Online:Vole

Vole is a Wood Elf thief and former Dominion scout who developed a proficiency with   technology after an incident in the ruins of  . Tasnasi asks that you recruit him for a heist on Meirvale Keep.

  
Related Quests


Quest-Related Dialogue
Recruiting Vole
As you approach Jubani's Junkshop, you will hear an altercation in the distance.
:Vole: "Get these ropes off of me! Jubani and I had a deal! I delivered!"
:Junkshop Thug: "True, but why keep paying when we can just make you do it for free?"
:Junkshop Thug: "Now get inside!"

Once you sneak inside, you can find Vole chained up in the basement.
:Vole: ''"Hey! You're not one of Jubani's thugs! Can you get me out of here?"

After you free him, he will escape and you can meet him out.
:Vole: "I'm getting out of here. Catch up to me so I can thank you properly!"

Vole will be waiting for you behind the building.
:"Thanks for your help back there. Jubani and her thugs are a bunch of hammers who think everything is a nail. Geniuses included. Altruism isn't a thing in the Stitches. So what do you want? Need a lock picked? Something repaired?
:Tasnasi sent me to recruit you for a job.
:"Tasnasi, huh? That's funny. I was just thinking about her recently, seeing what's gone on around this dump. How it's gotten … dumpier than usual. But she's pulling together a job? I swore that Khasda ran her out of town when he took over."
:What's the history between those two?
:"Ha. Last time I ran my mouth, Jubani sent her unexpectedly handsome thugs after me. I'm not spilling any more secrets. But it's nice to know Tasnasi's still around. She really loves this place after all. Even after everything that's happened to her."
:So you'll join her crew?
:"Well, Jubani's sure to notice I'm missing. Joining up with a crew seems like a good way to keep my fingers unbroken.  So, sure. Whatever Tasnasi's playing at, I'm in."
:She wants us to gather in the Bowel.
:"The Bowel? Well, that's ironic. I'll head there after I get my tools … and find another pair of smallclothes."

Before you head off, you can ask him some questions.
:What was that you were saying about Tasnasi?/What was it you were saying about Tasnasi before?
:"That Khasda ran her out of town? Or tried to, I guess. It's not any secret. He may be a rancid pile of cat vomit, but this is his town now. He does what he wants."
::Why's he got it out for her though?
::"Bad blood. Truth told, Tasnasi would have been in charge after Dashing Dasalzo died, if things hadn't gone down the way they did. It's not my place to say anything more than that."
:Why were you tied up in that basement?
:"Jubani runs the biggest salvage operation in the Stitches, and she knows she gets paid more if her salvage isn't pure junk. When her crew found stuff that was busted up, I fixed it. For pay."
::So what happened?
::"Khasda happened. He took over the Stitches and didn't care if people broke oaths, contracts, or ribs. Jubani saw a chance to get my labor for free. Just had to flex a little muscle.  Don't let my rippling physique fool you, I'm not much in a fight."
:I wouldn't expect a Wood Elf to be an expert mechanist.
:"Well, most don't, and to be fair, I wasn't always the brilliant tinkerer I am today. I don't know what caused the change, honestly. I think eating that soul gem had something to do with it."
::You ate a soul gem?
::"I didn't just pluck one up and eat it. I was scouting for the Dominion, way north. Some ruin called  . Was running from some guards when I fell into a shaft. And fell. And fell. It was a long fall."
:::I'm surprised you survived.
:::"Caught a ledge at the last minute. Broke my fall. And my fingers. Real mess. Anyway, I found myself in this  . Huge. Had Dwarven ruins, biggest I've ever seen, inside of it. More stone and metal than I could imagine. Not so much food."
::::So you ate a soul gem.
::::"Not quite. I finally managed to find a  . Big bug. Tastes awful, don't recommend it, but I ate like my life depended on it. I mean, it did. I half remember a glowing stone going in my mouth. Swallowed it whole before I even realized."
:::::And that gave you knowledge of machines?
:::::"More like indigestion, but also this indescribable urge to fiddle with the ruins. Well, I guess I'd call it curiosity … but anyway, I fixed an elevator like it was second nature and got back home. Then I got discharged on account of my weak hand."

