Daggerfall:The Mad Slayer

Quick Walkthrough
# Talk to a noble.
# Meet the sage and get the name of the sage's colleague.
# Meet the sage's colleague, a vampire NPC, and get the name of a victim's sibling.
# Talk to the sibling and get the name of the Slayer.
# Confront and destroy the Slayer, a vampire.
# Talk to the sage's colleague again and collect your first reward.
# Return to the noble within the time limit and collect your reward.

Detailed Walkthrough
A Monster Among Us
Speak to a noble, who says:

:''"There's a nightmare stalking the streets of (current locale). They're calling him the (current locale) Slayer, and so far no one can tell me if he's a man or a beast. One of my finest sages, (sage's name), is examining the bodies of the victims, but (he/she) has begun getting disturbing letters and frankly fears for (his/her) life. I need someone to investigate (his/her) findings to see if (his/her) fears are justified. Will you help me in this, (player's first name)? I will offer you (random gold) gold pieces in return for the retirement of the (current locale) Slayer."

Accept
The noble goes on:

:"Thank (random god) for that anyway. The people of (region) are becoming anxious about the lack of progress in the official investigations. I fear that we will have a mob situation soon, perhaps in (time limit) days or less. (Sage's name) works out of (library), and I told (him/her) I'd be sending someone there soon. Watch out for yourself, (player's first name). Until this situation is resolved, remember that the (current locale) night has a knife."

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."''

Stalking the Slayer
thumb|right|The sage has been performing autopsies on the Slayer's victims
Note: this quest contains numerous bugs, which effectively make it impossible to complete if certain paths are taken. First, the quest has no time limit; although a counter is present, it does not start. Thus, the quest will never end unless completed successfully.

However, as long as this quest is active, there is a 15% chance nightly that the Slayer will find you. Fittingly, this creature which only hunts at night is a vampire. However, you won't know that this creature was the Slayer until you have spoken to a certain individual later in the quest. If you have encountered the vampire and destroyed it, you don't have to worry about any bugs as the quest is nearly complete.

If you haven't been attacked by the vampire, you must proceed with your mission. Your first objective is to meet with the sage the noble talked about, who is found in a library in town. Two scenarios are possible, depending on how long it takes you to reach the sage.

Enter the library. The sage is found near a life-size skeleton model, and is still alive if you arrive promptly. Talk to the sage and be told:

:''"Ah, (player's first name), my dear (player's race), I am very glad you've arrived. You have doubtless been told that I've become a bit of a hermit ever since I began receiving those letters threatening my life if I did not abandoned my investigations. Well, now I have an old colleague in town with whose assistance I may be able to solve these murders. I would like you to bring these notes to a (colleague's name), a (colleague's description) you will find at (tavern). If anything should happen to me, I want   to be able to continue on in the investigations. That will be (colleague's name) and you, (player's first name). So don't get yourself killed out there."

The sage gives you some notes to bring to this colleague, which read:

:Autopsy report for (random female name):

: Throat torn out, apparently
: with violent force (Slayer a
: madman?  Check into Lobornus
: work with criminally insane in Agryn
: Prison). Death instantaneous,
: no sign of struggle (Slayer knew
: victim?  Did not appear a threat?)
: Carotid artery completely severed,
: loss of blood extensive by time of
: examination (remember to ask
: (noble's name) to send over guards
: who found body for interview).

:Autopsy report for (random male name):

: Subject shows similar pathology to
: female victim. Throat torn out violently,
: bruises on upper arms as if gripped by
: extremely strong man (Slayer's insanity
: produces superhuman strength?  Note to self:
: write to Lobornus for research notes from
: interesting case he reported at last year's
: Conclave). Bruising indicates some time
: between attack and death? (Could be unrelated
: to attack?  Check on background of victim)''

However, you are on the clock; if you arrive at night one to nine hours after the quest begins, you will only find the sage's bloody corpse. If this is the case, search around the body to find three letters. First, a pair of threatening letters addressed to the sage, which read:

