The Forsworn Conspiracy

Overview

 * Prerequisite: N/A
 * Quest Giver: Eltrys in Markarth
 * Reward: ?
 * Reputation Gain: N/A

Background
Eltrys has asked me to uncover evidence surrounding the murder of a woman in Markarth's marketplace, who was attacked in broad daylight by a man claiming to be a member of the Forsworn.

Locations

 * Markarth
 * Nepos’s House
 * Shrine of Talos
 * Silver Blood Inn
 * The Treasury House
 * The Warrens
 * Weylin’s Room

Objectives

 * Read Eltrys’ Note
 * Go to the Shrine of Talos
 * Find evidence about Margret
 * Find evidence about Weylin
 * (Optional) Obtain the key to Margret’s room
 * Read Margret’s Journal
 * Find evidence about Thonar
 * (Optional) Obtain the key to Weylin’s room
 * Read Weylin’s Note
 * Find out who “N” is
 * Find evidence about Nepos
 * Return to Eltrys

Read Eltrys Note
Upon first entering Markarth, the player is witness to an argument in the market. After a man shouts something about Forsworns, he kills a Nord woman named Margaret. The Markarth City Guard fights and slays the murderer. Eltrys then approaches and hands the player a note asking to meet him in the Shrine of Talos. Before leaving, search Margaret's body for the key to her room at the Silver Blood Inn. If you are quick enough you can also kill the Forsworn agent about to kill Margret. She will then thank you and reward you with a necklace.

Go to the Shrine of Talos
At the Shrine of Talos, Eltrys explains that his father was killed by the Forsworn and that he has been trying his whole life to find out why. He asks the player to investigate Margret's room at the Silver Blood Inn and Weylin's room in The Warrens.

Silver Blood Inn - Margaret's Room
If the player obtained Margaret's room key earlier, just procede to her room. Otherwise ask the bar-keeper Kleppr about Margaret. The player can also speak to his daughter, rent the room for 10 gold or pickpocket Kleppr to get the key. Margret's Journal is inside her room and will update the quest log after reading it. It mentions Thonar Silver-Blood and the next quest step becmes "Find evidence about Thonar".

The Warrens - Weylin's room
Head down to the Warrens and talk to Garvey. Garvey can be bribed, intimidated or persusuaded to hand the key over. Weylin's room is the last on the right side. Look into the chest and find Weylin's note signed simply with the letter "N". When you exit The Warrens, a mercenary will start a brawl. There is no option to avoid the fight. After the fight, he tells you that he was sent by Nepos the Nose and the quest log updates to finding information about Nepos.

Find evidence about Thonar
The Treasury House is where Thonar is located. Talk to Rhiada there and learn that Thonar doesn't want to be disturbed. Use a Speech check to get to him. His room is to the left and then straight ahead. Once inside, Thonar is sitting at the table. He'll say something about not wanting visitors. No matter the response, he will say to get out. As soon as the conversation is finished, there is a commotion outside in the main room. Thonar gets up and runs down the hall where there is fighting going on outside. Thonar's wife is murdered by Nana Idene at which point Donnel will join in the attack. There are three people to safely kill: Nana Idene and Donnel. At this point talk to Thonar. Thonar will simply order the player to get out of his house and will not talk anymore.

Find evidence about Nepos
At Nepos' house go inside and be greeted by a woman named Uolie who tells you to go away, however Nepos quickly calls from the background and overrules her. Talk to Nepos and he will reveal that he does not plan to let the player leave the house alive. Make sure to exhaust all dialogue options about Madanach and his plan. After the conversation with Nepos, everyone in the house attacks the player. Be sure to find the book in the bedroom Mystery of Talara, Part 4 that gives one point to the Illusion skill.

Return to Eltrys
Back in the Shrine of Talos, three guards will say the player has caused a lot of trouble and a lot of work for the guards. They inform the player they will now be pinning all the murders on the player. At this point the player can choose to go quietly or to fight with them. If the player chooses to fight stay in the shrine killing guards as they come (6 or 7 total) and eventually all witnesses will be dead. Otherwise go quietly, to start No One Escapes Cidhna Mine.

Bugs

 * After killing Nepos, Eltrys is dead in the Shrine of Talos. The two City Guards standing beside him do not offer or initiate dialouge to finish off the quest.
 * PS3/XBOX SOLUTION: Just wait 24hrs in the room and a third guard will spawn to offer diologue and complete the quest.
 * PC SOLUTION: Open the console and type "setstage ms01 100". This will complete the The Forsworn Conspiracy questline and send you to jail. Once you wake up, type "setstage ms02 0", which will force the next quest (No One Escapes Cidhna Mine) to begin.
 * It is possible (even likely, if you're playing a thief) to find the Journal of Margret, and pickpocket the journals of Thonar and Nepos, before even going to the Shrine of Talos. This will result in a very confusing dialogue where it is never explained what kind of deal Thonar, Nepos and Madanach have, or how it involved Weylin -- but the dialogue assumes you have full knowledge of what is going on.
 * It is possible to to exit the conversation with the guards when you return to find Eltrys dead. The guards will then reinitiate the conversation with the added choice of paying a 1000 gold fine. If you chose this it still finishes the quest and no guards will ever approach you again, however you will not be able to do the No One Escapes Cidhna Mine quest.
 * Sometimes the guards in the Temple of Talos after the quest is completed will attack the player regardless of the conversation choices that the player takes. Also, there seems to be a timer on the converstation with the guards, after a certain point they just attack.
 * If you didn't kill Nepos but just ran away during the quest, he will not be found in his house after you complete No One Escapes Cidhna Mine. You will find him in the Temple of Talos. Be careful, he and the guards will attack you. (see bug above)
 * A solution is to pull the NPCs out of the temple and make a run for it. Then come back later after a few in game days have past.
 * If you do not follow up on Eltrys' original note, instead continuing other quests or exploring, it is possible for the guards to approach you later in Markarth and suggest you've been asking too many questions, if at any point after this you enter the temple you will find Eltrys already dead, with the guards waiting to escort you away, without having followed up on this quest chain in anyway. Very confusing when they start dropping NPC names you've yet to encounter, and suggesting things you've not (but were meant to) have done.
 * If you are somehow able to enter Nepo's House before Weylin attacks Margaret and steal Nepo's journal, Weylin will not attack Margaret. This will be a lot easier if you haven't discovered Markath yet and enter the city through the Shrine of Diabella during the A Night to Remember quest. (PC confirmed)
 * The guards in the Temple of Talos may remain there even when this quest is completed, and arrest the player again.
 * There is another potentially game-breaking bug with this quest, which can result in a loop of your follower being trapped in the temple when you are arrested, and the guards reappearing if you return to the Temple of Talos to attempt to reclaim said follower. (With me, this happened with Farkas, who I now want my items back from and to be able to do quests with him. Would someone mind finding a solution?)
 * It is possible for the game to freeze if you choose to go to jail in the temple.(Confirmed on PS3)