Online:Gabrielle Benele

Gabrielle Benele; (lore page)
Location	Merovec's Folly, Lion Guard Redoubt, Cath Bedraud, Sentinel, Evermore Castle, Coldharbour; Anvil Guildhall; The Antiquarian Circle
Health	39,959
Reaction	Friendly
Other Information
Follower	The Final Assault
Faction(s)	Mages Guild; Antiquarian Circle

Gabrielle Benele

Gabrielle Benele is a member of the Mages Guild first encountered in Glenumbra when she helps fight back against Angof. She can later be found helping King Fahara'jad in Alik'r and Queen Arzhela in Bangkorai. She is part of the invasion force that enters Coldharbour.

Gabrielle is also the author of several books. One of them mentions how she left the University of Gwylim, though she rejoined through the University's most prestigious historical society, the Antiquarian Circle, and is now their chief arcanist and leader. Sara Benele is her sister.

Related Quests[edit]

The Lion Guard's Stand: Search for the missing Lion Guard patrols near the Lion Guard Redoubt.
Mastering the Talisman: Help a Mages Guild wizard recharge an ancient relic.
Mists of Corruption: Find a way through the poison mists at Cath Bedraud.
The Labyrinth: Find a safe place within the labyrinth of crypts at Cath Bedraud.
Angof the Gravesinger: Stop Angof the Gravesinger's necromantic plan to conquer Glenumbra.
The Impervious Vault: Stop the Withered Hand from raiding the Impervious Vault.
Kingdom in Mourning: Make haste for Bangkorai and rally the defenses of Evermore.
The Parley: Attend a parley with the Imperial Magus-General.
The Weight of Three Crowns: Convince all three alliances to invade Coldharbour.
The Army of Meridia: Build an army to take on a Daedric Prince.
The Citadel Must Fall: Storm the Dremora defenses to reach the Endless Stair.
The Final Assault: Launch an assault on the Endless Stair and destroy the Planar Vortex.
The Antiquarian's Art: Learn how to scry and excavate Antiquities.

Quest-Related Events[edit]

Glenumbra[edit]

The Lion Guard's Stand[edit]

Gabrielle beneath Merovec's Folly

Gabrielle can be first be encountered in a crypt beneath the ruins of Merovec's Folly when you have asked to find her.

"I hate meeting new people when I'm not at my best. Is my hair all right? Are my robes on straight?"

Commander Ales sent me to help you.

"Commander Ales? A good man and a good soldier.
But how did you find me?"

You left your journal at the camp.

"I did? I knew I left my journal somewhere.
But I haven't told you the most exciting news! I found the Midnight Talisman. With it, we can punch a hole in Angof's barrier at Cath Bedraud. We just need to recharge the beautiful little relic."

What's the Midnight Talisman?

"Do you like the name? I thought it up myself. Sounds simply ominous, doesn't it? Anyhow, it's a Daedric relic used to manipulate Oblivion portals. If you know how you can use the talisman to get past arcane barriers.
And I know how."

So this talisman is the key to defeating Angof?

"The talisman would be the key to defeating Angof—if its power wasn't depleted. We need to recharge the talisman.
Then we'll finally get our chance to deal with Angof and take the battle to him!

If you choose to exit out of the quest completion text before you turn in the quest, she will alternatively say:

"You're back. I could use your help with the Midnight Talisman."

So this talisman is the key to defeating Angof?

Mastering the Talisman[edit]

If you choose not to pick up the quest from her, she will say "With the Midnight Talisman, we can finally take the battle to Angof."

Speaking to her to start quest:

"Will you help me recharge the Midnight Talisman?"

Of course. What do I need to do?

"I have a ritual that can recharge the talisman and restore its power.
There's an ancient Wyrd site on the beach near here. We can use that as the focus for the ritual."

You're injured. Can you travel?

"I just need to rest for a bit. Then I can get myself there and still have enough power for the ritual.
Here, take the talisman and head on down. I'll meet you there."

I'll meet you at the ritual site.

Before leaving for the beach, you can speak with her again.

"Take the path down to the beach.
I'm too weak to walk, so I'll use my magic and meet you there."

Once you have arrived at the site, she will have already teleported there.

"You made it. No zombie bites or anything."

Can you explain what we're about to do?

"I found an inscription in the crypt. It described the relic in remarkable detail. Apparently, the talisman can draw energy from the land itself.
Ancient magic saturates this site. It's the perfect place to perform the ritual of recharging!"

So what happens next?

"I perform the ritual. You stand there and look heroic. Simple?
Are you ready?"

I'm ready

She will then begin the ritual:

Gabrielle Benele: "Here goes nothing."

Gabrielle Benele: "It's done! But something's not right."

"I know you can handle whatever's inside the talisman."

You can ask her what is wrong.

"That didn't seem right."

What happened? Are you all right?

"The ritual worked, but something … well, something awful looked at me while I was channeling energy into the relic.
I think there's something trapped inside the talisman."

There's something inside the talisman?

"Whatever's inside the relic, it's certainly not friendly.
We can try to dispel it using the Wyrd revelation stone in the circle just up the beach. Put the talisman on the stone and kill whatever emerges. That will do the trick."

I'll kill it. What about you?

"Just handle getting down here tired me out more than it should have. I known you can handle whatever's inside the talisman.
I'm pretty sure it's just a banekin or a lesser scamp."

Put the talisman on the stone and kill what comes out. Got it.

Speaking to her again:

"The circle is just northeast of here, up the trail along the beach.
Place the talisman in the revelation pool. That should force whatever's inside to come out."

Once the Daedric entity has been purged from the talisman, Gabrielle will arrive to see the tail end of the fight.

Gabrielle Benele: "You did it! Wings of Akatosh, what was that thing?"

She will then apologize for underestimating the entity within the talisman.

"Julianos! I was wrong about how powerful thing in the talisman was. My apologies."

It was a Dremora. Is the talisman all right?

"Dremora? Oh, those are bad. Sorry. At least it's gone and we can use the talisman now.
I have enough energy to open a portal for both of us to use. Are you ready to return to the redoubt?"

I'm ready.

Gabrielle will want to speak with you once you have returned to the Lion Guard Redoubt.

"This is it. All out work has led to this."

What's the next step?

"We're ready to confront Angof and destroy him. Thanks to you, he won't be able to hide from us now.
I told Sir Lanis what happened out there. You should introduce yourself when you get a chance."

Once Mastering the Talisman has been completed:

"Angof the Gravesinger is as good as dead.
Or is he already dead? Or undead? Anyway, this is almost over."

Mists of Corruption[edit]

Gabrielle will arrive in the Cath Bedraud graveyard once you have returned to Darien after finding enough Bloodthorn Amulets.

"These soldiers won't last much longer and I don't have enough magic to extend my ward to protect them.
Darien told me about the amulets. Did you get them? With any luck, they'll work like the talisman you're carrying."

Here are the amulets I acquired.

"Perfect. Thank you. I'll put them on the wounded knights and Darien can lead them to safety.
Do you have any more? I might be able to use them to clear the mist.

Yes, I collected a few extra amulets.

"If I merge them and cast an amplification spell I can increase the size of my protection ward. If I can get to a central point and hold the spell long enough, our troops will be able to get in.
You just need to defend me while I do it."

Consider yourself defended

"Good. Meet me at the center of the graveyard.
When Angof notices what I'm doing, he's bound to send someone to stop me. If they interrupt me while I'm casting, the spell will fail. And that won't be good."

Speaking to her again:

"Meet me at the center of the graveyard. I'll be along shortly.
Remember, I can clear a path for the soldiers, but I can't protect myself and perform the magic."

Once at the center of Cath Bedraud Gabrielle will be ready to perform her ritual.

Gabrielle Benele:"Quickly now, before Angof knows we're here."

You can speak with her when you are ready to begin.

"Are you ready to begin?
Remember that I can't defend myself while I'm performing the ritual. You have to protect me."

Let's begin.

"Stay close. You need them off me until I finish."

Once she starts the ritual, she will remind you:

Gabrielle Benele:"Stay close. You have to keep them away from me until I complete the ritual."

When it is completed she will say:

Gabrielle Benele: "We did it! Come one. Let's get inside before anything else tries to stop us!"

Before you enter you will need to speak with her.

"That takes care of the mist, but who knows for how long? Let's not waste this opportunity.
The time to strike at Angof has arrived."

What's next

"This next bit is critical. I've seen what you can do, so I know you're up to it.
Besides, we'd never have made it this far if not for you."

The Labyrinth[edit]

"You won't be able to just walk into Angof's parlor and challenge him to a duel. He has minions. His kind always has minions.
But don't let that stop you. We've come too far not to try to finish this."

Aren't you coming with me?

"I'll follow you as soon as the soldiers get here.
Oh! Even better! Take this binding stone. Find a secure location inside the catacombs and use it to call me to you. I'll even bring some of the soldiers with me!"

How will I know if a location is secure?

"Some of the dead were protected by wards designed to prevent desecration. Look for a tomb with these wards and use the stone there.
That should be safe enough for my purposes."

I'll summon you once I locate one of the wards.

"Go on. Through the portal with you.
There's no time to waste."

Once inside the Cath Bedraud Catatombs Gabrielle can be found nearby and she will quickly realize that something has gone wrong.

"Good, you found the perfect spot for ….
Wait, where are the others?"

Others?

"Yes. Sir Lanis and his knights volunteered to come with me, but I only see Dame Alexine.
There must have been too many of us for the binding stone. This isn't good. The other knights could have been scattered throughout the crypts."

I'll look for the missing knights on my way to face Angof.

"Good. But listen—there's only one way to get out of these crypts. You have to kill Angof.
I don't have any other way to deal with his various protections and defenses now that I'm down here. He dies or we never leave. Those are our choices."

Before you go find the knights:

"And everything was just starting to go so well, too."

Angof the Gravesinger[edit]

When you enter Angof's inner sanctum:

Gabrielle Benele:"We'll do what we can to help. Just stay away from his vines."

Speaking to her here:

"We'll stop him, I'm sure of it. Keep away from those thorns and you'll be fine."

While fighting Angof the Gravesinger, she will create magical shields to protect you.

Gabrielle Benele: "Get to the light, before his magic destroys you!"

Once he is dead, she will create a portal:

Gabrielle Benele: "You did it. Now hurry! Through the portal you go!"

After escaping back to the Lion Guard Redoubt she will want to welcome you back.

"Well, that was fun, wasn't it? All right, maybe fun isn't the right word. But you were glorious!
Angof is finally dead. We can't thank you enough for what you've done."

Where are the others?

"The others have all collapsed in their tents. They're exhausted! But I wanted to welcome you back.
And Sir Lanis wants to talk to you. He's telling the Lion Guard commander what happened."

What does Sir Lanis want?

