The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall/Unused Text/Unused Quest Text

Rather unsurprisingly, there is a huge amount of dialogue pertaining to quests that isn't used. Some of it was simply not programmed, while others have bugs that cause them to not show up in the game.

Tutorial Dialogue
Without a fan-made patch, the game has a bug which causes the game to stop the tutorial boxes after showing Lesson 8, regardless of what the player does. This is of particular concern, since it introduces several pieces of information pertaining to cities, guilds, and quests to new-coming players.

This text is found in _TUTOR__.QRC.

Tutorial Lesson 9
Ah, the sights and sounds of the city! Did you arrive at night or try to rest? If so, the guards will not let anyone sleep in the streets or even too close to the walls. You can only rest in Taverns, if you have purchased a room there. The first thing you want to do is set your mode to DIALOGUE. Click on the hand icon until it changes to a word balloon, or just press F4. Now get close to one of the townsfolk. They won't stop to talk to you unless you are not moving. Click on the person and you will be placed into the Dialogue screen. (continued...)

You want to find a general store or weaponsmith. It is one of the places you can sell your excess gear. The person will probably give you directions. Travel in that direction for a while and then ask another passerby. Continue this until somebody marks the location on your map. Press M to view the map of the city. You should be able to tell where the building is from that. All shops have signs out front. Learn the signs and you will be able to get around much easier. You will need a tavern to rest. look for the mug of ale sign. Hint: Pressing F3 switchs you to INFO mode. You can click on buildings to learn what they are. Some shops don't open until late in the day. You can loiter (a REST option) until the shopkeeper decides to unlock the door. Don't leave town! I'll check in with you again tomorrow.

Tutorial Lesson 10
Today's lesson is about guilds. A guild is an organization that offers benefits for its members. As you rise in rank in a guild, you get more benefits. To rise in rank, you must improve skills that guild cares about, and perform quests on a regular basis to improve your reputation with them. You can belong to more than one guild. All spellcasters should join the Mages Guild. Everyone should pick a temple to join. However, pick carefully. You can only be a member of one temple. Fighter type characters should join either the fighter's guild or a knightly order. Hint: Thieves and murderers, just do your thing. The underworld will contact you after a while. I'll be back tomorrow with the next lesson.

Tutorial Lesson 11
Today we want a quest. A quest is an adventure given by someone in town. Its amazing how many people in Daggerfall need the services of a brave hero or heroine. Go to someone in a tavern or on the street. Ask them about work. Odds are that they will direct you to someone else in town. That person will offer you a quest. You don't have to take every quest that is offered. Successfully completing a quest means that person, and his friends, will like you a little better. It can also be profitable. Last, but not least, it is the best way to locate dungeons! This is the last of the tutorial lessons. There is much more to learn about Tamriel and about the game. However, you now have the basics to be able to expore and learn these things on your own. Good luck, and have fun!

Daedric Prince information
For some reason, much of the information was simply never programmed in, likely by accident. It does explain each of the princes' a bit more, but the player simply doesn't ever get the chance to read these.

Azura (t0c00y00)
Azura is one of the Daedric Regents of Oblivion. Her sphere is vanity. Lady Azura is the Daedra Prince of Vanity and Egotism.

Clavicus Vile (v0c00y00)
Clavicus Vile is the consummate politician of Oblivion. You won't find a more carefully neutral Daedric Prince that Clavicus Vile.

Hircine (x0c00y00)
The least of the daedra princes. He is their Master of the Hunt. Hircine is supposed to be the creator of all lycanthropes.

Mehrunes Dagon (y0c00y00)
Mehrunes Dagon is the Lord of Destruction, the most violent of the Daedra. Dagon seems like an ignorant brute, but he is really rather cunning.

Meridia (10c00y00)
Meridia is a Daedra Regent and a collector of human specimens. Meridia is a kind of acting Daedra Prince, and ruthless in her acquisitiveness.

Molag Bal (20c00y00)
A regal Daedra Prince, said to be the most power-mad of all daedra. Molag Bal is said to be obsessed with making Tamriel part of his realm.

Peryite (50c00y00)
Peryite is the Daedra of Pestilence and Plague. Peryite is the most affable of the Daedra Princes with the worst reputation.

Sheogorath (60c00y00)
Sheogorath is the Daedra Prince of Insanity. Not a good one to count on. Sheogorath is the Mad One, the Daedra who revels in chaos and lunacy.

Sanguine (70c00y00)
Sanguine is the Daedra Prince of Lust. Anything in excess is his motto. The Daedra Prince of Perversity and Unnatural Sexual Relations, of course.

Vaernima (90c00y00)
Vaernima is the Daedra Lady of Corruption and Decay. Not nice to look at. Vaernima is a Regent of Oblivion, and her sphere is Corruption and Decay.

Sanguine Rose Description
When the player collects the sanguine rose, the player doesn't get a description for it. There is a piece of text in Sanguine's Quest, but it hasn't been programmed in.

The Sanguine Rose summons a daedra to fight for you. A risky proposition at best. The possessor of the Sanguine Rose is supposed to have the power to summon aid from the plane of Oblivion.

Hircine's Quest (x0c00y00)
Rumors about the worshipper not programmed in the game.

Some weird-acting =contact_ in __contact_, %di of here. A =contact_ by that name was in __contact_, %di of here, fairly recently.

Mephala's Quest (z0c00y00)
These two pieces of text are simply rumors that didn't get used.

_qgfriend_ is one of Mephala's agents in %reg, operating out of __qgfriend_. _qgfriend_ is a pawn of Mephala; %g's a =qgfriend_ at __qgfriend_.

When trying to find out information about the Ebony Blade, the game instead shows Mephala's description. Needless to say, the proper description still exists in the quest file (z0c00y00.qrc).

The Ebony Blade is an artifact of vampiric power, draining its victim of life, even as it feeds its owner.

Meridia's Quest (10c00y00)
The errors for this quest are rather humorous in comparison to the others.

Error: Tried to call questtext 1008. Whoopsy! Error: Tried to call questtext 1009. Ye Gods!

The Heretic (c0b00y01)
This is a description for the severed finger the player finds.

Truly nauseating. A hacked off finger. A chunk of somebody's hand. Extremely tasteless. Not bad with a little salt and honey. It looks like an old __qgiver_ ceremony. They used to do that to corpses. When in __qgiver_, _prophet_ used to disect cadavers just that precisely. __qgiver_ abandoned that kind of funereal disection, but _prophet_ espouses it.

This might have been alternative dialogue said by the lover.

Oh! That's _prophet_'s _relartifact_! %oth, poor _contact_. Why don't you bring that letter I gave you to someone at __qgiver_? Surely, that is enough to discredit _prophet_, isn't it?

Probably some generic dialogue when an NPC was shown the finger.

It used to be used in __qgiver_ burial rituals.

The Crazed Mercenary (b0b10y04)
At some point in development, it appears that a random note-giver would have given you a note about this quest. He doesn't nor does the quest have anything related to this other than the text.

You are handed a smudged note by an even more smudged little boy. He's obviously not a professional courier, but he moves almost as quickly as he runs away.

The following dialogue might have been used after giving an NPC nymph hair. Needless to say, it isn't properly programmed into the game. It also seems rather off, which is odd, since it doesn't appear anywhere else in the game.

Ah, that hair. So, she lives yet ... I must tell Skullsplitter that his lady love has not left %reg. Thank you for bringing it to my attention, %pcf. If my master had brought death to %reg with the help of his mage allies, he might have slain a woman that means more to him that the most bloody revenge he could have on the %t. Once again, I thank you, friend.

I heared you were a godsend, %pct. %god bless you and keep you. I wish I could give ya something to aspress my gratitude. Here, I got this from a lady who felt sorry for me. It is so fine and lovely, I couldn sell even when I was so hunger. Please take it for my thanks.

Missing Prince (s0000001)
There was probably some NPC who would tell where the crypt was, but this appears to have been considered redundant.

The Underking used to have a crypt around here -- ___ukcrypt_, just %di of here. No one has heard much of the Underking since his crypt ___ukcrypt_ was abandoned. King Cameron himself drove the Underking's servants out of ___ukcrypt_.

A wide number of rumors about the Underking that were written, but simply never programmed, lie inside the .QRC file.

The Underking is supposed to be centuries old. That other king is a buffoon. Oh...UNDERking! Sorry, I don't know anything about that. He is a lich of great power. So they say. I heard he kidnapped Prince _brother_. King Cameron blamed the Underking for Prince _brother_'s death. Never made sense to me though. They say Tiber Septim never really died. He became the Underking. Aw, he's just some boogey man, you know, like Jagar Tharn. The Underking is just a child's myth. Underking? Never heard of him.

This log entry is just simply not programmed in.

I met secretly with an agent of the Underking. Supposedly the Underking had nothing to do with the abduction of _brother_. I am supposed to check out ___ukcrypt_.

Who Gets the Totem (s0000008)
This is the journal entry you should get when accepting Lady Brisienna's mission, but the quest binary never calls up the text.

%qdt: Lady Brisienna has asked me to bring her the Totem of Tiber Septim. It is hidden in the treasury of Castle Daggerfall. She fears that assassins are after her, and will send me a letter revealing her current whereabouts when I escape the castle. Whoever holds the Totem has the potential to control mighty Numidium and forge a new empire, just like Tiber Septim did so long ago.

Barenziah's Book (s0000011)
On a rather odd note, some of the messages were duplicated from this quest to Blackmailing Prince Helseth (S0000002). As a result, one of Barenziah's letters, as well as a message that a page arrived to give the player something, were copied to that quest and were left unused.

This line would have likely been Gortwog's dialogue. The chapter, %pcf, or no _jewelry_.

These rumors were to be spread of Barenziah's book, but there are no specific rumors pertaining to this programmed for the quest. Queen Barenziah is said to be frantically trying to keep that book unpublished. The King of Worms has repelled several agents sent against him by Wayrest. Now you can find the scandalous, unauthorized biography of Queen Barenziah. Queen Barenziah's scandalous biography was finally published, to her horror. I bet that biography of Queen Barenziah doesn't even exist at all. The King of Worms is supposedly sending the Necromancers after a %ra mercenary.

Lysandus' Revenge (s0000015)
Some rumors about Lord Woodborne written, but not actually implemented. I heard that Lord Woodborne will be marrying Princess Elysana. Lord Woodborne is in high favor these days at Castle Wayrest.

The Harpies' Nest (k0c0xy01)
A description for one of the feathers. This would be used, but a programming error results in a duplicate of another message being printed instead. A gray feather, dyed dull blue.

A Treacherous Gift (q0c0xy02)
This would have undoubtedly been said had the player killed the recipient, instead of merely giving the ring. There's no code that links to this piece of dialogue. Thou wert not to kill the man, merely give to him the _jewelry_! Oaf! Assassin! _man_ was to suffer deeply for his insolence, not be painlessly slain. ==daedra_ curse thee, %pcf.

A Noble's Debts (k0c30y03)
Descriptions about the banker himself, which are unreferenced in the normal game. _banker_ works over at _bank_ in __bank_. Perfectly respectable sort. A banker of typical tediousness. _banker_ works at _bank_ in __bank_.

Descriptions for the rock, which are also unreferenced normally. Just a piece of _rock_. Odd finding it lying around ___house2_. The _rock_ seems to have some kind of stamp on it, or an engraving. Looks like the stuff they used to mine out of ___mondung_. The _rock_ says ___mondung_ on it; that's an abandoned mine to the %di. That _rock_ must have been mined years ago when ___mondung_ was a mine.

A threatening letter the player would have gotten from the culprit. It is referenced, but the letter is not given out during the quest. %pcn, If you are anticipating a long and healthy career in the Bay area, I would advise dropping your pointless and doomed hounding. Tragedy is the only possible result, and the tragedy will be your own. I won't be caught, %pcf. I have too much money to be caught.

