Skyrim Walkthrough: The Forsworn Conspiracy / No One Escapes Cidhna Mine

The Forsworn Conspiracy

The first time you enter Markarth's market, you witness a murder where a man named Weylin draws a knife and stabs a stall owner named Margret. When I witnessed this, I immediately killed the man and then there is a whole scene of guards coming and talking and saying that the problem is dealt with, etc. but at some point the Forsworn are mentioned (if this name is unfamiliar with you, don't feel bad about it).  As the scene ends and you walk away, a man comes up to you and hands you a note telling you to meet him at the Shrine of Talos.

When you go there and meet with him, Eltrys tells you that his father was killed by the Forsworn and that he has been trying his whole life to find out why. He tells you that the Forsworn are the remnants of an ancient ruling class of Markarth who hold strictly to old and mostly ignored Nord traditions, customs and laws. He tells you that you are the perfect tool for investigating this murder and the Forsworn connections to it. He tells you that Margret stayed at the Silver-Blood Inn and that Weylin lived in the Warrens. From here you need to go investigate both people.

When you go to the Silver-Blood Inn, talk to the man behind the bar and ask him about Margret. He will tell you that she rented the nicest room for a month and that you shouldn't talk about her because it is bad luck. Your quest log will now be updated with "Obtain the key to Margret's room." You need to ask him to rent a room (for 10 gold) and you will get the key to her room. Go into the room and look in the dresser next to the bed. You will find Margret's journal which you are then told (by your quest update) to read. It talks about a person named Thonar Silver-Blood and that she thinks he is a Stormcloak sympathizer and that she thinks she is being watched after confronting Thonar about something. Your quest log is now updated telling you to "Find evidence about Thonar."

You should go to the Warrens now. When you leave the Silver-Blood Inn, you will be approached by a guard who tells you that you need to keep your nose out of things that aren't your business. He will not give you any information about who sent him, but just tells you that the guards keep the peace and you wouldn't want to be seen as a threat to that peace.

Once you get in the Warrens, talk to the guy named Garvey lounging up against the pillar just inside the door to the right. He can tell you that Weylin lived there and that someone else will probably get his room now. If you ask him for the key, he will say that he can't do that, but you can intimidate/persuade/bribe him into giving it to you anyway. Once you have the key, head all the way down the hall to the last door on the right - this is Weylin's room. Turn left when you go in the door and you will see a chest. Inside that chest is a note called Weylin's note. Your quest log will be updated to tell you to read the note. When you read the note, you will see that it was a note telling Weylin to go to the market and he would "know what to do." The note is signed simply "N." Your quest log will be updated telling you to find out who N is. You can go ahead and leave the Warrens now as there is not much else for you to see here.

When you exit the Warrens, you are approached by a guard who tells you that you need to quit nosing around in things that aren't your business. No matter what you say, he will fist fight you. When you beat him, you can get information out of him about who sent him to take care of you. He tells you that he was sent by Nepos the Nose and your quest log is updated for you to find evidence about Nepos.

At this point, you should have two active quest duties - to find evidence about both Thonar and Nepos. Go talk to Thonar first and then Nepos.

Go to the Treasury House at talk to the Rhiada, lady right inside the door. She will tell you that Thonar asked not to be disturbed and then you can try a number of techniques for getting her to let you see him anyway. Once she has agreed to let you in to see him, head down the hall to the left of her desk to the door at the end which should have a quest marker on it. When you go in the room, you should see him sittin at his table and will say something about telling them no visitors. No matter what you choose to say to him, he will tell you that you shouldn't be snooping into things that aren't your business and to get out. As soon as the conversation is finished, you hear a commotion and Thonar gets up and runs down the hall where there is fighting going on.

When you head back down the hall, you can join in with the fighting, but be careful not to hit Thonar at all or the city guards will come after you. There are three people that you should (and safely can) kill - Nana Idene, Donnel, and a conjured person. Once they are dead, you can talk to Thonar who tells you that his wife is dead and its Madanach's fault - the King of the Forsworn. Madanach is living in the Cidhna Mine from where he controls all the Forsworn agents. You can offer to take care of Madanach if you want, but Thonar will simply order you to get out of his house and will not talk to you anymore.

Now head to Nepos's house which is up the stairs a long way - there should be a quest marker on the door. When you go inside you will be greeted by a woman named Uolie who tells you to go away, but Nepos calls from the background and overrules her. She then tells you to go ahead and go in to talk to him. He tells you that he has been receiving messages from Madanach for 20 years and has been following the orders. If you continue talking to him he will reveal that he does not plan to let you leave the house alive, but will tell you more about Madanach which will update your quest log to tell you to find evidence about Madanach. When you are done talking to him, he and everyone else in the house will start attacking you - kill them all.

Once everyone is dead, be sure to look around in the house for valuable objects. There is a descent amount of gold scattered around as well as a book in the bedroom called Mystery of Talara, Part 4 that gives one point to Illusion skill. There is also a Steal Dagger of Dismay in a display case in the room with the fireplace in it. The case opens if you have the key that you are able to loot from any of the corpses. Once you are done looting, you can leave the house.

At this point you should be able to go back to the Shrine of Talos to report back to Eltrys. When you get into the shrine, a guard will be there who will tell you that you have caused a lot of trouble and a lot of work for the guards who will now be pinning all the murders on you. He tells they had a nice little deal going and now you screwed it up, but you wanted to find out who was in charge and now you'll have plenty of time to talk to "The King in Rags" (Madanach) while you're in Cidhna Mine. At this point you can choose to go quietly or to fight with them. Just go quietly.

This is the end of The Forsworn Conspiracy quest.

Nobody Escapes from Cidhna Mine

You'll get put into the mine where you need to first talk to Uraccen about all the topics he has available. He'll tell you how to get to Madenach. You need to first talk to Grisvar about a shiv, then get skooma from Duach to pay Grisvar for the shiv. Bring Grisvar the skooma and he'll give you the shiv. Next you need to get past Borkul the Beast to be able to see Madanach. Talk to Borkul and tell him that your first murder was exciting - he likes that. Then tell him you want to see Madanach and he'll tell him he wants you to get him a shiv. Respond by giving him the shiv you just got. This will allow you to get through the gate next to Borkul. Go through it and go find Madanach. You'll find him sitting at a desk writing something. He will tell you to go find a man named Braig. You find him down the mine past Grisvar - ask him to tell you his story, then head back to Madanach.

Madanach now tells you that he'll help you break out, but you have to prove your loyalty to him first by killing Grisvar. Go to Grisvar and talk to him - tell him Madanach says hello. This will provoke him to start fighting you which will cause everyone else to start fighting him. He will die quite quickly with everyone else attacking him. Be careful not to hit anyone but him while attacking. Go back and tell Madanach that Grisvar is dead and he will tell you that it's time to announce the plan to everyone. He tells everyone that there is a tunnel that leads out into some Dwarven ruins.

Follow them through the cell next to Madanach's room. Don't worry about your old possessions, you'll get them back shortly. You will go through a door into some Dwarven ruins and will have to fight a bit, but not too much - just a few spiders and a couple Spheres. When you get to the end, Madanach will give you all your possessions back plus a few gifts from him. He also tells you that you don't need to worry about your name because once they get out, everyone will know that he was behind everything. You can now leave the ruins by the door at which point the Forsworn will start attacking the Markarth guards and you can just walk free having completed the quest.