Online:Return to Ash

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Enter the Deadlands to rescue a failed invasion force. Zone: Greenshade Faction: Undaunted Quest Giver: Fingaenion Location(s): City of Ash II Previous Quest: Razor's Edge Concurrent Quest: Pledge: City of Ash II Reward: Erthas' Sunderflame Bow 1 Skill Point Very High Leveled Gold XP Gain: Very High ID: 5120

The Undaunted after the victory against Valkyn Skoria

Fingaenion attempted to enter an Oblivion Gate with a group of Undaunted to save his wife, Gilraen. He failed. I'm to help him get her back—if she still lives.

Quick Walkthrough

1. Defeat the Dremora who emerged from the Oblivion Gate and enter the Knives of Discord.
2. Find Gilraen and defeat Urata the Legion.
3. Defeat Horvantud the Firemaw and free Fingaenion.
4. Defeat the Ash Titan.
5. Get to Valkyn Skoria and defeat him.

Detailed Walkthrough

Return to Whisper Grove

Upon reentering the Whisper Grove, you see that nature has reclaimed the once grand city, with many of the local fauna having returned, such as a pack of Senche near the entrance. Upon defeating them, Fingaenion reveals himself, grumbling about being forced to hide up a tree for hours to avoid the Senche. Recognizing you as the one who helped him and his wife, Gilraen, in repelling the Daedric invasion before, Fingaenion requests help once again. Unable to bear the thought of Gilraen being in the clutches of Mehrunes Dagon, Fingaenion decided to attempt a rescue alongside a group of Undaunted mercenaries, but the plan went horribly wrong as the Daedra managed to overwhelm them through the reopened portal and resume their invasion on Greenshade.

After accepting to help Fingaenion and reaching the site where Razor Master Erthas had opened a portal to the Deadlands before, a trio of powerful Daedra guard the now reopened portal. The trio is comprised of the leader, a Xivilai named Rukhan along with two Dremora : Akezel and Marruz. Despite mocking Fingaenion for reopening the portal, the trio express some form of respect for a mortal that has apparently "learned their ways". Upon dispatching them, enter the Daedric portal with Fingaenion.

Entering the Knives of Discord

You arrive in a region of the Deadlands known as "The Knives of Discord". Fingaenion runs ahead, resulting in him being immediately captured by the patrolling Daedra. After clearing a path through the Daedra and the one who leads them, a Dremora mage named Urata the Legion, you are able to reach Fingaenion alongside Gilraen, who has miraculously survived so far in the hostile lands. Upon the pair reuniting, Gilraen explains that the only way out of this realm is to go forward and slay the ruler of this place, Valkyn Skoria, and ensure that the portal is closed permanently. When enquired about how she managed to survive, Gilraen brushes it off, claiming that it was just a matter of getting used to the new surroundings.

Going forward, you come to a massive arena, with hundreds of Dremora cheering for a sole entity in the middle of an arena: a large Daedroth, outfitted with crude Daedric armor. The chants of the Dremora reveal the name of the massive beast, Horvantud the Fire Maw. With no other way forward, the beast is faced in battle. The fight is not easy, as Dremora pour in to the battlefield from the sidelines to aid the daedroth, but nevertheless it is slain. In the process, you can also rescue one of the Undaunted merceneraies hired by Fingaenion, a Khajiit that goes by the name of Zantan the Magnificent.

Confronting the Ash Titan

Moving past the arena, a fiery projection of a towering Valkyn Skoria rises from the molten lava, threatening to rend the skins of those who oppose him and fly it as his banners. Fighting through to the summit, another Undaunted member, Umbarume the Undertaker is encountered and can be rescued from attacking Daedra. Reaching the summit, you are too late to save Monyen before the Ash Titan descends from the skies and burns him alive. Despite the Ash Titan proclaiming it shall stop you, it alongside two summoned Air Atronachs prove to be no match.

The Final Confrontation

After defeating the Titan and rescuing the remaining Undaunted members, the only thing that stands between you and the exit from the accursed realm is Valkyn Skoria himself. To reach him, a bridge needs to be lowered, which is being hindered by two rituals conducted on the east and west platforms to the bridge. Interrupting the ritual by defeating the two Xivilai that guard the rituals, Xivilai Boltaic and Xivilai Fulminator, the path is finally clear. However, before they could confront Skoria, Skoria manages to incapacitate Fingaenion with a harmful spell, forcing Gilraen to stay out of the battle to tend to her husband's wounds. Skoria is confronted on top of four platforms loosely connected by rocky pathways, suspended above lava. After a challenging battle, the Valkyn is finally slain and the Sigil Stone that allows the Daedric invasion is within reach. Destroying it, everyone, including the surviving Undaunted members, is transported back to the ruins of Whisper Grove, with the daedric portal shut down for good. Despite Fingaenion being ecstatic and believing that they are finally safe, Gilraen is not so sure, fearing that Mehrunes Dagon would seek retribution for the death of his personal guard and also to retrieve something that he had bestowed to Gilraen to help her survive in the Deadlands.

Notes

This quest is a follow up to Razor's Edge.

Quest Stages

Return to Ash
Finishes Quest	Journal Entry
	The Daedra bar my path to the Oblivion Gate. I should defeat them to move on. Objective: Clear the Portal
	I've defeated the Daedra guarding the Oblivion Gate. I should enter it, and help Fingaenion find his wife. Objective: Enter the Oblivion Gate
	I should look for Gilraen now that I've entered Oblivion. Objective: Find Gilraen
	I should move on, and defeat anyone barring the path ahead. I can try to help the sellswords that Fingaenion brought—if I can find them. Objective: Kill Horvantud the Fire Maw
	I should move on, and defeat anyone barring the path ahead. I can try to help members of Fingaenion's rescue party if I can find them. Objective: Kill the Ash Titan
	I need to reach Valkyn Skoria's tower and slay him. Hopefully, I can find Fingaenion and Gilraen nearby. Objective: Meet Gilraen and Fingaenion
	I must find a way to cross the bridge I've encountered Objective: Cross the Bridge Objective Hint: Interrupt the East Ritual Objective Hint: Interrupt the West Ritual Hidden Objective: Interrupt Both Ritual Sites
	I need to reach Valkyn Skoria and slay him. Objective: Kill Valkyn Skoria
	Fingaenion believes destroying the Sigil Stone will return us, and all others who stepped through, to Tamriel. Objective: Destroy the Sigil Stone
Finishes quest	I've defeated Valkyn Skoria and destroyed the Sigil Stone that imprisoned me and the others in Oblivion. I should speak to Fingaenion. Objective: Talk to Fingaenion

Notes

* Any text displayed in angle brackets (e.g., <Alias=LocationHold>) is dynamically set by the game and will be filled in with the appropriate word(s) when seen in game.

• Not all Journal Entries may appear in your journal; which entries appear and which entries do not depends on the manner in which the quest is done.
• Stages are not always in order of progress. This is usually the case with quests that have multiple possible outcomes or quests where certain tasks may be done in any order. Some stages may therefore repeat objectives seen in other stages.

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