1. Tower Of Mzark Exit
2. Tower Of Mzark Location
3. Tower Of Mzark

A great open expanse extends beneath Eastmarch, and perhaps even beneath all of Skyrim. This hidden and near-legendary location is reported to house ancient Dwarven ruins, strange creatures, and monsters too horrible to venture into the light above. An overview of Blackreach Mzark Cavern is a small section of the larger Blackreach cavern system. Torghast, Tower of the Damned is a replayable endgame instanced feature introduced in World of Warcraft: Shadowlands.Players looking to improve their characters will be spending a great deal of time here; Torghast is the only source of Soul Ash, a currency needed to create customizable Legendary Armor. Approach the door, open it and afterwards use the lever to get to the Tower of Mzark. Thoroughly explore the first room of the Tower, as there are multiple precious artifacts hidden there. Afterwards head south-west, open the gate and turn left. Use the ramp to reach the top level of the construction. It's easiest to just go straight to the Tower of Mzark on the surface and glitch through the gate. Then you go directly into the Elder Scroll room. That is, of course, if you don't mind exploits.

The Tower of Mzark is an abandoned Dwarventower located in Blackreach. The tower can only be initially accessed from Blackreach. It is situated in the southwestern corner of the cavern, on a spire between two waterfalls. There is a stone bridge over the river which connects to the northern face of the tower.

The tower has an exterior, an interior zone, and the surface exterior where the lift is.

Related Quests[edit]

• Discerning the Transmundane: Uncover the secrets of the mysterious Dwemer lockbox.
• Elder Knowledge: Recover an Elder Scroll to learn an Ancient Secret.
• Scroll Scouting: Obtain all three Elder Scrolls for Dexion Evicus.^DG

Walkthrough[edit]

Exterior[edit]

After crossing over the bridge, you will see a winding set of stairs going down to your left, as well as a door ahead, which leads to a lift that will take you up to the interior of the tower. Proceeding down the flight of stairs, you will come across an unlocked chest to your right, along with two pieces of Dwemer scrap metal—namely a solid Dwemer metal and a bent Dwemer scrap metal. The chest will always contain either a piece of jewelry or an amulet of one of the Nine Divines. Other leveled loot may include more jewelry, gems, soul gems, and/or scrolls.

Continuing down the flight of stairs further, you will reach the southern face of the tower with stone arches and a Dwemer pipe overhead. There is a crimson nirnroot plant growing among some mushrooms here. If you proceed down the stairs further, you will eventually reach a stone platform raised above the water, between the two waterfalls. Towards the west of the platform is a short flight of stairs going down into the water. Across the water is a Falmer campsite inhabited by three leveled Falmer. The camp has a Falmer chest, three corundum ore veins, and in the tent at the top of the hill, a Dwemer boss chest.

Tower of Mzark[edit]

To get to the inside, go back to the door on the northern face of the tower. Open the door and use the lever ahead, which will activate the lift and bring you up to the tower's interior.

Upon using the lift, you will arrive in a short corridor leading to a small chamber. After entering the chamber, immediately to your right is a stone chair and three tiers of shelves. There are more than forty ruined books resting on the shelves, as well as two Dwemer gyros, and a random heavy armor helmet. There are also two Dwemer chests resting on the shelves, one of which has a novice-level lock. Directly opposite these shelves in the east corner of the room is another shelf with a random, empty soul gem on it.

In the middle of the room, surrounded by more than ten stone benches, there is an extinguished campfire with two pots hanging over it. One pot contains two guaranteed samples of charred skeever hide, while the other pot contains one glowing mushroom. Nearby is an unowned bed roll and a knapsack propped up against an unusable barrel.

Moving on ahead and to the far right (west) corner, you will see three stone chairs in front of some tables that are littered with ruined books. Resting on one of the tables is a copy of the Smithingskill bookThe Armorer's Challenge, as well as one of five random potions—potion of cure disease, of cure poison, of healing, of magicka, or of stamina. To the left of the skill book is a Dwemer shelf with a thistle branch, a bowl of spriggan sap, two pine thrush eggs, and two Dwemer plates. A Dwemer cog rests on top of the shelf.

On the opposite side, in the south corner of the room, is a symmetrical set-up of stone chairs, tables, and another Dwemer shelf. The shelf contains more ruined books, two Dwemer cogs, and another chest with a novice-level lock. On the adjacent table you can find an apothecary's satchel. Just beside the satchel are a scroll of candlelight, a scroll of muffle and various items of clutter. There are also a few Dwemer dishes lying around. Resting on the other side of the table with a few more ruined books is a leveled potion of strength.

