Joining the Guild
Easy as pie! Just ask. Talk to one of the branch leaders: Carahil in Anvil, Kud-Ei in Bravil, Jeanne Frasoric in Bruma, Falcar in Cheydinhal, Teekeeus in Chorrol, Dagail in Leyawiin, or Adrienne Berene in Skingrad.

Find Arielle in the common room of the Inn and she'll tell you to get a room there, posing as a traveling merchant. Go to your room and Arielle will meet you there shortly. The plan is for you to be the bait in the morning. You are to travel east along the road, discretely followed by two battlemages for your safety. They're hoping that you'll be attacked and they can then find the perpetrator(s). They're correct and though you won't have to fight alone, make sure you're outfitted for a fight with a mage.

A short distance up the road, Caminalda approaches and promises your death. You can stay and fight, or you can run. The two battlemages behind you can and will take on Caminalda. But, she's not too tough, if you can keep up with her constantly moving around.

Once she's dead, return to Carahil for your recommendation.

Bravil Recommendation
Kud-Ei wants you to get mage Ardaline's staff back from Bravil resident Varon Vamori. She authorizes "any means necessary" to get the staff back, but provides you with a Beguile scroll for aid.

If you talk to Varon Vamori and get his disposition up to 65 (either with the scroll, or without it), he'll confess that he stole Ardaline's staff because she won't return his attention. However, he sold the staff to a friend, Soris Arenim, who lives in the Imperial City's Talos District.

Let Kud-Ei know what's going on and she'll give you two more Beguile scrolls. Then head to the Imperial City.

Arenim will only discuss the staff with you if you get his disposition up to 70, and even then he wants 200 gold for it. You can either pay the price, or try to get it for free. To do the later, just talk to his wife, Erissare Arenim. Get her disposition up to 65 and she'll let you know where the staff is, (a locked chest in the cellar) and where the key is to the chest (upstairs in her husband's desk).

Regardless of how you go about it, get the staff back, give it to Kud-Ei and along with teaching you a new Captivate spell, she promises you her recommendation.

Bruma Recommendation
Jeanne Frasoric wants you to find mage J'skar. You get one lead - Volanaro, regarding a misfired spell. Talk to him and you find out that it's all a prank that he and J'skar are playing on Jeanne. Get Volanaro's disposition up to 70 and he'll make a deal with you. He'll ask that you steal Jeanne's Manual of Spellcraft, give it to him, and he'll have J'skar reappear.

There are two way to go about getting your recommendation:

1) Find J'skar on your own. He's just wandering around the guild invisible. Use a Detect Life spell, or just pay close attention to doors opening and closing on their own. Dispel his invisibility and he'll give himself up. The recommendation is yours.

2) Steal the book. Volanaro will teach you an Unlock spell that will suffice in opening Jeanne's desk from the top floor office. Take the book and give it to Volanaro. He'll ask you to meet him in the cellar after 10pm and he'll dispel the invisibility spell. Then the recommendation is yours. Although Jeanne will mention something about her missing book, she doesn't suspect you stole it.

Cheydinhal Recommendation
Falcar, who usually hangs out on the top floor, wants you to retrieve his Ring of Burden from the well outside. Talk to Deetsan to get the key to the well and if Falcar isn't nearby she'll also give you a little more information as well as a new spell: Buoyancy. And you're going to need it.

Go into the well and you'll find the previous associate Falcar sent down there, Vidkun, suspended near the ceiling. Loot his body and you'll get the ring which will cause you to gain 200 points against your max Encumbrance. If you're still to heavy, drop some gear and come back for it later - or drop it outside the well before you enter.

NOTE: There is also a Nirnroot in the well

Head back inside and you'll find that Falcar has run off because Deetsan confronted him. She asks you to look in his desk for your recommendation. You won't find one, but if you check the dresser near the bed you'll find a couple of black soul gems. Bring those to Deetsan and she'll provide your recommendation herself.

Chorrol Recommedation
Teekeeus wants you to find out what Earana wants. The two of them obviously don't get along. Find Earana on the street outside the guild or at the Grey Mare Inn. She gives you a quest for a book she wants, "Fingers of the Mountain", which is in a ruin called Cloud Top north of Chorrol. When you report back to Teekeeus, you find that he wants the book too. Go figure.

Head to the small ruin northwest of the city and you'll find the book on a charred corpse among the columns. Now, who gets the book is up to you. Earana has promised a reward, but you need Teekeeus' recommendation. So why not get both? To do so, you just need to give it to one of them, tell the other what you've done, then steal it back from the one you gave it to initially.

If you give it to Teekeeus, you have your recommendation. To steal it back from him for Earana, check the locked chest behind a locked door in his top floor living quarters.

If and when you give it to Earana, her quest isn't over. Return to her later to get her translation of the book. She'll tell you to get a Welkynd Stone, return to Cloud Top, and cast a Shock spell at a magical pillar on the site to obtain a major league Shock power - but at some personal risk. The power is worth the risk! Just pick yourself up a Shock spell and something to give you resistance to shock. Why? Because when you cast the Shock spell on the column, it zaps you back with a massive shock spell of its own. If you survive, you get a spell called Fingers of the Mountain.

If you need to steal the book back from Earana, she stows it in her chest in her room at the Grey Mare Inn. She's usually out of her room between 1 - 4pm to eat and sleeps from midnight - 8am.

Leyawiin Recommendation
About the only thing you'll get out of Dagail is that you need to talk to Agata. Do so. She'll explain Dagail's strangeness and ask that you try to find the missing Seer's Stone amulet. Comments from Sdrassa and Alves Uvenim point to Kalthar. After speaking with Kalthar and getting all the information you can, talk to Agata again and let her know Kalthar has knowledge of the amulet.

She'll ask that you speak to Dagail again while she keeps an eye on Kalthar. Dagail recites some riddle to you that your journal entry pretty much interprets. You need to find the fort at which Dagail's father was stationed. Lucky for you, it's now marked on your map: Fort Blueblood, southeast of Leyawiin.

Fort Blueblood is a two level dungeon full of enemies - marauders and creatures from imps to ogres, depending on your level. There's a number of loot containers scattered around and the remains of Dagail's father, Manduin, are in the innermost room. The amulet is inside a coffin resting on the ground near the far wall. The Marauder boss has the key to it.

You're not done yet though. On the way out you'll be confronted by Kalthar and forced into a fight. After killing him, return the amulet to Dagail and you have your recommendation.

Skingrad Recommendation
Adrienne Berene wants you to talk to mage Erthor regarding some notes of hers.

If you talk to Sulinus Vassinus you find out that he has taken up residence in Bleak Flats Cave. Speaking to Druja will fill in the blanks for you, as well as marking the cave on your map. Speaking to Adrienne again will gain you a Weak Fireball spell.

Head northwest from Skingrad to get to the cave, which is full of deranged zombies. To get Erthor to come out, you'll need to kill all of the zombies. You can escort Erthor back to the guild, but it's not at all necessary. Head back how and when you want for your recommendation from Adrienne.

After completing your recommendation quests, you'll be referred to Raminus Polus at the Arcane University. He'll promote you to apprentice, give you a robe, and another quest.

The cave is currently inhabited by Necromancers - nine of them total. Six are inside the cave and three are in the cemetary at the rear. They've killed the grove's attendants, Zahrasha and Eletta. Find and activate both of those bodies. Zahrasha's body is near the front of the cave and Eletta's is in Wellspring Grove near the cave's rear exit. (which is on an island in the lake)

Kill all of the Necromancers, claim the chest in the middle of the grove, and return to Raminus. He'll send you to Delmar for the creation of your staff. (Delmar is located at the Enchanting Center south of the Arch-Mage's Tower) Twenty-four hours later, you have a new staff. Talk to Raminus again and he'll promote you to journeyman and give you a new quest.

Ulterior Motives (given by Raminus Polus)
As a follow up to the discoveries at the Wellspring Grove, Raminus wants you to retrieve a book loaned to Count Janus Hassildor in Skingrad.

The count won't see you until the day following your arrival in Skingrad. Talk to Steward Mercator Hosidus in the lobby of the castle and he'll essentially tell you to go away. The following day, talk to him again and he'll tell you to meet with the Count at 2am near the Cursed Mine.

East-southeast of the mine, in the farm country along the Skingrad-Kvatch road, you'll find an ambush waiting for you. The count is nowhere to be seen, but the Steward Hosidus and his Necromancer buddies aim to put an end to your adventuring.

Shortly into the fight, Count Hassildor arrives and takes out your three opponents. He then proceeds to tell you the real purpose of the quest Raminus had given you. It wasn't for a book at all, but rather to spy on the Count and see if he was in league with the Necromancers.

Return to Raminus and tell him what you've found out. He'll apologize for lying to you and even promote you to Evoker and give you a nice Spelldrinker Amulet. (constant spell absorption effect)

Vahtacen's Secret (given by Raminus Polus)
Now Raminus wants you to help with research at the Ayleid ruin Vahtacen. After speaking to Irlav Jarol, who oversees the research project, you should probably check your spells and scrolls. You're going to need a Fire, Frost, Damage Magicka, and Fortify Magicka on target spell (or scroll) to complete this quest. Might as well get those before taking off.

Now you can head to the ruin. It's located south-southeast of Cheydinhal. It's also east of Swampy Cave, and southeast of Harlun's Watch. Head through the northbound passage to the underground ruin and find Skaleel at her camp in the first large room.

From her you'll learn about a giant pillar at the bottom of the ruins. The pillar responds to magic, as several mages have found by casting spells at it and getting zapped in return. Talk to Denel next, she's down in the room with the pillar. She'll fill in a couple more blanks and actually refer you to talk to Skaleel again. Ask Skaleel about "Ayleid Reference" this time and she'll provide you with a copy of "Ayleid Inscriptions and Their Translations".

Now you'll be able to decipher the inscriptions on the tablets in the room with the pillar. Page one says "From fire, life". Cast a fire spell at the pillar; any fire spell will do. You'll see a stairway begin to appear. To translate the rest of the inscriptions, you'll need Delen.

Long story short, the next three spells to be cast are (in sequence, after the Fire spell): Frost, Damage Magicka, Fortify Magicka. If you don't have these spells and didn't get them before embarking on this journey, check the chest near Denel. Casting the wrong spells, or in the wrong order will result in you getting blasted in return. Unless you're standing outside of the Dark Welkynd Stones line and casting from the southern corridor. ;)

Head down into the newly opened room, Vahtacen Tarn. Watch for traps, wraiths and ghosts all the way through. In the last room you'll see a raised area with no steps leading to it. At the top of the Northern stairs is a switch that will raise staircases to help you get where you need to go. Grab the Ancient Helm by raising the cage via a button on one of the nearby and columns and head back to Skaleel, then eventually Raminus for a promotion.

Necromancer's Moon (given by Raminus Polus)
Raminus wants more information on the Necromancers. Go talk to archivist Tar-Meena and ask about the Black Soul Gems found in Falcar's quarters during the Cheydinhal recommendation quest. She'll tell you to read a book called "Necromancer's Moon". It's on a table by the door. Read it, talk to her again, borrow the book, and go talk to Raminus and then Bothiel. She'll give you a note that lists some primary sites.

Take the note to Raminus and he'll send you off to the Dark Fissure. It's across the river to the east-southeast of Vahtacen, and close to Swampy Cave. You'll see an altar out in front with a column of spectral light beaming down on it (if it's nightime).

Just hang out a bit and wait. Soon you'll see a Worm Anchorite come out and use the altar to exchange soul gems for black soul gems and your journal will be updated. If you happen to kill the Worm Anchorite before your journal updates, don't worry. He carries a note that will update the quest for you. Return to Raminus for a promotion to Magician and a referral to Arch-Mage Traven.

Evil Players Note: You can use these altars to create Black Soul Gems as well. Visit at night when the light is beaming down on the altar, place a grand soul gem on the altar, cast any Dispel magic at the altar and the gems will be converted.

When you get there you'll find Fithragaer, the only survivor in a fight between a Necromancer ambush and the battlemages. He'll tell you to follow him but don't since he unwittingly walks right into a nearby trap and dies.

Fight your way through the trapped ruin to find undead, half a dozen Necromancers, and two Necromancer bosses only to find out that Allias has been turned into a zombie slave. Find him behind a secret door at the east end of the huge bottom chamber of the ruin. The switch to open the door is in an alcove north of the door. Once you've confirmed he is indeed zombiefied, return to Hannibal Traven, and then Raminus Polus for a promotion to Warlock.

