Skyrim:Thonar Silver-Blood

Thonar Silver-Blood (RefID: 000198E6)
Home City	Markarth
Location	The Treasury House
Race	Nord	Gender	Male
Level	6	Class	Warrior
RefID	000198E6	BaseID	000133BA
Other Information
Health	108	Magicka	50
Stamina	67
Primary Skills	One-handed, Block, Heavy Armor, Two-handed
Class Details	CombatWarrior1H
Morality	No Crime	Aggression	Aggressive
Essential	Yes. Until No One Escapes Cidhna Mine is complete.
Voice Type	MaleEvenTonedAccented
Faction(s)	CrimeFactionReach; MS02VictimsFaction; MarkarthThonarBetridFaction; MarkarthTreasuryHouseFaction; Thieves Guild No Pickpocketing Faction; TownMarkarthFaction

Thonar Silver-Blood

Thonar Silver-Blood is a Nord warrior who lives in The Treasury House in Markarth. Along with his politically involved brother, Thongvor, Thonar runs the Silver-Blood Family, the most influential family in the Reach. But while Thongvor spends all of his time trying to get political influence inside Understone Keep, Thonar runs an entirely different operation following the Markarth Incident, unbeknownst to both his brother and his wife, Betrid. He is heavily involved with the quests The Forsworn Conspiracy and No One Escapes Cidhna Mine.

Thonar is married to Betrid Silver-Blood, a former inhabitant of the Temple of Dibella turned upper-class and snobbish. However, the marriage is only on paper, as the couple has little to say to one another and Betrid openly admits to marrying Thonar only for his wealth.

Prior to The Forsworn Conspiracy, Thonar spends all of his time behind locked doors, sitting in his chair, without ever eating or sleeping. His desk clerk, Rhiada, greets people in his stead. He has two servants, Donnel and Nana Ildene, who clean the treasury house. Thonar may remain sitting for the rest of the game or change his routine, depending on your choices during The Forsworn Conspiracy. See bugs for details.

Thonar wears a set of fine clothes and a pair of fine boots, and is equipped with a steel sword. He carries a key to the Treasury House, a belted tunic, and a selection of upper-class loot and gold.

Related Quests

• The Forsworn Conspiracy: Investigate a murder in Markarth to discover a sinister plot surrounding the Forsworn.
• No One Escapes Cidhna Mine: Escape from Cidhna Mine!

Dialogue

Should you manage to get into Thonar's quarters by picking the lock, he will provide limited information, although a few truths will come out as well:

"I'm a busy man. Half this city works for my family, and I have to keep them in line."

"Thongvor may be the head of the family, but I'm the hands."

"We control every piece of this city. The people should be calling us kings."

"If someone joins the Forsworn, we haul him to the mines."

"Every prisoner in the Reach is just another worker for our family."

Conversations

When walking around the house, Thonar may talk to his wife, clerk Rhiada, or Ildene, one of the servants:

"You're a very pretty young woman, Rhiada."

Thonar: "Ah, Nana Ildene, whatever would my family do without you?"

Ildene: "Ah, Thonar, don't you worry. Nana Ildene isn't going anywhere."

Thonar: "Um, good. We reward loyalty, you know."

Ildene: "Oh, I know, Thonar. Only a mad woman would ever betray the Silver-Blood family."

Thonar: "Uh, yes. Quite."

Thonar: "You're a very pretty young woman, Rhiada."

Rhiada: "Why, thank you Thonar. I'm flattered."

Thonar: "You're married, yes? To that young metal worker?"

Rhiada: "Eltrys, yes, just last season we were wed."

Thonar: "He's a lucky man to have such a beautiful young wife."

Rhiada: "Thank you, Thonar. That's generous of you to say."

"Who's running the Silver-Bloods? You or your brother?"

Betrid: "Where were you last night, Thonar? Busy with work or have you found some other woman who's willing to tolerate your lack of ambition?"

Thonar: "I am busy keeping this family in coin and your pretty little head adorned with jewels, so I'll thank you not to question where I go at night, wife."

Betrid: "Well maybe if you would finally convince Thongvor to put you in charge of the family, I wouldn't need to question you anymore."