:''(Sage's name),
: Terminate your investigations of the (region) Slayer's
: victims if you value your life. You are moving
: blindly into an inferno.
: If you continue, you will die before your
: studies are finished. Consider this this a
: serious warning.
:::::A Well-Wisher

:Dear (sage's name),
: Even if you lock all your doors and extinguish
: all light from (library), we
: will know that you are still indulging in your
: forbidden autopsies. Do not ask for us to
: demonstrate our power to stop you, for we will
: act but once.
:::::A Well-Wisher

The third is from the sage's colleague, and reads:

:''(Sage's name),
: I would very much like to meet with you
: about your fascinating mortuary studies of
: the Slayer victims. As you know, I have
: done   investigations and would be
: happy to share my knowledge and experience
: with a distinguished colleague.

: Let me know by courier how it would be
: most convenient for us to meet. I am
: staying at (tavern),
: but perhaps you would rather meet at
: (library) so I might
: see the corpses in question. In  
: case I look forward to receiving your
: courier and note.
:::::Yours in admiration,
:::::(Colleague's name)''

Digging Deeper
thumb|right|The sage's colleague is secretly a vampire, but is not your enemy
thumb|right|A brother of one of the victims
thumb|right|End the threat once and for all
 
You now know the name and location of the sage's colleague. Since there are no other leads to follow, ask around in town to locate the tavern. Head there, enter the building, and speak to the colleague. This can play out in one of two ways, depending on if you found the sage alive. If you did, you deliver the notes to the colleague, who replies with:

:''"So, for all the days (sage's name) has spent with those   flyblown cadavers and all (he/she) comes up with is this. (Random god), with this as a start, (sage's name) won't get an intimation of the Slayer's identity for weeks yet. Listen, (player's first name), if you want to help (noble's name), take this flower over to (sibling's name) in (sibling's building) -- (his/her) brother was (random male name), one of the Slayer's victims. This may seem like a trivial sentimentality, but it will bring you closer to finding the (current locale) Slayer than any of (sage's name)'s scientific catalyses. Trust me, (player's first name)."''

The colleague gives you a red poppy to bring to the victim's sibling. However, this path of investigation is broken; while you know the name of the building where the sibling is found, you are not told which town this building is in. While every other quest location is in the noble's town, this building is assigned to a random town in the current region, which makes searching prohibitively difficult (and all but impossible if the time limit worked properly). See below for more information.

Should you find the building in question, enter it and speak to the victim's sibling, who says:

:''"A red poppy? Oh, you must be my brother's friend, (Slayer's name), yes? I do appreciate the comforting note you sent after his death. He didn't have very many friends, and, to tell the truth, he had never mentioned your name. But I certainly thank you for the lovely flowers and the invitation to visit you at (Slayer's house). I've always admired that place, and I would like to see the inside of it. What, you're not (Slayer's name)? Oh, I'm so sorry. Please forgive me, I haven't been myself since my brother... No, I don't think I have information that might help you find that murdering devil. You know I would help you if I could. But you will find the fiend that killed my brother, won't you?"''

This house will be back in the noble's town. To proceed, see the next section.

If you found the sage dead, the colleague will instead say:

:''Which letter brought you to me, (player's name)? You are probably aware that I wrote them all. After (sage's name) refused to listen to my polite warnings about investigating matters beyond mortal understanding, I invited (him/her) here as (his/her) friend. I knew (him/her), you see, years ago, before I became a vampire. We met, went back to (library) to see the bodies, and there I slew (him/her). Quite painlessly. I could tell (he/she) would never have halted   studies. More than that I cannot say, except that the Slayer is a vampire like myself, but mad from the blessing of immortality. (Slayer's name), that's the Slayer's real name and (he/she) lives at (Ripper's house). If you go there and slay (him/her), I will reward you. If you intend to continue with (sage's name)'s studies, I will have no choice but to kill you as well. That is my simple offer."''

