This quest opens up as a possibility when you have sold at least 600 gold worth of stolen goods to one of the guild fences.
From this point on, once you receive the notification that you can get another quest, your best chance to get it is to stand in one place in the Imperial City and wait in 24-hour spurts.
I usually choose an open area in the Waterfront. Wherever you choose to wait, a member of the Thieves Guild will approach you and say that you need to meet the Gray Fox at Helvius Cecia's house in Bruma.
So, fast-travel to Bruma.
Face the chapel and head down like you're going to Ongar's house...but just keep going. Helvius Cecia's house is the sixth one on the right. Enter the house.
Head forward and left, down the stairs. Keep going once you reach the bottom, and when you see a bed, turn right. Here is our Gray Fox.
He wishes you to get Savilla's Stone, which is in a location known as the Temple of the Ancestor Moths. Killing human guardians of the stone will not earn you a blood price. He says it is north of Cheydinhal, so open your maps and scroll over to north of Cheydinhal.
We're in luck. It's just Northeast of Azura's Shrine! How delightful! Fast-travel there and head northeast from there.
Once you reach the place, go up the stairs and turn to the right to see some old guys tending a garden. Talk to one. (I chose Brother Hjar.) Raise their disposition to 80+ (just in case) and the blind priest option will tell you that the priests there, above ground, can see just fine. They raise food and whatnot for the blind priests, whose work makes them blind, and that they work in the catacombs which are very dark. But since they're blind it doesn't make a difference to them.
Inquiries about Savilla's Stone will go nowhere, no matter how high the target's disposition.
Go back to the main path you departed from. Turn left this time instead of right, and go into the teeny chapel. (You may have to pick the lock)
Turn right immediately and go up the ladder.
Talk to the monk you see there, a Brother Holger. Raise his disposition to above 80 and choose the Savilla's Stone conversational option. He'll tell you the monks in the catacombs guard it.
Now ask where the catacombs are. Follow him down the ladder and out of the chapel into the building next to all the gravestones (it's to the left when you leave the chapel). Go down the stairs and to the right once inside. Continue following him through this room, make a left at its top, and then right down a flight of stairs.
Go through the door ahead.
You'll get a quest notification that says the true guardians of the stone would not be subject to blood price and that you had better be careful. Save now.
Head forward into the room, and then turn left. Turn into the corridor on your right, and proceed along the corridor until you reach another right. Here is where I had to fight my first Blind Monk...their bodies can be looted for an Ancestor Moth Key, so make sure you kill at least one on your way.
Go straight into the large room where several monks are. Don't worry about killing them, it's fine, just might take a minute to get them all, although they don't really carry anything useful other than the key. Either way, whatever you do, proceed through the door ahead of you. Go forward and turn right. Go down the stairs and pick the lock of the door here, then go through it.
Go straight ahead and at the top right, there's a door that the keys will open. It's a room with lots of beds. This is where I met the Blind Moth Prelate, who has a Catacombs Key which you'll need.
From where you entered, make a U-turn and go down the passage there. (You'll know it's the right way because there will be a chest on your right and a wardrobe on your left) There will be a door there that the Catacombs Key will open, so go on through it.
Proceed down the corridor. It's one way, but be careful. There are trap tripwires down here! In between two tripwires, on your right, is a passage. Take it.
There's treasure in a chest (and damaging gas all around!), but once you take it the way you came in will shut. That's okay, because there is a passage to the left which you can take to get out!
Follow this corridor (be careful of a falling logs trap, and a Home Alone-style swinging-log-from-above trap) and make your first available right to be faced with another door that the Catacombs Key will open.
So this is the place. There'll be a Blind Moth Prelate guarding the stone. Kill him, but try to do so quickly (poison your weapon with a health-lowering potion, for example) because he can and will heal himself.
There's a Dark Welkynd Stone that will fire spells at you. Don't pay it any mind unless you're a lower level--maybe equip a weaker potion that will heal you over a few seconds to counteract it if you want to feel safe. Savilla's Stone is to the right of it, in a sort of holder and looking for all the world like a crystal ball! Go ahead and take it.
Go up the stairs ahead of you and turn right. Go into the corridor there and into a room with a ladder (and a chest that has a note on the Gray Cowl) that will lead you up and out.
Now fast-travel back to Bruma and go to Helvius Cecia's house.
