Online:The Venom of Ahknara

This page is currently being rewritten as part of the Online Quest Project. The page is being both written and checked. All users are welcome to make changes to the page. If you make a change that is relevant to the project, please update this template accordingly, and make sure you have observed the project guidelines. Detail Quick Summary: written by Jeancey, SarthesArai, Vulpa, checked by MolagBallet Walkthrough: written by Vulpa, Punkfairie, checked by MolagBallet Quest Stages: written by Enodoc, Jeancey, MolagBallet, Talyyn, not checked

Rout the Covenant assassins infiltrating Fort Arand. Zone: Stonefalls Objective: Fort Arand — Uncover the Covenant's plot. Quest Giver: Captain Llaari Location(s): Fort Arand Prerequisite Quest: Suspicious Silence Reward: Ahknara's Silent Slippers of the Red Mountain Average Leveled Gold

Assassins in Fort Arand

Covenant troops have killed Captain Hjolm of Fort Arand, and they're threatening the safety of the recruits within the fort. Captain Llaari hatched a plan to respond to the threat.

Quick Walkthrough

1. Get the Blinding Light Flasks upstairs in the Fort Arand Headquarters.
2. Kill Althineh, Narzdush, and Vhos al-Kozanset.
3. Investigate the eastern tower and enter the Fort Arand Dungeons to speak to Strikes-from-Shadows.
4. Activate the Second, Third, and Fourth Plates, meeting Strikes-from-Shadows at the Fifth.
5. Defeat Ahknara.
6. Return to Captain Llaari through the trapdoor to the Headquarters.

Detailed Walkthrough

As soon as the quest begins, you can start collecting information about Fort Arand and the dungeons below it. Ask Captain Llaari about the fort and she'll reply colorfully.

"Assassins in the fort? It's unbelievable what these flat-heads are capable of.
If they're already within Arand's walls, we need to flush them out. And I think I know the way."

What's the plan?

"These s'wit assassins are stealthy and dangerous. They'll probably be practically invisible with all the places to hide in here.
We need to shed some light on this situation. I have just the thing: blinding light flasks!"

Where can I get some?

"The flasks are upstairs. Use them near the walls of the fort. I expect the killers will be lurking there.
Strikes-from-Shadows is leading a group of our more experienced troops. Meet up with him at the tower to the east when you're done."

Any assassins I find, I'll kill.

Head upstairs to find the Flasks of Blinding Light, on a shelf near the east staircase.

Once outside, search along the inside walls of Fort Arand. The three Covenant infiltrators are completely hidden; the only way to find them is to first find the small piles of slaughtered guards they've left behind, then use the Blinding Light Flasks while standing over these piles. Althineh, Narzdush, and Vhos al-Kozanset will each appear, one for each time you use a flask at a new pile. You will have to defeat each one, and don't expect much help from the oblivious guards around you. Be prepared for Narzdush's bow, and duel-wielded swords from the other two.

Once you are victorious, head to the eastern tower. In the doorway is an Argonian Pact Soldier, dead. Examine the body.

<This soldier has several stab wounds on her back and neck. The assassins must have ambushed her.>
<Someone ran across the floor and used the trapdoor in the corner. Strikes-from-Shadows may be down there.>

Your obvious next course of action is to cross the small room and enter the trapdoor. Strikes-from-Shadows is indeed down there, crouched stealthily with Baem Farelas at his side.

"Are the assassins now feeding the earth with their blood and bone?"

Don't worry. They're dead now. Were you attacked upstairs?

"I was ambushed. Warm-blood assassins do that.
They hoped I wouldn't reach these tunnels and discover the roots of Ahknara's plan. They died with their hopes unfulfilled."

What is she planning?

"You'll notice many Covenant troops about. I'd bet my birth-mud she's opened the reinforced cap that sealed these tunnels.
Clearly, she plans to lead an army into the fort from below."

How do we stop an army?

"Long ago, this place was built to imprison Daedra.
See that floor plate below the door you came through? There are five of those. When they're all active, a barrier will rise and imprison those within."

Won't we be trapped inside?

"No, there's an exit to the surface behind the final plate.
I activated the first one. Activate three more on the way to the last chamber. Then meet me by the final one."

An activated plate

There's no more questions to ask, and it is now time to make your way through the Covenant-filled tunnels. Some are sweeping the old floors clean, others shoveling debris out of the way, and the rest standing guard--but all are hostile on sight. They can typically be taken on in ones or twos however. Be sure to activate each of the three plates as you pass over them into new rooms. In the final room with the stairs leading up to the fifth plate that Strikes-from-Shadows pointed out, note that one follower of Ahknara is inconspicuously and inconveniently standing behind the staircase. Attempting to sneak through that way will likely end in you fighting the entire roomful, with at least six Covenant pyromancers and guardians. When you meet Strikes-from-Shadows at the final plate, Baem Farelas is no longer with him.

