Online:Truth, Lies, and Prisoners

Jump into a deep pit and help rescue the prisoners there. Zone: Coldharbour Objective: Tower of Lies — Rescue the Fighters Guild members from the Tower of Lies. Quest Giver: Gwilir or Skordo the Knife Location(s): Tower of Lies Concurrent Quest: The Army of Meridia Reward: Skordo's Stalwart Very High Leveled Gold XP Gain: Very High XP ID: 4392

The Tower of Lies

While exploring Coldharbour, I came across the Tower of Lies. Instead of a tower, the place is actually a hole in the ground where members of the Fighters Guild have been imprisoned.

Quick Walkthrough

1. Jump into the pit.
2. Talk to Skordo the Knife.
3. Rescue the Fighters Guild members.
4. Meet Skordo at the Overseer's chamber.
5. Find the passage to the next level.
6. Locate Captain Eilram and recover his sword.
7. Locate Captain Arakh and recover her helm.
8. Talk to Lyranth.
9. Kill Ifriz the Unraveler.
10. Talk to Captain Arakh.
11. Take the Light of Meridia.
12. Talk to Skordo.

Detailed Walkthrough

A Long Drop

"Apparently, the only way to enter the Tower of Lies is to jump in. Gwilir thinks the water is deep enough to break my fall. I hope he's right about that."

To the northwest of The Hollow City, you'll find a structure on the edge of a large pit. A Bosmer named Gwilir will be there, having second thoughts about jumping down and rescuing his comrades from the Fighters Guild.

"I can do this. I really can. All I have to do is … oh, who am I kidding? I can't do this! There's no way!
Why did I ever think I could make it in the Fighters Guild?"

What are you doing out here?

"Trying to figure out my next move.
I'm with the Fighters Guild. We were attacked. By Daedra! They captured my companions. Took them into that prison down there. I'm just a scout. I can't fight Daedra! But I bet you could."

How do you get into this prison?

"There was a portal. The Daedra used it. But it disappeared. Near as I can figure, the only way in now is to jump down into the water.
If you're brave enough to take the leap, look for Skordo. Big Orc fellow. He always knows what to do."

I'll jump in and help the Fighters Guild.

"What I wouldn't do to be in a nice, safe place. A tavern somewhere, maybe. Warm. A pint of ale. Some good company.
Instead, I'm in Coldharbour. If Molag Bal's minions don't kill me, Skordo surely will."

If you agree to help him, you'll need to jump down into the pit. Take a leap, and try and aim for the water, or you can stick close to the wall and jump down a bit at a time to avoid the deadly drop.

An Escape Plan

Find Skordo the Knife

Once you have landed at the bottom of the pit, you'll need to find Orc named Skordo the Knife, who you may have met previously in Rivenspire. He can be found leaning against a pole near the docks. If you didn't talk to Gwilir before jumping down, you can also start the quest by talking to Skordo. He'll be impressed that you made the leap, though he'll call you a fool for doing so. Across the pool from him is a Skyshard, so once you have an opportunity, collect it later.

"Did you really just leap down into this slime pit?
You're either remarkably brave or really stupid. My guess? A little of both."

Gwilir sent me to help. (Option appears if you started quest from Gwilir.)

"Of course he did, the skinny weakling! If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't be in this mess.
A Dremora mage runs the place. Clouds minds, breaks wills. I can't get my soldiers organized!"

So how can I help?

"The fat-bastard ogrims dragged away my friends. We joined the Guild together. It ain't right, them getting tortured by ogrims.
You rescue Sinfray [sic], Borgath, and Vikord. I'll find Overseer Aruz and then you and me can deal with him, permanently."

He wants you to find three of his fellow Fighters Guild compatriots so he can start organizing an escape. After you have spoken with Skordo, there will be a Dremora idly standing around on the dock. You have the option to speak with her to see what she wants. Her dialogue changes depending on whether you've met her before or not. Speak to her and she'll either say: "Ah, a new guest has joined our little party! And will you provide amusement and interesting diversion? I think you just might, at that!" or "I find your antics to be quite enticing, little mortal!"