Thonar: "I'll take control of the family on my own time, Betrid. Until then, my brother remains in charge and you'll keep your mouth shut."

Betrid: "Oh dear, whatever is a girl to do with such fearful brutes about her?"

Betrid: "Did I hear correctly, Thonar? Is your brother really asking you to settle another dispute between Mulush and Nepos?"

Thonar: "Someone has to keep the silver production running, Betrid, and that means keeping Mulush and Nepos in line once in a while."

Betrid: "Humph. Who's running the Silver-Bloods? You or your brother? You need to tell Thongvor that he should settle this himself or step down."

Thonar: "The only thing I need to do, dear wife, is make sure profits are up, no matter what. If Thongvor won't do the dirty work, I will."

Betrid: "You'll never be in charge of this family with that attitude, loving husband."

The Forsworn Conspiracy

When you finally gain entrance to his quarters during the quest, you will find Thonar in his chair, doing nothing. When he sees you he will ask:

"What are you doing here? I told them no visitors."

I'm here to talk about Margret.

"The Imperial agent? That's right. I knew. How many dogs is the Empire going to send after me? This is my business. My city. You Empire lovers should learn to stay out of it. Now get out."

I want answers about the Forsworn.

"They're crazy. Think they rule the Reach. Well guess who really runs things around here? Me. I own the mines. I make the coin pass to the right hands. That answer your damn questions? Now get out."

Did you send that guard to threaten me?

"What did you expect? That no one was going to notice you butting into business that wasn't yours? The guards know who holds the purse strings in this city, and I don't like snoops. Markarth is my city. You have no right looking into my business. Now get out."

"What? By the gods, Betrid...."

Down near the counter, you will find Betrid Silver-Blood dead by the hands of the elderly servants, Nana Ildene and Donnel, both of them Forsworn agents in disguise. Rhiada will do her best to fight them off, while Thonar will rush down to his deceased wife, yelling:

"What? By the gods, Betrid.... Betrid. No! We had a deal you Forsworn bastards!"

"Traitors. Traitors all of you!"

"Why? We had a deal Madanach. A deal!"

After the battle, Thonar will sheathe his sword and say:

"My wife. They killed her. Damn Madanach. Damn his Forsworn backside."

At this point, you can choose between three options, all of which lead to the same conclusion: Thonar will spill the beans on the entire scheme he started during the Markarth Incident over twenty years ago, beginning with an explanation of the "king". While it is obvious that Madanach betrayed him, Thonar does not want your help.

I'm sorry.	You deserved this.	Will you talk now?
"No you're not. You want to know what the Forsworn really are?"	"Shut up. Only the gods can judge me. You want to know what the Forsworn really are?"	"Fine. You want to know what the Forsworn really are?"

"We had a deal you Forsworn bastards!"

"They're my puppets. I have their 'king' rotting in Cidhna Mine. He was supposed to keep them under control."

The Forsworn have a king?

"Madanach. The King in Rags. While we were off fighting the Elves in the Great War, Madanach was busy ruling over the Reach. Until Ulfric came and put them down."

You made a deal with the Forsworn?

"When their uprising was crushed, I had Madanach brought to me. He was a wild animal, but a useful one. I offered him a stay from execution if he used his influence to deal with any annoyances that came up. Competitors, agents, idiots. So I've let him run his little Forsworn rebellion from inside Cidhna Mine. Now he's out of control."

Cidhna Mine?

"My prison. The source of half the silver in Skyrim. The most secure prison in Tamriel. No one escapes. I thought keeping Madanach down there would keep him under control."

Want me to take care of Madanach?

"You already got what you wanted, you damn hound. This is your fault. You and Madanach are animals, and I'll see you both rot to death in Cidhna Mine for this. Now get out of my house!"

He will then stay in the Treasury House, saying nothing except demanding that you leave:

"Get out of my house. Now."

No One Escapes Cidhna Mine

Eventually, you'll be thrown into Cidhna Mine, where this quest will play out. You'll have the option of siding with Madanach or killing him. Siding with the King in Rags ends with Thonar Silver-Blood's demise.

Siding with Madanach

"You'll pay for what you've done to my family!"

If you choose to follow Madanach, he will gather his army of imprisoned Forsworn and lead them through the tunnels of Markarth Ruins. When the Forsworn burst into Markarth, Thonar will be waiting outside, escorted by two guards, seemingly convinced that he would deal with a small amount of unarmed enemies instead of the horde of fully armed Forsworn. Thonar, still overly secure, will shout:

Thonar: "Madanach! Think you can escape my prison do you? You'll pay for what you've done to my family!"

Madanach: "Your family? You've poisoned the Reach with your tainted silver for long enough, Thonar!"

With these words, Thonar will draw his blade, but so will the army of Forsworn, who will cut Thonar down where he stands. They'll continue their charge through the city and halfway across the Reach, until they settle down inside Druadach Redoubt, finally free and ready for a new uprising.

Killing the King in Rags

If you choose to kill Madanach in Cidhna Mine, you will have to make your way through Markarth Ruins on your own, but will be met outside by Thonar. He will seek you out and be very grateful.

"My eyes inside Cidhna Mine tell me that Madanach is dead. You've done a great service to the Silver-Blood family. I've had the Jarl officially pardon you, and taken care of a few other loose ends."

You and your thugs had me arrested in the first place.

"And you've proven that was the best move I could have made. Don't give me that look. You're free to go. Here, how about a little token for your efforts? My family's ring and all the things the guards confiscated from you when you were jailed. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to figure out how we're going to fill our recently emptied mine."

So I'm free to leave?

"Yes, you're innocent. As innocent as anyone can be in this city. I guess we also owe you something for locking you up. Here, my family's ring. And everything the guards confiscated from you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a mine that needs new workers to fill it."

He will then hand you the family ring, then return to his life inside the Treasury House, now without a wife or any servants.

After the quest, Thonar may thank you in a cynical, yet grateful tone when you approach him:

"The Silver-Bloods pay their debts. You have my thanks"

Rumors

The Reach

"We'll leave when we're sure there's no Forsworn here."

The Forsworn are made up of Reachmen, the natives of the Reach, who took advantage of the Great War and claimed hold capital Markarth from the Nords over twenty years ago. During The Markarth Incident, Ulfric Stormcloak took back Markarth from the Reachmen and executed every one of them, with only a few escapees fleeing into the forests and mountains.

The Forsworn were formed in response to the injustice the Reachmen faced. They are a rebellious group that currently attacks mines and farms all over the Reach, including Kolskeggr Mine and the mining town of Karthwasten, a recent victim of a Forsworn attack, but also mysteriously under the protective wing of the Silver-Blood Family. Upon arriving in Karthwasten you will witness mine owner Ainethach in a hefty debate with Atar and three Silver-Blood mercenaries:

Ainethach: "I want you sellswords out of my mine."

Atar: "Watch your tongue, native. We'll leave when we're sure there's no Forsworn here."

Ainethach: "Oh, and when would that be, I wonder? When I sell my land to the Silver-Bloods?"

Atar: "The Silver-Bloods have made you a very generous offer for this pile of dirt. I suggest you take it."

After the conversation, an angry Ainethach will explain that the Silver-Bloods are trying to coerce him into selling his land to them. After the Forsworn attacked the mines, Thonar's mercenaries showed up to "help", and they won't allow the miners to work until Ainethach sells the property. He also elaborates on the Silver-Bloods' corruption, noting that they own half of the hold and aim to own it all. The leader of the mercenaries, Atar, holds them in a comparatively more positive light, calling the Silver-Bloods "the most important people in the Reach" and stating that they own Markarth. He reiterates that he and his associates are at Karthwasten on their dime.

The City of Stone

While the events of Karthwasten suggest something shady is going on, things are really bad in Markarth, where the Forsworn pose a constant but invisible threat. As soon as you enter the city, you will witness Weylin execute (or attempt to execute) a visitor from out-of-town named Margret, in broad daylight, declaring "The Reach belongs to the Forsworn!" before he is taken down by the guards.

