Symbols of Office is part of the main questline in Shivering Isles.
Background[]
After securing the stronghold for either the Dark Seducers or the Golden Saints it is time to go back to Sheogorath to learn what to do next. It turns out that the Greymarch has begun, and Sheogorath vanishes.
The only hope is for someone like the Hero to become the Madgod and sit on the throne but first they have to reanimate the Staff of Sheogorath. For this to happen they need to get the eye of Ciirta and a branch from the Tree of Shades.
Walkthrough[]
Sheogorath's Palace[]
Sheogorath vanishes
Travel to Sheogorath's Palace to speak to Sheogorath. He is in very uncharacteristically poor spirits and says that "our time has run out." His plan has failed, the Greymarch has begun and he is about to become Jyggalag.
He orders the Hero to leave since when he next sees them he will not recognize them and kill them. He answers protests saying that he intended to give them his staff but the life is gone from it. Then he vanishes, screaming in a choked voice "The Realm is dead! Sheogorath is dead!" He then reappears for a moment, only to grow many times in size and then vanishes for good.
Speak to Haskill and he will say that the only hope left is for someone besides Sheogorath to sit on the throne of the Madgod. If the throne is occupied when Jyggalag attacks, he may not prevail. Haskill says that the Hero is the only person who can become the new Madgod. In order for this to happen someone must reactivate and righteously possess the Staff of Sheogorath, the titular Symbol of Office.
The secret of the staff's construction has been lost, but Haskill tells them that by going to Knifepoint Hollow, an ancient library, they may be able to reanimate the staff. He will also give them a crystal that is required to access the library.
Knifepoint Hollow[]
Dyus
Travel to Knifepoint Hollow - Haskill will add a map marker. Once inside, follow the marker to a standard door. Activating the door will remove the crystal and shatter the door. Dyus is on the other side, seated on an ancient throne. Dyus was the keeper of the Great Library of Jyggalag.
He already knows what is happening and sends them to get two items necessary for the staff's recreation. The first is the Eye of Ciirta, which is literally her eye. Ciirta is in The Howling Halls in Dementia on the Heretic's Horn. The second item is a branch from the Tree of Shades, found inside the ruins of Milchar, in Mania, just north of Overlook Road. The items can be gathered in either order.
Howling Halls[]
Travel to the Howling Halls, where Ciirta's apostles await. They are similar to heretics and zealots but wearing their own kind of robes. Initially, they will leave the Hero alone. There are some robes on a table further in but one apostle will have to be fought or sneaked past before reaching it. There are two more apostles in the next room to deal with. There are gems left on altars as offerings to pick up here.
Once reaching the Congregation Chambers, they will meet a Khajiit apostle named Ra'kheran. If spoken to he will first say to wear a robe if they already haven't put one on yet and then ask for their help. Regardless of how the conversation goes, Ra'kheran will say that he is part of a group of apostles that wish to overthrow Ciirta in a coup. If the Hero decides to help them, the apostles will take care of Ciirta for them. Like all good revolutionaries, Ra'kheran and his co-conspirators need weapons, specifically, three apostle daggers.
Two allies and Ra'kheran
If helping them, Ra'kheran's allies must not be killed and the Hero must wear the apostle's robe at all times. If the previous apostles have been slain already, go back and get their two daggers from them. A third dagger can be found on a cupboard just east of the door to the antechamber. When wearing the robe, no one will attack. The Pelvis of Pelagius, an oddity, is near the door to the antechamber.
With the three daggers in hand, return to Ra'kheran and he will sprint to his allies. After he arms them, the triumvirate of renegades will rush into the antechamber. If the Hero gets there first, (or if they have chosen to forge ahead without their help) they can have a brief conversation with Ciirta and learn a bit about her history, but will inevitably have to fight her. Her aide, the Luminary Kaz will also fight.
Once Ciirta is dead, take her Eye and her robes. There is loot in the rafters of Ciirta's chamber worth getting.
Milchar[]
The standing stone in the center and the Tree of Shades in the back.
Next, travel to Milchar. Though Milchar is a fairly extensive ruin, skip most of it and head straight into the Grove of Reflection. The door to the Grove is on a wall of the rock/root formation at the center of the map, but may be difficult to see due to the darkness of the dungeon. Using an illumination spell or potion will solve this. The grove is a lush stand of vegetation surrounding a pool of water, with a standing stone in the center.
Shadow doppelganger
Getting close to the stone will activate it. A shadowy doppelganger of the Hero will appear, with the same spells, items, scrolls and skills as they have, however they will also be armed with the mighty weapon Shadowrend, which manifests itself as either a matte black Daedric battleaxe or a similarly colored claymore version of the Dragonsword of Lainlyn, depending on whether their blunt or blade skill is higher.
Although killing the mirror-self does not seem to increase the bounty, it can attract the attention of the Dark Brotherhood.
Knifepoint Hollow[]
Once they have both items, travel back to Knifepoint Hollow and speak with Dyus. He will create the staff for them. He then tells them to travel to Tree of Madness in Sheogorath's throne room and tap the tree's power to begin the transformation.
This will end the current quest and begin the next, "The Roots of Madness."
Journal[]
| Symbols of Office – SE11 | |
|---|---|
| ID | Journal Entry |
| 5 | Now that I have secured the stronghold of the Golden Saints, I should speak to Sheogorath about our next step. |
| Now that I have secured the stronghold of the Dark Seducers, I should speak to Sheogorath about our next step. | |
| 10 | Sheogorath has vanished before we could complete the plan to stop the forces of Order. Perhaps Haskill will know what steps we should take. |
| 20 | Before I can claim the Throne of Madness and stop the forces of Order, I must remake the Staff of Sheogorath. Haskill has advised me to seek out a remnant of the great library of Jyggalag in Knifepoint Hollow. |
| 35 | I've spoken with Dyus about the staff of Sheogorath. He is the remnant of the library that Haskill spoke of. |
| 50 | In order to remake the Staff of Sheogorath, Dyus requires two items. I must seek out the Eye of Ciirta and a Branch of the Tree of Shades. The first is an eye that has seen something that no other has. I can acquire this item from a woman named Ciirta in the Howling Halls. The second item is a branch of the Tree of Shades, an ancient tree that grows in the Grove of Reflection in the ruins of Milchar. |
| 100 | I've spoken with one of Ciirta's followers outside of the Howling Halls. She said that I should be safe inside so long as I wear the robes of the Apostles and do not take any suspicious action. If I can avoid confrontation, I might be able to make it to Ciirta without alerting all of them. |
| 105 | I've been approached by a Khajiit named Ra'kheran. He has offered to kill Ciirta for me if I assist him in his plan to take over the Apostles of the Song. As he cannot be seen gathering weapons, he's asked me to bring him three Apostle Daggers. If he carries this plan out, I should be able to take Ciirta's eye after she is dead. |
| 110 | I've accepted Ra'kheran's offer. He wants me to bring him three Apostle Daggers. He will then carry out his revolt against Ciirta and I should be able to retrieve her eye. |
| 111 | Ra'kheran is dead. Without his help, I'll have to kill Ciirta myself. |
| 112 | I have refused to give Ra'kheran the daggers that he needs to kill Ciirta. I should return to him if I change my mind. |
| I have collected the three daggers that Ra'kheran has asked for. I should return to him so that he can kill Ciirta. | |
| 115 | I've given Ra'kheran the daggers that he needs to begin his revolt against Ciirta. I should follow him and retrieve Ciirta's eye once she is dead. |
| 140 | Ra'kheran's betrayal of Ciirta has been successful. Now that she is dead, taking her eye should be a simple matter. |
| Ciirta is dead. Taking her eye should be a simple matter now. | |
| 150 | I've arrived in the Grove of Reflection. According to Dyus, I must locate the Tree of Shades and find a way to reveal my true self before I will be allowed to take one of its branches. |
| 160 | After I approached the Grove Of Reflection, a shadowy image of myself appeared from the waters of the grove and attacked me. I defeated it, and now the Tree of Shades is beckoning to me... |
| 190 | As Dyus requested, I've taken a branch of the Tree of Shades. I should now seek out Ciirta in the Howling Halls. |
| 191 | I've have Ciirta's eye. I should now seek out the second item that I need to create the Staff of Sheogorath. |
| 195 | I have both items that Dyus needs to recreate the Staff of Sheogorath. I should return to Knifepoint Hollow and speak with him. |
| 200 | With the Staff of Sheogorath now in my possession, I should make my way to the Tree of Madness in Sheogorath's throne room. There I can tap into the tree's power and begin my transformation. |
| 205 |
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Trivia[]
- Depending on quest status, the doppelganger will say certain remarks, such as shouting out the names of Cyrodiil's Divines if the Knights of the Nine has been completed.
- Killing the doppelganger is a way to join the Dark Brotherhood.
- The branch from the Tree of Shades is titled "Screaming Branch" in the Hero's inventory.
Bugs[]
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This section contains bugs related to Symbols of Office. Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:
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- PC 360 PS3 When asking Haskill "Who will sit on the throne?", his voiced reply will be different from the subtitled reply. The subtitle will read "Why, you will, of course. It has always been Sheogorath's intent for you to be the new Madgod." The voiced line, however, is "Why, you will, of course. It has always been Sheogorath's intent to raise you to sit upon the throne of madness."
Appearances[]