Prerequisites: Complete the College of Winterhold Quest: Good Intentions

Intersecting Quests: The College of Winterhold Quest: Good Intentions, The College of Winterhold Quest: Containment, The College of Winterhold Faction Radiant Quests

Locations: College of Winterhold, Hall of the Elements, Mzulft, Mzulft Aedrome, Mzulft Boilery, Oculory

Characters: Ancano, Arch-Mage Savos Aren, Gavros Plinius, Mirabelle Ervine, Paratus Decimius, Quaranir, Synod Researcher

Enemies: Chaurus, Dwarven Sphere, Dwarven Spider, Falmer, Gloomlurker

Objectives: Speak with Mirabelle Ervine, Find the ruins of Mzulft, Search for Synod researchers, Reach the Oculory, Find the Focusing Crystal, Return the Crystal to Paratus, Follow Paratus, Place the Crystal into the Oculory, Focus the Oculory, Talk to Paratus, Report to Savos Aren

Secrets of the Synod

This quest begins immediately after you complete the College of Winterhold Quest: Good Intentions.

Objective: Speak with Mirabelle Ervine
Target: Mirabelle Ervine, in the College of Winterhold

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Arch-Mage Savos Aren has requested that you speak to Mirabelle Ervine, who may have some knowledge regarding the Staff of Magnus. You may find her wandering the Hall of the Elements or in the exterior courtyard within the College.

Ask her about the staff, and after a few roundabout conversations, Mirabelle recalls that some Imperials from the Synod were interested in it and came to the College to question them.

Leaving empty-handed, it appears they had a secondary plan: to head toward the sprawling dwarven ruins of Mzulft, which apparently has a derelict observatory that would somehow help locate the staff.

Objective: Find the ruins of Mzulft

In the foothills by the edge of the mountains that carve through Eastmarch Hold, south and a little east of Windhelm, you come across ancient carved stone columns and archway entrances and a spectacular stone-and-pipework facade with steam still hissing from the hillside. Enter the huge golden door and step inside.

Objective: Search for Synod researchers
Target: Gavros Plinius, inside Mzulft

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Slumped to the right of the second interior door is an Imperial named Gavros Plinius. He was ambushed while attempting to reach the Oculory, where another member of the Synod, Paratus, is holed up...