The Elder Scrolls V - Walkthrough

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
Welcome to the Walkthrough for 'The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition Achievements', here I will be guiding you through one of
the largest and most sophisticated games of all time. This epic adventure role-playing game is insurmountably huge with over '400'
quests available and a never-ending possibility of random quests, activities and exploration. To keep us sane I have focused this
Walkthrough around the achievements of the game. There are '50' achievements in the base game, '23' will be unlocked through the
completion of the main quest lines; the Main Story (8), the Civil War (3), the Companions (3), the College of Winterhold (3), the
Thieves Guild (3), and the Dark Brotherhood (3). None of these achievements are difficulty specific- all quests can be completed on
'Novice' difficulty at your discretion.
A further '2' achievements concern the 'Daedric Artifacts', '1' for obtaining one artifact, and '1' for obtaining '15' of the '16' artifacts
available during one playthrough. This latter achievement is 'missable', I have dedicated a full page to the Daedric Artifacts and done
all I can to prevent you from missing this achievement, noting all known bugs and how to avoid or fix them.
The remaining '25' achievements can be found in the 'Miscellaneous Achievements' page. This page includes; not only how to unlock
all of these achievements, but also a lot of other useful information to make your adventures in Skyrim easier and more enjoyable.
The achievements included here are nothing to be worried about; most are general tasks that you will unconsciously work towards
while completing quests and exploring.
There are three major collectible achievements (aside from the Daedric Artifacts) each linked to an achievement. You must learn at
least one word from each of the '20' Shouts in the base game for the 'Thu'um Master achievement', you must read '50' of the '90'
available Skill Books in the base game for the 'Reader' Achievement, and you must find all '13' of the 'Standing Stones' for the
'Standing Stones' Achievement (note that it is possible to revisit the same Standing Stones and they will count towards this
achievement). I have integrated all the locations of every Shout, every Standing Stone and mentioned the locations of as many Skill
Books as possible throughout the main quest lines of the game. You should take note of all the collectibles you acquire as you go and
save your game after each one. If, for any reason, you have missed any collectibles during the main quest lines, I have included the
locations of all of them in the 'Miscellaneous Page' of this Walkthrough.
An additional '25' achievements have been added by the three DLC's available for Skyrim, these include the Dawnguard (10), the
Dragonborn (10) and the Hearthfire (5) DLC's. These have been covered in their own relevant pages found after the Miscellaneous
Page.
Comprehensive Playthrough
This page outlines, in basic form, the most efficient sequence to complete the quests and unlock the achievements of the game. You
should have a basic understanding of the game's mechanics and controls before using this page as it will give no details about quests
or bugs and serves simply as a chronological guide through every achievement in the game. Any additional information or bug fixes
etc can be found in the relevant sections of the relevant quest pages. It would be a good idea to have both this page and the
relevant quest line page open at once to follow.
This page will dictate your every action throughout the game and unlock every achievement in the process. This may sound silly; but
I do not recommend using this page. Skyrim is an amazing game, and what makes the game truly unique is the freedom of choice.
You choose whom you are, where to go, and what to do, and following a strict guide that dictates your every action is just not the
way to play this game. It is there however, for your consideration, if you really have no time, or no mind to enjoy this game then this
is the page for you.
Major Quest Lines

For greater detail, each main quest line has been given it's own page, these pages will guide you through every quest, in detail, from
beginning to end in the most efficient manner possible. I have integrated the locations as many collectibles and miscellaneous
achievements into these quest lines as possible, for your consideration. You may need to clear up the odd miscellaneous
achievement at the end, but if you follow this Walkthrough, as written, you will unlock all the achievements in the game as you
complete the major quest lines.
The Main Story

This quest line centers around a new and very serious event that suddenly occurs at the beginning of the game, you probably know
what this is by now but I have no cause to spoil the surprise here. This major and shocking crisis affects not only Skyrim but the
whole continent of Tamriel. The main story is at first unavoidable and it serves well to introduce you to the various aspects of the
game. The main story will take you through some of the primary areas of the game-world and award you with many unique features.
There are '17' quests with a further '2' optional quests in the main story. You will unlock '8' achievements by completing these
quests and a further '3' achievements can be unlocked during the course of the tutorial aspect of these quests. You will also
automatically unlock '7' Shouts during the course of the Main Story and I have included the locations of a further '4' Shouts, over '80'
Skill Books, and '8' Standing Stones for your consideration.
The Civil War

This page focuses around the complex war that is currently underway in Skyrim. This war began after a rebellious Nord, named
'Ulfric Stormcloak', killed the High King of Skyrim. This caused the Empire to send out the Imperial Legion to put his army, 'the
Stormcloaks', down. You become involved in this war at the beginning of the game. You can join either side of the war; the Imperial
Legion or the Stormcloaks but you are later given certain occasions where you can change sides, after the second quest however you
are bound to your choice.
There are '15' quests throughout the Civil War. There are only '3' achievements related to the Civil War, all of which will be unlocked
by completing quests regardless of which side you joined. One of these achievements, namely; the 'War Hero' achievement, is
missable. This achievement can be missed if you progress to the 'Season Unending' quest in the Main Story and make a decision that
hands over a particular fort to the enemy side without a fight. It is therefore advisable to complete the Civil War quests before
progressing too far in the Main Story. I have warned and advised you in the Main Story page exactly where this achievement can
become missable and what to do.
I have also included the locations of '1' Word Wall, '9' Skill Books, and '4' Standing Stones found during this quest line for your
consideration.
The Companions
This is a group of warriors based in the central city of Whiterun who take on independent contracts for the people of Skyrim for gold.
You can gain access to some great aspects of the game by joining the Companions and find some very lucrative side-quests too.
There are only '6' main quests for the Companions with a further '4' mandatory 'Radiant Quests' (See Companions page for
information on those). You will unlock '3' achievements while completing this quest line to the end. I have also included the
locations of '2' Word Walls (one of which is automatically learned during the Main Story), '9' Skill Books and '1' Standing Stone found
during this quest line for your consideration.
The College of Winterhold

This is a school found far to the north in the old ruined town of Winterhold, this place is dedicated solely to the education and
practise of the magical arts. Obviously joining this faction would be most advantageous as a mage, but the school offers many
advantages to all types of players in the form of side-quests, merchants and unique items. You are introduced to this quest line
during a Main Story quest where you are required to gain access to the college.
There are '8' main quests for the College of Winterhold and you'll unlock '3' achievements by completing them all. I have also
included the locations of '3' Word Walls, '9' Skill Books and '1' Standing Stone (the same one found during a Companions quest) that
can be found during this quest line for your consideration.
The Thieves Guild

This is an organised group of thieves and smugglers operating out of a hidden location in the town of Riften. They are dedicated to
the training and practise of the arts of stealth. Joining this guild is most suitable for thief and assassin style characters and offers
many advantages for them in the form of trainers, side-quests, merchants and unique items. It is also advised, that during your time
with the Thieves Guild, you attempt the miscellaneous achievements of picking '50' pockets and '50' locks, escaping jail, and having a
bounty of 1000 gold in all nine holds.
There are '12' main quests with the Thieves Guild and '3' achievements that are unlocked by completing them; '1' of these is
unlocked by completing various 'Radiant mini-quests' (See Thieves Guild page for more information) and then another random quest
to restore the Thieves Guild to it's former glory. There are also a further '5' optional quests that can be completed for the guild with
no ties to achievements. I have also included the locations of '4' Word Walls' (one of which is learned during the Main Story), '11'
Skill Books and '1' Standing Stone found during this quest line for your consideration.
The Dark Brotherhood

This is a group of professional assassins who take on secret murderous contracts for the people of Skyrim. You will have to perform
morally questionable deeds during this quest line but you are not bound to any aspect of combat when joining. Joining the Dark
Brotherhood can be missed by accident. To prevent you from losing out on the '3' achievements associated with the Dark
Brotherhood however simply follow my advice in the General Hints and Tips page: Do not enter areas that you are not prompted to
for a quest and you'll be fine.
There are '13' main quests with the Dark Brotherhood which will unlock '3' achievements through their completion. I have also
included the locations of '2' Word Walls, '5' Skill Books, and '1' Standing Stone found during this quest line for your consideration.
The Daedric Artifacts

Aside from the main story, the civil war and the above faction quest lines there is another group of quests that involve completing
certain tasks for the questionably moral 'Daedric Princes of Oblivion'. Each of these quests will reward you with a unique item called
a 'Daedric Artifact'; these are prized possessions and are amongst the most useful and powerful items in the game. There is '1'
achievement for attaining one of these artifacts and '1' achievement for attaining '15' artifacts. Note that there are only 16 artifacts
available to you in one playthrough and they do not carry over through multiple playthroughs. You cannot begin some of these
quests until you reach a certain character level and one will be strongly associated with the Main Story quest 'Elder Knowledge'. Also
some of these quests can be failed and many are very glitchy, therefore getting 15 will take some care and attention as you play
through this game. For this reason I advise you concentrate on completing Daedric Quests as and when they become available.
I have integrated the locations of '3' Shouts, '3' Standing Stones and also mentioned the locations of an additional '23' Skill Books
found during these quests for your consideration.
Miscellaneous Achievements
There are a further '25' achievements that require completing specific tasks or reaching a certain character level. None of these
achievements are difficult and many of them will unlock without you even noticing. There are three collectibles to note however:
The first involves the finding of at least one word of all 20 'Dragon Shouts' (also known as Thu'ums) in the game. You will
automatically unlock '7' of these Shouts during the Main Story and a character known as 'Arngeir' will reveal the locations of all
Shouts one by one when asked. I have also integrated the locations of at least one word from all of the remaining '13' Shouts
through the major quest lines of the game. If you are still missing any words, I have included a table in this page with all information
about the 20 Shouts in the base game and the '7' extra Shouts added by the DLC (which, incidentally, also count for the Thu'um
Master achievement). You can also track your progress towards this achievement using the 'Shouts Learned' statistic, on the 'Magic'
page of your journal's 'General Stats' section.
Secondly you have to find '13' Standing Stones, this is however made much easier by the fact that revisiting some fo the same stones
will count towards the achievement. Nevertheless, I have integrated the locations of all '13' different Standing Stones into the main
quest lines of the game for your consideration.
And thirdly you must read '50' unique copies of the '90' available 'Skill Books' in the game. By 'read' this means that you only need to
press cn_A on the books and open them, you do not necessarily have to take or steal them. Again I have integrated the locations of
over '80' of these books throughout the main quest lines. Should you still not have the required '50' then you will find a table on this
page detailing the specific locations of all 90 Skill Books. You can also track your progress towards this achievement using the 'Skill
Books Read' statistic on the 'General' tab of your journal's 'General Stats'.
Also in this section, to help you navigate the immensity of Skyrim, and find the most out of the game, I have included information
about some other aspects that are not necessarily related to any achievements. The sections found on this page include: Alchemy,
Character and Skill Levelling Exploits, Clearing Dungeons, Crimes, Bounties and Escaping from Jail, Dragons, Dragon Souls, Lairs and
Shouts, Easter Eggs, Enchanting, Getting Married, Houses, Lockpicking and Pickpocketing, Lycanthropy, Magic, Manual Tasks,
Miscellaneous Objectives, Money Making Techniques, Side-Quests, Skill Books, Smithing, Speech Challenges, Standing Stones,
Stealth, Trainers, Vampirism, and the Warrior Class.
Hearthfire
This add-on introduces three new unique houses for you design, build use as your homes. You can design and build these houses
from scratch; they can also be used as a storage center, and for your family to live in. This DLC also allows you to adopt various
children as your own. You get additional features such as stewards, a personal carriage driver, a personal bard, new activities such
as; baking, beekeeping, fishing and farming, and four new loading screens.
There are '5' new achievements added by the Hearthfire DLC; '1' for adopting a child, '2' for buying all three plots of land (1 and 3),
'1' for building all three wings of one house and '1' for building all three houses. This DLC is simple enough, but because of the grindy
nature of gaining all the materials, I advise you to begin working on your houses as early as possible. These houses also provide some
useful features that will aid you in your completion of the other aspects of the game.
Dawnguard
This add-on centres around a new faction of vampire hunters called the 'Dawnguard'. The Dawnguard are at war with another new
group called the 'Volkihar Vampire Clan'. Much like the Civil War, you must choose which side to join, but all achievements can still
be unlocked in one playthrough. This adds '39' new quests, '24' new locations, '80' new characters, '3' new Shouts, '3' new blessings,
'9' new spells, a new 'Lycanthropy' and 'Vampire Lord' skill tree and abilities, plus '18' new loading screens and new creature
variants, apparel, armour, books, jewellery, weapons, and more.
There are '10' new achievements added by this DLC, '3' of which are Missable; '4' are unlocked by completing the main quest line, '2'
for acquiring all of the Lycanthropy and Vampirism perks, '1' for learning all words of the new 'Soul Tear' Shout, '1' for using a new
special weapon, '1' for using the new feature to change your character's appearance, and '1' for killing one 'Legendary Dragon'.
The achievements for acquiring the Lycanthropy and Vampirism perks ('Werewolf Mastered' and 'Vampire Mastered') are Missable
because there are limited chances to become a Werewolf and a Vampire Lord in the game. If you miss these opportunities and then
cure yourself, you may not be able to change back, ever. The other missable achievement is the one concerning the changing of your
face ('A New You'); it is missable because the person who changes your face can permanently glitch out of the game. I have advised
the best way to go about gaining these achievements on this page.
Dragonborn
This is a very extensive DLC that adds an entirely new region called 'Solstheim', and introduces a new quest line involving a new
antagonist who is corrupting the population of this region. You will be given over '50' new quests, '6' entirely new factions, over '20'
new creatures and enemies, the ability to 'ride' dragons as steeds and attack enemies while doing so, '4' new Shouts, over '80' new
characters, a new powerful metal called 'Stalhrim', '9' new powers, '11' new spells, '4' new blessings, '30' new loading screens, and a
whole variety of new armour, weapons, clothing, books, foods, and ingredients.
There are '10' new achievements added by the Dragonborn DLC and '1' is Missable; '4' are unlocked by completing the main quest
line and an additional '1' by completing a collectable aspect of a main quest, '1' by learning all three words of the new 'Dragon
Aspect' Shout, '1' for crafting one item from the new Stalhrim metal, '1' for riding five dragons, '1' for buying a house in Solstheim
and '1' for discovering thirty locations in Solstheim.
The Missable achievement known as 'Stalhrim Crafter', concerns the crafting of an item from Stalhrim. This is missable because there
are only two characters who can teach you how to craft this metal, and they can both die or glitch. I have detailed the best way to go
about gaining this achievement on the page itself.
Advisory
Because of the immense nature of this game some quests can become glitched or more difficult to complete depending on which
other quests you have completed beforehand. The order of the quest lines I have listed above is not the mandatory order to
complete this game in. You are not bound to any order as such, and you have the freedom to join any and all of the factions at once
and complete any quests at your leisure. Be warned however, that completing certain quests can make the rest of the game much
more difficult or more prone to glitches. It is best to follow the order detailed below and in the 'Comprehensive Playthrough' page,
with reasonable variation.
Although you have the option to jump between quest lines, and it is more fun and refreshing to do so, I highly recommend sticking
to one quest line and finishing it to the end, with the exception of the Main Story and Civil War. The reason for this is that many
quests rely on the specific movements and states of certain individuals who will often move to certain locations and await your
arrival. If you leave them there for too long, because of the incredible complex nature of Skyrim, they can become glitched, moved
or in some cases killed or lost. My personal recommendation for the optimum order of quest lines is listed below, however you can
choose to ignore this and if you are cautious, save often and are familiar with similar Bethesda games, you will be fine:
Proceed with the Main Story quest line but stop after 'Bleak Falls Barrow'- before 'Dragon Rising'.
Complete your preferred quest lines listed below but prioritize the Daedric quests as and when you level up:
Complete Daedric quests.

You can begin the Civil War quest line but you must stop at the 'Message to Whiterun' quest.
Complete all Companions quests.
Complete all College of Winterhold quests.
Complete all Thieves Guild quests.
Complete all Dark Brotherhood quests.
Complete the Hearthfire related achievements.
Complete all Dragonborn quests and achievements.
Complete all Dawnguard quests and achievements.
When all the Daedric quests are complete except the 'Whispering Door' and 'Discerning the Transmundane':
Continue with the Civil War quests and return to the Main Story during 'Message to Whiterun'.
Complete Main Story quest Dragon Rising.
Complete Daedric quest The Whispering Door.
Continue with the Main Story and complete the final Daedric quest 'Discerning the Transmundane' simultaneously with the 'Elder
Knowledge' quest.
Stop Main Story after 'Alduin's Bane'.
Complete all remaining Civil War quests unlocking the missable War Hero achievement.
Complete Main Story quest line.
Final Note
There are potentially thousands of hours of gameplay in Skyrim, and it's going to take at least '85' hours minimum to unlock all of the
achievements in this mammoth of a game. This should not daunt you however, even if you are not much of an adventurer, I have
endeavored to brake down every aspect of the game into digestible pages and I will guide you through each quest stage in the most
efficient manner possible.
Please read the page 'General Hints and Tips' very carefully before beginning on the epic road to Skyrim. If you treat this game
poorly it will treat you poorly back by glitching and misbehaving, but if you follow some simple rules, and take the time to enjoy
yourself Skyrim will open it's heart to you.
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If you are new to the Elder Scrolls series my primary advice is simply to play the game and enjoy yourself. Skyrim is a vast and
complicated world, if you try to understand everything at once you will only overwhelm yourself unnecessarily, take things step by
step and just try to enjoy the gameplay. The majority of the achievements will unlock without noticing.
How to start
The first thing you need to decide is how you are going to play this game. Are you going to play the game with the intent of getting
every achievement as fast as possible in one playthrough? Or are you willing to experience the full glory of Skyrim and play the
optimum three playthroughs?
There are many reasons, other than mere enjoyment, to play this game through multiple times, below I have explained the main
two:
The Three Playstyles

There are many play styles in Skyrim, what I mean by that is there are various different combat and character leveling systems that
compete and conflict with each other as you play through the game. As you complete various actions you receive 'XP' for almost
every action you do, from talking and trading with people to using weapons and spells, every action will increase your experience in
that specific skill. It can take a very long time to reach the higher levels in certain skills and this is why it is advantageous to
concentrate on one group of skills instead of trying to level up all your skills as you play. If you try to level up every skill at once you
will increase your main character level, and consequently your enemies will become more powerful but your skills will be too weak
to combat them effectively.
The main play styles are Warrior, Mage and Thief; these each have very different styles of combat and general gameplay. If you plan
to complete three playthroughs, one with a version of each of these, your mastery of the game-world will be far greater than if you
choose to randomly play the game in one playthrough. Note that when I say 'playthrough' I do not intend for you to complete every
quest in the game three times, no, the point of having three classes is so you can better complete the quests from certain factions
with each playthrough. There is also the point of experiencing and utilizing the different races of people you can play as, the
different races in Skyrim are not just for appearance sake, each race has very different starting skill levels, powers and advantages
unique to their race, and much of the dialogue and quest decisions you encounter throughout your campaign will be affected by
your race.
I will list the associated skills and the quests you should concentrate on with each class below, even if you choose a single
playthrough it would still be a good idea to consider the styles of these classes:
Warrior
This is the classic melee combat type, this style is best suited for Nords, Orcs, Imperials and Redguards. There are '2' offensive skill
trees for the Warrior class; One-Handed and Two-Handed, and there are '2' defensive skill trees; Heavy Armour and Block. Therefore
as a warrior you would only ever wear heavy armour and use either a one-handed weapon with a shield, a two-handed weapon, or
two one-handed weapons. You should concentrate entirely on your relevant armed skill, along with the skills of Block, Smithing and
Enchantment to make the best use of your armour and weapons. You can, as a bonus skill, choose to use Alteration magic as well,
this school of magic can be used to increase your armour strength, resist magic attacks, and change metals for smithing etc.
You should complete the Main Story quests with every class, but the Warrior is best suited for the Civil War, the Companions and
the Daedric Quests. You'd want to avoid the Thieves Guild and the College of Winterhold in this playthrough and have a stab at the
Daedric quests, if you fail to get all of the '15' artifacts for the 'Oblivion Walker' achievement, you can try in the next two
playthroughs. Choosing the Warrior standing stone also at the beginning of the game will grant you a 20% experience bonus in all
Warrior class skills.
Warrior Class Combat
As a purely melee based combatant, your weapons, armour and your stamina gauge are your most important concerns. As you
progress through the game you should always have the best items available to increase your chances of survival. Buying directly
from merchants, looting your dead foe's bodies, plundering crypts and treasuries and smithing the items yourself are the main ways
of ensuring you have the best gear for your character's level. Stick to heavy armour alone as wearing any light armour will hinder
your progress in the Heavy Armour skill tree and cancel perk bonuses. Choose one style of weapon, either a one-handed weapon
with a shield, a two-handed weapon or dual-wielding two one-handed weapons, do not switch between them for the same reasons
as the armour.
Please see the 'Warrior Class Combat' section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page for more information about Warrior skills.
Mage
The schools of magic are the most powerful arts in Skyrim, mastery of them will ensure victory in any given situation. High Elves,
Dark Elves, and Bretons have specific adeptness and the best bonuses for magic. Not wearing any armour of any kind is a must for
Mages, wearing armour actually physically dissipates magic ability and is unnecessary anyway, there are robes and hoods and other
strange and unique items of clothing that will boost your magic abilities far more than any armour can. The schools of magic you
should concentrate on, in order of importance are: Destruction, Conjuration, Restoration, Illusion and Alteration. Also increasing
your Sneak and Speech skills as a mage will gain better advantages for certain spells and the mastery over people's minds.
The main concern in a mage playthrough is obviously the College of Winterhold, but completing the Main Story and the Daedric
Quests will give you an incredible advantage over any other class.
Mage Class Combat
As a mage your main concern is the offensive schools of magic such as Destruction and Conjuration, using Alteration and Illusion
magic is more of a side concern. Also Restoration will be your main means of healing and protection during combat. Destruction
spells can be dual-wielded and with mastery of this skill you will be able to effectively deal with any enemy type, using countering
magic to the highest effect. Conjuration will grant you the ability to summon powerful allies to fight for you, additionally you will be
able to bring dead bodies back to life. Mastering Conjuration will effectively disengage you from the arena of combat, meaning that
with some practice, you'll be able to just stand back and watch your minions wipe out hordes of enemies while you stand back and
grin. Wearing armour is not advised as a mage, armour impedes your magical abilities and no apparel in the game has better magic
fortifications than mage's robes. Plus you do not want to be wasting time and perks on armour skills when you have magic to
upgrade. Your only other concern is Restoration, this skill will allow you to heal yourself most efficiently during combat and can be
used to protect yourself as if it were armour you were wearing.
Please see the 'Magic' section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page for more information about Mage skills.
Thief
The name thief can be misleading, this is simply the name of the class, other suitable names would be Archer or Assassin. The thief
class is adept at stealth and archery choosing races such as the Wood Elf or the Khajiit is perfect for this style as they are light,
nimble and quiet. You would wear only light armour and go barefoot as a thief, your main concentrations would be Archery, Sneak
and Alchemy. Alchemy is a very powerful weapon in Skyrim, the mastery of making poisons is an art form in itself, some poisons can
become so powerful that they can instantly paralyze and kill even the toughest of enemies. Lockpicking and Pickpocketing are also
essential tools of the thief class, the ability to lift keys and, with later skill, equipped weapons and armour from the pockets of your
enemies has untold of advantages. You may also want to consider using the magic school of Illusion with the thief class, the
invisibility and muffle spells are particularly useful, muffle will make you utterly silent as you sneak.
Obviously your main concentration at this point would be the Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood quest lines, but you could
complete the Daedric quests again if you have still not attained those fifteen artifacts yet.
Thief Class Combat
As a thief your concern is stealth. The best form of combat, is avoiding it, the Sneak and Light Armour skills will allow you to bypass
any attacks from any enemy and in later stages, these skills will augment your critical hit chances to the point of lethal accuracy. You
are still going to be doing a lot of killing, but killing in the shadows or at a distance, preventing your enemy from ever seeing or
reaching you is paramount to success as a thief. To ensure safety and swift death to your enemies you will be using only the bow and
arrow, mastering archery will make your arrows so powerful that almost any enemy will fall from one clean shot. To aid your
deadliness you should also become a master of alchemy, not only can you create poisons so lethal that they can drop a dragon from
the sky but you must also use this skill as the sole means to heal yourself during combat. As a member of the thief class you do not
necessarily need to be a thief, but pickpocketing and lockpicking can become your best friends during all manner of quests, many
quest items are carried by people and locked behind hard locks that only a thief can undo. As a later bonus of the pickpocketing skill
you become so adept you can actually take off your enemies armour and weapons, rendering them completely defenseless. A
master of the thief class is fast and fleeting, totally undetectable, everywhere and nowhere, and insurmountably lethal.
Please see the 'Stealth' section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page for more information about Thief skills.
Glitch prevention and relaxing gameplay

This is an important reason to play the game through at least three times. If you have never played a Bethesda RPG before you will
be unaware of the sheer scale and complexity these games have to offer. Every single action you do has consequences in the game
world, some of these consequences can be so severe as to affect entire quest lines and break them indefinitely. No matter how
many playthroughs you do you are always at risk of causing such consequences during the normal progression and exploration of
the game. However these consequences become much more serious with only one playthrough forcing you to play the game in such
a careful way that makes enjoyment and casual exploration impossible. A good example of what I mean is when you encounter
certain individuals or objects before you have activated the quest related to them. There are many people and many unique items
out there that spawn at the beginning of the game. Interacting with these individuals or finding these items and placing them into
your inventory before activating their associated quest is one of the main causes of glitches in this game. That is why having three
playthroughs in mind leaves room for random exploration and enjoyment without worrying constantly about breaking quests that
could cost you achievements.
Controls
All the controls can be changed to exactly what you wish. The default controls are well-suited to the game, but if you feel a certain
control is wrong or awkward for you, simply go into the options menu and re-map the button to something you feel is more
comfortable, try not to change too many however as there may be times when I need to refer to specific controls.
Your main item menu, known as the 'Journal', is activated by the cn_B button - This will pause the action of the game and allow you
to view and access everything about your character, including; your inventory, skills status, magic spells, Shouts, current effects,
diseases etc, plus a full map of Skyrim.
Pushing cn_B then cn_LSd will open the 'Map of Skyrim', this will show you a bird's eye view of the entire land and will show all the
main cities by default along with any place you have discovered so far. Anywhere you have been before can be clicked on with the
cn_A button and you can 'Fast travel' there immediately from any outside location, you cannot use this feature inside buildings or
caves etc or when you are in combat. You can also mark a single waypoint on the map to help you remember where something is,
such as an unmarked location you found.
Pushing cn_B then cn_LSl will open your 'Magic Menu', this will allow you to view and equip spells, Shouts, special abilities and see
your current effects. You can choose to have any combination of weapons or spells for each hand, experimentation in this field is
important and finding effective combinations is key to winning in varying combat situations. A character with poor armour may
benefit by having a defensive spell or shield in one hand and a weapon or attacking spell in the other, while it may also be
advantageous to wield a healing spell in one hand and a weapon in the other etc. You can also equip one Shout and one special
ability at a time using this menu. And this is where you can view any affects such as skill boosts and bonuses or diseases you may
currently have.
Pushing cn_LSu will open your 'Skills Menu'. This is displayed in an attractive firmament style with all the skills in the game displayed
as star constellations. This menu will show you your current level in each skill and display a progress bar towards your next level.
Using any action or spell related to a skill will increase it's level by varying amounts. Usually the greater the action the more the skill
will increase, for example killing a Giant with a One-handed sword will increase your One-handed skill more than killing a Mudcrab.
Increasing skills will consequently increase your 'main character level', every time you increase your character level you are awarded
one 'perk point' you can use these to select a new perk for any skill you choose. Perks will either give you a permanent effect that
you do not need to activate such as increasing your armour effectiveness or reducing damage from falling, allow you to use higher
level spells or equipment, or unlock certain actions that you can perform by activating them when you desire such as Dual-Wielding
spells for greater effect or zooming in with your bow etc.
The combat aspect of the game functions around a left and right hand system, aptly using cn_LT will activate whatever is in your left
hand and cn_RT for your right. You can equip one-handed weapons, spells, scrolls, shields, torches, and other items in each hand
and use them to attack or defend against your enemies. Two-handed weapons such as heavy swords and the bow and arrow will
take up both hands and will be activated by both triggers, you can also use spells or a shield with both hands allowing for a much
greater effect.
To access your 'Quest and Stats Menu' press the cn_start button, this will also pause the game. The quest tab will allow you to view
the details of your current quests and miscellaneous objectives, below that will also be details of all your completed quests. This tab
also allows you to select and deselect the quests you wish your 'objective marker' to point to, allowing you to always focus on the
quests you wish. Your stats tab will keep track of almost every action you perform in the game; a quest count for each quest line, a
kill count for particular enemies, current bounties and crimes,
Your 'Favorites menu' or 'Hot Key' can be activated either by cn_up or cn_down this is a very useful feature that may be strange at
first, but if you get used to it you'll soon find yourself using it constantly during combat and general gameplay instead of opening
your journal repeatedly. The whole point of the favorites menu is so you can find and equip items, spells, shouts etc quickly without
going into your journal all of the time. This favorites menu should be properly managed however, don't ignore it and allow it to
become cluttered up. Put your main weapons or spells on your favorites, put things like a few healing potions and poisons on there
too, it's also a good idea to put your favorite Shouts on the favorites menu. Depending on your character type you should have
around 10-20 items on this menu, this will allow you to change between offensive and defensive weapons, spells and Shouts during
combat. You can also equip these items to either hand respectively by using cn_LT or cn_RT once the menu is open and the item is
highlighted.
Important Tips
Skyrim is an incredibly complex game world with some of the most sophisticated game engines to date. I'm going to offer you some
very important advice now that if followed will save you many hours of repeated gameplay, glitches and frustration.
> SAVE - Skyrim offers a beautiful save anytime feature, this feature should be whored to death. Turn off automatic saves from the
options menu, as these saves will only cause more glitches and often save in areas where glitches are found. With auto saves off you
are in control of your save files. You should have at least 3-5 separate saves at any one time to fall back on, but do not retain too
many, each save file is a large amount of data that the game has to check every so often so have a maximum of 10. Save after every
single loading screen, this is the most important and most useful tool ever, after every loading screen. Save after major fights and
events, save before doing anything important or risky, such as picking a pocket or door, or talking to someone during a quest, save
before talking to anyone in fact, SAVE!
> REALISM - This may sound a bit daft, but try to play this game as if it were real life, what I mean specifically is, do not just run
around killing people or stealing things, trespassing or jumping around mad, casting spells or shouts in public or enclosed areas. This
is not just for the sake of realism or enjoyment this is an important glitch prevention tool. You should know not to attack or kill the
characters of the game anyway because you can kill people that are essential for major quests and you will never be able to
complete them or get their associated achievements. But there can be certain situations where you may think it's OK to kill certain
'NPC's' (Non-Player Characters, aka anyone in the game with a unique name that is not you), in every one of those situations do not
kill them, make decisions to allow everyone to live, even if a quest says it's OK. Also be careful in some areas that may seem remote
and hostile as sometimes important characters can live or wander the wilderness and other dangerous places and you may mistake
them for hostiles, look before you shoot.
Trespassing is also a very big no-no, especially if you plan on only one playthrough. There are many areas and buildings in Skyrim
that are intentionally locked until you activate a certain quest. Blundering into these areas prematurely can cause a wealth of
glitches and in some cases break entire quest lines.
Also the reason I discourage the jumping around and casting spells indoors unnecessarily and in general, is to lessen the memory
load of the game itself. Skyrim remembers everything, and I mean everything that you touch, move or drop on the ground is saved
and will remain in that state forever. These will take up memory from the game. For example dropping a knife or something at the
beginning of the game out in the wilderness and then playing the game all around Skyrim completing hundreds of quests and playing
thousands of hours of gameplay then returning to that spot you will find the knife right where you left it. The game saved it, it saves
everything you drop from your inventory, dead bodies are cleared after some time and items in certain areas are placed back where
they were, but junk and discarded items that you drop will remain forever and in many cases it is this alone that slows down frame
rates and loading times and causes bugs in the game. So do not drop random crap all over Skyrim, in fact you can help the
smoothness of gameplay if you actually tidy up any clutter you find.
General Advice
Aside from choosing a single play style, becoming a master of saving, and playing the game in a sensible manner, there are a few
helpful tips on gameplay below:
> Follow your quest marker and complete your quests, do not leave quests unfinished for long.
> Manage your quests and your items in your journal, visit merchants often and keep yourself stocked up with useful items and gear.
> When you are visiting places such as caves and buildings during quests take your time to look around for unique and useful items.
Their are many skill books and special collectibles lying around, especially in quest related areas.
> Most hostile places are rigged with booby-traps so take caution, look out for trip-wires, pressure plates and rigged chests, and
always sneak continuously through hostile areas.
> If you are using magic use spells all the time to build up your XP. Cast muffle, invisibility and detect life constantly especially in
towns and cities, cast Wards and Reanimate corpses as much as possible. If you use magic and you are not casting a spell every 10
seconds you are wasting XP.
> If you plan on doing only one playthrough, (I have said this before but I'll reiterate as its very important) do not go to areas that
you have not been prompted to go to yet, not even random caves etc and do not pick up items in strange places that seem
important until you are quested to do so, this is a major cause of glitches.
This may seem like a lot to take in before you start but try to take heed of this advice, especially the last few points as much as
possible and, like me, you may not encounter a single glitch in an entire playthrough.
Have fun with this game, with three playthroughs you can relax and need not worry too much about all this stuff above, if you glitch
a quest you can do it next time, and you are free to explore and wander as you see fit.
If you embrace Skyrim it will embrace you back, be cautious and forgiving, my last tip is to remember that you have a real life out
there and Skyrim can eat it all up before you can say; Fus-Ro-Dah!
External image
This page is designed to guide you through all the achievements of the game in a single power playthrough. This page does not
contain details about quest stages or bug warnings, but serves more as a chronology of the most efficient order in which to complete
the game, and as a collectible checklist.
For more information about any of the quests or achievements please refer to the relevant quest page or section of the
Miscellaneous Achievements page of this Walkthrough.
Quick Tips
Since you're only doing one quick playthrough you should play as a Thief class at first, then build up some Warrior skills later. This
allows you faster access to the majority of the achievements of the game and gives you a leg up in terms of leveling. Also due to
their resilience, speed and general aptness for this task I would advise playing as a female Orc, or an Altmer or Bosmer of any sex.
I will not be pre-warning you of bugs or prompting you when to save, so remember to save after every single loading screen (within
reason), after every collectible and after every quest stage. Saving is the primary concern while playing this game and forgetting to
can cause you untold problems.
Try to avoid going to places, such as random dungeons or NPC houses unless you are prompted to go there. Visiting areas
prematurely often causes glitches and breaks quests.
I have arranged this guide by locations, I will state where to go and what you will primarily be achieving by going there. I am
assuming that while you follow this page you will have the associated quest active and if you feel you need more guidance, you can
open the relevant quest line page in another tab to follow more precisely. Simply go to the place stated and complete the objective,
find any collectibles mentioned, and kill all enemies in the area. In most cases the achievements (especially the accumulative ones)
will be fulfilled more than twice over through normal gameplay, so don't break yourself over the odd Skill Book or Standing Stone
here and there. The Shout locations are essential however, and you should take note of the 'Delver' achievement, which requires
you to 'clear' 50 dungeons. By the end of this page you should be short by about 8 dungeons, I would not recommend visiting
anywhere I have not stated below before completing every other achievement.
Warnings
Do not install the Dawnguard DLC before you have unlocked all the other available achievements in the game, it causes repeated
random vampire attacks in places where NPC's can be found. Do the Dawnguard DLC last of all.
Do not complete the 4th quest of the Main Story 'Dragon Rising' until you have unlocked the 'Oblivion Walker' achievement, or at
least completed the majority of the Daedric quests.
Make sure you unlock the 'War Hero' achievement in the Civil War quest line before you advance past the Main Story quest 'The
Fallen'.
If you find a 'Flawless Ruby' anywhere keep a hold of it for the Daedric quest 'The Only Cure' for Peryite. Also keep the following
items for later: one Deathbell, one silver ingot, one Vampire Dust, one Daedra heart, and one Troll Fat.
Try to play sensibly and avoid the deaths of any named characters, and avoid wandering off into unknown areas as this causes
unfixable bugs.
Helgen
Begin the Main Story quest 'Unbound'.
Follow Hadvar, Imperials.
Thief - Locks picked: 3 / 50
Reader - Skill Books read: 1 / 50
Black Arrow V2, the keep, on the counter

Complete the Main Story quest 'Unbound' unlocking:
Unbound in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Unbound10 (10)
Complete "Unbound"
Unlocked by 75,674 tracked gamers (99% - TA Ratio = 1.00)
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Begin the Main Story quest 'Before the Storm'.
Go to: The Guardian Stones

Northwest of Helgen
Choose 'Thief' Stone.
Standing Stones - Stones found: 3 / 13
Blessed in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Blessed11 (10)
Select a Standing Stone blessing
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Go to: Embershard Mine
Northeast of the Guardian Stones.
Hard Worker - Use woodcutter's axe outside to chop wood, go into mine, find pickaxe by fire and mine the iron ore vein.
Go to: Riverwood
Hard Worker - Cook some food at Alvor's house.
Hard Worker in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
Hard Worker16 (10)
Chop wood, mine ore, and cook food
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Artificer - Smith an item at Alvor's forge.
Artificer - Make a potion in the 'Sleeping Giant Inn'.
Thief - Locks picked: 8
Thief - Pockets picked: 3
Go to: Chillfurrow Farm

Explorer - Locations found: 6 / 100
Just outside Whiterun, to the east.
The Importance of Where found in Chillfurrow Farm outside Whiterun

Go to: Whiterun
Save, then purposely get caught pickpocketing a guard, go to jail, escape through trap door:
Wanted in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Wanted20 (10)
Escape from jail
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Load in previous save.
Snake Tongue - Persuade guard to let you into Whiterun.
Hero of the People - Talk to the child 'Mila Valentia' and play tag, each tag is a miscellaneous objective:
Hero of the People in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Hero of the People46 (30)
Complete 50 Misc Objectives
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*If you cannot get her to play tag here, keep trying to find kids playing tag when you visit main cities.
Withershins, the Temple of Kynareth

Herbalist's Guide to Skyrim, Arcadia's Cauldron
Biography of the Wolf Queen in Belethor's General Goods, on shelf
Go to: Whiterun - Dragonsreach
Complete Main Story quest 'Before the Storm'.
Begin Main Story quest 'Bleak Falls Barrow'.
Artificer - Enchant an item.
Artificer in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Artificer14 (10)
Make a smithed item, an enchanted item, and a potion
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Before the Ages of Man, Jarl's quarters

Go to: Whiterun - Jorrvaskr
Begin Companions quest 'Take Up Arms'.
Talk to Skjor.
Hallgerd's Tale in the Jorrvaskr, the main hall

The Marksmanship Lesson, in the Jorrvaskr, living quarters
Song of Hrormir, in the Jorrvaskr, living quarters
Complete Companions quest Take Up Arms, unlocking:
Take Up Arms in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Take Up Arms13 (10)
Join the Companions
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Begin Companions Radiant quest.
Leave this for now.
Go to: Anise's Cabin

West-southwest of Riverwood.
The Song of the Alchemists at Anise's Cabin

Go to: Bleak Falls Barrow
Thief
Apprentice - Reach character level 5:
Apprentice in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Apprentice6 (5)
Reach Level 5
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Learn 'Unrelenting Force' Shout.
Thu'um Master - Shouts learned: 1 / 20
Delver - Dungeons cleared: 1 / 50
Go to: The Lady Stone

Southwest of Bleak Falls Barrow exit.
Go back to: Riverwood

Complete Side-quest The Golden Claw
Riverwood Trader, Lucan Valerius.

Sideways - Side-quests complete: 1 / 10
Do not talk to Farengar back in Whiterun yet
Go to: Falkreath Watchtower

North of Falkreath.
Liminal Bridges, Falkreath Watchtower

Go to: Peak's Shade Tower

East of Falkreath.
Go to: Falkreath
Explorer - Locations discovered: 17 / 100
De Rerum Dirennis, Grave Concoctions, behind baskets

The Doors of Oblivion - Hall of the Dead, under bed
Racial Phylogeny, Corpselight Farm, on bookshelf
Light Armor Forging, Lod's House, basement, on barrel
A Dance in the Fire V6, Dead Man's Drink, under counter
The Legendary Sancre Tor, Barracks, upstairs, on chest
Go to: Falkreath - Longhouse
Guide to Better Thieving, Jarl's Longhouse, ground floor, right room

Death Blow of Abernanit, Jarl's Longhouse, ground floor, left room
Thief: Locks picked: 20 / 50
Thief: Pockets picked: 15 / 50
Go to: Falkreath - Jail

Begin Daedric quest 'Ill Met By Moonlight'.
Talk to 'Sinding' in cell.
Go to: Bloated Man's Grotto

Complete Daedric quest Ill Met by Moonlight.
Obtain both Daedric artifacts the 'Ring of Hircine' and the 'Saviour's Hide'.
Oblivion Walker - Artifacts obtained: 2 / 15
Daedric Influence in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Daedric Influence14 (10)
Acquire a Daedric Artifact
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Take carriage to: Markarth
A Dance in Fire V7, Arnleif and Son's Trading Company, on a crate

Vernaccus and Boulor, The Treasury House, west side of room, behind apple
Ice and Chitin, Guard Tower, northeast room, on table
The Mystery of Talara Part 4, Nepo's House, northeast room, near candles
Adept - Reach character level 10:
Adept in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Adept12 (10)
Reach Level 10
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Begin Daedric Quest 'House of Horrors'.
Talk to 'Vigiliant Tyranus' outside abandoned house'.
Go to: The Lover Stone

Northeast of Markarth.
Go to: Ragnvald
West of the Lover Stone.
Mystery of Talara V2, in the Crypts, behind a chest

Learn 'Kyne's Peace' Shout.
Go to: Randomly selected location

Snake Tongue - Bribe Logrolf.
Go back to: Markarth

Obtain Daedric artifact the 'Mace of Molag Bal'.
Oblivion Walker - Artifacts found: 3 / 15
Complete Daedric quest House of Horrors.
Go to: Markarth - Understone Keep

Daughter of the Niben, Understone Keep, on table right of throne

A Warrior's Charge, Understone Keep, Jarl's quarters, on table near bed
Begin Daedric quest 'The Taste of Death'.
Talk to 'Brother Verulus'.
Go to: Markarth - The Hall of the Dead

2920 Rain's Hand V4, Hall of the Dead, near priest's bed
Go to: Reachcliff Cave
Obtain Daedric artifact the 'Ring of Namira'.
Complete Daedric quest 'The Taste of Death'.
Go back to: Falkreath

Begin Daedric quest 'A Daedra's Best Friend'.
Talk to 'Lod'.
Go to: Haemar's Shame

Response to Bero's speech, on table

Take carriage to: Solitude

The Gold Ribbon of Merit, in the Fletcher's

The Refugees, Solitude's Blacksmiths, upstairs, on shelf
The Buying Game, Bard's College, upstairs, on a book shelf in the classroom
Go to: Solitude - Castle Dour
Begin the Civil War quest 'Joining the Legion'.
Talk to 'Legate Rikke'.
The Rear Guard, Castle Dour, downstairs to right, on table

Go to: Solitude - Graveyard

Begin Daedric quest 'The Mind of Madness'.
Talk to 'Dervenin' near the Hall of the Dead.
Go to: Solitude - Blue Palace

Obtain Daedric artifact 'Wabbajack'.
Complete Daedric quest 'The Mind of Madness'.
Reader - Skill Books: 34 / 50
Surfeit of Thieves, Pelagius Wing, cellar

Go to: Ironback Hideout
Northwest of Solitude.
Beggar
Go to: The Steed Stone

West of Ironback Hideout.
The Steed Stone, northwest of Solitude.
Go to: Fort Hraggstad

West of The Steed Stone.
Go to: Steepfall Burrow

West of Fort Hraggstad.
Mystery of Talara v3, in last chamber, near chest

Go to: Pinefrost Tower

West-Southwest of Steepfall Burrow.
Go to: Rimerock Burrow

2920, Heath Fire, v9

Go back to: Solitude - Castle Dour

Complete Civil War quest Joining the Legion:
Taking Sides in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Taking Sides16 (10)
Join the Stormcloaks or the Imperial Army
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Begin Civil War quest 'The Jagged Crown'.
Go back to: Haemar's Shame

Complete Daedric quest A Daedra's Best Friend.
Obtain Daedric artifact the 'Masque of Clavicus Vile'.
Go to: Meridia's Shrine

West of Solitude.
Begin Daedric quest 'The Break of Dawn'.

Activate shrine.
Learn 'Elemental Fury' Shout.
Word Wall nearby.

NOTE: This may be skipped if you already found 'Meridia's Beacon'.
Go to: Kilkreath Temple

Under Meridia's Shrine.
Battle of the Red Mountain, in the Catacombs, upstairs, northwest corner

Obtain Daedric artifact 'Dawnbreaker'.
Go back to: Meridia's Shrine

Complete Daedric quest Break of Dawn.
Go to: Clearpine Pond

West-southwest of Meridia's Shrine.
Take carriage to: Riften

Begin Thieves Guild quest 'A Chance Arrangement'.
Complete Thieves Guild quest A Chance Arrangement.
Begin Thieves Guild quest 'Taking Care of Business'.
Talk to 'Brynjolf'.
Go to: Riften - The Honorhall Orphanage

Purloined Shadows, in Constance's room

Go to: Riften - Mistveil Keep Barracks
Words and Philosophy, Mistveil Keep Barracks, upstairs

Thief in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Thief65 (30)
Pick 50 locks and 50 pockets
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Go to: Riften - The Temple of Mara
Begin Side-quest 'The Book of Love'.
Talk to 'Dinya Balu'.
Go to: Ivarstead
Talk to Fastred.
Go to: Hillgrund's Tomb

North of Ivarstead.
Begin Side-quest 'Ancestral Worship'.
Talk to Golldir.
Complete Side-quest Ancestral Worship.
Go to: Treva's Watch

Southeast of Ivarstead.
Begin Side-quest 'Infiltration'.
Talk to Stalleo.
Complete Side-quest Infiltration.
Start casting 'Detect Life' spell in crowded areas until you reach level 100 in Alteration, unlocking:
Skill Master in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Skill Master66 (40)
Get a skill to 100
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Go back to: Riften - Temple of Mara
Talk to Dinya about the Book of Love Side-quest, but leave the rest for now.
Go to: Riften - The Bee and Barb Inn

Begin Side-quest 'Promises to Keep'.
Talk to Louis Letrush.
Begin Side-quest 'Getting Married'
Talk to Maramal, buy Amulet of Mara, hire Marcurio, then marry Marcurio.
Complete Side-quest Getting Married
Married in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Married19 (10)
Get married
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Go to: Riften - Jail
Talk to 'Sibbi Black-Briar'.
Go to: Black-Briar Lodge

The Last Scabbard of Akrash, just southeast of the lodge, up the hill around the rocks
Legend of Krately House, upstairs, in the master bedroom
Go back to: Riften
Complete Side-quest Promises to Keep.
Go to: The Shadow Stone

South of Riften.
Go to: Lost Tongue Overlook

South of the Shadow Stone.
Learn 'Dismay' Shout.
Thu'um Master - Shout's learned: 4 / 20
Go to: Snow-Shod Farm

Just to the west of the Shadow Stone.
Reality & Other Falsehoods, in the basement

Go to: Darklight Tower
West-Southwest of Snow-Shod Farm.
Begin Side-quest 'Repentance'.
Talk to 'Illia'.
2920, Sun's Dawn, v2, near entrance to chambers, on table

The Horror of Castle Xyr, open area at the end, on table
Complete Side-quest Repentance.
Go to: Largashbur
West-Northwest of Darklight Tower.
Begin Daedric quest 'A Cursed Tribe'.
Talk to 'Atub' or 'Ugor'.

Go to: Fallowstone Cave
Go to: Giant's Grove

Go back to: Largashbur
Complete Daedric quest A Cursed Tribe.
Obtain Daedric artifact 'Volendrung'.
Take carriage to: Winterhold

Twin Secrets, Jarl's Longhouse, Jarl's bedroom downstairs on right, in a basket on a barrel
Go to: Winterhold
Speak to 'Dagur' in the Frozen Hearth about rumours to mark Azura's Shrine on your map.
The Exodus, The Frozen Hearth, down in the cellar, at the foot of the 5th pillar on the west wall
Breathing Water, Kraldar's House, in a basket on a bookshelf
Go to: Septimus Signus' Outpost
Directly north of Winterhold.
Begin Daedric quest 'Discerning the Transmundane'.
Go to: Alftand
Go to: Blackreach
Warrior, Silent Ruin, on throne

Go to: The Tower of Mzark
Go back to: Septimus Signus' Outpost
Go back to: Alftand
Gather blood samples.
Go to: The Wreck of the Pride of Tel Vos

Northeast of Winterhold.
Fire and Darkness, just southwest of the shipwreck, on the shore by a broken tree
Chimarvamidium, on a little island southeast of the shipwreck, under a fallen tree
Reader in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
Reader42 (20)
Read 50 Skill Books
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Go to: The Serpent Stone

Northeast of the Wreck of the Pride of Tel Vos.
Go to: Bleakcoast Cave

South of the Serpent Stone.
Go to: Journeyman's Nook

Southwest of Bleakcoast Cave.
Go back to: Septimus Signus' Outpost

Obtain Daedric artifact the 'Oghma Infinium'.
Complete Daedric quest Discerning the Transmundane.
Go to: Azura's Shrine

Begin Daedric quest 'The Black star'.
Talk to 'Aranea Lenith'.
Go back to: Winterhold - The Frozen Hearth

Snake Tongue: Intimidate Nelacar.
Snake Tongue in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Snake Tongue15 (10)
Successfully persuade, bribe, and intimidate
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Go to: Ilinalta's Deep
A Tragedy in Black, in room with Arcane enchanter

Go to either: Azura's Shrine or Winterhold - The Frozen Hearth

Obtain either Daedric artifact 'The Black Star' or 'Azura's star'.
Complete Daedric quest The Black Star.
Take carriage to: Dawnstar

Catalogue of Weapon Enchantments, The White Hall, in room on left, on floor near barrel
The Art of War Magic, The White Hall, up the stairs on left
Begin Daedric quest 'Waking Nightmare'.
Talk to 'Erandur' in the 'Windpeak Inn'.
Golden Touch - 25,000 / 100,000
Go to: Nightcaller Temple

Obtain Daedric artifact the 'Skull of Corruption'.

Complete Daedric quest Waking Nightmares.
Go to: The Shrine to Peryite

North of the Lover Stone.
Begin Daedric quest 'The Only cure'.
Talk to 'Kesh the Clean'.
*If you do not yet have ingredients see the 'Spellbreaker' section of the 'Daedric Artifacts' page of this Walkthrough.
Go to: Bthardamz
Northwest of the Shrine to Peryite.
Go back to: The Shrine to Peryite

Obtain Daedric Artifact 'Spellbreaker'.
Complete Daedric quest The Only Cure.
*It may be too early to begin any of the last Daedric quests, so continue with the Companions quests for now.

Complete Companions Radiant quest
Go back to: Whiterun

Begin Companions quest 'Proving Honor'.
Go to: Dustman's Cairn

Learn 'Fire Breath' Shout.
Thu'um Master - Shout's learned: 5 / 20
Go to: Hamvir's Rest

Just northwest of Dustman's Cairn.
Go to: Greenspring Hollow

Just southwest of Hamvir's Rest.

Complete Companions quest Proving Honor.
Begin Companions radiant quest.

Complete Companions radiant quest.

Golden Touch - 50,000 / 100,000
Begin Companions quest 'The Silver Hand'.
Blood Oath in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Blood Oath16 (10)
Become a member of the Circle
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Go to: Gallows Rock
Complete Companions quest The Silver Hand.
Begin Companions radiant quest 'Striking the Heart'.

Complete Companions radiant quest Striking the Heart.
Expert - Reach character level 25:
Expert in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Expert36 (25)
Reach Level 25
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Begin Companions radiant quest.

Complete Companions radiant quest.
Begin Companions radiant quest 'Blood's Honor'.
Go to: Glenmoril Coven

It is optional to kill all '5' Glenmoril Witches for their heads, you gain the ability to cure yourself of Lycanthropy without the
Dawnguard DLC, and one more dungeon cleared towards 'Delver'.
Delver - Dungeon's cleared: 26 / 50

Complete Companions quest Blood's Honor.
Begin Companions quest 'Purity of Revenge'.
Go to: Driftshade Refuge


Complete Companions quest Purity of Revenge.
Begin Companions quest 'Glory of the Dead'.
Go to: The Tower Stone

Northeast of Driftshade Refuge
*Note that you may unlock the Standing Stones achievement here due to earlier revisits.
Go to: Ysgramor's Tomb
Explorer in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Explorer59 (40)
Discover 100 Locations
76,134
Complete Companions quest Glory of the Dead.
Glory of the Dead in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Glory of the Dead54 (30)
Complete "Glory of the Dead"
76,134
Exit through the western passageway, not the main entrance. Follow the set of stairs outside up the mountain.
Learn 'Animal Allegiance' Shout.
*If you are at least level 14 by now you may encounter 'Sam Guevenne' in a random inn (locations found in Daedric Artifacts page),
talk to him to:
Begin Daedric quest 'A Night to Remember'.
Go to: Witchmist Grove

To the far south of Windhelm, south of Kynesgrove.
Go to: The Atronach Stone

South of Witchmist Grove.

Talk to Ysolda.
Go to: Morvunskar
Obtain Daedric Artifact 'Sanguine's Rose'.
Complete Daedric quest A Night to Remember.
Go to: The College of Winterhold

Just southeast of Ysgramor's Tomb.
Begin College of Winterhold quest 'First Lessons'.
Talk to 'Faralda'.
Gatekeeper in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Gatekeeper14 (10)
Join the College of Winterhold
76,134
Complete College of Winterhold quest First Lessons.
Go to: Saarthal
Begin College of Winterhold quest 'Under Saarthal'.
Learn 'Ice Form' Shout.
Go back to: The College of Winterhold

Complete College of Winterhold quest Under Saarthal.
Begin College of Winterhold quest 'Hitting the Books'.
Go to: Fellglow Keep

Go to: Shearpoint
To the north of Fellglow Keep.
Learn 'Throw Voice' Shout.
Go to: The Ritual Stone

South of Fellglow Keep.
*If you are at least level 30 by now you should be attacked by a 'Boethiah Cultist' and you'll:
Begin Daedric quest 'Boethiah's Calling'.
Take carriage to: Windhelm

Go to: Sacellum of Boethiah
East of Windhelm.
Find a suitable follower to sacrifice.
Go back to: Sacellum of Boethiah

Go to: Knifepoint Ridge
Obtain Daedric Artifact 'Ebony Mail'.
Complete Daedric quest Boethiah's Calling.

Golden Touch - 75,000 / 100,000
Complete College of Winterhold quest Hitting the Books.
Begin College of Winterhold quest 'Good Intentions'.
Complete College of Winterhold quest Good Intentions.

Begin College of Winterhold quest 'Revealing the Unseen'.
Go to: Mzulft

Complete College of Winterhold quest Revealing the Unseen.
Revealing the Unseen in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Revealing the Unseen18 (10)
Complete "Revealing the Unseen"
76,134
Begin College of Winterhold quest 'Containment'.
Go back to: Winterhold

Complete College of Winterhold quest Containment.
Begin College of Winterhold quest 'Staff of Magnus'
Take carriage to Morthal

Go to: Morthal - The Moorside Inn
Begin Side-quest 'Laid to Rest'.
Talk to 'Jonna'.
Go to: Movarth's Lair

Complete Side-quest Laid to Rest.
Master Criminal - Make a save, kill one person for a 1000 gold bounty, then repeat in each of the nine holds to unlock:
Master Criminal in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Master Criminal52 (20)
Bounty of 1000 gold in all nine holds
76,134
*See Side-quests section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page for more information.
Reload save back in Morthal.
Go to: The Apprentice Stone

Northwest of Morthal.
Go to: Labyrinthian
Learn 'Slow Time' Shout.
Go to: Skyborn Altar

Northeast of Labyrinthian.
Learn 'Frost Breath' Shout.

Go to: The Lord Stone

Northeast of Skyborn altar.
Standing Stones in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Standing Stones56 (30)
Find 13 Standing Stones
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Go back to: Winterhold
Complete College of Winterhold quest Staff of Magnus.
Begin College of Winterhold quest 'The Eye of Magnus'.
Complete College of Winterhold quest The Eye of Magnus.
The Eye of Magnus in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

The Eye of Magnus53 (30)
Complete "The Eye of Magnus"
76,134
Go back to: Riften
Complete Thieves Guild quest Taking Care of Business.
Taking Care of Business in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Taking Care of Business15 (10)
Join the Thieves Guild
76,134
Begin Thieves Guild quest 'Loud and Clear'.
Go to: The Goldenglow Estate

Go back to: Riften - The Ragged Flagon
Complete Thieves Guild quest Loud and Clear.
Begin Thieves Guild quest 'Dampening Spirits'.
Go to: Riften - The Bee and Barb Inn

Go to: Honningbrew Meadery
Go back to: Riften - The Bee and Barb Inn
Go back to: Riften - The Ragged Flagon - Cistern
Complete Thieves Guild quest Dampened Spirits.
Begin Thieves Guild quest 'Scoundrel's Folly'.
Go to: Solitude - The Winking Skeever

Go to: The East Empire Company Warehouse
Go back to: Riften - The Ragged Flagon - Cistern
Complete Thieves Guild quest Scoundrel's Folly.
Golden Touch - 100,000 / 100,000
Golden Touch in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Golden Touch64 (30)
Have 100,000 gold
76,134
Begin Thieves Guild quest 'Speaking With Silence'.
Go to: Snow Veil Sanctum

Southwest of Winterhold.
Learn 'Disarm' Shout.
Complete Thieves Guild quest Scoundrel's Folly.
Begin Thieves Guild quest 'Hard Answers'.

Go back to: Markarth - Understone Keep
Talk to Calcemo, but talk to him about the Book of Love Side-quest first.
Talk to Yngvar the Singer
Return to Calcemo and continue Thieves Guild quest Hard Answers.

Complete Thieves Guild quest Hard Answers.
Begin Thieves Guild quest 'The Pursuit'.

Complete Thieves Guild quest The Pursuit.
Begin Thieves Guild quest 'Trinity Restored'.
Go back to: The Shadow Stone

Go to: Nightingale Hall
Complete Thieves Guild quest Trinity Restored.
Begin Thieves Guild quest 'Blindsighted'.
Go to: Irkngthand
Go to: Bronze Water Cave
Complete Thieves Guild quest Blindsighted.
Begin Thieves Guild quest 'Darkness Returns'.
Go to: The Twilight Sepulcher

Complete Thieves Guild quest Darkness returns.
Darkness Returns in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Darkness Returns19 (10)
Complete "Darkness Returns"
76,134
Talk to Dinya about Book of Love Side-quest.
Go to: Gjukar's Monument

Complete Side-quest the Book of Love.

*You must now complete '5' randomly selected jobs in Haafingar, Eastmarch, the Reach and Whiterun Hold, see the 'Special Jobs
Requests' section of Thieves Guild page for more details.
After 5 jobs in Whiterun Hold:

Begin Thieves Guild quest 'Imitation Amnesty'.

Go back to: Whiterun - Dragonsreach
Complete Thieves Guild quest Imitation Amnesty.
After 5 jobs in Eastmarch:

Begin Thieves Guild quest 'Summerset Shadows'.
Go back to: Windhelm

Go to: Uttering Hills Cave

Complete Thieves Guild quest Summerset Shadows.
After 5 jobs in Haafingar:

Begin Thieves Guild quest 'The Dainty Sload'.
Go back to: Solitude - The Blue Palace

Go back to: Solitude - Docks
Go to: The Dainty Sload
Go back to: Solitude - The Blue Palace

Complete Thieves Guild quest The Dainty Sload.
After 5 jobs in the Reach:

Begin Thieves Guild quest 'The Silver Lining'.

Go to: Pinewatch

Complete Thieves Guild quest The Silver Lining.
After all the Thieves Guild reputation quests are complete you will unlock:
One with the Shadows in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
One with the Shadows71 (30)
Returned the Thieves Guild to its former glory
76,134
Go to: Loreius Farm
North of Whiterun.
Begin Side-quest 'Delayed Burial'.
Talk to Cicero.
Complete Side-quest Delayed Burial.
Go to: Windhelm - Aretino Residence

Begin Dark Brotherhood quest 'Innocence Lost'.
Go back to: Riften - Honorhall Orphanage

Go back to: Windhelm - Aretino Residence
Complete Dark Brotherhood quest Innocence Lost
Go to: Windhelm - Candlehearth Inn

Rent a room and go to sleep.
In Abandoned Shack
Begin Dark Brotherhood quest 'With Friends Like These'.
Complete Dark Brotherhood quest With Friends Like These.
Go to: Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary

With Friends Like These… in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
With Friends Like These…17 (10)
Join the Dark Brotherhood
76,134
Learn 'Marked for Death' Shout.
Begin Dark Brotherhood quest 'Kill Narfi'.
Begin Dark Brotherhood quest 'Kill Beitild'.
Begin Dark Brotherhood quest 'Kill Ennodius'.
Go back to: Ivarstead Kill Narfi.

Go back to: Dawnstar Kill Beitild.
Go to: Anga's Mill Kill Ennodius.
Go to: Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary
Complete Dark Brotherhood quest Kill Narfi.
Complete Dark Brotherhood quest Kill Beitild.
Complete Dark Brotherhood quest Kill Ennodius.

Begin Dark Brotherhood quest 'Mourning Never Comes'.

Go to: Ralbthar
Go back to: The Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary
Complete Dark Brotherhood quest Mourning Never Comes.
Begin Dark Brotherhood quest 'Whispers in the Dark'.
Begin Dark Brotherhood quest 'Kill Hern'.
Begin Dark Brotherhood quest 'Kill Lurbuk'.
Complete Dark Brotherhood quest Whispers in the Dark.
Go to: Half-Moon Mill

Go to: Evergreen Grove
Southwest of Half-Moon Mill.
Go back to: Morthal - Moorside Inn

Begin Dark Brotherhood quest 'The Silence Has Been Broken'.
Complete Dark Brotherhood quest Kill Hern.
Complete Dark Brotherhood quest Kill Lurbuk.
Go to: Volunruud
Begin Side-quest 'Silenced Tongues'.
Read 'Heddic Volunruud's Notes' inside the entrance.
Complete Side-quest 'Silenced Tongues'.
Sideways in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Sideways37 (20)
Complete 10 side quests
76,134
Learn 'Aura Whisper' Shout.

Complete Dark Brotherhood quest The Silence Has Been Broken.
Begin Dark Brotherhood quest 'Bound Until Death'.
Go back to: Solitude

Complete Dark Brotherhood quest Bound Until Death.
Bound Until Death in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Bound Until Death19 (10)
Complete "Bound Until Death"
76,134
Begin Dark Brotherhood quest 'Breaching Security'.
Go to: Dragon Bridge

Complete Dark Brotherhood quest Breaching Security.
Begin Dark Brotherhood quest 'The Cure For Madness'.
Go to: Dawnstar Sanctuary

Complete Dark Brotherhood quest The Cure For Madness.
Begin Dark Brotherhood quest 'Recipe For Disaster'.
Go back to: Markarth - Understone Keep

Go to: Nightgate Inn
Complete Dark Brotherhood quest Recipe For Disaster.
Begin Dark Brotherhood quest 'To Kill an Empire'.
Go back to: Solitude - Castle Dour, Emperor's Tower

Go back to: The Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary - Exterior
Complete Dark Brotherhood quest To Kill an Empire.
Begin Dark Brotherhood quest 'Death Incarnate'.

Complete Dark Brotherhood quest Death Incarnate.
Begin Dark Brotherhood quest 'Hail Sithis!'
Go back to: Whiterun - The Bannered Mare

Go to: Solitude - Docks - The Katariah
Complete Dark Brotherhood quest Hail Sithis!
Hail Sithis! in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Hail Sithis!57 (30)
Complete "Hail Sithis!"
76,134
Continue Civil War quest 'The Jagged Crown'.
Go to: Korvanjund Go to: Shrouded Grove

North-northeast of Korvanjund.

Complete Civil War quest The Jagged Crown.
Begin Civil War quest 'Message to Whiterun'.

Complete Main Story quest Bleak Falls Barrow.
Bleak Falls Barrow in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Bleak Falls Barrow11 (10)
Complete "Bleak Falls Barrow"
76,134
Begin Main Story quest 'Dragon Rising'.
Buy the house available in Whiterun for 5,000 gold, talk to 'Proventus Avenicci'. You can save before you buy, then reload after
unlocking the achievement to save the money:
Citizen in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Citizen14 (10)
Buy a house
76,134
Go to: Western Watchtower
Dragon Hunter - Souls absorbed: 1 / 20
Dragon Soul in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Dragon Soul11 (10)
Absorb a dragon soul
76,134
Begin Main Story quest 'The Way of the Voice'.
Complete Main Story quest Dragon Rising.

Begin Daedric quest 'The Whispering Door'.
Talk to Hulda.

Obtain Daedric Artifact 'Ebony Blade'.
Oblivion Walker in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Oblivion Walker82 (30)
Collect 15 Daedric Artifacts
76,134
Complete Daedric quest The Whispering Door.
Go to: High Hrothgar

Learn 'Whirlwind Sprint' Shout.
Complete Main Story quest The Way of the Voice.
The Way of the Voice in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
The Way of the Voice25 (20)
Complete "The Way of the Voice"
76,134
Go to: Ustengrav
Learn 'Become Ethereal' Shout.
Go to: Riverwood - The Sleeping Giant Inn

Begin Main Story quest 'A Blade in the Dark'.
Go back to: High Hrothgar
Words of Power in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Words of Power13 (10)
Learn all three words of a shout
76,134
Complete Main Story quest The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller.
Go to: Kynesgrove
Complete Main Story quest A Blade in the Dark.
Begin Main Story quest 'Diplomatic Immunity'.
Go back to: Riverwood - The Sleeping Giant Inn

Go back to: Solitude - The Winking Skeever
Go back to: Solitude - Stables
Go to: The Thalmor Embassy
Go to: Reeking Cave
Complete Main Story quest Diplomatic Immunity.
Diplomatic Immunity in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Diplomatic Immunity30 (20)
Complete "Diplomatic Immunity"
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Begin Main Story quest 'A Cornered Rat'
Go back to: Riften - The Ratways

Complete Main Story quest A Cornered Rat.
Begin Main Story quest 'Alduin's Wall'.

Go to: Karthspire
Go to: Sky Haven Temple
Alduin's Wall in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Alduin's Wall32 (20)
Complete "Alduin's Wall"
76,134
Complete Main Story quest Alduin's Wall.
Begin Main Story quest 'The Throat of the World'.
Go back to: High Hrothgar

Learn 'Clear Skies' Shout.
Go to: The Throat of the World

Complete Main Story quest The Throat of the World.
Begin Main Story quest 'Elder Knowledge'.
Complete Main Story quest Elder Knowledge.
Elder Knowledge in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Elder Knowledge35 (20)
Complete "Elder Knowledge"
76,134
Begin Main Story quest Alduin's Bane.
Learn 'Dragonrend' Shout.
Leave Main Story for now and complete the Civil War questline to the end.

Go back to: Windhelm - The Palace of the Kings
Complete Civil War quest Message to Whiterun.
Begin Civil War quest 'Defense of Whiterun'.
Go back to: Whiterun - Exterior

Complete Civil War quest Defense of Whiterun.
Begin Civil War quest 'Reunification of Skyrim'.

Go to: The Pale Imperial Camp
Begin Civil War quest 'A False Front'.
Go back to: Nightgate Inn

Go back to: The Pale Imperial Camp

Go back to: Dawnstar
Complete Civil War quest A False Front.
Go back to: The Pale Imperial Camp

Begin Civil War quest 'The Battle for Fort Dunstad'.
Go to: Fort Dunstad
Complete Civil War quest The Battle for Fort Dunstad.

Go to: The Rift Imperial Camp
Begin Civil War quest 'Compelling Tribute'.
Go back to: Riften - Mistveil Keep

Go back to: The Rift Imperial Camp
Go to: Stormcloak Caravan
Complete Civil War quest Compelling Tribute.
Go back to: The Rift Imperial Camp

Begin Civil War quest 'The Battle for Fort Greenwall'.
Go to: Fort Greenwall

Complete Civil War quest The Battle for Fort Greenwall.
War Hero in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

War Hero19 (10)
Capture Fort Sungard or Fort Greenwall
76,134
Go to: Autumnshade Clearing
Southwest of Fort Greenwall.

Go to: Winterhold Imperial Camp
Begin Civil War quest 'Rescue from Fort Kastav'.
Go to: Yorgrim Overlook

East of Nightgate inn, west of Fort Kastav.
Go to: Fort Kastav

Complete Civil War quest Rescue from Fort Kastav.

Begin Civil War quest 'Battle for Fort Amol'.
Go to: Eastmarch Imperial Camp

Go to: Fort Amol

Complete Civil War quest 'Battle for Fort Amol'.
Master - Reach Character Level 50:
Master in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Master105 (50)
Reach Level 50
76,134
Go back to: Eastmarch Imperial Camp
Begin Civil War quest 'Battle for Windhelm'.

Complete Civil War quest 'Battle for Windhelm'.
Complete Civil War quest Battle for Windhelm.
Hero of Skyrim in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Hero of Skyrim58 (30)
Capture Solitude or Windhelm
76,134
Finish the Main Story quest line now.

Go back to: The Throat of the World
Learn 'Call Dragon' Shout.

Complete Main Story quest The Fallen.
The Fallen in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

The Fallen37 (20)
Complete "The Fallen"
76,134
Begin Main Story quest 'The World Eater's Eyrie'.
Go to: Skuldafn - Exterior

Go to: Skuldafn Temple

Learn 'Storm Call' Shout.
Go back to: Skuldafn - Exterior

Attack the two non-hostile dragons perched above the portal.
Go to: Sovngarde
Complete Main Story quest The World Eater's Eyrie.
Begin Main Story quest 'Sovngarde'.
Go to: Sovngarde - The Hall of Valor

Complete Main Story quest Sovngarde.
Begin Main Story quest 'Dragonslayer'.

Complete Main Story quest Dragonslayer.
Dragonslayer in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Dragonslayer94 (50)
Complete "Dragonslayer"
76,134
Learn 'Call of Valor' Shout.
Thu'um Master in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Thu'um Master82 (40)
Learn 20 shouts
76,134
If you do not plan on completing any of the DLC add-ons you will have about '8' more dungeons to clear and '8' more dragons' souls
to absorb for the last remaining achievements. Otherwise you will complete these easily as part of the Dawnguard or the
Dragonborn DLC's.
An excellent way to accomplish both of these at once and complete your Skyrim adventures, is to visit the various Dragon Lairs and
other easy clearable locations, you can find the locations of these in the Miscellaneous Achievements page.
Delver in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Delver72 (40)
Clear 50 dungeons
76,134
Dragon Hunter in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Dragon Hunter35 (20)
Absorb 20 dragon souls
76,134
HEARTHFIRE
Go to: Morthal - Highmoon Hall
Speak to 'Aslfur' and buy the plot of land for 'Windstad Manor'.
Landowner in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Landowner16 (10)
Buy a plot of land
76,134
If, for some reason, this is unavailable see the Windstad Manor section of the Hearthfire page.
Go to: Windstad Manor

Build three wings of house, including 'Extra Bedrooms':
Architect in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Architect19 (10)
Build three wings on a house
76,134
Fully build interior of childrens' bedroom.
Go back to: Riften - Honorhall Orphanage
Adopt a child:
Proud Parent in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Proud Parent17 (10)
Adopt a child
76,134
Go back to: Dawnstar - The White Hall
Talk to 'Jarl Brina Merilis' and buy second plot of land for 'Heljarchen Hall'.
If, for some reason, this is unavailable see the Heljarchen Hall section of the Hearthfire page.
Go to: Heljarchen Hall

Build three wings of house.
Go back to: Falkreath - Jarl's Longhouse

Talk to 'Jarl Siddgeir'.
Begin Miscellaneous Objective 'Kill the Bandit Leader'.
Go to: Randomly Selected Location

Kill the Bandit Leader.
Go back to: Falkreath - Jarl's Longhouse

Complete miscellaneous objective Kill the Bandit Leader.
Talk to 'Nenya' and buy third plot of land for 'Lakeview Manor':
Land Baron in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Land Baron25 (10)
Buy three plots of land
76,134
Go to: Lakeview Manor
Build three wings of house
Master Architect in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Master Architect27 (10)
Build three houses
76,134
DRAGONBORN
Go to: Windhelm - Docks - Northern Maiden
Talk to 'Gjalund Salt-Sage'.
Begin Solstheim Main Story quest 'Dragonborn'.
Go to: Solstheim - Raven Rock

Solstheim Explorer - Locations Discovered: 1 / 30
Outlander in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Outlander31 (20)
Arrive on Solstheim
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Talk to 'Glover Mallory', at the blacksmiths, to gain an 'Ancient Nordic Pickaxe'.
Go to: Raven Rock Mine
Talk to 'Crescius Caerellius'.
Begin Side-quest 'The Final Descent'.
Go to: Bloodskal Barrow

Dragon Aspect - First word learned: 1 / 3
Read Black Book: The Winds of Change.
You are taken to: Apocrypha

Hidden Knowledge - Black Book secrets learned: 1 / 5
You are returned back to: Bloodskal Barrow

Go to: Raven Rock - The Caerellius House

Complete Side-quest The Final Descent.
Go to: Old Attius Farm

South of Raven Rock.
Talk to 'Captain Veleth'.
Begin Side-quest 'March of the Dead'.
Go to: The Wreck of the Strident Squall

South of Old Attius Farm.
Go to: Hroldulf's House

Northeast of the Wreck of the Strident Squall.
Go to: Fort Frostmoth

Northeast of Hroldulf's House
Go to: Kolbjorn Barrow

West of Fort Frostmoth
Go back to: Raven Rock

Complete Side-quest March of the Dead.
Talk to 'Adril Arano'.
Begin Side-quest 'Served Cold'.
Go to: Raven Rock - Ulen Ancestral Tomb

Go to: Raven Rock - Severin Manor
Go to: High Point Tower
East-Northeast of Raven Rock.
Go to: Ramshackle Trading Post

Northeast of High Point Tower.
Go to: Ashfallow Citadel

East-Southeast of Ramshackle Trading Post.
Go back to: Raven Rock - Morvayn Manor

Complete Side-quest Served Cold.
Raven Rock Owner in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Raven Rock Owner45 (20)
Own a house in Raven Rock
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Continue Solstheim Main Story quest Dragonborn.
Go to: Earth Stone

Northwest of Raven Rock.
Talk to 'Neloth'.
Go back to: Ramshackle Trading Post

Go to: Kagrumez
North of Ramshackle Trading Post.
Go to: The Temple of Miraak

North of Kagrumez.
Begin Solstheim Main Story quest 'The Temple of Miraak'.
The Temple of Miraak in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

The Temple of Miraak36 (20)
Complete "The Temple of Miraak"
76,134
Dragon Aspect - Second word learned: 2 / 3
Read Black Book: Waking Dreams.
You are taken back to: Apocrypha

Note that you do not learn the secrets of this book yet for the Hidden Knowledge achievement.
You are returned back to: The Temple of Miraak

Complete Solstheim Main Story quest The Temple of Miraak.
Begin Solstheim Main Story quest 'The Fate of the Skaal'.

Go to: Wind Stone
Just northeast of Temple of Miraak exit.
Go to: Skaal Village

Go to: Frossel
North of Skaal Village.
Go to: Haknir's Shoal

Southwest of Frossel.
Go to: Headwaters of Harstrad

West-southwest of Haknir's Shoal
Go to: Benkongerike
Northwest of Headwaters of Harstrad.
Leave Main Story for now to find a Black Book in Benkongerike
Read Black Book: Untold Legends.

Hidden Knowledge - Black Book Secrets Learned: 2 / 5
You are returned to: Benkongerike

Continue Solstheim Main Story quest The Fate of the Skaal.
Go to: Saering's Watch

Northwest of Benkongerike.
Learn 'Bend Will' Shout.
Go back to: Wind Stone

Use Bend Will on stone, do not allow 'Deor Woodcutter' or 'Baldor Iron-Shaper' to die.
Go back to: The Skaal Village

Complete Solstheim Main Story quest The Fate of the Skaal.
Although you now activate the Main Story quests 'Cleansing the Stones' and 'The Path of Knowledge', leave them for now to grab a
missable achievement.
Go back to: Raven Rock

Fast-travel here just to set-up the next quest in Skaal Village.

Allow Deor Woodcutter and 'Fanari' to finish talking, then talk to Deor.
Begin Side-quest 'A New Source of Stalhrim'.
Go back to: Highpoint Tower

Go to: Brodir Grove
Northwest of Highpoint Tower.
Go to: Abandoned Lodge

Northwest of Brodir Grove.
Go back to: Saering's Watch

Go to: Castle Karstaag Caverns
Northwest of Saering's Watch
Go to: Castle Karstaag Ruins

Northwest of Castle Karstaag Caverns.
Go to: Northshore Landing

Northwest of Castle Karstaag Ruins.

Complete Side-quest A New Source of Stalhrim.
Craft a Stalhrim item, unlocking:
Stalhrim Crafter in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Stalhrim Crafter54 (20)
Craft an item out of Stalhrim
76,134
Now go for another Black Book before continuing the Main Story:
Go back to: Castle Karstaag Ruins

Go to: Stalhrim Source
West then south of Castle Karstaag Ruins.
Go to: White Ridge Barrow

Southeast of Stalhrim Source
Read Black Book: The Sallow Regent

You are returned back to: White Ridge Barrow
Continue Solstheim Main Story quest Cleansing the Stones.
Go to: Water Stone

Southwest of the exit from White Ridge Barrow.
Use Bend Will on the stone.
Go back to: Earth Stone

Southwest of Raven Rock.
Go back to: The Temple of Miraak

Go to: Beast Stone
East of the Temple of Miraak.
Go back to: Ashfallow Citadel

Go to: Sun Stone
Southeast of Ashfallow Citadel.
Solstheim Explorer in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Solstheim Explorer66 (30)
Discover 30 locations on the island of Solstheim
76,134
Complete Solstheim Main Story quest Cleansing the Stones.
Continue Solstheim Main Story quest The Path of Knowledge.
Go to: Tel Mithryn

Talk to Neloth.
Go to: Nchardak
Complete Solstheim Main Story quest The Path of Knowledge.
The Path of Knowledge in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

The Path of Knowledge40 (20)
Complete "The Path of Knowledge"
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Begin Solstheim Main Story quest 'The Gardener of Men'.
Read Black Book: Epistolary Acumen.

You are returned back to: Nchardak

Go back to: Skaal Village
Complete Solstheim Main Story quest The Gardener of Men.
Begin Solstheim Main Story quest 'At the Summit of Apocrypha'.
You must unlock all three words of the Bend Will Shout to continue; travel around Solstheim, or better, go back to the dragon lairs in
Skyrim to absorb more dragon souls.
Read Black Book: Waking Dreams.

Dragon Aspect - Third word learned: 3 / 3
Dragon Aspect in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Dragon Aspect45 (20)
Learn all 3 words of Dragon Aspect
76,134
Complete Solstheim Main Story quest At the Summit of Apocrypha.
At the Summit of Apocrypha in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

At the Summit of Apocrypha83 (40)
Complete "At the Summit of Apocrypha"
76,134
Hidden Knowledge in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Hidden Knowledge99 (40)
Learn the secrets of 5 Black Books
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You are returned back to: Wherever you read the book
Go to: Various Dragon Lairs
Use Bend Will to tame and ride '5' different dragons to unlock:
Dragonrider in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Dragonrider55 (20)
Tame and ride 5 dragons
76,134
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
DAWNGUARD
Talk to 'Galathil' and change your appearance:
A New You in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

A New You36 (20)
Change your face
76,134
Go to: Anywhere
Unlock all werewolf perks:
Werewolf Mastered in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Werewolf Mastered51 (20)
Acquire 11 werewolf perks
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Go to: Anywhere
Kill a Legendary Dragon:
Legend in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

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Defeat a Legendary Dragon
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Go back to: College of Winterhold - Arcanaeum
Find 'The Aetherium Wars' book, on a table in southeast side of room, read it.
Begin Side-quest 'Lost to the Ages'.
Go to: Arkngthamz
Southeast of Markarth
Go to: Raldbthar
West of Windhelm
Go to: Deep Folk Crossing

North of Markarth
Go back to: Mzulft - Exterior Storeroom

Southeast of Windhelm
Go to: Ruins of Bthalft

Southeast of Ivarstead
Complete Side-quest Lost to the Ages.
Lost to the Ages in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Lost to the Ages69 (30)
Complete "Lost to the Ages"
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Go to: Anywhere
Receive note from 'Durak'.
Begin Dawnguard Main Story quest 'Dawnguard'.
Go to: Fort Dawnguard

Complete Dawnguard Main Story quest Dawnguard.
Begin Dawnguard Main Story quest 'Awakening'.
Go to: Dimhollow Crypt

Complete Dawnguard Main Story quest Awakening.
Awakening in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

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Complete "Awakening"
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Begin Dawnguard Main Story quest 'Bloodline'.
Go to: Ice Water Jetty

Go to: Castle Volkihar
Reject Lord Harkon's offer and remain with the Dawnguard.
You are returned to: Castle Volkihar - Exterior
Complete Dawnguard Main Story quest Bloodline.
Begin Dawnguard Main Story quest 'A New Order'.
Go back to: Fort Dawnguard

Go to: Randomly Selected Location
Recruit 'Gunmar'.
Go to: An unmarked location south of Mor Khazgur

Recruit 'Sorine Jurard'.

