Daggerfall:Open a Chest

A merchant needs a magical chest opened. Location(s): Any Guildmagister of the Mages Guild Reward: None/a wand Reputation Gain: see Reputation Gain/Loss ID: n0b00y16 Required Reputation: In Guild Difficulty: Hard Added by: CompUSA Special Edition

What is inside this box?

Quick Walkthrough

1. Talk to the Guildmagister at a Mages Guild hall.
2. Travel to a pawn shop in town where a merchant is waiting.
3. Get the chest from the merchant and cast an Open spell.
4. Respond to anything the chest may reveal.
5. Speak to the merchant once the chest is open.
6. Report back to the Guildmagister within the time limit.

Detailed Walkthrough

A Locked Box Problem

The Guildmagister says:

"(Player's guild rank), I need someone who can cast the Open spell. Please tell me you have learned this by now."

Accept

A local merchant needs help opening an antique chest

The Guildmagister goes on:

"Well, that's a start. The job I need you for is quite simple. Even a child could probably do it, but here you are. A local merchant, (merchant's name), bought an antique chest, but has been unable to get it open. The best locksmiths in (town) have tried and failed, so (he/she) has asked us if we can help. Now, we really don't have time for such trifling matters, but the Guild could use (his/her) patronage, so I agreed to send someone. From what I am told, it sounds like one of (first mage)'s trick boxes. (He/She) made hundreds of them in (his/her) day, mainly as gifts for (his/her) friends, and they still turn up from time to time, as the workman- ship really is outstanding... where was I? Oh yes, well, the secret to these boxes is that they are almost impossible to open in any way except by the use of the simple, standard Open spell. (He/She) specifically made them resistant to the fancy alternative spells (his/her) friends liked to use. Yes, (he/she) tended to waste (his/her) considerable talents on jokes like this. A real shame. Well, run along."

Decline

The Guildmagister answers:

"Really, you need to devote yourself to your studies if you expect to advance in the Guild."

What's In the Box?

Birthday imps are an annoying trick...

...but some surprises are worse...

...and some just want to eat you

The merchant and the mysterious locked box are waiting for you in a local pawn shop. Enter the shop and talk to the merchant, who says:

"The Mages Guild sent you? Very good. I knew my old friend (Guildmagister's name) wouldn't let me down. Here is the box. I hope you have some idea of how to open it. I'm at my wits end."

Prepare any circinate Open spell, either on your own or by using a magical item, while the box is in your inventory. It is not necessary to cast the spell, allowing you to conserve your magicka. Once the box is open there are four possible scenarios:

Scenario 1: The Imp

As you cast Open on the chest, the lid springs open and an imp flies out.

"Happy birthday, (second mage) you old fart!" the imp cackles in an unnaturally deep gravelly voice.

Kill the annoyance and report back to the merchant.

Scenario 2: The Wand

You hear the lock click as you cast Open on the chest. Inside is a wand inscribed: "To (third mage) on your 110th birthday. Use me for a preview of your 120th birthday!"

When you use the wand, a skeletal warrior will appear and attack you. Dispose of this undead nuisance and report back to the merchant. You may keep the wand after the quest is over.

Scenario 3: Vermin

Smoke pours from the chest as you cast Open on it. The lid pops open, revealing an engraved card:

Dear (fourth mage)

Hope you like the new place. Did

you remember to call the exterminator

before you moved in?

Your friend,

(first mage)

Some rats and giant bats will show up. Kill them and report back to the merchant.

Scenario 4: Party Favors

The lid of the chest pops open. Inside is nothing but a few scraps of faded confetti.

Nothing else happens. Return to the merchant.

Reward

Once you have opened the box and disposed of anything that escaped, speaking to the merchant earns you the reply:

"Tell (Guildmagister's name) I appreciate him sending you to help...I guess. Of course, if I had known what was inside, I might not have been so eager to open it!

Afterwards, return to the Mages Guild and report your success to the Guildmagister, who will say:

"Eh? What do you want? Oh yes, the trick box. I trust it didn't give you any difficulty. A little good publicity for the Mages Guild and all that rot. Jolly good."

Reputation Gain/Loss

A successfully completed quest results in a reputation gain according to the table below.

Faction/Person	Reputation Gain
Mages Guild	+5
The Mercenary Mages	+5
Associated factions	+2

A failed quest results in a reputation loss according to the table below.

Faction/Person	Reputation Gain
Mages Guild	-3
The Mercenary Mages	-3
Associated factions	-2
Oblivion and all associated Daedra Princes	+1
Sheogorath	-1
The Night Mother	+1
The Dark Brotherhood and its associated factions	+1
Ebonarm	-1
The Order of Arkay and its associated factions	-1
The Benevolence of Mara and its associated factions	-1
The Akatosh Chantry and its associated factions	-1
The School of Julianos and its associated factions	+1
The House of Dibella and its associated factions	-1
The Temple of Stendarr and its associated factions	+1
The Thieves Guild and its associated factions	+1
Random Ruler	-1
Daggerfall and its associated factions	-1
Sentinel and its associated factions	-1
Wayrest and its associated factions	-1
The King of Worms and The Necromancers	-1
The Underking and his agents	-1
Orsinium and its associated factions	-1
The Glenmoril Witches	-1
The Dust Witches	+1
The Daughters of Wroth	+1
The Witches of the Marsh	+1
The Beldama	+1
The Tide Witches	+1
The Merchants	-1
The Bards	-1
The Prostitutes	-1
Wrothgarian Mountains and its associated factions	+1

(Allies/Enemies affiliations for listed factions are not considered.)

Enemies

Any of the following:

• 1x One Imp
• 1x One Skeleton Warrior
• • 3x One Rat every three in-game minutes
  • 2x One Bat every two in-game minutes

Notes

• If there is no pawn shop in the town where you get the quest, the quest cannot be completed since the defined quest location will be missing.
• The time limit for this quest is always two days.

Additional Dialogue

After you have accepted this quest, NPCs may say when asked for any news:

• "Did you hear about (merchant's name)? (He/She) bought an old chest and now (he/she) can't open it. What a hoot!"

If you fail the quest, NPCs may say when asked for any news:

• "(Merchant's name) finally gave up on his magic box and sold it to someone else."

If you successfully complete the quest, NPCs may say when asked for any news:

• "(Merchant's name) got the Mages Guild to open (his/her) trick box, and it turned out to be empty! At least that's what I heard."

If you successfully complete the quest, the quest giver may later greet you with:

• "Hullo, (player's name). I remember you. (First mage)'s magic box, yes?"

If you failed the quest, the quest giver will greet you with:

• "For heaven's sake, what do you want now? You're the fool that couldn't even open that trick box of (merchant's name)'s.

Quest Log

Open a Chest (n0b00y16)
Stage/ Index	Finishes Quest	Journal Entry
0		(Date): (Guildmagister's name) of (town)'s Mages Guild has asked me to open an old chest for (merchant's name), a local merchant. (Guildmagister's name) believes it is probably a trick box that only a standard Open spell will open. I suppose I should return to see (him/her) when I am done.