Continuing on through the next door brings you to a short passage with two Dwemer pots by the sides and a closed door at the end. The door leads you to a large circular main chamber which houses the Oculory, a curious device created by the Dwemer for unknown purposes. Enter the chamber and continue to move in a clockwise direction up the winding ramp, eventually reaching the Oculory. This device has numerous focusing lenses and is used during the related quest Elder Knowledge to acquire an Elder Scroll. Controls for the device are located on a raised podium with several buttons and a receptacle for placing a Blank Lexicon. Behind the controls, along the back wall of the main chamber, is a Dwemer shelf with five Dwemer cogs piled up next to it. This is especially helpful to the Dragonborn during the first part of the quest Arniel's Endeavor.

Directly below the podium, you will be able to find the skeletal remains of Drokt, along with his journal beside him. From reading his journal, you can deduce that he became obsessed with the Oculory, but died without successfully focusing it. Reading it may also aid you in solving the Oculory puzzle during the related quests. Drokt carries exactly 18 gold, three pieces of charcoal, a roll of paper, a sample of bone meal, and a steel dagger.

Proceed through the door below the focusing controls along a short passage to the lift that will take you back to the surface.

Surface[edit]

Upon reaching the surface, you will find yourself in an enclosed area. Simply activate the lever to the right side of the gate to unlock it; this adds a new marker to your map if you have the Runed Lexicon, allowing you to fast travel to this lift. The lift serves as one of four permanent access points to Blackreach.

Outside the lift is an abandoned campsite with two tents. After exiting the lift, immediately to your left is a lit campfire. There is a pot hanging over it containing two pheasant roasts. To the right of the stairs is a table with small and large Dwemer plate metals, a Dwemer plate, and a potato. A knapsack leans against this side of the stairs next to a shovel. Both tents contain unowned bed rolls, and in between the two tents is an unlocked chest. Inside the larger tent lies an empty chest beside a table strewn with various equipment including an iron sword, an iron dagger, a pair of iron gauntlets, a pickaxe, and a saw.

Notes[edit]

• Before entering the Tower of Mzark from Blackreach, there is an ebony ore vein to the east, on a small island in the river.
• Directly under the stone bridge is a crimson nirnroot plant.
• There is an iron ore vein southwest of the lift on the surface, up the steep slope.
• Two snowberry plants can be found near the lift, around the abandoned campsite.
• The Tower of Mzark and the surrounding area appears in ESO as Mzark Cavern.

Bugs[edit]

• The Tower of Mzark lift is erroneously marked as being in Hjaalmarch.
  • This issue has been addressed by version 2.1.1 of the Unofficial Skyrim Patch; it has been set to be part of the Pale instead.

Maps[edit]

• Tower of Mzark

TOWER OF MZARK

Thaddeus

'What do you think the lineage is on that one?'

'I don't know. Some sort of elf. Bosmer, maybe.'

'This one was thinking Dunmer, though now he sees Bosmer too. Perhaps a bit of both?'

Thaddeus wiped his silver blade clean on the Falmer slave in question, ignoring Cassius and Kharjo's debate. The existence of these crossbreeds had been shocking, initially, even to him. He'd been stumbling around half-blind and plastered on the first day out in the unknown. Now they neared the end of their third day in Blackreach. Bitter by reluctant sobriety, he'd lost any compassion for the mindless slaves.

Used bandages and lightened packs were all they had to show for the expedition. Thaddeus would have had more of the former if his flask hadn't emptied midway through the venture. Water was all anyone else had brought from Sinderion's lab. True, he suffered less nagging once he wasn't falling on his own sword in every scrap. Iralie healed him twice as much as the others combined, most like.

The tradeoff was hardly balanced, though. Agmaer's shrill screams haunted his ears without mead to block them out.

Short and swift was the battle with the freshest batch of Blackreach's blind residents. Valentine made his rounds, checking in on everyone. The Dragonborn's brother had elected himself their unofficial leader. In his inebriated and later hungover states, Thaddeus happily gave up the title. Some remained loyal to him first; Durak, Azrael, and Bran, Thaddeus' husky. All others—pirates and Redthorns included—turned to the Guildmaster instead.

Concealed in his featureless mask and hood, Valentine approached. 'You well, Thaddeus?'

Thaddeus grunted under his full helm. 'I'll be better when there's two of everything.' He tapped the empty flask dangling from his belt.

The thief kept walking without pause, returning to his family. Thaddeus watched, the narrow eyeslots obscuring the three Imperials somewhat. Around Katjaa's people he wore his helm more oft than not. They looked at him and saw the immortal Krex, not Thaddeus. And they didn't like viewing the man with Arenar's face drink and blunder around like a fool.

'Who needs 'em?' Thaddeus muttered.

'What was that, boss?' Durak asked, joining him at his side.

Thaddeus said nothing, quiet as the team rolled out. He heard mentions that they were less than an hour away from the lab. The surroundings weren't familiar to him, but the first half of the trip was a foggy haze apart from the slaves. He couldn't wait to refill his flask... or see Serana.

