Online:Fallen-Knives

Fallen-Knives
Location	Ontus, Skingrad Outlaws Refuge, Caelum Vineyard
Race	Argonian	Gender	Male
Reaction	Friendly
Other Information
Faction(s)	Imperial Legion (Former)

Fallen-Knives

Fallen-Knives is an Argonian found in the West Weald at Ontus. He served as a healer in the West Weald Legion, Seventh Cohort, Squad Nine.

Related Quests

• Faded Scarlets: Please add a description for this quest

Quest-Related Events

Tasked by Hooke with reassembling the Scarlets, you will encounter Fallen-Knives drinking at Stonechip Tavern. Before he can leave, he needs his tab paid off. As you approach him, he will mutter:

Fallen-Knives: "What's a jumped-up alligator got to do to get a drink around here?"

Speaking to him, he will say:

"My scales are dry enough to make a Veeskhleel blush. And the barkeep says I can't afford the good stuff. Spare a coin so a self-loathing wretch can drink himself into Oblivion?"

Hooke needs you to come to the Skingrad Outlaws Refuge. Someone's killing off the Scarlets.

"Feh. Let them try!
You said Hooke told you about this killer? He must be lonely. We agreed to split up for good after everything that happened. Now he wants us back?"

After what happened?

"Our last job. The one we got sent to prison for. He didn't tell you?
We got greedy after living off caravans. Hooke scouts a vineyard, the Caelum estate. Says the family's traveling. A quick smash and grab, no one gets hurt."

It didn't work out that way?

"The family caught us. We made a break for it … and people got hurt.
Thanks for ruining what's left of my bottle. I'll take my chances here. Besides, with my tab, I'd lose my tail if I tried to run off to Skingrad."

If I deal with your tab, would you go to the Outlaws Refuge in Skingrad?

In order to get him to meet with the other Scarlets, you will need to help him deal with his debt:

"If you part with your coin for me, I'll follow you anywhere. But the swill they serve here isn't worth a sacrifice like that. A Scarlet would find the ledger in Laurina's house and trim its leaves. No record—no debt. Simple."

I'll just pay your tab. How big is it?

"Really? It's a healthy amount of gold. That's the problem with drinking as an Argonian. It takes a lot to put us in our cups. By the time the ale kicks in, all your coin's been kicked out."

This should cover it. [led GoldLeveled Gold ]

Tell me more about destroying the record of your debt instead of paying.

"Hah! Looking to save some coin?
Laurina keeps all records of her tavern in a ledger in her house. You may have to bust the lock and be sneaky inside. Tear out the right page, and I can leave with my tail intact."

As mentioned you will have two options to get Fallen-Knives on board. You can either provide him the money directly to pay his tab, or go to Laurina's House and destroy the ledger page at her desk.

Provided coin for Tab:

Destroyed page in ledger:

"Well, well. Aren't you a generous soul? I'd play a song for you from my vossa-satl, but I bartered it. For, well, you know." Hooke's waiting for you in the Skingrad Outlaws Refuge.

"Well, stranger, you're back. Let me guess: This time you're here to tell me my brother wants me to come visit his family in Stormhold! As if I'd put up with his cooking." I took care of Laurina's ledger. There's no record of your tab anymore. "Really? I'd pay all that gold and more to see the look on Laurina's face when she finds it missing! But it might be better not to stick around for too long. I owe you one, stranger." Hooke's waiting for you in the Skingrad Outlaws Refuge.

He will reassure you that you will make the journey to Skingrad with no issues:

"I'll amble over that way, sure. Hooke can buy me a round or two for my trouble. Of course, if there's really a killer on my tail, and they see me wobbling on the road … eh, I'll just hide in some tall grass."

Can you get to Skingrad? You'll be safe there.

"Safe from what? A mysterious murderer? Who's to say whether Hooke is jumping at shadows? I'm sorry some old comrades are dead, but thieves die every day. If it's my time, it's my time.
Feh. Don't worry. I'll make it to Skingrad."

When you enter the Skingrad Outlaws Refuge, you will find Fallen-Knives, alongside Hooke, Big Urm and Valenia. Speaking with him before Hooke:

"I admit, I wasn't sold on the story Hooke sent you with. But … he's changed. His eye's sharp like it used to be, but honest now.
Whatever plan he has in mind, I'm in. Provided he buys the drinks."