While everyone will be understandably upset by a Forsworn attack inside the walls, and Eltrys will seek you out and slip a note into your pocket, local butcher Hogni Red-Arm will tell you a bit about Weylin:

"Think he worked down at the smelter. Lot of the laborers there are sympathetic to the Forsworn. They promise people they'll kill off all the Nords that rule over the Reach. Nothing but murderers and saboteurs."

Head down to the smelter where you will witness overseer Mulush gro-Shugurz work his employees overly hard to meet a certain quota. When asked if he owns the smelter, he'll reveal that Thonar owns it along with another prolific citizen, Nepos the Nose:

"What? No. Thonar Silver-Blood owns it. He owns everything in Markarth. But he hands all the paperwork over to Nepos the Nose to finish. That old man's back is heavy with burden."

He may also mention Thonar in one of his greetings: "I tell Thonar I can only smelt what Nepos and his miners dig up."

"I tell Thonar I can only smelt what Nepos and his miners dig up."

"This is a jail, owned by the Silver-Blood family."

"We'd be better off without the Silver-Bloods."

"Blood and silver, friend. Blood and silver."

While exploring the city, you will find that many of Markarth's citizens have something to say about the Silver-Bloods. From her spot inside Cidhna Mine, warden Urzoga gra-Shugurz will tell you:

"This is a jail, owned by the Silver-Blood family. We use the prisoners to mine for ore. It's the most secure prison in Skyrim. Throw scum in, close the gates. No one gets out. So unless you're here to dig, you don't belong here."

From her spot behind the counter inside the Hag's Cure, proprietor Bothela will add:

"We'd be better off without the Silver-Bloods. They send their brute, Yngvar, to shake some coins from me every few days. And Betrid Silver-Blood is always asking for more potions to fuel Thonar's 'ambitions.' Gives him a temper fiercer than any bear."

Yngvar the Singer, a sworn supporter of the Silver-Bloods, will greet you with: "Blood and silver, friend. Blood and silver."

When asked what it means, he will say:

"It's right there in the name of the most powerful family in Markarth. The Silver-Bloods. They have a whole mine filled with prisoners to dig up silver ore, gets smelted by workers they pay, and they own half the city. I work for them. The inn is named after them. When the guards make an arrest, they check with them first."

He will also reveal how his support of the Silver-Bloods benefits him:

"Been here ever since I left the Bards College. Turns out a few muscles earn more gold than a damn lute. The Silver-Bloods pay me, let me crack a few skulls, and keep the guards off my back. That's all I need."

He will finish with:

"You outsiders never learn. If the Forsworn don't get you, the guards will throw you in Cidhna Mine to work your fingers off. Think that's water in the river? Blood and silver are what flows through Markarth, friend."

Inside Understone Keep, Thongvor Silver-Blood will put things into a political perspective:

"We own Cidhna Mine. Best prison in Skyrim, and source of half the wealth in this city. We keep the Reach safe. We flood Markarth with wealth, but does the Jarl listen to us when we want a say? No."

Lastly, Jarl Igmund can be heard having concerned conversations with his housecarl and steward:

"Who knows what that family will do for power?"

"The Silver-Blood family are to be left alone, am I clear?"

Raerek: "Igmund, we need to talk about the Silver-Blood family."

Igmund: "What about them? They seem loyal enough."

Raerek: "Loyal? Thongvor supports Ulfric and his Stormcloaks! We should imprison the entire family as a precaution."

Faleen: "I second that, Igmund. Who knows what that family will do for power? They could be working with the Forsworn, for all we know."

Igmund: "Enough! We can't imprison the very people that own the jail we would be throwing them into. The Silver-Blood family are to be left alone, am I clear?"

Faleen: "Yes, my Jarl."

Raerek: "Yes, my Jarl."

The Treasury House

Inside the Treasury House, the opinions about the Silver-Bloods are naturally more neutral. From her desk, young Rhiada will politely brush you off, stating the treasury is only interested in assisting its "patrons" before politely elaborating on who they are. The landowners within the Reach rely upon the treasury for silver and support: farmers, laborers, and miners are all paid daily through the treasury. She says that Nepos the Nose handles wages, and that he "has a way with the workers".

She can also be asked about the Silver-Bloods:

"It's an old family. Very well-respected throughout the Reach. The Silver-Bloods run nearly all the lands in this Hold, as well as the local inn. And of course, they own Cidhna Mine, the finest prison and source of silver in Skyrim."