If you're strangers, she's not very forthcoming, but if you've met her before, she toys around with you:

If you've never met her

If you met her in Shadowfen

You're a Dremora, aren't you? "It speaks. I suppose I should be impressed that one of your kind even dares to approach me." Daedra don't usually speak to mortals. "Pity. To think they'd miss out on this fascinating conversation." Are you one of the prison wardens?' "Oh, little mortal, you amuse me so! Surely you have more important things to do than waste time with me? Aren't there rocks that need to be chipped or bugs to be swatted? Perhaps you need to mutter to yourself and wander around in circles?" Does this place make people do those sorts of things? "Most of the guests here suffer from one or more such afflictions. If you linger long enough, perhaps you will adopt one of these distinctive quirks. Or perhaps not. I will continue to watch with interest to see what develops."

You look familiar. "Really? Most mortals look alike to me. Plus, there's that smell. The odor of warm blood and quiet desperation. Mildly unpleasant, if you don't mind me saying so. Ah, wait a moment ... I do remember you." You were imprisoned last time, too. I helped you. Why are you in this place? "The mortal continues to speak to me. What does it want, I wonder? Perhaps if I ignore it, it will just go away." You were imprisoned last time, too. I helped you. "I assure you, contrary to the way this looks, imprisonment is not my usual situation. But before you get any ideas in that mortal little head of yours, I do not need your help this time." I'm helping the Fighters Guild find a way out of here. "How fortunate of you. I shall enjoy observing how you go about accomplishing that particular miracle."

Find and release Skordo's friends

Whether or not you spoke with Lyranth, you still need to find Skordo's friends. All three are located in one of the caves dotting the lower levels of the Tower, which are full of restraints and implements of torture. The general area is patrolled by Ogrim, once you find a prisoner you can release them and they will arm themselves, mentioning that they will be waiting at the rendezvous point. Vikord Skullcleaver is located in a cave beyond a camp full of prisoners that lies west of Skordo. His cave is guarded by two ogrim. If you head across the bridge south of the Dremora, you'll find the cave where Borgath the Axe is located; unfortunately, he's dead. Sinfay is tied up in a cave west of Borgath's tunnel. You can access Vikord's cave by crossing the bridge leading north from Sinfay's cave, but the bridge is patrolled by an ogrim.

Once you find all three, look for Skordo again. He will be waiting for you outside Overseer Aruz's Chamber on one of the upper ledges, above the cave you found Sinfay in. Speak with Skordo to see what needs to be done next.

"How did it go? Are my companions safe?"

Borgath didn't make it, but I set Sinfay and Vikord free.

"Damn. Borgath was a good soldier. And a good friend. Thanks for helping the others, though.
I've been watching for Overseer Aruz, but he hasn't come out of his chambers yet. We need to get his key."

Why do we need the Overseer's key?

"The key opens the passage to the next level. That's where they took Captain Eilram and Captain Arakh. If there's a way out of this ogrim dung pit, it's up there.
Once you get the key, you need to head upstairs and find Captain Eilram."

Let's go deal with Overseer Aruz and get that key.

"Hey, Aruz! I owe you one! For Borgath!"

He will run in and once you enter the chamber Skordo will immediately charge Overseer Aruz.

Skordo the Knife: "Hey, Aruz! I owe you one! For Borgath!".

The Dremora as an opponent wields a two-handed sword and is restricted to melee attacks. Once Aruz is dealt with, Skordo will run out but not before reminding you to get the key and telling you where to meet him.

Skordo the Knife: "Grab the key. It's in that chest over there. I'll go check on the others. Meet me by the passage door."

