Online:Sorrow's Kiss

Quick Walkthrough
# Talk to Lady Laurent.
# Search for survivors.
# Find the Orcish inscriptions.
# Retrieve the Armlet of Torug.
# Decide what to do with the Armlet.


Detailed Walkthrough

Stibbons can be found trying to warm himself by a fire immediately south of Sorrow.

:''"You, again! You make a habit of showing up when my lady needs you. I suppose that means we're going to make another attempt to reach that wretched summit after all. Go present yourself to my lady. She should be coming down the trail at any moment."
:What's that about reaching the summit?
:"This is Sorrow. Apt name, don't you think? The House of Orsimer Glories in Orsinium engaged my lady's services to find the shrine of Torug gro-Igron. It supposedly waits at the snowy top. No one's attempted to climb it in years, yet here we are."
:Is there a problem with the climb?
:"Only if you consider vile beasts, freezing winds, and falling ice to be a problem. We tried to climb the mountain three times now, and each failure was more spectacular than the last. If you're interested, Lady Laurent could really use the help."
:I'll talk to Lady Laurent.
:"This expedition has really proved to be more troublesome than Lady Laurent anticipated. I hate to say it, but I think this time Sorrow, might be more than she bargained for."
:Who's Lady Laurent?
:"Famous treasure hunter. I'm sure you've heard of her. We travel the land, searching for hidden treasures, secret relics, and, er, other mystical things. I'm not at liberty to tell you much about our work, but it's very important."
:Who hired her to lead this expedition?
:"The House of Orsimer Glories. It's Orsinium's fledgling museum. They hired experts like my lady to scour the countryside for ancient relics related to Wrothgar's history. To display them. Instant culture for the tourists, you see."
:Are you looking for a particular relic?
:"Legends claim that a powerful relic was buried with Orsinium's founder. At Torug's shrine, my lady hopes to find the Armlet of Torug, the bracelet that gave him the power to tame the wilderness. Now if only Kharsthun would stop arguing with her."
:Who's Kharsthun?
:"Kharsthun works for the museum and has been serving as our liaison and cultural expert. It has become clear that he and my lady disagree about a great many things. He's really beginning to try Lady Laurent's patience, I'm afraid to say."

Follow the trail past several harpies to find Lady Laurent on a wooden outcrop overlooking the road.

:"Damn you, Kharsthun! How am I supposed to make a great discovery when - oh, hello! I was just thinking about you! You do have a habit of showing up whenever I need help. Perchance you've brought a small army with you as well?"
:No, it's just me.
:"Just you? Well, I was hoping for porters and guides and all, but I suppose that I can make do. I'll need to make a few slight adjustments to my plan, but this time we'll reach the summit of Sorrow. I'm sure of it!"
:What happened the last time you tried to reach the summit?
:"The last three times, you mean. We set up one camp, but the harpies and the icy wind cut us down each time we climbed higher. A few Orcs even wandered into a chasm because they couldn't see more than two paces ahead into the fog. It all upset me so!"
:So how can I help?
:"To start, head up and present yourself to Kharsthun while I go check on my lazy man-servant, Stibbons. We'll meet you up there. And remind Kharsthun who it is that's actually in charge of this expedition. He can be so uncooperative at times."
:I'll go present myself to Kharsthun.
:"Why are you still here? Do you need directions or something?"
:What makes a dead Orc's shrine so important?
:"We're not just talking about any dead Orc. This is Torug's shrine! Not only was he the founder of the original city of Orsinium, but he was the owner of the Armlet of Torug. Do you know how high my reputation will soar once I recover that relic?"
:The Armlet of Torug?
:"According to a scroll fragment I studied, the Armlet of Torug is a magical bracelet encrusted with gems. With its power, Torug was able to tame the savage wilderness. It allowed the ancient Orcs to establish the first city of Orsinium."
:Where did you study this scroll fragment?
:"The museum in Orsinium has it on display. It only contains a few words in the ancient Orc tongue, but I was able to make some sense out of it. It talked about the armlet, the shrine, and something called "Sorrow's Kiss". Doesn't that sound romantic?"

The trail to Sorrow is flanked by harpies and bears, but they can be avoided before you enter a door to Sorrow, inside of which is Kharsthun.

:"Who in the name of Malacath's third tusk are you? Don't you know this is sacred ground? Besides, it's also one of the most dangerous places in all of Wrothgar. You shouldn't be wandering around up here."
:Lady Laurent sent me to present myself to you.
:"Oh she did, did she? I hope you know what you're getting into. Harpies and ogres are bad enough, but the true challenge of Sorrow is the mountain itself. The wind cuts like a sword and the freezing mist blinds you. But that's not the worst."
:What's worse than that?
:"Avalanches! Sorrow wields her snow and ice with terrible precision. I've seen strong Orcs swept right off the side like scoring a slaughter in a seven-pig knockdown. We tried three times and lost most of our expedition. We're all that's left."
:No one else survived?
:"To be honest, I'm not sure. We barely made it this far before we got separated from the others. If you could look for our companions, that would be helpful. Regardless, we have to find Torug's shrine or all these sacrifices will be for nothing."
:Tell me more about your missing companions.
:"They're good Orcs, each and every one of them. Expert climbers, but Sorrow isn't an ordinary mountain. Best way to find them? They should have placed markers to indicate avalanche areas. Just follow the markers."
:Tell me more about Sorrow.
:"Sorrow may not be the tallest mountain in Tamriel, but it's certainly one of the deadliest. That's why the ancient Orcs built memorials to their champions on its slopes. The higher the location of the tomb, the greater the sacrifice and prestige."
:What do you hope to find up there?
:"We're looking for the shrine of the great Orc hero, Torug gro-Igron. Legend says that Torug's shrine sits at the very top of the mountain, as befits the founder of the original Orsinium. But it's so high up that nothing can survive there."
:That sounds dangerous.
:"Extremely! We've already tried to get up there three times. We lost the rest of the expedition and had to turn back before we barely got out of the base camp. But the danger will be worth it if we can find Torug's legendary relics."
:What's your role in the expedition?
:"I work for Orsinium's newly established museum. I'm their resident expert on the time of Torug, so the museum sent me to assist Lady Laurent and her man-servant. I always dreamed of visiting the shrine, so I jumped at the opportunity."
:So what's Lady Laurent's interest in all this?
:"Her reputation brought her to the attention of the museum and she loves digging around in old tombs. She has a particular interest in an ancient fragment that talks about "Sorrow's Kiss". She believes it has something to do with Torug's shrine."
:Do you and Lady Laurent get along?
:"At first, we got along fine. We both love history and exploring ancient sites. But the woman has been driving me crazy! She lacks the fundamental reverence for the past that separates a scholar from a grave robber. I just don't trust her judgement!"''

Climbing the Mountain

There are ogres, harpies and ice wraiths that will spawn on your way up, as well as avalanches that will give you a few second's warning indicated by a red marker on the ground. The avalanches themselves do not cause much damage, but will stun and knock you back, possibly off the cliffside to instant death.

Following the quest marker will lead you to an area near a few backpacks where you will have to search for Kuhlon. She is off the path toward the southwest side, behind a pile of rocks and thus easy to miss. You can hear her heavy rasping breath even before you see her.

:"I knew this mountain would be the death of us."
:Come on, we need to get you someplace warm.
:''"No, don't waste your time. I'm done for. An avalanche... broke both my legs, but I no longer feel any pain. Sorrow is a harsh mistress, and her embrace is cold and deadly."
:Where's the rest of the expedition?
:"The others... the went on ahead, to seek shelter. Don't look so shocked. I'm dying. If they tried to help me, none of us would have survived. Go. Find them. They need your help... more than I..."
:Rest easy, brave Orc.
:"I'm just... going to... go to sleep..."