Two more packs of Falmer and slaves assaulted them, slowing them past the predicted hour. Their numbers swelled after the dragon roars from the day before. He'd been down to the last drops of his mead when he heard the unmistakable noise. The reactions of the others had been a surprising confirmation the sound hadn't been in his head. If Katjaa's team came across the dragon, they'd be able to fight it. Thaddeus' crew could do nothing and didn't know where to begin the search; the roars had been distinct but distant, coming from any number of directions. They'd voted to stick to the plan, regrouping at the lab, choosing to ignore the dragon threat.

Finally, his team stopped at the top of a hill overlooking the hovel, a quarter mile from their position. In that small stretch, even in Blackreach's murky blue lighting, there was no confusing what they saw.

'That... that's the dragon.'

Thaddeus would've smacked Belisarius upside the head if he weren't so bewildered.

The dragon of Blackreach rested outside of Sinderion's lab. Thaddeus would have guessed the dragon to be on the smaller side, what with Blackreach being a glorified hole in the ground. That was not the case at all. Curled up in a U-shape, its body blocked the road and the outskirts; the door to Alftand was inaccessible without clambering over the dragon. It its head, horned and coated in copper scales, laid on one wing. Maybe the dragon is sleeping.

'Are those people around the dragon?' asked Bjorn Ironsight, Belisarius' fellow Redthorn.

Thaddeus removed his helm, unable to see whatever his fellow Nord had. Sure enough, blurry humanoids moved peacefully around the dragon. Around the dragon were blossoms of fire, magic, or some other light, not so brightly to flesh out the shadows at this distance.

'Think it could be Falmer?' Vex asked.

'Could the Falmer have enslaved a dragon?' Valentine asked in response.

'This explains why Harkon's men never returned,' Azrael observed. 'They wouldn't have been prepared to fight a dragon.'

'We're not prepared to fight a dragon,' Valentine said. 'Without Katjaa, we'd be as hopeless as Harkon's men.'

Thaddeus wasn't keen on waiting for Dragonborn reinforcement. But he acknowledged the sense in it and relented, content going wherever he was directed. Plans were formed quickly, and he was going nowhere. Nearly the whole team was in the same boat. Azrael and Valentine alone would scout the lab-turned-dragon nest. Invisibility magic made them the top choices for risking close proximity to the dragon and Falmer.

Idle chat filled the time while the thief and vampire were done. Thaddeus didn't take part. He sat with his sword drawn. At any moment the dragon might be alerted; the two rogues exposed, captured or killed. Thaddeus would take up arms to save them—or avenge them. If the team opted to stay behind, then so be it. To die in a hopeless rescue mission against an immortal beast would be better than steam to the face. Sovngarde would welcome me kindly.

Assuming Sovngarde was lenient on his milk-drinking ways. Vulnerable and weak in grief for Agmaer, Thaddeus had been a poor excuse for a Nord as of late. The Valentine child was more competent than him, and less prone to drunken fits. In time, the scars on his heart and mind would fade. But not today; today, he'd be sour until he had a drink in his hand.

The team hadn't been waiting long when someone—or something came crawling to the top of the hill. A gargoyle, he presumed Azrael's, scampered up to Thaddeus and dropped a crumbled note at his feet. He'd barely blinked before the stone monster disappeared in a puff of smoke. He read the note, once to himself and again aloud for the rest of the team. 'Not Falmer. Katjaa's team. Katjaa's dragon.'

Argis, housecarl to the heir of Whiterun, nodded his approval. 'She captured a dragon. Impressive.'

Thaddeus rose to his feet, tossing the note aside. 'Let's get down there, then. See for ourselves the truth of this. Have your weapons ready, in case this is a trap.'

Even Thaddeus thought the chances of this being a Falmer rouse were low. The gargoyle and well-penned note made it practically impossible. Katjaa taming a dragon seems impossible too, though not nearly as so. And yet, the team listened. Beat to shit and incoherent most of this expedition, and my authority stands. Perhaps I'm Nord enough for Sovngarde.

Neither the dragon, awake and aware after all, nor the figures launched an attack as Thaddeus' team neared them. He wasn't convinced of peace until he was near enough to identify his allies in the crowd. Katjaa and her team were there in full force. Serana stood by the dragon, the sight of her granting him great relief and a bright smile. Her vampiric features were not a bother to him. He also spotted Ingjard and Beleval, bringing him further delight. Agmaer was his friend first, but losing any more Dawnguard would ruin him.

'How was the expedition?' Katjaa asked, also close to her pet dragon.

'Dull, compared to yours,' Thaddeus guessed.

His sobered mind caught details honey-wine would have made him miss. Katjaa's neck was bandaged, partially covering her sustained injuries. Either end of three parallel lines poked out the top and bottom of her coverings. Wulfric bore similar markings on his cheek, exposing fresh, raw scars. The oddest thing was they weren't alone; unfurling its wing, the dragon revealed the same pattern violently etched into its hide.

The same foe attacked all three. A second Centurion? Thaddeus didn't envy them if they had. 'How did...' He paused, considering his wording. 'Well, what happened?'

