Online:Dark Clouds Over Solitude

Quick Walkthrough
# Return to the Blue Palace and report to Queen Gerhyld.
# Speak with Lyris Titanborn and search the surrounding area.
# Have audience with High King Svargrim.
# Speak with Svana.
# Look for witnesses in Solitude.
# Find Fennorian at Old Mjolen's camp west of Morthal.
# Collect reagents for Old Mjolen's divination ritual.
# Find nearby hunter's camp.
# Go to Chillwind Depths and search for assassin.
# Examine the documents in the hideout and talk to Fennorian.
# Go to Silversnow Mine and explore it with Lyris and Fennorian.
# Investigate the mining town.
# Destroy Witch Pikes surrounding town.
# Enter Kagnthamz and track down the assassin and witch.
# Kill Pentarch Khorb.
# Search for Sister Tharda.
# Witness the summoning ritual and kill the Coven witch.
# Chase the exarchs who escaped.
# Return to the Lonely Troll in Solitude and report to Svana.

Detailed Walkthrough
Returning to the Blue Palace
After investigating the aftermath of Kilkreath Temple and confirming the presence of the involvement of the Icereach Coven, you can talk with Lyris Titanborn about what to do next. She can either be spoken with at the altar or back in Solitude, either way she'll want to return to the Blue Palace and report your findings to the queen. "Queen Gerhyld needs to hear what we discovered at Kilkreath Temple. Hopefully, that will be enough for her to get us an audience with High King Svargrim." Before you leave, you can discuss Fennorian's theory about the harrowfiends and the role of clever women in Nord society.

When you arrive at the Blue Palace Courtyard with Lyris, your first sign that something has happened is when a woman runs screaming out of the palace doors.
:Bekeigr: "Help! Assassins in the palace! Help!"
:Lyris Titanborn: ''"That's one of the queen's attendants! Let's get inside!"''
: 

Once inside the palace, you'll realize that there is a horrifying scene to the left of the entrance. Queen Gerhyld lies on the floor dying, as both the High King and Lyris can only stand by as she speaks to her distraught daughter.
:Queen Gerhyld: "Be strong, Svana."
:Svana: "Mother! No, no …."
:Queen Gerhyld: "Svana … your father … the kingdom … watch over them …."
: 
:Svana: ''"Mother—no! You can't die! Mother?"
:Swordthane Uthlet: "Sire, the assassins might return. You must get somewhere safe!"
: 
:High King Svargrim: "Have Jorunn's lackeys come to gloat?"
:Lyris Titanborn: "We came here to warn you, your highness."
:High King Svargrim: "And yet my wife lies dead!"
:Lyris Titanborn: "If you had listened to us …."
:High King Svargrim: "Like she did? If I determine Jorunn had a hand in this, there will be war! Someone take care of my wife!"
:Svana: "Father, please!"''
: 
Investigate the scene|thumb|left|Search for clues
After this, you can talk with Lyris. She'll speculate on a possible connection to the coven and how an assassin managed to get into the palace, before asking you to investigate the room while she guards the princess. A window near the Queen has a small hole in the corner and the glass shards below it shows that it was recently broken. When you examine it closer, you'll find an   which fell off when the assassin escaped.

Bring the medallion to Lyris who can be found standing in front of the main stairs. She'll decide it's time to speak with High King Svargrim and make him confront some harsh truths. Once Lyris is outside Svargrim's chamber, she will talk with Swordthane Uthlet:
:Lyris Titanborn: "We need to see the high king."
:Swordthane Uthlet ''"I should think not! The high king is in mourning. He's not to be disturbed."
:Lyris Titanborn: "The queen's wasn't the only life lost today. Now get out of our way."
: 
:Swordthane Uthlet "I … er … go right in."
 
An audience with High King Svargrim|thumb|right
When you enter the room, Svargrim will be in no mood to talk.
:Lyris Titanborn: "Your highness, please. Your kingdom is in grave danger."
:High King Svargrim: "My queen's blood hasn't yet cooled and already Jorunn's lackeys hound me!"
:Lyris Titanborn: "We have proof that the coven threatening your kingdom is responsible for the queen's death. Show him, partner."

