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"What brings you to the Hatching Pools?"
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Quick WalkthroughEdit
Detailed WalkthroughEdit
Erranenen is sitting atop a stone ledge along the road, halfway between Alten Corimont and the Hatching Pools. Speak to him to begin the quest. Erranenen tells you that he has gambled his lute away to an Argonian named Akishan, who beat him at a game of riddles. He'd like you to get his lute back from her.
You'll find Akishan to the west, at the front (southern edge) of the Hatching Pools. She is the Argonian strumming a lute. She'll give you the lute back if you can answer three riddles. Alternatively, you can ask Akishan to answer a riddle. If you persuade her to answer a riddle of your own, you can simply ask the riddle, take the lute and return to Erranenen. Answering a riddle of Akishan's making is the longer of the two routes.
The answer to the first riddle is "Death". The second answer is "Water", and the third answer is "Greed". Head east back down the road and return Erranenen's lute to him.
Akishan will present you with three riddles. If you get one wrong, you'll need to exit and re-enter dialogue with her to try again. If you missed the original persuade option, it will appear again if you exit and re-enter dialogue. The first riddle is:
- "Dripping crimson, it washes across battlefields. Both friend and foe fall in its wake. The few who defeat this undying enemy surrender to its cold embrace."
You will have three options: Death, Fire and A sword. Death is the correct answer. Nobody is immune to death, it follows war everywhere (as opposed to fire and swords, which aren't always present in every battle; death is the only constant).
The second riddle is:
- "It runs smoother than rhymes. It falls but cannot climb. It trembles at the lightest touch, yet can carry the heaviest of burdens. Its sweetness soothes the spine.
What is it?"
Your three options are Wind, Water and Silk. Water is the correct answer. Water is always running. It can fall (a la waterfalls) but it can't defy gravity without assistance (climbing). It carries great ships, but ripples and warps when touched.
The final riddle is as follows:
- "Destroyer of kings and maker of merchants. It brings high men low and low men high. A wise man's vice. A fool's folly."
Your options are Love, Time and Greed. Greed is the correct answer. Greed can cause great kings to make terrible decisions and merchants to strike lucrative deals, regardless of how they affect others. Greedy men who are poor can excel if driven to great enough heights, and men in high places can be brought down by their greed. Akishan states that this last riddle is the one that cost Erranenen his loot, stating that his greed cost him his most prized possession. She gives you the lute, then adds that she hopes Erranenen has learned the price of greed. Head east back down the road and return Erranenen's lute to him. He thanks you for your efforts and starts playing it on the side of the road.
Quest StagesEdit
| Threefold Folly | |
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| Finishes Quest | Journal Entry |
| Erranenen asked me to get his lute back. Akishan should be just down the road.
Objective: Talk to Akishan
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| Akishan proposed a game of riddles to win back Erranen's lute. I should do my best to answer the riddles.
Objective: Solve Akishan's Riddles: 0/3
Objective: Trick Akishan into Answering a Riddle
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| I won the game of riddles and regained Erranenen's lute. I should return it to him.
Objective: Return Erranenen's Lute
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I should return Erranenen's lute to him.
Objective: Talk to Erranenen
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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.