"Ahknara ambushed us. She used a flask of blinding light to stun us, then ran back through the door behind me.
Were you able to activate the plates?"

Yes.

"Good. I'll activate this last one. Once I do, the other barriers on all five will harden like a shell.
While I do this, you must slay Ahknara before she slithers away again."

And leave you behind?

"Baem chased after Ahknara. He'll need your help more than I do. Look for him. I'm sure he's wounded, if not dead.
Once this is done, use the trapdoor atop the bluff. It leads to the command post below."

Don't worry about him, just go kill Ahknara. You will not be able to use the trapdoor until Ahknara has been taken care of. When you leave the dungeon you will almost immediately stumble across Baem Farelas' dead body. Just past him is Ahknara, crouched on the bluff and looking over Fort Arand below. She is very slippery and can turn invisible, but gives you plenty of time to block her attacks.

Once she is dead and Baem avenged, return to the Fort Arand Headquarters and speak to Captain Llaari. You'll find Strikes-from-Shadows back safely as well. Strikes-from-Shadows will congratulate you on your immense victory, and telling Captain Llaari about your deeds will complete the quest and net you your reward, as well as Llaari's satisfaction.

"Have you dispatched Ahknara, that piece of nchow?"

Ahknara is dead.

"Ha! My fine f'lah! I'll see your name is not forgotten.
Ahknara, however, will be forgotten. The Dunmer reshape history to serve their needs. I'll remove any mention of her actions here, and I'll purge all records of that vile assassin."

She'll also comment a brief tribute to Captain Hjolm.

"Captain Hjolm lost his life bravely defending the fort from that Covenant scum. He cut down a score of them, but eventually succumbed to his wounds. That magnificent fetcher will be missed."

Sergeant Eila will say much the same if you meet her outside, fist over her heart and head bowed:

"Captain Hjolm will be forever honored, along with the others slain here. Their deaths will fuel our conviction to slaughter the Covenant."

Bugs

• Though Strikes-from-Shadows specifies that you are to use the correct door to the south, the quest marker sometimes shows the trapdoor you entered, and will then direct you out the fort gate. When you get outside the fort, the marker moves to a location in the mountains south of the fort which is impossible to reach.
  • ZOS reports that this is working as intended as it cannot easily be fixed due to certain system limitations.

Quest Stages

The Venom of Ahknara
Finishes Quest	Journal Entry
	Captain Llaari's plan revolves around some alchemical weapons. I should get some flasks of blinding light from the second floor of the command post. Objective: Get Blinding Light Flasks
	Captain Llaari thinks the Covenant assassins will be lurking near the walls of the fort. I should use the flasks of blinding light until I uncover the infiltrators. Then I must kill them. Objective: Find and Kill Assassins: 0/3 I should look for the assassins near slain Pact soldiers. Objective Hint: Search for Assassins near Slain Soldiers
	I've slain a number of assassins within the walls of Fort Arand. Llaari asked me to speak with Strikes-from-Shadows about the next step for repelling the Covenant. Strikes-from-Shadows should be waiting at the tower on the eastern side of the fort. Objective: Investigate the Eastern Tower
	I've found some dead troops inside the tower on the fort's eastern side. There was a fight between Pact and Covenant forces. Strikes-from-Shadows might have used the trapdoor in the room to escape. I should climb down and look for him. Objective: Talk to Strikes-from-Shadows
	Covenant soldiers plan to attack the fort from below. I must seal them down here by activating several floor plates. That will create a magical barrier. Strikes-from-Shadows asked me to activate three plates before meeting him in the last chamber. Objective: Activate Second Plate Objective: Activate Third Plate Objective: Activate Fourth Plate
	I've activated the plates. I should report to Strikes-from-Shadows and tell him. Objective: Talk to Strikes-from-Shadows
	There is one last plate to activate. Strikes-from-Shadows asked me to slay Ahknara. He'll activate the last plate as he exits behind me. Ahknara is waiting outside the door behind Strikes-from-Shadows. Objective: Kill Ahknara
	I've killed Ahknara. I should enter the trapdoor and return to Fort Arand. Objective: Use the Trapdoor
Finishes quest	I must tell Captain Llaari of Ahknara's demise. Objective: Talk to Captain Llaari

Notes

* Any text displayed in angle brackets (e.g., <Alias=LocationHold>) is dynamically set by the game and will be filled in with the appropriate word(s) when seen in game.

• Not all Journal Entries may appear in your journal; which entries appear and which entries do not depends on the manner in which the quest is done.
• Stages are not always in order of progress. This is usually the case with quests that have multiple possible outcomes or quests where certain tasks may be done in any order. Some stages may therefore repeat objectives seen in other stages.