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Quick WalkthroughEdit
- Find out what happened to the entourage.
- Rescue Lanitalle, Minantille, Merion, and Nuulehtel.
- Defeat the madman holding them captive.
- Return to Eminelya.
Detailed WalkthroughEdit
A Plea For HelpEdit
Making your way north from Tanzelwil to Skywatch, you might encounter Eminelya, of the Queen's entourage, resting near a campfire to the side of the road. Speak with her to learn that her colleagues have been abducted by a mad mage. The good news is that the Queen is safe, thanks to the fact that the she travels faster than her entourage due to the riding skills of the other members.
- Do you know where the mage took them?
- "He cackled something about the Vale. It lies just beyond this cave. I've tried to summon up the nerve. But I just can't.
Will you go after them? I have these teleportation scrolls. You could use them, get everyone out." - Give me the scrolls. I'll take care of this.
Eminelya will beg you to save the others and will hand you five Teleport Scrolls. Head to where they're thought to be held: Glister Vale.
Glister ValeEdit
The easiest route to the vale is via a small cave that runs through the mountainous terrain, with entrances marked on your map during the quest. The cave has several Giant Bats blocking your way. It exits into the Glister Vale. Make your way through the gravestones and wolves to the lone tower overlooking the Vale.
Tower of the ValeEdit
Lanitaale's GreedEdit
Once inside, you'll find the first entourage member, Lanitaale, obsessively poring over various trinkets and books:
- "Go away! It's all mine. Sanessalmo said so.
Eh. Are you using that weapon? I bet I could get a fair price for it." - Sorry, it's not for sale. Who's Sanessalmo?
- "A mage. He teleported us all here and started casting some spells, and. Oh, that really is a nice pair of boots you're wearing. Could I just see—"
- Concentrate. Where did the mage go? Where are the other members of the Queen's entourage?
- "Oh they're somewhere back there. I couldn't get Minantille or Merion to give up their shirts. And I really wanted Nuulehtel's pants, but he refused. Misers.
You're sure you don't have anything to trade?" - You know, I do have this very valuable scroll. Why don't you read it over?
- "Ah, beautiful. Look at this handwriting—"
Meet The Mad MageEdit
Once Lanitaale disappears from reading the scroll, you will hear a projection call out to you from further in the tower.
- Projection of Sanessalmo: "An accountant's greed is rarely distracted. Come, speak with me."
Speak to the projection to learn that this is Sanessalmo, the culprit behind the missing entourage members. He'll nonchalantly admit to the fact that he's been using them as experiments for a type of magic that targets emotions, by trapping them in separate worlds created solely to exploit their greatest emotional weaknesses. He'll also comment on the fact that, even though Lanitaale has escaped confinement, she won't be able to escape her greed, possibly hinting that she'll suffer from after-effects of his experiments.
- "Clever. Very clever. Poor woman. Even taken beyond these walls, no accountant is ever freed from her greed.
I am Sanessalmo. Welcome to my laboratory." - Where are the other members of the Queen's entourage?
- "Oh, I'm testing them. Much like I did to Lanitaale. Each now resides in a small world of their own making. I'm fascinated by emotion, the power it holds.
I'm afraid to say, but … they're not doing very well." - Let me free them. Let me participate in your tests.
- "Oh! What a splendid idea. External stimulus in the mix. Here, I'll open portals to their little worlds.
Succeed or fail, this should be simply fascinating."
Minantille's RageEdit
Enter the first portal. In the resulting tunnel, move forward to reach the main area of the experiment, which is volcanic and populated with a large number of Flame Atronachs, most of which are in pairs and are packed tightly together. Low-level players can easily become overwhelmed if they allow themselves to get swarmed. There is also a lava flows spanning most of the area, which won't kill you instantly, but does a sizable amount of damage over time.
As you walk into the expansive main area, Sanessalmo's voice can be heard from all around, making comments about Minantille and hinting at her past and issues. Two paths split to the north and south. Go up the north path, which will take you through an area dotted with many dead, burned trees and plenty of Flame Atronachs to extinguish. Make your way up the steep hill and you'll eventually come to another area flowing with lava that surrounds a large landmass, upon which you can find Minantille. There is no bridge across the lava, so hop over or run through it to reach your objective. As soon as you cross the lava, Minantille will react:
- "Get away from me!"