"Who knows? Maybe he wants to give you a medal or something.
Well, go on. We'll be fine. I promise."

Before heading off to speak to Sir Lanis:

"Come on back after you talk to Sir Lanis.
You know, if you feel like it."

After speaking with the commander, Gabrielle will have a final goodbye for you before you move on.

"We've been through quite a bit together, haven't we?
If you ever pass this way again, feel free to stop by and visit. I can think of a few other rituals that you can help me with, if you're interested."

Alik'r Desert[edit]

Prior to clearing the docks, she'll only say:

"Isn't it pleasant up here? It's far above the dust of the streets, the air is cooler … between you and me, I think that's why mages build towers. Smart, huh?"

Or, if you have completed Angof the Gravesinger,^{and started the quest?} she'll enthusiastically greet you with:

"Hey—I know you! We killed that crazy old necromancer together—Angof. Remember the midnight talisman we used to break into Cath Bedraud? I still can't believe that worked.
So I don't suppose you need help with something fun like that?"

The Impervious Vault[edit]

During The Impervious Vault, King Fahara'jad sends you to Gabrielle for her assistance to break into the vault.

If you completed Angof the Gravesinger, she'll say:

"Hey—I know you! We broke into Cath Bedraud together, killed that crazy old necromancer, Angrad, er … Angolf …. What was his name again?
I guess it doesn't matter now that he's dead. Ha! Good to see you!"

If not, she'll simply say: "So, did you come up here for the atmosphere or do you have business with the guild?"

Either way, you'll say:

King Faraha'jad needs help to break into the Impervious Vault.

"Are you joking? I've been wanting to take a crack at that place ever since I heard the name.
Wait a minute—did Simone put you up to this? Why would the king want to break into the vault?"

It's true. Necromancers are trying to steal the Ansei Wards.

"Necromancers? Ansei Wards? Fascinating! Count me in.
So we just need to break the seal? Hmm … I know. Let's try this. Go to the bazaar and get Flame Stalk from Lucienne and Worm's Head from Neenebah. Then meet me at the vault. This … could work."

After accepting to help her collect reagents:

"Go on now. I can't just twirl my staff and tell the Impervious Vault to open up. I need those reagents.
Hurry. I'll meet you at the vault."

Once the required reagents are collected, Gabrielle can be found outside the vault.

"Aha! Perfect! Say though, you didn't happen to pick up a few giant's toes while you were at the bazaar, did you?"

No, but I have the other reagents you asked for.

"That's fine. Giant's toes could make a bigger gap in the seal, but they're probably hard to find here anyways.
These should do the trick … I think. Hmm. Worm's Head on top of the Flame Stalk or Flame Stalk inside the Worm's Head?"

Are you sure you know what you're doing?

"Oh. Absolutely. It's only one person going in anyways. Without the giant's toes, I can only open the seals so far.
Of course, Fahara'jad thinks that one person should be you. He wants to talk to you first though. Go on up."

Aren't you going to open the vault?

"Sure. I just need a minute to think about exactly how to word this … hmm.
Gada, Gada, Tobr'a...Tobr'a Tobr'a Gada …?
Go on. I'll be right up."

If she is spoken with again, she will still be muttering spell words:

"Gada, Gada, Tobr'a … Netu …
No. that can't be right."

Gabrielle opens the Vault

Once King Fahara'jad has been reported to, Gabrielle will begin her attempt at opening the Vault.

Gabrielle Benele: "Stand back, your Majesty! I'm not sure how the Vault will react!"

Gabrielle Benele: "I hope this works …"

"It worked! Go quickly. I don't know how long it will stay open!"

After returning from the vault she will be glad to see you survived:

"So it did work? It was so quiet after you went in, I worried, but seeing you now, well, I feel so proud, and relieved, of course."

Once the successful theft of the Ansei Wards has been reported:

"Fried fire salts! This is way worse than I realized.
The Withered Hand, eh? When I get back to the tower, I'll see if I have anything on them … it'll be useful when you come ask for my help again, which I'm sure you will."

Restoring the Ansei Wards[edit]

Gabrielle is one of the people invited down into the Impervious Vault to watch the restoration of the Ansei Wards, she is disappointed that King Fahara'jad wouldn't let her study the wards.

"Hmmph! I can't believe the king's being so over-cautious. I asked to borrow one of the Ansei Wards for a few days to study it, and he flatly refused!
I'm still glad you got them back, of course … we make a pretty good team, I think."

Kingdom in Mourning[edit]

Once King Fahara'jad has asked you to travel to Evermore to scope out the situation, Gabrielle can be asked open a portal to make the journey quicker.

"Did I overhear correctly? Fahara'jad asked you to go to Evermore?
Sounds like that place is shaping up to be a real trouble spot. I wish I could come along, but the guild's got me doing something else. Probably not nearly so interesting."

Could you open a portal to Evermore for me?

"Of course. That's a big city, though. Wouldn't want to drop you on top of some unfortunate merchant.
How about the bridge right outside the gates …? Hmm. I've heard the Reachmen are "at the gates," but that could just be a figure of speech …?"

Sure. I'll take my chances.

"One portal to the gates of Evermore right here for you.
Good luck. From what I've heard, you're going to need it."

You heard the Reachmen are at the city gates?

"Well, that's what Simone said, but she's a shameless gossip. Furthermore, she might have meant it as a figure of speech. Surely the Reachmen aren't literally "at the gate" ….
At least I hope they're not, for Evermore's sake … and for yours."

Why not portal me into the Mages Guild in Evermore?

