New Sheoth. I can never remember where it goes! You’ll change that, break the cycle. And then I’ll have my realm to come back to. I’ve never actually tried that before…”
PC: “I can stop the Greymarch?”
S: “Why not? Something has to work. Once, I dug a pit, and filled it with clouds. Or was it clowns? It doesn’t matter, it didn’t slow ‘em down. To be honest it wasn’t the best idea. And it really began to smell! Must have been clowns. Clouds don’t smell bad – they taste of butter, and tears. Bit this is all new! A fresh idea – something I hadn’t thought of, until I did! It’s sure to work. Even though it might not.”
PC: “What now?”
S: “Now? You’ll need the respect of my citizens. They’ll need a leader – someone to look up to when I’m gone. They’re the backbone of any great land. Except where the backbone is an actual backbone. Have you ever been to Malacath’s realm?... You’ll need to control one of the Courts of Madness. Replace a current Duke, or a Duchess. Whichever. That will command respect. The people will rally around you. Their love, their admiration, their complaints, whatever. As long as it keeps them on our side.”
PC: “Won’t the Dukes be displeased?”
PC: “No. No, no, no. Absolutely not. Well…. Yes. Absolutely. Bit of a shame for them. But sometimes you need to break a few eggs, or skulls. There are rules… even in the Isles.” He continues for a bit, and you get a journal entry:

I’ve been directed by Sheogorath to become the sovereign of Mania or Dementia. He’s suggested I speak to Arctus, High Priest of Dementia or Dervenin, High Priest of Mania at the Sacellum Arden-Sul here in New Sheoth to learn more.

Speak with Dervenin and ask him about replacing a Duke. Even if you’re not planning on choosing to become Duke of Mania, it’s a good idea to see what both sides have to offer. He says that Arden-Sul was the Shivering Isles’ greatest duke, and is celebrated with the Ritual of Accession – the path to Maniac Bliss. You can ask him about the history if you like – particularly if you want to hear Dervenin say the word ‘sex’. Teehee, Bethesda, you’re naauughty. Ask him what to do, and you’ll receive a journal entry:

I’ve spoken to Dervenin, High Priest of Mania. The Ritual of Accession for Mania requires the current ruler to commit suicide by taking three doses of Greemote, which is lethal. Then his drug-tainted blod must be brought to the Altar of Arden-Sul at the Sacellum. I should now speak to Arctus to learn of Dementia’s ritual.

Speak to Arctus and ask him about the Ritual of Accession. You can ask him about the history and learn that Dementia teaching has a very different take on the events of that night. Ask him what to do, and you’ll receive a journal entry.

I’ve spoken with Arctus, High Priest of Dementia. The Ritual of Accession for Dementia is simply; Syl would have to be slain by the proposed successor, and her heart brought to the Altar of Arden-Sul at the Sacellum. After I decide which ritual to undertake, I should return to Sheogorath and inform him of my choice.

This choice is quite a powerful one. I’ll write a walkthrough for both decisions: the decision to claim the rule Mania, or the decision to claim the rule of Dementia. If you want to know which one will yield the greatest rewards, then you can read through both walkthroughs. If you simply wish to choose the one that most suits your character, read only that one. I’ll do Dementia first.

Ritual of Dementia

Speak to Sheogorath about ‘Decision’. He’ll remind you that once you've chosen which Duke you want to replace, there’s no going back. The choice is indeed final. Tell him that you choose Syl, Duchess of Dementia. You receive a journal entry:

To learn more about Syl’s routine, I should begin by asking around New Sheoth about Syl to determine the best way to get close enough to kill her.

It might be worth starting with the person who not too long ago was also trying to kill Syl: Anya Herrick. Find her within the Palace or wandering around the Palace Grounds and ask her about Syl. She’ll tell you that she fears Sheogorath wants her replaced, and is thus keeping out of sight. Talk to Anya about ‘Replaced’. Apparently, she’s yet to be bested in any combat… but – before going on, she stops herself. This is Oblivionish for “You have to play the Speechcraft mini-game/chore now.” Raise her disposition to 60 or higher, and her tune changes. Ask her how you can get close to Syl. She says she can distract at least two guards, and get them to leave her wing of the palace. You’ll receive a journal entry:

I’ve informed Anya Herrick of my plans to replace Syl. She seems somewhat hesitant, but claims she will create a distraction and rid the interior of the Dementia wing of the Palace of its Elite Dark Seducers. I should now attempt to speak with Kithlan.

You can probably find him wandering around the Palace Grounds. Understandably, he’s a little peeved about the whole previous torturing thing. His disposition, for me, was 3! Ask him about Replacing Syl and he’ll shoot you down. Once again, let’s do some persuading. A lot, in my case!

Raise his disposition, like Anya’s, to 60 or above. He’s now at your service. Ask him whether he can get you close to Syl. He’ll give you a key which unlocks any door in her wing of the palace. You receive a journal entry:

I’ve informed Kithlan of my plans to replace Syl. He seems eager to help, and has provided me with a key to the Dementia wing of the Palace. I should now infiltrate Syl’s wing of the Palace, and end the Duchess of Dementia’s life.

You’ll need to head into Syl’s Throneroom, then use your newly acquired key to unlock the door to her ‘Private Gardens’. I was attacked by two Dark Seducers there. It seems like Anya hasn’t done such a good job! They’re not too difficult to deal with. At the east end of the gardens is a door to the Duchess’ Quarters. Once inside, you’ll receive a journal entry:

I’ve entered Syl’s Private Chambers. I now need to locate Syl herself and put an end to her reign as Duke of Dementia.

Head inside and you’ll see your new friend, Anya Herrick. You can talk to her, though she’s not happy about it. She says she’s done what you asked – now get on with it. Head onwards towards Syl’s bed where a sleeping figure lies. Except, the figure is not sleeping – she’s dead. The figure is also not Syl, but, as the newly arrived Kithlan informs you, one of the many decoys she uses to throw would-be killers off her trail. She’s escaped via the tunnel entrance in her Private Garden. Worse, Kithlan believes her escape may be a way to lure you into an ambush.

As tempting as it might be, hold off stripping her quarters of loot until after you’ve finished the quest and Syl is dead. You can then take everything without it being considered theft.

Head back into Syl’s Private Gardens and follow your quest marker to a Bust of Sheogorath. Activate it to reveal a ladder down to Xirethard.

If Xirethard is designed as an emergency escape route for Syl, you can expect a lot of traps and other dangers have been installed to throw of would-be persuers. I took screenshots of the whole dungeon in order to make a map, but Fraps didn't save them, so I'll try to describe things verbally.

