Online:Terari Heladren

Terari Heladren
Home City	Brass Fortress
Location	Derelict Laboratory, Reactor District
Race	Imperial	Gender	Female
Health	39,959 15,000 (After returning with the gem)
Reaction	Friendly
Other Information
Faction(s)	Clockwork Apostles (formerly)

Terari Heladren

Terari Heladren is an Imperial and former member of the Clockwork Apostles located in the Derelict Laboratory within the Reactor District of the Brass Fortress.

She was exiled from the order after they discovered the soul-transfer experiment she performed on her lover Bolin after he suffered mortal wounds. She is greatly upset by the pain caused to Bolin now that his spirit, trapped inside a factotum, is going insane.

Related Quests

• Most Complicated Machine: Help Sovor Saryoni find a cure for his ailment.

Quest-Related Events

"Who are you? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't reduce you to dust where you stand."

Sovor Saryoni is dying. He thinks your experiment may be the key to saving his life.

"He what? No, absolutely not! That experiment cost me everything I held dear. I was a fool to try it. Sovor of all people should know that."

It's a risk he seems willing to take. He said he'd do whatever he could to make things right.

"The only thing I want is to put an end to Bolin's misery! You want to make things right? Help me free his soul from its machine prison.
Do that, and maybe—just maybe—I'll be willing to entertain this insanity."

All right. How might I accomplish that?

"Remove the black soul gem from his factotum body and return it to me. He'll resist you, and as that machine Bolin is extremely dangerous. He nearly killed me during his last episode.
In the meantime, I'll contact Sovor, but no promises."

Who is Bolin?

"My lover, when I was still an apostle. He was mortally wounded in an accident, beyond any hope of survival, but I couldn't accept that. I was enlightened! So, I saved his life by transferring his spirit into a factotum."

The end result wasn't as you'd hoped.

"Bolin's consciousness took over the factotum, but the experience changed him. He always had a wild, creative mind, and I confined it to a cold, rigid prison. That stifled existence was too much to bear. It drove him mad."

You're certain you want me to destroy Bolin's body?

"More than certain. Every moment that he lingers in that mechanical shell is torture. For both of us.
Just don't damage the black soul gem. Honestly, I'm not sure you could, but just be careful."

Episode? What do you mean? / You mentioned an episode? What did you mean?

"Bolin's moods are unpredictable. In his rare lucid moments I try to reach out to him, but no matter what I try I only ever seem to get him worked up into a frenzy.
Seeing him like that makes me wish … I wouldn't blame him if he killed me."

What do you intend to do with the black soul gem, once you have it?

"I don't know. I'd like nothing more than to smash it into a thousand pieces, but there's no guarantee that would redeem Bolin's soul. I've been so focused on finding and stopping that factotum that I haven't really considered what would come after."

Return with the soul gem and you'll find that Proctor Sovor Saryoni has come to the laboratory and is lying on an exam table on one side of the room, and a factotum "body" on the other:

Terari Heladren: "Dust aside, the equipment is in good order. We just need the vessel and we can begin."

Proctor Sovor Saryoni: "Is that them? Have they returned? The world feels so heavy now."

Speak to her:

"This is drudging up so many unpleasant memories.
Please tell me you've managed to show Bolin some measure of peace."

Yes. I have the black soul gem.

"That's something, at least … I've agreed to attempt my experiment again with Sovor as my subject. He's promised to petition the order to end my exile if I'm successful, but I couldn't care less about that.
I just want this to be over."

Why go through with it then?

"The truth is, I need Sovor as much as he needs me. I think the only way I can safely extract Bolin's soul from the gem is to offer it something in exchange. Who knows if I'll ever have another willing subject.
Can I count on your assistance?"

What do you need me to do?

"I'd like you close at hand in case Sovor has a similar reaction to the experiment as Bolin.
Throw that switch when you're ready to begin the transfer. I'll keep watch on the equipment from here."

Speaking to her again before using the switch:

"Pull the switch when you're ready to initiate the transfer. Just be prepared in the all-too-likely event Sovor loses control."

Go to the switch and throw it:

Terari Heladren: "It's begun. Now would be the time to pray."

Sovor begins to pray:

Proctor Sovor Saryoni: "I have faith in Lord Seht's tenets: observe, learn, apply. Trust in his grand design."

Both Sovor and the factotum begin to spark. After a few seconds, the factotum gets up from the table… with Sovor's voice:

Sovor Saryoni: "Yes … it's sublime, this … order."

Meanwhile, you hear a different voice from Sovor's dunmer body:

Bolin: "Y'ffre, I can feel! Thank you, I can feel …."

Terari Heladren: "I—I think it worked! Please, please, let it have worked …."

Speak to her:

"Is it him? Is that really my Bolin, or just what's left? Will he hate me? Will he even recognize me?
I—I can't. I can't do this. I can't face him."

This may be your last chance to.

"I know—it's better than not knowing, always wondering, but ….
Thank you, for ending this. I—I need a moment. I don't think Bolin has long."

Terari turns to Bolin:

Terari Heladren: "Bolin! Is it you? Speak to me! I need to know it's still you. Please!"

Bolin: "Terari …? When did we get so old? It's time now, isn't it?"

Terari Heladren: "It is … you're free now. I'm sorry for all the pain I caused."

Bolin: "Enough tears, love. We're liable to rust. There, that's the smile …."

Bolin passes.

Speak to Terari after the quest:

"Did you see? Bolin! It was him. He seemed … whole again."

Sovor transitioned as well.

"Oh, yes. He does seem to be coping well … or he's at least more sedate in his insanity.
Don't worry, I'll keep watch over him and make sure he doesn't lapse into some violent fugue."

Bolin seemed grateful for what you did.

"He'd been suffering for so long … I'm glad his passing was a peaceful one. I have to hope that, wherever he finds to rest, he's the same beautiful soul I remember. Not the tormented mind I saw in that machine."

You still have doubts about this outcome?

"I'd mostly accepted that there would be no end to my punishment, I don't know that I can believe all this might work out in the end.
I'll be watchful, not hopeful, for a while yet."

Take the good with the bad. Dwelling on things is only going to make you miserable.

"I … I will try. I haven't had much cause for celebration in a long time. Out of practice. Heh.
It's going to take some work …."

What will you do now that this is all behind you?

"Sovor seems convinced that the Clockwork Apostles need a mind like mine. I won't hold my breath waiting for them to agree.
I'll keep in his company for a while. At least until I'm convinced he's stable. After that? I really can't say."

Why do you think his transition was so much easier than Bolin?

"Maybe it's Sovor's faith in Sotha Sil's wisdom, or his willingness, or understanding of the transition … or maybe he's just better suited to it.
Bolin wasn't a Clockwork Apostle, and I made that choice for him. It was a selfish mistake."

Dialogue

After the quest, you can hear her and Sovor having a futile discussion with Proctor Teryon in the main square:

Proctor Teryon: "You expect me to believe this is Sovor? It's an elaborate ruse, to your credit."

Proctor Sovor Saryoni: "Skepticism is an appropriate reaction, but do not dismiss Terari as we did so long ago. Her theories are sound."

Terari Heladren: "I didn't do this to get in the order's good graces. I didn't even do it because he begged me to. This is pointless, Sovor."

Proctor Teryon: "Stop calling it that. Proctor Saryoni was a troubled man, but I won't have you defaming his name with your heresies."

Proctor Sovor Saryoni: "It wasn't until death cast its shadow over my flesh that I saw the true beauty of brass. Do not wait too long to open your eyes, Llornil."

Notes

• Terari Heladren has a Dark Elf name despite being an Imperial.