Online:Kingdom of Ash

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Enter the Void and put a stop to the Darkstorm. Zone: The Reach This quest is part of the Zone Story Quest Giver: Gwendis at the Markarth Stables Count Verandis Ravenwatch in the Arkthzand Orrery Location(s): Arkthzand Orrery, Grayhaven, Markarth Previous Quest: The End of Eternity Next Quest: Second Chances Reward: Blade of the Fallen Knight 1 Skill Point High Leveled Gold XP Gain: High ID: 6560

You must face the Ashen Lord

Rada al-Saran used the orrery to reach his sanctuary realm in Oblivion, where he will perform the Darkstorm ritual that will destroy the Reach and make the Gray Host truly immortal. To stop him, we must follow him into the Void.

Quick Walkthrough

1. Enter Grayhaven via the Arkthzand Orrery.
2. Speak to Lyris and navigate to the Darkstorm ritual grounds.
3. Defeat Rada al-Saran.
4. Exit Grayhaven and speak with Arana.
5. Return to Markarth and talk to Lyris.

Detailed Walkthrough

If you don't accept this quest from Verandis immediately after the previous quest ends and leave the orrery, you can accept the quest from Gwendis out by the stables in Markarth. She tells you to return to the orrery.

Welcome to Grayhaven

Talk to Verandis about opening a portal to Rada Al Saran's sanctuary. He asks you to use three mechanisms on platforms around the Dark Heart in sequence. Climb up the stairs just north of his position activate the Aetheric Beacon. Lightning will begin to strike: ignore it and make your way around the Dark Heart, activating the other two beacons. You have the option of talking to your companions before heading off. When you are ready, talk to Verandis, then head around the orrery and up the stairs to the gateway to Grayhaven. As you head to the portal, you'll hear Gwendis call after you:

Gwendis: "I expect you back before Fennorian gets bored. Don't make me come in there after you."

Count Verandis Ravenwatch: "We shall endeavor to return shortly. Farewell, my friends."

Lyris Titanborn: "Are we leaping into the gaping portal or not?"

Once you enter the portal, you'll find yourself in Grayhaven: a realm of desolate crags and green lightning. You can avoid pretty much every enemy on the path leading up to the Darkstorm.

A Shade Voidhurler and Shade Brute immediately spawn in your path. Head north and you'll hear Lyris in a scuffle: she's off the side of the road to the right, standing knee-deep in a pool of creatia fending off two shades. Verandis is the only one unaccounted for. Once you've reunited, continue along the path, avoiding the lightning.

Lyris has found some new friends

You'll face shades and Nighthollow vampires in your search for Count Verandis. Another pair of Shades, a Voidhurler and a Brute, are the first obstacles in your path. An identical pair spawns as you reach the crest of the hill. Lyris breathlessly points out the massive storm in front of you as you approach a cliff overlooking a Nighthollow Guardian and Nighthollow Blademaster's chosen haunt. A Shade Voidhurler and Brute lie beyond them, and further down, you'll see a Void Rot. A Nighthollow Blademaster and Archer stand further down the path.

Eventually, you'll hear voices in the storm:

Count Verandis Ravenwatch: "Rada, stop! I don't want to fight you."

Rada al-Saran: "Look at you, Verandis. The Dark Heart is overwhelming you."

Lyris Titanborn: "You hear that? Voices in the storm!"

The Darkstorm swirls over yonder

Two Shade Brutes spawn on the path ahead. A Void Rot and Shade Voidhurler can be seen sliming and shambling a bit further down, near a pair of death hounds. The voices ring out again.

Count Verandis Ravenwatch: "I won't do as you—argh!"

Rada al-Saran: "Will you really embrace death and damnation just to spite me, old friend?"

Lyris Titanborn: "Verandis is in trouble! We have to hurry."

Count Verandis Ravenwatch: "Rada …."

Shortly afterwards, Gray Host soldiers will begin appearing on the path. The Darkstorm is working. A Gray Host Battlemage and Fearmonger are your first opponents on this next leg of the journey. You'll face a Shade Colossus whose idle walk cycle is reminiscent of a gorilla for some reason, and the voices will return:

Rada al-Saran: "I forgive you, Verandis. You didn't turn your back on our dream. You lost hope. That is my gift to you."

Rada al-Saran: "I can save you. I can save all of us. Salvation is within our grasp. All you need do is take hold."

Count Verandis Ravenwatch: "You really think we'll have peace here?"

Lyris Titanborn: "Don't you do it, count. Don't you dare!"

