TGDB.net - Game news, cheats, solutions, walkthroughs, trainers, saved games and much more!

The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind (TESM)
Mage's Guild Guide v1.81 07/11/04
(c) 2002-2004 by Zelgadis-sama (Daniel Guidotti)
Email: FAQ is finished. No more e-mail, Please.

CONTENTS:

0.0 Version History
0.1 FINAL News ***READ***
1.0 Introduction
2.0 Preparation
3.0 Skills
4.0 Mages Guild Ranks and Requirements
5.0 The Missions
5.1 Balmora
5.2 Ald-Ruhn
5.3 Sadrith Mora: Wolverine Hall
5.4 Vivec
5.5 Getting a Wizard's Staff (Sud)
6.0 Usage of this FAQ
7.0 Credits & Acknowledgements
8.0 Contacting Me
9.0 Twin Lamps
10.0 Closing

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
0.0 VERSION HISTORY

06/05/02 v1.0 Initial Release.
06/07/02 v1.1 Added additional formatting, fixed grammar and spelling errors
added quests for Edwinna Elbert, Skink-in-His-Shade, and Trebonius Artorius.
Also added master trainers to skills section.
06/08/02 v1.2 Extensive grammar and name spelling and format fixes. Also
reworked the sneak and athletics section. See Credits for more additions to
certain missions.
06/10/02 v1.3 Updated Ajira's missions in Balmora (including the Staff of
Magnus and the Warlock's ring and added correct mission rewards for many
missions. Also updated All of Ranis' missions and added rewards. Updated the
Ranks and Requirements section. Fixed many incorrect name and location
spellings.
06/11/02 v1.4 Even more grammar and spelling fixes (hopefully, most names and
places should be correct...). Doubled the size of section two. Added alternate
ways to complete several missions. Updated credits section. Fixed minor
factual errors. Fixed some formatting problems. Finalized Ajira, Ranis, and
Edwinna missions. Added Wizard's Staff mission. Finally added first mission
from Trebonius.
06/13/02 v1.45 Added a way to get around accidentally selling the
Chimarvamidium. Rearranged some sections to make presentation more logical.
Fixed numbering inconsistencies. Removed some useless paragraphs. Updated
Credits. Added extra information to many missions. Fixed a contradiction in
5.7.1. Reformatted ENEMIES, NOTE, and REWARD headings. Fixed more grammar and
spelling errors. Added section 2.1.2.1 Added more info on Trebonius.
06/19/02 v1.5 Arbitrarily added news section. Fixed errors that tons of people
emailed me about!! Fixed more numbering inconsistencies. Updated info on
Neminda, and recovering stolen loot.
06/27/02 v1.6 Standardized credits and removed redundant references. Added
TONS of credits. Further formatted NOTES, REWARD, and ENEMIES headings. Added
counter to credits section. Fixed yet more grammar and spelling errors.
Removed parenthetical references to smooth flow. Updated miscellaneous section
with patch info. Clarified section 5.1.12.
06/30/02 v1.7 Fixed cardinal directions. Added section 2.7 (renumbered) on
Robe of Roris. Added Special Thanks for exceptional contributors. Minor
renumbering of section 2. Added HUGE info on glass armor and Golden Saints.
Capitalized lessons. Added prices for certain enchantments. Eliminated email
backlog. Updated section 5.3.6. Finalized Skink's missions. Fixed more names.
Added lots of miscellaneous information all over FAQ, mostly details.
03/07/03 v1.75 Updated a little info on Fighter's Guild among other things.
I've also added tons of email submissions to the FAQ...
06/09/03 v1.77 Answered a few more emails. Updated sections 2.1.1.2 (new),
2.1.1.4 (new), 2.2, 2.6.1, 2.9 (new), 3.3, 5.1.3, 5.2.3, 5.3.4, 6.0, 7.0, and
8.0. Updated the News section.
06/22/03 v1.80 Updated section 2.1.2, 5.2.9 (NOTE), 5.3.6 (added NOTE), 2.9,
5.2.6 (added NOTE 3), 2.1.1.4 (Added NOTE REMIX) Fixed capitalization
problems.
03/18/04 Lots of small updates that I've gotten too lazy to list.
07/11/04 FINAL RELEASE UPDATE


0.1 News (FINAL UPDATE 07/11/04)

***IMPORTANT***
***IMPORTANT***
***IMPORTANT***

This is the final update of the FAQ. I know that it isn't finished. I know
that everyone who sent emails didn't get them answered. I know that some parts
of this FAQ may have incorrect data, however; the time has come for me to move
on, and I've been too slow about it. I have other things to do now, and I
cannot answer any more e-mails for this FAQ. I no longer play Morrowind,
though it was fun while it lasted. I even deleted it from my computer, so that
I won't be tempted. To all of those who helped and sent emails, they mattered
even if you never heard back from me. I read them all. Thanks. Good luck and
have fun playing.

***IMPORTANT***
***IMPORTANT***
***IMPORTANT***

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.0 INTRODUCTION

Welcome to my Mage's Guild Guide for Morrowind. This is my first (and still
only even after two years) attempt at writing a strategy guide, so please bear
with me if everything isn't perfect. I've decided to write an all-inclusive
guide for those of you who wish to become the Arch-Mage of the Mage's Guild. I
hope to provide a complete list of all related Mage's Guild missions and any
alternate ways completing them. Please be aware that I still have to add and
retouch a few more missions. I'm not quite sure anymore when the FAQ will be
complete. It seems as though the FAQ has a life of its own now and every once
in a while an exceptional contributor mentions an idea that will expand the
FAQ a page or two.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------
2.0 PREPARATION

Here are some recommended preparations, in terms of skills, armor etc. that
you might want to know about while you quest. If you are just starting out,
you won't have access to many of the things that I describe here; however,
having them at some point will make your life a *LOT* easier.

Although this IS a Mage's Guild FAQ, I still feel that it is necessary to
include some in-depth strategy, so these following sections are going to be
somewhat lengthy, but quite informative. If none of this interests you, skip
right to section 5.0.

2.1 Running Is Good, but Sneaking Is Better

First, you might want to train your athletics skill. Being a slowpoke is no
fun, and can considerably increase the time it takes to get from point A to B.
You can't outrun the local fauna if you are too slow. My recommendation is to
find a room and face a corner. Jam the run key down on your keyboard and go to
bed, school, or work. When you come back in ~8 hours, your athletics skill
should be 55-60. This is plenty for now. If you *must* have 100 athletics, be
warned that it can take 24 hours or more to max out the skill.

The sneak skill can be trained in the same way. Find a lone NPC indoors and
get behind him/her/it. Find a way to mash your sneak key down and do something
else. It takes ~6-10 hours (it seems to vary) to get the sneak skill to 100.
(You do NOT have to hold the move key down for this. Just the sneak key.) This
is important because there are many things that you may want to steal, and
being caught can cause many problems. A high sneak skill is essential no
matter what class you are. (Dan Lethcoe)

NOTE: If your copy of Morrowind crashes a lot like mine, you have a better
chance of successfully training your skills if you do it indoors. There isn't
any evidence supporting this claim, just my personal experience.

2.1.1 Lessons in Sneakin' and Thievin' (or How Not to Be Seen) =P
(Credit goes to Monty Python for that one)

Sneaking and Thievery are so important in Morrowind that I'm going to dedicate
more space to describing ways to avoid capture, or salvage your game if you
are caught. Most of this is stuff that I learned the hard way.
LESSON: Read this FAQ (sheeesh, no hate mail for this, please)

In general, save your game each and every time you plan on doing something
illegal. This means that before every theft, pickpocket, and out and out
murder, you SAVE your game... this can save you mucho heartbreak if your only
option is to restore your game. A good example of when this might be necessary
is killing Temple Guards in Vivec. If you kill more than five of them, every
guard in the game will try to kill you, and no NPCs will talk to you or give
you missions. You MUST restore your game. Try not to kill too many NPCs,
especially not people who can give you training or sell you unique spells.
LESSON: SAVE often, and don't randomly kill NPCs.

When you are stealing, try to stay out of the line of sight of your target. If
you can get the target to turn the other way by talking to him/her/it, so much
the better. Also, make sure that the yellow sneak icon is visible before you
attempt to steal. A simple rule of thumb: When stealing, if the yellow sneak
icon is showing, you probably won't be caught. This isn't the law though.
Sometimes if you steal something expensive, or an NPC enters the room just as
you steal, you'll be caught regardless of whether you are sneaking. Restore
the game when that happens.
LESSON: The yellow sneak icon is your friend

NOTE: Make sure to keep the sneak icon depressed the whole time. If you
release the sneak button while you are stealing, you will Be Seen.

2.1.1.1 Pick pocketing: The Game's Afoot

When you try to pickpocket from people, the game is much different. Many
times, the only way to get what you want, without too much effort, is murder.
A good example of this is during a mission from Ranis Athrys. She asks you to
get some papers from Itermeral. If you can't steal from him, lead him into the
middle of nowhere and kill him. There are also other NPCs in Morrowind, which
are tough or near impossible to pickpocket. An example of this is the
Slavemaster at the Dren Plantation. There are lots of slaves that want to be
freed. If you want to free them, you need the key from the Slavemaster, but
there are too many people around (why on EARTH would the slaves report your
crime??). It is impossible to get the sneak icon to appear. So kill Dren and
take his key.
LESSON: If you can't steal, try killing the target.

2.1.1.2 A Few Taunts Are Worth 1,000 Battles

Occasionally you may need to kill someone in a crowded area, or someone
otherwise inconveniently located. To accomplish this, I recommend a
speechcraft skill of 75. If you fulfill this requirement (even if you don't),
try using the taunt feature under the persuasion submenu. If you can
successfully taunt someone below 10 affection, there is a chance that the NPC
will attack you. This works especially well on guards and military personnel.
As long as you are attacked first, you can kill without repercussions.
LESSON: Taunt your enemies into attacking you.

NOTE: Xelmepa brought up a really good point. You have to be HARMED in order
not to be fined. If you taunt someone into attacking you and don't take any
damage, then you will still receive the full fine. This means that above level
20 or so you might have to remove your armor when you taunt someone. You can
also drink stat minus potions if you really need to take the damage.

2.1.1.3 All Are Not Equal Under the Law

This brings me to my next point. You can kill certain people with no
repercussions. Any thief, bandit, necromancer, or other form of outlaw can be
killed and looted from with no consequence. Anybody in a town without a unique
name (e.g. Ordinators and Hlaalu/Redoran/Telvanni guards) can generally be
killed with no repercussions. Just make sure that you don't kill them in
crowded places. If you kill someone in a closed room, you'll be caught if
there are people on the other side of the door or wall. You won't have to pay
a fine, but everyone will attack you anyway. This is where removing the corpse
might come in handy. Don't loot corpses in public either. If you kill someone
without being caught, and then loot the corpse in public, you'll still have to
pay a fine.
LESSON: Kill people who won't cause problems, but don't loot corpses when you
can Be Seen.

NOTE: I updated to the patch. It seems as though just about every time you
kill someone, you'll probably be fined. I do recommend patching, but remember
that its now even easier to get caught.

2.1.1.4 Sweet-Lips Are Worth the Trouble

The best way to get out of a Jam is the Thieves' Guild. If you become a member
(talk to Sweet-Lips Habasi in Balmora at the South Wall Cornerclub), you can
have your fines easily removed without talking to the guards. This is
important because if you must be caught, you'll lose everything that you've
ever stolen, regardless of the town. This doesn't apply to treasure from caves
or bandits. This DOES apply to everything that you steal from stores in towns,
or from any barrels and crates. Example: If you steal a soulgem in Balmora,
and have to pay a fine in Vivec, you'll lose the soulgem. This is especially
troublesome when you steal armor, rings, or other good equipment. Stolen items
are relocated to the nearest 'evidence' chest. Finding those is up to you.
LESSON: Join the Thieves Guild

NOTE: If you join the Fighter's Guild first, you cannot join the Thieves'
Guild so beware. For our purposes as Mages, this shouldn't be a problem.
(LouitheRoach)

NOTE: CBC_CBC made a good point... there is actually a specific Fighter's
Guild mission that will prevent you from joining the Thieves' Guild: