Online:Meln the Mouthless

Meln the Mouthless
Home Settlement	Tel Rendys
Race	Dark Elf	Gender	Male
Reaction	Friendly
Other Information
Faction(s)	House Telvanni
Condition	Spirit

Meln the Mouthless's Ghost

Meln Rendys, also known as Meln the Mouthless, is a House Telvanni Magister who once operated from the tower Tel Rendys. In life, he was known for his extreme isolationism even compared to other major Telvanni figures, and did not even employ a Mouth. He also regularly dealt with Daedra, such as those from Apocrypha.

Meln was the owner of the Black Book The Tormenting Eye, which allowed him to perceive things beyond mortal vision with ghostly sight. A few years prior he was murdered by Master Shelreni for his Black Book, and began haunting his tower after his death.

Related Quests

• Fate's Proxy: Join forces with Hermaeus Mora to stop a threat to reality itself.
• Keeper of the Fate: Investigate strange happenings in Necrom.
• Spirit of Fate: Investigate strange happenings in Tel Rendys.
• Fate's Lost Dream: Investigate strange happenings in Alavelis.
• A Hidden Fate: Research the relic, the rite, and the dream.
• Conclave of Fate: Prevent a House Telvanni disaster.
• A Calamity of Fate: Investigate what is going wrong with Apocrypha.
• An Unhealthy Fate: Find and banish Vaermina from Apocrypha.
• Chronicle of Fate: Learn what was forgotten.
• In Memory Of: Some memories are best forgotten.

Quest-Related Events

Spirit of Fate

Leramil the Wise will give you a briefing about Meln the Mouthless and Tel Rendys before you start the quest. She knows little about him but he spent most of his time within his tower. And unusally for Telvanni magister, he had no Mouth that served him which lead to his nickname.

After meeting with Leramil at Tel Rendys, you will find the Dusksabers and Master Shelreni are trying to enter the locked tower. His tower is still secure, thanks to his efforts to protect it in life, despite the attempts of the invaders. Due to this, Master Shelreni allows you to try and enter the tower, once inside you quickly encounter Meln as he shouts threats at you:

Meln the Mouthless: "You dare enter the tower of Meln, magister of the Telvanni? Turn back or be destroyed!"

Leramil the Wise: "A spirit? Ignore it and keep going, proxy."

Progressing up the tower:

Meln the Mouthless: "As if murdering me wasn't insult enough, now she sends you to steal my book?"

Leramil the Wise: "Is this spirit actually Meln the Mouthless? Perhaps he is the thread that led us here."

Once you enter the top level of the tower, the giant spectral form of Meln the Mouthless glowing red appears:

Meln the Mouthless: "Prepare to face the fury of Meln the Mouthless, magister of the Telvanni!"

<The spirit then rapidly shrinks in size as he continues to speak in a calmer tone.>

Meln the Mouthless: "Or we could have a nice chat and discuss this like civilized people."

Leramil the Wise: "A reasonable request. Speak to the spirit, proxy."

Converse with Meln the Mouthless, as he requested:

"If there's one thing I learned in death, it's how foolish the living can be. I know all that passes in my home, intruder. I heard your bargain with that so-called master, Shelreni Baro.
You have given my murderer access to my tower."

Master Shelreni murdered you? Why?

"Why does a Telvanni do anything? Ambition. Power. Greed.
Twenty years ago I stood in Shelreni's path. An obstacle to the higher rank she craved. She requested a meeting. Instead of negotiating, she killed me and tried to steal my prized possession."

If you were dead, what stopped her from stealing this possession of yours?

"Oh, just all the contingencies I had in place. With my last breath, I banished her from the tower and set all the wards and defenses. They held perfectly well … until you mucked everything up.
She'll have no trouble stealing my Black Book now."

Black Book?

"The Tormenting Eye. A tome of forbidden secrets. I see Hermaeus Mora's mark on you and your companion. If you don't know about the Black Books, she can tell you more.
Shelreni Baro is careless in her pursuit of power. She must not possess my book."

What are you asking, Meln?

"Two things protect my book. The spell of illegibility I cast upon it and the fact that without my aid, it will take her time to break the spell on her own.
Still, I'd rather she never gets her hands on it. Stop her and I'll find a way to reward you."

I need to discuss this with Leramil.

Meln is captured by Shelreni inside a soul gem

Leramil will immediately show support for going through with this plan, but Shelreni will take this opportunity to intrude on your plan:

Leramil the Wise: "The thread becomes clear. Hermaeus Mora sent us to recover the Black Book."

Master Shelreni: "The Black Book is mine! And with this soul gem, I also have this miserable spirit. Meln comes with me!"

<Master Shelreni uses a soul gem to capture Meln.>

Meln the Mouthless: "And I thought this day couldn't get any worse."

<Meln is captured and Master Shelreni leaves.>

Leramil the Wise: "I knew a Telvanni master would be formidable. Come, proxy, we have plans to make."

After his departure, you will quickly find proof that Meln was murdered by Shelreni decades ago, and since Meln had dismissed his staff and heavily warded his tower, no one ever found his body. After making a deal with Shelreni's mouth, you head to Tel Baro and once inside you soon overhear Shelreni speaking with Torvesard about him. She means to get Meln to unlock his Black Book so the ritual inside can be obtained. After Torvesard leaves to speak with the Princes, Shelreni makes a final threat to Meln before she leaves as well:

Master Shelreni: "I have no time for obstinate ghosts. You will give me access to the Black Book when I return—or else!"

Shelreni will depart to give Meln time to think about her threat, which gives you an opportunity to rescue him. He will call you over when the coast is clear:

Meln the Mouthless: "Over here! Quickly, before Shelreni comes back!"

Speak to Meln to learn how to save him, which for now simply requires you to pick up his soul gem:

"I see you were able to follow the clues I left in my tower, but you took your sweet time. I can't defy Shelreni much longer. If we're going to get out of here and keep me from complying with that lying murderer, you must do exactly as I say."

What do I need to do?

"My spirit is bound to the soul gem Shelreni used to capture me. Disentangling the connection will require more time and expertise than you have, so simply take the gem and leave.
Without me, she may never be able to unlock my Black Book."

Where is the Black Book?

"Shelreni took the Black Book with her. But without my help, she'll have to unriddle it page by page. The labor of days or weeks, not hours. If she can even accomplish it.
She's too fond of the easy path to power. It will be her undoing someday."

What does Master Shelreni need the book for?

"She doesn't need it at all. She's in league with a Dremora, Torvesard, and a pair of Daedric Princes. There's apparently a rite contained within the book they want her to cast. In return, they'll give her what she wants—control of House Telvanni."

I'll get the Soul Gem.

Before picking up the soul gem:

"The gem is right over there. Take it and leave this place. I'll literally go wherever you take me, as long as it isn't here.
I have no desire to be here when Shelreni returns."

After picking it up, Meln will speak to you telepathically:

Meln the Mouthless: "Can you hear me? With the gem in your possession, I can come and go as I please. Now use that portal and let's go."

Exit through the portal and Meln will manifest his spirit from his gem to speak face to face.

Meln the Mouthless: "Yes, this will do nicely. Let's discuss our arrangement, my chariot of flesh and bone."

Speak to him to make a deal:

"Being dead and incorporeal isn't how I planned to spend eternity, but being with you is a thousand times better than remaining in Shelreni's clutches. And we delayed her plans for my Black Book.
Now, tell me about your dealings with Hermaeus Mora."

Hermaeus Mora chose me to help save Apocrypha and Nirn from opposing Daedric Princes.

