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Library

Act 1

Author: 
Anonymous

Chapter 1

The player chooses to first follow the relic hunter.

Thornwell Farm

Relic Hunter

I'm warning you, old man. Give us the magic ring, or this might get ugly.

Old Man

Please, no! You don't understand, I need it! You there, stranger — please, help me!

Player

The player defeats the relic hunter and rescues the old man.

Old Man

The gods bless you. In truth, I don't even have that magic ring anymore — I lost it in the woods over yonder. If you find it, I beg you, please return it. It's precious to me.

Darkened Forest

Kellen

The hero searched the wood for the old man's ring — until running afoul of a vicious werewolf.

Player

The werewolf and the player fight. Just as the player is about to kill the beast, the old man from Thornwell Farm yells out.

Old Man

Wait, don't kill him! That's my son!

There it is - the ring!

Swims-at-Night

That doesn't look like Barilzar's Mazed Band. But it does look valuable…

Old Man

No! This ring is blessed by Hircine - it helps my son control his curse.

Swims-at-Night

We could keep it for our trouble...

Player

The player can choose to either hold on to the ring, or to let the old man keep it. Either way, they head to the Ragged Flagon next.

Keep the Ring

Old Man

A curse upon you! You hear me? May that ring be cursed!

Return the Ring

Swims-at-Night

Didn't think so. Ah well, another good deed done!

Ragged Flagon

Delvin Mallory

Swims-at-Night. You've got nerve showing your face here. Think we forgot that cargo you 'lost'?

Swims-at-Night

You're not really still mad about that.

Delvin Mallory

Mad's got nothing to do with it. This is just business.

Player

They fight. When Delvin is beat, he speaks up.

Delvin Mallory

All right boys, I… I think he's learned his lesson. Won't be… stealing from us again.

There was a thief boasting about a magic ring. Argonian called Sails-Through-Storms. But she got arrested some weeks back.

Swims-at-Night

Sails-Through-Storms got caught? She's a legend!

Delvin Mallory

So I gathered. And the guards know it too. She's not in the usual jail, and no one's saying where she is. We've no notion of how to free her.

Swims-at-Night

Hmm. I have a really bad idea.

Streets of Riften

Swims-at-Night

All right, hear me out. If we commit a brazen enough crime, the guards will take us right to Sails-Through-Storms. And luckily, brazen is my specialty.

Player

While in this match, the player must either defeat the Riften guard or complete a series of objectives (steal a card, destroy a support or rune, wound a creature, kill a chicken). Once they've done that, the "crime spree" is complete and the match ends.

Swims-at-Night

Curses. You've caught us. But there's no prison in the world that can hold us!

Riften Lawkeeper

We'll see about that.

Mistveil Dungeon

Sails-Through-Storms

Well, look at what the guards dragged in. Welcome to paradise.

Swims-at-Night

We won't be here long. We've come to free you.

Sails-Through-Storms

Really? Why?

Swims-at-Night

We hear you know something about Barilzar's Mazed Band.

Sails-Through-Storms

I might. Get me out of here and we'll talk.

Player

The player must defeat the Riften guards and use lockpicks to free Sails-Through-Storms.

Sails-Through-Storms

Thanks for the assistance. I don't have the ring, but I do have this journal. It belonged to a great adventurer who claims to have hidden the ring in the most dangerous place they could find. It's sealed inside a Dragon Cult tomb.

Player

Together, the gang heads for that tomb: Forelhost.

Forelhost Front Gate

Sails-Through-Storms

This is the chamber the journal points to. But the door is magically sealed.

Swims-at-Night

This inscription reads "Only the dead may walk these halls / Take up the chalice, heed Alduin's call.

Sails-Through-Storms

They killed themselves. Drank poison from this chalice. You don't think...

Swims-at-Night

That the door only opens for the poisoned? Might be. I can brew a poison that won't kill us. But it won't be pleasant...

Sails-Through-Storms

I'm not drinking poison just to find some ring. I'm out.

Swims-at-Night

Your loss. Me, I'll do a lot for treasure. And lost cities are always FULL of treasure.

He brews the poison and drinks it. As predicted, the door opens and he heads further into the tomb.

Forelhost Lost Tomb

Swims-at-Night

There's the ring!

Dragon Priest

(Roars)

Swims-at-Night

I guess the poison isn't the only thing that makes this place dangerous.

Player

Despite being poisoned, the player defeats the Dragon Priest. Just as they are about to take Barilzar's band for themselves, a mysterious figure appears.

Swims-at-Night

The… ring … is ours!

Mysterious Figure

I'm afraid not. Thank you for leading us to it though.

Kellen

In their the weakened state, the Hero and Swims-at-Night could not hold off the treasure hunters. They seized the ring.

But Swims-at-Night would not give up his prize. At the last moment, he reached out and grabbed the hunters.

Swims-at-Night

No you don't!

Kellen

And was whisked away with them, into the mysterious city.

A new map is displayed, showing the Skyrim coast near Winterhold.

