No One Escapes Cidhna Mine

Imprisoned in a Forsaken Place

You wake up to Urzoga gra-Shugurz shouting at you. He is the guard captain in charge of the prisoners in this mine, which is carved into the mountains of Markarth. Unlike prisons in other Hold Cities, you’re expected to work, mining silver ore until you drop. You can reply with subservient or sarcastic remarks to Urzoga, before she opens up the cell door and you’re allowed into the mine.

The quickest way to finding out more information about Madanach, who appears to run the prisoners on this side of the mine, is to speak with Uraccen. He’s usually sitting by the campfire in the prison’s middle chamber. You can make up whatever story you like about why you’re here, and ask him about the prison’s illicit Skooma trade, but be sure to ask him two important questions:

• The location of Madanach. Unfortunately, nobody gets to speak with him without getting past Borkul the Beast. You may ask for more information about this Orc bodyguard, or step over to see him yourself.
• Information on obtaining a Shiv a more subtle and cruel method of protecting yourself. A man named Grisvar has a spare one, if you’re interested. This begins Side Quests: Grisvar’s Shiv.

Borkul the Beast is standing guard by a locked gate close to the campfire. You can get on his good side by revealing your bloodlust, or offer a more measured response. When you ask to see Madanach, Borkul refuses until you pay the toll—a Shiv. You can:

• Tell Borkul you don’t have a Shiv. He suggests you get one. Complete Side Quests: Grisvar’s Shiv from this point.
• (Pickpocket) Use your impressive Pickpocket skill to pry Borkul’s Key from his pocket without him knowing.
• (Persuade) Tell Borkul that Madanach is expecting you.
• (Brawl) Or offer to fight Borkul for access into Madanach’s chamber. Fight the Orc, here by the campfire, and batter him with punches until he falls to his knees and tastes his own blood.

Once you succeed at any of these plans, Borkul hands over the key to Madanach’s room, and you may progress.

• Borkul’s Key

Side Quests: Grisvar’s Shiv*

If you require a Shiv while in prison, head into the mine’s southern part and hunt down Grisvar the Unlucky. He’s here by the Jarl’s request, due to his “problems.” Ask for a Shiv, and he agrees—if you bring him back a bottle of Skooma from Duach.

Now head into the mine’s north section and ask Duach about the Skooma. He isn’t about to hand this over to just anyone, and your looks are beginning to annoy him. In that case, you should try:

• (Persuade) Telling him you need the Skooma badly.
• (Brawl) Demanding he hand the Skooma over and then fistfighting him for it. Remember, don’t kill him!

When either of these plans is successful, you receive the Skooma from Duach.

• Skooma

All that remains now is to return to Grisvar, hand him the Skooma, and accept a Shiv in return. You can use the Shiv to attack the prisoners (which is unwise, as they usually overwhelm you), or give it to Borkul the Beast if no other method of getting past him is working.

• Shiv

Mining the Mind of Madanach

Forsworn Alliance: Madanach’s Tasks

Forsworn Alliance: Open the barred door that Borkul was guarding, pass by a latrine and closed cell, and meet Madanach at his writing desk. He asks what it is that you want. You may answer in any way you wish, but Madanach points out that you are now a slave. The boot of the Nord steps on your throat. He mentions a man named Braig, who has been imprisoned almost as long as Madanach. You are to meet with him and ask why he’s here. Madanach wants to know how widespread the injustice of Markarth really is. You can ask about the Forsworn and Thonar (the mine owner) before you leave.

Search the mine’s southern end for Braig, who greets you with a warning not to shiv him. Tell him Madanach has asked you to listen to his story, and he asks when you last had chains around your wrists. Answer him as you wish and again when he asks about your family. Then Braig tells of his daughter Aethra, an innocent caught up in recent entanglements when the Nords picked Braig up for being involved in the Forsworn uprising. Braig had only spoken to Madanach once, but that was enough for the Nords to execute her in front of him and throw him in this mine. You can ask Braig further questions, but this has satisfied Madanach’s curiosity.