'The first day we had dozens of minor skirmishes, nothing major,' Arenar said. 'Not until nighttime. Slaves and crossbreeds accompanied the Falmer that hit us while we slept. Valentine said you lot encountered them much the same way.'

'The real story is yesterday,' Katjaa said. 'We took a vote: return here, or search an abandoned elevated city overlooking Blackreach. The city won out, but inside... Rimion, he...'

She looked away from Thaddeus. He followed her eyes, spotting Rimion and Lydia sat with their backs against the hovel. His exquisite cobalt robe, eye-patch, and enchanted jewelry were missing. He was in an undershirt and trousers, presenting his surprisingly well-built frame. His arms and legs bulged, rippling beneath the straining fabrics; his clothes looked meant for someone half his size. He was the fittest Altmer Thaddeus had ever seen; but right now, also the saddest. His expression was dead, and the lighting tinted the amber in his menacing glare a darker shade.

His thumb grazed his left hand, which had been bandaged last Thaddeus saw. 'Kole infected me,' Rimion revealed. 'I'm a werewolf.'

Thaddeus glanced at Ingjard. She nodded solemn confirmation. He couldn't believe it. An Arch-Mage, one who was friends with a werewolf, should have known how easily lycanthropy can spread. It was common lore in tales of manbeasts, at least for children of Skyrim as Thaddeus had once been. His own knowledge went further still; vampires were the Dawnguard's priority, but he'd studied a range of monsters and creatures at the fort. Lycanthropy, like vampirism, was highly treatable until the final stage.

'Rimion, I'm sorry,' Thaddeus said. 'I didn't know Kole had inflicted the wound. I would have cleansed it like I did my own, where he drank my blood.'

Rimion offered nothing. He brooded in silence together with his Nordic love. Thaddeus let the subject drop. Noteworthy as Rimion's turn of events was, a friendly dragon overshadowed him by a mile. He motioned to Katjaa to continue.

She caught his cue right away. 'Vulthuryol—' Her dragon made a guttural sound at mention of his name. '—appeared after we wiped out a Falmer ambush and Rimion completed his shift. They clashed, wrecking the city while the rest of us took cover. Rimion had knocked me out, and when I came to, Vulthuryol incapacitated Rimion.'

The dragon bellowed a booming laugh. 'Graal ok klov voth vund. The mungrohiik stood no chance fighting me. For all his newfound power, he will never come close to mul do dovah, to strength of a dragon.'

Tower Of Mzark Exit

'You promised not to antagonize my people, Vulthuryol.'

'My apologies, Dovahkiin.' What an odd sight, a Breton ordering around a dragon. If Thaddeus wasn't mistaken, the dragon's fanged maw imitated a smile. 'I am used to tinvaatey voth kip, toying with mortals. Change is tirah to a dovah, but I will try.'

Katjaa cleared her throat. 'As I was saying, Vulthuryol ended the fight with Rimion, but I wasn't far behind. I stepped up to him and we talked. We made a pact, and he's going to help us.'

Vulthuryol nodded. 'The Kel woke me from my slumber. Beneruvos vod uv feln, nii los nid dumedak. It has a distinctive call, ol tirah wah zey ol Zu'u los wah hi. I will lead your party to it and shelter you from harm. If aan Kel will defeat Alduin, aan Kel I will provide.' He waved over to Katjaa. 'Ysmir has promised wah stin zey, to break me out of this prison.'

How will she do that? Squeeze him into a lift? Curious as he was, Thaddeus didn't dare ask the question. Whether Katjaa was able to perform this feat wasn't important; but he wouldn't be the one to plant doubt in Vulthuryol's mind. The dragon falling for the plan was all that mattered.

'How long do you all think you need to rest?' Caden asked them. 'We arrived at midday, and I think we're all fairly recuperated. The sooner we head out, the sooner we'll have the Elder Scroll and we can leave Blackreach.'

'Kharjo would enjoy a bath and a nap, were both available.' He shrugged. 'He can handle comfortable safeguard from a dragon as he walks.'

The pirate captain snickered. 'You give away our prized secrets, Kharjo. Jag is positive they thought we licked ourselves clean.'

'Bathing wouldn't be at the top of my list were I capable of licking myself,' Belisarius mused. 'At any rate, I agree with Kharjo. I'll cheer on the dragon from the sidelines if hordes of Falmer come to kill us.'

Everyone on Thaddeus' team gave leave to depart at the earliest time. They spent an hour at Sinderion's lab, restocking and catching up. Vulthuryol's wing was a source of concern for the mages and the dragon. Their magic went only so far. He'd aggravated the wound gliding out of the silent city. Unless he wished to risk further damage, Vulthuryol was grounded. Rimion hurt him far worse than the dragon would ever care to admit.

When they abandoned the hovel, Vulthuryol was at the head of the group. He considerately used the roads to guide them. His size forced them to stay on his heel and avoid his swinging tail. The day of walking with their wyrm escort proved, grounded or no, a dragon's a dragon. There wasn't a Falmer in sight; the Snow Elves weren't going near the beast.

