Sideways Cave
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Map
Type	Cave

It is located just across the water southeast of the Imperial City's northeast sewer exit. The first level of the cave is inhabited by Daedra. In the northwest corner there is a secret door that opens to an ancient Ayleid ruin. The next part of the cave is a flooded Ayleid ruin with all sorts of flotsam strewn about. There are also three Ayleid Tablets found in this cave. These, when translated, tell a story of a long-ago encounter between man and Daedra.

Contents 1 Sideways Cave 1.1 Traps 1.2 NPC's 1.3 Treasure 1.4 Items of Interest 2 Sideways Cave - Hidden Lake 2.1 Traps 2.2 NPC's 2.3 Treasure 2.4 Items of Interest 3 Sideways Cave - Lost Abagarlas 3.1 Traps 3.2 NPC's 3.3 Treasure 3.4 Items of Interest 4 Alchemy 4.1 Plants 4.2 Ingredients 5 NPC's 6 History 7 Notes 7.1 Bugs / Glitches

Sideways Cave

The entrance of this cave leads to an area where the hero clearly cannot make the jump across the chasm. Not to worry: there is a rocky slope that acts as a stairway down to the lower area.

This leads around to the other side of the chasm. In the process of following the tunnels the hero will come upon a 'Dead treasure Hunter' lying on a slab. Further ahead is found a chest surrounded by a bunch of skeletons; taking the time to move the bodies of these using the 'z' or pickup function will reveal a few items and gold underneath them.

Traps

There are two cave-in traps located just through the tunnel after climbing down to the lower area. The tunnel itself holds the first one, and a left after making it through the tunnel reveals another one that will completely blocks the path. Proceed with caution and as soon as the screen beginning to shake, back up immediately to avoid damage.

NPC's

• 6x Imps
• 2x Trolls
• 2x Rats

Treasure

• Chest (Minor Loot - Level Dependant)

  

Items of Interest

• Fur Shield
• Iron Shield
• Leather Shield
• Potion of Healing

Sideways Cave - Hidden Lake

An underground hidden lake with the ruins of an ancient Ayleid structure.

Following the flooded tunnel you will turn left then make a right as the cavern opens up. If you look to your left you will see a ladder half exposed on top of a pile of rocks. It may seem that you can jump up there given a little skill, but just wait. You will exit out onto that small ledge as you continue following this cave.

Traps

• None in this Section

NPC's

• 1 Boss Level Monster: Troll (Slightly higher HP, and Damage Attacks)

  

• 3 Monsters (Imps, Rats, Trolls, Will-o-the-Wisps)
  

Treasure

• Ayleid Reliquary Troll Boss Guarding
• 2x Ayleid Casks

Items of Interest

• There's an Ayleid Reliquary chest in the middle of the lake. The second Ayleid Cask can be found to the right of the Female Stone statue in the wall surrounded by roots.
• On the western side of the lake near an Ayleid Cask and a defunct Shrine to Meridia, an Ayleid tablet reads:
  • [A hasty translation is scrawled here...] Meridia-child, Earth root power, sea wave like (earth like a flood?). People-out (escape? present tense? imperative?).
    • ​A likely meaning of this tablet is that the Ayleid worshipers of Meridia who lived in this ruin were forced to evacuate due to a rise in sea level, this would explain the lake currently present on the site of the ruins.

Sideways Cave - Lost Abagarlas

As soon as you enter this portion of the cave you notice a skeleton with a tablet near it. This is the third Ayleid tablet. This takes you further into the ruins, which are overrun by a large root system.

Traps

• If you make the first right and continue straight to a staircase that turns left you will encounter another cave-in trap. As soon as the screen starts to shake quickly back track to avoid damage.

NPC's

• 1 Boss Level Monster: Troll (Slightly higher HP, and Damage Attacks)
• 2 - 5 Monsters (Imps, Rats, Trolls, Will-o-the-Wisps)

  

Treasure

• Ayleid Coffer
• Ayleid Cask

Items of Interest

• The Ayleid ruin itself. Upon entering, the second Ayleid tablet on the floor reads:
  • [A hasty translation is scrawled here...] Fourth Star Hour (time?) Terror-of-the-Most-Terror of Meridia come (came?).
• In a throne room with the dead scholar, the final Ayleid tablet reads:
  • [A hasty translation is scrawled here...] Stone-Settlers (builders?) not rest (wake?) Meridia. Terror of the Most Terror. Haste to safehome.
    • The meaning of this tablet likely means that builders of some kind opened a chamber, either incurring the wraith of Meridia or angering whatever creature inhabited the cave.
• The Ayleid Coffer next to the dead scholar contains more-than-usual random and leveled loot. There are also various iron weapons and bedrolls lying around.

Alchemy

Plants

• 3x Cairn Boletes
• 18x Wisp Stalks

Ingredients

NPC's

Standard leveled enemies including:

• Rats
• Random Monsters (Imps, Trolls, Will-o-the-wisp, Spriggan, Minotaurs)

History

If you have read all of the tablets here is the story that falls into place. Long ago, Ayleid settlers stumbled onto this grotto. They built a city here. While building the city, they uncovered a forgotten shrine to the Daedric Lord Meridia. Meridia's vengenace for this desacration was swift. She crushed the Ayleid city with her stone roots and buried the grotto almost entirely.

Notes

Bugs / Glitches

• There is a reoccuring bug encountered while exploring this cave. Be sure to save prior to entering the second area 'Hidden Lake'. The problem occurs when trying to exit this cave. A huge rock slide will completely block your path when attempting to exit from the 'Hidden Lake' area back to the 'Sideways Cave' first floor. This has been confirmed by a number of players. Most have verified that it happens while exploring the 'Abagarlas' area of the cave. Again! Be sure to have a save point before entering the 'Hidden Lake' area.

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