This is your first meeting with High King Svargrim, who will already see you as a lackey of Jorunn. It will not matter that you were working on behalf of Queen Gerhyld, your report about Kilkreath Temple and warnings about Icereach Coven will be seen as a campfire story at best and sedition at worse. "Tales told around campfires to scare the children! Storms happen here all the time, and none of them spawn monsters. The last spy who spoke of such things … well, he no longer speaks of such things."'' After this warning and threat, Svargrim will then hint that he better not find evidence linking the Queen's murder to you before you are dismissed.

With this disappointing result, you and Lyris are forced to leave empty-handed:
:Lyris Titanborn: ''"We'll leave you to your grief, your highness."

Once you have left the chamber, you will be approached by Svana who has questions of her own:
:Svana: "Is it true? Mother told me you were working for her before she …."
:Lyris Titanborn: "I … I'm sorry, Svana. I would have saved her if I could."''

Talking with Svana, you can confirm that you were gathering evidence about a threat to Western Skyrim and that the Queen was likely killed because of it. After hearing about her father's lackluster response, Svana vows to help you, ''"Well, I won't let my mother's death be for nothing. She trusted you and so will I, my father be damned. Please. Find whoever did this and stop them." You can ask her what she witnessed and she can only describe the killer as, "[...] unbelievably fast" and suggests following his trail through Solitude. Lyris will approach Svana to bring her a safe place while you begin the hunt.
:Lyris Titanborn: "Come on, princess. Let's get you somewhere safe."
:Svana: "Don't call me princess. Just Svana. There's nothing noble about me."

Tracking a Killer in Solitude
"High Priest Ingurt identified the assassin as a vampire and said he was headed for the city gate."''|thumb|right
Once outside the palace, you will find Tysvald weeping over Daiske's body at the junction of the main road through Solitude and the side path to left. When you talk to him, Tysvald will describe the assassin as, "He wore an eye patch, but his face was bestial. [...] Pale as snow." and heading towards the Hall of the Dead after he tore into Daiske like a dog with a bone. 

Continue to follow this side road past the Job Broker tents and you'll find High Priest Ingurt praying over the bodies of Hildyva and Thorjolf. Talking with Ingurt, he will have identified the killer as a vampire from previous experience. ''"It moved like a shadow and took sustenance from these poor souls. I called upon Arkay's grace and the vampire fled before his sacred presence."'' He then notes that it fled in the direction of the city gates.
Shield-Corporal Thjol is encountered once more|thumb|left
When you arrive at the city gates, you will find the vampire's fifth known victim, Shield-Sentry Sonolia who once guarded the Queen. Shield-Corporal Thjol will be hovering over her and will recognize you from your previous meeting. He won't know anything about a vampire but does confirm that the killer ran through the gates after he killed Sonolia. Thjol is immediately suspicious of your involvement but backs off when he hears about the Queen's death.

After you have talked to Thjol, a frustrated Lyris will arrive:
:Lyris Titanborn: ''"This is Svargrim's fault. He should have heeded us from the start."''

Talk to Lyris and tell her what you learnt. With the trail having seemingly run cold, Lyris will suggest that it's "time to fight fire with fire" and asks to talk with Fennorian about his knowledge of the local vampire clans. His last known location is near Morthal, where he went to research the harrowstorm ritual with Old Mjolen. After renaming him Fenn as ''"It's simpler."'', Lyris will decide to stay behind to update Svana on everything.
 

The Clever Woman of Morthal
Fennorian and Old Mjolen|thumb|right
Fennorian can be found at Old Mjolen's temporary camp in the Drajkmyr marsh. When you talk to him, he'll ask how your audience went and you can tell him about Queen Gerhyld's death and the vampire assassin. After showing him the medallion you found, Fennorian will recognize the design if not the clan, ''"[...] And this insignia. I've seen it before. It's the same as the symbol that decorates the urns smuggled out of Bangkorai. If it belongs to a vampire bloodline, I'm not familiar with it. I suggest you ask Mjolen."''

Upon examining the medallion, Mjolen will be able to detect an unknown enchantment but won't know anything more about the owner. However, she can use the medallion as a focus for divining the location of the vampire. "Bring me the bones of a wolf and a deathbell plant pulled up by its roots. I need the plant alive. The wolf, not so much. With those reagents, I can conjure a divination that will lead you directly to the last person to wear this medallion." These reagents can be found in the surrounding marshland, the   can be found growing at the base of trees while a pile of   can be found near the water pools. Alternatively, you can kill any skeletal wolves around the marsh for bones.