Speaking with Hooke, he will ask you to find another former Scarlet, Naku who has become a miner, while the rest of the crew investigates leads. Talking to Fallen-Knives before you leave:

"Feh. Of course Naku is working a mine. Probably the only cat in Tamriel who doesn't fuss over being sleek and clean.
Don't tell him I said that."

When you reach Naku's small claim to the south of the city, you will find his backpack and a letter addressed to him. It goads him to seek out a richer vein found in Fyrelight Cave, when you search for Naku in the cavern, you find Naku pleading for his life before he is killed. His killer warns you to stop helping the Scarlets as they don't deserve it, before they leave. After collecting some clues, you return to the Scarlets to bring them the bad news.

They will be gathered around a table near Gold Road Goods, examining the notes they all received. If you talk to Fallen-Knives before Hooke:

"Hooke is the one you want to talk to. Unless you want a moment-by-moment report of how this hangover's treating me."

Talking to Hooke, he will realise that the person killing the Scarlets is Marcan Caelum, the master of Caelum Vineyards and formerly unknown survivor of the fire that killed the rest of his family. Hooke ask you to meet with them at the Vineyard ruins, speaking with Fallen-Knives after this:

"Naku's dead? He owed me a drink. Wouldn't stop talking about all the plum brandy waiting for him after we finally got out of prison.
Well. Maybe there's something left at the vineyard."

When you arrive at the ruins of the Caelum Vineyard, the group will be waiting for you. You and Hooke will search the grounds, with the other three in their own group. You find some well-maintained graves and a sewer grate leading beneath the ruined building. When you go search for an entrance to the old cellars, Old Urm and Fallen-Knives will run up to you with bad news:

Hooke: "There it is! Now, I'll go get the others—"

Big Urm: "Caelum has Val! She's been taken!"

Fallen-Knives: "It's my fault. I said we should split up. Cover more ground."

Hooke: "No one's fault but mine. I brought us here. Caelum won't kill her—yet. But we have to find them, quickly!"

<Hooke enters the cellar.>

Talking to Fallen-Knives before entering the cellar:

"Sneaky tzilnech! I took a good swig to steady my nerves, and this is the brilliant idea I came up with? We should have stuck together.
Lead the way. We can't leave Val alone with that monster."

Once you enter the cellar, you follow the trio until they reach a larger room:

Fallen-Knives: "I know that smell. There's brandy in these casks."

Big Urm: "Are you certain you aren't smelling your own breath, Knives?"

Hooke: "Quiet! I hear them—this way!"

<Hooke runs over to a nearby door and tries opening it.>

Hooke: "Locked! Big Urm, you know what to do. The rest of you, search for anything that might be of use!"

<Big Urm will start breaking down the door.>

Talking to Fallen-Knives while you search:

"To think Marcan Caelum was holed up down here for years, plotting to pick us off one by one. And I let him snatch Valenia like a bottle off the shelf.
We have to save her!"

After you find the Scarlets List, Weathered Journal and Dulled Knife, Big Urm will have broken open the door:

Big Urm: "Done! But I think I got too excited. My shoulder is busted."

<Big Urm sits down on the stone floor.>

Hooke: "Fallen-Knives, see to Urm. We'll find Valenia and stop Caelum."

<Fallen-Knives crouches down beside Big Urm and begins healing her.>

Talking to Fallen-Knives before entering the Vaults:

"I'll look after Big Urm. Go with Hooke and get Val back!"

Once inside the Vaults, Hooke will ask you to speak with Marcan and distract him while he sneaks up and rescues Valenia. Your conversation and its result will depend on your knowledge of Marcan's family and your words. If you leave the conversation prematurely or get his family's names wrong, the conversation will end. If it is later in the conversation, Valenia will be freed but she will be injured in her escape. If the conversation ends before Valenia is freed, she will be killed.

Stalled long enough for Hooke to free Valenia:	Valenia is freed but injured:	Valenia is killed:
When you tell Marcan "That's where you're wrong." He will turn around and see Valenia is gone: Marcan Caelum: "What? No!" <Marcan holds up a torch.> Marcan Caelum: "You cannot deny my vengeance. You wanted my riches? Take them to your graves!" <Marcan lights his surroundings on fire and he catches alight as well.> Marcan Caelum: "Ah ha ha ha!" <The fire spreads everywhere and the cavern will be lit with red light.> Big Urm: "The fire's spreading!" Fallen-Knives: "The exit is blocked! We're trapped!" Hooke: "There! The sewer grate! We can get out that way!"	Marcan Caelum: "Enough of this!" Marcan Caelum: "What? No!" <Valenia is struck at and injured.> Valenia: "Argh!" <Big Urm and Fallen-Knives will appear beside you.> Marcan Caelum: "So … all the Scarlets have come. Good. We'll all burn here … as they did." <Marcan lights his surroundings on fire and he catches alight as well.> Marcan Caelum: "Ah ha ha ha!" <The fire spreads everywhere and the cavern will be lit with red light.> Big Urm: "The fire's spreading!" Fallen-Knives: "The exit is blocked! We're trapped!" Hooke: "There! The sewer grate! We can get out that way!"	Marcan Caelum: "Enough of this!" <Marcan strikes at Valenia, killing her> Hooke: "Valenia!" <Big Urm and Fallen-Knives will appear beside you.> Marcan Caelum: "So … all the Scarlets have come. Good. We'll all burn here … as they did." <Marcan lights his surroundings on fire and he catches alight as well.> Marcan Caelum: "Ah ha ha ha!" <The fire spreads everywhere and the cavern will be lit with red light.> Big Urm: "The fire's spreading!" Fallen-Knives: "The exit is blocked! We're trapped!" Hooke: "There! The sewer grate! We can get out that way!"

You can escape the cellar through the grate and meet with the group on the nearby road:

Valenia is unharmed:	Valenia is injured:	Valenia is dead:
Speaking with Fallen-Knives before Hooke: "Thank you. Thank you for cleaning up after the drunken mess I made of things and saving Val. It's just … after that night, the fire, and now coming back here, it was all too much. I should have done better."	Hooke: "That was too close! Knives, tend to Val." <Fallen-Knives walks over to Valenia and examines her arm.> Fallen-Knives: "She will live, but that wound is severe. I'm sorry, Val. That arm may never be the same." Speaking with Fallen-Knives before Hooke: "Thank you for what you did back there. It's my fault Caelum got his hands on Val and hurt her. Me and my drunken ideas about splitting up. I need to tend Val's wounds. Can't just drink my way through this one."	Speaking with Fallen-Knives before Hooke: "What have I done? Oh, gods, Valenia! What cursed drink made me split us up! We walked right into Marcan Caelum's trap. Leave me be. Please!"

Once you have spoken with Hooke and completed the quest, the group will talk about what they will do next: Speaking with Big Urm after completing the quest:

Valenia is unharmed:	Valenia is injured:	Valenia is dead:
Big Urm: "Friends, we should remember the Scarlets who aren't here. Before we go our separate ways again." Fallen-Knives: "I have places to be, but they can wait. I'll be there. And I won't be drinking." Valenia: "I agree. I wish we had come together before all this. Hooke?" Hooke: "I'd like that. Aye, I'd like that a lot." Talking to Fallen-Knives afterwards: "Thank you again for saving Val. And for putting up with my antics throughout all of this. The Scarlets are the closest thing to a family I've ever known. But maybe it's time to swim in the swamp for a bit." Where will you go now? "I think it's time to make my way to Black Marsh. After we've all had our sit-down, maybe. Not really my home, but I have some kin there. And it might be good to steer clear of the taverns for now."	Big Urm: "Hooke. If you're planning to escort Valenia to her family, I'd like to join you." Fallen-Knives: "I'll meet you soon. There's something I have to do in Black Marsh. It might help Val." Valenia: "You all … don't have to do … so much for me." Hooke: "Well, maybe we're not quite ready to part again just yet." Talking to Fallen-Knives afterwards: "I'm glad Val's alive and kicking, but that wound's going to give her trouble the rest of her days. She deserves better than that. I need to go to Black Marsh." Black Marsh? Is there something there that can help her? "Honestly, I have no idea. Didn't hatch there, and the one time I visited, everyone stared at me like I was missing my tail. But the healers there know some things I don't. Could help Val. Anyway, I have to try."	[verification needed — see talk page] Big Urm: "The Eight brought us back together, Hooke. We shouldn't depart in haste." Fallen-Knives: "I'm sorry. I never thought splitting up would get Val—" (?): "Hush, Fallen-Knives. No one's blaming you." Hooke: "I'll … I'll take Valenia to Marbruk. To her family. It's what she would have wanted." Talking to Fallen-Knives afterwards: "I'm worried about Hooke. Him and Val, they were always close. Even all the way back when we were legionaries in good standing. Gods, what a mess." Hooke's taking it hard. How are you? "All I want to do is drink myself into Oblivion as fast as I can. But I am not going to take that way out. Not today. Val deserves better from me. Thanks for helping, stranger. Things would have gone worse without you."