The first trap you'll encounter consists of a network of corridors containing statues which fire Drain Health spells in a continuous stream. This looks more dangerous than it is. As long as you stick against the walls and take the most direct route possible you should be fine. Even if you do get hit, the damage is minimal.

The next area contains a different kind of test: Dark Seducers. If you have ranged attacks, fire a spell/arrow up at the Mazken on the bridge. When they counter-attack, use the sides of the doorframe as cover. You can dispatch them quickly this way. If you lack ranged firepower, however, they are manageable in direct combat too.

The next area is a suspicious looking chamber with no apparent exits. Walk about half way through the room and the walls will slide apart at several points, revealing three Dark Seducers which quickly leap in to attack. Follow the long corridor onwards until you reach a door to the depths of Xirethard.

Once inside the depths you enter a chamber containing two Dark Seducers. Chairs and tables have been piled up to create a barrier against your approach. Furniture has also been piled up against the door, blocking your entry. Examine the room and you’ll notice a switch on the side of one of the statues (on the northern side of the room, near the urn). Press it, and the wall at the back of the alcove slides sideways, revealing another passage.

Follow the passage onwards until you hit another switch and wall. This secret doorway opens into the room Syl blocked access to. You’re on the right track.

The next area is a long corridor. As you proceed down it, two Dark Seducers will approach to stop your progress. Deal with them and continue.

A Dark Seducer guards the stairs in the next ruined chamber. Deal with her. Your quest marker indicates that what you want is through the big metal door. Open it, and you’ll see Syl in the distance – armed and ready. You can fire from afar, or approach. Either way, battle begins. Your foes? Syl and two Dark Seducers. She doesn’t seem too much more difficult than a Dark Seducer, though her weapon packs a nasty punch. Kill Syl first, then deal with the Dark Seducers. You might want to withdraw into the ruined chamber, and use the natural obstacles to give you opportunities for ranged attacks on your persuers. When Syl falls you receive a journal entry:

I’ve slain Syl. I should now remove her heart.

Activate Syl’s body as you would any other corpse when searching it and you can remove Syl’s heart. Your journal tells you to make your way back to the Altar of Arden-Sul at the Sacellum.

If you want, you can explore the Subterrane before you leave. Be warned though: you’ll face worse than Dark Seducers down there. You will also find some awesome loot! Be sure to search every nook and cranny, and you'll find a Dark Chest of Wonders.

When you’ve finished dungeoneering, head back to the Sacellum. Activate the Altar of Arden-Sul to place Syl’s heart upon it. The heart is consumed by the holy flame of Arden’s will, and the Ritual of Dementia is complete. Arctus approaches to congratulate you and address you by your new title: Duchess/Duke of Dementia. Speak to Sheogorath, though he’s interrupted before he can say much. Interrupted by Thadon, Duke of Mania, flanked by two Dark Seducers. They exchange harsh words, and you receive a journal entry:

After informing Sheogorath of my victory, Thadon, the Duke of Mania, became furious. Before he departed the Sacellum he threatened that we hadn’t heard the last of him. I should speak with Sheogorath about the next step in his plan.

He didn’t just threaten that we’d not seen the last of him – he said he was going to fight for Juggalag. Talk to Sheogorath, and he’ll acknowledge what you’re thinking: why the hell did ‘ya let him go?! Apparently, he did so because this has never happened before, and he’s curious to see the results. You now have the ability to summon Dark Seducers, and you also receive the Ring of Lordship. To counterbalance this you receive some bad news: the Greymarch has swept the Fringe. Sheogorath's armies are already there, but he orders you to see what you can do to help.

The Ring of Lordship holds Fortify Endurance, Resist Poison and Chameleon enchantments. It also makes you a little bit see through (because of the Chameleon effect) which is quite cool. Another perk which is not mentioned is that you now have free access to the Private Gardens and the Duchess’ Quarters in the House of Dementia – and you’re free to make the Duchess’ Quarters your own (and take all the cool stuff inside without it being seen as stealing). You’ll have to find something to do with that pesky body on the bed, though…

[Insert off-color joke here involving Falanu Hlaalu of All Things Alchemical in Skingrad]

The Ritual of Mania

Speak to Sheogorath about ‘Decision’. He’ll remind you that once you choose which Duke you want to replace, there’s no going back. The choice is indeed final. Tell him that you choose Thadon, Duke of Mania. He calls it a safer choice, saying: you might survive this one. You receive a journal entry:

I should begin asking around New Sheoth about Thadon’s court and learn the best way to get him to overdose on Greemote without his knowledge.

It make sense to start with the one closest to him. Head to the House of Mania and speak with Wide-Eye. She adores Thadon, and lists Greenmote as one of his (and her) primary pleasures – one she’d indulge in more often if she didn’t have such a demanding routine. Ask about her ‘Daily Routine’. She’s unwilling to tell you specifics – but the topic’s still highlighted gold. Bump her disposition up to 60 to learn that after a bit of reading in the garden and after running her ‘special’ errand at noon she goes shopping, then returns back at 8p.m. for dinner. Gundlar laces Thadon’s meal with just a hint of Greenmote, she says. Ask about Greenmote to learn what it is and that it is kept in the Greenmote Silo. Only a select few know the Silo’s location, but that select few are sworn to secrecy. You receive a journal entry:

Wide-Eye has described to me a bit of her routine. I’ll need to find where she gets Greenmote from and obtain some without being discovered. Wide-Eye mentions she does a “special errand” at noon every day. I should follow her and see where she goes.

At 11:30a.m. on any given day you can find Wide-Eye reading in the Halcyon Conservatory located within the House of Mania, near where Thadon paints. At 12 sharp she heads back into Thadon’s throneroom and out into the Palace Grounds, then descends the stairs and turns into the northern garden, walking across it to what appears to be a rather unremarkable alcove. Your journal instructs you to watch what she does from your current vantage point. She activates a statue and it turns once and drops away to reveal a ladder leading underground. You receive a journal entry:

I’ve observed Wide-Eye activating the secret entrance to the Greenmote Silo. I need to get inside and procure two extra doses of the drug without getting caught.

This is tricky. If you played Morrowind, you’ll remember the quest inside that floating prison in Vivec, where you had to sneak around without any of the Golden Saints seeing you. Well, guess what – now you have to sneak around without any of the Golden Saints seeing you… again! Those of you who completed the Thieve’s Guild or Dark Brotherhood quests will enjoy this. Those of you with characters handicapped by a poor sneak skill would be advised to save often and in a number of slots. Once you cross a brightly lit room without being detected, shove yourself up against a shadowy wall and make a new save. Proceeding slowly and carefully you can make it through, even if your sneak skill is modest. I've recommended the easiest route on the map below.