Complete Dawnguard Main Story quest A New Order.
Begin Dawnguard Main Story quest 'Prophet'.
Go back to: College of Winterhold - Arcanaeum

Speak to Urag gro-Shub about Moth Priest.
Go back to: Dragon Bridge

Speak to 'Clinton Lylvieve'.
Go to: Forebears' Holdout

Complete Dawnguard Main Story quest Prophet.
Begin Dawnguard Main Story quest 'Chasing Echoes'.
Begin Dawnguard Main Story quest 'Seeking Disclosure'.
Go back to: Castle Volkihar - Exterior

Go to: Castle Volkihar - Volkihar Undercroft
Go to: Castle Volkihar - Volkihar Courtyard
Go to: Castle Volkihar - Volkihar Ruins
Do not become a vampire lord yet, choose to have your soul trapped instead.
Complete Dawnguard Main Story quest Chasing Echoes.
Begin Dawnguard Main Story quest 'Beyond Death'.
Go to: Soul Cairn

Go back to: Castle Volkihar - Volkihar Ruins
Complete Dawnguard Main Story quest Beyond Death.
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Complete "Beyond Death"
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Exit the room via the southeast door to 'Volkihar Balcony'.
Go to: Anywhere
Use 'Summon Durnehviir Shout three times:
Soul Tear in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Soul Tear45 (20)
Learn all three words of Soul Tear
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Complete Dawnguard Main Story quest Seeking Disclosure.
Begin Dawnguard Main Story quest 'Unseen Visions'.
Go to: Ancestor Glade

Complete Dawnguard Main Story quest Unseen Visions.
Begin Dawnguard Main Story quest 'Touching the Sky'.
Go to: Darkfall Cave

Go to: Forgotten Vale
Go to: Forgotten Vale - Auriel's Chapel
Complete Dawnguard Main Story quest Touching the Sky.
Begin Dawnguard Main Story quest 'Kindred Judgment'.
Use 'Auriel's Bow' on the Sun:
Auriel's Bow in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Auriel's Bow46 (20)
Use the special power of Auriel's Bow
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Go back to: Darkfall Cave
Go back to: Castle Volkihar
Complete Dawnguard Main Story quest 'Kindred Judgment'.
Kindred Judgement in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Kindred Judgement81 (40)
Complete "Kindred Judgment"
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Ask Serana to make you into a vampire lord.
Go to: Anywhere
Unlock all vampire lord perks:
Vampire Mastered in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Vampire Mastered55 (20)
Acquire 11 vampire perks
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Congratulations you have now unlocked every available achievement in the Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. If you have any questions or any
suggestions on how to improve this Walkthrough please use the The Elder Scrolls V Skyrim Walkthrough Discussion. Thank you.
External image
The main quest line of Skyrim revolves around a new crisis that makes itself very obvious from the beginning of the game. I'll try not
to reveal too much as I go and only detail the things you need to know for the achievements. After choosing your character and
watching a dramatic scene unfold you are shown the basics of the game's mechanics as you flee the small settlement of 'Helgen'.
The game then advises further travel to 'Riverwood' and then on to 'Whiterun', these journeys are all part of one long elaborate
tutorial to introduce you to all the most basic elements of this vast game. It is highly advised that, although you may become heavily
distracted by various side quests and exploration, you should continue almost entirely with the Main Story for now until you have a
good grasp of the game.
I should note here also that completing the fourth main quest 'Dragon Rising', you will make the Daedric quests, and some other side
quests, more difficult later on. There is a choice to be made here that I would not like to dictate for you, I will simply say this: If you
plan on playing multiple playthroughs, like suggested in the General Hints and Tips page, then you should complete the fourth quest
as and when you encounter it, it offers new character advantages and continues the tutorial of the game. However if you are only
planning a single power playthrough then I'd advise you hold off on the Dragon rising quest and complete as many Daedric quests as
possible before returning to it.
The Main Story has '17' mandatory quests and '2' optional quests. During the course of the Main Story you will unlock '8'
achievements for the completion of certain quests and a further '3' achievements for completing tasks associated with the tutorial
aspect of the story. The Main Story can be completed in a minimum of '20' hours depending on your character level, difficulty
setting, your general skill, and your gaming style.
IMPORTANT: It is best to complete the Civil War quest line, at least up until the point where you unlock the 'War Hero' achievement,
before reaching the 14th Main Story quest 'The Fallen', see below. You can decide whether to:
Complete both quest lines at your leisure simultaneously but avoid advancing past the Main Story quest 'Alduin's Bane' (the
prerequisite of The Fallen quest) until you have completed the Civil War quest that allows you take the main fortress of the opposing
side in the war, namely 'Fort Greenwall or Fort Sungard'.
Or if you plan on joining the Stormcloaks you can complete the 'Joining the Stormcloaks' quest but not start 'The Jagged Crown' then
proceed to the Fallen quest in the Main Story, activate the 'Season Unending' optional quest and choose to give Ulfric and the
Stormcloaks Morthal in stead of Markarth. This will allow you to progress in both storylines and gain all achievements and
advantages.
The choice, like everything in this game, is yours to make.
At the very beginning of a new game you will find yourself tied up on the back of a cart with some unknown people, in an unknown
place, heading to an unknown destination. You can use cn_RS to look around at this point but nothing else. Listen to the dialogue
and you'll discover that you have been wrongfully arrested by the Imperial Legion- mistaken for a Stormcloak rebel as you crossed
the border into Skyrim. You will soon arrive at a little settlement called 'Helgen' in the hold of 'Falkreath' not far from the southern
border. It seems your fate is execution, and after a scene you will be asked who you are. At this point you must create the character
that you will play throughout your first campaign, you cannot change any aspect of this, unless you have the Dawnguard DLC which
allows you to later change your appearance but nothing else.
For good advice on the style of players you can create see the relevant section of the 'General Hints and Tips' page.
Your choices here will affect gameplay quite significantly, your sex and your race especially will have varying affects on your abilities,
quest lines, skill perks and general dialogue. I will outline some of the styles and differences below, but ideally you should have a
plan in mind and make all your choices to help build towards that plan.
Races
Altmer - The High Elf from the Summerset Isles, highly suited for Mage players, they have an extra 50 magicka, a daily rapid magicka
regeneration ability, and starting bonuses to a variety of magic types. These are a proud and intelligent people, bare in mind the
current political situation, they are part of the Aldmeri Dominion and are considered enemies of the Nords and an inconvenience for
the Imperials, so although you may gain favor when dealing with other Elven peoples you may find it harder to associate with the
main populace of Skyrim.
Argonian - Residents of Black Marsh- these can be suitable as light-warriors due to their daily healing ability, but they would serve
best as a Thief. They have bonuses to Alteration and Restoration magic so a Mage character is also a viable option. Their agile nature
and their bonuses to thief-like skills however would suit a thief style character best, their waterbreathing ability only contributes
more to this. Argonians are loyal to the Imperial Legion, and they are treat somewhat harshly in Skyrim, with most of their
population living in the slums. This lower class affiliation however is by no means a disadvantage, having favor with the merchants
and the criminals of Skyrim can lead to many advantages through many quests.
Bosmer - The Wood Elf and resident of Valenwood, due to their skill bonuses these elves are the best possible choice for Thief
characters, their light sneaky agile nature is perfect for stealth situations and their aptitude with the bow and arrow is unrivaled. The
ability to command animals can also be fun and very useful early on but will become redundant in later levels. They do however
have a fundamental resistance to poisons and diseases which will remain useful throughout your entire campaign.
Breton - Magic experts from the land of High Rock and the human descendants of Elves. These people are particularly suitable for
Mages and as Anti-Mages, with a base 25% Magic Resistance and bonuses to the main schools of magic. They are also gifted with a
useful ability to absorb the Magicka of spells cast at them and use it for themselves. They mainly live as mages, counselors, free-
thinkers, and advisors in Skyrim, their place in society is in the middle; normally winning favour with both peasants and lords alike.
Dunmer - The Dark Elves hail from the land of Morrowind, they can serve well as both Mages and as Warriors, their adeptness with
destruction magic and the sword are both well suited. They possess a bonus to destruction magic, and smaller bonuses to Alchemy,
Illusion and Light armour. They also have a resistance to fire; very useful in general, but especially for characters who plan on
spending a lot of time as a vampire. In Skyrim the Dunmer are looked down upon, they serve mainly as peasants and this can be
useful for many quests, and to gain insider information, but can also be a hindrance when dealing with the higher classes.
Imperial - Also known as 'Cyrodiil's' after their homeland, these people serve as excellent Warriors both light and heavy with
bonuses to block, heavy armour, enchantment and one-handed weapons. They also possess a bonus to Restoration and Destruction
magics, the former being a useful alternative to healing potions. Being an Imperial character would obviously make joining the
Imperial Legion a great advantage, you would gain favor with an invading army who, at the beginning of the game, have a very
strong foothold in the region. You would however likewise be shunned in some ways; particularly by Nord characters who do not
take kindly to you invaders.
Khajiit - The feline race from the desert lands of Elsweyr. These beast-like people make excellent Thieves due to their incredible
agility. They also possess bonuses to Sneak, Archery, Alchemy, Lockpicking and Pickpocketing skills and the special ability to see in
the dark using the 'Night-Eye' power. However they also make good Warriors being generally tough-skinned and possessing a bonus
to the One-Handed skill. The Khajiiti are a greatly misunderstood and somewhat frowned upon race, they have strange customs that
are often mistaken for insults and as such they find their place mainly as thieves, smugglers and beggars. Being a Khajiit can help to
gain favor with the lower classes to find information etc but they may find problems dealing with the higher tiers of society.
Nord - The proud 'Children of the Sky' and natives of the land of Skyrim. A perfect choice for any type of Warrior class especially for
light and Two-Handed warriors. They have base bonuses to Two-Handed, Block, Light Armour, One-Handed, Smithing and Speech
skills. Nords are an excellent choice for your first character, they have a lot of unique dialogue options and gain favor with the
majority of the people in Skyrim. Nords are the most common race of people found in Skyrim and you'll find them in all walks of life
from guards, merchants, blacksmiths, lords and Jarls and more rarely as peasants. The Stormcloaks are almost entirely made up of
Nords so joining their ranks would definitely be an advantage. Nords also possess an incredibly useful resistance to frost which will
serve you well in the coldest region of the world.
Orc - Known as the 'Orsimer' or 'Pariah Folk' they come only from the 'Wrothgarian Mountains', the 'Dragontail Mountains', and the
town of 'Orsinium'. The Orc-beast people are counted as the most resilient and formidable warriors in the world and are noted for
their incredible courage in war. They make particularly good heavy Warriors and smiths possessing bonuses to Heavy Armour, Block,
Smithing, Enchanting, and One and Two-Handed weapon skills. They also have a power that turns them into 'tank-like' maniacs,
giving heavy bonuses to damage and physical resistance. In society Orcs are often considered as cruel brutes and mindless
barbarians, but in recent decades they have won favour, especially among the Imperials, as useful loyal soldiers and smiths, the main
front lines of most Imperial armies are made up of Orcs. This would mean that joining the Imperial Legion would be more favorable
than joining the Stormcloaks.
Redguards - The dark-skinned people of Hammerfell. This race seems to have been born to be Warriors- their affiliation with the
sword is legendary, as such they make excellent light warriors and with their general quickness and bonus to archery they can make
good alternative thieves too. Their interests with Alteration and Destruction magic can also make them suitable as Mages provided
they utilise some warrior styles. They possess an 'Adrenaline Rush' power that when used with light swords can deal devastating
damage to tough opponents. Their place in the society of Skyrim is somewhat complicated at this time. The province of Hammerfell
was part of the Empire before the Great War with the Elven nations but, as a condition of the peace treaty between them, the
Empire decided to give the southern parts of Hammerfell to the Elves. The Redguards rejected this and went to war with the Aldmeri
Dominion, although they won, Hammerfell was devastated and the Redguards now have great contempt for both Elves and
Imperials alike. For this purpose it would be best to side with the Stormcloaks in the war and you will gain favor with most people
who agreed that the Empire's decisions were wrong.
Appearance
Choose a race that suits your style of gameplay, if you choose a Mage style race and then try to go off sneaking and picking locks etc
you will fail a lot more than if you had chose a Thief style race, it will consequently take much longer to level up your skills and
character. Once you have chosen your sex and race and have thought about your play style who should also have a good idea of
what kind of appearance you should have. The options for appearance have been greatly advanced since Oblivion, you can now also
change your muscular build, add tattoo's, scars, war-paint, jewellery, fur for Khajiit and feathers and horns for Argonians. These
options are only cosmetic and will not affect any dialogue or physical abilities of any kind, but shaping your appearance to your play
style will only increase your experience of the game.
A Note On Bugs
Skyrim can be very buggy, please refer to the General Hints and Tips page for more information and how best to avoid these bugs.
For every quest in every quest line I've placed clear warnings in 'bold text' against actions that have a possible chance to trigger
bugs. Many bugs were never properly fixed and although it is not 100% guaranteed that any given bug will occur, you should heed
every warning since some bugs cannot be fixed, even by reloading a previous save. I will also advise 'SAVE' points throughout your
entire Skyrim experience, I have designed these save points specifically for each quest and failing to save at these points can cause
you to repeat long stretches of quests should you die, freeze or hit a bug.
Collectibles
I have also taken the liberty of integrating as many collectibles as I could throughout the Main Story. You can find these instances
also highlighted in 'bold text'. They include any Word Walls, Standing Stones and Skill Books that may be encountered nearby to
where the Main Story will take you. Some of these will be right in front of you whereas some will require you to go out of your way,
even into restricted areas, to attain them. In cases where trespassing is required remember to SAVE before you go in then use sneak
to avoid contact with anyone. With Skill Books you only need to press cn_A to activate the book, you do not need to steal it to gain
the point.
On With The Story
Now with your character created you can continue with the story, but before you go running off into the wild remember your play
style and concentrate only on the skills in that play style. If you attempt to level up all your skills at once and choose perks that are
not relevant to your class you will only hurt yourself and make things more difficult and laborious.
Unbound
> The grim scene will continue, it will come to your turn on the block, however this is interrupted by an incredible event that has not
been witnessed in hundreds of years. When you're able to move freely you will activate your first quest, indicated on the screen as
'Unbound', there will be a white 'objective marker' on a Nord named 'Ralof' who you are supposed to follow.
> Right now you just want to use cn_LS to move around and you may want to check out the cn_start menu just to see what the
quest journal looks like. It is my advice to change the options so you have 'Floating markers', and make your first manual SAVE. You
can also adjust the look sensitivity now in the settings - gameplay options.
> So begins the extensive tutorial of the game amid the action of current events. Follow Ralof closely and stop where he stops,
wandering off and trying to explore is very dangerous at this point and can easily get you killed, there is some important dialogue
here that may help you understand the situation Skyrim is currently in. Go up the stairs and wait for the wall to break, Ralof tells you
to jump over through the roof, this will show you how to jump using the cn_Y button as default.
> Jump down again and you'll find the Imperial soldier 'Hadvar', he will be outside of the door from the inn and to your left trying to
help some people. Follow Hadvar closely, continue through the attack until he reaches a group of soldiers and battle-mages, try to
listen to the dialogue here before moving on.
> You will come to a point where Ralof and Hadvar meet and prepare to attack each other, they soon discover, however, that getting
inside to safety is more important; at this point your objective will update and you are faced with a choice, SAVE.
> Ralof (who will move to the right) represents the Stormcloaks and Hadvar (on the left) the Imperials, this choice does not bind you
to either side of the war permanently but it is advantageous to make your choice now. You will be forced to kill members of the
opposite side to gain the key to your freedom. After choosing, head inside and the ceiling will collapse behind you, SAVE.
> Approach Ralof or Hadvar and they will cut your binds. They will then advise you to take a look around here for some supplies. You
can find an iron sword and some basic armour in the chest with the objective marker on it, press cn_B to open your 'Character
Menu' then move the cn_LSr right to select your items. You can then use the D-pad or left thumbstick to navigate your inventory and
equip your weapons and armour etc using the cn_A button. Or if you prefer magic press cn_B to open up your Character Menu then
move the cn_LSl left and select Magic. Every race has a basic 'Flames' destruction spell and a 'Healing' restoration spell. You can
equip any weapons or magic to either hand, select the desired weapon or spell then assign it using the preferred trigger. On lower
difficulties you can just use your bare fists or your claws on higher difficulties if you are a Khajiit.
> Move through the door into the next room, Hadvar will open the gate by pulling the chain and two enemy soldiers will attack. Use
the cn_LT or cn_RT to attack them, there is no lock-on system in Skyrim, you are free to engage enemies at will. Once they are dead
take advantage and loot their corpses by pressing the cn_A button, this will pause the action and open a menu where you can
browse the available items on that corpse and take anything you like, you can also put items from your own inventory into theirs to
help distribute weight.
> Move through and pick up a cabbage from the barrow (for cooking later), then go down the stairs, the ceiling will collapse then
you'll move through into a dining area with two more enemies, kill them in your preferred manner then SAVE.
> Check the barrel for some useful potions and loot the whole room for any potions and cooking ingredients, especially 'Salt Pile'
then move on down the stairs to find the torture room.
> Kill the attacking enemies and listen to bit of dialogue. Ralof or Hadvar will ask the 'Torturer' to open one of the cells, but he has
lost the key. This is your first chance to pick a lock, there are some lockpicks in the knapsack on the stool to the right and some more
on the counter in the corner.
> Picking a lock is very simple; use the cn_LS to rotate your lockpick into the correct place, you need to find the right position for
your lockpick by trial and error, use the cn_RS to turn the lock with a knife, if the lockpick rattles it will break and you'll lose it,
change the position of the lockpick and try again, when the lockpick does not rattle the lock will open (see the Lockpicking and
Pickpocketing section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page for more information).
> In the cell you'll find a 'Spell Tome', don't confuse a Spell Tome with a 'Skill Book', a Spell Tome will give you access to a new spell
the first time you activate it from your inventory, whereas a Skill Book, (50 of which are required for the 'Reader' achievement) will
raise a particular Skill one point upon activating it.
> You will also find some Mage equipment the cell. Use cn_A again to pick up the things you want, (make sure to pick up the 'Novice
Hood' or robes for the 'Artificer' achievement later). Being so early in the game, and possibly unfamiliar with the items, it would be
OK at this point to basically take everything you find, within reason, you can sell or drop any items you don't need later. It is highly
unlikely, but if you become 'over-encumbered' this means you are carrying too much weight, and you will be unable to run or fast-
travel, simply drop some of the less valuable items you may have from your inventory using cn_X or place them into corpses,
containers or into people's pockets.
> Catch up to Ralof / Hadvar. NOTE: You need to pick '50' locks for the 'Thief' achievement, there are a few novice locked cells as you
continue on, it is a good idea to start working on picking locks.
> Follow your companion as you proceed through some corridors then reach a sewer room where you'll fight up to 5 enemies, 2 of
which will be archers across the room. This is the first bow and arrows you'll encounter for all you Thief class and light warriors out
there. Follow your companion on as he drops a drawbridge and moves through into a cave, SAVE.
> Kill the giant 'Frostbite Spiders', you can fill a vial of poison by looting their corpses which you can use to coat your weapon- open
your inventory and select the poison with cn_A, you will poison whatever weapon you have equipped at the time, bear in mind also
that you poison bows not arrows.
> Now continue deeper into the caverns. Follow behind your companion, you'll find a resting bear, SAVE. Your partner should give
you a bow and some arrows, if you didn't already pick them up (enemies can differ slightly from playthrough to playthrough), but
you may not want to attack this creature at all on higher difficulty settings and instead simply introduce yourself to the sneak
function by pressing cn_LSc down.
> Now follow Hadvar or Ralof to the exit of the cave through a crevice. When you get outside you'll see a certain large creature flying
off into the distance. This will complete the quest and unlock your first achievement of the game:
Unbound in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Unbound10 (10)
Complete "Unbound"
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Before the Storm
> Once outside the cave SAVE your game, at this point you are entirely free to total and complete exploration of this vast world, you
are not bound to follow the Main Story should you choose not to, but it is my advice, for now, to continue a bit more, to get your
bearings on the controls and the gameplay. Open your character menu and select 'map', this will give an overview of Skyrim, at this
point you don't really have much to look at, but you will notice that Helgen is marked as a white icon, whereas Riverwood, along
with the nine major cities are black, this indicates that you discovered Helgen but not anywhere else. Helgen will not count as a
discovered location for the 'Explorer' achievement (to discover '100' locations), but from now on everywhere else will, all you need
to do is turn the marker white.
> Your next objective is to visit the small village of 'Riverwood' down the way and meet up with your companion's friends or family.
There is a little exploration and hunting along the way but try to stick with your companion for now.
> You will soon encounter your first 'Standing Stone'- in fact three of them, known as the 'Guardian Stones', at the side of the road,
three different obelisk-style stones that when activated will allow a certain set of skills to increase 20% faster.
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Here are the skills that each stone boosts:
The Warrior Stone- Block, Heavy Armour, One-Handed, Smithing, Two-Handed, and Archery (if you have patch 1.2).
The Mage Stone- Alteration, Conjuration, Destruction, Enchantment, Illusion, and Restoration.
The Thief Stone- Alchemy, Archery (if you don't have patch 1.2), Light Armour, Lockpicking, Pickpocket, Sneak, and Speech.
Choosing your birthsign will unlock:

Blessed11 (10)
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There is an achievement for finding '13' Standing Stones, aptly called 'Standing Stones'. You do not need to activate them, just find
them so they are marked on your map, the Guardian Stones will count as three. It is possible to revisit the same stones repeatedly
for the achievement to unlock however I have integrated the locations of all 13 Standing Stones into the main quest lines of the
game and you'll find their locations listed in the Miscellaneous Achievements page of this Walkthrough.
> SAVE and continue on to Riverwood, this path offers some good basic exploration and hunting that will not disrupt your tutorial.
There will be some wolves and possibly some Elk along the road that you can kill for their furs, meat and ingredients used in
alchemy. You will also find a small bandit camp off to the north you could plunder to find a treasure map that can be followed. And
further southwest you'll find a 'Shrine to Talos' it's worshipers have been slain and a 'Thalmor' stands over them, killing him and
finding a note on his body will reveal his motives.
> You should visit 'Embershard Mine' now, it's just around the corner from the Guardian Stones. Outside you'll find a 'Woodcutter's
Axe' and a 'Chopping Block', pick up the axe then activate the block to chop some wood. Now proceed into the mine and kill the two
bandits inside, near the fire down on the right is a pickaxe and a iron ore vein, pick up the axe and activate the ore vein to mine
some ore. Ore deposits stand out a bit from surrounding terrain by having various coloured veins in them, an Iron Ore deposit looks
something like this:
External image
Also the Smithing Skill Book 'Light Armour Forging' can be found on a table in the forge area.
If you don't fancy visiting the mine just yet, don't worry, there will be dozens if not hundreds of opportunities to mine ore, chop
wood and cook food throughout your Skyrim career, and a second opportunity to visit Embershard later. See the 'Manual Tasks'
section of the Miscellaneous Achievements' page for more information.
> Whichever path you choose you should find your companion at Riverwood; if you followed Ralof you will be directed to a female
Nord lumberjack named 'Gerdur' and if you followed Hadvar you will be directed to a Nord blacksmith named 'Alvor'.
> Talking to either contact will direct you on to the Jarl (king) of the region, in this case, it will be the Jarl of Whiterun 'Balgruuf the
Greater' and they will give you some useful supplies to help you on your way.
If, for whatever reason, your contact is dead, or as a bug they will not advance the quest, you can just continue on to Whiterun with
the main quest without talking to them.
> If you spoke to Gerdur she will give you the key to her house, and if you spoke to Alvor you can go into his house, this will grant
you permission to take anything you wish from that house, within reason, for free. You can use the 'Cooking Pot' there to cook some
of the food you should have gathered by now, and if you visited Embershard Mine then you'll unlock:

Hard Worker16 (10)
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> You can also sleep there if you want to rest. Sleeping will heal you to full health, magicka and stamina and advance time for how
many hours you choose up to a maximum of 24. Upon awaking you will receive the 'Well rested bonus' and all your skills will
increase 5% faster for eight in-game hours (24 real life minutes).
> It would be advantageous, and related to an achievement, regardless of who your contact in Riverwood was, to speak to 'Hod'
(Gerdur's wife) about chopping some wood (if you didn't visit the mine). To chop some 'Firewood' you have to first find a
woodcutter's axe. There will be one near the pile of wood at the Mill, you do not need to be holding it just have it in your inventory
then activate the chopping block, when you have some firewood go talk to Hod and he will pay you for it.
> Make sure to meet with Alvor at his smithy near his house, he'll be there from 8am-8pm if it's out of hours pres the cn_back
button to 'Wait' then find Alvor at the forge. Ask him if he 'Needs any help around the forge?'. If you followed Hadvar out of the cave
then all of the metal ingots near the workbench, will be free to take. Alvor will ask you to craft an iron dagger, he will give you an
iron ingot and some leather strips, activate the stone forge there using cn_A, this will bring up a menu where you can choose what
items you want to make. The items you can make will depend on your Smithing skill and you will require the materials to make
them. You will have the right materials to make an iron dagger so scroll down to iron and then select iron dagger to forge one. Now
he wants you to sharpen the dagger to increase it's damage, use another iron ingot at the 'Grindstone' to sharpen the blade then
give it back to him. Now he wants you to make some leather, use the animal pelt on the 'Tanning Rack' to make it into Leather, then
give it back to Alvor. He finally wants you to make a hide helmet, using the items he gives you, activate the forge again and create a
hide helmet. Now he wants you to temper the helmet to increase it's armour value, use the 'Workbench' there to temper the helmet
then give it to Alvor. He will allow you keep the dagger and helmet as a reward and these tasks contribute to two achievements,
SAVE.
This aspect of the game may seem laborious and complicated at first, but once you know what you're doing it's much faster and
easier, also you never need visit a Blacksmiths again if you really don't want to, and definitely not if you are a Mage. However the
Smithing aspect of the game can be very advantageous, especially as a Warrior, and mastering their techniques will improve your
efficiency in combat and in dialogue, making Smithing an integral part of the game experience.
> You should at this point explore the village a little, talk to some people about the dragon attack and other things, enquire about
the area and make sure to visit the local store, the 'Riverwood Trader', here you can sell your unwanted items and buy some useful
supplies. Talking to 'Lucan Valerius' will continue the game tutorial and activate a small side-quest to retrieve a special item from a
nearby cave called 'Bleak-Falls Barrow'. This side-quest is not mandatory and the next Main Story quest will direct you to there
anyway. While inside the store see if you can 'Cook some food' using the cooking pot by the fire, try to find some basic ingredients
and use the pot to make a meal to eat that can restore health or stamina.
> Also found in Riverwood is the first opportunity to gain the 'Hero of the People' achievement very quickly. Try to find a child
named either 'Frodnar' or 'Dorthe', if they're playing 'tag' you may be able to join in and every tag you complete will count as a
miscellaneous objective. If you can't find either of them, or they're not playing tag, just be on the look out for other children in the
following towns and offer to play tag with them: Solitude, Whiterun, Riverwood, Morthal and Markarth and with the Hearthfire DLC
installed, tag can be played with your adopted children as well.
Successfully completing '50' miscellaneous objectives will unlock:

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> When you are set, you can begin your journey to the city of Whiterun, SAVE then head north over the bridge out of town. Continue
along the main winding cobbled path north and you'll soon pass 'Honningbrew Meadery' on your left, and reach a crossroads. There
is a One-Handed Skill Book called 'The Importance of Where' found on a dresser in the bedroom of 'Chillfurrow Farm' just over the
river there to your north, it may count as trespassing if you enter and stealing if you take the book, so just sneak in and press cn_A to
activate the book, gain the skill point then press cn_B to close it and leave.
> There will be a friendly military camp and a farm on your left as you go, take the right towards the stables and approach the city
gates further in, SAVE.
> Upon arriving at the main gate, a guard will tell you the city is closed to visitors. Any dialogue option you choose will let you into
the city, except for trying to intimidate, and don't attack the guard. You can also pickpocket the key to the door from the guard if you
are quick. If you have a bounty in Whiterun hold, then after your arrest (if you either serve a jail sentence or pay a bounty of at least
25 gold) you will be outside 'Dragonsreach'.
NOTE: You can purposely get caught pickpocketing the guard and serve time in jail to go for the 'Wanted' achievement now. Make a
SAVE before trying to pick the guard's pocket, then choose 'I Submit, take me to jail'. Once inside your cell make sure to SAVE before
attempting to escape the cell by picking the novice locked trapdoor. Once the achievement unlocks, reload the save. (See the
'Crimes' section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page for more information).

Wanted20 (10)
Escape from jail
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> Once inside SAVE, follow the path up to Dragonsreach and enter. When you approach the Jarl, a Dark Elf Nightblade named
'Irileth', who serves as the Jarl's Housecarl (personal bodyguard), will ask you why you are interrupting their meeting, again any
dialogue option will allow you to see the Jarl, this will complete this quest and automatically start the next one.
Bleak Falls Barrow

> After you tell Jarl Balgruuf about the dragon attack on Helgen he will order some troops to Riverwood and reward you with some
levelled armour (whether you receive light or heavy armour will be determined by the highest level you have in either). The Jarl will
then direct you to the court wizard 'Farengar Secret-Fire', who is an expert on dragon lore.
> Talk to Farengar, he wants you to retrieve a 'Dragonstone'- he knows where one can be found- an ancient Nordic tomb near
Riverwood, named 'Bleak Falls Barrow', SAVE.
> You may want to take a look around Whiterun at this point, starting with Dragonsreach itself, do not kill anyone or steal anything
(unless you know what you're doing). If you are a thief you may want to try out some pickpocketing or sneaking around. The Illusion
Skill Book 'Before the Ages of Man' can be found in the Jarl's Quarters.
You can begin the 'Enchanting Tutorial' at Farengar's arcane enchanter if you have any enchanted weapons or clothing (you may still
have the mage's robe from Helgen which you can use to learn a new enchantment). And if you have a filled soul gem, (you could
steal one from Farengar's study), you may be able to make a new enchanted item (see the 'Enchanting' section of the Miscellaneous
Achievements' page for more information).
You should also visit the alchemical store 'Arcadia's Cauldron' for some ingredients and the Alchemy Skill Book 'Herbalist's Guide to
Skyrim'. You should also complete the short 'Alchemy Tutorial' here; just ask 'Arcadia' there if you can use the Alchemy table in the
store (See the 'Alchemy' section of the Miscellaneous Achievements' page for more information). Buy a few ingredients (or stealthily
steal some) and hit the strange round table in the corner with the cn_A button. The game will give you on-screen instructions and
some useful information about mixing up potions and poisons. This aspect of the game can be insurmountably useful and highly
lucrative if you choose to delve deeper.
If you have smithed an item, enchanted an item, and made at least one potion, you will now unlock:

Artificer14 (10)
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Otherwise just keep a look out for other opportunities during your quests or see the relevant sections in the Miscellaneous
Achievements page.
> There are a further 10 'Skill Books' to be found in Whiterun. Some of these will require good lockpicking skills and entering
restricted areas, however none of the ones I have listed will affect any quests, just don't kill anyone or take anything, including the
skill book; you do not need to take/steal the book to gain the skill point, just press cn_A to read it then press cn_B to close it again:
The Archery Skill Book 'The Black Arrow V2' found under the counter of the 'Drunken Huntsman'.
The Archery Skill Book 'The Marksmanship Lesson' in a display case in the living quarters of the 'Jorrvaskr'.
The Heavy Armour Skill Book 'Hallgerd's Tale' on the table in the main hall of the Jorrvaskr.
The Two-Handed Skill Book 'Song of Hrormir' in the basement at the end of the hall in the living quarters of the Jorrvaskr.
The Smithing Skill Book 'The Armorer's Challenge' found at the Skyforge, above the Jorrvaskr.
The Block Skill Book 'Death Blow of Abernanit' found on a table in the catacombs of the 'Hall of the Dead'.
The Enchanting Skill Book 'Enchanter's Primer' found on the bedroom floor of 'Carlotta's Valentia's' house.
The Restoration Skill Book 'Withershins' found in the 'Temple of Kynareth'.
The Speech Skill Book 'The Biography of the Wolf Queen' found on a shelf near the counter in 'Belethor's General Goods'.
The Two-Handed Skill Book 'Battle of Sancre Tor' found on a shelf in the west bedroom in the 'House of Clan Battle-Born'.
> You could also talk to a few people around Whiterun, but be warned; you will most likely begin activating quests all over the place,
since almost everyone in Skyrim has some 'mini-quest' known as a 'Miscellaneous Objective' they need doing. Whilst these are often
fun and lucrative, and most contribute towards the 'Sideways' and 'Hero of the People' achievements (to complete 10 side-quests
and 50 miscellaneous objectives), it will be best, at this early point, to hold off activating multiple quest objectives in your journal, for
now. You can always return to Whiterun later after you have some free time between major quests. So when you're ready, head out
to Riverwood, or fast-travel there by pressing cn_B then moving down to the 'map' and selecting Riverwood to the south, press cn_A
and select 'Fast-Travel' to automatically travel to Riverwood.
> Once in Riverwood SAVE, you may recall that you had a choice to activate (or you did activate) a side-quest for Lucan Valerius at
the Riverwood Trader, this coincides directly with the main quest. So if you didn't activate it then you should now for an extra
reward afterwards and a side-quest bonus.
> Bleak Falls Barrow is a great beginner-style dungeon that will introduce you to a few more sinister and challenging elements of the
game, elements that you will encounter, in varying degrees of magnitude, throughout your Skyrim adventures.
At this point you may want to start exploring a bit more to find Skill Books and to build towards the 'Delver' achievement of clearing
'50' dungeons. Just to the south of Bleak Falls Barrow is a little cabin called 'Anise's Cabin' where you will find the Alchemy Skill Book
'Song of the alchemists' on a table. You may also want to check out Embershard Mine if you previously missed it.
> The old ruin of Bleak Falls Barrow is just west of Riverwood, head there on foot. As you approach the doorway you may take note
of wonderful stone-work. Looking at these you may begin to appreciate the depth and sheer scale of Skyrim, ancient words and
runes scrawled into the stone, once serving as warnings or sacred rites, written by a long forgotten race.
> Kill any enemies guarding the outside and head to the large semi-circle arching doorway, SAVE here and keep this save until after
you leave, press cn_A to enter.
> Once inside SAVE, press cn_LSc and go into 'Sneak' mode. It is advisable, even if you are not a thief style character, to always sneak
through hostile areas, this not only allows you to avoid detection better, but it also increases your chances of spotting traps. Traps
include 'trip-wires', 'pressure plates', 'oil spills', 'poison darts', 'spike pits', 'swinging blades', 'falling boulders', 'magic runes', 'sliding
spears', and many more and they cannot be avoided by any type of resistance, they are therefore one of the most deadly aspects of
Skyrim. Sneaking also gives you a better assessment of the situation ahead in general:
Bleak Falls Barrow has some side-plots to it, if you go blundering in, you will miss opportunities to overhear the bandits inside talking
about their activities. In most cases listening to guards and other enemies can give you valuable information such as; where certain
keys are, or how to unlock secret passageways etc. If you sneak you will encounter such a conversation early on inside this ruin.
> After you're ready to move in kill them in your preferred manner and proceed on, deeper into the catacombs.
> Further in you will encounter a bandit trying to open a locked gate, he will fail. After he is dead it is up to you to unlock the gate by
arranging the pillars in the correct order and pulling the chain. Look around and you will notice some symbols on the upper level,
one has fallen to the ground, you can deduce from these symbols that the combination is: Snake, Snake, Whale.
External image
There will be more puzzles very similar to this through the future exploration of Nordic Ruins, the ancient Nords used these codes to
lock away precious treasures, and unknown artifacts, or to protect the tombs of important individuals. Activate the pillars so the
combinations match and then pull the chain to open the gate.
If, for whatever reason, the pillars do not work correctly try this page for a possible bug fix:
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Puzzle_Totems#Bugs.
> On the table in front of you as you enter the next room is a copy of the Pickpocketing Skill Book 'Thief'. Head down the spiral
staircase and SAVE.
> Through further eavesdropping you will find some more of the story behind Bleak Falls Barrow and more information about the
illusive 'Golden Claw' you are after. You'll soon come across a Dunmer Thief by the name of 'Arvel the Swift'- I'll leave it up to you to
decide what to do with him.
> Whatever happens you should proceed further on into the catacombs. If Arvel dies be sure to take the Golden Claw and his journal
from his body. You will begin to encounter 'Draugr' these are ancient Nordic warriors who have been reanimated. Draugr were once
followers of 'Dragon Priests' in ancient times, and when these priests died they also died with them. They were later reanimated,
and then sealed into the tomb where they would periodically awaken in order to worship the priests and transfer energy to them to
maintain their undead state. Some draugr instead guard treasures buried in barrows and tombs. They often rest in catacombs to
awaken and fight when they are disturbed. Always SAVE after killing any Draugr that you feel was a challenge or after groups of
them.
> With the claw and journal in your possession you are now fully equipped to tackle the rest of Bleak Falls Barrow and uncover it's
secrets. Remain cautious for any traps and proceed on killing any draugr you encounter until you find a room with a waterfall.
> Pull the chain and head down into the underground stream, be careful not to fall off at the end. Now take the narrow tunnel
leading south. You'll emerge on a bridge halfway down the waterfall. Head all the way down to the bottom for some minor loot in a
locked chest, then return to the bridge and head north. The final room is protected by a leveled draugr. Proceed through the door to
'Bleak Falls Sanctum'.
> Once inside the sanctum SAVE, proceed through until you can climb the wooden structure and over the bridge to open an iron
door. You will encounter another puzzle with three rotating rings. If you read Arvel's journal you will discover that he was on the
right track, and by examining the symbols on the Golden Claw you will discover the order in which to arrange the rings and open the
door.
> Press cn_A on the rings to rotate them separately, the combination should be: Bear, Moth, Owl. When this is correct insert the
Golden Claw and the door will open, SAVE.
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> You will come to a large open chamber where you will find your first 'Word Wall'- the large grey structure to the right in this image:
External image
Ignore the chest and the sarcophagus in front of the wall for now, and head straight to the Word Wall, press cn_LSc to deactivate
sneak mode to prevent a bug, and as you approach the Word Wall you'll notice the game music crescendo, and a stream of light will
flow towards you. When you get close enough you will unlock the first part (of three) of your first Word, known as a 'Thu'um'. In this
case it's the 'Unrelenting Force' Thu'um, which is a powerful blast that knocks enemies back and damages them. You will have to
learn the first word of all twenty Thu'ums in Skyrim for the 'Thu'um Master' achievement. The locations of all Thu'ums are listed in
the Miscellaneous achievements page, but almost all of them will be found during the Main Story, and the other main quest lines. I
have advised the locations of all Shouts throughout the quest pages.
> After learning the Word, SAVE, the sarcophagus will burst open and a boss-level 'Draugr Overlord' will step out and attack you. Use
your preferred combat style to defeat him, you will not be able to use the Unrelenting Force Shout yet as it requires a dragon's soul
to unlock it. Draugr are generally weak to fire attacks but they are immune to poisons. Use your weapons and/or magics to defeat
the boss and then examine his corpse for the 'Dragonstone', the item requested by Farengar back in Whiterun.
A bug can occur here that makes it impossible to loot the Dragonstone. Bethesda technical support recommends reverting to a save
prior to you entering the dungeon, raising your level, and then returning to the Dragonstone quest.
> Before leaving, look behind the small waterfall for a chest, then climb up the stairs and activate the handle which will elevate the
stone wall and bring you to the exit of Bleak Falls Barrow. Once outside you can delete the SAVE I told you to keep before you
entered the ruin and make a new SAVE.
> Return to Riverwood first to deliver the Golden Claw to Lucan, he will thank you and reward you, you can then take items from his
store that are not marked red for free, and get lower prices from him from then on.
WARNING: Completing the next quest 'Dragon Rising' will activate the random spawning of dragons all over Skyrim, these dragons
can spawn in towns and cities, and they not only cause the deaths of useful and even quest related people, but they can also cause
multiple glitches across many quests. It is therefore strongly advised, at this point to avoid the Main Story quest line for now,
especially if you plan on completing only one playthrough.
You should navigate instead to the 'Daedric Artifacts' page of this Walkthrough and gain as many artifacts as you feel necessary
before returning here. You can also begin other quest lines, such as 'The Companions' and 'The Civil War' (up to 'Message to
Whiterun') to help you level up to the required character levels.
Once you have completed all Daedric quests except 'The Whispering Door' for the 'Ebony Blade' which requires completion of
Dragon Rising, you can proceed with the Main Story.
> Now return to Dragonsreach in Whiterun and SAVE. Find Farengar with his new female Breton companion 'Delphine' (you may
have seen her at the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood). Listen to their conversation for more important plot information and
Farengar will take the Dragonstone from you and thank you. He will then direct you to the Jarl for a reward and the quest will be
complete, this will unlock the story progression achievement:
Bleak Falls Barrow in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Bleak Falls Barrow11 (10)
Complete "Bleak Falls Barrow"
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Dragon Rising
> When you are ready to proceed with the Main Story, take the Dragonstone to Farengar, SAVE. Irileth will approach with news of
another dragon sighting just to the west of Whiterun at the 'Western Watchtower'. Follow Farengar over to the Jarl who will
command that you aid Irileth in the investigation and possible battle with the dragon. After the conversation SAVE.
At this point the Jarl will reward you for retrieving the Dragonstone and allow you to buy a house in Whiterun. To unlock the 'Citizen'
achievement, simply talk to 'Proventus Avenicci', the Jarl's personal steward, about buying a house in Whiterun, if you are having
trouble finding him, you can get a quest marker on him through a miscellaneous task given by his daughter 'Adrianne Avenicci', who
can usually be found outside of Warmaiden's, just inside the gates to Whiterun. Provided you have the 5,000 gold to pay for the
house Proventus will allow you to buy 'Breezehome' immediately. Buying your first house will unlock:

Citizen14 (10)
Buy a house
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If you don't have enough gold to buy the house you can check out the 'Making Money' section of the Miscellaneous Achievements
page of this Walkthrough, or simply return later when you can afford it. For all additional information regarding houses, see also, the
'Houses' section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page.
> Now follow Irileth as she makes her way to the 'Guard Barracks' to recruit some help. After a short speech you will all head out to
the watchtower, or you can meet her out near the road, SAVE.
> Follow the road, you will find the tower smoking and damaged with most of the tower's guards dead. Irileth asks you to search for
survivors, you will find the only survivor staggering about near the north side of the tower. After this you will hear warnings of a
dragon approaching, SAVE.
> This particular dragon is known as 'Murmulnir'- his name means; 'Allegiance-Strong-Hunt' and he has been waiting for many years
to return once more to the skies. Murmulnir is resistant only to fire, so using lighting or ice attacks is advised, if you have neither
then the bow and arrow is the most preferred weapon. If you only have hand held weapons you will have to either grab a bow from
a fallen guard or wait for Murmulnir to rest on the ground and rush over to attack him. Be warned about ground attacks with
dragons, they have extremely powerful physical attacks and it is best to stay back. Whilst in the air Murmulnir will use Thu'ums to
attack you and the guards (and any other living thing in the area). Stay near the tower, if you become low on health; retreat inside
and use spells, potions or food to recover.
> After losing a certain amount of his health (just over a quarter) Murmulnir will permanently land near the tower. Continue to use
ranged attacks if you can and use the rocks and walls for cover against his Thu'um attacks, if you get too close he will change to
physical attacks using his jaws, legs, wings and tail. Help Irileth and any remaining guards to bring him down for good. Irileth is quite
effective and since she is an 'Essential NPC' (Non-player Character) she cannot be killed by any means, like any essential NPC if her
health gets too low she will go down on one knee and become invincible, slowly recovering health until she is fit to stand again.
> Once Murmulnir is killed his soul will miraculously stream towards you and you will absorb it, this will indicate that you are the
'Dragonborn' of prophecy- the only living individual who can permanently kill a dragon by taking its soul. This will unlock:

Dragon Soul11 (10)
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> You will be approached by a surviving guard who will be amazed and exclaim that you are the Dragonborn. At this point you will
automatically use this dragon's soul to unlock the first Thu'um you attained earlier, known as the Unrelenting Force Thu'uum. From
now on dragons will begin to attack Skyrim randomly, out on the tundra, on the hills and the mountains and in the cities and the
towns. Whenever you kill one of these dragons you will automatically absorb their soul and you will be able use these souls to unlock
your Word of choice from any of the Thu'ums you have found. To unlock a word of a Shout; go to your Magic menu and simply select
the Shout you wish to unlock with the cn_X button. If you do not have any new Shouts to unlock, or you want to keep your dragon
souls for other Shouts, you will store them for later, it will tell you how many dragon souls you currently have in the bottom right-
hand corner of the screen when looking at your Shouts.
> After taking a look at your Shouts, select the Unrelenting Force Shout with the cn_A button and close the menu. Now you can
prove for certain that you are indeed the Dragonborn of legend. With the Unrelenting Force shout equipped press cn_RB this will
unleash a visible wave of force knocking back anyone in its path. (Note that when you find the second and third words of any
Thu'ums you can hold the cn_RB down longer to unleash a longer more powerful version of the Shout). Don't worry you will not
harm anyone with the Shout, this time. The guards will gasp and comment about you being the Dragonborn and possibly the only
one who can save Skyrim from the dragon attacks.
> Before leaving the tower search around for any loot, it's OK to take anything from the fallen guard's bodies and be sure to check
the skeletal remains of Murmulnir. A dragon corpse will always contain some 'Dragon Scales' and 'Dragon Bones', these are valuable,
albeit heavy, items that you can use to make highly advanced armour, once your Smithing skill is high enough. For now you can sell
all these items or keep anything you feel may be valuable to you, remember not to clutter up your inventory with rarely used items
though.
> SAVE before heading back to the Jarl in Dragonsreach to report what happened, listen out along the road for an almighty voice in
the sky shouting 'Dovahkiin!'. After reporting to the Jarl he will conclude that the voice you heard in the sky was that of the
'Greybeards- The Masters of the Voice' summoning you to 'High Hrothgar'. He will say that being summoned by the Greybeards is a
great honour and you should seek an audience with them immediately. Before you go however the Jarl will make you the honourary
'Thane of Whiterun', this gives you leave to explore any area of Dragonsreach and gives you favour with all the guards and people
throughout the hold of Whiterun. Guards will also pardon you for most crimes. You will also receive a levelled magic axe as a symbol
of your office and you will be appointed a housecarl (bodyguard) called 'Lydia'.
> You will unavoidably meet Lydia on your way out, she is a Nord Warrior highly skilled in Heavy Armour, One-Handed combat,
Archery and Block. You can recruit her as a follower is you wish and she will be very useful at these early stages of the game, offering
combat assistance, enemy warnings, valuable information about anywhere you go, and she will carry some of your loot for you.
There is a lot of information regarding the follower aspect of Skyrim; you can give them commands and there are some very
interesting and useful aspects of the game to be found with them, so for all information regarding followers see this page:
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Followers
The Way of the Voice

> Before heading out to High Hrothgar SAVE. High Hrothgar is an old fort located halfway up the tallest mountain in Tamriel called
the 'Throat of the World' you can see this mountain from almost anywhere in Skyrim, it lies to the southeast of Whiterun. High
Hrothgar is difficult to reach however if you do not head to the settlement of 'Ivarstead' first, so your destination for now is
Ivarstead.
If you're are following the Comprehensive Playthrough page or you have been to Ivarstead before, scroll down to where it says
'Ivarstead'. Otherwise follow the points below.
> Head out of Whiterun's main gates and take the east road passing by Honningbrew Meadery then east across the stone bridge.
Your quest marker will be pointing directly southeast, but you can't travel over or through the Throat of the World, you'll have to
make your way east northeast around the great mountain.
> SAVE and then follow the road as it stretches east and a little north. To continue with your progression towards the 'Delver' and
'Reader' achievements, there is an Archery Skill Book called 'Vernaccus and Bourlor' found on top of a barrel at 'Graywinter Watch'
along a short road to your left. After this be on the lookout for the 'Ritual' Standing Stone on your left, this is another obelisk
birthstone that will contribute towards the 'Standing Stones' achievement. The Ritual Stone will grant you the ability to raise people
and creatures from the dead to fight for you, this is much more powerful than the normal 'Reanimate Corpse' spells because it can
be used on larger creatures such as Mammoths and Giants and once they die they do not turn to ash and can be reanimated again.
Bear in mind that if you choose this new birthsign you will lose your current birthsign. Whether you want the sign or not make sure
to discover the Standing Stone so it is marked on your map and then SAVE before continuing on.
> Be careful ahead, there will be a giant's camp called 'Guldun Rock' on a path to your right, and you'll have to pass the heavily
guarded 'Valtheim Towers' on the main road, the giants sometimes wander down to the main road and the bandits at Valtheim like
to ambush travellers. SAVE if you encounter some hostiles and follow the road as it winds north then back south.
> If you feel adventurous you can brave the giants at Guldun Rock and enter 'Guldun Rock Cave' to find the Heavy Armour Skill Book
'The Knights of the Nine'. Also you should have already got the Archery Skill Book 'The Black Arrow V2' from the Drunken Huntsman
in Whiterun, but if not, there is another copy in the north tower of Valtheim Towers. A bit further along the road and down near the
river you can find the troll infested cave called 'Darkshade', inside the second room lying near the water is the Heavy Armour Skill
Book 'Orsinium and the Orcs', note that a little further along this same book can be found in an easier cave inhabited by bandits,
called 'Lost Knife Hideout' mentioned below. Also, after Darkshade, over to the east, past another giant camp called 'Cradlecrush
Rock', you'll find a 'Shrine of Talos' where the Heavy Armour Skill Book '2920 Midyear V6' can be found.
Remember to SAVE after entering these areas, finding the skill book, and after leaving.
> If you didn't get the Two-Handed Skill Book 'Song of Hrormir' in the Jorrvaskr in Whiterun another copy can be found to your south
in the 'Abandoned Prison' in a storage room filled with books and a master-level chest. Up the river to your west is a 'Shrine of
Dibella' where you'll find the Light Armour Skill Book 'Rislav the Righteous' among the debris there.
> Return to the road and bear right when the path forks and just after this look out for a small dirt path on your right, just before
'Fort Amol', that's your shortcut to Ivarstead.
> Continue along this narrow winding path past the bandit cave 'Lost Knife Hideout', where, if you missed it at Darkshade the Heavy
Armour Skill Book 'Orsinium and the Orcs' can be found on a table near a sleeping guard, in the collapsed fort section. SAVE after
entering the cave, finding the skill book and after leaving.
> After some winding, and possibly some random animal encounters, you should emerge at a river that has a log bridge across it, but
before this there is a Conjuration Skill Book called 'The Warrior's Charge' near some rocks on the right side of the path. Be careful
crossing over the river here because, on the other side, in a small over-crop, there could be a 'troll' waiting to ambush you, at lower
levels trolls can be very dangerous, so SAVE, and then proceed on, there will be some loot in the over-crop with a skeleton. Continue
west and south along the path, don't take the stone bridge on your right as you have arrived at Ivarstead on your left, SAVE.
Ivarstead
> Find a Nord named 'Klimmek' he will give you some valuable information about High Hrothgar and the Greybeards and you can
complete a miscellaneous objective here to take some supplies up to the Greybeards for him.
> You may wish to visit the 'Vilemyr Inn' while you're here for a few supplies and to rid yourself of some weight you may have picked
up. You can also talk to 'Wilhelm' about the haunted barrow nearby that is putting the town in decline and offer to help him out. This
side quest is highly advised at this point, since it is the best chance to unlock the 'Kyne's Peace' Shout from the Word Wall there in
'Shroud Hearth Barrow', you will not encounter this Shout during any quest line. Also if you missed the Illusion Skill Book 'Before the
Ages of Man' back in Dragonsreach another copy can be found on a stone altar near the entrance.
> The stone bridge on the north side of the town marks the long way up to High Hrothgar, there are some dangerous enemies up
there, and there is no help of any kind along the way, so make sure you're prepared before heading up and remember to SAVE every
so often. Also keep a lookout for the ten stone plaques along the way, if you can find and read all ten you will be awarded the 'Voice
of the Sky' power that causes wildlife to neither flee nor attack you for 24 hours.
> Eventually you will reach the doors of High Hrothgar, head inside, SAVE and you'll be greeted by the powerful Greybeard elder
'Master Arngeir'. Arngeir is the only Greybeard you can talk to as the others do not yet have the mastery of the Voice to control their
powerful Thu'ums. He will then give you the second word of Unrelenting Force, you will learn it by approaching the writing on the
ground. Like before you will automatically unlock this Word without doing so from your menu. As a rare bug you are unable learn
the Shout on the ground, the only fix for this bug is reload your previous save.
> Arngeir will ask you to prove yourself as the Drgaonborn, to do this simply use the Unrelenting Force Shout in their presence,
(don't worry about harming them it's fine). Just use your Shout on the spectral practice dummies that the Greybeards spawn, three
times.
> Head outside and SAVE, the Greybeards will then teach you the first word of the 'Whirlwind Sprint' Shout by casting it upon the
ground like before, and like before, it will automatically unlock it for you. This Shout allows you to burst forward very quickly, a very
useful Shout throughout your Skyrim adventures. After practicing the Shout, by getting through the gates before they close, Arngeir
will give you your next task; to retrieve the 'Horn of Jurgen Windcaller' from a faraway Nordic ruin called 'Ustengrav'. This will
complete the quest and automatically begin the next quest, also unlocking:
The Way of the Voice in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
The Way of the Voice25 (20)
Complete "The Way of the Voice"
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*Note that after completing this quest you will now have access to the Dragonborn DLC main quest line.
The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller

> Arngeir will mark Ustengrav on your map, you cannot fast travel directly to Ustengrav, you can only use Fast travel when you have
previously discovered a location by physically walking or riding there. So you can either walk, ride, or fast travel back to Whiterun
and take a carriage to Morthal.
> If you decide to make the very long and dangerous trek there on foot, you should walk or fast travel back to Whiterun first, and
buy a horse for 1000 gold. Visit the stables outside of Whiterun and talk to a Nord named 'Skulvar Sable-Hilt' and buy a horse from
him. Walk/ride through the fields northwest, if you didn't previously go to Embershard Mine then you can find the Smithing Skill
Book 'Light Armour Forging' in 'Silent Moons Camp', it's near the Lunar Forge.
> Otherwise make your way northwest and then directly through the giant ruin of 'Labyrinthian'. Be warned however, that many
difficult 'Frost Trolls' guard the exterior of that ruin. Continue west then north to the town of 'Morthal'. Here you can restock on
supplies and you have the chance to find a further '9' Skill Books:
The Destruction Skill Book 'Response to Bero's Speech' found in the 'Thaumaturgist's Hut'.
The Restoration Skill Book '2920 Rain's Hand V4' on a table in 'Falion's House'.
If you didn't get it in Fort Amol, the Enchanting Skill Book 'Catalogue of Armour Enchantments' on a shelf in 'Falion's House'.
If you didn't find at the Shrine of Talos, the Heavy Armour Skill Book '2920 Midyear V6' behind a barrel in the 'Guardhouse'.
The Illusion Skill Book 'The Black Arts on Trial' found 500 ft to the southeast of Morthal, on a snow-covered dragon mound out the
southern gates.
The Lockpicking Skill Book 'The Locked Room' found on a bookshelf upstairs in 'Highmoon Hall'.
The One-Handed Skill Book '2920 Morning Star V1' found in a bucket on top of the barrel to the left of the bed in 'Jorgen and Lami's
House'.
The Pickpocket Skill Book 'Aevar Stone-Singer' found in 'Thonnir's House'.
The Restoration Skill Book 'Racial Phylogeny' found inside a basket in the 'Moorside Inn'.
> Alternatively you can use the carriage service between major cities; outside of Whiterun you should find the horse and carriage
near the stables, talk to the Nord carriage driver 'Bjorlam' there and ask him to take you to 'Morthal'.
> Once at Morthal you may want to check out the town for supplies, side quests or Skill Books (see above) if you wish, when you are
ready SAVE and head out northeast through the marshes to Ustengrav.
> Continue on the main road north; the Apprentice Standing Stone can be found off to the northwest. You can find the Restoration
Skill Book 'The Exodus' in a small, unmarked campsite, directly between Solitude's docks and The Apprentice Stone, not the camp
outside 'Folgunthur' but to the west of it. You can, if you wish, visit Folgunthur to find the One-Handed Skill Book 'Fire and Darkness'
in the lower level. It is well worth clearing Folgunthur now as there is also a Word Wall there containing a Shout called 'Frost Breath'
that will not be encountered during any quest line.
> Ustengrav itself is over to the east of Folgunthur. When you approach Ustengrav SAVE, you'll encounter some bandits fighting a
necromancer, after this proceed inside and SAVE. Begin to sneak through the old ruin, you'll find that the undead draugr and mages
that occupy this first area are hostile towards each other so it may be tactical to play them against one another then finish off the
victors. Fight your way down to the depths of Ustengrav, SAVE.
> You will pass a forested area, a waterfall and a bridge, continue on down the winding walkway and you'll soon come to another
waterfall, at the bottom of this there is another 'Word Wall'. Approaching this wall will grant you the 'Become Ethereal' Thu'um,
useful for avoiding attacks and traps by turning your body into an invincible ghost-like state for a short time (use a dragon's soul to
unlock the Shout). SAVE.
> The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller is on the opposite side of the bridge. There is a tunnel ahead blocked by three gates. Each of the
strange nearby rocks glow red at your approach, acting like keys to the gates. When they glow they will lift one of the gates.
However, the gates will shut again when you get too far from the rocks. You must use the Whirlwind Sprint shout here, to dash
through these 'Rock-keys' and open the gates long enough to get through them all. Once you are through to the end, the gates will
remain fully open, allowing any followers to catch up. With only one word of the Whirlwind shout learned, getting all three gates to
stay open long enough can be tricky.
> The puzzle can be solved by starting at the rock closest to the bridge; sprint by each of the rock-keys until you get close to the
tunnel entrance and from there use Whirlwind Sprint to clear all the gates at once. You can also stand in front of the first rock-key,
use Whirlwind Sprint, and then run through the rest of the tunnel. It is also possible to stand between the first two rock-keys to open
the first two gates, use Whirlwind Sprint and then run, the third gate should still open by then. If you become trapped between
gates inside the tunnel, you will find pull chains that will allow you to return and try again.
> Once you're through SAVE, be wary of some fire traps and frost spiders ahead as you continue on. You'll soon come to a large
room, it has a very large frost spider hiding in the ceiling waiting to pounce on you, resist poison potions are very useful here. After
defeating the spider and her hatchlings SAVE.
> Cut or burn your way through the spider's webs covering the tunnel to the final area. Old Nordic dragon statues will ascend out of
the waters as you approach the resting place of the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller. Unfortunately, there's only a mysterious note
addressed to you, where the Horn should be. This note wishes for you meet the anonymous author by renting an attic room at the
Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood.
> You must now exit the ruin; use the door to the east and exit Ustengrav, SAVE, you can fast travel straight back to Riverwood via
the map if you like, or if you fancy, you can walk or ride there.
> Once in Riverwood SAVE, head into the Sleeping Giant Inn and talk to Delphine about renting the attic room, she will tell you that
there is no attic room, but that you can take the one on the left. Delphine follows you in and reveals that she was the one who took
the Horn and she will then hand it over to you. She asks to speak privately, and she will lead you to the room across from yours.
Delphine opens the wardrobe door revealing a secret room beneath the inn. She explains that her organization has been looking for
someone like you. This will begin the quest 'A Blade in the Dark', SAVE and exit the Inn.
A Blade in the Dark

> In the secret room, in the Sleeping Giant Inn, Delphine will explain that dragons are not only returning to Skyrim- but that
something or someone is purposely resurrecting them from their burial mounds. Not only that but she concludes that only the
Dragonborn can stop them. However Delphine is not fully convinced that you are the real Dragonborn and she wants to witness you
kill a dragon. According to her 'Dragonstone' map the next dragon will be resurrected in a burial mound near 'Kynesgrove'- a small
village just south of Windhelm. You can go there now and return the Horn to the Greybeards afterwards or return the Horn now and
meet Delphine in Kynesgrove, your choice.
> When you return to Arngeir in High Hrothgar give him the Horn and follow him into the main hall to meet with the other
Greybeards. They will recognise you as the true Dragonborn and teach you the final word of the Unrelenting Force Thu'um. This
completes the current quest and also, by learning all three words of one Shout, you will unlock:

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An important note here is that random dragon attacks will dissipate between talking to Delphine and visiting the burial mound at
Kynesgrove. If you leave this quest alone then the only dragons you will encounter will be those at Word Walls, this will allow you to
control dragon attacks should you find them a nuisance while completing other quests. If you decide to go off now and complete
some other pressing quests (such as the Daedric quests) remember to avoid Kynesgrove and return when you are ready.
> You can follow Delphine to Kynesgrove or you can go at your own pace and meet her there. The fastest way to get to Kynesgrove is
to fast travel to Whiterun and then take the carriage to Windhelm, once in Windhelm you may want to check around for supplies,
side-quests and these '9' Skill Books:
The Alchemy Skill Book 'A Game at Dinner' on top of a dresser in the middle floor of the 'New Gnisis Cornerclub'.
The Sneak Skill Book 'Red Kitchen Reader' found under the staircase in the 'New Gnisis Cornerclub'.
The Conjuration Skill Book '2920 Frostfall V10' found behind the dresser upstairs in 'Belyn Hlaalu's House'.
The Destruction Skill Book 'A Hypothetical Treachery' found behind a bookshelf in the 'Aretino Residence'.
If you didn't get it from Guldun Rock Cave, the Heavy Armour Skill Book 'The Knights of the Nine' found on a shelf in 'The Palace of
the Kings'.
If you didn't get it from outside of Morthal, the Illusion Skill Book 'The Black Arts on Trial' from the 'White Phial'.
The Light Armour Skill Book 'Ice and Chitin' found outside the city in a guard's room under the bridge, between the gate and the
stables.
If you didn't get it inside Bleak Falls Barrow, the Pickpocket Skill Book 'Thief' found on a dresser in the 'Argonian Assemblage'.
The Speech Skill Book '2920 Second Seed V5' found under the counter of 'Sadri's Used Wares'.
> Head out of the south gates and straight south towards Kynesgrove, just to your left is 'Brandy-Mug Farm' where you can find the
Alteration Skill Book 'Daughter of the Niben' on top of the fireplace.
> Over to your right is the fort of 'Morvunskar', if you didn't pick up the Smithing Skill Book 'Cherim's Heart' during the Daedric quest
'A Night to Remember' for Sanguine's Rose then find you'll it here next to the forge along with the Destruction Skill Book 'Mystery of
Talara V3' on a bookshelf in the northeast corridor.
> When you get to Kynesgrove, SAVE, a Nord innkeeper called 'Iddra' will run up to you saying that a dragon has been sighted flying
over town and that you should get out of there. If you travelled with Delphine, she will run up ahead of you to the burial mound, but
if you arrived ahead of her, she will arrive on the mound behind you, don't get too close to the mound, stand back a little.
> Upon arriving you will observe a great dragon called 'Alduin' using his Thu'um to resurrect another dragon called 'Sahloknir', listen
to the ensuing dialogue and prepare yourself for a fight. Alduin will order Sahloknir to kill you and Delphine and then he'll fly away to
resurrect more dragons (which he actually physically will do in the game from then on), SAVE.
> Sahloknir will be levelled to your character and he will attack you with either fire or frost Shouts depending on your level. Use
standard tactics to take him down, establish which Shout he is using and counter it with resistances if you can. Also if you use magic
you should use the opposite spell that he uses to inflict the most damage. When he is dead you will absorb his soul and Delphine will
acknowledge you as the true Dragonborn, SAVE. Sometimes, as a bug, when you reach the dragon burial mound, Sahloknir will not
fully emerge from the ground and does not die when his health reaches zero. This can be fixed by walking far enough out of the
dragon's range, which extends as far as Kynesgrove and then walking back.
> Talk to Delphine, she will now reveal any and all information she can- she is the leader of the 'Blades'- a group of dragon hunters
and Talos worshippers; the sworn protectors of those of the dragon blood in Skyrim. They are no longer the secret eyes and ears of
the Septim Emperors; they were hunted and decimated by the Thalmor and are now only a shadow of their former selves. However
the Blades have reformed with the return of the dragons and with your help they believe they can find out who is behind the
dragon's return and stop them.
> Delphine concludes that the ones who will benefit most from the dragon's return would be the Thalmor, although this may be a
prejudice assumption, you are tasked with infiltrating the 'Thalmor Embassy' near Solitude and investigating them, this begins the
next quest 'Diplomatic Immunity', SAVE.
Diplomatic Immunity
> Delphine has no idea how exactly to infiltrate the heavily guarded embassy and asks you to meet her back at the Sleeping Giant in
Riverwood to establish a plan. You can walk with her and she will explain some important plot details along the way, otherwise run
or fast travel ahead and meet her there.
> Meet her in the secret room in the Sleeping Giant, SAVE, she will remember that the Thalmor sometimes hold an upper class party
at the embassy and she comes up with a possible plan, involving sneaking in as a party guest. You are to meet your contact 'Malborn'
who works as a Bosmer servant inside the embassy, since the Thalmor are responsible for his family's death, he is well inclined to
help you, you will find him in the 'Winking Skeever Inn' in Solitude.
> You can use the carriage service again to get to Solitude quickly. You may want to explore Solitude for supplies, side-quests and
these '7' Skill Books:
The Archery Skill Book 'The Gold Ribbon of Merit' found on a low table in the 'Fletchers' store.
The Enchanting Skill Book 'The Catalogue of Weapon Enchantments' found in the restricted Emperor's Tower area of the 'Castle
Dour'.
The Light Armour Skill Book 'The Rear Guard' found downstairs in the 'Castle Dour'.
The Light Armour Skill Book 'The Refugees' found on a shelf in the upstairs bedroom in 'Solitude's Blacksmiths'.
If you didn't get it from Belethor's General Goods in Whiterun, the Speech Skill Book 'Biography of the Wolf Queen' found in the
Jarl's bedroom in the 'Blue Palace'.
The Lockpicking Skill Book 'Surfeit of Thieves' found in the Pelagius Wing of the 'Blue Palace'.
The Speech Skill Book 'The Buying Game' found in one of the classrooms in the 'Bard's College'.
> Now find the Winking Skeever inn on the main street, enter and SAVE. You'll find Malborn inside trying to lay low, talk to him and
he will tell you that he can smuggle some equipment into the embassy for you. You will be searched before going into the embassy
and any weapons found will cause an enormous fight and fail the quest, the game prevents you from being able to do this. So you
want to give Malborn a stealth weapon and some lockpicks depending on your character you will have to decide these things for
yourself. After giving Malborn the items you can leave the inn, (note there is no need to drop or store your other equipment
anywhere at this point Delphine will keep them safe for you after you meet her), SAVE.
> Meet Delphine at the 'Solitude Stables' just southwest of Solitude. Once you arrive, SAVE, and she will ensure that everything went
smoothly with Malborn and will then hand you an official invitation along with a set of party clothes and boots to look the part. After
you have changed she will take your remaining equipment and you will automatically board the carriage to the Thalmor Embassy.
> You will arrive in the embassy courtyard as the other guests begin to arrive, SAVE. You will be greeted by a drunk Redguard named
'Razelan'. If you approach the entrance a Thalmor soldier will ask for your invitation, show it to him to gain entrance.
> Once you enter, the host 'Elenwen' will seek you out and ask a lot of questions, Malborn is standing right behind her and will soon
interrupt and distract Elenwen's attention elsewhere. Talk to Malborn, he will tell you to create a distraction so he can unlock the
back door without being seen.
> At this point you have a choice of who to use as the distraction, SAVE. Looking around the room you'll find that the guests (with a
few exceptions) are made up of random people that depend on the actions you have taken before this quest. Talking to various
guests will reveal that they don't much like the Thalmor and are there out of obligation.
> There are a few possible candidates you can use as a distraction, the easiest to use is the Redguard you met earlier Razelan, he has
been refused any more drink so just fetch him some and he'll help you out, but if you wish to use a more interesting distraction see
the list below. Not all of these people will help you or even be present, it depends on your relationship with them and some other
parameters:
Erikur: A male Nord warrior and Thane of Solitude, wearing fine clothes, talk to him about Brelas.
Proventus Avenicci: A male Imperial steward, wearing fine clothing, you must not have the Daedric quest 'Whispering Door' or the
Civil War quest 'Message to Whiterun' active.
Maven Black-Briar: A female Nord, wearing fine clothes, you must have gained a bit of favour with her by completing either the
Thieves Guild quest 'Promises to keep' or 'Vald's Debt'.
Jarl Balgruuf the Great: A male Nord warrior and the Jarl of Whiterun, wearing noble clothing, you must have completed the Civil
War quest 'Battle for Whiterun' for the Stormcloaks for him to help you.
Igmund: A male Nord barbarian and the Jarl of Markarth, wearing embellished robes, you must have a Speech skill of at least 50 and
use persuade for him to help, but you must also have gained his favour a little by helping out the people of Markarth. So completing
any helpful side-quest in the Reach Hold is necessary, these may include: 'Dungeon Delving' or 'Kill the Forsworn Leader'.
Jarl Elisif the Fair: A female Nord and the Jarl of Solitude, wearing fine raiment, you must have gained her favour a little by helping
out the people of Solitude, this will include completing any helpful side-quest in Haafingar Hold, these may be: 'The Man Who Cried
Wolf' or 'Fit For a Jarl'.
General Tullius: A male Imperial and the General of the Imperial Legion, wearing a set of gold-brown and red armour. you must have
finished the Civil War quest 'Message to Whiterun' for the Imperial Legion and must not have a Civil War attack going on.
Orthus Endario: A male Imperial and citizen of Windhelm, wearing merchant clothing, you must have completed the side-quest 'Rise
in the East' for him in Windhelm.
Idgrod Ravencrone: An elderly female Nord mystic and the Jarl of Morthal, wearing a fur-trimmed cloak, the Hjaalmarch Hold must
be controlled by the Imperials and you must have completed the side-quest 'Laid to Rest' in Morthal, and you must also not be in the
process of becoming the Thane of Morthal for her to help you.
Ondolemar: A male Altmer and Thalmor Justicar, wearing hooded Thalmor robes, you must have at least 50 Speech skill, you must
have completed the side-quest 'Search and Seizure' for him in Markarth and Markarth has to still be under Imperial rule.
Siddgeir: A male Nord and the Jarl of Falkreath, wearing a refined tunic, you must be the Thane of Falkreath and have a Speech skill
of at least 50.
Vittoria Vicci: A female Imperial and citizen of Solitude, wearing fine clothing, you must not have completed the Dark Brotherhood
quest 'Bound Until Death' but you may need to have started it for her to appear, you must have completed the side-quest 'Spiced
Wine' in Solitude for her and you also need at least a level 50 Speech skill.
> Whoever you use as the distraction, once it begins, you should make your way into the kitchen and SAVE.
> Malborn will follow you in and will silence the cook with a threat, then he'll leave you on your own so you can find some evidence
tying the Thalmor to the return of the dragons. Remember you are not allowed in this area and any Thalmor that sees you will attack
on site.
> Use stealth to avoid the guards. Note, that due to a bug that was never fixed, the Thalmor robes left out for you were meant as a
disguise, but they do not work- the game only recognises 'Hooded' Thalmor robes as the disguise instead. You can however, find
these worn by a Wizard upstairs, if you can kill him silently and take his clothes then all the other Thalmor will ignore you. If you feel
up for it you can just go in 'all swords blazing', but be warned that the Thalmor here are not pushovers and employ some very high
level mages.
> Either way you choose make your way upstairs and out into the courtyard, more soldiers are here along with a high level wizard,
they will summon multiple 'Atronachs' (powerful elemental beings summoned from the planes of Oblivion) if you engage them, so
avoid them if you can. You need to find the other building here called the 'Solar of Elenwen' and enter in sneak mode.
> Once inside SAVE, hide behind the plant in the south western corner and listen to the ensuing conversation between a Thalmor
torturer named 'Rulindil' and his informant 'Gissur' about his prisoners.
> Gissur will leave and Rulindil will head downstairs, SAVE then sneak past the guard or kill him then head down into the dungeon.
Find the chest in the north western corner to obtain the 'interrogation chamber key' and some documents proving that the Thalmor
are not in fact responsible for the dragons' return since they too are investigating their reappearance as well as the Blades.
> Rulindil will be down here with another soldier torturing a Breton rogue named 'Etienne Rarnis' and questioning him about
someone named 'Esbern'. After the questioning SAVE, Etienne will pass out and they leave him alone, wait for them to separate if
you wish and this time you have to kill them both.
> Rulindil is a very powerful wizard with a lot of devastating spells so it's best to sneak around behind him and slit his throat if you
can. With both of them dead SAVE.
> Open Etienne's cell and tell him you are here to help, cut him loose and ask him if he knows anything, he will tell you about Esbern.
You can alternatively just look in the chest near his cell for the same answers, if, for example, he is dead.
> After either reading the Thalmor Dossier on Esbern or getting the information from Etienne, head up the east stairs quickly, you
need to save Malborn. He has now been exposed as a spy and they will kill him very quickly if you let them. Quickly kill the soldiers
and don't hit Malborn in the process.
> After the battle, search their bodies for the trap door key and go back to Etienne who will be waiting near the trap door, or just go
to the trap door. (This will also be your last chance to free 'Brelas' if you involved her in your distraction by speaking to Erikur).
> You can now have up to three completely helpless followers; Brelas and Etienne have no further use after this quest apart from the
thanks you receive later, Malborn however is a very useful character who can make a future quest a lot easier.
> Enter the 'Reeking Cave' with your followers and SAVE often. There is a dangerous troll down here, so run ahead and kill it before
your followers even notice it (they will try to fight it and get killed otherwise). Also if you had a follower (such as Lydia) when you
spoke to Delphine at the stables, he or she will probably enter the cave at this point from the other side and help to kill the troll so
watch your fire, SAVE. Locate the tunnel with a dead conjurer and grab the 'Unusual Gem' here (this is one of '24' special gems
required for a Thieves Guild quest called 'No Stone Unturned' (but not linked to an achievement)). Find the exit and SAVE outside.
> When you leave Reeking Cave you can find the Pickpocket Skill Book 'Beggar' on a table in a ruined house at 'Ironback Hideout' be
watchful for the bandits there as well.
If you have been able to locate every Skill Book so far you will unlock:

Reader42 (20)
Read 50 Skill Books
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> Also to your northwest you can find the 'Steed' Standing Stone, activating this stone increases carry weight by 100 and removes
the movement penalty of armour. It also makes worn armour weigh nothing.
> Now head back to the Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood, once inside SAVE, head down into the secret basement and talk to
Delphine. When you tell her that the Thalmor have nothing to do with the dragon attacks she will be quite surprised and ask you to
explain. When you tell her that they're looking for someone named Esbern, she will be shocked. Delphine knows who Esbern is; he
was a fellow Blade, and it makes perfect sense for the Thalmor to blame him for the dragons. When you tell her about Esbern's
supposed location in Riften she will immediately task you with tracking him down before the Thalmor do. She will then give you a
secret phrase to gain Esbern's trust, thus ending the quest Diplomatic Immunity and beginning the next quest 'A Cornered Rat'.
> Remember to grab your equipment back from the chest before leaving and SAVE. This will unlock the quest related achievement:
Diplomatic Immunity in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Diplomatic Immunity30 (20)
Complete "Diplomatic Immunity"
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A Cornered Rat
> Head out to Riften and SAVE before approaching the city. This quest is closely tied in to the Thieves Guild quest line and you may
want to consult the beginning of the Thieves Guild page in this Walkthrough before deciding how to proceed.
> You may want to look around Riften for supplies, side-quests, getting married (please see the 'Marriage' section of the
Miscellaneous Achievements Page for all information), and these '8' Skill Books:
The Alteration Skill Book 'Reality and Other Falsehoods' found in a basket on top of a bookcase in 'Marise Aravel's House'.
If you didn't get it from 'Carlotta Valentia's House' in Whiterun, the Enchanting Skill Book 'Enchanter's Primer' found in Honeyside
(note you'll have to buy this house in order to enter (see the 'Buying a House' section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page)).
The Lockpicking Skill Book 'Advances in Lockpicking' on a barrel behind a grille in the sewers.
If you didn't get it from the Pelagius Wing of the Blue Palace in Solitude during the Daedric quest 'The Mind of Madness', the
Lockpicking Skill Book 'Surfeit of Thieves' found in the Jarl's chambers in 'Mistveil Keep'.
The Pickpocket Skill Book 'Purloined Shadows' found in Constance's bedroom in the 'Honorhall Orphanage'.
The Smithing Skill Book 'Armorer's Challenge' found between the dresser and the safe in the 'Scorched Hammer'.
The Sneak Skill Book 'Legend of Krately House' found in the master bedroom of the 'Black-Briar Lodge'.
The Two-Handed Skill Book 'Words and Philosophy' found on top of a dresser in the southwest corner of the second floor of the
'Mistveil Keep Barracks'.
> It is not necessary to join the Thieves Guild but it is advantageous at this point to do so. You will need to speak with 'Brynjolf' in the
marketplace to advance. If you are already a member of the guild you can either speak to 'Keerava' in the Bee and barb for
directions or just go directly to the Ragged Flagon under the city and find 'Vekel the Man' who will point you towards Esbern.
> There are some vagrants and a few Thalmor agents in the Ratways, nothing major, take care of them and find Esbern's room in the
southwest section of the Ratway Warrens. Give him the secret phrase you learned from Delphine and he'll let you in, SAVE. If you
didn't get the One-Handed Skill Book 'Fire and Darkness' from Folgunthur you'll find a copy of it in Esbern's room.
> Esbern knows all about the Dragons, in fact he prophesied their coming and the consequent end of the world. He explains that you
are the only one who can stop them and agrees to follow you back to Delphine in Riverwood. Before leaving he needs to gather a
few things, SAVE. This begins the next quest 'Alduin's Wall'.
Alduin's Wall
> Esbern will now be a follower, head out of the Ratways the way you came in and back outside, SAVE, fast-travel back to
Riverwood, SAVE and enter the Sleeping Giant Inn.
> Once inside listen to some dialogue and then go down into the secret room, Esbern will explain he needs to go to 'Sky Haven
Temple', an old Blades headquarters built on ancient Akaviri ruins in the Reach. There is an ancient stone wall there that may reveal
the solution to the dragon threat. Delphine recognizes Esbern's description of the Sky Haven Temple as 'Karthspire' and they decide
to head out. At this point you can decide to accompany them there or make your own way.
> It is quicker and easier to make your own way by fast travelling to Whiterun, then taking a carriage to the city of 'Markarth' and
heading east, be aware however that upon arriving at Karthspire there is a lot of Forsworn enemies and a special dragon attack, so
prepare yourself. If you decide to walk there with Esbern and Dephine they may stop following you at various points for various
reasons, if this happens simply continue on your own, they will meet up with you later.
> If you decide to go to Markarth first; take some time to stock up on supplies, talk to people for side-quests and consider finding
any of these '7' Skill Books:
The Conjuration Skill Book 'The Warrior's Charge' found on an end table in the Jarl's quarters in 'Understone Keep'.
The Illusion Skill Book '2920 Sun's Dawn V2' found on the lowest shelf of a bookcase in a long row of books in the inner sanctum of
the 'Temple of Dibella', careful this is trespassing, if things go sour, reload save.
The Illusion Skill Book 'Mystery of Talara Part 4' found in the northeast bedroom of 'Nepos' House'.
If you didn't get it from the guardsroom outside Windhelm, the Light Armour Skill Book 'Ice and Chitin' found on a wooden table in
the 'Guard Tower'.
If you didn't get it from Chillfurrow Farm outside Whiterun, the One-Handed Skill Book 'The Importance of Where' found on stone
table in the 'Guard Tower'.
If you didn't get it from Falion's House in Morthal, the Restoration Skill Book '2920 Rain's Hand V4' found on a shelf next to the
priest's bed in the 'Hall of the Dead'.
The Speech Skill Book 'A Dance in Fire V7' on a crate on the west side of the sales desk in 'Arnleif and Sons Trading Company'.
> Once you're finished in Markarth, SAVE and head east out of the main gates. Follow the main road past 'Salvius' Farm' and over the
bridge. Pass a military camp on your right and you'll notice that the road splits north and east. If you want to find the 'Lover'
Standing Stone turn north and find it past 'Kolskeggr Mine'. The Lover stone makes all skills increase 15% faster.
> If you head east over the bridge then past 'Reachwater Rock', you'll find the Conjuration Skill Book 'The Doors of Oblivion' a little
further east and around the rocks to the left inside 'Reachcliff Cave'.
> Upon arriving at 'Karthspire Camp' SAVE, you will be greeted by Esbern and Delphine outside. They will assist you with the enemies
there. Tell any followers you may have (except Esbern and Delphine of course), to either wait outside of the temple or go home to
prevent a possible bug here.
> The Block Skill Book 'A Dance in Fire V2' can be found on a crate inside one of the lower tents at 'Karthspire Camp'.
> Make sure all forsworn are dead before entering the temple, SAVE and head into the ruins. If Esbern and/or Delphine are stuck in
combat mode, even though there are no enemies about, you have to fix this to proceed with the quest, to fix it either wait '10' hours
or leave the temple and then go back in.
> Inside the ruins you will encounter three pillars; Esbern will explain that the most important one is the one with the Dragonborn
symbol on it- 'two dragon heads facing each other and an arrow pointing down', turn the three pillars until the Dragonborn symbol is
facing you, this lowers a bridge on your left to cross:
External image
> In the next chamber you will be confronted with a floor made up of pressure plates, they are inscribed with the same three
symbols as the pillars. Once again the Dragonborn symbol is the key; step only on these tiles to reach the other side. Stepping off the
route will cause a fireball to be launched, so moving slowly is advisable. If you prefer, you can use the Whirlwind Sprint shout to
move across without triggering the trap, SAVE.
> Once safely on the other side, pull the chain to allow the Blades to cross, and exit the chamber. You will need to travel across a pair
of bridges. Esbern heads for a large stone head built into the far wall. In front of the head is a large carved circle which Esbern
declares to be a 'blood seal', requiring the blood of a Dragonborn to function. Activating the circle prompts you to cut your hand,
dripping blood on the circle. The stone head then retracts, and an opening is revealed, SAVE.
> Proceed along the tunnel ahead. Esbern will go over to the far wall, a special wall known as 'Alduin's Wall'. He moves over to
inspect it, the wall depicts the history of Alduin and the 'Dragon Cult' and details a prophecy regarding their defeat. Esbern
concludes that the ancient Nords actually used a Shout to defeat Alduin, and Delphine turns to you asking if you know of such a
Shout.
> You do not have the Shout required, but the Greybeards might know about it. Esbern will go on to explain a few more details. You
should explore the temple a bit to locate the One-Handed Skill Book 'Mace Etiquette' on a table in the armoury along with the
levelled sword 'Dragonbane' found opposite Alduin's Wall.
> When you're ready, leave the temple via the double doors up the stairs and fast-travel to High Hrothgar to see the Greybeards, this
will prompt the next quest 'The Throat of the World' and unlock another story related achievement:
Alduin's Wall in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Alduin's Wall32 (20)
Complete "Alduin's Wall"
76,134
The Throat of the World
> Upon arriving at High Hrothgar SAVE, find Arngeir and tell him that you need to learn a Shout to defeat Alduin. He will be shocked
and he'll ask where you learned about this Shout. Either tell him that you learned it from Alduin's Wall or that you were talking to
the Blades. In either case, he will be strongly offended and, depending on what you say next, his fellow Greybeard 'Einarth' may
scold Arngeir for being unhelpful and Arngeir will apologize. He then tells you that the Shout is called 'Dragonrend'. However Arngeir
cannot teach it to you as he does not know it himself and it's origin has been lost.
> To learn the Dragonrend shout you must speak with 'Paarthurnax', the leader of the Greybeards. Paarthurnax lives at the peak of
the Throat of the World mountain and surpasses all of the Greybeards in the Way of the Voice. The way up to Paarthurnax is blocked
by lethal mists, but Arngeir will offer to help you and he leads you out into the courtyard where you will be taught all three words of
the Dragon Shout 'Clear Skies', SAVE. If you cannot learn the Shout, due to a bug, the only fix is to reload the save before speaking to
Arngeir, on the second attempt make sure to wait until words are properly lit on the ground.
> You are now ready to attempt the trek up to the summit. Rid yourself of any followers at this point to prevent a possible bug. The
path up is blocked by magical mists dealing severe frost damage so you must use the Shout Arngeir gave you to clear them away
before proceeding (after the first mist you can simply use the Become Ethereal Shout to walk through the remaining mists if you
like).
> When you reach the summit, SAVE, do not attack the dragon here. He will land and greet you as Paarthurnax- the leader of the
Greybeards. Listen to the following dialogue carefully and be ready to follow his instructions. He will cast a Shout onto the nearby
Word Wall. Inspect the word to learn the new 'Fire Breath' Dragon Shout. Note that if you have already visited a Fire Breath Word
Wall possibly in Dustman's Cairn during the Companions quest line, this will be the second word of the Shout and will not contribute
towards the 'Thu'um Master' achievement. Use this new shout directly on Paarthurnax, he will not be harmed. He will then offer to
answer your questions.
> Ask Paarthurnax about the Shout you need; Dragonrend. Although he doesn't know the shout, he believes it could be learned by
returning to the beginning of the 'Tiid-Ahraan' or the 'Time-Wound' located there on the Throat of the World. However, an 'Elder
Scroll' is required to activate this and to allow you to view the first 'Tongues' using the Thu'um to defeat Alduin. As the quest ends,
the dragon admits he has no idea where to find an Elder Scroll. Your quest log suggests you talk to Arngeir or Esbern for more
information. This ends the quest and activates the next quest 'Elder Knowledge', SAVE.
Elder Knowledge
Please refer to the 'Oghma Infinium' section of the Daedric Artifacts page of this Walkthrough for information regarding the 'Oblivion
Walker' achievement and gaining the related Daedric artifact.
> If you have already completed the Daedric quest Discerning the Transmundane, and acquired the Elder Scroll this quest will be
completed automatically and the next quest 'Alduin's Bane' will begin, please skip to the next quest 'Alduin's Bane' below if this is
the case.
> Whether you speak with Arngeir or Esbern they will both point you towards the library at the 'College of Winterhold' for more
information on where to find an Elder Scroll. Make your way to Winterhold and SAVE.
> There is not much in Winterhold, but you can find some supplies at 'Birna's Oddments', talk to some people for some side-quests
and find these '3' Skill Books, should you wish to explore it further:
The Alteration Skill Book 'Breathing Water' found in a basket on the bookshelf next to the fireplace in 'Kraldar's House'.
If you didn't get it from Morvunskar, the Destruction Skill Book 'Mystery of Talara V3' found on a dresser upstairs in 'Birna's
Oddments'.
The Enchanting Skill Book 'Twin Secrets' found inside a basket in the southwest corner of the Jarl's bedroom in the 'Jarl's Longhouse'.
> If you have not already joined the College you will have to initiate the joining quest 'First Lessons', please see the College of
Winterhold page of this Walkthrough for more information. Otherwise make your way to the 'Arcanaeum' in the main building of
the college, SAVE.
> Find the Orc library master 'Urag Gro-Shub' and ask him about an Elder Scroll. If there are no relevant dialogue options it may be
because you have an active conflicting College of Winterhold quest, complete any College quests and return to Urag. He will then
explain all about the significance, history and dangers involved in handling an Elder Scroll before giving you two relevant books,
'Ruminations of the Elder Scrolls' and 'Effects of the Elder Scrolls'- you do not need to read them both fully, simply selecting them
and opening them will advance the quest and incidentally activate the Daedric quest 'Discerning the Transmundane'. You find that
the books are incomprehensible anyway and only the author, an elderly warrior scholar known as 'Septimus Signus' knows how to
translate them. Urag explains that Septimus left the college many years ago and went off to research Dwemer artifacts in the north.
> From this point, the Daedric quest, 'Discerning the Transmundane'- to attain the Oghma Infinium artifact, will be part and parcel of
this Main Story quest. The two quests can be completed together, you just need to complete a little extra after returning to
Septimus later, so it's OK to just follow this page to complete both for now.
> Your map marker will lead you to a remote ice cavern called 'Septimus Signus' Outpost' to the north of the College. Head out
northwards across the ice, you may want to check out the 'Serpent' Standing Stone, on a island to the far east for the 'Serpent's Kiss'
birthsign; this grants you the use of a ranged attack that will paralyse a target for '5' seconds and also do '25' points of damage.
> If you head east from Winterhold or southwest from the Serpent Stone you will find the 'Wreck of the Pride of Tel Vos', further
south, before you get to 'Bleakcoast Cave', you may be able to find the Heavy Armour Skill Book 'Chimarvamidium' under a fallen
tree.
> To the far north you'll find Septimus Signus' Outpost. Enter and SAVE, (don't be dismayed by the copy of Chimarvamidium here, it
is not a Skill Book version). You'll find Septimus inside, talking to him will reveal that he will help you if you help him. He wants you to
retrieve a special Dwemer item to unlock the large puzzle box he possesses. You must agree in order to proceed, Septimus will then
hand you a 'Blank Lexicon' and the 'Attunement Sphere'. Septimus will explain a few things and you should listen carefully to his
helpful information and advice before setting out to find the largest and most illustrious underground cavern in Skyrim, 'Blackreach',
SAVE.
> Blackreach is extensive, very extensive, and you may encounter dozens and dozens of 'Falmer' (deformed Snow Elves that have
adapted to a violent life in the dark undergrounds), bandits, chaurus and even Giants, so prepare yourself well. To even find
Blackreach you must trek through various Dwemer ruins and travel deep underground, although there are several ruins that all lead
to Blackreach the main and recommended ruin is called 'Alftand' and is located southwest of Winterhold:
External image
> Upon reaching the exterior of Alftand SAVE, you'll find an abandoned camp outside the ruin, you can pick up the 'Expedition
Manifest' located in a shack nearby to gain an insight into what is happening here, an expedition into the ruin indicates that you are
not alone in your quest.
> Head down the slope form the shack and into the first area, 'Alftand Glacial Ruins', once inside SAVE.
> Follow the tunnel ahead, you will soon see blood spatters all over the floor. Head east through the tunnel and follow the path as it
twists and turns. You will soon arrive in a room with a table. The door to the north is barred, so take the western path and fight the
'Dwarven Automatons' (primitive but powerful machines that continue to guard the ancient Dwarven ruins even after their master's
demise). All Dwemer machines are resistant to frost damage and immune to poisons.
> As the tunnel becomes icy again, you will encounter 'J'darr', a Khajiit Skooma addict, who will attack you on sight. In the corner,
you will find the corpse of his murdered brother 'J'zhar'. Head north until you reach a chamber with two Dwarven spheres, SAVE.
Proceed forward through the only available path and you will find a forge and more enemies. Open the western door and beware of
the Dwarven pressure plate in front of the chest. From there, head south and around the corner until you arrive in a huge chamber
with two levels. From the upper level of the chamber, proceed around the room to reach the door to 'Alftand Animonculory'.
> Enter and SAVE, open the door at the far end and enter the large chamber. Defeat the Dwemer spider then climb the stairs and
find the slope to the east, where a Dwarven sphere is patrolling. Be sure to avoid the three pressure plates here that trigger a deadly
set of spinning blades.
> After these proceed up a level and you'll find a very large room- a multi-levelled chamber. You are on the top level, so start making
your way down the slopes fighting the enemies as you go. You will have to make a short jump down to proceed, where you will land
near the body of 'Yag gra-Gortwog'. To the southeast is another slope leading down, where you will find the first Falmer enemy,
SAVE.
> Stay on the path and kill any Falmer that get in your way. You will reach a platform with a door and a broken pipe spitting out fire.
Open the door to leave the huge chamber for now and proceed forward towards an alchemy lab and several Falmer emerging from
their tents. Dodge the flames coming from the pipes and head south until you reach a junction. The stairs to the east lead to a small
room with some ingredients, while the path south will lead you to the next room.
> SAVE in this room, the elevator on the other side of the barred doorway leads back to the previous zone, Alftand Glacial Ruins, so
at this point it is possible to return to the outside world and stock up on supplies, then return. Otherwise, skip the elevator ride and
locate 'Sulla Trebatius'' Pack. Find the path to the northeast and open the door. You will find yourself back in the huge central
chamber, where you can continue your descent.
> There are three Falmer and a frostbite spider at the bottom of the chamber, locate the door to the north and enter. The next area
contains a tripwire which triggers a claw trap. Avoid the tripwire and the trap and continue into 'Alftand Cathedral'.
> Once inside SAVE, take a right and dodge the three pressure plates, all of which will trigger a slicing blade from the ceiling. Kill the
Falmer and open the door to another large chamber, where you will find more Falmer. Dispose of them then head up the stairs next
to the entrance and pull the lever. This lowers the spikes blocking the gate to the west, approach the area carefully as you will
awaken a 'Dwarven Centurion'.
> Frost and poison are useless against Centurions so use fire, shock or physical attacks only. After the battle, loot the Centurion for
the 'Alftand Lift key' and head up the stairs. Open the gate where you will witness the last two survivors of the failed expedition;
'Sulla Trebatius' and 'Umana' fighting each other. SAVE.
> Sulla and Umana will fight each other to the death, and then the victor will turn against you if you are spotted. Dispose of them
and if you want the unique shield 'Targe of the Blooded' find Umana's body. Locate the 'Dwarven Mechanism' in the centre of the
room. Activate it and the Attunement Sphere will do the rest. This will reveal a staircase leading downwards. You can return to the
outside world from here by using your newly acquired key on the gate to the southwest. This will also provide a useful shortcut if
you decide to complete the Daedric quest Discerning the Transmundane after this. Make sure you open the gate at the top of the
elevator though. From here, head down the stairs and prepare yourself for Blackreach.
> You will now be in Blackreach, SAVE now and save often, this is a vast and dangerous underground cavern that will take some time
to fully explore, it even has various little undocumented side quests found within its seemingly endless reaches. Dwarven
automatons and Falmer are common respawning enemies here and you may encounter chaurus and giants as well. Blackreach can
be overwhelming and quite difficult to navigate, especially since your in-game map will only ever allow you to see a portion of it.
Blackreach is full of distractions, so unless you are the type of player who enjoys taking their time and fully exploring everywhere
stick to your mission and concentrate on going for the Elder Scroll. Your target now is the 'Tower of Mzark'.
> Should you find a little Dawrven building called 'Silent Ruin' you may want to explore it to find the Block Skill Book 'Warrior', it can
be found on the throne, but be careful not to trigger the pressure plate trap in front of it.
> Also in the ruined Dwarven city is a place called the 'Debate Hall' you can find the Speech Skill Book 'A Dance in Fire V6', it's found
to the south on a second walkway, with an open metal gate leading to an alcove containing a skeleton that is reaching out towards
the book.
> The shortest route to the Tower of Mzark is the road to the left immediately out of the Alftand Cathedral. Continue along the road
in a south easterly direction and fight the Dwarven spheres and Falmer. When you come to the first junction, SAVE, make a right and
head southwest along that road and fight more chaurus and another Falmer.
> As you travel underneath a bridge, a Falmer will shoot arrows at you from above, but just move forward and stay on the path.
Fight two chaurus and continue on until the path turns in a western direction, across a bridge, SAVE. When you cross the bridge, the
Tower of Mzark will be visible to the southwest, and the trail will lead you right to the entrance.
> Enter and SAVE, Do not leave the Tower of Mzark for any reason until you have the Elder Scroll in your inventory. After the first
room go through the door and find the Dwemer contraption that Septimus Signus referred to. It consists of a giant sphere with
various lenses above. The second floor sits on the upper part of the sphere and hanging from the ceiling, a series of lenses conceal a
container.
If you investigate the surrounding area, you will find the skeletal remains of 'Drokt'. His journal will inform you how he became
obsessed with the 'Oculory' and died without managing to align it correctly. The journal also contains a tip on how to solve the
puzzle.
> Head up the last slope where you will find four buttons and a 'Lexicon Receptacle':
External image
> Place the Blank Lexicon in the receptacle to the right of number (4) in the image above, and watch the ceiling of the room open.
This activates the two buttons on the right (3 and 4 in the picture). Activate button (3) three or four times in a row until the Lexicon
glows and opens up. Now press button number (2) once to align the lenses, then hit number (1) allowing the light shining through
the container to hit the corresponding lenses on the floor, thus filling the Lexicon with knowledge. Now hit number (1) a second time
making room for the container to be lowered down from the ceiling.
> Once it has reached the floor, it will open and reveal the legendary Elder Scroll- the very source of all 'Elder Knowledge'.
Remember to pick up the inscribed Runed Lexicon from the receptacle, then claim the Elder Scroll. This ends the quest, starts the
next quest 'Alduin's Bane' and unlocks the story related achievement:
Elder Knowledge in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Elder Knowledge35 (20)
Complete "Elder Knowledge"
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> After you have the Elder Scroll exit the Tower of Mzark by using the lift to the east and pulling the handle. Back on the surface you
may be attacked by bandits, so be careful and kill them all. You can return to Septimus at his outpost now to complete the rest of the
Daedric quest Discerning the Transmundane (please refer to the Daedric Artifacts page of this Walkthrough for all information),
otherwise make your way back to Paarthurnax at the top of the Throat of the World. SAVE.
Alduin's Bane
> Talk to Paarthurnax, he will be impressed and tell you to take the scroll to the Time-Wound immediately, it's only a few feet away
to your northeast, it looks like nothing more than a floating blur.
> Activate the Elder Scroll in your inventory to read it while inside the Time-Wound and you'll be given a glimpse into the past. If the
cutscene fails to trigger you can either reload a previous save or you can fast-travel away, complete a random quest then return and
try again.
> After the scene SAVE, Alduin will appear flying above you and then Paarthurnax will take flight and attack him. Use the new
Dragonrend Shout you have now learned to bring Alduin down. Direct the Shout at the quest marker if you cannot see him for
darkness or snow.
> Alduin is completely invulnerable while in the air no matter how powerful your weapons or magic may be, so you must use
Dragonrend to ground him first. Attack him by your preferred means when he is grounded. Alduin will use his 'Dragon Storm Call'
Shout to rain flaming meteors down on you, you can use your Clear Skies shout to cancel this to great effect.
> Continue to attack Alduin until his health completely depletes, he then congratulates you on your power but also informs you that
he is far more powerful than you and no one can slay him in the mortal world. Alduin then flies off and this quest is complete. The
next quest; 'The Fallen' is then activated, SAVE.
NOTE: The Elder Scroll will remain a weightless quest item that you cannot drop forever after this. The only way to get rid of it is to
sell it to Urag Gro-Shub at the College, be aware however that the Elder Scroll is required for a Dawnguard DLC quest and you will
have to buy it back if you plan on doing that DLC.
It is advised to navigate to the Civil War page now and complete the Civil War quest line, at least up until the point of unlocking the
'War Hero' achievement, if you haven't already. Once that is complete proceed with the rest of the Main Story to the end.
The Fallen
> After Alduin is defeated, SAVE, you must speak with either Paarthurnax, Arngeir or Esbern to find out how to capture one of
Alduin's dragon friends. A possible bug here can cause Paarthurnax to stay in the air after Alduin's defeat, making the objective of
speaking to him impossible. Instead of going to Arngeir or Esbern to progress, use Dragonrend on Paarthurnax. He will land and not
attack you, allowing you to properly complete this objective. If you speak with Esbern he will start you on the optional side quest
'Paarthurnax' see point '3' below, and the 'Paarthurnax' quest for details. Whoever you speak with, they will tell you that
Dragonsreach in Whiterun was designed to capture a dragon.
> Go to Whiterun, SAVE, and speak with the Jarl. Now depending on where you are in the Civil War, there are different options at
this point:
If the civil war has not been settled yet, the Jarl will, at first, tell you that he can't help you capture a dragon with the ongoing war
threatening his hold. You have to get both sides to agree to a truce by speaking to both Ulfric Stormcloak and General Tullius. (If you
have initiated the Stormcloak's first war quest but gone no further, you may be unable to start a conversation with Ulfric or General
Tullius until you get farther along in the quest line). Speaking to these will start the quest 'Season Unending' see below for details,
which will now have to be completed before you can proceed with The Fallen quest.
If the Civil War has been settled either way, the Jarl will allow you permission to use Dragonsreach and capture the dragon. This
option actually becomes possible once either side of the Civil War controls at least eight of the nine holds: if you have joined the
Stormcloaks, you must have started or completed the 'Liberate Haafingar' objective of the Liberation of Skyrim; and if you have
joined the Imperials, you must have started or completed the 'Regain Eastmarch' objective of the Reunification of Skyrim.
If you choose to complete the Paarthurnax quest by killing Paarthurnax before the Civil War peace negotiations it will anger Arngeir
and he will refuse to talk to you further. This means you will have no way of negotiating the truce through peaceful means and you
must instead end the Civil War through battle.
> After negotiations involving the Civil War are over, SAVE, you learn that you need to use a specific Shout at Dragonsreach to
summon a dragon for capture. Esbern has learned a Shout that summons the great dragon 'Odahviing'- when you hear this name for
the first time you automatically learn the 'Call Dragon' Shout. If you did not have to do Season Unending you are instead sent to
Paarthurnax who provides you with the same Shout. At the moment you learn the Shout, your journal is updated to reflect Season
Unending as complete, even if you had never actually started that quest.
> SAVE, follow your quest marker to Dragonsreach and prepare to summon Odahviing. Rid yourself of any followers at this point as
they may hinder the quest. Follow the Jarl up the stairs behind the throne and up to the 'Great Porch' where you will capture the
dragon. SAVE and then tell the Jarl you are ready.
> Approach the porch, equip the Call Dragon Shout and use it fully by holding the cn_RB down. Odahviing will soon appear and
decides to test your power with a fight.
> Use Dragonrend to bring him down and attack him by your preferred means. When he gets closer to the door you originally came
through climb the stairs to your right and go to the quest marker, a large wooden yoke will slam down on his neck trapping him in
place. SAVE.
After trapping Odahviing, you may fall through the ground and in turn be stuck under the map. This seems to be caused by standing
under or near Odahviing when the trap is dropped into place. To fix this, simply fast travel, then come back.
> You can now question Odahviing about Alduin's location.
Due to a bug he may not talk to you and he will remain an enemy. This occurs after Vignar Gray-Mane has become the Jarl but the
Companion's quest line has not yet been started. Even after becoming the Jarl, Vignar spends most of his time in the Companion's
'Jorrvaskr'. To fix this, do the first Companion's quest and Vignar will leave the building. Once you get back to the Great Porch to
summon Odahviing, Vignar will be there and the dragon will be captured properly.
> Odahviing will relent and he'll reveal that Alduin has fled to the ancient Temple of the Dragon Cult- 'Skuldafn'. He will also reveal
that Skuldafn cannot be reached on foot, you require wings to reach it. Odahviing will agree to take you to Skuldafn if you release
him.
Before agreeing to release Odahviing make sure you are fully prepared:
You can't take a follower with you and you cannot return to Skyrim for quite a while.
You can also never return to Skuldafn once you leave there, so you want to be carrying as little as possible before you leave to make
room for loot.
If you're a type of Warrior class, fully repair and enchant your best weapons and armour and take only them with you.
If you're more Magic orientated take some charged Soul Gems and some useful cloaks and potions.
Also taking Fortify Carry Weight potions or gear, and even changing to the Steed Birthsign will help you to carry more loot back with
you.
You do not need to take a pickaxe or a woodcutter's axe since there is nothing to mine or cut.
Take some resist magic, resist fire potions or the White Phial to help with the battle against Alduin.
Make a SAVE before you leave and keep it until you return.
If you have the Hearthfire DLC installed, kiss your family goodbye, you may not be coming home from this one.
> When you are fully prepared to leave talk to the guard on the upper balcony of Dragonsreach and tell him to release Odahviing (if
you have a small bounty in Whiterun hold he may refuse, so simply pull the chain next to him yourself, same goes for; if the guard
was killed by Odahviing). Now talk to Odahviing and he will whisk you away to Skuldafn for the finale of the Main Story.
Odahviing can become hostile after releasing him. To fix this, simply exit the Great Porch, wait a few hours inside Dragonsreach, and
return to Odahviing.
> This completes The Fallen, activates the next quest 'The World-Eater's Eyrie' and unlocks the story related achievement:
The Fallen in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

The Fallen37 (20)
Complete "The Fallen"
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Paarthurnax
> This quest is given to you during or after 'The Fallen' quest above. If you talk to Esbern after completing Alduin's Bane, then return
to Esbern, it will trigger. Or if you have not spoken to either Esbern or Delphine at the Sky Haven Temple, then later when the
Season Unending conference is held, Delphine will approach you and start this quest automatically. You can avoid her if you exit the
conference room quickly. If you do get stopped by her, you can refrain from making any selection and wait for the dialogue box to
disappear and then leave.
> Delphine and Esbern have discovered that Paarthurnax is the Master of the Greybeards and an ancient enemy of the Blades. You
can argue in Paarthurnax’s defense, but both of them will repeat that the atrocities committed by Paarthurnax are unforgivable.
They will tell you that their oaths as Blades prevent them from giving you any further help until you kill Paarthurnax. If you go to
Arngeir and tell him that the Blades want Paarthurnax dead he will tell you that it was because all dragons were in league with
Alduin at first and that Paarthurnax couldn't help it. You are given the option to tell him that Paarthurnax must die or that you are
going to spare the dragon. Alternatively, you can go to Paarthurnax at the Throat of the World, he acknowledges that all dragons
thirst for dominance and that the Dragonborn shares this thirst, though he believes that he has overcome this through the sheer
power of will and that he can be trusted.
> SAVE before making any crucial decisions:
The positives of killing Paarthurnax are that the Blades will welcome you once again and support you on dragon hunting missions,
you will receive a dragon soul and the usual set of dragon bones and dragon scales. The negatives are that Arngeir will be angry and
it will be no longer possible to ask him for the locations of the Word Walls (note that I have listed all Word Wall locations in the
Miscellaneous Achievements page anyway), and Paarthurnax will no longer be around to provide meditation bonuses to certain
Shouts and if you already have a bonus it will not go away, you will just be unable to change it.
The positives of allowing Paarthurnax to live are that Arngeir will continue to reveal the locations of Word Walls, Paarthurnax will
continue to give Meditation bonuses, and he will appear for an extra scene later wherein he details his plans to rein in the dragons
and teach them to live under the Way of the Voice, but this will not change gameplay and all dragons will continue to attack you. The
negatives of allowing Paarthurnax to live are that the Blades will shun you and taking things from the Sky Haven Temple or Sleeping
Giant Inn will be stealing, if you haven't brought three followers to the Blades already then this will become impossible causing the
quest to be forever incomplete, and you will no longer be able to go on dragon hunts.
NOTE: If this quest is obtained during the Main Story and is not completed prior to finishing the Main Story line, it will disappear
from your active quests. However, you may still kill Paarthurnax at any time after this point; the quest will now reappear in your
journal and can be completed normally.
There is a potential bug that makes Paarthurnax immortal, his health bar simply repeatedly regenerates. The only known fixes are:
Using Mehrunes Razor (see the Daedric Artifacts page), fast travelling away when his health bar is depleted or ordering a follower to
attack him may kill Paarthurnax.
Season Unending
This quest may make it impossible to get the 'War Hero' achievement. You may want to wait until you've completed The Battle for
Fort Greenwall for the Imperials or The Battle for Fort Sungard for the Stormcloaks in order to be sure you get this achievement.
There is an alternative method to obtaining the War Hero achievement as well as this quest, but you have to join the Stormcloaks in
order for this to work. First, finish the quest 'Joining the Stormcloaks', but do not start the quest 'The Jagged Crown'. Without that
quest being active, you can then schedule the peace conference. Because you are technically allied with the Stormcloaks, Tullius will
make the opening demand for Riften. When Ulfric demands something in return, give him Morthal rather than Markarth. This will
allow the Reach to remain open for Stormcloak invasion when you resume the Civil War quest.
This quest is quite complicated and how it plays out is greatly affected by your current standing and progress in the Civil War quest
line. For a full understanding of the entirety of this quest and all of it's implications please refer to this Wiki page here:
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Season_Unending
This page has a lot of extra information that will help you complete this quest in the fastest and most efficient way possible.
NOTE: This quest allows you to skip the normal prerequisite quests for becoming Thane for any holds that change hands during this
quest, regardless of what side you're on, with the exception of The Rift. You will be allowed by the new Jarl to buy property in holds
that change hands if the hold is one that has property available, including Hearthfire properties if you have Hearthfire installed. You
will still have to initiate the Thane quest with the new Jarl, and help up to '5' citizens of that hold as well as buying property in holds
where that is a requirement in order to become Thane, as per the normal requirements. You will only be allowed to buy Honeyside if
Maven Black-Briar is installed in The Rift; you will not be able to skip the normal requirements in that hold to be made Thane.
NOTE: If you have started the quest 'The Forsworn Conspiracy' in Markarth, but not completed it, handing over the Reach to the
Stormcloaks in the negotiations (which always happens if you are Imperial or unaligned) will end the quest. If you have completed
that quest but have not started the quest 'No One Escapes Cidhna Mine', then handing over the Reach will remove your bounty in
the Reach and prevent you from starting the Cidhna Mine quest.
> This quest is activated during the Main Story quest 'The Fallen', but only if the Jarl of Whiterun (Balgruuf or Vignar) insists that a
truce must be negotiated before allowing Dragonsreach to be used to capture a dragon. If either side of the Civil War controls at
least eight of the nine holds of Skyrim, a truce can no longer be negotiated, and this quest will not be triggered.
This quest is optional and not required for any achievement, however if you wish to receive a reward for completing this quest, you
must have joined either the Imperial Legion or the Stormcloaks in the Civil War. As you complete more of the Reunification of Skyrim
or Liberation of Skyrim, it becomes more and more difficult to negotiate a treaty that favours your faction and thus obtain a reward.
> To proceed with this quest you must gain permission from the Greybeards, travel to High Hrothgar and convince Arngeir to help
you, SAVE.
> Now travel back to the 'Palace of the Kings' in 'Windhelm' and convince Ulfric to attend the truce negotiations, SAVE. Travel to
Solitude and find General Tullius in the 'Castle Dour' and convince him too, SAVE. You can talk to the two leaders in any order using
the 'I have a message from the Greybeards' option. They both have a persuasion option, which is the fastest way to convince them,
but any selection will eventually lead to their cooperation.
> Now return to High Hrothgar, SAVE, leave any followers you may have, outside for this part of the quest. Find Arngeir and the
other Greybeards waiting in the main hall welcoming everyone to the negotiations. Talk to Arngeir once you are ready to start the
council meeting. If the meeting won't start try talking to some of the people there, waiting '24' hours, or pushing some of the people
closer to the meeting area. If none of these fixes work, the only option is to reload the previous save. Once you take your seat at the
table you will be unable to get up for the duration of the meeting and the negotiations will start.
> The end result of the negotiations is that the two sides, the Imperial Legion and the Stormcloaks, will swap control over certain
holds. Your role in this is to make a series of decisions about which holds are exchanged and other terms of the truce. Regardless of
your choices, a truce is always signed at the end of the quest, but the terms of the truce affect subsequent gameplay and control
whether or not you get a quest reward. The holds that are currently controlled by each side will depend upon your progress in the
Civil War, meaning that the available options during the negotiations can vary a lot. The primary factor influencing the quest is which
side you have joined (if any) in the Civil War; this alters the overall options.
Despite the variations in the quest details, the negotiations always follow a fixed overall pattern:
> Pre-negotiation: Decide whether or not Elenwen can attend the negotiations;
Ulfric objects to having a Thalmor representative at the table. You get to decide whether she stays or leaves.
> Part One: Two holds are exchanged;
One side demands that they be given a major hold (The Reach or The Rift). The requested hold is predetermined, and cannot be
negotiated.
The other side requests a hold in exchange. In most cases, you are given the choice between two possible holds (a major hold or a
minor hold).
> Esbern's Speech

Following part one, one of the two sides always threatens to walk out of the negotiations. Esbern needs to intercede with a speech
reminding everyone about the threat posed by Alduin before negotiations can resume.
> Part Two: Even out the terms of the truce;
A series of offers is made to appease the side that almost walked out. You are given the choice of whether to accept or refuse each
of the offers. These offers continue either until the truce is balanced (neither side is favoured by the overall truce) or until all options
have been exhausted.
> Review
Arngeir reviews all the terms of the treaty, and the two sides agree to them. Throughout these negotiations, the game maintains an
internal score reflecting the currently agreed-upon terms. A net score of zero means that the truce is balanced and does not favour
either side. A positive score means the treaty currently favours the Imperials, whereas a negative score favours the Stormcloaks.
If the final score is not zero, the side favoured by the treaty is pleased by the results. If you have joined that side's faction you will
receive a levelled enchanted weapon as a reward. If instead your side is left at a disadvantage, you are accused of betraying your
side, but there are no lasting consequences. If you do this quest late in the Civil War it may be impossible to negotiate a treaty that
favours your faction and therefore impossible to receive the reward.
> Once the negotiations have reached their conclusion, Arngeir will summarize all of the terms that have been agreed upon so far
and confirm those terms with each of the parties. Tullius and Ulfric will both agree and the meeting will conclude, SAVE.
> The side with which you are affiliated will talk to you, most of the parties will head back to their respective cities, but the Blades
will remain to talk with you about how to proceed with trapping a dragon, thus automatically leading back to the quest The Fallen.
Esbern will tell you that the names of dragons are always three words of power, and inform you that while you were preparing the
negotiations, he retrieved a scroll listing the names of many of the dragons slain by the Blades. Cross-checking it with Delphine's
map of dragon burials, he discovers that the next dragon's name is Odahviing. Esbern will then teach you the shout to call Odahviing.
In addition, Delphine will walk up and demand that you kill Paarthurnax, if the 'Paarthurnax' quest hasn't already been given.
> Once Season Unending is complete, the Civil War will be on hold until the Main Story is complete. Return to Dragonsreach in
Whiterun and continue the Fallen quest by speaking to the Jarl, follow the quest stages above then move on to the 'World-Eater's
Eyrie' quest below.
The World-Eater's Eyrie

> Odahviing will drop you off in a very hostile place, straightaway you'll be attacked by two levelled dragons and multiple higher level
draugr, SAVE. Fight them or sneak past them using your preferred style of play and make your way around to the entrance of the
temple.
> Once inside SAVE, avoid the dart trap to the west and proceed onward, there will be several puzzles along the way.
Some of these puzzle can glitch; if the rings of the dragon claw switch do not rotate, or the door fails to open after the correct
combination is set, try:
Saving and then immediately loading that save.