"So, end of the world stuff. Well, that's something interesting at least. Obviously, you're going to need the help of a Telvanni magister. Luckily, you have me.
Let me conjure up a small reward from my old vault. A stipend for services rendered."

Accept his payment, and you will have completed this quest. After doing so Meln will explain more about how your unique situation with him will work:

"Now, mind you keep my gem on you at all times. I can't help you save the world or advise you on matters of import if I'm not on your person.
Unless I manifest, only you can hear me. Oh, and I can lend you certain abilities, such as my ghost sight."

Advise me? About what? / You said you'd advise me. About what?

"Remember, I was a Telvanni magister. Still am, as a matter of fact. One of the most powerful mages in the peninsula. And I've dealt with Hermaeus Mora before. And Shelreni. Don't you think my counsel will be worth listening to?
Well, it is."

Why did Master Shelreni murder you again?

"Once, long ago, I was her mentor. But I recognized a darkness in her. And not the usual Telvanni traits. She was reckless. Dangerous. I refused to sponsor her advancement beyond the rank of master. And she coveted my Black Book.
So, she killed me."

Tell me about ghost sight.

"It's an improvement on the ocular lens you used in my tower. I created a spell to produce the same effect without any need of a crude focus. Turns out, it works even better now that I'm dead."

Better? What do you mean?

"My Black Book, The Tormenting Eye contains many secrets. Ghost sight was one of them. With it, I can expand your senses. Allow you to see the hidden, the imperceivable, the unseen.
I have no doubt it will prove important in the tasks ahead of us."

Once you wrap up the conversation, Meln will complain about his new travel arrangements, and Leramil will appear to expedite your journey to your next destination and debrief you.

Meln the Mouthless: "Tossed in your pack? I expect you to find a nice silk pouch for my gem at the first opportunity. Now, let's be off."

Fate's Lost Dream

If you have Meln with you he will provide some commentary during this quest. When you approach the Green Glass Inn, he and Scruut will say:

Scruut: "Are mortal villages typically so broken and on fire?"

Meln the Mouthless: "Look what they did to this village. It's an outrage!"

When you read Letter to Master Shelreni at the Green Glass Inn, both companions will comment:

Scruut: "Master Shelreni? Are you familiar with this mortal?"

Meln the Mouthless: "Bah! I should have guessed Shelreni Baro was involved in whatever happened here!"

As you read the Oblivion Gateway Instructions inside the mine:

Scruut: "This is bad, but at least we have the invocation needed to activate the gateway."

Meln the Mouthless: "An obscure invocation. Where did Shelreni dig it up, I wonder."

At the Tranquil Citadel, he will comment:

Cipher Mukheesh: "Hold, intruder. I failed to stop your allies, but I won't allow any more of you to enter the Catalog."

Meln the Mouthless: "This should be interesting. I was never allowed to visit the Tranquil Catalog before."

At the Pool of Inquiry he will speak up again:

Scruut: "These portals lead to the shrines where we can find more of the sacred tears."

Meln the Mouthless: "Shrines and tears, bah! Even the tolerable Daedra rely too much on ceremony and arcane rules of conduct."

At the Shrine of Hermorah where Spider Daedra are present, he will comment:

Meln the Mouthless: "Never did like Spider Daedra. Cruel and deceitful creatures. I'm not surprised to find them among the Dreamcarvers."

While looking at a tome on Meln's Black Book, he will comment:

Scruut: "The Tormenting Eye? That's one of my master's Black Books."

Meln the Mouthless: "That Dremora stole whatever was worth knowing here. Nothing left but the meaningless fragments. See what the Watchling makes of all this."

Fate's Proxy

Once you have completed Keeper of the Fate, Spirit of Fate, and Fate's Lost Dream, Leramil will tell you to return to the Bindery to plan your next move. You will see your assembled allies on the balcony overlooking Necrom with the notable exception of Scruut, Curate Gadayn, Meln the Mouthless, and Leramil the Wise. Meln will comment on Leramil:

"This Altmer, Leramil. She seems a few Kwama short of a clutch, if you catch my meaning. I've seen it happen to many who dared to peruse the secrets of Apocrypha.
As for the young curate, I'd say he's smitten with the lady. Mark my words."

Before you turn in the quest to Leramil:

"Shelreni Baro was ambitious to a fault when I mentored her. Now she's in league with two Daedric Princes and a clan of Dremora? I knew she was reckless, but deals with Princes always end badly.
Oh, probably not for you. You should be fine."

A Hidden Fate

Before you speak to Leramil to start the mission to Cipher's Midden:

"Can we get on with this? Hear whatever the High Elf has to say before her brains start leaking out of her ears. That happens when you gaze too long into the annals of Apocrypha, you know."

After you finish speaking with Leramil:

"Dreams and fate and secrets capable of destroying reality? What have you and Shelreni Baro gotten me into? Well, unless you toss away my soul gem, I've got no choice but to go with you.
Lucky me."

When you enter into Apocrypha, he will reflect:

Meln the Mouthless: "Apocrypha, the Oblivion realm of Hermaeus Mora. In life, I came here often."

When you enter inside Leramil's study, he will manifests:

Meln the Mouthless: "Hmm, this stack looks promising.

Meln will disapprove of the treatment of the books:

"They call this a library? I see no rhyme or reason to the cipher's organization, and this is a terrible way to treat books. I understand now why Leramil must employ spells to conduct her research here."

Head to the eastern room, and he will also help point out the stacks you should search. When you searched a stack:

Meln the Mouthless: "The spell drew that book from the stack! Quick, grab it!"

When you're going from stack to stack:

Meln the Mouthless: "This stack might contain something important."

Meln the Mouthless: "Over here. See if that scroll Leramil gave you actually works."

Meln the Mouthless: "What a mess! Have they no respect for the written word?"

Speaking to him before inspecting a stack:

"Looks like Leramil's spell worked. Take what it dredged up before it slips back into the stack."

Once you use Leramil's spell, a book will appear, and quickly start disintegrating. This is not the intended result of the spell's use. Your first pull will give you a few pages of a text known as Memories Lost before it disintegrates. Meln will comment on the clear relevance of it, and the misfortune of the book's destruction.

Meln the Mouthless: "An ancient tome describing lost memories barely remembered in a dream? Too bad you only retrieved a few pages."

Travel to the southern room, and Meln will comment on the stack of books here as being worth searching again.

Meln the Mouthless: "It's burning up! Quickly, grab whatever remains!"

The next book you pull will catch fire, limiting what you can salvage once more. What you get is a few snippets from On the Fulcrum Obscura. Meln will be suspicious of this second result incident limiting the information you recover:

Meln the Mouthless: "It's almost as though someone is eliminating these books the moment you find them. At least you recovered something."

Now head to the western room, and Meln will point out the stack you should search a final time:

Meln the Mouthless: "A brittle, old tome. Handle it carefully."

And once again, the book will disintegrate. What you do get is On the Infinite Panopticon.

Meln the Mouthless: "The book crumbled to dust! Hopefully the pages you recovered contain something relevant."

<Scruut appears nearby and then notices you.>

Scruut: "Another disturbance in the currents of fate and what do I find? The Great Eye's mortal surrogate. Again."

Scruut will appear, investigating a disturbance, specifically the destruction of the books you needed. If you speak to Meln, he will tell you to speak to her:

"Ah, the curious Watchling has returned. I think she wants to talk to you."

During the task to activate the cairns in the plane, Meln will comment on the activation of the first cairn:

Curate Gadayn: "I suppose I just need to hold the relic out like so …."

<The cairn begins to glow.>

Curate Gadayn: "It … it almost feels alive in my hand …."

Curate Gadayn: "It worked! Look how it glows!"

Meln the Mouthless: "Very smart. Leramil's tapping into the realm's currents of fate to find the Panopticon.

When activating the second cairn:

Curate Gadayn: "Give me a moment to focus the Fulcrum Obscura …."

Meln the Mouthless: "I know how dangerous this sort of ritual can be. Leramil's brave, I'll give her that."

Meln will remain silent until you enter the Infinite Panopticon. A Hunger named Gelkhai the Hunger will appear at the other end of the room. It is shifted out of reality with Apocrypha, and cannot be attacked as it currently is, although it can still attack you. However, Meln the Mouthless will have a solution for this challenge:

Meln the Mouthless: "That hunger isn't native to Apocrypha. See how it shifts between the layers of reality? Attack while it's shifted and its energy can power my ghost sight."

Follow the strategy of attacking it while it is shifted, and green energy balls will appear as Meln is using his ghost sight to aid you:

Meln the Mouthless: "I've focused my ghost sight!"

With Meln's ghost sight now fully charged, you can successfully attack it for a period of time.

Meln the Mouthless: "My ghost sight can defeat this enemy!"

Once it is defeated, you can proceed:

Meln the Mouthless: "Not bad, not bad. But without my ghost sight, you probably wouldn't have survived that."

The next area shows very clear evidence of the Hidden Kindred, specifically Blightcrown and his censers of corruption, except they are also hidden this time. Thankfully Meln can once again aid you with his ghost sight. You will have to destroy the censers to proceed. Search the area, and destroy all three:

Leramil the Wise: "Careful, proxy. I sense corruption in the air."

Meln the Mouthless: "Right. This malignancy allows the corrupted guardians to phase between layers of reality. When we get close, use my ghost sight to find the source."

When you approach a note titled note from Blightcrown near the second censer, which explains that they have managed to modify them to make them able to hide their presence, as well as cause Hermaeus Mora's forces to become crazed:

Meln the Mouthless: "Use my ghost sight! There's something nearby!"

Leramil the Wise: "Blightcrown created this corruption? With the help of Master Shelreni, Vaermina, and Peryite? We must destroy the remaining censers."

Your companions will comment as you progress as you destroy the censers:

Meln the Mouthless: "You destroyed one censer of corruption, but I sense more above us."

Leramil the Wise: "What did you do, proxy? The corruption has lessened, but it persists."

Destroying the second censer:

Meln the Mouthless: "Another censer destroyed. Without my ghost sight, you'd never find them."

Leramil the Wise: "Well done! The corruption's hold weakens."

Approaching the final censer:

Meln the Mouthless: "I detect one more censer to destroy. Use my ghost sight!"

Destroying the final censer:

Meln the Mouthless: "That was the last censer. The corruption should clear on its own now."

Leramil the Wise: "Whatever you just did, I sense the corruption fading away. Let us talk."

While defeating the Guardian Gaze by activating the Peryite runes they left behind will allow you to get past it. Meln will comment on your progress:

Leramil the Wise: "A Peryite rune, reeking of disease. Is this how they distracted the Guardian Gaze?"

Meln the Mouthless: "The Guardian's vision is similar to my ghost sight. Nothing escapes its notice."

Activating another rune:

Leramil the Wise: "Activating the rune got the Guardian's attention. There must be more of them."

Meln the Mouthless: "How clever! Activate all of the corrupted runes and we should be able to sneak past the eye."

Leramil the Wise: "Find and activate the remaining runes, proxy."

He will next speak up to warn you to not trust Leramil's portal. You will also finally catch up to Blightcrown and Torvesard, who will notice you, and you three will give chase:

Torvesard: "See how the Fulcrum vibrates? What we seek is here."

Blightcrown: "Another eye? It looks like all the others to me."

Torvesard: "Have faith, diseased one. This eye contains the memory of the dream we seek."

Blightcrown: "Then let's get this over with. I can't hide us between the layers of reality much longer."

<Torvesard turns and looks down at you and your group.>

Torvesard: "Ah, fate's mortals. I have no wish to harm you. Turn back and let us finish what we started."

<Torvesard turns away and walks into the Eye of Mora.>

Leramil the Wise: "They dare enter one of Hermaeus Mora's forbidden memories? We must follow them!"

<Leramil opens a portal.>

Leramil the Wise: "Let me open a portal …. There!"

Meln the Mouthless: "Proceed carefully. Between the energy here and Blightcrown's manipulation of reality, Leramil's portal could behave erratically."

Meln called it correctly, and you will end up in a completely different location, and have even lost Leramil. More of Hermaeus Mora's crazed Daedra will be opposing you, as well. Your only option is to continue moving forward as you, where you will end up in increasingly bizarre areas. Meln will provide commentary as you proceed:

Meln the Mouthless: "I knew it! We're not where Leramil intended, and now she's missing! Spellcasting should be left to the professionals!"

Meln the Mouthless: "Look above us. The Eye of Mora! Leramil's portal deposited us on the ceiling!"

Approaching another portal:

Meln the Mouthless: "Another portal? I knew it! Blightcrown's manipulation of the layers of reality caused Leramil's spell to splinter. Well, step on through and hopefully we'll reach the layer we're looking for."

As you progress through the portals:

Meln the Mouthless: "Keep moving through the portals!"

Meln the Mouthless: "Each portal gets us one step closer to the Eye of Mora. Maybe Leramil's a better spellcaster than I thought."

Meln the Mouthless: "Traversing different layers of reality is disconcerting. Quick, into that portal!"

Meln the Mouthless: "If this one doesn't get us there, I'm going to start making things explode!"

After reaching to the final portal:

Meln the Mouthless: "Finally! The Eye of Mora on the walkway above us."

Once you are finally at the Eye of Mora, you will still have not found Leramil. Another shifted enemy will try to stop you, but with Meln's ghost sight you can defeat this one as well.

Meln the Mouthless: "We made it. The Eye of Mora! With or without Leramil, you need to go in after Blightcrown and Torvesard."

Enter the Eye of Mora, and you will appear inside a memory belonging to Hermaeus Mora himself. You will take on a ghostly visage, as will have Torvesard who is also present.

Meln the Mouthless: "You're as transparent as I am! And look, there's Torvesard!"

Torvesard: "We're in a memory of Hermaeus Mora, mortal. Here, no harm may befall us. I suggest we use this opportunity to confer."

Torvesard will open a portal and take his leave after speaking to you. Meln will suggest you ignore Torvesard's instructions to leave:

Torvesard: "Heed my words, mortal."

<Torvesard enters the portal and leaves.>

Meln the Mouthless: "If I learned anything as a Telvanni magister, it's this. When a Dremora tells you to go right, you go left. Let's see what this memory contains."

Upon spotting Dreamcarvers:

Meln the Mouthless: "Dreamcarvers.Prince Vaermina's pet Dremora clan."

As you explore the memory:

Meln the Mouthless: "Those are Vaermina markings on the walls."

You will eventually witness a vision of Hermaeus Mora floating in front of a statue of Vaermina:

Vaermina: "I won't let you do this, fate-forger!"

Hermaeus Mora: "It is already done. You will forget this ever happened. Everyone will. It is the only way to preserve reality."

Vaermina: "Damn you, Mora! Damn—no!"

<Vaermina's statue explodes and the vision disapears>

Meln the Mouthless: "A spell to make all of reality forget … I can barely imagine. Come on, we need to find Torvesard."

His final comment for this quest will be after witnessing Hermaeus Mora's memory:

Meln the Mouthless: "A spell to make all of reality forget … I can barely imagine. Come on, we need to find Torvesard."

Torvesard: "And now you know of Hermaeus Mora's grand betrayal. Once I restore Vaermina's statue, the process of restoring the memory will begin. I suggest you defend yourself, mortal."

