Online:Buried Secrets

Help discover some secrets of the Dwemer. Zone: Stros M'Kai This quest is part of the Zone Story Faction: Daggerfall Covenant Objective: Bthzark — Discover the buried secrets of Bthzark. Quest Giver: Neramo, Ellashana, or Andrilion Location(s): Bthzark Previous Quest: The Broken Spearhead Next Quest: The Spearhead's Captain or The Spearhead's Crew Concurrent Quest: Innocent Scoundrel and Like Moths to a Candle Reward: Neramo's Staff High Leveled Gold XP Gain: Very High

"Miraculous. To think that the Dwemer of old Volenfell settled as far as Stros M'Kai!"

A researcher by the name of Neramo is exploring the Dwemer ruins of Bthzark, looking for a way inside.

Quick Walkthrough

1. Collect the focusing crystals.
2. Find Neramo at the ruin's entrance.
3. Repair the generators and speak to Neramo again.
4. Investigate further into the ruins.
5. Meet up with Neramo outside Bthzark.

Detailed Walkthrough

Finding Crystals

The secondary focus crystal

There are four ways to begin this quest: First, as part of the conclusion of the previous quest, The Broken Spearhead; second, you can speak to Andrilion west of the Port Hunding Wayshrine; third, you can speak to Ellashana south of Bthzark; fourth, you can speak directly to Neramo east of Bthzark. Either way, Neramo will give you some information about the Dwemer, but doesn't know more than any other researcher. However, he does know there are some secrets in Bthzark and hires you to research with him. Head west and go up the sand then continue west. Watch out for wolves and beetles as you go. The primary focusing crystal is behind some rocks underneath a broken roof.

"Into the tunnel you go"

Go back outside and head north until you reach a dilapidated building. You can find the secondary focusing crystal at the top of a flight of stairs inside that building.

With the two crystals in your possession, it is time to go to the entrance of Bthzark. Head inside and speak with Neramo, who has just finished reassembling the Dwarven spider that you may have noticed back at his camp, to give him the crystals:

"I've reassembled the spider, but I must be able to control it.
That reminds me—did you find the crystals?"

Yes, I have them right here.

"Splendid. Now, I just insert them into the rod like so. By the way, I hope you can destroy this mechanism if it attacks us."

Fortunately, the rod proves to be effective, and the spider obeys Neramo when he orders it to head into a tunnel and open the door that is preventing both of you from delving deeper into the ruins.

Restoring Power to Bthzark

A dwarven generator

Head through the unlocked door and talk to Neramo again, who is waiting just inside. He asks you to explore the ruins and to use the spider, the control rod of which he offers to you, to restore power so that he can head deeper still inside. One of the generators is located to the east and another to the south and there are notes which you may want to read for some background information near either of them. Go back to the main chamber and talk to Neramo, who has made his way there while you were busy repairing the generators:

"Excellent work. Bthzark breathes again!
Now for a personal project. How would you like to earn a little more coin?"

I'm listening.

"As you see, we are not the first to enter Bthzark. In truth, I accepted Bhosek's request to explore these ruins only because they contain something I want, something I believe others died trying to obtain."

What's that?

"Knowledge is the greatest treasure. The Dwemer guarded their secrets as a king protects his gold. In Bthzark, the Dwemer hid a set of schematics, mechanical drawings that I greatly desire to possess."

And you need my help to find them.

"An easy task. Those earlier explorers likely retrieved them, only to find themselves sealed inside Bthzark through some treachery. Their misfortune is my—our—gain. We must find where they perished."

Claiming the schematics

"So. The schematics were here."

Enter the large door. On the other side you'll find an open and, unfortunately, empty chest that used to contain the schematics that Neramo wishes to get his hands on:

Neramo : "So. The schematics were here. Someone took them."

Neramo : "I doubt they escaped."

Neramo : "These writings could prove crucial to understanding the schematics."

Neramo : "My brother should be able to decipher these. Interesting."

Neramo : "Continue looking for the schematics. I'll meet up with you shortly."

Near the chest lies yet another note that you can read to gain a bit more insight in these ruins' history. Otherwise, go and read the journal that can be found against the southern wall near a skeleton. According to the journal's contents, there are two ways that lead to your destination, neither of which is completely safe.

Dwarven traps

The door to the left leads onto a bridge filled with Dwarven vents that will release Dwarven spiders, if you don't sneak past them. The door on the right leads to a bridge with steam traps, electrical traps, and one Dwarven vent trap. Wait for openings in the steam and electricity to safely traverse these traps, then either sneak past the Dwarven vent at the end of the bridge or kill the automaton that emerges from it if you are insufficiently stealthy.

The final obstacle

Once you make it past all the traps go through the door, run over the next bridge and defeat the automaton that is guarding the schematics, after which you are free to claim them. Read the note on the counter behind the skeleton or just leave the room via the door down the east passage.

"I was just coming to, er, help you."

Talk to Neramo outside and he will either agree to join Captain Kaleen's crew or invite you to just just that, depending on how you started his quest, as well as give you a reward:

"Ah, there you are! I was just coming to, er, help you.
I hope you found what we were looking for."

As promised, I have your drawings.

"The schematics are mine at last! Splendid.
This places me in your debt. What would you ask of me in return?"

Help Captain Kaleen with the heist she's planning.

"I hear Kaleen intends to head toward the isle of Betnikh. The ruins there greatly interest me. But first, I will assist you in this heist."'

He will then summon a portal to Port Hunding and leave. You may use the portal and join him.

Quest Stages

Buried Secrets
Finishes Quest	Journal Entry
	Neramo requested my help finding some Dwemer crystals outside the ruins of Bthzark. Objective: Collect Primary Focusing Crystal Objective: Collect Secondary Focusing Crystal
	I have found the crystals Neramo wants. I need to deliver them to him at the entrance to Bthzark. Objective: Talk to Neramo at Entrance
	I delivered the crystals to Neramo. The metal rod he found should now control the Dwarven spider. I should watch to see if it works. Objective: Observe Neramo's Experiment
	Neramo commanded the spider to unseal the door into Bthzark. I should follow him inside to see what the ruin holds. Objective: Enter Bthzark
	Now that we're inside Bthzark, Neramo wants to speak with me. Objective: Talk to Neramo
	Neramo asked me to direct the Dwarven spider to repair two generators inside Bthzark. Objective: Repair the Eastern Generator Objective: Repair the Western Generator Objective Hint: Use Control Rod on Repaired Spider
	With the generators repaired, Bthzark springs to life once again. I should meet Neramo to see what else he's uncovered. Objective: Speak with Neramo in the Central Chamber
	Neramo is eager to located rare Dwemer schematics he believes are somewhere in Bthzark. If I find them, he'll be ecstatic. I should head deeper into the ruins. Objective: Enter the Assembly Chamber
	Neramo suspects thieves tried to steal the schematics but may not have escaped Bthzark. The chest that held the schematics is indeed empty. I should search further to see if the thieves made it out or not. Objective: Search for Dwemer Schematics Objective Hint: Read the Dead Man's Journal
	According to dead man's journal, the rightmost bridge of Bthzark is secured by traps. The leftmost bridge has wards that will summon constructs unless I sneak past them. Objective Hint: Avoid Traps (Right) or Sneak By Constructs (Left)
	I found the schematics by the remains of one of the unfortunate thieves. I should find Neramo and deliver them. Objective: Talk to Neramo Outside Bthzark
Finishes quest	I should speak with Neramo about Kaleen's heist. He owes me for helping him in Bthzark. Objective: Talk to Neramo

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.