Whichever way you do it, you’ll eventually make your way to a huge pile of Greenmote. Activate it to grab a few doses. You’ll receive a journal entry:

I’ve obtained two doses of Greenmote. Inow need to sneak into Thadon’s kitchen sometime before eight o’clock and attempt to slip an extra dose into his evening meal and his wine without being seen – or otherwise try again tomorrow night. Gundlar prepares the meal in the morning, so I’ll have to wait until the afternoon to poison his food.

Head to the Halcyon Conservatory’s eastern end. There you’ll find the locked door to the Duke’s Quarters. Wait until the patrolling Golden Saints are out of sight and sneak as you unlock the door. Once inside, you’re up for some more tricky sneaking. Save often, and in different slots. Your objective is to reach the back room containing Thadon’s Wine and Thadon’s meal. Here’s how I did it.

Save in a new slot once inside the door (1), then wait until the Aureal have their backs turned to you and sneak to your left and into the shadowy alcove behind the first statue (2). Make a new save. Wait until the Aureal have their backs turned again and sneak around into the next alcove (3). New save. From there, stick against the wall to the left and jump on top of the barrels. Jump across all three, while sneaking, and drop down into the shadowy area behind the stacked crates and barrels (4). Wait once again until the Aureal have their backs turned and sneak down the passage into the room with Thadon’s Meal and Wine in it. Wait while sneaking in the shadowy area on the opposite wall of the room, next to the pillar (5), until the Aureal enters the room and turns around. When she’s turned around, activate Thadon’s meal on the table to put the Greenmote in it, and in Thadon's Wine (on the second shelf of the wine cabinet) to put Greenmote in that too. You’ll receive a journal entry:

I’ve slipped an extra dose of Greemnote into Thadon’s meal and Thadon’s wine. I should proceed to the dining area at eight o’clock for the evening feast and watch the effect the Greenmote overdose has on Thadon.

Sneak out the way you entered, and don’t forget to save often. Once you exit into the Halcyon Conservatory breathe a sigh of relief and head to Thadon’s Throneroom. At 8p.m. Thadon will eat. You’ll eventually receive a journal entry telling you to watch what happens to Thadon. After the meal, he rises to make a soliloquy – an incredibly boring one. The bit where his heart explodes is certainly the most entertaining bit. You’ll receive a journal entry once he collapses to the ground.

After Thadon rose to deliver an odd soliloquy, he clutched his heart and fell to the ground dead. I should now collect as much of his tainted blood as possible.

Activate Thadon’s body to take a vial of his drug-tainted blood from it. The next time you activate his body you can loot it and take his Diadem of Euphoria. It functions as a helmet and bears Fortify Speechcraft, Resist Magic and Fortify Magicka enchantments. You might want to save wearing it for when you’re crowned as the Duke/Duchess of Mania, though. Because that’s probably the only time you’ll wear it – it looking so ridiculous and all.

You might look into getting a new chef...

Head to the Sacellum of Arden-Sul with the vial of Thadon's blood in hand. Sheogorath stands in waiting, flanked by two Golden Saints. Approach the Altar and activate it. You pour Thadon’s blood into the bowl, and it is consumed by Arden-Sul’s will. Dervenin will approach and address you by your new title: Duchess/Duke of Mania.

Speak to Sheogorath, but you’ll be quickly interrupted by Lady Syl. She seems positively outraged that Thadon is dead, and that you’re his replacement. She decides that the only way she can be safe is to join the Forces of Order – as a Priestess of Juggalag.

VS.

You receive a journal entry:

After informing Sheogorath of my victory, Syl, the Duchess of Dementia became furious. Before she stormed out of the Sacellum, she threatened that we hadn’t heard the last of her. I should continue speaking to Sheogorath to receive my rewards of office.

He anticipates you question: why did you let her go? Curiosity, it seems. A Duke has never committed treason before, and he’s interested to see what happens. Anyway, he’ll give you your rewards. Firstly, you now have the power to summon Golden Saints. You’ll also receive the Ring of Lordship. You don’t have long to revel in your new position before the new orders come: you’re to go to Sheogorath’s forces on the Fringe and find a way to help them against the Forces of Order.

The Ring of Lordship bears Fortify Personality, Resist Disease and Shield enchantments. You’ll also receive one more perk that isn’t mentioned: the Dukes’ Quarters, which you can now claim as your base of operations. Sweet.

Elder Scrolls Traveller: Issue 8

2007-04-22T11:56:00.000+10:00

Sorry for the skipped issue last week - real life interfered!
A new issue will come out every Sunday (or Saturday, for those in the US).

Latest News
Reviews, reviews, reviews. Plus, a beta patch for Shivering Isles, and a new version of the CS.

Game Guides
Shivering Isles Main Quest - Understanding Madness, The Lady Paranoia, Addiction.

Traveler Talk
An interview with Dark 0ne, webmaster of TESsouce.com.

Bug Fixer
A fix for Adharji's Heirloom.

LATEST NEWS

Reviews, reviews, reviews, a Beta patch for SI, a slightly updated version of the Construction Set. That's the news this week.

Reviews for Shivering Isles: Digital Entertainment News, Gameworld Network, Project COE, GameZone, 2404, MyGamer, Columbus Alive!

Reviews for PS3 Oblivion: Gameworld Network, Gamehelper, Gaming Excellence, Digital Entertainment News, Playstation Universe, Ace Gamez.

Bethesda have released an updated Beta patch for all versions of the Shivering Isles expansion. View the patch notes here, and download it here.

The Construction Set has been updated to version 1.2.404. Read the release notes here or download the patch/installer.

Screenshot of the Week - Rooftop

GAME GUIDE

Shivering Isles Main Quest - Understanding Madness

Sheogorath: “Well now, what news do you have for me?”

PC: “I was attacked by Knights…”

S: “So soon? Not a surprise I suppose. We’ll get to that later. No need to burden your little brain with it now. Since you’re standing here I assume you’ve succeeded. Or you’re really confused. Or really lacking in good judgment!”

PC: “Xedilian functions once more.”

S: “Wonderful! Time for a celebration. Cheese for everyone! Wait, scratch that, cheese for no-one. That can be just as much of a celebration if you don’t like cheese, no? You’ve run a maze like a good rat. Maybe a bit of cheese for you.”

Sheogorath grants you a new spell: the power to Summon Haskill. “He knows a lot. More than he knows…”. Sheogorath instructs you to try out the spell. You'll find it under the Lesser Powers section of the spell tab, and it is called: Summon Haskill. Select it and press the cast button to summon him.

Haskill seems positively overjoyed at your new power. Not. “Ah, our lord has granted you the power to summon me. How wonderful for me. When summoned I can offer you advice on your current endeavor. Do try to use your power sparingly.”