Interact with the nearby chest to take the Passage Key and leave the chamber. You need to rendezvous with Skordo. Head across the pit and fight your way through any Daedra that stand in your way. He will be waiting with you with his surviving companions outside the entrance to the Liar's Passage, a mining tunnel which leads to the upper levels which where the captains are located. Unlock the door and enter the Liar's Passage, taking out any ogrim as you pass through the cave.

The Two Captains

Captain Eilram

Once outside, you'll need to find a Redguard named Captain Eilram. He can be found within the mostly abandoned campsite near a tent on a cliff edge. While you head up the path towards the camp, the Dremora Lyranth will appear again, playing with fireballs and you have the option of speaking with her and asking what she has to do with this place.

"Ah, mortal! You are a curious creature."

What are you doing up here?

"You don't really expect me to answer that, do you little mortal?
Needless to say, it amuses me to bide my time here and observe your plight. No need to concern yourself about my safety, though, for the lesser Daedra will not harm me."

Do you know where I can find the Fighters Guild captains?

Why do you care what happens to me?

Do you know where I can find the Fighters Guild captains?

"Oh, yes! Watching them has been very entertaining. They struggle in a web they cannot see and it makes me laugh.
You mortals! So easy to manipulate and so much fun to play with."

So you're the one behind all this?

"No, little mortal, I am neither your jailor nor your tormentor. I am merely a disinterested observer who finds some tiny enjoyment in your predicament."

Why do you care what happens to me?

"Even if I cared to explain myself to you, I doubt that you would understand. The politics of Oblivion are much too convoluted for your primitive mortal mind to comprehend."

Can you help me free the Fighters Guild?

"I will not hinder you, dear mortal. Consider that to be enough help for now.
Know this, however. The exit from this place is currently… unavailable. I suspect you will rectify that in the near future."

"Spies! There are spies everywhere! And assassins!"

After this, continue on way to the campsite. While there you have the opportunity to pick up a prisoner's journal which can be found near the ashen remains of a campfire. Captain Eilram can be found erratically walking around his tent, on the lookout for spies. Unfortunately, when you first speak with him, he will think you are a spy as well. On the other hand, on some level he realizes that his mind is being affected and gives you a chance to prove your trustworthiness.

"Spies! There are spies everywhere! And assassins!"

Skordo sent me to find you.

The location of Captain Eilram's Sword

"Skordo? He could be one of Arakh's assassins! You could be one of her spies! Never trust an Orc. Or a spy!
Blessed Leki … I just don't know who or what to believe anymore. This place is getting to me. To all of us."

I'm not a spy. I'm trying to help.

"That's what any competent spy would say. Wouldn't hurt to prove you're not an illusion. Or a spy.
Tell you what. My sword is back there, with the ogrims that attacked us. You get my sword for me and we'll talk. Meet me near Arakh's camp."

He will ask you to retrieve his sword, which can be found in the old campsite further along the path. While heading for the sword, take the opportunity to head to the large open tent which contains the lorebook Exegesis of Merid-Nunda, if you do not have it already. The sword itself is guarded by Ogrim, but it is not hard to find. Once you have retrieved Captain Eilram's Sword you can take it to him. While you were looking for his sword, he will have headed to Captain Arakh's camp to the west in an attempt to get through to her.

On your way to the campsite, Lyranth will appear again and you can either ask her what she is doing or move on.

"I find your antics to be quite enticing, little mortal!"

Are you following me?

"Following you? An interesting notion. Perhaps you are the one following me?
But enough with the pleasantries. I was checking something. You should run along now. The other mortals seem lost without you."

What were you checking on?

"My, your interrogation technique is withering. I feel I must reveal everything to you.
Wait. No I don't. The feeling has passed. Maybe it was simply something I ate."

Captain Arakh

After Lyranth's cryptic remarks, continue on your way to the campsite. Skordo and his friends will also be there, having rallied some of the prisoners to join them. Speak with Captain Eilram to hand over his sword and to ask him what is wrong with Captain Arakh.