Speak to the Gray Fox about Nocturnal's Cowl, and he'll ask how you know that it is Nocturnal's Cowl. You'll say from the note in the monastery and he will say that yes, it is. But it is cursed--he says he just told you his real name twice. That you've met before but that to you, he and the person you met are two different people.
Now talk about Savilla's Stone. Your reward is 500 gold, +2 to your infamy, and another promotion.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Monday, April 18, 2011
Orrin
Orrin, as you know, makes his home in the smithy of Castle Anvil and seems to be available during the day.
He has 1,200 gold to barter with.
He has 1,200 gold to barter with.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Taking Care of Lex
This quest opens up to you after you sell 500 gold worth of stolen goods to one of the guild fences.
Have some invisibility potions or spells handy.
S'krivva will tell you that Countess Umbranox in Anvil is looking for a new Captain of the Guard, and Lex fits the bill perfectly. She'll tell you that the steward told a lie to the Countess and said that the list of candidates suitable for the job hadn't arrived yet. This is good for you, though--it'll make it easier to get things done.
Fast-travel to Anvil and find a beggar. They'll tell you for free when you ask about Dairihill that they wouldn't know, but anyone in the castle would. They also will say something about secret ways, and finish in telling you to find the blacksmith.
Go to the castle and enter.
Turn right once inside and go into the small hallway to a door marked "Smithy."
Talk to Orrin. He'll say that you must be the cat burglar he was told to expect, and to follow him, so do that.
He'll go through the opening ahead of you, and then once at its end will make a right. Then he'll turn left, towards a sort of pillar on the wall. He'll open a secret passage there that will let you bypass more guards.
Go into the secret passage and up the stairs which are all going to be on your left. Now get into sneak mode and pick the lock on the Private Quarters door. Head up more stairs that will again be on your left.
You'll see a wall with two pillars very similar to the one Orrin opened for you. SAVE NOW!
The left pillar is the switch, so activate it. The wall will fall away.
Head to your left, and move quickly. Use an invisibility potion or spell if you have it ready.
Pick the lock on the wooden door, and go inside. Shut the door behind you to avoid a random passing guard seeing you. Sneak around to the other side of the desk and look at the area just in front of the chair marked Dairihill's desk--it's like a small sliding drawer area where you'd put pens and whatnot, if you have a desk like this.
Pick the lock and take the list. Now scurry back to the tunnel you came in here from and head on out of the castle.
Find another beggar. Bribe them for 15 coins to learn he (the forger) lives near the Mages Guild. Ask about the forger again to learn this residence is also down the road from the Chapel of Dibella.
Face the Chapel and take the path that turns right--and when you hit the corner, turn left and go that way. When you pass the Mage's Guild, turn into the area there with a broken wall and a wooden gate. This is the place.
Go up the stairs and into the house. Go up the stairs and open the door to find The Stranger. This is the forger you were meant to see.
Talk to him about the quest and he'll say it'll take a day to forge the papers. After which he will expect payment in full from you. That will be 500 coins.
A day later, return with his fee. He'll tell you that Hieronymus Lex now has a glowing recommendation due to his work.
Now you have to fast-travel to the Imperial City Prison District to get an official seal from the Imperial Legion Office. When you go there, turn left and walk that way. It's the first door on your left.
Even if you do it in the LATE evening, have invisibility potions/spells ready. You never know when a guard might surprise you walking in. I did this about 1 am and had a guard standing behind me as I prepared to pick the door's lock. I ended up having to use Moonshadow (a once a day 60 second invisibility spell that Bards get right away) just so he wouldn't see me. (As a note, Moonshadow wears off if you pick a lock or pick something up, but it doesn't wear off until AFTER the lock is picked, so it's safe for this purpose)
Pick the lock and go inside. Turn to your right, where there is a Wooden Door. Pick its lock as well.
There's a desk in front of you much like Dairihill's desk. On top of the desk to the left, just behind a silver goblet, is the Imperial Seal we need. Press space to get the quest notification that the seal has been applied.
Now you have to deliver the forged list to Countess Umbranox herself.
Fast-travel to Castle Anvil and go in the doors, going straight until you see the Countess herself on her little throne. Talk to her and select the New Guard Captain conversational option.
She'll say that normally handling missives such as this are Dairihill's work, but will make no issue of it. She'll say that Dairihill will tip you (honestly, it is only 20 gold and not much worth the hassle of locating him) and that she was close to giving the position to a cousin of Dairihill.
