Tamriel Rebuilt:Digging Deeper

The miners are on strike, and it's time to pick a side. Quest Giver: Gelvu Andas Location(s): Ushu-Kur Mine Prerequisite Quest: For a Few Pieces of Iron Next Quest: The Cursed Crown Reward: 800 gold (Tryr's route) OR 600 gold (Gelvu's route) Disposition: -5 (Gelvu Andas) and +30 (Tryr) OR +15 (Gelvu Andas) and -30 (Tryr) Reputation Gain: +5 Fighters Guild ID: TR_m4_FG_UshuKur4

New passageways must be opened at Ushu-Kur

Quick Walkthrough

1. Speak to Gelvu Andas at the Ushu-Kur Mine about orders and expand the mine.
2. Talk to Tryr about expand the mine and Hlaalu Company Scrip.
3. Report the miners' demands to Gelvu Andas.
4. Either:
   • Inform Tryr of Gelvu Andas' plan, and agree to help him for 200 gold.
   • Turn the miners against Tryr, and then talk to him.
5. Report back to Gelvu Andas that the miners will return to work (if you turned the miners), or that their will is unbreakable (if you helped Tryr).
6. Speak to Tryr (or any other miner if he is dead) to resume work on the mine.
7. Speak to Gelvu Andas.
8. Visit the northern mineshaft to witness the mine's expansion.
9. Report the expansion to Gelvu Andas for 600 gold.

Detailed Walkthrough

Gelvu Andas has new orders, and these come directly from her cousin in Andothren, Serjo Tholer Andas. He wishes for the mine to be expanded, in order to reach a rich and untapped ore vein that the Map of Ushu-Dimmu suggests should be present. However, the miners have (with impeccable timing) gone on strike. Gelvu Andas demands that you get them back to work, by any means necessary.

Speaking to the miners about the expand the mine topic will quickly see you directed to the Nord, Tryr, one of their number. You'll find him in the Miners' Quarters. Speaking to him will reveal the source of the problem—House Hlaalu have begun paying wages in Hlaalu Company Scrip, instead of gold. Speaking on behalf of the miners, he will demand a return to being paid with gold, and will ask you to relay the message to Gelvu Andas. Do so. She will concede that scrip has its limitations, and will offer to triple the amount offered to miners if they resume work. Expecting that this won't be enough to satisfy Tryr, she will order you to speak to the other miners first, and turn them against Tryr.

There are two routes from this point on. One sees you follow Gelvu Andas' orders and attempt to break the strike on behalf of House Hlaalu. The other sees you assist Tryr in getting a resolution to the miners' demands.

Assisting House Hlaalu

If you wish to follow Gelvu's orders, then begin by speaking to the miners within the mine: Algus, Folcard, Gildaraen, Milur, and Old Kassius. Gelvu suggests starting with the 'simpleton', Algus, but you can approach the miners in any order. Once you have three on your side, you can approach Tryr to fully break his resistance, and report your success to Gelvu.

You can alternatively kill Tryr to skip this part of the quest (see Expanding the Mine, below); however, this will count as a crime and carry an expensive bounty.

Turning Algus

Algus is in the Miners Quarters, next to Tryr. Ask him about the turn them against Tryr topic. He'll say that he's not about to betray Tryr, especially while he's within earshot. Asking Algus about this last topic will see him awkwardly mutter and walk away. Follow him until he stops, and speak to him again. He'll be more open this time. The idea of expanding the mine gives him the old heebie-jeebies. He's heard ghost stories from Old Cassius about angry Ashlander spirits below. Your response to this theory will affect later dialogue, and a response is needed before you can raise the topic of turn them against Tryr with Algus again. This time, he'll agree to switch sides.

Turning Folcard

In the mine's northeastern passage you will find Folcard. Getting him to turn against Tryr requires success on a hidden Sway check, which runs when you answer his question of "What's this about?" with "You will be paid triple in company scrip, if you turn against Tryr. You should take the deal."

Success on this Sway check is more likely the higher your Personality, Speechcraft and Luck are. Your chances are improved if your Fatigue bar is full and if Folcard's disposition is high. It does not matter if you fail; you need only to convince three miners, and Folcard does not have to be one of them. Still, you can easily boost his Disposition by 25, improving your chances, by completing the quest Find Joscus' Body, started within this mine, and returning Joscus' amulet to him with some comforting words.

Turning Gildaraen

The Wood Elf, Gildaraen, wanders the mine's passageways. She makes the solid argument that she likes gold, and wants to be paid in it. Convincing her otherwise requires success on a Sway check, same as with Folcard.

Turning Milur

Milur is found in the Miners Quarters and is straightforward enough to convince. He's not in here for any crime, but to make amends for a debt owed to Tholer Andas. Simply tell him about the offer of tripled scrip and he will accept.

Turning Old Kassius

Old Kassius wanders the mine corridors, and would prefer to be left out of the entire debate. As with Folcard and Gildaraen, you'll need to succeed on a Sway check to convince him to abandon Tryr's cause.

Assisting the miners

If it's Tryr that you wish to help, speak to him about turn them against Tryr after Gelvu Andas has initially suggested it. He'll ask whose side you're on. Any answer other than refusing to answer will have him request that you help in resolving the situation, and he'll offer 200 gold to sweeten the deal. Accepting will unlock the topic beat me up, which you should ask about. This reveals Tryr's grand plan—make it seem that the miners' resistance is unbreakable by seriously hurting him (without, he requests, actually killing him).

You'll need to hit Tryr sufficiently to reduce his health to near death. He'll interrupt you when you've done enough damage. In the event that you do accidentally kill him, you can report back to Gelvu who will regretfully acknowledge that at least the miners are likely to fall in line now. Assuming, however, that he survives, speak to Gelvu and tell her that the miners' will is unbreakable. This will put her in a poor mood and slightly dent her disposition towards you (-5), but she will finally agree to pay the miners in gold.

Expanding the Mine

Once the strike is resolved, talk to Tryr about expanding the mine (or if he is dead, any miner) to initiate the expansion. Inform Gelvu that the miners are about to begin work down the northern mineshaft. She'll order you to oversee the work, so get to the elevator in the mine's far north and use the lever to descend the shaft. Then speak with the miners (Tryr, if he's alive). They'll detonate the satchel charges, revealing an ancient tomb beyond. It's a discovery worth reporting to Gelvu Andas, so do so. Be honest about your findings for 600 gold; persistence in lying about them will result in no pay at all. Gelvu for her part will be completely unsurprised by the discovery, and has new orders for you to begin the final quest of this questline.

Quest Stages

The following Journal ID and Index codes can be used with the Journal console command to manually update the quest to a certain point.

Digging Deeper (TR_m4_FG_UshuKur4)
Index	Finishes Quest	Journal Entry
10		Gelvu Andas has gotten instructions from serjo Tholer Andas to expand the mine. However, the miners are refusing to work. Gelvu Andas wants me to fix the situation. I should speak with the miners.
20		Tryr told me that the Hlaalu have started paying the miners in Hlaalu Company scrip. The miners will not continue working until they get paid in standard gold septims. Tryr wants me to let Gelvu Andas know of this demand.
50		Gelvu Andas told me that she's willing to triple the miners' salary, but only if they accept to be paid in Hlaalu Company scrip. She thinks that Tryr will probably not agree to this. She suggested that I speak with the other miners first and try to turn them against Tryr. She suggested I start the persuasion campaign with Algus. Alternatively, I could speak with Tryr first and tell him of Gelvu Andas' plan.
100		I should report to Gelvu Andas that the miners are ready to continue their work.
110		Tryr thanked me for siding with the miners. I should report to Gelvu Andas that the miners are ready to continue their work.
150		Gelvu Andas thanked me for getting the miners back to work. She said that I should go down to the northern mine shaft and observe the expansion of the mine.
225		I was told to stand back. The miners are going to break through a wall of rocks.
250		It appears that rather than finding a new iron ore vein, we have stumbled into a burial chamber of some sort. I should let Gelvu Andas know of this.
300	Finishes quest	I told Gelvu Andas of the newly-discovered burial chamber. She did not seem all that surprised. She has new orders for me.
Digging Deeper (TR_m4_FG_UshuKur4B)
10		I told Tryr that Gelvu Andas wants me to turn the other miners against him. He offered to pay me 200 drakes if I help the miners. I told him I'd think about it.
20		I told Tryr that Gelvu Andas wants me to turn the other miners against him. He offered to pay me 200 drakes if I help the miners. I declined the offer.
30		I told Tryr that Gelvu Andas wants me to turn the other miners against him. He offered to pay me 200 drakes if I help the miners. I accepted the offer.
40		Tryr says wants me to attack him.
50		I gave Tryr a trashing. He asked me to go and tell Gelvu Andas that not even violence was enough to break the miners' resolve. They want to be paid in gold septims.
75		Tryr is dead. I suppose this means the deadlock is over. I should report to Gelvu Andas.
100		Gelvu Andas says she'll yield to the miners' demands, so that the work to expand the mine can continue. I should let Tryr know that they will be paid in gold septims.
Digging Deeper (TR_m4_FG_UshuKur4C)
10		I convinced one of the miners to turn against Tryr. This is not yet enough to break the deadlock. I should speak with the others.
20		A second miner has been turned against Tryr.
30		A third miner has turned against Tryr. This should be enough to break the deadlock. I could convince the rest of the miners to turn against Tryr, or I should let Tryr know that the majority of them aren't behind him anymore.
40		A fourth miner has turned against Tryr. I should let him know that the majority of the miners are now willing to accept Gelvu Andas' deal.
50		All the miners have turned against Tryr. I should speak to him.

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