Oblivion:Skaleel

Skaleel (RefID: 00035F4A)
Location	Vahtacen
Race	Argonian	Gender	Female
Level	PC+1	Class	Mage
RefID	00035F4A	BaseID	00035F43
Other Information
Health	35 + (3+0.6)x(PC+0), PC=4-100
Magicka	138 + 7.5x(PC+0) (max=250)
Responsibility	50	Aggression	5
Essential	Always
Faction(s)	None

Skaleel

Skaleel, an Argonian mage, is a member of the Mages Guild who is currently running a research project at Vahtacen. She will be your contact from Irlav Jarol and will send you to Denel once you arrive. She is not accessible without the key given to you by Irlav Jarol in the related quest.

She lives a very simple life: between 11pm and 6am she sleeps on a bedroll in the first large chamber of Vahtacen and will then spend the rest of the day wandering around it. She and Denel have also set up a table where copies of The Wild Elves and Jarol's book on the Ayleids, Magic from the Sky can be found.

She wears middle-class attire consisting of a russet felt outfit and a pair of matching shoes. She also carries a leveled amount of gold and a torch. She doesn't wield any weapons, relying instead on a set of leveled random mage spells.

Related Quests

• Vahtacen's Secret: Find out how the Mages Guild's excavation of Vahtacen is faring.

Quest-Related Events

When approaching Skaleel she will warn you:

"This is a restricted area, I'm afraid. Guild mages only."

When you speak to her for the first time she will say:

"What is your business here? Don't tell me Jarol sent you..."

No.

"Then I'll have to ask you to leave the way you came in. The guild is conducting official research here, and I can't have anyone interfering."

Yes.

"Irlav sent you, did he? Figures. He can't be bothered to come check on his own project, so he sends someone who knows nothing about it. And this is supposed to help? No offense to you, friend. It's not your fault. And perhaps you can help. If you can figure out how to use the pillar, I'd be thrilled. You're welcome to try your hand at it."

She can then be asked further questions:

Vahtacen

"This place has been nothing but trouble, as far as I'm concerned. Since we disposed of the creatures that had taken up residence here, it's been nothing but a fight to figure out how the place works. The pillar has had us stumped for more than a week now, not to mention the injuries it's caused."

Pillar

"That's what we're calling it, only because we don't know what it really is. Or was. It's magical - we know that much. Enchanted somehow. We think it's a lock of some sort, but haven't been able to figure out how it works. All I can say for sure is that it reacts to magic. Badly, most of the time. Several mages were hurt attempting to cast spells at it. It's at the bottom of the ruins, if you wish to try your luck. Be careful, though, it could be quite hazardous to your health. Best to play it safe. No complex magic. Stick to basic spells with single effects. It's not worth taking unnecessary risks."

Pillar

"It's connected to the rest of the chamber, we know that much. We just don't know how it works. I've given up trying to figure it out. It's just beyond us. I don't know why Denel stays down there. I have no idea. He's just asking to get killed."

She will end every conversation with a depressing remark:

"What a waste of my talents..."

After speaking with Denel:

"If there's anything about Vahtacen you need explained, let me know. I'll help if I can."

Ayleid Reference

"I don't know why Denel's even trying. This is doomed to fail. But fine. If he wants it, he can have it. It's just one more thing I'll get blamed for in the end."

She will then give you the book to decipher the markings. Once you have unlocked the pillar:

"Have you found anything interesting in the ruins?"

Pillar

"You made it work? That's fantastic! Not only can I tell Irlav, we're back on track, but I can happily say we did it without his help! There must be something down there worth locking up. Would you mind taking a look, as long as you're here? If I can send you back with something worthwhile, Irlav may forget all about the delays."

Once you have obtained the Ancient Elven Helm from the ruins, Skaleel will be intrigued:

"What's that you have there?" That looks important, whatever it is. I think you've really found something! You'd best get that to Irlav back at the Imperial City as soon as possible. He'll want the mages there to examine it more closely."

If approached again:

"Get that artifact back to Irlav at the Arcane University. He's in a better position to study it than I am. Or to assign someone else to do it..."

Bugs

• Even after completion of her related quest, Skaleel will remain permanently essential.
  • The Unofficial Oblivion Patch, version 3.5.4, fixes this bug.