Loading either the auto-save from the entrance or a save from before you entered.
Exiting the location, saving, then loading that save.
'Resetting' the door by selecting the right combination and try the claw, then turn each ring once and try the claw again. Do this until
the correct combination re-appears and try again.
If all of these fail the only fix remaining is to clear your Xbox hard drive cache, return then reload an earlier save.
> The first puzzle consists of three pillars, each separated by a wall, and a switch between the pillars and the doorways. Each pillar
has three symbols; 'Eagle, Snake, and Whale'. On the walls beside the two outside pillars are matching symbols for those pillars. The
west pillar is a whale and the east is a snake. Set the outer pillars so that the same symbols face each other. Above the east doorway
is an eagle, above the west doorway is a snake, which leads to the destination. Face the symbol on the central pillar that matches
the desired door, to face north, toward the doors.
> Pull the lever to open the door (with your back to the lever, you should see Eagle, Eagle, Eagle to open and close the dead-end
door on the right. With your back to the lever, you should see Eagle, Snake, Eagle to open and close the progressing door. You must
close one door before you can open the other, SAVE.
> Kill the Draugr in the next room and then some frostbite spiders and you'll hit the second puzzle. This puzzle is solved by Whale,
Snake, Eagle, with the solutions for the first and third shown above them and the second behind the platform. You can also use
Whirlwind Sprint from the platform to bypass the puzzle. Enter the door to go to another section of Skuldafn Temple, SAVE.
> Kill some more Draugr and cross a bridge, watch for a pressure plate trap along the way, proceed up a staircase and take out more
Draugr, pull the lever near the oil (in a small window) to open the gate on the other side of the room, move through and SAVE.
> Follow the wide tunnel avoiding another pressure plate trap and you'll soon reach a third puzzle guarded by a levelled draugr or
dragon priest carrying the diamond claw needed to open it. The combination to the door is, from top to bottom, Fox, Moth, Dragon
(this can be seen by examining the claw in your inventory).
External image
Make sure to examine the 'Word Wall' in the next room and learn a word for the 'Storm Call' Shout, SAVE.
> You'll soon arrive back outside where some draugr will be waiting, Unrelenting Force will be useful here to simply blast them off
the sides. Proceed along the wooden platform, SAVE, and you should notice two dragons perched upon columns above the portal to
'Sovngarde'.
> Before you can enter Alduin's portal you must kill the dragon priest 'Nahkriin' who guards it. This dragon priest can be tough,
especially if you engage the two nearby dragons at the same time. However, the two dragons may not move from their perches or
become hostile if unprovoked. When you reach the top of the stairs Nahkriin will notice you and make his way toward his staff. It's
best to start your assault immediately. He doesn't attack until he gets his staff, so attack him quickly. After Nahkriin grabs his staff
he'll turn around to face you. Be careful with this one as his staff does '50' shock damage per second. Any shock resistance potions or
enchanted apparel you have would be useful now.
> After defeating Nahkriin, pick up his staff and his unique self-titled 'Dragon Priest Mask' and activate the 'Dragon Seal'. This
completes the World-Eater's Eyrie quest and automatically activates the next quest; 'Sovngarde', SAVE.
Sovngarde
> You will be transported to a mysterious place where the souls of the dead walk amongst an impenetrable mist. You can
temporarily clear the mist with the Clear Skies Shout to help you find your way, but it will not harm you. You should encounter a
Stormcloak soldier who warns you that Alduin is here, devouring the souls of the dead, and he is afraid and wishes to walk with you.
> Continue through the mist and you'll notice some characters from the game that have died along your various quests, some of
which may even be taken by Alduin before your very eyes, but he will not harm you, for now.
> SAVE when you see a Nord guarding a strange bone bridge. This Nord is in fact the Nord God 'Tsun', and although you can convince
him that you are worthy to cross the bridge as the Dragonborn (or other options if you have completed other quest lines) he still
demands you fight him before you can cross over to the Hall of Shor.
> Tsun is very fast and powerful in combat, so keep on your toes, he is slightly weak to fire attacks. If you are having trouble beating
him you can reload the save and attack him with ranged attacks before starting the dialogue.
> Once Tsun is defeated SAVE, cross the bridge and enter the Hall of Shor.
> Inside the hall you are greeted by 'Ysgramor', founder of the Companions, he asks you to speak to the Nord heroes who previously
defeated Alduin, (the ones you saw in the Time-Wound vision). Find 'Gormlaith Golden-Hilt', 'Hakon One-Eye', and 'Felldir the Old'.
The three heroes decide to join Shouts with you to clear the mist from all of Sovngarde and expose Alduin, SAVE.
> Now go outside and meet with the heroes, this ends the quest and automatically begins the final Main Story quest; 'Dragonslayer'.
Dragonslayer
> Gather with your fellow heroes on the other side of the whale-bone bridge, they will wait for you to use Clear Skies on the mist
and they will join in when you do. Use the Shout three times, you will enrage Alduin and the fight will begin, SAVE.
> Now begins the final battle with Alduin, here he will use the Storm Call Shout to reign fire-balls upon you, this Shout does a lot of
damage and covers a wide area, so use any fire or magic resistance potions or spells you have available. Remember Alduin is
invincible while flying so you need to use Dragonrend to bring him down. Once you have grounded him you must unleash all of your
most powerful attacks before he takes flight again. Avoid standing right in front of him altogether. Your Nord hero friends can do
decent damage. Poisons work just as well on Alduin as on any other dragon and the Marked for death Thu'um is particularly useful
here. Repeat the tactic of grounding him and striking, and do not hold back on your supplies, spells and Shouts. When Alduin's
health bar is fully depleted his soul will leave his body for good and he is finally, utterly, and definitely defeated once and for all. Now
observe as he dissolves into nothing, SAVE.
Finally ending Alduin will unlock the final story achievement:
Dragonslayer in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Dragonslayer94 (50)
Complete "Dragonslayer"
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> Tsun and all the heroes of Sovngarde will now rejoice and congratulate you on your victory. Talk to Tsun and He will offer you a gift
in the form of a special Dragon Shout called 'Call of Valor'; this allows you to summon the heroes of the Hall of Shor to your side in
Skyrim. If you have been collecting all the Dragon Shouts mentioned in this Walkthrough you will now know the first word of '20'
Dragon Shouts unlocking:

Learn 20 shouts
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Otherwise please consult the 'Dragon Shouts' section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page to find the locations of the ones
you're missing.
> Tsun does not return you to Skuldafn but instead to the summit of the Throat of the World where many dragons will be scattered
around, but don't worry about them, they will not attack you. If you didn't previously kill Paarthurnax he will talk with you,
congratulating you and he will declare that he will endeavour to turn Alduin's companions to the side of good and the Way of the
Voice. Not all dragons will ally with Paarthurnax however, so dragon attacks will continue as normal allowing you to gather further
dragon souls, bones and scales. You will also meet Odahviing now, who pledges his allegiance to you in the respect of killing Alduin,
he will come to your aid, if he can, when you use the Call Dragon Shout in the future, SAVE.
You can, if you wish, return to High Hrothgar or Skyhaven Temple for extra dialogue and congratulations but it is not necessary as
you have now fully completed the Main Story quest line.
Your adventures are never over however, the land of Skyrim is vast and many more quests await you out on the tundra!
A big thank you to The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages with permission for use of content granted under the Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5
License with due acknowledgement and thanks.
Thank you also to the guys from Bethesda Softworks LLC for providing additional information and writing the Official Elder Scrolls VI
Skyrim Game Guide.
Image 1
Skyrim is at war! It is two hundred years after the Oblivion Crisis in Cyrodiil, but to the north, in the hardened land of Skyrim there is
new unrest. It is now the Fourth Era and 'Titus Mede II' has conquered the Imperial City in Cyrodiil causing the lands of Valenwood,
the Summerset Isles, Black Marsh and Elsweyr to withdraw from the Empire. The provinces of the Summerset Isles (home to the
High Elves) and Valenwood (Wood Elves), have formed an Elven Empire called the 'Aldmeri Dominion'.
Only thirty years ago the Aldmeri rejected a final ultimatum from the Emperor Titus Mede II, and the governing body of the Aldmeri
(the Thalmor) invaded Cyrodiil triggering the 'Great War'. The Empire stopped short the invasion by signing the ‘White Gold
Concordat’- a treaty prohibiting the worship of the Imperial God Talos throughout the Empire.
Talos is a very important deity in Skyrim, as he originated there, the Nords of Skyrim were therefore greatly distressed by the ban to
worship him. Recently, in defiance of the Imperial treaty, a Nordic rebel named 'Ulfric Stormcloak' rose up against the Empire to
reclaim the land of Skyrim for the Nord race establishing the 'Stormcloak faction'. Recently Ulfric challenged the High King of Skyrim,
Torygg, to a duel and killed him. To resolve this rebellion the Empire deployed the Imperial Legion to challenge the Stormcloaks.
You are introduced to the different sides of this conflict at the very beginning of the game, during the first Main Story quest; you
make a choice there to either follow a Nord Stormcloak named 'Ralof' or an Imperial soldier named 'Hadvar'. They will both guide
you out of Helgen and later invite you to join their side of the war, but you do not have to join either side just yet. You can choose to
join either army later on by visiting either the 'Palace of the Kings' in Windhelm or the 'Castle Dour' in Solitude. After completing the
initial joining quest and taking the oath, you still have the option to leave- you are given an opportunity to betray the side you chose
during the second quest for either side 'The Jagged Crown'.
Neither side is wholly right or wrong, they both have their reasons and moral justifications to why they are fighting, it is therefore
entirely down to your own beliefs and preferences which side you join. Achievements are not affected by your choices, you will
unlock all Civil War achievements by completing the quests for either army. Once you commit to one side, you are bound to that
side, after the second quest and for the rest of the game. The quests for either side are similar but not identical, there are many
alterations and differences in the consequences for each side. Many other quests throughout Skyrim are affected by the Civil War
quests because, depending on which side you chose, certain main cities and forts will be taken over by the side you are on. These
effects range from; negligible to quite serious, and I have endeavored to warn you of any major effects especially to achievement
related quests.
There are three achievements unlocked during the course of the Civil War quest line and one of these achievements, namely 'War
Hero', is missable. This achievement is missable because; if you advance too far in the Main Story quest line you may be forced to
make a choice during the quest 'Season Unending' that will make a Civil War quest disappear. To ensure you unlock this
achievement you should stick to the order I originally detailed in the Walkthrough Overview page; complete the Main Story up to
'Dragon Rising', then concentrate on Daedric quests and other quest lines, including; the Civil War up to the Message to Whiterun
quest. Then when you are ready to proceed; complete Dragon Rising, Message to Whiterun then continue the Civil War to the end
but do not proceed any further with the Main Story. When you unlock War Hero you can finish the Main Story and any other quests
or achievements remaining.
There is an alternative method to obtaining this achievement as well as the Season Unending quest:
You have to join the Stormcloaks in order for this to work. First, finish the quest 'Joining the Stormcloaks', but do not start the quest
'The Jagged Crown'. Without that quest being active, you can then schedule the peace conference. Because you are technically allied
with the Stormcloaks, Tullius will make the opening demand for Riften. When Ulfric demands something in return, give him Morthal
rather than Markarth. This will allow the Reach to remain open for Stormcloak invasion when you resume the Civil War quest.
See the 'Season Unending' quest in the Main Story page for more information.
I will list both sides of the war separately so please follow the one relevant to you.
THE STORMCLOAKS
Joining the Stormcloaks
Regardless of who you followed during the first Main Story quest you can still join the Stormcloaks by travelling to the city of
Windhelm, and completing a small challenge for the rebel Jarl 'Ulfric Stormcloak' and prove your loyalty to him.
> First make sure you have read the above warnings about the missable War Hero achievement and do not have the Main Story
quest 'Season Unending' active if possible, then travel to the city of Windhelm and SAVE.
> Find the 'Palace of the Kings' straight ahead and enter, you'll find Ulfric Stormcloak and his lieutenant 'Galmar Stone-Fist'
discussing the war situation. You can listen in for some good background information and when you're ready, approach and speak to
Ulfric, he will recognize you from Helgen and direct you to Galmar.
> Speak to Galmar about joining the Stormcloaks and will give you a little quest to show your fealty. You must travel to 'Serpentstone
Isle' and defeat an 'Ice Wraith'. He'll give you an 'Elixir of Resist Cold' and three 'Ice Wraith Banes', these are very useful so keep
them for the fight. Bid them farewell and SAVE.
> Serpentstone Isle is located to the far north of Windhelm, to the east of the 'College of Winterhold' and a little past 'Bleakcoast
Cave'. Once there SAVE.
> The ice wraith can appear anywhere around the isle, but usually near the stones, you can use a detect life spell to make it easier to
find. When you see it, drink your elixir of resist cold and use either fire based spells or coat your weapon with the Ice Wraith Bane to
make the fight easier. To use Ice Wraith Bane simply equip the weapon you wish to coat and select the Ice Wraith Bane poison from
your menu.
> Also if you didn't visit the Serpent Standing Stone, during the Main Story you should do so now, it will grant you the 'Serpent's Kiss'
birthsign, this gives you a ranged attack that will paralyze a target for 5 seconds and also do 25 points of damage. SAVE.
> With the ice wraith dead, and your quest objective updated, you can now return to the Palace of the Kings for your initiation into
the Stormcloaks.
> Once in the Palace SAVE, speak to Galmar and he will ask you to take the oath. After the oath you will be a Stormcloak and you'll
notice that you will fail the alternative Civil War quest of 'Joining the Legion', don't worry however, if you still wish to join Legion for
whatever reasons, you have the last opportunity to do so during the next quest.
> Galmar will reward you with some Stormcloak attire and the quest is complete, this will unlock the first Civil War achievement:

Taking Sides16 (10)
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The Jagged Crown
> Now you're a Stormcloak, Galmar has another quest for you, talking to him will reveal that the Stormcloaks are after the 'Jagged
Crown', this unique item can found in the Nordic ruin of 'Korvanjund' located to the northeast of Whiterun.
> Head out to Korvanjund and you'll find Galmar, Ralof and some Stormcloak soldiers waiting for you outside. Galmar will tell you
that there are some Imperials already at the ruin looking for the Jagged Crown as well. Tell him that you are ready to take them out
and then sneak around the ruins and kill all the Imperial soldiers there, SAVE.
> After a short speech Galmar and the Stormcloaks will enter the ruin, follow them in. Once inside, everyone will crouch behind a
fallen pillar. Galmar will tell you to attack on his word, at which point you can charge in and kill all the Imperials there. When they
are all dead SAVE, Galmar and the Stormcloaks will start moving inside the ruin but they'll normally leave two soldiers behind to
guard the entrance.
> In the next room Galmar will stop at the entrance of a tunnel, he doesn't like the tunnel because of a potential ambush, so he'll
send you to find an alternative route. Galmar will wait here with the Stormcloaks until they hear fighting.
> Head up to the second floor and find the stairs, go up and sneak along the path, if you are detected, Galmar and the other
Stormcloaks will rush in to help you. On the eastern end of this room there are some more stairs, at the top you'll find the Light
Armor Skill Book 'Jornibret's Last Dance'.
> Once all the Imperials are dead, SAVE, Galmar will move to the exit and wait for you. Pull the lever located by the edge of the wall
near the cliff. When you enter the next room, a few Imperials will attack you. Once they are dead, SAVE, the Stormcloaks will gather
around a dead draugr while Galmar explains what it is. Now follow the next tunnel to the door that leads to 'Korvanjund Halls'.
> Once in Korvanjund Halls, SAVE, you'll find a few Imperials, kill them and move on. You'll soon come to some stairs, go down then
through the hall of stories, as Galmar calls it, and proceed to the end, where you'll come to a puzzle door.
> Near a dead Imperial's hand is the 'Ebony Claw', this is the key to the door, and upon examining it closely in your inventory, it will
reveal the correct combination of images needed to open the door. The combination, from top to bottom, is: Fox, Moth, Dragon.
External image
With the claw in your inventory, press cn_A to rotate the stones to the correct combination and then open the door.
If the rings of the dragon claw switch do not rotate, or the door does not open after the correct combination is set try these possible
fixes:
Save and then immediately load that save.
Load a save from before you entered the ruin.
Exit the location, save, and load that save.
Reset the door by selecting the right combination and try the claw, then turn each ring once and try the claw again. Do this until the
correct combination re-appears and try again.
Clear your hard drive cache.
> With the puzzle door open head on through, SAVE, then follow the tunnel to the next room. This room has a locked gate blocking
your way, Galmar will ask you to look for some way to open it.
> Beyond the puzzle door there is a room with a trap floor in the middle with wooden planking across it and two corridors. One to
the west; which is blocked by a lowered gate, and another to the north.
> Go down the north corridor and after a short way, climb a flight of stairs, you'll come to a balcony above the previous room. Go
around the room and find a dagger on a weight sensitive plate. Removing the dagger opens a hidden door to the left that opens a
tunnel that twists and turns before reaching another concealed door with a chain to open it on the right.
> Follow the balcony around the room that leads to a walkway crossing the room below to the east, cross to another balcony and
find the handle on the north wall right beside a burial urn. This opens the gate that is blocking access to the west. Once you have
opened the way, the corridor to the west, leads to an iron door that leads into 'Korvanjund Crypt'.
> Once all the draugr are dead, SAVE, the Stormcloaks will go through the door to the Crypt. Follow them through and follow the
tunnel. You will arrive in a room with multiple bookcases. There are two coffins next to a seemingly dead boss-level draugr sitting on
a throne. You can either run up and attack the draugr before he has a chance to attack you, which will let other draugr out of their
tombs, or wait for a soldier to go up to the unmoving draugr and mention the crown it wears, at which point the coffins will burst
open, revealing hostile draugr.
> After the draugr are defeated, take the Jagged Crown from the corpse of the boss. Galmar will tell you to take it straight back to
Ulfric. If you talk to him again, he will mention that he will stick around for a while to find anything useful, you should take this
opportunity to learn a word for the 'Slow Time' Shout from the 'Word Wall' at the back of the room behind the throne, SAVE.
*Note that if you've already learned the first word of the Slow Time Shout from 'Labyrinthian' during the College of Winterhold
quest 'The Staff of Magnus' or in 'Hag's End' during the optional Dark Brotherhood quest 'Assassin of Old' this will be the second or
third word of the Shout, and will not contribute more than once towards the 'Thu'um Master' achievement.
> When you're ready to leave; proceed up the wooden stairs along the east wall that leads up to an iron door, with a barred wooden
door beyond that. Lift the bar off the door and open it, then turn right and head for the exit.
This is the last opportunity to swap sides in the war, if you decide that you actually want to join the Imperial Legion now instead, you
can take the crown to General Tullius in Castle Dour in Solitude and ask to join the Legion. After giving him the crown, he will let you
join and you will start the next quest in the Imperial quest line.
> If you take the crown back in Windhelm, SAVE, and head to the Palace of the Kings, give the Jagged Crown to Ulfric. This complete
the quest and automatically start the next quest, Message to Whiterun, SAVE.
Message to Whiterun
This quest requires you to complete the Main Story quest 'Dragon Rising' consequently unleashing dragons upon the lands of Skyrim.
You should conclude all your business involving other quest lines, especially any remaining Daedric quests before proceeding with
this quest.
If you have any pressing business in Whiterun finish it now before completing this quest, you can still go into Whiterun, just do not
go into Dragonsreach.
If you have the Main Story quest 'The World-Eater's Eyrie' active and Odahviing is still in Dragonsreach, you will not be able to
proceed with this quest until that one is completed, see relevant section of the Main Story page.
> Ulfric wants the city of Whiterun to ally with the Stormcloaks, you will be instrumental in making this happen. Ulfric will give you
an axe known as; 'Ulfric's War Axe' and tell you to deliver it to the Jarl of Whiterun 'Balgruuf the Greater'. The axe is a message in
itself that Balgruuf will understand.
> Go to Whiterun and SAVE, find Jarl Balgruuf in Dragonsreach and tell him you have a message from Ulfric. Balgruuf will take the
axe, but to be able to proceed with this quest, you must now finish the Main Story quest 'Dragon Rising'. If you've already done
Dragon Rising then the quest will continue normally; otherwise Balgruuf will hold on to the axe and postpone making a decision
about it until Dragon Rising is complete.
> With the axe delivered and Dragon Rising complete, talk to Balgruuf, he will say that, although he doesn't like the Imperial policies,
he is siding with the Empire. He'll return the axe to you and draft a letter to negotiate with the Imperial Legion about garrisoning
some of their troops in Whiterun, SAVE.
> Return to Ulfric in Windhelm and give him the axe. He'll be disappointed in Balgruuf's decision, but Galmar will welcome it as he is
eager to launch an assault against the Legion. After a short discussion Ulfric will issue orders that initiate the next quest: Battle for
Whiterun, SAVE.
Battle for Whiterun

NOTE: If you are currently going for the 'Master Criminal' achievement (have a bounty of 1000 gold in all nine holds), and you are
building a bounty in Whiterun, you should hold off on this quest until you have unlocked it because it will erase your Whiterun hold
bounty.
> After talking to Ulfric Stormcloak and giving him Jarl Balgruuf's answer he will tell you that you are going to help take the city of
Whiterun for the Stormcloaks by force. Report to Galmar for your orders, he'll direct you to the 'Whiterun Military Camp', a little
southwest of Whiterun, SAVE.
> You can use the carriage service at Windhelm but it is not advisable as you can skip some quest stages and miss out on some
action. Fast travel instead to somewhere near Whiterun and walk to the camp.
> Once at the camp SAVE, Whiterun will be under siege, Galmar will be briefing the soldiers, wait for him to finish and he'll give you
the task of taking down the drawbridge to allow the Stormcloaks to pour into the city. Once you have this objective, if you leave
Whiterun the battle will go ahead without you and Ulfric will brand you a coward and you'll lose out on your reward. Also, due to a
possible bug, entering the nearby 'Chillfurrow Farm' will also end the quest prematurely. To prevent this, stay in Whiterun Hold and
follow the next points below in order.
> The charge will begin, follow your fellow Stormcloaks towards the city, don't worry about killing all the Imperials, they will spawn
forever. When you reach the first set of wooden barricades you can easily break through them with your weapon or a destruction
spell. Your journal will then tell you to lower the drawbridge.
> Move up the path to the small wooden bridge with the stone walls to your side and go up the walkway. You will see two
drawbridge levers over the drawbridge, activate either one. The bridge will fall, and the Stormcloaks will flood into the city.
> Enter the city and SAVE, there are more enemy troops inside but they also spawn indefinitely, your objective is to storm
Dragonsreach. Don't bother trying to enter any buildings, most are locked with a key and there is nothing but glitches inside those
that aren't.
> Stick with Galmar as you head up to the palace, destroy the barriers that block the entrance to the plains district, and up to
Dragonsreach.
> Enter and SAVE, three soldiers will charge at you, but they will die quite easily. Continue up the stairs, where Jarl Balgruuf, his
three personal guards, and his Housecarl Irileth, will attack you. Kill the soldiers, you cannot kill the Jarl but when his health reaches
< 25% he will surrender. Due to a possible bug, the quest pointer may continue to point to the Jarl after he has surrendered, but no
interaction is possible and the quest does not update. Striking the Jarl and then paying off the bounty may fix this. Otherwise try
reloading a previous save.
> After some dialogue between Balgruuf, 'Vignar Gray-Mane', and Galmar, Balgruuf will talk to you. After this Vignar will become the
new Jarl of Whiterun. The quest ends here and the next quest, Liberation of Skyrim, will automatically begin, SAVE, be sure to keep
this SAVE until you have finished the quest below 'Rescue From Fort Neugrad'.
> Return now to Ulfric in Windhelm, he commends you for the victory, rewards you with an levelled enchanted weapon and gives
you the new title of 'Ice-Veins', SAVE. This will also be the person to talk to for the next stage of the Civil War; the Liberation of
Skyrim.
Liberation of Skyrim
It is now your objective to take over Skyrim, piece by piece. To do this you will have take over the main fortress of each Hold that
currently belongs to the Imperials. Be warned however, that if you complete the 'Season Unending' quest during this time, some
forts will simply be given to the Stormcloaks and some, that you may have already taken over, may be handed back to the Imperials
through the ensuing negotiations. This may mean that you will unavoidably and irreparably give 'Fort Sungard' to the Stormcloaks
and will consequently fail the 'War Hero' achievement.
To avoid missing the 'War Hero' achievement, continue with the Civil War for now and leave the Main Story until you have, in this
case, taken 'Fort Sungard' for the Stormcloaks by force, and not through negotiations in the Main Story.
This is the state of Skyrim as a Stormcloak, and before Season Unending has been completed:
Stormcloaks
Imperials
The Pale - Fort Dunstad
Falkreath Hold - Fort Neugrad
The Rift - Fort Greenwall
The Reach - Fort Sungard
Winterhold - Fort Kastav
Hjaalmarch - Fort Snowhawk
Whiterun Hold - Whiterun
Haafingar - Fort Hraggstad
Eastmarch - Windhelm
Haafingar - Solitude
It is now your objective to take over the Holds currently controlled by the Imperials, since Eastmarch belongs to the Stormcloaks by
default, and you took over Whiterun during the battle of Whiterun, there are '4' main forts and the city of Solitude to take over to
win this war for good.
There are many smaller camps and other minor settlements dotted around these hostile Holds, but taking the main fort in the area
will collapse the authority of that region and take it over for the Stormcloaks. In addition to taking the main forts over, there are
several scripted quests you must also complete before you can storm the gates of Solitude in the final assault.
> To begin the liberation of Skyrim you must talk to Ulfric Stormcloak in the Palace of the Kings in Windhelm. He will mark a
Stormcloak encampment in the first Hold that is to be conquered; 'Falkreath'.
> Travel there and find Galmar Stone-Fist, in the main tent, SAVE. Report in and he will give you your only quest in the taking of
Falkreath, namely 'Rescue From Fort Neugrad'.
Rescue From Fort Neugrad

NOTE: If you have 'Serana' as a follower do not take her to Fort Neugrad, she will resurrect Imperial Soldiers and can cause glitches.
> Fort Neugrad is a large military fort located just southeast of Helgen, southwest of the Stormcloak camp, and it controls the
majority of the military forces in Falkreath. If you have visited this fort before joining the Stormcloaks you would have found it in a
state of disrepair and occupied by bandits. Now however, the fort will be taken over by a strong force of the Imperial Legion and it's
fortifications restored. To make things worse, a group of your fellow Stormcloaks have been taken prisoner here.
> Galmar has sent some scouts to the fort, you are to meet up with them and wait further instructions. When you arrive SAVE, find
Ralof and talk to him about the strategy, he'll tell you that they have located a cave under the lake that leads underground and into
the fort's prison. It will be your task to sneak through the cave, alone, fight off the guards and free the Stormcloak prisoners. After
they are freed you are to meet up with Ralof and the others in the courtyard, taking the fort from inside and out.
> Your quest marker will show you to the lake behind the fort, sneak around and avoid being seen by any imperials. SAVE, before
diving into the lake and swimming to the small wrecked boat with a locked chest slightly hidden under it. Directly behind you is the
entrance to the cave.
> Enter the cave and SAVE, proceed down the passage and into the prison level of the fort. Use your preferred style to kill off all the
Imperial soldiers in the prison room and get one of the 'Fort Neugrad Prison Keys' from them. SAVE.
If glitches begin to occur, such as the fort being occupied by bandits still, instead of Imperials you have to reload the save I told you
to keep back in the Palace of the Kings, do not talk to Galmar and go directly to Fort Neugrad, clear out the bandits completely and
then initiate the quest by talking to Galmar.
> Now open the cell doors and free the Stormcloaks, they will immediately run to a nearby chest for their weapons and armour. Talk
to any one of them and they will ask you what to do. You can tell them to wait, or follow you. Although it does not affect the
outcome of the quest, if you want to make sure they all survive, tell them to wait, you can return to them after the fort has been
taken, otherwise tell them to follow you and they will help with the assault.
> Leave the prison level and go into the courtyard, more Imperial soldiers will attack, but Ralof and your Stormcloak allies will join in
once you start the fight. There will be a counter on the screen informing you of the remaining Imperial soldier's numbers, you must
eliminate every Imperial outside and then inside to take the fort. You may want to check out the library for the Light Armor Skill
Book 'Jornibret's Last Dance'.
> After all enemies outside are dead, SAVE, report to Ralof who you can then tell to follow you inside to take out the commander
and any other stragglers.
You may encounter a bug that prevents Ralof's dialogue menu to function properly. One possible solution is to transform into a
werewolf away from the soldiers surrounding Ralof, and then kill all of the soldiers. Once that is done, Ralof himself will ask you to
get him another garrison of troops. After you retrieve his soldiers, you should be able to continue the dialogue. Alternatively, kill all
the troops and then use a calm spell or the 'Voice of the Emperor' power (if your race is Imperial).
> Storm the inside of the fort and find the commander of Fort Neugrad, kill him and his guards then talk back with Ralof, SAVE.
> Ralof will declare the fort taken, and he can take it from here, this completes the Rescue From Fort Neugrad quest and liberates
the whole of Falkreath Hold from the Imperials, SAVE.
Completing this quest replaces Siddgeir as Jarl of Falkreath with Dengeir of Stuhn. Siddgeir will then be moved to the Blue Palace in
Solitude.
Compelling Tribute
> Now it's time to take over The Reach, but first Galmar has a discrete mission for you to accomplish. Find Galmar Stone-Fist in the
Stormcloak camp way to the northeast of Markarth, and northeast of Karthwasten, SAVE.
> Galmar wants you to go to Markarth and convince 'Raerek' to help the Stormcloaks, go to Markarth and SAVE. Make sure you have
some lockpicks before proceeding, you can buy some in 'Arnleif and Sons Trading Company'.
> Enter 'Understone Keep' at the top of the stairs and approach the throne. Your objective is to find evidence that Raerek is
worshipping Talos, you need not speak to anyone, the evidence is located in his room over to the right of the throne. Don't go up the
stairs, SAVE, then take a right and look left, pick the lock and enter. Find and take the 'Inscribed Amulet of Talos' in the dresser
against the wall, SAVE.
Raerek's amulet may not be in the chest, making the quest impossible to complete. To fix this bug, try reloading a previous save, if
this does not work the only other solution is to go off and complete other quests for a while and keep coming back to check inside of
the drawer for the Inscribed Amulet of Talos.
> Exit his room and find Raerek, talk to him and show him the amulet, he'll lead you back to his room and engage you in dialogue,
he'll mention a wagon laden with silver and weapons. After this he will take the amulet back from you and you can report now to
Galmar, SAVE.
> Go back to the camp, SAVE, see Galmar and he will organise an ambush for the wagon and wants you to take part. You must meet
with his scouts on the road to the east of 'Broken Tower Redoubt', Ralof has already spotted a suspicious wagon that has become
stuck there.
> Head out to the scouts, but do not approach from the east, instead go along the road from the west, when you see the scouts
SAVE, talk to Ralof for the plan. You can tactically distract the Imperials while the scouts take them out with arrows from above, this
is the easiest way of getting this done.
> To go with Ralof's plan, and be the distraction, tell him 'you're ready' and sneak towards the wagon with him until he stops by a
rock, a scout will take out the guard. Now go down to the wagon where the Imperials will stop you, when you attack them the scouts
will help you kill them all by volleying arrows over.
After the ambush Ralof may not respond to any conversation due to a possible bug. Use the Unrelenting Force shout on Ralof and try
to talk to him again. If this fails then try killing the horse in the Imperial camp, if it was wounded, as it may register as an enemy,
leaving Ralof in an alert state.
> After the Imperials are dead, loot the wagon and guards then SAVE, this ends the quest, report back to Galmar who has a plan for
taking over The Reach.
The Battle for Fort Sungard

NOTE: If you have 'Serana' as a follower do not take her with you on this quest, she will resurrect Imperial Soldiers and can cause
glitches.
> Galmar has a mind to take back the Reach for the Stormcloaks and Fort Sungard is the key, this fort is extremely important as
taking it over by force will unlock the missable 'War Hero' achievement.
External image
This heavy fortress is nestled strategically in the southern 'Druadach Mountains', close to the border of Whiterun Hold, and just
southeast of Rorikstead. After reporting to Galmar after the wagon ambush, he will tell you to meet the Stormcloak assault team
gathered to the north of the fort, SAVE.
> Try to approach the fort from the southwest; circle around the fort and meet up with your Stormcloak allies, SAVE.
> Taking the fort is quite simple, it's a basic forward assault through the main gates. Smash the wooden barricades with a weapon,
Shout or spell and head into the fort. There will be a percentage counter for the remaining Imperial Soldiers you need to take out,
take it down to 0%.
You may want to check out the interior of the fort for the Pickpocket Skill Book 'Guide to Better Thieving' found in the Oubliette, and
the Smithing Skill Book 'Last Scabbard of Akrash' in the armoury.
> When every enemy is dead SAVE, this completes the quest, takes The Reach for the Stormcloaks, and unlocks the missable
achievement:

War Hero19 (10)
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After this it is OK to finish the Main Story quest 'The Fallen', however if you trigger the optional quest 'Season Unending' you have to
negotiate the ownership of the various forts and Holds around Skyrim. This may result in you having to retake forts that you've
already taken or lead to the current enemy forts being taken by negotiation. It is advisable to continue with the Civil War until it is
complete.
A False Front
> After receiving your reward from Ulfric for the capture of Fort Sungard he will direct you again to Galmar, find him in a new
Stormcloak camp to the north northwest of Morthal, SAVE.
> Talk to Galmar, he wants you to deliver some false orders to an Imperial legate in Morthal, but you must first intercept an Imperial
courier. To find this courier you have to get some information from an innkeeper at either Dragon Bridge or Rorikstead. It doesn't
matter which one you choose, but I'd recommend going to Dragon Bridge instead of Rorikstead as there is a possible glitch at
Rorikstead.
> Go to Dragon Bridge and speak to a female Nord innkeeper called 'Faida' at the 'Four Shields Tavern'. If you insist on going to
Rorikstead, find a male Nord called 'Mralki' at the 'Frostfruit Inn'.
> Once at the inn SAVE, use either persuasion, a bribe or intimidation (intimidation always works) to find out that your courier has, in
fact just left. You must pursue him at once.
> The courier will be marked on your map, he runs between Rorikstead and Dragon Bridge, however, simply fast travelling to his
location may result in him being far away by the time you get there. Also you want to avoid finding him too close to a town as you
will incur a bounty if you kill him. You can try to predict the direction he is going then cut him off by fast travelling somewhere near,
then running to him.
> When you confront him, any dialogue leads to either nothing or a fight, and if you fight and kill him it will count as a murder. To
avoid this you can wait until he bumps into friendly Stormcloaks or some creature along the road and wait for him to be killed. Or,
since Rorikstead is now in Stormcloak hands, you can simply wait for him there and your allies will cut him down when he arrives.
You can also use the bandits at 'Robber's Gorge' to take care of him, if you encounter the courier near there, the bandits will come
out and attack him.
> Either way you choose, once you have the documents, SAVE. You may also take the courier's Imperial uniform, but this is optional.
> Take the documents back to Galmar at the camp, he will use them to forge new fake orders for the Imperials. With the false orders
in hand head to Morthal, SAVE and go into the 'Highmoon Hall', find the Imperial legate and give him the orders, if you're not
wearing an Imperial uniform he will ask for an explanation but he'll ultimately accept the orders and you can be on your way. SAVE.
> Report your success to Galmar at the Stormcloak camp and prepare for the taking of Hjaalmarch Hold. SAVE.
The Battle for Fort Snowhawk

glitches.
> This will be another simple fort assault. Snowhawk is controlling the Hold of Hjaalmarch in the north, it's located to the west of
Morthal and just south of the Apprentice Standing Stone, if you have not visited it yet, do so now for the Standing Stone
achievement.
> Galmar Stone-Fist will order you to meet some Stormcloak soldiers gathered to the southwest of the fort, avoid approaching from
the northeast, instead take the road from Morthal and meet them on the ridge south of the fort, SAVE.
> Just like the assault on Fort Sungard, there will be a percentage of remaining Imperials, take it down to 0% by killing every enemy
at the fort. Begin by breaking down the barricades and entering the main courtyard, ignore the fort's interior and instead assail the
parapets and take out the Imperials to the last.
You may want to check out the interior for the Block Skill Book 'A Dance in Fire V2' located on a table in the room west of the back
entrance in the main keep.
> With the fort taken SAVE, this ends this simple quest, and takes the entire Hjaalmarch Hold for the Stormcloaks, now head back to
Ulfric Stormcloak in Windhelm for your next assignment.
Completing this quest will automatically complete the Main Story quest 'Season Unending' as the war is too far gone for
negotiations, it will advance 'the Fallen' quest past the Season Unending stage, so whether you have begun that quest or not it will
simply skip it and you will be given the next objective. But no need to concern yourself with that right now, just progress on with the
Civil War for now.
The Battle for Fort Hraggstad
glitches.
> Again this is another fort assault, Fort Hraggstad controls the Hold of Haafingar, it's located to the north west of Solitude, along the
road west of 'Wolfskull Cave' and then north. The Steed Standing Stone is just east of this fort, if you haven't visited it yet, do so
now.
> Report to Galmar, he will order you to meet some Stormcloak soldiers gathered near the fort, to avoid a possible bug you should
not create a loading screen by using fast travel, instead walk to the fort on foot. Avoid approaching from the southeast, instead meet
up with your forces creeping up to the fort, SAVE.
> Just like previous fort assaults there will be a percentage of remaining Imperials, take it down to 0% by killing every enemy at the
fort. Begin by breaking down the barricades and entering the main courtyard, get up on the walls and take out any remaining
Imperials.
You may see surviving Imperial soldiers, even when your screen indicates they are all dead, it is not necessary to kill these to finish
the quest.
You may want to check out the interior of the fort for the Archery Skill Book 'The Gold Ribbon of Merit' found on a table in the west
room.
>With the fort taken SAVE, this ends another simple quest, and takes Haafingar Hold for the Stormcloaks. Report back to Galmar and
he will direct you to Ulfric in Windhelm to give you your final assignment, the taking of the city of Solitude.
The Battle for Solitude

NOTE: If you have the Dark Brotherhood quest 'Bound Until Death' active, the Battle for Solitude will be delayed until it is completed.
> The final assault for Skyrim has begun, after talking with Ulfric you'll learn that he intends now to end the war by taking the heart
of the Imperial legion in Skyrim, namely the city of Solitude. Ulfric himself will be joining you for this one and you are to meet him at
the very gates of the city. SAVE.
> Travel out to Solitude, you'll have to fast travel somewhere outside the city as the city itself will be out of bounds. You will find
Ulfric and Galmar gathered with some Stormcloak soldiers at the main gates, approach and Ulfric will begin his speech. After the
speech SAVE, follow everyone as they attack the city.
> Fight through the city streets towards your main objective; the Castle Dour, breaking down the wooden barricades as you go. If
you are struggling with the surplus of Imperial soldiers you can stay near Ulfric and he'll help to break them down for you. SAVE
periodically, you'll find the gates to the courtyard closed off, so you have to fight your way around.
> Once at the Castle Dour you can choose to continue fighting to raise skill XP or loot bodies, when you're ready enter the Castle
Dour, and SAVE.
> It will be you, Ulfric and Galmar only inside, and a scene will ensue, now head through the doorway and confront General Tullius
and the Legate Rikke.
> After a long dialogue, and despite Ulfric's pleas that she surrender, Rikke insists on fighting and attacks. Kill Rikke and then beat
Tullius down until he surrenders, he cannot die. SAVE.
> After some more dialogue, Ulfric will hand you a sword and offer you the option to kill Tullius. It is your choice whether he lives or
dies. If you refuse to kill the General, Galmar will do so instead. Ulfric concludes with a short speech outside and he gives you his
sword as a final reward.
The final confrontation with Legate Rikke and General Tullius is particularly buggy. Try reloading a previous save to fix these bugs:
Rikke and Tullius may leave combat mode. It is possible to carry on a conversation with General Tullius about how the war is going
while Ulfric is standing right next to him with his axe drawn. It becomes impossible to end the quest.
Rikke may become invincible; attacking her until she has zero health will force her to the ground, but she will simply stand up
moments later and recover full health. She is not always hostile upon standing up; it may be possible to hold a normal conversation
without quest-specific dialogue.
General Tullius may also become invincible, as the scripted conversation that results in his death may not be triggered by beating
him to the ground. Although the 'Talk to General Tullius' dialogue option may still appear, the option cannot be activated, and the
quest can't be completed as a result. Striking Tullius with the Unrelenting Force Shout may fix this.
Tullius may be paralysed accidentally when fighting is first initiated. He will fall to the ground as if dead, but proceed to talk and blink
until Rikke is killed and Ulfric gives you the option of killing him. Though he appears dead and can't move, the slightest damage will
kill him, allowing the quest to continue.
Additionally, you may find yourself permanently locked in the room with Rikke, Tullius, Galmar, and Ulfric, unable to leave as the
only exit door requires a key that you don't have (and can't get anywhere within the room). The only option is reload an earlier save.
Completing this quest ends the Civil War and unlocks the final related achievement:

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THE IMPERIAL LEGION
Joining the Imperial Legion
Regardless of who you followed during the first Main Story quest, Hadvar or Ralof, you can join the Legion by travelling to the city of
Solitude, and completing a small quest for the 'General Tullius' the leader of the Imperial Legion in Skyrim and proving your
usefulness.
> Travel to Solitude and locate the entrance to the Castle Dour which looks something like this:
External image
> Once inside SAVE, you'll find General Tullius and his chief lieutenant 'Legate Rikke' discussing the war, listen in if you like for some
information about current events and then General Tullius will notice you and recognize you from Helgen. He will point you to
Legate Rikke who wants you to prove yourself by performing a little task for her. She wants you to clear 'Fort Hraggstad' of bandits,
so head out to the west of Solitude just past 'Wolfskull Cave' to find it.
> Once near the fort SAVE, you will be attacked by bandit archers on your approach to the fort, either kill them with ranged attacks,
sneak in to the fort, or charge in. Fort Hraggstad consists of two interior areas, the main area and the prison, both of them accessible
from separate entrances in the courtyard.
> There are two bandits in the first room of the Prison, with a third guarding the area downstairs. There are also two bandits and
their chief in the main area, he will ambush you upon entering. If you didn't get it in Fort Hraggstad you can find a copy of the
Archery Skill Book, 'The Gold Ribbon of Merit' upstairs. When all the bandits are dead and the objective marker is updated, SAVE and
you can return to Legate Rikke in Solitude.
> Rikke will be pleased, and she will point you towards General Tullius to take the oath. After the oath you will be an Imperial Soldier
and you'll notice that you will fail the alternative Civil War quest of 'Joining the Stormcloaks', don't worry however if you still wish to
join Stormcloaks, for whatever reasons, you have the last opportunity to do so during the next quest.
> Tullius will welcome you to the Legion and send you to the castle's blacksmith, 'Beirand', who will equip you with a set of Imperial
armor. You may choose heavy, medium, or light variations of the Imperial armor. Once Tullius has sent you towards Beirand the
quest ends and you'll unlock your first Civil War quest achievement:

Taking Sides16 (10)
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The Jagged Crown
> Now you're an Imperial soldier, Rikke has another quest for you, talking to her will reveal that General Tullius is after the 'Jagged
Crown', this unique item can found in the Nordic ruin of 'Korvanjund' located to the northeast of Whiterun.
> Head out to Korvanjund, SAVE, you'll find you're old friend Hadvar waiting outside, he will tell you that there are some Stormcloaks
already at the ruin looking for the Jagged Crown as well, after this Rikke will commence the attack. Due to a possible bug, Legate
Rikke may not spawn outside the ruins. You can try fixing this by advancing on your own into the ruins and clearing the first area of
Stormcloaks. The quest will update and Rikke will appear at the second spawn point. Move up the hill and assault the ruins, kill all
the Stormcloaks outside, then enter the ruin.
> Once inside, SAVE, everyone will crouch behind a fallen pillar. Rikke will tell you to attack on her word, at which point you can
charge in and kill all the Stormcloaks there. When they are all dead SAVE, Rikke and the Imperials will start moving inside the ruin
but they'll normally leave two soldiers behind to guard the entrance.
> In the next room Rikke will stop at the entrance of a tunnel, she doesn't like the tunnel because of a potential ambush so she'll
send you to find an alternative route, Rikke will wait here with the soldiers until they hear fighting.
> Head up to the second floor and find the stairs, go up SAVE and sneak along the path, if you are detected, Rikke and the Imperials
will rush in to help you. On the eastern end of this room there are some more stairs, at the top you'll find the Light Armor Skill Book
'Jornibret's Last Dance'.
> Once all the Stormcloaks are dead, SAVE, Rikke will move to the exit and wait for you, if you weren't discovered. Pull the lever
located by the edge of the wall near the cliff. When you enter the next room, a few Stormcloaks will attack you. Once they are dead,
SAVE, the Imperials will gather around a dead draugr while Rikke explains what it is. Now follow the next tunnel to the door that
leads to 'Korvanjund Halls'.
> Once in Korvanjund Halls, SAVE, you'll find a few Stormcloaks, kill them and move on. You'll soon come to some stairs, go down
them, go through the hall, and proceed to the end, where you'll come to a puzzle door. Near a dead Stormcloak's hand is the 'Ebony
Claw', this is the key to the door and upon examining it closely in your inventory, it will reveal the correct combination of images
needed to open the door. The combination, from top to bottom, is: Fox, Moth, Dragon.
External image
With the claw in your inventory, press cn_A to rotate the stones to the correct combination and then open the door.
If the rings of the dragon claw switch do not rotate, or the door does not open after the correct combination is set try these possible
fixes:
Save and then immediately load that save.

Load a save from before you entered the ruin.
Exit the location, save, and load that save.
Reset the door by selecting the right combination and try the claw, then turn each ring once and try the claw again. Do this until the
correct combination re-appears and try again.
Clear your hard drive cache.
> With the puzzle door open head on through, SAVE, then follow the tunnel to the next room. This room has a locked gate blocking
your way, Rikke will ask you to look for some way to open it.
> In this room there is a trap floor in the middle with wooden planking across it and two corridors; one to the west which is blocked
by a lowered gate and another to the north. Go down the north corridor and after a short way climb a flight of stairs, you'll come to
a balcony above the previous room, SAVE.
> Ignore the hidden door opened by removing the dagger from the pressure and follow the balcony around the room that leads to a
walkway crossing the room below to the east. Cross to another balcony and find the handle on the north wall right beside a burial
urn.
> The handle will open the gate below that is blocking access to the west, and will also unleash a few draugr into the room. Once all
the draugr are dead, SAVE, the Imperials will go through the door and into 'Korvanjund Crypt'.
> Once inside SAVE, follow the Imperials through the tunnel. You will arrive in a room with multiple bookcases. There are two coffins
next to a seemingly dead boss-level draugr sitting on a throne. You can either run up and attack the draugr before he has a chance to
attack you, which will let other draugr out of their tombs, or wait for a soldier to go up to the unmoving draugr and mention the
crown it wears, at which point the coffins will burst open, revealing hostile draugr.
> After the draugr are defeated, take the Jagged Crown from the corpse of the boss. Rikke will tell you to take it straight back to
Tullius. If you talk to her again, she will mention that she will stick around for a while to find anything useful, you should take this
opportunity to learn a word for the 'Slow Time' Shout from the 'Word Wall' at the back of the room behind the throne, SAVE.
*Note that if you've already learned the first word of the Slow Time Shout from 'Labyrinthian' during the College of Winterhold
quest 'The Staff of Magnus' or in 'Hag's End' during the optional Dark Brotherhood quest 'Assassin of Old' this will be the second or
third word of the Shout, and will not contribute more than once towards the 'Thu'um Master' achievement.
> When you're ready to leave, proceed up the wooden stairs along the east wall that leads up to an iron door back to the Temple.
Then lift the bar off the next door and open it, turn right and head for the exit.
> Once outside SAVE, this is the last opportunity to swap sides in the war, if you decide that you actually want to join the
Stormcloaks now instead, you can betray the Imperials and take the crown to Ulfric Stormcloak in the Palace of the Kings in
Windhelm, and ask him if you can join him. After giving him the Crown, he will let you join and you will start the next quest in the
Stormcloak quest line. If you decide to swap over to the Stormcloaks please now follow the Stormcloak quest line above on this
page.
> If you decide to remain loyal with the Imperial Legion just take the Crown back General Tullius in the Castle Dour in Solitude, then
SAVE. This will complete the quest and automatically start the next quest, Message to Whiterun, SAVE.
Message to Whiterun
This quest forces you to complete the Main Story quest 'Dragon Rising' unleashing dragons upon the lands of Skyrim, you should
conclude all your business involving other quest lines especially any remaining Daedric quests before proceeding with this quest.
If you have any pressing business in Whiterun finish it now before completing this quest, you can still go into Whiterun, just do not
go into Dragonsreach.
If, for some reason, you have done the Main Story first and the quest 'The World-Eater's Eyrie' is active causing 'Odahviing' to still be
in Dragonsreach, you will not be able to proceed with this quest until that one is completed, see relevant section of the Main Story
page.
> After visiting General Tullius with the Jagged Crown he will give you a message to take to the Jarl of Whiterun, SAVE.
> Travel to Whiterun, SAVE, dismiss any followers now before you go up to Dragonsreach, also if you have a wife or family in the city
tell them to move to another location, you can cause multiple bugs by having followers with you and you can lose followers and
family members during the next quest stages.
> Go up to Dragonsreach, SAVE, speak to Jarl Balgruuf and give him the message. As a possible bug; the Jarl and Proventus may stop
talking while discussing Tullius' message, leaving you unable to continue. Loading a previous save should fix this. Balgruuf will then
give you another message in the form of a special axe, and ask you to deliver it to Ulfric Stormcloak in Windhelm.
> Now, travel out to Windhelm, SAVE, walk forward and find the 'Palace of the Kings' where sits the Jarl of Windhelm; Ulfric
Stormcloak. Ulfric tells you to return the axe to Balgruuf, this action in itself being his response, SAVE.
> Travel back to Dragonsreach in Whiterun and talk to the Jarl, he will understand the answer and direct you to 'Legate Quentin
Cipius' there, talking to him will reveal that the Stormcloaks intend to attack Whiterun. This completes this quest and begins the next
quest 'Defense of Whiterun', SAVE.
Defense of Whiterun
> After the previous quest Legate Quentin Cipius will order you to the frontline in the defence of the city of Whiterun, when you
leave Dragonsreach you will find the city under siege, SAVE.
> The city will be in chaos, civilians running around, Imperial soldiers on the parapets launching catapults at the assailing Stormcloak
forces amassed outside the city. Head down to the main gates where you'll find the Legate Rikke making a speech to her soldiers.
After the speech, SAVE, the Stormcloaks will begin their attack.
> To help you in the fight, stay close to Rikke and Hadvar, they cannot die and so make good comrades. Your first objective is to
defend the barricades, then the drawbridge, don't worry if you lose these in the attack it doesn't affect the quest or your reward.
After this you just need to kill the attacking soldiers until their percentage reaches to 0%.
> Once the Stormcloak attackers are at 0%, SAVE, the remaining Stormcloaks will flee and the battle is won. Irileth will tell everyone
to follow her to the Jarl Balgruuf to make a little speech, SAVE. Do not stand next to Balgruuf when he's running up the ramp to
deliver his speech, you may trigger a quest stage bug. Instead stand among the soldiers he will be addressing below, you will then be
within the trigger area and you will ensure that the quest will update correctly.
> At the end of his speech, talk to the Jarl, he will thank you and grant you the privilege of buying a house in the city, if you haven't
already. SAVE and this completes the quest.
> Return now to General Tullius in Solitude, he commends you for your victory at Whiterun, and he will promote you to the title of
'Quaestor', SAVE. This will also be the person to talk to for the next stage of the Civil War; the 'Reunification of Skyrim'.
Reunification of Skyrim
It is now your objective to take over Skyrim, piece by piece, to do this you will have to take over the main fortress of each Hold that
currently belongs to the Stormcloaks. Be warned however, that if you complete the 'Season Unending' quest during this time, some
forts will simply be given to the Imperials and some, that you may have already taken over, may be handed back to the Stormcloaks
through the ensuing negotiations. This may mean that you will unavoidably and irreparably give 'Fort Greenwall' to the Imperials and
will consequently fail the 'War Hero' achievement.
To avoid missing the 'War Hero' achievement, continue with the Civil War for now and leave the Main Story until you have, in this
case, taken 'Fort Greenwall' for the Imperials by force, and not through negotiations in the Main Story.
This is the state of Skyrim as an Imperial, and before Season Unending has been completed:
Stormcloaks
Imperials
The Pale - Fort Dunstad
Whiterun Hold - Whiterun
The Rift - Fort Greenwall
Falkreath Hold - Fort Neugrad
Winterhold - Fort Kastav
The Reach - Fort Sungard
Eastmarch - Fort Amol
Hjaalmarch - Fort Snowhawk
Eastmarch - Windhelm
Haafingar - Solitude
It is now your objective to take over the Holds currently controlled by the Stormcloaks, since Solitude in the Hold of Haafingar
belongs to the Imperials by default, and you defended Whiterun during the battle of Whiterun, there are '4' main forts and the city
of Windhelm to take over to win this war for good.
There are many smaller camps and other minor settlements dotted around these hostile Holds, but taking the main fort in the area
will collapse the authority of that region and take it over for the Imperial Legion. In addition to taking the main forts over, there are
several scripted quests you must also complete before you can storm the gates of Windhelm in the final assault.
> To begin the Reunification of Skyrim you must talk to General Tullius in the Castle Dour in Solitude. He will mark an Imperial
encampment in the first Hold that is to be conquered 'The Pale'.
> Before you can storm the main fort in the Pale, 'Fort Dunstad', you must first report to Legate Rikke in the Pale Imperial camp for a
prerequisite quest.
A False Front
> Travel out to the 'Pale Imperial Camp' located to the east of Dawnstar, find Legate Rikke in the easternmost tent, studying a
tactical map of Skyrim, SAVE.
Due to a possible bug, when you go to the camp there will be a quest marker but Legate Rikke will not be present there. This can be
fixed by waiting for a few hours, she should then appear somewhere in the camp with the marker on her.
> Talk to Rikke, she'll explain that a Stormcloak courier is travelling back and forth between the 'Candlehearth Hall' in Windhelm and
a secluded inn to the west called the 'Nightgate Inn'. Rikke wants you to intercept this courier and retrieve the documents he is
carrying.
> To find the courier's position travel out to the Nightgate Inn, it is located to the far west of Windhelm, just north east of
Korvanjund.
> Once there SAVE, speak to the innkeeper 'Hadring', you'll have to persuade, bribe, or intimidate him to reveal the couriers location
on your map.
> The courier will be marked on your map, but simply fast travelling to his location may result in him being far away by the time you
get there. Also you want to avoid finding him too close to a friendly settlement as you will incur a bounty if you kill him. You can try
to predict the direction he is going then cut him off by fast travelling somewhere near, then running to him. If you confront him, any
dialogue leads to either nothing or a fight, and if you fight and kill him it will count as a murder. To avoid this you can wait until he
bumps into some hostile bandits or a creature along the road and wait for him to be killed.
> Either way you choose, once you have the documents SAVE. You should also take the courier's Stormcloak uniform and wear it, but
this is optional.
> Take the documents back to Rikke at the camp, she will use them to forge new fake orders for the Stormcloaks. With the false
orders in hand head out to the town of Dawnstar.
> Once in Dawnstar SAVE, follow the objective marker to the Stormcloak commander 'Frorkmar Banner-Torn', he will most likely be
in 'The White Hall' or the 'Barracks'. If you're not wearing any Stormcloak armor, he will get suspicious. You will then have to tell him
it is easier to sneak past the enemy without the uniform, he will accept this and then go on to what he would've said if you were
wearing Stormcloak armor. He then hands you five gold coins and the quest will end.
> Report back to Rikke in the Pale Imperial Camp, she will reward you and initiate the next quest 'The Battle for Fort Dunstad', SAVE.
The Battle for Fort Dunstad

NOTE: If you have 'Serana' as a follower do not take her with you on this quest, she will resurrect Stormcloak soldiers and can cause
glitches.
> The documents you intercepted from the Stormcloak courier were requesting reinforcements for Fort Dunstad, they will not be
getting any. Instead Fort Dunstad will be attacked by the Imperials. You are to meet your brothers-in-arms outside the fortress.
> Fort Dunstad is located to the east of Morthal, just north of the 'Tower of Mzark', you may wish to visit the nearby Lord Standing
Stone over to the west before proceeding to the fort itself. Avoid approaching the fort from the northwest, instead circle around and
meet your Imperials stationed outside, SAVE.
> Charge in with your fellow soldiers, a percentage tracker will appear, kill the Stormcloaks until it reaches 0%, SAVE. You may want
to check out the interior of the fort for the Heavy Armor Skill Book '2920 Midyear V6' found in the prison area.
> When the Stormcloaks are slaughtered to the last, the fort is taken, and the objective is complete. You now have to report to
General Tullius at Castle Dour in Solitude.
> Go to Solitude and SAVE, speak to the General for your next orders, he wants you go to the Rift for your next assignment.
Compelling Tribute
> Travel to the 'Rift Imperial Camp', located in the south western edge of the Rift, SAVE.
> Talk to Legate Rikke, she wants you to blackmail the steward of Riften's Jarl 'Anuriel' in an attempt to persuade Riften to join the
Imperial Legion. Anuriel is involved with the Thieves Guild, you must find proof of this.
> Travel to Riften, go into 'Mistveil Keep' and SAVE. You must use stealth to sneak into Anuriel's room and steal the evidence from
her dresser, it would be a good idea to wait for midday when she is away from her room. The guard will warn you a few times if you
are caught, but if it happens too many times he will attack you and cause a lot of unwanted attention.
> When you have the evidence SAVE, find Anuriel and show her the incriminating letter, she then wants to talk in private back in her
room, if you follow her closely the guards won't bother you.
> Once in her room she will reveal information about a large shipment of gold and weapons being transported to Windhelm via
wagon, a little more persuasion gives you some gold in advance. SAVE.
> Now head back to the Rift Imperial camp, SAVE, and inform Rikke of the shipment of gold. She wants you to meet up with some
Imperial scouts who believe they have already located a suspicious wagon heading from Riften to Windhelm.
> Head out to the marker on your map, the scouts are waiting just below 'Shor's Watchtower' in the northeast corner of the Rift. Do
not approach from the north, instead meet up with your Imperials before approaching the wagon, once there SAVE.
> Hadvar will be leading the scouts, talk to him and he will reveal that the wagon has halted just up the road, but the Stormcloaks
outnumber you. Hadvar has a plan to even out the numbers, he wants you to sneak towards the wagon, in the meantime his scouts
will take out the sentry, and position themselves above the caravan and await your signal to attack with volleys of arrows.
> You can suggest to wait until night time for improved stealth if you like, either way, when you're ready progress towards the
wagon. Now, despite Hadvar's plan, he actually intended for you to take out the sentry, a bow is best, but if you don't have one
sneak right up behind the sentry and stealth kill him with a blade, if you lack even a blade, then you should just storm in and kill
everyone.
> When you take out the sentry the scouts will not hide above the caravan as was planned, instead only Hadvar will and the other
scouts will attack directly with swords. Attack the Stormcloaks in your preferred style, when they are all dead, SAVE.
> Return to Hadvar and speak to him, this will complete this quest, SAVE. Due to a possible bug Hadvar may not allow you to report
to him after the battle, this will make it impossible to finish the quest. Leaving the area and waiting for a few in-game days before
trying to talk to him again can allow you to finally report to him.
The Battle for Fort Greenwall

glitches.
> Report to Legate Rikke at the Rift Imperial Camp to obtain new orders, SAVE.
Now is the time to take the most important fort, 'Fort Greenwall', this fort is important in that taking it unlocks the missable 'War
Hero' achievement.
External image
> Fort Greenwall is located just north of Riften, as you can see from the picture above, it is not heavily defended, there are many
weak points of entry. However do not approach the fort from the southeast, instead meet up with the Imperials that are gathered
nearby and SAVE.
> Once you meet with your allies the assault will begin, another percentage counter will begin tracking your progress, eliminate all
the Stormcloak soldiers around the exterior of the fort, there is no need to enter the interior for the quest. However, you may want
to check out the interior of the fort for the One-Handed Skill Book 'Mace Etiquette' found in the Captain's quarters.
> Once they are slaughtered to a man, SAVE, the fort is taken and the War Hero achievement will unlock:

War Hero19 (10)
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After this it is OK to finish the Main Story quest 'The Fallen', however if you trigger the optional quest 'Season Unending' you have to
negotiate the ownership of the various forts and Holds around Skyrim. This may result in you having to retake forts that you've
already taken or lead to the current enemy forts being taken by negotiation. It is advisable to continue with the Civil War until it is
complete.
Rescue From Fort Kastav

glitches.
> Return to General Tullius in the Castle Dour, report your success at Fort Greenwall and receive your reward. Tullius will promote
you to the rank of 'Tribune', SAVE.
> Now is the time to take Winterhold, but there is a complication; the main fort controlling the Hold, Fort Kastav, has captured some
of your Imperial friends, and they must first be rescued from the fort.
> Travel to the 'Winterhold Imperial Camp' just east of Dawnstar, SAVE.
Due to a possible bug, when Tullius sends you to Legate Rikke at the camp, she may not offer the 'Reporting for duty' dialogue
option needed to proceed. Repeatedly asking General Tullius, 'How is the war going?' seems to fix the issue, Rikke will eventually
present the option. You may have to ask him each time you complete the missions, or alternatively you could try attacking her until
she retaliates, then sheath your weapon and open dialogue again; this will sometimes work.
> Find Rikke and report in, Fort Kastav is a modest snow-veiled fort located to the north west of Windhelm, just along the west road
from the camp past 'Stillborn Cave'.
> You will be attacking the fort from the inside, to successfully complete this quest you must not be detected by the Stormcloaks
before you free the prisoners. Firstly meet the Imperials gathered near the fort, they are located on a cliff, to your southeast, just
southwest of the fort itself. To avoid detection you should fast travel to a location to the west or southwest of the fort, such as the
'Nightgate Inn', 'Forsaken Cave', or 'Fort Dunstad'. This will allow you to approach the meeting point without passing the fort and
being detected.
> Once you have met up with your allies, SAVE, you may find that some or all of them have been killed by hostile creatures, but
Hadvar, at least, will be there. Find Hadvar and speak to him, his plan is for you to sneak into the prison section of the fort through a
grate located outside the walls. You are then to kill the Stormcloaks guarding the prisoners and free them. Then you will attack the
main courtyard with the prisoners and Hadvar will assist from the outside with any remaining allies you have left.
> You can wait for night if you wish, but it isn't really necessary, when you're ready SAVE, and sneak over to the grate near the walls.
> In the highly unlikely event that you are detected you will fail the stealth objective but not the quest, it is up to you whether you
want to continue or reload the previous save and proceed undetected.
> Once inside, SAVE, kill the '3' guards before releasing the '4' prisoners, the prisoners are unarmed and wouldn't be much help if
released anyway. Once the guards are dead, SAVE, release the prisoners and they will equip themselves with armour and weapons
from a chest on the level above.
You may want to check out the Captain's quarters for the Block Skill Book 'Warrior'.
> Now head up and out into the courtyard, Hadvar will join you in the fight to take over the courtyard and subsequently the whole
fort.
> Note that there will not be a percentage of Stormcloaks remaining this time, just kill all the Stormcloaks with a marker on them
and the fort will be secured. Report now to Hadvar and the quest is complete.
The Battle for Fort Amol

> Report back to General Tullius in Solitude, SAVE, it seems there is one more obstacle before the Imperials can march on the city of
Windhelm - 'Fort Amol'.
glitches.
> Head out to the 'Eastmarch Imperial Camp' to obtain new orders, the camp is located to the southeast of Windhelm, just north of
'Stony Creek Cave'.
> Once there SAVE, talk to Rikke, she will give orders to meet with an Imperial force near the fort and storm the fort directly.
Due to a possible bug, you may not get the option to 'Report for Duty'. Simply exiting conversation and talking to Rikke again may fix
this. Alternatively, if Rikke offers dialogue other than 'Report for duty', such as 'Why did you join the Imperials', or similar, select
those conversations first. The 'Report for duty' dialogue option may then appear. Also conjuring an Atronach in the middle of the
camp, then killing it may fix this.
> Fort Amol is a very basic fortress located to the east of Whiterun, northeast of Ivarstead, and just northeast of 'Lost Knife Hideout'.
Do not approach the fort from the northeast, instead take the road from the west, perhaps from 'Hillgrund's Tomb', and meet up
with your forces on the south road, SAVE.
> Once you meet with your allies the assault will begin, a percentage counter will begin tracking your progress this time, so eliminate
all the Stormcloak soldiers around the fort, there is no need to enter the interior for the quest.
You may want to check out the interior of the fort for the Enchantment Skill Book 'Catalogue of Armor Enchantments' found on a
cupboard near the arcane enchanter.
> Once they are slaughtered to a man, SAVE, the final fort is taken and the quest is complete, SAVE.
The Battle for Windhelm

> Report back to Legate Rikke at the 'Eastmarch Imperial Camp' for your next orders, SAVE.
> Rikke will be pleased with your victory at Amol and she will now give the order to join the main attack on the city Windhelm, SAVE.
> Go to Windhelm, you'll have to fast travel to somewhere outside the city, such as 'Morvunskar' or 'Brandy Mug Farm', join your
Imperial soldiers and General Tullius himself at the main gates of the city, SAVE.
> After a speech Tullius will lead the attack through the gates, follow him inside the city.
> Once inside SAVE, after entering the city you will be met with an infinite wave of Stormcloaks, take an immediate left and head
west. Break the barricade leading to the market square. Upon reaching the square, turn right past the blacksmith's forge and go
behind the smelter, travel north to the cemetery.
> Once there, SAVE, take a left down the steps, then take the steps north past the 'Hall of the Dead'. After reaching the top of the
steps and breaking the barricade head east down the alley. Once you reach the end of the alley, turn left and head north up the
steps, destroy the barricade, and proceed to the Palace of the Kings, where Ulfric and his second in command, Galmar Stone-Fist,
will be hold up.
> Enter the Palace, SAVE, you'll find the rebel Stormcloak leader Ulfric upon his throne with Galmar standing at his side. General
Tullius and Legate Rikke will enter with you, after some heated dialogue Ulfric and Galmar will attack. You will have to kill Galmar,
but Ulfric, still being an essential character at this point, and therefore immortal will only be beaten down and consequently
surrender. SAVE.
> General Tullius will give you the option to kill or spare Ulfric, whatever you choose your reward is the same and Ulfric dies, SAVE.
This completes the quest Battle For Windhelm unlocking the final Civil War achievement:

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> After some more dialogue the final quest; Reunification of Skyrim will be complete. Meet Tullius and Rikke outside for the final
speech, SAVE, this completes the Civil War quest line for good.
After the completion of this quest, the Imperials will install 'Brunwulf Free-Winter' as the new Jarl of Windhelm. If you later
approach him, he will grant you the privilege of buying property in Windhelm and the opportunity to become the Thane of
Eastmarch.
Big thank you to The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages with permission for use of content granted under the Attribution-ShareAlike 2.5
Skyrim Game Guide.
External image
This faction operates out of the city of Whiterun, they serve as hired warriors to the people of Skyrim. The Companions have long
served honourably in this region, much like the Fighter's Guild in other parts of Tamriel, however they specifically follow the
tradition of the 'Five Hundred Companions of Ysgramor'. Any able bodied man or woman of any race can join these noble folk but
they must prove themselves worthy before they can be counted as one of them, and perhaps learn the true secret of what it takes
to be, a Companion.
There are '3' quest related achievements that are unlocked by completing the Companions quest line from start to finish. You can
join the Companions at any time and complete quests as and when you like, they do not conflict with any other quest lines
significantly.
A Note On Bugs
Skyrim can be very buggy, please refer to the 'General Hints and Tips' page for more information and how best to avoid these bugs. I
have placed clear 'warnings in bold text' against actions that have the potential to trigger bugs. Many bugs were never properly fixed
by updates and although it is not 100% guaranteed that any given bug will occur, you should heed every warning since some cannot
be fixed, even by reloading a previous save. I will also advise 'SAVE' points. I have designed these save points specifically for each
quest and failing to save at these points can cause you to repeat long stretches of quests should you die or hit a bug.
Take up Arms
> Joining the Companions is a simple feat, head to the city of Whiterun and find the Nordic longhouse just below Dragonsreach, it's
in the Winds District.
External image
This unique building is called the 'Jorrvaskr' (Jorrvaskr was the name of the ship that sailed from Atmora under the command of
Ysgramor. The crew carried the ship across Skyrim and made it their shelter when it's captain, 'Jeek of the River' founded the city of
Whiterun around it).
> Once inside SAVE, talk to anyone there about joining the Companions, they will all direct you to their temporary leader 'Kodlak
Whitemane' who deals with new recruits. Kodlak should be downstairs in the living quarters. Talk to him and he will agree to let you
join as long as you can complete a few tasks.
You may also want to read the Skill Books, if you haven't already, in the Jorrvaskr; The Heavy Armour Skill Book 'Hallgerd's Tale' on a
table in the main hall, the Archery Skill Book 'Lessons in Marksmanship' found in a display case in Aela's room in the living quarters
and 'Song Hrormir' found also in the living quarters there, near Kodlak.
> Your first task for the Companions is to go out to the courtyard with Vilkas and show him your sword arm. Give his shield a few
whacks and then he'll give you his sword and tell you to get 'Eorlund Grey-Mane' to sharpen it, SAVE.
> Go to the 'Skyforge' just up the path, grab the Smithing Skill Book 'The Armorer's Challenge' and talk to Eorlund. After you have the
sword sharpened, Eorlund will hand you a shield that you have to give to a female Nord called 'Aela the Huntress'. Return her shield
then IMPORTANT: SAVE and keep this save until you have completed the next quest below. Now follow 'Farkas' to your quarters.
You are now a fresh recruit in the service of the Companions. That completes the first Companion quest and unlocks your first
Companion achievement:
Take Up Arms in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Take Up Arms13 (10)
Join the Companions
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Radiant Quest
> After you are shown to your new quarters, Farkas will ask you to talk to your fellow guild members and complete one job for them
before returning. This introduces you to a special aspect of the game called 'Radiant Quests'. Radiant quests are randomly generated
mini side-quests that can be repeated indefinitely- no matter how many of these you complete you can always ask for more. Other
factions and various people in Skyrim can give you these radiant quests but they are usually selected from a specific pool of quests
for any given quest giver. In this case you will either receive:
Animal Extermination: Depending on your character level this task is to kill a Wolf, Sabre Cat or Bear etc that has invaded any one of
'42' randomly selected houses in Skyrim. Be careful with area effect spells and Shouts as you may encounter innocent people inside
some houses.
Animal Extermination 2: This is similar to Animal Extermination but more difficult, you are to kill the boss beast of any one of '17'
randomly selected animal dens in Skyrim.
If this quest selects a place that you have already 'cleared' (indicated on your map) you should reload your previous save and get a
different quest. The reason for this; is that there is a possible bug that causes the boss beast to be already dead if you have cleared
the selected cave before. This will make any further progression in the Companion's quest line impossible.
If you have not cleared the animal den before travel out to it and kill the main boss beast inside (indicated by a floating quest
marker). This will usually be a higher level creature than the normal occupants in the den, who incidentally do not need to be killed
to complete the quest.
Hired Muscle: This involves finding a certain individual, and 'brawling' (see Miscellaneous Achievement s page), with them until they
yield. This can be any one of '400' randomly selected people throughout Skyrim. Your target may be in an area classed as
'trespassing' and the dialogue will consequently loop, preventing you from initiating a brawl. In this case you can either; assault the
target and then run to a non-trespassing location out in public, where the target will follow you. You can then yield by sheathing
weapons, calm the target by using the 'Voice of the Emperor' power or a calm spell, pay the fine, or go to jail and hurry back to the
target. You can also; clear the quest from your active quest list by killing the target and thus failing the quest. After killing the target,
return to Farkas and he will give you a lesser amount of gold for your payment before allowing you to take another job.
Trouble in Skyrim: This is similar to Animal Extermination 2 but here you will be tasked with killing the humanoid leader / boss of any
one of '118' randomly selected locations. These can be anything from bandit hideouts, draugr tombs, vampire lairs and even giant
camps. Again, you only need to kill the boss of the dungeon, all the other occupants are optional targets.
If, for whatever reason, the quest glitches and you cannot find nor kill the boss, the only known fix is to reload the save I told you to
keep before receiving the quest and getting a different quest or trying again.
Family Heirloom: This will task you with retrieving a random item from any one of '76' randomly selected locations in Skyrim. These
locations can be inhabited with either; bandits, Falmer, vampires, warlocks, the Forsworn or giants, however you do not need to
actually kill any of them. If you are a Thief class then sneaking in and taking the item without being detected would complete the
quest just as well as storming in and killing everyone in the area.
If, for whatever reason, the quest glitches and you cannot find the item, the only known fix is to reload the save I told you to keep
before receiving the quest and getting a different quest or trying again.
Escaped Criminal: This involves; tracking down an escaped criminal who will be randomly spawned in any possible open area in
Skyrim. You simply need to track him down and kill him, you cannot arrest him. This may prove slightly more tricky that you think
however since if you fast-travel to somewhere near to him, by the time you reach that location, the criminal may have traveled very
far away. The easiest way to track them down is to try and anticipate their movements. If you look on your map then wait an hour
and look again you may see that they are heading in a certain direction, fast-travel somewhere near to where they are heading and
then run after them. Using the Whirlwind Sprint Shout and unequiping armour will make you faster.
Rescue Mission: This is possibly the trickiest and glitchiest of the Companions' radiant quests, it involves rescuing any one of '200'
specially, and randomly selected NPC's (non-player character's) from any one of '50' randomly selected hostile locations. These
locations can be occupied by either; bandits, hagravens, Falmer, vampires or warlocks. You should kill every enemy in the area
before rescuing the NPC as they could be killed while you take them back to their home. Once every enemy is dead make regular
saves and keep an eye on your NPC while you personally escort them home.
Due to a bug the hostage may be at their village instead of the quest area. This might be resolved by entering their home, then
leaving immediately. This fix will not work for an NPC called 'Heimskr' however. Heimskr might not spawn at the hostage point and
will stay at the shrine of Talos in Whiterun. However, this might be resolved by fast traveling to outside Whiterun where he may
actually be making his way to his hostage point where he can then be rescued and taken home.
Once you complete your radiant quest return to your Companion quest giver and then find the Nord Companion 'Skjor' for your next
assignment, SAVE.
Proving Honor
> Skjor has a job for you so look for him around the Jorrvaskr. Talk to him and he tells you that your mission is to recover a fragment
of 'Wuuthrad', the axe of the former Companion's leader Ysgramor. You must speak also to Farkas before you leave, as he will be
joining you and will be judging your valour along the way.
> After you have spoken to Farkas, SAVE then make your way out to an ancient Nordic barrow called 'Dustman's Cairn' to find the
fragment, it's located to the northwest of Whiterun, just up the road from 'Redoran's Retreat'.
> Once you arrive SAVE, you shouldn't have any trouble in this ruin, it's pretty straightforward. Find the Two-handed Skill Book
'Battle of Sancre Tor' on a table in the first room. After killing some draugr you will come to a room with a locked gate, pull the lever
and you will become trapped. Farkas then gets surrounded by members of the 'Silver Hand' on the other side. Here he reveals what
he, and some other members of the Companions, really are. After the short scene SAVE and Farkas will free you.
When Farkas transforms, a bug can occur where he drops his Skyforge Steel Greatsword, and has to use a much weaker iron one
instead. You can fix this by simply putting him into command mode (target him and hold 'Activate' until the cursor changes) then
targeting the sword or a Silver Great Sword and pressing activate again. The Skyforge Sword will do a little more damage against
human enemies, but the Silver Sword will do considerably more damage against the swarms of draugr in the rooms ahead.
> Continue through to the 'Crypt', slaughtering any 'Silver Hand' who get in your way. Fight your way past more Silver Hand
members until you come to a locked door, find the key in a chest in the same room. After making it past some critters you will soon
see the fragment, SAVE. Don't forget the 'Fire Breath' 'Word Wall' up ahead. (Note that if you have already learned the first word of
the Fire Breath Shout from the Main Story this will be the second word and it will not contribute towards the 'Thu'um Master'
achievement).
> After you pick up the fragment SAVE, you will be ambushed by a large number of draugr so get ready for a fight. After you defeat
them all SAVE, the path will be clear for you to return to the Jorrvaskr.
When you return back to Whiterun, the Companions will hold an official induction meeting. When it's over the quest is complete.
When returning to Whiterun and taking place in the ceremony inducting you into the Companions, a bug can occur where the other
participants in the ceremony stop talking, causing the quest to remain incomplete. To fix this you can talk to Vilkas upon your return
to Jorrvaskr and have him lead you to the induction ceremony, (the stopped dialogue issue seems to happen when you start the
ceremony without him). Using the wait command for one hour after the dialogue stops unfreezes the Companions and completes
the quest. You can also try committing a minor crime in front of a guard, such as failing a pickpocket attempt, before the ceremony
begins. Afterwards, a guard will confront you about your crime, allowing you to leave by being taken to jail. Once you serve your jail
time or escape, return to Jorrvaskr and talk to Kodlak to complete the quest.
The Silver Hand

> You will be asked to complete another radiant quest before continuing with the main Companion's quest line, see the details
above for guidance.
> After completing a radiant quest SAVE and find Skjor, he will ask you to meet him at the 'Underforge' at night, the secret entrance
can be found under the Skyforge by the Jorrvaskr.
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When it's dark talk to Skjor, and he'll let you into the Underforge. Skjor has invited you to participate in a blood ritual that will give
you the blessing or curse (depending on how you see it), of becoming a werewolf. Complete the ritual and you will get the following
achievement:
Blood Oath in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Blood Oath16 (10)
Become a member of the Circle
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> After the ritual you will end up outside the forge in werewolf form. The best thing to do here is to go back into the Underforge as
soon as you've transformed and use the secret exit that leads you out of the city. You can then kill some animals for werewolf xp if
you like. Otherwise, to avoid unwanted casualties, you can simply press the cn_back button to wait a while after exiting the
Underforge, this causes your werewolf bloodlust power to wear off, and the next scene to unfold.
> You will then wake up in the middle of nowhere, naked, with Aela, SAVE. Speak with her and she invites you to kill some Silver
Hand werewolf hunters located in a small fort nearby, called 'Gallow's Rock'. You can attack the camp in werewolf form and feast on
the bodies to stay in that form for longer. If you want to return to your normal race you have to wait. Butcher your way past an army
of Silver Hand members and take out their leader. Once they are all dead SAVE (and keep this save until you completed the quest
'Purity of Revenge'), then speak to Aela. This completes this quest.
Blood's Honor
> You must now complete at least two more radiant quests, one specifically for Aela, before you can continue.
> After completing the quests SAVE, then find and speak to Kodlak, he has picked up on your recent campaign against the Silver
Hand. He tells you the story of how the Companions became werewolves and wants you to help lift the curse. He sends you to a
hagraven den in the northwest of Falkreath called 'Glenmoril Coven' to retrieve the heads of the Glenmoril Witches who have
ensnared the Companions in their magic.
> When you enter the den SAVE, find the first witch in the main chamber, she is like a more powerful variety of hagraven. Once she
is dead make sure to loot her head from her corpse.
> The other witches will be found in various chambers around the coven. The Destruction Skill Book 'The Horror of Castle Xyr' is in a
tent in the north western chamber and the Enchanting Skill Book 'A Tragedy in Black' is in the northern most chamber. Kill all five
witches and retrieve all of their heads, SAVE. You will want to keep a hold of at least three Glenmoril witch heads, as they are one of
the only ways to cure Lycanthropy.
> When you return back to the Jorrvaskr you'll notice that it has been attacked by the Silver Hand while you were away. Step inside
and you see that Kodlak has been killed. Speak to Vilkas and he tells you that the Silver Hand stole the fragments of Wuuthrad during
the attack. You and Vilkas are going to get them back, killing any Silver Hand who dare try stopping you. SAVE.
Purity of Revenge
> Travel with Vilkas to an old ruined fort called 'Driftshade Refuge' located to the southeast of Dawnstar.
If Driftshade Refuge has already been cleared, this quest cannot be started normally without a workaround. Before you begin
Blood's Honor, wait 30 in-game days after you have cleared Driftshade Refuge to allow that dungeon to reset (you will have to revert
to a slightly earlier save to do this). This should allow Purity of Revenge to begin normally upon completion of Blood's Honor. An easy
way to check if the dungeon has been reset is to check the doors, if they have all been shut, it is reset (e.g., if the formerly barred
door is barred again).
> This fort is heavily guarded but you and Vilkas should have no trouble battling your way through. Kill the two guards outside and
the archer on the roof.
> Once inside SAVE, fight your way through to 'Driftshade Cellar'. After the first turn follow the path ahead, make use of the spike
wall trap to kill the enemy there. Activate the trap again and run to the area behind it for a treasure chest. Hit the pull-bar on the
wall to get back out, and head forward to another room with two enemies and, hidden on a shelf, find the Light Armor Skill Book
'The Rear Guard'.
> After passing through a torture chamber, the next large room contains more enemies. Take the only available path, leading back to
an initially inaccessible part of Driftshade Refuge. The first chamber contains the three remaining members of the Silver Hand, the
One-handed Skill Book '2920 Morning Star V1', the Block Skill Book 'Warrior', and the stolen Fragments of Wuuthrad, SAVE.
> Use the door to the south for an easy escape route, then return to Jorrvaskr. As soon as you arrive, Vilkas will inform you that you
should meet up at the Skyforge and pay your respects to the deceased albeit avenged, Whitemane. This will end the quest and start
the next quest 'Glory of the Dead', SAVE.
Glory of The Dead

> This is the final mission for the Companions. After you have returned to the Jorrvaskr with the fragments go up to the Skyforge and
attend Kodlak's funeral.
> After the ceremony SAVE, Eorlund asks for the fragments you collected. Hand them over and he will also tell you to go and get
Kodlak's fragment, which is kept in his chambers. Retrieve it and hand it over to Eorlund then meet your Companions in the
Underforge. A meeting is held where you agree to cleanse Kodlak of the taint of the beast. Eorlund will reforge the fragments into
the 'Axe of Wuuthrad' and give it to you. You are to take the axe with you to the ancient Nordic ruin known as 'Ysgramor's Tomb'.
> Ysgramor's Tomb is located to the northwest of Winterhold, fast travel there and SAVE. Before you venture towards the tomb you
should take this opportunity to visit the 'Tower' Standing Stone, it's on a high snowy cliff to the west of Winterhold, southwest of
'Pilgrim's Trench' and east of 'Yngvild'.
> Once inside 'Ysgramor's Tomb' SAVE, proceed through with Vilkas, Aela and Farkas and place Wuuthrad on the statue to open the
door. Vilkas will stay behind, so set off with your other two Companions. You'll be battling a lot of ghosts in here. The fighting can get
a little tough sometimes so don't be afraid to fall back a little and let your friends do the work.
> Not too long into the ruin Farkas will tell you that he can't go any further as he is terrified of spiders! SAVE, and continue on to the
third chamber, use the handle on the pedestal to access the northern room, where four more ghosts await. Dispose of them and find
the Two-handed Skill Book 'The Legendary Sancre Tor' before entering the burial chamber, SAVE.
> Kodlak's spirit will appear and talk to you. He asks you to cure him by throwing one of the Glenmoril witch heads into the fire,
allowing him now to go to Sovngarde. Be careful when you throw the head in though as Kodlak's 'Wolf Spirit' will appear and fight
you. It's can be a tough fight so be prepared. When you defeat the spirit SAVE and talk to Kodlak.
> Kodlak will thank you and make you the new harbinger of the Companions before he ascends to Sovngarde. The quest is now
complete and you will unlock your last Companion achievement:
Glory of the Dead in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Glory of the Dead54 (30)
Complete "Glory of the Dead"
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> When you're ready to leave, locate the chest on the north eastern ledge and claim the 'Shield of Ysgramor', then exit through the
nearby door by activating a chain.
> Go up the stairs, and through another short hallway before arriving at another wall with a chain. Pulling the chain opens the wall to
the first chamber. Before leaving you can take 'Wuuthrad' from Ysgramor's statue if you didn't earlier. Exit the tomb through the
newly opened western passageway, not the main entrance. Follow the set of stairs outside up the mountain to discover the 'Animal
Allegiance' 'Word Wall'.
Skyrim Game Guide.
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The College of Winterhold is a faction for the mages of Skyrim. It is situated far to the north near the city of 'Winterhold', on a cliff
overlooking the 'Sea of Ghosts'. It is led by the Arch-Mage 'Savos Aren'. The guild is also independent from the Mage's Guild of
Tamriel, so some arts, such as necromancy, are not illegal. A lot of people also distrust this guild and blame them for the 'Great
Collapse'- a disaster that struck Winterhold some years ago when the land around the city crumbled and destroyed much of the city.
However, the College itself was left completely unharmed. If you're interested in joining the college, and furthering your magical
knowledge, simply head there and find the entrance to the bridge on the west side of Winterhold.
There are '3' achievements unlocked by completing the College of Winterhold quest line to the end. These are all quest based
achievements and cannot be missed. You cross paths with the Main Story during the quest 'Elder Knowledge', this requires you to
gain entrance to the College to talk to 'Urag gro-Shub' in the Arcanaeum.
Being suspended from the college

If you commit a major crime against any member of the College of Winterhold, such as assault or murder, you will be suspended
from the college and will no longer be able complete quests for them until you have completed the automatically assigned quest
'Rejoining the College'. This simply involves finding 'Tolfdir', the college elder, and paying him a fine of gold. Tolfdir will move around
depending on what stage you are at in the College of Winterhold quest line; after the quest 'Under Saarthal' he will most likely be
found in the final chamber of Saarthal, studying the 'Eye of Magnus'. Later, after starting 'Hitting the Books', Tolfdir will move to the
'Hall of the Elements'. After The 'Eye of Magnus' quest is completed, he is usually found in the 'Hall of Attainment'. His room is the
first to the left from the entrance on the ground floor. The fine for the first incident is 250 gold. If you commit another crime and
receive the quest again, the fine climbs to 500 gold. It increases to 750 gold for the third incident, and 1,000 gold for each incident
thereafter. Once the fine is paid you are free to continue your quests with the college.
First Lessons
Before heading out to Winterhold to join the college you may want to check if you have enough magicka to complete the quest's
first challenge. You need as much as 135 magicka. If you do not have enough Fortify Magicka apparel or potions, one option is to
visit the 'Temple of the Divines' in 'Solitude' and activate the 'Shrine of Julianos' to obtain 25 more magicka. If you have the
Dragonborn DLC, you may choose the 'Secret of Arcana' power from the black book 'Filament and Filigree' and all your spells will
cost no magicka for 30 seconds.
> Once in Winterhold SAVE, follow the main road west and approach the bridge connecting the town to the College of Winterhold.
Standing at the approach of the bridge is an Altmer sorceress named 'Faralda'. She will ask you about your intentions and what you
expect to find by entering the college. There will be several dialogue options available. but regardless of what you choose, Faralda
will say that you must take a small test to show that you have some degree of skill with magic.
> Agree to take the test and Faralda will randomly select a spell for you to cast. This may be either casting a Firebolt, conjuring a
Flame Atronach, casting a Fear spell, or Casting Magelight at the eye-shaped seal next to her or it may be casting a Healing Hands
spell on her. If you do not have the spell she asks of you, she will offer to teach it to you for 30 gold. You must cast the spell at the
circular symbol on the floor behind Faralda. You can, if you wish, use a Speech skill of 100 to persuade Faralda and avoid the test.
When Faralda is convinced she will let you pass into the college, SAVE.
This unlocks the first College of Winterhold achievement:
Gatekeeper in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Gatekeeper14 (10)
Join the College of Winterhold
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> Faralda will take you across the bridge and then tell you to talk to a Breton elemental mage named 'Mirabelle Ervine', activate the
quest 'First Lessons' in your journal if it isn't active already.
> Mirabelle Ervine welcomes you to the College, she gives you some mage's robes, and takes you on a short tour. After this you have
to go and see the elder mage 'Tolfdir', who is giving a lecture on safety. He asks you to help him with a quick demonstration.
> He will give you a basic 'Ward' spell, equip it from the magic menu. Stand where the quest marker is then use the ward spell,
Tolfdir will cast a low level destruction spell at you and it will hit the ward causing no damage to you.
> After this Tolfdir invites you to take part in an excavation at the old Nordic ruin of 'Saarthal', SAVE.
Under Saarthal
> Saarthal is only a short distance away, to the southwest of the college, so just head out on foot. Before you reach the ruin
however, you should take this opportunity to visit the 'Tower' Standing Stone, (if you didn't during the Companions quest line), it's
on a detour to your right as you approach Saarthal. The stone is on a high snowy cliff to the west of Winterhold, northeast of 'Hob's
Fall Cave' and southeast of 'Yngvild'.
> Meet Tolfdir and the other students at the excavation site just outside Saarthal. After some dialogue head inside and SAVE.
> You're told to find a Breton conjurer called 'Arniel Gane', he can be found a bit deeper into the ruin, through the passageways west
of the second chamber. Arniel will update your quest and mark four magical items for you that he wants you to retrieve, SAVE.
> Although four items are marked you only need the 'Ancient Amulet', the other three rings that are scattered about the floor are
irrelevant. The Ancient Amulet can be found at the northern-most end of the passageways, suspended in front of a brightly-lit,
arched section of the wall. As soon as you pick up the Amulet, a spear trap activates behind you, locking you into the small space.
Tolfdir will suggest that you try using the amulet. In your inventory, it is listed as the 'Saarthal Amulet' (under apparel), and has an
enchantment that reduces spell costs by 3%. Equipping the amulet will trigger a visible resonance effect in the wall where you found
it, causing Tolfdir to suggest casting any targeted spell or Shout at the wall while wearing the amulet to collapse it. This allows Tolfdir
to approach you, SAVE.
> Once both you and Tolfdir have made it to the small burial room at the end of the new passageway, a ghostly apparition identified
as 'Nerien' appears, with dire warnings. Nerien then vanishes, leaving you alone with Tolfdir, who didn't see or hear the ghost. When
you tell him what happened, he is confused. Tolfdir suggests that you search the coffins in the room. Kill the two leveled draugr, who
jump out and attack, uncovering the way forward through the back of one of the coffins, SAVE.
> From this point until the end of the dungeon, Saarthal is a typical Nordic Ruin, containing leveled draugr enemies. Tolfdir will
accompany you one room further, to the end of the 'Saarthal Excavation' zone. However, you are on your own for most of the
second zone of the dungeon. Tolfdir will re-appear when you are approaching the end of the dungeon SAVE.
> You'll come to a barred passage with a lever, turn the stone pillars with the symbols on to match the symbols behind each one,
then pull the lever, SAVE after this as there will be a higher level draugr sub-boss here. A little further is another puzzle of the same
type, you have to match the pillars with the symbols behind again but this time when you turn one pillar it will move others
automatically. Just anticipate the next symbol and match them all up.
> After exploring the second zone, Tolfdir will catch up with you right before you enter a large room. At the far end of this room
floats a massive spinning orb, surrounded by a swirling energy barrier, SAVE.
> Tolfdir approaches the orb but attracts the attention of 'Jyrik Gauldurson', a unique and powerful draugr who has been trapped in
Saarthal for centuries. Your initial attempts to damage Jyrik will inevitably fail, because he is drawing energy from the orb to make
himself invincible. Once Tolfdir realizes what is happening he rushes down to the orb and works on severing the connection between
Jyrik and the orb. After four seconds, Tolfdir starts to cast a lightning-like spell at the barrier surrounding the orb, which succeeds in
making Jyrik vulnerable. Tolfdir spends the rest of the battle maintaining his spell, leaving you to take care of Jyrik.
> Once you have killed Jyrik, SAVE. If you wish you can loot his corpse for the 'Gauldur Amulet Fragment' and 'Writ of Sealing', both
of which are necessary for the 'Forbidden Legend' side-quest; if you had not previously started this quest, reading the writ or taking
the amulet fragment will trigger it.
> Jyrik's death causes the energy barrier around the orb to disappear, allowing Tolfdir to at last examine the orb more closely (and
also allowing you to access a door behind the orb). Use the door behind the orb as a shortcut back to the entrance of Saarthal, and
don't miss the 'Ice Form' 'Word Wall' along the way.
> Head back to the College, SAVE, and talk to Savos Aren, in the 'Arch-Mage's Quarters'. Savos will thank you for your help and he
will reward you. He will tell you find the Orc librarian 'Urag gro-Shub' in the 'Arcanaeum' of the college, and ask him for any possible
leads regarding the nature of the orb in Saarthal. This will end the current quest and initiate the next quest 'Hitting the Books', SAVE.
NOTE: Completing this quest has several advantages. Your rank in the College of Winterhold is increased from Student to Apprentice,
consequently your disposition with the other mages is increased. Multiple short side-quests related to the College of Winterhold are
enabled, namely 'Brelyna's Practice', 'J'zargo's Experiment', and 'Onmund's Request'.
Hitting the Books

