Quest Information |
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Starting Location: Any Zone |
Starting NPC: None |
Possible Reward(s): Your own personal stronghold! |
Did we miss anything during this quest? Is there something we didn't discover? Let us know!
After installing Bethesda Softworks'
official Fighter's Stronghold plug-in, you'll receive a notification that defenders at Battlehorn Castle are besieged by marauders and are offering the castle itself to anyone willing to help them defeat the invaders. Sounds like you just might fit the bill.
Battlehorn Castle resides directly west of Chorrol and should automatically make an appearance on your map. Fast-travel to any previously discovered landmark that's close to it (Pillaged Mine is a good choice, if you have it marked), then proceed to its south entrance to discover one of Battlehorn's Man-at-Arms locked in battle with four Marauders (a Warlord, Battlemage, Archer, and generic "Marauder"). Use whatever weapons or spells are at your disposal to bring the invaders down, then search the area to find the body of one Lord Kelvyn. Loot any items you find of value and head north into the castle's great hall.
Here, one of Battlehorn's Man-at-Arms will bring you
Lord Kelvyn's Will, which decrees that anyone holding the document automatically becomes the owner of Battlehorn Castle, as well as its lands, dependents, and chattels. Well now, that was easy. Have a look around the Great Hall to see what it has to offer, then go check out the rest of the castle to see what opportunities it presents you with.
Notice a consistent theme? Yeah, it's pretty empty. And it's going to stay that way until you're ready to fork over some gold to Nilphas Omellian at the Merchant's Inn in the Imperial City Market District. Speak with Nilphas to obtain the
Battlehorn Castle Upgrades List, which describes all eight upgrades that he sells:
Battlehorn Barracks,
Battlehorn Bedroom,
Battlehorn Dining Area,
Battlehorn Kitchen Area,
Battlehorn Library Area,
Battlehorn Training Room,
Battlehorn Trophy Hall, and
Battlehorn Wine Cellar. Each of these will add furniture and other adornments to the respective area of the castle.
When you make a return trip to the castle after purchasing any of Nilphas' upgrades, a Man-at-Arms gives you a
Note from Nilphas Omellian proclaiming that your personal merchant was able to acquire a working Dwemer forge. When you're ready to check it out, fast-travel back to the Merchant's Inn and take another look at his stock of items to find that a
Battlehorn Dwemer Forge is now up for grabs. Purchasing this deed makes you the proud owner of a magical forge now located just outside of the blacksmith house in your courtyard. Simply standing near the new forge triggers a special ability called "Dwemer Fireheart" that adds 15 points to your Armorer skill. Nifty.
At this point, you're probably wondering if there's anything more you can do with your newly acquired piece of real estate. As a matter of fact, there is. Meander down into the castle basement and proceed to the northeast corridor - the one with a chained-up dummy and an archery target at the end of it. Sidestep around the target and activate the candelabra on the wall to open a secret door leading down into the castle grotto.
It's pretty dark in here, but luckily there's a barrel directly in front of you with two torches in case you need them. Continue following the hallway until you reach a dead-end, then activate the movable pillar to reach a crypt area. Here, you'll be attacked by a semi-tough skeleton named Lord Kain wielding a
Dragonsword of Lainlyn and
Lord Kain's Shield, as well as a lich named Arielle Jurard that holds a
Decrepit Note and a
Lich Key. The sword and shield aren't too exceptional, but, hey, they're free. The note describes Arielle's twisted plans, while the key opens a chest submerged in the water just to the southwest. A few valuables and some gold can be found within. There are also a few
Varla Stones up on the balcony, in case you want them.
Aside from what I've mentioned above, you can also place additional trophies in the castle, recruit one of your Battlehorn Man-at-Arms to take on future adventures, repair your equipment at Niels the blacksmith, or store any extra loot you've acquired. In any event, enjoy your new stronghold!