Online:Foreman Lathdar

Foreman Lathdar
Home Settlement	Gnisis
Race	Nord	Gender	Male
Health	15,000 39,959 (Upon returning from the mine/At the docks/In the Resting Kwama)
Reaction	Friendly

Foreman Lathdar

Foreman Lathdar is a Nord who can be found in Gnisis. He oversees the egg mine there.

Related Quests

• A Melodic Mistake: Discover why miners are going mad.
• Hatching a Plan: Return a town's egg mine to operations.

Quest Related Events

A Melodic Mistake

After you received the quest through Manore Mobaner, you'll encounter Lathdar outside the Gnisis Egg Mine entrance along with a suffering Thagbruth and a small crowd of onlookers. Speak to him and he'll say:

"Well it's about damned time! You daffy House Redoran types have … wait, you're not House Redoran. Bah! Should have known better.
You'd best move on, stranger. This mine's cursed. It'll snatch you up just like poor Thagbruth if you aren't careful."

Tell me more about what's going on in the mine.

"Sorry for growling and moping. We've just been waiting for these damned Redoran surveyors so long. Kind of lost hope, you know?
My egg-hands are in buckets of trouble. Some strange noise is turning their brains to pudding. Driving the kwama mad too."

What is the sound doing to the egg-hands, exactly?

"It's put a hex on them. They won't budge. They just pace and hum and blubber like idiots. Practically had to beat Thagbruth senseless to drag him out here.
Something in that noise … that song. It's got them by the beards and won't let go."

Maybe I could help you investigate.

"Mara's mercy! Thank you, friend. I'm supposed to wait until the Redoran surveyors show up, but to Sovngarde with that! I want my people home safe.
Do what you need to do, but don't stay in there long. I don't want that song to claim you too."

Can you tell me more about this song?

"Well, it's barely a song. It's just a mash of notes, you know? Crawls up behind your eyeballs and makes you dizzy. Paranoid.
I've been working in these mines for years and I've never heard the like. Might have something to do with all the quakes."

Quakes?

"Yeah. I don't know if you noticed, but Red Mountain's been pretty ornery lately. We've been dealing with minor cave-ins for weeks.
Could be that one of those tremors uncovered something it shouldn't have."

If you speak to him before leaving, he'll warn you:

"Good luck in there, and mind the kwama. None of this will make a damn bit of difference if you wind up bug-food.
They're normally gentle as newborn lambs. 'Course, lambs don't have pincers the size of hedge shears. Just be careful, all right?"

After rescuing the Miners, you'll find Manore Mobaner outside The Resting Kwama along with a group of recovering Miners. Speak to him and he'll say:

"You did it! My egg-hands started stumbling out of the mine a few minutes ago. They've got some bumps and scrapes and more than a few headaches, but otherwise no worse for the wear.
What happened down there?"

A Dark Elf mage accidentally activated a Dwarven mind control device.

"A Dwarven what? How did—? I've worked those mines for years and I've never seen a scrap of Dwarf mischief.
Where is this snow-backed Dark Elf? It was that Telvanni skeever, Revus, wasn't it?"

Yes, it was Revus. He says he's sorry and offered to help get the mine back on track.

"Hrmph. More Telvanni trickery! And to think, I'd almost warmed to that little dolt.
Ugh. Enough grumbling. I'm just grateful that my people are alive and safe."

Me too.

If you quit dialogue at this point and speak to him again:

"I don't know what we would have done without you. To Sovngarde with House Redoran! We'll make this mine the envy of Vvarfenfell without their help."

I'm just glad that everyone got out all night.

"It's only because of you, friend. I'll raise a bottle of mead to you every night, from now until World's End.
Please, take this. You've more than earned it for what you've done."

Hatching a Plan

"With a couple days rest, and a few stiff drinks we'll be up and running again!
I guess I should go check on the queen at some point. She's probably a nervous wreck. Always been a little skittish, that one."

About that … the kwama killed their queen during the mine disaster.

"What? No, that can't be. The queen's the heart of the mine! We mine eggs, for Mara's sake! Can't very well run an egg mine without eggs, can you?
I'm sorry. It's been a rough few days. It was that damned Dwarf magic, wasn't it?"

Yes. The song affected everything in there. Even the kwama.

"Revus …. I want you to find that scrawny little wizard and tell him the bill's come due. He wants to help? Well, now's the horking time.
If he doesn't fix this, we'll sic the Redoran on him. He doesn't want that. Believe me."

I'll talk to him. He might have a way to solve this missing queen problem.

"Revus lives just north of here. You'll see a tangle of old rope-bridges and rocks. Kyne only knows what that wizard does out there.
Make sure you really lay into him, eh? I'd do it myself, but I've got to take care of this lot."

Did House Redoran ever show up to help with the mines?

"Bah! Of course not. Too busy praying and hollowing out bugs, no doubt.
But make no mistake, if they find out a Telvanni mage has been poking around in their territory, they'll come down on this place like a Dawnstar gale."

How do you think Revus can help?

"That's a question for Revus. Frankly, I don't give a damn how he fixes it. He just needs to fix it.
Tell him to use some of that Telvanni magic to conjure up a queen or something. Wait—that's a terrible idea. It'll probably end up eating us."

And what happens if he's unable to help?

"Then it'll fall to the Houses to sort this mess out. Of course, they'll probably be too busy posturing and politicking to help us.
It'll be the egg-hands that suffer most. You can count on that."

Return from speaking with Revus, and you'll overhear Morbaner and Lathdar in mid-argument:

Foreman Lathdar : "Until your House shows up, we have no other options. I'm willing to give anything a try at this point."

Manore Mobaner : "You'd welcome that Telvanni schemer into town after all he's done? You truly are a fool, Lathdar. To Oblivion with the lot of you!"

Speak to Lathdar, and he'll ask:

"Please tell me you have good news. I don't think I've got the stamina for another disaster.
What did Revus say? Can he help us or not?"

Revus believes he might have a royal kwama egg you can use.

"A royal egg? The Telvanni had a kwama queen just lying around? I guess I shouldn't be surprised.
This might actually work. It would take an army to shove a full-grown queen through that mine, but an egg? We've got a real chance here!"

The egg's encased in one of three cliff strider egg-heaps. We're not sure which one.

"Of course. Always a catch.
Whatever you need to do to break that egg out, you do it. But I'm gonna make damn sure he knows we're watching."

I'll be sure to tell him.

As you wrap up your conversation with Lathdar, Revus will appear and announce himself:

Revus Demnevanni : "I'm sorry for the delay. Getting the eggs down here was trickier than I'd thought. Greetings, Foreman."

Foreman Lathdar : "Enough with the apologies, Revus. Our mutual friend told me everything. Where are these egg-heaps?"

Revus Demnevanni : "Oh. Yes, I've put them down by the dock. Should make the clean up a bit less onerous. Feel free to go down there and inspect them. I just need a moment before we begin."

Foreman Lathdar : "This better work. We've got a lot riding on this. So do you."

Foreman Lathdar will then head towards the docks.

Meet Lathdar, Revus, and Vigard the Sparrow at the docks and you'll hear Lathdar threaten:

Foreman Lathdar : "I hope you know what you're doing, Revus."

After speaking to Revus, he will move to Vigard:

Revus Demnevanni : "Remember what I told you, Vigard. The sound of your voice should help soothe the queen. Just sing from the heart."

Vigard the Sparrow : "I will, Revus. Settle in everyone. I've written a song for just this occasion. I think you'll enjoy it."

Vigard the Sparrow : "Oh kwama, sweet kwama, Don't you want to be a momma …?"

The heaps quake and set off a cloud of offal.

Foreman Lathdar : "Something's happening! I think it's—oh no! What is that?"

The heaps explode open to reveal two kwama eggs and a Baby Cliff-Strider.

Vigard the Sparrow : "Aww, look at that. It's just a baby."

Revus Demnevanni : "Oh no. Something's wrong! Everyone, run!"