Lastly, the helpful clerk will tell you about the two influential brothers:

"You want Thonar Silver-Blood. He handles all the family business. If you're here to talk politics, though, you'd want his brother Thongvor. He spends most of his time in Understone Keep."

While the two aging servants will provide little information about Thonar, his wife Betrid Silver-Blood sits on her chair halfway to the locked door where Thonar resides. When you get near her, she will start to patronize you, telling you who she's married to and how important he is. She will readily elaborate on the importance of the Silver-Bloods:

"My dear vagrant, we're the only family worth knowing in Markarth. We own everything in this city, even the jail. And guess who owns the Silver-Blood Inn? Not that we named it that, the people just insisted."

She will also tell you about Thonar himself:

"He's the real head of this family. He may not be the eldest, but all the work that keeps us respected is handled by my Thonar."

The Investigation

When Weylin attacks Margret at the Markarth market, it attracts the attention of another young smelter, Eltrys. His note tells you to meet him in the currently unused Shrine of Talos. Once you enter, he apologizes for dragging you into Markarth's business, but he feels like he's out of options. Something fishy's going on: everyone knew Weylin was a Forsworn agent, he attempted to murder someone in broad daylight, and the guards did nothing but clean up the mess. No justice, no investigation, no action... nothing. Eltrys begs for help, offering to pay for any information on who's behind this Forsworn business and who sent Weylin to the market that day.

While it is obvious that there is a problem, Eltrys will tell you about his past, which will sound very familiar if you witnessed the shake-down at Karthwasten. His father owned one of the mines, which is rare for anyone who isn't a Nord. When Eltrys was a child, his father was murdered by one of the Forsworn. The guards did nothing, claiming the killer was just a lone wolf. "A madman", they said. Everyone knew his killer was one of the Forsworn, and this dilemma has plagued Eltrys for years.

He will also provide a bit of useful background information on the Forsworn and the Markarth Incident: "They're remnants of the old rulers of Markarth. Natives of the Reach. Followers of the old ways. The Nords drove them out of the city. Ulfric Stormcloak and his men. That was about 20 years ago. But somehow they're still here, and they're killing people."

"You want answers? Well so do I. So does everyone in this city."

"Everyone knows he's a Forsworn agent. Guards do nothing."

"Thonar Silver-Blood was behind that attack in the market."

"You. I've seen you snooping around. Asking questions."

Margret's trail leads you to the Silver-Blood Inn where the barkeep, Kleppr, jokingly welcomes you: "This is the Silver-Blood Inn. I'll let you figure out who owns it by yourself."

At this point, the next part of the investigation depends on whether you saved Margret or not. If you did not save her, the room she rented will contain a revealing journal. If she survived she will sit next to the fireplace and will, with a bit of persuasion, tell you:

"I'm one of General Tullius's agents. I was sent to investigate the Treasury House and the Silver-Blood family. They own Cidhna Mine, one of the toughest jails in Skyrim. I was hoping I could buy or steal the deed, but I don't think that's how things work here. Mark my words. Thonar Silver-Blood was behind that attack in the market. Somehow."

Once you exit the Silver-Blood Inn, a Markarth City Guard will seek you out and ask you to keep your nose to yourself, hinting that someone made a deal with the guards as well.

Weylin's trail will lead you to the slums of Markarth, The Warrens, a place for the lower-class and diseased citizens. At the smelter outside, Omluag will tell you about Weylin:

"The Forsworn? That's right. I'll say it. We all knew. Even that fat-headed, slave-driving Mulush knew. Just ask him about it. Bah. Another honest man lost in all this madness. And for what?"

Following this advice, smelter overseer Mulush gro-Shugurz will provide some insight about why Weylin did the deed in the market that day:

"I did notice something odd last time we handed out the pay. Little extra slip of paper for Weylin. Took it right to his room after he got it."

