Symbols of Office

Overview
Faction: Shivering Isles Main Quest Prerequisites: The Helpless Army Quest Giver: Haskill Reward: Quest The Roots of Madness

Note: ''This walkthrough was written by a character that had chosen the path of Mania during the quest Ritual of Accession. If you picked Dementia, this quest will begin at Brellach, after driving the Forces of Order from the home of the Golden Saints. Other than that, the quest is identical for both the Duke of Mania and the Duchess of Dementia.''

Background
Sheogorath has asked you to be his champion and defend the Shivering Isles from Jyggalag and the onset of the Greymarch. Sheogorath has recently revealed that he is, in fact, Jyggalag, and will soon disappear so Jyggalag can appear and the Greymarch can begin. Soon after that, Lady Syl, former Duchess of Mania, betrayed Sheogorath and allowed the forces of Order into the Dark Seducer's stronghold, Pinnacle Rock. Once you have driven them out, speak to Dylora. The quest The Helpless Army will end and this quest will begin.

Walkthrough
Travel to Sheogorath's Palace. Sheogorath, in uncharacteristically poor spirits, tells you that "our time has run out." His plan has failed, the Greymarch has begun, and Sheogorath is about to become Jyggalag. He orders you to leave, for when he next sees you he will not recognize you and kill you. When you protest, he says that he intended to give you his staff, but the life is gone from it. Then he vanishes, screaming in a choked voice, "The Realm is dead! Sheogorath is dead!" He then reappears for a moment, only to grow many times in size, and then vanish for good.

Speak to Haskill. He tells you that the only hope left is for someone besides Sheogorath to sit on the Throne of the Madgod. If the throne is occupied when Jyggalag attacks, he may not prevail. Haskill says that the only person who might do become the new Madgod is you. In order for this to happen, someone must reactivate and righteously possess the Staff of Sheogorath, the titular Symbol of Office. The secret of the Staff's construction has been lost, but Haskill tells you that by going to Knifepoint Hollow, an ancient library, you may be able to reanimate the Staff. He will also give you a crystal that is required to access the library.

Travel to Knifepoint Hollow - Haskill will give you a map marker. Once inside, follow the green arrow to a standard door. Activating the door will remove the crystal and shatter the door. On the other side, seated in an ancient throne, is Dyus. Dyus was the keeper of the Great Library of Jyggalag. He already knows what is happening and sends you to get two items necessary for the Staff's recreation. The first is the Eye of Ciirta, which is literally her eye. Ciirta can be found in The Howling Halls, located in Dementia on the Heretic's Horn. The second item is a branch from the Tree of Shades, found inside the ruins of Milchar, in Mania, just north of Overlook Road.

You can get the items in either order. In the Howling Halls, you will find Ciirta's Apostles. They are similar to Heretics and Zealots - if you are wearing one of their robes, they will leave you alone. Keep an eye out for precious gems laid on altars as offerings. Once you get to Congregation Chambers, you will meet a Khajiit Apostle named Ra'kheran. If you speak to him, he will ask for your help. Regardless of how the conversation goes, Ra'kheran will tell you that he is part of a group of Apostles that wish to overthrow Ciirta in a coup. If you help them, they will take care of her for you. Like all good revolutionaries, Ra'kheran and his co-conspirators need weapons, specifically three Apostle Daggers. If you wish to help, you must not kill Ra'kheran's allies and you must wear the Apostle's robes at all times. If you found Ra'kheran, you have already slain three Apostles. You can go back and get their two daggers from the dead. If you are wearing the Apostle's Robes, you will not have to fight anyone. A third dagger can be found on a cupboard just east of the door to the Antechamber. Don't forget to grab the Pelvis of Pelagius, an Oddity, also near the door to the Antechamber.

Once you have the three daggers, return them to Ra'kheran. He will take off in a dead-sprint to his allies. After he arms them, the triumvirate of renegades will rush into the Antechamber. If you get there first (or if you chose to forge ahead without their help) you can have a brief conversation with Ciirta. You will learn a bit about her history, but will inevitably have to fight her. Her aide, the Luminary Kaz, will also fight. Once Ciirta is dead, take her Eye and (as distasteful as it is to strip an old dead woman) her Robe.

Next, travel to Milchar. Though Milchar is a fairly extensive ruin, you can skip most of it and head straight into the Grove of Reflection. The Grove is a lush stand of vegetation surrounding a pool of water, with a Standing Stone in the center. Simply getting close to the Stone will active it. A seemingly identical version of your character will appear, except better-armed and with better spells. You must fight this doppelganger to the death. This is a difficult fight, so be prepared. Although killing your mirror-self does not seem to increase your bounty, it can attract the attention of the Dark Brotherhood.

Once you have both items, travel back to Knifepoint Hollow and speak with Dyus. He will create the Staff for you. He then tells you to travel to Tree of Madness in Sheogorath's throne room and tap the Tree's power to begin your transformation.

This will end your current quest and begin your next: The Roots of Madness.

Journal entries
After speaking to Haskill about Sheogorath's retreat and vanishing:
 * Before I can claim the Throne of Madness and stop the forces of Order, I must remake the Staff of Sheogorath. Haskill has advised me to seek out a remnant of the great library of Jyggalag in Knifepoint Hollow.

After speaking to Dyus in Knifepoint Hollow:
 * In order to remake the Staff of Sheogorath, Dyus requires two items. I must seek out the Eye of Ciirta and a Branch of the Tree of Shades.  The first is an eye that has seen something that no other has.  I can acquire this item from a woman named Ciirta in the Howling Halls.  The second is a branch of the Tree of Shades, an ancient tree that grows in the Grove of Reflection in the ruins of Milchar.

After giving both items to Dyus:
 * With the Staff of Sheogorath now in my possession, I should make my way to the Tree of Madness in the Shoegorath's throne room. There I can tap into the tree's power and begin my transformation.