> Talk to Urag gro-Shub, he will mention that there may be relevant information in one of three specific tomes which, unfortunately,
he no longer has. They were all borrowed some time ago by an apprentice mage named 'Orthorn' who left the college and joined a
group of renegade mages in 'Fellglow Keep'. Urag needs you to retrieve these three books.
> Leave the college, SAVE and make your way to the Fellglow Keep. On your way out you may be approached by Faralda who tells
you that the Thalmor visitor, 'Ancano', wants a word with you. If you do not see Faralda, Ancano will actively seek you out and ask
you questions about what was found in Saarthal. During this discussion you can choose to provoke him, but he will always get the
answer he seeks. Proceed out the door and SAVE.
> Fellglow Keep is located to the northeast of Whiterun, and just to the northwest of Valtheim Towers. Take this opportunity to visit
'Shearpoint' located just up the mountainside north of Fellglow Keep. Shearpoint is the only location where you can find the Dragon
Shout known as 'Throw Voice' on a Word Wall, no other quest will take you this close to it. Be careful at Shearpoint however as
you'll face a leveled dragon and a high level 'Dragon Priest' named 'Krosis' who both guard the Word Wall.
> Now head out to Fellglow Keep, once inside the first area SAVE, you will be attacked by two elemental mages and a flame
atronach. Dispose of them and locate the entrance to 'Fellglow Keep Dungeons'.
> After entering SAVE, head down the stairs and follow the path. The second flooded room is guarded by another hostile mage who
has been experimenting with frostbite spiders, kill them then proceed southeast but beware of the pressure plate that triggers a
dart trap along the way. You will arrive in a room filled with cages containing some vampire prisoners. You can use the four handles
to release them, or pick their cell locks, and they will attack the mages in the next room before leaving the dungeon peacefully.
> In the next room SAVE, kill the mage and inspect the cages. Apart from the wolves, you will also find the renegade mage 'Orthorn',
SAVE.
> Talk to Orthorn and he will offer to help you clear out the dungeon and find the missing books. Pull the lever in the middle and he
will be released from the cage. If you collect the books before talking to Orthorn he may not recognize it when you free him.
Messing with the levers can eventually trigger a quest update for him being freed. He will proceed to explain that the books were
taken by someone known as 'The Caller'. If you accept his help you'll find him to be a powerful ally. If you decline, he will head out of
the dungeon peacefully. Regardless of your choice, he is disabled later on and disappears from Skyrim.
> The nearby door leading back to Fellglow Keep is locked, so you'll have to go the long way. Go through the wooden door and make
your way through the tunnels. The next chamber has three fire mages training their destruction skill on a living vampire, sneak past
or kill them, then SAVE.
> Continue on, taking the northern path and you'll reach the 'Undercroft'. This area is guarded by necromancers, continue up the
stairs leading to the next zone, Fellglow Keep, SAVE.
> The first part of Fellglow Keep is guarded by a conjurer and an ice mage, it also contains the Conjuration Skill Book 'The Doors of
Oblivion', found on a pedestal. Open the eastern door and kill the patrolling necromancer, then proceed through the chambers and
kill all the enemies. The eastern door leads to the sleeping quarters and more enemies. Take the path that heads upstairs to a room
filled with shelves and the Destruction Skill Book 'A Hypothetical Treachery', found on a table, SAVE.
> Proceed forward, open the wooden door to the north and start climbing the tower. Before long you'll reach the 'Fellglow Ritual
Chamber' and encounter 'The Caller', do not attack her straightaway, SAVE.
> The Caller is calm, although clearly insane, but she will not attack you. Talk to her, you will have two dialogue options to choose
from: either ask her who she is, or ask for the three books. After this it is actually possible to persuade her to let you have the books.
Alternatively, if you brought Orthorn along with you, you can negotiate with her for the books. Agree to her conditions, then pick up
the book. If you simply pick up a book without first talking to her, she'll attack you. If you didn't bring Orthorn, you may have to kill
her and claim the three books (two of them are behind the Caller on the pedestals; lifting either of which spawns a Frost Atronach),
SAVE. Due to a possible bug, the door may still require a key, in this case, you will have to kill the Caller to obtain the key to the exit.
> Leave Fellglow Keep and head back to the college, when you arrive SAVE, you will find that Tolfdir has returned from Saarthal and
placed the Orb in the Hall of the Elements. Head into the Arcanaeum and find Urag. Out of the three books, he will be particularly
interested 'Night of Tears'.
> The quest ends when Urag gives you '6' Skill Books as a reward and asks you to speak to Tolfdir, the books are: the Alteration Skill
Book 'Daughter of the Niben', the Conjuration Skill Book '2920 Hearth Fire V9', the Destruction Skill Book 'Response to Bero's
Speech', the Enchanting Skill Book 'Catalogue of Weapon Enchantments', the Illusion Skill Book 'The Black Arts on Trial' and the
Restoration Skill Book 'Racial Phylogeny'. Urag will then direct you to Tolfdir for the next quest, SAVE.
Good Intentions
> Speak with Tolfdir about the findings. Tolfdir can be found in the Hall of the Elements, pondering the nature of the orb found in
Saarthal. He will explain how the markings on the orb seem to be unique, they do not appear to be Elven, Daedric, or Ayleid. The
Thalmor representative 'Ancano' will interrupt Tolfdir and demand that you follow him to meet a 'mysterious visitor' who has asked
to speak with you, SAVE.
> Follow Ancano to the Arch-Mage's quarters and you will meet a representative of the 'Psijic Order' named 'Quaranir'. Quaranir will
cause time to freeze so he can speak to you privately. He will explain; that you must prevent anyone from using the orb, which he
reveals to be known as 'the Eye of Magnus'. He will suggest that you seek out the 'Augur of Dunlain' who resides somewhere in the
College of Winterhold. Quaranir will then unfreeze time and leave, SAVE.
> Speak to either Tolfdir or Mirabelle about the Augur of Dunlain. Tolfdir will tell you about the Augur immediately, but Mirabelle
must be persuaded. Either way, you will learn that the Augur is a former student at the college, but something mysterious happened
to him. He can be found in 'The Midden', a secret underground area of the college.
> You can gain access to the Midden from a trap door in the northern corner of the courtyard, or by the stairwell in the Hall of
Countenance. Once inside SAVE, make your way to the Augur; you will encounter a few ice wraiths, frostbite spiders, draugr and
skeletons along the way, take care of them in your preferred manner and SAVE after any tricky fights.
> Proceed into 'The Midden Dark' and continue until you reach a locked door. When you approach this door, the Augur will warn you
that your efforts will only end in disappointment, and then the door will open.
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> Talk to the Augur, he will offer to help you and inform you that you will need the 'Staff of Magnus' to avert the disaster that the
Psijics warned you about, he tells you to relay this information to Savos Aren, SAVE.
> Leave the Midden and find Savos, tell him the Augur's message. He will direct you to Mirabelle for more information about the
Staff of Magnus and then give you the 'Mage's Circlet' as a reward, this completes the quest, SAVE.
Revealing the Unseen

> Speak to Mirabelle about the Staff of Magnus. She'll tell you that the members of a mystical group called the 'Synod' recently
questioned her about it too. She told them that the college did not have the staff, but she remembers the group talking about a
Dwemer ruin known as 'Mzulft'. She recommends traveling there and looking for any clues about the staff, SAVE.
> Mzulft will now be marked on your map, it's a very large Falmer infested dwarven ruin found south-southeast of Windhelm, along
the main road between Windhelm and Riften. An easy way to reach it is by traveling on the road south from Windhelm Stables
towards Riften way. Fast travel to Windhelm, SAVE and then start trekking south.
> When you enter Mzulft SAVE, you will find a Synod researcher called 'Gavros Plinius' uttering his final words as he dies in front of
you. Search his body to find a research log; reading the log reveals that he was sent to Mzulft by the Synod Council to deliver
something known as a 'focusing crystal' to the 'Oculory'. It seems this crystal has been taken from Gavros, so just take the Mzulft Key
from his corpse to unlock the adjacent door.
> Proceed through the door and into a room containing a number of Dwemer metallic items. Ascend a ramp at the far end of the
room, SAVE. At the entrance to the next large room you will encounter two dwarven spider workers, kill them and move on.
> After battling more Falmer and chaurus you will soon reach 'Mzulft Boilery', go through and SAVE.
> Continue through until you face a high-leveled Falmer in a room with a master-locked door leading to a chest and a copy of the
Alteration Skill Book 'The Lunar Lorkhan'. SAVE.
> Proceed through until you reach 'Mzulft Aedrome', once inside SAVE. Continue toward a large, multi-leveled room that can be
accessed through either of two open doorways. Inside are four leveled Falmer, one of them will be carrying Gavros' focusing crystal,
you need this to complete the quest, SAVE.
> Although your objective marker will point you westward from here, you should first obtain a key from the east side. Leave the
room through the doorway to the east and descend the ramp, then open the door at the bottom. Cross the next room and open
another door leading eastward, SAVE.
> Proceed until you reach a room containing two dead Falmer. Beyond the next door to the east possibly waits a Dwarven Centurion
of the strongest type at your level. The Centurion will not be able to fit through the door to attack you up-close, so keep your
distance and use ranged attacks. After destroying it, obtain the Mzulft Observatory key from the chest on the east side of the room,
and SAVE.
> Retrace your steps westward, back into the large room, climb the stairs to the west and open the door there with the Observatory
key. When you try to open the next door you will hear a voice of another Synod member called 'Paratus Decimius', he will assume
that you are Gavros and open the door to you, SAVE.
> Talk to Paratus and when he finds out that you have the focusing crystal, he'll agree to work with you and ask you to follow him.
You will note in your journal that you have reached the Oculory, and that your plan now is to follow Paratus to investigate further,
SAVE.
Due to a possible bug, after meeting Paratus and the journal entry changing to 'Follow Paratus', he may not move and only repeat
the previous dialogue asking who you are. The only fix is to attack him and lure him to the Oculory, then use a Calm spell to get him
out of combat and he will proceed with the quest.
> Follow Paratus as he leads you forward. When you begin to ascend a curved ramp along a giant sphere, be careful not to fall off, as
doing so can cause you to become stuck. At the top, Paratus will ask you to place the crystal into the central apparatus.
> Place the crystal by activating the 'Dwarven Armillary'. If you leave the Mzulft Aedrome after inserting the crystal, but before
focusing the Oculory with spells, it won't respond to them on your next visit, making the puzzle unsolvable; this may also occur if you
save, quit and reload after placing the crystal. When you have placed the crystal, the ring will rotate so that the focusing crystal is
positioned at the top. Your objective will become to 'focus the Oculory'. You will now have two objective markers; one pointing at
the device in the center of the room, and another at an elevated control console at the southeast part of the room. You can ask
Paratus what to do next.
> Paratus will indicate that you should direct some fire and frost spells onto the crystal to change the way the light beams point. If
you look upward, you will see that the device receives one beam of light vertically, and splits it into three beams projected in various
upward directions. The ultimate goal is to converge all of the beams into a pattern that will project an image on the wall below the
control console.
Make sure to SAVE before you start the sequence:
If you do not have both the Flames and Frostbite destruction spells, you can climb the ramp at the southeast and obtain either spell
from the tomes on the table there. Only the 'Frostbite' frost spell will work; if you attempt to use any other type of frost spell it
won't move the beams into the correct position.
Return to the same position you assumed when placing the crystal.
Notice that there are three horizontal blue bands circling the upper portion of the room, each with a round reflector positioned at
some point around it.
Direct a Frostbite spell into the middle of the ring where you placed the crystal. When the beams move, cast a second Frostbite spell.
When the beams move again, cast a third Frostbite spell. Note that other combinations of the Flames and Frostbite spells may also
work. Do not use other spells.
Ensure that each of the three beams of light are now pointing into the middle of each blue band (none of the beams should point to
the horizontal gold rims that separate the bands). You will need to move around to check all three beams.
Walk up the ramp in the southeast part of the room and use the buttons to rotate the bands until the round reflector on each band
aligns with a light beam. The left button controls the top band, so press that until the beam aimed at the centre of the top band
meets the reflector. Then use the middle button to do the same for the middle band, and the right button to do so for the lower
band. A sequence that will result in the proper alignment is:
Activate the left button once.
Activate the middle button six times.
Activate the right button five times.
> When the Oculory is correctly focused Paratus will be excited, but then he'll realize that there is something wrong. He will say that
the map should show more, and speculate that there is some kind of interference coming from Winterhold. Paratus will accuse you
of trying to sabotage the Synod's efforts and demand that you explain yourself, but whatever the course of the conversation Paratus
will let you know that the map indicates the Staff of Magnus is in the gigantic Nordic ruin known as 'Labyrinthian'. You must now
report this information to the Arch-Mage, Savos Aren, SAVE.
> Take the shortcut out of Mzulft; leave the room containing the Oculory. A short distance ahead, just past the barrels in the hallway,
there is an exit door to the right. If you turn toward it, 'Nerien', the Psijic Order member who appeared to you in Saarthal, will visit
you again. Nerien will warn you that you will encounter great difficulties ahead, but he'll also assure you that you are on the right
path and that you will prevail. He will then urge you to return to the College of Winterhold immediately.
> Return to Winterhold but do not leave your horse there as it will be killed during the next quest (unless it's Shadowmere). Go to
the College and SAVE, enter the Hall of the Elements, you'll find Arch-Mage Savos and Mirabelle in a panic. The gate to the room
containing the Eye of Magnus is blocked by a barrier that Mirabelle says is some kind of unknown magic ward, and she thinks
Ancano is using the Eye to produce it. They will then start to break it down by casting destruction spells.
> If you speak to Savos, he will ask for your help in destroying the barrier, and say that they need to know what Ancano is doing in
there. You can help break down the barrier with destruction spells, but you don't have to, the barrier will break and they will rush
into the room and confront Ancano.
> Mirabelle will warn Savos not to go near Ancano, but Savos will cast a spell at him, the room will go all white, and the next thing
you know you will be waking up in the Hall of the Elements with Mirabelle. She will ask for your help in finding the Arch Mage Savos,
SAVE, this will complete the quest, activate the next quest 'Containment' and unlock the achievement:
Revealing the Unseen in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Revealing the Unseen18 (10)
Complete "Revealing the Unseen"
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Containment
> After speaking with Mirabelle go out into the College's main courtyard and you will find the body of Arch Mage Savos with a group
of mages there. Tolfdir will come over and tell you that whatever killed Savos has also affected the town of Winterhold.
> Tolfdir sends you out to the town to see if you can help. Go over the bridge, Faralda and Arniel will be waiting for you. Faralda will
ask you about the situation. You can tell her that Winterhold is in danger and then proceed to the town. Faralda and Arniel will
follow you.
> Once in the town SAVE, you'll find 'Magic Anomalies' floating around, these are hostile fast moving spheres of energy that attack
you with frost damage. They explode upon defeat, leaving behind soul gems in their 'ghostly remains'.
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Magic Anomalies are levelled without a set maximum, this leads to much longer fights for high level players but also presents a good
opportunity to fill many grand soul gems.
> Destroy all ten of them with the help of Faralda and Arniel, and secure the town. One of the anomalies may not appear and is likely
under the world or in a wall, or it has fallen to the bottom of the cliff near the city. Fast traveling back to the town may fix this.
> Return to the College and report back to Mirabelle. When you find her, SAVE, she will tell you that she and Tolfdir are trying to
keep the Eye of Magnus contained, but they are struggling without the Staff of Magnus. Tell her that you have to travel to
Labyrinthian to gain the staff, she gives you the 'Torc of Labyrinthian' and 'Savos Aren's Amulet' to help you on your journey there.
This completes the quest and begins 'The Staff of Magnus quest', SAVE.
Even after this quest has been completed anomalies will continue to spawn and attack the people of Winterhold, so it's best to leave
as soon as you are prompted to, to avoid character's deaths.
The Staff of Magnus

NOTE: If you are a vampire you should take extra caution in Labyrinthian, there is a possible glitch that causes vampires to take sun
damage in the daytime even when inside this ruin. It may be advantageous to finish any vampire related quests or achievements and
then return to this quest later.
> Now it's time to head out to Labyrinthian, it'll be marked on your map, it's in the mountains somewhat southeast of Morthal, it is
quite a large ruin so you should take some time to prepare yourself.
> Once there SAVE, after fighting some frost trolls outside you will arrive at the 'Ceremonial Door', here a ghostly image of a younger
Savos Aren and five mage adventurers from the college; 'Atmah', 'Girduin', 'Takes-In-Light', 'Hafnar Ice-Fist' and 'Elvali Veren', will
appear. Apparently, the late Arch-Mage explored the ruins years before and you are going to be able to witness this expedition on
your way through.
> Labyrinthian is a pretty straightforward dungeon, however it is quite large and there are lots of undead enemies within. At the
opposite end of the first room, on your right, you will find a spell tome on an altar. Proceed through a passage leading to a closed
gate opening to a wide room. Levers on each side of the gate can be used to raise it, but it will fall down after a few seconds. A
number of skeletons await beyond the gate, as well as a dangerous 'Skeletal Dragon'. It is possible to raise the gate and shoot
through the open entrance without entering, so you can eliminate the dragon before going into the room. In addition, the dragon
doesn't seem to be able to fit through the gate, so if you have entered, you can retreat back through it to take cover. Whatever you
do, do not use 'Nightingale Subterfuge' on the Skeletal Dragon' you can cause a glitch that reanimates it permanently.
> After all enemies are dead, SAVE, descend the stairs where another ghostly scene will show the events of Girduin’s death. Take a
moment to read the etched tablet introducing visitors to the great city of 'Bromjunaar', then proceed into 'Labyrinthian Chasm',
SAVE.
> Opening the door, you will find twin staircases, take the right-hand staircase leading down. When you emerge into the chamber
you will hear the Dragon Priest 'Morokei’s' voice, he will address you in the dragon language. As he speaks, a large portion of your
magicka will drain. As his voice subsides, you'll notice a closed door covered in ice, from which a frost spirit will emerge. After
destroying the enemies in this room, cast a flame spell at the icy door to open it.
> Enter the chasm beyond, SAVE, Morokei will speak again, draining your magicka. From the doorway, you will see a draugr standing
below. There are several more draugr roaming this area, after eliminating them enter the tunnel to find a door guarded by a
lightning rune, you can destroy these using destruction spells, preferably ranged. Behind the next door is another draugr along with
a useful 'Equilibrium' spell tome.
> Return to the chasm and descend another level, SAVE. There are several more draugr down here, so be on your guard. The
passageway will fork, with a bridge in front of you and a side passage going deeper into the chasm. You will hear Morokei's voice for
a third time, this time speaking in English, trying to engage you in conversation.
> Take the path along the side wall, instead of the bridge, to reach the bottom of the chasm. A door at the far end of the passage
leads to the next section of the ruins.
> Once inside, SAVE, open the next gate that leads to a waterlogged cavern where a skeleton and a draugr reside. Once you
eliminate them, take the passage to the north, as you travel through, Morokei speaks to you once again, this time taunting you as
your magicka drains away.
> In the next large room, SAVE, take care of the troll here and proceed. The entrance to the next cavern is located to the right of the
windows. You will battle more skeletons as you descend into the cavern. Go down the second set of stairs to the lever-controlled
gate. When you approach the gate, Morokei will again speak to you, SAVE, and if you use magic wait for your magicka to regenerate
before opening the gate. After the gate you will find skeletons and a swarm of wisps with their wispmother.
> Defeat the wispmother using your preferred means and continue up a short flight of stairs in the west corner and across the raised
dais to a door sealed with fire. As you approach, you will hear Morokei acknowledge that your power feeds his own, and then a fire
spirit will spawn and attack. Once the spirit is dead, cast a frost spell on the door to open it.
> Go through the door, SAVE, and proceed along a short passage and through a gate leading into a circular room. As you enter,
another vision of the adventurers will appear, their numbers somewhat depleted by now. The next room is guarded by a skeleton, a
spectral warhound and a ghostly draugr wight. Be careful as you approach, Morokei’s voice invites you to your doom while draining
your magicka once again. A cascade of water flows into a trap door in the floor, avoid it and take the passage down.
> Proceed through the tunnel system where you'll find more draugr wights. Fighting through you will find the door leading to the
next zone, 'Labyrinthian Tribune'.
> Once inside SAVE, proceed a short distance past the door and kill the enemies there. Around the next corner you will find a spell
tome for Steadfast Ward on a podium. Be careful as you approach the room down the stairs as there are five spellcaster traps that
will unleash powerful destruction spells at you. Also destroy the frost rune trap on the floor midway down. Go up a short flight of
stairs to a ledge overlooking another cavern with a small pool below and another draugr, SAVE. To the right is a dirt path leading
down to the room below.
> Exit the cave, SAVE, to the right is a set of iron doors. When you approach the doors, you will see a visualization of Morokei's voice,
but no voice is heard. However, your magicka will still be drained again.
> Open the doors to see a throne facing away from you with a high-leveled draugr and another spectral warhound. Kill them and
once the fight is over, make sure to approach the Word Wall to the southeast of the throne to learn a word of the 'Slow Time' shout,
SAVE.
> After the throne room, you will enter a corridor with a series of columns on each side. Progress with care, as your magicka will be
drained again, and activate a group of skeletons and ghostly draugr. At the opposite end of the corridor, Savos and a diminished
band of his companions lament that all of their number have not made it this far. One of them mentions a feeling that the final trial
lies beyond the next door, and they vow to stick together and move forward. Open the iron door to the south and SAVE.
> As you enter the large room, Morokei will be there and he is protected by an impenetrable energy shield cast by two enthralled
wizards. You will soon learn that they are two of Savos' companions that were sacrificed to keep the Dragon Priest contained so
Savos could escape.
> To be able to defeat Morokei you first need to remove the wizards. The platforms around the walls of the room provide elevated
positions that should give you an edge in the fight. It is possible to climb the wall immediately to the left and approach from above.
You can sneak attack both wizards and have a good vantage point to attack Morokei. Be careful casting summoning spells as he can
turn your them against you. If he does, then you must recast the summon spell.
> Once the Dragon Priest has been defeated, collect both Morokei's Mask and the Staff of Magnus. Your next objective will be to
return to Tolfdir at the College of Winterhold, SAVE.
> Proceed through the door toward a shortcut out of Labyrinthian. Savos will appear for the last time, he apologizes for sacrificing
his companions to keep the Dragon Priest imprisoned, and swears to seal the ruin. Unbar and open the wooden door to the exit.
> As you open a gate to the next room, Ancano's associate 'Estormo' will enter the room from the other side and block your path. He
will tell you that he was sent to kill you and take the Staff of Magnus back to Ancano. Defeat Estormo in your prefer manner and
leave Labyrinthian.
> Outside, SAVE, you will not be able to fast travel directly back to the College. The nearest destination you can fast travel to is
Winterhold.
> Once you arrive there, SAVE, enter the gate to the College. You will find Tolfdir, Faralda and Arniel Gane battling magic anomalies,
help them defeat them all.
> Once the anomalies are gone, speak to Tolfdir. He tells you that Ancano's power is growing, and that they cannot stop him. If you
ask about Mirabelle, Tolfdir will tell you that she is dead; killed while ensuring everyone's escape from Ancano. Tolfdir asks you to
equip the Staff of Magnus and lead the charge against Ancano. This completes the quest and initiates the next and last quest 'the
Eye of Magnus', SAVE.
The Eye of Magnus

> With the Staff of Magnus equipped proceed into the college. Use the staff to destroy the magic barrier and allow safe passage into
the College. The objective now is to get to the Hall of the Elements where Ancano is trying to activate the Eye of Magnus, keep a
SAVE from before entering the Hall of Elements. As a possible bug; when you get to the Hall of Elements only Tolfdir will run in and
bypass the scripted event, making the staff useless. If this happens, you cannot harm Ancano in any way. Tolfdir may also fail to
follow you into the Hall of Elements, which prevents the start of the fight. If this happens go through one of the side doors near the
entrance, then come back in. Should that fail to help, fast travel elsewhere and return to Winterhold. You may have to use the staff
to gain access to the college again.
> Once in the Hall of Elements, Ancano will proclaim that he has the power to destroy the world at his fingertips, and that he cannot
be stopped. He is now connected to the Eye at this point and he is absorbing more and more power from it. Tolfdir will cast a fire
spell at Ancano, but it will have no effect.
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> Tolfdir tells you to use the Staff of Magnus on the Eye itself. Do so and the Eye will begin to crack open, it will also emit a blinding
flash and you will be briefly stunned. When the Eye is fully open it will spawn magic anomalies and Ancano will lose his connection
with the Eye. After this happens, continue to use the Staff on the Eye until it fully closes again. Ancano is vulnerable at this time and
he should be busy dealing with the magic anomalies. Start inflicting damage and Tolfdir will help in defeating the anomalies.
> When Ancano is defeated, SAVE, talk to Tolfdir, he explains that he does not know how to contain the Eye. At this point the Psijic,
Quaranir, will appear again. Speak to him and he will congratulate you, saying that you met the Order's expectations. He will
reassure you and Tolfdir by saying that the Psijic Order will safeguard the Eye from now on. As a possible bug; Tolfdir may not be in
the Hall of Elements for the final scene. He can usually be found walking along the road on the other side of the mountains south of
Winterhold, but will not have the dialogue option required to complete the objective, making the quest impossible to finish.
Reloading the previous save from before entering the Hall of Elements for the final battle is the only known fix.
> Quaranir will now declare you the new Arch-Mage of the College of Winterhold. Two additional members of the Psijic Order will
appear, surround the Eye, and then vanish in a glow of light, taking the Eye with them. Tolfdir will then acknowledge you as the new
Arch-Mage, and he'll give you the key to the Arch-Mage's Quarters and the Archmage's Robes, SAVE.
This concludes the College of Winterhold quest line and unlocks it's final associated achievement:
The Eye of Magnus in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

The Eye of Magnus53 (30)
Complete "The Eye of Magnus"
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Thank you also to the guys from Bethesda Softworks LLC for providing additional information and writing the Official Elder Scrolls V
Skyrim Game Guide.
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Welcome to the shadows. The Thieves Guild is a secret professional criminal organization, their headquarters in Skyrim are hidden
underneath the streets of Riften and with their network of secret members spread across Tamriel they are instrumental in just about
every crime that goes. They mainly deal with contracted burglaries and smuggling, but they also have their hands, literally, in the
pockets of many businesses and influential people around Skyrim. Being an organised faction, they have certain rules, and follow a
creed to maintain order and discipline among their members, this creed prohibits:
Murdering, assaulting, or stealing from other Thieves Guild members - This includes anyone in the Ragged Flagon and Cistern, also
'Maul' found in Riften, 'Karliah', 'Mallus Maccius' in the Honningbrew Meadery, 'Gulum-Ei' in the Winking Skeever in Solitude,
'Niranye' in Windhelm marketplace, 'Endon' who wanders Markarth's streets, 'Enthir' at the College of Winterhold, after completing
the side quest 'Caravan Fence Quest' detailed at the bottom of this page anyone in any Khajiit caravans, and finally (with the
Dragonborn DLC installed) 'Glover Mallory' found in Raven Rock.
Killing anyone during a contract - This is normally restricted to named NPC's - as in characters who have unique names as opposed to
simply being called 'bandit' or 'conjurer' etc. I have mentioned whether or not certain people can be killed during all Thieves Guild
quests below.
Robbing the poor - The poor are the unofficial eyes and ears of the Thieves Guild; by name they are: 'Angrenor Once-Honored' and
'Silda' in Windhelm, 'Brenuin' and (with the Hearthfire DLC installed) 'Lucia'in Whiterun, 'Degaine' in Markarth, 'Edda' and 'Snilf' in
Riften, 'Narfi' in Ivarstead, and 'Noster Eagle-Eye', 'Svari' and 'Dervenin' in Solitude.
Breaking any of these rules can cause repercussions, sometimes you simply forfeit a bonus during an assignment but more often
than not you will punished more severely, and you'll have to make up for your transgression. To find out more information and how
to re-enter the guild see the 'Making Reparations' section at the bottom of this page.
Why Join the Thieves Guild?
Aside from the three achievements attached to the Thieves Guild's main quest line, there are many other advantages to be had by
joining. The achievement for unlocking '20' Shouts, 'Thu'um Master', requires the completion of the first six primary quests of the
Thieves Guild. Other advantages include: unique sets of stealth armour unrivaled in the game for stealth attributes, exclusive access
to master trainers for Sneak, Lockpicking, Archery and Pickpocket skills, access to illegal fences- allowing you to sell stolen items and
buy rare discounted goods, the ability to avoid thief and highwayman attacks on the roads, the ability to bribe guards without a high
speech skill or the 'Bribe' perk, and many other advantages to help you become the sneakiest thief in Skyrim.
There are '12' primary quests throughout your thieving career, some are longer and more elaborate than others, and there are only
'2' achievements directly attached to the successful completion of these quests. There are '5' additional quests related to the Thieves
Guild that have no achievements attached to them, however I have detailed them at the end of this page for your consideration.
Also, throughout your time with the Thieves Guild, you will be offered an endless supply of mini-quests in the form of pickpocketing,
petty theft, forgery and small heists etc- you are required to complete a certain amount of these for the final achievement; restoring
the Thieves Guild to its former power.
In addition to the three achievements above you may also want to consider the fact that during your time with the Thieves Guild you
are going to have to sneak a lot, and you'll have to pick many pockets and many locks. Such activities will put you well on your way
to the:

Thief65 (30)
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Also you will no doubt have ample opportunities to go to jail and subsequently escape unlocking:

Wanted20 (10)
Escape from jail
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It is also advisable but not essential to go for the 'Master Criminal' achievement during your time with the Thieves Guild or at least
waiting until after completing this quest line as it is much easier to rid yourself of the gold bounties you may incur.

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Before starting your new shadowy career you may want to consider what type of person you are. It's no good donning a full set of
heavy armour and blundering your way into Riften with the hopes of joining the secret stealthy Thieves Guild. I am not saying that
you require a certain level in certain skills to be able to join the Guild but I am saying that you will gain many lucrative advantages if
you play sneakily and skilfully and wait until you are little further in skills such as Sneak, Light Armour, Pickpocket, and Lockpick
before starting this.
A NOTE ON GLITCHES
You should complete the Thieves Guild quest line before beginning the 'Dragonborn' DLC quest line. This is because an unfixable bug
can occur at a later stage where you are required to complete a mini-quest that contributes towards the final achievement. This can
still be completed by doing the mini-quests via another non-player character but it makes things more difficult.
I will highlight any actions that have potential to cause bugs in the game in 'bold text', please follow these instructions carefully as
they can cause glitches in the programming that may render you unable to complete a certain quest and subsequently unlock an
achievement. I have also advised periodic manual 'SAVE' points for you to fall back on in case any bugs occur.
I have also integrated all achievement related collectibles such as; Word Walls, Standing Stones and Skill Books that you may come
across into this page, these are highlighted in 'bold text' for your pleasure.
NOTE: Just a little side note here about a few collectibles that are lucrative, but are not linked to any achievements. Firstly there are
seven unique items that you will automatically come across during the course of the Thieves Guild main quest line, picking up the
first will activate the quest 'The Litany of Larceny'. These easily attainable items can be sold to a specific person at the Thieves Guild
and they will be displayed forever in the guild's main hall. I have mentioned each of these in the Walkthrough below. Additionally
there are '24' 'Unusual Gems' located throughout Skyrim, some will be encountered in locations essential for the Thieves Guild
quest. Picking up your first one will activate the optional side-quest 'No Stone Unturned' please see the relative section at the
bottom of this page for more information and all of their locations.
Joining the Thieves Guild

A Chance Arrangement
> Travel to Riften, the major city by the lake in the south eastern corner of Skyrim. If you have never been there before the guards at
the gate will tell you to pay a tax. You can pay the tax or you can try to persuade or intimidate them. However this is a good
opportunity to test out your new thieving nature, two other more sneaky options are open to you that can help improve your
thieving skills. You could sneak up to the guard and pickpocket the city gate key from him and then enter for free. Or you could
commit a crime in the Rift, nothing too major, get arrested and find yourself in Riften jail where you can then test and prepare your
sneaking and lockpicking skills by escaping into the city.
> Whatever option you choose you will find yourself inside the city of Riften, SAVE, do not leave Riften during this quest as you may
bug the progression stages. Now find a Nord called 'Brynjolf', he will be in the main market area by day and in the 'Bee and Barb' in
the centre of Riften by night, try to find him at night for a better way to do this quest. Talk to him and offer to help him frame a
Riften merchant, but if it is daytime exit out of dialogue when you see the 'I'm ready' option and consider the options below, SAVE.
Do not speak to Maul after speaking to Brynjolf, the miscellaneous quest 'Talk to Brynjolf about joining the Thieves Guild' may
become stuck in your quest list indefinitely.
> You now have a few different options open to you, don't worry though, all options will result in joining the Thieves Guild but some
are more lucrative than others:
> Conventional Way: For this you receive 100 Septims and 'Brand Shei' spends a week in jail. After talking to Brynjolf at night, sneak
over to Madesi's stall in the marketplace, if you look around the back of the stalls they'll all have little doors- Madesi's is the one with
the strongbox inside. There should be hardly anyone around to catch you lockpicking the door and then the strongbox inside, so
SAVE before you attempt to unlock both of the locks, but do not steal the ring inside just yet. Wait until the next day after 4pm, find
Brynjolf again and then tell him that you're ready. Brynjolf will now make an announcement to the crowd distracting everyone away
from you and Brand Shei. Now go and stealthily steal the ring from Madesi's box and then reverse pickpocket Brand Shei, (your
Pickpocket skill has been temporarily increased by 30% for this quest). SAVE before placing the ring from your inventory into his,
now back away and watch Brand Shei get into some trouble.
> Quick Way: Faster way to do this but no reward and Brand Shei is spared jail. Simply steal the ring stealthily from the strongbox at
any time then drop it on the ground, return to Brynjolf, he will be disappointed but you can progress into the Guild.
> Even Quicker Way: You'll get arrested, no reward and Brand Shei is spared jail. Purposely get caught stealing the ring, spend a little
time in jail or escape jail, then return to Brynjolf.
> Whatever option you choose returning to Brynjolf and telling him 'I can handle it' will activate the next Thieves Guild quest, SAVE.
NOTE: At this point you are free to wander Riften before you need do the next quest, if you have not already done so, during the
Main Story, you may want to consider going for the 'Getting Married' achievement now. Also note, however, that as an optional
side-quest called 'Book of Love', later in the Thieves Guild (during 'Hard Answers') you will receive the starting item (normally costing
200 gold) required for getting married, for free). So the choice is either pay 200 gold now, or complete a short side-quest later and
get it for free. Please see the 'Marriage' section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page to find out how to get married in either
case.
Getting married will unlock:

Married19 (10)
Get married
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Taking Care of Business
> Find the door to the Ratways, it's on the lower decks of Riften just below 'The Scorched Hammer' blacksmiths. Go inside, SAVE.
> You'll encounter a few hostile bandits in here, you can kill them or sneak past them, but you are aspiring to become a Thieves
Guild member now so consider more sneaky options from now on. Progress until you encounter a raised drawbridge, jump down,
you may want to unlock the expert gate for skill experience but don't go through that way. Proceed the other way through the
sewers, watch for the trip-wire and you'll soon encounter another bandit called 'Gian the Fist', he has some unique gauntlets called
the 'Gloves of the Pugilist' which increase his unarmed melee damage. Kill him and take the gloves for an advantage later in this
quest. You'll also find the 'Beggar' Pickpocket Skill Book here, read the book and activate the lever on the wall, this will lower the
aforementioned drawbridge giving a much quicker way in and out of the Ratways in the future, SAVE.
> You will come to the 'Ragged Flagon Inn', the Thieves Guild secret business front, talk to Brynjolf at the bar, he will ask you to go
collect some debts from three dead-beats, accept and SAVE.
If anything happens during these debt collections that forces you into a 'Brawl' just equip your 'Gloves of the Pugilist' to help you
win, but do not kill anyone.
> Leave the Ratways and head to the Bee and Barb Inn, enter and SAVE. Before you speak to 'Keerava' behind the bar, talk to 'Talen-
Jei' near the entrance. He'll reveal some info that will make Keerava pay her debt, go talk to her and collect.
> Next head to 'Haelga's Bunkhouse', and upon entering SAVE. Turn to your right, steal Haelga's 'Statue of Dibella' before speaking to
her, now threaten to throw the statue down a well and she will pay up.
> Lastly head across to the 'Pawned Prawn', enter and SAVE. Inside you'll find 'Bersei Honey-Hand', he mans the store from 8am-
1pm then from 2pm-6pm, he may pay up immediately but if he refuses break his prized Dwemer urn (found there in the store) or
win him in a brawl if the urn won't break. He will also pay up immediately if you won the brawls with the previous two dead-beats.
> Now return to Brynjolf in the Ragged Flagon, he will lead you to 'Guildmaster Mercer Frey' who will reward you with official
membership into the Thieves Guild and unlock an achievement for you, SAVE.
Taking Care of Business in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Taking Care of Business15 (10)
Join the Thieves Guild
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You should now take some time to chat with a few Thieves Guild members to get an idea of where the Guild currently stands. Talk to
'Delvin Mallory' about some extra side jobs to help the Guild, take a look now at the bottom of this page at the section 'Under New
Management'. These side jobs are mandatory for the final Thieves Guild achievement but you can complete them at your leisure
during your quests through the Thieves Guild or at the end. Also talk to 'Vex' to learn more about the decline of the guild and then to
'Tonilia' to receive your unique set of Thieves Guild stealth armour, even if this armour is no good to you, you must keep it anyway,
you get to upgrade it later on, but more importantly you need all of this armour for the final Thieves Guild achievement.
You may now use Tonilia as a fence to sell any stolen goods you will most certainly acquire.
This is a good opportunity to complete the 'Snake Tongue' achievement, or at least the bribe part of it, since you now have the
option to bribe city guards for small offenses. See the 'Speech Challenges' section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page for more
information. If you have successfully bribed, persuaded and intimidated someone, you will unlock:

Snake Tongue15 (10)
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Loud and Clear
> This is your first real Thieves Guild assignment- the 'Goldenglow Estate job'. Talk to Brynjolf and he'll task you with teaching the
estate's owner 'Aringoth' a lesson. After receiving the quest speak to Vex and she'll tell you about a secret entrance, this is an
optional objective that can be activated in your journal.
> Head out to the Goldenglow Estate just to the west of Riften, SAVE, if you wait until dusk you can sneak around to the bee-hives
and burn them sneakily before you enter the building. You only have to burn three, burning more will forfeit your bonus. To burn a
hive; equip either a torch, a fire Shout or a fire spell and carefully set the hive on fire, the standard 'Flames' spell is best, since there
is a small chance that using other spells can fail to ignite the hives and forfeit your bonus. Burning a hive may cause some
mercenaries to come out and catch you, so you can alternatively wait and sneak inside the estate now to steal the valuables then
burn the Apiary during your escape.
> The secret entrance is located on the northern side of the main island, enter and SAVE, proceed through the sewers but be wary of
the trip-wires and skeevers, About half-way through is an adept-locked cell where you'll find the Pickpocket Skill Book 'Guide to
Better Thieving'. Go up the ladder at the end and you will emerge at the back entrance of the estate.
> Enter and SAVE, you can either kill the mercenaries or do what this quest was designed for and sneak through them, pickpocketing
as you go. You're aim is to head upstairs and find 'Aringoth's' room. Get the safe key from Aringoth; you can get it by either
pickpocketing him, killing him or persuading him to hand it over (with 75 Speech skill). Don't forget the 'Queen Bee Statue' in this
room (it is the first of seven unique items that are part of a side-quest called 'The Litany of Larceny' and although it isn't linked to an
achievement, collecting these items will gain some good leveled gold and they will be displayed in the Thieves Guild hall at the end),
SAVE.
> Now head to the metal gate and enter the basement, open the safe and retrieve the 'Goldenglow Bill of Sale', a nearby gate will
bring you back outside. If you didn't burn the hives before now is the opportunity to do so and escape in the confusion, SAVE when
you're out of harm's way.
> Head back to the Ragged Flagon and report to Brynjolf, as long as you only burned three hives he will be very pleased and reward
you with a levelled amount of gold. He will also point you towards 'Maven Black-Briar' to begin the next quest. Also make sure you
ask Brynjolf why Maven Black-Briar is requesting a meeting to prevent a later bug.
Note three Thieves Guild cache barrels will be placed out for you, hidden around Riften. One in the northwest corner of the garden
behind 'Honeyside', one in the northwest corner on the walkway outside the second floor of 'Mistveil Keep Barracks', and one is
found just west of 'Valindor's House', across the canal.
Dampened Spirits
Lose any wanted level you have in Whiterun Hold before starting this quest
> Find Maven Black-Briar, she is normally hanging around the second floor of the Bee and Barb Inn. Talk to her, she wants you to
replace the proprietor of the 'Honningbrew Meadery'. She will direct you to 'Mallus Maccius' in Whiterun.
> Travel to Whiterun, SAVE and find Mallus in the 'Bannered Mare', he wants you to poison one 'Commander Caius' during a special
mead tasting at the meadery. You are to go there and offer to help clear out a rodent infestation, but you will also use the poison he
gives you to poison the mead vats.
> Head out to the Honningbrew Meadery just southeast of Whiterun. Enter and SAVE, then talk to 'Sabjorn' and offer to take care of
the skeevers in the basement. He will accept your offer and give you a key, you can also try a speech challenge to get half your
payment now.
> Go down into the basement, SAVE, find the tunnel Mallus mentioned and wipe out all the poisonous skeevers and spiders. Watch
out for the bear traps and trip wires through here, you will soon emerge into a chamber where a bandit-wizard called 'Hamelyn'
resides. Kill the wizard and pick up the Sneak Skill Book 'Three Thieves' before moving on to the 'Boilery'.
> Upon entering SAVE, head upstairs and find the vat on the far side, activate the lid to poison the vat, go back down and find the
'Brewhouse Key' hanging on a hook to the right of the door. Go through the door to the outside, then go back into the meadery.
> Talk to Sabjorn again, he'll tell you to wait 'til after the tasting. You'll then witness a scene with Sabjorn and the commander, this
will result in Sabjorn being taken to jail and Mallus being put in charge of the meadery, SAVE.
> Once the scene has ended speak with Mallus, he'll give you a key to the upstairs dresser, steal the 'Promissory Note'. Also check
out the expert locked door nearby for the second unique Thieves Guild larceny item; the Honningbrew Decanter' and some other
treasures including the Alchemy Skill Book 'A Game at Dinner', which is found on the table closest to the door, SAVE.
> Head back to Riften and meet Maven in the Bee and Barb Inn, after some dialogue you'll be directed back to Brynjolf at the guild,
SAVE.
> Meet Brynjolf in the 'Cistern', beyond the Ragged Flagon, he'll talk more about the plot, reward you for your services and direct
you to Mercer Frey, SAVE.
You can now use Mallus at the meadery as an easily accessible fence.
Scoundrel's Folly
> Upon speaking to Mercer after the previous quest he will come to the conclusion that someone is directly sabotaging the Thieves
Guild. You are given a lead to follow; an Argonian by the name 'Gulum-Ei'.
> Gulum can be found in Solitude, so head out there now. Upon arriving SAVE, and go into the 'Winking Skeever Inn' on the main
street.
> Find him and persuade, bribe or intimidate him for information. He may not give up anything useful and you'll be required to
retrieve some 'Firebrand Wine' for him to talk more. There is a bottle in the 'Blue Palace' down the street, go there.
> Once inside the Palace find the wine on an end table in a corridor to the left of the main staircase, sneak over and SAVE before you
steal it. You can also grab the 'Unusual Gem' from the Jarl's quarters, but make sure you are sneaking. If this is your first Unusual
Gem you will activate the quest 'No Stone Unturned' (see the related section at the bottom of this page for details). Now exit and
return to Gulum.
> SAVE before talking to Gulum. Even after bringing him the wine he still doesn't give up much useful information so you're going to
have to, if you'll pardon the pun, tail him. Sneak behind him as he makes his way to the 'East Empire Company Warehouse' if you are
spotted he will just tell you to stop following him. Try to avoid being spotted however, as sometimes you will cause him to stand still
for a long time or even forever. Do not kill Gulum at any point before this quest is complete, you may trigger an unfixable bug that
makes the quest impossible to continue. If Gulum dies by any means, make sure to reload your previous save, do not just continue
on.
> Proceed into the warehouse, sneak after Gulum using the tops of the shelves to hide, if you are spotted by the 'Wardens' you can
kill them, but try to avoid that, and remember to SAVE often throughout the warehouse. Try to visit the 'Dockmaster's Office', it
overlooks the warehouse at the side, you'll find another special item for the Litany of Larceny quest; the 'East Empire Shipping Map'
inside, you can return for it later but a lot of guards will respawn inside, so try to grab the map now.
> Eventually Gulum will reach the far end of the warehouse and turn back towards you so move out of the way and into the
shadows. He will now go down some steps into the water. Keep your eyes on Gulum at this point because he goes into a secret and
hard-to-find doorway leading to 'Brinewater Grotto'. If you lose him, look for a giant barrel on its side and go down the stairs into the
water hugging the stone wall. You should see a narrow ramp in the wall that will lead up out of the water by some shelving units and
into the Grotto, go in and SAVE.
> Inside the grotto your task is to confront Gulum, remain sneaking and watch out for the various traps here, it is also OK to kill the
bandits found in here, it will not forfeit your bonus. Find Gulum at the end of the cave, kill the bandit boss and talk to him, he will
reveal your next lead; a fellow thief called 'Karliah'.
> Use a lever near the gate to open a secret door to the rear of the cavern which leads you outside, once outside SAVE.
> Now return to the guild and tell Mercer the news. He knows Karliah and where she may be found; in a ruin north of Riften called
'Snow Veil Sanctum'. He will reward you with some gold and tell you to visit Tonilia to upgrade one of your Thieves Guild armour
pieces. It is advisable to hang on to your armour for now, you still need it later.
Speaking With Silence

Get rid of any followers prior to starting this quest
> After speaking with Mercer Frey you'll want to head out to Snow Veil Sanctum with him, it's just northeast of Windhelm and
should be marked on your map. Meet Mercer outside the entrance where he'll have some words for you and he'll become a
temporary follower.
> Walk towards the entrance to find it locked, Mercer will open it for you so go inside with him and SAVE.
> Proceed through the ruin avoiding the traps and taking care of the leveled draugr inside. Use the chain in a niche to the left to
open the metal gate and proceed onwards. You'll soon encounter another metal gate, open it using the chain to the right. After this
you'll go down some stairs and reach a large chamber, take out the draugr here then go up stairs directly ahead, the fourth unique
item for the Litany of Larceny, a 'Model Ship', is here on top of a booby-trapped pedestal. To avoid the fire damage and possibly
losing the ship; use a telekinesis spell to take it if you have one. Now find the other stairs to the right of the chamber that leads to
'Snow Veil Sanctum', enter.
> Once inside, SAVE, kill the draugr and use the chain on the left to open the metal gate. Further on you'll encounter a draugr
ambush, here you will find the 'Disarm' Word Wall required for the 'Thu'um Master' achievement and a copy of the Light Armor Skill
Book 'Ice and Chitin', found on a table, SAVE.
> Proceed through another metal gate to the left of the chamber opened by the chain to the right. Go on until you find a Nordic
puzzle-door, SAVE before approaching it and when you do Mercer should take care of it. If he fails to open the door for whatever
reason, try waiting an hour and returning, or reloading the previous save. In the next chamber you will find Karliah and a scene will
follow.
> You will eventually regain consciousness and find yourself outside the sanctum with Karliah. Don't worry she explains herself and
following some dialogue you are directed to the Bosmer Sorcerer 'Enthir' in Winterhold. This ends the quest and begins the next
quest; 'Hard Answers', SAVE.
Hard Answers
You must have either not started or fully completed 'The Staff of Magnus' and the 'Eye of Magnus' quests for 'Mirabelle Ervine' at
the College of Winterhold before proceeding to Enthir.
> Go and talk to Enthir at the 'Frozen Hearth' inn in Winterhold. He will direct you to the wizard 'Calcemo' in Markarth.
> Go to Markarth and head up the stairs to the 'Understone Keep', once inside SAVE, find Calcemo down the tunnel on the left. He
will not help you with your translation so you must steal the guide from his Dwemer museum.
> Depending on your previous encounters with Calcemo you have some different options open to you at this point;
If you have a high enough speech skill you can simply persuade him to give you the key to his museum.
If you have completed or want to complete the 'Book of Love' side quest for him, he will give you the key for free. To activate this
quest go to the 'Temple of Mara' in Riften and talk to 'Dinya Balu' she will send you on three short errands to solve some love
problems, one of which will win you favour with Calcemo. (NOTE: You will also receive a free 'Amulet of Mara' for this quest which is
used to get married with, please see the 'Marriage' section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page for more information).
You can ask Calcemo if you can visit the 'Archaeological Site' this will prompt Calcemo to ask a favour of you; to kill the giant
frostbite spider 'Nimhe', this is not a massive task and after doing this he will give up the key to his museum.
You can simply steal the key from the table next to him, however this option can lead to all the guards being hostile, incurring a
bounty and forfeiting your bonus.
You can head directly to the museum and pick the lock, sneaking throughout the whole quest, again if you're caught you will incur a
bounty and if you kill any of the city guards you will forfeit your bonus.
Personally I would recommend doing one or both of the side-quests, they will give you more sneaky experience and rewards in
general and are the safer of the options.
> Whichever choice you make you will find the Dwemer Museum at the top of the stairs, just north of the main entrance to
Understone Keep.
> Enter and SAVE. Enter the first room on your left to find an 'Unusual Gem', on a table to your right, it is important to get this now,
as returning to the museum later can cause a serious unfixable bug.
> Continue past the guards and enter 'Calcelmo's Laboratory' SAVE. In here you'll find the 'Spider Control Rod' use this to control a
mechanical spider to attack guards with. It is possible to sneak past all the guards however. Beware the hall with the poison gas;
your health will drain rapidly until you exit, and it is not possible to eliminate the damage with poison resistances, even with items
such as 'Hevnoraak's Mask'. Putting 40 pounds of weight (maybe the body of a dead guard or some armour) on the pressure plate at
either end of the poison gas hall will stop the gas from spreading. Activating the valve at the other end of the hallway will also
activate the Dwemer blade trap killing the guards in the area. For safe passage, activate it again and the blades will retract.
Activating the trap will also send 'Aicantar' into a panic and he and any guards you may have sneaked past, will make a run for it,
though the guards will be unlikely to escape due to the thresher trap.
> The shortest route to Calcelmo's quarters is barred from the other side, so you have to go through the lab, out onto the 'Wizard's
Balcony' and up the stairs to the right then into 'Calcelmo's Tower'. The fifth unique item for the Litany of Larceny quest, a 'Dwemer
Puzzle Cube', is located just before the door to the balcony exit.
> Once inside SAVE, move down a short hall, turn left, and go up the stairs to a room that contains charcoal and rolls of paper, pick
some up then go over and activate the large black stone tablet to copy the guide.
> After copying the text, SAVE, two guards, the city captain, and Calcelmo's nephew will enter room and begin to hunt you down.
You may fight them if you wish, but can simply sneak past them: If you look towards the exit, you should see a ledge up on both
sides of the wall. Jump onto the pipe in front of you then onto the ledge and proceed out of the door.
> Once on the balcony SAVE. A waypoint will indicate an exit route; hug the right edge of the balcony and you'll see a small hole to
the waterfall. If you fall into the waterfall you will take no damage and you can then fast travel to Winterhold. Alternatively, just look
left and down when you reach the waterfall and there will be a path where you can make very small drops to multiple rocks and
basically walk back to the entrance of Understone Keep. You can also just retrace your steps back through the museum, avoiding any
guards you didn't kill earlier.
> Return to Winterhold, SAVE, Karliah and Enthir are waiting in the cellar of the Frozen Hearth inn. Enthir will use the copy of
Calcelmo's tablet to translate Gallus' journal. Karliah will give you the 'Nightingale Blade' as a token of appreciation and invite you to
meet her in the Ragged Flagon.
> After talking with Enthir and Karliah, the quest ends and the next quest 'The Pursuit' begins. Allow Karliah to leave first, if you leave
before her you may glitch the next quest. Also continue straight on to the next Thieves Guild quest after this do not complete any
other quest yet.
Also note: The stone rubbing from Calcemo's tablet will appear on the ground in the College of Winterhold after completing this
quest. If you pick it up it'll be marked as a quest item and you cannot remove it from your inventory. If you then enter the Dwemer
museum again this quest starts over and you have to copy the inscription on the stone again. This will cause the final Thieves Guild
quest later on to become permanently broken, so do not touch the stone rubbing or enter the Dwemer Museum after this quest.
Also note: If you did not pick up the key to the museum from Calcemo's table never return and pick it up. You may trigger a bug that
restarts the quest and halts other quest progression stages.
The Pursuit
> Go back to Riften, however avoid the main northern gate and go in via the south entrance. Also avoid the north eastern area of
Riften altogether, and head directly to the Ragged Flagon.
> Once in the Ragged Flagon, SAVE, do not talk to Vex yet, find Karliah and talk to her, she will lead you into the Cistern to meet with
Brynjolf.
> After some dialogue Brynjolf will task you with searching Mercer's house for clues. Mercer lives in 'Riftweald Manor' in Riften, it's
adjacent to the 'Temple of Mara'. Before you leave you should first talk to Vex about a certain Nord named 'Vald'. Now exit the
Flagon and locate Mercer's house, SAVE before you approach the property.
> The quest marker can sometimes be in the wrong place for this quest stage so just ignore it and find the manor yourself. When you
arrive you'll find all the gates locked and the house guarded by Vald, at this point you have several options open to you:
Speech Challenge: With a high enough speech skill you can attempt to persuade him, (bribe and intimidate will never work), success
will give you the key and his leave to enter the property.
Retrieve the Quill Side-quest: You can act on Vex's information and complete a very small side-quest to pay off Vald's debt with
Maven Black-Briar. Simply head to the Bee and Barb in Riften and talk to Maven, she wants you to retrieve a unique 'quill' that Vald
lost in nearby 'Lake Honrich'. Head out southwest from the 'Riften Stables', you should see a large ship, swim out towards the
westernmost end of that ship and look west across the lake towards the Goldenglow Estate to see a similar ship docked there.
Halfway to the other boat, the prow of Vald's sunken rowboat can be seen at the bottom of the lake. The quill is located in 'Vald's
Strongbox'. Pick the lock and retrieve the quill. Now head back to Maven and she'll hand you a note to take to Vald excusing him of
his debt. Returning to Vald now will win favour with him and he'll hand over the key to Riftweald Manor.
Indirectly Kill Vald: For a way to get the key that results in Vald's death by the hands of the town guards, sneak around the back of
the house and shoot the contraption that holds up the ramp with an arrow or ranged spell.
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Vald will become hostile and chase you out into the streets, lure him into some guards and they will take care of him, leaving you
free to take the key from his body.
Directly Kill Vald: You can simply attack Vald and kill him, although this can make you wanted in the Rift and incur a bounty
consequently forfeiting your bonus.
> Either way you choose, lower the ramp and climb up and into the house.
> Once inside SAVE, you can sneak past all of the guards in the house or just kill them without forfeiting the bonus. You should reach
the bottom of the stairs, head through the closed doors to the east and find an out-of-place cabinet in the north eastern corner.
Activate the secret panel and head down into the cellar which leads into some tunnels, SAVE.
> Avoid the pressure plate when you first enter the tunnels, make a left and head south towards a room filled with circular traps.
Looking at the tiles head south two squares, west two squares, north two squares, west two squares, and south two squares in order
to avoid the traps. Avoid another pressure plate trap right around the corner. Follow the hallway, you'll come to another hallway
filled with timed pendulum blades and battering rams.
> SAVE and then try sprinting past them. Head down the ramp and stop at the closed door. There is a dart trap trigger on the left
side of the door. Open the door then pick up 'Mercer's plans', a note titled 'Many Thanks' and the Sneak Skill Book 'The Red Kitchen
Reader'. On the desk is also the sixth unique Larceny item, the 'Bust of the Gray Fox', make sure you take this now. Continue along
the path until you reach the entrance to the Ratway Vaults, SAVE.
> Be wary of some human enemies after you drop down a hole and then turn right to reach the Ragged Flagon. Return to Brynjolf
and hand over the plans to him, after some dialogue SAVE.
Trinity Restored
> After the revelations uncovered during your previous quest, Brynjolf will decide that you need to catch Mercer during his final
heist. Speak to Karliah, in order to compete with Mercer Frey both you and Brynjolf must become agents of Nocturnal- known as
'Nightingales'.
> Meet Karliah at the 'Shadow' Standing Stone just south of Riften. If Brynjolf fails to move over to Karliah try reloading the previous
save.
> Upon arriving SAVE, be wary of a hostile high level conjurer and some skeletons at the stone, they will attack you if you get too
close. You should find the entrance to the 'Nightingale Hall' here, have any followers wait outside and then proceed inside and SAVE.
> After crossing a bridge, you can find a copy of the Pickpocketing Skill Book 'Purloined Shadows' to the right. Your first stop is the
armour chamber. Karliah will explain more about the Nightingales as you walk, if Brynjolf fails to move you can push him along,
activate the stone to receive a set of 'Nightingale Armour', you must put this on in order to continue. Follow Karliah through the hall
and agree to become a Nightingale then proceed into the oath chamber and SAVE.
> Stand on the platform indicated, Karliah will summon Nocturnal and she will induct you into the Nightingales, if nothing happens
just move around a little until the scene begins. Now Karliah explains that you need to return the sacred 'Skeleton Key' to the
'Twilight Sepulcher' and in doing so restore the Thieves Guild to glory. This prompts the next quest automatically and directs you to a
large Dwemer ruin to the west of Windhelm called 'Irkngthand'. I recommend you make your way there now as completing any
other quests before this can cause stage quest bugs. Before you go however, talk to Brynjolf, he has some news for you and asks you
to meet him and Karliah at Irkngthand.
Blindsighted
> Head out to Irkngthand, be wary that a group bandits have made camp outside, you can kill them or sneak past them before
heading up the winding path to the entrance of Irkngthand, once inside SAVE.
> Sneaking is advised throughout Irkngthand as the ruin is full of 'Dwarven Sphere Guardians' but they will only attack if you are
spotted by the iris-like sensors on the walls. Proceed through the first room and take out the wandering Dwarven sphere before
proceeding through a gate. Kill another three spheres before going down some stairs, turn right and follow the path in the upper
floor to find a treasure chest.
> SAVE then continue to the next room and you'll come across some flame traps. Just follow in the same direction they're spinning
and you can make it through unharmed, watch out for a couple of Dwarven spiders that will attack you along the way. At the end of
the next corridor, there is a Dwarven spider and another chest. Activate the lever and you'll descend to 'Irkngthand Grand Cavern'.
> At the bottom SAVE, Karliah and Brynjolf will follow you. There is a trap on the left side of the door. After deactivating the trap
wire, go through the door and continue down the hall. To open the door you have to activate the levers on either side of the room,
once you pull the first lever you have to quickly pull the second before the gears activated by the first lever stop turning. Be careful
while crossing the next chamber as there are multiple traps on the floor. Proceed on and kill any Falmer in your way, go up the
ramps until you find a door.
> Enter the door and SAVE, behind an open gate you'll find some empty chests, scrolls of detect life (which will come in handy when
fighting Mercer) and a message from Mercer. In the next room, shoot the 'Dwarven Centurion' with an arrow while still standing on
the steps, the Falmer will then fight and destroy him (it can also be activated via a button located on the side of the steps, if you drop
down on the right-hand side).
> Once you go up the stairs SAVE, move around to the door, you will see a frostbite spider nest with a few living spiders around, and
several bear traps strewn across the room. Moving ahead, you'll find a door leading to 'Irkngthand Slave Pens'.
> Proceed inside and SAVE, defeat the Dwarven spider and head down the stairs, you'll find a torture chamber, you can kill both
Falmer by sneaking through the grid and activating the trap lever. Proceed through the corridor on the left and Karliah will tell you
that you have a choice between sneaking or fighting the Falmer.
> SAVE before entering the next room and complete the simple pipe maze. Further down the room you'll fight more Falmer before
going down the path that leads to 'Irkngthand Sanctuary'.
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> After entering the Sanctuary you'll see a short scene with Mercer before the ledge you're standing on collapses, and after a short
conversation you will have to fight him, SAVE.
> During the fight, Mercer will use his 'Agent of Subterfuge' power on Brynjolf causing him to attack Karliah and preventing them
from helping you. Mercer will turn invisible occasionally during the fight, position yourself on the stairs and let Mercer come to you,
so he doesn't sneak up behind you. Use the Detect Life scrolls, the Detect Life spell or the Aura Whisper Shout if you have it to see
him. Once you defeat Mercer, a pipe at the top of the room will burst, flooding the room, SAVE.
> Grab the Skeleton Key and the 'Eyes of the Falmer' from Mercer's body, sometimes a bug occurs where you cannot retrieve these
items, to fix it go out to one of the beds at the start of the dungeon and sleep in it, the game will ask you if you want to 'Serve your
time in jail?' Say yes and you'll appear outside of a prison. Now you can return to Irkngthand and loot the corpse.
Also note that although the Skeleton Key is a Daedric artifact it does not count for the 'Oblivion Walker' achievement.
> The water will continue to rise but don't panic, once it gets high enough a hole will appear above the statue's head. Run out
through the short passage to escape. This takes you to 'Bronze Water Cave' (if you had a follower that wasn't told to wait, this is
where you'll find them). You can give the 'Left Eye of the Falmer' to Delvin for gold as part of 'The Litany of Larceny' side quest, the
'Right Eye of the Falmer' can be kept or sold to a merchant. Be sure to talk to Karliah before leaving to complete this quest properly,
she will give you a present, SAVE.
Darkness Returns
NOTE: completing this will remove the Skeleton Key from your inventory permanently.
> To start this quest head to the 'Twilight Sepulcher' located to the west of Falkreath, once inside SAVE.
> Proceed inside, you'll encounter an individual at the foot of some ancient steps. Do not leave this area until this quest is complete.
Talk to him for a while and inquire all you wish about the tasks ahead. Inquiring further will give you a little mini-side quest to
retrieve a very helpful journal, it contains clues about the five 'tests' you will be facing so it's worthwhile going for it. The journal is
found on 'Nystrom's' remains on the east side of the chamber.
> SAVE then continue on. The first test is found just ahead in the form of two 'Nightingale Sentinels', one will be found in a room to
the left, along with a secret chamber opened by pressing a button behind the table. The other Sentinel can be found wandering near
the steps in the main room. You can either choose to fight them or try sneaking past them. Proceed on into the next hallway
watching out for pressure plate traps. On top of the stairs ahead, there is another Sentinel keeping watch, kill him or sneak past then
SAVE.
> The second test is a room with bright areas and a shadowy path running through them. Stick to the shadows to avoid very rapid,
automatic health damage from the light. There are some tripwire traps in the shadows to avoid; the first one is on the first flight of
stairs across the landing just ahead of you, the second is located just before you go down the second flight of stairs, the third is just
before you travel across a wooden bridge, and the last one is located at the top of the last stairs going down. After you reach the end
of the chamber proceed further onward until you reach the next room, SAVE.
> The third test contains a statue of Nocturnal and a wooden tray with some gold and soul gems in it. This test requires you to give
Nocturnal an offering- an offering of 'Darkness'. Find the chains hidden behind the stone torches, pull them both to put out the
flames and reveal a hidden passage behind the statue, proceed through and SAVE.
> The fourth test consists of a series of elaborate traps, including two pressure plates triggering darts from the ceiling and a
pendulum trap straight ahead. However, you can avoid these traps by opening the master level door to the left of the pendulum
trap, use your Skeleton Key to open it. This path leads to another chamber which has two Nightingale Sentinels and also contains a
copy of the Lockpicking SKill Book 'Proper Lock Design' (on the table near the southeast corner of the room). A copy of the Sneak
Skill Book 'Sacred Witness' can be found on the table near the altar on the northwest side.
> Continue through the corridors until you reach the door leading into the 'Twilight Sepulcher Inner Sanctum'.
> Proceed inside, SAVE and continue down a hallway and then through some doors opening into a room with a well in it. To help
prevent a bug with Karliah use the 'Wait' function (cn_back) and wait here for at least 3 hours. It is very buggy down this well so
make sure also to SAVE before dropping down.
> Wait for Karliah to show up before you examine the skeletal remains of 'Anders' as doing so will trigger a scene that she must be
present for. After this, the floor of the well descends to reveal a room with three closed doors and a lock at your feet. Use the
Skeleton Key to re-open the 'Ebonmere'. After some dialogue with Nocturnal you are given a choice of three special powers:
Agent of Shadow: This gives you a 2 minute invisibility power while sneaking.
Agent of Subterfuge: This gives you a Frenzy power causing all nearby enemies to fight each other for 30 seconds.
Agent of Strife: This gives you an absorb 100 health power.
You can return here any time to change your power if you wish, but only once a day. After choosing your power there will be some
more dialogue with Nocturnal, to help prevent another bug with Karliah wait at least 3 hours before approaching her and asking
about Gallus. After this you can now leave easily via the portal. Return to the Ragged Flagon and Brynjolf will greet you. If you have
already completed enough reputation quests, as detailed below, you will be able to attend the 'Ceremony' and become the 'Thieves
Guildmaster', see 'Ceremony' section below, either way you will unlock:
Darkness Returns in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Darkness Returns19 (10)
Complete "Darkness Returns"
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Special Job Requests
Under New Management
Your task to restore the Thieves Guild to it's former glory and assume the title of 'Guildmaster' can begin at any time after activating
the 'Meet the Family' quest. To restore the Guild you have to perform little jobs for Delvin Mallory and Vex, specifically you have to
complete '5' jobs in the Haafingar, Eastmarch, Reach and Whiterun Holds followed by a special 'Reputation Quest' in each Hold.
Talk to Delvin or Vex to receive a job. These jobs are randomly generated 'radiant' mini-quests, and they can be in any number of
locations in any of the aforementioned Holds. You can check how many jobs you have completed in each Hold via the 'Quests' log. If
you receive a job in a Hold you've already finished with, then you can quit the job by talking to the quest giver or reload a previous
save to get a job in the Hold you require.
During these jobs it is important never to kill anyone, this is about thievery and forgery not murder. Killing people during these jobs
will not only forfeit your entire reward, but will also fail the job altogether. Also try not to get detected while you are trespassing, or
picking locks or pockets as this will fail the job too. The respected jobs are as follows:
Delvin
The Fishing Job - Pickpocket a special item from a specific target, this could be almost anyone in Skyrim.
The Numbers Job - Break in to any one of '28' randomly selected stores and fix the business ledger.
The Bedlam Job - Go to the Hold requested and steal over 500 gold worth of loot, can be anywhere in that Hold. Best to select large
houses in major cities however, it's more lucrative.
Vex
The Burglary Job - Simply steal a specific item from a property, usually a special 'Jewelled' or 'Golden' item.
The Shill Job - Frame someone by planting a stolen item in a chest in any one of '29' randomly selected locations.
The Sweep Job - Break in to any one of '29' randomly selected houses and steal the three special items.
The Heist Job - Break in to any one of '28' randomly selected stores and steal a specific item from the strongbox.
After completing '5' jobs in a specific Hold, you will be given a 'Reputation Quest' these are not randomly generated and they are
designed to improve the Thieves Guild's wealth and renown in Skyrim.
Reputation Quests
The Reach Hold - The Silver Lining
> Once you completed at least '5' jobs in The Reach you will be given this special assignment. Talk to Delvin who will direct you to a
Redguard called 'Endon' in Markarth, go there and SAVE.
> You'll usually find Endon in the 'Silver-Blood Inn' near Markarth's main entrance, he wants you to retrieve a unique 'Silver Mold'
from the bandits at 'Pinewatch'. If you have already found this Mold by accident just hand it over and the quest is completed,
otherwise it's off to Pinewatch which is located northeast of Falkreath.
> Don't go killing the first people you see at Pinewatch, as they are civilians. Enter the interior of Pinewatch, SAVE.
> You can bribe a Nord named 'Rhorlak' into revealing the location of the bandit hideout. A button next to the bookcase in the
basement will open the door to the bandit camp, head down, you are free to kill any and all of the hostile bandits in this area.
> SAVE, then proceed until you encounter three bandits, you can avoid them by dropping to the lower area and carefully making
your way around the back up the planks, or you can just kill them. The exit is on your left if you fought across the bridge and right if
you sneaked up from behind. Proceed on to find another three bandits in the next room and one more in front of the door to
'Pinewatch Bandit's Sanctuary', sneak past or kill them at your leisure.
> After entering the Sanctuary SAVE, you'll find some bandits around a table, they can be avoided by sneaking around to the left and
going up the path to the right, or you can kill them. The next bandit can be avoided by staying in the shadows if you wish. Move on
and you'll reach a dark room with some dead draugr and a bandit, grab the Unusual Gem in a treasure room to the right.
> Proceed on until you hear bandits talking. It's hard to sneak past these but you could hug the left wall or use invisibility to sneak
straight through the middle of the room, SAVE.
> You'll come to the room of the bandit leader 'Rigel Strong-Arm' she will patrol this area, and she can be a tough opponent. Watch
for the bone-rattles here, you can pickpocket the treasure room key from Rigel, or kill her and take it. Either way proceed on but be
careful of all the traps Rigel has set. Proceed down the tunnel and over a bridge, then on through some more tunnels and rooms
until you reach the final door to the treasure room. Take the Silver Mold and all the loot you can carry from here. Go out of the exit
door that takes you back into the first section of the cave, SAVE.
> Return to Endon in Markarth and give him the Silver mold, he will reward you and offer his services as a fence, SAVE.
> Now return back to Delvin in the Flagon, he'll congratulate you and this will unlock a new merchant in the Thieves Guild and
restore a part the Guilds reputation. This will also unlock the three Thieves Guild cache barrels in Markarth.
Haafingar Hold - The Dainty Sload

> After completing at least '5' jobs in Haafingar Hold you can receive this reputation quest from Delvin, make a SAVE before talking
to him and if the quest does not initiate in your journal reload the save and talk to him again. Delvin will direct you to the Thane of
Solitude 'Erikur', he can be found in the 'Blue Palace' in 'Solitude', go there, SAVE and find him.
> Erikur will explain that you need to frame a certain ship's captain named 'Volf' by placing some highly illegal 'Balmora Blue' wine in
his footlocker. In some games, where a lot of days have passed, Erikur may have glitched off the map of Skyrim. He can still be
reached, however, by getting underneath the regular map. To do so, hop onto the roof of 'Angeline's Aromatics' and use the
'Whirlwind Sprint' shout to reach the lower roof of 'Bits and Pieces'. Head west along the roof and hop into the space that joins to
the roof of 'Radiant Raiment', then navigate to Erikur's quest marker.
> To attain some Balmora Blue you must find a Nord warrior named 'Sabine Nytte', she can be found aboard the 'Red Wave'; a ship
docked outside Solitude. Head out to the docks and make a SAVE before talking to Sabine.
> She will ask for 1500 Septims for the wine, if you don't have or don't want to pay 1500 you can pick her pocket for the key to the
chest which is underwater- underneath the dock next to the Red Wave, SAVE before trying this though, alternatively you could just
swim down and pick the lock if you're skilled enough. Make sure the wine has went into your inventory before moving on, if not
reload previous save and try again.
> With the illegal wine in hand head up to the 'Dainty Sload'; a ship anchored out next to 'Solitude Lighthouse', found on the north
coast.
> SAVE before boarding the Sload, if the ship hasn't rendered properly and you fall through it just reload this save point. There are
two guards on the deck, kill them or sneak by them into the ship's interior. There are some guards inside, sneak by or kill them and
go down to the bottom of the ship then back up the other side into the captain's quarters.
> The first mate will be guarding here, you can either sneak by him and pick the adept lock, pickpocket the key from him, or kill him
and take the key. Enter the captain's quarters and plant the Balmora Blue. Also grab the Unusual Gem and the Speech Skill Book 'A
Dance in Fire V6', SAVE then leave.
> Return first to Erikur at the Blue Palace, he will be pleased and will reward you, SAVE.
> Now head back to Delvin at the Ragged Flagon to complete the quest, Delvin will inform you that a new merchant has set up shop
in the Thieves Guild and another Hold has been won over, SAVE.
Whiterun Hold - Imitation Amnesty

> After completing at least '5' jobs in Whiterun Hold this special job becomes available from Delvin. Speak to him in the Ragged
Flagon and he will direct you to a Nord warrior called 'Olfrid Battle-Born', he's usually found wandering the streets of Whiterun by
day.
> Go to Whiterun, SAVE and then talk to Olfrid, he wants you to help his friend 'Arn', whose been arrested. You can do this by
stealing a convicting letter to the Jarl and changing Arn's name in the prison registry. Both are located in 'Dragonsreach', the letter is
in the Jarl's quarters and the registry is on the steward's desk.
> Go into Dragonsreach and SAVE, (if you have previously completed the side-quest 'Bleak Falls Barrow' in the Main Story, you can
just walk into the Jarl's quarters and take the letter and also walk into the steward's room and change the registry without risk of
being arrested). Otherwise you are trespassing and you need to sneak.
> Find the servants' entrance to the Jarl's quarters located in the kitchen, and head up to the steward's room, run to the Jarl's study
up the stairs and to the right of the dining table, close the door behind you and steal the letter. Also grab the Unusual Gem here and
then run back to the steward's room, sneak, activate the register, and then exit as quickly as possible, SAVE.
> Return to Olfrid who will be glad you saved his murderous friend and he'll reward you.
> SAVE then return to Delvin at the Ragged Flagon, he will reward you also and inform you that a new merchant has opened a shop
in the Thieves Guild and another portion of the Guild has been restored to full glory.
Eastmarch Hold - Summerset Shadows
> After completing at least '5' jobs in Eastmarch Hold, this quest will be available from Delvin. SAVE before talking to him and he will
direct you to a Nord farmer named 'Torsten Cruel-Sea', he can be found either inside or outside the city walls of Windhelm. If the
quest does not appear in your journal try reloading the previous save, if this still doesn't fix it then continue straight on to the next
quest stage and go talk to Torsten.
> Upon arriving at Windhelm SAVE, find Torsten and talk to him, he wants you to find an Altmer thief called 'Niranye', she can be
found at her stall near the 'White Phial' during the day or in the 'New Gnisis Cornerclub' during the evening, go find her but SAVE
before talking to her.
> You have to use your Speech skill here to persuade or intimidate her into telling the truth, so buff up your speech skill as much as
possible before talking to her. If you fail to convince her you're going to have to go to her house and obtain some evidence against
her.
> Niranye's house is located right next to the east side of the main gate, break in and find the hidden panel to the rear of the eastern
room leading to the basement. Steal the letters from 'Linwe' from the safe and return to Niranye with the evidence. (If you chose the
wrong option and she becomes hostile you can kill Niranye and not incur a bounty, however she is a good merchant and becomes a
useful stolen goods fence after this quest). Either way you'll be directed to 'Uttering Hills Cave'; a bandit cave in the mountains west
of Windhelm, head there.
> Your objective here is just to sabotage a rival guild, you do not need to kill anyone, not even the boss, but you can if you wish.
Either sneak past or kill the lookouts outside the cave, enter and SAVE.
> There are two paths here, and both lead to the same room. There are two 'Shadows' by a fire, sneak past or kill them, a door leads
to a circular room where a bandit patrols and another one is sitting at the far end of the tunnel. There is a 'Summerset Shadows
Banner' you have to burn in the next room, do not burn it just yet, this banner is quite buggy so SAVE when you see it.
> You may want to take out the guys in the room to the left and Linwe (the boss) to the right of the banner and pick up the One-
Handed Skill Book 'Mace Etiquette' before you burn it with a fire spell. If it doesn't burn or it isn't even visible try casting fire spells
where it should be or reload the save. You must at least pickpocket Linwe's locket and burn the banner to complete the quest. With
the locket or with Linwe and her Shadows dead and the banner burnt leave the cave the way you came in and return back to Torsten
in Windhelm.
> Torsten will reward you and become friendly with the Guild, SAVE.
> Now return to Delvin, he will also reward you and inform you that the Thieves Guild has yet another new merchant and a portion
of the Thieves Guild has been returned to it's former glory, SAVE.
Guildmaster's Ceremony
> After completing all four of the Reputation quests, the Darkness Returns main Thieves Guild quest, and restoring the Thieves Guild
to it's full former glory, you will be offered to attend a ceremony to become the official new Guildmaster.
> Talk to Brynjolf and go to the Cistern where a crowd will be gathered to witness your coronation. After this talk back with Brynjolf,
he will hand you the 'Tribute Chest Key' and the 'Amulet of Articulation'. The key unlocks the chest near the Guildmaster's desk in
which the Guild members periodically place loot as a tribute to you.
> Brynjolf also tells you to see Tonilia about getting your 'Guildmaster's Armor' set- a boosted version of your other Thieves Guild
Armor. This will end your main career in the Thieves Guild and unlock the final achievement associated with it:
One with the Shadows in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
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Returned the Thieves Guild to its former glory
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Your time with the Thieves Guild doesn't have to end here however, there are some additional (non achievement related) side-
quests I've detailed below.
Additional Quests
Caravan Fence Quest
This small side quest will only become available after completing at least three of the Reputation Quests.
> Find Tonilia in the Ragged Flagon, she wants you to deliver a satchel of moon sugar to the Khajiit peddler 'Ri'saad' to secure an
alliance with the Khajiit trading caravans.
> This Khajiit caravan travels between Whiterun and Markarth and camps for two days at each site. Sometimes, by the time you fast
travel there, they may have already moved on. You can either repeatedly fast travel and hope they still remain or get close then run
after them, try to anticipate their direction of travel.
> Once you have found the caravan and Ri'saad SAVE, talk to him and he will pleased to accept an alliance with the Guild, this makes
the caravan a fence for stolen goods and lowers their prices.
> Return to Tonilia for her thanks and your reward, SAVE.
The Litany of Larceny

This is not a quest as such, there are seven special items that can be collected throughout the Thieves Guild main quests. Find them
and return them to Delvin Mallory to receive a levelled amount of gold, and to display them in the Thieves Guild Cistern as trophies
of your heroism for all to see. I mentioned their locations during each of their associated quests, but here are there locations again if
you fancy going back and finding them all:
The Queen Bee Statue: In Riften, in the Goldenglow Estate, on a table in Aringoth's room.
The Honningbrew Decanter: In the Honningbrew Meadery southeast of Whiterun, in a room on the upper floor.
The East Empire Shipping Map: In the East Empire Company Warehouse near Solitude, found in the Dockmaster's quarters
overlooking the warehouse.
The Model Ship: Snow Veil Sanctum located north-northeast of Windhelm, on a booby-trapped pedestal in the catacombs. It's best
to use Telekinesis for this.
The Dwemer Puzzle Cube: Found in Calcemo's Laboratory in his museum in Understone Keep in Markarth. It's advisable not to go
back for this unless until you have completed all the Thieves Guild quests.
The Bust of the Gray Fox: Found in Riftweald Manor in Riften, sitting on a table.
The Left Eye of the Falmer: Found on the corpse of Mercer Frey in the Irkngthand Sanctuary in Irkngthand located to the west of
Windhelm.
After returning each item to Delvin you will receive a levelled amount of gold and his thanks. These items make a nice decorative
addition to the Cistern and help with the notion that the Guild has been returned to its full power once again.
Toying With the Dead

You can begin this quest anytime after activating the Meet the Family quest.
> Talk to 'Vekel' in the Ragged Flagon he wants you to retrieve some journals from an ice cave called 'Yngvild' located on an island off
the coast of Dawnstar, head out to Dawnstar and SAVE.
> Find the entrance to Yngvild by following the path to the north.
> Once inside SAVE, you'll find the first journal on a table guarded by some ghosts and draugr, defeat them and pick up the journal.
> Find the second journal on another table and then the third is found on yet another table just before the door to the 'Throne
Room', pick up the journals and head into the Throne Room, SAVE.
> You can either fight the boss of Yngvild 'Arondil' and his ghost guards or you could sneak past all of them and remove the Soul Gem
from the pedestal causing Arondil's own guards to attack and kill him. Either way go into the room behind the throne and grab the
final journal along with an Unusual Gem, SAVE then leave the cave and head back to the Ragged Flagon.
> Return the journals to Vekel, he will be pleased and reward you with a levelled enchanted weapon, SAVE.
No Stone Unturned
This is another collectible quest for the Guild, albeit larger but more rewarding than the Litany of Larceny. There are '24' Unusual
Gems located throughout Skyrim, '6' of these will be encountered during your course through the Thieves Guild quest line. I have
mentioned the locations of these in the Walkthrough above but I will list them again here along with the locations of the other 18 for
your consideration.
Once you have found your first Unusual Gem return it to Vex in the Ragged Flagon, she will tell you to retrieve the other 23, make
sure you talk to Vex about the Unusual Gems before collecting the 24th or you may glitch the final quest stage. The first 6 gems, that
are encountered during the Thieves Guild quests, are:
> During Hard Answers - The Dwemer Museum - On a table in the first room to the left. If you did not pick this one up during the
quest 'Hard Answers' do not go back for it until you have at least completed the quest 'Darkness Returns'.
> During Scoundrels Folly - The Blue Palace - In the Jarl's bedroom, right side of the bed on top of the wardrobe.
> During the Silver Lining - Pinewatch Bandit's Sanctuary - Head down to the basement and press the hidden button to the right of
the bookcase, providing access to the bandit's hideout. The gem is found in a locked room in the Bandit's Sanctuary.
> During Imitation Amnesty - Dragonsreach - In the Jarl's bedroom.
> During The Dainty Sload - Head down into the waterlogged bowels of the ship and up the opposing stairs, it's in the last room on
the table.
> During Toying With the Dead - Yngvild Throne Room - In the bedroom behind the throne.
An additional '18' gems are scattered across Skyrim, usually these are in quest related areas so it is advisable only to go for them
after activating the related quest to avoid bugs, the following '7' however, will not affect any quests and can be attained without any
bug causing risks, these are:
> Whiterun's Jorrvaskr - In Kodlak's room on a bookshelf, note that if you are not a Companion taking this is stealing.
> Whiterun's Hall of the Dead - You will activate a side quest to retrieve 'Anders' Amulet' here so it's fine to take it now, the gem is
inside the Catacombs; go down the left stairs and it will be to your left, next to a skeleton.
> Riften's Mistveil Keep - In the Jarl's bedroom, sneak up the stairs and through the locked centre door. It will be on the end table left
of the bed.
> Ansilvund - This is a very interesting Nordic ruin located in the 'Velothi Mountains' to the far north of Riften. You may have read a
book called 'Of Fjori and Hjolgeir' that hints about this accursed place. Upon entering you will automatically activate the Ansilvund
side quest, the gem is found on the table at the end of 'Ansilvund Burial Chambers'.
> Rannveig's Fast - This is a Nordic ruin located south of Morthal, the gem is located next to the alchemy lab and chest on the right
after falling down the trapdoor in front of the 'Kyne's Peace' Word Wall.
> Sunderstone Gorge - This is a dangerous cave system located to the west of 'Bloated Man's Grotto' which is to the west of
'Riverwood' and north of Falkreath. The gem is on the table with two bodies in front of the 'Fire Breath' Word Wall.
> Windhelm's Palace of the Kings - the gem itself is located upstairs, take the first door to the left upon entering the main palace
area, then find 'Wuunferth's' room at the end of the hall.
The last '11' gems have quests related to them and you should only go for the gem while on the related quest:
> During the Main Story quest 'Diplomatic Immunity' - See the relative section of the 'Main Story' page for more information about
this quest. (If you are not online and do not have the latest patches this gem will be located inside the 'Thalmor Embassy' in
'Elenwen's' Solar on the second floor). After patch 1.4 this gem is located inside 'Reeking Cave' which you go through at the end of
this quest.
> Buying a house in Solitude - To buy this house you must first complete two quests 'The Man Who Cried Wolf' activated by talking
to 'Falk Firebeard' in the Blue Palace and 'Elisif's Tribute' activated afterwards by talking to 'Elisif the Fair' also in the Blue Palace.
After these are completed Falk will offer you a house in Solitude for 25,000 Septims. The gem is found on the top floor in the master
bedroom, left of the door.
> Inside the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary - For information about joining the Dark Brotherhood see the Dark Brotherhood page. The
gem is in 'Astrid's' room.
> The Dark Brotherhood Quest 'Mourning Never Comes' - Again for information about joining the Dark Brotherhood see the Dark
Brotherhood page. During Mourning Never Comes you will enter the 'House of Clan Shatter-Shield', the gem is located on a
bookshelf in a room to the left of the top of the stairs.
> The Forsworn Conspiracy - Your first visit to Markarth will trigger a scene in the marketplace, following this a Breton named 'Eltrys'
will give you a note, meeting him will continue this quest. The gem itself is located in the 'Treasury House' on a bedside table in
Thonar's bedroom, down the hall on the left from where you enter the front door. You may need to pick an apprentice-level door,
but no one reacts.
> The College of Winterhold quest 'Under Saarthal' - For information on joining the College and activating this quest see the College
of Winterhold page. The gem itself is in the Arch-Mage's quarters inside the college.
> The College of Winterhold side quest 'Hitting the Books' - Again for information on joining the College and activating this quest see
the College of Winterhold page. After the Under Saarthal quest you can talk to 'Urag gro-Shub' he will direct you to a large fort
located east-northeast of Whiterun. The gem is located up the stairs to the right.
> The Daedric Artifact quest 'Pieces of the Past' - For information regarding this quest see the 'Mehrunes Razor' part of the Daedric
Artifacts page of this Walkthrough. The gem is located in 'Dead Crone Rock' on the stone altar opposite the 'Dismay' Word Wall.
> Promises to Keep - Activated by talking to 'Louis Letrush' in the Bee and Bard in Riften, the gem is located in the Black-Briar Lodge
in the top floor bedroom next to the bed.
> Finn's Lute - The Bard's college in Solitude. Offer to complete a few side quests to retrieve various lost instruments, you must first
find the college in the streets of Solitude and talk to the Headmaster 'Viarmo'. Complete the 'Tending the Flames' quest then talk to
'Inge Six-Fingers' about the lost lute. The gem is located in 'Stony Creek Cave' in south east of Eastmarch Hold (you can just go there
without the quest but you risk creating bugs). The gem can be found on the table next to the alchemy lab in the room off to the side.
> Pantea's Flute - See 'Finn's Lute' above. Talk to Pantea at the college after Tending to the Flames, she will direct you to 'Hob's Fall
Cave' located between Dawnstar and Winterhold. The gem can be found near the alchemy set under the bridge near the beginning
of the cave.
After collecting the 24th and final Unusual Gem and returning them all to Vex at the Ragged Flagon she will give you one final task:
To fetch the 'Crown of Barenziah' of which the gems belong to. The crown is in 'Tolvald's Cave' located in the Velothi Mountains
northeast of Shor's Stone and south-southeast of Ansilvund.
> Proceed through three levels of Tolvald's Cave and find the crown in some rubble at the end of 'Tolvald's Crossing'.
> Return the crown to Vex and she will reward you with a unique power that causes significantly more gems to be found in random
loot called the 'Prowler's Profit'.
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The Crown of Barenziah in all its majesty is then displayed in the Thieves Guild Cistern forever, along perhaps with all the others.
Making Reparations
If you break the rules of the Thieves Guild, (as described at the top of this page) you will be banned from the Guild. Getting banned
will automatically activate a quest in your journal to restore your membership, this may be referred to as: Making Reparations.
If you have directly attacked a fellow member of the Thieves Guild and been caught you should cease attacking them immediately
and leave the area as quickly as possible, also ensure no one gets killed by guards or other enemies and then wait at least 48 hours
away from anyone hostile. Return to the Ragged Flagon when everyone has calmed down and speak with Vex. You will have to pay
at least 1000 Septims to rejoin the Guild and more if your crimes are greater. This will restore full access to the guild.
The End?
Although you have now completed every available quest for the Thieves Guild your time there may never need end. You can
complete the randomly generated mini-quests given to you by Delvin and Vex indefinitely and you can steal and pickpocket and
fence your stolen wares for as long as you like. The Thieves Guild is also a great place to buy and sell your goods, stolen or otherwise
and has some great master trainers and other training tools to be exploited as long as you remain, in the shadows.
Skyrim Game Guide.
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This secret guild operates as an assassination agency, fulfilling the bloody desires of the inhabitants of Skyrim. In days gone by the
Dark Brotherhood was a powerful organization, with heavy influences all over Tamriel, but now it has fallen into disarray. Without a
true leader and with the few remaining sanctuaries cut off from each other they are struggling to keep up with public demand.
As a member of the Dark Brotherhood you will gain access to many advantages, these include: exclusive access to a certain Word
Wall, various new useful armours, the most powerful dagger in the game, the ability to recruit Dark Brotherhood followers, a unique
immortal horse named 'Shadowmere', and access to new merchants and trainers.
The Dark Brotherhood has '13' primary quests, the completion of which will unlock the '3' associated achievements. Depending on
your decisions, there may be a few optional side-quests available, but they are not necessary for any achievements.
Remember that all of the Dark Brotherhood achievements are potentially missable, this is because you will be given a choice during
the first primary quest; to either kill three innocent people, or turn on a Dark Brotherhood member and destroy the guild. Obviously
you must choose the former to join the brotherhood, while choosing the latter will activate an alternative quest to kill the Dark
Brotherhood guild members and so make all of the achievements unavailable.
You can, if you wish complete a humorous optional quest before the main quest line begins. The quest is called 'Delayed Burial' and
it involves meeting the very quirky, albeit psychotic Dark Brotherhood member 'Cicero' and helping him deliver a wagon to the
brotherhood.
> To find Cicero; travel to 'Loreius Farm' to the north of Whiterun and south of 'Blizzard Rest'. Look to the east near the road for a
broken down wagon and a jester standing nearby.
> SAVE then talk to the jester, 'Cicero'; he wants you to convince the nearby farmer 'Vantus Loreius' to help fix his wheel so he can
be on his way.
> You will be given the option to report Cicero to a nearby patrolling guard, or help Cicero. Either choice holds no significant
consequences, but it is not advisable to report Cicero if you wish to join the Dark Brotherhood. Instead head over to the farm and
find Vantus, he will help Cicero after you pass an easy speech skill check, SAVE.
> Go back over to Cicero and inform him that the farmer will help him and he will reward you with some gold and his approval.
This quest introduces you to the 'Keeper of the Dark Brotherhood', he may not look important but Cicero has a high status in the
Brotherhood and he is transporting something very precious to them.
Innocence Lost
> To initiate the Dark Brotherhood quest line proper, you will have to travel to the city of Windhelm, there you will find a young
Nord boy named 'Aventus Aretino' outside his house - to help find him you can talk to people around Windhelm, this may mark his
location on your map, otherwise you can find his house; from the main gate immediately turn right and go up the stairs. Continue
straight ahead, pass the house on your left, and turn left around its far corner. You should now be heading north, with the house on
your left and a crumbling stone wall on your right. The Aretino Residence is a short distance ahead.
> If this is your first visit to the area, a Dunmer woman named 'Idesa Sadri' will be outside Aventus' house trying to dissuade Grimvar
Cruel-Sea from playing with him.
> Once you find his house SAVE, you'll have to pick the lock on his door, you will find Aventus inside, performing a ritual known as
the 'Dark Sacrament' (intended to contact the Dark Brotherhood and request an assassination using dark forces). Aventus will
mistake you for the assassin he was trying to summon and he will explain his situation. In short, he is an orphan from 'Honorhall
Orphanage' in Riften, he was treat cruelly by his carer 'Grelod the Kind' and wants her dead. You must accept this contract, and be
willing to kill innocent people hence forth during the Dark Brotherhood quest line. If you've already killed Grelod, Aventus will
compliment you and the quest will complete here.
Note that anyone you kill, as part of any Dark Brotherhood quests, will have little or no affect on other main quests in the game.
However due to the noxious nature of the Dark Brotherhood quest line, you may lose the odd merchant, trainer or potential
follower.
> Once you have accepted the quest, travel down to Riften, SAVE and find the orphanage in the northeast of the town.
> You must not kill or attack anyone but your target during any Dark Brotherhood quest - it will not only be counted as murder, but
after you join the guild you will forfeit any special bonus rewards if you do so. Grelod is your only target There are some interesting
ways to kill her, but the easiest is to simply wait for night and sneak into her room, she only has 1 point of health so absolutely any
method of killing her will work. Her murder, even if witnessed will not count as a crime, but you will cause some people to panic.
Once she is dead SAVE.
> Go back to Windhelm and find Aventus in his house, he will be very pleased and reward you with a family heirloom, this completes
the quest, SAVE.
With Friends Like These...