Heist Briefing
Once you have recruited everyone, you can meet in the Bowel which has an entrance to the Meirvale Keep dungeon.
:"Haven't seen the old crew in a while. Nazdar's looking spry as ever and Sereyne still … smells like a distillery."

After you have spoken with Tasnasi, she will detail the plan.
:Tasnasi: "Today we hit Khasda, right under his nose. We'll break into the basement of the Meirvale Keep through this sewer, so long as Vole can pick the locks."
:Vole: "Locks. Cute. Might as well be fancifully knotted ribbons to me."
:Tasnasi: "Good. At the courtyard, we'll have sentries, but Sereyne's teleportation spell should let us pass unnoticed."
:Sereyne: "Ugh. Were you talking to me?"
:Tasnasi: "We'll enter the palace through a second floor storage room. Nazdar will scale the wall and drop a rope for us."
:Nazdar: "As spake Urua the Observant, "I see."
:Tasnasi: "Tasnasi and the newcomer will handle any trouble that comes our way. Let's get started."

You can ask Vole about his part of the plan before you enter the keep.
:"As dumb as Khasda is, he never did skimp on security. Those locks he has in his dungeons are Dwarven-make. No one gets through those. Unless you're me, of course."
:What was your part of the plan, again?
:"The Bowel is part of the keep's old cistern. You can get up to its dungeons from here. Dasalzo never used them and neither does Khasda. Place is a dump, but Khasda's paranoid about his treasure. Had the doors fitted with Dwarven locks."
:Dwarven locks?
:"Yep. Some scavenged Dwarven artifacts, cobbled together to make a lock that most saps couldn't crack. Khasda probably bought them off Jubani. And Jubani probably had them built by a particularly handsome and talented Bosmer. That's me, by the way."
:So you shouldn't have any trouble opening them.
:"Right, but we don't know what may have moved into the dungeons after Khasda stopped paying attention, so I'll be counting on you to watch my back."

Meirvale Keep Dungeon
Once you enter the dungeon, Vole will head over to the locked door.
:Tasnasi: "Nice to see you back at work, Vole."
:Vole: "Good to be working. You're less of a taskmaster than Jubani. Now, let's find some more locks."
:Tasnasi: "Good luck. And work quickly."

When the door is unlocked, he will begin to follow you. Vole will need to be led through the dungeon so he can unlock the three doors while you keep the giant spiders away from him.
;First Door:
:Vole: "There's the lock. Watch my back, won't you?"
:Vole: "One down! Let's get going!"

;Second Door:
:Vole: "Hmm. Might need an ebony pick for this one. You know the drill."
:Vole: "A bit stiff, that one. Glad I keep machine grease in my hair."

;Third Door:
:Vole: "Khasda's done some redecorating, I see. Not sure I like it. Keep the coast clear, won't you?"
:Vole: "There! Hopefully, that's the last of them. My fingers are getting sore."

;Approaching the Courtyard:
:Vole: "Hey! That's our way to the courtyard!"
The others will arrive soon after.
:Tasnasi: "They're through. No lagging behind."
:Sereyne: "Keep up, old timer. I made it and I can barely walk straight."
:Nazda: "'Gaze in wonder at the infirm, for their aches are the song of long life.'"''

Meirvale Keep Courtyard
Once through the door, it will be time for Sereyne's part of the plan.
:Tasnasi: ''"Sereyne, it's your turn."
:Sereyne: "Ugh. Everyone, stand still. You're making me queasy. Just need to concentrate."
:Sereyne: "Focus the power … imagine the destination. All right—here we go."
:Tasnasi: "What the—"
:Sereyne: "So far so good. Now Vole …."
:Vole: "You're sure—"
:Nazdar: "To quote the barkeep, "you look sick—"
:Sereyne:  
:Sereyne: "Oh, that's not good."