A Mix-Up (k0c00y06)
These journal entries are simply not referenced by the game, resulting in a significant amount of unused text for the quest. These were to be seen whenever the player received letters, hinting at the possible whereabouts of the culprit. The second to last message was to be used after a certain amount of time passed by.

%qdt: I received a letter from the Necromancers, telling me about the =witness_ who supposedly saw me in __qgiver_, stealing the _gem_. The person's name is _witness_ and %g frequents _inn_.

%qdt: The Agents of the Underking sent me a letter, identifying the =witness_ who said %g saw a %ra like me stealing the _gem_ from __qgiver_. _witness_ may be an innocent pawn or an agent of one of my enemies. I will not know until I speak with %g2 at _inn_ here in ___witness_.

%qdt: The Thieves Guild sent me a letter, letting me know that they know that I'm innocent of the burglary. They also mentioned the name of the =witness_ who said %g saw me stealing that _gem_. _witness_ frequents a tavern called _inn_. I should pay my respects.

%qdt: I received a letter from an anonymous friend, identifying a =priest_ named _priest_ as a possible agent behind the _gem_ burglary for which I've been framed.

%qdt: Someone sent me a letter about a =merchant_ named _merchant_ who would be just the type to steal that _gem_ and set me up to take the punishment.

%qdt: According to a letter I was sent anonymously, there is an aristocrat named _noble_ in ___noble_ who may know quite a bit about what really happened at __qgiver_.

%qdt: I was sent a letter from an anonymous source identifying someone named _thief_ as a notorious jewel-thief living right in ___thief_. Even if %g didn't actually rob __qgiver_, a conference may reveal who did.

%qdt: _witness_ told me that _merchant_ was really responsible for the burglary, but I'll need hard evidence to convince anyone. I may need to go to both _thiefhouse_ and ___mondung_ to find all I need.

%qdt: _witness_ told me that a noble, _noble_ actually engineered the burglary, but, as %g is so far above suspicion, I'll need to find some evidence. The two places suggested were _thiefhouse_, where _noble_ frequents at night, and ___mondung_.

%qdt: _witness_ confessed that %g knew who commited the burglary and it isn't me. On the other hands, _priest_, the true engineer behind it, will be difficult to convict. The two places where I might find evidence, _witness_ says, are _thiefhouse_ and ___mondung_.

%qdt: _thief_, a notorious but supposedly retired jewel thief was responsible for the burglary for which I've been framed, at least, according to _witness_. Further, %g says, _thief_ is now so well respected, I'll need hard evidence to convict %g2. I might be able to find this evidence in _thiefhouse_ or ___mondung_, or both places.

Fighters Lich (m0b30y04)
A message that would have likely been used whenever the player stumbled across the Lich, but it isn't defined in the quest binary.

Puny mortal! You should not have attempted to interfere with the affairs of the undead. Now I shall add you to my collection of slain %ra mercenaries.

Fighter's Guild Dungeon Map Rewards
It appears that the player was originally intended to receive a dungeon map in some of the guild's quests, but the events never occur in the final game.

Unwanted Houseguest (m0b00y07)
Hey, I just remembered, one of the members just found this map to ___newdung_. Don't kill everything in one day.

Fighters Lich (m0b30y04)
Here, take this map to ___newdung_. Should be just the kind of thing that a lich-killer like you does before breakfast.

Domestic Squabble (m0b30y08)
Hey %pcf, if you thought zombie-killing was fun, take this map to a monster-infested hole called ___newdung_. Should be a vacation for a %ra like you.

Fighter's Guild - Rodent killing message
In both Hunt for Giant Rodents (m0b00y15) and A Rat Infestation (m0c00y14), there is a message that would have been used whenever the player killed enough rats or bats.

Thats most of them. The Fighters Guild won't quibble over the rest.

Giant Killing (m0b00y16)
This should be displayed when the NPC isn't brought to the store in time, but it isn't.

I appreciate your help, but I think I can find my own way from here.