Kellen

With Swims-at-Night in danger, the hero sought the help of an old and learned friend. Laaneth was now a teacher at the College of Winterhold. Perhaps she knew another way into the lost city.

Chapter 2

College of Winterhold

Librarian

Look out, stranger! The books in the library have come alive!

Player

Just like the Librarian said, the player is attacked by a bunch of flying books. After they put them down, they locate Laaneth, their old friend.

Laaneth

Thanks for the help. I think I have an idea of how to get to the Clockwork City, but first I need to find out what happened here. Think you can help?

Player

To get help, they turn to J'Zargo.

J'Zargo

J'Zargo

Hmm. J'Zargo thinks he could discover who is behind the library attack. This one knows many who walk these halls. Perhaps in return you could do a small favor for J'Zargo?

I have been perfecting these new spell scrolls, but have no time to test them. Could you try them? They shouldn't be too dangerous.

Winterhold Wilderness

Kellen

The hero ventured out to test J'Zargo's scrolls. But their light soon attracted curious predators.

Player

They find themselves facing a group of spriggans, lead by a Shadowgreen Elder. They defeat him, using all of J'Zargo's Very Experimental Scrolls in the process.

J'Zargo

How did the scrolls perform?! Oh. Ah. Well... you survived, no? And now J'Zargo knows just what to do next time...

As for the library attack, J'Zargo asked around. One of the older students, Nirenil, snuck into the Arcanaeum last night after dark. Then she slipped into the Midden beneath the school. Most suspicious, no? J'Zargo is a natural investigator.

The Midden

Nirenil

So, you've found me. No matter. These fools have never understood my work - or what I'm capable of. But I'll be happy to give you the first taste of my power!

Laaneth

Stand aside. This unruly student is mine.

Laaneth and the student fight, with Laaneth eventually defeating her rival.

Well. That student is officially expelled. Thanks for your help.

I've looked into your Clockwork City problem as well. Its location is shrouded in mystery - but there was one legendary mage who could travel there at will: Divayth Fyr. I don't know if he still lives... but one of his daughters is here in Skyrim. I'll take you to her.

Alfe Fyr

Alfe Fyr

You live on the most frozen, gods-forsaken mountain on Nirn, and you think people will leave you alone. But still you come knocking.

Clockwork City is it? Yes, I know the way. But it's not easy. I'll need the toe of a Frost Troll, a Dwemer puzzle box, and the skull of a living Dragon. Find all that, and I'll help you.

Player

Undaunted by these requests, the player can go to one of three locations next: the Sightless Pit, Mount Anthor, or Bleakcoast Ridge. All three must be completed to return to Alfe.

Sightless Pit

This mission differs depending on whether the player chose to give the ring back to the old man in Thornwell Grove, or if they chose to keep it.

Kept the ring

Laaneth

Beautiful moon tonight. Shame we have to descend into this dark ruin, but it's our best hope of finding that Dwemer puzzle box.

Wait. Are you okay? That ring on your hand is glowing and... are you growing fur?

Player

The player indeed turns into a werewolf, but defeats the Falmer nonetheless.

Laaneth

Looks like there's a curse on that ring you're wearing. I think I can clear that up for you. But in the meantime, I found the puzzle box.

Gave back the ring

Laaneth

This ruin is our best hope of finding that Dwemer puzzle box - but be careful. It's overrun with Falmer.

Player

They defeat the Falmer guarding the puzzle box.

Laaneth

Found the puzzle box! Let's get out of here before more of those creatures show up.

Bleakcoast Ridge

This mission differs depending on whether the player chose to give the ring back to the old man in Thornwell Grove, or if they chose to keep it.

Kept the ring

Laaneth

I see a frost troll up ahead. But be careful - I think a storm is coming.

Player

The player defeats the troll.

Laaneth

All right. Got the toe. Now let's get somewhere warm.

Gave back the ring

Kellen

As Laaneth and the hero searched for a frost troll, a fearsome storm kicked up. Out of the snow, a pack of wolves emerged. Somehow, the hero knew they wished to join in the hunt.

Player

The wolves surround the player, aiding them in their fight against the troll.

Kellen

With the frost troll defeated, the wolves let out a victorious howl, and faded into the snow.

Nagh

Nagh does not understand.

Kellen

Nor did Lanneth. But it seemed to the hero that they were being repaid for a past kindness.

Mount Anthor

Laaneth

The stories are true - Dragons have returned to the world. And that one is heading our way!

Player

Though it is a tough fight, they defeat the dragon and take his skull.

Laaneth

I never thought I'd live to see one of these - much less kill one. Come on, let's get this skull back to Alfe.

Return to Alfe Fyr

Alfe Fyr

You got all those things? Oblivion take me. Well leave them out back, I guess.

Laaneth

You don't need them to get us into the city?

Alfe Fyr

What? No! I just assumed the troll, the falmer, or the dragon would kill you like they did the last three, and I wouldn't have to bother. But ah well, a deal's a deal...

Enter the City

Kellen

Alfe Fyr was true to her word. At long last, the hero had found Sotha Sil's hidden city. Now, to find Swims-at-Night...