Daggerfall:The Mad Ripper

Quick Walkthrough
# Talk to a Noble.
# Meet your contact and get the name of a prostitute.
# Meet the prostitute and get the name of the supposed Ripper.
# Confront the Ripper and kill him.
# Return to the Noble within the time limit for your reward.

Detailed Walkthrough
The Mad Ripper
Speak to a Noble, who says:

:''"(Player's name), a madman they call the (region) Ripper is terrorizing the city of (town), and my guards and constabulary are helpless against him. They have no clues to his identity whatsoever. I know you have some resources and rather   contacts. Can you try and help me in this matter, for the good of all (region) -- and a substantial sum of gold?"

Accept
The Noble goes on:

:"You are a true friend, (player's first name). The people of (region) are becoming anxious about the lack of progress in the official investigations. The situation is becoming explosive, with people afraid that the Ripper is coming for them next. I fear that we will have a mob situation soon, perhaps within (time limit) days or less. The only other person I've unofficially hired on this is (contact's name), a local scholar who has been analyzing some of the letters I've been sent. Go to (bookstore) to talk to (him/her) first, and check on (his/her) progress. If you cannot solve this mystery, then (random god) help us all."

Decline
The Noble answers:

:"Not an uncommon response. Then I have little choice, but to call on some of my less savoury contacts for help -- an option I was hoping to avoid."''

Racing the Ripper
thumb|right|The scholar works out of a local bookstore
thumb|right|The scholar
 
You first objective is to head to the local bookstore where the investigator hired by the noble is examining the Ripper's letters. Ask around to determine its location and head there. If you arrive after hours, you will need to pick the lock, cast an Open spell, or otherwise force the door to gain entry. What you find inside depends on how quickly you make it to the bookstore; if you are too slow, you will find the Ripper has been there first.

If you made it to the bookstore before the Ripper, simply speak to the contact and learn some things:

:''"Good timing, (player's first name). I was about to go out to meet someone at (prostitute's house) who might be able to shed some light on this situation. A (prostitute's description) named (prostitute's name). Quite frankly, a prostitute, but one whose name was scratched off the top of a letter (noble's name) received. Perhaps the Ripper was writing a letter to (prostitute's name), and then changed his mind. If so, (he/she) might have some idea about the Ripper's identity. It's worth a try. Why don't you go to (prostitute's house) with the letter and see?"

The Ripper arrives at the bookstore somewhere between 25 minutes to 14 hours from the moment the quest starts. If you enter the building after the Ripper has been there, you will discover the grisly corpse of your contact. Along with the body, you will find three letters; if you had not yet spoken with the investigator, these will provide the only clues on how to proceed. The first two letters are simply poorly-spelled, rambling threats (note: text appears as it does in-game):

(Noble's name), the last
: one was So Tasty, I eveN toke a bite. Yor
: WHole family looks juicy too -- may be the
: Ripper will visit you nexxt. Ripping and rippng and tHen a
: litle RIPPING to setle the scoor.
:::Gracishly yors,
::The (region) Rippr

(Noble's name),
:    catsh me if you CAN
: may be now you care abut your (region)
: now its soked in BLOOD
: Yor freind,
::: The (region) Rippr

The third letter is from the prostitute, and is the same one you receive if you speak to the contact. It reads:

:(Contact's name),
:   I would be happy to meet with you,
: either at your place or mine about
: that barmy admirer of mine. I have
: a letter I was sent that might be
: helpful.
::Yours truly, (prostitute's name)''

To find the prostitute, ask around in town until someone points you to her residence. Once you have this information, enter the building and meet her.

The Object of Affection
thumb|right|The prostitute has a clue to the Ripper's identity
The next step is speaking with the prostitute. There are once again two possible scenarios, depending on if you reach her before the Ripper does. The time frame in this case is 2 to 24 hours after the quest starts.

If the prostitute is alive, speak to her. She says:

:''"You work with (contact's name), do you, (player's first name)? Well, (he/she) was interested in this letter I was sent the other night. (Ripper's name) was a client of mine, with some real tetched ideas of a good time. Some real tetched ideas in general. I kinda felt sorry for him, mostly I was afraid of him so I guess I let him think I liked him. 'Course now I'm getting letters like this. I think   very much could be the (region) Ripper. He lives at (residence) if you want to go see him for real life."''

