Crescius Caerellius is a resident of Raven Rock, and can usually be found in Raven Rock Mine. He is the husband of Aphia Velothi. Over the course of most of his life, he tries to discover a secret the East Empire Company is keeping and tries to reveal the facts surrounding the death of his great-grandfather, Gratian Caerellius. Crescius is almost 80 years old.[1]
Do you know someone called Miraak?"I recognize the name, but... I don't know how I know it. It sounds so familiar."
Tell me anything you can."It's so strange. I feel like it's from a dream. Something about the Earth Stone, and a shrine... That's it. That's all I can think of."
"Try the lower sections of the mine. I've never been able to get that far."
Glover wants his Ancient Nordic Pickaxe back."The damn fool doesn't even deserve it! The pickaxe was made for mining, not selling. I'll bet he stole it from the Skaal in the first place."
It doesn't belong to you."Oh, very well. Here. Tell him I hope he drops the thing on his foot."
Fine, you keep it."Now you're finally talking some sense. A mining tool belongs in a mining family. Just tell him I lost it or something."
Let me think about this."Good. Now let me get back to what I was doing."
"Be careful down there, the mine can be treacherous."
"Who in the blazes are you?! Can't you see I'm busy?"
Busy doing what?"Why should I tell you? I don't even know who you are."
Perhaps I could help."Hmph, maybe. Been difficult trusting people lately, they think I'm crazy."
I'm just exploring."Exploring, huh? Most folk think this place is isn't worth the effort."
It's dangerous here for an old man."Ask most of the folks around here and they'd agree with you."
"But mark my words, these mines hold hold a secret that could put Raven Rock back on the map."
What sort of secret would be hidden here?"A secret the East Empire Company swept under the rug two centuries ago. It killed my great-grandfather, and left Raven Rock with a worthless and tainted mine."
Who was your great-grandfather?"Gratian Caerellius. He spent his entire life exploring ancient ruins across Tamriel and he died in these very mines almost 200 years ago."
How did he die?"The East Empire Company called it "a terrible accident," claiming that he was lost in rockfall, but I know better."
What's your proof?"My wife and I were cleaning out our home, and we came across some of my great-grandfather's things locked in an old chest. I found an unsent letter he'd written he'd written to the East Empire Company, and a key."
What did the letter say?"It describes a discovery that was made in the mine by some of the diggers. They wanted Gratian to take a closer look. The East Empire Company must have felt it was of great value, as they locked that section of the mine off from everyone else."
The key is to the locked section?"It is. Well, I assume it is. I haven't been able to find the entrance."
This is hardly proof of anything."Now you're starting to sound like everyone else."
I admit, this does sound suspicious."Finally! Someone who believes me."
I still think you're crazy."Sigh. I don't care what you, or anyone else thinks about me."
"I'm telling you... there's something big down there, something that the East Empire Company wanted to hide from everyone."
Why are you telling me all of this?"Look, my wife nags that I'm too old to go traisping around these mines chasing my story. Time's my enemy... it's caught up with me before I could fine the answers that I'm looking for."
So you do need my help."I do. I want to know what happend to Gratian, and what the East Empire Company is keeping from all of us."
Any idea where to start?"Gratian kept a journal of notes about his discoveries. If you can find his... remains, I'm hoping it will help. Here's everything I have. The letter, the key. Please, do this for me so I can finally regain the respect that I've lost."
Are you sure Gratian's death wasn't an accident?"Look, I know I don't have much to go on. I have that unsent letter, and that's really it. But I also have a miner's instinct that's run in my family from before Gratian was even born. I might sound like a crazy old man to you, but I'm telling you, the tunnels here are solid... they would never collapse like that."
Why were you arguing with Aphia?"She thinks that old age has addled my mind... that I'm seeing things when there's nothing to be seen. I realize she cares about me, but she has to understand I can't rest until I find out what happened to Gratian."