Ask the people in town where this house is located, then head there.

Confronting the Slayer
The vampire's house will be unlocked, so you can enter it without any difficulties. Search the house to find the vampire, then destroy it. Once the Slayer is dead, return to the colleague and then the noble for your rewards.

Reward
When you speak to the colleague after the vampire is dead, you hear:

:''"By killing (Slayer's name), you have aided both (region) and myself. For this, I give you a (jewelry). Perhaps we may meet again one day, (player's name). You have intrigued me in our brief acquaintance. May the night keep you safe."

Return to the noble and report your success. Your grateful patron says:

:"(Region) 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 and your discretion in this matter. (Random god) truly blessed us when you came to (region)."''

Reputation Gain/Loss
 

Enemies
Quest Target: One Vampire which can also be encounter with a chance of 15% from 18:01 to 05:59 for the duration of the quest


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 R0C11Y28.QBN and R0C11Y28.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).
You can pick up the decorative skeleton next to the sage and sell it for some gold.

Bugs
The time limit of this quest is set to three days, but the counter does not start. Thus, the quest will remain active until you have completed it by taking care of the slayer.
Since you meet the sage in a library, the sage will be missing from the quest if you get it from a noble of Wayrest. Wayrest City does not have a single library.
Due an oversight in the quest-text, the town where the sibling is staying will not be revealed. Thus, you can not learn the Slayer's whereabouts from her, only from the vampire NPC after the sage has been killed.
This quest sometimes suffers from a bug in the game engine which will result in missing quest locations, see here for further informations.
DFQFIX addresses all the bugs listed above, and makes several other tweaks to the quest.

Additional Dialogue
If you ask an NPC about the sage, you may be told:
''"(Sage's name) is quite a learned scientist over in (library), (direction) of here."
"(Sage's name) is a (Sage's description) who works out of (library)."
"(Sage's name) is dissecting the Slayer's victims and someone doesn't like that."
"(Sage's name)'s a scientist at (library), who has been getting threat letters."''
If you ask an NPC about the sage's colleague. you may hear:
''"(Colleague's name) is the (colleague's description) I met over at (tavern). Nice enough, but spooky."
"(Colleague's name) is the name of the (colleague's description) staying over at (tavern)."
"(Colleague's name) is one of the (bloodline), sent to (current locale) to eliminate the mad Slayer."
"(Colleague's name) is a (bloodline) vampire here to stop the risk to (his/her) security, the Slayer."''
If you ask an NPC about the victim's sibling, they may say:
''"Poor (sibling's name) stays at (sibling's building) every since the Slayer got (his/her) brother."
"The (region) Slayer killed (sibling's name)'s brother, and now (he/she) never leaves (aibling's building).
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 (current locale) Slayer."
"I hear the Slayer isn't a man at all, but a daedra come to punish us all."
"The last victim of the (current locale) Slayer was found scattered in pieces over (current locale)."
"Some folks are wondering if the Slayer 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 Slayer moved on."
"(Noble's name)'s just lucky the (current locale) Slayer decided to move on. Panic was setting in."
"(Noble's name) is still anxious. You'd think the Slayer's absence would relieve (him/her)."
"The (current locale) Slayer disappeared just as suddenly as he came to (current locale)."
"Some say the Slayer's still here, waiting for the stars to be right again."
If you successfully complete the quest, NPCs may say when asked for any news:
"I'm still afraid to be out in (current locale) alone, even with the Slayer supposedly dead."
"Guess the (current locale) Slayer was just some poor lunatic. Nothing romantic to him at all."
"The newest rumor is that the (current locale) Slayer wasn't a vampire, but thought he was."
If you successfully complete the quest, the quest giver may later greet you with:
"I still remember you, (player's first name), and the discretion you showed with the (current locale) Slayer."
If you failed the quest, the quest giver will greet you with:
"You failed me in the (current locale) Slayer affair, (player's first name). I don't see any reason to believe you won't fail me again."''

Quest Log