The Grip of Madness

The Grip of Madness is a quest available in . It takes place in the Aldmeri Dominion region of Grahtwood, in the town of Southpoint.
==Background==
Southpoint's citizens are killing one another in the streets. Dominion soldiers cordoned off the town, but are in dire need of assistance.
==Quick walkthrough==
#Sheogorath has influenced the towns mayor, and made everyone crazy. The Vestige must work to restore sanity to the township.
==Objectives==
#Speak to Captain Elonthor
#
#
==Walkthrough==
Soldier Garion warns the Vestige to stay away from Southpoint for their own safety, claiming the citizens are killing each other in the streets. The Vestige is then sent to speak with Captain Elonthor outside the town since he may need help evacuating the survivors. 
Captain Elonthor informs the Vestige that he has no idea what is happening in Southpoint and he has lost three scouts sent in to investigate the situation. The disappearance of the scouts means he cannot call for reinforcements. When the Vestige offers to find out what happened to the scouts, Captain Elonthor directs them to a citizen who had previously offered to do the same thing. 
The citizen in question is Daraneth, who has taken shelter in one of the tents. Daraneth informs the Vestige that she believes Sheogorath is behind the madness that has "swept through Southpoint like a plague." However, Daraneth seems rather excited about this. She suggests going to find the scouts with the Vestige as a way of showing her concern for her home. 
After searching through Southpoint together, the Vestige and Daraneth enter Pixot's House to discover Lieutenant Hervarion tied up in a corner. Hervarion claims the mayor said they couldn't eat him until it's time for dinner. Once the Vestige reveals they have come to help him, not eat him, Hervarion is relieved. 
He claims his decision to press on rather then hastily return to Captain Elonthor with a report has led his scouts, whom were brought before the mayor by the mad townsfolk, to be turned into bears. The mayor didn't turn Hervarion out of a desire to let the townsfolk eat him instead. 
Hervarion informs the Vestige that the mayor has locked himself in the big cathedral with the doors sealed by magic. Afterwards, the Vestige frees Hervarion of his bindings so he can report back to Captain Elonthor. 
Daraneth recounts the various things they've learned from the scout and says she should be horrified but she still finds it all exciting. In order to rescue the scouts turned into bears, Daraneth believes she possesses the ability to reverse the magic done on them but requires the Vestige to act as bait. As for the mayor, she claims to have a scroll in the basement of her laboratory that can unlock the doors. 
The Vestige tracks down the two bears and attacks each one while Daraneth casts the spell to restore them back to normal. Upon recovery, each scout will flee Southpoint to return to Captain Elonthor. Soon after, a storm erupts and Daraneth recommends visiting her laboratory.
With the storm and the lightning blocking their way, the laboratory cannot be entered. Daraneth deduces whoever conjured the storm must be located somewhere they could see everything in Southpoint. She suggests visiting an old Colovian tower nearby. 
At the top of the Colovian tower, the Vestige discovers Rufinus, who admits to being the cause of the lightning. He is acting out of revenge against the townsfolk for calling him "an angry drunk," and he threatens to attack the Vestige if they don't walk away. The Vestige has no choice but to knock Rufinus off the ledge he is standing on in order to end the storm he has conjured. 
With the storm gone, the Vestige and Daraneth enter the basement of Daraneth's laboratory and retrieve the old scroll. They proceed to the Cathedral of the Golden Path and use the scroll to undo the magic keeping the doors locked. Inside, they find Mayor Aulus on his own. Daraneth offers to speak to the mayor to try and talk some sense into him. 
Mayor Aulus is delighted to see Daraneth and confesses Sheogorath had promised him power and the respect he deserved but instead cursed his tongue with madness and left him to make a mess of the town. Daraneth responds by calling Mayor Aulus pitiful, even for a mortal. To the mayor's horror, Daraneth transforms into Sheogorath himself. 
Mayor Aulus apologizes to Sheogorath, thinking the Madgod had abandoned him. Sheogorath points out he had cursed the mayor's tongue to drive people mad but if he doesn't like his tongue, Sheogorath can take it from him and give it to his new favorite pet. Mayor Aulus is distraught over not being Sheogorath's favorite, after all the screams he caused in the Madgod's name. Sheogorath ultimately relents to Mayor Aulus's pleas. 
Sheogorath then turns his attention to the Vestige and uses his magic to painfully transport them to the basement of the cathedral. The Vestige wakes up to find the real Daraneth with them in a cell. It turns out Sheogorath had possessed Daraneth the entire time, controlling her body while she was still conscious. She remembers visiting her laboratory and discovering Sheogorath already there. He began to dance and so did she, and then she blacked out. Sheogorath had possessed her from then onwards.
Daraneth believes the only way to save the town and end the madness is to kill Mayor Aulus. Unfortunately, the bars to their cell seem unbreakable and Mayor Aulus has somehow bound Daraneth's magic. The only hope is to fight their way out when someone comes for them. 
Sheogorath materializes outside the cell soon after. He recognizes the Vestige from the time they went hunting for books for Arch-Mage Shalidor. Sheogorath admits to being disappointed in Mayor Aulus, especially after the mayor failed to destroy the hero he had brought along (referring to the Vestige.) As a result, Sheogorath wants the Vestige to kill Mayor Aulus. In exchange, Sheogorath will leave Southpoint forever. However, if the Vestige disappoints Sheogorath, Sheogorath will turn Daraneth into a goose. 
With Daraneth forced to stay behind, the Vestige exits the cell and makes their way through the catacombs. Once they arrive at a drop-bridge, Sheogorath appears and raises the bridge, blocking their path. Sheogorath reveals he had done this to make the whole journey more challenging and turn the Vestige into a "proper hero." 
The Vestige must fight their way through more enemies as they try to locate the lever. Once they've succeeded, Sheogorath appears by the bridge again and raises it once more. Sheogorath reveals he wants the Vestige to fight a friend of his called "Free Will" or they'll be forced to pull another lever. By slaying Free Will, the Vestige can now enter the cathedral and confront Mayor Aulus.
Inside the cathedral, Sheogorath and Mayor Aulus have a brief exchange, during which Sheogorath laughs about watching the mayor die horribly. He also complains about the mayor's lack of a backbone. Mayor Aulus tries to reason with the Vestige, claiming he didn't want any of this and hopes to avoid death for it. Mayor Aulus further claims the Vestige has a choice not to kill him, unlike himself, who had no choice in harassing the townsfolk. He complains the townsfolk did not respect him and did not bow down to him even though his family had ruled Southpoint for generations. 
After the conversation, the Vestige fights and kills Mayor Aulus. Sheogorath congratulates them and remains true to their deal. After he rewards the Vestige, Sheogorath disappears from the cathedral.
==Reward==
*Sheogorath's Choice
*1 Skill Point
*146–604 
ru:Власть Безумия
Category:Online: Grahtwood Quests
Category:Online: Aldmeri Dominion Quests
Category:Online: Side Quests
Category:Online: Grahtwood Side Quests
Category:Online: Zone Quests