Journey back to Madanach, who seems to have used Braig’s story to drill into you the injustices of the Nords. Your responses can be sympathetic or accusatory, but if you are to escape, Madanach needs a show of loyalty from you. He certainly doesn’t want a Shiv in the back during any planned breakout. He tells you to visit Grisvar the Unlucky—a thief and a snitch—and dispatch him so only prisoners loyal to Madanach remain.

You must kill Grisvar with your bare hands or with a Shiv if you previously received one from him. As he’s the only prisoner not loyal to the Forsworn, he has to go. You can attack without even speaking to him, or tell him that Madanach says hello, which causes him to stand and fight for a bit, then flee. Hunt him down and kill him, again with a Shiv or your bare hands. Equip yourself with a Shiv from his corpse if you wish.

• Shiv

Your actions have proved to Madanach that you are one of them. He wishes you to accompany him so he can announce his plans to all his brothers. Follow Madanach into the main mine chamber with the campfire, where he informs his brethren that it is time to leave Cidhna Mine. There is a gate beside his quarters, and behind it is a tunnel. This leads right through the old Dwarven Ruins of Markarth and into the city. Duach, Odvan (the only prisoners you may not have met yet), and the others raucously approve.

Nord Alliance: Madanach’s Death

Nord Alliance: If you wish to side with the Nords and can’t abide this Forsworn claptrap, you can ignore Madanach and instead begin to fight or pickpocket him. Killing him is obviously easier if you’re carrying a Shiv rather than relying on your fists. Madanach is an accomplished mage, so this fight may be difficult to conclude in your favor. But if you do kill Madanach, you can skip any remaining conversations and search his body for the following important items:

• Madanach’s Note
• Madanach’s Key

The key unlocks the gate adjacent to Madanach’s quarters, while the note informs you there’s old Dwarven Ruins connecting this mine to Markarth, which is the only escape route. Time to earn an early pardon!

An Early Pardon

Whether you’re fleeing with your Forsworn brothers or you’ve killed Madanach, stolen his key, and used it to open the gate beside Madanach’s quarters, the time has come to leave. Maneuver down the tunnel to a gold door that opens into Markarth Ruins. Dash in a northeastern direction along the remains of stone steps and metallic walkways, and into a Frostbite Spider–infested stone corridor. Stand and fight, or run past these large arachnids. If the Forsworn are with you, attack the spiders as a team.

Continue into a tight connecting tunnel that opens into a large two-level corridor with winding pipes and more dwarven automatons at the far end of it. Venture forward, and they grind into life (depending on your level, these enemies could be spheres or a dreaded Centurion!). When the dwarven mechanical beasts finally topple, continue heading northeast, scrambling up the earthen tunnel toward a golden door.

Forsworn Alliance: The Forsworn stop at the base of the steps, where a woman named Kaie calls for Madanach, bringing him all the equipment you were stripped of when you entered Cidhna Mine. In addition, you are granted an ancient outfit of the Forsworn that is blessed with the old magicks. Then the Forsworn pour out of the ruins and into Markarth.

• Inventory Equipment
• Armor of the Old Gods
• Boots of the Old Gods
• Gauntlet of the Old Gods
• Helmet of the Old Gods

Nord Alliance: Head up the steps to the gold doors. Madanach’s Key opens them and you stumble out of the ruins and into Markarth.

Quest Conclusion

Forsworn Alliance: Thonar Silver-Blood is waiting to greet Madanach as he exits the ruins. He isn’t about to let the Forsworn escape from his prison, especially after what they did to his family. The quest ends with the Forsworn swarming Thonar and killing him.

Nord Alliance: Thonar Silver-Blood is waiting to greet you as you exit the ruins. He isn’t about to let the person responsible for killing Madanach out of his jurisdiction without giving him some kind of reward, especially after the peace you brought to his family. The quest ends with Thonar handing you all your equipment back, as well as a special ring—one that a smith would cut off seven fingers for! Remain calm during this time too; if you side with the Nords but kill Thonar, you don’t receive his ring.

• Inventory Equipment
• Silver-Blood Family Ring

Postquest Activities

If you sided with the Forsworn, they begin a bloody rampage through the city, eventually reaching the gates and fleeing to Druadach Redoubt deep in the Reach. If you helped them, the Forsworn in Druadach (and only at this location) will be friendly.