She hands you a letter from the client she spoke of. If you arrived too late to beat the Ripper, you'll find the letter on her corpse. It reads:

:''(Prostitute's name),
: You said you would be my  , but
: when I saw you on the street, you
: pretended you didn't see me.
: You don't want to make me angry
: again, do you
: (Ripper's name)''

Confronting the Ripper
thumb|right|The Mad Ripper is not afraid to kill again
 
Now that you know the Ripper's name or where he lives, ask around until someone points you to the suspect's residence and enter it. The house may be locked, so you be prepared to gain entry in some manner. Somewhere inside the house you will encounter the Ripper, a nightblade, who will attack you. Fight back, and when hit the Ripper screams at you:

:"I seen you with my girlfriend! Now you and she are gonna get Ripped together since you like each other so much!"

Kill the Ripper, but be wary for as spellcasters, nightblades may employ powerful magic attacks, especial at higher levels. Once you have slain the nightblade, return to the noble to report your success and receive your reward.

Reward
When you report your success, the noble will by overjoyed and say:

:''"(Town) is at peace again, (player's first name), thanks to you. Here is the (random gold) gold I promised -- gladly will I give it for the end of that maniac. (Random god) truly blessed us when you came to (region)."''

Reputation Gain/Loss
 

Enemies
Quest Target: One Nightblade

Notes
This quest is only found on the original CD or free distribution of Daggerfall. For unknown reasons, the final official patch (v. 1.07.213) replaces this quest with one that is identical to A Special Substance.
If you want to play this quest, copy files R0C11Y26.QBN and R0C11Y26.QRC from the ARENA2 directory of the original medium into the ARENA2 directory of your local Daggerfall installation (naturally, after you have patched the game).
The time limit of this quest is always two days.
Since the contact is waiting at a bookstore, you can't complete this quest if you get it from a noble of Wayrest. Wayrest City does not have a single bookstore, therefore the contact will be missing from the quest.
Due to the way quests are processed by the game engine, it is possible to locate the Ripper's residence before speaking to the prostitute. Until you do, however, the Ripper will be represented by a regular NPC flat and not a nightblade. Thus, you will not be able to enter combat without finding the requisite clues.
  
Additional Dialogue
If you ask an NPC about your scholar contact, you may hear:
''"(Contact's name) is quite a learned scholar over in (bookstore), (direction) of here."
"(Contact's name) is sometimes (noble's name)'s tutor on certain matters of the human mind."
"(Contact's name) is an old fool who's going to get in trouble one day pursuing the Ripper."
"(Contact's name)'s a sage at (bookstore), dangerously involved in the Ripper business."
If you ask an NPC about the suspected Ripper, you may be told:
"(Ripper's name)? You'll probably find him over at (Ripper's residence).
''"Don't know much about (Ripper's name). Keeps to himself mostly."
"(Ripper's name) is that nice young man who lives in (Ripper's residence)."
"Well, he seems normal enough, but I've heard a few stories about him that might make you think otherwise."
"He's nice, but a little weird, you know? Makes you wonder sometimes if he's playing with a full deck."
After you have accepted this quest, NPCs may say when asked for any news:
"It isn't safe to walk the streets of (current locale) anymore. Not with the (region) Ripper."
"I hear the (region) Ripper isn't a man at all, but a daedra come to punish us all."
"The last victim of the (region) Ripper was found scattered in pieces over (current locale)."
"Some folks are wondering if the (region) Ripper might be a vampire or a werewolf."
If you fail the quest, NPCs may say when asked for any news:
"The killings stopped without us needing a mob. Guess the Ripper moved on."
"(Noble's name)'s just lucky the (region) Ripper decided to move on. Panic was setting in."
If you successfully complete the quest, NPCs may say when asked for any news:
"I can't believe (Ripper's name) was the (region) Ripper -- he was so nice and quiet."
"(Oath), they say they found a mountain of skulls buried under (Ripper's name)'s house.
''"(Ripper's name), they say, was a loner who kept mostly to him-self. Typical."
If you successfully complete the quest, the quest giver may later greet you with:
"I always have time for the (player's race) who solved the (region) Ripper mystery, (player's first name)."
"If it weren't for you, the (region) Ripper would still terrorize us. What can I do?"
If you failed the quest, the quest giver will greet you with:
"Lucky for you the (region) Ripper moved on. Otherwise, I'd be very angry with you. In fact, I am angry with you. Sod off, (player's first name)."''

Quest Log