"I guess you aren't an illusion, after all. Skordo also vouched for your existence. He doesn't vouch for anything, so you must have really impressed him."

I recovered your sword.

"I almost expected you to stab me with it, not hand it to me. Hard to trust anything in this place.
But as you can see, we have a situation developing here. Arakh can barely refrain from attacking us. We need to fix this now."

The location of Captain Arakh's helmet

Any suggestions on how to accomplish that?

"Arakh says she can't stop the voices without her helmet.
She said the eyes have it. I think she means the watchers. Maybe the helmet will calm her down."

I'll find her helmet.

"Thank you for doing this. Sinfay wanted to retrieve it herself, but to be honest, we're not at our best right now. None of us could survive a battle with a watcher."

Captain Arakh won't trust anyone and is on the verge of lashing out, Captain Eilram believes that if you can find her helmet it may calm her down enough so they can talk. Like he mentioned, the helmet will be guarded by several Watchers and it can be hanging from a crane hook dangling over the edge of the pit. This place can be reached by walking down the declining path. Once you have retrieved her Captain Arakh's Helm, return to the camp and hand it over to Arakh.

"This place … it does strange things to your mind."

Captain Eilram said you needed your helmet.

"How do I know you aren't just a distraction so Eilram can slip behind me and stab me in the back?
Wait. This is my helm. I'm so confused … but Eilram did kill my friend, Ifriz."

Eilram is trying to get everyone out of here. You should talk to him.

"The helmet seems to have calmed Captain Arakh. Now Captain Eilram wants to talk to her. I should listen to what they have to say. "

Though she has calmed down, she still believes that Captain Eilram is a murder while he tries to prove to her that she has been deceived. You can stand to the side and let them work it out.

Captain Arakh: "You killed Ifriz, Eilram! What else could there possibly be left to talk about?"

Captain Eilram: "Get a hold of yourself, Arakh! Ifriz isn't one of ours. He's the bastard that runs this place."

Captain Eilram: "You're being manipulated. Here's our roster. You won't find Ifriz on it."

<Captain Arakh will walk up to Eilram to read the roster.>

Captain Arakh: "Let me see that! I'm sure I knew him. Didn't I?"

Captain Eilram: "We need to figure a way to get out of this Tower of Lies."

Lyranth the Dremora will suddenly appear and Arakh will notice her.

Captain Arakh: "Who's that? Is that a Dremora?"

Lyranth: "I grow weary of this situation. It's time to put an end to Ifriz's interference."

Lyranth: "You need to kill Ifriz. I need him dead. It seems we have a common goal to discuss."

Captain Arakh: "Help from a Dremora? Why doesn't that reassure me?"

An Unexpected Ally and Unraveling the Unraveler

"You need to kill Ifriz. I need him dead. It seems we have a common goal to discuss."

Lyranth will appear offering aid in exchange for a favor. You can speak with her to find out the details of her proposal.

"We share a common problem, little mortal. It only makes sense that we work together to solve it."

Why would you offer help now when you didn't seem interested before this?

"Do either of us have any other options?
Ifriz created the barrier that blocks the way out of this prison. Eliminate Ifriz and the barrier collapses. But you must find Ifriz if you are going to kill him."

Can you direct me to Ifriz?

"How sweet of you to ask! Ifriz hides behind illusions. I have removed them.
He has something of mine. I want it back. Kill him, and both our problems are solved. But hurry. He will soon discover his defenses are down and hide himself again."

I'll deal with Ifriz. Will you help?

"Ah, little mortal. I have provided more help than you deserve. The rest, as they say, is up to you."

"According to Lyranth, the only way to remove the barrier blocking the exit is to kill Ifriz."

She wants you to kill the warden of the place, the Dremora called Ifriz the Unraveler. Lyranth will disable the illusion spells which were hiding him before, she claims that the barrier barring the portal will collapse once he is dead. Ifriz can be found in one of the Daedric pavilions overlooking the lower levels of the pit, channeling his magic. Sometimes he will be accompanied by a single watcher, it is best to deal with the Watcher first before engaging Ifriz. When you begin to fight the Dremora, he will be surprised that you found him.

Ifriz the Unraveler: ""Mortal weakling! I don't know how you got past my illusions, but it will avail you nothing!"

Appropriate for his skills with mind magic, Ifriz will fight using Fear Mage abilities. Once he is dead you will hear Lyranth congratulate you:

Lyranth: "Well done, little mortal. You killed Ifriz and I didn't have to lift a finger. Delightful!"

"According to the two captains, the nearby crystal is a Light of Meridia. I should take it with me when I leave."

Lyranth will be shown to have told the truth as the barrier blocking entry the portal platform will have disappeared. Head over there and speak with Arakh who is directing the freed prisoners to the portal.

"By Malacath's bloody mace, I feel so much better! That unbearable cloud of fear and confusion has finally lifted. I assume that this is your doing?"

I killed Ifriz.

"I figured. We started sending people through the portal as soon as the barrier collapsed.
There's a city nearby. We saw it before we were captured. We're going to try to regroup there."

You should get out of here, too.

"Just making sure the stragglers get to the portal.
By the way, you impressed Skordo, which isn't an easy thing to do. Find him on the other side. He wants to talk to you."

Talk to Skordo, got it. Anything else before I go?

"Take a look at the crystal we discovered. Eilram thinks it may be one of the Lights of Meridia the Mages Guild told us about. If it is, it could be invaluable to our efforts here."

Near the portal, Eilram will be guarding a large blue crystal— the discovered Light of Meridia. Take the Light of Meridia and enter the portal, through which you and the other inmates can escape. You will emerge on the road near the gates to the Hollow City and Skordo will be waiting for you nearby, speak with him to see what he wants.

"You helped us get out of that terrible place. I won't forget that."

I'm glad you survived the Tower of Lies.

"You could've just taken care of your own business in there and left us to our fate. But you didn't.
I owe you. If that strange city over there has a tavern, the first drink's on me. And … thanks."

After thanking you for the help, he will give you some gold and a shield called Skordo's Stalwart.

Notes

• Lyranth, Sinfay and Vikord Skullcleaver, won't exist in the lower level before starting the quest.
• While accessible beforehand, Overseer Aruz won't exist in his chamber until reaching the related objective and speaking to Skordo first.
  • The chest containing the key to the locked passage also exists inside the already accessible chamber but can't be interacted with until reaching the related objective.
• Captain Arakh won't exist at her camp until reaching the related objective.
• The watcher found right next to Ifriz the Unraveler can be defeated without aggroeing Ifriz himself.
• Be sure to grab the Skyshard while you're down in the pit. It's just to your left after you jump down the waterfall. If you miss it and try to come back for it (or any other reason) later, you'll find there's no easy way back out, as the portal you initially escape from is no longer interactable. You can still escape by paying to go to a wayshrine, or teleporting to a group- or guild-mate, entering a Cyrodiil campaign or joining a Dungeon group, etc. Just don't try using the "/stuck" command or dying and choosing to respawn at a wayshrine - either of these will just put you back at the bottom of the pit.
• After completing this quest, Skordo, Sinfay, and Vikord will all be found in or around the Fighters Guild in The Hollow City. However, the gate to the guildhall is not opened by this quest. You can still get in by climbing over the rock formations outside the city's east gate, though.
• The name of this quest appears to be a play on the movie title, Sex, Lies, and Videotape.