Camp was set a few hours later, at the end of their third day in Blackreach. Thaddeus' crew crashed hard, but Thaddeus wasn't ready. His mind's eye, sober or no, tortured him at night. And he'd never gotten his refill of mead like he'd hoped for. Serana, hearing of his hammered exploits, had disallowed him from the drink. Not that she could stop him, but she took pride in knowing he wouldn't disobey.

Wanting to stave off sleep and tortured dreams for a time, he volunteered for first watch. He joined former members of the second team: Rimion, Lydia, Katjaa, and Serana.

'You should be sleeping,' Serana said after his thousandth yawn.

'I can take it,' he muttered, lazily rubbing his eyes. 'Guard duty is almost pointless. Falmer won't attack when we have a dragon.'

Serana pointed to the beast, slumbering a couple dozen yards from camp. His rumbling snores caused minor tremors. 'Our dragon didn't resist the lure of sleep, and he was with us.'

'You don't know how dragons work. None of us do, except maybe our mortal dragon here.' Thaddeus leaned in, lowering his voice just to be safe. 'How do you plan on freeing Vulthuryol anyway, Katjaa? From the look of things, there aren't any exits large enough for him. He would have found and used them by now.'

'I told Vulthuryol what I needed him to hear,' Katjaa answered. 'I think he realizes I might be lying. He's refused to tell us where the Elder Scroll is, set on leading us instead.'

'So what do you intend on doing?' Lydia asked.

Katjaa shrugged. 'I have an idea... if it works or not, I couldn't guess.'

She went quiet, deciding not to share the idea. Thaddeus gazed back at Vulthuryol. Whatever she was going to do, it had to be something the dragon had never considered or had access to. Alduin had put him in here for a good reason—there seemed no way to free him. The situation reminded Thaddeus of Durnehviir. The poor cursed dragon, constrained to the Soul Cairn thanks to the trickery of the Ideal Masters. Flying in Tamriel's skies was all he desired, but he was unable to do it alone. He needed a calling from this side, from Nirn. Thaddeus hadn't been able to help, lacking the ability to Shout. But now I know someone who can...

He shared an abbreviated version of the trip to the Soul Cairn with Katjaa, with emphasis on Durnehviir. 'Perhaps this is how you free Vulthuryol,' he said at the end of the report. 'Shout his name once we're on the surface.'

Katjaa was silent for a few minutes, a concentrating furrow to her brow. Thaddeus thought she was considering the proposal. And he was right, but she wasn't considering it alone. 'Midzinkah says it won't work,' she finally announced. 'Dragon names carry power, yes, but Durnehviir's case is special. Just Shouting Vulthuryol's name won't open a fissure to free him, or teleport him out. Midzinkah doesn't know how or why Durnehviir's name would free him from Oblivion. He doesn't even recall a dragon named Durnehviir.'

'He adopted the name due to his entrapment,' Serana recalled, 'or so he told us.'

'When we're out of Blackreach, I'll see about freeing Durnehviir,' Katjaa said. 'Until then, I'm focusing on one dragon at a time.'

The camp fell silent, and it wasn't long before Thaddeus couldn't ignore his need for sleep.

The trip was mundane, despite the additions of a dragon and a novice werewolf. Dwemer automatons appeared once or twice a day, but never in the numbers of the Falmer. And there weren't any Falmer. The drop in action left little to do but scan the cavern as they walked. They'd entered Alftand a week ago, if he hadn't lost track. Nonstop fighting automatons and Falmer wore down on a person. Even vampires weren't a day-to-day or rather night-to-night worry on the surface. So the rest brought by Vulthuryol was nice. But the constant rush of battle had helped push Agmaer's screams out of his head, much like alcohol had blurred them.

Thanks to Vulthuryol and Serana, Thaddeus was fully aware. He hated every second of it.

Thaddeus kept a vigilant eye on Rimion. Lycanthropy brought the monster out of people; if the Dawnguard weren't careful, Rimion's monster could go unchecked. The most harmful thing he ever did was draw nonsensical lines and figures in the dirt and flick pebbles, however. He never displayed any signs of an upcoming shift—advanced aggression, sporadic movements, acute sensitivity to fire.

Several strains of lycanthropy existed in Tamriel. Victims could shift every night, according to moon phases, or under other special circumstances. Thaddeus supposed Kole had belonged to the third group—in full control of when and where to shift. If so, the same trait would have passed on to Rimion. Barring the possibility that Kole's connection to Hircine gifted him such a trait.

On the fourth day of pacing behind the dragon guide, Rimion came to him. 'You're not making me any calmer about this whole situation.'

'Hmm?'

'All the Dawnguard stare at me, expecting me to rip everyone to shreds.' He shot the Nord a wary glance. 'You're more heedful than the rest.'