The final battle begins

Two Gray Host Werewolves spawn in your way. There's a Voidmother about three quarters of the way into the storm. Even further down, you'll begin to face Gray Host Harrowfiends: it seems that with the advent of the Darkstorm, vampires and their contemporaries are no longer immune to being Harrowed. Two death hounds and a Gray Host Bloodknight are up next: you're almost to the eye of the storm. There, you'll witness the confrontation between Rada al-Saran and Count Verandis:

Rada al-Saran: "Not even Molag Bal can threaten us here. The Gray Host will be an unstoppable force. Nothing will be beyond our reach."

Count Verandis Ravenwatch: "Rada. Your dream was never mine. It ends here."

Rada al-Saran: "Verandis! We are nearly free! Verandis!"

Finished trying to reason with his old friend, Rada knocks Verandis back with a burst of red lightning before drawing his sword.

Rada al-Saran: "Join our forsaken kin in Molag Bal's teeth, you traitor!"

Now's the time to engage him in combat. After a fairly normal fight, he will transform. You need to defeat the enemies Rada al-Saran calls upon so Verandis can summon a soul trap. Once you've killed enough, stand in Verandis' purple ring of magic to lure Rada over. Rada will become vulnerable once inside, so give him all you've got, then rinse and repeat.

Once Rada has been defeated, Verandis will kneel before his defeated soul for one final goodbye.

Count Verandis Ravenwatch: "Goodbye, Rada. I wish I could have found salvation for us both."

Once Rada al-Saran fades, the Count rises. Lyris has also managed to get back up.

Count Verandis Ravenwatch: "Ah! The Darkstorm rages! I must take control!"

Lyris Titanborn: "It will kill you!"

Count Verandis Ravenwatch: "If I don't stop the Darkstorm, then my death will be the least of our worries!"

Count Verandis Ravenwatch: "Gods—this power. It's everything Rada said it would be."

Count Verandis Ravenwatch: "I … I see. I can't end the Darkstorm. Not yet."

"I don't want to owe you, Verandis."

Speak with Count Verandis.

"You and Lyris must go. While I still possess the power of the Dark Heart, I can open a gateway to the orrery. Return home."

You aren't coming?

"I can only control the Darkstorm from here. I understand now what must be done to stop it. I can use the power of the Dark Heart, one last time. When I am finished, the energy will be gone and our gate to the orrery will be closed. You understand?"

There's no other way?

"Not any that can make everything right. I brought about this tragedy, through my naivete. Through my selfish desires. Through my damn ideals and curiosity.
It's my time of reckoning. Not yours."

I understand.

Prepare for trouble!

Verandis will open a portal to send you to the orrery. After you go through the portal, Lyris and Verandis will share a word:

Count Verandis Ravenwatch: "This is farewell."

Lyris Titanborn: "I don't want to owe you, Verandis."

Count Verandis Ravenwatch: "Have faith. Rada's last gift was hope."

Oh. Guess not.

You will find Gwendis and Fennorian waiting for you in the orrery.

Gwendis: "You're back! But—where's Verandis?"

Lyris Titanborn: "He's … staying behind. I'm sorry."

Gwendis: "He's staying …? No. He promised—he promised me!"

Lyris Titanborn: "It was the only way to—"

A deep boom is heard, and the energy resonating from the Dark Heart fluctuates.

Fennorian: "Look out! The Dark Heart!"

Then... the Heart falls quiet.

Fennorian: "It's … dormant. Verandis must have done it. He stopped the Darkstorm!"

A flash of green energy appears in front of the observation deck, dropping a familiar face into the living world.

Gwendis: "Arana?"

Arana: "I—I can breathe … I'm alive?"

Guess who's back?

Talk to Arana.

"I'm no illusion. Flesh and blood. Alive as can be."

How can that be?

"I can't say myself. I remember being here. In this room. I remember the wound. Then nothing but a cold, icy current dragging me under. I drowned for so long … until a warm hand fished me out."

Who?

"I couldn't see. Everything was just warmth and light. There was a voice though, guiding me. Calling me back.
It sounded like Verandis."

Verandis brought you back to life?

"As I live and breathe, it was Verandis who lead me here. I don't understand much of what occurred, but of that I'm certain.
That, and I didn't come back alone."

You're saying others came with you?

"There were a great many others drowning in that icy current. I'm certain I wasn't the only one pulled ashore. It's just a feeling, but a strong one.
I want to see if that feeling speaks true."

Thanks to Verandis, Arana is alive and well. It seems that others from Markarth may also have been revived. Talk to Lyris.

"Did I hear you right? Verandis brought that woman back to life? Not just raised her from the dead. Actually, restored her body and soul?"

That's what Arana claims.

"Was that what the count meant by making it right? He didn't just stop the Darkstorm, he used it to free the souls from the Dark Heart!
We've got to get to Markarth."

Why the sudden urgency?

