The Golden Theory - Chapter Ten

Since the questline of The Golden Theory has mutually exclusive endings, this page was created for players who want to know what they missed, but don't want to (or can't) reload a previous save any number of times.

### Side notes

First off : this event requires no combat, either in comitatus nor companion mode.
You will be asked which companions to bring with to (6 max), but they won't have to fight. I suspect they only serve as far as their magic sense and arcane lore perks.

Any attempt to fight Praesthogor or take the skull by force ends in instant death by dragon fire.

Should you choose and manage to leave with the third skull, you will need 5 beasts of burden to haul it, and it will take up 13 cargo spaces.

Upon entering, you may scry the tectum and gain 3 insight, provided your commitatus has the required 3 magic sense, and a successfull roll. The following stats seem to influence the roll (values are per-level of the stat) :

* Magic sense +6%
* Arcane lore +3%

Later down the event, you can gain an additional 2 insight by magically examining the golden dragon, provided this time that you have 4 magic sense (no roll there).

### End-dialogue with Praesthogor

#### Preliminary questions

* Ask who he is
	+ Ask what this 'unwhole' is'
* Inquire why it guards the skull of the Golden One
	+ Ask what this 'unwhole' is'
		- Decide not to take the skull after all
* Ask if he kows anything about what happened in the neighboring Singing Winds
*(This has no impact on this quest line, but reveals the map location of Carravhon)*

#### Trying to obtain the skull

If you didn't choose to leave without the skull upon hearing Praesthogor's reasonning about the unwhole, you will "Tell the Dragon that it needs to give you the Skull" and then "Try to convince the dragon to give you the skull"

From there, you can choose between three reasons for him to give up the skull :

1. Taking the skull would lead to learning more about the past, about the Golden Dragon Brood
2. Taking the skull would set Praesthogor free from this obsolete duty, from his emprisonment
3. Taking the skull would make it possible to commune with the Leviathan, a wise and powerfull being.

To which he asks "WHY WOULD YOU BE A BETTER CARETAKER THAN ME?" :

1. You are powerfull in your own right and can defend it.
2. You will be very careful when dealing with the skull and its influence.
3. You swear to Praesthogor that you will strive to prevent the unwhole from reemerging.
4. Claim that you have powerful allies whom who trust to aid you in this venture.
5. You will respect the skull, a part of the mighty and wise Leviathan.

"WHAT DO YOU GAIN FROM ALL THIS, MORTAL?"

1. You work for a scholar to test a theory and you are also curious.
2. You want the skull as a trophy.
3. You wish to guard the skull from harm.
4. You are paid to do a job - delivering the skull. That is all.
5. You wish to see the Golden One resurrected.

"It finally turns to you with an answer."

Choosing to options 2-3-1 get Praesthogor to relinquish the skull.

Several other options were tested in the making of this page, all of which lead to Praesthogor refusing to give it up.
No claims are made that these tests were extensive : there are possibly other ways to obtain the skull.

### Returning to Kandake

#### If you **chose** to leave without the skull

You can try to lie to Kandake about it, but if you fail the roll she will refuse to pay you.
You get another chance to convince or intimidate her to pay you.
If you success, the payroll is indeed nice :

* 1 Renown
* 22 Bross
* 1 Dragonbone
* Precious Treasure (exact count missing)

#### If you couldn't obtain the skull from Praesthogor

*I haven't been able to test this scenario*

#### With the head

*Following the aforementioned sequence 2-3-1 during the dialogue with Praesthogor, there was no event option to **not** participate in the summoning. Some players here have reported otherwise.*

Upon returning to Leviathan's Demise with the head, Kandake promptly sets out to revive the Golden One (or so she believes).

Rewards:

* 2 DragonBone
* 2 Valuable Treasure
* 2 Rare Jewelry
* 2 Rare Jewel
* 2 Bross

You are invited to come back 3 days later to attend to the experiment.
Doing so, you impotently watch the events unfold, as the unwhole awakens and reforms his material body only to have Kandake interrupt the process and (possibly ?) merge herself with the unwhole.

This leaves you with a **secret** information that you can sell at some various characters over the land, as well as 1 Renown and 10 Insight.

*There may be alternate endings that I haven't been able to unlock, feel free to extend this page with your findings !*