Daggerfall:The Mantella Revealed

The Intermission.

Quest Giver:	Several People/Groups
Location(s):	None
Reward:	None
ID:	S0000988
Required Level:	None
← Previous Orcish Emancipation Next → Elysana's Betrayal
← Previous Orcish Emancipation → Next Elysana's Betrayal

The Mantella awaits discovery

Quick Walkthrough

1. Receive some notes about the Mantella and read them.

Detailed Walkthrough

Tales and Clues

After completing the Orcish Emancipation quest, you may receive an anonymous letter if you have a high enough reputation with certain factions (you may actually receive several messages from different groups if you are really well-liked). These missives will provide some information about the Totem of Tiber Septim and Numidium, and how Tiber Septim used this gigantic brass golem to forge his empire more than four centuries ago. He or she who holds the Totem controls Numidium and with it, Tamriel's fate.

Similarly, some one of these people or groups may reveal information about the Mantella. The Mantella is a massive green gem that once served as the "heart," or power source, of Numidium. It cost Tiber Septim's battlemage his own "heart" to create it. The Totem alone is worthless; the Mantella must be placed within Numidium's body to activate it.

"Friends"

The following list provides the factions that may send you a letter, along with the minimum reputation required before each faction will send you a letter:

Faction/Person	Reputation Required	Letter
Dark Plotters	50 reputation or more	Letter 1
Prince Lhotun	20 reputation or more	Letter 1
Any Vampire Clan	10 reputation or more	Letter 1 & Letter 2
Gortwog	25 reputation or more	Letter 1
The Underking	15 reputation or more	Letter 2
Queen Aubk-i	25 reputation or more	Letter 2
Thieves Guild	50 reputation or more	Letter 2
The King of Worms	15 reputation or more	Letter 3
Princess Elysana	25 reputation or more	Letter 3
Any Witch Coven	25 reputation or more	Letter 3
Mages Guild	50 reputation or more	Letter 3

IMPORTANT: Due to a bug, most of the factions or persons mentioned in the table above will not send you a letter, regardless how much reputation you have with them. This behavior is very likely caused by the game engine's inability to allocate reputation data correctly. Only three factions or persons will send you their letters in the end (assuming you have the required amount of reputation with them). These are shown in the table below:

Faction/Person	Reputation Required	Letter
Gortwog	25 reputation or more	Letter 1
Thieves Guild	50 reputation or more	Letter 2
Mages Guild	50 reputation or more	Letter 3

Letters You May Receive

Letter 1

Dear (player's first name), You have probably not heard the fairy tale of Numidium, but you need to. The legend dates back to the earliest parts of the third era [sic]. Numidium was supposed to be a giant so big his hands could knock the moons from the sky. I do not recall from the stories whether Numidium was supposed to be good or bad, but the legends used to scare me as a child. The legends are, in fact, true. There was a Numidium, and, if situations continue, he will come again. The Totem of Tiber Septim is used to control Numidium. However, legend has it that great Numidium lost his Mantellan heart, whatever that is, in the final with Tiber Septim's Battlemage. Until his heart is found, the Totem is useless. A Friend

Letter 2

Dear (player's first name), Numidium was Tiber Septim's secret weapon in his bid for supreme power: a thousand foot tall automaton, a golem or an atronach of sorts powered by a gem called the Mantella. The Mantella was infused with the life orce [sic] of Tiber Septim's Imperial Battlemage, and with it, Septim crushed all who stood in his way. After the complete and total defeat of all his opponents, Septim began using Numidium to crush the neutral royal families of Tamriel so that he could enthrone only persons he knew to be loyal. His Imperial Battlemage was furious at this use of his creation, and fought to reclaim the Mantella. In the ensuing battle, both the created and the creator were vanquished: the heart they shared blown out of this reality into the netherworld they call Aetherius. Numidium's body was scattered throughout Tamriel and the Imperial Battlemage, without his life force, went into a semi-slumber in a subterranean vault. In the centuries that followed, the Emperor's elite soldiers, for generation after generation, collected the pieces of the Numidium and became known as the Blades. Tiber Septim's Imperial Battle Mage [sic] became known as the Underking, and set his forces out to find the Mantella. Be warned, therefore. Those who search for the Totem of Tiber Septim are searching for the mechanism the first Emperor of Tamriel used to control Numidium. Should Numidium return, he or she who holds the Totem will control Tamriel's fate. A Friend

Letter 3

Dear (player's first name), I must tell you about the Totem of Tiber Septim, which all covet. You must know the truth about what you are asked. The Totem was crafted by the original Imperial Battlemage of Tamriel, by orders of Tiber Septim. It is essentially a means of controlling a gargantuan creature called the Numidium. Without it, the Numidium would simply not function. The Imperial Battlemage placed a seal on the Totem so that anyone not of Septim lineage or possessing a special supernatural affinity, such as himself, would be instantly killed if they attempted to use it. The Totem, with the rest of Numidum, was lost during the epic battle between the Imperial Battlemage and his own creation. A Friend

Notes

• This isn't really a quest, but it provides useful information about the Totem and the Mantellan Crux.
• After you have received any one of the letters, you can embark on the optional quest Elysana's Betrayal.
• This quest will end after you have completed the final quest of the main questline if you never acquired the required reputation to receive any of the three letters.

Bugs

• Most of the listed factions or persons will not send you a letter, regardless of how high your reputation with them is.
  • DFQFIX addresses this. While it was not possible to get the remaining factions to send letters, the Merchants faction was added to the list; now you may receive letter 1 from them if your reputation is at least 50.

Additional Dialogue

When you receive a letter, its arrival will be announced by one of the following:

• You approached [sic] by a young page who smiles in recognition and does not ask your name before he hands you a letter addressed to you. To all of your questions, he merely responds with a blank look and a smile.
• A letter is pressed into your hand. You spin to see who gave it to you. You catch a glimpse of livery that vanishes into the crowd.
• A page steps forward saying "Letter for you (player's name)," and hands you a note.
• A courier steps up to you with a letter in hand. "I was told to give this letter to someone fitting your description," says the courier. As you take it, the courier turns and walks quickly away.
• Reaching into you pack for something to eat, you spy a note. It wasn't there before.
• A redfaced courier startles you with a cry of "Letter for (player's name)! Hey that must be you. Here, take this. Gotta go. Other deliveries to be made. [sic]

Prev: Orcish Emancipation

Up: Main Quest

Next: Elysana's Betrayal