Hitting the Books

Tardy Bookkeeping

This quest begins immediately after you complete the College of Winterhold Quests: Under Saarthal.

Arch-Mage Savos Aren will form a plan for dealing with the large undulating orb you found in the depths of Saarthal. In the meantime, locate the Arcanaeum off the Hall of the Elements. Seek out Urag gro-Shub the Lorekeeper in his library. There are several questions you can ask him, and you can help him find special books (aside from this quest). But to further this quest, tell him you need to learn about the orb that was found in Saarthal. Urag has no information on the matter.

However, he is aware of some missing texts, taken from the library by a student and never returned. One of these may have some knowledge to impart. The student’s name was Orthorn. If you ask about him, Urag tells you the books were stolen so Orthorn could ingratiate himself with a group of warlocks who left the College long ago over a “difference of opinion.” You may ask more about where Urag believes Orthorn is holed up—a place called Fellglow Keep.

Before you leave the Arcanaeum, Ancano the Thalmor adviser appears. He’s showing considerable interest in what was found at Saarthal and asks about it. Answer him however you wish. Many mages feel he’s not to be trusted.

Assault on the Warlocks

Fellglow Keep is east of Whiterun, on the edge of the Tundra just below the snow line. This crumbling fortification has a group of Fire and Ice Mages watching from the remains of a beacon and the ramparts. The Keep’s front door is locked, so follow your quest target to the stone spiral steps in the foundations of the west tower. As there’s an Atronach close to the top of the stairs, combat is favored over sneaking.

Make your way through the ankle-deep flooded chambers, and engage the first warlock and his two “pet” spiders in the chamber with the crumbling support pillar. Watch for dart traps as you exit via the upper passage and head through a small maze of passages into the dungeon chamber with cells.

Once you’ve defeated the jailer, you can unlock the cells or just pull the levers on the wall nearby to release the captive vampires, who rush forward into the next room to attack the warlocks there. Join the melee or sneak past it; then head down a cobwebbed corridor to a second circular prison chamber. Levers in the middle unlock the cells around the perimeter.

As you enter the prison chamber, the warlock on the room’s far side spots you and rushes for the levers. If he reaches them, he’ll release the two wolves in the far cell, which makes combat here more difficult. Rush him or take him out with an arrow to the head before that can happen.

The former student Orthorn is one of the captured souls inside a cell. You can speak with him. He appears remorseful and pleads with you to release him; he’ll lead you straight to the books you seek. Pull the middle lever to free him, or you can kill him, tell him his services aren’t needed, or ask him to accompany you.

Whether Orthorn is backing you up or not, descend past the root cellar and tackle the mages practicing their magical attacks in the firing range. Then continue up into the undercroft, where two necromancers set upon you and beckon skeletons from the coffins on either side of the chamber. The door at the end of this crypt allows further access into the Keep area.

Expect a fierce battle if you aggressively attack the mages in the ruined chapel. Don’t forget to grab the Conjuration skill book from the podium before moving on into the dining room and great hall where further combat can commence. Storm Mages and other warlocks attempt to thwart your progress.

After climbing the stairs in the great hall, loot the workroom on the right, then take the eastern exit up to a circular library. From there you find a corridor with a giant boulder in it and the entrance to the Keep tower. Climb the candlelit staircase, loot the shelves at the top, and enter the Ritual Chamber.

• Shelving Loot

Silencing the Caller

Speak to the Caller, who is most put out that you’ve disrupted her plans during your Keep infiltration. If Orthorn has made it this far, you can arrange a trade—she gives you the books, and you give her Orthorn (who, naturally, is less than pleased with this arrangement). Carefully collect the books and leave the way you came. There’s no need to trek back through the dungeons; collect the front door key from any of the mages on the upper level, then leave through the double doors in the great hall.

Otherwise, you have no choice but to fight. The Caller summons one or two Atronachs (the type and number depend on your level) and attacks. When she takes damage, she uses a unique spell to teleport away, often shifting one of her summoned Atronachs into her previous position.

At low levels, the Atronachs are especially dangerous. Take them out quickly, and the Caller’s teleporting can actually work in your favor: When she warps away, it buys you a few seconds to heal and regroup.

At higher levels, you may find yourself facing two Frost Atronachs or (if you’re particularly unlucky) Storm Atronachs! At this point, the Caller is the easier target. Ignore the Atronachs as best you can and focus all your offensive fire on her to bring her down.

When the Caller finally falls, search her corpse for a key, and scour the chamber for the three missing tomes. Then unlock the door in the northwest wall, scavenging any treasure from the room beyond before using the trapdoor that leads back down to the barred door in the great hall and an exit outside. If alive, Orthorn thanks you but will not follow you.

• Fellglow Ritual Chamber Key
• Fragment: On Artaeum
• Night of Tears
• The Last King of the Ayleids

Quest Conclusion

Back at the College of Winterhold, locate Urag gro-Shub (who is usually in the Arcanaeum) and hand over the books. Urag reminisces about the tomes and surmises that there is much to learn from them that may help your cause. This will take some time, however. For now, you are rewarded with a small library of books, all of which increase magic skills once you read them. Do that now!

• Withershins
• Daughter of the Niben
• The Doors of Oblivion
• Enchanter’s Primer
• Horrors of Castle Xyr
• Incident at Necrom

Postquest Activities

The College of Winterhold Quests: Good Intentions begins immediately.