Skyrim:Sybille Stentor

thumb|left|Sybille with Skyrim:Dawnguard|Dawnguard installed
Sybille Stentor, a Breton mage, is the court wizard for Jarl Elisif the Fair, located in the Blue Palace of Solitude. She sells novice and apprentice spell tomes from all schools, along with adept Illusion spell tomes if your skill is high enough, as well as robes, soul gems, and a few scrolls. Sybille is also the expert trainer for Destruction. 

Her vampirism is subtly hinted at in-game, though no one in the Blue Palace seems to be fully aware of it. Although she has been serving the jarls for many years, she still appears extremely youthful. Further evidence can be seen if you cast Detect Life, which has no effect on her. She does respond to Detect Dead, however. She also uses Vampiric Drain if she is ever in a fight. The Dawnguard add-on changes her eyes to yellow-orange.

Sybille lives a fairly simple life as the court wizard of Solitude. She will initially be found attending Jarl Elisif's court when Varnius Junius addresses them. After this discussion ends, Sybille will remain at her spot in court at all times, never leaving to eat or sleep. She will continue to remain here until The Wolf Queen Awakened is completed. Once this quest has been completed, she will leave the main area to head to her room. She will proceed to enter her bed and will then sleep here at all times. Sybille was supposed to have a more ordinary schedule, but a few bugs prevent it from occurring.          

She wears blue mage robes and a pair of boots. She carries a belted tunic, an iron dagger, and a selection of upper-class items and gold. 

 
Related Quests
 
 

Dialogue
thumb|right|"Ulfric needed a symbol. Someone he could defeat that represented the Empire, the White-Gold Concordat, the banning of Talos worship."
Should you approach Sybille, she will have little interest in conversation and will be very direct with you: 
:"Be quick. I have little patience for mundane concerns."
:"I have so very many ways to deal with people. Very few of them pleasant."  
:''"You're trying my patience."
:"Surely you have something better to do..." 

When exiting conversations, she will often provide you with very ominous advice: 
:"Take care of yourself, and always remember: the world is ripe with people looking to spill your blood..."
:"Stay guarded. You never know what could be out there." 

Like with other court wizards, you can ask Sybille where you can learn more about magic. She can also be asked two questions about her life in Solitude and High King Torygg, both of which will cause her to become much more talkative:  

Where can I learn more about magic?: "I have no time or patience for a student. Perhaps the College of Winterhold will grant you admission."  
How long have you been the court wizard?: "I was a member of the court during the reign of Torygg's father. It was Torygg who appointed me to the position." 
::So you and High King Torygg were close?: "Very. I helped raise him. Oh, I could not have been more proud to see Torygg on the throne. He made a fine king. A fine king..."  
::You look very young: "I like to think I've aged well. I'm certainly wiser than I once was. And I know when one should speak... and when one should hold their tongue."  
Were you there when High King Torygg died?: "I was, to my shame. The whole court was in attendance. I've seen much in my time, but that was a gruesome day."  
::Why was Torygg killed?: "Because Ulfric needed a symbol. Someone he could defeat that represented the Empire, the White-Gold Concordat, the banning of Talos worship. Torygg's father Istlod had held Skyrim together for nearly twenty-five years. When he died, Torygg became that symbol."  
:::So the war started when Istlod died?: "No. Even after Istlod died, the moot voted to make Torygg High King of Skyrim. But Ulfric was at that moot, continually talking about Skyrim's independence in terms just shy of treason. I don't think Ulfric knew how much Torygg respected him for that. If Ulfric had asked Torygg directly to stand up, to declare independence, Torygg might have done it." 
::::Why didn't Torygg ever declare independence?: "Because the Dominion is a sleeping beast that Skyrim cannot slay alone. Because many Nords are part of the Imperial army even now. Because the food and resources we get from the Empire are important to our people. Because even if we can't openly worship him, Talos the god was once Tiber Septim the man, and this is his Empire. And Torygg wasn't ready to let it fall apart."  
::How did it happen?: "Ulfric showed up at the gates of Solitude requesting an audience. We thought he was here to ask Torygg to declare independence. By the time we realized Ulfric was here to challenge Torygg... it was already too late." 
:::Why was it too late?: "By Nord custom, once the challenge was issued in court, Torygg had no choice but to accept. Had he not, Ulfric would have had cause to call a new moot and a new vote for High King. Torygg had some martial training, of course, but it mattered little that day. When Ulfric's lips parted, when he unleashed the power of the Thu'um... That Shout, that ancient and terrible tongue... ripped Torygg asunder."
 
Rumors
thumb|left|"Folks at court won't admit it, but Sybille Stentor scares us all to death."thumb|right|"Let's just say the headsman's axe may not be the worst way for a Solitude Jail prisoner to die."''
Given the amount of time she has been a member of the court, Sybille has acquired quite a reputation throughout Solitude. The Blue Palace's cook, Odar, will reveal that the other court members are afraid of Sybille: ''"Folks at court won't admit it, but Sybille Stentor scares us all to death." Her vampirism is also hinted at when he mentions that he has never seen her eat: "Somethin' just ain't right about that Sybille. You know, I've never seen her eat a thing? That can't be natural."  

Melaran, a mage hired by Erikur, will often talk about Sybille, mentioning that she is a very talented mage: "Sybille Stentor has a grasp of magical theory that I would never have expected from a human. Even a Breton." If you ask him if he is the court wizard, he will state that Sybille has that position along with warning you to stay away from her: "No. That honor is Sybille Stentor's. A smart man/woman steers clear of Stentor. And keeps himself/herself out of the dungeon when she's having a bad day..." If you ask him what he means by this, he will mention that Sybille might make visits to the dungeons in Castle Dour: "Let's just say the headsman's axe may not be the worst way for a Solitude Jail prisoner to die. Look at that. I've told you to watch your tongue and mine is waggling. I've said enough." If Sybille dies, Melaran will become the new court wizard of Solitude. He will comment on his new job if you ask him about it, saying: "Now that Sybille Stentor is out of the picture, I am indeed. And the court is, well... free of her... eccentricities. Moving into her quarters was an interesting process." If you tell Melaran that a place in court seems to suit him, he will reply by accusing you of being involved in her death while revealing that he may have known about her vampirism: "It does indeed. You know, I hear you had something to do with Sybille Stentor's demise... That must have been a hard bit of business. I hear Stentor had been alive for a long, long time." 

Executioner and Castle Dour Dungeon warden Ahtar will also mention that Sybille visits the jail: "Ain't many visitors come to the dungeon. Every now and then Sybille Stentor will come by looking for... volunteers."    
 

Quest-Related Events
Kill the Vampire
thumb|right|"Filthy creatures, aren't they? Living in the darkness, like they do. So uncivilized. I prefer finery."
Although Sybille will usually have little interest in talking to you, she may occasionally say to you: "If I needed something from you, you would know it." At this point, you can ask her what her problem is. She will reply by offering you a task to complete: "Nothing. I'm busy, and I don't like being bothered unless I'm expecting something from you. Oh, don't give me that look. Fine. I supposed I can find some menial task to set your mind on. Hmm.... We have something of a vampire problem. Bodies have been found with blood drained. I know of a den nearby you can wipe out as a precaution." You can then choose whether or not to accept her quest:
:I'll see what I can do.
::"I don't expect you to be capable of even that."
:Not interested.
::"I give, and I give."

If you chose to accept her request, Sybille may now bid farewell by mocking you: "Vampires are clever hunters. More clever than you, definitely." After you have traveled to Pinemoon Cave and have killed the Master Vampire residing there, you can report back to Sybille and tell her that you cleared the vampires from the cave. She will reply by insulting the vampires: "Filthy creatures, aren't they? Living in the darkness, like they do. So uncivilized. I prefer finery. Like this. Here, for your trouble. And I suppose I should show you a little about Illusion magic for free, shouldn't I?" She will then proceed to give you your reward and provide you with a free skill boost in Illusion. 
   