After you have the items, you can return to Old Mjolen, who will warn you that divination results can be fickle. She'll then start the divination:
: 
:Old Mjolen: "Mother Wolf, hear me! We seek your blessing in our hunt. Lead us to our elusive quarry."
: 

According to Mjolen, the divination was a success and the medallion will act as a tracker when activated. When you use the   , an illusory vision will appear before you. It shows the vampire feeding on an unlucky hunter at a campsite, Fennorian will note the direction the trail heads in:
:Fennorian: "A camp? And look! The magic points to the west!"

The Magical Medallion Tracker
thumb|right|The assassin leaves another victim in his wake
When you arrive at the camp, you will find the body of the Redguard hunter. Searching a nearby pack, you will find a   which confirms the killer is the same vampire. Fennorian will then arrive via vampiric teleportation and kneel by the body to examine her:
:Fennorian: "The assassin drained her of blood."

You can then use the enchanted medallion again, this time it will show some primitive tents:
:Fennorian: "He must have been desperate to feed while trying to escape."

There is the option of talking to Fennorian before continuing your search. He will elaborate on what the vision showed, "This one showed your assassin again, eye patch and all, by a cave near a waterfall. And the ball of magicka drifted toward the west again." The closest cave in this area is Chillwind Depths so that is your next location to search.

When you enter the cavern, Fennorian will arrive and split off from you to search:
:Fennorian: ''"Yes, this is definitely the place in the vision. I'll slip past and scout ahead."''

At this point you have the option of also helping Hamvir while searching the caves. In the deepest part of the cave, you can find a hidden passage which leads to the secluded hideaway. There you will find the assassin, unfortunately he will have just stabbed Fennorian as you arrived:
:Pentarch Khorb: ''"Bah! I'll deal with you next time, you fangless cur."''

Talking with Fennorian, it would seem you arrived just in time before assassin could do worse to him. Even more fortuitous, he will have left papers and documents at the camp before he fled. Fennorian will ask you to go through them while he picks himself up. You can find three items at the camp, first is   which shows a mine entrance. The second is the  , a letter which orders the assassination of Queen Gerhyld as a response to your actions in Kilkreath. The third document is the  , which is addressed to Pentarch Khorb by a Sister Tharda and refers to a mining consortium that remains in the dark about their true purpose as an energy source for a ritual.

Once you have read all the documents, Fennorian will ask to see them:
:Fennorian: ''"I didn't get a good look at that before. Mind bringing it over?"

While looking at them, Fennorian will recognize the location shown in the map. It is a mine in the Karthald region known as Silversnow Mine and as it is a likely target for a harrowstorm ritual. While you head to the mine, Fennorian will have a courier contact Lyris to meet you there.

Descent into Silversnow Mine
The mine can be found just over the hill from the Eversnow Inn and the closest wayshrine is Southern Watch. Just as you arrive, Fennorian and Lyris will catch up:
:Lyris Titanborn: "As evil lairs go, I'm not impressed."
:Fennorian: "I'll take that as a good sign."

When you talk with Lyris, it will turn out that Fennorian gave her a succinct summary of what has happened, "The clever woman helped you track the queen's assassin to his hideout in Chillwind Depths. He got away, but left behind evidence that the coven's planning another harrowstorm in this mine and we're going to wreck those plans. I miss anything?"'' 

After giving the affirmative that you're ready, Lyris and Fennorian will then run into the mine:
:Lyris Titanborn: "These tunnels look freshly dug. The Gray Host has certainly been busy."

Once inside they will become your followers and you can lead them down the winding scaffolding:
:Lyris Titanborn: ''"Scaffolding. Let's follow it down."
:Fennorian: "Careful, the structure doesn't appear to be completely stable."
:Lyris Titanborn: "Relax. It will take more than a rickety structure to take down Lyris Titanborn."
:Fennorian: "Actually, I was more concerned for my own well-being, but if you insist …."

Keep in mind, one of the missing instruments from the Bards College can be found in this location in a hidden alcove. Upon reaching the bottom of the shaft, a short tunnel will open up into the much larger Dusktown Cavern:
"It's just like the old legends … Blackreach!"|thumb|left
:Lyris Titanborn: "Blackreach again? Like beneath Eastmarch. Does it extend below all of Skyrim?"
:Fennorian: "Blackreach? So the legends are true? But why is there a town down here?"''

Fennorian is right, a small town can be seen down the road leading from the passage you just emerged from. Before you can continue, you'll need to speak with both Lyris and Fennorian to work out a plan to track down Pentarch Khorb. Lyris will be surprised that there is an actual settlement in Blackreach, she'll want to split up to question the locals about the eye-patch wearing vampire. Meanwhile with Fenn, he will immediately see the area as an ideal hiding place for the Icereach Coven and any vampires working with them. While you and Lyris investigate the town, he will go and scout around the outskirts. Both will warn you to be careful.

Once in the town proper, you can find two locals to question, Rola and Galuf. While neither know anything about a man wearing an eye patch, Galuf can at least give you an overview of the mining operation and how he was recruited. This is where many of the laborers who answered the fliers ended up. After speaking with both of them, an annoyed Lyris will approach you. She didn't have any luck either but wants to go find Fenn and see if he uncovered something.
 
Halting the Harrowstorm
Destroy the Witch Pikes and stop a harrowstorm ritual|thumb|right
Fennorian can be found at the northern outskirts hiding behind a cart, he will call you over when he sees you:
:Fennorian: "Over here!"

Unlike you and Lyris, he had much better results while he was scouting, though it is worrying news, ''"You're just in time. I spotted the vampire with the eye patch. He met with a coven witch who immediately ordered her lackeys to place witch pikes around the area."'' As the ritual causes a magical storm, being underground shouldn't be considered a defense against it. However, the ritual can be stopped if the Witch Pikes are destroyed beforehand. 

Immediately, Lyris will take action and give orders before running off:
:Lyris Titanborn: ''"Move! You take the east side, I'll take the west. Then meet in the middle."''

You will need to find and destroy the witch pikes located to the east and northeast of Dusktown. Unlike the fully developed ones seen at Harrowstorms, they are spindly and can be destroyed with a few whacks of an axe. However, they will be protected by combination of Icereach Coven and Vampires who are wearing matching uniforms. After you have destroyed both pikes, you can find Fennorian nearby who will report you and Lyris' success:
:Fennorian: "You stopped the harrowstorm before it could even get started! Now to deal with the vampire and the witch."

Talking with him, you will learn that he caught sight of Pentarch Khorb and Sister Tharda who was helping him. "[...] The witch and the vampire assassin fled into Kagnthamz, a Dwarven ruin. We can deal with them in there."

Secrets of Kagnthamz
Kagnthamz is crawling with vampires|thumb|right
The ruin of Kagnthamz can be found to the southeast of Dusktown, with the Dwarf's Bane Ritual Site to the north. Once you arrive at the entrance, Lyris and Fenn will arrive:
:Lyris Titanborn: ''"We're here. Let's find this assassin."

As soon as you enter the ruin, Fennorian will comment:
:Fennorian: "Careful. I sense the presence of other vampires."
He is immediately proven right as you enter the next chamber, vampires can be found wandering about as clusters of harrowfiends gather around broken animunculi.
:Fennorian: "Harrowfiends! Not the result of the ritual we stopped, so they must have brought them from someplace else."

We finally cornered the vampire assassin who killed the queen. Time to make him pay for his crime.|thumb|left
Further into the ruins, you will find a closed door which leads to a renovated room filled with torture devices and dead or comatose commoners. Your target, Pentarch Khorb will be walking between the bodies, periodically draining them of life essence. When you engage him in combat he will be exasperated:
:Lyris Titanborn: "An eye patch! That's the assassin!"
:Pentarch Khorb: "Don't you ever give up the chase?"

In this fight Pentarch Khorb will initially use Nightblade abilities to fight. Harrowfiends and death hounds will also join the battle. As his health drops to a certain point, the Pentarch will reveal his trump card as he crows:
:Pentarch Khorb: "I kept you busy long enough. Sister Tharda shall revive the exarchs!"

His form will shift as he becomes temporarily invulnerable, his new body is much taller and bulkier than his former frame and has bat-like features. Once he is slain, Queen Gerhyld will be avenged:
:Lyris Titanborn: "That's for Queen Gerhyld, you bastard."
:Fennorian: "Now we need to find Sister Tharda."
 
