Tamriel Rebuilt:The Cursed Crown

Fight for the power to undo death. Quest Giver: Gelvu Andas Location(s): Ushu-Kur Mine Prerequisite Quest: Digging Deeper Reward: 5,000 gold OR 10,000 gold Disposition: -45 (Gelvu Andas) and -15 (Neras Hardil) OR +10 (Gelvu Andas) and +5 (Neras Hardil) Reputation Gain: +2 (general) and +5 (Fighters Guild) OR No change ID: TR_m4_FG_UshuKur5

The entry to the Ancient Tomb

Quick Walkthrough

1. Speak to Gelvu Andas at the Ushu-Kur Mine about orders.
2. Travel to Andothren and talk to Tholer Andas for 5,000 gold.
3. (Optional) Question Ambarmetta or Demyn Telandas in the estate's West Wing about Tholer's revelations.
4. (Optional) Question Yan-Ahhe at the Ishanuran Camp.
5. Relay Tholer Andas' orders to Gelvu Andas and either:
   • Refuse to carry them out and report to Neras Hardil (ends quest with no further reward).
   • Agree to carry out the order.
6. Retrieve the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu from the Ancient Burial under Ushu-Kur Mine.
7. Bring the Cursed Crown to Tholer Andas for 5,000 gold.
8. Bring Tholer's orders to Gelvu Andas.
9. Confront Ushu-Dimmu and either:
   • Kill it.
     1. Speak to Gelvu Andas about orders for +2 Reputation, then report to Neras Hardil (ends quest with no further reward).
   • Agree to return the crown.
     1. Ask Ulvys Ules to meet with Tholer Andas with 70+ disposition or gain access to the vault via lockpicking or spells.
     2. (Optional) Speak to Tholer Andas in the Andas Estate's vault.
     3. Retrieve the crown from the vault's hidden chamber.
     4. Return the crown to Ushu-Dimmu.
     5. Speak to Gelvu Andas about orders for +2 Reputation, then report to Neras Hardil (ends quest with no further reward).

Detailed Walkthrough

Following your discovery of an ancient burial site in Digging Deeper, asking Gelvu for further orders will reveal that she feels it would be a good idea to report the finding to Tholer Andas in Andothren. Leave the mine and return to Andothren - you can speak to Othrys Rorivel outside the mine for fast travel to Arvud and can take the silt strider from there to Andothren via Menaan.

Tholer Andas is in his usual spot in the Andas Estate: Manor, at the south side of Andothren. Speak to him about the expand the mine topic. He'll reveal that according to the Map of Ushu-Dimmu that you recovered for him previously, the burial site you have uncovered is an antechamber to a greater complex. One that supposedly contains the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu, a lost artifact of the Ishanuran Ashlanders. He'll offer you 10,000 gold to bring the crown to him, paying 5,000 to you immediately, as an advance. You may question him further - on the Ashkhan Ushu-Dimmu and on his supposed power to undo death.

"The truth about why the Ishanuran have labeled him 'cursed'. Why the mere utterance of his name is forbidden to them. Why they so eagerly guard his tomb, the mine of Ushu-Kur. It is because he succeeded in what only a few even dare to attempt. He found a way to break the chains of mortality. He had the power to undo death." - Tholer Andas on Ushu-Dimmu

While entirely optional, there are several individuals that you can question to get more information on exactly what it is you are retrieving. If you do not wish to do this, start the return journey to Ushu-Kur Mine - you can fast travel to it from Arvud by speaking to Nassuran Omoril in the guar staging area and report to Gelvu Andas - see the Reporting to Gelvu Andas section below.

(Optional) A Second Opinion

Tholer Andas refuses to reveal the full details, but he does not have a complete monopoly on information. Before leaving Andothren, you can question his scholars-in-residence, Ambarmetta or Demyn Telandas in the West Wing of the Andas Estate about both the power to undo death and the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu to reveal that the crown is believed to have been the source of Ushu-Dimmu's immortality.

You may also optionally wish to talk to the Ishanuran wisewoman, Yan-Ahhe, at the Ishanuran Camp to the southwest of Ushu-Kur Mine, as she has the Ishanuran side of the tale. As you approach, Manit-Pal, if he survived Manit-Pal the Hunter, will call out and warn you against laying a finger on the cursed crown. For further information, you will need to speak to Yan-Ahhe herself. She describes the crown like this:

"It is trickery -- praised be our clever ancestors! The same trickery with which the accursed Ushu-Dimmu was deceived to place the crown on his own head willingly. The crown is a powerful thing, yes, but it does not simply grant immortality. He cannot die, but nor can he live. The enchantments of the crown keep him both ever-living and ever-bound. That is why it must never be removed. I do not know what would happen, if this magic seal should be broken."

