The MMORPG The Elder Scrolls Online is known among MMORPGs for well-designed quests. MeinMMO author MiezeMelli has completed a hidden quest in Stonefalls and thinks: A crazy quest that you definitely should do.
Why a secret quest? This quest does not start with a visible quest marker. Normally, you would see the marker above an NPC (engl.: non-player character) or an object. By talking to or selecting them, you start the quest.
But this quest is completely different. And not just because of the missing quest marker.
What makes the quest so special
I was very happy to find something new to discover even after years of gameplay. And that even in old content. I think there could be even more hidden quests.
Content-wise, I found the quest totally bizarre and funny, but also a bit disturbing. I did not expect the outcome of the quest at all. And I like it when stories surprise me. That makes the quest interesting in my eyes. But it could have been a bit longer.
Actually, everything starts off very harmless. You receive an item and need to find out something about this item. That’s nothing unusual. Internally, you are prepared for a familiar plot scheme. I only became a bit suspicious in the last dialogue.
In the last dialogue, the NPC you talk to briefly stumbles. In hindsight, I should have been suspicious at this point. But with blind curiosity and naivety, I continued the dialogue.
What I then saw made my jaw drop. Because the quest ends both abruptly and somewhat dramatically. At the same time, you are somehow responsible for the death of this NPC. But how could you have guessed that the NPC practices dangerous masochistic rituals?
Read here why this quest has stuck in my mind (But beware: Spoiler!)
Because he summons a Twilight Wraith in a ritual, addressing her as “my mistress.” He kneels before her and bows. He also asks her to hit him. She does not need to be asked twice and kicks him with her claws.
Before our eyes, he falls dead, and we are left stunned. This is also the moment when you mentally go through the dialogue just prior. Given his previous enthusiasm, the end of the quest is all the more disturbing.
You occasionally encounter NPCs who ally themselves with the evil beings in Tamriel or Coldharbour, but such dedication I have not encountered before.
The aforementioned NPC tells us beforehand that he is looking for the mysterious item. The very item that we acquired and provided to him. He seemed almost obsessed with the thought of finding this item.
I have to chuckle a bit about the quest. What were the developers thinking? They must certainly enjoy the thought that many players will sit stunned in front of their monitors. Because the quest raises more questions than it actually answers.
It’s somewhat comparable to movies that have an open ending, leaving you pondering for a long time afterward. And that is exactly what I did. What had I actually seen?! And unfortunately, one must accept that this question will remain unanswered.
How did I become aware of the quest?
I actually did not discover the quest myself. On my journeys through Tamriel, I must have overlooked the NPC. I got the tip during a stream from another ESO player.
Where can you find the quest?
You can find the quest in western Stonefalls, an area of the Ebonheart Pact. It’s best to travel to the Wayshrine of the Achen Street. From there, you head to the Fine Clay Cave.
Before the Fine Clay Cave, move a little to the left. You will not be entering the cave. To the left of the entrance, there’s a small path.
Follow this path, which leads you a bit uphill. Just a few meters further, it ends. To the right of you sits an NPC merchant named Zahshur.
Talk to Zahshur. The trading menu opens. You will be shown a list of items you can buy. Among the items, there’s a strange object: Religious Fetish Statue. You buy it for 150 gold.
How to start the quest?
You will now find the purchased item in your inventory. If you use the item (E), the quest “The Fetish” begins. Now it’s time to find out more.
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Quest progression
The quest consists of four steps. Click on the corresponding block to learn more details. But beware: Spoiler!
Step 1: Find someone who can identify the statue. Note: Ask Zahshur about the statue.
We are given the hint to ask the merchant about the item. So we talk to Zahshur again and ask about it. From Zahshur, we learn that Dark Elves sometimes find such items in the wasteland. Some sell them as art to gullible individuals.
In the next sentence, he apologizes to us. In this situation, we are the gullible buyer. When we ask who else could identify the item, he replies: “Priests of the Tribunal like to consider themselves wise. Why don’t you ask one?” An acolyte is said to be in the city of Kragenmoor.
Step 2: Find someone who can identify the statue. Note: Talk to an acolyte in Kragenmoor.
We now travel to the mentioned city. You can go back to the Wayshrine to save some travel. But it’s not far on foot either. North of the Wayshrine of Kragenmoor is the Grandmaster’s Palace. We enter the palace. The NPC named Acolyte Raloro sits in the middle by the fire.
We talk to him and ask if he recognizes the statue. Shocked, he asks us where we got the “ugly thing”. We tell him that the item was found by a Ashlander in the wasteland. That sounds familiar to him. He mentions the name Haldyn Omavel. He is said to be looking for an artifact.
We inquire where we can find him. Acolyte Raloro gives us the hint that he is searching for the ruins on the plateau to the north.
Step 3: Find someone who can identify the statue. Note: Talk to Haldyn Omavel.
We set out to search for Haldyn Omavel. The quest marker is located northwest of the Fine Clay Cave. We travel to the Wayshrine of the Sathram Plantation. East of the Wayshrine on the mountain are the ruins. And there we find the Dark Elf Haldyn, whom we talk to. He is visibly surprised by our presence. Haldyn wants to know what we are doing here. We respond with the same question. He tells us he is searching for artifacts.
These artifacts are said to be small and aesthetically pleasing. He wants to take them home and… At the word “bedroom”, he stops. For his collection, he needs the artifacts. We show him the statue and ask if he is looking for something like that. He is visibly surprised with the words “That’s it!…” We ask what he means. But we do not get a precise answer. He says we must not know and offers us a reward.
When we question him again, he puts us off and takes the item. Haldyn wants to try the statue immediately. What does he mean by that?
Step 4: Observe Haldyn’s ritual.
The Dark Elf moves away from us and kneels before a kind of shrine. Suddenly, a Twilight Wraith appears, injuring Haldyn at his request. He falls dead, and the wraith disappears again. We ultimately have to search for the reward ourselves in his backpack.
For completing this quest, we receive 181 gold and the Great Axe of Obedience.
In Tamriel, there are one or two bizarre events. Just think of the encounters with the Daedric Prince Sheogorath. But he is not the only entertaining NPC in the MMORPG. In the article Drunk Cat or Womanizer – The 5 funniest NPCs in ESO, you will get to know some notable characters.