> Your actions during the previous quest were somehow known to the Dark Brotherhood. Leaving Windhelm and carrying on with
your daily business will soon prompt a courier to deliver a letter to you. This simply says 'We know'. After you have received this
message the next time you sleep you will be kidnapped and awaken in a mysterious cabin in mysterious circumstances, SAVE. If it's
taking too long to receive the message, try sleeping anyway to prompt the quest.
> You will find a Dark Brotherhood member called 'Astrid' when you awake, she will be pleased with your performance in killing
Grelod but she will inform you that you unwittingly stole a contract from them. To repay your debt you will have to kill somebody
else. DO NOT KILL ASTRID! This will fail the quest and make you unable to complete any further Dark Brotherhood quests and miss
three achievements. Instead you must kill the three bound captives in the room.
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NOTE: These captives can be exploited for Pickpocket skill training. Even after successful detection, you will still be able to pickpocket
them. (See Miscellaneous achievements page: Pickpocketing section for more information).
> You can question the captives if you like, but ultimately it doesn't matter who you kill, kill them one by one until Astrid gives you
the password to the 'Dark Brotherhood's Sanctuary' and the key to the cabin so you can leave, SAVE. Due to a possible bug Astrid
may not give you the password or key, reloading a previous save is the only known fix for this.
> Now you need to find the Sanctuary, it's located to the west of Falkreath, northeast of 'Cracked Tusk Keep', travel there.
> Once at the door SAVE, the door will ask 'What is the music of life?' You must reply 'Silence, my brother' to enter.
> Find Astrid, she will welcome you to the Dark Brotherhood family as a full member and award you some 'Shrouded Armour'. Astrid
will ask you to complete some lesser assassination contracts as she prepares a very important major contract for you. After talking
with Astrid you will unlock the first Dark Brotherhood achievement:
With Friends Like These… in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
With Friends Like These…17 (10)
Join the Dark Brotherhood
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Turn back and search the shelves for a copy of the Alteration Skill Book 'Sithis'. Now head into the sanctuary, descend the stairs to
the north that lead to a large chamber where you will meet the rest of your 'family', they are gathered together talking when you
enter, you may want to talk to all the members of the brotherhood to get a better idea of how they operate.
You'll also find the 'Marked For Death' 'Word Wall' here to the north, make sure you learn the word from it and SAVE.
> Find a Redguard named 'Nazir' in the sanctuary, talk to him, and after he mocks you he will give you three relatively easy
assassination contracts. You can do each one at a time and return for payment, or you can do all three and return to Nazir once
completed. The three contracts are for 'Narfi', 'Ennodius Papius' and 'Beitild'. You should talk to the other Dark Brotherhood
members about the contracts to gain valuable knowledge and tactics about them before leaving.
Kill Narfi
> Narfi is a male Nord beggar who walks around Ivarstead, to the south of the Throat of the world, head out to Ivarstead and SAVE.
> He is weak and can be killed by any means you see fit, the best method, and to avoid the attention of the guards, is to wait until
4am when he goes to bed across the creek and kill him in his sleep. Once he's dead SAVE.
> Either return to the sanctuary for your reward, or carry on to the next contract, if you return now you will trigger the next quest
'Mourning Never Comes', but it's best to complete all three Sanctuary hits first.
Kill Ennodius Papius

> This male Imperial runaway lives in a small camp to the west of 'Anga's Mill', he is isolated, so they'll be no witnesses and he is
relatively powerless. Dispose of him in any way you like and SAVE.
> Either return to the sanctuary for your reward, or carry on to the next contract, if you return now you will trigger the next quest
'Mourning Never Comes', but it's best to complete all three Sanctuary hits first.
Kill Beitild
> Beitild is a female Nord miner living in Dawnstar, by the 'Ironbreaker Mine', attacking her during the daytime will most likely cause
guards or Dawnstar residents to attack you and incur a bounty. The best way to kill Beitild is to pickpocket the key to her house from
her, then wait until around midnight and sneak into her house to kill her in her sleep. Once she is dead SAVE.
> After all the contracts are complete return to Nazir for your reward, this completes the quest.
Mourning Never Comes

> Talking to Astrid after completing at least one of Nazir's contracts will prompt your first real quest for the Dark Brotherhood; to kill
a male Breton called 'Alain Dufont', and as an optional bonus you can kill a female Nord named 'Nilsine Shatter-Shield'.
> Head out to the city of Markarth, if it is daytime go up the stairs and enter 'The Hag's Cure', if it's night enter the 'Silver Blood Inn'
to the left, SAVE.
> Find the female Breton apothecary named 'Muiri' who requested the contract, talking to her will reveal information about your
prime target, he is now to be found with his fellow bandits in a Dwarven ruin called 'Raldbthar', she will also tell you about Nilsine,
she lives in Windhelm, you can kill them in any order, or you can just kill Alain to complete the quest. After talking with Muiri, SAVE,
and head out to your first target.
NOTE: If you already killed Alain Dufont, Muiri will simply thank you and the quest will be complete, forfeiting the Nilsine bonus. Also
if you have completed the side-quest 'Blood on the Ice' in Windhelm, it is most likely Nilsine will already be dead awarding you the
bonus automatically.
Nilsine Shatter-Shield
> She can be found wandering around Windhelm markets in the mornings, and standing near her sister's abandoned house, Hjerim,
in the afternoon, she spends her evenings inside the 'Hall of the Dead' on weekdays and in the 'Temple of Talos' on weekends. It is
not possible to trigger her anger during conversation, so a stealthy kill when she is alone in the evening is your best course of action.
> Once she is dead SAVE, you can return to Muiri for your reward or go straight for your prime target.
Alain Dufont
> Raldbthar is a Dwemer ruin located to the west southwest of Windhelm, east of 'Korvanjund', past 'Shearpoint', head out there
and SAVE.
> Alain can be found in the first area of the ruin, there will be no guards or other witnesses around so you can kill him loudly if you
wish, there will be other bandits here so you'll want to take them out as well, although it is not mandatory for the quest.
> For a chance of a surprise attack, take the eastern tunnel and kill a few bandits along the way. Down the last set of stairs is where
Alain Dufont resides, so consider entering sneak mode as you descend. There's a group of three bandits in the chamber and a fourth
bandit hidden behind the southern gate. There is an oil slick on the ground that you may take advantage of by using a fire spell to
roast the opposition, the unarmoured Alain included. Fighting them normally is also an option, but beware of Alain’s weapon of
choice, the unique and enchanted warhammer 'Aegisbane'. When Alain is dead, SAVE.
> Return to Muiri in Markarth or go kill Nilsine now if you wish. Muiri will reward you with gold, and if you killed Nilsine you will gain
a special alchemy boosting ring and you'll be able to marry her, SAVE.
> Return to the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary and speak to Astrid, this completes this quest and triggers the next quest.
Whispers in the Dark

> Talk to Astrid in the Sanctuary, she will ask for your help concerning a fellow Dark Brotherhood member 'Cicero', she believes he
may be conspiring with someone and wants you to eavesdrop on him. Unfortunately the method Astrid wants you use is not
altogether desirable, she wants you to sneak into Cicero's room and hide in the Night Mother's coffin. SAVE.
> Go to Cicero's room and pick the novice lock on the coffin, get in and await a dark scene involving Cicero and an unknown second
party. The Night Mother will not speak to Cicero, but she will speak to you, she will give you the honored title of 'Listener' and
request you find 'Amaund Motierre', also, to convince Cicero that you are indeed the new Listener, she gives you a secret phrase to
tell him; 'Darkness rises when silence dies'.
> Now step out of the coffin and talk to Cicero, convince him that you are the new Listener by using the phrase, he will pleased and
then Astrid will enter the room, she is not so pleased and she commands that you leave the task of finding Amaund Motierre until
she makes a decision. In the meantime she directs you back to Nazir for another two minor contracts, SAVE.
> Find Nazir; if you've completed the previous three contracts for him he gives you the next two; to kill 'Hern' and to kill 'Lurbuk'.
This completes the quest.
Kill Hern
> Hern is a Nord vampire who lives with his wife 'Hert' near 'Half-Moon Mill', it's located to the north of Falkreath, on the shore of
Lake Ilinalta, just west of the Lady Stone. Head out there and SAVE.
> You may want to visit the Lady Standing Stone for the Standing Stone achievement, if you haven't already, otherwise head over to
find Hern, you'll usually find him at home with his wife. You can kill Hert to avoid a bounty but you'll get no bonus reward for it.
> Kill Hern by your preferred means, and SAVE.
You can then go back to see Nazir at the Sanctuary for your reward or go straight on to the next contract.
Kill Lurbuk
NOTE: If you have started, but not yet completed, the quest 'Laid to Rest', Lurbuk may still be standing outside of 'Movarth's Lair'.
For this reason, it is recommended that you either dismiss the townspeople or finish Laid to Rest. Otherwise, you will be spotted
when killing Lurbuk and incur a bounty.
> This Orc bard spends his time playing his lute at the 'Moorside Inn' in Morthal, head there and SAVE.
> You can kill Lurbuk silently by using a strategic arrow while sneaking, or you can wait until he's in his room at night and take him
out, either way, once he's dead SAVE.
> Return to Nazir at the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary for your reward and your next quest.
The Silence Has Been Broken

> When returning to the Sanctuary after completing Nazir's contracts Astrid will approach you and give you your next assignment.
She wants you to obey the Night Mother's order and find 'Amaund Motierre'- Amaund is a mysterious Breton nobleman, who, at the
time of this quest, is waiting for you in the old abandoned Nordic tomb of 'Volunruud'.
> Volunruud is located north of Whiterun, to the northwest of Loreius Farm, head out there, and SAVE.
> Take care of the skeleton at the entrance and proceed inside, if you want the word from the 'Aura Whisper' Shout while you are
here, pick up 'Heddic Volunruud's' notes by the skeleton, this initiates a small side-quest inside the tomb but it is not necessary for
this Dark Brotherhood quest.
> You'll find three paths ahead, you want the leftmost one. Open the door and you'll find Amaund waiting there with his Imperial
Bodyguard 'Rexus', SAVE.
>Talk to Amaund, he wants you to carry out a set of contracts, with the final one being the Emperor of Tamriel, Titus Mede II
himself. Amaund also asks you to deliver a letter to Astrid, SAVE.
> At this point you can either continue into the tomb and complete the Volunruud side-quest and learn a word of the 'Aura Whisper'
Shout, or return now to the Sanctuary.
If you decide to go for the Word Wall, you'll come to a room with a throne in it, to the right of the throne is a chest with leveled loot
and around the stone platform are various potions, exit this room through the southwest passage where you will find the 'Aura
Whisper' 'Word Wall', SAVE.
> Return the Sanctuary, SAVE, and speak to Astrid to deliver the letter to her, she is excited about this contract, and she wants to
study the letter further. In the meantime, she asks you to take an amulet to 'Delvin Mallory', he is a Thieves Guild member who you'll
find in the 'Ragged Flagon' in the sewers underneath Riften known as the 'Ratway'.
> Head out to Riften, SAVE, if you've started the Thieves Guild quest line it should be no bother finding Delvin in the Ragged Flagon,
otherwise you may have look around the lower platforms near the water in Riften, the door is located below 'The Scorched
Hammer', and the nearest stairs down are beside the Honorhall Orphanage.
> Once inside SAVE, find Delvin and give him the amulet, he will give you some information about the amulet and buy it from you
with a letter of credit.
> Return now back to the Sanctuary, SAVE and find Astrid, she make some conclusions about the mystery behind Amaund Motierre
and then give you some details about your next assignment; you'll be attending a wedding, and assassinating the bride. This
completes the quest, SAVE.
Bound Until Death

> Before heading out to the wedding, you should talk to some fellow Dark Brotherhood members for some strategies in this quest.
The safest, and possibly easiest, way to kill the target is to drop a gargoyle on the bride's head during the ceremony, talking to the
little vampire girl 'Babette' will reveal more details for this.
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> Another way is to use the special bow that 'Gabriella' will give you, and fire a shot from the parapet position across from the
target.
There are numerous other ways to accomplish this task, such as; reverse pickpocketing a strong Frenzy potion into the groom's
pocket while the bride addresses the crowd, dropping down from the highest point above the balcony and killing them both as a
werewolf (or Vampire Lord with the Dawnguard DLC installed), or just using melee weapons to take them both out.
Any way you use, you will most likely cause an incredible upheaval of guards and other citizens to attack you. Do your best to avoid
detection and do not kill any named NPC's, especially not innocent civilians as you may glitch numerous future quests.
> With a plan in mind, head out to Solitude, you may want to SAVE outside the city and keep this save until the quest is completed to
a satisfactory level. Your target is the bride of the wedding; a female Imperial named 'Vittoria Vici'. The reception will begin the
moment you enter the city and the event will have timed stages.
> Firstly Vittoria will talk to her guests outside, then she will go through the lower door and walk up the stairs to the lower balcony
and address the crowd, this is the time to strike, if you want the bonus.
NOTE: There are various negligible glitches that can occur during this quest, things like; certain NPC's that have previously died in the
game appearing at the ceremony in there underwear, Veezara not appearing and other glitches involving the body of Vittoria
becoming stuck in various ways. Most of these have been fixed with patches and none of them should affect the outcome of this
quest or affect any other achievements. However if something happens that you think may affect future quests reload your previous
save to be safe.
> Position yourself in your preferred area as early as possible, and SAVE.
> Wait for the right moment and then execute Vittoria in your preferred manner. If all does not go well just reload your save and try
again. In most cases, even if you are very stealthy and avoid detection, you will still be attacked by certain members of the crowd or
by the guards. A good way to get out of there quickly, is to immediately fast-travel back to the Sanctuary as soon as Vittoria is dead.
Bear in mind however that a friend from the Brotherhood; an Argonian named 'Veezara' will show up once Vittoria is dead and
attack the guards, this will provide a distraction while you escape. It will serve you better to use Veezara, then escape quickly by
using a stairwell under the Castle Dour tower bridge, near the market.
> Return back to Sanctuary and talk to Astrid, she will be very pleased and award you with a special summoning spell, (a spell that
summons the ghost of a memorable Dark Brotherhood character from the previous Elder Scrolls game). She will then ask you to see
Gabriella there in the Sanctuary, this concludes this quest and unlocks the achievement:
Bound Until Death in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Bound Until Death19 (10)
Complete "Bound Until Death"
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SAVE.
Breaching Security
> Gabriella wants you to prepare for the Emperor's arrival in Skyrim. The Emperor's private security force, the 'Penitus Oculatus' will
be preparing for his arrival also, you must disrupt their plans. Specifically, Gabriella wants you to murder 'Gaius Maro'- the son of the
leader of the Penitus Oculatus and plant an incriminating letter on his father 'Commander Maro'.
> Travel out to the hamlet of 'Dragon Bridge', southwest of Solitude and SAVE. Sneak into the building marked on your map, avoid
detection and steal the Gaius' travel schedule, go back outside and SAVE.
> The schedule will reveal Gaius' location on each day of the week, press cn_back to find out which day it is. It is best to kill him
without any witnesses around, you can, if you want, wait until Turdas evening when he stays at the 'Bannered Mare' in Whiterun. He
will go to sleep in a room alone around midnight, allowing for an easy sneak attack. Alternatively, you can speak to Gaius and
provoke him into attacking you, this allows you to kill him in self-defense without a crime being registered. He might also be alone
while he's eating in the Windhelm barracks on Tirdas. When and wherever you decide to kill him make sure you plant the letter on
his body afterwards and SAVE.
> Return to Gabriella for your reward, this completes the quest.
The Cure For Madness

> After your last quest Gabriella will tell about an incident in the Sanctuary involving Cicero, and she directs you to Astrid. Astrid will
tell of how Cicero tried to kill her and the other members of the Brotherhood, he was then pursued out of the Sanctuary by
Arnbjorn. Astrid wants you to search his room for clues of his location.
> Go to Cicero's room where his five journals will be scattered around, upon reading the final journal you will discover that he has
fled to the old abandoned Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary near Dawnstar. Tell Astrid where Cicero has went and she'll request you find
him, she gives you her immortal horse 'Shadowmere', he will emerge from the water when you exit the Sanctuary, SAVE.
> Head out to the Dawnstar Sanctuary, SAVE, you'll find Arnbjorn lying wounded outside the entrance. You'll need the password to
enter, it's in the final journal of Cicero; say 'Innocence my brother', enter and SAVE.
> To help you with the story I advise you use the 'Summon Spectral Assassin' spell now; an old Dark Brotherhood friend will advise
you not to kill Cicero. You'll find ghosts in the Sanctuary as you search for Cicero, you can kill them by your preferred means but
watch out for the powerful frost troll known as the 'Udefrykte' in the cave area.
> After you cross the bridge at the foot of the stairs, you will find the One-Handed Skill Book 'Fire and Darkness' and the Archery Skill
Book 'The Marksmanship Lesson', SAVE.
> Eventually, in the final room, you'll find Cicero lying, apparently wounded, you have a choice whether to kill Cicero or not.
The consequences of your actions here are minimal, the quest line ultimately ends up the same, if you allow Cicero to live however,
he will later continue to serve the Brotherhood and become available as a quirky follower.
If you decide attack him he will spring to his feet claiming he feigned his injury and you'll fight a fully fit imperial combat assassin.
> Whatever you choose, SAVE and then return to the Sanctuary and find Astrid to complete the quest.
Recipe For Disaster

> Astrid has an interesting plan on how to take out the Emperor, you are to kill and impersonate his chef, and then poison his food.
Astrid will direct you to your dark brother 'Festus Krex', Festus is an Elder mage who specializes in poisons, go and speak to him.
> Festus has a book that has been personally signed by the emperor's chef, known as the 'Gourmet', he got the book from a Breton
in Markarth named 'Anton Virane', Festus suggests that Virane may know where to find the Gourmet.
> Head out to Markarth and enter the Understone Keep, SAVE and find Virane in the kitchen area. He will not give you the
information you need without some persuasion, a successful speech challenge will reveal that the Gourmet is an Orc named 'Balagog
gro-Nolob' and can be found in the 'Nightgate Inn'. Don't scare Virane or he will exit dialogue and run around attracting the guards,
remain silent and then kill him sneakily to prevent any compromise of the assassination.
> Now to find Balagog, the Nightgate Inn can be found to the far west of Windhelm, north of Irkingthand, head out there and SAVE.
> During the afternoon, Balagog stands at the dock outside the inn, this is the easiest place to kill him. After he is dead, SAVE, take
the 'Writ of Passage' from his body, and drag him into the water for the bonus objective. At night he can be found in the Nightgate
Inn Cellar, which can be entered either from inside the inn or via a small hatch near the north exterior wall. He'll be asleep most of
the time but it doesn't really matter, as long as you take the writ and hide his body. Just make sure not to kill him in the chair that he
sits in because his body may get trapped in the chair. To hide the body in the cellar, drag him behind the haystack or drop him into
the large barrel at the end of the cellar next to the ladder. If you kill him while he cowers behind the wine barrels, this will
automatically count as hiding the body.
> With the famous gourmet chef Balagog gro-Nolob deceased return to the Sanctuary for your reward and complete the quest,
SAVE.
To Kill an Empire
> After speaking to Festus and then obtaining the poisonous herb from Astrid you are finally ready to assassinate the Emperor.
NOTE: You should conclude any business you may have with all members of the Dark Brotherhood now, and make sure to loot
everything inside, including the 'Stone of Barenziah'.
> Head out to Solitude, once inside the city SAVE, go to the Castle Dour, find Commander Maro and show him your Writ of Passage,
proceed inside and find the castle's chef- a female Imperial named 'Gianna', she will pleased and nervous to meet you. You will have
to wear a chef's hat to proceed, there is one on the shelf in the kitchen.
> With the appropriate attire you are ready to cook, she will witness you making your signature dish 'the Potage le Magnifique'.
Begin by selecting any of available ingredients, it doesn't ultimately matter what you select, but you must add your 'special'
ingredient at the end.
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> With the dish complete, SAVE, Gianna will take it to the table for you and you must follow her. Right before you go into the dining
room don't forget to read the Enchanting Skill Book 'Catalogue of Weapon Enchantments' on the table to your left.
> In the dining room the Emperor will be talking to his guests, he will begin eating your signature dish and he will soon die as a result.
Don't loot the Emperor's dead body, it may cause a glitch where the world incorrectly loads and you travel on the land under the
buildings' foundations, this will cause the quest to become stuck.
The guards will immediately attack you and Gianna, Gianna will flee and you can fight for a bit if you like but you should just exit
through the door opposite where you entered upstairs and SAVE.
> Things take an unexpected turn as you flee across the bridge, Commander Maro and his agents will be waiting for you. He will
reveal that the man you killed wasn't the Emperor, but a mere decoy. Maro also explains that someone from the Dark Brotherhood
betrayed you and because you killed his son he intends to go back on his word and wipe out the entire Dark Brotherhood. Also your
bounty in Haafingar will be set to 1500 gold and all the guards in the Hold will be looking for you.
> Escape by following the tower's stairs to the very bottom and rush back to the Falkreath Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary, you will be
unable to fast travel there.
NOTE: If you are part of the Thieves Guild and have completed 'The Dainty Sload' quest, you can buy your way out of the city for 750
gold, paying off your bounty and allowing you to fast travel.
> Travel to Falkreath and SAVE, then make your way west along the road to the Sanctuary to complete this quest.
Death Incarnate
> When you return to the Sanctuary it will be under attack, kill all the guards outside, you'll find Festus dead- pinned to a tree
outside the entrance, head inside.
> Once inside SAVE, you'll find two more guards talking near to Veezara's dead body. Kill the two guards in your preferred style.
Head down into the main room where Arnbjorn will be fighting in werewolf form, he will be killed no matter what you do, kill his
attackers and SAVE.
> You'll find the bodies of Gabriella and Lis in the next room, proceed through to find Nazir fighting, help him and talk to him when
his attacker is dead. He is now convinced that you were not the traitor and suggests you follow him, SAVE.
> You'll pass the room where the Night Mother is kept and you should hear her call to you. The place is about to be consumed in
flames, the only safe place is inside the Night Mother's coffin, so hop in.
> Things will go dark, listen as explosions wreck the Sanctuary, you'll soon hear Nazir and Babette outside who'll help you out of the
coffin. It seems that an explosion knocked you through the window and safely into the pool below, SAVE.
> The Night Mother will talk to you again and tell you that Astrid is still alive, inform Nazir and Babette who'll follow you up to
Astrid's old room.
> Find Astrid laying on the floor amid the candles in a horrifically burned state. She will reveal that she was the traitor- she was
jealous of you as the Listener and she wanted the Brotherhood to return to normal. With her last action she performed the Black
Sacrament on herself, pleading to the Night Mother for a merciful death to escape the pain. You must pick up the 'Blade of Woe' on
the floor near Astird and kill her with it, with her dying words she thanks you, SAVE.
> You must now return to the Night Mother's coffin and speak to her, she wants you to make good on your contract and kill the real
Emperor. She suggests finding Amaund Motierre again for the next step. Be sure to tell Nazir and Babette what you're planning and
SAVE, this concludes the penultimate Dark Brotherhood quest.
Hail Sithis!
> Travel out to Whiterun, SAVE, go inside the Bannered Mare Inn and find Amaund in his room. Speaking to Amaund will reveal that
the real Emperor is on board his ship, 'The Katariah', which is currently anchored in 'Solitude Inlet'.
> Fast-Travel out to Solitude's docks, SAVE. At this point you have the option to kill Commander Maro on the docks, killing him will
not incur a bounty but this action is entirely optional and wields no after effects of any kind.
> The only way to reach the ship is to simply swim out to it, find the anchor on the side of the ship and select it to enter. SAVE, and
proceed to sneak through the ship towards the Emperor's room. There are several Penitus Oculatus patrolling the lower decks, you
can kill them loudly, stealthily or just sneak past them all if you wish, there will be no bounties for killing them.
> You can visit the main deck, where there are a lot of guards, to read the Two-handed Skill Book 'King', on the highest part of the
ship's deck, next to the throne. SAVE.
> You will also find 'Captain Avidius' and 'Lieutenant Salvarus' aboard the ship, both will be in their private quarters, they carry a
'Katariah Master Key', which will open all doors on the ship, including the Emperor's Quarters. Failing this there is another master
key on a hook in the Captain's quarters, just to the side of the door.
> SAVE before entering the Emperor's quarters. The Emperor will greet you, he has been expecting you, but he won't attack; he
believes that it is his destiny to die by your hand. You can kill the Emperor instantly if you like, or hear what he has to say first.
> After killing the Emperor, be sure to take a good look around his quarters, there are some rare books and expensive loot here
behind a locked door, which can be opened with the key the Emperor holds. SAVE.
> Exit the ship using the Emperor's key and return to Whiterun, SAVE. Visit Amaund in the Bannered Mare and inform him of the
Emperor's death. You have the option to fulfil the Emperor's wish and kill Amaund, otherwise you can pickpocket his wealth of gems
from him without killing him. Amaund has left your reward in a dead drop in Volunruud, SAVE.
> Travel out to Volunruud, SAVE, find the chest that should contain 20,000 Septims.
> Return to Nazir and Babette at the Dawnstar Sanctuary, tell them about your reward and Nazir will advise you to speak to Delvin
Mallory at the Thieves Guild's Ragged Flagon in Riften to restore the Sanctuary to it's previous state, SAVE.
This completes the final quest required for the Dark Brotherhood, and unlocks the last achievement:
Hail Sithis! in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Hail Sithis!57 (30)
Complete "Hail Sithis!"
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You can still serve the Dark Brotherhood, however; firstly by restoring the Dawnstar Sanctuary. Visit Delvin Mallory and you can buy
various improvements for the Sanctuary; 1,000 gold for 'New Banners', 5,000 gold for the 'Poisoner's Nook' which will add an
Alchemy lab, and seven very rare ingredients that respawn, 5,000 gold for a 'Torture Chamber' which will add four live prisoners that
you can torture for information about secret treasure locations, 5,000 gold for the 'Secret Entrance', and 3,000 gold for a 'Master
Bedroom' which will add storage dressers, weapon racks, a bed, and a mannequin.
If you didn't previously kill Cicero he will be in the Sanctuary and available as a follower.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Skyrim Game Guide.
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The Daedra are divine beings that do not belong in the mortal realm. These beings are ruled by the most powerful of the Daedra; the
'Daedric Lords', and since they rule over all others they are regarded as Gods. There are seventeen Daedric Lords each with their
own dominion separated from the mortal world by magic barriers, these dominions are known as the 'Planes of Oblivion'. These
lords occupy very different spheres of belief to one another and none can be called either wholly evil or wholly good. These lords are
sometimes worshiped by mortals, often in the hope of gaining special status or powers from them. As such many mortals have
erected 'Daedric Shrines' across Tamriel where the worshipers of particular Gods gather and attempt to summon the Daedric Lords
for their blessings and counsel.
This is where you come in, you can encounter '16' of the '17' Daedric Lords in Skyrim, there is no shrine or quest or any relation in
Skyrim to the Daedric Lord 'Jyggalag'. These 'encounters' will always consist of a quest to complete a special task and will always
result in you receiving a very special item known as a 'Daedric Artifact'.
So there are '16' Daedric related encounters, and you are only required to obtain '15' Daedric artifacts for the 'Oblivion Walker'
achievement, also note there is an achievement for gaining just one artifact. Also note that there are actually '19' Daedric artifacts
found in Skyrim, but only '16' of them can be obtained in one playthrough.
Some of these Daedric artifacts (that are indeed Daedric artifacts) will not count towards the achievement and should be discounted
or avoided where applicable. These are the 'Skeleton Key' and the 'Rueful Axe'. You find the Skeleton Key during the Thieves Guild
quest line, and the Rueful Axe can be chosen at the end of the quest known as 'A Daedra's Best Friend' for 'Clavicus Vile'. These two
artifacts do not count for the achievement and must be disregarded.
However, due to an advantageous glitch in the game's programming, during the quest 'Ill Met by Moonlight' for 'Hircine', you are
able to successfully, and without any negative consequences, gain two Daedric artifacts that count towards the Oblivion Walker
achievement, both the 'Saviour's Hide' and the 'Ring of Hircine'.
Also bear in mind that you can only choose one of the two Daedric artifacts available during the quest 'The Black Star' for 'Azura',
either the Black Star or Azura's Star.
So it is possible to gain '16' of the '19' Daedric artifacts in the game in one playthrough.
Here is a short list of the artifacts, highlighting those that count for the achievement:
The Skeleton Key

Saviours Hide
Ring of Hircine
The Mace of Molag Bal
The Ring of Namira
Wabbajack
Azura's Star - You must forsake the Black Star
The Black Star - You must forsake Azura's Star
The Skull of Corruption
Volendrung
The Masque of Clavicus Vile
The Rueful Axe
Spellbreaker
Dawnbreaker
Sanguine's Rose
The Ebony Blade
The Ebony Mail
The Oghma Infinium
Mehrune's Razor
The Order
I have listed the Daedric quests below in a particular order. This order is the most advisable and efficient to complete these quests
in; based on your character level, and with regards to other conflicting quest lines. However you are free to complete them in any
order you like. The only exceptions are listed below:
Complete 'House of Horror's' for Molag Bal in Markarth before 'A Night to Remember' for Sanguine.
The quest known as 'Pieces of the Past' for 'Mehrune's Dagon' is possibly the most laborious quest of them all so you should leave
this one as the very last, basically as a back-up in case the first '15' artifacts do not unlock the achievement for you.
A Note on Glitches
The Daedric quests are among the most glitchy in Skyrim, some of them are also missable for various reasons and so these quests
should be prioritized over all others and completed as soon as you are at a high enough character level. I have endeavoured to warn
you of every possible known bug attached to each quest as and when they can occur. I've highlighted these bugs in 'Bold Text' to
emphasize their importance, they should all be taken seriously, even if you have every up-to-date patch, as some bugs have never
been fully fixed. These bugs are not guaranteed however, they are simply possible, taking liberties and ignoring warnings can have
very fatal consequences, some bugs cannot be fixed, even by reloading a long kept save point. I have however, also included bug
fixes wherever applicable.
Places and People to Avoid

You shouldn't be going to places that you are not specifically prompted to go to for a quest anyway, but here is a list of vitally
important areas and NPC's that should be avoided until you are on the specific quest:
Alftand: Southwest of Winterhold.

Azura's Shrine: South of Winterhold, don't talk to Aranea.
Bloated Man's Grotto: North of Falkreath, on the north shore of Lake Ilinalta.
Bthardamz: North of Markarth.
Cracked Tusk Keep: West of Falkreath.
Dawnstar - Windpeak Inn: Don't talk to Erandur.
Dead Crone Rock: Southwest of Markarth.
Falkreath - Barracks.
Fallowstone Cave: Northeast of Riften.
Haemar's Cavern: East of Helgen.
Ilinalta's Deep: North of Falkreath, north of Ilinalta's Deep.
Jorgen's House: Morthal.
Knifepoint Ridge: Northwest of Falkreath.
Largashbur: Far west of Riften, avoid this area altogether.
Markarth - Abandoned House.
Meridia's Shrine: West of Solitude, do not approach it.
Nightcaller Temple: Near Dawnstar.
Peryite's Shrine: North of Markarth, don't talk to Kesh.
Reachcliff Cave: Southeast of Markarth.
Sacellum of Boethiah: East of Windhelm.
Septimus Signus' Outpost: North of Winterhold.
Solitude's graveyard: Don't talk to 'Dervenin'.
Thieves Guild: Do not complete the quest 'Trinity Restored'.
After reaching level 10: Falkreath altogether.
After reaching level 14: Sam Guevenne: In a random inn, avoid talking to him altogether.
After reaching level 20: Whiterun - Bannered Mare: Don't talk to Hulda.
After reaching level 20: Whiterun - Dragonsreach: Don't ask Jarl Balgruuf about his children.
After reaching level 20: Silus Versuius' house: Dawnstar.
Essential NPCs
These people are essential to Daedric quests and can die, do not kill them or through endeavour, and reloading save points, allow
them to die by any means:
Chief Yamarz: West-southwest of Riften, Largashbur, the longhouse

Dervenin: Solitude, the graveyard or in the Temple of the Divines
Ennis: Rorikstead, the farm (immortal after Patch 1.5)
Eola: Markarth, Understone Keep, the Hall of the Dead
Hulda: Whiterun, the Bannered Mare (immortal after Patch 1.5)
Lod: Falkreath, Blacksmiths
Nelacar: Winterhold, the Frozen Hearth
Priestess of Boethiah: East of Windhelm, the Sacellum of Boethiah
Sam Guevenne: Found in any random city inn after reaching character level 14
Septimus Signus: North of Winterhold, Septimus Signus' Outpost
Sinding: Falkreath, Barracks, down in the jail in a cell (immortal after patch 1.9).
Urag Gro-Shub: College of Winterhold, Arcaneum
Ysolda: Whiterun streets or the Bannered Mare (immortal after Patch 1.5)
Additional Notes
If you find a 'Flawless Ruby' anywhere DO NOT SELL IT, store it in a safe container (like in your house) or at least keep it on your
person.
Also store the following items for later, but do not keep them in your inventory: one Deathbell, one silver ingot, one Vampire Dust,
one Daedra heart, and one Troll Fat.
So without further ado here is the recommended order in which to complete the Daedric quests, remember to save when prompted
and take your time, allow dialogues to play out all the way, do not attack innocent people or commit crimes during these quests and
see them out 'til the end, try not to activate other quests or go wandering off in the middle of a Daedric quest:
Saviour's Hide and the Ring of Hircine
Level Required: 1
Quest Name: Ill Met By Moonlight
Type of Artifact: Saviour's Hide- Light armour with poison resistance and magic effects and Ring of Hircine: Unique ring granting
unlimited Werewolf transformations
Daedric Lord: Hircine
Artifact Count: 1 and 2
Bug Warnings
Do not transform into a werewolf at any point during this quest

Pre-Quest Notes
You'll encounter leveled bandit hunters.

You will gain two Daedric artifacts.
> Go to Falkreath. Save.
> Go into the 'Falkreath Barracks' and then down into the jail.
> The only prisoner, 'Sinding', will approach the bars, if he doesn't, leave the jail, then re-enter. Talk to Sinding and take the ring,
wait for him to transform and escape or he can become stuck there. (Note that the ring he gives you will not count as an artifact
until you complete his objective), SAVE.
> If you encountered a dragon at Falkreath make sure the blacksmith 'Lod' is not dead before continuing, he is essential for the
Clavicus Vile Daedric quest.
> Go and kill the 'White Stag'.
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Kill it quickly - if it escapes to a high point on the Throat of the World and seems unreachable you can fast-travel to High Hrothgar
and carefully sneak downhill towards it.
> Talk to the White Stag's spirit and offer to kill Sinding.
> Head to 'Bloated Man's Grotto', it's on the northwest shore of 'Lake Ilinalta'.
> Once inside SAVE, don't attack the werewolf Sinding, a little way inside you'll talk to him on a rock above you, offer to help him.
> Kill all the hunters, Do not hit Sinding by mistake, not even with non-hostile spells like 'Healing Hands' or he may become hostile
and you cannot retrieve the Ring of Hircine.
> When all the hunters are dead SAVE.
> Talk with Sinding, tell him that the hunters are dead, exit the cave and the 'Aspect of Hircine' (the White Stag) will appear again.
Say 'I failed to bring down Sinding', Hircine will nevertheless grant you the 'Ring Of Hircine'.
Collecting your first Daedric Artifact will unlock:
Daedric Influence in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Daedric Influence14 (10)
Acquire a Daedric Artifact
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> Go back into the cave, kill Sinding, take his hide and receive a second Daedric artifact; the Savior's Hide from Hircine. SAVE.
Post-Quest Notes
As a bug you may later encounter Sinding walking the roads, alive, or dead in Werewolf form back in his cell.
The Mace of Molag Bal
Level Required: 1
Quest Name: The House of Horrors
Type of Artifact: One-handed mace with damage stamina, magicka and soul trap effects
Daedric Lord: Molag Bal
Artifact Count: 3
Bug Warnings
Do not start the Daedric quest 'A Night to Remember' by talking to 'Sam Guevenne' before completing this quest.
If you are experiencing the 'Crafting/object interaction bug', where you are unable to interact with any crafting objects, avoid this
quest, until it is fixed.
Pre-Quest Notes
You'll encounter a lot of levelled Forsworn and a Forsworn boss.

> Go to Markarth, SAVE.
> Walk up to the 'Abandoned House' a little way into the city, follow the stream from the main gate, it's on your right.
> You should see the 'Vigilant Tyranus' outside the entrance, offer to help him (you may need to leave Markarth and then return for
him to spawn), SAVE before entering the house and keep this SAVE, at least until you have left.
> Follow Tyranus, do not interrupt him, go through the house until you reach a locked door, a voice will soon ask you to kill Tyranus,
do it by any means.
> Go down into the basement and through the tunnel behind the shelves.
> Activate the rusty mace, say; 'It's an altar', and ask to revenge 'Boethiah'.
> Follow your marker to one of the six random Forsworn redoubts to free 'Logrolf'. Save once your there.
> Fight through and kill all the Forsworn, take note of Logrolf's location and avoid hurting him, if he accidentally gets hit with
anything you could fail the quest, make sure all the Forsworn in the area are dead, then free Logrolf, SAVE.
> Fast travel back to Markarth, SAVE before entering the abandoned house.
> Follow Logrolf downstairs and wait for him to be captured, at this point you should activate a dialogue between Molag Bal and
Logrolf, if it doesn't happen you will have to reload the previous SAVE and try again. If it does happen wait for the dialogue to end
then beat Logrolf into submission with the mace, but don't kill him, if you do kill him however don't worry, Molag Bal will just
resurrect him.
> Another dialogue should trigger, wait for it to end, then beat Logrolf to death and you'll receive the Artifact the 'Mace of Molag
Bal', SAVE.
The Ring of Namira

Level Required: 1
Quest Name: The Taste of Death
Type of Artifact: Stamina increasing ring which increases health after feeding on dead people
Daedric Lord: Namira
Artifact Count: 4
Bug Warnings
Get rid of any followers prior to starting this quest.

Pre-Quest Notes
You'll encounter leveled Draugr and a boss Draugr.

> Go to Markarth, SAVE, from the main entrance go straight up following the little waterway, cross it using the second large stone
bridge on the left, up the stairs on your right and into the double-doors marked 'Understone Keep'.
> Talk to 'Brother Verulus' upon entering, ask 'Why not?' then offer to help him, do not intimidate him.
> Before you follow the marker round the corner you should read the Alteration Skill Book 'Daughter of the Niben' which is up the
stairs on a table near the throne, and also the Conjuration Skill Book 'The Warrior's Charge' found in the Jarl's quarters on a table.
> Continue on to 'The Hall Of The Dead', once inside SAVE. You'll hear a voice, continue through the hall until you meet 'Eola',
answer 'Guilt, what are you talking about?' then 'Where is this place?', and offer to help her.
> Before you leave the hall you should look for the Restoration Skill Book '2920 Rain's Hand V4' found on the shelf next to the
priest's bed. Now tell Verulus it's safe.
> Go to 'Reachcliff Cave' to the southeast of Markarth, SAVE, accept Eola as a follow and help her clear out the Draugr, be careful not
to kill Eola or allow her to die.
> After killing the boss Draugr talk to Eola, she wants you to bring Verulus to her, SAVE.
> Use the newly opened tunnel on the left to make a quick exit and fast travel directly back to Markarth's Understone Keep.
> The marker may not be on the keep's entrance, but you will nevertheless find Brother Verulus in the keep, he's sometimes further
in, inside the Hall of the Dead.
> Tell him you have need of a priest, then convince him to follow you.
> Leave the keep and fast travel back to 'Reachcliff Secret Entrance'.
> Go inside and lead Verulus to Eola, SAVE.
> Once he's lying down, SAVE! as he may sink through the altar, then kill him anyway you like, but avoid damage to Eola or anyone
else. Now activate his body and eat his flesh, you'll receive the Daedric artifact; the 'Ring Of Namira', SAVE.
Wabbajack
Level Required: 1
Quest Name: The Mind of Madness
Type of Artifact: Unique staff that turns enemies into various random entities
Daedric Lord: Sheogorath
Artifact Count: 5
> Go to Solitude, SAVE, go straight ahead and to your right through the large arch, find the graveyard just to the right and behind the
'Hall of the Dead'. Find 'Dervenin' nearby, he circles the graveyard by day wearing brown and talking out loud to himself.
> Say to him: 'What do you need?', then offer to help him, (if this dialogue option doesn't appear you may need to ask around
Solitude for rumours concerning Dervenin).
> Head to the 'Blue Palace', SAVE before you consider reading the Speech Skill Book 'Biography of the Wolf Queen' in the Jarl's
quarters.
> Now find 'Erdi' or one of the other marked servants, and ask them to let you into the 'Pelagius Wing', or pick one of their pockets
for the key, and go in. Make sure to SAVE immediately after entering the Pelagius Wing.
> You will be suddenly transported to a new area without any activation or warning. This place is known as 'The Mind of a Madman',
you'll also lose all your items and abilities (temporarily). This area is classed as an outdoor area, where a dragon may attack (this bug
is fixed in patch 1.9) and as you'll have no weapons or abilities you will have to reload your SAVE.
> You'll find the Daedric Lord 'Sheogorath' and 'Pelagius III' sitting at a table, talk to Sheogorath and follow the dialogue until he gives
you the Daedric artifact: 'Wabbajack', (press [cn_X} or cn_RT to equip it). You can't leave with the artifact just yet though.
> You'll have to use this mysterious staff in three trials to escape, walk under any one of the arches (it doesn't matter which order
you do them in) to face each challenge:
Confidence: You'll find the personification of Pelagius' Anger as a normal sized man fighting a tiny man named Confidence; you must
restore the balance between them. Use Wabbajack to shrink Anger and enlarge Confidence, avoid the two spectres of Self-doubt
while doing so. When they're restored, Sheogorath will say well done and Self-doubt will kill Anger. Save and move on to the next
trial.
Paranoia: You'll find a stone fort, proceed up the steps to the arena where the two atronachs are fighting. One of these is yours, and
the other belongs to the guy standing opposite you. You have to defeat your opponent. Don't bother with the atronachs, use
Wabbajack on one of the guys sitting next to your opponent. SAVE and move to the next trial.
Night Terrors: You'll find Pelagius in a bed, use Wabbajack on him to start the night terrors. A series of increasingly difficult enemies
will spawn one by one, use Wabbajack on them once they appear, you will turn them into non-hostiles, do not attack them further
just use the staff on Pelagius to spawn the next one each time 'til there are no more, SAVE.
> Go back and talk to Sheogorath, he'll let you keep Wabbajack, and the fine clothes. You'll then be transported back to the Blue
Palace in Solitude, SAVE.
Post-Quest notes:
After returning to the Pelagius walk forward and go downstairs to find the Lockpicking Skill Book 'Surfeit of Thieves' in the cellar
room.
Azura's Star and the Black Star
Level Required: 1
Quest Name: The Black Star
Type of Artifact: Azura's Star: Reusable grand soul gem, Black Star: Reusable black soul gem
Daedric Lord: Azura
Artifact Count: 6
Pre-Quest Notes
You can only attain one of the above artifacts, choosing the Black Star is wiser if you use soul gems, choosing Azura's Star will gain
the option to recruit 'Aranea' as a good follower.
You can find the 'Lady' Standing Stone during this quest.
You'll encounter levelled necromancers, Dremora and two mage bosses.
> Speaking to most innkeepers around Skyrim, such as 'Dagur' at the 'Frozen Hearth' in Winterhold or 'Elrindir' at the 'Drunken
Huntsman' in Whiterun will place the shrine's location onto your map.
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The easiest way to reach it is by starting at Winterhold, follow the road south until you see a pass on your right, follow this under the
stone arch, keep close to the rocks on your left and proceed down, turn left when the rocks end and follow the faded snowy path
winding up the mountain, you'll soon see the very large stone shrine on your left.
> Climb the stairs and SAVE before talking to 'Aranea Lenith' and offer to help her.
> Fast travel back to Winterhold, go into the Frozen Hearth and talk to 'Nelacar', he may be in a side room, bribe or intimidate him
(persuasion may be bugged and will never work), SAVE. He wants you to head out to 'Ilinalta's Deep', a medium-sized Imperial fort
that mysteriously collapsed some time ago. It is located on the northern banks of the western side of Lake Ilinalta; make your way
there.
> Before you enter Ilinalta's you should take the time to visit the 'Lady' Standing Stone nearby in the lake to the south, it will grant
you a 25% boost to both health and stamina regeneration rates.
> Now head to Ilinalta's Deep, SAVE then enter. Once inside, SAVE, a boulder, meant to prevent access to the second zone prior to
this quest, may still be present, the only known fix is to exit, then re-enter the ruin. You can find the Conjuration Skill Book 'The
Doors of Oblivion' in the first room, on the northwest table. Clear out the Necromancers and the undead, you can also find the
Alteration Skill Book 'Breathing Water' in an underwater room near a submerged chest, and the Enchanting Skill Book 'A Tragedy in
Black' in the room with the arcane enchanter and alchemy table.
> You'll encounter a high level mage boss, take care of him and proceed upstairs to the room with the dead skeleton of 'Malyn
Varen', take the 'Broken Azura's Star' from his lap (or on the floor) and exit via the ladders, SAVE. Due to a possible bug, you will not
be able to pick up or see the Star, exit then re-enter the ruin via the nearby ladders to fix this.
> Now you can either fast travel back to Azura's Shrine and talk to Aranea to receive 'Azura's Star', or to Nelacar in Winterhold to
receive 'The Black Star'. Both count for the Achievement and whichever you choose you will have to enter the Star itself and destroy
Malyn's soul. Make two separate SAVES before you speak with either Aranea or Nelacar about entering the star.
> Enter the star, destroy Malyn's Dremora minions first (harvest and retain a Daedra heart for later. If you're really having trouble
with the Dremora you can lower the setting to Novice, then kill Malyn. Due to a possible bug; if you're killed by a Dremora in the Star
after killing Malyn, you may spawn at your last SAVE with both the repaired star and the broken star in your inventory. If this
happens do not continue as if you are done, fall back on your older SAVE and do it again.
> Once Malyn is dead, you'll be transported back to Skyrim with the complete star that you chose, SAVE.
Post-Quest Notes
Whichever star you chose, a group of necromancers will later track you down and try to kill you in revenge.
The Skull of Corruption
Level Required: 1
Quest Name: Waking Nightmare
Type of Artifact: Health damaging staff with extra damage after collecting people's dreams
Daedric Lord: Vaermina
Artifact Count: 7
Bug Warnings
This quest is very glitchy so SAVE strictly.

Get rid of any follower before starting this quest.
Pre-Quest Notes
You'll encounter leveled mages and orc hunters.

> Go to Dawnstar, SAVE, enter the 'Windpeak Inn' and find 'Erandur', speak to him and offer to help him 'end the nightmares of
Dawnstar'.
> There are many glitches involving Erandur, he can be very slow and annoying but be patient and walk beside him up to the top of
the nearby cliff and don't interrupt him. You'll encounter a few higher leveled wild animals near the top; these could be very
dangerous at a low level so be careful.
> After killing the creatures at the entrance of 'Nightcaller Temple' but before talking to Erandur SAVE, then talk to him and proceed
inside.
> Once inside SAVE, Erandur may disappear as a possible bug, the only solution is to reload previous SAVE. Erandur will open a magic
doorway; proceed through with him and up to the balcony. He will explain that the artifact; the 'Staff of Corruption', is located
below, and it needs to be destroyed. You'll then go downstairs and encounter awaken two hostile orcs, defeat them and Erandur will
say that the magic barrier you encountered needs to be disabled, to do this he needs a book from the library.
> Head back upstairs with Erandur, if he gets stuck on the stairs either push him up with Unrelenting Force or reload previous SAVE.
He'll unlock the door, SAVE before proceeding inside.
> In the library you'll encounter multiple hostile mages and orcs, defeat them all, then Erandur will ask you to find a book called the
'Dreamstride', it's above you in the southeast corner, on a pedestal, SAVE.
> Take the book back to Erandur who'll then say he needs 'Vaermina's Torpor' which is located in the adjacent laboratory.
> The laboratory contains some more mage's and orcs in close quarters, Erandur will help you to defeat them. Once all the enemies
are dead, you can find the Alchemy Skill Book 'Mannimarco, King of Worms' in the alchemy lab room.
> Now talk to Erandur again then find the Torpor, a red bottle located on the lower level on a bookcase just below Erandur, SAVE.
> Take it to Erandur who'll tell you to drink it, make sure you are not over-encumbered before consuming the Torpor; you'll be
transported back in time and into the body of 'Brother Casimir'.
> You'll find yourself in a dreamy version of the Temple at the time when the orcs attacked, you are told to activate the 'Miasma
release chain'. You can't attack anyone and no one will attack you, so just run through 'til you reach the upper level and pull the
chain on the wall.
> You'll be transported back to the present and into your own body, albeit on the other side of the magic barrier. When your quest
updates to 'disable the barrier', pick up the soul gem located to the left of the chain, SAVE, then go and talk to Erandur.
> Now follow Erandur down to the Staff of Corruption, you'll be attacked a few times more, then Erandur's old-friends will awaken
and attack you. Defeat them then SAVE before talking to Erandur. (If you cannot activate Erandur you can either reload previous
SAVE or exit the Temple and re-enter).
> Talk to him and he'll then proceed to disable the barrier surrounding the Skull of Corruption, wait until he disables it, Vaermina will
command you to kill him, you must kill Erandur now!
> Activate the altar to receive the Skull of Corruption, SAVE.
Volendrung
Level Required: 9
Quest Name: The Cursed Tribe
Type of Artifact: Two-handed absorb stamina warhammer
Daedric Lord: Malacath
Artifact Count: 8
Bug Warnings
If you have a Daedra heart or any troll fat, store them away prior to starting this quest.
Get rid of any followers prior to starting this quest.
Pre-Quest Notes
You'll encounter giants, bears, and trolls in close quarters.

> You may overhear rumors in Riften about trouble at an orc stronghold named 'Largashbur', this will place it on your map, ' located
to the southwest of Riften.
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> Go to Largashbur but be careful as you approach because you'll trigger a giant to attack the orc's at the gate. Quickly distract and
kill the giant avoiding any damage to the orc's. Do not loot the orcs' corpses, once the giant is dead, SAVE, drop the Daedra hearts or
troll fats nearby, and talk to 'Atub' or 'Ugor'. (If Ugor is dead, try reloading to see if he is alive. If that doesn't work for you and you
are unable to enter the stronghold, climb up the inclined wooden beam on the west side to get in and talk to Atub).
> The orcs will explain that they are cursed, and they require a 'Troll fat' and a 'Daedra heart'. If you haven't dropped them nearby
and didn't store them away you can visit an alchemical store such as 'Arcadia's Cauldron' in Whiterun and buy them. If they have
none, you can pick up permanent Daedra Hearts here:
One on a plate outside Kodlak's room in the Jorrvaskr living quarters in Whiterun.
Two are sold by Enthir at the College of Winterhold.
Two in the west side of the first room of 'Nightcaller Temple' just east of Dawnstar.
One on a table in the 'Hall of the Vigilant' located south of Dawnstar past 'Red Road Pass'.
Permanent Troll fats can be found here:
Seventeen can be found inside the 'East Empire Company Warehouse' near Solitude.
Two in Sadri's Used Wares in Windhelm.
Two can be found in the 'Hall of Countenance' in the 'College of Winterhold'.
> Give the ingredients to Atub, SAVE, follow her and allow her to summon the Daedric Lord 'Malacath' for guidance. He will
command that the 'Giant Leader' be killed and his club retrieved. The orc 'Chief Yamarz' asks for your help, agree to help him, SAVE.
> Before you leave Largashbur you may want to check out the cellar of the longhouse for the Block Skill Book 'Battle of Red
Mountain'.
> The Giant Leader is in 'Fallowstone Cave' located northeast of Riften, you can follow Yamarz as he haphazardly makes his way
there, he's very slow and often wanders off, so it's better to fast travel to 'Riften Stables' and walk there alone. You'll meet Yamarz at
the entrance, keep a SAVE outside of the cave, also do not use the Beast Form power at any point whilst inside this cave.
> Follow or lead Yamarz through the cave encountering giants, cave bears, and trolls, do not harm Yamarz. You'll go down several
ledges following a stream to a pool on the lowest level. Continue to follow the stream deeper into the cave. A dark path on the right
leads up to an area filled with bones and the exit to 'Giant's Grove'.
> Once inside SAVE, Yamarz will offer to pay you more gold if you kill the Giant Leader yourself and let him take credit. If you agree,
he will betray you afterwards, persuade him to perform his duty and he'll charge the Giant Leader and be quickly killed. After the
Giant Leader and Yamarz are dead Malacath will praise you and ask you to take 'Shagrol's Hammer' from the giant's corpse. He
wants you to bring it back to Largashbur and 'whip the orcs back into shape'. (If you are unable to activate the giant's corpse re-load
the SAVE outside the cave entrance). Exit the grove and turn left, go through the pass and follow the ledge all the way back to the
entrance. Return to Largashbur.
> Once there, SAVE before speaking to 'Atub', Malacath will ask that you place the hammer on the shrine, SAVE again before placing
it. The hammer transforms into the Daedric artifact 'Volendrung'. Make sure you pick it up from the shrine right now, it will be
floating above the skull between the antlers, failing to pick it up now may cause it to disappear forever, SAVE.
The Masque of Clavicus Vile

Level Required: 10
Quest Name: A Daedra's Best Friend
Type of Artifact: Heavy helmet with fortify barter and persuasion, and regenerate magicka effects
Daedric Lord: Clavicus Vile
Artifact Count: 9
Bug Warnings
Complete any active quests for the Companions before starting this.
Pre-Quest Notes
The Rueful Axe does NOT count for the Oblivion Walker achievement.
You'll encounter difficult levelled vampires and a boss mage.
> Go to Falkreath, SAVE, talk to the town blacksmith 'Lod' and offer to help find his dog.
> Set out after Lod's dog 'Barbas', once you find him he will engage you in conversation, offer to help him, do not talk to Barbas at
any point after this. Make sure the 'A Daedra's Best Friend' quest is active in your journal.
> You can then either follow him to 'Haemar's Cavern', which can be very glitchy, and irritating, as he wanders off all over the place
and attacks everything in sight, or you can just meet him there. It's located at the dead end of a mountain pass east of Helgen,
southwest of Ivarstead.
> To get there without following Barbas, fast travel to Helgen, follow the road east, you'll soon see the cave on your compass, the
road will take you there.
> Once inside, SAVE, then battle through levelled vampires and their thralls; you may find the Destruction Skill Book 'Response to
Bero's Speech' on a desk near two dead bandits.
> Now enter 'Haemar's Shame', SAVE again, then continue on to the 'Shrine of Clavicus Vile'.
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If you were quick you'll see Barbas fighting a few levelled vampires and a vampire Boss, help him kill them then activate the shrine,
do not talk to Barbas.
> Clavicus will ask you to retrieve the 'Rueful Axe' from 'Rimerock Burrow' located far to the northwest along the high west road
from Solitude, exit via the passage behind the shrine (pull the chain on the right) and make your way there.
> Once inside, SAVE, then kill the powerful mage 'Sebastian Lort' and his atronach, also find the Conjuration Skill Book '2920
Hearthfire V9' in the final chamber, retrieve the axe from the table and then return to the shrine, SAVE.
> Upon returning to the shrine activate it, Lord Vile will give you a choice; choose 'No deal, take back etc'. Hang around for Him to
talk a bit and you'll receive the artifact the 'Masque of Clavicus Vile', equip it at least once, SAVE.
Spellbreaker
Level Required: 12
Quest Name: The Only Cure
Type of Artifact: Powerful magic ward deflection shield
Daedric Lord: Peryite
Artifact Count: 10
Bug Warnings
If you have any vampire dusts, silver ingots, deathbells or a flawless ruby, store them away in a safe place before beginning this
quest.
Pre-Quest Notes
It's OK and advisable to have a follower with you on this quest, ideally not a mage. Lydia, Cosnach, Ahtar, Argis the Bulwark, Kharjo
or any Companion would be ideal. You will have to clear a very large ruin and battle a difficult magic resistant spellsword boss.
> After reaching level 12, if you've not met an 'Afflicted Refugee' on the roads, then just head to the 'Shrine of Peryite', located north
of Markarth and just northwest of Karthwasten.
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> Upon reaching the shrine, SAVE, if you have any of the items listed above, drop them in a safe place nearby before talking to 'Kesh
the Clean'. Talk to him and ask to commune with 'Peryite'. Kesh will tell you that you need these four ingredients to summon the
Daedric Lord and he'll activate the quest properly for you.
> To find the ingredients: Fast travel or walk back to Karthwasten, some silver ingots are scattered around near the smelter. Fast
travel to Solitude, go into 'Angeline's Aromatics' and buy a deathbell and a vampire dust, if she has no deathbells for sale, steal one
from her shop. If you already have a flawless ruby and Angeline has no vampire dust, either try 'Arcadia's Cauldron' in Whiterun or
the 'Mortar and Pestle' in Dawnstar. Alternatively if you really can't find any dust and you need a ruby, you can find both in
'Shriekwind Bastion'. It's located just northeast of Falkreath.
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> Upon entering Shriekwind Bastion SAVE, (you have a 3% chance of finding 'Meridia's Beacon' inside here, if you do, it's OK to take
it now). Vampires inhabit Shriekwind so you can obtain a dust from any one of them. Halfway through you'll find a small throne
room with blood all over the floor, a flawless ruby is always here; at the foot of the unlit fire pit to the right of the throne.
> If for whatever reason you still can't find one, try:
Approximately 430 feet north-northwest of 'Reachwater Rock' which is a small cave southeast of Markarth, south of 'Sky Haven
Temple'. There is an abandoned rowing boat with a flawless ruby in it. This map will show you precisely where it is, use the '+' zoom
function to see it's exact location: http://srmap.uesp.net/?locx=-145834&locy=4272
Armaund Motierre, carries one in his pocket. He can be found during the 'Silence Has Been Broken' quest with the Dark
Brotherhood, in the tomb of Volunruud, north-northwest of Whiterun. After completion of the quest, he moves to the Bannered
Mare inn in Whiterun. Simply pickpocket him.
Korvanjund, Korvanjund Crypt - Northeast of Whiterun: The crypt is the centremost area of the temple. You will find a Word Wall for
the 'Slow Time' dragon Shout here also. Note that if you already obtained the first word of this Shout during the College of
Winterhold quest line this will be the second word and will not contribute towards the 'Thu'um Master' achievement. Following the
path further will lead to a shortcut to the beginning of the Korvanjund Temple area. On the east side of the room, you may spot a
couple of bowls placed higher than you can normally reach. They are both on stone shelves: one above a bookshelf, the other close
to the stairs. They hold valuable loot and one will contain a flawless ruby. Although they may be difficult to reach by jumping, they
can be toppled through ranged attacks. Use the Unrelenting Force shout to shake each bowl. Just remember to look around the
entire room, for the gems can fly out very far in different directions.
The Katariah - This ship is encountered during the 'Hail Sithis' quest in the Dark Brotherhood quest line. The flawless ruby will be
found in the *** Spoiler - click to reveal ***
> Once you have all your ingredients fast travel back to the shrine, SAVE, hand the ingredients to Kesh and allow him to knock up the
mixture, do not interrupt him, (if you mistakenly glitch the quest by interrupting Kesh and for some reason forgot to SAVE before,
you can still continue; kill Kesh and loot the ingredients back, activate the cauldron and mix them up yourself). Activate the cauldron.
> Peryite will appear as some ghostly Skeevers and after some dialogue he will point you to a very large nearby Dwemer ruin called
'Bthardamz' to kill 'Orchendor', SAVE. It's not far so just walk towards the marker.
> You'll encounter unique hostiles known as 'Afflicted' surrounding the entrance to Bthardamz, kill them off and enter the ruin.
SAVE, battle or sneak through the Afflicted and occasional Dwemer machine until you reach the 'Workshop'.
> Once inside SAVE, continue through and into the 'Upper District', once inside, SAVE, your compass indicator may be incorrect at
this point, but just continue up to the 'Lower District', go through and into the 'Study'. SAVE and proceed through the study and back
into the 'Lower District (upper level)' continue through again until you reach the last area the 'Arcanex'.
> Once inside SAVE, battle through the machines, including a 'Centurion', until you reach a gassy room with pipes, SAVE before
facing the powerful Spellsword 'Orchendor', he is highly resistant to magic.
> Once Orchendor is dead, collect the key, and the Alteration Skill Book 'Reality and Other Falsehoods' from his corpse and head up
to the elevator and back outside, SAVE.
> Fast travel back to the shrine, talk to Kesh first and ask to inhale the fumes, or if he's dead, just inhale them anyway. Peryite will
appear again and reward you with the artifact 'Spellbreaker', SAVE.
Dawnbreaker
Level Required: 12
Quest Name: The Break of Dawn
Type of Artifact: One-handed fire-damage sword, that does extra damage to undead
Daedric Lord: Meridia
Artifact Count: 11
Pre-Quest Notes
You may have come across 'Meridia's Beacon' accidentally by now, if you have, skip to the 4th point below.
You will learn a word from the 'Elemental Fury' Shout during this quest.
> Find Meridia's Shrine, it's located on 'Mount Kilkreath';
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Follow the road west from Solitude and watch for a side road to the north. Follow the road, after a while, there will be a small side
road on your right, follow it to the shrine, SAVE. The 'Elemental Fury Word Wall' is located just to the northeast.
> Meridia will request you retrieve her beacon, it can be located at any one of '32' random dungeons. Your quest marker will show
you which one. (If there is no quest marker for the beacon it is either in the 'Dawnstar Sanctuary', near Dawnstar, or aboard the ship
'The Katariah', both of these require the completion of the Dark Brotherhood quest 'Hail Sithis!'), either pick it up during this quest
or go to the marked dungeon.
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> Once inside SAVE, proceed through and retrieve the beacon, SAVE.
> Kill any dragons in the area before returning the beacon to the pedestal at Meridia's Shrine (west of Solitude). Meridia will talk to
you in the form of a sphere of light, and ask you to clear out the ruins below Her shrine and kill the Necromancer 'Malkoran'. (If a
dragon appears when you are above Skyrim, Meridia and the dragon will fight, and you will be stuck in the sky indefinitely. You can
use sneak to hide and wait 24 hours, the dragon should go away and Meridia will continue talking).
> Drop down and enter the ruins, SAVE, proceed through, and activate the light pedestal's to re-direct the beam through the rooms,
SAVING as you go,. You'll go back outside to the balcony, and then into the 'Kilkreath Catacombs'.
The next bit is very buggy, please read all of the points below before continuing into the catacombs:
Do not SAVE again in the catacombs, until everything is dead.

Do not use any type of paralysis spell on Malkoran.
Do not use Beast Form to kill Malkoran.
Do not use Namira's Ring to feed on Malkoran's corpse.
Make sure to collect all of the loot you desire and that everything is dead before you SAVE and then activate the final pedestal to
retrieve the sword- and Daedric Artifact 'Dawnbreaker'.
> Once inside SAVE, proceed through the catacombs killing any 'Shades' you encounter. If you didn't read it in Largashbur during the
Daedric quest 'Cursed Tribe', then the Block Skill Book 'Battle of Red Mountain' can be found in a corner bookcase before activating
the last beacon.
> Continue on to find and battle Malkoran, when he dies his shade will appear, kill his shade as well. With everything dead you can
take the time to loot the area. Once you are fully prepared to leave, pick up 'Dawnbreaker'. Meridia will ask you to keep the sword
and wield it in Her name, this completes the quest, SAVE.
Sanguine's Rose
Level Required: 14
Quest Name: A Night to Remember
Type of Artifact: Dremora summoning staff
Daedric Lord: Sanguine
Artifact Count: 12
Bug Warnings
Do not talk to 'Sam Guevenne' before completing the quest for Molag Bal above.
Pre-Quest Notes
You'll encounter a difficult giant, a hagraven, and multiple higher levelled mage's.
You can find the 'Atronach' Standing Stone during this quest.
> Once you reach level 14 you will soon encounter 'Sam Guevenne', He'll be standing at the bar in any one of the main city inns. Here
is a of the main '15' inns that Sam can appear in: Eastmarch: Kynesgrove's Braidwood Inn, Windhelm's Candlehearth Hall or New
Gnisis Club, Falkreath's Dead Man's Drink, Haafingar Hold: Dragon Bridge's Four Shields Tavern, Solitude's Winking Skeever,
Hjaalmarch: Morthal's Moorside Inn, Dawnstar's Windpeak Inn, The Reach: Markarth's Silver-Blood Inn, The Rift: Riften's The Bee
and Barb, Ivarstead's Vilemyr Inn, Whiterun Hold: Rorikstead's Frostfruit Inn, Riverwood's Sleeping Giant Inn, Whiterun's Bannered
Mare, and Winterhold's Frozen Hearth.
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> Once you find Sam, Save before you talk to Him. He'll challenge you to a drinking competition to win a staff, keep drinking until you
win and you'll blackout.
> You'll awake inside the 'Temple Of Dibella' in Markarth and talk to the priestess 'Senna'. She'll be very annoyed with you claiming
that you messed up the temple. You can either clean the mess up (picking up two bottles of wine, a giant's toe, a hagraven feather,
and a note from Sam claiming that you need these items to get the staff), or you can bribe Senna, do not use persuade. Bribing her is
advisable as you do not need any of these items and some can fail to spawn or be unobtainable.
> Talk to Senna again and she'll point you to 'Ennis' in Rorikstead. But before you leave you may want to check out the 'Inner
Sanctum' to find the Illusion Skill Book '2920 Sun's Dawn V2' on the lowest shelf of a bookcase in a long row of books.
Now you have a choice to bypass a lot of this quest, skip down to the point where it says 'The Wedding Ring' below if your not
bothered, it doesn't bug if you decide to skip.
> Go to Rorikstead, SAVE. Talk to Ennis, he wants you to retrieve his goat 'Gleda' for him. You can pay 1000 Gold for the goat or try
to intimidate him, do not use persuade, it's quite easy however to retrieve his goat from the nearby hillside. Gleda is being guarded
by 'Grok the Giant'. You can talk to the goat to make it follow you back to Ennis, which will set Grok onto you, or you could sneak up
to Gleda, talk, then run back to Ennis, or you could try using a calm spell on Grok. Once you have Gleda return to Ennis.
> Ennis will direct you to 'Ysolda' in Whiterun, (If you've married Ysolda she'll be in the home you told her to stay in).
> Fast travel to Ysolda's location, SAVE, find Ysolda, she claims you bought a 'Wedding Ring' from her on credit and she wants the
2000 Gold for it, or the ring back. You can pay, intimidate or go find the ring, do not use persuade.
> The Wedding Ring can be found at 'Witchmist Grove', a small shack to the far south of 'Windhelm' and also south of 'Kynesgrove'.
> Travel out there, and since no other quest takes you closer, you may want to take the time now to visit the 'Atronach' Standing
Stone, located far to the south past 'Bonestrewn Crest' and northwest of 'Mistwatch'. This stone will grant you a passive power that
increases magicka by 50 points and adds 50% spell absorption, but decreases magicka regeneration by 50%.
> Upon reaching Witchmist Grove, SAVE, you'll find the hagraven 'Moira', your fiancée. Kill her and get the ring from her beautiful
body, SAVE. If, due to a possible bug, you cannot find the ring go back to Ysolda and bribe her.
> Convincing or returning the ring to Ysolda will direct you to 'Morvunskar' a fort located on the mountain southwest of Windhelm,
go there.
> Once inside SAVE, you'll be facing a lot of high level mage's in here. You'll find the Destruction Skill Book 'Mystery of Talara V3' on a
bookshelf in the northeast corridor and the Smithing Skill Book 'Cherim's Heart' next to the forge while you battle through the fort.
> Eventually at the end you will reach the portal to 'Misty Grove', SAVE before going near it. You enter this place by walking into it,
not by activating it.
> Walk through to find Sam and some guests sitting around a table, He'll reveal Himself to be none other than the Daedric Lord
'Sanguine'. Any of the items you may have picked up in the temple lose their quest value and you are rewarded with the Daedric
artifact; 'Sanguine's Rose' and returned to the inn where it all began, SAVE.
Post-Quest Notes
Never return to Misty Grove, you may become trapped indefinitely.

Later you will encounter an argonian named 'Deep-In-His-Cups' who'll claim that you owe him 10,000 Gold, you can persuade it
down to 750 or kill him. Anything you do will yield no after effects of any kind.
The Ebony Blade
Level Required: 20
Quest Name: The Whispering Door
Type of Artifact: Two-handed, health absorbing sword
Daedric Lord: Mephala
Artifact Count: 13
Pre-Quest Notes
This may require that you complete the Main Story quest 'Dragon Rising' in order to gain access to the relevant dialogue option with
Jarl Balgruuf.
> Go to the 'Bannered Mare' in Whiterun, SAVE and then ask the barkeep 'Hulda' about gossip and/or rumours (if she won't start the
quest go to the 4th point below, but it's better to start it from here).
> Hulda will point you to 'Jarl Balgruuf The Greater'.
> If he's still in Whiterun, after the siege of Whiterun, (during the Civil War quest line), go find him in Dragonsreach, if not, he'll be in
the 'Blue Palace' in Solitude. SAVE and then talk to him about his children.
> Speaking to Balgruuf will point you to his cheeky son 'Nelkir'.
> Nelkir is a Nord child usually found in the main hall of Dragonsreach or wandering the streets of Whiterun (activate Whispering
Door quest to help find him), talk to him.
> Nelkir will reveal the existence of a secret door in the basement of Dragonsreach, go and find this door.
> Go through the kitchen on the west side of Dragonsreach's main hall and proceed down the stairs, open the closet door (with hay
at the foot). At the back of this small room is a locked door covered in blood. Activate the door and a voice will reveal itself to be the
Daedric Lord 'Mephala'. She'll tell you that some of Her power is locked behind the door and She needs you to release it, pointing
you back Nelkir.
> SAVE and then go speak to Nelkir.

> Pickpocket the 'Whispering Door' key from either 'Farengar Secret-Fire' or Balgruuf then head back down to the basement and
open the door, you will find the journal 'Admonition Against Ebony' warning you against taking the sword laying next to it, ignore the
warning and pick up the Daedric artifact the 'Ebony Blade', quest complete, SAVE.
Post-Quest Notes
Farengar will later send a group of heavily armed thugs to track you down and kill you for your thievery.
The Ebony Mail
Level Required: 30
Quest Name: Boethiah's Calling
Type of Artifact: Unique poisonous heavy armour
Daedric Lord: Boethiah
Artifact Count: 14
Bug Warnings
If you have remapped your control configuration, reset them to default for this quest.
Get rid of any followers before starting this quest (look ahead to the 4th point below).
Pre-Quest Notes
You'll encounter levelled bandits and a bandit boss.

> After reaching level 30 a 'Boethiah Cultist' should attack you, if this happens read the book, 'Boethiah's Proving' on his corpse. I this
hasn't happened yet you'll have to go directly to the 'Sacellum of Boethiah'.
> Go to the Sacellum of Boethiah, it's located east of Windhelm;
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Follow the east road to 'Traitor's Post', a side road nearby turns up the mountain and leads you up to the Sacellum.
> When you arrive SAVE, you'll hear the game's danger music and see two cultists fighting but no one will attack you. Speak to the
priestess, do not kill or allow the priestess to die. She will tell you that you need to prove that "Your tongue can wield a lie". Basically
this entails leading a follower to Boethiah's altar to be sacrificed. If you accidentally refuse the quest, or for some reason, the cultists
are dead, re-load previous SAVE.
> You will lose your follower forever, and this will not work if your follower is 'Essential', meaning they are vital to a specific quest,
and are therefore immortal, (like Delphine). Also do not use a Companion, (even if you have completed the Companion quest line). It
will work with these potential followers without completing a prior quest: 'Belrand' located in the Winking Skeever in Solitude,
'Jenassa' located in the Drunken Huntsman in Whiterun, 'Marcurio' found in the Bee and Barb in Riften, 'Stenvar' found in the
Candlehearth Hall in Windhelm, and 'Vorstag' found in the Silver-blood Inn in Markarth. Also your housecarl, offered as a follower
after helping the Jarls of Skyrim, such as Lydia, Argis, Calder or Iona will work, choose and recruit your preferred follower.
> Bring your follower back to the Sacellum, SAVE, use the command 'I need you to do something' and select the 'Use the Pillar of
Sacrifice'. The follower will become stuck to the altar, kill them by any means you wish (you don't have to use the 'Blade of
Sacrifice').
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> Boethiah will use your follower's corpse as a conduit to talk, do not use your journal or menu during the blurred visuals at this
point. She'll state that the last person standing will be given a task, resulting in everyone fighting each other, (including you) to the
death. Kill everyone, it may be tactical to allow some of them to kill each other off before finishing the remaining ones.
> Once they're all dead, Boethiah will posses another corpse, if the corpse She possesses enters combat mode for any reason, or
refuses to continue dialogue, re-load previous SAVE.
> Boethiah will tell you to kill Her old champion and become Her new champion, pointing you to 'Knifepoint Ridge' located far
northwest of Falkreath and west-southwest of 'Bannermist Tower.
> Take the small northwest path, and SAVE when you arrive. Continue through the bandit camp and enter 'Knifepoint Mine'. When
you enter (possibly due to having been there before you began the quest) you may find a wall of iron ore blocking your path, making
the quest unable to be completed. A known workaround is to look at the bottom left corner of the wall of iron ore and mine the
Corundum Vein. This will pull you through the wall allowing you to continue with the quest. Note however that this will only work
once, so make sure you have completed everything before heading back up this path. As soon as you have walked through the
location of the wall it will reappear, making the rest of the mine unreachable.
> Despite Boethiah's order to kill the bandits stealthily, being detected does not result in any penalty. However most of the bandits
inside the mine are busy with their backs to you and can be assassinated. Be on the lookout, also for the Archery Skill Book
'Vernaccus and Bourlor' near the forge.
> Once you defeat Boethiah's Champion, you must equip the 'Ebony Mail'. Boethiah will then speak to you one last time telling you
that you are Her new champion and give you the Ebony Mail Artifact as your reward, SAVE.
Post-Quest Notes
The Ebony Mail has an automatic poison effect whenever you crouch while wearing it. This can be hazardous in friendly areas, as you
may cause harm or even death to important non-hostile characters.
Oghma Infinium
Level Required: 1 (intertwines with the Main Story quest 'Elder Knowledge' see Main Story page)
Quest Name: Discerning the Transmundane
Type of Artifact: Skill increasing book
Daedric Lord: Hermaeus Mora
Artifact Count: 15
Pre-Quest Notes
This will be activated during Main Quest 'Elder Knowledge'.

You will encounter a lot of levelled Falmer, Dwemer machines; including a Centurion, levelled chaurus, and you may encounter a
giant.
> You can wait for the prompt to go to 'Septimus Signus' Outpost' to find the 'Elder Scroll' during the Main Story, or activate it earlier
by just going there directly. Walk north from Winterhold.
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> Go inside and talk to Septimus. (This may seem obvious but do not attack or kill Septimus, he is mortal and you'll fail the quest).
Offer to help him and he will give you the 'Attunement Sphere' and a 'blank Lexicon', and he'll point you towards a very extensive
Dwemer ruin called 'Alftand'.
Note: If you're level 30 or above, this is a good opportunity to activate the Daedric quest 'Boethiah's Calling', if you haven't already
done so, by reading the book called 'Boethiah's Proving' on the shelf.
> Make sure you're well prepared, Alftand is quite large. Travel to Alftand, it's southwest of Winterhold, you can reach the entrance
to the 'Glacial Ruins' by ascending the mountain and using the makeshift wooden walkway clinging to the cliff side.
> Once inside SAVE, battle through the Dwemer machines in the ruins, then go through the 'Animonculory', then through the
'Cathedral' encountering a Centurion, until you get to 'Blackreach'.
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> SAVE, and continue through Blackreach encountering chaurus and a possible giant, until you reach a lift in the far southwest
leading to the 'Tower Of Mzark'. SAVE and continue through, go up the spiral ramp to find the Dwemer puzzle.
> Place the blank Lexicon in the slot on the pedestal and SAVE. To decipher the code, press the fourth button from left to right
repeatedly until the Lexicon opens and lights up. Then press the second button until you see the overhead lenses directing light onto
the sphere, and the first button light up. Press the first button to complete the puzzle, then press the first button again to allow the
green pod to be lowered.
> Pick up the, now 'Runed' Lexicon, before you retrieve the Elder Scroll, use the lift underneath you to return to the surface. Do not
read the Elder Scroll (by activating it in your inventory), at any point and do not return it to 'Urag-Gro Shub' for the Main Story until
you complete this quest first.
> Return to Septimus Signus at his outpost, SAVE and give him the Lexicon.
> Septimus now requires the blood of a Dwemer, unfortunately no known Dwemer still live, so you have to harvest the blood of
every other type of Elf to make a simulated facsimile. Make your way out of the outpost.
> At the exit you will be stopped by 'The Wretched Abyss' (Hermaeus Mora), selecting any dialogue options are fine.
> Now you'll need the blood of a Bosmer (Wood Elf), Altmer (High Elf), Orsimer (Orc), Dunmer (Dark Elf), and Falmer (Ancient Snow
Elf). Return to Alftand Glacial Ruins.
> Once inside SAVE, you can harvest Bosmer blood from the corpse of 'Endrast', his body is hidden behind a gate and some steam
pipes in the lower half of the first room in the Animonculory, SAVE.
> Proceed into the large open vertical room full of spiral ramps and jump down to the corpse of 'Yag Gra-Gortwog' for the Orsimer
blood, SAVE. Continue downwards to the room just before the elevator. You'll find the permanent corpses of 'Valie' (for Altmer
blood) lying on a torture table, and a Falmer around the corner, SAVE. You can then use the lift for a quick exit back outside.
> For Dunmer blood; there is a dark elf conjurer that's been killed by trolls in the westernmost room of 'Bleakcoast Cave', located
east-southeast of Winterhold. Also a permanent corpse of a Dunmer can be found in the water at 'Evergreen Grove' located
northwest of Falkreath. Also there is normally a Dunmer Necromancer or Conjurer who can be killed and harvested camped at the
'Ritual Stone' located east of Whiterun across the White River or the Shadow Stone located just south of Riften. And if you still can't
find a Dunmer, or require any other elf blood, try looking in outdoor camps, forts, shipwrecks etc, there are varying elves around
these places and killing them does not conflict with other quests or raise bounties. Once you harvest your last blood sample SAVE
and return to Septimus' Outpost.
> Once inside SAVE before giving Septimus the samples. He'll then use them to open the cube. The Daedric artifact known as the
'Oghma Infinium' will be on a pedestal inside. (If you wish to glitch the book for infinite points see the link below, this is not possible
however, as of patch 1.9 (8/4/2013).
Reading the book once normally will allow you to choose one of the three paths:
Choosing 'THE PATH OF MIGHT' will boost your Archery, Block, Heavy Armour, One-handed, Smithing, and Two-handed skills by 5
points.
Choosing 'THE PATH OF MAGIC' will boost your Alteration, Conjuration, Destruction, Enchanting, Illusion and Restoration skills by 5
points.
Choosing 'THE PATH OF SHADOW' will boost your Alchemy, Light Armour, Lockpicking, Pickpocket, Sneak and Speech skills by 5
points.
> The quest is now complete, the book will count towards the achievement once it's in your inventory, so you don't necessarily have
to read it yet for it to unlock, SAVE.
If you got the two artifacts from Hircine you should have at least '15' Daedric artifacts at this point, unlocking:
Oblivion Walker in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Oblivion Walker82 (30)
Collect 15 Daedric Artifacts
76,134
Otherwise continue on with the last Daedric quest below.
Post-Quest Notes
If for some reason you have found the Elder Scroll before activating the Main Story quest 'Elder Knowledge' do not sell or drop it
anywhere, it is essential for the Main Story quest line, you can however sell it after completing Elder Knowledge to 'Urag gro-Shub'
at the Arcanaeum in the College of Winterhold.
It's possible to use the Oghma Infinium more than once to raise your skills. Depending on what patch you have, (not possible after
patch 1.9), this will be different, check out: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Oghma_Infinium_(item) to find out how.
Mehrune's Razor
Level Required: 20
Quest Name: Pieces of the Past
Type of Artifact: One-handed dagger with 1% instant kill chance
Daedric Lord: Mehrune's Dagon
Artifact Count: 16
Pre-Quest Notes
You will encounter a lot of levelled Forsworn, mages, orc bandits and chiefs, and two higher levelled Dremora.
You will learn a word from the 'Dismay' Shout.
You can find the 'Lord' Standing Stone near the Shrine.
> Upon reaching level 20 a courier will find you in any major city, inviting you to visit a museum in Dawnstar. Go to Dawnstar and
enter 'Silus Vesuius'' house, speak to him and offer to help retrieve the three fragments of 'Mehrunes Razor', SAVE.
> The 'Pommel Stone' is in 'Dead Crone Rock', a dungeon swarming with a lot of Forsworn and mages located southwest of
Markarth. The journey there can be troublesome, but can be completed with good navigation (you could go southwest from
'Dushnikh Yal' and through 'Hag Rock Redoubt' or manoeuvre your way through the hills heading southwest, easier with a horse).
> Once inside SAVE, ascend a series of tiers, battling Forsworn and mages, be on the lookout for the Alchemy Skill Book 'A Game at
Dinner' located by a lever opening the way to the rooftop later.
> At the top of the second flight of stairs a metal gate must be unlocked by a lever in another room. Continue back outside and
upwards to the pinnacle of the ruin, where 'Drascua' the Hagraven leader possesses the pommel, make sure you kill Drascua and
loot the pommel stone before activating the 'Dismay' Word Wall there, and then SAVE.
> The 'Blade Shards' are located in the orc fort 'Cracked Tusk Keep', it can be found to the west of Falkreath. There are three
entrances into the keep. The best entrance is a locked door to the right of the main entrance.
> Once inside SAVE and proceed down some steps. This opens directly into an unguarded room where you'll find a sliding panel on
the wall to the right of the cage barring access to the 'Cracked Tusk Vaults'. You can find the Smithing Skill Book 'Light Armour
Forging' in here by the forge. If you can pick the expert lock it can allow you to access the vaults and the quest item without
encountering any enemies in the interior. Otherwise you'll have to get the key from the orc chief in the other room. Once inside
SAVE, find the Light Armour Skill Book 'Rislav the Righteous' somewhere in the vaults.
> Activate the levers to the left and right of the final barrier to open the way, watch out for the multiple floor traps and find the
blade shards on the pedestal. Once you've retrieved the shards SAVE.
> The 'Hilt' is in 'Jorgen's House' in Morthal, travel there, SAVE. Either pick the lock to his house or persuade Jorgen to give you the
key. Jorgen may have died but it's still possible to find the Hilt in the chest, you can also find the One-Handed Skill Book '2920
Morning Star V1' in a bucket on top of the barrel to the left of the bed, SAVE.
> Return to the museum in Dawnstar. SAVE, give Silus all the fragments and he'll ask you to meet him at the 'Shrine of Mehrunes
Dagon', located in the mountains in the south of the Pale. Head there now.
> Near the Shrine, just off to the northeast, can be found the 'Lord' Standing Stone, this will add 50 points to your armour rating and
25% magic resistance.
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> Upon arriving at the shrine SAVE, Silus will tell you he's unable to re-forge the blade and ask you to do it. Activate the altar (talk to
Mehrunes Dagon), and Lord Dagon will command you to kill Silus. You must kill Silus immediately to obtain the artifact, so kill him as
quickly as possible.
> When Silus is dead SAVE, then activate the altar again. Lord Dagon will give you the Daedric artifact 'Mehrune's Razor' and then
he'll summon two Dremora to test you. Kill them in your preferred manner then loot the interior of the shrine for some major
treasures; including the Enchanting Skill Book 'Catalogue of Armour Enchantments', SAVE.
You should have acquired not 15, but 16 Daedric artifacts at this point and unlocked the 'Oblivion Walker' achievement. If for
whatever reason it has still not unlocked then your only option now is to begin a new campaign from scratch and attempt all Daedric
quests again.
Otherwise congratulations you have unlocked the most difficult and frustrating achievement in the whole of Skyrim.
Skyrim Game Guide.
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This page covers all of the achievements that are not unlocked by completing main quest lines or collecting Daedric artifacts. There
are '25' of these miscellaneous achievements and they all involve quite simple tasks that encourage you to explore all of various
aspects of the game. Most of these will unlock without you even noticing but there are a couple of collectible achievements that
may require some exploration.
These achievements are: '4' will be unlocked while leveling your character up to level '50', '1' for increasing any of your skills to level
'100', '2' for finding all '13' Standing Stones, '2' for absorbing '20' Dragon Souls, '2' for learning one word of all '20' Shouts, '2' for
completing side-quests and objectives, '2' for completing some manual tasks, '1' for successfully performing all three types of speech
challenge, '1' for buying a house, '1' for getting married, '1' for picking '50' locks and '50' pockets, '1' for escaping from jail, '1' for
accumulating '100,000' gold, '1' for having a '1,000' gold bounty in each hold, '1' for discovering '100' locations, '1' for clearing '50'
dungeons, and finally, '1' for reading '50' of the '70' available skill books.
Now, that may sound like a lot, but these tasks are often things you'll do anyway as part of certain quests and random exploration of
the game. I have mentioned the locations of various Standing Stones, Skill Books, and Word Walls for Shouts as much as I could
during all the quest lines of the game, but if you're still short please use the locations below to hunt down the remaining collectibles,
only the Daedric Artifacts are Missable.
I have included every achievement in the game, that is not unlocked by quest completions, on this page and arranged them into
specific sections below for easy location. I have also explained the quickest and most efficient way to unlock these achievements. If
you wish to find anything in particular that is not in the list of contents please use 'Ctrl+F' then type in a key word that relates to
what you're looking for. For example if you want to find out how to mine ore just type in 'mine' or 'ore' etc, or if you're looking for
the location of a particular Standing Stone or shout use the same method.
List of Contents
Alchemy
Character and Skill Leveling Exploits
Clearing Dungeons
Crimes, Bounties and Escaping From Jail
Dragons
Dragon Souls, Lairs and Shouts
Easter Eggs
Enchanting
Getting Married
Houses
Lockpicking and Pickpocketing
Lycanthropy
Magic
Manual Tasks - Chopping Wood, Mining Ore, Cooking Food
Miscellaneous Objectives
Money Making Techniques
Side-Quests
Skill Books
Smithing
Speech Challenges - Persuading, Bribing and Intimidating
Standing Stones
Stealth
Trainers
Vampirism
Warrior Class
Alchemy
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Alchemy can be a very useful element of gameplay throughout Skyrim, from level 1 to level 100, mastering this art is not as
overwhelming as it may first appear. If alchemy simply doesn't interest you, you at least need to make one single potion to
contribute to the 'Artificer' achievement. All you need to do is pick up a few common ingredients from any alchemy store or from
the outside world and use an alchemy table to mix them together. Here are some easy places to find an alchemy table:
Whiterun - Market - Arcadia's Cauldron

Whiterun - Dragonsreach
Windhelm - West Market - The White Phial
Solitude - Main street - Angeline's Aromatics
Falkreath - Dead Man's Drink
Falkreath - The Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary
Riften - Lower level, near the north watergate - Elgrim's Elixirs
Riften - The Ratways - The Ragged Flagon
Markarth - Up the stairs on the left - The Hag's Cure
Winterhold - College of Winterhold - Hall of Countenance
Dawnstar - On the east side of town - The Mortar and Pestle
Morthal - Thaumaturgist's Hut
Solstheim (Dragonborn DLC) - Raven Rock - Past Ash Yam Field - Raven Rock Mine
See this page for a full list of all Alchemy lab locations: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Alchemy_Labs
If you have already Smithed and Enchanted an item you will unlock:

Artificer14 (10)
76,134
Otherwise see the relevant section of this page for further information.
If you wish to delve deeper into the world of potions and poisons here are some quick tips to help you get started:
The effects of ingredients are hidden from you to begin with, you have to experiment with ingredients to reveal their effects, you
can simply eat any ingredient to reveal its first effect. Mixing any two ingredients that have the same effect will reveal that effect for
you forever after and make a potion or poison based on that effect.
Try this webpage, it helps you in your alchemical experiments:
http://www.garralab.com/skyrim/alchemy.php
You can also download a free Windows 8 app called the 'Skyrim Herbarium' that can be used to find out the effects of all ingredients
and the potions that can be created from them.
If you endeavour to mix these '56' potions you will reveal all the effects of every ingredient in the game:
Creep Cluster + Dwarven Oil + Taproot

Blue Butterfly Wing + Bone Meal + Snowberries
Elves Ear + Fire Salts + White Cap
Cyrodilic Spadetail + Jazbay Grapes + Salt Pile
Dragon's Tongue + Fly Amanita + Scaly Pholiota
Daedra Heart + Giant's Toe + Wheat
Slaughterfish Egg + Slaughterfish Scales + Thistle Branch
Abecean Longfin + Bleeding Crown + Ice Wraith Teeth
Bee + Giant Lichen + Mora Tapinella
Bleeding Crown + Tundra Cotton + Void Salts
Butterfly Wing + Hagraven Claw + Wheat
Falmer Ear + Fly Amanita + Troll Fat
Juniper Berries + Moon Sugar + Vampire Dust
Canis Root + Falmer Ear + Spider Egg
Chaurus Eggs + Lavender + Nirnroot
Blisterwort + Blue Mountain Flower + Hagraven Feathers
Blisterwort + Hagraven Claw + Spriggan Sap
Giant's Toe + River Betty + Salt Pile
Bone Meal + Deathbell + Giant Lichen
Canis Root + Imp Stool + Mora Tapinella
Daedra Heart + Rock Warbler Egg + Scaly Pholiota
Hagraven Claw + Lavender + White Cap
Histcarp + Nordic Barnacle + Red Mountain Flower
Ice Wraith Teeth + Luna Moth Wing + Vampire Dust
Cyrodilic Spadetail + Daedra Heart + Nirnroot
Dwarven Oil + Garlic + Slaughterfish Egg
Canis Root + Juniper Berries + Rock Warbler Egg
Beehive Husk + Ectoplasm
Falmer Ear + Namira's Rot
Charred Skeever Hide + Eye of Sabre Cat + Mudcrab Chitin
Glowing Mushroom + Pine Thrush Egg + Sabre Cat Tooth
Blue Dartwing + Imp Stool + Swamp Fungal Pod
Frost Mirriam + Orange Dartwing + Purple Mountain Flower
Honeycomb + Silverside Perch + Skeever Tail
Beehive Husk + Canis Root + Hawk Feathers
Beehive Husk + Grass Pod + Red Mountain Flower
Chaurus Eggs + Deathbell + Large Antlers
Blue Dartwing + Namira's Rot + Nordic Barnacle
Blue Mountain Flower + Glow Dust + Glowing Mushroom
Abecean Longfin + Butterfly Wing + Small Antlers
Chicken's Egg + Histcarp + Large Antlers
Beehive Husk + Garlic + Luna Moth Wing
Eye of Sabre Cat + Moon Sugar + Silverside Perch
Honeycomb + Pearl + Thistle Branch
Hawk Beak + Mudcrab Chitin + Snowberries
Orange Dartwing + Slaughterfish Scales + Small Pearl
Bear Claws + Hanging Moss + Small Pearl
Frost Salts + Hawk Beak + Pearl
Briar Heart + Ectoplasm + Human Flesh
Chicken's Egg + Nightshade + Wisp Wrappings
Creep Cluster + Torchbug Thorax + Wisp Wrappings
Abecean Longfin + Bee + Powdered Mammoth Tusk
Cyrodilic Spadetail + Frost Salts + Powdered Mammoth Tusk
Hagraven Feathers + Human Heart + Void Salts
Human Flesh + Purple Mountain Flower + Torchbug Thorax
Human Heart + River Betty + Spriggan Sap
For tips on how to boost your Alchemy skill see the 'Fortify Restoration and Alchemy Boosting Enchantments' section of 'Character
and Skill Levelling Exploits' section below.
Character and Skill Leveling Exploits

There are '4' achievements unlocked on your way up to character level '50', and '1' achievement unlocked when reaching level '100'
in any particular Skill.
There are two types of leveling in Skyrim, character leveling and skill leveling.
For ways to accelerate your leveling see 'Leveling Exploits' below.
As you use a skill, you automatically gain a small amount of experience in that skill, eventually causing that skill to level up. Skill level-
ups can also be acquired instantly from training or by reading skill books. Every time you level up a skill, you also gain experience
toward a character level-up. Furthermore, increasing the levels of your skills is the only way you are able to increase your character
XP. However, leveling up low-level skills offers only a low amount of character XP toward your next level, while leveling up high-level
skills offers more. The required amount of character XP needed to gain a character level-up increases as your character level
increases.
Each time your character level increases, you can choose to increase either 'Health', 'Magicka' or 'Stamina' by '10' points, and you
are also given one perk point to use on any available perk for any skill. You do not increase skill or character level by completing
tasks or quests.
You are not penalized with a lack of attribute bonuses at the time of 'leveling-up', so accidentally gaining levels before distributing
'points' (skill perks) will have no negative effect. Most content is still leveled (primarily enemy gear), and some players may choose
their perks and attribute increases unwisely, so it is still possible to create a character too weak to keep up. However, if you have
installed the Dragonborn Add-on, you can spend dragon souls to reset perks.
The amount of skill XP you receive from using a skill in a specific way is constant. However, as you increase in skill level, the amount
of skill XP required for the next skill level up increases. This is why blocking a few attacks from an ice wolf may level up your Block
skill at the beginning of the game when your skill level is low, but when your Block skill is higher later in the game, it will take a lot
more attacks to level it up. In this instance, your Block skill would level up faster if you blocked an attack from a giant.
Some skills will only increase when there is an active component associated with them:
Sneak will only increase if you are within range of and are avoiding detection by an entity that would otherwise be aware of your
presence, or escaping from one that has detected you. You do not need to move for the skill to increase, though completing actions
that are more difficult will increase the skill faster, such as moving and, more notably, completing sneak attacks.
Conjuration derived from the 'Raise Zombie' or similar spells will only increase if your minion engages in combat, while Conjuring
'Bound' weapons only gives skill XP if you are in combat.
Restoration will only increase if it is replenishing lost life (with a few exceptions) and will level up faster when in combat.
Alteration XP derived from the 'Detect Life' spell will only increase if you are actually detecting life forms with the spell. The more life
forms you detect, the faster your skill will go up.
Destruction XP from placing 'Runes' will only increase if the runes are triggered. Other Destruction spells require a 'live' target.
Pickpocketing increases proportionally to the total value of lifted goods, assuming you are not caught.
Lockpicking will gain a small increase for every broken pick, and a substantial increase that varies based on lock level versus skill and
perk level for every successfully-picked lock. However, if you successfully pick a lock that you have picked before, there is no XP
reward.
Smithing, Alchemy, and Enchanting give skill increases based on the results of the crafting.
Leveling Exploits
Some skills are much easier to level up than others. For instance, you may quickly level the Smithing skill to '100' by crafting nothing
but jewellery; it will take a very long time, however, to level One-handed to '100' solely by attacking skeevers with a specific one-
handed weapon. Further, successfully using your skill yields more skill XP than unsuccessfully using it. For example, successfully
picking a lock gives you more Lockpicking XP than does breaking your lockpick in the attempt.
Trainer Pickpocketing
Train using a skill trainer and then pickpocket your gold back.
NOTE: Be warned that starting this process at lower levels can leave you in great difficulty in combat, if you have not trained any
combat skills.
Without any pickpocket perks, this only works up to skill level 30 or so. The highest you can go with this trick is level 76. Even with a
full complement of Pickpocket perks (Light Fingers 5/5: +100% chance to pickpocket, Night Thief: +25% chance to pickpocket if NPC
is asleep, Cut Purse: +50% chance to steal gold), 100 Pickpocket, and Thieves Guild armour (+15% pickpocket), and the NPC sleeping,
it is usually impossible (0% chance) to pickpocket back the nearly 4k in gold it costs to train skill level 77. There are a couple of ways
to get around this limitation:
You can use the Unrelenting Force shout to knock down the trainer, and then pickpocket them while they are getting back up (even
though the menu still displays 0% chance, you cannot fail). However, you should save your game first as sometimes (though not
often) this method will cause NPCs to attack you.
You can put a Paralysis poison in the NPC's inventory and then steal the gold, and they won't attack you.
Keep in mind that only '5' skill points may be trained at a trainer per level across all skills. At higher levels, 5 skill increases will earn
only a small portion of the experience needed to level up. The remaining skill increases you need to level must still be earned
normally. Thus, the spending of 7 perk points in Pickpocket to maximize this method has a fairly poor return when compared to
doing a dungeon crawl or two (at higher levels) for the 25,000+ gold you need for 5 training points. However, if you are focused on
getting Pickpocket to 100, this method will get you there every few levels, and then if you make Pickpocket legendary, you will get
back the perk points and can start to retrain Pickpocket. You should be able to train Pickpocket to 51 using a skill trainer, while
pickpocketing your gold back to increase Pickpocket even faster.
Trainer Followers
There are several trainers who are also permanent followers. In this case, you can have them follow you, ask them to train, and then
ask them to trade and take your gold back.
Notably, there are 5 trainers (3 expert: Archery, Block, One-handed, 2 master: Heavy Armor, Two-handed) in the Companions
headquarters (Jorrvaskr) in Whiterun who are eligible to become your follower after you complete the Companions quest line.
Faendal in Riverwood may also be recruited as your follower if you complete his quest in his favour, and he is a common Archery
trainer.
Trainer Bartering
There are several trainers who also sell merchandise - there are many at the College of Winterhold, for instance. Once you have
access to an enchanting table, it is fairly inexpensive to enchant an iron dagger with a petty soul gem and a spell like Banish, yet
these sell for a lot of money. Simply make several items like these, ask the trainer to train you as normal, and then ask what they
have for sale and get your gold back by selling them the enchanted daggers. You may need to have the Merchant perk in Speech;
most trainers will not normally buy weapons. At higher levels of skill training, this can also help you to train Speech.
Oghma Infinium
NOTE: This exploit has been removed by version 1.9.26.0.8 of the Official Skyrim Patch.
Once you have obtained the Oghma Infinium and have not already used it to gain knowledge (because it normally disappears when
you do so), follow these steps to easily gain levels in the 18 Skills:
Activate an empty book shelf to access the book shelf menu.

Find the Oghma Infinium in your inventory, and open it.
Choose any path (The Path of Might to level Combat skills, The Path of Shadow to level Stealth skills, or The Path of Magic to level
Magic skills).
Store the Oghma Infinium on the bookshelf.
Leave the book shelf menu.
Activate the Oghma Infinium on the book shelf.
Select (Do Not Read).
Take the book off the shelf
Repeat the above until you are satisfied with the amount of levels you have gained.
Out Of Balance
During the course of the 'Out of Balance' College of Winterhold quest (Talk to 'Drevis Neloren'), when you activate the focal points
with the Tuning Gloves, you may be given a potent magicka recovery bonus for two hours that lets you cast spells and recover
instantly. This can be used to cast expensive spells over and over to gain levels, if given the appropriate circumstances.
100% Magicka Reduction

After getting your Enchanting skill level to 100 (or close to it, and using a potion of Fortify Enchanting), you can create apparel with
25% cost reduction bonuses for any school of magic. As such, with four items of enchanted apparel (head, chest, ring, neck), you can
gain 100% cost reduction, making casting any spell in that school entirely free. The following methods are high cost, high XP spells
for quickly leveling magical skills this way:
For increasingAlteration, use Telekinesis to carry an object in front of you while you walk, or repeatedly cast Waterbreathing while
standing in water at least knee-deep. Casting Detect Life in a crowded city will continuously level Alteration, limited in this
circumstance only by your patience.
For increasingIllusion, Muffle is great at all levels, while Fear spells are better at higher levels.
For increasingConjuration, enter combat with anything and repeatedly cast the highest cost Conjure spell you can. You can also use
Soul Trap spell on a dead body continuously.
For increasingRestoration, casting Equilibrium (to drain health) in one hand and any healing spell in your other hand will level it
rapidly. Once obtained, repeatedly casting Circle of Protection is an even faster method.
For increasingDestruction, just repeatedly blast away at things with your most magicka-expensive spell in that school.
Fortify Restoration and Alchemy Boosting Enchantments
If you put an Alchemy boosting enchantment on a ring, necklace, gloves, and helmet, craft a Fortify Restoration potion, consume it,
then unequip and re-equip the gear, this will cause the enchantments to temporarily be effectively better than they were, allowing
you to create a stronger potion, which increases the effect even more. After repeating this a number of times, your potions can be
boosted to a ridiculous level. If you craft a Fortify Enchanting potion which boosts your enchantment skill by around 40,000% or
more, you can enchant an item to boost alchemy by a ridiculous amount as well. This will allow you to craft potions that increase the
skill considerably, even at level 15. This will allow you to boost alchemy from 15 to 100 in a matter of seconds, making it very easy to
obtain additional levels.
After increasing any one skill to level 100 you will unlock:
Skill Master in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Skill Master66 (40)
Get a skill to 100
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And increasing your main character level to levels 5, 10, 25 then 50 respectively will unlock:
Apprentice in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Apprentice6 (5)
Reach Level 5
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Adept in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Adept12 (10)
Reach Level 10
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Expert in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Expert36 (25)
Reach Level 25
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Master in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Master105 (50)
Reach Level 50
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Clearing Dungeons
You may find over '100' locations and clear over '50' of them during your normal completion of the main quest lines of the game,
however I have listed all clear-able areas below along with some tips.
NOTE: You should not go around clearing areas unless you are sent there specifically for a quest, you may cause unfixable quest-
related glitches - therefore you should only build towards the Explorer and Delver achievements after completing all of your desired
quests in a playthrough.
To obtain the 'Explorer' and 'Delver' achievements, you have to discover '100' dungeons and clear at least '50' of them by killing their
boss and sometimes learning the words of any Word Walls there. The number of locations that you have cleared can be tracked
using the 'Dungeons Cleared' statistic in your journal. 186 locations can be cleared, all of which are listed below.
For easy clearances you can target clearings , dragon lairs , giant camps , groves , shipwrecks and small bandit camps .
Here is a quick list of some of the easiest clearances:
Clearings
Autumnshade Clearing - Southwest of Shor's Stone

Clearpine Pond - West-southwest of Solitude
Clearspring Tarn - West-northwest of Windhelm
External image
Mara's Eye Pond - Southwest of Windhelm

Dragon Lairs
See the 'Dragon Souls, Lairs and Shouts' section of this page below
Giant Camps
Bleakwind Basin — A giant camp that is home to two giants and three mammoths.
Blizzard Rest — A giant camp approximately halfway between Dawnstar and Whiterun.
Broken Limb Camp — A small giant camp on the edge of the hot springs in Eastmarch near the bank of the White River.
Cradlecrush Rock — A small giant camp containing only one giant.
Guldun Rock — A giant camp located near the base of the Throat of the World.
Red Road Pass — A giant camp south-southwest of Dawnstar and due north of the Hall of the Vigilant.
Secunda's Kiss — A giant camp southwest of Whiterun.
Sleeping Tree Camp — A small giant camp where the Sleeping Tree is located.
Steamcrag Camp — A giant camp south of Windhelm and east of Bonestrewn Crest.
Stonehill Bluff — A giant camp located northeast of Volunruud and due west of the Tower of Mzark.
Talking Stone Camp — A giant's camp along the River Hjaal.
Tumble Arch Pass — A giant camp located east of Korvanjund and due north of Shearpoint
Groves
Evergreen Grove - Northwest of Falkreath

Greenspring Hollow - Northwest of Whiterun, just southwest of Dustman's Cairn
Shrouded Grove - Far west of Windhelm, between Weynon Stones and Nightgate Inn
Shipwrecks
Dainty Sload - Northeast of Solitude

Orphan's Tear - Far northwest of Solitude
Wreck of the Brinehammer - Northwest of Dawnstar
External image
Wreck of the Pride of Tel Vos - East of Winterhold

Wreck of the Winter War - Far northeast of Windhelm, and east-southeast of Snow Veil Sanctum
Small Bandit Camps
Dragon Bridge Overlook - Southwest of Solitude, just south of Dragon Bridge

Druadach Redoubt - To the far north of Markarth, northeast of Bthardamz
Halted Stream Camp - Just north of Whiterun
Serpent's Bluff Redoubt - Southwest of Rorikstead
Other easy clearances
Bleakcoast Cave - Southeast of Winterhold

Bonechill Passage - Southwest of Helgen
Broken Helm Hollow - Southeast of Riften
Broken Oar Grotto - North of Solitude and northwest of Brinewater Grotto.
Bronze Water Cave - West of Windhelm
Cold Rock Pass - South of Morthal, east of Orotheim
Embershard Mine - Between Helgen and Riverwood
Geirmund's Hall - East of Ivarstead
Graywinter Watch - Just to the east of Whiterun
Greywater Grotto - South-southwest of Helgen
Hag Rock Redoubt - South of Markarth
Hamvir's Rest - Northwest of Whiterun
Honeystrand Cave - South of Ivarstead
Journeyman's Nook - Southeast of Winterhold
Kagrenzel - To the far southeast of Windhelm, northeast of Shor's Stone, and just to the east of Ansilvund
Northwind Mine - Far north-northwest of Riften, northwest of Shor's Stone
Redbelly Mine - In Shor's Stone
Rimerock Burrow - To the far west of Solitude, just north of Pinefrost Tower
Skybound Watch Pass - Just north of Helgen
Steepfall Burrow - Far west of Solitude, west of Fort Hraggstad and east of Northwatch Keep
Yorgrim Overlook - Directly south of Winterhold
All clear-able dungeons
Here are all the clear-able dungeons in Skyrim, there are some exceptions however:
Angarvunde and Mistwatch will appear cleared but will not count for the Delver achievement.
Giant's Grove, Klimmek's House, Shalidor's Maze, and Sundered Towers are classed as secondary locations and will not count for the
Delver achievement.
North/South Brittleshin Pass, North/South Cold Rock Pass, North/South Shriekwind Bastion, North/South Skybound Watch Pass,
Steepfall Burrow with its lower entrance, and Reachcliff Cave will all count for two locations for the Explorer achievement but only
once for Delver.
A
Abandoned Prison
Alftand
Ancient's Ascent
Angarvunde
Ansilvund
Arcwind Point
Autumnshade Clearing
Autumnwatch Tower
Avanchnzel
B
Bannermist Tower
Bilegulch Mine
Bleak Falls Barrow
Bleakcoast Cave
Bleakwind Basin
Bleakwind Bluff
Blind Cliff Cave
Blizzard Rest
Bloated Man's Grotto
Bloodlet Throne
Bonechill Passage
Bonestrewn Crest
Boulderfall Cave
Brittleshin Pass
Broken Fang Cave
Broken Helm Hollow
Broken Limb Camp
Broken Oar Grotto
Broken Tower Redoubt
Bronze Water Cave
Brood Cavern
Bruca's Leap Redoubt
Bthardamz
C
Chillwind Depths
Clearpine Pond
Clearspring Tarn
Cold Rock Pass
Cracked Tusk Keep
Cradle Stone Tower
Cradlecrush Rock
Cragslane Cavern
Cragwallow Slope
Cronvangr Cave
Crystaldrift Cave
D
Dainty Sload
Darklight Tower
Darkshade
Darkwater Pass
Dead Crone Rock
Dead Men's Respite
Deepwood Redoubt
Dimhollow Crypt
Dragon Bridge Overlook
Dragontooth Crater
Drelas' Cottage
Driftshade Refuge
Druadach Redoubt
Duskglow Crevice
Dustman's Cairn
E
Eldersblood Peak
Embershard Mine
Evergreen Grove
F
Faldar's Tooth
Falkreath Watchtower
Fallowstone Cave
Fellglow Keep
Folgunthur
F
Forelhost
Forsaken Cave
Fort Fellhammer
Four Skull Lookout
Frostflow Lighthouse
Frostmere Crypt
G
Gallows Rock
Geirmund's Hall
Giant's Grove
Glenmoril Coven
Gloomreach
Graywinter Watch
Greenspring Hollow
Greywater Grotto
Guldun Rock
H
Haemar's Shame
Hag Rock Redoubt
Hag's End
Hall of the Vigilant
Halldir's Cairn
Halted Stream Camp
Hamvir's Rest
Harmugstahl
High Gate Ruins
Hillgrund's Tomb
Hob's Fall Cave
Honeystrand Cave
I
Ilinalta's Deep
Ironback Hideout
Ironbind Barrow
J
Journeyman's Nook
K
Kagrenzel
Katariah, the
Knifepoint Ridge
L
Labyrinthian
Liar's Retreat
Lost Echo Cave
Lost Knife Hideout
Lost Tongue Overlook
Lost Valley Redoubt
M
Mara's Eye Den
Mara's Eye Pond
Mistwatch
Moldering Ruins
Morvunskar
Moss Mother Cavern
Mount Anthor
Mzinchaleft
Mzulft
N
Nchuand-Zel
Nilheim
Northwatch Keep
Northwind Mine
Northwind Summit
O
Orotheim
Orphan Rock
Orphan's Tear
P
Peak's Shade Tower
Pinefrost Tower
Pinemoon Cave
Pinepeak Cavern
Pinewatch
R
Ragnvald
Raldbthar
Rannveig's Fast
Ravenscar Hollow
R
Reachcliff Cave
Reachwater Rock
Rebel's Cairn
Red Eagle Redoubt
Red Road Pass
Redoran's Retreat
Redwater Den
Refugees' Rest
Rift Watchtower
Rimerock Burrow
Riverside Shack
Roadside Ruins
Robber's Gorge
Ruins of Bthalft
Ruins of Rkund
S
Saarthal
Secunda's Kiss
Serpent's Bluff Redoubt
Shadowgreen Cavern
Shearpoint
Shimmermist Cave
Shriekwind Bastion
Shroud Hearth Barrow
Shrouded Grove
Sightless Pit
Silent Moons Camp
Silverdrift Lair
Skuldafn
Skyborn Altar
Skybound Watch Pass
Skytemple Ruins
Sleeping Tree Camp
Snapleg Cave
Snowpoint Beacon
Soljund's Sinkhole
Southfringe Sanctum
Steamcrag Camp
Steepfall Burrow
Stendarr's Beacon
Stillborn Cave
Stonehill Bluff
Stony Creek Cave
Sunderstone Gorge
Swindler's Den
T
Talking Stone Camp
Tolvald's Cave
Traitor's Post
Treva's Watch
Tumble Arch Pass
U
Uttering Hills Cave
V
Valtheim Towers
Valthume
Volskygge
Volunruud
W
Weynon Stones
White River Watch
Windward Ruins
Wolfskull Cave
Wreck Of The Brinehammer
Wreck of The Pride of Tel Vos
Wreck of the Winter War
Y
Yngol Barrow
Yngvild
Yorgrim Overlook
Ysgramor's Tomb
Discovering '100' locations will unlock:
Explorer in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Explorer59 (40)
Discover 100 Locations
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Fully clearing '50' locations will unlock:
Delver in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Delver72 (40)
Clear 50 dungeons
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Crimes, Bounties and Escaping From Jail
There are many laws in Skyrim, these laws are enforced by the Jarl's of the nine separate 'Holds', being caught committing a crime
will incur a bounty for the hold in which it was performed. Bounties are particular to the hold that the crime was committed in, if you
have a bounty in one hold you will not have that bounty in any other hold- guards will not care about a bounty in a different hold.
Crimes
Here is a list of crimes and the bounty you will receive for being caught doing them:
Crime
Bounty
Description
Theft
Half the price of the stolen goods
Taking any item that does not belong to you, indicated by a red icon
Killing an animal
5 - 100 Gold
Killing a domesticated animal
Lockpicking
5 Gold
*Picking a lock marked by a red icon
Trespassing
5 Gold
Entering private property
Disturbing the Peace
10 Gold
Dropping a weapon and refusing to pay the 50 gold bounty
Pickpocketing
25 Gold
**Taking items from an individual's pockets
Assault
40 Gold
Attacking a non-hostile individual / animal with a weapon, fists (except in a brawl), spell or shout
Cannibalism
40 Gold
Eating a dead human body using the 'Ring of Namira'
Vampire Attack
40 Gold
Feeding on a non-hostile individual as a vampire
Horse Theft
50 Gold
Mounting a horse that does not belong to you
Escaping Jail
100 Gold
Leaving your cell once incarcerated
Murder
1000 Gold
***Killing a non-hostile individual without provocation
Monsterism
1000 Gold
Transforming in or out of werewolf or vampire lord form
*Activating the lock and failing a lockpick attempt does not count as a crime, however actually opening the lock does.
**Looking at the inventory in someone's pockets does not count as a crime, but taking anything does.
***If you are attacked by the NPC first then you can kill them without it counting as murder.
Bounties
If nobody sees you committing a crime then you do not receive a bounty. If a guard / soldier sees you committing a crime, you gain
an automatic bounty for the associated amount. If someone other than a guard / soldier witnesses you commit a crime, (these
witnesses can include animals such as horses and dogs etc), they will run to the nearest guard, and if they reach them, you gain the
associated bounty. You can erase a bounty by killing all the witnesses. If a guard engages you in dialogue you have the option to
either pay your bounty, pass a Speech challenge to erase the bounty, or serve your time in jail.
NOTE: While researching this, I came across this funny fact: If an item, such as a kettle or basket, is covering a potential witness'
head when you commit a crime in front of them, they will not report the crime.
Master Criminal Achievement

This achievement requires you to commit enough crimes to incur at least a '1000' gold bounty in each of the nine holds. The best
way to do this is to make a save, gain all nine bounties at once so you unlock the achievement, then reload the save before it
happened. The reason you do not want to build up to this achievement gradually and pay off the bounties, is not because of the
money it costs, but because while going around killing guards and committing crimes it is highly likely that you will get some friendly
quest-related characters killed.
Before going for this achievement it is best to have at least one friendly location you can fast-travel to in each of the nine holds, see
the list below. If you want this achievement early on in the game you can use the 'Carriage' service, outside of every major city, to
travel to all the nine holds, unlocking them for fast-travel, bear in mind this requires at least 290 gold.
Here is a list of the best places to incur a 1000 gold bounty in the nine holds:
Eastmarch - Windhelm, Kynesgrove, or Darkwater Crossing (northeast of Ivarstead)

Falkreath Hold - Falkreath
Haafingar - Solitude, the East Empire Company Warehouse, or Dragon Bridge
Hjaalmarch - Morthal or Stonehills (east of Morthal)
The Pale - Dawnstar or Loreius' Farm (north of Whiterun, guard patrolling the road nearby)
The Reach - Markarth, Karthwasten or Salvius' Farm (east of Markarth)
The Rift - Riften, Ivarstead, Shor's Stone, Heartwood Mill, Merryfair Farm, or Sarethi Farm (east of Ivarstead)
Whiterun Hold - Whiterun, Riverwood, Rorikstead, or Chillfurrow Farm (just outside Whiterun)
Winterhold - Winterhold or Whistling Mine (southeast of Winterhold, guard patrolling the road nearby)
To get a bounty of 1000 gold in each hold, firstly you should have at least one of the above places to fast-travel to in each hold, then
make a save and keep it. Next, kill one guard as quickly as possible, it's best to do this in the more remote places (I have underlined
these above) so you can escape more easily. Check your 'General Stats' page in the 'Crime' tab, of your journal to make sure you
have at least a 1000 gold bounty in that hold. If no bounty is listed for any holds, then you do not currently have a bounty at all.
When you have a sufficient bounty in the hold you're in, escape anyone pursuing you by running and sneaking and using invisibility
spells etc until the action music ceases. Then fast-travel to another hold you do not have a bounty in, and repeat. Once you have at
least a 1000 gold bounty in each hold you will unlock:

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Now reload your previous save.
Wanted Achievement - Escaping From Jail

External image
To unlock the 'Wanted' achievement you must get arrested, choose to go to jail, then escape the whole jail by any means possible.
To get arrested simply commit a minor a crime in obvious view of a guard, such as pickpocketing, stealing a small item from a stall,
or hitting someone, (make sure to sheathe your weapon or spells to stop anyone attacking you). The best places to do this are in
Whiterun Hold or Haafingar (see list above). The guard will engage you in conversation (see Speech Challenges section of this page
for more information), from the options choose to go to jail.
Whiterun Hold is the easiest place to get this achievement. Make a save before committing a small crime anywhere in Whiterun
Hold. You will be taken to 'Dragonsreach Dungeon' in Whiterun, you will be able to conceal one lockpick, make a save before picking
the novice-locked manhole in the floor of your cell, if you fail just reload the save. This manhole leads to an unguarded sewer, there
is a small crack in the wall in a room in the sewer that allows you to easily access the belongings chest without getting caught. A
ladder leads to the guard barracks, which normally contains only two guards inside by which you can easily sneak past. Once outside,
the achievement will unlock and you can reload the save before you got caught.
Haafingar is an alternative location to do this in. Make sure to save before you commit a minor crime in Haafingar and get sent to
jail. You will be taken to the 'Castle Dour Dungeon' in Solitude. In your cell, by the southeast corner there is some crumbling mortar
that can be activated to escape. Note that activating the crumbling wall will alert nearby guards, and cause the nearest one to
investigate your cell, so make your way out quickly. You can also double back and pickpocket the Castle Dour dungeon key from one
of the guards. You can then unlock both the personal belongings and evidence chests. Following the passage once you have
activated the crumbling wall it leads past a broken table with rubble crushing it from above. The passage soon descends a long flight
of stairs. At the bottom is a small room with a ladder leading back out into Solitude. You come out behind Angeline's Aromatics on a
level above ground.
Once you have escaped from a jail you will unlock:

Wanted20 (10)
Escape from jail
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Dragons
Dragons are an integral part of Skyrim, and save for a few quest related individuals, they are generally hostile towards you and all
other living individuals in Skyrim. The reason I have dedicated a section to dragons is to help you to defeat them more efficiently in
combat.
The key to defeating dragons is identification and subsequent countering techniques. There are specific types of dragons and based
on what they look like and the powers they use against you, they can be defeated easier by attacking them with correct spells or
poisons. Even if you never use any magic or poisons, it is still very valuable to identify dragon types in order to use countering
potions or enchantments to protect yourself.
Below I have detailed the types of dragons you may encounter around Skyrim, and detailed all useful information for your pleasure:
Generally all dragons have a 50% damage reduction to all enemies except the Dragonborn, they all also have a permanent 'Fortify
Unarmed Damage' effect that increases their physical damage and all dragons are totally immune to paralysis and Soul Trap.
Common Dragon
External image
Character Level: 0-10

Health: 905
Magicka: 150
Stamina: 130
Physical Damage: Bite & Tail: 37, Wings 25
Magic Damage: 50
These can appear at any character level once the Main Story quest 'Dragon Rising' has been completed. They are either brown,
white or bronze, the latter two always use fire Shouts on you, this means that fire resistance spells, enchantments and potions are
advised, this also means that they are vulnerable to frost damage. Use frost damage spells, poisons and / or enchantments to defeat
them more efficiently. The brown variety can be frost orientated, meaning that they will use frost damage Shouts on you and be
vulnerable to fire damage, observe their attacks and counter appropriately.
Blood Dragon
External image

Health: 1421
Magicka: 150
Stamina: 164
Physical Damage: Bite & Tail: 75, Wings: 50
Magic Damage: 50
Unarmed Damage Fortification: 25
You will encounter these dragons around character level 20, but they can appear lower. All Blood Dragons are green in colour, and
are distinguished by a fin-like appendages on their heads and backs. Like common dragons they can either use fire or frost against
you. Identify which school of magic they are akin to and use or equip the most effective potions and apparel to counter them, then
use the opposite spells and/or poisons to defeat them quicker. Note that the fire variant is more dangerous as they also use the
Unrelenting Force Shout against you.
Frost Dragon
External image

Health: 1860
Magicka: 150
Stamina: 197
Frost Damage: 50
Frost Dragons will generally begin to attack you after reaching level 30, but they can appear from as low as level 27. They are all
white and grey with darker spines along their backs, and they all breathe frost thu'ums and use Unrelenting Force. Resistance to
frost spells, potions and enchantments are obviously very useful against these dragons but also note that they have a 25% weakness
to all fire attacks.
Elder Dragon
External image
Health: 2255
Magicka: 150
Stamina: 230
Magic Damage: 50
These are all bronze in colour, with black spikes on their heads and back. They represent a new level of toughness when it comes to
dragons. You can encounter them as low as level 36 but they generally replace frost dragons after level 40. They use either frost or
fire and Unrelenting Force Shouts, so like with the lesser types before them, use the appropriate countering spells, potions, poisons
and enchantments to bring them down quicker.
Ancient Dragon
External image

Health: 3071
Magicka: 150
Stamina: 264
Magic Damage: 50
Ancient Dragons can appear at level 45, they are coloured in a kind of metallic red and black, with almost no spikes on their backs.
They will use fire or frost and Unrelenting Force against you, counter them with resisting spells, potions and enchantments, and use
the opposite effects against them. Note that these are the most powerful dragons in the game before the Dawnguard DLC is
installed.
Serpentine Dragon
External image

Health: 3565
Magicka: 150
Stamina: 290
Magic Damage: 50
Only encountered with the Dragonborn DLC installed, these dragons will appear in Solstheim as low as level 55. They are quite
distinguishable from other dragons by their unique snake-like shape, elongated lower jaw and blue-black colour. They are very
similar in power to Ancient Dragons and should be dealt with in the same fashion.
Revered Dragon
External image

Health: 3511
Magicka: 150
Stamina: 304
Magic Damage: 50
The very colourful and distinct Revered Dragon can begin to appear anywhere in Skyrim from level 59, with the Dawnguard DLC
installed. They appear orange with a purple coloured line down their centre, and they possess a flat broad body compared to other
dragons. They mainly use fire attacks, so fire resistances and frost attacks are highly advised. Note that these dragons also use a
dangerous dragon version of the Drain Vitality shout, this will quickly deplete your health, magicka and stamina as it takes effect and
may linger for a while. Be sure to watch your health and use potions to restore your magicka.
Legendary Dragon
External image
Character Level: 75+

Health: 4163-4363
Magicka: 150
Stamina: 347
Magic Damage: 75
The most powerful entity in Skyrim, the Legendary Dragon is a formidable foe, they will begin to appear anywhere in Skyrim from
level 75 with the Dawnguard DLC installed. These dragons appear in a purple and black colour, with curved horns and white tipped
wings, they also have distinctive compound eyes. Legendary Dragons will either use fire or frost attacks, but they will mainly focus on
more powerful versions of the Drain Vitality and Unrelenting Force shouts that will quickly and continuously destroy your health,
magicka and stamina. To counter this type of dragon you will need a very high hit point level and magicka allowance as well as
magicka and health potions or spells. These dragons can kill you very easily on higher difficulty settings and you should avoid fighting
them altogether near towns and cities to avoid inevitable NPC deaths.
Defeating your first Legendary Dragon will unlock the achievement:

Legend120 (40)
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Dragon Souls, Lairs and Shouts
Dragon Shouts are phrases of the dragon language each consisting of three words, dragons can naturally speak the language but
normal mortals cannot, however as the Dragonborn, a mortal with the soul of a dragon, you can speak the dragon language and
unleash various powers in doing so.
You must complete the 4th quest of the Main Story, 'Dragon Rising', before you can use 'Dragon Shouts', once you have learnt a
word of a Shout you must go into your Magic menu and unlock the word using a dragon's soul, you must kill a dragon to absorb its
soul. To use a Shout, once it has been unlocked, press cn_RB, this will generally unleash the power of the first word in the Shout. To
use the full Shout, all three words, you must hold the cn_RB down and hold it until the Shout ends. Be careful using these in friendly
areas as they can cause harm and will be considered as a crime.
Absorbing your first dragon soul will unlock:

Dragon Soul11 (10)
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For the Thu'um Master achievement you have to learn the first word of '20' different Shouts, there are only 20 in the base game,
with '3' added by the Dawnguard DLC and '4' more added by the Dragonborn DLC. These extra DLC Shouts will count towards the
achievement. You will automatically unlock '6' Shouts through the course of the Main Story, and I have mentioned at least one
location of all the remaining Shouts during the course of the various quest lines of the game. Note that following the Comprehensive
Playthrough page will also direct you to all of the '20' base game Shouts.
You can learn a Shout in two ways; the first is by finding a Word Wall which looks like this:
External image
Approach the wall, when you get close enough you will learn the word without actually pressing any buttons or performing any
action. This will count as having learnt the word for the achievement, but to actually use the Shout you will have to unlock the word
by using a dragon's soul from your magic menu. You do not need to unlock the first word of 20 Shouts with a dragon soul for the
Thu'um Master achievement, but for the 'Dragon Hunter' achievement, you must collect 20 dragon souls anyway. The real thing to
bear in mind is that it is better to unlock the 2nd and 3rd words of your favourite Shouts rather than unlocking the 1st words of all
the Shouts in the game, mainly because some Shouts aren't generally useful.
The second way to learn a Shout is through quests, especially during the Main Story where the Greybeards will teach you essential
Shouts to progress in the quest line. After completing the quest 'The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller' one of the Greybeards, named
'Arngeir', will reveal the location of random Shouts around Skyrim, you must learn that Shout before returning to him for another.
Similarly if you use a Shout in a public area, such as a town or occupied dungeon, you will receive a 'Letter From a Friend' revealing a
location of a Word Wall. Once you've learned that word you can perform another Shout and you will receive another letter, you can
do this until all unique Shouts have been learned.
If you wish to simply track down the walls yourself, here is a document allowing you to keep track of all the Shouts in the game:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1l3BiAXhv5yHCb-dUfIg5...
You must absorb at least 20 dragon's souls, not only to unlock all the Thu'ums for use but also for the Dragon Hunter achievement.
Dragon's will attack you randomly quite often whenever you are outside. But if you want to track dragons down intentionally, you
can find 'Dragon Lairs' scattered around Skyrim, they always contain a Word Wall, and after completing the main Dragon Rising
quest they are always guarded by a dragon. Speaking to the Jarl's of holds can begin radiant quests for you to take care of the
dragon at a nearby dragon lair and they will mark it on your map for you. Obtaining the quest from a Jarl before visiting a lair will
reward you with a side-quest completion, it will count as a favour quest for a Jarl to help you become the 'Thane of the Hold' and
give you extra reward gold too. Note this is very helpful to do for the Hearthfire DLC.
Here is a list of all the Dragon Lairs:
Location Name
Word Wall
Hold
Location
Notes
Ancient's Ascent
Animal Allegiance
Falkreath
Southwest of Helgen
None
Autumnwatch Tower
Marked For Death
The Rift
South of Ivarstead
A Jornibret's Last Dance Skill Book is here
Bonestrewn Crest
Frost Breath
Eastmarch
South of Windhelm
None
Dragontooth Crater
Elemental Fury
The Reach
North of Karthwastern
An arcane enchanter is here
Eldersblood Peak
Disarm
Hjaalmarch
South of Morthal
None
Lost Tongue Overlook
Dismay
The Rift
South of Riften
None
Mount Anthor
Ice Form
Winterhold
Southwest of Winterhold
An alchemy lab and Enchanter's Primer Skill Book is here
Northwind Summit
Aura Whisper
The Rift
Northwest of Riften
A smelter is here
Saering's Watch
Bend Will
Solstheim
North of Hrothmund's Barrow
Dragonborn DLC only, Main quest will take you here
Shearpoint
Throw Voice
The Pale
North of High Hrothgar
The Dragon Priest Krosis is here
Skyborn Altar
Frost Breath
Hjaalmarch
East Southeast of Morthal
A Wispmother and a Shrine to Akatosh (cure disease) is here
*Note that all of these lairs, except 'Saering's Watch', is a possible location for a radiant Companion's quest with Farkas and Vilkas, as
well as the Jarl favour quests. It is better to activate the quest first to count towards the Hero of the People and Sideways
achievements.
Dragon Shouts
You can check your progress towards the Thu'um Master achievement using the 'Shouts Learned' statistic, on the 'Magic' page of
your journal's 'General Stats' section.
Below is a full table showing all available Shouts:
DB = Dragonborn DLC only
DG = Dawnguard DLC only

Dragon Shout
Word of Power
Translation
Word Wall Location
Animal Allegiance
SR-icon-shout-White.png
A Shout for help from the beasts of the wild, who come to fight in your defence.
Raan
Animal
Ancient's Ascent, Southwest of Helgen

Angarvunde, West of Riften
Ysgramor's Tomb (Companions Quest line)
50
Mir
Allegiance
60
Tah
Pack
70
Aura Whisper
SR-icon-shout-Pink.png
Your Voice is not a Shout, but a whisper, revealing the life forces of any and all.
Laas
Life
Northwind Summit, South-southeast of Windhelm

Valthume, Southeast of Markarth (Side-Quest: Evil in Waiting)
Volunruud, NNW of Whiterun (Dark Brotherhood Quest line)
30
Yah
Seek
40
Nir
Hunt
50
Battle FuryDB
SR-icon-shout-Dragonrend.png
Your Thu'um enchants your nearby allies' weapons, allowing them to attack faster.
Mid
Loyal
All three words are found in Vahlok's Tomb, South of Thirsk Mead Hall
20
Vur
Valor
30
Shaan
Inspire
40
Become Ethereal
SR-icon-shout-Ethereal.png
The Thu'um reaches out to the Void, changing your form to one that cannot harm, or be harmed.
Feim
Fade
Ironbind Barrow, East of Nightgate Inn

Lost Valley Redoubt, Southeast of Markarth
Ustengrav, Northeast of Morthal (Main Story Quest line)
20
Zii
Spirit
30
Gron
Bind
40
Bend WillDB
DB-icon-shout-Bend Will.png
Your voice bends the very stones to your will. As it gains power, animals, people, and even dragons must do your bidding.
Gol
Earth
Saering's Watch, North of Hrothmund's Barrow

Taught to you by Hermaeus Mora (Dragonborn Quest line)
Taught to you by Hermaeus Mora (Dragonborn Quest line)
10
Hah
Mind
90
Dov
Dragon
120
Call Dragon
Odahviing! Hear my Voice and come forth. I summon you in my time of need.
Od
Snow
High Hrothgar (Main Story Quest: The Fallen)

5
Ah
Hunter
Viing
Wing
300
Call of Valor
SR-icon-shout-Ethereal.png
The valiant of Sovngarde hear your Voice, and journey beyond space and time to lend aid.
Hun
Hero
Sovngarde (Main Story Quest: Dragonslayer)
180
Kaal
Champion
180
Zoor
Legend
180
Clear Skies
SR-icon-shout-Force.png
Skyrim itself yields before the Thu'um, as you clear away fog and inclement weather.
Lok
Sky
High Hrothgar (Main Story Quest: The Throat of the World)

5
Vah
Spring
10
Koor
Summer
15
CycloneDB
Your Thu'um creates a whirling cyclone that sows chaos among your enemies.
Ven
Wind
White Ridge Sanctum, northern Solstheim

Benkongerike, Southeast of Saering's Watch
Kolbjorn Barrow, Southeast of Raven Rock
30
Gaar
Unleash
45
Nos
Strike
60
Disarm
Shout defies steel, as you rip the weapon from an opponent's grasp.
Zun
Weapon
Eldersblood Peak, South of Morthal

Silverdrift Lair, WNW of Windhelm, Northeast of Weynon Stones
Snow Veil Sanctum, North-northeast of Windhelm, (Thieves Guild Quest line)
30
Haal
Hand
35
Viik
Defeat
40
Dismay
SR-icon-shout-Pink.png
And the weak shall fear the Thu'um, and flee in terror.
Faas
Fear
Dead Crone Rock, South-southwest of Markarth, (Daedric Quest)

Lost Tongue Overlook, South of Riften
Shalidor's Maze, Labyrinthian, Southeast of Morthal
40
Ru
Run
45
Maar
Terror
50
Dragon AspectDB
DB-icon-shout-Dragon Aspect.png
Once a day, take on the mighty aspect of a dragon, delivering colossal blows, with an armored hide, and more powerful shouts.
Mul
Strength
Raven Rock Mine

Temple of Miraak, (Dragonborn Quest line)
Apocrypha (Dragonborn Quest line)
5
Qah
Armor
Diiv
Wyrm
Dragonrend
SR-icon-shout-Dragonrend.png
Your Voice lashes out at a dragon's very soul, forcing the beast to land.
Joor
Mortal
Throat of the World (Main Story Quest: Alduin's Bane)

10
Zah
Finite
12
Frul
Temporary
15
Drain VitalityDG
SR-icon-shout-Marked for Death.png

Coax both magical and mortal energies from your hapless opponent.
Gaan
Stamina
Dimhollow Crypt, Southwest of Dawnstar (Dawnguard Quest line)

Forgotten Vale, Darkfall Cave, Southwest of Mor Khazgur (Dawnguard Quest line)
Arcwind Point, South of Ivarstead
30
Lah
Magicka
60
Haas
Health
90
Elemental Fury
The Thu'um imbues your arms with the speed of wind, allowing for faster weapon strikes.
Su
Air
Dragontooth Crater, North of Karthwasten

Shriekwind Bastion, North of Falkreath
Just Northeast of Shrine to Meridia (Daedric Quest)
30
Grah
Battle
40
Dun
Grace
50
Fire Breath
SR-icon-shout-Fire Breath.png
Inhale air, exhale flame, and behold the Thu'um as inferno.
Yol
Fire
Dustman's Cairn, Northwest of Whiterun (Companions Quest line)
Sunderstone Gorge, North of Falkreath, NW of Lake Ilinalta
Throat of the World (Main Story Quest: The Throat of the World)
30
Toor
Inferno
50
Shul
Sun
100
Frost Breath
SR-icon-shout-Frost Breath.png
Your breath is winter, you Thu'um a blizzard.
Fo
Frost
Bonestrewn Crest, South of Windhelm

Folgunthur, Southeast of Solitude (Side-Quest: Forbidden Legend)
Skyborn Altar, East-southeast of Morthal
30
Krah
Cold
50
Diin
Freeze
100
Ice Form
SR-icon-shout-Ice Form.png
Your Thu'um freezes an opponent solid.
Iiz
Ice
Frostmere Crypt, South-southwest of Dawnstar (The Pale Lady Side-Quest)

Mount Anthor, Southwest of Winterhold
Saarthal, Southwest of Winterhold (College of Winterhold Quest line)
60
Slen
Flesh
90
Nus
Statue
120
Kyne's Peace
SR-icon-shout-Kyne's Peace.png
The Voice soothes wild beasts, who lose their desire to fight or flee.
Kaan
Kyne
Ragnvald, North of Markarth

Rannveig's Fast, South of Morthal
Shroud Hearth Barrow, Northeast of Ivarstead
40
Drem
Peace
50
Ov
Trust
60
Marked for Death
Speak, and let your Voice herald doom, as an opponent's armor and lifeforce are weakened.
Krii
Kill
Autumnwatch Tower, South of Ivarstead

Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary (Dark Brotherhood Quest line)
Forsaken Cave, West of Windhelm, (The White Phial Side-Quest)
20
Lun
Leech
30
Aus
Suffer
40
Slow Time
SR-icon-shout-Slow Time.png
Shout at time, and command it to obey, as the world around you stands still.
Tiid
Time
Hag's End, West of Dragon Bridge (Optional Dark Brotherhood Quest)

Korvanjund, Northeast of Whiterun (Civil War Quest line)
Labyrinthian, Southeast of Morthal
30
Klo
Sand
45
Ul
Eternity
60
Soul TearDG
SR-icon-shout-Kyne's Peace.png
Your Thu'um cuts through flesh and shatters soul, commanding the will of the fallen.
Rii
Essence
Durnehviir teaches you a word each time you summon him from the Soul Cairn.
5
Vaaz
Tear
Zol
Zombie
90
Storm Call
A Shout to the skies, a cry to the clouds, that awakens the destructive force of Skyrim's lightning.
Strun
Storm
Forelhost, Southeast of Riften (Side-Quest: Siege on the Dragon Cult)

High Gate Ruins, West of Dawnstar, (Side-Quest: A Scroll for Anska)
Skuldafn Temple (Main Story Quest: The World Eater's Eyrie)
300
Bah
Wrath
480
Qo
Lightning
600
Summon DurnehviirDG
Durnehviir! Hear my Voice and come forth from the Soul Cairn. I summon you in my time of need.
Dur
Curse
Soul Cairn (Dawnguard Quest: Beyond Death)

5
Neh
Never
Viir
Dying
300
Throw Voice
The Thu'um is heard, but its source unknown, fooling those into seeking it out.
Zul
Voice
Shearpoint, North of High Hrothgar

30
Mey
Fool
15
Gut
Far
Unrelenting Force
Your Voice is raw power, pushing aside anything - or anyone - who stands in your path.
Fus
Force
Bleak Falls Barrow, (Main Story Quest: Bleak Falls Barrow)

High Hrothgar (Main Story Quest: The Way of the Voice)
High Hrothgar (Main Story Quest: The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller)
15
Ro
Balance
20
Dah
Push
45
Whirlwind Sprint
The Thu'um rushes forward, carrying you in its wake with the speed of a tempest.
Wuld
Whirlwind
Dead Men's Respite, Southwest of Morthal, (Side-Quest: Tending the Flames)

High Hrothgar (Main Story Quest: The Way of the Voice)
Volskygge, West of Solitude
20
Nah
Fury
25
Kest
Tempest
35
You will learn all three words of at least '4' different Dragon Shouts during the course of the Main Story, the first one will unlock:

76,134
Learning all three words of the 'Soul Tear' Shout (see the Dawnguard DLC page) will also unlock:

Soul Tear45 (20)
76,134
Learning all three words of the 'Dragon Aspect' (see the Dragonborn DLC page) will also unlock:

76,134
After learning at least one word of 20 unique Shouts you will unlock:

Learn 20 shouts
76,134
Also after absorbing the souls of 20 Dragons you will unlock:
Dragon Hunter in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Dragon Hunter35 (20)
Absorb 20 dragon souls
76,134
Easter Eggs
Although not related to any achievement, the Easter Eggs of Skyrim are very interesting and I felt I should note them here for your
consideration:
Alice in Wonderland - During the quest The Mind of Madness, you will encounter Sheogorath having a tea party in the middle of a
forest. This is a reference to Lewis Carroll's Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
Annie - During the quest Innocence Lost, when you enter the orphanage, you will hear Grelod the Kind shout at the children "What
do you say?", to which they respond "We love you Grelod, thank you for your kindness!". This is very similar to the musical "Annie",
in which the orphans were frequently asked "WHAT DO YOU SAY?" and the response was always "We love you Miss Hannigan."
Arthurian Lore - The Lady of the Lake - Northeast of Bleakwind Basin, protruding from an unmarked small pool is a skeletal arm
holding a sword. The Lady Stone is also located on a small island in the middle of a lake. These are references to The Lady of the Lake
in Arthurian lore.
Arthurian Lore - The Sword in the Stone
External image
Just outside of Rebel's Cairn, northwest of Rorikstead, you will find a sword in a stone, a well-known icon in Arthurian lore.
Arthurian Lore - White Stag - After starting the Ill Met By Moonlight quest, you will hunt down a white stag, which is found in many
Arthurian stories, symbolizing adventure and the hunt.
Castlevania - With the Dawnguard DLC, in the room to the left of the grand hall of Volkihar Keep, there is a display case containing a
hagraven's claw, a sabre cat's eye, a daedra's heart, a dog's ribcage, and a gold ring. This is a nod to Castlevania II, in which Simon
Belmont must collect and destroy the nail, eyeball, heart, ring, and ribcage of Dracula to defeat him.
Celtic Mythology - With the Dawnguard DLC installed you'll find two huskies, Bran and Sceolang, present in Fort Dawnguard. In Celtic
mythology, the hunter-warrior Fionn mac Cumhaill (Finn McCool) had two previously human hounds sharing these same names.
Charon's Obol - In Shalidor's Maze, opening one of the shutters within the maze reveals a severed head with a gold coin in its mouth.
This is a reference to Charon's Obol, the ancient Greek and Roman custom of placing a coin in the mouth of the deceased prior to
burial.
Chris Kluwe - A character named Kluwe "who went by Loate when hiding his face" appears as a member of Ysgramor's Five Hundred
Companions in the book Songs of the Return, Volume 7. This is a reference to ex-Minnesota Vikings punter Chris Kluwe, who played
World of Warcraft for several years as a troll rogue named Loate.
Cicero - In the Dark Brotherhood quest line, you will encounter an assassin named Cicero. This is likely a reference towards the
Roman philosopher and statesman Cicero, who was a close friend of Cassius, one of the assassins of Caesar, and openly endorsed
the assassination after it had passed.
CuSith and Garmr - With the Dawnguard DLC installed, you'll find the death hounds CuSith and Garmr, these are references to Cù
Sìth and Garmr, two legendary dogs from Scottish and Norse mythology, respectively.
Dungeons and Dragons - If you go back up the road from Riverwood to where you exited the cave after the prologue, there is a cave
called Embershard Mine. This refers to the popular Dungeons and Dragons podcast that Mike Krahulik, Jerry Holkins, Scott Kurtz, and
Wil Wheaton played in to showcase the new fourth edition of the game. In it, Scott Kurtz's character, Binwin Bronzebottom, refers to
how his Dwarven father stopped drinking because the Embershard family of dwarves stole their mine. A note found on a skeleton
refers to the same, but with a Nordic, not Dwarven, theme.
Dungeons and Dragons - In the cave Liar's Retreat, you will find a Breton named Rahd, dead on an altar, who is referred to at one
point as "Longhammer" (and carries a weapon by the same name). This is a reference to the 4th session of the D&D group
Acquisitions Incorporated played by the members of Penny Arcade, PVP, and Wil Wheaton, in which Wheaton's character is rescued
from hell along with an NPC named Rad Longhammer.
Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser - In the Ratway, the first enemies you meet are a sneaky-looking fellow and a barbarian type called
Drahff and Hewnon Black-Skeever. This references the adventures of Fritz Leiber's "Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser". Drahff is an
anagram of Fafhrd, "black-skeever" is a play on "gray-mouser" and Hewnon is an anagram of Nehwon, the world in which Fafhrd and
the Gray-Mouser live.
Fishy Stick - When near Sheogorath, he will sometimes say "Do you mind? I'm busy doing the fishstick. It's a very delicate state of
mind!" This is a reference to the Fishy Stick meme which began on Bethesda's Official Forums and went on to become a running gag
in TES games.
Galaxy Quest - When you first enter the Frozen Hearth in Winterhold, the innkeeper will complain to Nelacar about conducting
experiments at the inn—"Like some horrible monster was turned inside out, and then exploded."—a line very similar to one from
the movie Galaxy Quest.
Ghostbusters - With the Dawnguard DLC installed you'll visit the the Soul Cairn, in there some souls will say "Death is but a door,
time is but a window. I'll be back." These are the last words of Vigo the Carpathian before his brutal death in Ghostbusters II, a
character voiced by Max von Sydow.
Hangover - The quest A Night To Remember is an homage to the movie The Hangover. In the quest, you travel around Skyrim looking
for your drinking buddy Sam and cleaning up all the problems you created while you were drunk.
Hunt the Wumpus - The possible follower Belrand occasionally mentions a game he played as a child, "Seek the Wumpus", derived
from the classic computer game Hunt the Wumpus.
Icelandic Folklore - The runic wheel on the second page of the Oghma Infinium is based on the Vegvísir, an Icelandic magical sigil
circa 17th century.
Indiana Jones - When Athis is asked why he joined the Companions, his response is "Fortune and glory, friend. Fortune and glory."
This is a reference to a very similar line from Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom.
Interview with the Vampire - In the Dark Brotherhood, there is a vampire named Babette. In Anne Rice's novel Interview with the
Vampire, Babette is the protagonist's first love interest. The body of a young girl, however, is a reference to Claudia, the
protagonist's "daughter", who was over 70 years old in the body of a 5 year old.
Katatonia - During the quest Darkness Returns, you can recover Nystrom's journal, detailing a plot by two individuals to try and
infiltrate the dungeon and its priests. The two are Nystrom and Anders, a reference to Anders Nystrom, guitarist and songwriter
from Swedish metal band Katatonia.
Katatonia - The unknown phrases in the last paragraph ("He also mumbled some nonsensical phrases like 'night is the new day' and
how he was the 'ghost of the sun.' I have no idea what these cryptic sentiments mean, but hopefully during tomorrow's ritual,
Anders and I will put everything we've learned to the test.") are references to multiple Katatonia albums and songs—the most
obvious being the album Night is the New Day and the song "Ghost of the Sun" from the album Viva Emptiness.
Legend of Sleepy Hollow
External image
During the night, you may encounter a Headless Horseman, a reference to Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow". He
can be found almost anywhere in Skyrim on the roads between 10pm and 5:30am, heading to Hamvir's Rest.
Legend of Zelda - During the quest Proving Honor, the Companion Farkas says to you "It's a secret to everybody.", a phrase
popularized by The Legend of Zelda video games.
Love Potion No. 9 - In the quest Salt for Arcadia, you will deliver frost salts to the alchemist Arcadia, who says she intends to use it to
create a love elixir. This is a nod to the 1992 movie Love Potion No. 9, where the love potion at issue turned out to be concentrated
salt.
Minecraft - At the top of the Throat of the World, you can find a Notched Pickaxe that provides a bonus to Smithing. The name
(Notch is the nickname of the creator of Minecraft), the tool (the pickaxe is a commonly used tool in Minecraft), and the bonus (a
major part of Minecraft is to create your own equipment) are all references to Minecraft.
Moving Statues - When entering Sovngarde during the Main Story, several of the statues lining the stone steps that lead down from
the portal to Skuldafn Temple will rotate as you descend.
Norse Mythology - In the side-quest Promises to Keep, you are able to get a birth certificate mentioning Sleipnir, the grandfather of
Frost. Sleipnir is the eight-legged horse of Odin in Norse mythology.
Novembers Doom - During the Dawnguard DLC in the Soul Cairn, several of the souls will say "I live in a dark world, where no light
shines through. I carry this burden with every step I take." These are lyrics from the song Dark World Burden by death metal band
Novembers Doom. The souls may also say "Only those who have suffered long can find the light within the shadows", which are
lyrics from The Pale Haunt Departure.
Pac-Man - In Endon's house in Markarth, there is a shelf where garlic, glow dust, sliced goat cheese, and a slaughterfish egg are
arranged to resemble Pac-Man eating several pac-dots.
Pied Piper of Hamelin - In the quest Dampened Spirits, you encounter a not-quite-sane mage named Hamelyn, whose journal
describes how he has created an army of skeevers. This is a reference to the famous story of the Pied Piper of Hamelin.
Poltergeist - In the quest The House of Horrors, when you become locked in the abandoned house in Markarth and the poltergeist
activity starts, there are a load of chairs stacked in a precarious manner on a table. This is probably a reference to the famous scene
in the 1982 movie Poltergeist, where the entities haunting the family's house do exactly the same thing.
The Princess Bride - During combat, Brynjolf may exclaim "So it's to the pain then!" This is a reference to Westley's famous threat to
Prince Humperdinck in The Princess Bride.
Red Dwarf - In the quest The Mind of Madness, Pelagius' Confidence and Anger are manifest as actual beings fighting each other,
and Paranoia is one section of Pelagius' mind that must be overcome. The conflict between Confidence and Anger is similar to an
early episode of the British sci-fi comedy Red Dwarf, when during the episode "Confidence and Paranoia", Dave Lister contracts a
mutated disease and his Confidence and Paranoia are made into human form as an effect of his illness, during which time they strive
to undermine and eventually kill one another.
Rocky IV - A generic piece of dialogue sometimes uttered by male drunks and bandits during a fight is "Remember... hit the one in
the middle!" This is the advice given by Paulie in Rocky IV to help Rocky overcome double vision, which can be caused by both
drunkenness and head trauma.
Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening - The quest title Promises to Keep is a line from the poem Stopping by Woods on a Snowy
Evening, and the quest-related horse "Frost" is a homage to the poem's author, Robert Frost.
Shawshank Redemption - You can talk to Enthir at the College of Winterhold and say "I understand you're an elf who knows how to
get things." This is a reference to the 1994 film adaptation of Stephen King's The Shawshank Redemption.
Star Trek - An NPC called Temba Wide-Arm is a reference to a line in a Star Trek: The Next Generation episode called "Darmok",
where an alien who only speaks in allegories repeatedly says "Temba, his arms wide." She is a Nord residing at the Ivarstead sawmill.
Star Trek - In the book Great Harbingers, Cirroc the Lofty is listed as the first Harbinger of the Companions to be an outsider. The
name alludes to Cirroc Lofton, the actor that played Jake Sisko in the television series Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Star Trek - When speaking to Urag gro-Shub (the librarian at the College of Winterhold), he will eventually say "But at the same time,
all of it is true. Even the falsehoods. Especially the falsehoods." This is very likely a homage to this exchange between Garak and
Bashir in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
Star Wars
External image
If you venture into Bleakcoast Cave, southeast of Winterhold, you will find inside some interesting things. The first is a frost troll;
once you have found and killed the frost troll, nearby will be a skeleton hanging upside down from the ceiling with a sword on the
ground. This is a reference to Star Wars Episode V: The Empire Strikes Back, in which Luke Skywalker finds himself trapped by a
Wampa in a cave and uses the Force to reach for his lightsaber. A similar reference appeared in the Morrowind expansion
Bloodmoon.
Three Billy Goats Gruff - Directly south of Markarth, near Purewater Run, there is a stone bridge near a waterfall. If it is your first
time there, you will see three goats; upon looking under the bridge, you will find a dead troll. This is a reference to the children's
story "Three Billy Goats Gruff". A similar reference was also found in Oblivion.
True Shot - A room in the main area of Fort Dunstad appears to be a latrine. In this room, on a stone shelf beside one of the 'toilets'
is a Potion of True Shot, a possible joke by the game's developers about aiming during urination.
William Shakespeare - Peryite, the Daedric Prince of plague and pestilence, has a shrine dedicated to him on a cliff in the wilderness
of the Reach. In an alcove at the base of the cliff to the southeast, two corpses can be found with poisons and a dagger lying
between them, a reference to William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet (and to the famous line in Act 3, scene 1, 90–92).
William Shakespeare - The name of the quest Ill Met By Moonlight is directly taken from the line "Ill met by moonlight, proud
Titania.", spoken by the fairy king Oberon in Act 2 of A Midsummer Night's Dream.
William Blake - During the quest Unfathomable Depths, you will encounter a dead Argonian named Watches-The-Roots in
Avanchnzel. In William Blake's The Marriage of Heaven and Hell, one of the "Proverbs of Hell" states "The rat, the mouse, the fox,
the rabbet; watch the roots; the lion, the tyger, the horse, the elephant, watch the fruits." In addition, the text of The Marriage of
Heaven and Hell specifically deals with ancient and forbidden knowledge; the reward for the quest is a permanent bonus to
smithing, titled "Ancient Knowledge". Blake describes hanging over a pit of spiders in his work said to be a vision of Hell, suggesting
the skeleton over the pit in Avanchnzel with four spiders at the bottom may represent Blake.
William Tell - In Swindler's Den is an archery training dummy with an apple perched on its "head", a nod to the famous story of
William Tell, the master crossbowman who was forced to shoot an apple off his son's head.
Enchanting
Enchanting is a skill that enables you to add magical effects to weapons, armour, and clothes. Increasing this skill increases the
amount of charges available when creating an enchanted item and the quality of the enchantment that can be placed on that item.
The Enchanting skill tree has a total of '9' perks, requiring a total of '13' perk points to fill.
External image
You can only enchant items at an 'Arcane Enchanter' table, pictured above. These stations enable you to both disenchant items that
you already have, in order to learn their enchantments, and create new enchanted items using the enchantments you've learnt.
Below is a list of the most easily accessible Arcane Enchanters (I have highlighted the first one encountered in the game):
College of Winterhold - The Arch Mage's quarters

College of Winterhold - Hall of Countenance - Upstairs
Dawnstar - The White Hall - On a hillside overlooking Dawnstar
Falkreath Hold - The Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary - In an alcove to the north
Falkreath Hold - Anise's Cabin - A small, open cabin near Riverwood, where the White River meets Lake Ilinalta
Markarth - Understone Keep - One at the Excavation Base, one in Calcemo's lab, and one in Calcemo's Tower
Morthal - Falion's House
Riften - Mistveil Keep - Wylandriah's store to the left
Solitude - Blue Palace - Sybille's bedroom, it's the first room along the hallway from the court
Solitude - Castle Dour - Opposite the main doors on the ground the floor
Solstheim - Tel Mithryn - Tower
Whiterun - Dragonsreach - In the room to the right of the throne
Windhelm - Palace of the Kings - The last room upstairs, Wuunferth's room
To disenchant an item, all that is necessary is the item that you wish to learn the enchantment from and an arcane enchanter. Open
up the enchanting interface at an arcane enchanter, select the option for 'Disenchant', and select the item you wish to disenchant.
Items available to be disenchanted will appear white, while items with enchantments that you already know will appear greyed out.
Some unique items cannot be disenchanted and their enchantments cannot be learned; they will not even appear on the
disenchanting list. Keep in mind that when you disenchant an item, it will be destroyed and you will only learn the type of
enchantment that it contained; the magnitude is irrelevant for purposes of disenchanting.
Three components are necessary for enchanting an item with a new effect:
An item to apply the enchantment/s to.

A learned enchantment (through disenchanting other items) to apply to the item.
A filled soul gem.
To enchant an item; begin by opening up the enchanting interface at an arcane enchanter. Then choose the 'Item' menu option and
select the item that you wish to enchant. Note that the type of item you select will determine what effects can be placed upon it,
some types of apparel can only have certain enchantments. Next, select the enchantment, if the item you selected is a weapon, then
when you choose an enchantment you will also be able to tune a slider before confirming the enchantment/s. Moving the slider to
the left will increase the number of charges that your item has, but decrease the magnitude of the effect applied. Once you have
chosen your enchantment/s, you will then select a soul gem for use. When you pick a soul gem to use, the magnitude of the
enchantment/s you placed on the item will be scaled by the magnitude of the soul gem's soul. If the soul gem you wish to use is
greyed out, then it is not strong enough to enchant the item with your selected enchantment with at least one charge at your
selected magnitude; reduce the magnitude, or if you deselect the enchantment, then you can reselect the same enchantment and
the magnitude slider will start at the minimum magnitude.
When enchanting an item, you can rename the item by pressing the cn_Y button.
Once you have confirmed all of the features of the item you wish to create, select the 'Enchant' option from the menu to complete
the process.
Maximizing Enchantment Power
To create the most powerful enchantments for your items without taking advantage of glitches, you'll need to have a skill level of
100 in Alchemy in addition to a skill level of 100 in Enchanting. In base Skyrim, no powers or items exist that Fortify Enchanting, but
with the Dragonborn DLC installed, there are three very important powers to acquire before attempting to maximize the potency of
your enchantments:
Ahzidal's Genius: Increases your Enchanting skill by 10 points.

Seeker of Sorcery: Enchantments are 10% more powerful.
Seeker of Shadows: Thief skills are 10% more powerful (affects Alchemy; mutually exclusive with Seeker of Sorcery).
Once you have these powers, utilize the following procedure to improve the quality of the enchantments you can apply:
Acquire Seeker of Shadows.

Wear four pieces of apparel enchanted with Fortify Alchemy (head, necklace, ring, arms).
Craft a potion of Fortify Enchanting at an alchemy lab.
Acquire Seeker of Sorcery.
If you have Ahzidal's armour set, re-equip it now.
Drink the potion you just made.
Enchant the item with improved Fortify Alchemy effects more powerful than those you started with.
Repeat from step 1 with the new gear.
This process has diminishing returns, and the most powerful potion of Fortify Enchanting that can be made factoring in all possible
boosts is +40%. Once these potions are made, drink one, ensure that you have all necessary powers (Seeker of Sorcery, Ahzidal's
Genius), and then enchant your gear and you will be creating the strongest enchantments possible without glitches.
Enchanting one item contributes to the 'Artificer' achievement, so if you have already Smithed an item and made one potion you will
unlock:

Artificer14 (10)
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Getting Married
To get married all you need is either an 'Amulet of Mara' or 200 gold to buy one from 'Maramal', he can be found either in the
Temple of Mara or the Bee and Barb inn in Riften. If you want one for free you can always find two of these amulets in fixed
positions; one will be found on a guard's body lying at the top of 'Shor's Watchtower' which is located to the north of Riften, just
past 'Shor's Stone'. And a second amulet can always be found at a tent on the coast northeast of Dawnstar. You can also randomly
find Amulets of Mara in some Merchant's inventories and they can be found in random loot. Another way find an amulet for free is
to do the side-quest 'Book of Love' for a Dunmer Priestess named 'Dinya Balu' in the Temple of Mara in Riften. Note that you will
come across this quest as a optional means to gain favour with 'Calcemo' during the Thieves Guild quest line, so if you have not
randomly found an amulet by now, and you intend on doing the Thieves Guild quests later, then you could just wait until then.
> Once you have an Amulet of Mara you have to speak with Maramal, even if you didn't buy one from him you have to speak with
him to initiate the quest. Now you need to do is find someone to marry. You can marry a character of any race or sex you wish from
the list of potential spouses below, but you must win favour with them in various ways before they will consent to marry you and
you must actually wear the Amulet of Mara when you ask them. Some spouses offer benefits such as being merchants, followers or
trainers so choose wisely.
Here is a shortlist of the easiest people to marry, and I've highlighted the very easiest, Marcurio, in bold text:
Females
Name
Race
Location
Benefits
Requirements
Aeri
Nord
West of Windhelm, Anga's Mill
None
Chop some wood for her
Jenassa
Dark Elf
Whiterun, Drunken Huntsman
Follower
Hire her once
Lydia
Nord
Whiterun, Dragonsreach or Breezehome
Follower
Complete Main Story quest 'Dragon Rising'
Sylgia
Nord
North of Riften, Shor's Stone
Merchant
Complete short delivery quest for her
Temba Wide-Arm
Nord
Ivarstead
None
Chop some wood for her
Uthgerd the Unbroken
Nord
Whiterun, the Bannered Mare
Follower
Challenge her to a brawl and win
Ysolda
Nord
Whiterun, the marketplace or her house
None
Bring her one Mammoth Tusk
Males
Name
Race
Location
Benefits
Requirements
Angrenor Once-Honored
Nord
Windhelm, Candlehearth Inn
None
Give him one gold piece
Belrand
Nord
Solitude, Winking Skeever
Follower
Hire him once
Benor
Nord
Morthal, Guardhouse
Follower
Challenge him to a brawl and win
Ghorbash the Iron Hand
Orc
Southeast Markarth, Dushnikh Yal
Follower
Convince him with at least 25 Speech
Marcurio
Imperial
Riften, the Bee and Barb
Follower
Hire him once
Sondas Drenim
Dark Elf
Far south of Windhelm, Darkwater Crossing
None
Deliver a note for him
Stenvar
Nord
Windhelm, Candlehearth Hall
Follower
Hire him once
Vorstag
Nord
Markarth, Silver-Blood Inn
Follower
Hire him once
> Once you've completed the requirements for your intended you have to put on the Amulet of Mara and ask them if they are
interested in marriage. They will respond and ask if you are interested as well. If you say yes, you can then proceed to marriage. You
then need to travel back to the Temple of Mara in Riften and arrange the event with Maramal. Wait 24 hours and SAVE before
leaving the temple, then wait for the quest 'Attend Your Ceremony' to start. Head back into the Temple of Mara and the wedding
will begin.
> The wedding ceremony will begin and Maramal will speak about Mara etc and ask your bride/groom if they consent, after they
answer 'I do' Maramal will ask you the same question, where you may choose one of two options: "I do. Now and forever" or "Stop
the wedding! I can't go through with this", choose the former and you will complete the marriage. Make sure to catch your spouse
quickly before they leave to discuss living arrangements, if you miss them and they leave you may not be able to find them later.
Note: If you back out of the wedding by mistake, you are able to talk to your fiancé at their default location, where they will greet
you with, "What do you want? There's no words left to say to each other." You can choose to reply with either:
"It was a mistake. Can we start over?": They will agree to start over, and you will be given a second chance at marriage. Speak to
Maramal to arrange your wedding, where he will forgive you and allow you to continue with the ceremony again. You can keep
repeating the process several times unless you choose to go through with the wedding or choose the option below:
"I never loved you anyway.": This will mean that you can never marry that specific NPC again as that NPC will start to dislike you. You
can marry another eligible NPC after they express interest.
Once you are married the achievement will unlock:

Married19 (10)
Get married
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When you visit your spouse at home later, you will be able to ask her/him about any money they may have earned from their store.
Starting the next day, you will be able to collect an accumulating daily income of about 100 gold from your spouse regardless of
where he or she resides. In addition, if your spouse has moved into your house with you, he or she will become a merchant, allowing
you to buy and sell general items. However, any income your spouse makes from selling items to you does not affect the separate
daily 100 gold your spouse makes for you.
Houses
NOTE: This section details the houses in the main game only, for the houses included in the DLC's of Hearthfire and Dragonborn
please see the relevant DLC pages.
There are '5' houses located in Skyrim that you can buy; you can use them as a safe place to sleep, store items, and for various other
tasks such as Alchemy and Smithing. You can buy as many houses as you can afford, the first opportunity to buy a house comes
when you complete the 3rd Main Story quest 'Bleak Falls Barrow' (See Main Story page for more information).
The house you can buy is in Whiterun, it costs 5,000 gold. You must first complete the Bleak Falls Barrow quest, then when you
return to Dragonsreach find the Jarl's steward 'Proventus Avenicci' (you can find him easily by activating a miscellaneous objective by
talking to his daughter 'Adrianne' usually found outside 'Warmaiden's'). Ask Proventus about buying a house and give him 5,000
gold. Buying any house will unlock:

Citizen14 (10)
Buy a house
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*Note that buying the plots of land and building the houses found in the Hearthfire DLC will not unlock this achievement.
If you wish to buy a different house I have provided some useful information about them in the table below, and how exactly to
acquire each house below that:
House Name
Cost (Min-Max)
Location
Steward
Housecarl
Features
Breezehome
5,000
Whiterun
Proventus Avenicci or Brill
Lydia
Alchemy Lab, Cooking Pot, 18 Storage Spaces
Honeyside
5,000-8,000
Riften
Anuriel or Hemming Black-Briar
Iona
Alchemy Lab, Arcane Enchanter, Tanning Rack
Cooking Pot, 12 Storage spaces
Vlindrel Hall
8,000
Markarth
Reburrus Quintilius or Raerek
Argis the Bulwark
Alchemy Lab, Arcane Enchanter, Cooking Pot
28 Storage spaces
Hjerim
8,000-12,000
Windhelm
Jorleif
Calder

29 Storage spaces
Proudspire Manor
25,000
Solitude
Falk Firebeard
Jordis
15 Storage spaces
Honeyside: To purchase this home, you must first become the 'Thane of the Rift'. If you give Riften to the Empire during the Main
Story quest 'Season Unending' or conquer it during the Civil War quest 'Reunification of Skyrim', you will automatically become
Thane and Honeyside can be purchased from 'Hemming Black-Briar'. Otherwise you have to complete the Riften side-quests 'Helping
Hand', 'The Raid' and 'Supply and Demand', for Jarl Laila Law-Giver, and also build up a reputation with the citizens of Riften by doing
a few helpful quests for them. Honeyside can then be purchased from the Jarl's steward 'Anuriel'.
Vlindrel Hall: To purchase this home, you must first become 'Thane of the Reach'. If 'Thongvor Silver-Blood' is Jarl, he will grant you
permission to buy it out of gratitude for your efforts in making him Jarl in the Civil War or Main Story quest, speak to his Steward
'Reburrus Quintilius'. If 'Igmund' is Jarl, you must complete the side-quests; 'Kill the Forsworn Leader', and 'Dungeon Delving', the
latter of which requires you to be at least character level 20. In this case you can purchase the house from the Jarl's Steward
'Raerek'.
Hjerim: This house can be purchased having sided with either The Empire or Stormcloaks in the Civil War. Once allied with the
Stormcloaks, the Battle for Fort Neugrad quest must be completed before Jarl Ulfric's steward 'Jorleif' will make the house available
for sale. However, if Falkreath Hold has been given to the Stormcloaks as part of the Main Story quest 'Season Unending', it may be
necessary to liberate Hjaalmarch before Jorleif will make this house available. If the Imperial Legion is chosen as an ally, then the
defeat of the Stormcloaks in the Civil War quest line is required before it is available to buy from Jorleif.
Proudspire Manor: To purchase this house, you must first complete the two Solitude quests 'The Man Who Cried Wolf' for the
steward of Solitude 'Falk Firebeard' and 'Elisif's Tribute' for the Jarl of Solitude 'Elisif the Fair'. Upon completion, Elisif will permit you
to purchase the house from Falk Firebeard for 25,000 gold.
Lockpicking and Pickpocketing

Lockpicking and Pickpocketing are skills like any other, specifically they are Thief class skills and should be pursued when you are
doing your Thief playthrough. Whenever you do decide to build up your Pickpocket and Lockpicking skills however, bear the 'Thief'
achievement in mind; this requires the picking of '50' locks and '50' pockets, it is not a combination of both it is '50' of each. It
doesn't matter how difficult the locks are or what you pick from the pockets, as long as you open the lock and take at least one item
from a pocket it will count. There are countless locks in Skyrim, you will encounter a lot more than 50 during normal completion of
the main quest lines and you can pick the pockets of practically anyone you encounter, so the only thing that will heed you in getting
this achievement is your supply of lockpicks and the guards, if your caught.
If, after completing all the other quests and achievements you desire, you still do not have 50 of each, just go to a town and wait
until 'night' time, usually around 8pm-8am, and start picking the locks of everyone's houses etc, and go around picking gold or
arrows from guards as they patrol at night. Below are some tips on how better to avoid detection and hone your picking skills:
Lockpicking
NOTE: A helpful tip when going for the 50 locks picked during general gameplay is to avoid picking up keys, you will automatically
use a key and so lose a potential lock picked.
When you target a lock or a trap that you don't have the key for, a tool-tip bubble will indicate its difficulty level on a scale from
'Novice' to 'Master'. If you have at least one lockpick in your inventory, interacting with your target will activate the lockpicking
interface. The lockpicking interface shows a dagger for turning the lock, and a lockpick for disarming the locking mechanism. Your
objective is to place the lockpick in the correct position in a 180 degree arc. Only then can you fully turn the lock to open it. Trying to
turn the lock with the lockpick in an incorrect position will damage your lockpick and eventually break it.
Picking the lock successfully requires a certain degree of trial and error. Successful strategies to reduce the number of lockpicks
broken may make use of the following facts:
There is a tolerance zone around the correct position for the lockpick. Within this tolerance zone, the lock will rotate a little when
turned; the closer you are to the correct position, the more the lock will turn.
Make a note of the lockpick position before you start turning the lock, look at the scratches etc, because if the lockpick breaks, the
new one will be vertical and you'll lose the proximity.
The difficulty of the lock is related to the size of the tolerance zone. A larger zone makes it easier to find and allows more leeway
before the pick breaks. The size of the tolerance zone is increased by your lockpicking skill and any active bonuses. It is decreased by
the difficulty rating of the lock. It is therefore possible to pick a 'Master level lock with a low lockpicking skill, but you will probably
break more lockpicks to get it open.
Experience is given when you successfully pick a specific lock for the first time and when you break a lockpick. If you break a lockpick,
a small, fixed amount of experience is given, regardless of any other factors. If you successfully pick the lock, the experience gained
is based on the difficulty of the lock (harder locks give more XP) and whether you have the Thief Stone activated.
Should you wish to power-level lockpicking (e.g., to quickly gain access to specific perks in its skill tree), you can intentionally and
repeatedly break your lockpick in a lock. For this tactic, a lock that does not open on the default, vertical position is preferred, and
requires either a large amount of lockpicks in your inventory, or the Skeleton Key which is obtained at a late stage in the Thieves
Guild storyline and does not break per se (but failed attempts still count for the purpose of gaining experience). As a note, be sure to
be well-rested and have the Thief Stone activated.
Pickpocketing
NOTE: Always SAVE before attempting to pick a pocket, especially in friendly areas, if you fail and you are caught it can cause all
kinds of major trouble, including the deaths of important NPC's and glitches.
This skill allows you to steal items off of non-player characters, and it is considered a crime. As perks are gained in this skill, you gain
abilities that make pickpocketing attempts more likely to succeed, silently kill people with poisons, increase your maximum
encumbrance, and the ability to steal equipped items. If you are sneaking when you approach an NPC you will be given the option of
viewing their inventory. Simply viewing an inventory is not considered a crime but if you are seen taking items it is a crime.
The chance of successfully pickpocketing an item is determined by a number of factors, namely: your own Pickpocket skill, the
target's pickpocket skill, whether you are hidden or not, the value of the item, and the weight of the item, also any perks, potions or
enchantments you may have can increase your success chances.
The maximum amount of gold you can pickpocket on an awake target is 3,102 (1% chance on an NPC with 15 Pickpocket skill). 1,500
of this comes from perks. The most you can steal with maximum chance (90%) of success is 2,212. Alchemy and enchantments will
increase the chances of a successful pickpocket, but will not allow you to pickpocket more gold at small chances.
After investing in the 'Poisoned' perk you can reverse-pickpocket poisons onto targets to damage them. Giving multiple poisons to a
target will make them 'take' the poisons until they are either all gone or the target dies. Remaining poisons will be left on the corpse
and are retrievable.
If you fail, the target will detect you and you may receive a bounty, if you are detected by someone that reports crimes. Even if
successful, there is also a chance that the target will hire thugs to kill you.
Successfully picking '50' locks or traps and successfully pickpocketing '50' items will unlock this achievement:

Thief65 (30)
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Lycanthropy
It is entirely possible, and, during a certain quest line, necessary, to become a 'Werewolf' in Skyrim. Save for the obvious apparent
differences, this condition also grants you the 'Beast Blood' power which gives you a constant 100% 'Resistance to Disease'. The
downsides to being a werewolf include: prevention from ever gaining a 'well-rested' bonus from sleeping, and you will incur a
bounty if you are witnessed transforming in or out of werewolf form (see Crimes section of this page for more information).
To become a werewolf see the 'Companions' page of this Walkthrough.
As a werewolf you can transform into 'Beast Form' once a day for 150 seconds, you can increase this time by feeding on the corpses
of people (or any creature with the 'Savage Feeding' perk), every feeding restores 50 points of health and adds an additional 30
seconds of time to beast form. In beast form you will have increased speed, your health is increased by 50 and your stamina by 100
points. With the Dawnguard added perk, health increases by 150 and stamina by 200. Also stamina regeneration increases from 5%
of your total stamina per second to 20%, and your carrying capacity increases by 2000.
Your base unarmed damage increases to 20 points and reach to 150 points. In beast form you can also use the following abilities:
Howl of Terror: Enemies flee in fear for 60 seconds and nearby wolves come to your aid.
Totem of Brotherhood: Summons two red pack members to aid you in combat for a limited time.
Totem of The Hunt: Reveals nearby prey.
Totem of Fear: Grants a higher-level fear shout.
All howls, except for Howl of Terror, have to be unlocked via a quest that is available when you have completed the Companions
quest line, as long as you remain a werewolf. You can only have one howl active at a time. You can choose which howl you wish to
select by visiting the Underforge in Whtierun and praying at the totem that corresponds to the howl you want. Only three totems
are available; once you have selected a new howl by praying at a totem, the Howl of Terror becomes permanently unavailable,
although the Howl of Fear, which is available from the third totem, is very similar.
The first time you transform using beast form, you will be immediately cured of all diseases, including any stage of vampirism. This
means you cannot be a vampire and a werewolf at the same time. The Beast Form power also automatically removes all of your
equipment, and all summoned or reanimated creatures.
While you are in Beast Form, you cannot use any of your equipment, spells, dragon shouts, or powers. Pressing a single attack button
may have you leaping on your enemy and savagely slashing their chests, or biting their throats. Pressing both attack buttons
simultaneously may have you throwing your enemy a great distance, or lifting them off their feet and decapitating them. Your move
speed will increase as well, and you will not be staggered by attacks or by attacking an enemy with a raised shield. Since you cannot
use spells or items, the only way to heal yourself is to feed on corpses.
As a werewolf in Skyrim, you will be hated and feared by almost any NPC that sees you in your beast form, and most will attack you
on sight (exceptions include other werewolves, M'aiq the Liar, members of the Dark Brotherhood, The Circle, followers currently in
your service, members of the Thieves Guild, and the heroes of Sovngarde, but not your spouse, unless your spouse is one of these).
You cannot consciously choose to deactivate Beast Form once you have transformed. The only way to return to your human form is
to wait for the Beast Form to end, use the 'wait' function to speed this up.
Dawnguard DLC - Werewolf Mastered Achievement

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If the Dawnguard DLC is installed, a new 'Werewolf Skill Tree' is added, this includes new perks that will increase your damage,
health, and stamina as a werewolf, and even enhance your howl abilities. In order to unlock new perks, you must feed on the
corpses of non-undead non-player characters.
This DLC also adds a second, and last, chance to become a werewolf again. Simply speak to 'Aela the Huntress' at the Companions
Jorrvaskr in Whiterun and she will make you a werewolf again.
Perks are earned through feeding on the corpses of fallen NPCs (or creatures after the Savage Feeding perk has been unlocked), you
can also feed on bodies that are already dead. Opening the character menu while transformed will instead open this skill tree. The
totem-related perks will only apply if you currently have the respective totem active. Unlike the Vampire Lord, you cannot change
your Shout power while transformed.
Each new perk requires a few more feedings than the last. The first perk requires '5' feedings, the second '6', and the third '9'; after
that, each new perk requires two more feedings than the last (up to 25 required to progress from the 10th perk to the 11th). You will
need to feed a total of '164' times to complete the entire tree.
For the 'Werewolf Mastered' achievement you have to acquire all the werewolf perks available. To make this as easy as possible I
recommend you first attain the 'Ring of Hircine' (see Daedric quests page for all information). With this ring you will be granted
unlimited werewolf transformations. You can try to increase your werewolf skill anywhere you like but places, such as the opposing
army's fort or military camp, in the Civil War is a great start.
Gaining every perk from the Werewolf skill tree will unlock:

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Curing Lycanthropy
It is possible to cure lycanthropy, but in the base game there is no way to regain it after being cured. You will no longer be allowed to
access the Underforge once you have been cured, and you will not be able to complete the 'Totems of Hircine' quests if you have not
completed them already.
The Dawnguard DLC allows you to restore your lycanthropy by talking to 'Aela the Huntress' found in the Jorrvaskr in Whiterun. You
can do this only once, if you cure it again, you can never regain your lycanthropy. If you restore your lycanthropy, you will keep all of
the werewolf perks you had before, and will also keep the same totem benefit that you had active when you were a werewolf
previously.
To cure yourself in the base game, you must complete the Companions quest line. After you have completed 'Glory of the Dead', you
may cure yourself of lycanthropy at any time, although you will need another Glenmoril Witch head to do so, (see the Companions
quest page).
Accepting Lord Harkon's gift of vampirism during the 'Awakening' quest or asking 'Serana' to make you a vampire (either during the
'Chasing Echoes' quest or after the end of the Dawnguard quest line) will also cure you of lycanthropy.
Magic
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Each of the schools of magic include a set of 'Magical Effects'; the type of magical effect a spell employs determines which school it is
in. A spell cast from a particular school is influenced by the active effects, level, and perks that a character has for that magic skill.
Casting a spell under the right conditions will grant experience towards its respective skill. For example; 'Restore Health' is a Magical
Effect in the school of Restoration, therefore spells that restore health are part of the Restoration school. The cost and effectiveness
of casting a healing spell is affected by your Restoration perks and skill level, and each time you successfully restore health from
casting a healing spell (the condition for gaining experience from such a spell), your Restoration skill will progress.
To use a magic spell, you must first select it from your list of available spells and assign it to either your left or right hand. Some
spells will trigger immediately upon the attack button being pressed and can be maintained as long as the button is held down.
Others require the button to be held to charge the spell and then released to cast it. Charging or casting a spell depletes the caster's
Magicka based on the spell's cost (see below) and will continue to do so if the spell is maintained. If you try to cast a spell with a cost
higher than your available Magicka, the spell will not charge or be cast and the Magicka bar will flash blue.
The effects of a successfully cast spell will usually be aimed in whatever direction the caster is pointing or will simply become active
on the caster. Spells that don't target the one using them vary in range: some only work on touch, several are fired as projectiles,
some are released in a short-ranged spray, and a few (primarily Master level spells) affect everything within a certain distance of the
caster. Summon and Rune spells in particular also have a maximum casting range (which can be increased by perks in the spells'
respective trees) meaning that if you try to aim the charged spell too far away from you, your reticle will turn red and the spell will
fail if you release it.
Spell Cost
Spell costs obey the following formula:
Cost = base cost × skill multiplier × perk multiplier × equipment multiplier × dual cast multiplier
Skill multiplier = 1 − (skill/400)0.65

The skill multiplier equals ~0.5939 when the skill is 100.
Within each school of magic is a perk granting proficiency in 'dual-casting' spells. Without this perk, casting a spell with both hands
has the same effectiveness as though cast normally, but twice. However, once a dual-casting perk has been taken, relevant spells can
be 'overcharged' by pressing both the right and left attack buttons at the same time, resulting in a single, more powerful effect. The
formula seems to be: 2.2x spell effectiveness for 2.8x spell cost (remember, though, that you are casting two spells at the same time
so 2 is the base value, not 1).
Dual-Casting
Whether dual-casting is worth it or not depends on the school of magic and your magicka pool. Generally speaking, the school which
benefits most from dual-casting is Illusion, as dual-casting increases the maximum possible level of affected creatures and the effect
stacks with perks like Kindred Mage or Animage. The Conjuration spells Banish/Expel Daedra and Command Daedra can similarly be
dual-cast to affect higher-level summons, but Restoration's Turn Undead spells do not affect higher-level undead when dual-cast.
Other Conjuration spells, the Alteration school, and protective spells from the Restoration school gain duration only, which is of
limited use. Healing spells actually lose magicka effectiveness when dual-cast, as they heal 10% faster but for 40% more magicka.
Similarly, Destruction spells deal 10% more damage for 40% more magicka, unless you manage to push the Magicka cost to zero,
leaving you with 10% additional damage at no additional cost; however, the Destruction school's Impact perk causes dual-casting to
stagger an opponent, and may be well worth using regardless of increased Magicka cost.
Spell Levels
Every spell has an associated difficulty level:
Novice (skill level: 0)

Apprentice (skill level: 25)
Adept (skill level: 50)
Expert (skill level: 75)
Master (skill level: 100)
You can learn spells that have a difficulty level above your current skill level in the respective school and can cast those spells
provided you have enough Magicka to do so. Skill perks can be unlocked that decrease the Magicka cost of all spells of a given
difficulty level within a given school, provided you have the required skill level to unlock them.
You can learn new spells by reading Spell Tomes, which can be purchased from merchants or can be found in some dungeons. Note
however that merchants will not begin selling higher level spells until your skill in that school has reached a level near the spell's
difficulty level. Furthermore, most master level spells will only be available after completing certain quests. Unlike previous
instalments in The Elder Scrolls series, custom spell-making is not available in Skyrim.
Resistance and Absorption
Magic Resistance, Spell Absorption, and Absorb Magicka are three different effects and do not stack together. Spell Absorption is
calculated before Magic Resistance, allowing the best possible outcome when hit by offensive spells.
Magic Resistance decreases the damage of any offensive spell by the displayed percentage. Stacking is possible, but total Magic
Resistance is capped at 85%.
Spell Absorption is a percentage chance to completely nullify effects of a spell and, if the spell had a Magicka cost, add the casting
cost of a spell to your Magicka. Stacking is possible, but the effect has very limited availability in the game. The only way to get 100%
Spell Absorption is by using The Atronach Stone and the Breton racial power Dragonskin or by becoming a necromage vampire
before getting the atronach perk and standing stone. A bug may cause your own Summoning attempts to be absorbed, resulting in
the spell failing.
Absorb Magicka (a.k.a. Drain Magicka) transfers points of Magicka from the target to the person wielding the weapon. On the target,
the effect is comparable to Damage Magicka; on the user, the effect is comparable to Restore Magicka.
Manual Tasks
To unlock the 'Hard Worker' achievement you have to complete three small tasks in any location and in any order. These three tasks
are: Chopping wood, cooking food and mining ore. There are countless locations around Skyrim where these tasks are possible and
it's likely you will complete them many times during normal gameplay, however I have described exactly how to complete these
tasks and the first and best opportunities to do so below.
Chopping Wood
To chop some wood, you firstly need a 'Woodcutter's Axe', they can almost always be found near piles of wood at the various wood
mills found around Skyrim, (see list below). With a woodcutter's axe in hand you can only chop wood at a 'chopping block', pictured
below, these too can almost always be found at mills.
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By chopping wood you produce 'firewood' at a rate of two units every eight seconds, with a limit of six units per activation. After you
have produced six units, you must activate the block again or leave the woodcutting session. Firewood can be sold to the mill
workers, this is a good source of miscellaneous objectives also, and helps to win favour with Jarls and contribute towards becoming
the 'Thane' of their Hold.
These are the main places to chop wood and complete a miscellaneous objective, in order of encounter during the Main Story:
Riverwood - Hod and Gerdur's house or the mill - speak to Hod

Whiterun - The Bannered Mare - Speak to Hulda
Ivarstead - Vilemyr Inn or the mill - Speak to Temba Wide-Arm
Morthal - Jorgen and Lami's House or the mill - Speak to Jorgen
Morthal - Alva's House - Speak to Hroggar
Kynesgrove - Steamscorch Mine - Speak to Ganna Uriel
Solitude - Solitude Sawmill - Speak to Hjorunn
Riften - West of the Goldenglow Estate - Heartwood Mill - Speak to Grosta
Cooking Food
To cook food you firstly need some 'raw food' ingredients, these are separated from alchemical ingredients in that they are used to
make cooked dishes available for eating as opposed to potions and poisons. Raw food is also categorized separately in your
inventory from alchemical ingredients, although some count as both. Raw food includes meats such as; chicken breast, raw beef,
horker meat and mudcrab legs, vegetables such as; potato, cabbage, and leek, and there are various other foods such as; butter, ale
and moon sugar. However most dishes require the raw food/alchemy ingredient 'Salt Pile' to cook with. Once you have enough
foods you must visit a 'Cooking Spit / Pot' (pictured below) to actually cook the food.
Image 1
Cooking spits can be found in most inns and many bandit camps etc around Skyrim, some obvious locations encountered during the
Main Story are: 'Sven and Hilde's House' in Riverwood, the 'Bannered Mare' in Whiterun and 'Klimmik's House' in Ivarstead. These
dishes can only be used to either restore health or stamina or sell to merchants, however with certain DLC's installed more advanced
dishes can fortify stamina and magicka.
Here are some basic recipes for your consideration:
Apple Cabbage Stew - 1x Red Apple + 1x Cabbage + 1x Salt Pile

Cooked Beef - 1x Raw Beef + 1x Salt Pile
Grilled Chicken Breast - 1x Chicken Breast + 1x Salt Pile
Horker Loaf - 1x Horker Meat + 1x Salt Pile
Leg of Goat Roast - 1x Leg of Goat + 1x Salt Pile
Pheasant Roast - 1x Pheasant Breast + 1x Salt Pile
Vegetable Soup - 1x Cabbage + 1x Leek + 1x Potato + Tomato
Venison Chop - 1x Venison Meat + 1x Salt Pile
For more advanced and useful recipes see the list of dishes you can make while at a cooking spit.
Mining Ore
To mine some ore all you need is a 'Pickaxe' and an ore vein. You can find pickaxes in various locations around Skyrim, mainly in
mines and the same goes for ore veins, see list below. When you have a pickaxe and find an ore vein you can either select the ore
with the cn_A button, as default, or you can hit the attack button cn_RT or cn_LT with the pickaxe equipped to begin extracting the
ore. Ore veins will eventually respawn. Ores can be taken to forges and smelted down to produce their associated metal ingots,
which in turn can be used to make weapons and armours.
A unique pickaxe known as the 'Notched Pickaxe' can be found at the top of the 'Throat of the World' mountain, encountered during
the Main Story, if you haven't found a normal one randomly by now then this one will always be here:
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Here is a list of the first ore veins you will encounter during the Main Story:
Iron Ore - Just after visiting Riverwood - to the left of the bridge east of Riverwood
Iron Ore - Just before reaching Honningbrew Meadery to the left of the road
Corundum Ore - In the Whiterun Military camp near the meadery
Here is a list of the main deposits of some of the rarer ores:
Ebony - 16 veins and 16 ores - Gloombound Mine - Located southeast of Windhelm inside Narzulbur
Gold - 17 veins and 3 ores - Kolskeggr Mine - Located east-northeast of Markarth
Gold - 4 veins - Darkshade - Located east of Whiterun, and west of Cradlecrush Rock
Malachite - 7 veins and 2 ores - Steamscorch Mine - In Kynesgrove, to the south of Windhelm
Malachite - 8 veins - Dimhollow Crypt (Dawnguard DLC only) - Located southwest of Dawnstar
Moonstone - 5 veins and 3 ores - Soljund's Sinkhole - Located to the far east of Markarth, and west of Rorikstead
Moonstone - 3 veins - Southfringe Sanctum - Located in the mountains far to the southeast of Falkreath, directly south of Fort
Neugrad
Completing all three tasks; chopping wood, cooking food and mining ore at least once each will unlock:

Hard Worker16 (10)
76,134
Miscellaneous Objectives
These are too insignificant to be labelled as side-quests and they are not tracked in your journal. Because many of these objectives
use the 'radiant quest system' some of these objectives can be repeated infinitely. There are too many miscellaneous objectives
around Skyrim for me to list here, so I will summarize the radiant objectives and note some of the more outstanding singular
occurrences. You will complete many of these objectives at the same time as other quests and achievements, many go hand in hand,
so completing '50' of these tasks for the 'Hero of the People' achievement is not as laborious as it sounds. You can track your
progress towards the Sideways achievement using the 'Misc Objectives Completed' statistic on the 'Quest' page of your journal's
'General Stats'.
Also note that the game counts objectives completed, not quests completed; miscellaneous quests which have more than one
objective count more heavily. It also counts all objectives completed, not just those that are part of the regular quests on this page.
For example if you join the Companions and get the objective 'Talk to the Companions leaders for work' then completing that counts
towards the achievement.
There is also a little trick to this achievement which I have described below:
Tag You're It!

You may find children playing in the streets of the cities of Solitude, Whiterun, Riverwood, Morthal and Markarth. If you approach
these children and engage them in conversation (or they may approach you) you can start to play 'Tag' or 'Hide and Seek' with them,
(with the Hearthfire DLC installed, these games can be started with your adopted children as well). If you choose to play tag you can
complete a miscellaneous objective every time you tag one of the children. If you're unfamiliar with the game of tag; the aim is to
avoid being tagged by whoever is 'it'. If you are it, you must try to tag someone else. The quest will update whenever 'it' changes
hands and quest arrows show who you can tag or who to avoid. You can only play the game from 8am-9pm and the game ends after
90 seconds of play and the quest is removed. You can spam the cn_A button and gain 50 miscellaneous objectives very quickly,
unlocking the achievement.
Radiant / Infinite Miscellaneous Objectives

Bounty Quests - Received from most innkeepers and Jarl's stewards, they involve tracking down and killing either a bandit boss, a
specific dragon, a giant or a Forsworn leader.
Favours - These can be received from almost everyone in and around the settlements and cities of Skyrim, they usually involve
manual tasks (see manual tasks section of this page), retrieving a specific item for someone, delivering an item to someone else for
them, killing a specific animal or person, persuading someone to do something and various other favours. As a reward for such
favours you can become friendly with the quest giver making them available as a follower, available for marriage, or allowing you to
use their bed for the well-rested bonus.
One-off Miscellaneous Objectives
Affairs of Hagravens, the: After discovering an imprisoned hagraven in 'Blind Cliff Bastion', located southwest of Karthwastern, you
must help her reclaim her lost tower.
Alchemy Tutorial - Complete the tutorial for using Alchemy tables, found at your first table, see 'Alchemy' section of this page.
Angarvunde: Discover the treasure of 'Angarvunde', located directly west of Riften.
Ansilvund: Kill 'Lu'ah Al-Skaven' in 'Ansilvund', located northeast of Shor's Stone.
Blacksmithing Tutorial - Complete the tutorial for using forges etc, found at your first forge, see 'Smithing' section of this page.
Coming of Age: Help a daring adventurer and her companion retrieve their riches from 'Ironbind Barrow' located to the far northeast
of Whiterun, just southwest of 'Wayward Pass'.
Enchanting Tutorial - Complete the tutorial for using Enchanting tables, found at your first table, see 'Enchanting' section of this
page.
Forbidden Legend: Investigate the forgotten Gauldur Legend at 'Folgunthur' located southeast of Solitude.
Frostflow Abyss: Uncover the tragic events inside 'Frostflow Lighthouse' located west of Winterhold.
Lifting the Shroud: Investigate the haunted barrow outside of Ivarstead.
Mistwatch: Help 'Christer' locate his kidnapped wife 'Fjola', at 'Mistwatch' located northwest of Shor's Stone.
Moss Mother Cavern: Help an injured hunter avenge his fallen companions, in 'Moss Mother Cavern' located north-northwest of
Falkreath, and just north of 'Hunter's Rest'.
Ragnvald: Discover the secrets of 'Ragnvald', located north of Markarth.
Rebel's Cairn: Find Red Eagle's sword, first clear 'Red Eagle Redoubt' located east of Markarth.
Robber's Gorge: Find the treasure of 'Robber's Gorge' located southwest of Morthal.
Savior of Selveni Nethri, the: Help a necromancer escape from 'Southfringe Sanctum' located southeast of Helgen.
Sleeping Tree Cave: Question 'Ysolda' about an interesting note you found on a dead Orc at 'Sleeping Tree Cave' located west of
Whiterun and east of 'Fort Sungard'.
Soljund's Sinkhole: Defeat the draugr in 'Soljund's Sinkhole' located west of Rorikstead.
Telrav's Request: Escort Telrav back to his camp in 'Nilheim' located east-northeast of Ivarstead.
Yngol's Barrow: Find the treasure unlocked by the 'Coral Dragon Claw' found in 'Yngol's Barrow' located northeast of Whiterun.
Successfully completing at least '50' miscellaneous objectives will unlock:

76,134
Money Making Techniques
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There are many money making opportunities in Skyrim, money is rewarded for completing quests, money can be made from trading
goods, thievery and pickpocketing, dungeon looting, smithing, mining, and other various activities. You need money to buy your
subsequent supplies throughout the game, but you'll find that a lot of money will be spent on training and you need large sums of
money to buy houses. The achievement known as 'Golden Touch' requires you to have at least 100,000 gold on your person at any
one time.
Here are some tips to help improve your general money making skills:
Unlock the 'Haggling', 'Allure', 'Merchant', 'Investor', 'Fence', and 'Master Trader' perks from the Speech skill tree
Unlock the 'Golden Touch' and 'Treasure Hunter' perks from the Lockpicking skill tree
Unlock the 'Extra Pockets' perk from the Pickpocket skill tree, to increase your carrying capacity by 100
Gain the 'Steed' Standing Stone blessing to increase your carrying capacity by 200, the stone is located northwest of Solitude
Find an 'Amulet of Zenithar' - There's one at the 'Shrine of Zenithar' northeast of Riften Stables
Improve your Smithing skill tree to create more expensive items
Improve your Alchemy skill tree to create more expensive potions
Playing the game in a miserly way and bearing the above advantages in mind you should have over 100,000 gold before you
complete the majority of the main quests. However I have listed a few of the most lucrative activities, both legit and through the use
of exploits below, for your consideration:
Dark Brotherhood - Night Mother Quests

After completing the final Dark Brotherhood quest- Hail Sithis! You can ask the Night Mother (in the Dawnstar Sanctuary) for a
contract. These are short and easy one target quests, and they are infinite. You will receive a levelled amount of gold as a reward:
Levels 1-9 = 400 gold

Level 40+ = 1200 gold
Extensive Trading
You could decide to go all out and do some mass trading for a few in-game days. The best way to do this is to first; have a few of the
bonuses from the tips listed above, especially Extra Pockets, the Steed stone, and as many of the Speech skill bonuses as possible.
Empty all your inventory, preferably into a house or other safe storage area, (see this list if you don't have a house yet:
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Category:Skyrim-Places-Safe). Now go to places such as Warmaiden's, the Windhelm Blacksmith, Alvor in
Riverwood and other various blacksmiths and merchants and buy loads of raw smithing materials and/or alchemy ingredients. When
you're fully stocked, (or overstocked if you're very close to a forge / alchemy table and a merchant) forge and mix your heart out.
Create the most expensive gear that you can; start with jewellery, then create Daedric, Glass, Orcish, Elven, and Dwarven weapons
and armours etc. Also use a workbench (see Smithing section of this page for good locations) to improve the gear. If you have some
charged soul gems use them to enchant the weapons and armours for even more gold. You will make hefty profits while doing this,
the higher your Speech, Smithing, Enchanting and Alchemy skills the more money you will make. Bear in mind also that you can
pickpocket your money back from merchants with a high enough skill.
Hidden chests
There are some chests hidden around Skyrim that contain a wealth of goods and gold, not only are these easy to obtain and the
contents (for the most part) are not considered as stolen, they also respawn after waiting 48 hours. Below is a couple of videos
showing the locations of most of the hidden chests in Skyrim, exploit them as much as you wish:
Hidden Chests: Dawnstar, Whiterun, and Windhelm
Hidden Chests: College of Winterhold, Markarth and Solitude
These videos belong to 'TheLeuzR' of YouTube.com
Regardless of the various methods you used, having 100,000 gold in your inventory at one time will unlock:
Golden Touch in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Golden Touch64 (30)
Have 100,000 gold
76,134
Side-Quests
Aside from the Main Story, the Civil War, the faction quests and the Daedric quests there are a number of side quests available in
Skyrim that help to increase the magnitude of the gameplay. Most side-quests begin in towns and revolve around doing someone a
favour of some sort, but there are many variations and many interesting and lucrative side-quests.
External image
There are '33' quests in the base game that are marked with the Side-quest banner (pictured above), however the quest known as
'Delayed Burial' is wrongly marked as a Dark Brotherhood quest, and in fact it counts as a side-quest and towards the Sideways
achievement. This makes a total of '34' quests that count towards the sideways achievement but you only need to complete '10' of
them. Note that if you have not signed into Xbox Live and do not have the patches, then the quests; 'Blood on the Ice' and
'Alteration Ritual Spell' will not count towards the Sideways achievement, but the quest 'The Affairs of Hagravens' will count.
You can keep track of your progress towards this achievement using the 'Side Quests Completed' statistic on the 'General Stats' log
page. I have listed all available side-quests and how to initiate them below, I have also suggested the easiest ten to complete, based
on proximity to the main quests of the game, their length and their difficulty:
Easiest Ten Side-Quests

The Golden Claw
During the Main Story quest 'Bleak Falls Barrow', find the 'Golden Claw'. See Main Story page for more details.
Return the claw to 'Lucan Valerius' in the 'Riverwood Trader'.
The Book of Love
Speak to Dinya Balu in the Temple of Mara in Riften.
Help 'Fastred' in Ivarstead.
Help 'Calcemo' in Markarth's Understone Keep.
Help 'Ruki' at 'Gjukar's Monument' located southeast of Rorikstead.
Return to Dinya in Riften.
Promises to Keep
Speak to 'Louis Letrush', at the the Bee and Barb in Riften, about the horse 'Frost'.
Talk to 'Sibbi-Black Briar' in Riften jail.
Sneak into the 'Black-Briar Lodge' located to the east of Riften and steal 'Frost's Lineage Papers' and Frost himself.
Deliver Frost to Louis.
Laid To Rest
Find the burned house in Morthal.
Talk to the current Jarl of Morthal in the 'Highmoon Hall'
Visit the house and talk to the ghost of 'Helgi'.
Return to the Jarl.
Find Helgi hiding in her grave behind the house at night time, defeat 'Laelette' and talk to Helgi.
Talk to 'Thonnir'.
Break into 'Alva and Hroggar's House' and find the coffin and 'Alva's Journal'.
Take the journal to the Jarl.
With the help of the townspeople go to 'Movarth's Lair' located north of Morthal.
Return to the Jarl.
Ancestral Worship
Travel to 'Hillgrund's Tomb' found to the north of Ivarstead, east of Whiterun and just southeast of 'Guldun Rock'.
Speak to 'Golldir' outside the tomb, help him rescue his 'Aunt Agna'.
After finding Agna's corpse proceed through the tomb and kill 'Vals Veran'.
Delayed Burial
Before entering the Dark Brotherhood sanctuary, talk to 'Cicero' outside 'Loreius' Farm' north of Whiterun.
Convince 'Loreius' to help Cicero.
Return to Cicero.
Silenced Tongues
When you visit 'Volunruud', located north-northwest of Whiterun, during the Dark Brotherhood quest 'The Silence Has Been Broken'
find 'Heddic Volunruud's Notes' at the entrance.
Find the two ceremonial weapons inside Volunruud.
Open the 'Elder's Cairn'.
Defeat the ghost of 'Kvenel the Tongue'.
Alteration Ritual Spell
Speak to Tolfdir at the College of Winterhold or 'Saarthal' after reaching level 90 in Alteration.
Retrieve 'Kahvozein's Fang' from a randomly selected Dragon Priest dungeon.
Kill a dragon and harvest some 'Heartscales', you have to have completed the Main Story quest 'Dragon Rising'.
Return to Tolfdir.
Getting Married
*Note that completing this side-quest is an achievement in itself.
See the Getting Married' section of this page for all information.
Infiltration
Talk to 'Stalleo' found outside 'Treva's Watch' located southeast of Ivarstead.
Enter then immediately exit Treva's Watch, then jump the rocky path to the left of the tunnel and activate the lever.
Return to Stalleo.
Other Side-Quests
Repentance - Speak to 'Illia' in Darklight Tower' located southwest of Riften.
The Forsworn Conspiracy - Receive a note from 'Eltrys' after visiting Markarth's market.
The Blessings of Nature - Speak to 'Danica Pure-Spring' in the 'Temple of Kynareth' in Whiterun.
The Pale Lady - Enter 'Frostmere Crypt' located south-southwest of Dawnstar.
The Heart of Dibella - Speak to 'Degaine' in the Warrens in Markarth, you must rescue 'Fjotra' for this quest to count.
No One Escapes Cidhna Mine - Complete' The Forsworn Conspiracy' side-quest and choose to go to jail.
The Lost Expedition - Find 'Alethius'' note at the entrance to 'Nchuand-Zel', beyond the 'Excavation Site' underneath Understone
Keep in Markarth.
Evil in Waiting - Enter 'Valthume', located southeast of Markarth, and speak to the ghost named Valdar.
Rising at Dawn - Become a vampire, then talk to any innkeeper about a cure.
A Scroll For Anska - Talk to 'Anska' at 'High Gate Ruins' located directly west of Dawnstar.
Forbidden Legend - Read 'Lost Legends' found in 'Farengar's Study' in Whiterun, then travel to 'Folgunthur' located southeast of
Solitude.
Unfathomable Depths - After reaching level 14; speak to 'From-Deepest-Fathoms' at the Fishery in Riften docks.
Lights Out! - Speak to 'Jaree Ra' found in Solitude leaning against a wall under the stairs closest to the gate.
In My Time of Need - After completing the Main Story quest 'Dragon Rising' speak to the 'Alikr Warriors' in Whiterun, usually found
near the main gates.
Blood on the Ice - Go to the murder scene in Windhelm's graveyard and talk to the guard. Finish this quest immediately after starting
it, do not leave Windhelm during the quest.
Repairing the Phial - Talk to 'Quintus Navale' in the 'White Phial' in Windhelm.
Kyne's Sacred Trials - Speak to 'Froki' in 'Froki's Shack' to the far west of Riften.
The Man Who Cried Wolf - Talk to 'Falk Firebeard' in the Blue Palace in Solitude.
The Wolf Queen Awakened - Complete 'The Man Who Cried Wolf' side-quest, then receive a note from Falk Firebeard.
A Return to Your Roots - Collect '30' samples of 'Crimson Nirnroot' while inside 'Blackreach'.
Tending the Flames - Talk to 'Viarmo' at the 'Bard's College' in Solitude.
Missing in Action - Speak to either 'Idolaf or Olfrid Battle-born' in their house in Whiterun.
Siege on the Dragon Cult - speak to 'Captain Valmir' outside of 'Forelhost' located southeast of Riften.
The White Phial - Complete 'Repairing the Phial' side-quest the talk to 'Nurelion' in the White Phial in Windhelm.
Rise in the East - Speak to 'Orthus Endario' in the Windhelm dockside office.
When you have successfully completed at least '10' side-quests you will unlock:
Sideways in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Sideways37 (20)
Complete 10 side quests
76,134
Skill Books
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Skill books differ from normal books in that they automatically increase a particular skill by exactly one point upon opening them,
you do not need to leaf through the whole book, and you can gain a skill point without actually taking the book, this also avoids
having to steal it. You can, if you want to gain the skill point at a later time, command a follower to pick the book up and keep it for
you for later, without reading it. For greater levelling efficiency you should wait to read Skill Books when your skills are higher, for
example reading a Speech Skill Book when your Speech skill is 20 won't bypass as much levelling time as it would if you read the
book at level 70. But if you are just concerned with getting the 'Reader' achievement as soon as possible, just read every book as you
encounter them. You can however, still read a Skill Book even if the particular skill is at 100, it will count for the achievement but no
message will appear telling you that the skill has increased.
Skill Books are only found in specific places or as a reward for certain quests, they will never appear in merchant's inventories or in
random loot. There are '5' Skill Books for each of the '18' skills totalling '90' books altogether in the game. Once you have read a
particular Skill Book you can't gain a second point by reading another copy of that book again, so 90 unique Skill Books means 90 skill
boosts. For the achievement you only need to find '50' of these Skill Books, I have mentioned the locations of well over 50 Skill Books
during the main quest lines of the game, but if you are still short here are the locations of every known Skill Book:
DB = Dragonborn DLC
DG = Dawnguard DLC
Title
Skill
Author
Description
A Game at Dinner
Alchemy
An Anonymous Spy
A spy's observations upon poison making and a dinner party

Dead Crone Rock (The Reach), by a lever opening the way to the rooftop
Forsaken Crypt (The Pale), in the room where The White Phial is found
Harmugstahl (The Reach), behind the locked door in the room with an alchemy lab, on a bookshelf
Honningbrew Meadery (Whiterun), in the upstairs bedroom
New Gnisis Cornerclub (Windhelm), middle floor, on top of a dresser
De Rerum Dirennis
Alchemy
Vorian Direnni
Tales about a creator of Alchemy Science
240 ft N of Evergreen Grove (Falkreath Hold)

Grave Concoctions (Falkreath)
Sinderion's Field Laboratory (Blackreach)
The Midden Dark (College of Winterhold), at an alchemy lab
Valerica's StudyDG (Castle Volkihar), on a bookshelf east of the portal
On the body of a dead alchemist at Clearpine Pond
Herbalist's Guide to Skyrim
Alchemy
Agneta Falia
A description of alchemy ingredients found in Tamriel's northernmost province, Skyrim.
Arcadia's Cauldron (Whiterun)

Boulderfall Cave (The Rift)
Journeyman's Nook (Winterhold)
The Hag's Cure (Markarth), on the shelf under the counter
Mannimarco, King of Worms
Alchemy
Horicles
Biography of Mannimarco, the leader of Necromancers, in verse
Evergreen Grove (Falkreath Hold), on an altar

470 ft S of Haafingar Stormcloak Camp
Nightcaller Temple (The Pale), in the Alchemy Lab room
750 ft ESE of Winterhold, next to the corpse of Rundi
ESE of Winterhold, in an Apothecary's Satchel next to two skeletons
Song of the Alchemists
Alchemy
Marobar Sul
Book 5 of an incomplete series of fictional stories about the Dwemer.
Anise's Cabin (Falkreath Hold), on a table at the foot of the bed

Bards College on the library counter (after accepting Lami's request in Rare Gifts)
ApocryphaDB, Waking Dreams, Chapter III
Breathing Water
Alteration
Haliel Myrm
Lessons on water breathing
Ilinalta's Deep (Falkreath Hold), underwater room, next to a submerged chest

Kraldar's House (Winterhold), in a basket on the bookshelf next to the fireplace
Snapleg Cave (Eastmarch), in one of the tents, sitting on a barrel
600 ft SSE of Steamcrag Camp (Eastmarch), at the unmarked Shrine of Akatosh
460 ft NNE of Ysgramor's Tomb (Winterhold), on a barrel near Ilas-Tei's corpse
ApocryphaDB, The Hidden Twilight, Chapter V
Daughter of the Niben
Alteration
Sathyr Longleat
The history of Bravil town and its famous statue of the Lucky Old Lady
Brandy-Mug Farm (Eastmarch), on top of the fireplace

390 ft E of Haemar's Shame (Falkreath Hold)
530 ft NE of Pale Imperial Camp, under an overturned skiff
Understone Keep (Markarth), on a table near the throne
Urag gro-Shub (College of Winterhold), Hitting the Books quest reward
Reality & Other Falsehoods
Alteration
Summary of the basic principles of Alteration magic
Bthardamz Arcanex (The Reach) on Orchendor (only as part of quest The Only Cure)
Marise Aravel's House (Riften), in a basket on the top shelf of a bookcase
Snow-Shod Farm (The Rift), basement
320 ft WSW of Sundered Towers
Yngvild Throne Room (Winterhold), next to the throne
Sithis
Alteration
Text detailing an apparent connection between Sithis and Lorkhan
Cradle Stone Tower

Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary (Falkreath Hold)
Dawnstar Sanctuary (The Pale)
Nchuand-Zel (The Reach), in the central cavern
NNW of the Wreck Of The Brinehammer, in a locked chest underwater
The Lunar Lorkhan
Alteration
Fal Droon
A theory about the moons Masser and Secunda
Cragwallow Slope (Eastmarch), central chamber

Faldar's Tooth (The Rift), on a shelf at the top of one of the outer towers
Mzulft Boilery (Eastmarch), on a table next to a skeleton behind a locked door
440 ft SSE of Pinewatch (Falkreath Hold), inside a tent
Solitude Lighthouse (Solitude), Mazoka's quarters
Father Of The Niben
Archery
Florin Jaliil
Translation of the fragmented journal of Topal the Pilot
Hunter's Rest (Falkreath Hold), between two bedrolls

460 ft SW of Kagrenzel (Eastmarch)
190 ft NNE of Twilight Sepulcher (Falkreath Hold)
Wreck Of The Brinehammer (The Pale), lower cargo hold
Autumnshade Clearing, on the corpse of a dead hunter
The Black Arrow, v2
Archery
Gorgic Guine
Volume two of a story of revenge, and a true master archer
Brood Cavern (Hjaalmarch), on the corpse of a dead hunter

The Drunken Huntsman (Whiterun), under the counter
Helgen Keep (Falkreath Hold), on the counter in the torture chamber, where the torturer is encountered during Unbound
Robber's Gorge (Hjaalmarch), on the table in the cabin at the top of the hill
Valtheim Towers (Whiterun Hold), top of the north tower
The Gold Ribbon of Merit
Archery
Ampyrian Brum
A man tutors his old friend in marksmanship
Angi's Camp (Falkreath Hold), inside the shack, on the end table by the bed
300 ft SE of Autumnshade Clearing, in an unmarked hunter encampment, under a tent
Fletcher (Solitude), on the low table immediately to your left upon entering
Fort Hraggstad (Haafingar), over the table in the west room
290 ft N of North Cold Rock Pass, in an unmarked hunter encampment, under the tent
ApocryphaDB, Untold Legends, Chapter IV
The Marksmanship Lesson
Archery
Alla Llaleth
How a Bosmer slave teaches his master's son marksmanship
Cliffside Retreat (The Reach), on a table

Dawnstar Sanctuary (Dawnstar), on the table with the map
Faldar's Tooth (The Rift), kitchen area
Gilfre's House (Eastmarch), on the table on the right after entering
Jorrvaskr Living Quarters (Whiterun), inside a display case in Aela's room
Vernaccus and Bourlor
Archery
Tavi Dromio
How a short-tempered Daedra tries to make something of himself

Clearspring Cave (The Rift)
Froki's Shack (The Rift)
Graywinter Watch (Whiterun Hold), on a barrel
Knifepoint Ridge, near the forge
The Treasury House (Markarth), on a circular ledge with a pot on the west side of the main room
A Dance in Fire, v2
Block
Waughin Jarth
Chapter 2 of a clerk's adventures in Valenwood
Fort Snowhawk (Hjaalmarch), on a table in the room west of the back entrance in the main keep
Karthspire Camp, over a crate inside one of the lower tents
380 ft SE of Stendarr's Beacon (The Rift)
Traitor's Post, on a cupboard
Carried by a bandit during the freeform event triggered at Kjenstag Ruins
Battle of Red Mountain
Block
Vivec
The story of the Battle of Red Mountain and the Nerevarine Prophecies from Vivec's perspective
Largashbur Cellar (The Rift)

Skybound Watch Pass (Falkreath Hold), on a shelf near a chest
Kilkreath Ruins (Haafingar), in a corner bookcase before activating the last beacon there
Tolvald's Crossing (The Rift)
In an unmarked, destroyed shack WSW of Shor's Stone and SE of Rift Watchtower , on a table in the back near the fireplace (this
unmarked location is known as Redwater Den in the Dawnguard plug-in)
Death Blow of Abernanit
Block
Anonymous (with notes by Geocrates Varnus)
The death of Dagoth Thras
430 ft W of Dawnstar
Jarl's Longhouse (Falkreath), left room of the bottom floor on a table
Northwind Mine (The Rift)
180 ft WSW of Reachwater Rock, (The Reach), in an unmarked Forsworn camp
Hall of the Dead (Whiterun), found inside the Catacombs on a table in the first room to the left
ApocryphaDB, Epistolary Acumen, Chapter III
The Mirror
Block
Berdier Wreans
About a skilled fighter's showdown with his greatest enemy
Broken Tower Redoubt (The Reach), on bookshelf in the sleeping area

Forsaken Cave (The Pale), over a table in the first tomb's zone
After accepting Captain Aldis' request during Rare Gifts: Palace of the Kings Upstairs, in the northernmost sleeping room
Warrior
Block
Reven
The third chapter of the adventures of Eslaf Erol
Driftshade Refuge (Winterhold), near the fireplace in the boss's chamber

Fort Kastav Captain's Quarters (Winterhold)
380 ft SSE of Haafingar Stormcloak Camp
280 ft WNW of North Skybound Watch, by a bedroll in an unmarked bandit camp
Silent Ruin (Blackreach)
2920, Frostfall, v10
Conjuration
Carlovac Townway
Volume 10 of a historical series about Vivec and the Empire
Belyn Hlaalu's House (Windhelm), upstairs behind the dresser.

450 ft SSW of Evergreen Grove (Falkreath Hold), on an unmarked necromancer's altar.
Ironbind Barrow (Winterhold) on Beem-Ja (only as part of quest Coming of Age).
Sunderstone Gorge (Falkreath Hold), on a pedestal in the room with the word wall.
On a summit south of Geirmund's Hall, carried by a necromancer.
2920, Hearth Fire, v9
Conjuration
Carlovac Townway
640 ft SE of Angi's Camp (Falkreath Hold).

520 ft N of Pinewatch (Falkreath Hold).
The Mortar and Pestle (Dawnstar), under the counter.
Rimerock Burrow (Haafingar), on an end table in the final cavern.
Urag gro-Shub (College of Winterhold), Hitting the Books quest reward.
ApocryphaDB, The Hidden Twilight, Chapter V.
Liminal Bridges
Conjuration
Camilonwe of Alinor
A Discourse On The Theory and Praxis of Travelling Between Mundus and Oblivion
Broken Tower Redoubt (The Reach), the topmost tower (the Briarheart's room)
Falkreath Watchtower, at the top of the stairs at the entrance to the tent
2 copies in Shalidor's Maze in Labyrinthian (Hjaalmarch)
east of Sleeping Tree Camp, on the body of a dead conjurer upon an altar
The Doors of Oblivion
Conjuration
Seif-ij Hidja
The chronicles of Morian Zenas' journey through the realms of Oblivion, penned by his apprentice
Fellglow Keep (Whiterun Hold), podium in far west room
Hall of the Dead (Falkreath), under the bed next to the left-hand wall
Ilinalta's Deluge (Falkreath Hold), in the first room, on northwest table
Reachcliff Cave (The Reach)
120 ft SSW of Sightless Pit (Winterhold)
This copy respawns with each new skeleton.
The Warrior's Charge
0001AFEB
Conjuration
An old poem of the Redguards that deals with the constellations
Brittleshin Pass (Falkreath Hold), near the Arcane Enchanter

620 ft NE of Pinepeak Cavern (The Rift)
310 ft N of Southfringe Sanctum (Falkreath Hold)
Stillborn Cave (Winterhold)
Understone Keep (Markarth), Jarl's quarters, on the end table nearest the bed
A Hypothetical Treachery
Destruction
Anthil Morvir
A One Act Play
Aretino Residence (Windhelm), behind the bookshelf

Fellglow Keep (Whiterun Hold), on a table in the storeroom
High Gate Ruins (The Pale), central chamber
580 ft NW of Windward Ruins (The Pale)
between Sleeping Tree Camp and North Brittleshin Pass, in a chest down a grate opened by solving a puzzle
Volkihar UndercroftDG, on a table in the room with the lever for the first bridge
Horror of Castle Xyr
Destruction
Baloth-Kul
A One Act Play
210 ft WSW of Darklight Tower (The Rift)

Glenmoril Coven (Falkreath Hold), northwestern chamber, in a box under a tent
350 ft SE of Harmugstahl (The Reach)
Rannveig's Fast (Whiterun Hold), in Sild the Warlock's room on a table
480 ft SW of Stendarr's Beacon (The Rift) , outside burning house under fallen tree
Mystery of Talara, v3
Destruction
Mera Llykith
Part three of the story of Princess Talara
Birna's Oddments (Winterhold), upstairs on a dresser

Darklight Chambers (The Rift)
Morvunskar (Eastmarch), on a bookshelf in the northeast corridor
Steepfall Burrow (Haafingar), in the room with the large chest
Tolvald's Crossing (The Rift)
Response to Bero's Speech
Destruction
Malviser, Battlemage
Commentaries of "Bero's Speech to the Battlemages" book
Haemar's Cavern (Falkreath Hold), on a desk near two dead bandits

Iron-Breaker Mine (Dawnstar)
Thaumaturgist's Hut (Morthal)
Witchmist Grove, under the bed in the cabin
The Art of War Magic
Destruction
Zurin Arctus, with Commentary By Other Learned Masters
Mastering the art of winning
Southfringe Sanctum (Falkreath Hold) on Bashnag (only as part of quest The Savior of Selveni Nethri)
540 ft SW of Bthardamz (The Reach)
470 ft N of Fallowstone Cave (The Rift) (Inaccessible)
Ravenscar Hollow (Haafingar), on a table
The White Hall in Dawnstar (The Pale)
ApocryphaDB, Waking Dreams, Chapter VI
A Tragedy in Black
Enchanting
A folk tale from the time of the Oblivion Crisis
Bruca's Leap Redoubt (The Reach), on the bookshelf

East of Eldergleam Sanctuary, on a crate surrounded by soul gems
Glenmoril Coven (Falkreath Hold), on a table next to an Arcane Enchanter
Ilinalta's Deep (Falkreath Hold), in the room with the Arcane Enchanter and Alchemy Table
240 ft ENE of Twilight Sepulcher (Falkreath Hold) at a Shrine of Akatosh
Catalogue of Armor Enchantments
Enchanting
Yvonne Bienne, Synod researcher
An incomplete list of all the spells and armour used in enchanting
The Brinehammer Below Deck (The Pale)

Falion's House (Morthal), on a shelf
Fort Amol (Eastmarch), on the cupboard next to the Arcane Enchanter
Steamscorch Mine (Eastmarch), on a table just after entrance
Shrine of Mehrunes Dagon
Catalogue of Weapon Enchantments
Enchanting
Yvonne Bienne, Synod researcher
An incomplete list of all the spells and weapons used in enchanting

Castle Dour, Emperor's Tower (Solitude)
Darkwater Pass, near the middle of the dungeon, found on top of the Arcane Enchanter
Roadside Ruins (Falkreath Hold), near a chest in the centre
The White Hall (Dawnstar)
ApocryphaDB, Waking Dreams, Chapter III
Enchanter's Primer
Enchanting
Sergius Turrianus
A guide for novices in enchanting issued by the College of Winterhold
Carlotta Valentia's House (Whiterun), on the bedroom floor

410 ft NNW of Fort Kastav (Winterhold)
Honeyside (Riften)
Hob's Fall Cave (Winterhold), on the Arcane Enchanter
530 ft NNE of Valthume
Twin Secrets
Enchanting
Brarilu Theran
A tale of an enchanter's demise from a perilous experiment
Calcelmo's Laboratory (Markarth)

Jarl's Longhouse (Winterhold), inside a basket in the southwest corner of the Jarl's bedroom.
Serpent's Bluff Ruins (Whiterun Hold), on the Arcane Enchanter at the end of the dungeon.
Shrine of Stendarr, south of Swindler's Den
Treva's Watch (The Rift), bandit chief's room
2920, MidYear, v6
Heavy Armor
Carlovac Townway
Blackreach, over a stone table in the south zone.

Bonechill Passage (Falkreath Hold), on the ground in the first room when entered.
320 ft ENE of Cradlecrush Rock (Eastmarch) at a Shrine of Talos.
Fort Dunstad Prison (The Pale).
Guardhouse (Morthal), behind the barrel to the right of the fireplace.
Chimarvamidium
Heavy Armor
Marobar Sul
Book 6 of a series of fictional stories about the Dwemer.
Skill books:
Calcelmo's Tower (Markarth)

Goldenrock Mine (Eastmarch), near a bedroll in a dead end tunnel
Reachwind Eyrie (The Reach), on a desk as you enter
Between the Wreck of The Pride of Tel Vos and Bleakcoast Cave, under a fallen tree
On the corpse of a Stormcloak soldier in a troll den northeast of Ivarstead by the river
Ordinary versions:
Alftand Glacial Ruins (Winterhold), under a pot on a barrel in the bloody part of the cave with a fireplace and several bedrolls
Calcelmo's Laboratory (Markarth)
Dwemer Museum (Markarth), in an adept-locked display case
Septimus Signus' Outpost (Winterhold), on the bookshelf
Hallgerd's Tale
Heavy Armor
Tavi Dromio
Squabbling over the greatest warrior ever leads to a tale of heavy-armour-master Hlaalu Pasoroth
530 ft NNW of Fallowstone Cave (The Rift)

Jorrvaskr (Whiterun), on an end table in the main hall, opposite the fragments of Wuuthraad
Mistwatch East Tower (Eastmarch), on a dresser in the bandit leader's room
Rift Watchtower, top of the tower
As long as the Falkreath Stormcloak Camp is disabled: Between Orphan Rock and Haemar's Shame on the body of a dead Nord
Alor HouseDB (Raven Rock), downstairs in the southern bedroom
Orsinium and the Orcs
Heavy Armor
Menyna Gsost
The story of how Gortwog won the land to the north of Wayrest
Darkshade (Whiterun Hold), second room, lying near the water

Dushnikh Yal Cellar (The Reach)
Fort Fellhammer Mines (Winterhold), on a table near the bottom of the mine
Lost Knife Hideout (Eastmarch), on a table near a sleeping guard, in the collapsed fort section
Rockwallow Mine (Hjaalmarch), atop the mine scaffolding
The Knights of the Nine
Heavy Armor
Karoline of Solitude
The founding and breakup of the original Knights of the Nine
Guldun Rock Cave (Whiterun Hold)

Hall of the Vigilant (The Pale), downstairs area
Mauhulakh's Longhouse (Eastmarch)
Palace of the Kings Upstairs (Windhelm), first room on the left upstairs, top shelf of cupboard
220 ft N of The Tower Stone, next to a skeleton and a flag
2920, Sun's Dawn, v2
Illusion
Carlovac Townway
Ansilvund Burial Chambers (Eastmarch), in the second section, large room with the hanging cages, on a pressurized pedestal.
Darklight Tower (The Rift), near the entrance to Darklight Chambers, on a table.
Movarth's Lair (Hjaalmarch), in the part of the cave accessed via the passage to the left of Movarth's throne, on an end table.
Temple of Dibella, Inner Sanctum (Markarth), on the lowest shelf of a bookcase in a long row of books.
On an island between Reachcliff Cave and Old Hroldan Inn (The Reach), at the top of a waterfall cliff, in an apprentice-locked chest.
Before the Ages of Man
Illusion
Aicantar of Shimerene
Chronicles the major events of the Dawn and Merethic Eras
Angarvunde Ruins (The Rift), on a table with embalming tools

Dragonsreach Jarl's Quarters (Whiterun)
Reeking Cave (Haafingar), in the frost troll hideout
Shroud Hearth Barrow (Ivarstead), on a stone altar near the entrance
Skytemple Ruins
Incident at Necrom
Illusion
Jonquilla Bothe
A story about an illusionist
Bloodlet Throne (Falkreath Hold), in the jail cell

270 ft NW of Fallowstone Cave (The Rift), under a tree north of the road
Pinemoon Cave (Haafingar), at the cave's far end
at the unmarked Shrine of Dibella south of Dawnstar
southeast of the Shrine to Peryite, in a chest next to a dead Wood Elf
Mystery of Talara, Part 4
Illusion
Mera Llykith
Part four of the story of Princess Talara
Blind Cliff Bastion (The Reach), on the platform near the large chest
Broken Fang Cave (Whiterun Hold), near Arcane Enchanter
Hag's End (The Reach), in the room where the bridge is activated
Nepos's House (Markarth), in northeast bedroom by candelabra
Stony Creek Cave (Eastmarch)
The Black Arts On Trial
Illusion
Hannibal Traven, Archmagister of the Mages Guild
A summary of the salient points of the debate which led to the resolution of the Mages Guild on the subject of Necromancy
Falkreath Jail (Falkreath)

370 ft SSE of Hillgrund's Tomb (Eastmarch)
500 ft SE of Morthal
The White Phial (Windhelm)
Ice and Chitin
Light Armor
Pletius Spatec
A tale of the manipulation of chitin armour
Guard Tower (Markarth), in the northeast corner on a wooden table

410 ft NNW of Narzulbur
Shrouded Grove Cave (The Pale)
Snow Veil Sanctum (Winterhold), final room
Windhelm, guard's room under the bridge outside the city, between the gate and the stables
Jornibret's Last Dance
Light Armor
Song involving men and women's parts
Autumnwatch Tower (The Rift), top floor of the small tower

Fort Neugrad (Falkreath Hold), in the library
190 ft SE of Honeystrand Cave (The Rift)
Korvanjund Temple (The Pale)
Soljund's Sinkhole (The Reach)
Rislav The Righteous
Light Armor
Heroic tales of Rislav Larich, ancient King of Skingrad
160 ft W of Abandoned Prison (Eastmarch), in the debris surrounding a cabin crushed by a fallen tree
420 ft S of Bleakcoast Cave (Winterhold)
Cracked Tusk Vaults (Falkreath Hold)
Fort Greymoor (Whiterun Hold), second-floor training room
Riverside Shack
The Rear Guard
Light Armor
Tenace Mourl
How a lone man guards a besieged castle and how he obtains his food
Castle Dour (Solitude), downstairs

Driftshade Cellar (Winterhold), in the room before the ice tunnel
Druadach Redoubt Cave (The Reach), near the fire pit
240 ft WSW of Largashbur (The Rift)
480 ft SE of Shadowgreen Cavern
The Refugees
Light Armor
Geros Albreigh
History of refugees fleeing the Camoran Usurper
Blind Cliff Cave, in the collapsed tower

West of Helgen and south of The Guardian Stones, at an unmarked bandit camp
Solitude Blacksmith (Solitude), in the upstairs bedroom on a wall shelf above some candles
Wolfskull Ruins (Haafingar), on the ritual altar atop the highest tower
Between South Cold Rock Pass and Drelas' Cottage, on the corpse of a dead hunter
Advances in Lockpicking
Lockpicking
An experienced thief summarizes the intricacies of lockpicking
390 ft ENE of Angarvunde (The Rift), next to a dead Redguard

Bannermist Tower, on a table just below the top
Chillwind Depths (Hjaalmarch), over a table in the innermost room
The Ragged Flagon - Cistern (Riften), on a barrel in the training room
Sewer (Riften), on a barrel behind a grille
Proper Lock Design
Lockpicking
Unknown
Cidhna Mine (Markarth), next to the Evidence Chest

Faldar's Tooth on a table at the top of one of the outer towers
490 ft SSE of Largashbur (The Rift)
Twilight Sepulcher (Falkreath Hold)
Southeast of Steepfall Burrow, on a corpse next to two dead deer
Surfeit of Thieves
Lockpicking
Aniis Noru
How a busted robbery gets even worse
Mistveil Keep Jarl's Chambers (Riften)

Pelagius Wing (Blue Palace, Haafingar), in the cellar room
Potema's Catacombs (Haafingar), only while on the quest The Wolf Queen Awakened
Volskygge (Haafingar), just right of the stone door
Wreck of the Winter War, second level
The Locked Room
Lockpicking
Porbert Lyttumly
How a pupil outlocks her cruel picklock instructor
Alftand Animonculory (Winterhold), in the treasure room

Southeast of The Apprentice Stone, near a chest in half-flooded building
Cronvangr Cave (Eastmarch)
Highmoon Hall (Morthal), on a bookshelf in the room upstairs (right-hand side)
Honeystrand Cave, on a bandit corpse guarded by bears
The Wolf Queen, v1
Lockpicking
Waughin Jarth
Life of Queen Potema, Book One
Broken Fang Cave (Whiterun Hold)

Cragslane Cavern (Eastmarch), behind the bar
Dawnstar Jail (Dawnstar), inside the jail cell
Duskglow Crevice (The Pale)
South of Snow Veil Sanctum, west of Yngol Barrow
2920, Morning Star, v1
One-handed
Carlovac Townway
Driftshade Refuge (Winterhold), on a table in the final room with the barred door
Jorgen and Lami's House (Morthal), in a bucket on top of the barrel to the left of the bed
Lost Echo Cave (Haafingar), on the altar
Northwatch Keep (Haafingar), behind the bar
Sabre Cat den between Broken Tower Redoubt and Crabber's Shanty, on the body of a dead hunter
Next to a bed roll at Dayspring Canyon, at the top of Fort Dawnguard DG
Fire and Darkness
One-handed
Ynir Gorming
The history of the Morag Tong assassin guild
Dawnstar Sanctuary, basement

Folgunthur (Hjaalmarch), lower level
480 ft ENE of Moss Mother Cavern (Falkreath Hold)
The Ratway Warrens (Riften), in Esbern's room
320 ft SW of Wreck of The Pride of Tel Vos (Winterhold)
Mace Etiquette
One-handed
A warrior's instruction pamphlet on proper mace tactics
Fort Greenwall Captain's Quarters (The Rift)

Orotheim (Hjaalmarch), on a crate near the grindstone
Sky Haven Temple (The Reach)
Uttering Hills Cave (Eastmarch), on an east-facing bookshelf in the northernmost set of rooms
Volunruud (The Pale), on the throne in the northwest room
Night Falls on Sentinel
One-handed
Boali
How a knight weeds out an enemy of the king
310 ft S of The Guardian Stones (Falkreath Hold), in a tent in a bandit camp

Volunruud (The Pale), in boss chest (only as part of quest Silenced Tongues)
After accepting Rustleif's request during Rare Gifts: Swindler's Den, on a crate
The Importance of Where
One-handed
Marobar Sul
Book 3 of an incomplete series of fictional stories about the Dwemer

Brina's House (Dawnstar)
Chillfurrow Farm (Whiterun Hold), on a dresser in bedroom
Gallows Rock (Eastmarch), in the Tower (Silver Hand Hideout) upstairs on table after some tanning racks
Guard Tower (Markarth), on a stone table in the north room
At a Shrine of Talos, on the island directly west of Winterhold
Aevar Stone-Singer
Pickpocket
Traditional Skaal myth about a young Skaal's journey to recover the Gifts of the All-Maker
Lost Valkygg, southern room

530 ft N of Nilheim (The Rift), surrounded by three barrels
Sightless Pit (Winterhold)
Thonnir's House (Morthal)
620 ft SW of Whitewatch Tower (Whiterun Hold), in a bandit camp
Beggar
Pickpocket
Reven
The first chapter in the adventures of Eslaf Erol
Haelga's Bunkhouse (Riften), on a counter upstairs

Ironback Hideout, on a table in the ruined house
The Ratway (Riften), on a table in the room next to the bridge
1170 ft NE of Wreck of the Winter War, next to a skeleton
between Swindler's Den and Gjukar's Monument, on the body of a dead bandit next to a Nirnroot plant
Guide to Better Thieving
Pickpocket
Wulfmare Shadow-Cloak
A boastful thief discusses the tricks of the trade
Fort Sungard Oubliette (The Reach), down the hole

Goldenglow Estate Sewer (The Rift), by a skeleton in a side room with an Adept lock
Jarl's Longhouse (Falkreath), right room of the bottom floor locked in a display case with an Expert lock
Mara's Eye Den (Eastmarch), in a box with several other books by a stone pillar
Snowy Sabre Cat den northeast of the Thalmor Embassy gate, on the body of a dead Argonian
Purloined Shadows
Pickpocket
Waughin Jarth
A chill tale recounting the theft of Nocturnal's cowl
NW of Bonechill Passage (Falkreath Hold), in a hut under the bed

Duskglow Crevice (The Pale), in the junk room
280 ft WNW of Folgunthur (Hjaalmarch), at small campsite underneath an overhang
Honorhall Orphanage (Riften), in Constance's bedroom
Nightingale Hall, in the living quarters, on an end table next to a bed
Thief
Pickpocket
Reven
The second chapter of the adventures of Eslaf Erol
Argonian Assemblage (Windhelm), on a dresser

Bleak Falls Temple (Falkreath Hold), just beyond the first glyph puzzle
630 ft WSW of Ivarstead
Silverdrift Lair (The Pale)
Swindler's Den (Whiterun Hold), by a bedroll in the easternmost room
2920, Rain's Hand, v4
Restoration
Carlovac Townway
Blind Cliff Bastion (The Reach) on Petra (only as part of quest The Affairs of Hagravens).
Falion's House (Morthal), on a table.
Hall of the Dead (Markarth), on the shelf next to the priest's bed.
370 ft NNE of Journeyman's Nook (Winterhold).
Behind Widow's Watch Ruins (Haafingar).
Mystery of Talara, v 2
Restoration
Mera Llykith
Part two of the story of Princess Talara
Eldergleam Sanctuary, leaning on the rock next to a backpack

Frostflow Lighthouse (Winterhold), on a dresser
Ragnvald Crypts (The Reach), over a table behind a chest
Ustengrav (Hjaalmarch), stone shelf near all the urns
Crystaldrift Cave, on the dead body of Gadnor
Racial Phylogeny
Restoration
Council of Healers, Imperial University
About the similarities and differences between the races of Tamriel
Avanchnzel Animoncultory (The Rift), in a room on the eastern side, on the northern table
on an altar in the middle of Boulderfall Cave, Autumnshade Clearing, and Shor's Stone (The Rift)
Corpselight Farm (Falkreath) on a book shelf
Moorside Inn (Morthal), inside a basket
The Exodus
Restoration
Waughin Jarth
The tale of a parent's desperate bid to save their only child

Forelhost Crypt (The Rift)
The Frozen Hearth Cellar, wedged between a pillar and a crate on the west wall (Winterhold)
Hob's Fall Cave (Winterhold), on a table near the Alchemy Lab
Stendarr's Beacon, on a bedroll
In a small, unmarked campsite directly between Solitude's docks and The Apprentice Stone
Withershins
Restoration
Yaqut Tawashi
A humorous tale of a man's ailment and cure
Arcwind Point, at a pedestal the top of the tower after progressing through the ruins
Gloomreach Cavern (The Reach)
240 ft N of Harmugstahl (The Reach)
Temple of Kynareth (Whiterun)
Valthume (The Reach), in an alcove of a room south of the large room with pews
Cherim's Heart
Smithing
Livillus Perus, Professor at the Imperial University
Interview with Cherim, a master tapestry weaver
Broken Oar Grotto (Haafingar)

360 ft WSW of Eldergleam Sanctuary (Eastmarch), on a table in a hunter's camp
Morvunskar (Eastmarch), next to the forge at base level
Purewater Run (The Reach), inside an underwater chest
Quicksilver Mine (Dawnstar)
Heavy Armor Forging
Smithing
Sven Two-Hammers
A guide to creating Heavy Armour
East Empire Company Warehouse

Gloombound Mine, just outside the mine entrance
Pinepeak Cavern (The Rift)
Whistling Mine (Winterhold)
ApocryphaDB, Waking Dreams, Chapter II
Last Scabbard of Akrash
Smithing
Tabar Vunqidh
Story of a slaver's daughter and her Khajiit lover
330 ft SSE of Black-Briar Lodge

Fort Sungard Muster (The Reach), in the armoury
Gallows Rock (Eastmarch), near the sleeping quarters
Light Armor Forging
Smithing
Revus Sarvani
A book detailing various aspects of forging the various types of light armour.
Cracked Tusk Keep, near the forge

Embershard Mine (Falkreath Hold), on a table in the forge area
Lod's House (Falkreath), in the basement on a barrel
Silent Moons Camp (Whiterun Hold), near the Lunar Forge
In a chest inside a pit on unmarked location east of Dushnikh Yal, south of Reachcliff Cave
The Armorer's Challenge
Smithing
Mymophonus
A competition between two skilled armorsmiths
Bilegulch Mine (Falkreath Hold)

Mor Khazgur (Haafingar), near the forge
The Scorched Hammer (Riften), in between the dresser and the safe
The Skyforge in Whiterun, on the stone slab to the right
Tower of Mzark (Winterhold), in first room
2920, Last Seed, v8
Sneak
Carlovac Townway
Hag Rock Redoubt Ruin (The Reach), over the table.

Raldbthar (The Pale), near Alain Dufont.
Redoran's Retreat (Whiterun Hold), on a crate in the back cavern.
480 ft E of Stendarr's Beacon (The Rift), next to a bed roll.
Legend of Krately House
Sneak
Baloth-Kul
A play about the ghostly Krately family and how they died
Black-Briar Lodge (Riften), master bedroom

300 ft N of Halldir's Cairn (Falkreath Hold)
Nightgate Inn Cellar (The Pale)
Potema's Catacombs (Haafingar), in boss chest (only as part of quest The Wolf Queen Awakened)
Red Wave (Solitude)
Sacred Witness
Sneak
Enric Milnes
Account of Enric's meeting with the Night Mother and career as an assassin
Dawnstar Sanctuary
Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary
Deepwood Redoubt, in Deepwood Vale, near the Alchemy Lab
Twilight Sepulcher (Falkreath Hold)
southeast of the Abandoned Shack, on the body of a dead Draugr
The Red Kitchen Reader
Sneak
Simocles Quo
Autobiographical musings of how the Master of Cuisine came to adore viands
Frostmere Crypt (The Pale), inside the ruins, on a bookshelf

New Gnisis Cornerclub (Windhelm), under the staircase on the ground floor
Nightingale Hall
Pinewatch (Falkreath Hold), secret basement
Riftweald Manor (Riften), secret basement
Valerica's StudyDG (Castle Volkihar), on a bookshelf east of the portal
Three Thieves
Sneak
Anonymous
Some thieves in Morrowind plan a heist
280 ft SE of Angi's Camp (Falkreath Hold)

Honningbrew Basement (Whiterun), only during Thieves Guild quest Dampened Spirits
160 ft S of Shor's Watchtower (The Rift)
Snow Veil Catacombs (Winterhold), only during Thieves Guild quest Speaking With Silence
ApocryphaDB, Filament and Filigree
2920, Second Seed, v5
Speech
Carlovac Townway
East of Gjukar's Monument at a Shrine of Zenithar.

Sadri's Used Wares (Windhelm), under the counter.
Shriekwind Bastion (Falkreath Hold), on a rock pedestal in the Master Vampire chamber, after the fire corridor.
Sorli's House (Hjaalmarch).
ApocryphaDB, The Sallow Regent.
A Dance in Fire, v6
Speech
Waughin Jarth
Dainty Sload (Haafingar)

Dead Man's Drink (Falkreath), under the counter
Debate Hall (Blackreach)
380 ft SW of Great Lift at Mzinchaleft, west of Frostmere Crypt on a cart
Meeko's Shack (Hjaalmarch), on a barrel
A Dance in Fire, v7
Speech
Waughin Jarth
Outside Angarvunde, on a table

Arnleif and Sons Trading Company (Markarth), on a crate on the west side of the sales desk
Beggar's Row (Riften), on the floor
Mzinchaleft, in Maluril's room (Hjaalmarch)
North of Sunderstone Gorge, on the body of a dead Khajiit next to the road
Biography of the Wolf Queen
Speech
Katar Eriphanes
A history of the unambiguously evil Queen Potema, the so-called Wolf Queen of Solitude
Blue Palace (Solitude), Jarl's bedroom

Bthardamz Dwelling (The Reach)
Liar's Retreat (The Reach), over a stone in the wall of a room
Anga's Mill Common House (The Pale), on an end table by some loose gold near a bed
Belethor's General Goods (Whiterun), on a shelf to left of counter, next to a sack
The Buying Game
Speech
Adabael Timsar-Dadisun
Tips on buying and selling
Bards College (Solitude), in one of the classrooms

Dead Men's Respite (Hjaalmarch), easternmost point
East Empire Company Warehouse (Haafingar)
As long as the Falkreath Stormcloak Camp is disabled: road east of Helgen on a cart
Shrine to Peryite, on a table next to the Alchemy station
Battle of Sancre Tor
Two-handed
The story of how General Talos defeated the stronghold of Sancre Tor
Bleakcoast Cave (Winterhold), on the body of a dead conjurer

Broken Helm Hollow (The Rift)
Dustman's Cairn (The Reach), on the table in the first room
House of Clan Battle-Born (Whiterun), west bedroom downstairs on a shelf
Old Hroldan Inn (The Reach)
King
Two-handed
Reven
The final chapter in the adventures of Eslaf Erol
Bleakwind Bluff, next to the cairn

270 ft SSW of Froki's Shack (The Rift) at a Shrine of Talos
The Katariah, at the stern of the ship
Small, unmarked ruin north of Forelhost, southwest of Black-Briar Lodge, carried by a bandit
Penitus Oculatus Outpost, on an end table, only after starting the quest Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!
Song Of Hrormir
Two-handed
The epic narrative of Hrormir, one-time champion of Nocturnal
Abandoned Prison (Eastmarch), in a storage room filled with books and a Master-level chest
Jala's House (Solitude)
Jorrvaskr Living Quarters (Whiterun), in the basement at the end of the hall
Mauhulakh's Cellar (Eastmarch)
Yngol Barrow (Winterhold) in boss chest (only as part of quest Yngol's Barrow)
The Legendary Sancre Tor
Two-handed
Matera Chapel
An attempt to chronicle the rise and fall of Sancre Tor
580 ft ENE of Broken Tower Redoubt (The Reach)

350 ft SW of Cragwallow Slope (Eastmarch)
Falkreath Barracks (Falkreath)
Northwatch Keep (Haafingar), lower level bedroom
Ysgramor's Tomb (Winterhold), only accessible during the quest Glory of the Dead
Words and Philosophy
Two-handed
An interview with a Bosmer master swordsman about her life
Geirmund's Hall (The Rift), in the boss treasure room, on a bookshelf

Lost Knife Cave (Eastmarch), on a table on the platform in the large flooded room
Mistveil Keep Barracks (Riften), on top of a dresser in the SW corner of the second floor
Shrine of Talos west of Saarthal, on the altar
Silverdrift Lair (The Pale)
ApocryphaDB, The Winds of Change
Upon reading your 50th Skill book you will unlock:

Reader42 (20)
Read 50 Skill Books
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Smithing
Weapons and armour are a major part of the world of Skyrim, unless you're a Mage you will be actively concerned about the abilities
of weapons and the resistances of your armour. You could, in theory, loot all of your weapons and armour from dead bodies, steal it
from people, or plunder the various locations around the land, but one way to ensure you have the most up to date gear is through
the mastery of the 'Smithing' skill.
External image
Find a 'forge', normally located at the blacksmith's in cities and other locations, and use metal ingots and other materials to create
almost any weapon or piece of armour available in Skyrim. You can also use things like a grindstone and workbench to improve
these items further. Your access to the types of gear you can make and improve, and exactly how much you can improve them by, is
governed by your smithing skill. The Smithing skill tree has a total of '10' perks, requiring a total of '10' perk points to fill.
Smithing can only be performed at certain locations, I have listed the most easily accessible of these below, for your pleasure:
Name
Location
Features
Alvor and Sigrid's House
Riverwood
Forge, Grindstone, Workbench, Tanning Rack
Bilegulch Mine
South of Rorikstead
Forge, Smelter, Workbench
Blacksmith's Quarters
Windhelm, east side of market
Forge, Smelter, Grindstone, Workbench, Tanning Rack
Cidhna Mine
Markarth, under west side
Smelter
Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary
West of Falkreath
Forge, Grindstone, Workbench
Fort Dawnguard (Dawnguard DLC)
Southeast of Riften
Fort Dunstad
South of Dawnstar
Fort Hraggstad
North of Dragon Bridge
Forge
Gloombound Mine
Narzulbur, southeast of Windhelm
Forge, Smelter, Grindstone, Workbench
Glover Mallory's (Dragonborn DLC)

Solstheim, Raven Rock
Forge, Smelter, Grindstone, Workbench
Ironbreaker Mine
Dawnstar, east side
Smelter
Markarth's Blacksmiths
Markarth, near hag's cure
Mor Khazgur
Far northwest of Skyrim
Forge, Smelter, Grindstone
Lod's House
Falkreath, near the centre
Orotheim
Northeast of Rorikstead
Forge, Grindstone, Tanning Rack
Rustleif's House
Dawnstar
Forge, Tanning Rack
Scorched Hammer
Riften, west of market
Shor's Stone
North north-west Riften
Skaal Village (Dragonborn DLC)
Northeast Solstheim

Solitude Blacksmith
Solitude, west side
Stonehills
East of Morthal
Smelter. Grindstone
Volikar Keep (Dragonborn DLC)
Volikar Castle, far west of Solitude
Warmaiden's
Whiterun, near main gate
In these designated areas you may find several types of tools:
Anvil: Also allows you to create new weapons and armour, the same as s forge
Forge: Used to create new weapons and armour from raw materials
Grindstone: Used to sharpen weapons for extra damage
Smelter: Allows you to turn ores and Dwarven scrap metal into ingots
Tanning Rack: Allows you to make leather from animal skins, and leather strips from leather
Workbench: Allows you to improve armour
*For Hearthfire house material locations, see the Hearthfire DLC page.
While the smithing skill tree might appear to be a circle, it is actually two separate paths, both ending at 'Dragon Armor', which
allows you to create the best light armour (Dragonscale) and the second-best heavy armour (Dragonplate) in the base game. Thief
class players should focus exclusively on the left-hand branch, which is primarily light armour, and Warrior class players should focus
on the right-hand branch, which is almost all heavy armour. The left-hand branch is shorter, requiring one fewer perk than the right-
hand branch to reach Dragon armour.
Since the left-hand branch includes medium-quality heavy armour (steel plate, via the 'Advanced Armors' perk), the left-hand branch
can also be a good choice for Warrior class players that favour a little more agility but with reduced protection. Also note that
damage reduction from armour maxes out at '567' displayed armour rating, which can be achieved with nearly any armour in the
game given sufficient improvements via tempering and armour skill. Therefore the difference in armour rating between Dragonplate
and the best heavy armour, Daedric, is not necessarily significant. The lighter weight of Dragonplate armour may be of more
importance, unless you have either the Conditioning perk or activate The Steed Stone, both of which negate the adverse effects of
heavy weight.
The available weapons are also an important difference between the left and right branches. Both ebony and Daedric weapons are
better than glass ones, which is the best type offered by the left-hand branch. However, when upgraded to Legendary quality, the
damage difference between a glass weapon and a Daedric one will be less than 10% (exact number depends on weapon type). The
Dawnguard DLC also adds the ability to create the even stronger Dragonbone weapons, provided the respective perk is purchased.
Levelling Up Smithing Fast

XP gain for smithing an item follows the following formula:
ΔXP = 3 × item value0.65 + 25.

Because of the flat 25 XP for each item created, it's usually of greater benefit to craft many cheap items than a few valuable items.
For example, making 5 iron daggers requires 5 iron ingots and gives (38.4 × 5 =) 192 XP. Making one iron armour uses the same
amount of materials but yields only 94.2 XP.
Making gold or silver jewellery can quickly level up Smithing without perk investment. Players can cast the 'Transmute Mineral Ore'
Alteration spell (see Magic section of this page) to convert iron ore to silver ore and silver ore to gold ore.
For the fastest levelling, make sure you have the 'Warrior Stone' (located just northwest of Helgen) active (smithing increases 20%
faster), and have slept in the past 8 hours (+5-15% faster XP). You should also consider completing the quest, 'Unfathomable Depths'
(see 'Side-Quests section of this page) and gaining a 15% increase in smithing xp. You can go to 'Halted Stream Camp', found north of
Whiterun, it has a free Transmute Mineral Ore spell tome and lots of iron ore. Another good place to quickly increase the Smithing
skill is at 'Warmaiden's' in Whiterun because there is access to all Smithing equipment, 'Adrianne Avenicci' and 'Ulfberth War-Bear'
are available to quickly buy and sell items. Be aware, however, that Adrianne will occasionally go inside the shop, at which point she
shares her available money with Ulfberth.
Combining gold or silver ingots with gems increases the value of the item and thus the skill gain. For example, using an additional
flawless diamond to craft a gold diamond necklace boosts XP yield to 163 XP per ore, albeit flawless diamonds can only be obtained
after level 40.
Levelling Up With DLC Installed

With Hearthfire installed, crafting 10 nails yields the same XP as an iron dagger, but doesn't require leather strips.
With Dawnguard installed, collect all Dwemer scrap metal that you find in your travels. Get the Dwarven Smithing perk and
periodically unload, smelt ingots, get firewood, and create arrows. A couple of Dwemer ruins can yield 100 ingots; carefully
collecting every bit of available metal in every Dwemer ruin will yield over 1200 ingots, producing over 28,000 arrows which can
easily raise your Smithing level by 40 or more. You can wait to sell the arrows since they weigh nothing.
With Dawnguard installed, complete the 'Lost to the Ages' quest (see 'Side-Quests section of this page) and create the 'Aetherial
Crown'. Use the Crown to gain both 'The Warrior Stone' (found northwest of Helgen) and 'The Lover Stone' (found east of Markarth)
effects, granting a 35% boost to Smithing XP. Acquiring the 'Ancient Knowledge' (complete 'Unfathomable Depths' side-quest (see
'Side-Quests' section of this page)) ability gives you an additional 15% boost, and finally, sleeping in a bed you own can give you a
10% (15% with a spouse) bonus. This adds up to a potential 65% boost to XP when Smithing. Note that you must store the Lover
Stone effect in the Aetherial Crown, and remove it before sleeping to gain both bonuses. Also, the sleeping bonus is prevented if you
are infected with lycanthropy.
Smithing a single item contributes to the 'Artificer' achievement, so if you have already Enchanted an item and made a potion you
will unlock:

Artificer14 (10)
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Stalhrim
External image
Stalhrim is a new metal added by the Dragonborn DLC, with it you can craft new weapons and armour. For all information about
acquiring the ability to forge things with Stalhrim see the 'Dragonborn DLC' page.
Creating any item using 'Stalhrim' will unlock:

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Speech Challenges
The Speech skill mainly affects the prices of goods when buying and selling them, but it also governs the chances of completing a
successful speech challenge. A speech challenge is normally encountered when talking to guards and dealing with crimes and
bounties etc (see Crimes section of this page) and also during certain quests.
Snake-Tongue Achievement
NOTE: This achievement is not that difficult, but it is much easier as a Thief class player, or at least after joining, and even better,
finishing the Thieves Guild quest line. Finishing the Thieves Guild quest line will award you with the 'Amulet of Articulation' which
makes all speech challenges much more likely to succeed.
For this achievement you simply need to perform one successful 'Bribe', one successful 'Persuasion', and one successful
'Intimidation'. There are many opportunities for speech challenges throughout the various quest lines and in general gameplay, so
you need not worry about this achievement very much. However, if you wish to target this achievement specifically here are some
helpful tips:
Bribing
The easiest way to achieve a successful bribe, is after joining the Thieves Guild (see Thieves Guild page), you can commit a minor
crime in front of a guard, then choose to pay a bribe. You can take a look at the Crimes section of this page for all information on
crimes and bounties, but a very simple option is to go into sneak mode behind a guard and try to pickpocket them. Take all the most
valuable and heaviest items in their inventory and you'll most likely get caught. When the guard stops you just ask to pay a bribe.
Persuasion and Intimidation

Most persuasion and intimidation options come during quests, I have listed the easiest of these below, please see the relevant quest
pages or the 'Side-Quests' section of this page for more information.
Very Easy - Requires at least 10 Speech Skill
During the Markarth town quest 'The Forsworn Conspiracy' - Persuade 'Margret' to reveal information.
With the Dragonborn DLC installed, visit 'Redwater Den' - Persuade an attendant for a free sample.
During the optional Dark Brotherhood quest 'Delayed Burial - Persuade 'Vantus Loreius' to help 'Cicero'.
During the Riften town quest 'Stabilized' - Persuade 'Sapphire' to forgive Shadr's debt.
During the Daedric quest 'A Daedra's Best Friend (for Clavicus Vile) - Persuade 'Lod' to pay you 25 gold before searching for the dog.
Easy - Requires at least 25 Speech skill
During the Main Story quest 'A Cornered Rat' - Persuade 'Esbern' to open the door.
During the Main Story quest 'Diplomatic Immunity' - Persuade the Thalmor guard to leave his post.
During the Daedric quest 'The Black Star' (for Azura) - Persuade 'Nelacar' that a priestess of Azura sent you.
During the Riften town quest 'Caught Red Handed' - Persuade 'Hofgrir Horse-Curser' to give you the 'Mark of Dibella'.
During the Civil War quest (for the Imperials) 'Compelling Tribute' - Persuade 'Anuriel' to give you the gold.
During the Civil War quest (for the Stormcloaks) 'Compelling Tribute' - Persuade 'Raerek' to give you the gold.
After at least one successful bribe, persuasion and intimidation, you will unlock:

Snake Tongue15 (10)
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Standing Stones
External image
I have mentioned the locations of all the Standing Stones during your time with the main quest lines, however if you are missing any,
or you simply require information about the bonuses that these stones offer, then here they all are for your pleasure.
Standing Stones grant you special permanent or self-activated powers after you have selected one as your 'birthsign'. There are '13'
stones in the game and you must discover 13 to unlock the 'Standing Stones' achievement, you do not need to select each stone,
just discover it on your map (so it becomes available for fast-travel). There is a trick to this however; You can revisit the same stones
repeatedly to gain progress towards the achievement.
You can only have one Standing Stone birthsign at once, with the exception of having the 'Aethereal Crown' in your possession,
found after installing the Dawnguard DLC.
Here are the locations and effects of all Standing Stones:
Standing Stone
Effects
Location
Apprentice
100% Regenerate Magicka
100% Weakness to Magic
Southeast of Solitude's docks, on an island in the marsh, just north of Fort Snowhawk
Atronach
+50 Magicka
50% Spell Absorption
-50% Magicka Regeneration
Far south of Windhelm, south of Bonestrewn Crest, northwest of Mistwatch
Lady
+25% Health Regeneration
+25% Stamina Regeneration
North of Falkreath, in the middle of Lake Ilinalta
Lord
+50 Armour Rating
25% Resist Magic
East of Morthal, in the mountains just northeast of Mehrunes Dagon's Shrine
Lover
Learn all skills 15% faster
East of Markarth, just north of Kolskeggr Mine
Mage
Learn all *Magic skills 20% faster
Southwest of Riverwood, by the roadside, one of the Guardian Stones
Ritual
^Raise undead for 200 seconds

East of Whiterun by the roadside, above the entrance to Graywinter Watch
Serpent
Paralyze target and 25 damage health
East of the College of Winterhold and northeast of the Wreck of The Pride of Tel Vos
Shadow
Become invisible for 60 seconds
South of Riften, near Nightingale Hall
Steed
+100 Carry Weight
Equipped armour weighs nothing
Equipped armour doesn't affect speed
Northwest of Solitude, near Ironback Hideout
Thief
Learn all Thief skills 20% faster
Tower
Unlock an Expert or lower lock once a day
About halfway between Dawnstar and Winterhold, on a high snow-covered cliff
Warrior
Learn all Combat skills 20% faster
*Magic Skills = Alteration, Conjuration, Illusion, Enchanting, Restoration, and Destruction
**Thief Skills = Alchemy, Lockpicking, Pickpocket, Sneak, Light Armour, and Speech
***Combat Skills = Heavy Armour, One-Handed, Two-Handed, Block, Smithing, and Archery
^Ritual = This grants you ability to raise dead people or creatures back to life to fight for you, there is no limit to how many you can
raise, and with this sign you can raise more powerful creatures than any spell, such as giants etc.
After finding your first Standing Stone, usually the Guardian Stones at the beginning of the Main Story, select one of them using the
cn_A button and you will unlock:

Blessed11 (10)
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After finding or revisiting '13' Standing Stones you will unlock:
Standing Stones in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Standing Stones56 (30)
Find 13 Standing Stones
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Stealth
External image
The Thief is one of the three skill groups in Skyrim (Warrior and Mage being the other two) and is characterized by the use of stealth.
Alchemy, the crafting skill for Stealth, is used to create potions and poisons to either heal yourself, or boost a particular skill, and to
kill or otherwise harm enemies. There are six skill trees for the Thief to concern themselves with: Pickpocket, Sneak, Lockpicking,
Alchemy, Light Armor, and Speech. The Thief Standing Stone is the most useful for the Thief because it allows experience for all
stealth skills to be gained 20% faster.
The Sneak skill governs your ability to escape detection by others through reducing your visibility and noisiness. It is primarily useful
for committing crimes without being witnessed, for evading confrontation with enemies, and for executing surprise attacks that
inflict critical damage. Perks in the Sneak tree increase your chances of escaping detection, increase the damage you inflict with
sneak attacks, and allow you to avoid setting off traps using pressure plate triggers. They can also give you the ability to perform a
forward roll while sneaking and even briefly disappear from sight in the middle of combat. The Sneak tree has a total of '9' perks,
requiring a total of '13' perk points to fill.
Toggling the sneak control (cn_LSc by default) causes your character to crouch or stand, indicating that you have entered or left
sneak mode.
While sneaking, the crosshair becomes a special reticle indicating the following statuses:
A flat horizontal line means you are completely hidden.

A slightly open eye means an enemy thinks a target may be near.
A half-open eye means the enemy is actively searching for you.
An open eye means the enemy knows where you are or can see you.
"DETECTED" will flash under the reticle if an enemy has spotted you and is moving to attack you, while the word "HIDDEN" flashes
once all enemies that had previously been alerted are no longer aware of your presence.
Remaining Undetected
Remaining undetected is useful for getting into position to initiate a sneak attack or to commit a crime without being witnessed.
Your Sneak skill level determines your base chance of remaining undetected, though this chance is significantly modified by a
number of other factors, potentially to the point of making you completely undetectable:
The Stealth perk and several other perks on the Sneak skill tree.
Factors influencing visibility:
The glow of light over your hands when you have a spell equipped makes you easier to detect, but the aura given from
enchantments does not.
Line of Sight: All seeing creatures and NPCs have a defined cone of vision; if you fall within it, you are more likely to be detected.
Light: you are more visible in brighter light; this modifier carries significant effects across the entire range of light levels.
Invisibility: being invisible is obviously a powerful aid to sneaking, but does not influence enemies' ability to hear you.
Noise Level- Factors influencing the amount of noise you make are:
The noise you hear when you unsheathe a weapon is not heard by enemies.
Movement Speed: running is noisier than walking. Moving very slowly generally makes little noise. Extra noise from running is
negated by the Silence Perk.
Armour: moving in armour makes more noise, the combined weight of all equipped armour is correlated with its volume.
Muffle: A magical effect that reduces or eliminates noise.
Spells: casting a spell makes noise unless you have the Quiet Casting perk. Summon spells and most dragon shouts are particularly
loud.
Weapons: swinging a weapon larger than a dagger makes noise.
Previous detection: An enemy that was previously alerted to your presence (even if your reticle indicated only a slightly open eye)
will remember this, and is more likely to spot you again compared to an enemy who had not yet been alerted to your presence.
Sneak Attacks
You perform a sneak attack when you physically strike someone who is unaware of your presence. The amount of damage you inflict
via sneak attack is generally increased by a factor that depends on the weapon type and whether you have unlocked certain perks.
Weapon Type
Damage Multiplier
(without perk)
Applicable perk(s)
Damage Multiplier
(with perk)
Unarmed (fists)
x2
N/A
x2
Bow
x2
Deadly Aim
x3
Two-handed
x2
N/A
x2
Sword/Mace/Axe
x3
Backstab
x6
Dagger
x3
Backstab
x6
Assassin's Blade
x15
If you equip the Shrouded Gloves, Shrouded Hand Wraps, Jester's Gloves, or Cicero's Gloves (from the Dark Brotherhood quest line),
the sneak attack bonus for the 'Backstab' and 'Assassin's Blade' perks are doubled (x12 and x30).
The sneak multiplier is only applied to the physical damage done by a weapon, i.e. the damage shown for the weapon in your
inventory.
Damage increases from Smithing improvements do benefit from the sneak attack multipliers.
Poison and enchantment-related damage enhancements are added to damage inflicted by power attacks, their effects are not
increased by performing sneak attacks
Both bow and arrow damage are multiplied.
Dual-wielded weapons and power attacks are multiplied.
Lunging power attacks (hold attack while pressing forward) from sneak mode are especially powerful, although if mistimed, they can
alert an enemy before the strike can land (and thus losing the bonus damage).
The very acts involved in preparing for and attacking can result in enemies detecting you, and when this occurs the damage you deal
will receive no sneak attack bonus. One of the reasons for this is that attacking with weapons (except daggers) itself creates noise. To
minimize this, maximize all other factors that enhance your probability of remaining undetected: attack from behind, stay in the
shadows, and ensure that the sneak reticle is flat (you are hidden), etc.
If a sneak attack does not kill an enemy, you will become more easily detectable, and your victim will usually start looking for you.
However, if you are not immediately detected (if the sneak 'eye' is not yet fully open), you can sometimes quickly land a second
successful sneak attack. Enemies who witness the attack (by sight or by sound) are also likely to be alerted to your presence, even if
the victim was killed. When using a bow to perform sneak attacks on multiple enemies, position yourself such that after killing one of
them you can sneakily relocate behind nearby cover. If you are not detected or become detected but hidden again, you may be able
to continue with another sneak attack.
Light Armor is the skill governing your ability to fight and move in light armour. Light armour is of primary use by those in the Thief
class, it helps to keep the individual quiet while still providing adequate protection should they be physically struck. A good tip for
Thieves is to wear all light armour but no footwear, early in the game this will make you much less likely to be detected. Each skill
point in Light Armor increases your armour rating from Light Armor by 0.4% (1.5% for NPCs). The Light Armor skill tree has a total of
'6' perks, requiring a total of '10' perk points to fill. Upon the mastery of this skill you will almost completely undetectable by any
enemy.
Trainers
You can increase your skills either by practicing the related skill or by simply buying a skill point from a trainer. There are many
trainers found throughout Skyrim, you can pay them gold to teach you in a particular skill, however you can only buy '5' skill points
per character level. I have listed every available trainer in Skyrim and Solstheim in the table below, but please take note of these
points too:
Sometimes it is beneficial to use only part of the total training allotment for each level. Because training counts towards the next
level progression, training too much may cause the player to skip one or more levels, essentially wasting those training sessions.
Saving the game before training can allow the player to train the maximum number of times without going over.
A Nord Ranger called 'Angi' is an unofficial trainer and she will offer you free practice at her home. You can increase your Archery
skill by up to six levels if you accept. She can be found in her camp located directly to the south of Falkreath.
Training benefits from Sleeping and Standing Stone bonuses, though the XP so acquired will never result in advancing more than one
level.
All trainers put the gold you pay them into their personal inventory. If they are also merchants, then the gold in their personal
inventory is added to the gold they use to barter with. However, most merchants have a cap on their personal gold which is put into
effect when you enter their stores, so if you leave the store and come back later, the gold will have disappeared. Notable exceptions
to this are the merchant trainers added by the Dawnguard add-on.
See the 'Trainer Pickpocketing' section of 'Character and Skill Levelling Exploits' above for information on how to do just that.
Common - Common (0-50), Expert - Expert (0-75), - Master (0-90)
Alchemy
Common Lami
Thaumaturgist's Hut or Jorgen and Lami's House in Morthal
Expert Arcadia
Arcadia's Cauldron in Whiterun

Expert Milore Ienth
Dragonborn DLC - Raven Rock
Master Babette
You must be a member of the Dark Brotherhood - The Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary near Falkreath, or later Dawnstar
Alteration
Expert Dravynea the Stoneweaver
Steamscorch Mine or the Braidwood Inn in Kynesgrove
Master Tolfdir
You must be a member of the College of Winterhold - Saarthal, or the Hall of Elements or Attainment in the College of Winterhold
Archery
Common Faendal
Either outside near the lumber mill or in Faendal's House in Riverwood
Expert Aela the Huntress
You must be a member of the Companions - Jorrvaskr in Whiterun
Master Niruin
You must be a member of the Thieves Guild - Thieves Guild in Riften
Master Sorine Jurard
Dawnguard DLC only - Fort Dawnguard
Block
Expert Njada Stonearm
Master Chief Larak
You must be Blood-Kin - Mor Khazgur to the far northwest of Skyrim, west of Solitude and north of Markarth
Conjuration
Common Runil
In the graveyard or the Hall of the Dead in Falkreath
Expert Phinis Gestor
You must be a member of the College of Winterhold - College of Winterhold;
Master Falion
Morthal, inside his house
Master Talvas Fathryon
Dragonborn DLC only - Tel Mithryn

Destruction
Common Wuunferth the Unliving
Windhelm, Palace of the Kings Upstairs
Expert Sybille Stentor
The Blue Palace in Solitude
Master Faralda
You must be a member of the College of Winterhold - The College of Winterhold, usually in the Hall of Countenance
Enchanting
Expert Sergius Turrianus
You must be a member of the College of Winterhold - College of Winterhold, within the Hall of the Elements or the Hall of
Countenance
Master Hamal
You must complete 'The Heart of Dibella' quest for her - Markarth, usually found in the Temple of Dibella
Master Neloth
Dragonborn DLC only - Tel Mithryn
Heavy Armor
Expert Gharol
You must be Blood-kin - Dushnikh Yal found southeast of Markarth, and southwest of Karthspire.
Master Farkas
Master Isran
Dawnguard DLC only - Inside Fort Dawnguard
Master Kuvar
Dragonborn DLC only - Bujold's Retreat or Thirsk Mead Hall
Illusion
Expert Atub
You must complete the Daedric Quest 'The Cursed Tribe' - Largashbur found southwest of Riften, and east of Avanchnzel.
Master Drevis Neloren
You must be a member of the College of Winterhold - College of Winterhold, within the Hall of Countenance
Light Armor
Common Scouts-Many-Marshes
The docks outside of Windhelm

Expert Grelka
Riften Market from 8am to 8pm, stays at Haelga's Bunkhouse at night
Master Nazir
You must be a member of the Dark Brotherhood - The Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary in Falkreath or later Dawnstar
Lockpicking
Expert Ma'jhad
Ma'dran's Khajiit caravan—travels between Solitude and Windhelm
Master Vex
You must be a member of the Thieves Guild - Ragged Flagon in the Ratways in Riften
One-handed
Common Amren
Wanders inner Whiterun during the day, near the market at 6pm
Expert Athis
Master Burguk
You must be Blood-kin - Dushnikh Yal found southeast of Markarth, and southwest of Karthspire.
Pickpocket
Expert Silda the Unseen
Windhelm, outside of Candlehearth Hall or Blacksmith Quarters
Master Vipir the Fleet
You must be a member of the Thieves Guild - The Thieves Guild in Riften
Restoration
Common Aphia Velothi
Dragonborn DLC only - Aphia Velothi's house in Raven Rock
Expert Colette Marence
You must be a member of the College of Winterhold - College of Winterhold, inside The Arcanaeum
Expert Keeper Carcette
The Hall of the Vigilant, a secluded lodge south-southwest of Dawnstar,
Master Danica Pure-Spring
You must complete 'The Blessings of Nature' quest - Whiterun, Temple of Kynareth
Master Florentius Baenius

Smithing
Common Ghorza
Markarth, she can be found at the blacksmith's workshop near the Hag's Cure, during the day
Expert Balimund
Riften, just outside The Scorched Hammer
Master Eorlund Gray-Mane
You must be a member of the Companions - Whiterun, at the Skyforge
Master Gunmar
Sneak
Common Khayla
Ri'saad's Khajiit caravan—travels between Markarth and Whiterun
Expert Garvey
Markarth, the Warrens
Master Delvin Mallory
Ragged Flagon, Ratways, Riften
Speech
Common Dro'marash
Ahkari's Khajiit caravan—travels between Dawnstar and Riften
Common Revyn Sadri
Windhelm, Sadri's Used Wares
Expert Ogmund the Skald
Markarth, the Silver-Blood Inn
Expert Ronthil
Dragonborn DLC only - Volkihar Keep
Master Giraud Gemane
The Bards College in Solitude
Two-handed
Expert Torbjorn Shatter-Shield
Windhelm, House of Clan Shatter-Shield
Master Fura Bloodmouth

Dragonborn DLC only - Volkihar Keep
Master Vilkas
Master Wulf Wild-Blood
Dragonborn DLC only - Skaal Village, Wulf Wild-Blood's House
Vampirism
'Sanguinare Vampiris' is a disease that can be contracted from vampires, and if not dealt with it will turn you into a vampire yourself.
When fighting vampires they can cast a spell known as 'Vampiric Drain' on you, whenever this happens there is a 10% chance you
will be infected with the disease. Initially, this is a normal disease that just reduces your total health by 25 points and it can be cured
quite simply by drinking a potion of 'Cure Disease', visiting a 'Vigilant of Stendarr', or by visiting a shrine. At sunrise of the first day,
after contracting Sanguinare Vampiris, a message will appear saying: "You feel strangely weakened by the sunrise". At sunset of that
day another message will appear saying: "You feel a strange thirst come over you". If the disease is not cured within three days, it
will progress to full vampirism, and the effects can no longer be reversed with the normal cures.
Vampirism will change your appearance; when a human or elf becomes a vampire, their eyes become black with reddish irises, their
skin pales, they grow fangs, and their faces become gaunt. Argonians will have two sets of fangs, and Khajiit will have fangs like a
sabre cat. Argonians and Khajiit will have paler scales and fur.
Vampires are hated and feared by the general population and stage four vampires will be attacked on sight. The four major joinable
factions (the Companions, College of Winterhold. Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood), will not be hostile toward stage four
vampires so long as you join before you reach stage four and are not caught feeding on any of their members.
Stages
Full vampirism is made up of four distinct stages, starting at stage one and progressing to stage four. You advance one stage for
every 24 hours you go without feeding on a sleeping NPC. Feeding always returns you to stage one.
As a vampire, you will experience both beneficial and detrimental changes depending on your current stage. The longer you go
without blood, the more extreme these changes will become. In addition, as you progress through the stages, you gain several
unique powers and spells, some of which will grow more powerful with each stage. Returning to stage one will remove the higher
level powers and reset the remaining ones to their original strength.
*DG = With the Dawnguard DLC installed.
Stage One Stage Two Stage Three Stage Four

Resistances and Weaknesses
• Resist Disease 100%
• Resist Poison 100%
• Resist Frost 25% (DG: 20%)
• Weakness to Fire 25% (DG: 20%)



Active Effects
• Champion of the Night
• Nightstalker's Footsteps
• Weakness to Sunlight
(-15 to all attributes)



Abilities
• Vampiric Drain
• Vampire's Servant
• Vampire's Sight
• Vampiric Drain
• Vampire's Sight
• Vampire's Seduction
• Vampiric Drain
• Vampire's Sight
• Vampiric Drain
• Vampire's Sight
• Embrace of Shadows
Active Effects and Abilities

Champion of the Night
A permanent active effect you gain from stage one onward that increases the potency of your Illusion spells by 25%.
Nightstalker's Footsteps
A permanent active effect you gain from stage one onward that makes you 25% harder to detect while sneaking.
Weakness to Sunlight
While outside during the day, health, magicka, and stamina are reduced, and the regeneration for each of these stats is reduced by
100%. The reduction increases with each stage of vampirism, as indicated in the table above. Day begins at 5am and ends at 7pm
regardless of weather or the visibility of the sun.
Vampiric Drain
Vampiric Drain is a unique Novice Destruction spell that continuously absorbs a small amount of health from a single target and adds
it to your own. While Vampiric Drain can be dual-cast with the corresponding Destruction skill perk, it's cost is not reduced by any
Destruction proficiency perks and using it does not train your Destruction skill. However, equipment and apparel reducing
Destruction skill costs will still have effect, making it possible to cast Vampiric Drain for free. Unfortunately, this spell is not as
powerful as the version cast by vampire NPCs (which can reach up to over 20 HP per second), but it can be useful to damage an
enemy while healing yourself, especially at lower levels, avoiding the inconvenience of having to switch to individual spells.
Vampire's Servant
This power allows you to reanimate a dead body to fight for you for one minute, once per day. This increases in power with every
stage of vampirism. Note that servants raised with this power may not always disintegrate to ash as with the standard Conjuration
spells, (they retain normal form when the timer runs out, but if they are killed in combat, or if you fast travel, they will disintegrate).
Stage 1: Reanimate a weak dead body for 60 seconds.

Stage 2: Reanimate an average dead body for 60 seconds.
Stage 3: Reanimate a strong dead body for 60 seconds.
Stage 4: Reanimate a very strong dead body for 60 seconds.
Vampire's Sight
Vampire's Sight is a lesser power giving you 'Night Eye' for 60 seconds.
Vampire's Seduction
This power is similar to the Calm spell and can be used once a day. Once the Dawnguard DLC is installed, Vampire's Seduction will
allow you to feed on NPCs at any time, regardless of whether they are sleeping. If you do not possess this power during the vampire
version of the quest 'Prophet', you will temporarily receive it in order to enthrall 'Dexion Evicus', only to have it disappear after use.
Embrace of Shadows
Embrace of Shadows is a power similar to the Invisibility spell that can be used once per day. While this power is active, you will be
invisible and have Night Eye for 180 seconds. Interacting with the environment or attacking will make you visible again.
Feeding
In order to remain at, or return to, the first stage of vampirism, you must feed on a sleeping NPC. To do this press cn_A (by default)
while crouching or standing over them and select 'Feed'. Feeding should be done with caution, as witnesses will immediately
become hostile. You can feed on almost any NPC that sleeps in a bed, including all races and even ghosts, werewolves and other
vampires, but not children. A sleeping NPC may become hostile if they wake while feeding and detect one of your followers. This can
be avoided by having your follower wait outside or providing them with a muffle enchantment. The most effective and safe way to
feed is to use an Invisibility effect from either a potion, spell, or the 'Embrace of Shadows' ability, since feeding is one of the few
actions that does not cancel the effect. Followers can be fed on with total impunity, so long as there are no other witnesses.
Curing Advanced Vampirism

After the first three days of infection, or if you obtained your vampirism from Lord Harkon or Serana, the task of finding a cure
becomes more complex. While visiting any inn, talk to the innkeeper and he or she will send you to Morthal to speak to a Redguard
Conjurer named 'Falion'. This will start the quest 'Rising at Dawn'. However, if you are in the last stage of vampirism (and do not
have Dawnguard installed), the innkeepers may attack you on sight, so you may need to feed in order to lessen the effects of your
vampirism, making NPCs friendly again.
You can also cure your vampirism by becoming a werewolf through the Companions faction. However, once you contract
lycanthropy, you gain a 100% resistance to disease and cannot be re-infected with Sanguinare Vampiris by normal means while a
werewolf.
Dawnguard DLC
If you have the Dawnguard DLC installed, you can gain vampirism by letting 'Lord Harkon' infect you during the 'Bloodline' quest.
Alternatively, you can activate the 'Bloodspring' in 'Redwater Den' located northwest of Riften, or let 'Serana' infect you, either at
the end of the 'Chasing Echoes' quest or after the core Dawnguard quest line is complete.
With Dawnguard installed, vampire eyes will glow yellow-orange. Some vampire faces also appear more 'bat-like' or monstrous, with
a slit running through their lip and a bat-like nose. Argonian and Khajiit vampires look the same with or without Dawnguard.
With Dawnguard installed, if you were previously a werewolf at some point prior to becoming a vampire, then you can ask Aela the
Huntress at the Jorrvaskr in Whiterun to restore your lycanthropy for you, but she will only do this once. This will cure your
vampirism (by making you into a werewolf).
If you are a vampire and have Hearthfire installed, you can add a coffin to use for sleeping in the cellar of Heljarchen Hall, Lakeview
Manor, and Windstad Manor.
Vampire Lords
The 'Vampire Lord' is a lesser power added by the Dawnguard DLC, much like the werewolf Beast Form, it allows players who are
already vampires to turn into a powerful Vampire Lord. Lords are larger humanoid creatures with sharp claws and bat-like wings. In
order to gain this ability, you must accept Lord Harkon's gift during the 'Bloodline' quest or receive it from Serana after the quest
'Chasing Echoes'. The ability can be used an unlimited number of times per day and at any point during normal gameplay. While not
in Vampire Lord form, you will still have all the characteristics of a normal vampire.
As a Vampire Lord, you will be able to use blood magic and other dark powers, and can either levitate and use spells or remain on
the ground and fight with deadly claws. In Skyrim, only the more pure-blooded vampires such as those of Lord Harkon's court have
this ability and, according to him, the family's vampirism was a gift directly from Molag Bal himself.
The Vampire Lord power has the following effects:
You will retain the 'Vampire's Sight' ability from your ordinary vampirism, but all other effects are either removed for the duration of
your Vampire Lord form or replaced with a Vampire Lord version of the same effect.
Your health, magicka, and stamina increase by 100 points each.
Magicka regenerates 2% faster.
You gain a 20-point boost to your unarmed damage (this is the same effect as the Khajiit's claws).
When outside during the day, your health, magicka, and stamina decrease by 60 points each.
When outside during the day, health, magicka, and stamina regeneration is reduced by 90%.
Ability to use the Vampire Lord version of Vampiric Drain, which has a Damage Health effect in addition to draining health, magicka,
and stamina from your target.
'Vampire Claws' constant effect, which gives you additional health, magicka, and stamina, increased unarmed damage, damage
resistance, and waterwalking.
The 'Bats' special ability, which allows you to transform into a swarm of bats for two seconds in order to evade damage (costs 25
magicka).
The' Raise Dead' spell, similar to 'Vampire's Servant', which allows you to reanimate a fallen corpse to fight for you.
You will have a forced third-person view while you are a Vampire Lord, and you will not be able to access character menus or maps.
Opening the character menu will open the 'Vampire Lord perk tree' instead of your normal menus. You will not be able to pick up
any items or start conversations, but you can activate switches (such as levers and pull chains) to progress through dungeons etc.
You can use the 'Revert Form' ability to return to your normal form at any time. If you have summoned a gargoyle while in Vampire
Lord form, it will not disappear when you use Revert Form.
While you are in Vampire Lord form, only the 'Amulet of Bats', 'Amulet of the Gargoyle', 'Ring of the Beast', or 'Ring of the Erudite'
can be used; all of your other equipment is removed automatically. You also will not be able to use your normal spells, Dragon
Shouts, or powers, but your attacks increase in power and speed. You will move more quickly as well, but since the 'Vampire Claws'
constant effect gives you the waterwalking ability, you cannot swim as a Vampire Lord. Once you transform, all summoned creatures
(including dead thralls) will immediately die. Your racial abilities do not carry over into Vampire Lord form, but existing spell effects
do. This includes passive abilities such as The Lord Stone, the Blessing of Mara, and the Magic Resistance perks from the Alteration
skill tree. It also includes the Destruction Cloak spells and the Alteration Flesh spells.
Vampire Lords are dangerous, fearsome creatures, and you will be attacked on sight if you are seen in this form. However, since
NPCs will not recognize you, crimes committed in Vampire Lord form will not be attributed to you and will not increase your bounty.
If you are seen transforming in or out of Vampire Lord form however, 1000 gold will be immediately added to your bounty.
While in Vampire Lord form, you can choose to either levitate or walk normally; you can only cast your spells while levitating, and
will need to stop levitating in order to fight with your claws. When levitating, your right hand is automatically equipped with the
Vampiric Drain spell and cannot be changed. Your left hand is used for your blood magic spells, such as Summon Gargoyle or Raise
Dead. By bringing up the in-game favourites menu, you can switch the spell in your left hand and your active vampire power. You will
take damage as normal from long falls while in levitation mode.
To descend to the ground and enter melee mode, press the cn_LSc button. In this mode, you fight using your claws in a similar
fashion to werewolves. You can also perform a 'power bite' attack that will count toward your perk progress in the Vampire perk
tree. To perform a power bite; use a power attack against a humanoid target when their health is extremely low. The power bite will
not work if you do not have enough stamina to perform the attack, and it will work on any NPCs (including other vampires), but not
on creatures. You can switch between modes as often as necessary while in this form. Your active vampire power can be used in
either mode by pressing the Shout button (cn_RB by default), though powers must be briefly recharged before they can be used
again.
Vampire Mastered Achievement

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While in Vampire Lord form, you will have access to a unique skill tree with perks that make your special abilities more powerful.
Each new perk requires a few more feedings / kills than the last. The first perk requires '5' feedings, the second '6', the third '9', and
the fourth '10'; after that, each new perk requires two more feedings than the last (up to '24' required to progress from the 10th
perk to the 11th). You will need to feed a total of '156' times to complete the entire tree.
The Vampire Mastered achievement requires you to unlock all of the '11' perks in the Vampire Lord skill tree, this will require a
minimum of '156' kills using only either the 'Vampiric Drain' spell or a 'Power Bite' attack. You can use Vampiric Drain to gain perks
on any living creature, except rabbits and foxes, it will not work on undead, constructs or any summoned creatures. The Power Bite
attack can only be performed against humanoids. When using the power bite attack, your opponent should be standing, not
blocking, and you should be still and directly face your target or be directly behind them. Your opponent can attack you and the bite
will still work, and the range of the attack is unknown.
There are two ways to go about unlocking the Vampire Mastered achievement. You can simply play the game casually and
occasionally change into Vampire Lord form to gather a few kills here and there and gradually progress towards the eleven perks,
perhaps go hunting animals for a while or clear a military fort or bandit cave. Or you can make a save and then go on a rampage in
towns and cities. If you either don't care about losing important NPC's, or you have a save to fall back on, you can drop the game
difficulty and visit any of the major cities, kill every inhabitant (except those marked as essential, such as Jarls) and then move on to
the next city until you have unlocked the achievement, then just reload your save before it all happened.
Whichever way you choose to do things, unlocking all '11' perks from the Vampire Lord skill tree will unlock:

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Warrior Class
As a Warrior you should stick to a certain number of skills, namely, for your weapons; One-Handed and Block, One-Handed only or
Two-handed - using offensive magic or archery will only impede your progress in the former skills and make you less effective in
combat. Although you can choose to wear light armour or a combination of heavy and light you will, again, cause both skills to
increase much slower than if you just wore heavy armour, also due to the nature of your combat style as a warrior, it is ill-advised to
wear light armour. Smithing is an important part of being a warrior, you should learn to use the forge efficiently so it doesn't become
a chore, mastering your ores and ingots is a rewarding skill and having the most up to date gear will always give you the upper hand
in combat. Lastly I would advise considering the use of Alteration magic as a warrior. Alteration, is not an offensive magic but
defensive, you can use it protect yourself from magic attacks, to alter metals for Smithing, to detect enemies through walls, to light
areas up and to paralyse enemies.
The One-handed skill governs your effectiveness when using daggers, swords, maces, and war axes. With the addition of dual-
wielding, one-handed weapons can be put in both hands in any combination. The higher your skill in One-handed, the more damage
is done with one-handed weapons. The One-handed skill tree has a total of 10 perks, requiring a total of 21 perk points to fill. Each
skill point grants a +0.5% bonus to the damage dealt with one-handed weapons (+2% for NPCs). This bonus stacks with the ones
provided by the Armsman perk and by Smithing-related improvements.
Dual-Wielding - This is where one-handed weapons are used in both hands and blocking is prevented. While this should theoretically
double damage output, it only increases damage per second by 33%. However, two perks that are available later on are exclusive to
dual wielding and improve it. The 'Dual Flurry' perk increases damage per second to 35% by improving your attack speed, and the
'Dual Savagery' perk makes power attacks significantly stronger. In addition, the speed of dual attacking is affected by whatever
weapon is in your off-hand. For example, if you have a mace in your right hand, but you have a dagger in your left hand, both
weapons will have the same attack speed as a dagger.
Two-handed - This skill governs your effectiveness when using greatswords, warhammers, and battleaxes. The higher your skill in
Two-handed, the more damage is done with two-handed weapons. The Two-handed skill tree has a total of 9 perks, requiring a total
of 19 perk points to fill. Although two-handed weapons are slower than one-handed weapons their damage is significantly greater.
Block - Blocking allows you to reduce damage from melee and ranged combat, using a shield, a torch, a one-handed weapon, or a
two-handed weapon. As perks are gained, Block allows you to do additional damage, disarm your opponent, and gain other benefits
as below. The Block skill tree has a total of 9 perks, requiring a total of 13 perk points to fill.
Staggering - When you, or someone else is hit by certain attacks, there is a chance that they will be staggered. Staggering interrupts
whatever action was being performed by the target and temporarily stuns them, preventing any further attacks until they have
recovered. There are numerous ways to cause staggering, but power attacks are the simplest method and the one most used by
NPCs. The 'Impact', 'Power Shot', and 'Power Bash' perks will add staggering effects to some normal attacks, and the 'Force Without
Effort' ability will improve your overall stagger percentages. Certain dragon shouts are also guaranteed to stagger their targets.
Power attacks - These can be used to deal extra damage or break through an opponent's block. They are performed by holding
down, instead of tapping, the attack button. A power attack has a chance of staggering its target and consumes Stamina according to
the following formula:
Power attack stamina cost = (40 + weapon weight * 2) * attack cost multiplier * (1 - perk effect)
The amount of Stamina available when you execute a power attack and the amount of Stamina consumed by the attack do not
influence how much damage is dealt. However, if you do not have at least one point of Stamina when you attempt to perform a
power attack, the Stamina bar will flash green and you will perform a regular attack instead. This means that consuming a potion or
food item that restores Stamina, even as little as one point per second, will allow you to perform endless power attacks until the
Restore Stamina effect wears off.
You can perform several kinds of power attacks depending on which movement control you press as you attack and what weapon
you are using. If you push the forward input while performing a power attack, you will execute a dash strike, useful for closing the
distance to your enemy quickly. Moving backwards will cause you to step back and then strike, useful for avoiding and countering
enemy attacks. Left and right inputs can be used to sidestep enemy attacks, and with the Sweep perk, a left or right power attack can
strike all enemies in a forward arc when using a two-handed weapon. If you are dual wielding, holding down both the left and right
attack buttons at the same time results in a fast, three-hit power attack that strikes with both weapons.
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Big thank you to The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages with permission for the use of this content granted under the Attribution-
ShareAlike 2.5 License with due acknowledgement and thanks.
Skyrim Game Guide.
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The main focus of the Hearthfire DLC is to become the Thane of Falkreath Hold, Hjaalmarch Hold, and The Pale in order to purchase
a plot of land in each and construct a house there. The amount of effort involved in doing this will depend on the way the Civil War is
going, or has went in the main game. Becoming the Thane of a Hold usually involves performing specific quests for the Jarl of that
Hold and then a few miscellaneous objectives to help out the people of the Hold.
Once you are Thane you can buy the plot of land and begin construction on your new house. You can design and build these houses
from scratch. Once built they can be used as a storage centre, and for your family to live in.
Additionally from building three full houses, you have to adopt at least one child. After at least one house is built with at least one
child's bedroom you can adopt a child, there are no other prerequisites.
You do get other additional, non-achievement related features such as stewards, a personal carriage driver, a personal bard, new
activities such as; baking, beekeeping, fishing and farming, and four new loading screens as well.
So the achievements are:
Landowner - Buy one plot of land

Land Baron - Buy all three plots of land
Architect - Build all three wings of one house
Master Architect - Fully build all three houses
Proud Parent - Adopt one child
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Windstad Manor
> Windstad Manor is in the Hjaalmarch, home to Morthal, go there.
If you have completed the Civil War for the Stormcloaks and replaced 'Igrod Ravencrone' with 'Sorli the Builder' as the new Jarl then
all you need to do is complete '3' little favours for the people of Hjaalmarch in order to become Thane, skip down to 'Favours' below.
If you followed the Comprehensive Playthrough you should already have completed the Side-Quest 'Laid to Rest' for the Imperial Jarl
Igrod Ravencrone, if so skip down to 'Favours' below, if not follow these steps and complete it now:
> Find the burned down house on the west side of Morthal to add a conversation starter to the game, then go into the 'Highmoon
Hall' and speak to the Jarl about it. The house belonged to a Nord lumberjack called 'Hroggar', it burned down recently killing his
wife and child. The Jarl is suspicious of Hroggar since he shacked up with a local Nord woman named 'Alva' the very next day.
> Return to the burned house again and speak to the ghost of Hroggar's daughter; 'Helgi'. She wants you to play hide and seek with
her, and if you find her before a certain someone else that she is afraid to name, she will reveal who set the fire.
> Return to the Jarl and tell her about Helgi, SAVE. You will have to wait until it's dark, after 8pm and a quest marker should appear
to find Helgi again.
> Before you reach Helgi you'll come fact-to-face with a vampire called 'Laelette', kill her, make sure to SAVE then talk to Helgi
immediately to prevent a bug. Helgi reveals that Laelette was actually forced to set the fire, and in her regret she attempted to save
Helgi by turning her into a vampire, unfortunately it was too and she died.
> After this Laelette's husband 'Thonnir' will arrive, he is very upset at his wife's death and he doesn't believe your story. You must
find proof of Alva and Laelette's vampirism.
> Find Alva's house on the east side of town, if you break in during the night Hroggar may be inside and you will have to sneak past
him or kill him, if you break in during the day Alva will be inside and you may have to kill her instead. Either way find Alva's journal in
the basement and read it, SAVE.
> The journal reveals the whole plot about a Master Vampire named 'Movarth' who lives in a cave near Morthal. He enslaved Alva
and used her to turn some of the residents of Morthal into vampires while keeping the others around as a fresh blood supply. Take
this information to the Jarl in Highmoon Hall.
> The Jarl rewards you with some leveled gold and commissions you to kill Movarth in his lair, she has gathered a group of
townspeople to help you.
> Go back outside and SAVE, the mob will be waiting for you to walk to 'Movarth's Lair' found north of Morthal. The mob will be lead
by Thonnir who will begin to leave whether you're ready or not.
> As you approach Movarth's Lair everyone except Thonnir will flee back to town in fear. You can choose to have Thonnir accompany
you into the cave, but it's best to leave him here to prevent a glitch and he isn't much use anyway.
> Enter the lair and SAVE. Movarth will have several thralls inside which you must kill to get to him, and if you didn't kill Alva before,
she will be here too, although she may turn on Movarth and his thralls, it is best to let her die by their hands as you can incur a
bounty by killing her, even if Thonnir is outside.
> After you have killed Movarth and his thralls, leave the lair. You will be greeted by Helgi's ghost again outside and she thanks you
for avenging her and her mother. Return also to the Jarl and receive a leveled amount of gold and to increase your disposition with
her.
Favours
You have a few more little tasks to complete before you are made the Thane of Hjaalmarch. You must win the favour of at least '3'
people in Hjaalmarch Hold, I have listed some of the easiest of these below:
Fight Benor - Find Benor either wandering around Morthal, or in the Guardhouse on the south side of town between 2am and 9am.
Offer to brawl him and win.
Mine Ore for Gestur - Find Gestur Rockbreaker in Rockwallow Mine in Stonehills, found to the east of Morthal. Simply sell him some
iron ore.
Deliver Note for Idgrod the Younger - Find Idgrod the Younger in Highmoon Hall on the southwest side of Morthal. Deliver a note for
her to Danica Pure-Spring in Whiterun.
Chop Wood for Jorgen - Find Jorgen near the mill on the north side of Morthal or in his house. Simply sell him some firewood.
Book for Lami - Find a copy of the 'Song of the Alchemists' (See Skill book section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page) for all
locations, and bring it to Lami. she can usually be found in the Thaumaturgist's Hut in the centre of Morthal.
Note some of these NPCs can die, if you are unable to complete 3 favours then the only option now is to gain the 'Investor' perk
from the Speech skill tree and invest money with any merchant in Hjaalmarch Hold.
Buying the plot of land
With 'Laid to Rest' complete find the Nord ranger 'Aslfur' in the Highmoon Hall. He serves as the Jarl's steward and speaking to him
about 'Buying a house' will prompt the offer instead to buy the plot of land in the Hjaalmarch. This plot is 5000 gold, if you do not
have enough yet see the Money Making section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page.
Buying your first plot of land unlocks:
Landowner in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Landowner16 (10)
Buy a plot of land
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Windstad Manor is located to the northeast, it will be marked on your map, head out there from the nearest fast-travel point.
Building your house
> When you arrive, SAVE. You will find a 'Drafting Table' - used to design your house, a 'Carpenter's Workbench' - used to build parts
of your house, and a smithing 'Anvil' - used like an ordinary anvil to craft weapons and armours, but now you have the added option
to craft 'Building Materials'.
> You will also notice the chest with some building materials inside and wood logs nearby, these are just a few free materials to get
you started.
> Take '10' 'Quarried Stone' and '4' iron ingots from the chest then activate the Drafting Table. Select the only option; for a 'Small
house layout' - this is for the foundation of the house and it adds their design to the Carpenter's Workbench.
> First activate the Anvil, go down to 'Building Materials' and craft '40' nails, it's 10 to each ingot.
> Now activate the Carpenter's Workbench and build the 'House, foundation' and the 'House, wall framing'. Continue to build the
'House, walls', 'House, floor', and 'House, roofing'.
Now unless you already had some iron ingots with you, you won't be able to continue past this point. You will require many various
materials to finish the construction of Windstad Manor. Iron ore and ingots are readily available from various blacksmiths in major
towns and you can buy 'Lumber' from any of the various wood mills in Skyrim. Corundum ingots are required for many parts of the
buildings also. And you will also need 'Clay' and 'Quarried Stone' - deposits of these will be newly scattered around Skyrim after the
Hearthfire DLC is installed, and once you build one house you can buy them from your steward. You will require a 'Pickaxe' to
harvest the materials from these deposits like any ore. Pickaxes are found in many mines around Skyrim. A definite location is in
'Embershard Mine' just west of Riverwood, found inside by the fire. Or you could find the special 'Notched Pickaxe' embedded in the
rocks right at the very top of the Throat of the World mountain. Note; that unlike normal ore veins, the clay and quarried stone
deposits offer an infinite supply of their materials, so you are only limited by how long you mine for and how much you can carry.
See the lists of iron deposits, corundum deposits, and wood mill locations after this section of the page for reference.
Stone Quarry
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Clay Deposit
External image
There is a clay deposit right next to the log pile at Windstad, it's in the ground and quite hard to see on the north side of the logs.
There is also a stone quarry a little further north, it's embedded in the cliff wall on the east side just before two snow covered trees.
Also, directly west, is another clay deposit and another stone quarry just behind that. You will find an iron ore vein too just to the
south of the Drafting Table etc, behind some rocks.
Continue to gather further materials as you play. Return when you wish to add materials to the chest near the Drafting Table, it is
safe to store all your materials here. Keep adding the main designs to the Carpenter's workbench and building the various parts of
the building. Remember to add the extra bedrooms so you can adopt a child (unless you already own a house from the main game).
Note; that you can only add one design to the workbench at any one time, the drafting table will allow you to select multiple parts of
the building but you will only be able to actually make the last one you selected, return to the table to add another design.
This page will gives you a good idea for the designs of the various houses and the required materials:
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Construction
Once you have constructed your first house with three wings you will unlock:
Architect in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Architect19 (10)
Build three wings on a house
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When you enter your new home you may notice that it is extremely bare. To add additional features, such as tables, beds, chairs,
storage items etc, use the Carpenter's Workbenches in the relevant rooms. These features may require many different materials
including ingredients and some special new items, such as Straw, Goat horns and Glass etc. Things like this can be purchased from
most general goods merchants, and they will begin to appear in random loot.
Here is a list of some free Iron and Corundum deposits and wood mill locations:
Iron Deposits
Solitude's Blacksmiths - 5 ores and 27 ingots can be stolen from in and outside.
Halted Stream Camp - Located north of Whiterun. Contains: 16 veins and 4 ores.
Fort Fellhammer - Located south of Dawnstar. Contains: 10 veins and 10 ores.
Embershard Mine - Located west of Riverwood. Contains: 8 veins, 2 ores and 2 ingots.
Treva's Watch - Located southeast of Ivarstead. Contains: 1 vein, 3 ores and 18 ingots.
Sorli's House - Located in Stonehills, east of Morthal. Contains: 4 ores and 19 ingots.
Knifepoint Ridge - Located northwest of Falkreath. Contains: 6 veins and 3 ores.
Iron-Breaker Mine - Located in Dawnstar. Contains: 6 veins and 1 ore.
Lefthand Mine - Located southeast of Markarth. Contains: 5 veins.
Forsaken Cave - Located west of Windhelm. Contains: 11 ingots.
Corundum Deposits
Knifepoint Ridge - Located northwest of Falkreath. Contains: 19 veins.