Thaddeus sighed. 'It's nothing personal, Rimion. I—'

'I understand you can't trust me, no one can,' Rimion blurted. 'I don't remember a second of being a werewolf, but I saw what I'd done. Vulthuryol and I leveled the city. Katjaa and Wulfric were scarred for the rest of their lives because of me.' He winced as he said, 'I shattered Lydia's arm. It's a miracle I could heal it to a functioning state. But I don't think it'll ever fully recover. Her bones were in splinters from a single hit—and she had blocked the blow!' He shook his head. 'I don't know when I'm going to stop hurting her.'

'It's difficult to cure lycanthropy at your point,' Thaddeus said, 'but not impossible. The quickest route is becoming a vampire, but the price is too high.' Thaddeus checked that Serana or Azrael hadn't heard him. No need to offend them. Both were in separate conversations, too busy to hear his low voice.

'The Companions have a method,' Rimion said. 'Kole said he'd cured the previous Harbinger's lycanthropy; something about witches in Falkreath Hold.' He wrung his hands. 'Not that the Companions will help me. Aela, Kole's love and mother to his child, will likely succeed him. Why would she help her husband's killer?'

'You didn't kill Kole.'

'He died saving me; it's the same thing.' Thaddeus began to argue but Rimion gestured for silence. 'You won't convince me. I'm not getting help from the Companions, and I'm not becoming a vampire. I'll figure it out when the Elder Scroll is dealt with.' He grinned, but his heart wasn't in it. 'Just please, don't reach for your hilt every time you think of me. I respect and understand your caution, but can't you let them hate me all on their own? I'm not so close to them, but I consider you a friend, Thaddeus.'

Thaddeus smiled and patted Rimion's back. 'You are my friend, Rimion, and your request is fair. I will guard the team from you if I must... but I have faith in you. You're stronger than this disease. There are good werewolves, just as there are good vampires and good spirits and so on.'

Rimion didn't agree, but his disposition improved... a bit.

True to his word, Thaddeus strove to see the man in Rimion and not the beast. The Altmer he befriended in Winterhold was jolly, irreverent yet reliable. Alftand and Blackreach had changed Rimion, none for the better. But beneath it all, he was a good man.

Three days passed—two weeks in total since delving into Alftand. Thaddeus was at his wit's end, irritated by the lackluster expedition. He was half-tempted to wander off the road. Go into the uncharted mushroom kingdom on his lonesome for a while. Confront the horde of Falmer no doubt stalking them from afar. Vulthuryol tossed the group a bone. 'Ni pogaas zugut. The Kel is near. Its song prenlon ko dii honiir, rings in my ears.'

'He has ears?' Saria asked.

Up ahead was a tower, so tall it touched the cavern ceiling. The river running to the group's left pooled underneath the tower, built at the precipice of a waterfall. A Centurion-like head hung above the tower doors, unnerving Thaddeus. A bridge spanned over the river, the access point only a few minutes from their location.

Vulthuryol stopped at the foot of the bridge, too small for him to cross. 'The Kel is inside. If it will submit to you... hi fent koraav.' He turned to face them. In the coral they'd made, it'd be effortless to harm them with a Shout. 'Now, Dovahkiin, you must pay up.' If Vulthuryol could arch a brow, he was doing it now. 'Can you pay?'

Thaddeus looked to Katjaa. She'd never elaborated on her plan. For all he knew, she'd lied in camp that first night under Vulthuryol's protection.

'I... I believe I can.' She separated from the group, stopping before Vulthuryol's lowered head. If he wasn't impressed by her payment, they'd know soon enough. She was so close; it'd be no effort for the dragon to snap her up or ignite her with a Shout. The Dragonborn must have known this, but her calm demeanor hid any trace of fear. 'The Greybeards, mortal masters of the Thu'um, imparted their wisdom on me. They transferred their understanding of Words of Power.'

Thaddeus got the gist of where she was going. He was certain she would die. Is she a fool? She thinks this dragon—an actual dragon, not a mortal masquerading as such—does not know his own language? His own magic?

'I cannot split the earth as Alduin did to trap you down here,' Katjaa confessed. 'But dividing the land might be unnecessary to reach the surface. One Shout I know might be the answer. With my limited understanding, it saves me from harm, but I believe it could do more. I rely on Dragon Walls and dragon souls to strengthen myself. You, an ancient and powerful dragon, might do more with less. Maybe you could take the Shout further, and phase out completely from the world. Fly right through the miles of earth hanging above our heads to escape Blackreach.'

Her composure was confident and relaxed all throughout. The plan wasn't so competent, riddling with possibilities and uncertainties. Cracking the cavern ceiling was more believable than climbing through that much dirt and permafrost. He wasn't the one to convince, however.

'I bring you to the Kel, and you feed me 'mights' and 'maybes',' Vulthuryol noted. 'Buruk wah ov, hard to trust.'

Katjaa stood her ground. 'I know it's a longshot. But after thousands of years in confinement, the dimmest glimmer of hope should be worth the effort of walking us here. All you've suffered is a damaged wing, and it's healed.'

