Skyrim:Madman

Madman
Added by	Dragonborn
Location	Radiant
Race	Nord	Gender	Male
Level	PC×0.5 (range=5-15)	Class	Bandit
RefID	N/A	BaseID	xx027A15
Other Information
Health	50	Magicka	50
Stamina	50
Primary Skills	One-handed, Two-handed, Block, Light Armor, Heavy Armor
Morality	No Crime	Aggression	Unaggressive
Voice Type	MaleNord

Madman

The Madman is a Nord bandit found in the wilds of Solstheim. He has apparently been driven mad from reading a Black Book, and will direct you towards it. He wears ragged boots and ragged robes, and carries some scribblings. He has a chance to spawn at several specific spots all over the island of Solstheim as part of a world interaction.

Related Quests

• Black Book: Retrieve a Black Book from a dungeon.

Dialogue

Approaching him, he says:

"I know things. Hidden things. Things you aren't supposed to know."

This presents three options to reply:

Slow down there. What are you going on about?

"You don't believe me. No one does. They don't want to. I don't want to either. But I can't help it. They're in my head!"

Ummm... Are you alright?

"No! That's what I'm trying to say. The secrets. They're in there. In there deep. Can't get them out. They're in my head."

Whoa. Not so close

"Good idea. They might leak out. Don't want them crawling into your head, too. Like me. They're in my head. Right now. Saying things."

The conversation then follows with more ramblings, after which he becomes hostile and attacks you with his fists:

What's in your head?

"Secret hidden things."

Secrets? What kind of secrets?

"The secret kind!"

Alright then. Where did you learn these secrets?

"The Black Book. It shoved them in there. With black slick fingers. My fingers are too short. I can't get them out."

Where did you find this Black Book?

"Oh no. I didn't find it. It found me. Here. I'll show you. See. Right there. But don't go there. You don't want these things in your head. You don't!"

I can see this is going nowhere. Good luck with all that.

"Luck won't help. I need something to pry these things out of my head. Why won't anyone listen to me? Listen to me! They're in my head!"

If he is killed, his body can be looted for a note which begins a miscellaneous quest to find the Black Book he was referring to.

Notes

• He can be encountered on more than one occasion.
• Using a calm spell on him will prevent him from attacking the Dragonborn, the note can be pickpocketed from him.

Bugs

• If that particular Black Book has already been found, the miscellaneous quest cannot be cleared from your journal.