Information at a Price (given by Hannibal Traven)
Janus Hassildor in Skingrad requests to see you in order to hand off some information. Go to Skingrad castle and talk to Hal-Liurz to get to the count.

Before he'll give up the information, he wants you to take care of a small matter. Vampires have taken up residence in Bloodcrust Cavern and vampire hunters have come to Skingrad to kill them. Janus wants both gone. So, you need to make sure the vampires are killed and get the vampire hunters to leave.

There are couple of ways to do this:

1)Go tell the vampire hunters where the vampires are and let them kill the vampires. Track down the hunters at the Two Sisters Lodge. They'll be in the dining area between 1 - 4pm and in their rooms from 11pm - 7am. Tell their leader, Eridor, the information you have and hope that they kill all the vampires. Since what they accomplish isn't scripted or guaranteed, you'll have to wait a day or so to see if you get journal entries telling you that the vampires have been killed and the hunters left. If you don't get those entries, then head to the caves and finish off what vampires they missed.

2)Go kill the vampires yourself and show proof of your deed to the vampire hunter leader. Head to the Cavern, kill them all and make sure you pick up at least one portion of Vampire Dust from one of the bodies. Go find Eridor and show him the vampire dust. He and his hunters will leave.

3)Kill both groups yourself. Be aware that killing the vampire hunters could result in getting a bounty on your head, so if you choose to do so, do it discretely.

Now go talk to the Count again. He'll give you the information he has then return to Hannibal Traven. You'll have to wait three days before he gives you another quest now.

A Plot Revealed (given by Hannibal Traven)
Hannibal wants you to check on the Bruma branch leader, Jeanne Frasoric. When you get there you'll find that Necromancers have killed everyone and set the place on fire. Take out any remaining undead on the ground floor and cellar, then head upstairs to find a sole Necromancer, Camilla Lollia. After killing her, J'skar will decloak and tell you everything he saw and heard while he was hiding. Return to Hannibal Traven and give him the new information. You'll have to wait three more days before he'll give you another quest, but he promotes you to Wizard and gives you a new spell.

The Bloodworm Helm and The Necromancer's Amulet (given by Hannibal Traven)
Hannibal wants you to retrieve two powerful artifacts for use against the necromancers.

The first, the Bloodworm Helm, was taken to Fort Teleman by Irlav Jarol. The fort is to the southeast near the Black Marsh border. Fast travel to Leyawiin and head northeast through the Blackwood forest. If you have the Ayleid ruin Atatar on your map, fast travel there and head southeast down the river. Fight your way through the Daedra and Necromancers to find Jarol's corpse in a big room at the bottom. Take the helm from his corpse. While you will eventually need to give the helm to Hannibal, feel free to use it now to help you get the second artifact.

The second artifact, the Necromancer's Amulet, was taken to Fort Ontus in the Colovian Highlands near the Hammerfell border. You can fast travel to Weatherleah, Rock Bottom Caverns, or Fort Diritch and then head west into the hills to find it. Here you'll find Necromancers who are NOT yet hostile. Find Caranya and talk to her; she's down in the second section. To get to her, you can open the portcullis southwest of Caranya using the lever on your side.

She'll refuse to give up the amulet and will attack. She's a tough fight, but she gets close to you before she becomes aggressive - allowing you to melee her easily. Once she's dead, take the amulet and then prepare to fight your way back out since the other Necromancers are now hostile.

Take the artifacts and information to Hannibal and then talk to Raminus Polus for a promotion to Master-Wizard.

Ambush (given by Hannibal Traven)
You're tasked to meet up with a group of battlemages dispatched to intercept the delivery of a unique Black Soul Gem. Find the group (Thalfin, Merete, and Iver) outside the Ayleid ruin of Silorn near Skingrad. Speak to Thalfin to get your briefing.

Apparently you're in charge and are to decide whether to prepare for the ambush, or to go in and take care of things yourself.

If you want to go the ambush route, talk to each of the battlemages about their "abilities" then position them in the best location. Once you have them positioned, talk to Thalfin again. Eventually you'll see two Necromancers come down the stairs of Silorn's entrance and join with the two out front.

When the ambush starts, Falcar will be drawn out of the ruin. He's the one with the gem you need, so move quickly to take him down and prevent him from running back inside the ruin. (Try paralyze or burden on him) Once you kill him, get the gem and return to the guild.