The group will have been split, once you and Nazdar make your way to the rest of the group. Once there, Nazdar will do his part and scale the wall.
:"Upstaged by a gray-maned grandpa. Next time I'll have to pick locks blindfolded and with my teeth."

Inside Meirvale Keep
After you climb the rope and enter the palace, you will find Vole tending to Nazdar. The aging adept injured himself while climbing.
:Vole: "Your knees shouldn't make that noise, right?"
:Nazdar: "They should make no noise, Vole."

Vole will assure you that he can probably help Nazdar.
:"I'm no healer, but even I can tell Nazdar's really ground his gears this time … maybe lost a few bearings while he was at it. The body's not so different from a machine, when you think about it. I can patch him up, I'm sure of it."
:You're certain you can help Nazdar?
:"Yes? I mean, yes. Just need to lubricate the joints, I figure. This won't be a problem.  Besides, it's not like I don't understand Khajiit anatomy."
:Where did you learn about Khajiit anatomy?
:"The Green Pact. Fought some deserters in Reaper's March a few years back. Anyway, now's not the time to talk about food. I have work to do."

Once you have collected the keys to the vault with Sereyne, you will need to meet Tasnasi outside the vault. However, you will be met by Vole rushing up to you. Tasnasi has been captured by Khasda.
:Vole: "There you are! He's got her—he's got her!"
:Sereyne: "Keep it down! What are you talking about?"
:Vole: "Khasda! He and his bodyguard—the biggest I've ever seen! They cornered Tasnasi and took her back there! You have to save her!"

Before you go, you can ask his some questions.
:"You have to free Tasnasi. Khasda's going to kill her!"
:Where did Khasda take her?
:"Deeper into the palace, the room carved into the rock. I popped the lock, but Khasda's enforcer is with them. Never seen a minotaur that big."
:Tell me more about this enforcer.
:"Cud, that's what Khasda calls him. Had him since he took over the Stitches, but I don't know his story. Not exactly the talkative type. Always chewing something. If it comes down to it, I'd fight dirty—Cud's all muscle, I'll bet."''

The Goiter's Gulp
If you convinced Tasnasi to spare Khasda and for herself to stay in town, Vole will be with the rest of the crew.
:"Heard you slew that slab of beef, Cud. You bring me any? I really worked up an appetite on that job."

After you have spoken with Tasnasi and received your reward, you can talk to him some more.
:''"Well, we didn't get into the vault. Normally, I'd call the job a wash, but it seems like Tasnasi owns the vault now, so I guess you could say the job was a success. Funny how things work out."''

Tasnasi's Camp
If Tasnasi killed Khasda, Vole can be found with the rest of the crew at her camp.
:''"Khasda's dead, huh? Couldn't have happened to a nicer person. Well, we may not have gotten the vault that Tasnasi promised, but it's a nice consolation prize to know Khasda's throne is empty."

After you have spoken with Tasnasi and received your reward, you can talk to him some more.
:"A shame the gang's going their separate ways. Maybe this wasn't the cleanest job I ever worked, but it's always better to run with people you know. Guess I'll have to make a fresh start somewhere else. Again."

Dialogue
After completing Thick as Thieves, Vole can now be found in the Stitches. If Tasnasi became the leader:
:"Maybe its the Wood Elf in me, but I really do prefer working outside. The one nice thing about working with Jubani is not having to skulk about Dwarven ruins for scrap."
:You patched things up with Jubani?
:"Patching things up is my job! I told her that I'd get Tasnasi to overlook that whole kidnapping for indentured servitude business for a mere tripling of my rate. Jubani may be a cutthroat business partner, but she's my best source of work."
:Sounds like things are looking up.
:"All thanks to you. If you hadn't come around I'd be locked in a cellar for the rest of my days, and Khasda'd still be running this town into the ground. You helping Tasnasi clear her name really turned things around for the Stitches."
:You like how she's running things?
:"Yeah, and I'm not just saying that because I'm her friend. She's got a knack for leadership. Maybe she's not as charming as Dasalzo was, but I think she's got more of a head for planning. In a year, this'll be the new Orcrest. Watch and see!"''

If Tasnasi left instead:
: