Online:Bakkhara

Bakkhara is a Khajiit member of the Mages Guild. She can be found near Elden Hollow contemplating how to stop Canonreeve Oraneth from completing her ritual. She is unable to directly interfere because Canonreeve Oraneth is a member of the Thalmor, so she asks you to clear a path to the altars. 

After defeating the Canonreeve, Bakkhara and the other mages are unable to disable the final altar. She orders everyone else out of the room but stays in a final, unsuccessful attempt to prevent the ritual completing.
 

Related Quests



Quest-Related Events
Ancient Remains
After defeating Justiciar Elanar and moving through the tunnels, Bakkhara and her colleagues will teleport in:
:Bakkhara: "And what do we have here? Someone who bypassed the Thalmor guards? Hmm …."

She can be spoken to begin Ancient Remains:
:"You have outwitted or outfought the wayward Justiciars, no? You could not stand here otherwise. I, Bakkhara, wonder if you will lend me your skills. Great danger awaits below."
:'''What's going on down here?
:"Canonreeve Oraneth, an Altmer politician, has hired Wood Orc mercenaries to dig up bones buried in the Hollow. The Canonreeve is up to something, and we would stop her before she goes any further."
:What do you need me to do?
:"The Wood Orc mercenaries have constructed a ritual altar just inside this cave, made of the bones they've unearthed. We don't know the altar's purpose, but we would disable it, then pursue Oraneth within. Will you handle her brutes for us?"
:Count me in. I'll clear the way for you.
:"Off with you now. Eliminate the Wood Orcs. We will follow shortly to see what the Canonreeve is up to."
:What is the Canonreeve doing in the Hollow?
::"That is what Bakkhara intends to find out. This one can feel an aura of magic in the air. Five-clawed magic."
:Why do the Orcs stand in your way?
::"They're mercenaries, and the Canonreeve has paid for their services. They act as an extension of her Thalmor guards, and I am not willing to have my mages attack a Canonreeve. There would be too many political implications."
:Tell me about the Canonreeve.
::"Oraneth was a Guild Mage once, many moons ago. She believes the Altmer are superior to all races in the ways of magic and, therefore, worldly pursuits as well. I found her amusing, if only because her beliefs are objectively wrong."
::Why do you suspect her?
::"The Canonreeve has been very vocal about wanting the Altmer to abdicate from the Aldmeri Dominion.  When the Thalmor opposed her proposition at a public hearing, she swore she would save the Empire herself."
::And so you suspected wrongdoing on her part?
::"She recently visited several Mages Guild chapters, asking for advanced texts on Conjuration, and a few about the Daedra. And now she's come here with fully-armed guards. Nothing wrong with research, but she's up to something, yes?"

Speaking to her again:
:"Off with you now. Eliminate the Wood Orcs. We will follow shortly to see what the Canonreeve is up to."

Once Akash gra-Mal is defeated, the trio of mages will teleport in to study the fiery altar of bones.
:Bakkhara: "This is a most bizarre ritual altar."
: 
:Bakkhara: "Let's take it apart."
: 
:Bakkhara: "This altar's design suggest complimentary ritual sites. Bakkhara bets an eel pie there are more." 

Speaking to her here, you can ask her about the Canonreeve: 
:"Bakkhara thanks you again."
:Tell me about the Canonreeve.
:"Oraneth was a Guild Mage once, many moons ago. She believes the Altmer are superior to all races in the ways of magic and, therefore, worldly pursuits as well. I found her amusing, if only because her beliefs are objectively wrong."
:Why do you suspect her?
:"The Canonreeve has been very vocal about wanting the Altmer to abdicate from the Aldmeri Dominion. When the Thalmor opposed her proposition at a public hearing, she swore she would save the Empire herself."
:And so you suspected wrongdoing on her part?
:"She recently visited several Mages Guild chapters, asking for advanced texts on Conjuration, and a few about the Daedra. And now she's come here with fully-armed guards. Nothing wrong with research, but she's up to something, yes?"