Vulthuryol fluttered the wing in question. His heighted healing factor and assistance from the mages had fared him well. He'd tested the hide two days earlier while the group set camp, flying for several minutes. He flew long yesterday evening, and both times, his wounds had shown no signs of strain.

The dragon and Dragonborn studied one another. They might has well have been all alone in Blackreach with how they neglected the presence of the group. Thaddeus and the team readied their weapons and magic, just in case. When divided, Katjaa's team had to run and hide at the sighting of Vulthuryol. Their chances of survival had been nonexistent. Now reunited and revitalized, the whole group battling the beast wouldn't be so hopeless.

Then Vulthuryol broke the tension with a draconic chuckle. 'I have softened from my sentence ko daar piiv. Fine, Dovahkiin, let us test hin mindah. Zu'u nis saan.' His humor vanished. 'There was a time I smashed joorre underfoot if they met my eyes. Midzinkah makes you different, but you are still joor. Know this, Dovahkiin—if I'm not pleased, you will never see the Kel.'

'A... fair trade.'

She took a deep breath and extended her hands. Vulthuryol edged his head forward, pressing orange scales to her bare palms. He closed his eyes, and Thaddeus assumed Katjaa did the same. Mortal and immortal stood frozen as statues. Whatever was happening was invisible to his eye, if anything was occurring at all.

'Has she ever done this before?' Thaddeus asked in a hushed voice.

'Far as we know, she's only been on the receiving end,' Arenar said.

The news wasn't promising. There was no saving Katjaa if things turned south, not when she was already pressed up to the dragon's maw. Her life depended on executing a transfer she'd never attempted.

Minutes dragged on like hours until Katjaa uttered, 'Feim.'

On the small patch of ground left between her and Vulthuryol, a light glowed. Random scratches in the dirt—scratches that hadn't been there seconds ago—were the source of the orange light. The illuminating scratches faded and a brighter light replaced them. Katjaa burst into flames. Unharmed, she bloomed with flashes of orange, blue, and purple. Her explosion of energy spread onto Vulthuryol—the knowledge transfer.

Thaddeus' jaw hung low, not believing what he was seeing.

The exchange was short lived. Vulthuryol's eyes peeled open. 'Feim... feim nol lein. I never considered such a use... joor kiindah?' He was talking to himself. Katjaa had staggered back to the group, heavy with exhaustion and blood trickling down her nose. Arenar rushed to aid her.'Geh, daar uld kroson.Fos fund wahl nii muliik? Zii? Aalkos.' He refocused on the crowd. 'You've bestowed more than a glimmer, Dovahkiin.'

Katjaa was busy with Arenar, so Caden stepped in. 'Is her knowledge worth the Elder Scroll, then? Are we permitted to pass?'

Vulthuryol nodded. 'If I apply her teachings with what I already know... koraavnu fahliille will be all that resides in this piiv. I will vesey lok, kiss the sky.' He flapped his wings, sending gusts of wind toward them as he propelled himself upward. Hovering, he said, 'Dovahkiin, I hope we meet again.Krif voth ahkrin.'

And with that, he departed, soaring off somewhere into Blackreach. Perhaps his dragon lair, to finalize his escape.

'By the Nine,' Katjaa sighed. 'I can't believe that worked.'

Tower Of Mzark Location

The Oculory was a puzzle, a beautiful one at that, but trial and error beat the Dwemer mechanism. Thaddeus watched in awe as the focusing lenses spun around the room, the chandelier-like centerpiece lowering down to the floor. With a button press, the largest glass orb opened, revealing the prize inside.

The heads of the four groups stood alone on the spherical Dwemer mound embedded in the floor. They were closest to the Scroll. The rest of the expedition team was behind them. All marveled at the prophetic artifact, common in appearance yet masking the legendary power of the Scrolls. Most men went their whole lives without standing in the presence of one. Thaddeus, in less than a year, had stood in the presence of three.

Minutes passed without a sound, until Jag asked, 'So, who gets it?'

It was the question that'd plagued them since day one in Alftand. Before the Centurion engagement, open hostility assured a winner-takes-all fight for the Scroll. Now, brought together by hardship and loss, the teams were cordial. The issue of claim on the Scroll existed, but the response of bloodshed and violence was out the window. Unless things turn ugly fast.

'Why do you need the Scroll?' Thaddeus asked.

Katjaa looked to him, confused. 'You already know why.'

He shook his head. 'No, what we received before was a rushed explanation when we had our blades ready in hand. I want more details about why you need the Elder Scroll and what you intended to do with it, if you would.'

'Alduin was defeated once before using a combination of a Shout and an Elder Scroll,' she began. 'The Shout was called Dragonrend, made by the first mortals gifted with the Voice to cripple dragons. The Words have been lost since then. The dragon master of the Greybeards told me to bring the Elder Scroll that hurled Alduin into the Currents of Time to the Throat of the World. The Scroll will let me glimpse back in time to rediscover Dragonrend, or so I'm led to believe. From there... well, we'll play it by ear.' She crossed her arms. 'Now your turn. You need the Scroll because of vampires blocking out the Sun, right?'