After the concerning statement about "reviving the exarchs"'', you will need to find Sister Tharda quickly. Head through the door and continue down the passage, fighting off vampires along the away. Eventually, you will find yourself on some scaffolding which over looks a vast room ringed with strange stone statues. From the patterns of ash on the ground, it appears to be a ritual chamber. Down below, you will see Sister Tharda, but she won't be alone.
:Fennorian: ''"You listen in. I'll unlock the door."
Sister Tharda is performing some sort of ritual and she isn't alone''|thumb|right
While he picks the door's lock, Sister Tharda and an unknown man stand before a stone construct with a large urn between her and it.
: 
:Sister Tharda: "Rise exarch and be reborn!"
: 
: 
: 
:Exarch Ulfra: "Tzinghalis? Where is this place?"
: 
:Exarch Tzinghalis:"The Ashen Lord commands it, and so we live once more, Ulfra."
:Exarch Ulfra: "Alive again? How?"
:Sister Tharda: "You have the Icereach Coven to thank for that, werewolf."
: 
:Exarch Tzinghalis: "Using my recipes, witch."
:Sister Tharda: "I meant no disrespect, Exarch Tzinghalis."
: 
:Exarch Ulfra: ''"We're being watched, brother."
:Exarch Tzinghalis: "Next time, Tharda, the Ashen Lord will expect more than the restoration of a single reliquary. Now deal with the intruders or I'll toss you to the harrowfiends."
: 
:Sister Tharda: "Come out, little skeevers. Come out and play with Sister Tharda!"
:Lyris Titanborn: "How many of your sisters am I going to have to kill before you give up?"
We need to kill Sister Tharda.|thumb|right
Before you can chase after the two Exarchs, you will need to deal with Sister Tharda. During this fight, Lyris and Fennorian will help you, dealing damage and providing healing respectively. The Coven witch will use a combination of frost magic and necromancy to fight, more elements will be added to the field as the fight progresses. 
:Sister Tharda: "Is it you who's killed my dear sisters? Our vengeance will plague you beyond the grave!"
When her health hits a certain point, she will teleport to a corner of the room cast a shield of bones around herself, rendering her invulnerable. During this she will summon a small group of undead which increase in difficulty with each phase. (From Bone Flayers, Icy Skeleton Squad to Flesh Colossus). In addition to the undead, a green cyclone which will randomly move around the room is also conjured. The invulnerable shield will be removed once the adds are removed. Each time she puts up the shield, another cyclone will be added leading up to the last phase where the cyclones will then become focused on you.

Once you have killed her, Lyris and Fennorian will run out of the chamber to catch up to the escaped exarchs.
:Lyris Titanborn: "One more witch for the pyre. Let's go after the other two."

More Questions and returning to Svana
You can find your companions below the ledge once you leave the ruins. Unfortunately the Exarchs have escaped:
:Lyris Titanborn: "Damn, we lost them."

Talk with both of them to see what they want to do next, both will stay behind to study the ritual site before going their separate ways.  While talking to Fennorian, he will be trying to process the reviving of Exarch Ulfra that you just witnessed. He will also have revised his theory about the harrowstorms, "I thought the purpose of the harrowstorms were to create harrowfiends, but now I think that's only a byproduct. The storm somehow gathered energy that the witch used to summon Ulfra the werewolf. Ulfra seemed to think she was brought back to life."
"What news of the bastard who murdered my mother? Did you find him?"''|thumb|right
Lyris on the other hand, will be focused on the titles they used as well as the mention of an "Ashen Lord". Continuing to talk to her, Lyris will ask that you report back to Svana at the Lonely Troll and tell her of the assassin's death as, ''"[...] She'd want to know. More than that, she deserves to know."''

The Dusktown Wayshrine is the closest if you want to reach Solitude quickly. Svana can be found sitting on a bench with her head down. As you approach, she'll stand and Maugh will come in to see how she is. Upon reporting Pentarch Khorb's death, Svana will state that she would have preferred him brought back for "a proper trial and execution" but puts that aside and asks if her mother's death was connected to the threat you were investigating, you can confirm and explain what they do.
:"Damn those Reach witches! And damn my father for being so … so … obstinate! But what does the coven want? Are they planning to kill my father? What else can you tell me about this threat to our kingdom?"
:'''The coven can summon devastating storms that wipe people's minds and turn them into monsters.
:"That's horrible! But there must be more to this than simply turning my people into monsters. Well, I'll do what I can to help you. Mother would have wanted me to. What you've done and discovered will be enough to convince my father. It has to be."''

After naming herself your ally in this matter, Svana will hand you some gold and the  .
 
 
 
Quest Stages