Inside Weylin's room, you will find the slip of paper, another clue on how the scheme works: "You've been chosen to strike fear in the heart of the Nords. Go to the market tomorrow. You will know what to do." The note is signed by 'N', and when you leave the Warrens, you will be passed up by a large Breton named Dryston who invites you to a brawl in an effort to scare you off the case. After a thorough beating, Dryston will reveal that he is employed by Nepos the Nose, another wealthy citizen and the one in charge of Thonar's silver operation inside Cidhna Mine.

Confrontations

When you hand in the information about Nepos, Eltrys will inform you that he's lived in Markarth for ages, and that the natives of the Reach hold him in high regard. Just like Thonar, Nepos the Nose lives in seclusion inside his house, surrounded by servants. When you reach him, you will find a tired old man in a chair, seemingly ready to tell the truth:

"Ah, yes. You've proven to be a real bloodhound. Well, you've sniffed me out. I've been playing this game for almost 20 years. Sending the young to their deaths. All in the name of the Forsworn. And I'm tired. So tired."

It is obvious that Nepos is Forsworn, although he takes orders from someone else:

"My king. Madanach. When the uprising fell at the hands of the Nords, they threw him in the mines. I don't know how, but he lives. I get his messages, and I hand out his orders without question."

He then proceeds to tell you about Madanach:

"He is the King in Rags. A man who once held all the Reach within his grip. He stokes the passions of the downtrodden in this city. Directs them to kill the enemies of the Forsworn in our name. All from inside Cidhna Mine. A Nord prison. The irony is quite thick."

After the conversation, you will learn just how deeply infested Markarth is, as all his servants will draw their weapons, showing their true colors. One question remains: who controls who?

When you return to Eltrys with your discoveries from Margret, he will comment: "So the clues point to the Treasury House, then. That makes sense. Thonar is involved in every facet of the city. At this point, it is time to confront Thonar himself and get some answers."

Already at the entrance, things have changed inside the Treasury House and Rhiada will be less polite, almost hateful:

"The Treasury House is really just for patrons of the Silver-Blood family. You don't belong here."

When you ask to see Thonar, she will tell you not to disturb him. You can gain access to Thonar's room and speak to him.

At this point, Thonar is ready to talk, and you can choose between three options: if you choose to ask him about Margret, he will reveal he knew her true identity, and states that he wants the Empire to "stay out of his business". When you ask him about the Forsworn, Thonar will talk down about them, emphasizing that he's the one who owns the mines that make the money which he throws at people to solve his problems. He scoffs if you question him about the threats you received from the city guard, confirming that he sent them after you and proclaiming that Markarth is "his" city. The guards know where their bread is buttered, and Thonar appreciate you poking into his business.

Despite all of this, he is still hiding the truth. A sudden noise from the main chamber interrupts the conversation.

The Betrayal

However, Thonar is far from finished with making schemes. When you return to the Shrine of Talos to tell Eltrys the news, you will find him dead by the hands of the city guard. As you approach the scene, a guard will rush up to you and say: "We warned you, but you just had to go and cause trouble. Now we have to pin all these recent murders on you. Silence witnesses. Work. Work. Work."

Three options are available. When asked why they killed Eltrys, the guard will respond:

"We had a nice little deal going between Thonar and Madanach until you and Eltrys started snooping around. Well, you wanted to find the man responsible for those killings? You'll have plenty of time with the King in Rags when you're in Cidhna mine."

If you tell them they are corrupt and paid by Thonar, the response will be:

"We have a nice arrangement in this city, and we're not letting you get in the way. You have a problem wth that? Take it up with Madanach. I'm sure the King in Rags and his Forsworn would love to meet you. Now you're coming with us. It's a life sentence in Cidhna Mine for you."

The last thing you will hear is:

"You'll never see the sun again, you hear me? No one escapes Cidhna Mine. No one."

Cidhna Mine

If you allow yourself to be arrested, you will find yourself a prisoner in Cidhna Mine, the very source of the Silver-Blood family's income and the place where Thonar put the leader of the Forsworn, Madanach, during the Markarth Incident, thinking he could control him. While it is obvious that Thonar sent his orders to Madanach who passed them on to Nepos the Nose, it is even more obvious that Thonar provided strength to the Forsworn by sending innocent people down there to mine his precious silver. The other prisoners will typically greet you with: "You mess with the Silver-Blood family, you end up here.", while Odvan is a prime example of Thonar's mistake:

"Guards say I murdered someone. I was just sleeping off some mead in my aunt's house, but that didn't stop them from arresting me. I don't even know who they said I killed. I wasn't a Forsworn when I came, but I joined up when I got in. Easier that way."