Quest Stages

Truth, Lies, and Prisoners
Finishes Quest	Journal Entry
	Apparently, the only way to enter the Tower of Lies is to jump in. Gwilir thinks the water is deep enough to break my fall. I hope he's right about that. Objective: Jump Into the Water
	I survived the leap into the Tower of Lies. Now I should look for Skordo. Gwilir suggested that he'd be able to tell me what's going on inside the prison. Objective: Talk to Skordo
	Skordo wants me to rescue his three Fighters Guild companions: Sinfay, Borgath, and Vikord. He says they were taken by the ogrims and are being tortured. Objective: Rescue Sinfay, Borgath, and Vikord Skullcleaver: 0/3 (Objective appears as you approach) Optional Step: Talk to the Dremora Prisoner
	I rescued two of Skordo's companions, but the third one was dead when I found him. I should find Skordo and tell him what happened. Objective: Meet Skordo Outside the Overseer's Chamber
	Skordo says that Overseer Aruz, a powerful Daedra, has a key to a passage that leads up to the next level. We need to get that key. It should be in Aruz's chamber, which is just through the door where I talked to Skordo. Objective: Get the Key to the Passage Objective: Kill Overseer Aruz
	I have the Overseer's key. I should use it to head up to the next level of the Tower of Lies. Objective: Locate the Liar's Passage
	While Skordo musters his soldiers, I've made my way to the upper level of the prison to find Captain Eilram. Objective: Talk to Captain Eilram Optional Step: Talk to the Dremora Prisoner
	Captain Eilram won't work with me until I convince him that I'm not a spy or an illusion. He wants me to recover the sword that he dropped while fighting the ogrims. Objective: Find Captain Eilram's Sword
	Eilram and Arakh both seem to be suffering from the terrible effects of this place. I recovered Eilram's sword, so maybe he'll trust me now. I should meet him near Arakh's camp and see if I can help him talk some sense into the other captain. Objective: Go to Captain Arakh's Camp Optional Step: Talk to the Dremora Prisoner
	I should find Captain Eilram and give his sword. Objective: Return the Sword to Eilram
	Captain Arakh is more paranoid than Captain Eilram. She says the voices are making her crazy. She won't even talk to Eilram until someone recovers her helmet from the watchers. I guess I'm elected. Objective: Find Captain Arakh's Helm
	I recovered Captain Arakh's helmet from the watchers. I should return it to her and see if it calms her down enough so that Eilram can talk to her. Objective: Return the Helmet to Arakh
	The helmet seems to have calmed Captain Arakh. Now Captain Eilram wants to talk to her. I should listen to what they have to say. Objective: Listen to the Two Captains
	The Dremora Lyranth appeared. She claims that we have a common enemy in Ifriz. I should talk to her and see what she has to say. Objective: Talk to Lyranth
	A Dremora named Ifriz seems to be in charge of this prison. According to Lyranth, the only way to remove the barrier blocking the exit is to kill Ifriz. Of course, she wants him dead, too. She banished the illusions that had been hiding him. Objective: Kill Ifriz
	Ifriz the Unraveler is dead and the barrier blocking the way out should be down now. I should meet the Fighters Guild captains at the bridge and make sure we can get out of here now. Objective: Talk to Captain Arakh
	I should head for the portal now. Objective: Go to the Portal
	According to the two captains, the nearby crystal is a Light of Meridia. I should take it with me when I leave. Objective: Take the Light of Meridia
	Now that I have the Light of Meridia, I should use the portal and get out of here. Objective: Use the Portal
Finishes quest	The Fighters Guild members have escaped from the Tower of Lies and plan to regroup in the Hollow City. I should find Skordo, who wants to speak to me. Objective: Talk to Skordo

Notes

* Any text displayed in angle brackets (e.g., <Alias=LocationHold>) is dynamically set by the game and will be filled in with the appropriate word(s) when seen in game.

• Not all Journal Entries may appear in your journal; which entries appear and which entries do not depends on the manner in which the quest is done.
• Stages are not always in order of progress. This is usually the case with quests that have multiple possible outcomes or quests where certain tasks may be done in any order. Some stages may therefore repeat objectives seen in other stages.