Online:Commander Axius

Commander Axius
Home Settlement	Borderwatch
Race	Imperial	Gender	Male
Health	39959
Reaction	Friendly
Other Information
Faction(s)	Ivory Brigade

Commander Axius

Commander Axius is an Imperial soldier and leader of the Ivory Brigade detachment currently at Borderwatch.

Related Quests

• A Keep's Ransom: Infiltrate an occupied fort and rescue the hostages.
• Pyre of Ambition: Defend Fort Redmane against the forces of Mehrunes Dagon.
• Heroes of Blackwood: Attend the celebration thrown for you.
• Ambition's End: Assemble your allies and launch an assault on Mehrunes Dagon's capital.

Quest-Related Events

A Keep's Ransom

When you approach him at his camp:

"Did my scouts send you, or did you slip past unannounced? Either might do.
I'll be brief. I am—was—the commanding officer of Borderwatch, the fortress up the road. It's been overtaken by a mercenary outfit that calls itself the Painted Eye."

How did they manage to take over Borderwatch?

"A combination of magic, guile, and well-laid plans. They lured most of my brigadines into chasing after an illusory enemy while their main force infiltrated the keep and took those inside hostage.
I'm doing all I can to keep those folks alive."

Are the mercenaries making any demands?

"More than I can name and none that I can grant. I sent word to Leyawiin, but so far I've heard nothing.
The Painted Eye will kill those hostages if we storm the fortress. I need someone who can get inside quietly and free them. I'll pay for results."

I can infiltrate Borderwatch and free the hostages.

After agreeing to help infiltrate the fortress, you can ask for further information:

"If you want to slip past the Painted Eye undetected, you'll have to get into Borderwatch through its sewer. It drains into a ravine to the east.
And you should know—you're not the first volunteer to try this. No idea what happened to the last."

Who else did you sent into the sewer?

"There was a pair of them—an Argonian and a Wood Elf. Said they were infiltration experts. Burglars more like, but that's what I need. I didn't ask them too many questions. Couldn't afford to turn help away. Still can't."

And you don't know what happened to them?

"They've been gone a long time. Either they've abandoned the job or been found out. If they were captured, I'd expect the Painted Eye to react but it's been quiet. Too quiet.
For all I know those two emptied the larder and took off for a picnic."

What can you tell me about the Painted Eye?

"Mercenaries, we thought. Only knew them from third hand accounts in our intelligence briefings. If they were hired to cause this ruckus, we might have bribed them, but their demands read like a credo. They're making a statement here. Damn fanatics."

They're making political demands?

"Pages worth, right there. They've practically demanded I carve them out a sovereign kingdom with my table knife. They're mad if they think I can deliver even a fraction of what they're asking … but I have to humor them. There are lives on the line."

Once you go inside the sewers you can meet up with the "infiltration experts" and rescue the hostages who will give you hints on what the Painted Eye's true goal is. With hostages freed, you can help the experts with their true goal—collecting a dangerous artifact for a client before the Painted Eye does. When you track down the artifact your encounter will leave the Painted Eye's leader dead and the ruins crumbling around you. Once you make your escape you can speak with Commander Axius outside the fort's gates and inform him of your success (while leaving some things out):

"I've got a camp full of liberated hostages, and my scouts tell me there's a significant drop in Painted Eye activity within the fortress.
But I want to hear it from someone who's seen things firsthand. What's the situation in Borderwatch?"

The Painted Eye's leader is dead and all the hostages are free.

"Damn fine work. I'll get my troops together and we'll mop up the stragglers.
So much for those experts. You did the work of both of them. And most of us, for that matter! Borderwatch is in your debt. This is all the payment I could muster."

After the end of the quest:

"If there's a chance we can repay what you've done for us, my garrison is at your disposal. You have my word."

You should know that the Painted Eye's demands were a ruse.

"I gathered that much from debriefing the hostages. The Painted Eye was after something in that ruin, the one that High Elf scholar was badgering me about.
All the years I've commanded this fort, and I had no idea what was under my feet."

What will you and your forces do now?

"Make our preparations to mop up the dregs of the Painted Eye and resume possession of Borderwatch. Storming a fort is never easy, even if you know the layout like we do.
After that … well, I expect I'll be asked to resign my commission."

Why's that?

"Because no one has use for a fort commander that loses his own bloody fortress.
At least we've gotten the people out safely. That's enough for me. I'll get their home back, and then I'll lay the sword down."

Pyre of Ambition

If you have previously completed the A Keep's Ransom quest, you can recruit the Winds to help you at Fort Redmane to defend the Four Ambitons and defeat the Waking Flame forces. To do this you will have to speak with the commander who can be found outside Borderwatch:

"Mercenary. We'll be moving to retake Borderwatch soon. Or have you returned for some other reason?"

The Black Fin Legion needs help defending Fort Redmane from the Order of the Waking Flame.

"Crazed cultists? Retaking our garrison can wait. The brigadines of Borderwatch will stand with you. I do love returning a favor!
I'll mobilize everyone I can spare and meet you at Fort Redmane. We'll fight these cultists together."

Thank you, commander.

"Don't mention it. Reports of Councilor Vandacia's villainy reached me, so I have some idea of what we're up against. I'm happy to lend our support to put an end to this Daedric cult!
We'll see you at Fort Redmane."

Speaking with him afterwards:

"The Borderwatch brigadines stand with you. Everyone I can spare will march to Fort Redmane to help you defeat this threat."

After you have gathered your allies, you can head to Fort Redmane where Commander Axius can be found looking over a map in one of the tents:

"I've heard talk about Rian Liore. Glad to be working with him. If Vandacia's soldiers test us in battle, they won't stand a chance."

Heroes of Blackwood

If you helped him previously, he will attend the celebrations in Gideon. His dialogue appears to be bugged and he will only say his Fort Redmane lines:

"I've heard talk about Rian Liore. Glad to be working with him. If Vandacia's soldiers test us in battle, they won't stand a chance."

Ambition's End

As you near the final confrontation with Mehrunes Dagon, Lyranth will gather a number of your allies you encountered in Blackwood. If you helped Commander Axius, he'll be among the troops:

"My brigadines stand at the ready. After our embarrassment at Borderwatch we're all eager for another opportunity to prove it was a fluke.
We beat Dagon at Redmane and we'll beat him here too."

How is Borderwatch?

"The keep maintains its vigil and the garrison's reputation stands strong despite that business with the Painted Eye, thanks to our victory at Fort Redmane."

Glad to have your troops at my side again.

"The pleasure is ours. Too many nights of holding down a fort dulls a soldier's edge. We look forward to sharpening our blades on Dagon's horns."

At Fort Sundercliff, after you repelled the wave of Dagon's forces, he will appear from a portal and will start setting up the siege weapons with Legionnaire Xulzalus.

Hope Springs Eternal

Join the celebration at Leyawiin Castle:

"Enjoy your accolades and parades while you can. Take it from an old soldier: there's always another battle ahead."

Will you really leave soldiering behind?

"If I were wise, I'd have left it behind long ago. I've been wed to the blade for so long now I wouldn't know what to do otherwise.
So long as I'm fool enough to keep fighting, you can call on me."

Bugs

• NPC's Heroes of Blackwood dialogue does not play, only repeats dialogue from Fort Redmane ^?