Now you get the supreme joy of going and telling Hieronymus Lex the wonderful news. (Even the quest information that tracks your progress says 'The look on his face should be priceless.')
Fast-travel to the Imperial City Waterfront. Turn right and keep going until you see the sign of the Bloated Float, which is basically a tavern in a ship. Go inside.
Speak to Lex and tell him about his reassignment. He'll of course blame the Gray Fox and add that he hopes fate will deliver the Gray Fox to him in Anvil. (Ha, ha.)
All that's left to do is to go back to S'krivva. Your reward is 1,000 gold, +2 infamy, and another promotion. You can now also use...tada, ORRIN!...as a fence. Yup, Orrin, who was such a big help to us.
S'krivva will tell you now if you inquire about special jobs that you're now of a level that the Gray Fox himself will send for you if he has need of you. Yes, that is correct, your new Doyen is the guild leader himself!
Have some invisibility potions or spells handy.
S'krivva will tell you that Countess Umbranox in Anvil is looking for a new Captain of the Guard, and Lex fits the bill perfectly. She'll tell you that the steward told a lie to the Countess and said that the list of candidates suitable for the job hadn't arrived yet. This is good for you, though--it'll make it easier to get things done.
Fast-travel to Anvil and find a beggar. They'll tell you for free when you ask about Dairihill that they wouldn't know, but anyone in the castle would. They also will say something about secret ways, and finish in telling you to find the blacksmith.
Go to the castle and enter.
Turn right once inside and go into the small hallway to a door marked "Smithy."
Talk to Orrin. He'll say that you must be the cat burglar he was told to expect, and to follow him, so do that.
He'll go through the opening ahead of you, and then once at its end will make a right. Then he'll turn left, towards a sort of pillar on the wall. He'll open a secret passage there that will let you bypass more guards.
Go into the secret passage and up the stairs which are all going to be on your left. Now get into sneak mode and pick the lock on the Private Quarters door. Head up more stairs that will again be on your left.
You'll see a wall with two pillars very similar to the one Orrin opened for you. SAVE NOW!
The left pillar is the switch, so activate it. The wall will fall away.
Head to your left, and move quickly. Use an invisibility potion or spell if you have it ready.
Pick the lock on the wooden door, and go inside. Shut the door behind you to avoid a random passing guard seeing you. Sneak around to the other side of the desk and look at the area just in front of the chair marked Dairihill's desk--it's like a small sliding drawer area where you'd put pens and whatnot, if you have a desk like this.
Pick the lock and take the list. Now scurry back to the tunnel you came in here from and head on out of the castle.
Find another beggar. Bribe them for 15 coins to learn he (the forger) lives near the Mages Guild. Ask about the forger again to learn this residence is also down the road from the Chapel of Dibella.
Face the Chapel and take the path that turns right--and when you hit the corner, turn left and go that way. When you pass the Mage's Guild, turn into the area there with a broken wall and a wooden gate. This is the place.
Go up the stairs and into the house. Go up the stairs and open the door to find The Stranger. This is the forger you were meant to see.
Talk to him about the quest and he'll say it'll take a day to forge the papers. After which he will expect payment in full from you. That will be 500 coins.
A day later, return with his fee. He'll tell you that Hieronymus Lex now has a glowing recommendation due to his work.
Now you have to fast-travel to the Imperial City Prison District to get an official seal from the Imperial Legion Office. When you go there, turn left and walk that way. It's the first door on your left.
Even if you do it in the LATE evening, have invisibility potions/spells ready. You never know when a guard might surprise you walking in. I did this about 1 am and had a guard standing behind me as I prepared to pick the door's lock. I ended up having to use Moonshadow (a once a day 60 second invisibility spell that Bards get right away) just so he wouldn't see me. (As a note, Moonshadow wears off if you pick a lock or pick something up, but it doesn't wear off until AFTER the lock is picked, so it's safe for this purpose)
Pick the lock and go inside. Turn to your right, where there is a Wooden Door. Pick its lock as well.
There's a desk in front of you much like Dairihill's desk. On top of the desk to the left, just behind a silver goblet, is the Imperial Seal we need. Press space to get the quest notification that the seal has been applied.
Now you have to deliver the forged list to Countess Umbranox herself.
Fast-travel to Castle Anvil and go in the doors, going straight until you see the Countess herself on her little throne. Talk to her and select the New Guard Captain conversational option.
