Lich of Lost Boy Cavern is a quest in The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. This quest does not appear in the Journal. The quest begins when Lost Boy Cavern is discovered and a nondescript journal is found lying outside. The journal tells of a man named Vangaril, who entered the cave prior to the Hero to seek out an erstwhile friend named Erandur-Vangaril, who has turned himself into a lich.
Having tried and failed to recruit the assistance of the Mages Guild, Vangaril set out to save his friend's soul on his own.
Walkthrough[]
As the Hero explores the cave's great emptiness, notes are found littering the floor, ranging from a personal note left by Vangaril with a rhyme he used to memorize his route of safe passage through the darkness, to a threat left by Erandur stating that he will, "...consume Vangaril from within."
The Hero then enters the deepest reaches of the cavern, the Lost Boy Hidden Bastion, after encountering necromancers and undead. A secret bastion is revealed, inhabited by the Lich of Lost Boy Cavern.
After slaying the lich, who drops a leveled staff, they may notice behind a throne occupied by the skeletal remains of someone, possibly Erandur, a chest locked with an 'average' level lock and a note proclaiming Vangaril's supposed "success" in vanquishing the lich and exorcising it from Erandur's body.
Having been expelled from the Mages Guild due to accusations of necromancy, Vangaril was far too inexperienced to properly banish the demon. The note goes on to say that he will now search the cavern for such treasures as he may find to appease the mages of the guild.
Further exploration yields more documents. On a table, along with several tools of necromancy, as well as a severed head, are three notes to the Mages Guild, two of which have been hastily crumpled and cast aside. The first is a respectful missive, named "An Open Letter to the Guild of Mages," informing the guild that "an evil has taken root in [Vangaril]," and then abruptly stops, as the writer had discarded it.
The second is more aggressive, titled, "A Letter to the Once Great Guild of Mages," saying that it is their fault that he was inexperienced in his work, and that for his subsequent possession they are to blame as well. This note as well trails off suddenly, before the writer finally began their completed message.
The final note, "An Open Threat to the Guild of Mages," is written in a blatantly angry tone, threatening their downfall at the hands of the lich Erandur-Vangaril and the necromancers. It goes on to mention both Kvatch and Mannimarco, then finishes with a string of Daedric symbols.
Trivia[]
- The note, "An Open Threat to the Guild of Mages," mentions Mannimarco, also known as the King of Worms, leader of the Necromancers cult, as seen in the quest, Confront the King.
- The severed head found beside the three notes is identical to the head discovered in the Traitor's lair during Following a Lead.
- The lich Erandur-Vangaril appears in the Lost Boy Hidden Bastion only after the Hero has first entered it at a minimum level of 23. Any lower, and only a strange, wispy spirit is visible, which cannot be interacted with. This remains so even after they surpasses the required level. The staff it wields is leveled, and the lich often sports several more high-value artifacts on its person.