In Skyrim:

A Good Nights Rest:

Man outside Whiterun: "You there! A man in a house nearby asked me to send you his way."

Player : "What? Why?"

Man outside Whiterun: "How should I know? I'm just the messenger."


Player: "Who are you?"

Baris:  "My name is Baris. I come from an Island not too far from here."

Player: "What troubles you?"

Baris: "My home is in peril, it was attacked by a powerful sorcerer."

Player:  "And let me guess, you want my help?"

Baris: "Am I that obvious? Yes, I could use the help of someone with your skills. If you accept, we leave on the morrow and not return for a while. "

Player: "I accept."

Baris: "Excellent! Get a good nights rest, it's a long way to Valestria."


In Valestria: 

Halden: "You there! Stop"

Player: "Where am I?"

Halden: "You are on the island of Velestria but that is not important. What is important is how did you get here?"

Player: "I fell asleep in Skyrim and woke here. "

Halden: "Skyrim? Ha, then you're a long way from home."

Player: "Can you direct me to the nearest city?

Halden: "The nearest city? That would be Ankarth, just up the hill behind me."



After seeing city.


Player: "I don't understand. What happened here?"

Halden: "How that's a long story."


The Flooded City

Player: "Why is the city underwater?"

Halden: "The flooding is a defense mechanism set in place by a sorcerer named Ingrir, before he left us. "

Halden: "He used the last of his power to escape and hide out somewhere on the island. Myself and Ingrir thought it best that we keep the staff safe."

Player: "A defense against what?

Halden: "Against a powerful sorcerer. He was Ingrir's apprentice long ago, until he began to wonder why he served those less powerful than him. "

Halden: "He tried to leave the village to go wreak havoc somewhere but Ingrir fought him and trapped his power in a staff."

Halden: "He used the last of his power to escape and hide out somewhere on the island. Myself and Ingrir thought it best that we keep the staff safe."

Player: "and he came back?"

Halden:" He's tried for the staff a few times over the years but Ingrir always kept him back. Only Ingrir wasn't here this time. "

Halden: "He opened a portal into the town. Monsters came out and attacked. The flood mechanism was the only thing left. "

Halden: "We tried to evacuate the town, only 5 of us made it out. "

"Player: "Did he get the staff?"

Halden: "Honestly, we have no idea. There was so much confusion. We don't think he did though, he'd probably have hunted us down if he had. "

Halden: "Symon, our scout, was talking to the old man on the hill about that. You'd be better off speaking to him. "

"Player: "Halden says you know something about draining the city. "



Symon

Player: "Halden says you know something about draining the city. "

Symon:" I don't but in my scouting I have spoken with the old man who lives above the city. He was involved with the creation of the system. "

Player: "and he knows something about it?"

Symon: "So he claims. I told Halden I would go but there are too few of us to risk one of us. "

Player: "I could go. "

Symon: "I suppose you could. He lives up on the hill near the city. "



Old man

Player: "I hear you know how to drain the water from the city."

Old man: "Well, well. It's about time someone wanted to. But who are you? What's your angle?"

Player: "Those people can't live in that camp forever."

Old man: "Oh, a good samaritan. How rare. "

or

Player "That staff sounds like a good prize.

Old man: "Oh, I'm sure it will be but you're gonna want to keep that quiet from those folks at the camp. "

Player: "So how do I drain the water?"

Old man: "You have to pull the lever at the top of the tower. It's getting there that's the hard part. "

Player: "How do I get there?"

Old man: "First, you'll need the key to the tower. I'd imagine that Halden probably has it. "

Player: "After that?"

Old man: "The water isn't high enough. There are other levers that change the water level, you'll have to find the right one. "


Halden


Player: "I've spoken to the Old Man and he says you have a key that I need. "

Halden: "Oh, the key to the tower? Sure, here it is. "


Old man


Player: "I drained the water. "

Old man: "So I see, you fool. "

Player: "What do you mean?"

Old man: "Years I've waited. Trapped in this frail body, waiting for someone to come and open the way to my staff. "

Player: "Malikar?"

Old man: "The very same. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be taking my staff and leaving. "


Halden

Player: "I drained the water and killed Malikar."

Halden: "So you did. What I want to know is why you took the key."

Player: "Thank you. You've done us a great service. Take this as a token of our appreciation. "