- "Don't touch me! I'll kill you, you hear me? I'll kill you!"
The representation of her repressed anger—Minantille's Rage—will then spawn. Take this opportunity to make the first strike. Minantille's Rage uses an inferno staff, and periodically drops two area of effect attacks that look like rings of flame with a symbol drawn from fire in the center. Even at higher levels, the Rage deals a hefty amount of damage with both its basic fire attack and the area of effect attacks, so dispatch it quickly.
Once Minantille's Rage is defeated, speak with Minantille.
- "Thank you. Thank you so much. I can think again."
- What was that thing?
- "Didn't recognize the face, but the armor. That was my old armor from my campaigning days.
I had no idea. All this rage, this hatred, must have been bubbling within me for years." - We need to get you out of here. Take this teleportation scroll.
After handing her a Teleport Scroll, Minantille will then disappear back to her companions. Head back to the tower. As you approach the portal leading out of the area, Sanessalmo's projection will appear:
- "A very disgraced general overcomes her anger? How very uplifting."
His projection will then disappear after briefly leaving a red warning circle, and letting off a damaging blast of fire similar to the death of a Flame Atronach. Continue through the portal to rescue the third victim of Sanessalmo's experiments.
Merion's BlissEdit
Merion's Bliss is another subterranean space, this time a cave with many mushrooms populating the walls. It's also darker and more surreal than Minantille's Rage. Move forward and take either of the two paths in front of you, which will lead out to the large, main room of Merion's Bliss. The area is dominated by two massive mushrooms, with several Imps and Giant Bats taking up residence beneath the fungal canopy. The main area has three connected pathways: the east side is where you will come in from, which leads back to the portal. The south and west ends are tunnels, filled with more Imps and Giant Bats, that wind around and up to an upper level. The southern, lower path connects to the eastern, upper path. The western, lower path connects to the southern, upper path.
For now, head to the north end of the room, where you'll find a wooden platform supporting some amenities that include an Alchemy Station. Merion can also be found here, standing across from a Malevolent Spirit. As you approach, you'll hear Sanessalmo's ever-present voice once more: "The picture of true love, those two." Talk with Merion to see how he is. You will quickly see that he has been deluded.
- "Isn't she beautiful? Where has she been all my life?
We'll be together. Forever." - You're being manipulated, Merion. It's some kind of spirit.
- No! She's the love of my life. Nothing you can say will change that.
I just wish this cave wasn't so dangerous. The poor thing gets scared around these strange mushrooms." - Strange mushrooms?
- "Yes. I'm an alchemist. Before I met this fine lady, I was worried about magical manipulation. For some reason. Hmm. Anyway, I was going to collect spores, create a potion to guard against ….
Did I mention we're to be married?" - Concentrate, Merion. How were you going to make the potion?
- "Oh? The recipe's in my pack, I'm sure. Don't know where my pack's gotten to. Why would you need—
Yes, my sweet? What was that, you said?"
With what you have learned, look for Merion's backpack nearby, which can be found in the main cavern between two large mushrooms, lying next to several other, smaller mushrooms. Open Merion's Backpack to find the Spore Potion Recipe that you'll need to break Merion's bewitchment. You'll also find Merion's Diary after checking the backpack. The diary shows Merion's gradual descent into mad bliss, from a determination to use the mushrooms in creating a potion to protect him from magical illusions, to proclaiming his intent to marry the Malevolent Spirit. Much like the previous experiment, Sanessalmo will periodically make comments about Merion's personality.
You'll require three ingredients to create the potion. Obtaining each ingredient will cause the Malevolent Spirit to mock Merion's predicament. You can find the ingredients in the following places:
- Lavendercap Mushrooms can be found on the lower, southern path that connects to the upper, eastern path. They're closer to the bottom level, in a group of three. Your first ingredient will bring about the Malevolent Spririt's voice: "Merion's soul is mine!"
- Gleamcap Spores can be found on the lower, western path that connects to the upper, southern path. They're closer to the upper level, and also in a group of three. Acquiring a second ingredient will, once again, cause the Malevolent Spirit to speak: "I'm all he can think about. Delicious."
- Bloodcrown Spores are found on the upper level, in the northwestern area. They are found in a group of four large, red mushrooms. Activate the final ingredient, and the Malevolent Spirit will mock you once more: "Merion's love is like a fine wine. So heady."
Once you have all three ingredients, you will automatically create the Spore Potion. Now head back to Merion and free him from the clutches of the Malevolent Spirit. As you approach the duo for the final time, Sanesselamo will plea: "Don't ruin such an innocent love." Ignore his request, and throw the potion at the Malevolent Spirit to exorcise it. It will not be happy about this:
- "No! Merion is mine! All mine!"
With Merion more lucid, talk with him to explain what has happened.
- You're safe now, I think. Do you still want to marry that thing?
- "Marry it? That's ridiculous. I'm already married!
And I'm always careful. I never bring up marriage with another woman. That's just asking for trouble." - Right. We need to get you out of here. Take this teleportation scroll.
After handing him his scroll, he'll also vanish back to Auridon. Trek back to the tower portal, and encounter Sanesselamo's projection before entering the portal once again. This time, he'll disappear harmlessly after showing displeasure at you breaking Merion's "happiness."
- Sanessalmo: "True love denied? How interesting. How cruel."
Back at the tower, enter the next portal to save the last member of the Queen's entourage.
Nuulehtel's DespairEdit
You'll find yourself in, yes, another cave. This time, every inch of the area is covered in solid ice. This experiment, much like the last two, has a theme of enemies—this time it is Wolves and Bears. The layout is that of a large tunnel that's roughly square-shaped, and runs in a complete circuit with small branch passages. Head northward and you'll find Nuulehtel next to a lantern, hunched over in despair:
- "It's so cold. Can barely move. Never get out of here.
Not sure I want to." - Why don't you want to leave?
- "It's got to be colder. Out there. Than it is in here.
Please, build us a fire. Warm us up, and we can go." - What should I use to build the fire?
- "I brought a few things in with me. Oil. Some Flint and Tinder. And I think I saw a pile of Straw somewhere while I was wandering around.
Just. Hurry."
Head east and then north through the tunnel. You'll find an alcove to your left, where a Bale of Straw can be found. Take the Straw from the Bale and continue north. The path will turn westward. At the northernmost point of the map is where an Explorer's Bag containing the Bottle of Oil can be found. Continue west and then south. You'll find the body of a Dead Explorer, from which you can obtain the Flint and Tinder. There's also a Faded Note next to the skeleton, which explains how this person was apparently Sanessalmo's adjutant and describing the shift in the mage's personality after the death of his wife and exile from the Royal Court.
Head back to Nuulehtel's area. A Burnt Campfire can be found near the large ice column. Activate it to light a fire for Nuulehtel. Speak with him after he proclaims his elation at being warm once again:
- "You were right, it's so much warmer out here. The cold in there. Terrible!"
- Are you feeling better?
- "Yes. Yes, I am. Thank you. I just couldn't take that first step. I felt safer freezing to death than I did trying to leave the cave.
Damned but the mind is a strange thing." - I have a teleportation scroll here. Take it, and get yourself warmed up.
On your way back to the portal, Sanessalmo will appear one last time, clearly aggravated by your success in all three experiments.
- Sanessalmo: "He fears others, yet you forced him from seclusion. How kind."
Finish The JobEdit
Head back to the portal and you'll find that there are now two portals. You can either take the left portal, which leads to Sanasellmo's lair, or you can take the portal back to the tower and use the trap door on the north end of the room to reach the lair. Once you're in his lair, head deeper inward to find the mad mage standing upon a stone platform in the middle of some torch stands. He'll be hostile, so a fight will break out immediately after approaching him.
After defeating the entourage's captor, you can use the final Teleport Scroll to quickly leave the tower and return to Eminelya's camp. She'll be ecstatic:
- "You've done it! The rest of the lady's entourage has gone on ahead. Did you deal with the mad man?"
- Yes. I took care of him. He was a mage named Sanessalmo.
- "Sanessalmo? Now that name I remember. Used to be a member of the Queen's inner circle!
You have my deepest gratitude for your service today. I'll be sure the Queen learns of your bravery."
Finish the dialogue to complete the quest, which will net you some gold and the unique Light Armor Legs: Kilt of the Fractured Mind. Afterwards you can speak with Eminelya to learn more about Sanessalmo.
NotesEdit
- Lanitaale doesn't exist within the tower before starting the quest.