When they reach the second altar, the follow conversation will happen:
:Dracien Montue: "By Sheor's beard … it's a massacre in here!"
:Bakkhara: "It is good work. If you want to make a stew, you must gut a few fish, no?"
:Bakkhara: "Now come! Let us undo this altar." 
: 
:Bakkhara: "This one still feels a presence. There must be another altar."

Speaking to her here:
:"Two altars broken and still I can sense the Canonreeve's magic. There must be one remaining. Find it and you may find Canonreeve Oraneth. Be wary if you do—her power has grown immensely if these altars are any indication."
:Why would the Canonreeve come  here?
::"I'm thinking on that myself. The arrangement of this ritual altar is not one I am familiar with.  But there are not many benevolent spells one can cast using a necropolis like this, yes?"
:Have you figured out what these altars are?
::"Dracien believes they are necromantic. That Oraneth is perhaps in line with the Worm Cult, who have been active in the area of late. This one is still not sure. We will know more when we question the Canonreeve."

Once Canonreeve Oraneth is defeated, the mages will rush in only to find the ritual is complete, the following will then happen:
:Bakkhara: "So. Oraneth sold her soul completely. The Thalmor will not be happy with this."
:Speaks-With-Lights: "Bakkhara, look! Just as you feared - the ritual is complete. See how the darkness gathers?"
:Bakkhara: "Yes. Whatever Oraneth unleashed here may be even stronger than she. Prepare yourselves."
: 
:Dracien Montue: "What in Oblivion was that?"''

The purfication didn't work, and so you will need to talk with Bakkhara:
:"Oraneth is dead, the ritual broken, yet evil still stirs here. There is a darkness, growing from the earth below, sprouting from a seed of death. We have failed. The darkness is coming, with no one to control it …."
:What can we do?
:"Bakkhara is thinking! Wait … do you feel that?"
:Feel what?
:''"My friend, it's time to go. Quickly! Follow Speaks-With-Lights! She can open the way out of this place."

Bakkhara will run towards the widening shadow portal to buy time for everyone else to escape:
:Bakkhara: "Everybody out! Oraneth would undo us all!" 
: 
:Speaks-With-Lights: "Mistress Bakkhara, what are you doing? We must go!"
:Bakkhara: "No, you must go! Warn the Guild. Warn Tamriel! Quickly now—Bakkhara can't hold this forever."''

You will all need to enter Lights' portal, or you will be sucked down like Dracien is. Bakkhara will also be swallowed up.

Consuming Darkness
Once you have entered the shadowy daedric realm, you will find a trio of dremora torturing her. After you have slain them and Murklight who appears through a portal, Bakkhara will be freed, though still in pain:
:Bakkhara: "Help … me …."

Speaking to Bakkhara after rescuing her, she will remember you from Elden Hollow if you helped her previously:
:"This one remembers you. You fought Canonreeve Oraneth with us. We failed to stop her ritual. The final altar was in this Daedric realm all along. We need to find it. Destroy it. At least you survived. They killed Dracien to mock Bakkhara."
:Are you all right?
:"This one is   grateful you came back. Please, let us escape this place. It tears at my mind and soul."
:We need to find Kargand.
:''"Kargand? This one's brother? Why would he follow me to this place? If he is trapped as I was, I will not leave him behind. This existence is one of nightmares."
:Let's look for a way out of here.

If you talk with her you can ask her about what the Daedra did to her.
:"This one has felt the blazing embers of Daedra torture. They attempt to destroy the mind and body together. We must find my brother before we lose Kargand forever."
:What did they do to you?
:"This does not know what is memory&mdash;what is delirium. There was a great fire. Always there. They pushed Bakkhara's soul against it, grated it against the heat, until Bakkhara was not there anymore. And the Daedra controlled what was left."

Eventually you will find Kargand in the hands of Bogdan the Nightflame.
:Bakkhara: "This must be the source of the Daedra. You must stop it, whatever it is. Bakkhara's claws have been unsharpened."

She will plead with you if you talk to her:
:"Kargand is here! It is beyond this Khajiit's power to help you defeat the Daedra in this realm, but please—free my brother from his torment."

