Skyrim:Crescius Caerellius

Crescius Caerellius is an elderly Imperial miner living in Raven Rock. He is almost eighty years old, and has spent many years on   looking for a new source of ebony. A decade ago, he underwent a period of depression at his failure to find anything, and this led to him meeting Aphia Velothi, his current wife. He's now convinced that his great-grandfather Gratian Caerellius was killed by something in the local mine other than a tunnel collapse, as the East Empire Company claims. During the quest The Final Descent, you will have to prove old Crescius right, a task that will put Raven Rock back on the map.

If attacked, he will defend himself with a steel dagger. He wears farm clothes and boots. He carries, among other things, a key to his house.

While Crescius is overly obsessed with his conspiracy theories regarding the events inside Raven Rock Mine 200 years ago, he will also talk about more common subjects. When approached before the quest is finished, he will claim: ''"There was a time when this town meant something. Now it's all gone." At all times, he will also refer to the third era, when Imperials ruled Solstheim: "For all I know, I might be the last Imperial left on Solstheim." and will show his hatred towards his own race when he remarks: "Maybe I won't live as long as the dark elves, but at least I didn't abandon my home." Lastly, he will mention his wife and what she has done for him: "If it wasn't for my wife, Aphia, I'd have joined my ancestors long ago." When asked if there are other Imperials on Solstheim, he will explain: "Those cowards left decades ago. Every single damned one of them. The moment the ebony mine dried up, they pulled up stakes. Ridiculous!" He will then explain why he thinks his predecessors are ridiculous: "  is still rich in ebony ore. I know there's more down there... I can smell it. I come from three generations of miners, and I'm telling you that the East Empire Company was wrong. They just didn't want to spend the coin trying to find it." He will then also tell you about his family: "Our home has stood in Raven Rock since the colony was founded. Gratian helped build it with his own two hands. After Gratian died, he left behind a wife and a son... my grandfather, Rellicus. Rellicus lived there for quite a long time, working in the other sections of the mine until he was slain by reavers." He will then elaborate on his parents: "I never knew my father... my mother and I always lived alone. I asked her about him many times, but she seemed angry and refused to speak about him, so eventually I let it go. When I was old enough, I began working in the mine hoping to make my fortune and eventually move to the Imperial City." His dream about a life in the Imperial City was shattered when the mine dried up: "Unfortunately, yes. I only had enough coin saved to send one of us back to the Imperial City, so I sent my mother alone. I wanted her to see her homeland before she died." With his mother gone, Crescius was alone: "Until I met my darling Aphia, yes. I suppose you could have called me a bitter old hermit... now I'm just old."
thumb|right|"That foolish old man's taken my pickaxe again!"''
The affair with the dried-up mine is not the only of Crescius' concerns, as evident during An Axe to Find. If you talk to local blacksmith Glover Mallory, he will ask: ''"You haven't seen Crescius Caerellius have you? That foolish old man's taken my pickaxe again!" When asked what the fuss is about, he will explain: "No, no, no. This isn't just your run-of-the-mill pickaxe... I'm talking about an Ancient Nordic Pickaxe. They don't exactly grow on trees, you know."'' When asked why he can't ask a guard to deal with Crescius, he will answer: ''"Um, I prefer to handle these things on my own. Look, if you see Crescius, tell him to give me that pickaxe back and I'll pay you for the trouble." He will then explain what an ancient Nordic pickaxe is: "It's the only tool tough enough to crack stalhrim, is what it is. Not many of those beauties left in the world... forging them is a lost art. The one Crescius 'borrowed' came from the Skaal Village up north. I, uh, traded them some goods for it."'' Although the business about the pickaxe sounds shady at best, locate Crescius and confront him with Glover's request: ''"The damn fool doesn't even deserve to have it! The pickaxe was made for mining, not selling. I'll bet he stole it from the Skaal in the first place." Three options are available, two of which will make both Crescius and Glover respond differently. If you just tell Crescius that you need to think about it, he will keep the pickaxe and say: "Good. Now let me get back to what I was doing." If you choose to let Crescius keep the pickaxe, he will say: "Now you're finally talking some sense. A mining tool belongs in a mining family. Just tell him I lost it or something.", while Glover Mallory will get angry: "Blast! That careless old fool. Well, thanks for trying anyway."'' Lastly, if you tell Crescius that the pickaxe doesn't belong to him, he will hand it over with the words: "Oh, very well. Here. Tell him I hope he drops the thing on his foot." Glover will then respond: ''"So you finally tracked down old Crescius, eh? Quite a character, isn't he. Tell you what. Since you went through all the trouble of finding it for me and all, you keep it. I just wanted to remind that codger you can't just go around taking things from other people. Now that you've delivered the message, I'm satisfied."'' Lastly, during the quest It's All In The Taste, Crescius will reluctantly taste some of Geldis Sadri's sujamma: ''"Hmph, he's begging for patrons again, eh? Well, I suppose I could have just a bit."
thumb|right|"Damn it, woman! I said to leave me be!"
You will initially find him inside Raven Rock Mine, in the very first chamber, busy discussing with his wife:

