Arena:Elden Grove

The Elden Grove, where the first tree is said to have come from, holds a piece of the Staff. Quest Giver: Ria Silmane Location(s): Valenwood Prerequisite Quest: Labyrinthian Next Quest: Halls of Colossus Reward: The third piece of the Staff of Chaos

Elden Grove

Quick Walkthrough

1. Sleep and be visited by Ria Silmane once again.
2. Travel to Eldenroot, Valenwood and meet Queen Ulandra.
3. Infiltrate Selene's Web to retrieve a gem.
4. Deliver the gem to Eldenroot and learn of the location of the Elden Grove.
5. Travel to the Elden Grove and find the third piece of the Staff of Chaos.
6. Survive another attempt at your life by Jagar Tharn.

Detailed Walkthrough

A Regular Dream Visitor

The next time you sleep after retrieving the second piece of the Staff of Chaos, you will yet again be visited by Ria Silmane. This time, she will say:

"I would congratulate you on retrieving the second piece of the Staff of Chaos, but dire portents have I seen. The third piece of the Staff lies somewhere in the Elden Grove, ancient home of the Elves. The Elden Grove is said to be the birthplace of the sacred First Tree, that which gave life to all the forests on the continent of Tamriel. Its location has been a closely guarded secret, so guarded in fact that many believe that even the Elves have forgotten its true location. Considering that there are only three provinces that hold any of the Elven people, your search should not be too difficult. Find the Elden Grove and recover the third piece of the Staff. I wish you well on your quest..."

Eldenroot, Part 1

Asking around about the Elden Grove leads you eventually to the Eldenroot palace. There, Queen Ulandra implores you for your help in destroying the power of a local sorceress named Selene. If Elden Grove weren't sacred to the wood elves, maybe she'd tell you right off where it was, but since it is, you're going to have to save the wood elves first. When you agree to go, you are provided with the location of Selene's Web and instructions to get the jewel that is the seat of her power.

Selene's Web

Upon entering this dungeon, a message will reveal that:

This dank, moldy corridor leads into Selene's Web. The smell of wet earth lingers in the air.

Selene's Web, another two-level dungeon, is a tiny bit southeast of Eldenroot. "Web" is a hint for what you will mainly face down here: spiders. Be sure to bring Potions of Free Action because you will most likely be paralyzed by the eight-legged monsters. A dark, completely optional area of the dungeon is especially populated by a deadly number of the arachnids, but upon coming close, the game will warn you with the messages:

MATING DENS!

No Light Or Noise!

The way down from the first level is southwest of the entrance. Unfortunately, it is blocked by a magically locked door that requires a gold key you must now seek in this level, as pointed out by the messages:

Oddly, this small passage bears marks of heavy use.

You see a door with a golden lock.

This key resides on an island in a large room that is south-southwest of the entrance, signaled by the message:

Before you lies a small arena, surrounded by water. Something glitters on the stones of one island.

The key is on the northwest island (29,23). The key is more difficult to see as it blends in with the floor tile textures. Get the key, unlock the door (52,29), and go down. (Alternatively, you could merely use Passwall on the wall next to the door. This is one of those rare instances where a magically-locked door can be negotiated without a key.)

The second level of the dungeon is a mess of trenches, tunnels, and water. The room where Heart of Selene resides is actually not far away from the entrance to the level; it's just a bit east-southeast. First, take the east trench around to the south, emerge, and head east on the ground level; you'll run into the room quite quickly. However, there's another magically-locked door. Although this one can't be skipped over with Passwall, an Open spell will unlock it. The door will have a message pointing out what you need:

The door before you has a diamond studded lock.

The Heart of Selene

The key is difficult to get. First you have to find it, and that's the hardest part. It's in a very large room in the southeast of the dungeon, past a series of rooms full with spiders, noted as important by the message:

DANGER!

TRAINING AREA!

When entering the room, you will encounter barbarians. If you go to the northwestern corner of the room, you might have to deal with a couple of wraiths. There's a smaller sub-room inside it that has no doors, but the game hints to you that you will have to jump to get in (and you can forget trying Passwall) with another message:

There is little dust here, and the footprints that exist are those of humanoids running toward this wall and jumping...

To get in, perform a running or standstill jump. Note that you can rest on top of the wall without attracting enemies as it counts as an elevated position. Warning, do not rest if your character is on low health at this position as enemies will kill you easily due to the awkward control scheme. If you happen to get stuck in the wall, perform a standstill jump. After a successful jump, you will then see the key on the floor (20,69). Grab it and jump back over the same way. Now go back to the fortified room, unlock the door (31,40), and grab the Heart of Selene (29,40) to receive the message:

You have found the Jewel, the so-called 'Heart of Selene' that will protect the people of Eldenroot. You have only to bring it to the ruler there...

Eldenroot, Part 2

Return to Eldenroot Palace and present the jewel to the queen. She then marks the location of the Elden Grove on your continental map. It is in the west of Valenwood.

Elden Grove

"The small overgrown entrance to the Elden Grove stands before you, guarding secrets forgotten for ages. Somewhere within its misty corridors lies the third piece of the Staff of Chaos..."

As you enter, you will also be warned:

You enter Elden Grove, chilled by the mists that lend perpetual gloom to this melancholy place. You can hear things shuffling through the overgrowth, and distant growling and moaning that does not sound human at all...

The ground level of the Elden Grove is a hazy forest full of monsters and not much treasure. You will not benefit much from a Light spell in this area, as the haze in the forest prevents you from seeing very far. Watch out for the monsters here; they include wraiths which can be particularly dangerous to you at this point in the game. You will soon realize that the Staff piece is not here; it's underneath the Grove. The haziness means you have to feel your way around until you finally find the way down, which is in the far southeast corner of the Grove (9,87). Stay close to the walls in order to map out the area. The fastest way to get to the way down is probably to keep bearing east as much as possible, then go south when you can go east no more. The simplest way to get there is to merely follow the edge of the Grove until you finally get to the way down.

Once you get down to the second level, you'll find yourself in more familiar territory: a more ordinary dungeon, or what was once apparently an underground city and is now mostly a flooded hole. There are boats in the water here that can greatly speed your exploration, as they move quite fast. To enter one, simply click on it. To get out of the boat press J (jump). When you get out of a boat, you are advised to mark the location you left it on your map, as they can be hard to see. The closest boat to the entrance to the level is at 58,86, and there are at least four others.

Explore until you find the Staff piece—or at least, like always, the riddled door guarding the Staff piece. The fastest way to get there is to head west as soon as you can, then paddle north. You will be presented with the following riddle:

Solve who I am by the riddle of this sign,

And all good and evil within shall be thine.

-

My second is performed by my first,

And, it is thought,

A thief by the marks of my whole,

Might be caught.

-

Who am I?

The answers to the riddle can be: footstep, footsteps, foot-step, foot-steps, foot step or foot steps. A correct answer should be accompanied by:

Thou hast answered true, so the gate shall be raised. Discover then if thy luck should be cursed or praised.

With a wrong answer, instead:

I am not that. Thou may return again and again, But this door only opens for the wisest of men.

Answer the riddle correctly, enter, and grab the Staff piece (80,19). (As an alternative to answering the riddle, you can actually Passwall your way into the room where the Staff piece is. This is one of the only times where you can avoid having to answer a Staff piece riddle). Once you get the Staff Piece, a message appears:

The third piece of the Staff of Chaos melds onto the other two with a low hum. The throbbing of the ebony rod is faster now, as though hungry to be reunited with its brethren...

There's one last twist, though. You can't get out the way you got in: the opening on the wall by the trench you fell in cannot be climbed. There's fortunately a door somewhat near the trench, but there's another riddle you have to solve before it will open for you:

This hollow shall be your tomb, for there is no other passage out. Should you answer correctly, you are free. Should you not, prepare to join the lost souls of Elden Grove.

-

Elvish mithril and Argonian silver, crumble I can.

But first, I improve all created by man.

I devour all things,

Bird and beast, serfs and kings,

Though my pace is even, men curse my speed,

Wishing I were lazier in their hour of need.

I can creep and crawl, or rush, even fly.

I am all thou hast. Tell me, who am I?

The answer for this one is "Time", triggering the message:

Time is the answer indeed. Consider Elden Grove thy garden. Come and go, at thy will.

A wrong answer, however, will trigger another:

No, I am not that. You are not free to leave, though when I choose to run out, you will know. I may leave you very soon...

Answer the riddle correctly and you can start the long trek back to the entrance.

Ambush

Upon your next random monster encounter, Jagar Tharn will send his minions and another vision:
"Why do you choose to align against me when it is obvious that I will destroy you? Even as each piece of the Staff comes into your possession it becomes easier to find you, and I have done just that. Face my creatures, if you dare. I am through toying with you..."

Notes

• Despite the Grove being a forest, the game treats it as if it were an interior location and means you cannot fast travel, there is no day or night and no weather.
• Almost none of the walls of the first level can be circumvented through a Passwall spell, making navigation more time consuming.

Bugs

• If you refuse to accept the Queen's request to retrieve Selene's 'heart' from Selene's Web, the game will crash with a divide error on the next attempt to talk with her. You will not be able to continue the main quest without loading a save before your refusal.

Maps

• 

  First Level

• 

  Second Level

Quest Log

Elden Grove ()
Stage/ Index	Finishes Quest	Journal Entry
0		(Date): The Ruler of Eldenroot has sent you to get a gem called the Heart of Selene, and has marked your map of Valenwood with the location of Selene's Web...
1		(Date): The ruler of Eldenroot has inscribed the location of the Elven forests of Elden Grove on your map of the province of Valenwood...

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