"Well … it's a long story. I was a novice, and there was this herd of swine. I meant to send them to Northglen, just outside Evermore, but I got a syllable wrong, and ….
Anyway, I'm not allowed to open a portal into the Guild there anymore."

Bangkorai[edit]

The Parley[edit]

Once Uela the Hagraven has been defeated, Gabrielle can be found in Evermore Castle leading the Mage's Guild group sent to assist Queen Arzhela during her meeting with Septima Tharn.

If this is your first Daggerfall Covenant quest with her, she'll greet you with:

"Hi there. Queen Arzhela told me about all you did for the city. Sounds like they should be building a statue.
Anyways, compared to what you've already dealt with, this should be a cinch. Really, our part only comes into play if there's a problem."

Otherwise, she'll say:

"Surprised to see me? Sounds like I already missed some interesting experiences. A Hagraven controlling crows? I want to see that!
This business has potential too. Of course, our part only comes into play if there's trouble. Let's hope there isn't."

What is our part in this?

"We'll be in position above the parley site. If the Imperials try anything, we'll make sure they regret it. The three of us can cast spells to rain down fire, ice, lightning—we have it all.
You'll just need to tell us where to target our spells."

All right. I can handle that.

"I hope so, because we're going to spread out and each cover a different area. If anyone comes, we'll call it out, but we'll wait for you to direct us."

Sounds like a good plan.

She will ask you when you're ready to enter the portal to the parley site:

"Whenever you're ready to go to the parley site, let me know and I'll open a portal.
Let's hope that creating portals is the only magic we need today."

I'm ready to go right now.

"Excellent. I'm going to open one portal directly to the parley site for the queen and the Fighters Guild members, and another to take us above. Actually, I guess we should go first. Now, which portal was which?
Oh! I remember. Here we go."

I'll go through the portal as soon as you open it.

Once you have given the go ahead, Gabrielle will open a portal.

Gabrielle Benele: "Give me a moment here. It takes a lot of energy to open a portal over this distance."

Gabrielle Benele: "That should do it. Enter when ready. We'll be right behind you."

After arriving at the Nchu Duabthar Threshold, Gabrielle will ask you to get into position.

Gabrielle Benele: "Good! Looks like everyone ended up in the right place. Let's get to our positions."

Once in the correct spot.

Gabrielle Benele: "The queen should be here any moment … I hope, at least."

Once in position the Queen and her Fighters Guild escorts will arrive and Queen Arzhela will have her meeting with Septima Tharn before getting ambushed by the Seventh Legion.

Gabrielle Benele: "Fried fire salts! They're coming all right. Don't forget, we're looking to you to direct our spells. Don't worry about targeting over our allies. I promise, we won't fry the queen. Everyone—call them out when you see them!"

Throughout the battle Gabrielle will occasionally call out when Legion reinforcements enter from the south.

Gabrielle Benele: "Imperials coming from that door to the south!"

Gabrielle Benele: "More from the south! Let's get them!"

Gabrielle Benele: "They just keep coming! Another group from the south!"

Eventually there will be a lull in the enemy waves and Gabrielle will attempt to open a portal to reach the Queen.

Gabrielle Benele: "That can't be the last of them! It's a break though. I'll open a portal to get us down to the queen!"

Gabrielle Benele: "My magicka is almost depleted. It's going to take all I've got to open a portal back to the palace. Be ready!"

Darien Gautier: "Can't you cast any faster, Gabrielle? The Imperials can. More portals opening up!"

Gabrielle Benele: "The portal to Evermore … go, Your Majesty, go!"

After you enter the portal back to Evermore Castle, the Queen will be concerned that no one else has come back. Once the Queen has been spoken with, Darien and Gabrielle will return as the remaining survivors.

Darien Gautier: "That … could've gone better …."

Gabrielle Benele: "I didn't think I had another portal in me … glad I was wrong."

Queen Arzhela: "Well … at least some of us survived."

Gabrielle can be further spoken with:

"My next personal project … I'm going to figure out how to open two portals at once."

Coldharbour[edit]

The Hollow City[edit]

Gabrielle at the Guildhall

Gabrielle will have arrived with the reinforcements from Tamriel and can be found in The Hollow City's Mages Guildhall after you rescue Vanus Galerion. If you talk with her she will be prepared for the upcoming assault.

"We all knew we'd be fighting for our lives and the lives of the people of Nirn when we agreed to undertake this mission.
I never expected anything different."

The Army of Meridia[edit]

Reuniting with Vanus Galerion[edit]

When Vanus Galerion returns to the Mages Guild after his rescue and the breaking of The Great Shackle, Gabrielle will be one of the people to welcome him back.

Manis Dral: "Ah, my old friend! I thought we'd lost you."

Nalia: "What? It … it can't be!"

Vanus Galerion: "So good to see you all again, my friends! I'm glad we all made it here safely."

Nalia: "Vanny! You're alive! That's wonderful!"

Vanus Galerion: "Ah, dear Nalia! My heart fills with delight at the sight of you! Yes, I am safe."

Gabrielle Benele: "Where have you been, old friend? Trying to win the war all by yourself again?"

Vanus Galerion: "Well, yes, but I ran into a bit of trouble. Our friend here showed up and lent me a hand."

Nalia: "Well, then, you have our thanks. I'm not sure we could have gone on without … without Vanus …."

Vanus Galerion: "Cheer up, dear Nalia. I'm here now. But our mission isn't finished. We have to destroy the planar vortex and end the Planemeld."

