THE AYLEID STEPS 2.2 content FAQ and walkthrough
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WARNING
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All information in this file is more or less spoilerish - which means it can also be gathered (or pieced together) by playing the mod quests, reading the book and diaries, and using and exploring all the Steps you can find. I strongly recommend you stick to that, and NOT read this file. Just install the mod, forget it completely, and play Oblivion ... sooner or later you bump into a Stepstone, you pick up and read a book, you find a certain message and get involved in the the intro quest. Once you have completed that, the real fun begins: exploring the Steps Network, searching new Steps everywhere in the landscape and interiors, and sometimes finding new dungeons to explore. That's what the mod really is for - a means to randomly drift through Cyrodill and explore the world, preferably after having completed the Oblivion default quests and after having leveled a to strong and sturdy character. You'll need that. 

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A. General knowledge FAQ
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-There seem to be different looking versions of the Step stones. What distinguishes them?
More than half of the Steps have deteriorated. These have a distinct look. The 'healthy' Steps always send you to the same destinations. The deteriorated Steps are very unpredictable. They can send you anywhere. To aid you in identifying Steps that beam you to Lost Dungeons, these have their own distinctive texture.

-Is this a useful alternative for fast-traveling?
No. Maybe it was for the Ayleids who knew the connections and locations by heart, but nowadays too many Steps are malfunctioning. Also, the Steps were meant to connect Ayleid ruins and Ayleid Wells. You won't find many in the cities or other places that are important for us nowadays. In the Ayleid era the world must have looked very different, given the weird locations where the Steps can be seen.

-Is there really a system or logic in the Network?
There was, long ago, when all Steps worked as they should. But now so many have become unreliable that too many links are broken.  However, you may notice certain 'tendencies': that there are huge concentric circles of Steps covering Cyrodiil in which you're transported in a mostly clockwise direction; that these (remains of) Rings are crossed by Rays - series of Steps that tend to beam you outwards, i.e. away from the IC. Also, the unreliable Steps may send you to random locations, but they're still consistent in a way. Maybe you'll find out, maybe you won't. It doesn't matter really, so making notes of where you see Steps and where they take you is not very useful. And:

-Are there map markers for Steps that take you to Lost Ruins?
Yes. Their names have "(Step)" as a prefix. However, the 2 or 3 entrance Steps situated indoors, and the Steps in the Hub system do not spawn mapmarkers. 

-Why are there so many undead in the lost Ruins?
Most of the Ruins have been covered by lava floods or by landslides and earthquakes, so that they were effectively sealed and isolated from the outside world. A few however are opened and accessed by beasts and trolls and the like; in those cases you can see an entrance tunnel or hole somewhere, but you can't reach it.

-How do I know that a dungeon I've entered belongs to this mod?
1. In most cases you can only reach them via a Step. All other connections to the outside world are blocked.
2. Hit F4 and check the local map. At the righthand bottom is the name of the dungeon. All of this mod's dungeon names have "Lost" as a prefix. There are some Vanilla locations containing the word 'Lost' too, but these always have a regular exit to the outside world.

-How do I get out of a Lost Dungeon?
In most cases, go back to the Step on which you came in and activate it. It will send you back to Cyrodiil.

-Can I get trapped in an isolated room?
Yes, if you're unlucky. That is, if you try to activate the exit Step with your very last Welkynd and it fails, you're stuck forever. Although every isolated room has at least one welkynd lying around to help you out, it is a good idea to Quicksave your game before using it.

-Where can I find more Welkynd stones?
In most Lost Ayleid ruins. Respawning Ayleid coffers with Welkynds were added to many vanilla Ayleid ruins. Several magic-specialized merchants sell them: Alves Uvenim (MG Leyawiin), Angalmo (MG Chorrol), Ardaline (MG Bravil), Calindil (IC Mystic Emporium), Eilonwy (MG Cheydinhal), Felen Relas (MG Anvil), Rindir (IC Market), Selena Orania (MG Bruma) and the guy at Warlock's Luck in Bravil. 
Many general stores offer some as well: Gunder (Colovian Traders, Skingrad), Norbert Lelles (Anvil Docks), Nilawen (The Fair Deal, Bravil), Suurotan (Novaroma, Bruma), Borba Gra' Uzgash in Cheydinhal, SeedNeeus in Chorrol and Gundalas in Leyawiin.  
The amount of Welkynds in the game is limited. That is why their market price may rise as you use more of them.