Once Bogdan is slain, the siblings will reunite: 
:Kargand: "Bakkhara? Is that you?"
:Bakkhara: "Kargand! You live, yes?"
: 
:Bakkhara: "See to this one's brother. Bakkhara will destroy Canonreeve Oraneth's final altar, which sustains this realm."
:Bakkhara: "It is done."

She will then create a portal and Bakkhara will lead Kargand through it. When you return to the Hollow, Bakkhara can be heard comforting her brother:
:Bakkhara: "The nightmare is over Kargand. Rest."

You can then talk with her, she will have noticed that something is terribly wrong with her brother and that a choice will need to be made:
:"We've made it but I fear for my brother. I think the Daedric fire burned him more fiercely than it did me."
:Is Kargand all right?
:"He was tormented by the Daedra, worse than Bakkhara was. Perhaps for longer—time can work differently in the Daedric realms. A mage of Kargand's power could be a danger to Tamriel if he is driven to madness. He's always had a dark streak."
::What kind of dark streak?
:::"Kargand has never shown empathy towards anyone but Bakkhara.  He was always ready to advance at the expense of others. It is … touching he came back for this one, but he would not have done it for you, though you helped him."
::What do we do? / Dangerous? Are you suggesting we kill him?
:::"I fear killing him may be the only solution, though Bakkhara would rather face the Daedra again than lose her brother. I can see on his face that he is fighting for his soul."

You can either spare him so his sister can take him to the Mages Guild:
::I refuse to accept he is beyond redemption. He lives and you should help him.
::"This one hopes you are right. Honestly, Bakkhara is glad. I will take Kargand with me to the Guild and we will do what we can for him. You're sure about this?"
:::I'm sure. He risked his life to save you.
::::"Kargand will live and by my claws, I promise he will defeat this corruption. I thank you for freeing us. Know peace in your journeys."
:::Actually, I'm not certain.
::::"It is difficult to be sure. If the Daedra succeed in corrupting him, the consequences could be worse than what happened here."

After completing the quest, you can talk with her some more:
:"This one will get Kargand the help he needs."
:I hope the Mages Guild can help him.
:"This one will make sure Kargand recovers. Thank you for your help in freeing us both."
:Good luck.

Or you can kill him to prevent a possible future calamity:
::The danger is too great. I should kill him before he creates another crisis like this one.
::"This one … regrets it. But understands. Bakkhara will do it. Bakkhara owes him this much. Are you sure about this?"
:::I'm sure. This can't happen again.
:::"We were lucky to gave the help of a five-clawed one such as yourself. I appreciate all you have done for me. Now, though it pains me, I must free my brother from his suffering. Good luck to you."
::::I'm so sorry.
:::Actually, I'm not certain.
::::"Perhaps the Mages Guild could help him."

If you decide that it is for the best to have her kill Kargand, she will stand up after the conversation is finished and say:
:Bakkhara: "I am sorry my brother. The risk is too great. I cannot let you live."
 
:Kargand: "Bakkhara … I am not beyond redemption. Don't do this."
:Bakkhara: "I'm sorry Kargand, there is not other way."
:Kargand: "No!"
  
:Bakharra: "Oh, my poor Kargand. I'm so sorry it ended this way."

Speaking to her here:
:"Leave me be. The loss of my brother is … difficult to bear."

Dialogue
 

After you have rescued Bakkhara from the shadowy daedric realm, she can be found in the Elden Root Mages Guild. Depending on your choices, her brother may be with her.

If you decided that Kargand needed to die, Bakkhara can be found against a pillar with her head in her arms.
:"This one misses Kargand so much. He was always able to bring a smile to this Khajiit's face. His death has left a hole in this one's heart."''

However, if Kargand was spared, the pair can be found together in the same place. Bakkhara will be hopeful for her brother's recovery:
:"Kargand is showing signs of improvement. This one thinks he will recover with time."

Notes
Xal-Geh and Aeren, two fellow mages located outside the Mournhold Mages Guild, will gossip unkindly about her.