This is the 4th part of a multi-post series on the Skyrim mod, “The Forgotten City”.
Part I: LINK
Part II: LINK
Part III: LINK
How To Get Rykas Armory
After Part III, my play-through was at a 3-way crossroads: 1) find out what’s in the locked room at the top of the Citadel, 2) talk to Jarl Metellus (while in the Citadel) and accuse someone of breaking the Dwarves’ Law, or 3) go to the Palace and get that helmet for Domitus.
Forgotten City spoilers Getting Rykas' Armor I don't usually like to ask for help with puzzles but I'm at my wits' end with this one and want to make sure I'm not wasting my time. I've got every piece of the immaculate dwarven armor except for the chest, which obviously belongs to Rykas. The Abandoned Palace within The Forgotten City, past a barred door next to a burned corpse. You must complete a small jumping puzzle over the 'stairway' of coffins and climb onto the pipe above the hallway in order to drop down past the barred doorway and retrieve the gauntlets.
I did all 3.
I’ll recount my trip through the Palace in Part V. This Part will center on the other 2 choices.
THERE WILL BE SPOILERS IN THIS POST…. AND THEY WILL BE PLOT-HEAVY, THIS TIME.
First things first:
The Common Thread (BIG SPOILER)
You can choose to accuse any of the citizens in the Forgotten City (“FC”) of breaking the Dwarves’ Law. You can explore anywhere (… almost). Regardless of what you do, something will bring you back to the Lakehouse, with Jarl Metellus right behind you.
Once there, the Jarl sacrifices himself and implores you to “stop it [the Apocalypse] from happening”. The Lakehouse door starts to glow purple, you click on it…. and you are back in the FC, at the very beginning.
The Forgotten City is a Time Loop trap.
How you escape from the loop – IF you escape (and that is a big ‘if’) – depends on various choices throughout your travels in the FC, such as accusations made. If the Dwarves’ Law is broken, and those Dwarven statues come alive, you more than likely won’t survive; instead you’ll either respawn at the Lakehouse or will revive on the ground. That 2nd option means that you’ll have to find a way past a Centurion (most likely) and get to the Lakehouse, so you can “start over”. The consolation prizes: you keep whatever you found before, including knowledge and keys; few, if any, of the people in the FC remember what you talked to them about before, so you can try different conversation options and tactics; there are no limits to “restarting”: if you, say, wanted to shoot Rykas in his face, you can… but you’ll likely take a beating from Dwarven Centurions and Rykas before you get to the Lakehouse. Hey, sometimes it feels ‘right’ to put an arrow through an NPC that annoys you. 😉 Regardless, in these next few parts, I’ll mention if someone or something triggered the Dwarves’ Law.
Skyrim Forgotten City Arbiter
4. a) The Locked Room
I made 3 separate Save files, one for each branch. My first stop was the locked room in the Citadel. The rationale behind that choice was: 1) I saw the room when I first arrived and was curious, 2) there was mentions of “sobbing at night” in the Citadel – maybe the cause was behind the locked gate?, and 3) Dooley’s brother not only explicitly mentioned the room, but gave me a key to it.
I climbed the sets of stone steps to get to the top of the Citadel. To the right is the hallway that leads to the Jarl’s quarters; the gate is to the left. Once the gate is unlocked, there is a very short hall that leads to a ‘T’ intersection. There are doors at the end of the left-right hallway. To the right, that door leads to an upper balcony, overlooking the FC. The door to the left is locked but will open with the key. Inside:
There is tall, long but narrow room with a fireplace at the far end. There is a broken Dwarven bust on the floor. On the right wall, near the fireplace, is a woman that is shackled. Wait…
How is she shackled to the wall, when that act would most certainly have broken the Dwarves’ Law??