-Where do I find the Purple Welkynd, and what does it do?
Completing the 2nd quest can get you a special item, the Rechargable Purple Welkynd. A spell comes with it. Use the spell 5 times to fully charge the Welkynd. On activating a Step, the mod first checks for an ordinary Welkynd stone in your inventory. If there is none, the Rechargeable Purple Welkynd is used (i.e. discharged, it stays in your inventory). Fully charged, it has the same failure rate as regular Welkynds (5-15% with reliable and deteriorated Steps respectively). Partly charged it may work as well, but beware: failure chance for a 20% (one fifth) charge is no less than 75%. 
 
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B. Quest walkthroughs 
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Quest I: The Ayleid Steps

1a. Find and read the book The Ayleid Steps, by Annika Caiole. There is one in each of the Mages Guild halls, except Bruma. The Mystic Archives in the Arcane University have one, too. If you are not a Mages Guild member, you can enter the MG building in Cheydinhal and search its top floor. Or visit the Foaming Flask in the Talos Plaza district. Someone has left his or her book there.
- and -
1b. Find a Step and try to activate it.
These two actions start the intro quest.

Now, either -
2a. Wait until the Mages Guild sends you on a mission to Vahtacen. You will meet Denel there. Take the Unfinished Report from his table and read it. It mentions an Ayleid Key and hints at a location where to use it. After solving the pillar quest, enter the next level of the ruin and search the first large room for an Ayleid chest containing the key. (If you completed this Mages Guild quest before, go to Vahtacen anyway. The Mages are gone, but the Report is on the table and the chest is waiting too.)  
- or -
2b. Travel to the entrance location of Wellspring Cave east of the Imperial City. Nearby lies a murdered Mages Guild Messenger. Take her Report and read it. It mentions an Ayleid Key found in the Vahtacen ruin and sent to the Arcane University some time ago. Travel to the Arcane University lobby and find out who carries the key. Take the key.

3. The Location with the name starting with V is Vilverin. Nearby is Sideways Cave, a large dungeon containing an Ayleid ruin. Enter that ruin and find the Activator room door. Open it, find the Network switch and activate it. The Steps can now be used.
Collect the goodies in the room (Welkynds!) and be sure to pick up the diary and read it. It contains important clues to the Steps Network, and you need it to continue the quest.

4. Now to find the Step that gives access to the hideout in the Talos Bridge Tower. The diary mentions "going around the castle" and an "Easterner". So you want to search the surroundings of Cheydinhal castle. Leave the town through the West gate and follow the town wall to the north. The Step is hidden between the wall and a giant rock. Activate it, and enter the hideout.

5. Take and read the second diary; doing this concludes the intro quest. The hideout may be used as a player home. All containers are safe, except the barrel in the center of the room, named Waste Bin. It will reset every now and then (when you are not in this room) so you can use it to get rid of any junk you are carrying.

Quest II: Retracing the steps

1. The second quest is more of a lengthy side quest than a traditional story-driven quest. It is started after you have completed the intro quest, AND you have activated at least 20 Steps, AND when you have a sleep (Sleep for at least 5 hours to allow the quest to kick in). The hero of the intro quest appears in your dream and urges you to go find something he lost. Re-read the diaries!

2. Should you not find the lost item, then the quest gives you an extra clue after you have used 20 more Stepstones, again while you sleep: hidden in an inn in the Elven Gardens District is a long lost secret notebook.

3. Go to Luther's Boarding House in the Elven Gardens District. Examine the counter closely, especially the outer upper edge on the corner farthest from the inn entrance. There is a Loose Panel. Open it and take the book. Read it.

4. In the book are 12 clues to the locations of Steps, that can take you to 12 of the Lost Ruins, often via a series of intermediate Steps. The clues come encrypted in codes or riddles and are illustrated with local map sections. 

5. Find the entrance Step locations in the list below. The first 12 are the ones you need to complete this quest. The quest keeps track of the number of dungeons you have found, and is completed once you discovered all 12 lost Ayleid ruins, and (in the last dungeon) a special artifact, which could come in handy when you run out of welkynd stones. 
If you have found some of the Lost Dungeons already with a previous version of this mod, you will have to visit them again to complete the quest.

