The Forsworn Conspiracy

Murder in the Marketplace

On your first visit to Markarth, just after you enter the entrance gate, you immediately hear a man shouting, “The Reach belongs to the Forsworn!” before he murders a market patron in cold blood. The Markarth City Guard quickly overpower and slay the maniac (watch your own sword swings if the lunatic turns on you, as you don’t want to accidentally strike a Markarth inhabitant). You can quickly speak to the other traders, before a man named Eltrys approaches you. He surreptitiously hands you a note. Read it; he is requesting a meeting in the Shrine of Talos.

• Eltrys’ Note

Before the body of Margret—the woman who was cut down—is carried away for rites and burial, quickly check her corpse; you’ll find a key that can come in handy.

• Key to Margret’s Room

Enter the shrine and locate Eltrys, who is attempting a clandestine investigation of a conspiracy within the city. This isn’t the first brazen killing by the Forsworn; indeed, the City Guard seem to be actively covering up this slaughter. Eltrys tasks you with finding out more information about the folks involved: the attacker, Weylin, and the victim, Margret. For further hints, ask Eltrys exhaustive questions about the Forsworn and those involved. For more motivation, Eltrys says he’ll pay you handsomely for what you uncover.

Margret: Shadows Around Every Corner

Head into the Silver-Blood Inn, where Margret was staying, and have a quiet word with Kleppr the barkeep. Steer the conversation toward Margret, who Kleppr says prepaid an entire month’s rent for the nicest room at the inn.

You obviously need to search Margret’s Room, and for that you require a key or a Lockpick skill. There are various ways of entering Margret’s Room:

• Unlock the room using the key you uncovered from Margret’s corpse, if you were quick-thinking at the start of this quest.
• (Lockpick [Apprentice]) You can ignore Kleppr completely and—once the coast is clear—use Lockpicks to open the door.
• (Persuade) You can sweet-talk Kleppr into giving you the key.
• (Gold) Simple bribery does the trick, too.
• (Intimidate) As does a not-so-veiled threat directed at the barkeep.
• (Pickpocket) With an appropriate Pickpocket, you can ease the key into your possession.
• Key to Margret’s Room

Inside Margret’s Room, there’s several trinkets to steal, but the real find is located inside the end table. Open it, and secure Margret’s Journal.

• Margret’s Journal

Open the journal: It seems Margret was an agent employed by General Tullius and was tasked to investigate the powerful Silver-Blood family, specifically Thonar Silver-Blood, the owner of Cidhna Mine. You have the information you seek; leave the inn. You’re met outside by a city guard, who gives you what appears to be a threat if you continue poking your nose into the affairs of the Silver-Bloods.

Margret: The Spilling of Silver-Blood

Climb the hewn steps to the elaborate Treasury House, and enter. You’re usually greeted by Rhiada, the Silver-Blood’s maid, who challenges you on your antics after you ask to see Thonar. You can:

• (Persuade) Pretend Thonar is expecting you.
• (Bribe) Use some coin to win her over.
• (Intimidate) Or attempt a fear-inducing utterance.

This allows you access into the dining room, where Thonar is usually eating. No matter your line of questioning, Thonar is the leader of this city, and he isn’t happy at you butting into business that doesn’t concern you. You’re told to leave, just as you hear a commotion in an adjoining room. Thonar’s servants, Donnel and Nana Ildene, reveal themselves to be Forsworn and have already killed Thonar’s wife, Betrid, in cold blood! They now turn on you; defeat them both.

Thonar is shaken but ready to talk. He reveals he’d made a deal with the Forsworn. When the Nords conquered Markarth, Thonar spared King Madanach’s life and locked him up in the Cidhna Mine. In exchange, the ousted king agreed to use his Forsworn to kill Thonar’s enemies. But Thonar’s grip on power is obviously slipping.

Weylin: A Subsistence Existence

Weylin the murderer worked as a miner and lived in the grim underbelly of Markarth, in a place known as the Warrens. Journey here, and gain some further insight into Weylin’s grim life. Start with the bullying foreman of the smelter, Mulush gro-Shugurz. He won’t tell you what he knows; he doesn’t care enough to be involved in Weylin’s antics. React by leaving or by:

• (Persuade) Saying he must know something.
• (Bribe) Bribing him to reveal some information.
• (Intimidate) Telling him he’d better start caring.

If you’re successful, Mulush reveals Weylin was slipped a piece of paper the last time he was paid. Now move into the Warrens.

The second person to interview is Garvey, who runs the Warrens where the poor make their pitiful existence. He isn’t keen on just handing over Weylin’s key to you. You have the following options:

• (Persuade) Tell him it is important.
• (Bribe) Press some gold into his filthy hands.
• (Intimidate) Inform him this wasn’t a request; it was an order.
• (Pickpocket) Display your impressive Pickpocket skills and take the key by stealthy means.

When you reach Weylin’s room inside the Warrens, you’ll notice it is locked (Very Easy). However, picking the lock simply raises the alarm and isn’t recommended if anyone is watching. Neither is striking Garvey, who holds the key.

• Key to Weylin’s Room

Once inside Weylin’s room, steal from his chest. There isn’t much to line your pockets with, but the chest does contain an important clue: Weylin’s Note.

• Weylin’s Note

Open the note, which contains the order for the assassination in the market. It is simply signed “-N.”

Weylin: On the Nose

The moment you step outside from the Warrens, an armored man by the name of Dryston strides up to you and threatens to teach you a lesson. There’s no way out of this brawl; expect a pummeling if you don’t retaliate. After you punch him down, he squeals the name of his employer: the city’s old administrator, Nepos the Nose.

With Nepos’s thug beaten into submission, ascend the steps to reach the administrator’s house, and step inside. You’re stalled by Uaile, Nepos’s protective housekeeper. She refuses to let you speak with Nepos but relents when the old man beckons you to his hearth. Nepos is wizened, and he confesses to directing Weylin in the murder, under orders from Madanach, who he describes as the “King in Rags.” Madanach used to rule Markarth before the Nords drove out the Forsworn. Somehow, he still commands the Forsworn. Nepos’s servants think you’ve heard enough and attack you. Stay and fight, or flee the dwelling.

Eltrys must be informed immediately! Unfortunately, as you enter the shrine and venture to his location, you see that Eltrys has been killed—almost certainly by the city guards milling about. Guards immediately accuse you of snooping and frame you for the recent murders, including that of Eltrys! You are to be banished to the Cidhna Mine. A place where no one escapes.

Quest Conclusion

Prior to Eltrys’s demise, he rewards you with gold for your investigations of Weylin and Margret. Be sure to see him before your other investigations, or don’t expect any coin!

• Gold pieces [Leveled]

Postquest Activities

Side Quests: No One Escapes Cidhna Mine begins immediately.