That is another mystery for another time. You can (and should) walk over to interact with her. She immediately begs you to not hurt her and “don’t do it again!”. You reassure her that you don’t do either and see asks you to free her. You do have a choice here: free her, talk to her, or refuse to free her. If you talk to her, she tells you that she is… Maisi, Ulrin’s wife! The woman who you may or may not have found in the Underground Tunnels, dead. She explains that the Jarl probably planted her necklace in the Tunnels, like he definitely chained her up in this room. You are again offered the choice to free her. If you don’t free her, you tell her that you will have to find another way to free her. She’s not thrilled about that, begging you to come back. This gives you the time to look for other options, to search the Citadel, or even confront the Jarl (more on that in the “Accusations” section.
If you decide to free her, she thanks you and tells you that plans on doing some bodily harm to the Jarl. This would be baaaad, as you inform her; her response: “I don’t care”. She then asks you to help her escape.
As you both approach the now-closed gate to the rest of the Citadel, the Jarl runs up the steps, demanding answers as to what you both are doing. Maisi and the Jarl make eye contact: he flees into a nearby bathroon-type area, you open the gate, and Maisi goes into a rage, cornering the Jarl. He tells her think about her next move, since attacking him would get everyone killed. She, while conjuring up what appears to be an Ice spell, ignores his pleas. She blasts the Jarl, instantly killing him… but blowing a hole in a pipe, lining the left side wall (and blowing a hole in the wall). She shouts to… someone(s) to run, you black out… and wake up in the original timeline. There is a frozen, cobwebbed body by your feet (guess who?). The rest of the room is dark (unusual, since the Citadel and the FC is very bright) and also cobwebbed. An Imperial soldier rushes up to you, a little surprised to see you, and asks who you are and what happened. Via a few conversation choices, you can either stay in the Citadel or leave through the hole in the wall.
The soldier is Altruis, Cassia’s brother.
After stating that he’s “grateful for the rescue yet feels oddly unsatisfied”, you and him reunite with Cassia. She rewards you with a necklace that bolsters Speechcraft by 15% and give you the Bribery perk. You leave the area and the credits roll.
I can see why Altruis felt “unsatisfied”. He tells you some of the story that he found n a journal (I’ll let you see what that is), including finding your name in it, but I found myself thinking “that’s it?” with this branch of the story. It wasn’t a “bad” ending but I have a feeling that other “endings” would be more… satisfying.
4. b) The Accusation
On the 2nd story ‘road’, instead of going to the Locked Room, I went to the Jarl. I found him on the balcony where I first met him, but he could be anywhere on the top floor, so search around if you don’t immediately see him.
The Jarl wants to make sure that you are certain about your pick. After this point, the conversation options will have everyone that is available for accusation; these choices will depend on who you previously talked to and who you previously helped. These options could include the Jarl and you. If the “Jarl” option is available, there are 2 additional options that could appear, depending on past choices: 1) “it was from your commands” (meaning, ‘spy on someone, report back, oops – wrong person!’) or 2) “I saw what was going on in that locked room!”. The Jarl, for choice #2, becomes angry and tells you that “someone” is spying on everyone via the Dwarven busts, which is how the Dwarves’ law is enforced; since the bust in the Jarl’s room is broken, “I can do whatever I want in there”. He then basically throws you out of the Citadel. Choice #1 for the Jarl appears if you had to run to the Lakehouse and “restart”.
For any other character: I had a few suspects at the top of my list. I chose Gulvar, due to his talk with me in the Tavern (see Part III). The Jarl was a little surprised (he liked Gulvar) but saw Gulvar’s anger bubbling under the surface. He then tells me about the Dwarven busts and where some of their “blind spots” are: the Underground Tunnels. He gives you the key to the tunnels (if you already didn’t have it) and directs you to lure Gulvar down there and kill him, “for the sake and safety of his people”.
I found Gulvar and “lied” to him, saying that I needed his help with a way out of the city that I found in the tunnels. Once in the tunnels, I checked for Dwarven busts (there were none), then I used a combination of Shouts and arrows to kill Gulvar.
