Tamriel Rebuilt:Meet the Mother-In-Law

A Breton needs a fiancé, and you happen to be passing. Quest Giver: Geloise Marard Location(s): Teyn Reward: Expensive Amulet OR Marard Family Engagement Ring ID: TR_m4_T_MotherInLaw

Geloise and Parnilla

Quick Walkthrough

1. Speak to Geloise Marard in her house in Teyn, and agree to help.
2. Return to Geloise after one day has passed to meet her mother, Parnilla Marard.
3. Speak to Parnilla and either:
   • Tell the truth about Geloise's scheme.
   • Convince Parnilla that you are the real 'Ernald'.
     • (Parnilla will be always convinced if she has 25+ disposition at the end of the conversation.)
4. Return to Geloise after another day has passed for your reward.

Detailed Walkthrough

Asking after 'latest rumors' in Teyn may reveal that a local, Geloise Marard, is expecting her mother to visit, and is clearly unhappy about the fact. Geloise can be found in her home, on the main road running through the town. Asking her about her 'betrothed' will see her lay out her problem - she has been lying to her mother, Parnilla Marard, about having a partner, and is worried about being rumbled on the visit.

"My mother's always been very protective of me, always worrying for nothing. I thought I'd escape her when I moved here, but she kept sending me these letters all the time. I figured that she wouldn't worry anymore if she knew there was somebody else who looking after me. So, I wrote her back that I was going to marry this guy Ernald. Mother was quick to reply she'd come here to meet him. There's only one problem. I made him all up. Ernald doesn't exist."

Geloise will request that you play the part of her partner, and if you agree, will ask that you return in a day to meet her mother as Ernaud. She'll also give you some details to remember:

"Thank you! Let me brief you a little on 'Ernald'. You were born in Almalexia to a wealthy merchant's family. You have no siblings. You are a stockholder in a successful Kwama egg mine. You are rich, but not filthy rich. We met in a Guar-wrangling show--I know it's silly, but that's where I wrote we met. You own a large manor in Old Ebonheart and your favorite color is green. I guess that's all. Mother's coming tomorrow. Come back then."

You will not be able to progress the quest until an in-game day has passed. At this point, return to Geloise in her house. At this point, her mother, Parnilla, has arrived. Speak to Parnilla. As you might expect, she has many questions. You may at any point opt to tell the truth about the affair, at which point Parnilla will ask you to leave (Geloise will be somewhat more emphatic about this). Alternatively, you may try to convincingly play the part of Ernaud by choosing the right responses. Parnilla's disposition towards you will drop if you give certain answers that do not match Geloise's story. If it falls below 25, she will see through your ruse.

If you want to convince Parnilla, the optimal path is this:

"How do you do. My name is Parnilla Marard, Geloise's mother. And you must be...?"

Choose: "Ernald. My name's is Ernald."

"What was it that you do for a living? I wish to make sure that my precious Geloise isn't marrying a slacker."

Choose: "I am a stockholder in an egg mine."

"I don't believe I have ever heard of such type of mining. That certainly has an exotic sound to it. And is the egg-mining business financially productive?"

Choose: "It is. Four to five thousand septims a month."

"My goodness, Ernald, that is indeed rather well. But that certainly doesn't show in the way you two are currently living. When you do marry, I trust you will offer my precious Geloise better accommodation?"

Choose: "I own a manor in Old Ebonheart. We will be moving there after the wedding."

"That sounds nice. A manor. Certainly anything less wouldn't do. And will you promise me you will treat her like a lady of the manor should be?"

Choose: "We have servants to take care of the household. Her life will be that of leisure and luxury."

Regardless of how successful your 'interview' is, you will be asked to leave the house. Once a day has passed, your journal will update, suggesting that you return to Geloise to see how she is getting on. She is at her house in Teyn. If you told the truth to Parnilla, or simply failed to convince her that you were Ernald, she will confess that the conversation that she had with her mother after you left the house actually set their relationship on a better course, and will reward you with the Marard Family Engagement Ring, a plain ring worth 200 gold.

"You have some nerve coming back here. But I'm glad you did. After you left mother and I had a long conversation. She was disappointed, but not mad at all. I promised her not to lie again and she promised not to meddle with my life so much. We really set things right between us."

Alternatively, if you played a convincing Ernald, Parnilla will be delighted at your deception, and will reward you with an Expensive Amulet, worth 30 gold, ending the quest.

"Well done, 'Ernald'! Mother totally believed the act. She left for her home to arrange the wedding. You've bought me precious time. I will write her a new letter telling her that I've left Ernald for someone even richer. I'm positive that by the time she receives it I've found someone who's real. I don't have much, but please accept this as a reward."

Notes

• Parnilla has several different reactions depending on your chosen race, scales or fur, or if you are playing a female character, but will quickly get over her surprise.

Quest Stages

The following Journal ID and Index codes can be used with the Journal console command to manually update the quest to a certain point.

Meet the Mother-In-Law (TR_m4_T_MotherInLaw)
Index	Finishes Quest	Journal Entry
10		Geloise Marard, a resident in Teyn, asked me to portray as her made-up betrothed 'Ernald' during her mother's visit. I am to memorize the things 'Ernald' is supposed to know, come back tomorrow and meet my 'mother-in-law'.
13		A day has passed. Geloise Marard's mother should have arrived by now.
15		I have successfully fooled Geloise Marard's mother into thinking that I am her daughter's betrothed 'Ernald'. I should leave and wait until the mother is gone, and then come back.
17		Time has passed. I should check on Geloise Marard.
20	Finishes quest	Geloise Marard thanked me for convincingly playing the part of her betrothed.
30		Geloise Marard's mother has found out that 'Ernald' is not real. She asked me to leave the house.
35		Time has passed. I should check on Geloise Marard.
40	Finishes quest	Even though her mother was disappointed being lied to, Geloise Marard told me that the two had had a good conversation. Apparently, telling the truth was ultimately the right thing to do. I have been rewarded with a Marard family heirloom -- an engagement ring.
100	Finishes quest	Parnilla Marard, Geloise's mother, is dead.