Gold Road

Online:The Second Era of Scribing

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Detail
Quick Summary: written by Kallykat, not checked


Walkthrough: written by Kallykat, not checked


Quest Stages: written by Kallykat, not checked
Investigate unstable magic with Votary Nahlia.
Zone: West Weald
Quest Giver: On Behalf of the Mages Guild of all Tamriel, Adept Irnard Rirnil
Location(s): Skingrad, Sunnamere, The Scholarium Ruins, The Scholarium
Next Quest: The Wing of the Indrik
Reward: Average Leveled Gold
Soul Trap, Orchid Purple
How to Scribe
XP Gain: Standard Experience XP
ID: 7104
An anomaly has appeared within the library of Sunnamere
Votary Nahlia, a Knight in the Order of the Lamp, is exploring some kind of magical anomaly. She's requested assistance through the Mages Guild to investigate this source of unknown and untamed power.


Quick Walkthrough[edit]

  1. (Optional) Read the note posted near the Skingrad City Wayshrine.
  2. Speak with Irnard outside the Skingrad Mages Guild.
  3. Take Irnard's portal to Sunnamere to find Votary Nahlia.
  4. Help Nahlia by investigating magical anomalies in the study.
  5. Enter the Unstable Portal to a Distant Place and track the source of the unstable magic.
  6. Seal the doors and return to Nahlia.
  7. Talk to the Crow.
  8. Find a replacement focusing crystal and bring it back to the altar.
  9. Follow the Crow's instructions to repair the altar.
  10. Talk to the Crow and Nahlia.

Detailed Walkthrough[edit]

Sunnamere[edit]

Begin the quest by reading a note posted in Skingrad. It is titled On Behalf of the Mages Guild of all Tamriel and can be found near the Skingrad City Wayshrine or outside the city walls near the northwest bridge. The note is from Votary Nahlia of The Order of the Lamp and will direct you to meet the Mages Guild Adept Irnard Rirnil to help with a newly discovered magical anomaly. Find Irnard outside the Skingrad Mages Guild. Alternately, you can pick up the quest directly from Irnard who will flag you down if you pass by him.

Irnard says that some untameed magical power from an unknown source has been discovered in an old complex called Sunnamere beneath the Sunhold Mages Guild. He opens a portal and tells you to seek out Votary Nahlia when you get there. You can choose to ask more questions about Votary Nahlia and the Order of the Lamp. Otherwise, go through the Portal to Sunnamere.

You will find yourself in the Sunnamere Corridor portion of the Scholarium Outer Ruins. Nahlia is standing nearby along with Votary Llaren and Julian Catous, another member of the Mages Guild. She tells you to lead the way into the Sunnamere Study, which is just down the stairs and through the door. The other two stay back.

An Unstable Void in Sunnamere Study

The room is full of old books, and there is a glowing blue and black portal at the back. Talk to Nahlia to find out more about how she discovered the portal and what she plans to do. When you have finished questioning her, Nahlia will approach the portal. There is a blast that knocks you back, and two Unstable Void orbs will appear on opposite sides of the room.

Nahlia will attempt to get the portal's unstable magic under control while you investigate the room. On the floor near one of the orbs you find a Torn Page. On the other side of the room, a Flickering Image of a woman has appeared. Interact with the image to hear a choppy message. If you get too close to either of the orbs, they will explode with damaging unstable magic.

Once you have investigated the note and the image, Nahlia will tell you to head into the portal before there is another surge of magic. Go through the Unstable Portal to a Distant Place.

The Scholarium[edit]

You will emerge in The Scholarium Ruins, a pathway that is partly outdoors and partly tunnels. Follow the path through the ruins as it twists and turns. Along the way, you will encounter atronachs, more orbs, and magical animated defenders.

At the end of the path, you will enter a room with the Animated Archmagus. Upstairs, down a short hallway, is a door to the Scholarium proper. Go through the door and down another short hallway. At the end you will see that a wall has been blasted through to a room with a wayshrine in the center. This is the Guild Portal Hub, although there won't be any portals yet. Jump down and head through the door on the north wall into the Scholarium Main Hall.

The unstable Scribing Altar

Go up a staircase to another short hall and then down another staircase. You'll be on a landing overlooking the ground floor of the main hall. Across the landing, you will see an altar pulsing with the same unstable magic you encountered previously. Talk to Nahlia who points out that the magic seems to be flowing from the doors below. She wants you to try to close the banging doors while she attempts to stabilize the focusing crystal on the altar.