"Isn't that where Rada al-Saran harvested souls for the Dark Heart? If Verandis released them all, maybe Arana's right and she didn't come back alone.
That's something we should see for ourselves."

I understand.

"You go on ahead. Fenn and Gwendis could use a moment. I'll make sure they make it to Markarth safely."

Do you really think Verandis could restore Markarth?

"Just bringing one person back should be impossible, short of Divine intervention. But we saw the Gray Host manage it more than once. If the Darkstorm was anything like the harrowstorms in Western Skyrim, it just might be possible."

Return to Markarth and find out if Arana's hypothesis rings true. When you arrive, you'll find Lyris coming from the wayshrine:

Lyris Titanborn: "I was hoping to catch up to—"

<The sound of shouting and cheering echoes from the city.>

Lyris Titanborn: "You hear that? Markarth is celebrating."

Talk to Lyris to conclude the quest.

"That magnificent bastard really did it. He brought them back."

He said Rada gave him hope. You think this is what he meant?

"The count enjoyed his mysteries, but yeah, I think so. When we started this, I thought the best we could do is pay al-Saran back for the lives he stole. Guess I should have set my sights higher."

What's next for us?

"We rest. With Rada al-Saran dead, the Gray Host is finally buried for good.
We couldn't have done it without you, partner. So eat, drink. Find some company for your bed. And tomorrow … tomorrow we'll probably have to do this all over again."

Bugs

• Companions may interfere with Rada entering Verandis' soul trap. ^?
  • Dismissing the Companion will resolve this issue.
• When Rada reaches 0 health, he may get stuck in his death animation, preventing the quest from progressing ^?
  • Moving to the edge of the battle area may fix this.

Quest Stages

Kingdom of Ash
Finishes Quest	Journal Entry
	Gwendis wants me to get to the orrery chamber in the Library of Arkthzand and offer my assistance to Verandis. Objective: Talk to Count Verandis Ravenwatch
	I need to reactivate the orrery to open the gateway to Rada al-Saran's sanctuary realm. Objective: Activate the Orrery Hidden Objective: Activate the Orrery Hidden Objective: Enter the Gateway
	I may not return from this trek into the Void. I should speak to my companions before I depart. Objective: Talk to Count Verandis Ravenwatch Optional Step: Talk to Lyris Titanborn Optional Step: Talk to Gwendis Optional Step: Talk to Fennorian
	I reactivated the orrery and opened a gateway through the Void. Hopefully, it will lead to Rada al-Saran's sanctuary realm. Objective: Enter the Gateway
	I emerged from the gateway into a strange Oblivion realm, but I'm alone. I should see if Lyris and Verandis made it through as well. Objective: Look for Your Companions
	I heard Lyris nearby. She sounded like she was in trouble. I should find her. Objective: Find Lyris Titanborn
	I reunited with Lyris in Oblivion, but Verandis wasn't with her. We should search for him. Objective: Search for Count Verandis Ravenwatch
	Lyris and I spotted the Darkstorm forming in the distance. There's a good chance that's where we'll find Rada al-Saran, and possibly Verandis as well. Objective: Follow the Darkstorm
	Lyris and I heard Verandis arguing with Rada al-Saran. We need to reach them in the center of the Darkstorm. Objective: Reach the Center of the Darkstorm
	Verandis defied Rada al-Saran and was nearly killed. I need to protect Verandis and end Rada al-Saran's existence once and for all. Objective: Kill Rada al-Saran
	Rada al-Saran is dead. Verandis is attempting to take control of the Darkstorm. I should wait for him. Objective: Wait for Count Verandis Ravenwatch
	Verandis is wrestling with the Darkstorm, but he hasn't dispelled it. I should speak with him Objective: Talk to Count Verandis Ravenwatch
	Verandis opened a gateway to the orrery with the power of the Dark Heart. Lyris and I should return there while we still have the chance. Objective: Go to the Orrery Chamber
	Lyris and I made it back to the orrery chamber. Gwendis and Fennorian are waiting to welcome us back. Objective: Listen to Your Companions
	The Dark Heart released its energy as we returned and we suddenly found Arana among us, alive and well. I should speak to her. Objective: Talk to Arana
	Lyris wants to talk to me. I should speak to her. Objective: Talk to Lyris Titanborn
	Lyris suggested I head back to Markarth to confirm our suspicion that the lives lost to the Dark Heart have been restored. She'll meet me there. Objective: Meet Lyris Titanborn in Markarth
Finishes quest	Lyris and I have discovered that Verandis resurrected the lost souls of Markarth, returning the people killed by the Gray Host to life. I should talk to her about this development. Objective: Talk to Lyris Titanborn

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.

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Next: Second Chances