The Elder Scrolls Online: Aldmeri Dominion Skill Point Quests – Malabal Tor – Xylo River Basin: Buyer Beware

The Xylo River Basin is the southern region of Malabal Tor. It contains the towns of Vulkwasten, Tanglehaven and Bloodtoil Valley. The southern region is mostly dominated by various ruins, surrounding the Xylo River Basin Dolmen on the river north of the Grahtwood gate. It is bordered by the Broken Coast on the west and Silvenar Vale on the east.

You will need to complete the side quest Buyer Beware to receive the second skill point from the Xylo River Basin questing zone.

Xylo River Basin Questing Zone

Vulkwasten: Buyer Beware



Buyer Beware
Quest Giver: Bataba in Vulkwasten; Raelys on the road east of Belarata; Jurak-dar outside Belarata
Location(s): Belarata
Reward: Blade of the Ayleid King + 303 Gold + 1 Skill Point
Recommended Level: 35

– Quick Walkthrough –

  1. Talk to Jurak-dar.
  2. Convince his customers to leave.
  3. Talk to Jurak-dar.
  4. Enter Belarata.
  5. Talk to Jurak-dar.
  6. Collect the parchment scraps and release the barrier.
  7. Talk to Varondil and observe the reunion.
  8. Alternatively, skip the puzzle by fighting Elanwe.
  9. Talk to Jurak-dar.

– Detailed Walkthrough –

In Vulkwasten, talk to Bataba east of Tall-Trunk Tavern and north of the Vulkwasten Wayshrine. She seems distracted and mentions that Belarata, a newly-opened Ayleid ruin, is very “scenic this time of year.” She says if you hurry to Jathsogur, Jurak-dar might give you a tour. He sells artifacts from secret places, and you agree to look into it.

Talk to Jurak-dar at his stand next to Belarata. He gets his goods from the ruin and agrees to show you the door if you get his unhappy customers to leave him alone.

Unhappy Customers
There are three unhappy customers around his store. Talk to Gerwen, who says he sold her a Welkynd stone that dissolved in the rain. You can intimidate her (if you have the perk) or you can pay her 56 Gold to cover her purchase. Oltimbar says Jurak-dar sold him an old staff that fell apart quickly after he left Valenwood. You can persuade him that it was a mistake or pay him 56 Gold. Manibor is crouched over another Bosmer and claims that a magic stone he bought caused a bolt of lightning to strike his brother. You ask him to show it to you, but when he retrieves it from the pack, he gets struck by lightning.

Talk to Jurak-dar. He is planning to leave and reveals that “she” gave him the rock. You can persuade him to tell you everything or ask who gave him the rock. If you get him to tell you everything, he reveals there is a ghost in Belarata who thinks he is her lover and gives him “mostly harmless” gifts belonging to her real lover. You can ask him what mostly harmless means, and tell him to show you the way in.

Entering Belarata
Follow him as he runs to the brazier at the top of the stairs into the ruin. He sticks a sword into the fire, then kneels with it. The brazier glows with golden light. Jurak-dar stands up and enters the ruin. You follow him. Inside the ruin, he stops at the bottom of the stairs. When you talk to him he reveals why he is hesitating: “the ghost wants her lover to stay forever.” He barely got out last time. There is a barrier ahead, behind which are real Ayleid relics unlike anything he sold. To get through the barrier, you need to decipher writing around the ruin and on a sword. He wants you to enter separately. Agree and he gives you the sword and says he will distract her while you put together the poem. Alternatively, you can follow Jurak-dar into the barrier, which will cause Elanwe to attack you and allow you to skip straight to the reward.

Collect the three Scraps of Parchment and read them in your quest inventory. Then head to the barrier and say the poem in order. You’ll know you did it correctly when more light enters the room. Say “For many years I’ve lain beneath these stony walls, this weathered heath,” then “Ten long years you were astray, with sword in hand so far away,” and pick the only remaining option for the third—”So here I wait, I long to see if you’ll at last, return to me.”

The barrier dissipates, and a spirit named Varondil appears. He is surprised that you were able to summon him as you are not Elanwe, his lover, and he had expected the words to fade away long ago. You can ask him to tell you about their story. He and Elanwe were together nine years before he died fighting an uprising in the north. She summoned his spirit, but she did not know him. She erected the barrier to keep him and others away. She only recognizes the sword, and you can give it to him.

The Reunited Lovers
If you give him the sword, he thanks you and approaches the spirit of Elanwe.

“Elanwe, at long last I return.”

“Varondil? You have been gone only a day. It feels like an age.”

“Each day is an age.”

“Yes, true, but you…where have you been?”

“It is a long story, but come—Atherius awaits.”

“Yes! Together forever as it was always meant to be!”

Talk to Jurak-dar. He is glad you put her to rest as she was very lonely for a long time. He gives you the reward he promised- an Ayleid treasure, the Blade of the Ayleid King and 303 gold.

Continue to the next Malabal Tor skill point questing zone, Silvenar Vale.

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