There are open doorways to the east and west that lead downstairs. You can take either door or simply jump the railing. You will need to interact with the five banging doors one at a time in any order. Four of the doors having statues above them, and the center door is plain. Each time you close a door under a statue of either an Indrik, Netch, Gryphon, or Dragon, you will hear a different voice make a comment from the other side of the door. When you close the Unmarked Door, you will hear flapping but no voice.

The Crow[edit]

Go back upstairs through either the Scholarium West Wing door or the Scholarium East Wing door. As you approach the altar, there will be a magical explosion that knocks Nahlia off her feet after she smashes the focusing crystal. A bird will flutter down to land on a perch near the altar while accusing you and Nahlia of being meddlers and thieves.

Talk to the Crow to hear about the lost art of Scribing and what you should do next. She will warn that the unstable altar is dangerous and tell you to get a new focusing crystal from the east wing. She also questions whether or not "she" sent you.

Nahlia needs a moment, so you head down the stairs to the east. The halls form a loop. You will need to make your way to the farthest room. In the far corner, there will a Crate of Forgotten Crystals guarded by three animated defenders. Defeat them and take an Uncharged Focusing Crystal from the crate. Return to the upstairs landing.

The Crow will instruct you to place the new crystal on the Unstable Altar. Doing so will unlock three scripts. Follow the Crow's instructions to focus the magical energy into a new creation by attuning with the altar and then scribing the Wield Soul grimoire. After backing away from the Scribing Altar, you can that it is no longer dark and swirling with unstable energy.

Talk to the Crow to hear more about Scribing and Ulfsild, the creator of the Scholarium. She will also mention the Luminaries of magic, powerful beings or spirits who helped Ulfsild develop Scribing. They wait beyond the sealed doors below.

Talk to Nahlia. She will express her amazement and encourage you to learn more about Scribing, as the Crow suggested. Nahlia says she plans to check in with her superiors in the Mages Guild. This conversation ends the quest.

Notes[edit]

  • The skill you scribe as part of this quest does not cost any Luminous Ink. This is the only time you get to scribe a skill for free.

Quest Stages[edit]

The Second Era of Scribing
Finishes Quest Journal Entry
I should seek out Adept Irnard to learn more about this magical anomaly and the Votary's call for aid. He should be at the location marked on my map.
Objective: Talk to Adept Irnard
Latest start Irnard opened a portal to Sunnamere, where Votary Nahlia is waiting for me. I should seek her out.
Objective: Find Votary Nahlia
Votary Nahlia greeted me and suggested we head inside. I should proceed into the study to seek out this anomaly.
Objective: Enter the Sunnamere Study
The unstable magic is a portal at the far end of the study. I need to speak to Votary Nahlia to find out what this is all about.
Objective: Talk to Votary Nahlia
A strange blast of magical energy blew through the unstable portal. Nahlia asked me to investigate a few things that appeared in the study while she stabilizes the threshold.
Objective: Investigate the Anomalies
Votary Nahlia has stabilized the portal. We should enter together.
Objective: Enter the Portal
Votary Nahlia and I entered the strange portal. The source of the untamed magic seems to be coming from further in.
Objective: Find the Source of Unstable Magic
We seem to have found the source of the magical disturbance. I should speak to Votary Nahlia about what to do next.
Objective: Talk to Votary Nahlia
Votary Nahlia ordered me to seal the doors in the library while she tries to stabilize the magic arcing off the altar.
Objective: Close the Doors: 0/5
The doors have been sealed, but the altar remains unstable. I should find Votary Nahlia to learn what to do next.
Objective: Go to Votary Nahlia at the Altar
A talking crow accused Votary Nahlia of causing this magical disturbance. I should speak to the Crow.
Objective: Talk to the Crow
The Crow has a plan to fix the altar. I need to find a new focusing crystal in the east wing of the Scholarium.
Objective: Find a Replacement Crystal for the Altar
I found a new focusing crystal for the altar. I should approach the altar and follow the Crow's instructions on what to do next.
Objective: Return to the Altar with the Crystal
The altar's crystal has been replaced, but one last step remains. I'll need to follow the Crow's instructions carefully.
Objective: Follow the Crow's Instructions
I repaired the altar and scribed something called a Grimoire. I should speak to the Crow to understand what just happened.
Objective: Talk to the Crow
The Crow wants me to continue on a journey to learn more about Scribing, but encouraged me to speak to Votary Nahlia first.
Objective: Talk to Votary Nahlia
Finishes quest☑ Nahlia is going to return to the Mages Guild and get their advice on what to do next. I should speak to her about her plans.
Objective: Talk to Votary Nahlia
Notes
* Any text displayed in angle brackets (e.g., <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.