She'll say that normally handling missives such as this are Dairihill's work, but will make no issue of it. She'll say that Dairihill will tip you (honestly, it is only 20 gold and not much worth the hassle of locating him) and that she was close to giving the position to a cousin of Dairihill.
Now you get the supreme joy of going and telling Hieronymus Lex the wonderful news. (Even the quest information that tracks your progress says 'The look on his face should be priceless.')
Fast-travel to the Imperial City Waterfront. Turn right and keep going until you see the sign of the Bloated Float, which is basically a tavern in a ship. Go inside.
Speak to Lex and tell him about his reassignment. He'll of course blame the Gray Fox and add that he hopes fate will deliver the Gray Fox to him in Anvil. (Ha, ha.)
All that's left to do is to go back to S'krivva. Your reward is 1,000 gold, +2 infamy, and another promotion. You can now also use...tada, ORRIN!...as a fence. Yup, Orrin, who was such a big help to us.
S'krivva will tell you now if you inquire about special jobs that you're now of a level that the Gray Fox himself will send for you if he has need of you. Yes, that is correct, your new Doyen is the guild leader himself!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
BSOD and Japan
My computer recently BSOD'd (Blue Screen of Death) me. No worries, however--I live with someone who also has a copy of not only just Oblivion, but Knights of the Nine and Shivering Isles. I just have to train myself up so I can get the Skeleton Key again (for now, I'm buying lockpicks en masse...) ...because, quite frankly, it makes just about every quest involving a cave or locked chest or locked door a heck of a lot easier.
In other words, I've noticed in my views that I have a few from Japan. I hope you all over there are doing well. :)
In other words, I've noticed in my views that I have a few from Japan. I hope you all over there are doing well. :)
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Lost Histories
This quest becomes open to you once you have sold at least 400 gold of stolen goods to one of the guild's fences.
Get an invisibility potion or spell, and a potion of Cure Disease.
She'll tell you that the Gray Fox wants a book called "Lost Histories" and that a fellow guild member, Theranis, was already sent to Skingrad to retrieve it--but he hasn't been seen since that time. Well, that's not good.
Fast-travel to Castle Skingrad and go to the dungeon. The guard apparently won't be bribed, but that's okay. Use the invisibility potion/spell and sneak to the right and around the guard. Pick the lock and go through the door.
When you get down to the jail cells, talk to "Larthjar" after getting his disposition up to at least 70 and promising to free him to learn that a "pale lady" has been stealing prisoners. He'll also say that Theranis was taken from the cells a few days earlier.
Now follow the blood trail to the wall, and look to the right to see a set of unlit candles. It's a switch. Activate it and go through the door (be sure to look to your right after entering the door to find another switch that recloses the door).
When you hit a fork, take the left, because the right side is barred. When you come to the end of the hall, there's a switch on the left that opens the wall.
Take the second right, down the ramp. Look for more bloodstains in front of the middle barrel.
Go to the barrel on the right. Standing in front of it, you should look to your left at the pillar, for another set of unlit candles. Seeing a theme here?
Activating it opens the middle barrel. Head on down, and continue to follow the blood path to a very disturbing... "workshop" that has bottles of human blood sitting around. I guess we know about the pale lady's true nature now, huh?
She'll attack. Try to kill her quickly or else you may contract porphyric hemophilia--the vampire's disease. Wait until she's dead to use your Potion of Cure Disease, if you happened to contract the disease. Loot her body for some castle keys.
Look around for Theranis's body and use the space bar to check it. You'll get a quest update and learn that Amusei must be the captured Argonian that was spoken of previously.
After some discussion he'll join you in sneak mode.
I had a LOT of trouble with leading him back, because most of the time I would be halfway across a room before he'd come through a door--thereby getting us both caught.
I figured out a way around this, though.
Go into sneak mode and walk behind Amusei.
Press space and go into the Pickpocket mode...but go down to the bottom of the screen where there are two pictures of bags at the bottom of the screen. Click the left bag--this puts you into reverse-steal mode where you are actually giving them something instead of stealing.
Click on the Skingrad Castle Key that you will have looted from the Pale Lady to give it to Amusei.
Now head back into the Wine Cellar with him. Head straight and turn right when you hit a fork and go through the dining hall door. Go up the stairs and turn right, into the hallway. Save here--because this next area is where you are most likely to be caught.