'Right. Lord Harkon wishes to complete a prophecy known as The Tyranny of the Sun. Blotting out the Sun will destroy mankind's greatest advantage over vampires, and he'll strive to rule the world. The Elder Scrolls we've already collected brought some understanding, but we need this last Scroll to complete it.'

'What understanding is that?'

'Two things are required to blot out the Sun. The blood of a Daughter of Coldharbour, a pureblooded vampire.' Serana sarcastically twinkled her fingers when Katjaa looked her way. 'And Auriel's Bow.'

'Auriel's Bow?' Arenar repeated. 'I... I possessed it for a time.'

'You what?'

'I sold it to the Museum in Mournhold in the Third Era, but the Argonians sacked the city in the Fourth.' The Nerevarine shrugged. 'Auriel's Bow could be in Black Marsh, or anywhere.'

The information was interesting, but demoralizing. Thaddeus chose to ignore it for now. 'Wherever the Bow is, I intend to claim it. A Moth Priest in Fort Dawnguard will read the Scrolls and tell us where to go. We've already sent a Scroll we retrieved from Serana's mother in Oblivion to the fort. He should have it deciphered before our arrival, unless he needs both at once.'

'...is that all you need?' Katjaa asked. 'Once your Moth Priest deciphers this Elder Scroll, is it no longer of use to you?'

Thaddeus hesitated, debating whether to lie. Ideally, the Dawnguard would have unlimited access to every Elder Scroll without question. 'I cannot say for certain,' he admitted. 'I know only what I have told you... but if I had to guess, the Scrolls are needed only to point us on our way.'

She bit her lip, silently weighing her options. 'Here's what I propose. We go with you to your Fort Dawnguard, all of us, and attend the deciphering of the Scroll. Perhaps we could learn something important as well. Afterwards, you give us this Elder Scroll and we go our separate ways.'

His eyes widened. At the beginning of the expedition, he'd been ready to kill her, kill them all if he had to. Alduin was a threat, a grand one, yes. Lord Harkon and his clan alone weren't equal to the God of Destruction. But there was more involved with blotting out the Sun, or so Thaddeus saw. Without its light, the lands would freeze and the crops would die. Alduin succeeds, and we are all his slaves; Harkon succeeds, and we are all dead or turned to vampires. He'd prepared to use that in his argument. Except there wasn't one; Katjaa was willing to bequeath the hard-earned prize, free of charge.

Paranoia started creeping in, qualms that this was some sort of trap. But Thaddeus shut it out. Expecting the worst from these people had become tiring, and he'd had enough. All of them, even the damn pirates, had proven their worth.

His moment's hesitation ended with two simple words.

'I accept.'

Tower Of Mzark

A/N: Thanks to RaidanRam, Warden of Lore, Aberron, Ayuu, Ubax, Divine Protector of Skyrim, Productive faffer, Endgames, Montigo66, JM38LACK, HelloMyNameIsEd, RaptorZeroOne, Serithus, sentarita, ShoutFinder, Seyd, XGN STARMARS, ShinoHina4eva, IrishA03, Gairi, Axcel, and Xenopsyche for reviewing since the last update. Special thanks to NGinCreator for beta-reading.

After a long bout of writer's block, I did what I've done a lot in the Blackreach Arc: I split the chapter. So what was originally going to be the second half of Thaddeus' chapter will now partially become part of Chapter 80.

Next chapter will be the end of the Blackreach Arc of the story! Yay! I've had so much trouble with being down there, as you all can tell. Hopefully once we get out of there, I'll be less prone to updating only once a month (when I'm that lucky).

Also, we passed a thousand reviews! That just blows my mind. I cannot believe out of all the wonderful stories in this fandom, mine is one of the top. Whether you've been here since the beginning or just discovered the story today, I thank all of you for reading! To pass on that good karma, I highly suggest reading and reviewing ShoutFinder's 'Tyranny in Fabled Flesh'. If it is not the best AU Skyrim fic I've ever read, it's damn close.

Graal ok klov voth vund = Beat his head with wall

Mungrohiik = Werewolf

tinvaatey voth kip = Play with food

Beneruvos vod uv feln, nii los nid dumedak = Century ago or era, it is no difference

ol tirah wah zey ol Zu'u los wah hi As foreign to me as I am to you

Ni pogaas zugut = Not much further

hi fent koraav = You shall see

ko daar piiv = In this pit

hin mindah = Your knowledge

Zu'u nis saan = I cannot lose

Feim... feim nol lein = Fade... fade from world

joor kiindah = Mortal creation?

Geh, daar uld kroson.Fos fund wahl nii muliik? Zii? Aalkos. = Yes, this might work. What would build it stronger? Spirit? Maybe.

koraavnu fahliille = Blind elves

Krif voth ahkrin = Fight bravely