Oblivion:Rythe Lythandas

Rythe Lythandas (RefID: 0001BC27) (lore page)
Home City	Cheydinhal
House	Rythe Lythandas's House
Race	Dark Elf	Gender	Male
Level	8	Class	Commoner
RefID	0001BC27	BaseID	000034D2
Other Information
Health	90	Magicka	125
Responsibility	80	Aggression	5
Essential	Until A Brush with Death is completed
Faction(s)	Lythandas Family; Cheydinhal Citizens

Rythe Lythandas

Rythe Lythandas is a Dark Elf commoner and a famous painter all across Cyrodiil. His secret is the Brush of Truepaint. His wife, Tivela, will have you find him during A Brush with Death.

Before the related quest is finished, Rythe will spend all the time standing near to entrance to the painted world and once he has been rescued from the painted world. Once you've freed him, he will spend almost all of the day painting or wandering around his house, taking a break at 6pm to enjoy a two-hour dinner. After a long day Rythe will finally go to sleep at midnight and until 6am.

Rythe's attire consists of a brown shirt combined with tan linens and a pair of pigskin shoes. He also carries his key, an ordinary paintbrush and a paint palette along with a leveled amount of gold.

Related Quests

• A Brush with Death: Help a distraught wife find a famous painter who has gone missing.

Quest-Related Events

Rythe using the Brush of Truepaint to escape

Mariana Ancharia at the Cheydinhal Bridge Inn will list Rythe as one of the city's main attractions: "Our most celebrated citizen is Rythe Lythandas, the famous painter. Speak to his wife, and she might let you take a peek into his studio."

However, when asked for rumors, other citizens of Cheydinhal may confide a worrying development: "Poor Tivela. I hear she is turning Cheydinhal inside out looking for her husband, Rythe. I hope nothing bad has happened to him." You can then ask them to elaborate on who Rythe Lythandas is: "Rythe Lythandas is one of the greatest painters in all Cyrodiil. Sadly, he's gone missing. His wife, Tivela, is beside herself with grief."

When you talk to Tivela in Rythe's home, she quickly asks for your assistance:

"I am sorry to be so forward, but I desperately need your help. It seems that my husband, Rythe, has gone missing, and I just don't know what to do."

Rythe Lythandas

"Yes, my husband is the Rythe Lythandas. Have you heard of him?"

No, please tell me about him.

"You haven't? That's strange. Rythe is known far and wide as one of the best painters in all Cyrodiil.
His speciality [sic] is setting the Great Forest to canvas. The paintings look so amazingly real that some say they can see the trees sway in the breeze.
That's a silly notion of course, but it just goes to show the attention to detail Rythe uses when he paints."

You said Rythe is missing?

"Yes. Rythe likes to work in his studio with the door locked, so no one can disturb him.
He usually comes out to eat dinner and sleep, but two days ago, he didn't come out at all. At first, I wasn't worried. He does that occasionally.
But when he didn't come out for a full day, I unlocked the studio with the key he said to use only in emergencies. It turned out he wasn't inside!
I'm sure he never left that room. So I have no idea where he's gone. Please. Help me find Rythe. I love him dearly, and I am so worried."

Once you agree to help, Tivela provides you with the key to enter Rythe's studio and will urge you to hurry: "Please hurry, I fear Rythe is in danger."

Shortly after entering the mysterious painting inside Rythe's studio, you will find the missing Dunmer. He will be both surprised and relieved to see you:

"Oh! You startled me!"

"Where did you come from? You look real enough. You must be from the outside! Oh, thank goodness someone finally came!
While I'm overjoyed to see a friendly face, I'm afraid I have some bad news for you.
You're stuck here like I am.
Sorry to break it to you like that, but if it wasn't for that annoying thief, we wouldn't be in this predicament."

Should you exit conversation and approach him again at this point, he will say:

We must get out of this place.

Thief

"I was in my studio, when a Bosmer wearing dark clothing accosted me. Before I could call for help, he knocked me unconscious.
When I came to, I found that the door to my studio was still locked, and that the thief had snatched my paintbrush. That's when I saw it.
There was something on the canvas of my painting that I hadn't put there. It looked somewhat like a troll but it was badly done. Then it hit me.
The Bosmer must have leapt into the painting, then painted guardians inside to protect himself using the Brush of Truepaint."

Brush of Truepaint

"I knew the secret of my success would be revealed one day. I can tell you all about the brush [sic] if you like."

Please do.

"Very well. The Brush showed up several years ago in the possession an [sic] artist who was serving in the Arnesian War of 396.
It seems an errant fireball had exploded next to him, and he lost the use of both arms. He was a stubborn man who didn't want to give up his talent.
Being a devout follower of Dibella, he prayed to her for something that would allow him to express himself once more.
She heard his plea, and gifted him with the Brush. It's said the bristles of the Brush are woven from Dibella's own hair.
That injured man was my father. He passed the Brush on to me, and I intend to pass it along to my kin one day. Did you want to know how it works?"