Proceeding onward, you will enter a cave network. The quest marker should fall around the northwestern end, where a corpse of expedition member can be found with the first section of Torug ag Krazak.

At this point, Kharsthun will catch up and notice the rubbing his teammates managed to obtain.

:"All dead, just as I feared. Wait, what's this? Fascinating."

:"Most of the monuments up here are inscribed with three-stanza epitaphs. It was a common practice. This rubbing appears to be Torug's first stanza! It's written in Old Orcish, proclaiming the memorial's inaccessibility. They found Torug's shrine!"
:This doesn't look like a shrine.
:"Well, obviously they found the shrine higher up on the mountain. As to why they came down here to die, I have no idea. Maybe the cold or a lack of supplies drove them down. Or they were coming back to meet us. Let us know that they reached the shrine."
:So what do we do now?
:"Let me translate this rubbing. No looters... no lesser Orcs... remarkable! We should try to find the other two stanzas. If I can read the entire epitaph, it might point us to the location of the Armlet of Torug. After that, we'll see."
:I'll try to find the other ttanzas.'''

Lady Laurent will then arrive with Stibbons and get in a short argument with Kharsthun about burying the dead Orcs. The rest of the cave has a few more ogres and an ice wraith, and opens out to weathered ruins. Up a flight of stairs and pack of harpies later, you will find the inscription from wnich first rubbing was taken right in front of a door. Enter, and the second part will be lying on an altar. Again, Kharsthun and company will follow in after you, leading to an exchange between Stibbons and Lady Laurent about a strategic retreat (despite the ogres in the chamber not attacking right away). Kharsthun will have some information about the tomb as well.

Continue past the ogres to find the third inscription. The intrepid explorers will marvel at King Torug's frustration with the tomb being below the summit, but Stibbons will point out that one of the words seems different from how Kharsthun reads it. The latter insists, however:

:''"Torug! What an Orc! He abandoned his own tomb while obviously near death just to bury himself even higher on the mountain. What an inspiration! The letters are worn, but I'm sure the inscription says "zugka" and not "zugra". I'm almost positive."
:What's the difference between the two words?
:"Well, "zugka" is the ancient Orcish word for "kiss". But "zugra", no, I'm sure it's not "zugra". At least, I'm almost sure."
:So what does "zugra" mean?
:"It depends on the context. Bad omens, calamity, some kind of plague or pestilence. But probably, I'd have to translate it here as "curse". If the word was "zugra" and not "zugka", you understand."

Talk to Lady Laurent.

:"Isn't this wonderful news! TO protect his own tomb from looters and ensure his own legend among the people, Torug climbed to the summit. And he took his relics with him. Now be a deaer and go up there and retrieve the Armlet of Torug for me."
:You want me to climb to the summit?
:"Haven't we been over this? I swear, sometimes I think you hear one word I say out of every three. You're almost as bad as my man-servant, Stibbons!"
:You really think the Armlet of Torug is at the summit?
:"Of course@ It's written in stone. The ancients never lied when they were chiseling words into stone, you know. The new museum will be the wonder of Tamriel with such a relic as the Armlet of Torug in its collection!"
:Isn't the summit dangerous?
:"Hyperbole to keep undesirables from venturing up. And even if there's some modicum of truth to the tale, all you need to do is grab the Amulet. Easy as eating a sweetroll! Now, the thin air might make you light-headed, but you can handle that."
:What if Kharsthun's translation is wrong?
:"I don't agree with Kharsthun about many of his Orcish ideas, but on this point we're in perfect alignment. The proper translation is "Sorrow's Kiss". Now go and get the Armlet while we see what other relics we can acquire for the museum."''

Kharsthun and Stibbons will have their own, very different reactions to your "volunteering" to climb the summit, but proceed to Sorrow's peak regardless. You will not be able to use your weapons and several avalanches will have to be waited out before you can keep going up the path, but at the top, you will see several frozen Orcs.

: 
:I should take the Armlet of Torug.