Big mistake.
Gulvar shouts that “they didn’t see you do it but they will know that you are… a murderer!”. That ominous music plays, the tunnels shake…
Somehow, you were seen breaking the Dwarves’ Law!
If you went deep into the tunnels, you’re screwed. If you were near the entrance (like me), you will have to deal with 1 or 2 Dwarven Spiders (metal spiders, about the size of a horse) – opposed to at least 3 – before leaving the tunnels. If you can, run to the Lakehouse. Return to the “past” and look for other options.
Those “options” include the Palace.
Part V will be the Palace adventures. It might take a day or two to sift through what all was in there and type a coherent post.
Part I: LINK
Part II: LINK
This is the 3rd part of a multi-post series on the Skyrim mod, “The Forgotten City”.
There are SPOILERS… however, there will be some end-of-quests SPOILERS. There won’t be any major plot spoilers, unless ABSOLUTELY UNAVOIDABLE. Turn around – and check out some other posts on my page! – if you don’t want to read any spoilers.
3. a) More people
I talked to Domitus, plus a few more Forgotten City (FC) citizens.
*Domitus (in Citadel):
- Domitus is the #2 in charge. He is not afraid to let you know it, either.
- He is very conceited – his basic first responses to you can be summed up as: “how dare you approach me and ask me anything? Get back in your place!”
- he did
askdemand that I go to the Palace and retrieve an Immaculate Dwarven Helmet that was on the other side of a gate at the entrance.
This was not as “exciting” as I thought it would be. What it made me do is refrain from shooting Domitus in his mouth with my Fire Enchanted bow. However, no option of implicating Domitus popped up. Maybe I missed something?
3 Others:
Jeshol (met in Tavern) was tickled that I “asked how an old lady was doing”. She is a street sweeper and either a worshipper or priestess of Mara. She does mention Dooley and how he’s living in a cave of sorts, outside of town, homeless because he can’t work (the Jarl basically exiled him). Luki (met near Habiq’s shop) is a not-too-social alchemist and healer. She hates all people but heals and makes potions because “someone has to”. She chides the Jarl and his “cronies” for laziness (sense a theme here…).
Dwemora (above; met in the Citadel) is the Jarl’s adoptive, bored daughter. She is not allowed out of the Citadel. She also calls the Jarl and friends “lazy”. To spice up her life, she wants to see what happens when you offer Ashanshi some Skooma.
I then went to the first person that I met in the FC: Gulvar.
*Gulvar (in tavern):
- was a farmer from the Whiterun area
- father was killed by bandits; mother died shortly thereafter
- farm was repeatedly raided. Gulvar then killed one of the bandits that knocked on his front door; the other bandits knocked him out and kept him alive while they killed the rest of his family and burned his farm down
- he started stealing, didn’t like what he had become; wandered Skyrim until he found the FC
- **mentioned that the Jarl would get what was coming to him
That last line moved Gulvar to the top 1 or 2 suspects. He seems like he is barely repressing his fury.
3. b) More Places
I’d talked to about 15 people, so I started looking through houses and areas.
I didn’t find anything of note on the outside (minus Dooley).
I did find some things of interest indoors, however.
Ulrin’s House:
*Another SPOILER Warning*
I was checking in here to see if I could find some info about him and his missing wife. Maisi. Instead, I found a door to the Underground Tunnels, hidden under an animal skin. Be very careful with this door: if you click on the skin, you’ll take it… and break the Dwarves’ Law. Once you open the door, you’ll find yourself in a ring of tunnels, with about 12 offshoots and short hallways branching off. About 8 of those offshoots lead to doors that lead up to various houses and stores… but they are all locked. There are also a few Skeevers, scattered around the tunnels. They shouldn’t be a problem. I hope.
On your travels throughout the ring, you should come upon some human remains, along with some gold and a piece of equipment. You have to identify those remains. Also, you will be attacked by a horse-sized Giant Skeever. This is not as easy of a fight as you would think. When you defeat it, make sure to loot the corpse. You will find a Locket that belongs – belonged – to Maisi. Putting 2 and together should identify the remains that you found earlier. Report your findings to Ulrin…. or hold on to the Locket until you have finished a few more quests.
*Brandas’ House II
I didn’t remember that I had glanced in Brandas’ house previously, until I reread my last post. I’m glad that I went in again.
Most of the house is empty. There is a Lute in the corner, some food on the table, and a Last Will, next to the food:
This makes me feel better about taking those Boots earlier. 😉
On the stone bed… is Brandas! He wasn’t there before! He is mortally wounded: what isn’t wrapped in bandages, it looks badly burned, including parts of his face. he tells you that he is a Vigilant of Stendarr, sent to the FC (via visions) to stop “something terrifying and very evil under the city”. Unfortunately, the energies under the city nearly killed him before he could stop whatever is down there.
I now have to get back under the city – lower than the tunnels I just came out of – and find out what’s down there, survive the “energies” getting to it, and possibly stop/kill whatever *it* is.
*Dooley’s Quest
I also decided to help Dooley find his treasure before taking on anything else.
The clue “hold your breath” pointed me to the lake at the back of the cavern. I brought one Potion of Waterbreathing with me – crap. Probably should have brought 3. Anyway: after swimming around for a little bit, I found a sunken house-type building, with an openable door.
Inside the Sunken House, there is a very tall cave, with an opening at the top, all under water. I used my Potion to swim to the top, where I was greeted with a ramp that spiraled out of the water, into an even bigger cavern, complete with those blue mushrooms that are pictured earlier in this post. There are barrels scattered along, as well as some Dwarven odds and ends (plates, cups, shields, etc.). At the top of the ramp is what appears to be an Argonian female, completely armored in Dwarven Armor (probably will be Ebony or Daedric armor, at higher levels). She wonders who you are and why you are here. If you tell her that “you are looking for a treasure chest”, she says that “we found it but can’t open it… we locked it in the Tower”; she then invites you to dinner. If you accept the dinner offer, she leads you to a campsite… in total view of 2 other figures; all 3 then attack you because “you smell delicious!”. If you answer “nevermind, I’ll turn back” or turn down her requests for dinner, she and her “sisters” attack.
I got killed a couple of times, even after using various Shouts, so I changed my strategies. Once the first Argonian started walking towards me, I backed down the ramp a few feet, putting the wall on the left between me and her sisters. Once she attacked, I filled her full of arrows, then immediately hid after she dies. She has a Tower Key on her. I then got by the lines of sight of her sisters and went to the right of the ramp, towards the aforementioned Tower.
Inside the Tower is the Chest, as well as some armor, another Chest at the bottom of a stair well, and some odds and ends laying about. As tempting as it is, do not take anything from upstairs, other than whatever is in the Chest. The Dwarves’ Law does take effect on the entrance floor of the Tower.
Inside the Chest is this:
So, no “treasure” but something possibly as valuable: a key to the locked gate at the top of the Citadel! Also, he explicitly warned me about the Jarl. Interesting!
I swam back to the Sunken House – nearly drowning – and back to the Lake. I let Dooley know about the treasure; he hoped that I split the “pile of gold and gems that I find” with him.
SO, I have 3 branches to do:
- The Citadel: Accusations and The Locked Gate
- The Palace: Get The Helmet
- The Evil: Go Underground
I actually looked into the Locked Gate and…. well, you’ll have to wait for Part IV. I also have to make my accusation to the Jarl…. although, I don’t trust the Jarl much. And, I have to get that Helmet for Domitus, inside the Palace, not to mention find out what’s going on underground. Part IV will cover what happened with the Locked Gate and what I did with the accusations. My travels through the Palace may also take place in Part IV, but I can’t guarantee it. Part IV should be posted by Sunday night! Stay tuned!