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C. 'Lost' Dungeons and their locations
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The following list is an overview of all 'Lost Dungeons' with the location of their entrance Steps. The first 12 are the Dungeons related to the 2nd quest. Note that in most cases their entrance Steps are NOT the ones that are described in the notebook riddles! Although the wilderness cell locations are specified, you often have to search hard for the Stepstones. They can be hidden in long grass, between rocks, in the water and so on.
(The cell coordinates can be used this way: open the console with the tilde key, type "sdt 31" (enter) and "tdt" (enter). This forces the game to display your world location in the upper right corner of your screen as you move through Cyrodiil.)

1. Ontobel. Ayleid, 1 level, containing undead. In Anvil Bay on the seabed, below the eastern ship, cell coordinates -47,-10.
2. Nahavindel. Ayleid, 2 levels, containing undead. On a small island west of fort Redman in the Niben, cell 21,-25.
3. Heorcinde. Ayleid, 2 levels, undead. Wilderness cell 41,1, next to a big rock.
4. Eutivyle, 2 levels, one is Ayleid containing undead, the other a cavern with vampires. Wilderness, -16,40.
5. Iornath. Ayleid, 2 levels, Undead. Wilderness cell 26,31, the northernmost Step on the Ayleid Well.
6. Laife. Ayleid, 1 level with undead. Again, the northernmost Step on an Ayleid Well, east of Leyawiin. 30,-33.
7. Morra. 1 level with undead. On the slope south of the Isolated House, deep in the West Weald. -1,-4.
8. Qualum. Ayleid, 1 level with Undead. In Motierres basement, Chorrol. (No Map marker added.)
9. Rillim. Ayleid, 1 level inhabited by beasts, mostly trolls. North of Hame, high on a mountain slope next to a big rock, 40,9.
10. Berevacht. Ayleid, 1 level with vampires. Wilderness -40,9, on a mountain.
11. Olisode. The 30 degrees tilted Ayleid ruin, 1 level with Undead. Wilderness 32,-38.
12. Sutch Arena. Cavern, 1 level containing vampires. West of Chorrol, south of the road, cell -23,21.

13. Siquise. An Ayleid level and a Cavern, inhabited by undead. In the private quarters in castle Cheydinhal. (No Map marker added.)
14. Ganaz. An Ayleid level and a Cavern, containing beasts. Wilderness -6,39, high on a mountain.
15. Aldaras. Ayleid, 1 level with undead. Wilderness cell 26,-6 under water in the Niben, beneath the jetty of Nenalata chapel.
16. Dedero. Ayleid, 1 level with undead. Cell 6,7. East-southeast of Fort Homestead, south of the IC, just north of the road.
17. Pequnze. Ayleid, 1 level with Daedra. Wilderness 47,-11.
18. Chama. Ayleid, 2 levels, undead. Wilderness cell 11,1, to the southwest of the wayshrine.
19. Tocrec. Ayleid, 1 level containing Daedra. Wilderness cell 22,10, southwest of Arkveds Tower.
20. Thul. Ayleid. 9 small levels, forming a maze, aka 'The Welkynd Burner'. Undead. Has a secret one way exit to the mountains. North of Cheydinhal, cell 34,30, on a mountain slope.
21. Doriun. 2 levels, Ayleid, inhabited by Goblins. Wilderness cell -20,10.
22. Nemice. 2 levels, Ayleid, contains Undead. Cell -22,20, southwest of Chorrol, just south of the lake.
23. Lost Harbor. Docks in shambles, inside a huge cavern, with shipwrecks. Vampires. West of the Estate of Lord Drad in -49,-1.
24. Belhaz. 2 levels: a cavern and a fort, inhabited by mean-tempered goblins. On the narrow beach just north of the Talos bridge, 1,16.
25. Lost Imperial catacombs. Caves, maze-like, 18 levels full of undead and a one-way exit to the IC sewer system. Imperial city graveyard (Palace district), next to the (northern) city wall.
26. Toqualeque. Small 1-level 45 degrees tilted Ayleid ruin. I went motion-sick in this one :-). South-southwest of Bruma, north of the road, near the Akatosh wayshrine, cell 5,33.
27. Xoxo. Ayleid ruin inhabited by Undead. 1 level. Wilderness -13,29 on the slope, west of a big dark grey rock.
28. Kalanque. Ayleid, 2 levels, Undead. Wilderness 29,-26, north of the Wayshrine.
29. Nonac Twyll. Ayleid, 2 levels. Undead. Cell 16,27. High on the slope, near a pine tree.
30. Nerasten. 2 levels. Cavern containing an Ayleid ruin. In the cavern are goblins, in the ruin lurk trolls. 33,-4, near the hilltop north of Fort Flecia.
31. Fafette. Very small 1-level Ayleid ruin, contains undead and fish. Next to the Bravil Stables on the shore, cell 15,-8.
32. Blackfern. Cave, 2 levels. In the lower level is a ruined village. Inhabited by undead. Wilderness 18,-29, SE of Border Watch, SW of Water's Edge, roughly halfway between them.
33. Megund Rael. Ayleid, 2 levels containing undead. Cell -1,9, Southwest of the wayshrine, across the road behind a large rock.
34. Gutmess Cavern. Dusty cave with a ruined castle, 3 levels: two caves and a castle dungeon colonized by vampires. Cell -18,-2, in a little valley southeast of Skingrad stables.