- Despite the objective stating to speak with Minantille again, you are not able to speak to her when first getting to her as you must defeat the dremora mage beforehand.
- Merion's diary doesn't exist before reaching the related objective.
BugsEdit
- Occasionally, if you can sprint around one of the experiment worlds fast enough, Sanessalmo's dialogue will overlap with itself. ?
- The prompt to throw the potion is misplaced, requiring to aim the cursor either way above or to the side of the NPCs for it to appear properly (1st and 3rd person) ?
Quest StagesEdit
| Depths of Madness | |
|---|---|
| Finishes Quest | Journal Entry |
| Eminelya's directed me through a cave and into a hidden Vale. She believes the mage has taken her companions there.
Objective: Investigate the Vale
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| There's a woman here, dressed in finery. A member of the Queen's entourage? I should speak with her.
Objective: Talk to Lanitaale
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| A magical projection has appeared, taunting me. This must be the mad mage. I should speak to him.
Objective: Talk to Projection of Sanessalmo
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| I entered a place of burning ash and lava. I need to find Minantille as soon as I can.
Objective: Find Minantille
|
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| Minantille is under attack by some kind of phantom of her mind. I should go to her aid.
Objective: Destroy Minantille's Rage
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| I dispatched the beast that attacked Minantille. I should speak with her again.
Objective: Talk to Minantille
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| The teleportation scroll has seen Minantille free of this madness. I should leave her realm of rage.
Objective: Leave Minatelle's Rage
Objective: Enter Merion's Bliss
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| I've entered a strange cavern full of mushrooms and monsters. I should try to find Merion as soon as I can.
Objective: Talk to Merion
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| Talking to Merion was singularly unhelpful, but he seemed to say I could create a potion that would snap him out of his enthrallment. I should search Merion's Backpack's to see if I can find anything useful.
Objective: Search Merion's Backpack
|
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| It seems I need to find mushroom spores in order to make the potion needed to return Merion to sanity. I should search the cavern for those mushrooms and collect them.
Objective: Collect Bloodcrown Spores
Objective: Collect Lavendercap Mushrooms
Objective: Collect Gleamcap Spores
|
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| I should be able to dispel Malevolent Spirit using the Spore Potion. Time to make use of it.
Objective: Dispel Malevolent Spirit
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| Merion seems to be more lucid. I should speak to him.
Objective: Talk to Merion
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| I used the telport scroll to evacuate Merion. I should leave the area.
Objective: Leave Merion's Bliss
Objective: Enter Nuulehtel's Despair
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| I entered a strange world of ice and freezing rain. I should find Nuulehtel as soon as I can.
Objective: Talk to Nuulehtel
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| Nuulehtel is delusional. He says he's freezing, but won't leave the cave because he's cold. I need to collect some fire-starting supplies from around the cave. If he was warmer, perhaps he'd listen to reason.
Objective: Collect Flint and Tinder
Objective: Collect Oil
Objective: Collect Straw
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| I have the materials I need to start a fire. I should do so. Perhaps then I can talk to Nuulehtel.
Objective: Start a Fire
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| Nuulehtel seems to be warming up. I should talk to him to see if he's returned to sanity.
Objective: Talk to Nuulehtel
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| I managed to evacuate Nuulehtel with the teleportation scroll. I need to leave Nuulehtel's Despair as soon as I can.
Objective: Leave Nuulehtel's Despair
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| I freed the members of Queen Ayrenn's entourage. All that's left now is to find and confront the mad Mage Sanessalmo.
Objective: Confront Sanessalmo
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| The mad mage of Glister Vale is dead. I should return to Eminelya with the final teleportation scroll and let her know the good knows.
Objective: Return to Eminelya
HINT: The teleportation scroll I was given can get me out of the Vale right away. I should use it to return. Objective Hint: Use the Teleport Scroll
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I returned to Eminelya's side. I should speak to her one last time.
Objective: Talk to Eminelya
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<Alias=LocationHold>) is dynamically set by the game and will be filled in with the appropriate word(s) when seen in game.
- Not all Journal Entries may appear in your journal; which entries appear and which entries do not depends on the manner in which the quest is done.
- Stages are not always in order of progress. This is usually the case with quests that have multiple possible outcomes or quests where certain tasks may be done in any order. Some stages may therefore repeat objectives seen in other stages.