Tryr, if he survived Digging Deeper, also has unique dialog - fearing redundancy for the miners if Tholer Andas finally gets what he wants from the barely profitable mine:

"So, that's what the Hlaalu were after all along. Some ancient artifact! That means all this time our fears were justified -- there's no more iron to be found in this mine. Do you understand what this means, %PCName? If you find this artifact and take it to Tholer Andas, he will have no more use for us. This whole mine will be abandoned. We, the miners, we will be out of work with nothing but worthless Hlaalu company scrip in our pockets."

Reporting to Gelvu Andas

When ready, speak to Gelvu Andas in Ushu-Kur Mine. She'll ask to know what Tholer wants and on hearing it, will order you to fulfil his wish:

"An ancient artifact of the Ishanuran? Well, if that is what my noble cousin wants, it is what he shall get. Find the crown, sellsword."

You can at this point refuse to find the crown. This immediately drops her disposition by 45. You'll need to return to the Fighters Guild to complete the quest by reporting to Neras Hardil, who will be rendered fearful for the Fighters Guild's future in Andothren and will request that you do not seek any further orders at his guildhall. There will be no reward for this course of action, asides from the 5,000 gold Tholer Andas already gave you.

However, assuming you accept, enter the northern mineshaft and progress through the hole that the miners have opened up at the end of it into the Ancient Burial.

Exploring the Ancient Burial

The caverns below the Ushu-Kur mine are filled with lava and ancient corpses. Progress through to the final chamber. If during Dreth's Bounty you agreed to pay Jubal Orda part of the bounty and then reneged on the deal, then you will find Jubal here. As he puts it:

"Ah, %PCName. Aren't these caverns beautiful? This red glow deep beneath the earth? It will be a great place for you to die. "%PCName slipped and fell face-first into the lava" is what I'll tell Andas. That's right. You didn't think I'd forgotten about you not sharing the bounty for Darvas Dreth with me, did you? I can't let you get away with that. It's bad for my reputation. I could say this wasn't personal, that this was just business, but that would be a damn lie. I'm going to enjoy this."

Otherwise, you will be unopposed in your traversal of the cavern. Journey through it to the final chamber and seize the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu from the head of the corpse that lies within. This action appears to destabilize the cavern's structure and several rocks will fall from the ceiling as you make your way out. Exit swiftly and return to Tholer Andas in Andothren with the crown. He'll pay you another 5,000 gold on receiving it and while you can question him about his intentions, he will reveal nothing. Tholer does have another task for you however - the delivery of a notice to Gelvu Andas, ordering the closure of the mine and the termination of the miners' employments without any further pay.

Back to Ushu-Kur

Entering Ushu-Kur Mine after giving the crown to Tholer Andas will see your journal update, noting that something eerie is going on. Entering the Company Office to speak to Gelvu will reveal the reason - the now-animated mummy of Ushu-Dimmu, standing over Gelvu Andas' near-dead body. Speak to Ushu-Dimmu. While unhappy to be awake, it is not hostile. However, it is the reason for the apparent immobility of all other occupants in the mine. As it puts it:

"The miners... These Hlaalu... They are not dead. Not quite. Not yet. I... I hunger. I needed to feed. You can fix this... Return my crown... They will awaken when I have my crown again. When I can sleep again... Or you can try to kill me... A lot of men have tried... and a lot of men have died."

You have a choice here - either killing Ushu-Dimmu or promising to restore the crown to its head by confronting Tholer Andas.

Killing Ushu-Dimmu

This represents the most straightforward path. Successfully killing the mummy will restore the miners and Hlaalu to a conscious state. If you do this, speak to a grateful Gelvu Andas about orders to pass on Tholer Andas' notice about closing the mine. You'll also receive +2 general and +5 Fighters Guild Reputation at this point. Then return to Neras Hardil at Andothren's Fighters Guild to complete the quest.

The Vault

Return once more to the Andas Estate in Andothren and speak to Ulvys Ules in the Foyer. He'll note that Tholer Andas isn't in his tower at the moment. Ask him about the topic meet with Tholer Andas. It transpires that the Hlaalu Councilor is inspecting the manor's vaults and access is forbidden. Ulvys notes that he does have a key to the vault, but will refuse to give it to you unless you have 70+ Disposition with him. You'll need to raise his Disposition to this level or else bring a means of cracking a level 75 locked door in the Andas Estate: Underground and a trapped level 100 vault door thereafter.

(Note that there are two level 75 locked doors if accessing the vault from the guarded entrance. You can bypass the first of these by entering the Andas Estate: Underground via the Andas Estate: Sewer however, as accessed during Recover the Map of Ushu-Dimmu.)

Once past the level 75 locked doors, enter the vault via the elevator. A pressure plate in the corridor will release a hostile alit if trod upon. At the end of the corridor, you will find the vault door itself - trapped and with a level 100 lock. Use the key or bypass it with spells or picks. You will enter a circular chamber that comprises the wealthily appointed vault.

There's no sign of Tholer Andas and yet you have been told he is here. Approach the portrait of the female Dunmer, Sathasa Andas, and pick up a Thirrine Water Lily from those scattered beneath it. With the lily in your inventory, activate the Bowl of Embers beneath the portrait. A blue flame will appear in the bowl. Kneel now upon the Prayer Stool to open a secret door into the vault's second chamber. Here, finally, you will find Serjo Tholer Andas standing over the preserved corpse of his wife, Sathasa Andas, along with the dead bodies of the scholars, Ambarmetta and Demyn Telandas.

The Corpse

Sathasa Andas' body bears the cursed crown you need and you can take it immediately. Speaking to Tholer is optional. He is sorely disappointed, but not in you:

"It did not work... My scholars assured me that it would work... They told me that the crown had the power to undo death."

Ask him about the power to undo death.

"The scholars lied to me. You see what became of them, don't you? I told you I have no patience for incompetence. The crown was supposed to... it was supposed to... bring back my Sathasa."

And optionally, no patience for incompetence, for confirmation that Tholer murdered the two scholars:

"These two here... Ambarmetta and Demyn... They told me all kinds of things over the years. Oh, in their own minds they were so clever. Said they knew secrets that no one else had been able to decipher. They assured me, they promised me, that the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu had the power to undo death. They were wrong. I had to get rid of them."

Finally, ask about my Sathasa:

"My wife succumbed to an illness years ago... She died, but I have kept her safe ever since. I built this sealed vault for her. Protected her. I did everything right. She looks like she's simply asleep, doesn't she? The crown was supposed to awaken her. But there's no sign, no life. Nothing. Nothing!"

You'll have several options to respond with here, offering comfort or accusations of heresy - oddly, he takes the heresy accusation somewhat more on the chin than the rest.

Talk to him finally about the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu. Distraught and distracted, he will bid you take it, so do so if you haven't already. Then return to Ushu-Kur Mine.

The Mummy

With the crown in hand, speak again to Ushu-Dimmu. It'll request the crown immediately. You can ask for a reward, but the request will be denied. You can also refuse to give it the crown, in which case it will attempt to kill you and you will need to defeat it. If you do give it the crown however, it will dematerialize with only the words "Blessed silence..." to mark its passing. This is sufficient to restore the miners and Hlaalu to their conscious selves.

Speak to Gelvu Andas (whether you killed Ushu-Dimmu or granted it its crown) and ask her about orders. You'll need to give her the letter Tholer passed to you for delivery, ordering the mine to be shut. Once she has it, she will happily comply and will instruct you to return to Neras Hardil in the Fighters Guild - you have been released from Tholer's service. She'll give you no further reward, but you will receive +2 general Reputation and +5 Fighters Guild Reputation for your actions.

If you wish, speak to the miners before leaving. Most will be glad to leave. Tryr will have different dialogue depending on your actions in Digging Deeper however - if the Hlaalu were induced to pay the miners in gold, he will have some hope for the miners' future survival. If they were forced to accept payment in scrip, he'll just be glad to be alive.

When ready, return for the final time to Andothren and speak to Neras Hardil at the Fighters Guild to complete the quest.

Notes

• Andas' vault contains plenty of treasure, including the Namira's Shroud (which if you are a vampire, activates a script that removes negative effects of vampirism, even being shunned by people, at the cost of a Constant Effect Drain Personality 30 pts. This is used in the Orlukh Clan questline), a pair of Ebony Native Greaves, an enclosed Glass Helmet, and a lot of gold and silver ingots, among other items. You can take all of these without consequence.

Quest Stages

The following Quest_ID and Index codes can be used with the Journal Console command to manually update the quest to a certain point.

The Cursed Crown (TR_m4_FG_UshuKur5)
Index	Finishes Quest	Journal Entry
10		Gelvu Andas told me to travel to Andothren and report to serjo Tholer Andas that an Ashlander burial chamber has been discovered in Ushu-Kur mine.
50		Serjo Tholer Andas has tasked me with finding the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu, an Ishanuran artifact. The crown should be somewhere beyond the burial chamber that was recently discovered in Ushu-Kur mine. I was told to return to the mine and bring the crown to Andas.
100		I have found the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu. I should return to Tholer Andas.
200		I gave the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu to Tholer Andas. He paid me 5000 septims. He has one final task for me: I should deliver a letter to Gelvu Andas. It contains instructions to shut down Ushu-Kur mine and lay off its workers.
250		Something eerie is going on in Ushu-Kur mine. I should find someone to talk to.
275		The reanimated mummy of Ushu-Dimmu spoke to me. He says that I am the one to blame for all that's happened. He wants me to return his crown to him. He says that he will free the others, if I do so. I should return to Andothren and try to get the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu back from Tholer Andas.
300		The reanimated mummy of Ushu-Dimmu attacked me.
350		Ushu-Dimmu is dead -- for good, it would seem.
400		I gave the Cursed Crown back to Ushu-Dimmu. He says he will go back to his burial and warned me not to disturb him ever again.
450		It seems that everyone in the mine is normal again. I should give Tholer Andas' letter to Gelvu Andas.
500		Gelvu Andas thanked me for saving her. She doesn't seem too upset that the mine is to be shut down. I should report back to Neras Hardil in the Andothren Fighters Guild hall and tell him I'm finished with my job for serjo Tholer Andas.
550	Finishes quest	Neras Hardil has no more orders for me. I should look for them in other guild halls.
The Cursed Crown (TR_m4_FG_UshuKur5B)
10		Serjo Tholer Andas revealed to me that Ushu-Dimmu had the power to undo death. However, he wouldn't tell me more. I suppose I could speak with the scholars in his pay, who can be found in the west wing of the Andas Estate. I could also speak with the members of the Ishanuran tribe at the Ishanuran Camp. That is, if I'm interested in finding out more.
20		A scholar working for serjo Tholer Andas told me more about Ushu-Dimmu's supposed power to undo death. It appears to have a connection to the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu -- the artifact I was told to retrieve.
30		Yan-Ahhe warned me not to retrieve the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu. She says that Tholer Andas' scholars are wrong to believe that the crown has the power to undo death.
40		I promised Yan-Ahhe that I would leave the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu alone. I should go to either Gelvu Andas or Tholer Andas and tell them I'm not going look for the crown. Alternatively, I could just break my promise and look for the crown in the ancient burial of Ushu-Kur anyway.
50		I lied to Yan-Ahhe, telling her I would leave the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu alone. I should go to Ushu-Kur mine and look for the crown in the ancient burial.
60		I told Yan-Ahhe that I would retrieve the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu, despite her warning not to do so. She was quite upset. I should go to Ushu-Kur mine and look for the crown in the ancient burial.
The Cursed Crown (TR_m4_FG_UshuKur5C)
10		Tryr thinks that it would be best if I told Gelvu Andas that I refuse to look for the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu.
The Cursed Crown (TR_m4_FG_UshuKur5D)
10		I was told that Tholer Andas is in the treasure vault, deep underneath the Andas Estate. I was also told that breaking into the vault is nigh-impossible without a key. I could try to get the key. I could also give up and return to Ushu-Dimmu empty-handed.
20		I persuaded Ulvys Ules into giving me the key to the Andas Estate treasure vault. I should look for Tholer Andas and the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu there.
30		I got into the treasure vault of Andas Estate. Tholer Andas should be somewhere here, but the vault looks empty.
50		I found Tholer Andas inside a hidden chamber in the treasure vault. There are three bodies in the chamber.
75		Tholer Andas told me that he wanted to use the crown's supposed power to undo death to bring back his wife, Sathasa Andas. However, it did not work.
100		I was told I could take the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu.
The Cursed Crown (TR_m4_FG_UshuKur5E)
5		I told Gelvu Andas about my orders to find the Cursed Crown of Ushu-Dimmu. She told me to get to work.
10		I told Gelvu Andas that I wouldn't search for the crown of Ushu-Dimmu. She dismissed me quite angrily. I should report back to Neras Hardil in Andothren.
100	Finishes quest	I reported back to Neras Hardil. He wasn't too happy that I had refused to carry out Tholer Andas' orders. Hardil says he has no more orders for me. I should look for them in other guild halls.
The Cursed Crown (TR_m4_FG_UshuKur5F)
10		Jubal Orda confronted me in the Ashlander burial chambers beneath Ushu-Kur. Still wroth about me denying him his share of the bounty for Darvas Dreth, he attacked me.
100		Jubal Orda is dead.
200		Gelvu Andas was not at all interested in my fight with Jubal Orda.

Prev: Digging Deeper

Up: Fighters Guild Quests

Next: