Tharayya

"Keep it down!"

So this is Volenfell? I followed your journal entries. "Great. A fan. I need you to keep quiet!"

"Great. A fan. I need you to keep quiet!"

Why? What's wrong? "You see those rabid dogs up ahead? Raiders. They swept into my camp this morning, slaughtered us nearly to a man. They'll kill you, too, if they see you. I can't stay here forever—there must be a way through them."

I could make one. "Ha ha ha! An interesting proposal. Let's see if your bite is as fierce as your bark."

Wait here.

"That worked out much better than I thought it would. I think formal introductions are in order. My name is Tharayya. Pleased to meet you."

I'm Vestige (Player name). What happened here? "Well, you just helped me avoid a vicious stabbing. We were a group of twenty this morning. No longer. I'll bet my dog of a husband set up this ambush."

Your husband? "That's ex-husband, actually. Bastard probably knew I was coming. We were … developing competing studies on the Dwemer, and I found the location of this ruin, Volenfell, before he did."

So he tried to kill you? "Poisoned me, stole my journals and notes. Left me for dead. So I came after him with a small army. Who knew he'd have one, too?"

What will you do now? "Only thing I can do is try to get my research back from him. This place houses the Guardian's Eye, an artifact I've hunted for months. Will you help me? It'll be worth your while."

I'll get those notes back. "My "husband," Quintus Verres, is around here somewhere. He's got every scrap of research I've done on these ruins and the Guardian's Eye. I need my materials back."

So, what is the Guardian's Eye? "It's an ancient Dwemer artifact of immense power."

Is that it? "Is what it?"

Is that all you know? "I … look, someone out there will pay a small fortune for it. You have no idea how difficult it was to catch word of the Eye. The Mages Guild, Tamriel's leading archaeologists. They'll all kill to get it. Like my dear husband tried to do."

He poisoned you? "Oh, it's happened before—an unrelated incident—luckily, I had a supply of water and salt nearby. Lost a lot of fluid, but I lost the poison, too."

"You'll have to excuse me if I don't shed a tear for my dearly departed husband."

I found your notes. "Fantastic! A hall referenced as the "Guardian's Helm" should be your first stop, accessible through a side passage nearby. My texts hint that you'll find a mechanism within, probably a lever, that will open the way for us to move deeper."

The Eye is inside? "We have a ways to go, I'm afraid. You'll face Dwemer mechanics within. Traps, automatons. Mind your surroundings."

Let's go. "Go on ahead. We're going to see if we can muscle through this door here while you search for an easier way to get it open. My notes say that you'll find a mechanism in the Guardian's Helm that will help."

Why don't you come along? "I think our time would be better spent attempting to force the entrance open. We'll work faster that way, you see?"

[Persuade] What? Are you afraid? "Come now. That's not fair. We're working off of my research, after all, and you're … better at danger than I am. We'll be waiting. I mean working. Here. To get the door open."

Why did you marry Quintus? "Our relationship wasn't always like this. That first night was wonderfully raucous. Of course, it only took a week for him to try to kill me. Let's see, that was … last week."

But why did you marry him? "I wanted to see his research, and we know he needed mine. It felt like it took an eternity to get it. Too bad I knew more than he did. But enough about me. I'm sure you'll find the Guardian's Eye much more interesting."

"You did it! Our way is clear!"

What's next? "Let me review my notes …. Ah, yes, my research says that we need to bypass the "Guardian's Skull." It, too, should have an unlocking lever that will allow us to pass deeper into these ruins."

Is it dangerous? "Almost definitely. The transition from the "Guardian's Helm" to "Guardian's Skull" implies vulnerability, I think. We must be getting closer to the Eye."

I'll head to the Guardian's Skull. "My crew and I are collecting Dwemer samples to, uh … sell them. You should explore. Now that I've seen this place, I'd guess the Dwemer were not kindly creatures. Only a sadistic culture would build the constructs and traps we've encountered."

What do you do for a living, exactly? "I do a little bit of everything. I enjoy new experiences. Last week's was marriage. This week was divorce, then Dwemer ruins. Both will hopefully lead to considerable fortune."

Could you be more specific about what I'm facing? "Let me see … there are several mentions of air. Hot air? Steam. It's a direct translation, so we could be talking about steam exhaust, volcanic steam … bath steam. Just be careful!"

"I came here for the gold, but I can't stand here and not bask a little in the history. I've often wondered if the Dwemer ever expected they wouldn't be here today."

I pulled the lever in the Guardian's Skull. What's next? "If my research is correct, then you've unlocked the door to the Eye itself! According to my notes, the Eye is located in a chamber called the "Guardian's Orbit." Sounds … somewhat grisly. It's probably the structure up ahead."

What do the Dwemer have in store this time? "Probably the most powerful constructs yet remain in this ruin. The Dwemer are so very fond of leaving their treasure with their traps and automatons. Be ready for anything."

I'll find the Guardian's Eye. "I can't believe the Guardian's Eye is nearly in my—I mean our—grasp! I don't know what you're planning to do with your share, but I'm buying a gold-plated carriage."

Where is the Eye, again? "In a chamber called the ""Guardian's Orbit."" My notes don't relate an exact location, but there can't be many unexplored structures remaining. My crew and I have got our hands full, so you'll have to do some exploring on your own."

"The Eye was within my grasp. Months of planning wiped out in seconds. How could this happen?"

Was the Eye destroyed? "I had it in my hands … and it vanished in that blinding light! Blasted Dwemer magic. Then those undead came, crawling from the ground. Perhaps the Eye woke them. Sep's tongue, something awful has befallen this place. We need to get clear."

"I … can't believe the Eye is gone. And I have a bad feeling about those undead. I'm going to get some help. Warn the region. Who knows how many of them are in there?"

Are you sure the Eye is gone? "After what I just saw, I'm not sure of anything. Eye or no, unearthing the undead is always an ill omen. And as much as I want to walk away, I don't think this mess is going to clean itself up."