Talk to Sheogorath again. He seems quite pleased with the results. “Isn’t that a hoot. I love it myself. Best part of being a Daedric prince really. Go ahead. He loves it!" Sheogorath instructs you to Summon Haskill again.

H: “Ah, summoned again. My Lord does so enjoy that, as is His prerogative. I’ll assume you’re done for now.”

Speak to Sheogorath again. “Good, good. You’ll need all the help you can get if you’re going to defeat Juggalag and the Greymarch!”

PC: “Juggalag? Who’s that?”

S: “The Daedric prince of Order. Or biscuits… No, no, order. And not in a good way. Bleak. Colorless. Dead. Boring boring boring! Not a fan of my work, I can tell you. You’ve seen his Knights. Not a bit of original thought in their lifeless husks. So, you’re going to help me stop him.”

PC: “Me? How?”

S: “Again with the niggling little details. Hold your tongue. Or I will. We’ll get to that , all in due time. For now, you’ve got other work to do.”

PC: “What is the Greymarch?”

S: “An event. A movement. An apocalypse of sorts. Happens every era, at the end of every era. Which is to say, now. The Greymarch comes, and Juggalag walks...”

PC: “What would you ask of me now?”

S: “I don’t ask! I tell! This is my realm, remember?! My creation, my place, my rules! Look at you, no concept of what you’ve stumbled into, no sense of place! You don’t even really know where you are, do ya? We’re going to give you a taste of where you’ve found yourself. You’re going to learn.”

PC: “Learn? Learn what?”

S: “Two halves, two rulers, two places. Meet and greet. Do what they will, so you know what they’re about. The Duke of Mania and the Duchess of Dementia. Seek them out and let them show you what New Sheoth is. Once you understand what my realm is, you might understand why it’s important to keep it in tact. And maybe you’ll make some friends along the way. That’s always nice.”

You’ll receive a journal entry:

I need to speak to the Duke of Mania and the Duchess of Dementia, as Sheogorath wishes for me to better understand the inner workings of his Realm.

From the Palace Grounds area, make this your active quest. Two map markers will appear over two doors: one to the House of Dementia, and one to the House of Mania. You’ll need to work for both leaders, and it’s impossible to complete these quests without getting your hands dirty.

Let’s explore the House of Dementia first, and visit Duchess Syll.

Shivering Isles Main Quest - The Lady Paranoia

Head through the door to the House of Dementia. You’ll see Duchess Syl’s throneroom. I visited at quarter to eight on a Morndas, and Duchess Syl was there. Either way, you should speak with the Redguard, Kithlan, to make an appointment to see her. Unfortunately, he says she’s refused any and all appointments of late. All that’s left is to find her on your own – and he doesn’t recommend that. Quite ironic, considering she was standing a few feet away from our conversation.

If Duchess Syl is not present, you’ll have to schmooze Kithlan to get some more information. You’ll need to raise his disposition to 60 before he’ll tell you that the Duchess holds court during the day. You can speak to her once she’s inside the throneroom.

Speak to Lady Syl when you see her. Her initial reaction is hostile, but once you tell her that you were sent to find her, she calms down, realizing you have the Madgod’s blessing. She rails on a bit about spies and traitors, the typical paranoid ruler. She says you can help her with her problem. Refuse to help her and you’re threatened with the torture chamber. The quest won’t advance unless you agree to help, so you’ll have to concede.

“You will be my Grand Inquisitor. Expose the conspirators and they will be punished. Find out who keeps secrets and what they are. Speak with Herdir, he’ll help you.”

Worryingly, she warns that if no-one is found out you will be held responsible. Not exactly a fair investigation!

You’ll receive a journal entry:

I have been tasked with finding the people conspiring against Lady Syl. I need to find and speak to Herdir. He can always be found at the torture chamber in the House of Dementia.

Facing the throne, you’ll see a doorway on the right. Enter the doorway and follow the corridoor until you hit a right hand turn. Follow the right-hand turn around through a wooden door and into the torture chambers. You’ll see Herdir there, wandering around. A number of prison cells line the walls, with bruised prisoners inside. You might see them sleeping on the floor.

Speak to Herdir and he’ll quickly deduce that you’re the Grand Inquisitor. He’s eager to get to work and start ‘visiting’ people. If you ask him what you’re supposed to be doing, he says that you’ll need to start asking around Crucible for information on who the traitors might be. Your journal suggests you start with those closest to Lady Syl.

That refers, I’d imagine, to her attendants: Kilthan and Anya Herrick. Ask them about a Conspiracy and they’ll both insist they know nothing. Raising their disposition will not yield any information either. You’ll have to turture Kilthan. Herdir will cast a shock spell on him. You’ll need to repeat the process twice before he gives you some information: Anya has been looking scared lately. More scared than usual.

In case you’re worried, torturing the suspects will not raise your infamy. It seems that whenever something is necessary for a quest, the game will not give you infamy points – unless it’s for the Dark Brotherhood, of course.

Tell Herdir to torture Anya. She’ll confess what she knows quickly. “They wanted me to get the close to Syl, but I couldn’t abide them.”

“It was Ma’zaddha, he said he was working on behalf of somebody else.” He also threatened to punish Anya if she did not assist him. Looks like he is your next stop.

Ma’zaddha lives in Crucible. You’ll also receive a quest marker over his current location. His house is on the western side of town, though you might find him wandering around Crucible.

Ask him about a Conspiracy, and he’ll say he doesn’t know what you’re talking about. Set Herdir on him. He’ll double over in pain, but will not yield. He says that until you have some evidence, he’ll give you nothing. Your journal suggests that you speak with the citizens of Crucible to learn more.

Search around Crucible for a poorly dressed Khajiit named Bhisha. Torture him and he’ll tell you that he sees Ma’zaddha and a Dark Seducer, Nelrene, meeting behind the buildings late at night sometimes. Your journal suggests that you find their meeting and listen in on their conversation. You won’t need to torture anyone else, so you can send Herdir back to the Palace if you wish.

Your best course of action is to stalk Ma’zaddha, following him at a distance. He’ll eventually lead you to the meeting. Your map marker will stick with him, so you can wait until just before nightfall, rather than following him around all day. When I followed him, he had dinner at Sickly Bernice’s Taphouse, then proceeded up on to the rooftop of the building to watch the Fight-Club style unregulated battles. He got home at around eleven. He leaves home again to meet with Nelrene at around 1am, next to the sewer grate nearby his house. You’ll get a map marker pointing you to the location if you can’t see it. Make sure you’re hidden, or they’ll call the meeting off and you’ll have to wait until another night. I recommend sneaking above them on the higher level, behind the short wall.

