Rise of the Dead [Quest]

Text of the Quest:

Rise of the Dead An army of undead swarmed from the sea and attacked the Sentinel Docks. Guard Captain Zafira has asked me to inform King Faharajad. I should look for the king in his palace.

Tasks

Talk to King Faharajad

Watch Captain Zafira: I wonder if you know how completely we are in your debt? Alik'r warriors fear no evil, but they will not fight the undead. It may be a superstition, but it has been tradition for centuries. I could not have convinced my guards to break it today.
Hero: Surely you were planning some kind of response? Goodbye.
Watch Captain Zafira: I'm afraid not. There was just no easy solution. Perhaps to call everyone inside the castle and lock the doors? King Fahara'jad would not have liked that. Of course, the king will be extremely disturbed to hear what has befallen here regardless.
Hero: The king doesn't know about the undead? Goodbye.
Watch Captain Zafira: I did not want to send word to the king until I was certain necromancy was involved. Now though, he should be informed right away. I must stay here and oversee the cleanup. You are the one who turned the tide here. Will you inform the king as well?
Hero: Yes. I can go speak to the king.
Watch Captain Zafira: Thank you, seafarer. It is better if I remain here to supervise as best I can, but I know the king would want to be informed of what has befallen us as soon as possible.
Hero: Can you explain your people's beliefs about the dead?
Watch Captain Zafira: The dead are sacred. It is what the people of Alik'r have always believed and always will. Just as we respect our elders, so do we respect our ancestors. It would be dishonorable to strike them, and might even cause one to be cursed.
Hero: Shouldn't these superstitions be put to rest?
Watch Captain Zafira: Most people here deem this to be sacred law, not superstition. Even King Fahara'jad must respect our customs. If he were to ask his people to disrespect their ancestors, his rule would swiftly come to an end.
Hero: Haven't necromancers threatened Alik'r before?
Watch Captain Zafira: These dark arts are not practiced by our people, but yes, we have experienced the plague of necromancy in the past. Fighting these plagues has always required great sacrifice. Those who have fought the dead have been dishonored, cast out.

King Fahara'jad: Welcome to Sentinel, wayfarer. If you've come about the docks, rest assured, I already know. I regret that you visit during such times, but perhaps your arrival is fortuitous. Perhaps the gods guided you here to help us fight the Withered Hand.
Hero: Who or what is the Withered Hand? Goodbye.
King Fahara'jad: Necromancers, practitoners of the most vile magic, and the bane of the Alik'r Desert. It has been many years since we faced such a threat. I hoped the rumors about this group—the Withered Hand—were untrue, but today's events prove otherwise.
Hero: Where did the Withered Hand come from? Goodbye.
King Fahara'jad: Several years ago, a diabolical necromancer named Suturah led an army of undead against me. Suturah was defeated, but the rumors suggest his sons have returned for revenge. They are calling themselves the Withered Hand.
Hero: So the necromancer at the docks was with them? Goodbye.
King Fahara'jad: Undoubtedly, but I suspect the attack at the docks was merely a feint. I fear the Withered Hand is planning something far worse.
Hero: What can we do to stop them? Goodbye.
King Fahara'jad: Ah, that is the challenge I now face. The people of the Alik'r Desert, even those in Sentinel, are superstitious. They believe that striking the dead carries a terrible curse. For them, it is an act of dishonor. That is why I need you, wayfarer.
Hero: I will help however I can. Your Majesty. Goodbye.
King Fahara'jad: Then your visit is fortuitous indeed. My own son—Prince Azah—has been investigating the rumors about the Withered Hand. He is a bright young man, but he needs help. First though, I would ask you to inform General Thoda of what has befallen.
Hero: General Thoda? I met him in Alcaire. Goodbye.
King Fahara'jad: Yes. That is likely. General Thoda is my chief military advisor. He is also a practical man who places security above superstition. He is resting at his home after returning from Alcaire, but I need his counsel on how to proceed.
Hero: I'll go speak with General Thoda right away. Goodbye.
King Fahara'jad: General Thoda is a trusted advisor and a good friend. He has heard the rumors about the Withered Hand, and he can help us. Tell no one else though. People remember Suturah, and hearing his sons have returned could cause a panic.
Hero: How did you defeat Suturah?
King Fahara'jad: It's quite a tale, and I cannot do it justice now, but the battle against Suturah was the most difficult of my life—both in military and political terms. It was the Ash'abah who saved us. They had the thankless task of fighting the undead.
Hero: Who are the Ash'abah? Goodbye.
King Fahara'jad: The Ash'abah. Where do I begin? They walk among us, but only in shadows. People believe they are cursed. They are dishonored warriors, bound by the sacred oath of their forefathers. They must fight the dead when called upon to do so.
Hero: Where are they now? Goodbye.
King Fahara'jad: I have not called on them. I have even disregarded their warnings. You must understand—the common people despise them. To call on them again might cost me the crown. That is why I must rely on you, wayfarer.
Hero: Did the Alik'r ever face an undead threat before the Ash'abah?
King Fahara'jad: Yes. The greatest threat the Alik'r faced from the undead was in the First Era, when the Yokudan rulers were still establishing a foothold here. That was when the Ansei Wards were created.
Hero: What are the Ansei Wards? Goodbye.
King Fahara'jad: They are our greatest hope, for no matter how great a threat the Withered Hand may pose, they cannot even compare to the necromancers of the First Era. The Wards contain the spirits of three Ansei heroes who sacrificed themselves to protect us.
Hero: How do the Ansei Wards work?
King Fahara'jad: They uphold the covenant with the Divines. As long as we consecrate the dead in the name of Tu'whacca, they cannot be raised by even the most powerful necromancy. Thus the Withered Hand can only raise corpses that have not been consecrated.
Hero: How did you defeat them before?
King Fahara'jad: It is not an ancient Yokudan custom, but a tradition that developed in the desert. Human remains decay slowly here, and our people came to believe their ancestors' corpses were sacred. To harm one would draw the ancestors' curse.
Hero: And the people still believe that today? Goodbye.
King Fahara'jad: Of course. You see, the culture of the Alik'r evolved around this ideal. Many of us today realize that exceptions must be made, but in my position, to ask my soldiers to strike down the dead would cause an outcry, and possibly lead to rebellion.

General Thoda: You ... I know you from Alcaire. You roughed up so many of my Bravos. Tamriel is a small place after all. I just returned from Alcaire myself. Back in my chair, drinking my wine with my wife .... Wait. Please tell me you're not here to disturb me?
Hero: King Fahara'jad sent me. It's about the Withered Hand. Goodbye.
General Thoda: No! You realize what this means? Not one moment of relaxation! Not one! And damn it, I thought this talk about the Withered Hand was just rumor. Are you sure this is true?
Hero: Yes. They summoned undead to attack the docks. Goodbye.
General Thoda: The Sentinel Docks? The nerve! But it sounds like something those motherless dogs would do. I tell you, Uwafa and Alasan might just be more dangerous than their father.
Hero: Who are Uwafa and Alasan? Goodbye.
General Thoda: Uwafa and Alasan are the sons of that old bastard Suturah. They're calling themselves the Withered Hand as a fear tactic. I knew them when they were boys. They're the same age as Prince Azah ... speaking of whom, we should inform him as well.
Hero: The king said Azah has been investigating the Withered Hand. Goodbye.
General Thoda: Exactly. He knows more about this business than I do. That's for sure. If you'll go round up the prince ... I'll have to find some way to explain to my wife why I'm leaving again ... then we can all meet at the palace.
Hero: Where can I find the prince? Goodbye.
General Thoda: My guess is that he's with the girls at his seraglio by the north wall. I know what you're thinking, but it's not because the prince is some kind of ladies' man. The girls help him gather information. Perhaps he'll already know what's happened.
Hero: I'll go look for him right away. Goodbye.
General Thoda: My hope is that Prince Azah might have a lead on where Uwafa and Alasan have set up their headquarters, or better yet, what they're planning next. Regardless, these are things we should discuss at the palace.
Hero: Does the prince know Uwafa and Alasan as well? Goodbye.
General Thoda: We all do. Suturah was one of the king's viziers—kept his little hobby a secret. Then one day, the king came to meet his viziers and found them all dead. The real surprise was when Suturah ordered their corpses to attack. That's how it started.
Hero: How did you know the sons though? Goodbye.
General Thoda: I tried to train them in swordplay ... Uwafa and Alasan, along with Prince Azah. Those two had no interest though. I would always catch them torturing insects and animals. The Prince—he hated them, and they hated him right back.

Ilmaha at-Amil: I... should have tried to stop them. I'm sorry, so sorry. What have I done?
Hero: What happened? Goodbye.
Ilmaha at-Amil: It was a nightmare! These savage men burst into the seraglio. They struck down the guards and even sweet little Roheebah... and then they took the prince! Please.... could you, would you go after them? You have to.
Hero: Of course. Did you see where they took him? Goodbye.
Ilmaha at-Amil: No. Yet another way in which I failed! I should have followed them out into the street...! I'm such a fool! Maybe someone else out there saw them—maybe they can tell you which way those men took the prince ....
Hero: It's worth a try. I'll go ask in the street now.

Prince Azah: I don't recognize you, but under the circumstances, I'm certainly glad to make your acquaintance. You will be well-rewarded for assisting me. I can promise that much.
Hero: I'm just glad I found you. Your Highness. Goodbye.
Prince Azah: Ah, so you do know who I am then? Did my father put you up to this? Is he keeping tabs on me? Well... I shouldn't be so accusatory. If he was tracking me, then I guess that turned out to be extremely fortunate.
Hero: Complete Quest.