Thonar's methods of framing innocents also proves to create more Forsworn, as evident by Uraccen's story:

"A Nord nobleman I served was stabbed in the night. Wasn't me, but I knew I'd be blamed. So I ran. Joined the Forsworn. Started killing. Got caught. Now I'm here."

The last piece of evidence is provided by Duach who was a Forsworn to begin with, but was spared because of the silver:

"I'm a Forsworn. One of our raids went bad, and I got captured. Would've been fine dying for the Reach with my kinsmen, but the Silver-Bloods want their ore mined, so they threw me in here."

"But my execution never came. Thonar Silver-Blood stopped it."

"I don't even know who they said I killed."

"I wasn't a Forsworn when I came, but I joined up when I got in."

"Wasn't me, but I knew I'd be blamed. So I ran. Joined the Forsworn."

When you finally reach Madanach, you'll find him sitting at his desk with a quill and paper, writing down orders to his allies on the outside. He will ask you:

"So, my fellow beast, what do you want? Answers about the Forsworn? Revenge for trying to have you killed?"

He will then provide in-depth information on the Forsworn, proving the rebellion is indeed very much alive. He will also tell you to go see Braig as proof of how widespread the injustice of Markarth is. Braig will also put Thonar's greed into perspective:

"I had a daughter, once. She'd be 23 this year. Married to some hot-headed silver worker or maybe on her own learning the herb trade. The Nords didn't care who was and who wasn't involved in the Forsworn Uprising. I had spoken to Madanach once, that was enough. But my little Aethra didn't want to see her papa leave her. She pleaded to the Jarl to take her instead. And after they made me watch as her head rolled off the block, they threw me in here anyway, to dig up their silver."

When you return to Madanach, you can ask him about Thonar Silver-Blood and the truth will be revealed:

"I had Markarth. My men and I drove the Nords out. We had won, or so we thought. Retribution was swift. I was captured, quickly tried, and sentenced to death. But my execution never came. Thonar Silver-Blood stopped it. He wanted the Forsworn at his call, that I would point their rage at his enemies and spare his allies. And I have. Humiliating at first, but I knew he would let his guard down eventually. That he would come to trust I was under control."

With these words, the entire conspiracy has been exposed. While Thonar handed orders to Madanach to prevent his silver trade from being interfered with, Madanach himself was gathering an army on behalf of Thonar, playing the role of his ally. Although imprisoned, the army is now huge enough to break out of Cidhna Mine, and Madanach will willingly ask you to participate. Your choice will lead to either the death of Thonar Silver-Blood or the death of Madanach.

Unused Dialogue

A line of Thonar's dialogue remains unused, as it will only trigger inside the Silver-Blood Inn, where Thonar never sets foot:

"My family owns this inn, but I've put Kleppr in charge. Right rat for the right job, I say."

Notes

• There are several ways to keep the inhabitants of the Treasury House alive. You can pickpocket Thonar's Journal and read it, which will cause a quest update, and prevent Nana Ildene and Donnel from attacking. This method will also save Nepos the Nose, as you can skip him entirely. Another method is to head directly back to Eltrys after questioning Nepos. The guards will then be waiting for you, as if you have questioned Thonar.
• Internal relationship data shows that he and Lisbet are secret lovers. This is never alluded to in-game, however.

Bugs

• During The Forsworn Conspiracy, Thonar will remain seated in his chair. If you choose to question him, thus causing the death of Betrid (along with Ildene and Donnel), his regular schedule will trigger, causing him to wander around, cook, and speak to Rhiada. He will also sleep between 10pm and 6am. However, if you choose to pickpocket his journal and use that as evidence, he will remain seated in his chair eternally, as Betrid will never die. Ironically, the pickpocket method is the only way to trigger Betrid's schedule.
  • The Unofficial Skyrim Patch, version 2.0.5, fixes this bug.