The Thalmor Embassy. Just the name sends shivers down the spines of many a Skyrim player. This quest, a pivotal moment in the main questline of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, is notorious for its stealth-focused gameplay and potential for disaster if you’re caught. Whether you’re a seasoned adventurer or a fresh-faced Dragonborn, successfully navigating the Thalmor Embassy and escaping with crucial information requires careful planning, skillful execution, and a bit of luck. This comprehensive guide will provide you with detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to escape the Thalmor Embassy, covering everything from pre-quest preparations to post-escape strategies.
Before You Begin: Preparation is Key
Before even stepping foot near the Thalmor Embassy, some essential preparation will significantly increase your chances of success. This quest leans heavily into stealth, so optimizing your character for this playstyle is paramount.
1. Character Skills and Perks
Focus on these key skills:
- Sneak: This is, without a doubt, the most crucial skill. Invest points into the Sneak skill tree to improve your ability to move undetected, reduce noise, and avoid detection in shadows. Perks like Stealth (improves sneak by 20%), Muffled Movement (50% quieter when sneaking), and Light Foot (avoid setting off traps) are invaluable.
- Lockpicking: While not strictly required, Lockpicking can open alternative paths and provide access to valuable items or information. Even a few points invested in the Lockpicking skill can be helpful, and having a decent supply of lockpicks is essential.
- Speech: A high Speech skill allows you to persuade or intimidate certain characters, potentially bypassing conflicts or gaining crucial advantages. While not the primary focus, it can be a useful backup plan.
- Illusion (Optional): Spells like Invisibility or Muffle can be game-changers, allowing you to move unseen and unheard. However, this requires investing in the Illusion skill tree and managing your Magicka effectively. If you don’t want to invest in the tree, you can use scrolls with the Muffle spell or invisibility potions.
2. Gear and Inventory
Choosing the right gear can make or break your escape:
- Armor: Light armor is preferable, as it generates less noise than heavy armor. Consider armor with enchantments that improve Sneak, such as Muffling or Fortify Sneak. The Dark Brotherhood armor set is an excellent choice if you have access to it. If you don’t want to wear armor at all, you can use mage robes with Sneak enchantments.
- Weapons: A dagger is the ideal weapon for stealth takedowns. Look for daggers with enchantments like Soul Trap (to quickly fill soul gems for enchanting) or Absorb Health (to provide a small health boost). However, avoid direct confrontation if possible. Bows can also be useful for long distance combat or setting off traps.
- Potions: Stock up on essential potions:
- Potion of Invisibility: This is your emergency button. Use it when you’re about to be detected or need to bypass a heavily guarded area.
- Potion of Muffling: If you don’t have the Muffle spell or enchantment, these potions can temporarily reduce your noise.
- Potion of Healing: Always have a supply of healing potions in case you take damage.
- Potion of Fortify Sneak: These can give you a temporary boost to your Sneak skill.
- Lockpicks: As mentioned earlier, a good supply of lockpicks is essential for opening locked doors and chests.
- Food: While not directly related to stealth, having food on hand can help you regenerate health quickly during tense situations.
3. Quest Preparation
Before attending the party, complete the necessary preliminary steps:
- Talk to Delphine in Riverwood: Delphine will provide you with crucial information about the Thalmor Embassy and the quest objectives.
- Meet Malborn: Malborn, a Bosmer working at the Thalmor Embassy, will smuggle some of your equipment inside. Give him the items you think you’ll need most during the escape. Invisibility potions and lockpicks are a must. A weapon would also be a good choice, especially one with a high damage output.
- Attend the Party: Accept the invitation to the Thalmor Embassy party. This is your opportunity to gather information and survey the layout.
The Party: Gathering Information and Setting the Stage
The party is not just a social event; it’s a crucial opportunity to gather information and prepare for your escape. Here’s how to make the most of it:
1. Dress the Part
When you arrive at the Thalmor Embassy and speak with Delphine’s contact you will get party clothes and shoes that boost your speech. Be sure to equip them to make all speech checks easier to pass. This is your disguise. Make sure you have removed all your armor and weapons and given them to Malborn. If you didn’t give them to Malborn, you would be stuck with the default clothes.
2. Mingle and Eavesdrop
Wander around the party, engaging in conversations with the guests. Some of them may reveal valuable information about the Thalmor’s activities and their plans. Pay close attention to what they say, even if it seems insignificant at first.
3. Create a Diversion
Speak to Razelan. He is found wandering around the main party room. With a speech check, you can get him drunk, causing him to cause a scene in the Embassy. This will draw the guards away from where you need to go. This will make the next step much easier.
4. Retrieve Your Gear
Once you have spoken to Razelan, talk to Malborn. Tell him it is time and he will lead you to a small room off to the side of the party where a chest contains the items you gave him back in Riverwood. Take your gear and equip it.
The Escape: A Step-by-Step Guide
Now comes the challenging part: infiltrating the Thalmor’s private quarters and escaping with the information. This section will break down the escape into manageable steps.
1. Entering the Thalmor Quarters
From where Malborn gave you your gear, enter the door directly across from you. Make sure that your sneak skill is activated. There are two guards in this room and you will want to avoid their detection. Take the first door on the right. This leads into the kitchen. You will likely be detected in here by the maid and another guard, but they are non-hostile. This is an intended part of the quest, so just ignore them.
The door out of the kitchen leads into a hallway, turn left and follow this hallway to a wooden door at the end. Go through the door, and then through another door immediately on the left. This will lead into the dungeon.