Conclave of Fate

After speaking to Leramil in Cipher's Midden, she will also simplify your journey back to the Necrom Bindery by opening a portal directly there:

Leramil the Wise: "This portal will return you to Necrom, proxy."

Meln the Mouthless: "Master Shelreni murdered me to avoid the scrutiny of the Assembly of Masters. What else might she do to further her ambitions?"

With your next angle to investigate this crisis being Master Shelreni, Meln will appear to provide advice. Meln will offer to help you get into the Conclave posing as an aid of Curate Gadayn:

Meln the Mouthless: "Curate or not, he'll never get into the conclave bearing the mark of a Daedric Prince. Not without my help."

Meln will emerge from his soul gem, giving you a chance to converse:

"Underestimate Shelreni at your own peril. And do not think to just walk into a Telvanni stronghold reeking of Hermaeus Mora. Either Shelreni's Daedric allies or the conclave's own protections will spot you the moment you step across the threshold."

And you can help us avoid detection?

"Of course! Wasn't I the greatest magister of my time? If not for my desire for solitude, I would have been the archmagister!
Unfortunately, my spectral body isn't good for anything these days. You'll need to serve as my hands for this to work."

All right. What do I need to do?

"Return to Tel Rendys. Around my tower, you'll find the components necessary to assemble a passable cloak of omission. Look for dried hoax-wort, a lamia-scale shawl, and an illusion tincture of my own creation.
I'll tell you more when we get there."

Before you head off to Tel Rendys:

"When we get to Tel Rendys, you'll need to be careful. The same defenses hampering Shelreni's mercenaries will target you as well."

Head back to Meln's tower, and he will appear again at the exterior. He will either say the following:

Meln the Mouthless: "I should have made a map …."

Meln the Mouthless: "Hmm, now where did I bury those components?"

Meln the Mouthless: "This could prove more difficult than I expected."

You can then speak with him and see what he needs you to do:

"Curse this incorporeal existence! I can see why most ancestors move on instead of haunting their descendants. My mortal memories are much harder to recall than I anticipated. I don't remember where to find those components. Not exactly …."

So we came here for nothing?

"Of course not! I buried the components we need in separate caches on the tower grounds. I just can't remember exactly where I put them.
No matter. With your assistance, I'm sure we can find the right spots."

What do you need me to do?

"Use my ghost sight. It will reveal the hiding places. Remember, Tel Rendys is my place of power, despite Shelreni's attempts to make it her own. Here, I can easily use my magic through you.
As long as you're willing."

Where should I start looking?

"I placed sigils at the spots, but on a different layer of reality. Use my ghost sight and you should be able to see them. The caches are buried beneath those locations.
When you get close to a spot I recognize, I'll tell you to activate my sight."

Speaking to him again:

"I don't recommend being dead. So many of my memories have become tattered and frayed. Still, I remember enough. When we get close to a spot I recognize, I'll make my ghost sight available to you."

Once more, Meln's ghost sight is the solution. Begin walking around the sight, activate ghost sight whenever Meln indicates, and a green pillar of light will appear at the locations you must dig. In total you will find Meln's Illusion Tincture, an Old Lamia-Scale Shawl, and Dried Hoax-Wort:

Before you use his ghost sight and you're near a site, he will say the following:

Meln the Mouthless: "This looks familiar? Activate my ghost sight!"

Meln the Mouthless: "This must be the place. Take a look."

Meln the Mouthless: "Use my ghost sight here!"

Using his ghost sight:

Meln the Mouthless: "You should be able to see my sigils through my ghost sight. Look around."

Having ghost sight and near the components, he will say the following:

Meln the Mouthless: "There! See my sigil? I always liked this layer of reality. Dig here!"

Meln the Mouthless: "Another one of my sigils. There's a cache buried here."

Meln the Mouthless: "Isn't ghost sight wonderful? You'll find a cache here."

If picking up his illusion tincture:

Meln the Mouthless: "That's my illusion tincture! The other components are buried elsewhere."

If picking both Dried Hoax-Wort and Old Lamia-Scale Shawl first:

Meln the Mouthless: "Has it really been so long? those components look terrible, but they'll have to do."

After picking up all of his components:

Meln the Mouthless: "We can work with this. Head toward my tower and let's find a workbench to assemble the spell."

Follow Meln's instructions and go to the workbench. Meln will assemble the magical item you need, you just need to assist him by physically placing them on the table:

Meln the Mouthless: "I remember this old workbench. We can prepare the cloak of omission here."

<Meln will cast a spell that will illuminate blue light.>

Meln the Mouthless: "Place the components, one at a time, onto the enchanting workbench."

When you place the Dried Hoax-Wort:

Meln the Mouthless: "Good work. Now place the shawl."

When you place the Old Lamia-Scale Shawl:

Meln the Mouthless: "Almost done. Now sprinkle the tincture."

After placing all the components, the cloak of omission will be made:

Meln the Mouthless: "Excellent! Now take the cloak of omission."

Before picking up the cloak:

"Don't just stand there with your solid arms dangling uselessly. Pick up the cloak of omission!"

Take the cloak, and Meln will ask you to put it on:

Meln the Mouthless: "Go ahead and try it on! The cloak will mask your presence and hide your connection to the Prince of Fate."

Speaking with him before putting the cloak:

"Put on the cloak, my flesh-covered companion! Despite the condition of the components, it should work perfectly well … for a time.
It will mask your connection to Hermaeus Mora from anyone who attempts to scry or magically identify you."

Once you have done as he asked:

Meln the Mouthless: "You look amazing! Barely a hint of a Daedric connection. I should explain the particulars though."

Speak to him to learn more of his plan:

"Not a bad bit of work. You follow directions well. And the cloak looks perfectly dashing. Dashing, I say!
Now let's head to Ald Isra and meet up with Curate Gadayn. He should have gotten you access to the conclave by now."

Wait a moment. You said something about the particulars?

"Did I? I don't recall. But if you're asking about the cloak of omission, it can only shield you from so many scrying attempts. Eventually, someone will notice you. But the enchantment should last long enough for us to get our hands on Shelreni."

Anything else you want to tell me?

"Now that you mention it, yes. Gadayn can get you on the access list, but you must play your part. Dunmer laws are labyrinthine, Telvanni especially. You need to invoke the proper statute to avoid suspicion."

The proper statute?

"Just say the following to the sentry at the door. "I hereby invoke the twenty-sixth statute of the Necrom Agreement," and then demand entry to the conclave. Can you remember that?
Once we get inside, we can meet up with Curate Gadayn."

All right, let's go to Ald Isra.

You can continue speaking with him to learn more:

"What could Shelreni be thinking? She's obviously counting on the support of two Daedric Princes, but does she really expect them to magically elevate her to the rank of magister?
Let's get to Tel Huulen in Ald Isra and see if the cloak works."

Why is the statute you want me to invoke so important?

"Because you're not a Telvanni. That particular statute relates to the agreement between House Telvanni and the Keepers of the Dead. If you present it with authority, the sentry will probably grant you access."

Once inside, why don't I just tell the conclave what Master Shelreni is really up to?

"And tell them what? If you even imply that any Telvanni would require the help of an outsider, you'd insult them at best or get arrested, if not immediately challenged to a duel of spells.
Believe me, any of those would be counterproductive."

What could they arrest me for?

"Do you honestly think my people need a legitimate reason? Well, how about impersonating a Necrom official? Or infiltrating a meeting of the Masters Conclave? Not to mention acting in the service of a Daedric Prince?
We can't risk it."

Once you reach Ald Isra, Meln will remind you on what to do if choose to follow it:

Meln the Mouthless: "Tel Huulen, the tower of halls. Home to the Assembly of Masters."

Meln the Mouthless: "Remember to invoke the statute when you demand entry. And put on the cloak!"

Go in, and you will find the other Mouths, Curate Gadayn, and attendants waiting outside of the main chamber. However Gadayn is stuck in a conversation with Mouth Elar:

Meln the Mouthless: "There's Curate Gadayn."

Curate Gadayn: "Really, I must …."

Mouth Elar: "I insist, curate. You do realize I wield considerable influence as Master Norvora's mouth?"

Curate Gadayn: Of course, but ….

Mouth Elar: "I could do much for you and the keepers. Now, tell me. What you think of my book?"

Meln the Mouthless: "That's Master Norvora's mouth. We need to extract Gadayn this instant."

Your late ally will approve of your recommendation to rely on him:

Meln the Mouthless: "A magister to counter magister magic, eh? Good idea! Let's go disable the ward."

His solution will once again rely on ghost sight to destroy the anchors warding the chamber:

Meln the Mouthless: "A ward needs anchors. Use my ghost sight to spot them."

Using his ghost sight:

Meln the Mouthless: "See them? One on either side of the door? I'll lend you my power to disable them."

After disabling the anchors:

Meln the Mouthless: "Magister Gothren is good, but I'm better! Let's enter the assembly hall."

Once you successfully break in, you will immediately draw the attention of Telvanni's leadership. Meln will once again save the day, by pointing out he is technically allowed access:

Magister Gothren: "This is a closed session! What is the meaning of this intrusion?"

Meln the Mouthless: "Now, Gothren, surely such restrictions don't apply to a magister and his proxy."

Magister Gothren: "Meln the Mouthless, a spirit? No matter, I will not tolerate your antics …."

Meln the Mouthless: "Nothing in our statutes precludes a dead magister from participating in a conclave. Now, hear what my proxy has to say."

Magister Gothren: "Very well. Step forward."

Meln will discuss his opinion on Gothren if you talk to him:

"Magister Gothren and I go way back. He was a pompous arse then and it seems nothing much has changed. Still, he is in charge here.
When you talk to him, remember that you represent me. It will add power to your words."

When Gothren rejects your warning, Meln will tell you to talk to the other masters if you speak to him again:

"What are you waiting for? Do what all good mouths do and converse with the masters in my stead!
Masters Norvora or Foves like to talk. Get one of them to tell you where they stashed Shelreni."

When you investigate where Shelreni is supposed to be held, she will be missing. In her place you will find a vial releasing a purple mist. Meln will use his magic to figure out what happened, revealing a scene of Shelreni:

Meln the Mouthless: "Shelreni's gone, but what's that tipped over bottle over there?"

Meln will use his magic to figure out what happened, revealing a scene of Shelreni:

Meln the Mouthless: "That's pure essence of dream. Let me cast a spell to see what happened here."

Master Marena: "What … what was that?"

Master Shelreni: "Just a little gift from the Prince of Dreams. Soon you will do exactly as I say."

Master Marena: "You … you won't get away with this."

Master Shelreni: "I already have. And with your help, I'll get away with so much more. Now let's go attend the conclave. My ascension requires participants—willing or otherwise."

Meln the Mouthless: "We must get to the conclave! It's held in the masters' private hall to the north."

When you head to the conclave's private hall, you will arrive above it in an elevated position. Master Shelreni will be in the center of the room, in front of a lectern. Magister Gothren will be across from her, on an raised platform. Shelreni will make her move mid-trial, and use her magic to trap Master Marena. Once more, you will need ghost sight to find something invisible:

Magister Gothren: "Master Shelreni, you stand accused of conspiring against your fellow Telvanni, murdering Meln the Mouthless, and consorting with Daedric Princes. How do you plead?"

Master Shelreni: "A Telvanni doesn't plead. But I will kill you all before I take my sacrifice and depart."

Master Marena: "Help me, magister!"

Magister Gothren: "Shelreni! Cease your actions this instant!"

Meln the Mouthless: "Use my ghost sight to disable the wards and get down there!"

You will manage to make it down there, but Shelreni will quickly render you unconscious. You will wake up in the company of Gadayn and Gothren:

Master Shelreni: "You again? If these fools can't stop me, what hope do you have?"

Meln the Mouthless: "Come on, get up. I am not ready to die a second time."

Curate Gadayn: "You're finally awake! Thank the ancestors! I thought Shelreni killed you!"

Magister Gothren: "We should talk, mouth of Meln."

Inside the ruins of Vaermina, Meln will comment how this is similar to the previous memory of Hermaeus Mora:

Meln the Mouthless: "This place, I think we visited the memory of it in the Eye of Mora!"

After reading the notes left by Shelreni, Meln will encourage you on to pursue Shelreni:

Meln the Mouthless: "We must find Shelreni and stop her from completing this rite."

Proceed deeper into the ruin, where you will find a space that matches Hermaeus Mora's memory. Blightcrown, Torvesard, Master Shelreni, and Master Marena will be next to the restored statue of Vaermina. Your adversaries will be standing on the base of the statue, while Marena is in a magic circle, with a beam emitted from the statue passing through the Black Book and hitting Marena:

Curate Gadayn: "There's Shelreni! And Master Marena! We need to free her!"

Meln the Mouthless: "My Black Book! Looks like Shelreni got past my safeguards."

Blightcrown: "Ingenious, Torvesard! Using the restored memory to open a path to Apocrypha. All we need now is for Shelreni to finish the rite and perform the sacrifice."

Meln the Mouthless: "Shelreni's using the restored statue as a focus for her rite."

Master Shelreni: "Mora's minions! You will not interfere!"

An Aspect of Vaermina will appear, taking the form of Marena. She will attempt to stop you from interfering with the ritual, but Meln's ghost sight will once again save the day:

Meln the Mouthless: "An aspect of Vaermina? That's not good."

Aspect of Vaermina: "Away agents of fate! This vessel will help me restore what was taken from us all! No! Now my disciple. Complete the sacrifice so I may inhabit the vessel!"

During the fight, Meln will call for you to use his ghost sight to help:

Meln the Mouthless: "Enter the focus point!"

Meln the Mouthless: "Use my ghost sight to strike true!"

Release Marena and she will flee to safety. With the rest of opposition unwilling to come down and face you, this also gives you a free opportunity to reclaim the Black Book:

Master Marena: "Daedra magic is unstable! Save yourselves!"

Master Shelreni: "No! Not when we're so close!"

Meln the Mouthless: "Close my Black Book and take it! That should end the rite."

Master Shelreni will begin threatening you from the statue, but still will not come down to fight. Blightcrown, deciding that their own Telvanni Master is a perfectly good substitute sacrifice, will backstab Shelreni:

Master Shelreni: "Taking the Black Book won't stop us. And one of you will serve just as well as a sacrifice."

Blightcrown: "No need to involve outsiders, Shelreni."

Blightcrown: "Prince Vaermina accepts your sacrifice and deems you a worthy vessel!"

<Blightcrown stabs Shelreni from behind.>

Torvesard: "I regret the bloodshed, but soon Mora's injustice will be undone."

<Vaermina soon takes control of Shelreni's body.>

Vaermina: "With this vessel, I can enter Apocrypha and strike at Mora's heart! With me, my faithful!"

<Vaermina enters Apocrypha with Blightcrown, while Torvesard leaves through his own portal.>

Curate Gadayn: "We have to warn Apocrypha! Let's return to the Necrom Bindery and find Leramil."

Meln the Mouthless: "Hold still and I'll open a portal back to Necrom."

<Meln opens a portal back to the Necrom Bindery.>

A Calamity of Fate

With Shelreni dead, the new plan from Leramil is to contact her spirit. Meln the Mouthless will speak up to voice his support for this plan but Gadayn will object to this plan:

Meln the Mouthless: "Leramil's idea is a good one. Master Shelreni has the answer we seek and I know how to reach her."

Curate Gadayn: "Meln! We can't just summon the dead whenever we please! It's forbidden."

Meln the Mouthless: "Yes, yes. Summoning is an affront to your order. But if the spirit is already there …."

Meln will tell you how to get into contact with Shelreni:

"No Telvanni master worth their weight in kwama cuttle would relinquish their hold on this plane without a fight. I have no doubt we can contact Master Shelreni's spirit.
Whether we can get her to cooperate? Well, that's an entirely different matter."

How do we contact Master Shelreni's spirit

"As the curate can tell you, Necrom forbids summoning the dead. But there's no regulation against the dead choosing to speak to you.
We don't have to summon Shelreni's spirit. We can go to her and simply request an audience."

And where do we go to find the spirit of a dead Telvanni master?

"Same place you found me. In her tower, of course! We must go to Tel Baro and search her sanctum. If her spirit lingers, she'll haunt there.
Oh, and better take Gadayn with us. If she's become a vengeful spirit, his expertise might be required."

After speaking to Meln, Curate Gadayn will relucantly agree to help:

Curate Gadayn: "If I help you, I could jeopardize my standing."

Leramil the Wise: "We would not ask this of you if the situation was not dire."

Curate Gadayn: "I … of course I'll help, Leramil."

Scruut: "I'll return to Apocrypha. See if I can find Vaermina while you chase spirits. Not like I've got anything better to do."

Leramil the Wise: "Good luck at Tel Baro, my friends. Return here with whatever you learn."

Speaking to him before you head to Tel Baro:

"Well, get moving! I can't get to Tel Baro without you, and that's the most likely place to find Shelreni's spirit."

Returning to Tel Baro, you find it locked up:

Meln the Mouthless: "Where's the keeper? He should have been here by now."

Curate Gadayn: "The tower's locked tight. We need another way inside."

Meln the Mouthless: "Telvanni towers always have more than a single ingress and egress. Look around."

When you approach the right point, Meln will use his magic to break through Shelreni's defenses:

Meln the Mouthless: "Over there. Just let me …."

Meln the Mouthless: "There, easy enough for a magister to remove a master's ward. Let's go inside."

Inside her study, Meln will claim there are definite signs of Shelreni haunting her tower.

Meln the Mouthless: "Shelreni's private study. Her presence is strong here."

<Pale purple mist gathers near the work bench.>

Meln the Mouthless: "My ghost sight allows you to see it. Move closer and I'll try to get her to manifest fully."

Speaking with Meln here:

"Do you see it? The telltale sign of a spiritual presence? Go take a closer look."

An unnatural mist will appear. It will start out as white, before taking on a dark red hue. Gadayn will take the lead here, and use his training to make her appear as a ghost in a form that matches her past appearance and she will be furious with Blightcrown and his allies. Curate Gadayn will try and calm her, meanwhile, if you talk to Meln her will note that despite her behavior Shelreni will be willing to speak with you:

"Despite her protestations, Master Shelreni will talk to you. Wizards like her are proud. They enjoy the sound of their own voices too much to be silenced by the grave.
I should know. I was just like her when I was alive."

Shelreni will reveal that she decrypted the Black Book for Vaermina, and that Torvesard was the originator of this plot With you having the information you need, Curate Gadayn will help her pass on. Afterwards you will need to return to Necrom, if you speak with Meln before you leave:

"I wonder if we can even find the Infinite Panopticon again. Let's rendezvous with Leramil at the Necrom Bindery and see what she thinks about all this."

After explaining the situation to Leramil, she will located the current entrance to the Infinite Panopticon. Once inside, you will find Vaermina's prescence is causing problems:

Leramil the Wise: "Oh no! Vaermina, her presence is destroying the Panopticon!"

Curate Gadayn: "Leramil, look at yourself. You're in no shape to continue!"

Leramil the Wise: "Nonsense, I … no, you are right. Proxy, you must deal with Vaermina. Gadayn will help me return to Cipher's Midden."

Scruut: "You can't face Vaermina alone. I don't believe I'm saying this, but I'll go with you …."

Meln the Mouthless: "This is more than just the presence of a rival Daedric Prince. Something else is happening here."

He will also encourage you to be cautious:

Scruut: "A hole in the debris! They must have gone that way.

Meln the Mouthless: "Remember, Vaermina's not alone. Blightcrown and Torvesard are with her."

As you progress through the Panopticon, you will encounter more Hidden Kindred:

Scruut: "The cultists are spreading Blightcrown's corruption.

Meln the Mouthless: "Hidden Kindred. Looks like Vaermina brought an army."

Past the Hidden Kindred, you will arrive in a giant open space with giant book pillars running from the abyss below into the one above, similar to the one you saw the last time you were here. And you will catch up to Blightcrown here, once again:

Scruut: "This place feels ancient … like no one's been here in an eternity."

Blightcrown: "The combination of rite and concoction works splendidly! We are hidden and Mora suffers.

Blightcrown: "Torvesard, take the Dream Prince into the Eye of Mora and find your memory."

Scruut: "I see the Eye of Mora above us. That's where we need to go, mortal."

Blightcrown: "I have a final gift to deliver to the very core of Apocrypha!"

Scruut: "Blightcrown! Did he say something about an Eye of Mora?"

Meln the Mouthless: "Ignore Blightcrown. We need to reach Vaermina and destroy Shelreni's body."

After entering an Eye of Mora, you and Scruut will appear in a memory that has clearly been twisted. There are also literal twisters running throughout the memory, acting as obstacles. And the memories of Hermaeus Mora's Daedra will oppose you. You can see Hermaeus Mora on the opposite end of the chamber you are on. Shortly after you enter, Vaermina will confront you:

Scruut: "What happened to this memory? It looks more like a dream … or a nightmare."

Meln the Mouthless: "Another Daedric Prince memory? You take me to the nicest places."

Scruut: "This has to be Vaermina's fault. Stupid Prince of Dreams!"

Vaermina: "This memory is mine now, mortal!"

Vaermina: "I have wrapped it in a dream of my own creation!"

<Vaermina disappears.>

Scruut: "We need to discuss this, mortal."

You will need to undo Vaermina's alterations. Meln will comment on the continued relevance of his ghost sight ability:

Meln the Mouthless: "Once again, Meln to the rescue. When you get close to a flaw, use my ghost sight to spot it."

When you're near a flaw, he will ask you to use ghost sight:

Meln the Mouthless: "I sense a flaw. Use my ghost sight to reveal it."

When you are in the Mythos to stop Vaermina and Torvesard from touching the Glyphic of Hidden Paths. Vaermina will then notice you and summon Mezzamma the Lurker to fight you. Meln's ghost sight will be invaluable in the fight.

Summoning his ghost sight during the first phase:

Meln the Mouthless: "Enter the focus point!"

Using ghost sight to reveal the vulnerabilities of Mezzama during the first phase:

Meln the Mouthless: "Apply my ghost sight to attack with precision!"

During second phase, he will call upon ghost sight:

Meln the Mouthless: "Step into the focus to use my ghost sight!"

Once you use ghost sight in the second phase:

Meln the Mouthless: "Use my ghost sight to strike true!"

During final phase of the fight, he will ask of you to use ghost sight:

Meln the Mouthless: "Step into the focus to use my ghost sight!"

Once used, the lurker will be vulnerable once more:

Meln the Mouthless: "My ghost sight can defeat this enemy!"