Crescius: "Damn it, woman! I said to leave me be!" 
Aphia: "Crescius, last time you explored the mine you almost fell to your death. I'm not spending the rest of my days as a widow!" 
Crescius: "And I'm telling you that I'll do whatever it takes to find my great-grandfather's remains. He's down here, I can feel it." 
Aphia: "That was almost two centuries ago. There may be nothing left to find." 
Crescius: "Just let me go, woman!" 
Aphia: "Crescius, you're an obstinate old fool and you're going to get yourself killed."

While it is tempting to talk to Crescius first, speak to Aphia first to get her side of the story and some background knowledge. When approached she will apologize: "My apologies for Crescius's ravings." Ask her how she met Crescius and she will prove to be very talkative: "To understand how we met one another, you have to appreciate what he's going through. Crescius is a third-generation miner... all his life, he's lived and breathed nothing else. By the time Crescius came of age, the ebony mine in Raven Rock was shut down. He took that quite hard."'' She will then explain why he didn't relocate to the mainland to find work: "Our home has been in his family for over two hundred years. Leaving would have been like abandoning precious memories. Instead, he stayed on Solstheim and spent most of his life prospecting for a new ebony source. Sadly, it never surfaced. A decade ago, this drove him into a deep depression. He shut himself inside his home and refused to come out." If you ask if this is where she met Crescius, she will explain: "It was. After refusing to allow anyone to bring him food, Councilor Morvayn ordered his door to be knocked down before Crescius starved to death. I was a Temple priest at the time, and they had me use my healing arts to restore strength to his ailing body. I stayed for a while and cared for him, then... I suppose we fell in love." When asked what the argument was about, she will explain: ''"That foolish old man thinks he's thirty years younger than he is. He's going to get himself killed traipsing around the mine." She will then explain why he is exploring the closed mine: "He's convinced himself that there's some sort of conspiracy involving the East Empire Company and the mine's closure. We came across some old letters that belonged to his great-grandfather in our house and he believes every word written in them." She will then share what was written in the letters: "Crescius's great-grandfather worked for the East Empire Company. The letters mention some sort of discovery he was sent to investigate. There's really nothing remarkable in the letters. I don't know what he's so excited about." She will also tell you about the great-grandfather: "Gratian Caerellius. He was an explorer for the East Empire Company. They'd send him all over Tamriel when they had difficulties in a mining operation. Poor man... can you imagine doing all that dangerous work just to end up dying at your own doorstep?" She will then explain how he died: "There was a horrible accident, and he was killed when one of the tunnels collapsed. They were never even able to go down there and recover the body... the East Empire Company sealed that section off to prevent any more tragedies. Crescius is convinced it's a story cooked up by the company to cover up something else, but I don't know." She will then tell you why she doubts her husband: "My beloved is almost eighty years old and I think the shock of finding one of his ancestor's things has left his mind a bit... confused. I love him dearly, and I support everything he does, but I can't let him chase this silly idea or he may end up joining Gratian in a rocky grave."
thumb|left|"Poor Crescius is aging and I believe it's addled his mind."
thumb|right|"She thinks that old age has addled my mind..."
