Ritual of Mania
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[edit] Overview
Faction: Shivering Isles Main Quest
Prerequisites: The Cold Flame of Agnon
Quest Giver: Sheogorath
Reward: Title of Duke/Duchess of Mania, Ring of Lordship, full use of the Duke's Quarters, Summon Golden Saint for 60 seconds on self
[edit] Background
Sheogorath wants you to replace one of the aristocracy of his kingdom: either Lady Syl, Duchess of Dementia; or Lord Thadon, Duke of Mania.
Note: This is the point at which you must chose a side. You must pick which Duke/Duchess to replace. Though you can pick either side and still complete the Main Quest, your choice will have certain consequences.
If you pick Mania, you will begin this quest, Ritual of Mania.
[edit] Walkthrough
After speaking with Sheogorath, talk to both priests. They can explain Arden Sul's background. Both sides claim Arden-Sul was their duke, though their stories of his final day are wildly different.
If you choose to dethrone Lord Thadon, tell Sheogorath. He claims this is the easier choice and tells you that you need to give Thadon three doses of Greenmote to kill him.
Talk to Wide-Eye, a member of Thadon's court. During the day she can be found in the throne room or the Halcyon Observatory. She tells you that Thadon enjoys "his pleasures, which include "painting, reading a good book, a rousing night of erotic bedroom games," and also Greenmote. Wide-Eye says that she would enjoy Greenmote more often, but she is too busy. You must raise her disposition before she will tell you what her duties are. They include a "special errand" every day at noon. She also says that the Greenmote is stored in a secret silo, and she refuses to tell you where it is, regardless of how high you raise her disposition.
Wait until noon. Wide-Eye will be in the Halcyon Conservatory. Follow her onto the Palace Grounds, where she will activate a statue. The statue will slide aside and the entrance to the Greenmote Silo. Wait for Wide-Eye to go inside and then follow her.
This is a sneak mission, so invisibility spells are your friend here. Follow the passage around to the right to catch up with Wide-Eye. The Silo is patrolled by Golden Saints who will arrest you on sight. If she catches you, Wide-Eye will attack you outright. Stick to the shadows, don't use spells or torches, and stay close to Wide-Eye.
At the back of the cave is a shapeless green mound. Be careful, as Wide-Eye will be standing next to this mound. Sneak around her and get close enough to the mound. This is the Greenmote Pile, and activating it will put Greenmote in your inventory. You will need at least two doses, but feel free to take as much as you want. It's valueless, but Greenmote Rapture is also one of the more powerful effects in all of alchemy. Note: Taking three doses of Greenmote at the same time will cause instant death by overdose.
As soon as you have your two doses, Wide-Eye will head back outside. Follow her out, being careful not to be spotted.
There is an alternate, though inelegant, way to accomplish this portion of the quest. You can simply run through the caves, being chased by Golden Saints and Wide-Eye. As long as you make it to the Greenmote Pile and get your two doses, you will be okay. The Greenmote will not count as a stolen item so even if you are arrested you will keep it.
Once outside, head back to the House of Mania. On the east side of the Halcyon Conservatory is the Duke's Quarters. Pick the average lock to gain entrance. Both the Conservatory and the Quarters are patrolled by Golden Saints, and this time a sloppy, pell-mell run through the area will be much more dangerous. If you resist arrest the entire House comes running for you and everyone refuses your yields, at least until you make it to Bliss or Crucible.
The kitchen is in the northeast section of the quarters. Activating the tray of food will take one dose, activating his wine will take the other. The wine is on the second shelf of the bookshelf to the right of the food. Look for the tallest bottle on the shelf.
After that, go back to the House throne room. Wait until 8:00 p.m., and watch Thadon recite terrible poetry until his heart bursts. Collect his blood and go back to the Sacellum Arden-Sul. Activate the altar and a bright yellow flame will shoot up. Dervenin will then declare you Duke of Mania.
Speak to Sheogorath, who will congratulate you on your success. Suddenly, Lady Syl interrupts, furious at Thadon's death and your succession. She declares open revolt, tells Sheogorath that the Fringe has already been lost, and leaves to become a Priest of Order for Jyggalag.
Speak to Sheogorath again. He will give you the Ring of Lordship and then send you off to investigate the Fringe.
At this point, you also have full use of the Duke's Quarters. You can take anything you want, sleep in the bed, and store anything in any of the containers. Every container in the Quarters is safe and will not reset.
This ends your current quest and begins the next: Retaking the Fringe.
[edit] Journal entries
After choosing to dethrone Lord Thadon:
- I should begin asking around New Sheoth about Thadon's court and learn the best way to get him to overdose on Greenmote without his knowledge.
After speaking to Wide-Eye:
- Wide-Eye has described to me a bit of her routine. I'll need to find where she gets Greenmote from and obtain some without being discovered. Wide-Eye mentions she does a "special errand" at noon every day, I should follow her and see where she goes.
After obtaining two doses of Greenmote:
- I've obtained two doses of Greenmote. I now need to sneak into Thadon's kitchen sometime before eight o'clock and attempt to slip an extra dose into his evening meal and into his wine without being seen, otherwise [I can] try again tomorrow night. Gundlar prepare[s] the meal in the morning, so I'll have to wait until the afternoon to poison his food.
After poisoning the food and wine:
- I've slipped an extra dose of greenmote into Thadon's meal and Thadon's wine. I should proceed to the dining area at eight o'clock for the evening feast and watch the effect the greenmote overdose has an Thadon.
After Thadon dies of an overdose:
- After Thadon rose to deliver an odd soliloquy, he clutched his heart and fell to the ground dead. I should now collect as much of his tainted blood as possible.
After placing Thadon's blood on the altar:
- After informing Sheogorath of my victory, Syl, the Duchess of Dementia become furious. Before she stormed out of the Sacellum, she threatened that we hadn't heard the last of her. I should continue speaking to Sheogorath to receive my rewards of office.
After completeing the succession:
- Sheogorath has awarded me the Ring of Lordship. I am now officially Duke of Mania of the Shivering Isles.
[edit] Bugs
-After you complete the quest, even if you are a man, the Dark Seducers will refer to you as Duchess of Mania. I don't believe they're saying it as in insult, because they sound respectful and not sarcastic.
