Open main menu

UESPWiki β

Daggerfall:Instructions from the Empire

< Daggerfall: Quests: Main Quest
 
Receive a letter from Lady Brisienna via courier, and contact her in a tavern of her choice.
Quest Giver: Lady Brisienna, via Courier
Location(s): A randomly chosen tavern in the Kingdom of Daggerfall
Prerequisite Quest: Privateer's Hold
Reward: None
Reputation Gain: see Reputation Gain/Loss
ID: _brisien
Required Level: Any
 
Lady Brisienna Magnessen, agent of the Emperor

Quick WalkthroughEdit

  1. Get a letter from the Emperor's agent.
  2. Meet Lady Brisienna in a tavern in the Kingdom of Daggerfall.
  3. Receive some advice on how to proceed with your mission.

Detailed WalkthroughEdit

Invitation from a StrangerEdit

One to two weeks after escaping from Privateer's Hold you will receive a letter. After the notification appears, check your inventory for this letter. It reads:

Dear (player's name),
I heard about your accident at sea, and feared the
worst. Now that I've heard you're alive and well, I
would like the opportunity to meet with you and discuss
our beloved Emperor's mission in the Iliac Bay.
Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lady Magnessen,
the Emperor's agent in the court of Daggerfall. My
position is not so official as an ambassador. None but
other agents of the Emperor know of my true affiliation.
The Iliac Bay is rife with rebels against the Imperial
throne, so your discretion is required.
For the purpose of our meeting, I will take a room
at an inn, (tavern) in (town)
of Daggerfall, for a month. After that, I will no longer
be available. I will expect you as soon as possible.
Yours sincerely,
Brisienna, Lady Magnessen

Meeting the Emperor's AgentEdit

Travel to the town mentioned in the letter and locate the inn. Enter it and find Lady Brisienna among the patrons. Speak with Brisienna and she will say:

"Ah, thank you for responding to my letter, (player's first name). I am Lady Brisienna. Let me bring you to date on affairs. The spectre of King Lysandus haunts the streets of Daggerfall at night. Trying to communicate with him is futile. He will occasionally moan the word "Vengeance," but that is the only coherent word I have ever heard him utter. If you are ever in Daggerfall, do not wander the city at night. You are certain to be attacked by his legion of ghosts.
It would probably be more gainful to investigate those who might have wronged Lysandus to find the cause behind his torment. I do not know if the royal family of Daggerfall or another person or persons merit more suspicion. The major powers of the Bay, Sentinel, Wayrest, and Daggerfall may be good places to start."

Brisienna will also brief you on the Emperor's letter:

"In the matter of the letter, the Emperor's agent says that he was unable to hand-deliver it to the Queen because of the war. He hired a courier who supposedly delivered the letter in his stead. We do not even know the name of this courier. Obviously, there is little information of use, but it would be worthwhile to see whether the letter arrived at Castle Daggerfall at all. How you decide to do this is entirely your decision. I will contact you if any new information should surface.
I am leaving Daggerfall soon. My position has [sic] here has been compromised and my life is in danger. Do not mention my name in court. It is more likely to hurt than help. Good luck, and watch your back, (player's first name)."

At this point you are on your own, free to adventure and explore at your own pace. When you meet the level requirements, the Main Quest will find you once again.

Delaying the MeetingEdit

If you do not promptly meet with Lady Brisienna, she will send two additional letters urging you to do so. Delaying too long will result in reputation loss.

  • If you do not show up after a month, you will receive a second letter with a similar invitation:
(Player's name),
I sent you a letter weeks ago. I only hope
it caught up with you. If this one crosses your path
after you have visited me on your way to see me in
(town) please do not take offense.
As I mentioned in the previous letter, I am the
Emperor's agent in Daggerfall and it is imperative
that I speak with you. I have extend [sic] my stay at
(tavern) in (town) for two more weeks.
Of course there is the possibility that you have
intentionally snubbed me and shirked your duty to
the Emperor. I hope that is not the case. If you
fail to arrive, I will be forced to assume you are
a traitor to his Imperial Majesty, Uriel Septim VII.
Yours sincerely,
Brisienna, Lady Magnessen
  • If you do not respond to the second letter, Brisienna will send you a final letter telling you that you are on your own. If you do not meet her within 29 days of receiving the final letter, Brisienna will be gone; you will not receive a journal entry, but you can still continue the main quest. Brisienna's third and final letter reads as follows:
(Player's name),
I waited and you never arrived. I shall report
this to the Emperor. If I have my way, you will
be barred from service.
Lady Magnessen

Reputation Gain/LossEdit

If you do not meet with Brisienna, or if you meet her after receiving her third letter, you will lose reputation as seen below.

Person Reputation Gain
Lady Brisienna -15

NotesEdit

  • In spite of the urgent tone of Brisienna's letters, this quest has no impact on the rest of the Main Quest. The next letters will arrive when you reach the appropriate levels, regardless of whether you meet her.
  • It is recommended that you complete this quest as soon as possible after receiving Lady Brisienna's letter. The rest of the Main Quest can be investigated at your leisure. Adventure for a bit, gain skills, money, equipment, and reputation, all of which will help you survive. Join a few guilds and complete quests to gain privileges that will also help.
  • The Daggerfall Chronicles refers to this quest as "Instructions from the Empire".
  • The first journal entry called by this quest refers to your escape from Privateer's Hold.

BugsEdit

  • You can ask NPCs about Lady Brisienna as soon as you exit Privateer's Hold, even before receiving her letter.
    • DFQFIX addresses this logical inconsistency; the prompt will not appear until the letter is received.
  • You can still meet Lady Brisienna after receiving her final letter. Though the letter implies she is done waiting for you, she will remain at her location for 29 days after this letter reaches you. If you meet with her during this period she will still give you her information, but you will suffer reputation loss with her. After these 29 days, she will be gone for good.
    • DFQFIX alters the quest timing so it ends one day after receiving the final letter, after which Lady Magnessen will be gone.
  • Sometimes you will still get the dialogue for quest failure when asking for "Any News?" even if you have successfully completed the quest.

Additional DialogueEdit

Upon receiving Lady Brisienna's letter, you will see one of the following:

  • You approached [sic] by a young page who smiles in recognition and does not ask your name before he hands you a letter addressed to you. To all of your questions, he merely responds with a blank look and a smile.
  • A letter is pressed into your hand. You spin to see who gave it to you. You catch a glimpse of livery that vanishes into the crowd.
  • "A page steps forward saying "Letter for you (player's name)," and hands you a note.
  • "A courier steps up to you with a letter in hand. "I was told to give this letter to someone fitting your description," says the courier. As you take it, the courier turns and walks quickly away.
  • "Reaching into you pack for something to eat, you spy a note. It wasn't there before.
  • "A redfaced courier startles you with a cry of "Letter for (player's name)! Hey that must be you. Here, take this. Gotta go. Other deliveries to be made."

If you ask an NPC about Lady Brisienna after receiving her letter:

  • "Lady Magnessen? She's the emmisary of the Blades in Daggerfall."
  • "Lady Magnessen is a part of the set regularly at Castle Daggerfall."
  • "Lady Magnessen was formerly in the employ of Mynisera, when she was Queen."
  • "Lady Magnessen once worked for the Queen Mother, but always for the Emperor."
  • "Lady Magnessen is the sister of the Great Knight, leader of the Blades."
  • "I heard Lady Magnessen was accused of spying. Nobody knows where she is now."

After you begin this quest, NPCs may say when asked for any news:

  • "The prophets say that soon what was unclaimed will be claimed."
  • "Lady Brisienna awaits someone at (tavern) in (town)."
  • "That was some storm. Magically created, many are saying."
  • "Lady Brisienna has taken up lodging at (tavern) in (town)."

If you fail the quest, NPCs may say when asked for any news:

  • "Lady Brisienna has left (tavern), muttering about traitors to the Empire."

If you successfully complete the quest, NPCs may say when asked for any news:

  • "Lady Brisienna has left (tavern). She must've found who she was looking for."

Quest LogEdit

Instructions from the Empire (_brisien)
Stage/
Index
Finishes Quest Journal Entry
0 (Date): I am on a mission from the emperor to investigate the shade of King Lysandus. His spirit has been haunting the city of Daggerfall. The emperor himself has charged me with the duty of laying his ghost to rest.

There is also the minor matter of a letter he sent to the Queen of Daggerfall. If I should find out what happened to the letter, he would be most appreciative.

Before landing in Daggerfall, a sudden storm capsized the ship. I barely made it into this cave.
1 (Date): I met with Lady Brisienna in a tavern room. She told me that the three major powers of the Iliac bay are Daggerfall, Wayrest, and Sentinel. If I am to investigate the mystery of Lysandus' ghost, I should start by speaking with the royal families of these fiefdoms.
Prev: Privateer's Hold Up: Main Quest Next: None