Online:Phantom Guilt

Discover the source of a cursed amulet. Zone: Grahtwood Quest Giver: A skeleton just east of Forked Root Camp or northeast of Gil-Var-Delle Location(s): Cemetery south of Goldfolly, Cormount Reward: Cathartic Band Average Leveled Gold XP Gain: 1240

His end is just the beginning...

I found a strange glowing amulet on a corpse in the woods.

Quick Walkthrough

1. Find the skeleton and his journal.
2. Find out where the amulet came from.
3. Get the amulet destroyed.

Detailed Walkthrough

Disturbing Findings

When you explore the wilderness, you can find a skeleton gibbeted to a tree and can interact with it:

<A skeleton hangs here, picked clean by birds. Based on the condition of the rope this individual seems to have died fairly recently. The only object of note on the deceased is a curiously glowing amulet.>

<Take the amulet>

You should now head a few steps to the north of the skeleton; there you find Bordaunt Virelande's Journal revealing the tragedy of an aspiring young hero finding an cursed amulet, about how he started to hear voices in his head, and about how in the end he considered himself a monster. After finishing the disturbing story, a voice whispers "Murderer..."

The Source of the Curse

Goldfolly's lovely cemetery

Another victim's grave

You need to get rid of the curse before it drives you mad. The one who cursed the amulet might be able to lift the curse, so using the clues from the journal you need to find the man Bordaunt got the amulet from, and who is now buried near Goldfolly. So head to the cemetery south of Goldfolly to look for further clues. On one of the tombstones there is an epitaph:

"Lesahanar, Beloved of Azabesh."
"His laugh filled the forest. Gone, but never forgotten."

While reading the epitaph Azabesh, Lesahanar's widow, approaches the grave.

"What brings you to my husband's grave? I don't think we've ever met."

No. I heard he died suddenly. What happened?

"My husband was a guard for a merchant caravan. One day he found a magic amulet on a dead man laying in the road. Almost overnight he became despondent, and when he spoke he would only talk about the bandits he had killed while defending the caravan."

Was there anything that helped him?

"No, nothing worked. I even paid to have the origin of the amulet divined and learned it was crafted in Cormount. Surprisingly my husband volunteered to go, but he was found dead not far from town the next day and the amulet was gone."

I found the amulet.

"If you have the amulet, I suggest you find a way to be rid of it as soon as possible before you lose the will to even try."

Leave and travel to Cormount. Talk to the merchants in Cormount to find the jeweler. Any one of them will direct you to them:

Do you know where I can find a jeweler in Cormount?

"There's really only Rondrin, but he's been retired for a while now."

The Amulet's Destruction

Find and talk to Rondrin in his house, which is on the west side of town:

"If you are looking for custom jewelry, you should know I'm retired."

Did you make this amulet?

"My amulet! Tell me, did it do its work? Did the Argonian suffer?"

What Argonian?

"The brigand who killed my son! It took all my resources to make that amulet and track him down.
You see, I am not a strong or violent man, but I do know my craft. That amulet is my masterpiece."

How does it work?

"It magnifies the guilt of taking a life, slowly overwhelming the wearer with grief until he takes his own life. It's a little bit of poetry, if I do say so myself.
Although it's been so long, I was beginning to doubt it worked."

I didn't find it on an Argonian.

"What? That can't be! You're lying. The Argonian sent you, didn't he? He's not dead at all, is he?"

I found this journal near the amulet.

"This... this isn't right. This person obviously did not deserve to die. What have I done?
Give me the amulet. I made it impossible to give away, but I created it, so you should be able to give it to me."

Here, take it.

"I thank you for bringing me closure on my son's killer. I know what I have to do now."

What do you mean?

"It's my turn to wear the amulet now. If anyone is guilty, if anyone deserves it, it's me."

At this point you can choose to let him suffer for what he did or talk him out of killing himself.

Why would you do that?

"I created this abominable object. It's only fitting that I am destroyed by it. It's justice."

If that's what you want. [Rondrin dies]

"Now it is time for you to leave and me to reap what I've sown. I was a successful jeweler in my day—take this for your troubles and go on with your life." (Ends quest)

If you chose the first option you get another choice:

Someone else could pick it up. You should destroy it. [Rondrin lives]

"Oh, Gods. How was I so blind? My revenge only brought more pain into the world. I guess death is a poor substitute for justice, after all.
You're right. I must end this diseased cycle. I must destroy the amulet."

You're right. Keep the amulet. [Rondrin dies]

"Now it is time for you to leave and me to reap what I've sown. I was a successful jeweler in my day—take this for your troubles and go on with your life." (Ends quest)

If you persuaded him to live, watch him destroy the amulet, then talk to him again to finish the quest:

"It is done. No one shall ever suffer at the hands of this accursed creation again."

Are you going to be all right?

"I don't know that I deserve to be forgiven for what I've done, but I do know that no one else should suffer for my folly. Thank you and please take this for your troubles."

Regardless of your choice, your reward is the Cathartic Band.

Notes

• After starting the quest, there is a chance that the voice will whisper to you after killing enemies, saying things such as:
  • "Heroes don't kill..."
  • "So many dead... for your entertainment.".
  • "The blood you spill... fills rivers."
  • "The world would be better off... without you."

Quest Stages

Phantom Guilt
Finishes Quest	Journal Entry
	The amulet is clearly magical, but I can't discern its purpose. I should look around the area for clues regarding this person's demise. Objective: Investigate the Area
	I found a journal describing how the dead man obtained the amulet near Goldfolly. The journal mentioned the previous owner of the amulet was from there. I should head to Goldfolly Cemetery and see what I can find. Objective: Go to Goldfolly Cemetery
	I found a journal mentioning the previous owner of the amulet. I should search for his tombstone in Goldfolly and see if I can learn anything. Objective: Find Name of Deceased from Tombstone
	I found a gravestone for Lesahanar, one of the amulet's previous owners. Azabesh, his widow, approached me while I was at his grave. I should see if she knows more about the amulet. Objective: Talk to Azabesh
	Azabesh directed me to Cormount, where I might find the jeweler who crafted this amulet. I should travel there before the amulet begins to influence me, as it did to her late husband. Objective: Find the Jeweler in Cormount
	I should search Cormount for the jeweler who made the amulet. If I can't find him, I should ask merchants around Cormount for directions. Objective: Find the Jeweler Objective Hint: Ask Cormount Merchants for Directions
	I found Rondrin, the amulet's creator. When I told him what happened, he seemed distraught it had harmed so many people. I should decide whether to let him punish himself or encourage him to destroy the amulet. Objective: Talk to Rondrin
Finishes quest	I convinced Rondrin to wear the amulet, as a just punishment for the deaths he caused. Objective: Talk to Rondrin
	I've convinced the Jewelcrafter the only way to end this for good is to destroy his creation. Objective: Witness the Amulet's Destruction
Finishes quest	I convinced Rondrin to destroy the amulet, ending its threat forever. Objective: Talk to Rondrin

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.