An Unhealthy Fate

With the situation getting worse and worse, Leramil will ask you to investigate around Cipher's Midden. Meln the Mouthless will volunteer to help you, not that he had a choice as you are holding his soul gem:

Meln the Mouthless: "I'll go with you. It's not like I have anywhere else to be."

Search around Cipher's Midden and you will find a censer of corruption to destroy, which helps to explain why even this settlement is suffering. Meln will comment on it:

Meln the Mouthless: "One of Blightcrown's censers! And not even hidden. Destroy it!"

After examining the entire area, Meln will ask you to return back to Leramil:

Meln the Mouthless: "Let's return to her study and tell Leramil what we found.

Return to Leramil's Study, and the situation has gotten worse. Leramil and Scruut have both collapsed. You need to speak to Scruut to continue, but can talk to all of your other allies beforehand, include Meln:

"It seems our little Watchling and Leramil have finally succumbed to Blightcrown's corruption. The next stage, as we have seen, involves a massive amount of violence.
Let's try to help them before it comes to that, yes?"

After you speak with Scruut, Torvesard will appear and offer to help your companions recover, and to assist you in stopping Blightcrown and Vaermina. Before accepting the deal, Meln will comment:

"I've certainly made a deal or two with a Daedra in my day. And it's not like we have much choice. I don't think Scruut and Leramil can hold themselves together much longer."

After you have spoken with Torvesard and accepted his help:

"Not to look a gift nix-ox in the mandible, but Torvesard's arrival is a little too convenient. That said, when two Daedric Princes oppose you, accept whatever help comes your way.
But don't worry. I'll keep an eye out for any sign of treachery."

After aligning the final thread of fate to open a portal to the Mythos:

Meln the Mouthless: "Nicely done! Now let's return to Leramil and see if everything aligned correctly."

Hermaeus Mora will then assemble the full party before sending you into the Mythos:

Hermaeus Mora: "I call forth all whose fates are intertwined with yours, chosen. Only together can you save reality."

Curate Gadayn: "Have I mentioned how much I detest teleportation?"

Meln the Mouthless: "You certainly do tend to collect an odd assortment of companions."

Torvesard: "The path to the Mythos awaits, mortal. Let us not linger too long."

You have the option of speaking with Meln the Mouthless before continuing:

"They say the dead have nothing to fear. Then why am I filled with a sense of unease?
Well, as long as you carry my soul gem, I'll go where you go. Even if we're probably marching straight to our doom."

You really think we're doomed, Meln?

"Truthfully, I have no idea. I've seen you accomplish some amazing feats. And Hermaeus Mora has faith in you. But this is the Mythos we're going into. To face the champions of two enemy Princes. Maybe even the Princes themselves.
Not my usual fare."

So you think we should turn back?

"I didn't say that. The fate of reality hangs in the balance. That's not something to walk away from. Not if we have the slightest chance of preserving existence.
No, I'll help you as I can. The spirit of a Telvanni magister and his surrogate body."

What did Hermaeus Mora mean about using the Black Book?

"That's an excellent question. I had to employ numerous wards to barely study the thing without being whisked away to Apocrypha.
But if the Prince of Fate says you can use it to aid your mission, take him at his word. He has no reason to lie to you."

This portion of the Mythos is a gigantic cavern, with broken pieces showing the sky above and an abyss below. Structures appear on every surface, but there is a giant central tower which shares your orientation.

Meln the Mouthless: "The Mythos appears endless, but I sense a huge concentration of corruption to the right."

Approaching the eastern manufactory, he will point out a dream crystal:

Meln the Mouthless: "That looks like a dream crystal. Destroy it!"

After dealing with the first manufactory poisoning Apocrypha, you will head through a portal much closer to the central tower:

Meln the Mouthless: "Behold, the very heart of the Mythos! Just looking at it makes my head spin."

As you progress through to find the western manufactory, Meln will help align a path for you:

Meln the Mouthless: "Why, yes, that was me who realigned the path for you. Thanks for asking."

This manufactory is guarded by a Peryite's Glory. Once it is slain, Meln will announce that there is a third one:

Meln the Mouthless: "Nicely done, but don't get complacent. I sense another of these vile contraptions nearby."

Pass through another portal, and you will come across the final manufactory, and Blightcrown. This evasive foe will finally decide it is time to fight you himself:

Meln the Mouthless: "Blightcrown! Time to end that plague dog, I think."

Blightcrown: "Come, fool of fate, face Peryite's high priest!"

Curate Gadayn: "Blightcrown has the Fulcrum Obscura!"

With Blightcrown finally dead, and his manufactories destroyed, Gadayn will take back the Fulcrum Obscura. Also, Leramil and Scruut will catch up with you. While the poisoning of Apocrypha has been stopped, the greater threat is still ahead, Vaermina. Gadayn, Leramil, and Scruut will stay behind, as they would either stand no chance or are still clearly very winded from the journey so far. However, Meln will accompany you.

Meln the Mouthless: "Well done! Of course, it may take a week of hot baths to get his stink off you."

Curate Gadayn: "The Fulcrum Obscura, just as Torvesard said! Now I can return it to the abbey."

Scruut: "Look, Leramil! We found them!"

Leramil the Wise: "When you are ready, proxy, this portal shall take you to Vaermina."

Curate Gadayn: "Leramil! Thank the ancestors you're all right!"

With Vaermina being your remaining threat, you can discuss the challenge that awaits you with your companions before continuing forward. In your conversation with Meln, you will give him an opportunity to back out:

"I'll never understand why I waited until I was dead to face a Daedric Prince. Oh, I know—because it's the stupidest thing I've ever done!
But have no fear. I'll go with you. I've stood beside you this long. What's one more epic battle?"

Are you certain, Meln? I could give your gem to Gadayn or Leramil.

"As tempting as that sounds, no. I'll see this through. You're going to need the skill of a Telvanni magister to win this battle. And you're carrying my Black Book. If you need to use it, I can help with that.
Face it. You're stuck with me."

Leramil will explain why the rest of the party will not be useful in the coming fight with a Daedric Prince if you speak with her. However, she will comment that Meln is the exception and his unique abilities could be of use to you.

Through the portal you will arrive at the same location you saw within the memory of Hermaeus Mora. Vaermina will be directly ahead of you.

Meln the Mouthless: "The power I sense up ahead … it must be Vaermina."

Vaermina: "You. I know you. The Dream-breaker from Stormhaven. You will not slink away this time. Die, mortal! (If you stopped her plots in Stormhaven)

Otherwise:

Vaermina: "Torvesard tells me fate chose you. Well, he chose poorly. Time to die, mortal!"

You do not have any real means to defeat Vaermina, but you can destroy the body she is puppeting, which will allow Hermaeus Mora to intervene. Vaermina will use teleportation, summon nightmare clones of herself, create beams that cross the length of the battle arena, and shield herself from all damage. This will give ghost sight another chance to shine. By destroying her nightmare clones, you can use ghost sight to attack Shelreni's body directly.

Meln the Mouthless: "My ghost sight grows more powerful with each nightmare you destroy."

You will eventually destroy Shelreni's body and force Vaermina to exit it, leaving beind nothing but a bloody puddle in the middle of the arena. From it, Vaermina will emerge in the form of a Nightmare. You will once again need ghost sight to finish her off.

Vaermina: "You destroyed my mortal shell! Now face a true nightmare!"

Vaermina: "Ah, what perfect terror!"

Meln the Mouthless: "Without Shelreni's body, Vaermina takes on a more nightmarish form."

Throughout this stage of the fight, Meln will encourage you to fight on:

Meln the Mouthless: "That's her weakness. Nightmares aren't real!"