And finally:
The Depot in the Talos Bridge north tower. Not a dungeon, but a location mentioned in one of the intro quest diaries. The entrance Step is far in the northwest, wilderness cell 19,38.

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D. The Hubs system
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This is a network of 33 small circular Ayleid rooms containing 8 Steps each. The rooms are located in Ayleid ruins, though not always connected to their dungeons. (If they are, you need the intro-quest key to acces them from the dungeon.) They provide alternate connections to the Ayleid Wells and the Ayleid dungeons -including the Lost Dungeons. The center Hub is situated up in the White Gold Tower in the Imperial City. It can only be accessed by Stepping, and has 4 switches. These can be set in 16 different combinations. The switches setting determines where you will be teleported to, as follows (settings as seen while standing on the Step): 

----	(00-ssw)	Vindasel, connected to Nenyond Twyll (isolated)*
---1 	(01-sw)		Ceyatatar, connected to Garlas Agea
--1-	(02-wsw)	Talwinque, connected to Trumbe
--11 	(03-w)	Fanacasecul, connected to Nonungalo
-1-- 	(04-wnw)	Narfinsel, connected to Wendir
-1-1 	(05-nw)	Lindai, connected to Lipsand Tarn (isolated)
-11- 	(06-nnw)	Piukanda, connected to Ninendava
-111 	(07-n)	Sercen, connected to Rielle
1--- 	(08-nne)	Anga, connected to Sedor (isolated)
1--1 	(09-ne)	Vilverin, connected to Fanacas (isolated)
1-1- 	(10-ene)	Belda, connected to Kemen
1-11 	(11-e)	Nagastani, connected to Hame
11-- 	(12-ese)	Mackamentain, connected to Heorcinde (isolated)
11-1 	(13-se)	Culotte, connected to Wendelbek (isolated)
111- 	(14-sse)	Anutwyll, connected to Olisode
1111 	(15-s)	Wenyandavik, connected to Bawn

If you now activate the Step closest to the switches, it will send you to another Hub room.
The entrance Step for the Central Hub is in the IC Arena district, near the southern statue. The outer Step in the Central Hub room will teleport you back to this spot.

* isolated: hub rooms not connected to the vanilla Ayleid dungeons with the same name  and not destinated by either regular or random Steps. These have most entrances for Lost Dungeons.

I recommend using this network only if you suspect that certain 3rd party mods may have messed up the Steps needed to access the Lost Dungeons, especially the ones that are quest-related. Thus, if you are teleported into the hubs you can easily get out by activating one of the 'random' Steps in the room. There's always at least one. A 'normal' Stepstone may send you to a Lost Dungeon. If that dungeon is for example related to the 'Retracing the Steps' quest, the quest will update stating falsely that you have 'solved' another riddle, but you will not get a Mapmarker for the entrance Step in Tamriel.

(This system is based on an idea provided by SkyCaptain in the BethSoft mods Forum, and ensures accessibility of all Lost Dungeons, in case their entrance Steps are disabled by other landscape-altering mods.)

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Now you know everything there is to know.
I warned you.

Ervvin