Calcelmo

"You idiot. Do you even know who I am? The most recognized scholar on the Dwemer in all of Tamriel, and you people keep bothering me! I... I'm sorry I... I got too excited, and I shouldn't have yelled. What do you need?"

- Calcelmo

Calcelmo is an Altmer Conjurer who can be found in Understone Keep where his nephew, Aicantar, helps him in the laboratory. He has a great interest in the Dwemer and is the author of many scholarly works about them.

Background
Calcelmo owns the Dwemer Museum and has been excavating Nchuand-Zel. As a scholar of Dwemer history and culture, he has written several books about them, including Dwarves, v1, Dwarves, v2, and Dwarves, v3. He also is an expert on the Falmer, having deciphered most of their language.

Calcelmo's Courier
After the Dragonborn buys the first piece of the Dwarven armor set, or the first Dwarven weapon, including Dwarven Bolts and arrows, a courier shows up with a letter from Calcelmo, in which he asks for one to be brought to him. Finding, stealing, looting, or crafting an item that Calcelmo would normally be interested in does not trigger the courier.

When the item is taken to Calcelmo in Understone Keep, it can be sold to him through dialogue. Calcelmo may be persuaded to pay more. However, if the dialogue option, "Not good enough. I'll hold onto this. You'll need to find another one," is chosen, that particular deal will be cancelled and can never be re-initiated.

Bring an execution hood to Calcelmo
During the Dark Brotherhood questline, the Dragonborn will be taken to the Abandoned Shack, where one of the prisoners in the shack may be killed. An execution hood can be taken from the corpse. If the hood is sold to a vendor then purchased back, the Dragonborn will receive a note from a courier saying that Calcelmo would like to buy the hood, similarly to Dwarven weapons or armor.

Calcelmo's Ring
When talking to Kerah, she will ask the Dragonborn to deliver a ring to Calcelmo. Afterwards, the ring may be bought from him.

Hard Answers
In order to gain access to the Dwemer Museum, the Dragonborn must have Calcelmo's permission either through Speech, by having helped Calcelmo with a previous quest, or by pickpocketing the key from him. Alternately, the lock on the door can be picked.

Neutralizing Nimhe
Calcelmo will give the keys to both the museum and the dig site if the Dragonborn defeats Nimhe. Nimhe is a large Frostbite Spider that is inhibiting the progress of the excavation of Nchuand-Zel.

The Book of Love
The Dragonborn is sent to help Calcelmo confess his love for Faleen, the Housecarl in Understone Keep.

The Lost Expedition
Calcelmo grants access to Nchuand-Zel after the Dragonborn kills Nimhe.

Translations

 * Ancient Falmer Tomes
 * The Betrayed – The translation of Unknown Book, Vol. I.
 * Journal of Mirtil Angoth – The translation of Unknown Book, Vol. II.
 * Diary of Faire Agarwen – The translation of Unknown Book, Vol. III.
 * Touching the Sky – The translation of Unknown Book, Vol. IV.
 * Calcelmo's Stone and Calcelmo's Stone Rubbing.
 * Gallus's Journal – The translation of Gallus's Encoded Journal.

Quotes

 * "What are you doing here? The excavation site is closed. I don't need any more workers or guards."
 * "I have things to study, what is it?"
 * "The artifacts I've discovered in Nchuand-Zel will make history one day."
 * "I used to travel so much before all this Forsworn nonsense. Such an inconvenience..."
 * "What? Oh, goodbye." —Ending conversation

Need anything?
Aicantar "Uncle Calcelmo..."

Calcelmo "What is it, nephew? Can't you see I'm trying to think here?"

Aicantar "I just wanted to know if you needed anything."

Calcelmo "Um, no. Nothing. Nothing at all."

Aicantar "Are you sure?"

Calcelmo "Stop bothering me, Aicantar!"

Trivia

 * He is voiced by George Coe, the same actor who voiced Tolfdir and Calixto Corrium.
 * Calcemo's offering price of Dwarven items seems to be based on the base price of the item, which means it is better to sell non-enchanted items to him rather than enchanted ones.
 * The letter that Calcelmo sends to the player after buying Dwemer weapons or armor incorrectly states his name as "Calcemo," not "Calcelmo," as it should have been.
 * During "The Book of Love," Dinya Balu describes Calcelmo as "wise, acid, and reclusive."
 * Calcelmo says that he has "spent two human lifetimes" researching the Dwemer.
 * In addition to selling general mage goods (robes, soul gems, spell tomes, etc.), Calcelmo also sells Dwarves, v1, v2, and v3, as he is the author of these books.

Bugs

 * When bringing a Dwarven item to Calcelmo, after he is asked for a better price, the conversation may be exited after a successful persuasion, therefore resetting the conversation, while still improving the Speech skill. This may be exploited for virtually unlimited level increases in Speech.
 * Calcelmo may sell his own ring when asked for what he has for sale.
 * If the Dragonborn buys an enchanted Dwarven item and destroy it to learn the enchantment, the small quest will be impossible to complete.
 * Sometimes, after the Dragonborn brings the Dwarven item to him, the dialogue option only shows, "Actually, I'm not sure I have it anymore." instead of "Sure. Take a look." even though the item is still in the inventory. Dropping the item and pick it up back will fix this.

Appearances


Calcelmo Calcelmo Колсельмо