Daggerfall:Main Quest Backbone

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Backbone of Daggerfall's main quest. Location(s): Iliac Bay Prerequisite Quest: Privateer's Hold Reward: None ID: S0000999

Although not a "quest" in the traditional sense, this questfile is the backbone of the entire main quest of Daggerfall.

It is triggered from within _BRISIEN as soon as you exit from Privateer's Hold. The purpose of this questfile is to trigger the start of the main quest's various subplots. The following table shows which quests are started, along with the required conditions.

Quest	Conditions	Triggered
The Missing Prince	No negative Reputation with Lhotun Character at least at level 5 (see Notes)	When speaking to Lhotun and conditions apply, you will get his letter once you reach level 5 (see Notes)
Blackmail	No negative Reputation with Helseth Character at least at level 4 (see Notes) Elysana's Robe not completed	When speaking to Helseth and conditions apply
Medora's Freedom	No negative Reputation with Medora Character at least at level 8 (see Notes)	When speaking to Medora and conditions apply
Morgiah's Wedding	No negative Reputation with Morgiah Character at least at level 3	When speaking to Morgiah and conditions apply, you will get her letter once you reach level 3
Concern for Nulfaga	No negative Reputation with Aubk-i Character at least at level 3	When speaking to Aubk-i and conditions apply
Elysana's Robe	No negative Reputation with Elysana Character at least at level 6 (see Notes) Orcish Emancipation not completed	When speaking to Elysana and conditions apply
The Beast	No negative Reputation with Cyndassa Character at least at level 5 (see Notes)	When speaking to Cyndassa and conditions apply

Notes

• The letters you receive to begin the quests Morgiah's Wedding and The Missing Prince originate within this questfile.

Bugs

• As of the last official patch (v1.07.213), this questfile can still cause some serious issues:
  • It is possible to encounter a critical bug which breaks the main quest, or more precisely, causes the game to freeze. Because only one quest flag is used to check your level, the setup cannot be terminated when all required subplots have been started. This means the game may freeze when you talk to the NPC from whom you get the last missing subplot of the main quest. Usually this will be Medora Direnni (since she is likely to be the last character involved in the main quest to whom you speak), but it can potentially be any NPC whose subplot hasn't yet started, depending on the way you approach the main quest.
  • It is possible to avoid this critical bug if you run the game using DOS32A. By using this method, you can talk to the remaining character and start the last subplot of the main quest. However, the main quest backbone will not terminate and you will have the lingering journal entries permanently.
  • For a clear main quest backbone, use any of the unofficial patches in the notes below. This will however only work for a newly started game or if the player's character is still within Privateer's Hold; games that have progressed further will not be affected by a new questfile.
• Although it is intended for the various subplots to start at different character levels, due the game's internal processing they can all be started as soon as you reach level 3. Only one quest flag is used to check your character level, and it is set to "True" as soon as you reach this level. As mentioned in the note above, this may result in a quest-breaking situation.
  • This is corrected by a third-party quest patch, found here.
• The quest startup should end as soon as all required quests are started, but due some logical errors within the questfile, this quest will never end if you approach it in the wrong way.
  • There is a third-party quest patch which corrects this problem along with the character level issue, mentioned in the note above. It can be found here.
• If any of the subplots won't start, or you turned them down in the first place, there is a tool which can reinitiate them. It can be found here.

Additional Dialogue

The following dialogues are meant to be spoken by the various NPCs of the main quest if your level is not high enough to receive their associated quests. However, they do not work in the absence of third-party patches such as DFQFIX.

• "(Player's name), I have a special task in mind for you. However, to be blunt you have yet to prove yourself to me. I don't know if I can trust you yet. I will watch you actions and how you conduct yourself with other members of my court and my family. That will tell me if you have the proper character."
• "Your bravery and skill are beyond reproach. If I felt I could trust you, I would send you on a particularly sensative [sic] mission. Come back and visit me when you shown I can trust you."

• "(Player's name), I have a special task that would be perfect for you. However, I would just be signing your death warrant if I were to give it to you now. When you are more skillful return to me and I may give it to you then."
• "Its really too bad, (player's first name). I have a special assignment that requires someone I trust, such as yourself. However, it also needs someone of greater skill in order to survive. Come back and visit me when you have improved you skills some more."

• "(Player's name), You might be just the person ta help me. But I don't trusts ya well nuff yet. If I hears that you are a standup (player's race), maybe you should come back and ask me again."

• "I could sure use yer help (player's name). But you just ain't tough enough ta handle what I gotta have done. You get better and then come see me."

• "I have delicate matters that might need your touch. First you must prove yourself worthy. Return to me when you have earned the trust to deserve my patronage."

• "You are trustworthy, that I know. However, to be blunt, you are unskilled. Should you gain greater skill and become a deadlier opponent, I think I could give some very interesting work."