Online:Mother of Rats

Mother of Rats
Home Settlement	Shimmerene
Location	Mother's Den, Shimmerene Waterworks
Race	High Elf	Gender	Female
Health	39,959 15,000 (Towards the end of the quest)
Reaction	Friendly

Mother of Rats

The Mother of Rats is a High Elf exile leading a community of fellow misfits from Mother's Den in the Shimmerene Waterworks. At the completion of the quest, she'll be removed from the waterworks.

Related Quests

• A Tale of Two Mothers: Uncover a plot hatching in the Shimmerene underground.

Quest-Related Dialogue

"Well, well... you made it. You'll forgive me if I don't stand to greet you. I have a thing about social niceties.
My spies told me you were coming, but neglected to say why. You're a recent arrival to the isle, yes? I'm intrigued. What brings you?"

I'm looking for a young High Elf called Arathel. Do you know anything about that?

"Ah, Arathel. The reluctant idealist. Yes, I know a bit.
He's a friend of ours. I heard he was in a spot of trouble, so I sent a few of my children to collect him. Unfortunately, he bumbled his way into a prison cell. That was... ill-advised."

He wasn't in the cell for long. Did you take him?

"We had nothing to do with it. That boy has run afoul of some very dangerous people, and they're not about to let him go.
Arathel's a valuable commodity down here. He's young, impressionable, and most importantly, he has access to the Sapiarch."

Arathel insisted that he was involved in a plot to kill the Sapiarch when he turned himself in.

"Well, he wasn't lying.
A rival of mine, Mirulon, swept Arathel away from us. Lured him in with promises of adventure—convinced him that killing the Sapiarch would start a revolution. Of course, the boy got cold feet. Now they have him."

So do you know where they took him?

"No. But I know someone who does.
I sent one of my children to keep an eye on Mirulon's operation—a Khajiit named Zan'hi. He'll know where the boy's kept. Explore the tunnels west of here. You'll find Zan'hi. Or more likely, he'll find you."

After you learnt what you need, you have the opportunity to continue talking to her:

Who are you exactly?

"I'm the Mother of Rats. You know that already.
Are you looking for an autobiography or something? Speak plainly."

I just want to know a little more about the person I'm working with.

"That's fair. I guess.
I'm what the clods in the kinhouses call an apraxic—an Elf criminal. There are other High Elf misfits called ousters, but the fortunes of an apraxic are a little more severe."

What did you do?

"I forged a document."

"That's all?

"Well, the ensuing dispute sent forty-three mer to the funeral pyre. It was a patent of lineage, you see. Kinlords take that sort of thing very seriously. Insufferable.
Anyway, they shattered my calian—my praxic talisman—and sent me packing."

Why did you do it?

"For the most foolish reason of all—love. Hilarious, right?
Anyway. Everyone here knows my past, but they accept me as I am. They even look to me for leadership. As if they need it. Heirarchy's a bad joke, cerum. Remember that."

How well do you know Arathel?

"Well enough. He's young—which is to say he's bull-headed and self-righteous. Good for a laugh if nothing else.
He came looking for relief from the strictness, you know? All the rules and expectations... They can drive an Elf mad."

Do you think he'd be capable of killing a Sapiarch?

"Fifty years of exile has taught me many, many things, but the most important lesson is this—anyone is capable of anything. A snot-nosed kynd would murder his most beloved dog with a shovel if you gave him a good enough reason."

Do you think Mirulon gave him a good enough reason?

"Clearly, he didn't. And I thank the fates for that. Arathel wouldn't make it a week as an aprax. Too much of a people person.
It's lucky for us too. If someone killed the Sapiarch, we'd be blamed. Guaranteed. Just another fringe benefit of exile."

What can you tell me about Mirulon and his group?

"Mirulon's a recent arrival. He's not an aprax or an ouster, but he tries to act the part.
I've twisted more arms than I can count trying to find out where he's from, but so far I have very little to show for it. That's why Zan'hi's where he is."

Do you know why he'd want the Sapiarch dead?

"Because killing the Sapiarchs will provoke that elusive revolution we're all supposed to be pining for. The Sapiarchs, the Divine Prosecution, the Ascendants... they're masters of a deranged system of oppression. Who wouldn't want a bit of pay back?"

Do you believe in all that?

"Of course not! Revolutions are just fairy tales for idiot children. Killing a Sapiarch will do nothing but bring the Divine Prosecution down on our heads.
The more I learn about Mirulon, the more I think that might be exactly what he wants."

If spoken to before heading out:

"Funny. I thought you were in a rush.
You can linger here as long as you like. Just don't bring any of that kinlord hypocrisy with you. I live down here for a reason, you know. Oh, and leave the rats be. They're particular about company."

At the end of the quest, a short dialogue exists between Arathel, Talerion, Edgar Jend, and herself:

Arathel: "Mother!"

Talerion: "Hold there, Arathel! By order of the Divine Prosecution!"

Edgar Jend: "Easy, guardsman. This boy is under our protection."

Mother of Rats: "All of you, quiet! Have a word with our mutual friend, Talerion... if you want the truth, that is."

Speaking to her again will complete the quest:

"So, you found our lost sheep. Well done. As you can see, I sent for Arathel's mother. She won't speak to me of course, but she seems appreciative enough. Perhaps this will be a teachable moment for the both of them. One can hope, I suppose."

What will happen to Arathel?

"Difficult to say. The fact that he's been fraternizing with apraxics won't reflect well on him. But at least you proved he's not a murderer. That's something, right? You've done far more than rescue a stray High Elf, cerum. take this, and my thanks."

If you speak to her one last time before leaving, she'll give a bit of advice:

"Have care up there on the surface, cerum. All those beautiful gardens and white stones hide a rotten core. Don't trust anyone but yourself."