2. Navigating the Dungeon
The dungeon is where the real infiltration begins. It’s heavily guarded, and direct combat is highly discouraged. Focus on stealth and use your resources wisely.
- Remain Hidden: Use shadows and cover to stay out of sight. Observe the guards’ patrol routes and wait for opportunities to slip past them.
- Avoid Combat: If possible, avoid engaging in combat altogether. If you are detected, try to run and hide.
- Open the Torture Room Cage: In the first room, there will be a frost mage torturing a Nord. To your left is a door, head through it. There is a patrolling guard in here that you will need to be aware of. To the left is a locked cage. Unlock it and speak to the Nord inside. He will provide you with a key to the next area. If you do not want to unlock the cage, the key is also available on the mage that was in the previous room.
3. Interrogating the Prisoner and Finding the Documents
Continue following the only path out of the room. If you unlocked the cage, the Nord will run ahead and trigger traps that will kill the two guards in the next hallway. This is the easiest way to proceed. If you did not unlock the cage, proceed cautiously. There are pressure plate traps on the floor that will trigger magical runes to explode, potentially one shotting you. Once you have safely navigated the hallway, head through the door at the end. There is one patrolling guard in this next room. You can bypass him easily with sneak. If you choose to fight, sneak attacking will deal extra damage.
- Read the Dossiers: Read the dossiers. These documents provide crucial information about the Thalmor’s operations and their interest in dragons. This will progress the quest.
4. Escaping the Dungeon
Now that you have the information, it’s time to escape the dungeon. Follow these steps:
- Proceed Forward: Head through the door across the room from where you entered. This leads into a natural cave.
5. Navigating the Cave
The cave offers a different kind of challenge. It’s less about avoiding guards and more about navigating the natural environment and dealing with creatures.
- Beware of Trolls: As you progress through the cave, you’ll encounter a Frost Troll. These creatures are tough and can deal significant damage. Use ranged attacks, fire magic, or kiting tactics to defeat them. If you are a pure stealth character, you can also sneak past them.
- Follow the Path: The path through the cave is relatively linear. Follow it carefully, avoiding any unnecessary detours.
6. Exiting the Cave and Reaching Skyrim
The cave eventually leads to an exit that opens into Skyrim’s wilderness. You’re not out of the woods yet, as there may be Thalmor patrols in the area.
- Be Cautious: As you exit the cave, remain vigilant. Scan the surrounding area for any Thalmor patrols.
- Travel to Riverwood: Your next objective is to return to Riverwood and report your findings to Delphine. Fast travel if possible, but be prepared for random encounters along the way.
Post-Escape: Reporting to Delphine and the Aftermath
Once you’ve successfully escaped the Thalmor Embassy, it’s time to report back to Delphine and deal with the consequences of your actions.
1. Meet Delphine in Riverwood
Return to the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood and speak to Delphine. She’ll be eager to hear about your findings and will provide you with further instructions.
2. The Aftermath
Escaping the Thalmor Embassy has several implications:
- Increased Thalmor Activity: Be prepared for increased Thalmor patrols throughout Skyrim. They’ll be actively searching for you and anyone associated with you.
- New Quests: Your actions at the Thalmor Embassy will unlock new quests and further advance the main questline.
- Alliances and Enemies: Your relationship with the Thalmor will be further strained, while your alliances with other factions may be strengthened.
Alternative Strategies and Tips
While the above guide provides a detailed walkthrough, there are alternative strategies and tips that can help you tailor your approach to your specific playstyle and character build:
- Combat-Focused Approach: If you prefer direct combat, you can try to fight your way through the Thalmor Embassy. However, this is significantly more challenging and requires a well-geared character with high combat skills.
- Illusion Magic: As mentioned earlier, Illusion magic can be incredibly useful for stealth. Spells like Invisibility and Muffle can make it much easier to avoid detection.
- Exploiting AI: The AI in Skyrim isn’t perfect. You can sometimes exploit their behavior to your advantage, such as using distractions or creating choke points.
- Using Followers: While followers can be helpful in combat, they can also compromise your stealth. If you choose to bring a follower, make sure they have high Sneak skill and equip them with light armor.
- Alchemy: Brew potions to suit your needs. Fortify Sneak, invisibility and healing potions are invaluable.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Players often encounter specific issues during the Thalmor Embassy quest. Here’s how to troubleshoot some common problems:
- Getting Detected Too Easily: Make sure your Sneak skill is high enough, and wear light armor or clothing with Sneak enchantments. Also, pay attention to your surroundings and avoid moving in direct line of sight.
- Running Out of Potions: Conserve your potions by using them only when necessary. Try to rely on stealth as much as possible.
- Getting Stuck in the Cave: The path through the cave is relatively linear. If you’re stuck, try backtracking and looking for alternative routes.
- Malborn Dies: This is a rare occurrence, but if Malborn dies, you’ll need to find another way to retrieve your gear. Check his body for the key to the chest. If you cannot find a key, you may need to reload an earlier save.
Conclusion
Escaping the Thalmor Embassy is a challenging but rewarding quest that tests your stealth skills and strategic thinking. By following this detailed guide, preparing your character, and adapting to the situation, you can successfully navigate the embassy, retrieve the crucial information, and escape to continue your journey as the Dragonborn. Remember, patience, planning, and a bit of luck are your best allies. Now go forth, Dragonborn, and unravel the secrets of the Thalmor!