Ancient Scrolls of the Dwemer VIII Content . Mzulchond the Tonal Architect had spent twenty years attuning the great animus geode he ' d found in Inner Duathand , trying to synchronize it with the precession of the dual equinoxes in order to captivate the Nirnpith Essence . The geode ' s vibratory affinities continued to elude him , however , so one day he threw down his attenuators , left his workshop and went to the kitchens for an infusion of chal . As he approached the kitchen portal he heard sibilant music that cut off abruptly as he stepped over the threshold . His house - assistant , a Snow Elf maiden named Lilyarel , withdrew her hands from behind the steam - grill and looked up guiltily . " I heard music , Lilyarel , " Mzulchond said . " What did you just put behind the calorefactor ? " " It ' s nothing , Sir Dwarf , " the maiden replied . " Just something I cobbled together to pass the time . " " What ? Have you been in my device - closet again ? Show me what you have there . " Reluctantly , the Snow Elf reached behind the steam - grill and drew out a fist - sized object of golden metal , crystal knobs glinting on its flange - hood . Mzulchond held out his hand , open , and Lilyarel carefully placed the object in it . " Don ' t drop it , " she said . " It ' ll get de - tuned . " " Well , well , " the engineer said . " So you ' ve built yourself a crude tonal variation - lens . Is this what was playing the music I heard ? " " Yes , Sir Dwarf , " the maiden said , gazing at the floor . " I hope I didn ' t do anything wrong . " " What , with this device ? There ' s nothing dangerous in a melodic repeater bauble , so long as it doesn ' t leak bthun - waves from its volumizer . Can ' t have that — might interfere with the static condensers . " " Oh , don ' t worry , I used arkoid shielding — not very much ! " she said anxiously . " But it ' s not a melodic repeater , Sir , it harmonizes with my mental melodies . " " Nonsense , " Mzulchond scoffed . " No one knows how to synchronize a variation - lens with mental concept - cycles . It ' s never been done . " " I wouldn ' t know anything about that , Sir Dwarf , " Lilyarel said , wringing her hands nervously . " I just flipped the duum - emitter so it canceled the demi - ektar - waves , and it worked just fine . Can I have it back now ? " " Hold on a dzum , " the engineer said , raising a hand while he looked more closely at the gleaming device . " Flipping the duum - emitter cancels the demi - ektars ? Yes … yes , I can see how that might work . This may be just the thing I need to attune my animus geode to the Nirnpith Essence ! " As Mzulchond turned in excitement to take the variation - lens back to his workshop , the Elf maiden picked up a flipper - strut with both hands and struck him across the back of the head . The tonal architect fell dead to the ground , as Lilyarel picked up her shiny device . " Never liked him , " she hissed to herself . " Always smelled like Dwemer oil . " Then she opened the brazen louvers of a vent - tube , crawled in , and began lowering herself down through the inwards of the Dwarven city . " Guess I ' m going down to join the undermer , and not coming back . " And with that , she turned on her variation - lens , which immediately began harmonizing with her mental melodies .