Mistress of the Lake [Quest]

Text of the Quest:

Mistress of the Lake Followers of Hermaeus Mora have come to secure the ancient Ayleid ruins at Lake Halcyon, but they say a mysterious entity inhabiting the ruins has enslaved local villagers and is trying to subvert the laws of nature. Herald Kixathi asked me to kill one of the entitys wisps and take the essence it carries to the essence troughs in the ruins. She hopes this might reveal something of the entitys intentions.

Tasks

Investigate the Essence Troughs

Herald Kixathi: You heard the call, didn't you? You have been chosen to help stop the blasphemy in the ruins below, to stop the laws of nature from being broken. I too was carried here on the tides of fate for this reason. We must work together.
Hero: Are you a Dremora?
Herald Kixathi: Yes. I serve Hermaeus Mora, the Lord of Fate and Knowledge. These ruins were once a shrine to my lord, a storehouse of secrets forbidden to mortals. The shrine is but a memory now, but an entity invades the ruins seeking to steal the secrets.
Hero: What kind of an entity?
Herald Kixathi: A spirit? A Daedra? This is part of what must be exposed. Whatever it is, it has enslaved local villagers—calling them Rain Disciples. It taps their minds for its power. To what end I do not know, but I believe you can unmask its intentions. All right. What do I have to do?
Herald Kixathi: Wisps serve the entity below, drawing the essences of the enslaved Rain Disciples and depositing these essences in troughs. Slay one of the wisps and take the essence it carries to the troughs. I believe this will expose the entity's intentions.
Hero: What exactly are we trying to do here?
Herald Kixathi: We must stop this mysterious entity from stealing our lord's forbidden knowledge. The entity's wisps absorb mind essences from the Rain Disciples. Kill a wisp and take its essence to the troughs. I hope this will expose the entity's intentions.
Hero: Can't you be a little less obscure?
Herald Kixathi: I serve Hermaeus Mora; dealing with illusions and obscurities is what I do. Exposing these vague quantities, turning confused innuendo into clear knowledge, this is my lord's realm.
Hero: These ruins were once a shrine?
Herald Kixathi: Yes. Even in the ancient days, some Ayleid recognized the power of Hermaeus Mora. Within this shrine, they stored forbidden knowledge of the natural order, which could allow one to manipulate the very fabric of reality on this plane.
Hero: Why haven't you already secured this knowledge?
Herald Kixathi: We came here to do just that, but we soon discovered others were living in the ruins—these Rain Disciples. We have secured portions of the ruins, but the entity who commands the Rain Disciples set them to block other areas. We know not why.
Hero: Where did you come from?
Herald Kixathi: You're bold to ask. As you observed, I am a Dremora, but the Lord of Knowledge freed me. Hermaeus Mora taught me the secret of how to sever my ties to Oblivion and bind myself to the Mundus instead. I have served him ever since.
Hero: These other seekers serve Hermaeus Mora as well?
Herald Kixathi: Of course. We are known as Primeval Seekers. We rarely gather, but our lord has summoned us here to secure the ruins. I'll warn you now—some sections of the ruins below are restricted—Primeval Seekers will attack if you attempt to trespass.

Apostle Marian: Please stranger! We mean you no harm, yet you enter our domain with distrust, killing our disciples. My mistress says you have been misled—that you should help rather than hinder us in our endeavors.
Hero: Who is your mistress?
Apostle Marian: Lorelia. She is a nereid. She is the water spirit of Lake Halcyon. Lorelia says the Primeval Seekers have misled you. She is an element of nature, seeking only to foster life. She told me to explain her purposes here.
Hero: What are her purposes here?
Apostle Marian: The landscape of Tamriel is ever-changing. The desert south of here is expanding and will someday overtake this area too. Lake Halcyon has already begun to slowly dry up. Lorelia only seeks to prevent that, to keep the lake and the forest alive.
Hero: How does she plan to do that?
Apostle Marian: These ruins hold ancient secrets and relics of power. With them, Lorelia can create a Water Stone—an everlasting source of water that can keep Lake Halcyon alive for all eternity. Myself, the Rain Disciples, and the wisps aid her in this mission.
Hero: The Primeval Seekers say you're breaking the laws of nature.
Apostle Marian: The cultists worship the greedy lord, Hermaeus Mora. They would hoard the secrets buried here; they do not wish us to make use of them. They will do anything. They have even been capturing our disciples and holding them prisoner.
Hero: Why would they capture your disciples?
Apostle Marian: Just to hinder our efforts. That's why they sent you as well. I'm sorry you've been caught up in this. I won't ask you to join us, but surely you can see that our disciples have done no wrong. Would you be willing to free them as a favor?
Hero: I will free your people, but I promise nothing more.
Apostle Marian: Lorelia promises she will reward you generously for your assistance. The Primeval Seekers are holding our disciples across this water and down in the east side of the ruins. Please, free them as soon as you can.
Hero: Where do the disciples come from?
Apostle Marian: They are people from Evermore, Northglen, or other nearby villages. Like myself, they were drawn to Lorelia. She showed us what was happening and taught us that her plight, the plight of the lake, is our plight too.

Disciple Jeannelle: Please get me out of here! These Daedric cultists have been torturing me!
Hero: Why have they been torturing you?
Disciple Jeannelle: I don't know! I don't understand. They kept saying they wanted me to remember. Remember what though? All I can recall is being with Lorelia. I need to get back to her even now.
Hero: Get going then. Get back to Lorelia.
Disciple Jeannelle: Thank you. I'll remember you. I promise.

Disciple Cesamund: Lorelia sent you, didn't she? She always takes such good care of me.
Hero: Yes. I'm here to free you.
Disciple Cesamund: Believe it or not, I think I actually remember the way back! That's all I remember though .... except the fact that Lorelia needs me!
Hero: Go on then. Get back to your side of the ruins.
Disciple Cesamund: Thankyou!

Disciple Theophile: Please. Release me. I have to get back to Lorelia. I have to.
Hero: Why are you so desperate to get back?
Disciple Theophile: Because she needs me! And I need her! She's all I've ever known. Please, just let me go!
Hero: Go on then.
Disciple Theophile: Praise you, friend. Praise you.

Disciple Dianette: What's going on here? Who are all you people? Who am I?
Hero: You don't remember who you are?
Disciple Dianette: No! I don't remember you either! What am I doing here? Is this place safe?
Hero: No. It's not safe. You should run.
Disciple Dianette: All right. Release me and I'll go ... somewhere.

Herald Kixathi: You ignorant half-wit! By the Golden Eye, what in Oblivion are you doing? Setting those poor, ensorcelled fools free? Don't you realize we were trying to help them?
Hero: How was capturing them trying to help them?
Herald Kixathi: Don't you see what's going on here? I followed you before and overheard your conversation with that mad apostle. It's clear that this nereid learned one of the most dangerous secrets about the natural order and now twists it to her advantage.
Hero: What dangerous secret is that?
Herald Kixathi: No point hiding it now ... when a mortal dies, where do you think their memories go? Don't bother guessing. I'll tell you—they go into the water. They become water. All the memories of Tamriel's history are stored in its waters.
Hero: How do memories turn into water?
Herald Kixathi: The details and implications of this secret are mind-spinning and would require a lifetime of study and contemplation. The relevant fact here is that the nereid is stealing her disciples' memories to create this Water Stone.
Hero: So that's why they can't remember anything?
Herald Kixathi: Exactly. And it seems they never will. Their memories are lost to them forever. The Lord of Knowledge abhors this transgression. The nereid must not be allowed to continue in this endeavor, nor can she be permitted to create a Water Stone.
Hero: What's so bad about the Water Stone?
Herald Kixathi: The secrets to creating a Water Stone are forbidden. The natural progression is for the landscape in this area to evolve into a desert. The nereid's not fighting for nature. She's fighting for self-preservation, and at her disciples' expense.
Hero: So you think the nereid should be killed?
Herald Kixathi: There is no other way for this to end. The nereid has stolen forbidden secrets and committed crimes against nature and humanity. Now that you understand, will you repent for changing loyalties? Will you aid me in destroying this aberration?
Hero: I will help you however I can.
Herald Kixathi: Wise choice. For a moment there, I feared the nereid had affected your mind as well. I can see you are stronger than that now.
Hero: I certainly hope so.
Herald Kixathi: Know this as well—Hermaeus Mora is generous with his servants. You will be rewarded greatly if we rid these ruins of that foul creature and her half-witted followers.
Hero: Complete Quest.