Manis Dral: "Do you have a plan, old friend?"

Vanus Galerion: "I know what we need to do, I'm just not sure how we go about doing it. We need to discuss this with the Fighters Guild. We need a council of war."

The War Council[edit]

Gabrielle will be one of the Mages attending the war council in the Chapel of Light. If you talk to her before the meeting starts, she will be pleasantly surprised by the current level of cooperation.

"The Mages Guild and Fighters Guild, working together! I never thought I'd see the day!
But with you helping us, I'm sure that everything with turn out fine."

Once you speak with King Dynar, the meeting will begin.

King Laloriaran Dynar: "Attention, please! I have called you all here because the moment of destiny fast approaches."

King Laloriaran Dynar: "The Great Shackle has been destroyed, but not before a planar vortex was established. We must destroy this vortex before it sucks the very essence of Nirn into Coldharbour."

King Laloriaran Dynar: "The Fighters Guild shall deal with the Chasm's defenders, but blades have little power against magic."

Vanus Galerion: "And that's where my mages come in."

Vanus Galerion: "Out scouts report that some kind of magical fixtures block access to the path across the Chasm. Mages there already work on a way to overcome these fixtures, and we are prepared to lend our strength when the main force arrives."

Sergeant Kamu: "A sound plan. Plays to our unique strengths. But this one wonders, what if the mages can't overcome Molag Bal's magic?

Vanus Galerion: "A ridiculous question! Of course my mages can overcome this magic!"

Cadwell: "Ah, magic! The solution to all life's problems. I love magic! It's so … magical."

King Laloriaran Dynar: "I have absolute confidence in Vanus and his mages."

Gabrielle Benele: "Thank you, your lordship. But to be honest with you, I'm not feeling as confident as Vanus about this."

King Laloriaran Dynar: "We shall fight with all our strength. There is no other option. Lives will be lost, but hopefully a world will be saved."

King Laloriaran Dynar: "Know that the Chasm is only the first stage of this battle. The planar vortex abides within the very heart of the Molag Bal's lair."

Darien Gautier: "Oh, this just gets better and better!"

Gabrielle Benele: "Darien! Mind your tongue!"

King Laloriaran Dynar: "Darien only seeks to lighten a tense situation. Still, we have to try. To do nothing is to doom Tamriel to certain destruction."

Darien Gautier: "Well, when you put it that way, there are a lot of lovely ladies that need to be saved …."

Vanus Galerion: "Yes, well, be that as it may, we launch our assault on the Chasm immediately. The King needs to talk to the champion and I must discuss some final details with the mages. The rest of you have your own preparations to see to, I'm sure."

The Citadel Must Fall[edit]

Gabrielle will be one of those gathered at the Endless Stairs portal.

"I never expected to be standing in Coldharbour, helping command a force of elite mages. It's every little girl's dream come true!
I'm just glad you're here. We never would have gotten this far without you."

The Final Assault[edit]

After you receive your orders from Vanus, you will be required to talk to Gabrielle and Hahnin for your briefings.

"The Mages Guild stands ready to do our part for this effort. I just wish I had as much confidence as Vanus Galerion. We're facing some overwhelming odds here, you know."

Vanus said you would brief me on the plan.

"Molag Bal is using tactics similar to what we faced in the Chasm. He's set up a portal to move his troops around quickly. As you head in to open the Labyrinth, we need you to close that portal."

Why not send a full force?

"King Dynar insists that the initial strike be fast and precise. He doesn't want the entire army getting in your way or causing Molag Bal to respond in kind.
You've proven yourself time and time again. We have faith that you can do this."

Once you have been briefed, she will instead greet you with a reminder.

"Remember, we need you to close that reinforcement portal before you unlock the Labyrinth. As long as the portal is functioning, Molag Bal has the ability to overwhelm us with Daedric forces."

Do you want to accompany me on this mission?

"Me? Really? I'd be honored.
But I think you'd be better served with a fighter type right now. I'm sure we'll meet up somewhere along the way, though. I won't let the people of Nirn down."

I hope to see you in there.

"After you disable the reinforcement portal, I'll try to catch up with you before you enter the Labyrinth.
We'll stop this Planemeld together. We have to."

She and Vanus will appear via portal in front of the Labyrinth after you close the reinforcement portal. If you speak to her before she enters the building, she'll say:

"Vanus is amazing with his portal placement. Conjuration has never been a strength of mine."

You can catch up with Gabrielle and her team in Molag Bal's personal library within the Labyrinth. They will be trying to get the nearby gate open.

"This room is so big. I never expected the Prince to be much of a reader. But all these books! Imagine the wealth of knowledge they contain.
I could spend years in here. If we didn't have more important matters to deal with, I mean."

What's going on in here?

"We can't get out of this room. The door on the other side won't budge, and we haven't been able to figure out the mechanism yet."

How can I help?

"Search around the room, I guess. Who knows? You might find something useful among the dark tomes and old fables about lusty Argonians.
But I've never seen a mechanism like this before. It's rather fascinating."

If you talk with her again, she will remind you.

"Just look around until we figure out a way to either open that gate or get around it."

After you unlock the gate she will tell you to go on ahead.

"With the door opened, we can proceed deeper into the Labyrinth.
Go on! We'll be right behind you."

Once you make your way through the Dark Chamber, Gabrielle will catch up with you with the others.

Gabrielle Benele: "With the door opened, we can proceed deeper into the Labyrinth.
Go on! We'll be right behind you."

You can speak to her when you stop momentarily after crossing the bridge.

"There's no time to rest. We have to keep moving. I'll sure our flank is protected while you clear the way ahead."

When you enter the Statue Room, the door will lock behind you once you and Gabrielle enter.

Gabrielle Benele: "A one-way door. Looks like we can only go forward from here. I hope the others are all right."

You can talk to her before going forward.

"I can't imagine we have too much farther to go. We just need to cross this region and we'll find the planar vortex in no time."

I'm ready when you are.

"Stick close to me. There's probably something waiting in here that wants to kill us."

Gabrielle will then become your follower, as you walk through the room she will notice something.

Gabrielle Benele: "There has to be a way to get out of here … wait a moment … something bad is about to happen …."

The Fiend Statues will then awake.

Gabrielle Benele: "Sometimes I hate it when I'm right. Here they come!"

After you fight of the attack, Gabrielle will be determined to keep on moving.

Gabrielle Benele: "Come on! We need to find a way out of here."

Gabrielle Benele: "I need to get this door open. Hold them off while I work on this!"

When the door is unlocked she will run on through.

Gabrielle Benele: "The door's finally open! Let's go!"

Once you are through the door, Cadwell and Vanus will teleport in. You can talk to Gabrielle during the brief lull in action.

"That was a close call. Thanks for helping me in there.
I don't know about you, but I'm really starting to dislike Daedric death traps."

Gabrielle will be one of your surviving allies that Meridia brings to you through the Planar Vortex portal. You'll have a chance to talk with Gabrielle before starting the final part of the mission. Despite her losses, she will be determined to close the vortex.

"I imagined that this was going to be grand adventure, but I never pictured the horror of all this.
So many of our friends and companions have died, and this damn vortex still threatens our world. I think it's time we shut it down. Permanently."

You sound determined.

"Damn right I'm determined! And more than a little irritated at all this! Come on, hero, let's show Molag Bal how it's done!
Then I can get back to the ordinary craziness I usually get to deal with."

Do you really think we can win?

"I think we can. I hope we can. All I know is we've come too far to give up now.
I … I just worry that we still have a lot of fight left to go. I think more of us are going to die before this is all over."

After several of the Dark Anchors are destroyed, Gabrielle will try to stay behind and buy time for the group to destroy the vortex. Darien will refuse to leave her.

Gabrielle Benele: "We're running out of time. I'll make sure these anchors are destroyed. You have to keep moving! Place the light and disrupt this vortex."

Darien Gautier: "I'm sticking with her, my friend. Gabrielle and me, we've been through a lot. I'm not going to leave her alone."

Gabrielle Benele: "Darien …."

King Laloriaran Dynar: "No one else dies today. That's an order. Come on, let's go set the light in place."

You and King Dynar will go ahead to place the Light only for you to be ambushed by Molag Bal's council. After you slay them, Meridia will arrive with your companions. Gabrielle and Vanus' task during this is to channel their magic into the Light of Meridia for the spell.

Vanus Galerion: "Gabrielle, focus all your energy into this! We can't let up!"

Gabrielle Benele: "I'm doing … my … best!"

Darien Gautier: "You deal with the crystal! We'll take care of our new guests."

Gabrielle and Vanus charge the Light of Meridia

While you, Darien and King Dynar deal with the reinforcements, Meridia will soon mention that her shield is at its' limit but by then the spell will be near complete.

Meridia: "You must hurry! My shield can't withstand much more of this!"

Vanus Galerion: "Almost … there!

Gabrielle Benele: "I can feel it, Vanus! We can beat this! We can—Darien, behind you!"

Darien Gautier: "Have no fear, beautiful Gabrielle! I have this under control!"

King Laloriaran Dynar: "You have to hurry! We can't hold them back much longer."

Meridia: "The light is ready! Quickly, release it!"

Molag Bal: "No! You cannot do this! I cannot fail!"

Gabrielle Benele: "Darien! Get back here! Darien!"

Gabrielle mourns the death of the Last King of the Ayleids

There will be a flash of white light and you will wake up in the Chapel of Light. After talking with Meridia, a distraught Gabrielle can be found with Vanus and a dying King Dynar.

Before you speak to Meridia, you can speak to her:

"His wounds…he's in terrible pain. We tried to heal him…but the damage…it's too extensive."

When you talk to her she will be pleading with King Dynar. You can ask her what is wrong.

"Please, you have to hold on. We … we can't lose any more of our companions. There's been too many deaths already."

Are you all right, Gabrielle?

"How can you ask me that after what we've been through? Darien … the King … so many injuries … so many deaths …."

What happened to Darien?

"I don't know. He wasn't here when we arrived. I … I didn't see him.
When the light erupted, Vanus, Dynar, and I appeared here. No one else. Just us. I … I think Darien's gone."

After you speak with King Dynar for the final time, Gabrielle will be perturbed by all the losses.

"How many did we lose today? I … I can't even count.
I fear going back home. Seeing who survived and who didn't. It's all just so … overwhelming …."

Anvil[edit]

"Well, that's discouraging."

Gabrielle can be found on the second floor of the Anvil Mages Guild poring over a pile of books in an attempt to figure out what happened to Darien Gautier after the Coldharbour invasion. If you have found the note signed with Darien's name in Wrothgar, you can tell Gabrielle about it, and how he might have ended up trapped in the Colored Rooms. She lights up at the news, saying she'll now look for a way to bring him back, now that she knows where he is.

As she sifts through books, she throws them back into the pile. When she throws a book, she says one of several lines:

Gabrielle Benele: "Well, that's discouraging."

Gabrielle Benele: "That doesn't make sense."

Gabrielle Benele: "Idiots."

Gabrielle Benele: "Useless."

Gabrielle Benele: "Who put that in there?"

Gabrielle Benele: "Not helpful."

Gabrielle Benele: "Really? Ugh!"

Gabrielle Benele: "Nothing."

Gabrielle Benele: "And again."

If you haven't completed the Coldharbour questline, she asks you if you're looking for anything in particular, and there are no further dialogue options.

"Oh, hello. Did you need a book? There certainly are an awful lot of them, aren't there? It's a wonder anyone finds anything in this guild."

If you've completed the Coldharbour questline, she has far more to say.

"Oh, hello there! We haven't spoken since Darien … well, since that business in Coldharbour. Have we? I'm just a bit discombobulated. My mind's been somewhere else."

Gabrielle? What brings you to Anvil? / What exactly are you researching?

"Darien, mostly. It's always Darien who ends up causing problems, isn't it? How long has it been since we defeated Molag Bal and saved Tamriel?
Sorry, time's a bit fuzzy at the moment. I've had more than a few late nights."

What does you being here have to do with Darien Gautier?

"I'm searching for a way to retrieve souls lost in Coldharbour or elsewhere. I'm not even sure where to start looking, but I need to start somewhere, right?
Darien's out there. I know it. I just have to find him, though that's easier said than done."

You think Darien's lost in Coldharbour?

"Well, Darien was with us at the end, wasn't he? Facing down Molag Bal. He didn't come back, and he didn't die, so logic suggests he returned when we did. He simply came back somewhere else.
I just have to figure out where. Then I can bring him back."

Do you have any ideas?

"Dozens. Hundreds! The problem with having so many ideas is that it's like these books behind me. They just pile up, and you can't possibly read all of them. So you read what you can and try to focus.
This might be why I'm not getting enough sleep."

I may be able to help. I recently found a note that might be from Darien. (Option appears if you find the note in Wrothgar.)

"You what? A note from Darien? How is that possible? What did it say?"

The note mentioned The Colored Rooms. I think Darien was calling for help.

"The Colored Rooms are Meridia's realm! Oh, that makes so much sense. Meridia was with us at the end, fought Molag Bal at our sides. If Darien didn't end up in Coldharbour …
Yes, this helps. This helps a great deal. Now I know where to look for him!"

Are you here on behalf of the Mages Guild? / I'm glad. So are you here on behalf of the Mages Guild?

"No, not really. This is more like independent research. Do you know every Mages Guild in Tamriel has different books in its library? You'd think we'd standardize, or at least keep a lexicon.
Also, they could really use some more bookshelves."

Do you plan to be here long?

"Perhaps. My sister, Sara, was supposed to meet me here, but she hasn't shown up yet. She's a week late, which is unusual for her. So organized. I hope she hasn't run into any trouble.
The guild sent her to Craglorn. Not the most pleasant of places."

Western Skyrim[edit]

The Antiquarian's Art[edit]

She can be found on the lower level of The Antiquarian Circle in Solitude. She will teach you how to scry for Antiquities. Before starting the quest, you can overhear her say:

"If only I could master it. Maybe then I could find him."

If you haven't met her before, she'll welcome you to the Circle.

"Ah, you must be the Antiquarian Circle's most recent addition, eh? Greetings! Sorry for the mess. I'll tidy up down here, you know … eventually.
But I digress! Verita wants me to teach you to use the Antiquarian's Eye, yes?"

Alternatively, if you've met her before and completed Angof the Gravesinger, she recognizes you:

"Oh, it's you! What a welcome surprise! By Mara, that business with Angof feels like lifetimes ago. I'm glad to see you're still in good health.
So, Verita gave you an Antiquarian's Eye, eh? You mean to join the Antiquarian Circle?"

If you have completed the Main Quest, you can ask her about her search for Darien.

What have you been doing since we last met?

"Ugh. Searching, mostly. I couldn't rest knowing Darien was still out there. Trapped in the Colored Rooms.
I want to help him. Speak to him somehow, you know? But it's just not that simple."

You think these antiquities can help you find Darien?

"Maybe. To be honest, it started with Ayleid research. I had a theory that Ayleid relics from Meridia-aligned tribes might grant me access to the Colored Rooms—or at least let me contact someone held there.
This led me to the Antiquarians Eye."

But the Eye can't find people, can it?

"No. Just objects. Fortunately, it's allowed me to continue my research into the Ayleids. It's even given me a few other routes of inquiry. Meridia's shrine on Mount Kilkreath, for instance.
I've got to believe something out there can help us."

I'll keep searching too.

"Thanks. We'll find him. It's just a matter of time."

Or, if you've completed the Summerset story quests, you can tell her about Darien.

What have you been doing since we last met?

"Ugh. Searching, mostly. I couldn't rest knowing Darien was still out there. Trapped in the Colored Rooms.
I want to help him. Speak to him somehow, you know? But it's just not that simple."

I found him, Gabrielle. He fought beside me on the Summerset Isles.

"Darien returned? Then where is he now? Why hasn't he contacted me?"

Meridia still has a hold on him. He disappeared again.

"But he was here. He was here and I missed my chance to ….
When you say he disappeared, what do you mean? Did he say anything?"

He wanted us to know how much we meant to him. And he hopes we won't forget him.

"So, he doesn't think he's coming back again? So much for Darien the plucky optimist.
The important part is that we know escape is possible. I'm not giving up on him. We'll find a way to get him back for good, I know it. So, chins up, right? Right."

Regardless, you'll need to ask her about scrying.

Yes. Verita said you can use it better than anyone.

"Wow, really? That's uncharacteristically gracious of her. Huh. Well anyway, let's get started.
It all begins with concentration. The Eye wants to show you what you seek. So, clear your thoughts and conjure up a picture of the relic in your mind."

So I need to have a relic in mind. Then what?

"The exciting part! Gaze into the Eye and focus on the facets in the glass. Take a breath and try to unify the symbols into a single pattern. Eventually, you'll stop looking at the lens and start looking through it.
Why don't we just give it a try?"

All right. I'll try using the Antiquarian's Eye.

Then, she'll gives you intructions for your practice scrying:

Gabrielle Benele: "We'll start with something simple. I buried an old bottle in the courtyard. Open your journal and have a look."^{[verification needed — Only if you start The Antiquarian's Art quest from her instead of Verita Numide?]}

If you talk to her before starting the scrying, she'll say:

"Don't fret. I mean, sure, it's not as if we're learning to boil rice down here. But someone with your innate talents should take to the process quite well. And like most things, you'll only improve with practice!"

During the scrying process:

Gabrielle Benele: "Well done. Now, fix your eyes on the center and the corners of the lens, then turn your focus inward toward the facets in the glass. Concentrate, and the facets should merge."

Gabrielle Benele: "Unifying the lens into a single pattern will perfectly attune the Eye, but you only need to reach the foci to gain a rough idea of the object's location. If you lose your focus, just try again."

After you've completed the scrying puzzle for the first time in front of her:

Gabrielle Benele: "Good! Now, we just need to make our way to the location the Eye provided. I'll meet you in the courtyard!"

Then, you'll meet her in the courtyard:

Gabrielle Benele: "Looks like this is the spot. Time to excavate the antiquity!"

If you talk to her before finishing the excavation, she'll say:

"Time to get your hands dirty! The Eye can show you where to find an antiquity, but digging it up is more of a do it yourself affair.
Just take your time. Rushing the excavation can destabilize the site, and that wouldn't do at all!"

During the excavation process:

Gabrielle Benele: "Remember to move cautiously. Use the right tool for the right level of excavation, and don't rush yourself!"

Gabrielle Benele: "Even careful digging can result in an unsteady dig site. So, be mindful of its stability!"

When you're done excavating:

Gabrielle Benele: "And there we are! Expertly done!"

Speak to Gabrielle to conclude the training.

"There you have it! You're a proper antiquarian now. Seems you have quite a knack for it, too!
Just keep practicing with the Antiquarian's Eye and master those digging techniques. I'm confident you'll be recovering priceless relics in no time!"

What should I do next?

"I'd report back to Verita and let her know you successfully extracted your first antiquity. Don't expect too much in the way of praise, but trust me, she'll be ecstatic.
Once you've checked in, start looking for relics! No time like the present, eh?"

If you talk to her again before reporting back to Verita:

"You should head back inside and speak to Verita. I'm sure she's eager to get you out into the field.
I'll catch up with you later, all right?"

Then, you can ask her for a brief summary on scrying and excavation:

Could you remind me how the Antiquarian's Eye works?

"Of course!
We use the Antiquarian's Eye to scry for antiquities hidden all over Tamriel. Any time you want to search for one of these treasures, just open your Antiquities Codex, and select the object you'd like to find."

And once I select an antiquity to search for?

"Then the fun begins!
You'll notice symbols swimming in the facets of the Eye's lens. Concentrate, and try to merge as many of the symbols as possible. If you reach the Eye's foci, you'll get a glimpse of the antiquity's possible resting places."

There can be more than one location?

"Indeed. If you achieve perfect focus, you might narrow it down to a single dig site. If you don't reach all of the eye's foci, you will wind up with several possible locations.
Luckily, you can always try again! It's all a matter of practice."

Thanks. Now, can we go over excavation again?/Can we go over excavation again?

"Certainly.
You should have a small array of tools at your disposal—some for removing large helpings of dirt, and others for more precise excavation."

All right. How will I know which tool to use?

"That's the trick, isn't it?
You'll notice subtle differences in the composition of the soil. To the layman, these differences of color and texture might appear random. But with practice, you'll begin to notice patterns."

Patterns?

"Well, maybe not patterns in the formal sense, but shapes that align with the object you're excavating. These shapes can guide your efforts.
Just remember to be careful! These are priceless antiquities we're digging up, not turnips."

What can happen if I'm not careful?

"You might damage the antiquity, or collapse the dig site entirely—reburying everything you tried to recover.
It happens to all of us eventually. The best we can do is stay cautious. And also sober. Some of the locals struggle with that."

Writings (Authored)[edit]

Books[edit]

Ardent Flame: Draconic or Endemic?

Schemes of the Reachmage

Proposal: Schools of Magic

What's an Arcanist? Part 1

What's an Arcanist? Part 2

Notes and Memos[edit]

Non-Standard Techniques

Personal Journals[edit]

Gabrielle Benele's Journal

Notes[edit]

Her written works include answering community questions on lore.
Gabrielle was banned from the Anchor's Point Inn after an altercation with a Nord Dragonknight. She was also banned from creating a portal directly into the Evermore Mages Guild building after a separate incident.

Gallery[edit]

The Tamrielic invasion force during The Weight of Three Crowns
Promotional art (far right)