Yes, how does it work?

"The Brush allows the artist to paint from within a canvas. It opens a portal into which the artist may enter to paint things life-sized
All the painter has to do is have the Brush in his possession, and whatever he imagines appears in the canvas.
Of course, I like to wave it around anyway. It makes me feel more like a legitimate painter.
I guess it all doesn't matter now. Unless you can defeat those Painted Trolls, we have no chance of getting the Brush back."

No need, I must get going.

"Thank you. You're truly kind to help someone you've just met. The only thing standing in our way are the painted trolls."

No thanks. How do we get out of here?

"Our only hope is to defeat the Painted Trolls."

Painted Trolls

"The trolls that the thief painted seem to have turned on their creator and killed him. He didn't know the Brush had its risks.
The creatures are now loose all over the forest and in the clearing where I was still working. The Brush is on the body of the Bosmer thief there.
I will not be able to help you; I am not a warrior. But take these bottles of turpentine, they might help. Do be careful."

After receiving six bottles of turpentine:

Painted Trolls

"I'll have to remember to remove the trolls from my painting before I complete this piece."

He bids farewell with some simple advice: "Be cautious, friend."

Before the painted trolls are slain, should you approach him he will ask:

"Any luck?"

He will then opening conversation by asking about the same:

"Any luck yet?"

Once the area is clear of resistance, he can be heard mumbling and will then congratulate you:

"I must have that Brush." (when you approach him)

"Excellent work my friend! All we need is the Brush, and we can leave this place." (in conversation)

When you exit conversation he will say:

"Please hurry."

Once you have the brush, he'll be very excited:

"Let me go paint us a way out of here."

Rythe provides you with a brief description of the escape plan:

"Good work! Now I can paint the portal home. After it's complete, you must go first or else you'd be stuck in here forever."

When you exit conversation he will say:

"Follow me."

He then takes the Brush from you to paint a portal home. At this point, if you approach him he will say:

"On through you go."

If enter conversation with Rythe he immediately ends the discussion after saying:

"No time to talk. Let's go home."

When you exit conversation he will say:

"I will follow."

"Tivela!"

After you leave the painted realm, Rythe will be just behind you. If you manage to approach him before speaking to his wife, he'll say:

"It's good to be home."

He immediately seeks out Tivela and has a pleasant conversation with his wife:

Rythe: "Tivela!"

Tivela: "Rythe! Oh my love! You are home safe... I was so afraid..."

Rythe: "If it wasn't for my friend here, you'd be right."

Tivela: "Come, you must need food and rest."

Rythe: "I will rest, but I must take care of our guest first."

After finishing this conversation, Rythe will properly thank you for rescuing him:

"I don't know how to thank you. You have a good heart to help get me back home. I'll never forget what you've done for me.
Here, please take this apron as a token of your friendship. It's not much, but perhaps it will help you in the future.
All I ask in return is to keep the Brush's existence secret. If word gets around that I have it, I'm afraid more than a lone cutpurse will visit me."

If you return to him after completing the quest, he greets you warmly:

"It's good to see you, serjo."

"My house is yours, friend. Please, come back to visit us anytime."

He now bids farewell with:

"Safe journey, serjo."

After finishing the related quest, the citizens of Cheydinhal may comment on his return:

"Rythe Lythandas seems to be back in town. Wonder where he was off to?"

Meanwhile, if asked about rumors, Imperial publicans will tell you:

"The Black Horse Courier has a story about Rythe Lythandas. Here. Take my copy. I'm done with it."

Unused Dialogue

After obtaining the Brush of Truepaint at stage 70, Rythe was supposed to say to get the Brush in case you dropped it. However, since it is a quest item, it is impossible to drop it, and therefore to hear the following line:

"We need the Brush to get out of here. Bring it to me so we can get out of this painting. Hurry, I'm starving."

Should you exit conversation with him after returning home, Rythe would thank you once again. However, since it's impossible to exit conversation before the quest is finished, the following line is impossible to hear during gameplay:

"Again, I thank you."

Should you exit conversation with him before the quest, he would mutter something in anger. However, since Rythe is impossible to locate before the quest, the following line is impossible to hear during normal gameplay:

"S'wit of a thief."

Notes

• Rythe is mentioned by the alchemist Elgrim in Skyrim as a supplier of painted troll fat, implying he is still alive over 200 years later.
• Based on the key he carries, his original name may have been Bralin. In the Construction Set, the key is known as LythandasKey, implying only his first name changed.
  • The Unofficial Oblivion Patch, version 2.0.0, addresses this issue. The key is now renamed "Rythe and Tivela's House Key".