Proceed into the room and to the right. At the top right corner of the room is a very short corridor/alcove with a door. Go through it.
There will be stairs. Go down them and head out the gate marked the West Weald. Go across the bridge, and then down the path. Once you've gone down it enough (be sure to stay on the gray area that goes through the land like a sidewalk, almots), you'll get a quest notification that will tell you that you've escaped.
Amusei will talk to you. Ask about the book and he'll tell you that it's behind Nerestarel's house. Under a bush, and near a well!
Go on down into town.
When you pass a "building" with a door marked Guard House, turn right and continue your path, but stay against the wall. Follow it.
The book will be just past the well, at this point:
Take it and go back to S'krivva. You'll earn 400 gold, get a promotion, and will get +2 to your infamy.
Get an invisibility potion or spell, and a potion of Cure Disease.
She'll tell you that the Gray Fox wants a book called "Lost Histories" and that a fellow guild member, Theranis, was already sent to Skingrad to retrieve it--but he hasn't been seen since that time. Well, that's not good.
Fast-travel to Castle Skingrad and go to the dungeon. The guard apparently won't be bribed, but that's okay. Use the invisibility potion/spell and sneak to the right and around the guard. Pick the lock and go through the door.
When you get down to the jail cells, talk to "Larthjar" after getting his disposition up to at least 70 and promising to free him to learn that a "pale lady" has been stealing prisoners. He'll also say that Theranis was taken from the cells a few days earlier.
Now follow the blood trail to the wall, and look to the right to see a set of unlit candles. It's a switch. Activate it and go through the door (be sure to look to your right after entering the door to find another switch that recloses the door).
When you hit a fork, take the left, because the right side is barred. When you come to the end of the hall, there's a switch on the left that opens the wall.
Take the second right, down the ramp. Look for more bloodstains in front of the middle barrel.
Go to the barrel on the right. Standing in front of it, you should look to your left at the pillar, for another set of unlit candles. Seeing a theme here?
Activating it opens the middle barrel. Head on down, and continue to follow the blood path to a very disturbing... "workshop" that has bottles of human blood sitting around. I guess we know about the pale lady's true nature now, huh?
She'll attack. Try to kill her quickly or else you may contract porphyric hemophilia--the vampire's disease. Wait until she's dead to use your Potion of Cure Disease, if you happened to contract the disease. Loot her body for some castle keys.
Look around for Theranis's body and use the space bar to check it. You'll get a quest update and learn that Amusei must be the captured Argonian that was spoken of previously.
After some discussion he'll join you in sneak mode.
I had a LOT of trouble with leading him back, because most of the time I would be halfway across a room before he'd come through a door--thereby getting us both caught.
I figured out a way around this, though.
Go into sneak mode and walk behind Amusei.
Press space and go into the Pickpocket mode...but go down to the bottom of the screen where there are two pictures of bags at the bottom of the screen. Click the left bag--this puts you into reverse-steal mode where you are actually giving them something instead of stealing.
Click on the Skingrad Castle Key that you will have looted from the Pale Lady to give it to Amusei.
Now head back into the Wine Cellar with him. Head straight and turn right when you hit a fork and go through the dining hall door. Go up the stairs and turn right, into the hallway. Save here--because this next area is where you are most likely to be caught.
Proceed into the room and to the right. At the top right corner of the room is a very short corridor/alcove with a door. Go through it.
There will be stairs. Go down them and head out the gate marked the West Weald. Go across the bridge, and then down the path. Once you've gone down it enough (be sure to stay on the gray area that goes through the land like a sidewalk, almots), you'll get a quest notification that will tell you that you've escaped.
Amusei will talk to you. Ask about the book and he'll tell you that it's behind Nerestarel's house. Under a bush, and near a well!
Go on down into town.
When you pass a "building" with a door marked Guard House, turn right and continue your path, but stay against the wall. Follow it.
The book will be just past the well, at this point:
Take it and go back to S'krivva. You'll earn 400 gold, get a promotion, and will get +2 to your infamy.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Luciana Galena
Luciana Galena lives in Bravil, here:
She is in her house from about 2 am to 8 am, but is available for bartering just about any time she's inside a building--she will NOT be offering fence services while she is outside.
She is also a trainer of Light Armor.
She is in her house from about 2 am to 8 am, but is available for bartering just about any time she's inside a building--she will NOT be offering fence services while she is outside.
She is also a trainer of Light Armor.
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