The Man Who Cried Wolf
thumb|right|"This is likely superstitious nonsense."''
The first time you enter the Blue Palace, you will see Dragon Bridge resident Varnius Junius addressing Jarl Elisif's court about strange occurrences near Wolfskull Cave:

Varnius: "I swear to you, unnatural magics are coming from that cave! There are strange noises and lights! We need someone to investigate!"  
Elisif: ''"Then we will immediately send out a legion to scour the cave and secure the town. Haafingar's people will always be safe under my rule."  
Varnius: "Th...thank you, my Jarl thank you."  
Sybille: "Your eminence, my scrying has suggested nothing in the area. Dragon Bridge is under imperial control. This is likely superstitious nonsense."  
Falk Firebeard: "Perhaps a more... tempered reaction... might be called for?"  
Elisif: "Oh. Yes, of course you are right. Falk, tell Captain Aldis I said to assign a few extra soldiers to Dragon Bridge."  
Varnius: "Thank you, Jarl Elisif. But about the cave..."  
Falk: "I will have someone take care of the cave as well Varnius, you can rest easy. You're dismissed." 

After this conversation ends, Varnius will return to Dragon Bridge not knowing that his request has been largely ignored by the majority of the court. As she expressed in the meeting, Sybille does not believe that there is any reason to investigate the cave. If you ask her if she is worried about what the petitioner said about Wolfskull Cave, she will express little concern on the issue and will direct you to Falk: "Not really. Varnius Junius is a fool. I'm sure nothing will come of it. I suppose if you're truly interested you could talk to Falk. He's the better-safe-than-sorry type."''      

Conversations
As a member of Jarl Elisif's court, Sybille can often be observed talking to her fellow court members.

She can be seen requesting items from Falk Firebeard for her studies:

Sybille: "Steward, I will need the following reagents for my studies. Please see to them."  
Falk: ''"Miss Stentor, these are quite expensive. I trust you know how limited the hold's funds are at this time?"  
Sybille: "Yes, and I'm also aware of how necessary my divinations and wards have been in the city's defense. My experiments are all I ask for in return."  
Falk: "Very well. But I suspect her grace will not be pleased."  
Sybille: "And? I've seen jarls come and go. This one only became Jarl because her husband died. She'll be replaced in a matter of months."  
Falk: "Miss Stentor, watch your tongue in the Jarl's court!"  
Sybille: "On threat of what, exactly? This city wouldn't run without me! Now if you'll excuse me, my work awaits."

She will also interrupt a conversation between Falk and Bryling, suggesting that they are meeting for more than just official business:

Falk: "It's nearly time to collect taxes on your properties here in the city, Bryling. We'll need to visit each home for an assessment."  
Bryling: "Is it that time again already? Very well, let's meet this evening and make the arrangements."  
Sybille: "Oh, well done. Very subtle."  
Bryling: "I beg your pardon?"  
Sybille: "Oh, I'm sorry, did I imply that you'd be meeting for purposes other than court business? You must forgive me."  
Falk: "Hold your tongue, Wizard, or you're likely to lose it."  
Sybille: "I should very much like to see you try it, my dear steward."  
Bryling: "Stop it, both of you. You're acting like children."'' 
 
Displayed Merchandise
The following items are sitting out in the store, for example on the store counters.  They can be purchased from the merchant, or else can be stolen.  Other items may also be present in the store, but those other items are not available for purchase. They respawn after ten days.
Ingredients (req. Merchant perk): 1 Juniper Berries, 6 Lavender
Potions (req. Merchant perk): 1 Potion of Magicka, 1 Potion of Plentiful Magicka
Soul Gems: 3 Lesser Soul Gem, 1 Petty Soul Gem
Staves: 1 Staff of Magelight

Standard Merchandise
This is the merchandise found in Sybille's merchant chest. These items are only available if purchased from the merchant; they cannot be pickpocketed or stolen.  They are restocked every two days.


Bugs
 
   
 
   
:When you approached her, she would have asked: "What did you do in Wolfskull cave?!" You could then reply by choosing one of the three options:
::Who are you?
:::''"I'm Sybille Stentor, court mage of Solitude, and according to my scrying you've managed to unleash Potema herself!"
::I stopped some Necromancers from summoning Potema.
:::"You weren't nearly as successful as you think, fool. According to my scrying the Wolf Queen has returned."
::I'm here to speak to Falk.
:::"Listen you impudent cur. According to my scrying something happened at Wolfskull Cave that returned Potema to this world."''