Meln the Mouthless: "You're stronger than her dreamstuff!"

Defeat her nightmare form, and Vaermina will finally be forced to fight you with her full might, and Hermaeus Mora will still not have appeared. With no options remaining, Meln will tell you to use the Black Book to slow her down:

Meln the Mouthless: "This can't be good."

Vaermina: "You don't like my nightmares? Then face me in my true form!"

Meln the Mouthless: "We're out of options. Use the Black Book!"

This will not defeat Vaermina, but will alert Hermaeus Mora to your location. Together you defeat Vaermina, but Torvesard used this opportunity to steal the second glyphic. Hermaeus Mora will return you to Leramil's Study, and you will be reunited with your allies:

Leramil the Wise: "Proxy, I am glad to see you unharmed. I look forward to hearing about your encounter with Vaermina."

Meln the Mouthless: "Oh, let me! We defeated Vaermina!"

Scruut: "I didn't get to see you beat the Dreamweaver? How unfair is that?"

Curate Gadayn: "So we can relax now? Ah, friend? You have that look. What terrible news are you about to tell Leramil?"

Meln will say this if you talk to him before Leramil:

"Glad I was able to help back there. But sorry Torvesard got away.
Go on, talk to Leramil. I'm sure we're not finished yet. At least, reality still seems to be stable. For the moment."

Chronicle of Fate

If you haven't started the quest with Leramil, you can speak to him in Leramil's Study:

"Why are you talking to me? Do I look like I dabble in forbidden secrets and the mysteries of the universe? Well, sure, but not nearly as intensely as Leramil! Go see what she has to say."

Having survived, and saved Apocrypha and Nirn, Scruut will want to add you to Apocrypha's chronicle. Before speaking to Scruut about updating the chronicle, Meln will have a single comment:

"Apocrypha may require more paperwork than all the Great Houses of Morrowind combined! Talk to Scruut and find out what's involved in updating this Chronicle of Apocrypha. It sounds either very important or exceedingly boring."

Scruut however will detect something she believes to be Torvesard, and you and Meln will go out to investigate:

"Once again, everyone takes Meln the Mouthless for granted. They all just assume I'm going to agree to go with you on another quest to stop Torvesard?
Sure, I don't really have much of a choice in the matter, seeing as you have my gem, but still!"

Meln will also provide some commentary as you journey across Apocrypha to deal with this anomaly:

Meln the Mouthless: "Scruut's penchant for noticing anomalies of fate is impressive, but this might not be Torvesard and the glyphic. It could be anything."

Meln the Mouthless: "Up that path to the left, I think that's where the anomaly is.

Meln the Mouthless: "No matter what we encounter, remember you literally have a Telvanni magister in your pocket."

Meln the Mouthless: "Hmm, I sense something amiss. Use my ghost sight to look around. "

Speaking to him before using ghost sight:

"There's something not quite right over to the west. Use my ghost sight to investigate."

Ghost sight will prove its usefulness one last time, and reveal a bridge that is mostly shifted out of reality.

Meln the Mouthless: ""Hmm. This bridge wasn't here a moment ago. I suggest we cross it."

Meln the Mouthless: "Look!"

You will encounter Torvesard, who will freely surrender the glyphic to you. This will finally reveal what Hermaeus Mora was trying to erase, the existence of the Daedric Prince Ithelia. Torvesard will escape again, but the final glyphic, which seemingly holds the secret to where Ithelia is or how to restore her, is still safe for the immediate future.

For now, return to Cipher's Midden for the ceremony of being entered into the chronicle. Meln will appear on the stage asking to speak to you:

Meln the Mouthless: "May I have a word?"

He will ask that you keep him with you for your future adventures:

"Magister Goreth referred to you as the mouth of the mouthless. I suppose that fits. Look, I've never been very good at this, but I wanted to thank you.
In life, I was a secluded old wizard who cared nothing for anything but magic and my own studies."

We couldn't have gotten through this without you, Meln.

"Nonsense! My enormous intellect certainly came in handy, but you're fate's chosen. You would have found a way, with or without me.
But I'm glad you rescued me from Shelreni. That you took me on this adventure. If I never escape this soul gem …."

Perhaps Leramil knows a way to free you. And Curate Gadayn has experience with the dead.

"Maybe. I'm in no rush. Adventuring is a new experience for me. I'm content to follow along for now. I'm going to rest for a while. Remember, as long as you have my gem, if you ever need me, just call.
Now, talk to Scruut about the Chronicle."

Speaking to him before going to Scruut:

"It's good to get out of that soul gem and stretch for a while. Metaphorically speaking."

Once you are added to the Chronicle, he will welcome the adventures to come:

"Congratulations, my friend. Having your name inscribed in the book of fate isn't a casual honor. I expect it means even greater adventures and accolades are in store for you.
I wonder if my ghostly heart can take it!"

Meln's Soul Gem Dialogue

After completing Spirit of Fate, you receive the memento Meln's Soul Gem. Using it, he will speak with you:

• "Looking for some sage advice? Fine. Don't eat ash yams after drinking sujamma. You'll blow a hole through your smallclothes!"
• "Some advice from a Dark Elf who lived 314 years—you're not eating enough roughage. No one does."
• "You know, Gadayn looks an awful lot like my cousin's granddaughter. She had a child before she passed. I lost track of the lad, but he'd be about Gadayn's age now. I wonder …."
• "It's kind of nice no longer having to eat, or sleep, or hurry off to the privy. I don't really mind being a ghost … the cold embrace of death notwithstanding."
• "When you're up for it … what are your thoughts on letting me possess your body for a bit? Just a day or two, I promise. And, uh, no questions asked."
• "Looks like you're still racing around hither and yon. You must go through a lot of boots that way."
• "I miss Tel Rendys. I'd finally stopped the roof from rotting every rainy season. I'd finished abjuring my books against the damp. And I'd figured out a charm to make my workroom smell like fresh-baked runjana."
• "It turns out your ghost wears whatever clothes you were wearing when you died. Makes me wish I'd put on my good smallclothes that last day."
• "I suppose I ought to figure out how to free myself from this crystal. But I have to say, your rucksack carries me to some interesting places."
• "What is this card game everyone's playing? Trifle? Tribune? A Buoyant Armiger tried to engage me in a game. I teleported him to the top of Tel Naga without his clothes!"
• "Did I ever tell you about the time I met Almalexia in Firewatch? It was a summit on the principles of ghostfencing. I think she fancied me, if you know what I mean!"
• "Oh. If a Temple bureaucrat ever pesters you about tithes I, er, forgot about in life, tell them to take it up with my mouth."
• "A word of advice—Not all Telvanni are as trustworthy as I am. Archmagister Otheri has skeletons in his closet that would make Divayth Fyr blush!"
• "You remind me an awful lot of my cousin. He was adventurous, driven, curious about everything, and always charging headlong into danger. Good old Hlaro. Wonder if they ever found his body?"
• "When's the last time you took a good look through this rucksack of yours? There's an old sweetroll in here with more mold than Sadrith Mora."
• "I've got the damnedest yearning for scrib jelly. Not the glop you get these days—the good stuff! Boiled until it's thick as tar."
• "Don't mix me up with any other soul gems you come across. I'd hate to end up tethered to some rusty old sword. Troll guts are not a good look on me."
• "Let me give you some advice. If at first you don't succeed, then teleportation magic isn't for you."
• "Looking for insights from a wizened old magister? Well, let me know when you find one!"
• "Need some words of wisdom, eh? Keep your botched potions. You can pour them on visitors who won't get off your front step."

Notes

• He is voiced by Kamran Nikhad.