Just then, a matron Cliff Strider appears and slays Vigard. Revus and Lathdar run away leaving you to take care of the motherly menace.

Meet Revus up the hill towards town and you'll find Foreman Lathdar and Manore Mobaner threatening the dunmer:

Foreman Lathdar : "That was your last chance, Revus. To Sovngarde with you and your schemes!"

Once the queen is hatched, go outside the mine where you'll hear:

Foreman Lathdar : "Damn it, Manore! Are these Redoran oathmen ever going to arrive? Where are they?"

Manore Mobaner : "They'll be here soon! The chance to punish this treacherous Telvanni is too good to pass up. House Redoran is going to to make your House pay dearly, Revus."

Revus Demnevanni : "I'd temper your expectations. I am Telvanni, true, but my relationship with the council is distant at best. I doubt it will mean as much as you think."

Speak to Lathdar and he'll say:

"I was wondering where you'd gotten off to. Thought you might have moved on. I certainly wouldn't blame you. Between Manore and this owl-brained Telvanni, I'm about ready to head back to Skyrim myself.
How're things in the mine?"

There's a new kwama queen in the nursery. It just hatched and appears healthy.

"What? You're—you're not joking, are you? I mean, I'm grateful if that's the truth, but how?"

Revus's egg. We planted it in the nursery just before it hatched.

"So Revus wasn't trying to destroy us after all. He's still got a lot of explaining to do, but for what it's worth, I'm happy I was wrong about him.
Gods, what a day. I've had enough excitement for ten lifetimes. I'm just anxious to get back to work."

I'm sure.

If you quit dialogue at this point and talk to him again:

"I hope this new queen is sturdier than the last. She's got a big job ahead of her. We all do."

Looks like the Gnisis Egg-Mine is back in business.

"Here, take this. Without you, we'd still be dragging half-mad miners out of there.
It'll take some time to get the mine up and running, but with a new queen, I bet we'll be even more prosperous than before. Thanks, friend, and safe travels."

After speaking to Lathdar, you'll hear the following:

Foreman Lathdar : "Revus, our friend here told me what you did. I'm still madder than a shaved cave bear, but you're free to go."

Manore Mobaner : "What?"

Revus Demnevanni : "Excuse me?"

Foreman Lathdar : "You got us a queen. Don't get me wrong, I don't want you mending my clothes or making my food—I'd probably wind up naked and poisoned. But you did what you said you'd do. That's good enough for me."

Manore Mobaner : "Have you lost your mind? This miscreant can't be allowed to leave! House Redoran will hear of this! I'll report you too! I'll report this whole fetching town!"

Foreman Lathdar : "Ugh. I'd be worried if I thought Manore's word counted for anything. Stay out of trouble, Revus. I mean it."

Revus Demnevanni : "Well, I certainly didn't expect that …."

Lathdar walks off towards town and disappears.

Dialogue

After completing the quests, you'll find Lathdar in The Resting Kwama where he sits at the bar with his drink.

"Mead tastes best when worries aren't weighing you down. I mean, it tastes great when you're worried too. Mead always tastes great.
I forget what I was trying to say. Oh well, doesn't matter!"

Celebrating our victory in the mines?

"I'll be celebrating the mine's return to glory once our Queen grows up and our miners aren't fighting off the effects of crazy songs.
For now, I'm celebrating the fact I don't have a Dunmer thorn in my arse anymore."

Which Dunmer?

"Take your pick.
Revus at least means well, but his luck's horrible. Manore though—that man's ignorance and pride wear you down. You can only listen to someone's boastfulness for so long before you want to snap them in half."

What happened to Manore, anyways?

"I haven't heard from that milk-drinker since he ran off crying about his precious House Redoran. I hope a silt strider sat on him and he's stuck in its arse for the next eternity.
It'd be the only time he was ever quiet."

Notes

• Considering the existence of Elynea Lathdar in the nearby house labeled as Lathdar's House in town, it is unclear if Lathdar is his first or last name, or if there is any relation between the two characters.