After the lengthy chat with Aphia, approach Crescius who turns out to be just as talkative as his wife, although he will hatefully greet you with: "Who in the blazes are you?! Can't you see I'm busy?" If you leave conversation, he will say: "Sure, ignore the ravings of a 'crazy old man.' I get it." or "At least hear me out before you walk away." Ask him why he is busy and he will answer with a question: "Why should I tell you? I don't even know who you are." Three options are available; tell him you may be able to help and he will answer: "Hmph, maybe. Been difficult trusting people lately, they think I'm crazy." Telling him you are just exploring will make him say: "Exploring, huh? Most folks think this place isn't worth the effort." Telling him it is dangerous for an old man to explore a mine will make him admit: "Ask most of the folks around here and they'd agree with you." All three options will lead to the same statement: "But mark my words, these mines hold a secret that could put Raven Rock back on the map."'' At that moment, The Final Descent will initiate, and you will be able to ask Crescius out what 'secret' he is referring to: "A secret the East Empire Company swept under the rug two centuries ago. It killed my great-grandfather, and left Raven Rock with a worthless and tainted mine." You can ask him about the East Empire Company: ''"You never heard of them? They're the largest trading company in Tamriel, originally chartered by the Emperor of Cyrodiil himself." He will then tell you about his great-grandfather: "Gratian Caerellius. He spent his entire life exploring ancient ruins across Tamriel and he died in these very mines almost 200 years ago."'' He will then explain the mysterious circumstances about his ancestor's death: ''"East Empire Company called it 'a terrible accident,' claiming that he was lost in a rockfall, but I know better." When asked for proof, he will tell you: "My wife and I were cleaning out our home, and we came across some of my great-grandfather's things locked in an old chest. I found an unsent letter he'd written to the East Empire Company, and a key." He will then explain the content of said letter: "It describes a discovery that was made in the mine by some of the diggers. They wanted Gratian to take a closer look. The East Empire Company must have felt it was of great value, as they locked that section of the mine off from everyone else." When asked if the key is for the locked section of the mine he will say: "It is. Well, I assume it is. I haven't been able to find the entrance."'' Once again, three options are available; if you doubt his 'proof' he will say: ''"Now you're starting to sound like everyone else." Telling him that you think it sounds suspicious will make him lighten up: "Finally! Someone who believes me." Lastly, telling him he is crazy will make him respond: "Sigh. I don't care what you, or anyone else thinks about me." All three options will lead to him trying to convince you: "I'm telling you... there's something big down there, something that the East Empire Company wanted to hide from everyone." When asked why he shared all this knowledge with you, he will tell you: "Look, my wife nags that I'm too old to go traipsing around these mines chasing my story. Time's my enemy... it's caught up with me before I could find the answers that I'm looking for." He will then admit he needs help: "I do. I want to know what happened to Gratian, and what the East Empire Company is keeping from all of us." When asked where you should start searching, he will say: "Gratian kept a journal of notes about his discoveries. If you can find his... remains, I'm hoping it will help. Here's everything I have. The letter, the key. Please, do this for me so I can finally regain the respect that I've lost."'' After handing you the items you can ask him a bit more about the supposed 'accident': ''"Look, I know I don't have much to go on. I have that unsent letter, and that's really it. But I also have a miner's instinct that's run in my family from before Gratian was even born. I may sound like a crazy old man to you, but I'm telling you, the tunnels here are solid... they would never collapse like that." Lastly, you can ask him why he was arguing with his wife and he will respond: "She thinks that old age has addled my mind... that I'm seeing things when there's nothing to be seen. I realize she cares about me, but she has to understand that I can't rest until I find out what happened to Gratian." He will then make a promise, but only if you return from the mine without having found anything: "Then I'll settle down peacefully and never set foot in this mine again. I've been waiting for this moment for a long time... even before I discovered Gratian's old things. I just hope both of you don't mistake my enthusiasm for insanity." He will finish conversation with a warning: "Be careful down there, the mine can be treacherous."