After taking it, you will be stunned and awaken to find yourself somewhere else, having been rescued by your gang. Kharsthun and Lady Laurent are in the midst of a squabble, but talk to Stibbons for the full tale.

Sorrow's Curse

:"You missed all the drama! While you were unconscious, Lady Laurent and our helpful Orc had a dreadfully intense argument about the Armlet of Torug. It was wonderful to watch!"
:I was unconscious?
:''"It's the thin air up here. But whatever you did made the weather calm down, so we followed you up. That's when Kharsthun and Lady Laurent started arguing. Kharsthun thinks the shrine would be a better location to display the Armlet than the museum."
:And Lady Laurent disagrees?
:"Oh, most indubitably! The museum hired her to acquire relics and she hates to disappoint. Perhaps you could talk to them. Help them reach a decision that gets us someplace warm. You better let me hold onto the Armlet, just to be on the safe side."
:If you insist.

Once again, you shall be the arbiter of the decision to be made.

Torug has this to say.

:"I'm glad you recovered the Armlet of Torug. But before you decide what to do with the relic, you need to hear what I have to say."
:I understand that you and Lady Laurent disagree about what to do with the relic.
:"So it would seem. This shrine stands as a tribute to our past glories. It reveals an age when Orcs thought nothing of sacrificing dozens of warriors to build memorials to our strength. It sets the kind of example that the new Orsinium needs."
:Tell me what you want to do with the relic.
:"The Armlet of Torug should remain in his shrine. Make sure every Orc climbs sorrow to see it, to understand what our ancestors were capable of achieving. In this way the relic will become a symbol to bind our people together. Surely you can see that?"
 

Lady Laurent, on the other hand:

:"I don't know what's gotten into Kharsthun. Why would anyone want to climb all the way up to the shrine to see an ancient relic when there's a perfectly quaint museum down in Orsinium?"
:I understand that you and Kharsthun disagree about what to do with the relic.
:"I would say so! The museum specifically tasked us to retrieve relics and bring them to Orsinium. History is meant to be admired, not left hidden in the past! Kharsthun's plan means I will have failed in my mission. And Lady Laurent never fails."
 

Either way, Stibbons will then put it on, as he joked earlier, turn into a block of ice. Kharsthun will take it in stride, but Lady Laurent is not particularly sympathetic.

If you sided with Lady Laurent:
:"Stibbons always finds a way to turn the simplest task into an ordeal. I don't know why I continue to employ the man."
:So what happens now?
:"The Armlet of Torug will receive a place of honor in the Orsinium museum. I believe that a prominent sign that says "do not touch" or "you are not worthy" would also be prudent."
:What about Stibbons?
:"Someone at the Mages Guild will be able to help me thaw out poor Stibbons. It may take weeks for him to warm up, but he'll be fine. But you should be pleased! The Orcs will sing my praises, and they're sure to say nice things about you, as well."

If you sided with Kharsthun:
:"Stibbons always finds a way to turn the simplest task into an ordeal. I don't know why I continue to employ the man. But what about you? I can't believe you agreed with Kharsthun instead of me!"
:Torug's relic belongs in his shrine.
:"And what am I supposed to tell the House of Original Galleries or whatever it is the Orcs call their museum? That they have an annex all the way up here? Wait a moment, that's a great idea! I'm a genius! You inspired me again, my faithful friend!"
:And what about Stibbons?
:"Someone at the Mages Guild will be able to help me thaw out poor Stibbons. It may take weeks for him to warm up, but he'll be fine. This didn't turn out as planned, but it'll do. Lady Laurent, founder of the Shrine of Sorrow. It has a nice ring to it, don't you think?"''

You will then receive your reward and Lady Laurent will open a portal back to the base camp at the bottom of the mountain, where you can see the intrepid duo squabbling over Stibbons.

 

Notes
If you side with Lady Laurent, the armlet will automatically appear in the collection of the House of Orsimer Glories. If you side with Kharsthun, that display case will remain empty.

 

Quest Stages