Nalrene asks about Anya. Ma’zaddha tells her: “The Inquisitor got to her.” Nalrene isn’t pleased, and orders Ma’zaddha to find someone else to do the deed. It seems the Nalrene is the one calling the shots here – a conspiracy among Lady Syl’s sworn servants, the Dark Seducers! They both want her dead. Why? Because of “what she’s done”. Perhaps you’ll discover that Syl is not an innocent in all of this?

When they’ve finished speaking you’ll receive a journal entry:

I’ve overheard Ma’zaddha and Nelrene speaking. I need to confront Ma’zaddha with this information.

You can confront Ma’zaddha on the steps to his home. He maintains his innocence once again, but you can counter that with: “I heard you talking to Nalrene.”

“It’s for the good of Crucible! You must see that!”

“Who else is involved?”

“I don’t know, besides Nalrene. She’s taking orders from someone, but won’t tell me who. If I find out, will you promise to spare me?”

“Very well. Bring me names.”

“Meet me in my house tomorrow at midnight. I’ll have the information for you.”

If you take this option you won’t get the chance to ask why they are working to kill Lady Syl. Hopefully you’ll get that opportunity later.

Go to his Ma'zaddha's house at midnight the next day and you’ll find it locked. You’ll be forced to pick the lock. Once inside, you’ll see Ma’zaddha: dead. Your journal suggests you search his body for evidence.

The only items of interest he holds are two keys: a house key and a cupboard key. Your journal suggests that you need to find this ‘cupboard’ as it may contain the evidence you need. Head upstairs and rifle through the cupboard near Ma’zaddha’s bed. In it, you’ll find Nalrene’s Ceremonial Shortsword and Ma’zaddha’s crumpled note. Take both.

You’ll receive a journal entry:

I have found the items Ma’zaddha hid in his house. The evidence points to Nelrene, and I should confront her about it.

Read the note – you’ll find that it is written for you. It reveals several key points:

Ma’zaddha was murdered by Nelrene or Muurine.
The Ceremonial Sword found in the cupboard was intended for Anya to use as a weapon against Syl.
Ma’zaddha believes Syl will recongize the sword.
Muurine is in charge, and giving orders to Nelrene.

Your map marker will point you to New Sheoth Palace. You’ll find that Nalrene is one of the throneroom guards (you can follow your map marker to her). Speak with her about the Conspiracy.

Nelrene: “You have no proof. You cannot hold me accountable for anything.”

PC: “I have your ceremonial sword.”

Nelrene: “And with it, you’ll do what? I’m not even the one you want. Muurine is the one behind it. You’ll need solid proof to pin it on her.”

You’ll receive a journal entry:

Nelrene has admitted to being involved in the conspiracy. I now have enough evidence to confront Muurine.

The question is, where is she? You won’t immediately receive a map marker this time. Head back to Crucible. You’ll receive a map marker now, which points to Muurine’s current wherabouts. Talk to her and she’ll confess to wanting to kill Syl because she turned on her allies and consorted with their enemies. She resigns herself to her fate, and your journal directs you to bring this news to Lady Syl.

Find Lady Syl in her throne room and tell her that “Muurine was behind it.”

“I shall have her brought to the torture chamber at once. Meet me there shortly.”

Follow Syl down to the torture chambers and you’ll find Muurine there already. Gee, those Dark Seducers work fast, no? She stands in the central cage as Syl speaks.

“The penalty for this treachery is death, and is to be carried out immediately.”

Syl presses a button on her right hand side, sending two fierce shock bolts into the cage which kill Muurine instantly. At least it was a relatively humane death (though those of you with evil characters might have been disappointed it was so swift!)

“As a token of my appreciation I shall spare your life and make you a Courtier of Dementia,” says Lady Syl. You’ll also receive an enchanted bow as a gift. The bow, Ruin’s Edge, is enchanted with ‘Random spell effect on Strike’. Something for you bow-users to play with, eh? It looks to be made of madness ore, as does Nelrene’s Ceremonial Shortsword, which you get to keep.

You can take a ‘Liturgy of the Duelists’ text from Muurine's corpse, as well as a Duelist’s Key and her house key.

For now, your obligations to Lady Syl have ended.

The Shivering Isles Main Quest - Addiction

It’s now time to get to know the Duke of Mania, Thadon. Head to New Sheoth and enter the House of Mania. Speak with the Argonian woman, Wide-Eye, in his throneroom (though it looks a lot like a Feast Hall). Tell her you’ll looking for Thadon. She’ll tell you, in a roundabout way, that he’s waiting for you. But not where. Oh well…

Try the Halcyon Conservatory, accessable through the door behind Thadon’s throne. You can often find him painting there. Otherwise, he might be hanging around the throneroom. Speak with him. He appears to be a Bosmer, just like Lady Syl.

He asks whether you can imagine how long he’s been waiting to meet you. You’re given a considerable number of answers, but they all lead to the same conversational point. He asks if you’ve tried the “Chalice” – something which sounds rather like a drug, or something linked to drugs. Ask him about the “Chalice of Reversal”.

“Oh, so you’ve heard of it.”

“No, I haven’t?”

“You’ve never heard of it, yet you know its name? What a strange creature you are…” (I wonder if this is self-satire by Bethesda. Too often your character will be able to ask specific questions about things they've never heard of!)

“You eat the Felldew, then use the Chalice, and find the world a much brighter and happier place. Honest. But I don’t have it. So I can’t eat Felldew, because that would just be bad. I mean… really, really, bad. Damn her!”

“Who?”

“We hold on to fleeting things, even as we slip. I knew, and yet I indulged myself anyway. I indugled her a fair bit too. It was passion, it was forbidden. Oh, the things that would be said if word got out. That made it all the more delicious. From Dementia’s own court, no less…”

“Do I know her?”

He gives no real answer. You ask: “What happened?”

“Opposites repel, strangely enough. All that pleasure and pain, locked away now, as if it never happened. Unfortunately, the Chalice is locked away as well. I have no wish to retrieve it myself, but fetching it myself might do you some good.”

He complains of a splitting headache, and tells you to find someone else to “tell you the rest of the story”. Your journal instructs you to find someone in his court, or in Syl’s, who knows where the Chalice of Reversal might be.

Speak to Wide-Eye in Thadon’s throneroom. She’ll tell you that Dunroot Barrow is your goal. The Chalice would be there, she says, because of the Elytra. The Chalice, Felldew, Elytra are all connected. You’ll need to get Felldew from some of the Elytra to get in. It all sounds very strange. She’ll give you one piece of solid information: the Burrow is North-West of New Sheoth. Your journal entry breaks it down a little more simply:

Wide-Eye has told me that the Chalice of Reversal is locked away in Dunroot Barrow. I’ll need to ingest Felldew to enter the Burrow, and pass through to reach the Chalice.

You’ll receive a Map Marker for Dunroot Barrow. Make your way there.

Dunrooot Barrow is a giant tree-stump which the Elytra seem to have made a nest in. Normal Elytra carry Elytra Ichor, but Elytra Hatchlings, which can be found around the front of Dunroot Barrow, also carry Felldew. Dunroot Barrow is blocked off by a Barrier Membrane which ‘Cannot be moved by hand’. Take the Felldew and you’ll receive a journal entry.

I’ve taken Felldew in order to enter Dunroot Burrow. I shall have to be careful as I proceed through the Barrow. The membrane opens for you, allowing you to enter.

Inside is a new type of dungeon, a spider’s nest. It’s quite cool. The map below shows the route you need to take to reach the Chalice of Reversal.

But first: as you begin to proceed through the dungeon, you’ll receive a journal entry:

The effects of Felldew have worn off, and withdrawal is setting in. I need to either reach the Chalice of Reversal quickly, or find more Felldew as I make my way through the burrow.

The second option will work for a while, but the deeper you get into the burrow, the less Felldew you’ll find. Expect your character to suffer increasingly nasty withdrawal symptoms. Target Elytra with a green outline, as they’re the ones that carry Felldew. Follow the route outlined below, rifling through the hollowed out stumps as you see them for useful potions. Once you reach the Chalice of Reversal you’ll be cured of your Felldew addiction and will be able to go back and explore the burrow thoroughly if you want.

Upon taking the Chalice, the effects of Felldew withdrawal will be cured. You'll receive a journal entry:

I have the Chalice of Reversal. It should be delivered to Thadon as soon as possible.

You’re now free of your Felldew addiction, as long as you don’t take the drug again. You can collect a large quantity from around the Felldew addict’s sleeping quarters – at 25 septims a pop, it doesn’t make for bad loot. Once you’ve drunk from the Chalice you’re free to explore the levels above at your leisure. The noxious tree stumps hold quite a bit of loot.

When you’re ready, exit the Burrow, either from the way you came in or the Halls of Decadence exit. If you choose the latter, beware. It drops you right outside an Obelisk which will continue to spawn Knights of Order, and you don't yet have the means to stop it. If you do this, best to fast travel to New Sheoth before they spot you.

Find Thadon and give him the Chalice of Reversal. You’ll be promoted to Courtier of Mania. You get no other reward. Ah well…

You receive a journal update:

Now that I’ve become a member of the courts of both the Dukes of Madness, I should return to Sheogorath and report my progress.

Head into Sheogorath’s throne room. You might have noticed that with every significant quest you complete, a relic of that quest is placed on pedestals around the throne room. By now, you should have the Chalice, a Gatekeepers Head, the Inquisitors Cage and a Focus Crystal. Collect the whole set, eh?

Talking to Sheogorath will begin the next quest: but that's for next week, kids.

TRAVELER TALK
An interview with Dark 0ne, webmaster of TESsource.com.

Could you introduce yourself?

Hi folks, I'm Robin “Dark0ne” Scott. I was born near Birmingham in England and now live in Exeter during my course time, which is in the south-west of England, and a further 25 miles south-west, in Torquay, during the holidays. I am 20 years old eagerly awaiting my 21^st birthday on June 3^rd so I can jump across the pond and enjoy some watered down, warm, salty tasting beers from the US in the summer.

I'm currently in my second year (of three) at university taking a course in Computer Science which is going ... all right I guess. To be honest it's not really where my passion lies; with a little more research into the subject I'd have found out that Computer Science focuses more on science with computers rather than the science of computers but the degree is more of a means to an end; the hope being that I will spend a few years working in a foreign country to see if the grass is any greener on the other side. I'm pinning my sights on the US or Canada at the moment and in order to get a working visa for the US and Canada a degree is really a must.

If you're relatively new to the Elder Scrolls scene you probably won't have heard of me. I tend to keep to my own little corner of the community at the Gaming Source Forums and quietly work in the background on updates, tweaks and feature additions to my site, The Elder Scrolls Source (TESSource).

From the rest of this question's answer I'll be writing about the history of TESSource and how I've progressed through the different incarnations of the site over the past 6 years and I warn you now, it's a mind dump! I also want to add a personal disclaimer that now that I'm out of my teens my memory isn't quite what it used to be and some parts might be a little inaccurate. It's not intentional, it's just how I remember it, promise!

TESSource was created under it's initial name, Morrowind Chronicles, back in August of 2001 when I was just 15 along with my best friend, Simon Blackler. We were literally bouncing on one of those big circular trampolines in his garden and he was telling me about Daggerfall and the soon to be released Morrowind. I got on to talking about how I'd been working on a fansite for a game and we chuckled at the idea of creating a fansite for Morrowind. A month later Morrowind Chronicles was up and running.

We really only created the site to develop our own skills in web programming and graphic design and in 2002 Simon “left” the site to work on starting his own internet company, Krystal Solutions (http://www.krystal.co.uk), which I have always been a part of. His company is doing extremely well and we both have TESSource to thank for that.

When Morrowind came out the site was receiving around 6,000 unique visitors a day which was a huge amount and both Simon and I were really over whelmed by it all. Unfortunately after expanding Morrowind Chronicles to include Morrowind Mod Library (which hosted mods, did mod author interviews, reviews, etc.) we ran into a string of hosting issues; we were just using too many resources for our hosts to handle and the site went down for over a month. Similarly I lost most of the forum posts and members due to a nasty server problem. By the time we were back up and running Morrowind Files had firmly asserted itself in the community as the place to go for mods and I sort of missed out. “Veterans” of the Morrowind modding community will remember the Morrowind Files site, which was made using PHPNuke and had a cloudy white and light blue skin. People really loved that site and a semi-disaster struck the community when the site went under for reasons I don't think ever came to light. At this point Dalin over at Morrowind Summit (now Planet Elder Scrolls) took over the reigns of hosting Morrowind mods and the community stabilised again.

Ergo my influence and activity in the Morrowind modding scene was rather limited and I enjoyed my time within the community that was setup for Morrowind Chronicles with some great forum members like Theta Orionis, Switch, Marxist Bastard, Stampede and, of course, the Middle-Earth Mod for Morrowind group which I had first started (that's the shout outs done!).

During this period my focus switched away from Morrowind Chronicles as I looked on to starting my own small business which revolved around the problems I had with finding adequate hosting for my fansite. The thinking was simple; people spend their own money, time and energy making fansites and resources for members of the gaming community to use (any gaming community, not just the ES community); why not provide a free service to fansites finding themselves in a similar situation to my own? Using this premise as a foundation I created Gaming Source (http://www.gamingsource.net) which, in it's time, hosted, for free, over 100 top gaming fan sites and served over 30 million unique visitors. I was 17 at the time and the company was directly subsidised by Simon. We ran advertising on the hosted sites and any loss (If hosting costs > advertising revenue then it was a loss!) was covered by Krystal, which I have always been appreciative of. So when I say Gaming Source was a company I mean it was a company that didn't really make any money; it offered (what I like to think was) a brilliant service for many webmasters over the years. Unfortunately in January of 2007 I stopped hosting independent fansites at Gaming Source and moved towards running my own fansites that follow on from the trend that TESSource set. The most recent of which is Supreme Commander Source (http://www.supcomsource.net) which, much like TESSource, is currently one of the most used file databases for the new RTS Supreme Commander.

After Gaming Source was setup I changed the name of Morrowind Chronicles to Morrowind Source to make it the first “Source site”, a site made specifically for Gaming Source. Roughly 8 months before Oblivion was released I changed the site's name again to The Elder Scrolls Source. Making Oblivion Source was out of the question since someone else had already begun work on making it; which was nothing to do with me. Then 6 months before Oblivion was released I started work on, what I'd say, was the defining factor in making TESSource as popular as it is today. To improve my web programming skills and to help in the future expansion of Gaming Source I began the design process of a completely custom coded CMS (Content Management System) and file database system for TESSource.

I began looking at the services and features provided by others sites such as PES and ElricM and jotted down good and new features that could perhaps improve on their services. All this had to be completed and ready for when Oblivion came out in March 2006 and the inevitable swarm of mod authors looking for a place to upload their files.

I was extremely happy with the changes and how the system came out in the end. I was rewarded at the beginning of March 2006 (20 odd days before Oblivion would be released) to an almost personal PR event at Take Two's offices in Windsor, England where I was able to play Oblivion before all you suckers ( :P ) for a good 5 hours. From that brilliant experience I cranked out a 7,000 word review of Oblivion which focused on what I thought would be the most important aspects of the game and answer the most questions. I stuck the review up on TESSource and it generated a huge amount of interest both in the site and the game, especially from the official ES forums.

When Oblivion was finally released all hell broke lose and the modding community went crazy cranking out hundreds of mods. The people searching for mods were even crazier and TESSource was receiving between 65-000 and 75,000 unique visitors to the site each and every day. Those are crazy figures that put TESSource in the top 5000 most visited sites on the internet. The new CMS and file database on the site was a big hit with the mod authors and I really felt honoured that so many people were using the resource I had created to get their awesome files out on the internet.

Obliviously the community has calmed down a lot now and the site now “simmers” (joking!) with a steady traffic of 25,000 – 32,000 unique visitors a day. It truly is amazing.

For me the focus is now on making Gaming Source a proper company; a company that offers a brilliant service to gamers across the globe but also gets some money in the kitty for those rainy days. TESSource is where it all stems from and I will always have an affinity with/for the site.

How and when did you first discover the Elder Scrolls games?

After my friend Simon spoke to me about Daggerfall and the upcoming Morrowind I decided to read up on, but not play Daggerfall. Simon had an awesome book, I think it was called The Daggerfall Chronicles which contained everything and anything to do with Daggerfall. Obliviously this is where the name Morrowind Chronicles came from! On a “by-the-by” note it's also where the forum ranks that I used for 6 odd years on the forums were pulled from!

Therefore the first Elder Scrolls game I played was Morrowind and I have never played any of the games before it. Nope, Dark0ne hasn't played Daggerfall, Arena or Battlespire! Stop the press.

I think I'm going to leave the past in the past and simply tell myself that they were just a little before my time. I know if I had played Daggerfall “back in the day” I'd have loved it to addiction but I feel if I try to play it now I'd get disappointed when my mind naturally compares the game to contemporary aspects of gaming.

What is your favourite Elder Scrolls game and why?

People ask me this one a lot. To be honest it's normally those hard-line hardcore Morrowind lovers (many of which seem to inhabit my forums!) who want to see where I stand on the issue. I want to state for the record that I am the most un/in/non-diplomatic person there is when it comes to appeasing people; I say it how I think it and normally end up insulting some minority or group of people in some shape or form BUT when it comes to Morrowind and Oblivion I sit firmly on the fence.

Morrowind was awesome and gave me that brilliant excuse to buy a completely new PC. But then again, so did Oblivion. I think many of the people who love Morrowind so much do so because they played Daggerfall to death and Morrowind really built on what Daggerfall was. Then along came Oblivion which was perhaps less than what many of these peope expected; they saw a big leap from Daggerfall to Morrowind and then expected the same from Morrowind to Oblivion.

I do not stand on the fence when it comes to the “Oblivion has been dumbed down” issue. There's no denying that from Morrowind to Oblivion some dumbing down has taken place. The compass and the lack of really cool journal notes that mean you no longer spend an hour in dust storms trying to find that hidden door from vague “look to the south” instructions are a testament to that. I personally loved that aspect of Morrowind, it really made the game an explorative (I made that word up) adventure and it's something missing in Oblivion. Sure, you can go exploring in Oblivion if you want to, but you're not forced to. Sometimes people need to be forced to do things to really appreciate them.

So somethings went slightly backwards in Oblivion but many, many things went forward. I think the game world looks extremely beautiful and you can tell Bethesda really looked at Morrowind and thought out how they could improve the graphical aspects of the game. The view distance was one of the biggest disappointments of Morrowind and I was really happy to see they pushed it really far out in Oblivion.

Having said Oblivion has been dumbed down and gone backwards in some areas it doesn't mean the game isn't bloody good fun. Oblivion is an amazing game. There were a couple of let downs but nothing that ruined the game as much as some people on my forums would have you believe and for the most part it's nothing that the modding community can't rectify. Don't like the “compass for idiots” system? Get a mod to turn it off. It's a pretty simple concept.

Sure there are plenty of valid points that people raise about Oblivion and how it could have been better but the people who refuse to play the game because “insert valid point here” are really denying themselves a truly brilliant experience.

And oh, I'm well aware that didn't answer the question.

What makes maintaining TESSource a rewarding experience for you?

The experience I've gained from creating this site, expanding it, modifying it, publicising it as well as the experience gained from public and business relations has been absolutely invaluable to my future. Words cannot express how much I've learnt from creating this site.

There's also the cliché but oh-so-true fact that I really enjoy providing a service and resource to so many people. It's a great feeling to know that not only are people using what you've created (which must mean it's at least sort of good!), but also that they appreciate it.

At the end of the day if TESSource wasn't around there'd still be plenty of other options for authors to get their mods out there, but it's an honour to be one of the first choices for authors.

I've had some brilliant first meetings with people as well, especially at university. When you meet Oblivion players for the first time and they find out “you're Dark0ne” it really is a chuckle. Conversations tend to go like this, after the initial hellos and introductions:

Robin: So are you into gaming at all?

Person: Yeah I play a few games.

Robin: Any I know?

Person: I'm enjoying playing Oblivion at the moment.

Robin: Yeah, Oblivion is a great game. Do you mod it at all?

Person: Yeah, got loads of mods.

Robin: Ah cool, where do you get them from.

Person: Ah, normally that GameSpy site.

Robin: .... Oh ... Any other sites?

Person: Yeah, sometimes I get them from that Elder Scrolls Source site.

Robin: Oh wow, that's where I get mine from. What do you think of the site?

Person (now looking at me funny): It's OK I guess. Login system is annoying.

Robin: IT NEEDS TO BE THERE DAMNIT!

Person: ****, you're Dark0ne?

Robin: Yah :|

Not quite celebrity status yet but I'm getting there.

What do you think is the best aspect of the TES fan community?

As I mentioned in the huge tangent I went off on when I was meant to be introducing myself earlier I'm not really active on the official forums any more and I tend to stick to my own forums. To be honest I'm not as much of a forum junkie as I once was and I had the humiliating situation of one of my moderators overtaking my 6,500+ post count on the forums the other day. Joke back in 2003 was that anyone who overtook my post count would be instant-banned for insulting me! It's a predicament I tell you!

However I lurk around the official forums every now and again, normally doing a search for “tessource” to make sure no one is having any problems with the site. Something very recently took my notice and that was Bethesda's new crack down on sites that feature nudity. The ambiguous announcement they made stemmed a forum debate that was around 100 pages long (obviously split up across many threads) from all sorts of avid community members wanting a clear answer on the issue. There was some real passion in there, and that's a passion you can see across the community, especially when it comes to modding.

I think the passionate members, both young and old are a real defining aspect of the community and I've got the utmost respect for them.

Thanks for your time!

Elder Scrolls Traveller: Issue 8

2007-04-22T09:31:00.000+10:00

Sorry for the skipped issue last week - real life interfered!
A new issue will come out every Sunday (or Saturday, for those in the US).

Latest News
Reviews, reviews, reviews. Plus, a beta patch for Shivering Isles, and a new version of the CS.

Game Guides
Shivering Isles Main Quest - Understanding Madness, The Lady Paranoia, Addiction.

Traveler Talk
An interview with Dark 0ne, webmaster of TESsouce.com.

Bug Fixer
A fix for Adharji's Heirloom.

Screenshot of the Week - Rooftop

GAME GUIDE

Shivering Isles Main Quest - Understanding Madness

Sheogorath: “Well now, what news do you have for me?”

PC: “I was attacked by Knights…”

PC: “Xedilian functions once more.”

H: “Ah, summoned again. My Lord does so enjoy that, as is His prerogative. I’ll assume you’re done for now.”

Speak to Sheogorath again. “Good, good. You’ll need all the help you can get if you’re going to defeat Juggalag and the Greymarch!”

PC: “Juggalag? Who’s that?”

PC: “Me? How?”

S: “Again with the niggling little details. Hold your tongue. Or I will. We’ll get to that , all in due time. For now, you’ve got other work to do.”

PC: “What is the Greymarch?”

S: “An event. A movement. An apocalypse of sorts. Happens every era, at the end of every era. Which is to say, now. The Greymarch comes, and Juggalag walks...”

PC: “What would you ask of me now?”

PC: “Learn? Learn what?”

You’ll receive a journal entry:

I need to speak to the Duke of Mania and the Duchess of Dementia, as Sheogorath wishes for me to better understand the inner workings of his Realm.

Let’s explore the House of Dementia first, and visit Duchess Syll.

Shivering Isles Main Quest - The Lady Paranoia

“You will be my Grand Inquisitor. Expose the conspirators and they will be punished. Find out who keeps secrets and what they are. Speak with Herdir, he’ll help you.”

Worryingly, she warns that if no-one is found out you will be held responsible. Not exactly a fair investigation!

You’ll receive a journal entry:

I have been tasked with finding the people conspiring against Lady Syl. I need to find and speak to Herdir. He can always be found at the torture chamber in the House of Dementia.

Facing the throne, you’ll see a doorway on the right. Enter the doorway and follow the corridoor until you hit a right hand turn. Follow the right-hand turn around through a wooden door and into the torture chambers. You’ll see Herdir there, wandering around the torture. There area number of prisoners in the cells. You might see them sleeping on the floor.

Speak to him and he’ll quickly deduce that you’re the Grand Inquisitor. He’s eager to get to work and start ‘visiting’ people. If you ask him what you’re supposed to be doing, he says that you’ll need to start asking around Crucible for information on who the traitors might be. Your journal suggests you start with those closest to Lady Syl.

Tell Herdir to torture Anya. She’ll confess what she knows quickly. “They wanted me to get the close to Syl, but I couldn’t abide them.”

“It was Ma’zaddha, he said he was working on behalf of somebody else.” He also threatened to punish Anya if she did not assist him. Looks like he is your next stop.

Ma’zaddha lives in Crucible. You’ll also receive a quest marker over his current location. His house is on the western side of town, though you might find him wandering around Crucible.

When they’ve finished speaking you’ll receive a journal entry:

I’ve overheard Ma’zaddha and Nelrene speaking. I need to confront Ma’zaddha with this information.

You can confront Ma’zaddha on the steps to his home. He maintains his innocence once again, but you can counter that with: “I heard you talking to Nalrene.”

“It’s for the good of Crucible! You must see that!”

“Who else is involved?”

“I don’t know, besides Nalrene. She’s taking orders from someone, but won’t tell me who. If I find out, will you promise to spare me?”

“Very well. Bring me names.”

“Meet me in my house tomorrow at midnight. I’ll have the information for you.”

If you take this option you won’t get the chance to ask why they are working to kill Lady Syl. Hopefully you’ll get that opportunity later.

You’ll receive a journal entry:

I have found the items Ma’zaddha hid in his house. The evidence points to Nelrene, and I should confront her about it.

Read the note – you’ll find that it is written for you. It reveals several key points:

Ma’zaddha was murdered by Nelrene or Muurine.
The Ceremonial Sword found in the cupboard was intended for Anya to use as a weapon against Syl.
Ma’zaddha believes Syl will recongize the sword.
Muurine is in charge, and giving orders to Nelrene.