"That Which Was Lost" (Hew's bane): Quest stopping bug (since Patch 6.1.5?)

Ugh_Tech · August 2020

While playing thieves guild's side quests I'm facing the following issue:

The quest "That Which Was Lost" (second side quest from Velsa) has a stopping bug. I cannot aim the NPC which holds the keys for Tashmin's chains in Skywatch for pickpocketing.
That NPC has a quest marker hovering above his head, but no name or description and is just not recognized as a potential target for thieves.

I could play that quest last week with two of my chars (Altmer and Khajiit) without any problems. Today I tried two different chars (Bosmer & another Khajiit) on two different PCs; both of them facing the problem described above.
This is annoying, since the achievement "The Lady in the Cistern" is out of reach for these characters, because the document "Velsa's Theory", which is necessary to complete this achievement, does only drop if that quest is completed.

I'm playing on PC EU (German client).
If you need more information, please let me know.

Kotikov · August 2020

Same here. You can see it at screenshot.
PC EU server, Russian client (Steam).

joerginger · August 2020

I reported an identical bug the other day. The only difference was that one of my DC characters was doing this quest, so the bug took place in Wayrest. I also tried with all addons turned off, but that didn't make the slightest difference. Normal NPCs could be pickpocketed, by the way.

fel1scatus · August 2020

I've got the exact same problem. The mercenary is not targetable, as if it was not an entity at all.
Platform: PC. Server: NA

Ugh_Tech · August 2020

joerginger wrote: »

I reported an identical bug the other day. The only difference was that one of my DC characters was doing this quest, so the bug took place in Wayrest. I also tried with all addons turned off, but that didn't make the slightest difference. Normal NPCs could be pickpocketed, by the way.

Yeah, I can confirm this - normal NPCs have a name hovering over their head and are 'enabled' for pick-pocketing. Maybe it's because of the missing name that we cannot pick-pocket the target? Anyway, I also tried disabling all addons but that didn't change anything.

Fun-fact: Tashmin also sits (in my case) at the docks of Windhelm, telling me the exact same story - but there's no 'target-NPC' available.

Acacio_Bagual_RS33 · August 2020

Same happening to me, PC-NA. The dunmer walks around the docks at Wayrest but I can't pickpocket him. No interaction at all is available. Hope ZOS fix this

Husan · August 2020

Same here, PC-EU. I've also tried going to Wayrest and Skywatch, but the NPC doesn't appear there for me (Ebonheart pact character).

I've found some old threads of the same bug existing in 2016, so they must have done a roll back on something to break it again with the last patch.

quasney · August 2020

Same issue. PC_NA Wayrest.

RamseyR · August 2020

Same issue here. The NPC not targetable. PC_EU

rbullis · August 2020

Same issue here as well.
Tried the quest on 2 different characters in Wayrest and Skywatch...neither could target the NPC to Pickpocket him. No name above his head, but yet he has a quest marker.

PC_EU

Morvacia_Sunder · August 2020

Same issue for me in Wayrest

PC_NA

visind2b16_ESO · August 2020

Same here - PC EU

bjgremb14_ESO · August 2020

Same issue in Auridon - PC NA

Aztrias · September 2020

Happend to me as well in Windhelm(sent a report ticket in game... of course no answer)

ZOS_GinaBruno · September 2020

Thanks for the reports, everyone. We're working on getting this fixed for a future patch!

Ugh_Tech · September 2020

Thanks Gina for bringing

ZOS_GinaBruno wrote: »

Thanks for the reports, everyone. We're working on getting this fixed for a future patch!

Thanks Gina for sharing that information!

Dennidan · September 2020

I posted the same bug above since I didn't see this thread. Sorry I did since "fixed in a future patch" is beyond ridiculous. So no one can advance the thieves guild storyline while a patch is being worked on? And this is what I pay money each month for? Here's a hint: Get someone at ZOS to pull their head out of their ass and spend 5 minutes fixing this simple task.

Morvacia_Sunder · September 2020

Grateful it will be fixed at some point, kinda annoyed that I have no clue when.

If it were something that didn't completely break the questline and make progression in the Thieves Guild impossible, it wouldn't be that big a deal. Unfortunately, that is not the case.

Ugh_Tech · September 2020

Dennidan wrote: »

I posted the same bug above since I didn't see this thread. Sorry I did since "fixed in a future patch" is beyond ridiculous. So no one can advance the thieves guild storyline while a patch is being worked on? And this is what I pay money each month for? Here's a hint: Get someone at ZOS to pull their head out of their ass and spend 5 minutes fixing this simple task.

You still can complete Thieves Guild's quest line, but you're unable to complete the achievement "The Lady in the Cistern" since it requires reading a note which appears after completing "That which was lost".

But I agree it should be simple to fix - five minutes fixing and three weeks testing for side-effects on other parts of the game.

neiljwd · September 2020

This needs addressing I got ESO+ specifically for the Thieves Guild. Making me pay extra for bugged content is an insult.

Harlander · September 2020

Xbox - NA
Same problem.

I tried the classic options to fix it. Reloaded UI, re-logged, abandoned quest and retried. Nothing worked.

Aztrias · September 2020

I remember in another mmo game I played years back, I had trouble with a quest npc not responding and an GM came and force-progressed the quest for me.

In Eso I just get an automated answer via mail when you contact in-game support.

Dennidan · September 2020

Aztrias wrote: »

I remember in another mmo game I played years back, I had trouble with a quest npc not responding and an GM came and force-progressed the quest for me.

In Eso I just get an automated answer via mail when you contact in-game support.

Oh, you're comparing professionalism and competent customer service with... um, whatever we have here. Reminds me that I played a popular mmo that decided that non-stop new content was what would keep the money rolling in and just ignore any problems. Were they ever mistaken.

RottenKimchi · September 2020

Fix it already ZOS. It is the main quest of Thieves guild for gods sake.

TheOriginalMrT · September 2020

Sept 5th, almost 2 weeks later and still bugged

Nice that they know it's broken but couldn't they have fixed this during an early morning maintenance period?
At least then i never would have experienced this and i could continue along the storyline uninterrupted that i'm trying to finish! I hope the "patch" doesn't mean next dlc... sorta feeling that way now

kinda funny how now i have this urge to log out and stop playing the game.

Ugh_Tech · September 2020

TheOriginalMrT wrote: »

Sept 5th, almost 2 weeks later and still bugged
Nice that they know it's broken but couldn't they have fixed this during an early morning maintenance period?
At least then i never would have experienced this and i could continue along the storyline uninterrupted that i'm trying to finish! I hope the "patch" doesn't mean next dlc... sorta feeling that way now kinda funny how now i have this urge to log out and stop playing the game.

We got confirmation from Gina last Tuesday (one week after I opened this thread).
Bugs need to identified, fixes for them need testing and I'm pretty sure they won't release a patch after a 'go' from Q&A and they won't release a patch just for one bug.
So, let's hope the patch maintenance next Tuesday will fix it - but if not I won't be too surprised.

rbullis · September 2020

No patch for this fix....guess we wait another 2+ weeks. We need to stay on Stadia's patching schedule I guess.

Fares_B · September 2020

I’m having the same bug while playing on PS4. Apparently it’s not just a PC problem.
Now what should I do. I’m doing the story in a chronological order. So I guess I’m stuck till they fix it

RottenKimchi · September 2020

I am starting to wonder if ZOS is aware of the fact that this bug is not just a some random quest bug that you can ignore or walk away.

This is the one of Thieves Guild main quest line which makes you cannot proceed quest line further without completing it and bug is happening 100% chance.

Since they have not done anything for 3 weeks, I guess they will left it broken just like other bugs

Ugh_Tech · September 2020

Fares_B wrote: »

I’m having the same bug while playing on PS4. Apparently it’s not just a PC problem.
Now what should I do. I’m doing the story in a chronological order. So I guess I’m stuck till they fix it

Either that or you start a new character - or you can 'trick' yourself since it's 'only' a side quest and not fixed to the story line.

Ugh_Tech · September 2020

RottenKimchi wrote: »

This is the one of Thieves Guild main quest line which makes you cannot proceed quest line further without completing it and bug is happening 100% chance.

I agree with 100% chance of this bug to happen, but this quest is NOT part of the Thieves Guild story line.
It is a side quest from Velsa (who insists of beeing retired). It is still possible to complete the story quest line AND do quests from other characters like Zaira, Walks Softly or Quen (if you haven't already done them before). There's 'just' a blocked achievement.

RottenKimchi wrote: »

Since they have not done anything for 3 weeks, I guess they will left it broken just like other bugs

The Bug probably appeared with the patch that was installed on August 24th; i have reported it the next day, that was about two weeks ago, not three. Let's keep to the facts.
As I said above I believe it will take some time due to testing and other Q&A stuff before it can be scheduled for a rollout - a fix within two weeks would have been fine but, to be honest, not very realistic.