Beyond Skyrim:Cyrodiil/Cadius Venucius

Cadius Venucius (RefID: xx0B5505)
Location	Bruma Synod Conclave
Race	Imperial	Gender	Male
Level	PC×1.2 (range=35-65)	Class	Monk
RefID	xx0B5505	BaseID	xx02DAF7
Other Information
Health	50×?	Magicka	1350×?
Stamina	50×?
Primary Skills	Alteration, Restoration, Sneak
Perks	Destruction: Augmented Frost 1, Augmented Frost 2, Deep Freeze, Destruction Dual Casting Restoration: Avoid Death, Adept Restoration, Apprentice Restoration, Expert Restoration, Novice Restoration, Restoration Dual Casting Other: Mage
Class Details	TrainerRestorationExpert
Morality	No Crime	Aggression	Aggressive
Faction(s)	CYRCrimeFactionBruma; CYRSynodFaction; CYRTownBrumaFaction

Cadius Venucius

Cadius Venucius, an Imperial monk, is a Synod First Adjunct and the leader of the Bruma Synod Conclave. When you first meet him, he will ask for your help in investigating the appearance of mysterious objects at the Conclave. He may also task you with eliminating the necromancer problem at Underpall Cave.

Cadius lives a relatively uneventful life. After waking up at 7am, he eats a quick breakfast and then spends two hours poring over texts in the Conclave's study room. From 10am to 6pm, he will be found in the main hall, before he grabs a quick bite and then heads back to studying until his bedtime at midnight.

He wears Colovian fine clothes and fine boots, and also carries the key to the Conclave, a filled greater soul gem and a random selection of gold, lockpicks, rings, food and drink. In addition to being armed with a staff of fireballs, Cadius is also able to cast the spells Absorb Health Cloak, Fast Healing, Frost Cloak, Grand Healing, Ice Spike, Ice Storm, Icy Fireball, Paralyze, Steadfast Ward, Thunderbolt and Wall of Frost.

Related Quests

• Undeath at Underpall: Clear the necromancers from Underpall Cave.
• Whispers of the Mountain: Investigate the appearance of mysterious objects at the Bruma Synod Conclave.

Dialogue

When greeting you, he may say any of the following:

"Welcome to the Bruma Synod conclave. How may I help you?"

"What brings you to the Bruma Synod conclave this fine day?"

"I am always happy to help."

At this point you can ask him several questions:

What are your thoughts on the College of Whispers?

"The College of Whispers is a group that the Synod has no relationship with. The Synod is the premier, Imperially-sanctioned magical institution in Tamriel. That is all you need to know."

So can I learn magic here?

"Magic is not a gift to be trifled with, citizen. I am sorry, but we do not yet have reason enough to teach you spells. Perhaps, if you were a ranking member of the Synod, we might reconsider."

Do you get much clientele here in Bruma?

"Clientele? We are not really a "store", so I can't say we do. If you are enquiring as to whether there are many practitioners of magic or those with an interest in it here in Bruma... There are some, but fewer than in much of Cyrodiil. Nords aren't really the kind to promote the study of the magical arts, you see, so our recruitment rate is somewhat low."

Can I join the Synod?

"Join the Synod? Hmm... not right now, citizen. I am afraid we don't have much of an opening in our ranks at the moment. Perhaps, check back at a later date."

What is this place?

"This is a Synod conclave. It is one of many throughout Cyrodiil, within which can be found the most talented mages of our time."

Tell me about the Synod.

"We are an organization of mages, officially sanctioned by the Empire. We play much the same role as the Mages Guild of years gone by. We seek to protect magical knowledge for future generations, and ensure that the secrets of Magicka are kept only in responsible hands."

When leaving conversation, he will say:

"The Bruma Synod conclave is always open to consultation, at least for the sentient individual."

"Remember, if you find any artifacts of magical value in the wild, bring them to us first."

Quest-Related Dialogue

Whispers of the Mountain

Who made this mess?

You will first meet Cadius when entering the Conclave and finding him puzzling over an Ayleid statue in the entry hall along with Elintius Rentilia and Roland Wickhart:

Elintius: "Indeed, this is odd! And you say it just appeared here out of thin air?"

Roland: "It isn't mine, that's for sure. Where do you think it came from?"

Cadius: "What is with this commotion? Where did what come from? Who made this mess?"

Elintius: "That's the thing... we don't know."

Roland: "It just appeared out of thin air. Maybe that stranger over there has something to do with it."

Cadius: "You there, come here."

Once you step forward, he will challenge you:

"You there, are you the cause of this mess in my conclave?"

What mess?

"Don't play ignorant with me, you are involved in this somehow! I mean, really, you expect me to believe that you just happened to randomly walk in just as this statue appeared here?"

No.

"You say that with confidence, as though you know exactly what mess I'm referring to. That fills me with a certain degree of suspicion."

Each of these will lead to:

I honestly had nothing to do with it.

"Really? You genuinely have no idea what I'm talking about? Hm, you may be telling the truth, or you may not be. I suppose we'll just have to wait and see."

Why and how would I have made that mess?

"Well, I'm not entirely sure, but I suppose within the unknowable depths of the arcane, something such as this is not entirely implausible. That said, I suppose it would be downright foolish of you to strut in here after causing the mess..."

Alternatively, you can lie to him:

It was me, you caught me. (Lie)

"Aha! I knew it. Why would you do such a... You're joking, aren't you? Of course you are. Hmph, I doubt you'd even own such an intricate statue, anyhow."

Either way, he will end up saying sorry:

"Well then... I apologize for the inconvenience. Welcome to the Bruma Synod conclave."

At this point he will motion Roland to clean everything up, before turning back to you:

"Attendant, clean up this mess, would you? And take that statue to the back for examination."

"As it is, I don't exactly have the time for trifles such as this. You seem like a helpful fellow. Would you be willing to help discover the source of this mysterious object? If so, let me know. I could use someone of strong wit and not merely of strong arm."

Speaking to him again will have him explain:

You had a job for me?

"As you noticed when walking in, a couple of seemingly random items have been appearing in the conclave of late, and I'm not quite sure as to why. Given that, as you can no doubt imagine, the conclave is very busy, I am willing to hire... external agents to look into this."

I don't think this is any of my business.

"Hm, you're probably right. Mysteries in this area of knowledge are best solved by those who are educated in them."

Returning after this will have him renew his offer:

How is the situation with the mysterious objects?

"Regrettably, we still haven't solved our little magically appearing statue mystery yet. I would still be willing to hire you, if you are available."

Still not interested, sorry.

"Very well."

What do you want me to do?

"After the first item appeared, I had one of the Attendants, Attendant Wickhart, take it back to the study area for examination. Check with him and see if he has discovered anything."

This will start the Whispers of the Mountain quest. Once you speak with Roland, another item will appear, and he will suggest you report back to Cadius. The First Adjunct will not be pleased:

"Have you learned anything more about our little perplexity?"

Roland is still studying the statue.

"Then what are you talking to me for?"

It seems more items are appearing.

"Maybe we can take advantage of this. Search the conclave. Look for anything that seems out of the ordinary and bring it here. Maybe by examining the items, we can determine their origin."

At this point, you will need to collect a mysterious soul gem, mysterious mage boot and mysterious weathered memoirs from the Conclave building. Once collect each one, you can turn them in with Cadius:

Here are all the new items that have appeared.

"Give them here. Let's see what they can tell us."

Here's a book.

"A book? Weathered Memoirs, eh? This seems to be a journal of some sort about the creation of Frostcrag Spire. Well, this is an interesting twist in our little mystery. Before we examine this further, I'd like to see any other artifacts which may have appeared."

Here's a boot.

"Fairly common, but it seems familiar for some reason. This almost seems like the type of boot I would wear. Intriguing. What else?"

Here's a soul gem.

"Not just any generic form of soul gem. This is a black soul gem. Only two types of people use these: murderers and necromancers. This certainly isn't an item which carries with it a positive stigma. What else?"

That's all of them.

"These told me a lot, thank you. One thing is certain, whoever these items belong to is affiliated with the magical arts. More specifically, the darker side of the magical arts. It would also seem that our mystery mages have some connection with Frostcrag Spire."

What can you tell me about Frostcrag Spire?

"Haven't you seen that large tower in the mountains off in the distance? That is Frostcrag. It was supposedly erected back in the late Third Era by some old mage with too much time on his hands. Quite the sight, isn't it? It would probably still be of great interest to the Synod too, were it not sealed off many years ago by its last residents. I'm not quite sure what part the Spire plays in the summoning of these mysterious objects... yet. We shall see."

Well, I was glad to be of help.

"We in the Bruma Synod conclave sincerely appreciate your aid in this matter, simplistic as it may have been. I shall send out a letter to the Synod Council Hall in the Imperial City, asking for a fitting reward for..."

We should check out Frostcrag Spire, then.

"You're actually only half right. You see, now that I have at least some idea of who's behind this, I'm restricting this investigation. The Synod appreciates all your help in solving this little enigma, but at this point... "

An unwelcome teleportation

At this point however, he will stop himself:

"Wait, what's that? Oh, not again."

After a zombie appears and is put down, he will relent and formally task you to investigate the tower:

"This is madness! I'm sick and tired of these intrusions. It would appear that your services are again required before payment can be rendered. I cannot simply step back and allow this to continue, not now that there is a tangible threat to our hall. I - we - must act. Go to Frostcrag Spire and do whatever is necessary to put an end to these infuriating escapades. I just hope that the College isn't somehow involved in this. Divines know they live to make trouble for us."

When you return from Frostcrag after having discovered an incipient College of Whispers cynosure, Cadius will note:

"So far, it seems to have stopped... let's hope it stays that way."

l [sic]'ve found the source of the strange appearances.

"Really? What was it? What did you find in Frostcrag?"

The College of Whispers. I couldn't stop their experiments.

"Somehow I knew they had something to do with this. Well, we cannot have these disruptions continue. I need one last bit of help before this task is complete. Return to Frostcrag Spire. Destroy their teleportation portal. It's the only way to ensure the safety of the conclave."

Why should I help you?

"Listen, even if you do not care for the safety of the conclave, consider the safety of Bruma. What if a terrible beast were to arrive here this way, and we were unable to contain it? The chaos would spill onto the streets, and people would die. We must not allow it."

l [sic]'ll have to think about it.

"I understand. This is legal ground most are unused to traversing. I would ask you to think quickly, as I still can't leave the conclave unattended."

Whether you accept immediately or not, he will continue:

I can do that. / I've decided to help you sabotage the portal.

"Okay. Be careful, this is a legal... grey area, so try not to get caught. If you are, the Synod will not be able to intervene on your behalf."

Should you agree to the sabotage and carry it out, return to Cadius for your reward of gold and access to the Conclave's arcane enchanter:

"Any luck?"

It's done. There will be no more disruptions.

"Whispers... curse those careless, undisciplined, necromancers. This time their experiments endangered my conclave! How did they even get inside that spire in the first place?! Gah, knowing them, someone probably died to get it open. Regardless, thank you. Please, accept this sum of gold from the Synod's coffers. You may also now make use of the enchanting table in the rear of the conclave. I suspect you have proven yourself trustworthy enough. Do not give me cause to regret that. I'll inform the Council of your service. I'm sure they won't mind the exception in this case. Thank you."

If you manage to persuade Astor Astentius to give up his experiments, he will also thank you as above. Should you instead choose to help Astor with his experiments, notably leaving a beacon in the Conclave, he will comment:

"Is there a reason why you're leaving a boot on the floor? I certainly hope this is an... unorthodox investigation method, and not simply you messing up my conclave."

Once you've completed the teleportation test, you can return to Cadius for a reward, though in this case it will only be gold:

I've put an end to the disruptions.

"Indeed? What happened? What was causing it?"

College of Whispers mages were experimenting with a portal. I stopped it.

"Whispers... curse those careless, undisciplined, necromancers. This time their experiments endangered my conclave! But I'm curious how you think teleporting through it would have disrupted the thing. Still, no zombies, nor any other displaced objects, for that matter, have appeared in the conclave since you left... ...so, I suppose it stands to reason that you are being truthful... Hmm, well, I suppose we'll see. Your service merits reward. Please, accept this sum of coin from the Synod's coffers. Now, good day to you."

Undead at Underpall

If you ask about any challenges he's facing, he will admit:

Are there any magical threats in the Jeralls?

"Magical threats, eh? Well, beyond the normal hedge wizards that you'll find just about anywhere, there are indeed some more... troubling... rumors. I've heard tell of some necromancers holed up in Underpall Cave, performing their usual heretical rituals and incantations. They threaten the good name of the Synod, but the conclave can't spare anyone. At this point, I'm willing to take what help I can get."

Why do they threaten the Synod's good name?

"Because their actions are vile. They misappropriate magic and, through their improper use of it, sow the seeds of fear and distrust of the arcane in the general populace. And if they distrust the arcane, they distrust the Synod. You understand."

Would there be a reward available if I were to clear them out?

"I imagine there would. Such an act would be of tremendous benefit to the Synod... I shall write to our headquarters in the Imperial City and request a dispatch of gold. It will be available upon your return - should you accept the task, of course [sic]"

Well, too bad.

"Indeed, it is. Hmm. I shall declare it a matter of Synod interest for the necromancers to be taken care of. If you decide you want to take up that mantle, return to me."

If you do return, or immediately accept, he will

I'll clear them out for you. / I've changed my mind. I'll help deal with the necromancers.

"I... see. Necromancers aren't a force to be trifled with, stranger. I implore you to be careful. I shall see about procuring a reward while you're away, for when - if - you return successfully. Best of luck. Underpall is to the southwest of Bruma. Should be rather easy to find."

A curious family...

This will start the quest Undeath at Underpall, which will eventually lead you to discover Cadius's uncommon family history. As his sister Alavva will explain:

What is your history with Cadius?

"Our history? Hah! We are siblings, mages raised together from birth. We had an inborn gift, we were talented, oh, no doubt about it... but we had nowhere to turn for training. Cadius chose to grovel and put on the sycophant act to get in with the Synod. Now he's well-entrenched in that little group of impotent, politicking pretenders."

Tell me more about Cadius.

"He lived in fear of my father just like I did, but he was never as strong-spirited as I. While I took up the art of necromancy he was busy licking the boots of his Synod superiors, trying to rise through the ranks. I have no idea what he thought about my father's leaving, and he has no idea where I ran off to either, as far as I'm aware. But that's just it - he doesn't care. He just wants power - just like my father. He just happens to use politics to get it."

Once you've made your choice on whether to kill or spare Alavva, return to Cadius. In the first case, you will have the choice to either withhold the information or be truthful:

The High Necromancer is dead. (Withhold information)

"Wonderful news! Here, some coin for your trouble. Freshly dispensed from the Imperial City."

The High Necromancer is dead, but she said she knew you.

"She? I... who... who was this?"

She said she was your sister.

"By the Divines, I... oh my. Did she... did she make any mention of our father, by any chance?"

Yes. He was the leader of those necromancers before her. She killed him.

"I... don't know what to say. Here, take the gold. I... I must grieve. Two-fold."

If instead you spared Alavva, he will say:

I decided to spare the High Necromancer, however... she said she knew you.

"You spared their leader?! What got into you? Wait... she knows me? What is the meaning of this? Spit it out!"

After explaining it was her sister, he will as above ask about his father. Once you respond, he will ask:

Yes. He was the leader of that coven before her. She killed him.

"I... I don't know what to say. You say you spared her? Where is she now?"

She's starting a new life in Bruma.

"In Bruma? Perhaps I'll go visit her sometime. Give myself some closure, at least."

She's working for the College of Whispers.

"The College of Whispers? Then I fear it won't be so easy to catch up with her and give myself some closure. Perhaps one day..."

She turned herself in. She's probably in jail.

"Serving time in prison might give her the chance to think on what she's done. Clear her mind a slight bit. Perhaps I'll go visit her in the dungeon. Get some closure, at least, you know?"

She's starting a new life, I don't know where.

"I suppose it makes sense to start afresh far away from the shadows of your past... Perhaps one day I'll make the trip and look for her. Get some closure, you know?"

Either way he will continue:

"Thank you for your help. It seems a little insignificant now, but... here's your gold."

Cadius and Alavva, reunited

Finally, if you convinced her to team up with her brother at the Synod, you will witness the two siblings being reunited:

Cadius: "Ah, you're back. Cleared out those necro- wait a second... that's... no, it can't be..."

Alavva: "It is. It's me, brother. I'm... I'm sorry."

Cadius: "What... what's happened?"

Alavva: "I... I joined... I followed in our father's footsteps. I did... terrible things, I was misguided and foolish. I just... I want to start a new life."

Cadius: "Oh, my. This is a lot to take in. But... of course, of course, you are welcome here. The Synod is one thing, family is quite another. Before my sister and I spend the next few days catching up and consoling each other, though, I believe I promised you payment, did I not?"

Once you approach him, he will continue:

"You did a great thing today. Thank you. I had no idea sending you out to deal with troublesome necromancers would prove such a blessing in disguise. Here's your gold. You've earned this ten times over, my friend. Ten times. I'll never forget the mercy you showed her. Never in a million years."

Conversations

Before starting Undeath at Underpall, you may overhear Cadius and Elintius Rentilia conversing:

Elintius: "Good day to you, Cadius!"
Cadius: "Same to you, Journeyman. Was there something you needed?"
Elintius: "I'm curious, what's the status of the situation brewing at Underpall Cave? The rumors of necromancers there don't seem to have ceased. In truth, they might have actually have grown worse."
Cadius: "I'll send someone to investigate the situation as soon as I am able. I appreciate your concern, Journeyman."