What if she's right and I don't find anything?"Then I'll settle down peacefully and never set foot in this mine again. I've been waiting for for this moment for a long time... even before I discovered Gratian's old things. I just hope both of you don't mistake my enthusiasm for insanity."
East Empire Company?"You never heard of them? They're the largest trading company in Tamriel, originally chartered by the Emperor of Cyrodiil himself."
"Be careful down there, the mine can be treacherous."
After finding the journal:
"You're back! Please, tell me what you found."
You were right all along. (Give journal)"Let me see that! Ha, I knew it! Gratian's death wasn't because of a rockfall, it was just a story to keep people away from the tombs. Now that I have this journal in hand, I can get some closure from the East Empire Company. Make them pay for lying to everyone."
Good luck with that."Thank you. Now, I believe I owe you a little more than a debt of gratitude for all that work you did. Here... it's not much, but it's the best an old, retired miner can do."
Upon completion of the quest:
"For all I know, I might be the last Imperial on Solstheim."Are there any other Imperials in Raven Rock?"Those cowards left decades ago. Every single damned one of them. The moment the ebony mine dried up, they pulled up stakes. Ridiculous!"
Ridiculous? Why?"Solstheim is still rich in ebony ore. I know there's more down there... I can smell it. I come from three generations of miner, and I'm telling you that the East Empire Company was wrong. They just didn't want to spend the coin trying to find it."
Tell me about your family."Our home has stood in Raven Rock since the colony was founded. Gratian helped build it with his own two hands. After Gratian died, he left behind a wife and a son... my grandfather, Rellicus. Rellicus lived there for quite a long time, working in the other sections of the mine until he was slain by reavers."
And your parents?"I never knew my father... my mother and I always lived alone. I asked her about him many times, but she seemed angry and refused to speak about him, so eventually I let it go. When I was old enough, I began working in the mine hoping to make my fortune and eventually move to the Imperial City."
Then it dried up."Unfortunately, yes. I only had enough coin saved to send one of us back to the Imperial City, so I sent my mother alone. I wanted her to see her homeland before she died."
And you've been alone ever since?"Until I met my darling Aphia, yes. I suppose you could have called me bitter old hermit... now I'm just old."
"Mark my words. Raven Rock isn't finished yet."
In the mines:
"I can't believe you've found a way to reopen the mines. I don't know how to thank you."Can I dig for ebony in Raven Rock Mine?"Of course! In fact, Councilor Morvayn has given you the full run of the place. Help yourself to whatever you like. We're all in agreement that you're entitled to as much as you can carry."How are things now that the mines are open again?"I've been made the foreman of the mine thanks to everything you did down there. It's good to get the old nose working again. I missed sniffing out the ebony deposits and getting my hands dirty. Best of all, Aphia isn't so cross when I go down there anymore!" "Thank you, stranger. Thanks for everything."
Conversations[]
Aphia Velothi[]
Crescius:"Damn it, woman! I said to leave me be!"Aphia:"Crescius, last time you explored the mine you almost fell to your death. I'm not spending the rest of my days as a widow!"Crescius:"And I'm telling you that I'll do whatever it takes to find my great-grandfather's remains. He's down here, I can feel it."Aphia:"That was almost two centuries ago. There may be nothing left to find."Crescius:"Just let me go, woman!"Aphia:"Crescius, you're an obstinate old fool and you're going to get yourself killed."
Quotes[]
"For all I know, I might be the last Imperial left on Solstheim."
"Thank you stranger, thanks for everything." —After completion of "The Final Descent."
"If it wasn't for my wife Aphia, I'd have joined my ancestors long ago."
"Sure, ignore the ravings of a "crazy old man." I get it." —If left in conversation during the first encounter.
Bugs[]
This section contains bugs related to Crescius Caerellius. Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:
Please reload an old save to confirm if the bug is still happening.
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When he is asked why it is ridiculous that the Imperials left Solstheim, the subtitles say "Solsthiem" instead of "Solstheim."
When you walk into his house and he is sleeping, the room will not load, and turn blue, except for the objects in the room and it will repeatedly drop you down.