At this point you can return to his wife who will utter: "Why you're leading Crescius on, I'll never understand."'' When asked if she disagrees with her husband's story, she will say: ''"Poor Crescius is aging and I believe it's addled his mind. As the years have passed, it's gotten worse. He's become obsessed with his theories of conspiracy." She cannot, however, tell you where the great-grandfather is: "I'm sure he's down there somewhere, buried under a mountain of rubble like the East Empire Company claims. My greatest fear is that my stubborn mule of a husband will end up suffering the same fate."''

Back in Raven Rock, Crescius will have returned to his daily routines. Unlike many other citizens, Crescius avoided the spell of Miraak and will never be seen working on the Earth Stone. Instead, he sleeps inside his house every night between 11pm and 7am. He skips breakfast (see bugs) and then spends the entire day in the house, cooking, relaxing, or talking to Aphia. However, Crescius' life is about to change for the better, as you obviously bring back good news from the mine.
thumb|right|''"It's good to get the old nose working again."
thumb|right|"They thought I was a crazy old fool. But I proved them wrong."
When he sees you, he will say: "You're back! Please, tell me what you found."'' When you hand him the journal of his deceased great-grandfather, he will be overly excited: ''"Let me see that! Ha, I knew it! Gratian's death wasn't because of a rockfall, it was just a story to keep people away from the tombs. Now that I have his journal in hand, I can get some closure from the East Empire Company. Make them pay for lying to everyone." When you wish him the best of luck, he will respond: "Thank you. Now, I believe I owe you a little more than a debt of gratitude for all that work you did. Here... it's not much, but it's the best an old, retired miner can do." He will then hand you a leveled amount of gold and the quest will finish. Soon afterward, Raven Rock Mine will be reopened, making Raven Rock a prosperous town once again, with numerous citizens now employed. Crescius himself will no longer stay at home all day long, but will instead be promoted to foreman of the ebony mine and will spend the majority of the day in the office inside the mine. When approached he will say: "I can't believe you found a way to reopen the mines. I don't know how to thank you." He will then tell you about his promotion: "I've been made the foreman of the mine thanks to everything you did down there. It's good to get the old nose working again. I missed sniffing out the ebony deposits and getting my hands dirty. Best of all, Aphia isn't so cross when I go down there any more!" If you ask if you may dig for ebony in the mine, he will enthusiastically answer: "Of course! In fact, Councilor Morvayn has given you the full run of the place. Help yourself to whatever you like. We're all in agreement that you're entitled to as much as you can carry." He will also change his response on how his predecessors are ridiculous: "Well you know it as well as I do. Raven Rock Mine wasn't empty at all... it's still rich in ebony ore. I came from three generations of miners, and I couldn't get anyone to believe me. Well we showed them, didn't we!"

Crescius: "You're too good to me, Aphia. I only wish I could remain with you longer." 
Aphia: "It doesn't matter, my husband. Let's simply cherish the time we have for now." 
Crescius: "And what will you do when I'm gone?" 
Aphia: "Then I'll simply have to fall in love with some other senile, grousing old fool."

Crescius: "They've laughed at me, Aphia. They thought I was a crazy old fool. But I proved them wrong." 
Aphia: "People laugh at things they don't believe. It helps them accept the unknown." 
Crescius: "You're too kind to people, always giving them the benefit of the doubt. Don't know how you put up with it." 
Aphia: "Well, I put up with you, don't I?"''

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