Online:Nairume

thumb|right|Nairume's regular self, within her prisonthumb|right|Nairume wearing the old frost skin
Lady Nairume is a High Elf trapped at the Falinesti Winter Site since the  . In life, she lived in the walking-city of Falinesti. She was harassed several times by Rajhin's Shadow, a strange Khajiit who was looking to gain her love. After multiple failed attempts, the Khajiit used a spell on her to trap her in an icy prison.
 

Related Quests


Quest-Related Events
Travel northwest, to the Eastern Welkynd stone. When you get these, Brelor will perform a ritual, which will allow you to hear a conversation from the past:

:Nairume: "Who are you? What brings you into my home?"
:Khajiit: "A simple thief of hearts, come to steal yours from this walking city."
:Nairume: "Steal my heart, or still your loins? For your arrow looks aquiver."
:Khajiit: "Such a lowly mouth can dine anywhere … a trait we both share. What service to our palates should we conjoin in feast!"
:Nairume: "I am a married woman, so you must starve. Unless you care to feast upon yourself."

Next, travel west to the Northern Welkynd Stone, where you will hear yet another conversation between the woman and the Khajiit:
:Nairume: "I cannot sleep, and my husband will not wake. What cruel jest is this?"
:'''Rajhin's Shadow: "Say the word, Lady Nairume. I will allow you to sleep in my bed.
:Nairume: "Scoundrel! You think to steal me from my husband? From this city I call home?"
:'''Rajhin's Shadow: "I only stole your sleep, which I gifted to your husband. His inattention must make him harder to love."
:Nairume: "What would you know of love, monster? You have none of it—and you will have none of me!"
:Rajhin's Shadow: "Your protests ring hollow, Lady Nairume. We shall see how much when I steal you away from husband and home."

Travel south to the Western Welkynd Stone, where you will hear a final conversation between Nairume and the mysterious Khajiit:

:Rajhin's Shadow: "Come to me, my little snowbird."
:Nairume: "What have you done? Where am I?"
:Rajhin's Shadow: "This vault? I built it to hold a precious treasure, deep below your Walking City. I will keep you safe, and away from … interference."
:Nairume: "Why have you done this? Is your heart as cold as this chamber?"
:Rajhin's Shadow: "Your heart is cold, Lady Nairume. Warming it to Rajhin's Shadow will unlock the prison built of your denial."
:Nairume: "Never! I would rather freeze until time's end than share one warm moment with you!"
:Rajhin's Shadow: "So be it. This vault shall forever hold your frozen heart! I leave my mantle to conceal the shame you caused me. Farewell, Nairume."''

When searching through the caves, the northern cave holds the most chilling result. When you enter, you will find some frost troll corpses surrounding a woman made out of ice. Speak to the frost creature to discover she is the very same Nairume who rejected Rajhin's Shadow:

:"Are you another soldier, come to loose trolls upon the Valenwood?"
:You sound like Lady Nairume, but why are you made of ice?
:"How can so many know my name after all these years? Yes, I am Nairume. I hoped to stem the tide of frost trolls by sealing their egress, but ice is the only form I may take beyond the walls of my prison. Tell me why you are here."
:'''I'm looking for Rajhin's Mantle.
:"You are not the first. General Endare broke through my prison in search of the same. I will aid you in seeking Rajhin's Mantle, but only if you swear to free me."
:Why do you need my help?
:"Rajhin's Mantle is the key to my prison beneath the Falinesti Winter Site. If I but touch its hem, it will steal all my hatred for Rajhin's Shadow and fill the void with love. I'll make lute strings of his innards, first. Only another may safely free me. A cruel and spiteful jest.
:Why is it a cruel jest?
::''"To show me I was powerless in his clutches. Worse, to kindle hope my husband would come to free me ... then smother that hope with his continued absence. But Rajhin's Shadow knows nothing of love. I did not waver, not once."
: .
:"There is another cave, sealed by a frost-covered door. It leads to my prison. If you swear to free me, I will allow you inside to speak of Rajhin's Mantle."
:Why are you angry at General Endare?
::"I was delighted to speak with another after so long. But once inside, she ignored me entirely. Then in her haste to find Rajhin's Mantle, she loosed the frost trolls."
::What happened to her soldiers?
::"Rajhin's Shadow suspended them in my prison to guard against invaders. It seems they had never before supped on the flesh of Men or Mer. But once they did, it was a terrible frenzy."
:How long have you been imprisoned?
::"General Endare spoke of it being the "Second Era." It seems I was trapped in here in the First."
:I swear to free you.'''

Travel to the vault, fighting the frost trolls on the way. Inside a cave, you will find Nairume's prison, which will be sealed off by ice. 
:Nairume :  ''"There. Come, let us speak of Rajhin's Mantle."

Wait for Nairume to unseal it, then enter. Inside, you will find Nairume in her true form:
:Nairume :  "This way. I'm in here."

:"My prison holds me in complete solitude for centuries, yet two visitors arrive on the same day. But we have little time. General Endare has pushed deeper into the prison."
:How should we proceed?
:"Take this ring ... it's my wedding band. It's the one thing I hold dear in this wretched place. Should you bring it to the inner vault, I can join you in icy form. I'll warn you of the dangers and aid you against them."
:What if General Endare has Rajhin's Mantle? Are you asking me to fight a Dominion general?
:"You swore you would free me! Forgive me. The promise of freedom ruins my manners. You should do what you must, and what you are willing. I will not press you to betray who you are, not on my account."''

At this point, you can question her further:
thumb|right|Nairume helps you by freezing one of the vault's guards in place
:How can you help me within the inner vault?
::''"I was no mage when Rajhin's Shadow first stole me from Falinesti, but I've studied every inch of this icy prison. With effort, I learned to sap away its energy. It's what allows me to form the icy construct, as we first met."
::Can your construct help me within the inner vault?
::"Direct my wedding band at any foe. I can use it as a focus to freeze your enemies for a short time."
:What do you know about Rajhin's Mantle?
::"Very little, unfortunately. It may be a divine piece of the god Rajhin, gifted to his Shadow. Why he would squander it upon me is beyond my comprehension."
::Why would General Endare want it?
::"Why would anyone want a piece of a trickster god? The answer is usually power. But for what purpose, I cannot say."
:That's all. I'm ready to go.'''

Head up the stairs, and through the door to the inner vault. In the vault, you will find skeletons and gargoyles that will be frozen in place until they detect you. If they present any difficulty, you can use the Hoarfrost Ring on them to have Nairume's frost contstruct freeze them. The first trap you will encounter is a frost rune, just west of the door. The next trap is another frost rune, at the foot of the next set of stairs. In the chamber past the stairs, you will find many frozen soldiers, and an Ayleid Well. At the end of this room there is yet another frost rune.

If you speak to her during this, she'll only say:
:''"Watch for the icy tricks and traps. Though General Endare's soldiers tripped many, the magic of the inner vault restores them after a short time."''

As you reach the inner vault, she'll warn:
:Nairume :  ''"General Endare's soldiers were no match for the inner vault. Step carefully."''

If you speak to her after encountering the general, she'll warn again:
:''"Be careful, she has Rajhin's Mantle!"''

Finally, you will enter a room where you will be greeted by General Endare, who will eventually have to be fought. After defeating Endare, she'll instruct you:
:Nairume :  ''"You've done it! Grab Rajhin's Mantle so you might free me."''

Search the body for Rajhin's Mantle. Once you obtain it, head back to Nairume:

:''"I can't believe my eyes. You hold it in your hands! Now, to break my bonds from this horrid prison."
:How can I free you?
:"Removing Rajhin's Mantle from the inner vault weakened the magic of the prison. Now you must break it, once and for all!"
:What do I need to do?
:"Rajhin's Mantle is a slippery thing, especially with enchantments that bind its bearer. Place it upon the brazier at the heart of this room and it will smother the curse upon me. Have no fear—the relic will come to no harm."
:All right, I'll break the curse.
:"Soon I'll leave this place and return to my home. I'd nearly lost all hope."''

Do as she says, and place the mantle on the brazier, which will turn all the blue fires in the room red. Rajhin's Shadow will then appear and declare ''"Lady Nairume. You denied my love, and now I deny your journey home. If you beg my forgiveness … convincingly … I'll return the Walking City from where I stole it," to which Nairume will reply with "What? Could that filth spirit away all of Falinesti?"

Speak to Nairume to find out how she responds:

:"He took the Walking City? He took my home? Or is this another of his lies?"
:What will you do?
:"What else can I do but seek my home? But everything is so different now. General Endare mentioned an "Aldmeri Dominion," yet I don't know what that means. Without someone to guide me, I may as well prostrate myself before Rajhin's Shadow."
:Why not ask Brelor? He told me about Rajhin's Mantle.
:"Truly? Then I must find this Brelor and see what he knows of Falinesti. I should seek him out. And see the sky again, with my own eyes."
:All right.

Nairume will be found outside with Brelor, briefly speaking with him:
:Brelor :  "You say the frost trolls surrounded your prison for how many years? Truly detestable, my lady."
:Nairume :  "They were quite terrifying, even when projecting my construct in their midst."''

Speak to her before speaking to Brelor, she'll say:
:"The sky is beautiful! A little different to what I remember. But the Walking City. I must find it, so I may finally return home."

After Brelor tells you he and Nairume will travel and discuss the walking city, she'll tell you:
:''"If you hear anything of Falinesti in your travels, please send word to Brelor. I expect I'll be traveling with him for quite some time. After all, I am quite adept at driving off the frost trolls."''