Blackreach - Located through Alftand, west of Winterhold. Contains: 14 veins and 2 ores.
Goldenrock Mine - Located northeast of Ivarstead, west of Mistwatch. Contains: 4 veins, 9 ores and 6 ingots.
Liar's Retreat - Located northeast of Karthwasten. Contains: 4 veins.
Broken Helm Hollow - Located southeast of Riften. Contains: 3 veins.
Wood Mills
Solitude Sawmill - Located just south of Solitude, speak to 'Kharag gro-Shurkul'.

Heartwood Mill - Located to the west of Riften, speak to 'Grosta'.
Anga's Mill - Located to the west of Windhelm, speak to 'Aeri'.
Ivarstead - Located in the west of the Rift, speak to 'Temba Wide-Arms'.
Half-Moon Mill - Located north-northwest of Falkreath, speak to 'Hert'.
Adopting a Child
You now have the ability to adopt up to '2' children, but only '1' is required for the achievement. I have listed every available child
that can be adopted below. Apart from adopting from the Honorhall Orphanage in Riften, which requires the completion of the Dark
Brotherhood quest 'Innocence Lost', there is no prerequisite other than having a house with extra beds in to adopt a child.
Child's Name
Race
Sex
Current Home
Alesan
Redguard
Male
None
Blaise
Breton
Male
Katla's Farm, Solitude
Francois Beaufort
Imperial
Male
Honorhall Orphanage, Riften
Lucia
Imperial
Female
None
Runa Fair-Shield
Nord
Female
Hroar
Nord
Male
Samuel
Imperial
Female
Sofie
Nord
Female
none
These additional children can be adopted only if their parents have died in the game:
Child's Name
Race
Sex
Parents
Current Home
Aeta
Nord
Female
Oslaf and Finna
Oslaf's House, Skaal Village, Solstheim
Braith
Redguard
Female
Amren and Saffir
Amren's House, Whiterun
Britte
Nord
Female
Lemkil
Lemkil's Farmhouse, Rorikstead
Clinton Lylvieve
Breton
Male
Azzada and Michel Lylvieve
Lylvieve's Family House, Dragon Bridge
Dorthe
Nord
Female
Alvor and Sigrid
Alvor and Sigrid's House, Riverwood
Eirid
Nord
Female
Dagur and Haran
The Frozen Hearth, Winterhold
Erith
Breton
Female
Daighre
Left Hand Mine, Markarth
Frodnar
Nord
Male
Hod and Gerdur
Hod and Gerdur's House, Riverwood
Gralnach
Nord
Male
Leifnarr and Grosta
Heartwood Mill, The Rift
Hrefna
Nord
Female
Tormir
Goldenrock Mine, Darkwater Crossing
Knud
Nord
Male
Snilling and Katla
Katla's Farm, Solitude
Minette Vinius
Nord
Female
Corpulus
The Winking Skeever, Solitude
Skuli
Nord
Male
Firir and Eydis
Old Hroldan Inn, The Reach
Sissel
Nord
Female
Lemkil
Lemkil's Farmhouse, Rorikstead
Svari
Nord
Female
Advar and Greta
Advar's House, Solitude
To actually adopt a child imply talk to them about their parents, and offer to adopt them. For those in the Honorhall Orphanage you
must speak with 'Constance' first, she will ask your name and what you do for a living. The best answers to give are 'I'm the
Dragonborn', 'I'm the Harbinger of the Companions', or 'I'm the Archmage of the College of Winterhold'. Any of these answers will
suffice and as long as you have a home with extra beds you can choose it from a list of your homes and the deal is done.
Upon adopting your first child you will unlock:
Proud Parent in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Proud Parent17 (10)
Adopt a child
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Heljarchen Hall
You should have already completed the Daedric Quest 'Waking Nightmare' as part of the Comprehensive Playthrough, but if not
then navigate now to the Daedric Artifacts page and follow the 'Skull of Corruption' section to complete this quest first.
Once Waking Nightmare is complete you may have to do one favour for the Jarl of Dawnstar in order to be able to buy a plot of land
in the Pale. To be able to start this favour quest you must be at least character level 22. Go to Dawnstar when you are.
> Go into the 'White Hall' in the southeast of Dawnstar, SAVE.
> Talk to the Jarl about helping with a giant problem, he will direct you to either 'Blizzard Rest', 'Red Road Pass', or 'Tumble Arch
Pass'.
> Go to the giant camp, SAVE, kill the giant.
> Return to the White Hall, SAVE, and report back to the Jarl. He will be pleased and reward you with some leveled gold.
Once you have completed these tasks you can build towards becoming the Thane of the Pale. If Brina is the Jarl through siding with
the Imperials in the Civil War quest line, then you would have already gained favour and you can skip down to 'buying a plot of land'.
Otherwise you will have to complete favours for at least '3' people in the Pale.
Favours
These favours are quite small, some of the easiest are listed below:
Mine ore for Beithild - She can be found near Ironbreaker Mine there in Dawnstar. If you didn't kill her during the Dark Brotherhood
quest line then all you need do is sell her some Iron ore.
Mine ore for Leigelf - Quicksilver Mine, Dawnstar. Just sell him some Quicksilver ore.
Chop wood or deliver note for Aeri - Found at Anga's Mill west of Windhelm, just sell her firewood or deliver a note for her to the
Jarl - only one of these will count for the favour.
Void Salts for Captain Wayfarer - Find him on the 'Sea Squall' docked at Dawnstar harbour, simply give him some Void Salts
Make Karl Dance - Find a drunkard inside Ironbreaker Mine in Dawnstar and give him any kind of alcoholic drink.
from the Speech skill tree and invest money with any merchant in the Pale.
Once you have gained enough favour in the Pale you must now speak to either Skald or his Steward 'Bulfrek', if the Stormcloaks are
in power. If the Imperials are in power speak directly to Jarl Brina Merilis. Ask them to buy a house in Dawnstar, they will say that
there are none available, but that you can buy a plot of land in the Pale for 5,000 gold.
After buying the plot of land 'Heljarchen Hall' will be marked on your map, it's located directly between Dawnstar and Whiterun, but
closer to Whiterun, just north of Loreius' Farm.
Go there and follow the same method of construction as with Windstad Manor, see 'Building your house' above.
Specifically found near Heljarchen Hall are: A Stone quarry just south of the chest, and near the lop pile to the west are two clay
deposits. There is also a Corundum ore vein near the rocks to the northeast and an iron ore vein on the other side of the rocks to the
west.
External image
Lakeview Manor
> Go to Falkreath and enter the Jarl's Longhouse to the east of the town.
If you sided with the Stormcloaks in the Civil War and you have made 'Dengeir of Stuhn' the new Jarl of Falkreath then you would
have gained a lot of favour with him. You still have to complete '3' favours for the people of Falkreath though, if this is the case skip
down to 'Favours' below.
If the Imperials are in power then you must first complete the side-quest; 'Kill the Bandit Leader' to become the Thane of the Reach.
After reaching level 9 you should have received a letter from Jarl Siddgeir asking for help with a problematic bandit leader. If you did
not receive the letter then you must also complete a small favour for Siddgeir called 'Rare Gifts'. Speak to him and he will ask you to
retrieve some 'Black-Briar Mead', that's all, a lot of bottles can be found in the Honningbrew Meadery found southeast of Whiterun.
Once that is complete speak to him about the bandit leader.
> Siddgeir wants you to kill a bandit leader of either 'Bilegulch Mine', 'Cracked Tusk Keep', 'Embershard Mine', or 'Knifepoint Ridge'.
> Go to the specified location, SAVE. You do not have to kill every one of the bandits, just the leader him/herself who will be marked
with a quest marker.
> Once the bandit leader is dead, SAVE, and return to Siddgeir in the Longhouse.
Favours
You have a few more tasks to complete before you are made Thane of Falkreath; you must win the favour of at least '3' people in
Falkreath Hold. I have listed all known instances of this below:
Chop Wood for Hert - If you didn't kill her during a Dark Brotherhood quest the you can find her at Half-Moon Mill, found to the
north-northwest of Falkreath. Simply sell her some firewood.
Steal Items for Dengeir - Speak to Dengeir about stealing some letters for him.
Sell Wheat to Mathies - Find Mathies at 'Corpselight Farm' in the centre of Falkreath, simply sell him some wheat.
Runil's Journal - Find Runil in the Hall of the Dead in the northwest of Falkreath town. Speak to him about retrieving his journal, and
retrieve it for him.
Thadgeir - Find Thadgeir in Dengeir's house on the north side of Falkreath, retrieve deliver 'Berit's Ashes' to Runil for her in the Hall
of the dead.
from the Speech skill tree and invest money with any merchant in Falkreath Hold.
If the Stormcloaks are in power speak to Dengeir's steward 'Nenya', if the Imperials are in power speak to Siddgeir's steward 'Tekla'.
Ask about buying a house and they will say that there are none available but you may buy a plot of land in Falkreath Hold for 5,000
gold.
Buying a third plot of land will unlock:
Land Baron in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Land Baron25 (10)
Buy three plots of land
76,134
With the plot purchased it will then be marked on your map, Lakeview Manor is found to the northeast of Falkreath by the shore of
Lake Ilinalta.
The method of construction is identical to previous houses, please refer to the 'Building your house' section of Windstad Manor
above for more information.
Specifically located near Lakeview Manor are; a stone quarry can be found to the southeast, near the cliff face, and two clay deposits
to the southwest of that. Also two iron ore veins can be found near the clay and a corundum ore vein is just up the hill to the south
in the snow.
Fully constructing all the wings of all three houses will unlock:
Master Architect in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Master Architect27 (10)
Build three houses
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What you do with your houses is now entirely down to you. Why not fill them with all the trophies of Skyrim as reminders of all your
adventures?
External image
This add-on introduces a new faction to Skyrim called the Dawnguard. This group of vampire hunters are at war with another new
group called the 'Volkihar Vampire Clan'. Much like the Civil War, you can become a part of this conflict and be instrumental in
resolving it. Alike to the Civil War, you must choose which side to join and remain loyal to them.
The Dawnguard DLC adds '39' new quests ('13' of which are required for the achievements), '24' new locations, '80' new characters,
'3' new Shouts ('1' achievement related), '3' new blessings, '9' new spells, a new 'Lycanthropy' and 'Vampire Lord' skill tree and
abilities (and '1' achievement attached to each), plus '18' new loading screens and new creature variants, apparel, armour, books,
jewelry, weapons, and more.
All achievements can be unlocked in one playthrough regardless of which side you choose.
There are '10' new achievements added by this DLC, '3' of which are Missable; '3' are unlocked by completing the main quest line, '1'
is unlocked by completing a special side-quest, '2' for acquiring all of the Lycanthropy and Vampirism perks, '1' for learning all words
of the new 'Soul Tear' Shout, '1' for using a new special weapon, '1' for using the new feature to change your character's
appearance, and '1' for killing one 'Legendary Dragon'.
The achievements for acquiring the Lycanthropy and Vampirism perks ('Werewolf Mastered' and 'Vampire Mastered') are Missable
because there are limited chances to become a Werewolf and a Vampire Lord in the game. If you miss these opportunities and then
cure yourself, you may not be able to change back, ever. The other missable achievement is the one concerning the changing of your
face ('A New You'); it is missable because the person who changes your face can permanently glitch out of the game. I have advised
the best way to go about gaining these achievements on this page.
WARNING: After installing the Dawnguard DLC, you will be subject to random, and very dangerous, vampire attacks in various
locations, but mainly in towns and cities. These are not particularly dangerous to you, but they can easily cause the deaths of quest
and achievement related characters. I recommend you conclude all business involving any and all other quests and achievements
from the base game, and the Hearthfire and Dragonborn DLCs, before even installing this DLC.
A New You
Changing your face is the easiest achievement to unlock and because of its potentially missable nature I suggest you do it now. All
you need is access to the 'Ragged Flagon' in Riften and 1000 Gold, you must also not be a vampire. If you have not started the
Thieves Guild quest line by now please see the Thieves Guild page for all information. If you are a vampire you need to see about
curing yourself, see the vampirism section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page for all information.
Enter the Ragged Flagon and find a Wood Elf named 'Galathil' sitting down near the water. If you're not a vampire she will offer her
services to change your face. Pay 1000 gold and you don't even need to actually do anything to unlock:
A New You in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
A New You36 (20)
Change your face
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Werewolf Mastered
Another easy task, and one you should take of as soon as possible, is mastering the werewolf skill tree. You may still have the 'Beast
Form' power from your time with the Companions, if not; navigate to the Companions page and complete the first quests to become
a werewolf.
If you have became a werewolf prior to installing the Dawnguard DLC and then cured yourself, you have one chance to become a
werewolf again; visit the Jorrvaskr in Whiterun and speak to 'Aela the Huntress', she will gift you with the Beast blood once more,
but once more only. If you cure yourself a second time by either using a Glenmoril Witch head or by continuing with the Dawnguard
DLC and becoming a 'Vampire Lord' before acquiring all the werewolf perks, you will be unable to ever unlock this achievement
without restarting a new game.
Once you are a werewolf you can build experience points simply by changing into werewolf form (activate 'Beast Form' from the
magic menu), and devouring bodies. You can only feed on humanoid bodies, before you unlock the 'Savage Feeding' perk and every
feeding restores '50' points of health and adds an additional '30' seconds of time to your beast form. Remember that if people (other
than hostiles such as bandits etc) witness you changing in or out of Beast Form you will incur a 1000 gold bounty and you may cause
the deaths of important characters.
The best way to gain XP fast is to visit bandit dungeons or military forts (obviously of the opposing side to you in the Civil War). You,
can if you wish, kill everyone in the area in normal human form, then change into a werewolf and devour all the bodies. An
alternative method, but I do not recommend, is to make a save, then go into populated towns and cities such as Solitude and Riften,
and then kill everyone in the area and devour their bodies, repeat this until you have the werewolf mastered achievement, then
reload your save before it all happened.
A very helpful tool for you also, is the 'Ring of Hircine'; this gives you the ability to change into a werewolf much more often. To find
out about how to gain this ring, see the 'Saviours Hide and the Ring of Hircine' section of the Daedric Artifacts page.
For more information about all the werewolf perks and abilities etc, please refer to the 'Lycanthropy' section of the Miscellaneous
Achievements page.
Acquiring all werewolf perks will unlock:

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Legendary Dragon
A new type of dragon is added by the Dawnguard DLC; the Legendary dragon. You may not encounter them however, until you reach
at least character level '75', (see the character and skill leveling exploits section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page for more
information on how to level up faster). (For an unknown reason, I encountered a Legendary dragon at level 51, so if you just keep
playing one may find you without having to grind to level 75).
Legendary dragons have similar damage to 'Revered' and 'Serpentine' dragons, but will greater health, stamina and magic damage.
Their 'Drain Vitality' Shouts can be particularly lethal, and should be avoided at all costs. Prepare yourself well for Legendary dragon
attacks; even on lower difficulty settings they can deplete your health faster than you can possibly recover without health potions, so
stock up on them.
To bring them down you should concentrate on ranged attacks, and always lure them away from populated areas (they will kill
important characters like mad). If they're breathing fire use frost, if they're breathing frost use fire attacks. Use Shouts, powers,
poisons, everything to take them down as quickly as possible.
Killing your first Legendary dragon will unlock:

Legend120 (40)
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Lost to the Ages
Before you head off into the world of Vampire Lords, there is a lucrative, and essential side-quest you should complete first. 'Lost to
the Ages' takes you to various Dwarven ruins in search of the truth behind the fall of Dwemer, and lost treasures of Aetherium.
To begin the quest you must find the book known as 'The Aetherium Wars', there are at least six known books inexistence in Skyrim.
The easiest copies can be found:
College of Winterhold - The Arcanaeum - Southeast side of the room, on a table.

Solitude - The Bard's College - Ground floor, right of the northwest entrance, in a small bookcase.
Whiterun - Dragonsreach - Farengar's study, southeast room, low down in the left-hand bookcase.
When you read the book you will receive a quest marker and the objective 'Investigate the ruins of Arkngthamz', be sure to activate
this objective in your journal (under miscellaneous).
A bug can occur that means the objective does not appear and going to Arkngthamz anyway will not update the quest. The only
known fix is to reload a previous save; (specifically, if you have started the Dawnguard main story, reload a save before that). Then, if
you have the book or any Aetherium Shards, drop them, then pick them back up and read the book to initialize the quest.
> Go to Arkngthamz, it's located to the southeast of Markarth, a little southeast of Dushnikh Yal. Once inside SAVE and make your
way into the ruin.
> Between the tremors, you'll hear a ghostly voice warning you to turn back, proceed on until you reach a large open room, the
ghost of 'Katria' will engage you in conversation. She mentions the treasure, and she desires to prove that it was she who found the
'forge'. Offer to help her reach the summit.
> Continue down the broken pillar and you'll find Katria's dead body, take her journal and read it if you like, it shows a map of some
sites linked to Aetherium. Proceed west across the pipe, destroy two Dwarven spiders and reach a flooded room.
> Use the pipe to climb up and reach the next section ahead, SAVE and move on to find a door repeatedly opening and closing on its
own. You are introduced to 'Kinetic Resonators', you can activate the one opposite this door by hitting it with a weapon or spell, this
opens the next door.
> Proceed through and up some stairs, kill the recognize Falmer at the top then take a right and kill another. Continue up the ledge
to the southeast killing the Falmer on the way. Cross over to the other side and proceed northwest, kill more Falmer before entering
a tunnel, SAVE.
> Be careful in the next area as you'll encounter what is probably your first 'Chaurus Hunter', these can be very taxing on your health
and can kill you quickly in numbers. Kill the hunters and a recognize Falmer, before on to an open cavern area.
> Watch your step here, the drop ahead is certain death, make your way to the right and up into the next part of the ruin. You'll
come out again into another open area, hug the ledge to your right and move on, continue down as the path twists to reach the
bottom.
> At the bottom SAVE, you'll find the elaborate, and very lethal, 'Tonal Lock'. It possesses five kinetic resonators, and they must be
struck in a certain order to unlock the gate below. Failure to hit the correct resonator will result in ever increasingly dangerous traps
and enemies to attack you.
You can, if you wish, search the body of the dead adventurer near the pillar, as Katria suggests, and pick up the piece of scrap paper.
This, along with Katria's journal, reveals the first three resonators to hit in sequence. The image below (courtesy of
Gamepressure.com) shows the exact order and location of the remaining resonators to hit:
External image
You can use any ranged spell, or a bow and arrow, to hit the resonators, if you lack anything like that, you can use the hunting bow
and arrows on the dead adventurer.
> Hit the resonators in the correct sequence and proceed through one of the gates ahead. Go inside and pick up the 'Aetherium
Shard'. Katria will explain that there are three more shards that must be found. The map in her journal marks the possible locations
of these other pieces and they will then be marked on your map. Katria will leave you now to scout ahead.
> Go back out, for a quick exit; look to the water to the southwest, find the small water-logged tunnel and proceed through, be
careful not just run off the edge, make a SAVE before jumping down into the water. Swim to the left, and walk up the pipes and back
to where you first met Katria. Now exit the ruin the way you came in.
> It doesn't matter which order you find the remaining shards in, so fast-travel to 'Raldbthar' to the west of Windhelm, you may have
been there previously during a Dark Brotherhood quest, otherwise fast-travel to the nearest location and make your way there.
As a bug; the map markers showing the locations of the shards may not be there, don't worry about it and just follow my directions
here.
> Once you arrive SAVE, you may be attacked outside by bandits, kill them and then enter the ruin. Proceed straight ahead and kill
the bandit near the flames. SAVE, then go straight on and pick the expert lock.
> Kill the bandits in this room then open the gate to the left and kill the another recognize bandit. Move through the next door and
destroy the Dwarven sphere, then through another door and take care of the spider and spheres in here.
> Move into the next room and SAVE before avoiding the spinning blades trap as you climb the stairs. Destroy another couple of
spheres and avoid the flame trap, before moving up the stairs and destroying a few more spiders. Now pull the lever to descend into
'Raldbthar Deep Market'.
> Once inside SAVE, move forward and by wary to avoid the automatic spinning blade trap ahead, open the door and move into an
open area inhabited with various Falmer enemies, kill or sneak through them all. Use the stairs to the northwest to ascend to the
upper level, kill more Falmer and find the little button in the northeast corner to extend a bridge to the south.
> Use the new bridge to reach the other side of the upper level, make your way around and then to onto, what seem like rooftops,
then go in on the left and open the door. Be careful around the next corner as an automated Dwemer ballista will fire at you, SAVE.
> Kill a spider, avoid the pressure plate, then kill another spider and Dwarven sphere before reaching another door. Go through to
find four switches, simply hit the third one from the left to open the way to your left.
> Move through the next door and SAVE, open the gate you'll encounter multiple high level Falmer, kill them all. You'll notice various
exposed Dwemer cogs about the room, but some of them are jammed by bones.
> Remove the leg from the cog near the gate, then move around the room on the right, take out the Falmer here and remove the
human spine from the cog there. Now go into the water and find the cog under the bridge to the southeast, remove the Dwemer
scrap then go up the stairs on your right. Remove the skull from the cog on the left side and return to the start of the bridge.
> SAVE, before hitting the button, it will drop the drawbridge and a Centurion will be revealed on the far side. Defeat the Centurion
then go behind where it came from and open the door.
> Move through, pull the lever, and defeat the spiders and spheres in this room. Katria will appear, move into the north-eastern
room and grab the second Aetherium Shard. Go through the gate to the southwest and pull the lever to take the lift to the surface.
> Once outside SAVE, use the lever to open gate, the next shard is located at 'Deep Folk Crossing'; an old Dwemer bridge just south
of Bthardamz, to the north of Markarth. Fast-travel there, or to the closest location you have to it.
> Once at Deep Folk Crossing, SAVE, go up the hill to the north. This shard is rather unprotected, it sits on the on the far side of a
small stone structure, on the opposite side of the Dwarven Convector.
> The final shard is located near 'Mzulft'; another Dwarven ruin to the southeast of Windhelm, you may have visited there during a
College of Winterhold quest. Fast-travel to Mzulft or the closest place you have to it.
> You're not going into the main ruin itself, instead find a smaller storeroom to the southeast. Once inside SAVE, Katria will greet you
again, it seems she is unable to open the door. You can either pick the expert lock ahead, pick two apprentice locks to the side, or all
three (for skill xp). Pick up the final shard inside the southeast room, Katria will thank you and say she'll meet you at the 'forge'.
> The forge is located in the 'Ruins of Bthalft', it's found southeast of Ivarstead, fast-travel there, or to the nearest possible location.
Ruins of Bthalft
> Once you arrive at the Ruins of Bthalft SAVE, take care of any enemies that may be around and find Katria. Talk to her and then
place the Aetherium Shards into the 'Dwarven Mechanism', the mechanism will turn and the earth will shake, Katria then suggests
removing the completed 'Aetherium Crest' that has been formed from the shards.
> Take the crest and then jump down to where Katria is, stand back and observe as a Dwemer tower ascends out of the ground. Now
follow the very excited Katria down into the Aetherium Forge.
> Once inside SAVE, use the lever at the side of the gate to open it and move through. Continue down the newly illuminated stairs
and across the bridges to reach a stone staircase. At the top, above the tree, you'll see two kinetic resonators, hit them with a spell
or bow and arrow, (a Dwarven bow with some arrows can be found near the bench on the north wall).
> Go through the newly opened gate, make a SAVE here and keep it until you leave Bthalft. Go down the stairs and through the door
on the left to reveal the Aetherium Forge in all its glory. Katria (even though she's a ghost) complains of the steam, so it's your
objective to shut it off.
> Use the steam valves to the left and right to shut off the steam, SAVE and prepare to be attacked by a succession of Dwemer
machines; spiders, followed by spheres, and finally a special Centurion called the 'Forgemaster'.
> Defeat all the enemies, you can turn the steam off again during the battle to prevent damage from the steam if you like. When all
the enemies are no more, Katria will talk to you. Relieved that you succeeded she wants to test the forge, and suggests using the
only Aetherium you have to forge one special item.
> You need a few extra materials; check the Dwemer chests either side of the room for what you need, you may want to consult the
choices below before you decide what to take:
You can only forge one of the items below, this will use up all the Aetherium available and you cannot use the forge again, choose
wisely:
> Aetherium Crown - A circlet that allows you to have two Standing Stone blessings at once.
Requires: 2 Dwarven metal ingots, 2 flawless sapphires, and 2 gold ingots.
> Aetherium Shield - A heavy shield that makes enemies ethereal when shield bashed.
Requires: 2 Refined malachite, and 4 Dwarven metal ingots.
> Aetherium Staff - A staff that summons a Dwarven spider or sphere for 60 seconds.
Requires: 2 Dwarven metal ingots, 2 ebony ingots, and 1 gold ingot.
After forging your chosen item talk to Katria, she will be thankful and pleased with whatever you choose to forge, and with a bow
she will depart you forever. SAVE.
This completes the quest Lost to the Ages, and unlock:
Lost to the Ages in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

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Later you may encounter Katria's treacherous apprentice 'Taron Dreth', if you have the Aetherium item on you he will attack you
with his mercenaries. He can be quite a formidable enemy so use some of your greater powers to defeat him.
Now is the time to begin the Dawnguard main story, you should have been attacked by vampires by now, if not you soon will be.
Dawnguard
After encountering a random vampire attack, you will be sought out by the Orc ranger 'Durak', he is a representative of the
Dawnguard, and he asks you to join their cause and visit the leader of the Dawnguard.
> Your quest marker will point you to 'Fort Dawnguard' and new location found to the very far southeast of Skyrim. Fast-travel to the
closest location to Fort Dawnguard and enter the 'Dayspring Canyon'.
Warning: If you still have Lycanthropy there is a small chance that members of the Dawnguard will attack you on site. Either cure
your Lycanthropy (after unlocking the werewolf mastered achievement of course) or just reload a previous save, use Beast Form,
wait until it expires, then continue with the quest.
> Once inside SAVE, make your way towards the fort, after you discover Fort Dawnguard look to the left to see Durak practicing his
crossbow skills. If you ask him about the weapon he's using, he will give you a crossbow and some bolts for free. Move on towards
the entrance to the keep and a Breton Vampire Hunter named 'Celann' will think you're fresh recruit and welcome you inside.
> Once inside SAVE, you'll find the Dawnguard leader 'Isran' talking with a Vigilant of Stendarr named 'Tolan', they refer to the
Vigilants being attacked and the death of 'Keeper Carcette'. After some dialogue Isran will task you with finding out about an
important vampire artifact in 'Dimhollow Crypt. Tolan will offer to help and say that he'll meet you there.
There is a potential bug here that causes Isran not to talk to you, or the next quest failing to start. The only fix, if reloading a previous
save doesn't work, is reinstall the entire game and DLC.
This concludes the Dawnguard quest and immediately initiates the next quest 'Awakening'.
Awakening
> Head outside and fast-travel to Dimhollow Crypt, or the nearest location to it, it's found northeast of Morthal, a little west of the
Lord Stone.
> Once inside Dimhollow Crypt SAVE, sneak forward to find two vampires and death hound, kill or sneak past them and you may
notice poor Tolan's dead body on the ground. Go up the stairs to the southwest and pull the chain at the top to open the gate to the
northeast.
> Move through and take care of the single recognize vampire and some skeletons. Use the lever to the right of the western gateway
to open it and move through. Take a right and head north, you'll find a vampire and Death Hound battling with some draugr. Either
let them weaken each other, just wade in and attack or sneak past them. SAVE.
> Use the chain on the side of the door to the west-northwest, open it move through and SAVE. Proceed on to a waterlogged room.
Kill the skeletons, the vampire and any Death Hounds and frostbite spiders before moving up and through into the crypts.
> You'll be attacked by another vampire and some Death Hounds before reaching a closed gate with a high level vampire fighting a
wounded frostbite spider behind it. Use the lever to the left to open the gate and finish off the survivor. Then proceed through the
door into 'Dimhollow Cavern'.
> Once inside SAVE, you'll find a vampire named 'Lokil' interrogating 'Vigilant Adalvald', he'll kill Adalvald before you can intervene
and the vampires below will continue talking. Meanwhile sneak down the right side and towards the centre structure.
> Kill all the Lokil and all the enemies here then SAVE, activate the button in the centre and your hand will be skewered.
The object here is to position the braziers so that they all meet at the points where the purple lines end. For example; take a look at
the first line of light heading southwest from the centre, you'll notice that the brazier is in the middle but the line stretches one
notch further out. So, to line up the brazier with the light press cn_A while looking outwards.
The light will shine through to the next groove to the east, this time push the brazier inwards. The line will shine again to the groove
to the north, push the brazier in towards it to connect it up. Then again, to the northwest, push this brazier outwards, and the final
one needs to be push inwards.
> Observe as the ground lowers and reveals a stone monolith, activate the monolith to release a 'Mysterious Woman' inside. Talking
to her reveals that, although she is a vampire, she may be able to help you with something greater than a mere vampire threat.
Talking with her further reveals that her name is 'Serana' and she was imprisoned here a very, very long time ago, and she will reveal
more if you take her to her home.
As a possible bug; Serana will not talk, reloading a previous save is the only known fix.
This completes the quest 'Awakening' and automatically begins the next quest 'Bloodline', also unlocking:
Awakening in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

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Bloodline
> Serana becomes a follower at this point, SAVE, and find the small stone bridge to the northeast. You'll be introduced to a new
enemy called 'Gargoyles' here:
External image
Gargoyles don't have any particular weaknesses and they are immune to paralysis and poisons. Destroy them, then proceed up the
ledge to the southeast.
> Go through the wooden door and through some tunnels. You'll come to an open room, climb the steps ahead and then look to
your right to find a lever in the middle of a circle, activating it will unleash some draugr and open a gate to the north.
> Take out the draugr and move through the gate, you'll come to a large arena-type room, SAVE. Go down and you'll face multiple
skeletons, draugr and a high recognize draugr, possibly even a Dragon Priest. Kill them all and approach the Word Wall to the
northeast to learn a word from the 'Drain Vitality' Shout.
> Now find the iron door atop the main stairs to the north and go through, pull the chain to the right of the closed gate to open it
and move through out into the open world.
> Once outside SAVE, your next destination is 'Castle Volkihar', found to the west of Solitude, but in order to get there the first time
you have to reach 'Ice Water Jetty'. Your map marker will show you where this is, fast-travel to the nearest location and make your
way there on foot.
> Activate the small boat there in order to reach the castle, once at the castle SAVE. Cross the bridge, Serana will thank you for
taking her this far, but she urges you to stay your hand in the castle and be calm. The 'Watchman' will recognise Serana and open
the gate for you. Move inside and enter the castle.
> Once inside, and before moving forward make a very important SAVE. A vampire named 'Vingalmo' will greet you and he'll soon
turn and announce Serana's return to her father and everyone else in the hall below.
> Now, proceeding down will result in a conversation with 'Lord Harkon', a very powerful vampire lord. Once you have started this
conversation you cannot withdraw without losing the opportunity to join the vampires. You must make your choice now; either
remain loyal to the Dawnguard and refuse Harkon, or accept his 'gift' and you will be made into a vampire lord.
Do not worry about the 'vampire mastered' achievement or any other achievement, if you decide to remain with the Dawnguard,
Serana will give you the gift of the vampire lord ability in a few quests time, and you can still complete the Dawnguard quests and all
achievements regardless of which side you join. Once you make your choice, however, you are bound to that side of the conflict for
good.
Note: If you are still a werewolf; siding with Lord Harkon will cure you, and the only way to become a werewolf a second time is to
talk to 'Aela the Huntress' in the Jorrvaskr in Whiterun. Make sure you either have the 'werewolf mastered' achievement unlocked,
the option for a second chance from Aela, or that you are siding with the Dawnguard before continuing.
Each side is about the same in terms of quest length and difficulty (Dawnguard has a slightly shorter first quest), you can be a
vampire lord on both sides and you will also have full access to 'Auriels Bow' and the 'Summon Durnehviir' and 'Soul Tear' Shouts on
both sides. Both Fort Dawnguard and Castle Volkihar have almost equal facilities such as safe storage, alchemy lab, enchantment
table, and smithing utilities. You will gain Serana as a follow on both sides and have access to all the same loot at the end.
However, each side has the following differences:
Remaining with the Dawnguard
Advantages:
The ability to smith crossbows and bolts.

Access to five Dawnguard followers.
The ability to buy 'Armoured Trolls' to accompany you.
Side-quests offering the unique 'Dawnguard Rune Hammer, Shield and Axe.
You can make 12,000 gold by selling '2' Elder Scrolls.
Disadvantages:
You will be randomly attacked by recognize vampires.

You will be randomly hunted down by a 'Vampire Assassin' with a writ for your death.
You will be limited to how much you can increase your vampire lord potential.
Siding with Lord Harkon
Advantages:
Side-quests offering exclusive and incredible enhancements to the vampire lord ability.
Disadvantages:
You will not have access to any of the advantages listed for the Dawnguard.
You will be attacked by Dawnguard Scouts whenever you visit Castle Volkihar.
Random Dawnguard Vampire Hunters can be encountered anywhere, and they'll be hostile.
To be honest, the best way to decide is simply to ask yourself; do you want to be a more powerful human, or a more powerful
vampire?
Make your choice and then please follow the relevant quest line below.
Staying Loyal to the Dawnguard

> If you actively refuse Lord Harkon by saying 'I don't want to become a vampire', or if you take too long to answer, he will cast you
out of the castle and you'll find yourself back out on the jetty. Use the boat to return to the other side of the shore.
This concludes the quest 'Bloodline' and initiates the Dawnguard-specific quest; 'A New Order', activate it in your journal.
A New Order
> Fast-travel back Fort Dawnguard and SAVE, make your way to the fort where you'll be attacked by some vampires, kill them then
find Isran and speak to him. Tell him about Serana and the Elder Scroll, he'll be worried and he wants some from a few friends of his.
It becomes your task to find his friends: a Breton Master Thief named 'Sorine Jurard' and a Nord Master Blacksmith named 'Gunmar'.
> Firstly find Gunmar, he can be found at any one of nine randomly selected locations in Skyrim, or, if you have the Dragonborn DLC
installed, he could appear at any one of three locations there.
> Fast-travel out to the nearest location you can to his marker and find him in sneak mode hunting a bear. Talk to him, he needs help
with the bears in a nearby cave before he'll agree to help you.
> Head towards the cave and kill any hostile creatures outside before entering the cave itself. Once inside SAVE, help Gunmar kill all
the bears inside the cave then talk to him and tell him to go to Fort Dawnguard.
> Next track down Jurard, she can be found looking for Dwemer artifacts at a set location north-northwest of Karthwasten, just
south of Mor Khazgur. Fast-travel to her nearest location, find her and talk to her.
> After some explanation Sorine agrees to help, but she requires at least one 'Dwarven Gyro' before she leaves. Either use your
speech skill to convince her or give her a gyro. If you happen to have one on your person you will hand it to her automatically,
otherwise locate her lost satchel just down by the river to your southeast, take at least one gyro from it and give it to Sorine.
> Now return to Fort Dawnguard, once there SAVE and find Isran, he will be inside the fort on a balcony above Sorine and Gunmar.
Isran will make sure none of you are vampires then give some orders.
This concludes the quest A New Order and automatically begins the next quest 'Prophet'.
Prophet
Dismiss any followers you might have now.
> Be sure to activate this quest in your journal. After Isran's speech, use the spiral staircase to the east to reach him and speak to
him.
Due to a possible bug, Sorine, Gunmar and Isran can become stuck in a 'busy' state after his speech. To fix it go outside, wait 24
hours then return and go up the staircase.
> Ask Isran what you can do to help, he'll give you a couple of side tasks then follow him as he walks around the corner.
You'll find Serana has come to the fort and wishes to speak with you. Listen to her as she reveals her father's sinister plot to use an
Elder Scroll to destroy the Sun itself. This is too far, even by vampire standards, and she wants your help to stop him. Now speak
again with Isran, he is not pleased about working with a vampire but he'll tolerate her, for now.
Talk back with Serana, she explains that although she has the Elder Scroll with her, neither she, nor anyone else she knows of, can
actually read it. This moves you on to the task of finding a 'Moth Priest', to read the scroll.
Serana will become a follower at this point, now leave the fort via the spiral staircase again. Your next objective is to ask around
Skyrim about Moth Priests. The easiest thing to do; is to fast-travel to the College of Winterhold. If you have never been to the
college before, either speak to carriage drivers outside of main cities or see the beginning of the College of Winterhold page if you
plan on completing that quest line later.
> Enter the college and SAVE, don't follow the quest marker, use the door to your right instead and enter the Arcanaeum and speak
to the Orc librarian 'Urag gro-Shub'. Urag will inform you that there is indeed a Moth Priest in Skyrim, he recently visited the college
then left for 'Dragon Bridge'. Dragon Bridge is found to the southwest of Solitude, just south of the Shrine to Meridia, head out there
now.
> Once at Dragon Bridge SAVE immediately, you could be attacked by multiple vampires here and some of the townspeople may be
killed, if you care about their survival, kill the vampires then check for any bodies or ash piles, if any named characters have died,
reload the save.
> Find the only child in town, he's called 'Clinton Lylvieve', he will reveal that an old man has just left town heading south across the
bridge. If Clinton will not reveal the information due to a bug, or if you have already adopted him, just proceed on over the bridge
anyway.
> Run across the bridge to the south and down the road to find a broken down carriage. Search the dead body of the vampire to find
a note, read it to reveal that the priest has been taken to a nearby ruin called 'Forebears' Holdout', head there now on foot.
> Forebear's Holdout is just to the east, SAVE and keep this save until you leave the cave. Enter, move in and turn left, kill a couple of
'Death Hounds' then go around to find a short tunnel into an enclosed area with a fire. Kill the vampires here and their 'Vampire
Thrall' then sneak up either staircase to approach the blue light.
> If you're not noticed, you'll overhear a vampire called 'Malkus' talking to another vampire. Kill them and search the corpse of
'Malkus' to find the 'Weystone Focus' from his body.
You should see the Moth Priest 'Dexion Evicus' inside the magical barrier, due to a possible bug he may be outside of the barrier. If
you manage to speak to him before dropping the barrier, he will be permanently hostile to everyone; you can use the Bend Will
Shout from the Dragonborn DLC to calm him down and then proceed as normal. Or you can try reloading the previous save outside
of the cave then repeat the sequence to see if he is now inside. Alternatively you can try killing the vampires around the barrier then
talking to Dexion and sending him Fort Dawnguard without ever dropping the barrier.
> If Dexion is in the barrier as normal ascend the nearby stairs and place the Weystone in the altar. This will drop the barrier around
the Dexion. He will still be enthralled by the vampires and turn hostile, so beat him down until he submits. Now talk to him about the
Elder Scroll, and ask him to help. He'll accept so tell him to go to Fort Dawnguard, where you are also to go to now.
> The only way out is the way you came in, so go back outside then fast-travel back to the fort, be prepared however for a potential
vampire attack when you arrive.
> Go into the fort and SAVE, find Dexion and Isran in the main hall, talk to Isran, he will give Dexion the Elder Scroll to read.
> Dexion will read the scroll out loud, he speaks of a powerful bow called 'Auriel's Bow', and of the rise of a 'dread lord', he also
speaks of the day and the night becoming one, at a time when the dragons have returned. After these cryptic messages he reveals
that to know more we must find more Elder Scrolls, one speaking of dragons, and one speaking of ancient blood.
This ends the quest Prophet, and begins two new quests, SAVE.
Seeking Disclosure
This quest involves the finding of the two missing Elder Scrolls, the Dragon scroll and the Blood scroll. The Dragon scroll is found as
part of the Main Story of the base game, and also during the Daedric quest 'Discerning the Transmundane'. If you have not
completed these quests yet please navigate to the 'Elder Knowledge' section of the Main Story page and the Discerning the
Transmundane section of the Daedric Artifacts page for all information.
If you've previously retrieved the Dragon Elder Scroll, but you now no longer have it in your possession (under books), then it is
highly likely that you sold it to 'Urag gro-Shub' at the College of Winterhold. Go back there now and buy it back from him for 4,000
gold, or, if you are Arch-Mage, you can persuade him down to 2,000.
> Once you have the Dragon Elder Scroll, the quest will update and acknowledge that you have found it.
> Your only task now is to find the Blood Scroll, the concurrent quest below 'Chasing Echoes', will lead you to the scroll.
Chasing Echoes
> Turn to Serana and speak to her about the Blood scroll, she believes that her mother 'Valerica' may have it. After some dialogue,
suggest that she may be hidden in Castle Volkihar itself. Serana deduces that this is the most likely place, and she knows of a secret
entrance that will lead to an old garden in a courtyard that her mother once tended.
> Exit the fort via the main entrance and fast-travel back to the castle. Head left (north) around the shore. You'll come to an old
dock, kill the skeletons here and go up the stairs to enter 'Volkihar Undercroft'.
> Once inside SAVE, kill the critters and Death Hounds as you make your way through the tunnels and sewers, find some stairs to the
northwest and kill the feral vampire there. Activate the lever to open the way below you.
> Proceed through and try not to fall off the narrow walkway as you fight more skeletons and Death Hounds, turn left and go
through the next gruesome area. Break through the spiders web above then kill the giant frost spider before pulling the lever to drop
a drawbridge down to the narrow walkway from before.
> Head back down to the walkway move left across the drawbridge and go all the way to find the door to 'Volkihar Courtyard'.
> Once outside SAVE, follow Serana as she reminisces about the old garden her mother used to tend. Notice the shiny object in the
nightshade garden when she talks about it. She then goes to the 'Moon Dial' in the centre and says that there is something odd
about it.
> Pick up the 'Full Moon Crest' from the garden, to the east, then grab the 'Half Moon Crest' from the pool in the northwest corner,
and finally pick up the 'Crescent Moon Crest' up the stairs to the northeast and by the table.
> Return to the moon dial and place the crests in the correct slots on the ground, the game automatically places the corrects ones in.
The dial will rotate unlocking some stairs that descend into the ruins beneath Castle Volkihar. Go down and enter the ruins.
> Use the chain to the left to open the way then SAVE and proceed forward to find a macabre scene of skeletons having a banquet,
destroy them all and move up the stairs. Kill a recognize Gargoyle and move up more stairs to find more skeletons. Kill these
skeletons and go up more stairs.
> Destroy another Gargoyle before SAVING and ascending yet more stairs. Destroy the skeletons and move on to find more stairs
and skeletons ahead. You'll soon come to a room with a mezzanine that contains a Gargoyle in front of a chain on the wall. Activate
the chain and destroy the Gargoyle that consequently attacks.
> The chain opens a gate just to your northeast, move through and kill the skeleton and Gargoyle up the stairs, open the next gate
with the chain and kill the skeletons in the next room. Move around, cross a
bridge, kill the skeleton, go through the door, through the next room, through another door finally reaching some double-doors,
SAVE
> Enter the room, three Gargoyles will attack, destroy them then find the unlit candlestick on the southeast wall. Turn it to open a
secret passage through the fireplace. Go up a series of stairs to reach a room with a strange circle in the centre.
> Serana will talk to you asking you to find her mother's notes, find 'Valerica's Journal' on the top shelf of the middle bookcase in the
southwest of the room. Talk back with Serana, she'll deduce that her mother most likely went into a mystical place called the 'Soul
Cairn', a place where all the souls from soul gems reside.
> To access the Soul Cairn Serana lists some special ingredients she needs, then she mentions that she needs her mother's blood,
remind her that she shares her mother's blood and then go look for the ingredients:
Pick up the 'Finely Ground Bone Meal' from the table to the left of where the journal was, just to the left of the alchemy set, below
the mammoth skull; it's in the grey bowl, different from normal bone meals. Now grab the 'Soul Gem Shards' from the top of the
small wardrobe, just up the stairs where all the other soul gems are, in the same type of bowl. And finally find the 'Purified Void
Salts' on a shelf on the northwest balcony, along from the enchantment table.
> SAVE, then return to Serana who'll be standing next to the 'Portal Vessel', activate the vessel to place the ingredients inside. Talk to
Serana and she will offer up her blood and the portal will open.
Please read ahead before making any decisions:
> You cannot simply walk into the Soul Cairn, talk back with Serana after attempting to go in. She will reveal that in order to enter
the Soul Cairn you'd either have to be a vampire lord, or partially trap your soul into a soul gem and offer it to the cairn.
You do not need to become a vampire at this point, in fact, to avoid an extra quest to cure yourself afterwards, I recommend you
wait until after the final quest when you can request Serana to make into a vampire lord.
> Ask Serana to soul trap you, then head into the Soul Cairn. Once inside SAVE, this completes the quest Chasing Echoes and
activates the next quest 'Beyond Death'.
Beyond Death
> Make sure to activate the Beyond Death quest, it may be advantageous to complete a few small tasks as you go, in order to gain
the use of an undead horse named 'Arvak'. Move forward towards the quest marker, notice some 'Soul Husks' on your left as you
descend, pick them, they can be eaten to reduce the negative effects of the Soul Cairn (see your 'Active effects' in your magic menu).
> Move down the misty path passing a few souls on the way, destroy the 'Bonemen' that attack you. Then find a soul of a man
standing in a misty dell, he'll talk to you about losing his horse Arvak, then disappear.
> Continue on towards the quest marker, go through the gap in the giant wall, and along the path, you'll be attacked by more
Bonemen, destroy them then you'll eventually reach a magical barrier where Serana's mother is trapped.
> After a lot of dialogue, SAVE, you'll be tasked with freeing Valerica; the only way to free her however, is to kill all three of the
'Boneyard Keepers'. These Keepers are to be found in three separate towers quite far apart in the Soul Cairn.
To make travelling a little quicker, head over to the east and locate the 'Skull of Arvak' inside a small archway, use this map to help
you find it:
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Soul_Cairn_Horse_Quest
> Kill the mist and bonemen around it then take the skull. With the skull in hand, if you activate the miscellaneous objective to return
the skull, it will mark the soul of Arvak's rider to your northeast. Talk to him and he'll give you the power to 'Summon Arvak', equip it
from the Conjuration list of your magic menu then use it to summon Arvak.
> SAVE, then use Arvak to reach the first tower to your north. Find the glowing pool marked by your map, jump into it to teleport
yourself to the top of the nearby tower. Work your way further up and kill the powerful archer Keeper.
> With the Keeper dead, SAVE, then use the portal there to get back down. Summon Arvak again and make your way to the southern
tower. This next Keeper will be tougher, he'll be sat on the ground floor on the north side of the tower. Dispatch him in your
preferred style, then SAVE.
> Summon Arvak and head northwest to the final tower. This will be the toughest Keeper, and he'll have some Bonemen friends to
help him. Use a power or two and your best Shouts etc to defeat them all.
> With the final Keeper destroyed, SAVE, summon Arvak once more and return to Valerica. Talk to her then move through the door
into the 'Boneyard'. Here the undead Dragon 'Durnehviir' will attack you.
> Durnehviir is similar in power to that of a Frost Dragon, however he has a potent 'Drain Vitality' Shout which eats away your health
quite rapidly and a unique Shout called 'Soul Cairn Summon' which allows him to summon various Bonemen enemies to aid him.
Counter him with fire spells, if you can, and let Serana and Valerica take care of his minions.
> Durnehviir is cursed with 'undeath' and you cannot truly kill him, when you do 'seemingly' kill him however he will disappear and
you won't absorb a dragon soul, nor be able to loot his corpse. Follow Valerica now over to where the Elder Scroll is kept. Talk with
her about Durnehviir and then she will open a box for you to retrieve it.
> Talk again with Valerica, make the quest marker change to say 'Return to Tamriel', then make sure to also talk about retrieving
your soul. Valerica will tell you where it is; activate this objective from the miscellaneous section of your journal.
> Now head back outside the way you came in. Be careful not to attack Durnehviir on your way back, he will be waiting for you on a
broken wall and he'll engage you in conversation. If you have accidentally turned him hostile, reload the previous save. He explains
his plight and asks you to summon him once you return to Tamriel. You will be given all three words of the 'Summon Durnehviir'
Shout now, SAVE.
> You can Summon Arvak again if you like and make your over to find your soul gem to the west. Find a small black fort and head
inside, kill a few Bonemen and find a small portal in the ground in a room to the northeast. Jump in and retrieve your Soul Essence
from the chest on the roof.
> Now SAVE, summon Arvak for the final time and make your way back to the portal exit, dismount Arvak before the stairs and exit
the Soul Cairn on foot. You'll be returned to Volkihar Ruins, this will complete the quest Beyond Death and unlock:

Beyond Death38 (20)
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Seeking Disclosure - Continued
> You can reactivate the quest Seeking Disclosure in your journal if you like. Use the door to the southwest that leads to the 'Volkihar
Balcony', this allows you to fast-travel back to Fort Dawnguard.
> Go into the fort, once inside SAVE, find Dexion. Unfortunately it seems he has now gone blind from reading the first Elder Scroll,
and consequently he is unable to read the others. He does offer a solution however; you are to go to the 'Ancestor Glade' and find a
special knife called a 'Draw Knife', then with this tool, you can harvest bark from a 'Canticle Tree', then, use this bark to attract the
'Ancestor Moths' to your person and perform a ritual that will enable you to read the Elder Scrolls.
This ends the quest Seeking Disclosure and automatically begins the next quest 'Unseen Visions', be sure to activate it in your
journal.
Unseen Visions
> Leave Fort Dawnguard, once outside SAVE. This is your first opportunity to begin learning the 'Soul Tear' Shout for the related
achievement. Firstly you need at least '3' dragon souls to unlock the Summon Durnehviir Shout. For information about finding some
easy souls check the Dragon Souls, Lairs and Shouts section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page.
With the Shout unlocked use it to summon the undead dragon Durnehviir into Tamriel. He will aid you in combat but more
importantly each time you summon him he will teach you a word of the 'Soul Tear' Shout. Unlocking all three words of this special
Shout will unlock:

Dragon Soul11 (10)
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> Continuing with the quest at hand; fast-travel to the closest location to the 'Ancestor Glade', it's located just to the east of
Falkreath. Make your way up the winding path and make an important SAVE before you enter, keep this save until you leave the
glade.
> Once inside SAVE, don't worry about any enemies for now, so sneaking is useless, use the ledge on your left to get up and across
the log bridge, move through the tunnel. As a possible glitch Serana may not have entered with you, since you need her for the
quest, reload the previous save or try waiting a few hours. Follow the marked path down into the water and retrieve the Draw Knife
from the sculpture.
> Use the knife on the nearby 'Canticle tree' to harvest some bark, this will attract the first batch of moths to you. As a possible glitch
you may not be able to harvest bark from the tree, try either leaving the glade and re-entering, or reloading your previous save. You
must now look around for swarms of moths and walk into them to gather more, do this seven times to gain enough moths. The
second swarm is in the pool just to the northwest, the third up the stream to the west, then go up the stairs to find the fourth.
Further up then back down to the east to find the fifth under the waterfall. Continue on this ledge to find the sixth near a tree, then
go up the stairs to your southwest to find the final swarm.
> Return down to the pool and stand in the beam of light in the centre. SAVE before reading the first scroll; the Blood scroll from
your 'book' menu. You will then automatically read all three scrolls, this will reveal a map of the western part of Skyrim, it highlights
Markarth to the southwest, Solitude to the northeast and a strange white symbol to the north that must mark the location of
Auriel's Bow. Talk with Serana.
> You know the location of the bow to be 'Darkfall Cave', Serana recommends that you leave with her immediately to find it. This
concludes this quest and automatically begins the next quest 'Touching the Sky'.
Touching the Sky

> Before you may even break dialogue with Serana, you will be attacked by several vampires and their thralls. Take care of them and
exit the glade the way you came in, you may encounter additional vampires on your way out too.
> Activate Touching the Sky in your journal then fast-travel to the nearest location to Darkfall Cave that you have, it's located to the
southwest of Dragon Bridge, northwest of Karthwasten, and just south of Mor Khazgur.
> Once inside SAVE, you may want to invest in some light. Move forward sticking to the right, continue along the path, kill the
frostbite spider and cross the bridge, it's a dead end, so return over the bridge to go on a little ride.
> Allow yourself to be swept down the stream until you end up with all the spiders at the end, kill them then SAVE. Push forward,
you'll reach a little camp, find a chain behind the wooden shelter straight ahead, pull it to open the secret passage to your right. Go
through.
NOTE: Many bugs can occur throughout your journey to Auriel's Bow, almost all of these bugs occur because certain characters that
you will meet and Serana will have incomplete scripts running. To avoid these glitches always allow everyone to finish their dialogue
properly and SAVE every time I prompt to or more. If you become stuck, if you are unable to complete any of the tasks I mention, fall
back on a previous save and try again.
> You'll enter an open area with a strange dome in the centre, SAVE and talk to 'Knight-Paladin Gelebor'. Gelebor is one of only two
remaining 'Snow Elves' in the world. He will give you Auriel's Bow as long as you kill his brother 'Vyrthur' who resides deep in the
'Inner Sanctum'. To get to the Inner Sanctum you must first fill a 'Ceremonial Ewer' with the water from '5' different 'Wayshrines';
the Wayshrine of Illumination, Learning, Radiance, Resolution, and Sight. Gelebor will show you what a Wayshrine looks like and give
you the 'Initiate's Ewer', before using the Wayshrine to open a portal to 'Darkfall Passage'.
> Use the portal and enter Darkfall Passage, begin the long trek through many recognize Falmer and Chaurus, to reach the first
Wayshrine; the Wayshrine of Illumination. The way through has only one way, so just make sure to SAVE periodically and destroy
any 'Chaurus Hunter Cocoons' before they hatch:
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Also be wary of many traps, there is a particular chest out in the open in a peculiarly well-lit dell, it is a lethal trap, so leave it.
> You'll eventually come to two strange 'chains' on the wall, activate the one on the left, and kill the new 'Vale Sabre Cat'. In the next
open area, you're ultimately looking for the bridge high up that leads to the northwest corner.
> Cross the bridge to find the first Wayshrine, talk to 'Pelate Sidanyis' there, then activate the font inside the Wayshrine to fill your
ewer. If you are still a vampire you will be subject to the weaknesses of the Sun on the other side, so wait for night time then use the
portal to enter the 'Forgotton Vale'.
Forgotten Vale Map
External image
Courtesy of Gamebanshee.com
> Once inside SAVE, move through the passages and be careful not to fall off as you emerge on a narrow ledge. Ascend the ledges to
enter a large open valley, you'll appear at point (A) on the above map. Move down and kill the Vale Sabre Cats here and head
towards the quest marker on the furthest right, number (2) on the map, to the north.
> Find 'Prelate Athling' and he will open the Wayshrine of Sight for you, fill your ewer, but do not use the portal this time. Instead
turn southwest to find a pass; number (3) on the map, go through and you'll be ambushed by frostbite spiders. SAVE then exit the
pass and take a left to find the Wayshrine of Learning (number 5 on the map).
> Talk to 'Prelate Celegriath' and then fill your ewer. Again do not use the portal, turn southwest and cross the river to find a narrow
snowy pass leading up, go up and through an archway. You'll emerge on a frozen lake, make an important SAVE here, you're about
to be attacked by two recognize dragons called 'Naaslaarum' and 'Voslaarum'. (It may be a good idea to summon Durnehviir here to
help you).
> Stick the right as you make your way north-northwest towards number (7) on the map. As you approach the Word Wall the
dragons will attack, kill them and learn a word of the 'Drain Vitality' Shout from the unusual wall, SAVE.
> Continue north to find your fourth Wayshrine; the 'Wayshrine of Resonance', talk to 'Prelate Nirilor' to access it. Fill your ewer,
avoid the portal, and then look southwest for a hard-to-find snowy pass; If you stand right next to Nirilor and look southwest you will
see a snowy tree right ahead, go forward and behind this tree to the southwest is a snowy pass, hug the rocks on your right and
continue towards the quest marker.
> You'll soon pass a Moonstone Ore Vein. Go down and take a left before the stone bridge, kill the Falmer outside the entrance to
'Glacial Crevice'.
> Once inside SAVE, stick to left and kill the Frost Troll and Falmer as you ascend the southwest side of the cavern. The Unrelenting
Force Shout is particularly useful during the next few sections of the game. Be careful not to fall off as you kill more Falmer before
passing through an icy tunnel to the left. Open a gate and avoid the tripwire, continue up the ledges on the left and kill more Falmer
and a Chaurus.
> Cross over to the right side and killing the Falmer from the hut to the left, move through the next gate and SAVE. Avoid the tripwire
before moving through and killing another Falmer ignore the spiraling descent and head through the gate, pass some tents and head
up the ledges.
> Kill a Falmer outside and proceed south, fight more recognize Falmer as you carefully navigate along the narrow ledge and across a
bridge. Go through another tunnel to the north east to find a way back out to the Forgotten Vale.
> Once outside SAVE, you'll find an elaborate Falmer village crawling with high recognize Falmer. Avoid the tripwires and navigate
your way up the various make-shift bridges to finally reach a tent, you'll know it's the correct tent if you can find 'Unknown Book,
Vol. IV' inside.
> Drop down to the ground to find a gate to the southeast, go through, SAVE then proceed through the tunnels avoiding a dangerous
tripwire as you go. You'll eventually reach the final Wayshrine; the 'Wayshrine of Radiance', talk to 'Prelate Edhelbor' to open it for
you. Fill your ewer then turn northeast to find a stone bridge.
> Cross the bridge, then climb the stairs past the statue, fill the water basin using your full ewer. Observe as the water filters towards
the door unlocking the mechanism. Open the door to the 'Inner Sanctum'.
> Once inside SAVE, you'll find lots of Falmer and Chaurus completely frozen stiff by some magical force. Open the door to the north
and proceed through to find more frozen enemies and a tunnel leading to 'Auriel's Chapel', go through.
> Once inside SAVE, drop down and move towards the marker, after you approach 'Arch-Curator Vyrthur' he will speak to you then
the frozen enemies will begin thawing and attack you. Defeat a wave of 'Frozen Chaurus', then some weaker Falmer, stay away from
the centre of the room as Vyrthur will drop pieces of the ceiling down to harm you, as another wave of Falmer attack.
> Defeat them, then Vyrthur will summon an 'Ancient Frost Atronach', more pieces of the ceiling will fall, this time targeted at you,
and a wave of higher recognize Falmer will also attack. After they are all dead Vyrthur will stand, you'll be temporarily unable to
open your journal or use anything offensive, while Vyrthur destroys the temple with a mighty explosion and you'll be knocked back.
> Vyrthur will run away, after you come to your feet SAVE, pursue Vyrthur, you still can't attack yet, but you'll find Vyrthur just up
ahead injured. After some dialogue with Serana and Vyrthur you'll be returned control of your weapons and journal and Vyrthur will
attack.
> Although Vyrthur is a vampire, he is still vulnerable to poisons, and particularly vulnerable to fire. Use this knowledge and your
other preferred means to destroy him and you may wish to loot his body for the only set of 'Ancient Falmer Armour' in the game.
> Turn now to the Wayshrine where Gelebor has appeared. Speak to him and he will be assured of your worthiness to carry Auriel's
Bow, it will then appear behind him inside the Wayshrine, take it.
This concludes the quest Touching the Sky and automatically activates the final quest 'Kindred Judgment'.
Kindred Judgment
> You can use Auriel's Bow immediately (if it is daytime) but you only have 'Sunhallowed Elven Arrows'; these arrows cause bursts of
Sunlight that damage everyone around you, this will hurt, but not kill Serana. Simply equip the bow and some arrows, then aim
directly at the Sun. You can ask Gelebor to change any Elven arrows you have into Sunhallowed Elven Arrows for free. Similarly
Serana will change Elven arrows into 'Bloodcursed Elven Arrows', these can be used to blot out the Sun until the next dawn, this is
useful to negate all the negative effects of Sunlight on vampires.
Using the bow successfully for the first time will unlock:

Auriel's Bow46 (20)
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> SAVE, then speak to Serana, she concludes that the only course of action is to kill her father; Lord Harkon. Now activate Kindred
Judgment in your journal and use the portal back to Darkfall Cave.
> Use the tunnel to the south, take a right at the fire, go up the ledges and pull the chain to open the way. Burn through the
cobwebs then take a right towards the waterfall. Take a right again then head up and out into the open.
> Fast-travel back to Fort Dawnguard, SAVE when you arrive and be wary of vampire assassins. Proceed into the fort, and find Isran,
talk to him and then he'll give a speech everyone in the main hall, talk to him again and he will launch an assault on Castle Volkihar.
> Leave the Fort and make sure you are prepared before fast-travelling out to Castle Volkihar for the finale. SAVE before moving
across the main bridge with your Dawnguard allies, it may be a good tactic here to use the wait function (cn_back), (if it is not
already daytime), and use the Sunhallowed Elven Arrows on the Sun to help with the first assault. Gargoyles will burst from the sides
and then a horde of Volkihar Vampires will pour across the bridge to meet you in combat. Slaughter them all and move into the
castle keep.
> Once inside SAVE, battle your way through the vampire host in the main hall and make your way towards the quest marker. Use
the chain to open the portcullis in the northwest. Finally head into the Cathedral to confront Lord Harkon, do not go into sneak
mode before talking to Lord Harkon.
> You'll find Lord Harkon awaiting you in vampire lord form, he will engage you in conversation, do not give Harkon Auriel's Bow, he
will just betray you and it leave you at a disadvantage. He will conclude that both you and his daughter Serana are both threats and
attack. Do not summon Durnehviir inside the cathedral, it can cause a major glitch.
> Harkon will use 'Vampiric Drain' on you, he'll summon skeletons and gargoyles and he'll occasionally turn invisible or into a swarm
of bats. Stay on him and let Serana take care of his minions or summon some of your own. Harkon is immune to poisons, undead
turning, fear spells and the Wabbajack, he is also highly resistant to frost but highly vulnerable to fire.
When he is low on health he will flee to his blood altar and regenerate behind a magical shield, this shield can only be broken by
Auriel's Bow, normal arrows will break it so don't waste your Sunhallowed ones. When Harkon is finally defeated he will curse his
daughter and turn into a pile of red ash, SAVE.
If Lord Harkon fails to die after depleting all of his health; try saving then reloading that save, or alternatively reload an earlier save
and fight him again.
> Serana will offer herself as a follower and the final Dawnguard quest will be complete unlocking:

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You can loot Harkon's ash pile for his 'Vampire Royal Armour', his special katana, and some other high end treasures. Isran will
appear now and talk to Serana, he thanks her for her part in the Volkihar Vampire Clan's downfall.
Many new quests become available with various members of the Dawnguard. The blacksmith at Fort Dawnguard; 'Sorine Jurard' will
now stock 200 Elven arrows to be made into either Sunhallowed or Bloodcursed Elven arrows. You can buy an 'Armoured Troll' from
'Gunmar' for 500 gold, and recruit 'Ingjard', 'Celann', 'Durak', 'Beleval', and 'Agmaer' as Dawnguard followers.
You can also sell the Elder Scrolls back to Dexion for 6,000 gold each.
Bear in mind that you can only do the things above if you have not become a vampire.
Additionally; random vampire attacks will only ever occur during eclipses now.
After this point you can ask Serana to make you into a 'Vampire Lord', when you accept you will be purged of Lycanthropy and all
other diseases, and you will receive the 'Vampire Lord' ability. Please refer to the vampirism section of the Miscellaneous
Achievements page for all information regarding vampire lords.
> Navigate to your magic menu, powers, and select 'Vampire Lord', exit the menu and then press cn_RB to change into a full
Vampire Lord.
When you are levitating, you have a magic ability in your right hand called 'Vampiric Drain' which sucks the life from any living
creature. To gain experience points for the vampire skill tree use this ability on anything except: rabbits, foxes, undead, Dwarven
constructs and summoned entities.
Another ability called 'Power Bite' can be used to gain experience, use the cn_LSc to descend into ground combat, then you can use
the Power Bite ability on humanoid's only, and furthermore, only when they are standing and not blocking. The best way to gain
experience, however, is to use the Vampiric Drain on human enemies. Also use cn_X to calm from combat mode and be able to
observe yourself and walk normally. Press cn_B to look at your skill tree if you wish.
Before you exit the castle, it may be a good idea, since you are now a vampire, to use the wait (cn_back) function and wait until
night time.
This is the first opportunity to go for the 'vampire mastered' achievement. There are two ways to go about this; much like mastering
the werewolf skill tree, mastering the vampire lord skill tree can be done in the same two ways: either change into vampire lord
form every so often and work gradually towards unlocking the perks, or make a save now, then go on a rampage in all the major
towns and cities, killing innocents and guards to gain as much XP as possible then reloading your save.
I would recommend the former, but either way you choose, once you unlock all the perks of the vampire lord skill tree you will
unlock:

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Joining the Volkihar Vampire Clan
If you accept Lord Harkon's reward of blood, you will be purged of Lycanthropy and all other diseases, and you will receive the
'Vampire Lord' ability. Please refer to the vampirism section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page for all information regarding
vampire lords.
> You will black-out, when you awake you will be inside the 'keep' in front of a font of blood. Lord Harkon will bid you to turn into a
Vampire Lord in order to teach you the ways of the vampire.
> Navigate to your magic menu, powers, and select 'Vampire Lord', exit the menu and then press cn_RB to change into a full
Vampire Lord. Lord Harkon explains your powers as a Vampire Lord; it may be apt for me right now to explain about the skill tree,
and gaining experience points as a Vampire Lord:
When you are levitating, you have a magic ability in your right hand called 'Vampiric Drain' which sucks the life from any living
creature. You can use this ability on anything except: rabbits, foxes, undead, Dwarven constructs and any summoned entity, to gain
experience points for the vampire skill tree.
Another ability called 'Power Bite' can be used to gain experience, use the cn_LSc to descend into ground combat, then you can use
the Power Bite ability on humanoid's only, and furthermore, only when they are standing and not blocking. The best way to gain
experience, however, is to use the Vampiric Drain on human enemies.
> Use cn_X to calm from combat mode and be able to observe yourself and walk normally. Harkon will ask you to look at your skill
tree, press cn_B to do so. You can ask a few more questions, otherwise tell Harkon you're ready and he'll direct you to 'Garan
Marethi'.
This concludes the quest 'Bloodline' and initiates the vampire-specific quest; 'Bloodstone Chalice', activate it in your journal.
The Bloodstone Chalice

> SAVE and make your way out on foot, or through levitation to Garan, he can be found just outside. In order to talk to Garan, or
indeed anyone, you must use the 'Revert Form' ability in your quick menu and press cn_RB to change back into normal form.
> Talk to Garan, he will give you the 'Bloodstone Chalice' in order for you to take it to a place called 'Redwater Den' and fill it up from
the 'Redwater Spring'.
> Before you exit the castle, it may be a good idea, since you are now a vampire, to use the wait (cn_back) function and wait until
night time.
This is the first opportunity to go for the 'vampire mastered' achievement. There are two ways to go about this; much like mastering
the werewolf skill tree, mastering the vampire lord skill tree can be done in the same two ways: either change into vampire lord
form every so often and work gradually towards unlocking the perks, or make a save now, then go on a rampage in all the major
towns and cities, killing innocents and guards to gain as much xp as possible then reloading your save.
I would recommend the former, but either way you choose, once you unlock all the perks of the vampire lord skill tree you will
unlock:

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> Continuing with the Bloodstone Chalice quest, you'll have to find Redwater Den, it's located to the northwest of Riften, to the east
of Treva's Watch.
> Redwater Den is an illegal Skoomer dealership, when you approach you'll notice some lookouts, do not attack them if you want to
do this quest the easy way, they will think you just after some Skooma and ignore you. Locate the trap door around the back and
enter.
> Once inside SAVE, walk in and the 'Doorman' will stop you, he'll warn you to keep your weapons to yourself then open the door for
you. Move forward to find the 'Dealer' behind the desk, you can persuade her for a free sample if you like, otherwise move past all
the booths to your right and find a locked gate.
> You have a choice here; you can either just start killing everyone now loudly as you make your way to the 'Bloodspring' or, if you
are more stealth orientated, you can sneak all the way through to the spring.
> Whether you choose to sneak or not you can follow these directions: Make a SAVE before picking the expert lock then sneak
through the shadows. Sneak your way up the sides and onto the wooden planks around up to the top. Sneak past or kill the guards
as they patrol and find the lever to drop the drawbridge.
> SAVE then sneak across the bridge and go down avoiding or killing the guards, make your way around and descend further past
more guards and a skeleton. Pull the chain at the bottom to open the secret passage, move through and SAVE.
> You'll to a kind of crypt area being patrolled by Death Hounds who are more likely to detect you, if you are still sneaking. Make
your to the northeast to find the door to 'Redwater Spring'.
> Once inside SAVE, in here you'll find more Death Hounds and vampires patrolling around, sneak through to the right and you'll
hear some vampires talking, sneak down the left side and be very careful to avoid a shadowy grate in the floor when you enter the
room with two pillars in the middle, it's a trap!
> Go up the spiral ramp to the east, turn left and make your way around the room to find a chain in an alcove, pulling this chain
opens the gate straight ahead and the gate just to your left, go through the gate to your left then forward and through the other
newly opened gate.
> Once through SAVE, sneak or fight your way through the next series of corridors, you'll find vampires (some asleep in the coffins)
and Death Hounds all along the way. Pull the chain to open the next gate then go through the iron door.
> SAVE and avoid the pressure plates as you move forward, you'll come to an open room with a patrolling thrall and skeleton. Find
the left-hand coffin on the northwest wall and open it. SAVE before pick pocketing the 'Redwater Wellspring Key' from 'Venarus
Vulpin'.
> Sneak over to the master locked door in the south and open it. Move in to find the Bloodspring itself.
> Approach the spring and activate it to fill the Bloodstone Chalice. The imperial vampire 'Salonia' and the vampire bandit wizard
'Stalf' will enter the room and begin talking. Do not attack them until they finish talking. If they fail to begin dialogue you have to
strike first to fix it. Salonia says that she was sent here by Vingalmo and Orthjolf to kill you and return the chalice, Stalf notices that
she said 'I' instead of 'we' and so they fight each other.
> Whatever the outcome; you must make sure both of the are dead, then use either one of them to fill the chalice with their blood.
This will update your objective to 'return to Garan Marethi' and unlock the door at the back of the room.
> Move through and SAVE, you'll come out behind the counter in Redwater Den, pick the lock to the side and exit the den. Return
now to Castle Volkihar.
> SAVE before you enter the castle. As a possible bug everyone may attack you for no reason, try exiting the castle, waiting 24 hours
then returning or reloading the save before you entered. Find Garan and tell him what happened, he will explain about you being
attacked and the quest will be complete.
Prophet
> This next quest will begin automatically after the previous, be sure to activate it in your journal. Find Lord Harkon in the castle and
speak to him. He thanks you and wants you to accompany him as he addresses his court. Do not leave the castle.
After the speech he gives you, and everyone else, the task to find a 'Moth Priest'.
> At this point everything in the Castle is free for you to take if you wish, you may want to grab a few 'Potions of Blood':
External image
After a certain amount of time, your vampire powers will increase and it will become harder to talk to normal people. These potions
are good to sate your appetite for human blood without having to actually feed making you appear more friendly to people.
Serana will also offer herself as a follower at this point. Your next objective is to ask around Skyrim about Moth Priests. The easiest
thing to do; is to fast-travel to the College of Winterhold. If you have never been to the college before, either speak to carriage
drivers outside of main cities or see the beginning of the College of Winterhold page if you plan on completing that quest line later.
> Enter the college and SAVE, don't follow the quest marker, use the door to your right instead, enter the Arcanaeum and speak to
the Orc librarian 'Urag gro-Shub'. Urag will inform you that there is indeed a Moth Priest in Skyrim, he recently visited the college
then left for 'Dragon Bridge'. Dragon Bridge is found to the southwest of Solitude, just south of the Shrine to Meridia, head out there
now.
> Once at Dragon Bridge SAVE, find the only child in town, he's called 'Clinton Lylvieve', he will reveal that an old man has just left
town heading south across the bridge. If Clinton will not reveal the information due to a bug, or if you have already adopted him,
just proceed on over the bridge anyway.
> Run across the bridge to the south and down the road to find a broken down carriage. Search the dead body of the vampire to find
a note, read it to reveal that the priest has been taken to a nearby ruin called 'Forebears' Holdout', head there now on foot.
> Forebear's Holdout is just to the east, enter and SAVE, move in and turn left, kill a couple of dogs then go around to find a short
tunnel into an enclosed area with a fire. Kill the Dawnguard soldiers here and their 'Armoured Troll' then sneak up either staircase to
approach the blue light.
> If you're not noticed, you'll overhear a Dawnguard called 'Vanik' talking to his lieutenant. Kill them and find the corpse of a vampire
called 'Malkus', take the 'Weystone Focus' from his body and make an important SAVE.
> Ascend the nearby stairs and place the Weystone in the altar. This will drop the barrier around the Moth Priest 'Dexion Evicus'. He
will turn hostile so beat him down until he submits. Now go into your magic menu and equip your 'Vampire's Seduction' power.
> SAVE again, before very carefully aiming your power at Dexion, use the power on him and then when he is dazed press cn_A to
feed on him and make him your thrall. Now talk to Dexion and tell him to go to Castle Volkihar. You are also to make your way back
to the castle now.
> The only way out is the way you came in, so go back outside then fast-travel back to the castle, be prepared however for a
potential attack by Dawnguard Scouts when you arrive.
> Go into the castle and SAVE, find your thrall Dexion and Lord Harkon in the main hall, talk to Harkon, he has given your thrall an
Elder Scroll to read. Command Dexion to read the scroll.
> Dexion will read the scroll out loud, he speaks of a powerful bow called 'Auriel's Bow', and of the rise of a 'dread lord', he also
speaks of the day and the night becoming one, at a time when the dragons have returned. After these cryptic messages he reveals
that to know more we must find more Elder Scrolls, one speaking of dragons, and one speaking of ancient blood.
> Turn now, and talk with Lord Harkon, ask him where the scrolls can be. He reveals that one was hidden by his wife and the other is
in the bowels of an ancient Dwemer ruin. This completes the quest Prophet, and begins two new quests, SAVE.
Seeking Disclosure
This quest involves the finding of the two missing Elder Scrolls, the Dragon scroll and the Blood scroll. The Dragon scroll is found as
part of the Main Story of the base game, and also during the Daedric quest 'Discerning the Transmundane'. If you have not
completed these quests yet please navigate to the 'Elder Knowledge' section of the Main Story page and the Discerning the
Transmundane section of the Daedric Artifacts page for all information.
If you've previously retrieved the Dragon Elder Scroll, but you now no longer have it in your possession (under books), then it is
highly likely that you sold it to 'Urag gro-Shub' at the College of Winterhold. Go back there now and buy it back from him for 4,000
gold, or, if you are Arch-Mage, you can persuade him down to 2,000.
> Once you have the Dragon Elder Scroll, the quest will update and acknowledge that you have found it.
> Your only task now is to find the Blood Scroll, the concurrent quest below 'Chasing Echoes', will lead you to the scroll.
Chasing Echoes
> Find Serana in the Castle of Volkihar and speak to her about the Blood scroll. She believes that her mother 'Valerica' may know the
whereabouts of the Blood scroll. After some dialogue, suggest that she may be here, in the castle itself. Serana deduces that the
most likely place would be the courtyard.
> It may be a good idea again to wait until night and then exit the castle via the main entrance. Jump over the wall to the right and
head around the shore. You'll come to an old dock, kill the skeletons here and go up the stairs to enter 'Volkihar Undercroft'.
> Once inside SAVE, kill the critters and Death Hounds as you make your way through the tunnels and sewers, find some stairs to the
northwest and kill the feral vampire there. Activate the lever to open the way below you.
> Proceed through and try not to fall off the narrow walkway as you fight more skeletons and Death Hounds, turn left and go
through the next gruesome area. Break through the spiders web above then kill the giant frost spider before pulling the lever to drop
a drawbridge down to the narrow walkway from before.
> Head back down to the walkway move left across the drawbridge and go all the way to find the door to 'Volkihar Courtyard'.
> Once outside SAVE, follow Serana as she reminisces about the old garden her mother used to tend. Notice the shiny object in the
nightshade garden when she talks about it. She then goes to the 'Moon Dial' in the centre and says that there is something odd
about it.
> Pick up the 'Full Moon Crest' from the garden, to the east, then grab the 'Half Moon Crest' from the pool in the northwest corner,
and finally pick up the 'Crescent Moon Crest' up the stairs to the northeast and by the table.
> Return to the moon dial and place the crests in the correct slots on the ground. The dial will rotate unlocking some stairs that
descend into the ruins beneath Castle Volkihar. Go down and enter the ruins.
> Use the chain to the left to open the way then SAVE and proceed forward to find a macabre scene of skeletons having a banquet,
destroy them all and move up the stairs. Kill a recognize Gargoyle and move up more stairs to find more skeletons. Kill these
skeletons and go up more stairs.
> Destroy another Gargoyle before SAVING and ascending yet more stairs. Destroy the skeletons and move on to find more stairs
and skeletons ahead. You'll soon come to a room with a mezzanine that contains a Gargoyle in front of a chain on the wall. Activate
the chain and destroy the Gargoyle that consequently attacks.
> The chain opens a gate just to your northeast, move through and kill the skeleton and Gargoyle up the stairs, open the next gate
with the chain and kill the skeletons in the next room. Move around, cross a bridge, kill the skeleton, go through the door, through
the next room, through another door finally reaching some double-doors.
> SAVE then enter the room, three Gargoyles will attack, destroy them then find the unlit candlestick on the southeast wall. Turn it
to open a secret passage through the fireplace. Go up a series of stairs to reach a room with a strange circle in the centre.
> Serana will talk to you asking you to find her mother's notes, find 'Valerica's Journal' on the top shelf of the middle bookcase in the
southwest of the room. Talk back with Serana, she'll deduce that her mother most likely went into a mystical place called the 'Soul
Cairn', a place where all the souls from soul gems reside.
> To access the Soul Cairn Serana lists some special ingredients she needs, then she mentions that she needs her mother's blood,
remind her that she shares her mother's blood and then go look for the ingredients:
Pick up the 'Finely Ground Bone Meal' from the table to the left of where the journal was, just to the left of the alchemy set, below
the mammoth skull; it's in the grey bowl, different from normal bone meals. Now grab the 'Soul Gem Shards' from the top of the
small wardrobe, just up the stairs where all the other soul gems are, in the same type of bowl. And finally find the 'Purified Void
Salts' on a shelf on the northwest balcony, along from the enchantment table.
> SAVE, then return to Serana who'll be standing next to the 'Portal Vessel', activate the vessel to place the ingredients inside. Talk to
Serana and she will offer up her blood and the portal will open. Simply walk into the portal to enter the Soul Cairn.
> Once inside SAVE, this completes the quest Chasing Echoes and activates the next quest 'Beyond Death'.
Beyond Death
> Make sure to activate the Beyond death quest, it may be advantageous to complete a few small tasks as you go, in order to gain
the use of an undead horse named 'Arvak'. Move forward towards the quest marker passing a few souls on the way, destroy the
'Bonemen' that attack you. Then find a soul of a man standing in a misty dell, he'll talk to you about losing his horse Arvak, then
disappear.
> Continue on towards the quest marker, go through the gap in the giant wall, and along the path, you'll be attacked by more
Bonemen, destroy them then you'll eventually reach a magical barrier where Serana's mother is trapped.
> After a lot of dialogue, SAVE, you'll be tasked with freeing Valerica; the only way to free her however, is to kill all three of the
'Boneyard Keepers'. These Keepers are to be found on three separate towers quite far apart in the Soul Cairn. To make travelling a
little quicker head over to the east and locate the 'Skull of Arvak'. Use this map to help you find it:
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Soul_Cairn_Horse_Quest
> With the skull in hand, if you activate the miscellaneous objective to return the skull, it will mark the soul of Arvak's rider to your
northeast. Talk to him and he'll give you the power to 'Summon Arvak', equip it from the Conjuration list of your magic menu then
use it to summon Arvak.
> SAVE, then use Arvak to reach the first tower to your north. Find the glowing pool marked by your map, jump into it to teleport
yourself to the top of the nearby tower. Work your way further up and kill the powerful archer Keeper.
> With the Keeper dead, SAVE, then use the portal there to get back down. Summon Arvak again and make your way to the southern
tower. This next Keeper will be tougher, he'll be sat on the ground floor on the north side of the tower. Dispatch him in your
preferred style, then SAVE.
> Summon Arvak and head northwest to the final tower. This will be the toughest Keeper, and he'll have some Bonemen friends to
help him. Use a power or two and your best Shouts etc to defeat them all.
> With the final Keeper destroyed, SAVE, summon Arvak once more and return to Valerica. Talk to her then move through the door
into the 'Boneyard'. Here the undead Dragon 'Durnehviir' will attack you.
> Durnehviir is similar in power to that of a Frost Dragon, however he has a potent 'Drain Vitality' Shout which eats away your health
quite rapidly and a unique Shout called 'Soul Cairn Summon' which allows him to summon various Bonemen enemies to aid him.
Counter him with fire spells, if you can, and let Serana and Valerica take care of his minions.
> Durnehviir is cursed with 'undeath' and you cannot truly kill him, when you do 'seemingly' kill him however he will disappear and
you won't absorb a dragon soul, nor be able to loot his corpse. Follow Valerica now over to where the Elder Scroll is kept. Talk with
her about Durnehviir and then she will open a box for you to retrieve it.
> Talk again with Valerica, SAVE, then head back outside the way you came in. Be careful not to attack Durnehviir on your way back,
he will be waiting for you on a broken wall and he'll engage you in conversation. If you have accidentally turned him hostile, reload
the previous save. He explains his plight and asks you to summon him once you return to Tamriel. You will be given all three words
of the 'Summon Durnehviir' Shout now, SAVE.
> You can Summon Arvak again if you like and make your way back to the portal exit, dismount before the stairs and exit the Soul
Cairn on foot. You'll be returned to Volkihar Ruins, this will complete the quest Beyond Death and unlock:

Beyond Death38 (20)
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Seeking Disclosure - Continued
> You can reactivate the quest Seeking Disclosure in your journal if you like. Use the door to the southwest that leads to the 'Volkihar
Balcony', this allows you to fast-travel back to the castle main entrance.
> Go into the castle, once inside SAVE, find your thrall Dexion. Unfortunately it seems he has now gone blind from reading the first
Elder Scroll, and consequently he is unable to read the others. He does offer a solution however; you are to go to the 'Ancestor
Glade' and find a special knife called a 'Draw Knife', then with this tool, you can harvest bark from a 'Canticle Tree', then, use this
bark to attract the 'Ancestor Moths' to your person and perform a ritual that will enable you to read the Elder Scrolls.
This ends the quest Seeking Disclosure and automatically begins the next quest 'Unseen Visions', be sure to activate it in your
journal.
Unseen Visions
> Leave Castle Volkihar, once outside SAVE. This is your first opportunity to begin learning the 'Soul Tear' Shout for the related
achievement. Firstly you need at least '3' dragon souls to unlock the Summon Durnehviir Shout. For information about finding some
easy souls check the Dragon Souls, Lairs and Shouts section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page.
With the Shout unlocked use it to summon the undead dragon Durnehviir into Tamriel. He will aid you in combat but more
importantly each time you summon him he will teach you a word of the 'Soul Tear' Shout. Unlocking all three words of this special
Shout will unlock:

Soul Tear45 (20)
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> Continuing with the quest at hand; fast-travel to the closest location to the 'Ancestor Glade', it's located just to the east of
Falkreath. Make your way up the winding path and make an important SAVE before you enter, keep this save until you leave the
glade.
> Once inside SAVE, don't worry about any enemies for now, so sneaking is useless, use the ledge on your left to get up and across
the log bridge, move through the tunnel. As a possible glitch Serana may not have entered with you, since you need her for the
quest, reload the previous save or try waiting a few hours. Follow the marked path down into the water and retrieve the Draw Knife
from the sculpture.
> Use the knife on the nearby 'Canticle tree' to harvest some bark, this will attract the first batch of moths to you. As a possible glitch
you may not be able to harvest bark from the tree, try either leaving the glade and re-entering, or reloading your previous save. You
must now look around for swarms of moths and walk into them to gather more, do this seven times to gain enough moths. The
second swarm is in the pool just to the northwest, the third up the stream to the west, then go up the stairs to find the fourth.
Further up then back down to the east to find the fifth under the waterfall. Continue on this ledge to find the sixth near a tree, then
go up the stairs to your southwest to find the final swarm.
> Return down to the pool and stand in the beam of light in the centre. SAVE before reading the first scroll; the Blood scroll from
your 'book' menu. You will then automatically read all three scrolls, this will reveal a map of the western part of Skyrim, it highlights
Markarth to the southwest, Solitude to the northeast and a strange white symbol to the north that must mark the location of
Auriel's Bow. Talk with Serana.
> You know the location of the bow to be 'Darkfall Cave', Serana recommends that you leave with her immediately to find it. This
concludes this quest and automatically begins the next quest 'Touching the Sky'.
Touching the Sky

> Before you may even break dialogue with Serana, you will be attacked by several Dawnguard members and an armoured troll.
Take care of them and exit the glade the way you came in, you may encounter more Dawnguard on your way out too.
> Fast-travel to the nearest location to Darkfall Cave that you have, it's located to the southwest of Dragon Bridge, northwest of
Karthwasten, and just south of Mor Khazgur.
> Once inside SAVE, you may want to invest in some light. Move forward sticking to the right, continue along the path, kill the
frostbite spider and cross the bridge, it's a dead end, so return over the bridge to go on a little ride.
> Allow yourself to be swept down the stream until you end up with all the spiders at the end, kill them then SAVE. Push forward,
you'll reach a little camp, find a chain behind the wooden shelter straight ahead, pull it to open the secret passage to your right. Go
through.
NOTE: Many bugs can occur throughout your journey to Auriel's Bow, almost all of these bugs occur because certain characters that
you will meet and Serana will have incomplete scripts running. To avoid these glitches always allow everyone to finish their dialogue
properly and SAVE every time I prompt to or more. If you become stuck, if you are unable to complete any of the tasks I mention, fall
back on a previous save and try again.
> You'll enter an open area with a strange dome in the centre, SAVE and talk to 'Knight-Paladin Gelebor'. Gelebor is one of only two
remaining 'Snow Elves' in the world. He will give you Auriel's Bow as long as you kill his brother 'Vyrthur' who resides deep in the
'Inner Sanctum'. To get to the Inner Sanctum you must first fill a 'Ceremonial Ewer' with the water from '5' different 'Wayshrines';
the Wayshrine of Illumination, Learning, Radiance, Resolution, and Sight. Gelebor will show you what a Wayshrine looks like and give
you the 'Initiate's Ewer', before using the Wayshrine to open a portal to 'Darkfall Passage'.
> Use the portal and enter Darkfall Passage, begin the long trek through many recognize Falmer and Chaurus, to reach the first
Wayshrine; the Wayshrine of Illumination. The way through has only one way, so just make sure to SAVE periodically and destroy
any 'Chaurus Hunter Cocoons' before they hatch:
External image
Also be wary of many traps, there is a particular chest out in the open in a peculiarly well-lit dell, it is a lethal trap, so leave it.
> You'll eventually come to two strange 'chains' on the wall, activate the one on the left, and kill the new 'Vale Sabre Cat'. In the next
open area, you're ultimately looking for the bridge high up that leads to the northwest corner.
> Cross the bridge to find the first Wayshrine, talk to 'Pelate Sidanyis' there, then activate the font inside the Wayshrine to fill your
ewer. If you are still a vampire you will be subject to the weaknesses of the Sun on the other side, so wait for night time then use the
portal to enter the 'Forgotten Vale'.
Forgotten Vale Map

External image
Courtesy of Gamebanshee.com
> Once inside SAVE, move through the passages and be careful not to fall off as you emerge on a narrow ledge. Ascend the ledges to
enter a large open valley, you'll appear at point (A) on the above map. Move down and kill the Vale Sabre Cats here and head
towards the quest marker on the furthest right, number (2) on the map, to the north.
> Find 'Prelate Athling' and he will open the Wayshrine of Sight for you, fill your ewer, but do not use the portal this time. Instead
turn southwest to find a pass; number (3) on the map, go through and you'll be ambushed by frostbite spiders. SAVE then exit the
pass and take a left to find the Wayshrine of Learning (number 5 on the map).
> Talk to 'Prelate Celegriath' and then fill your ewer. Again do not use the portal, turn southwest and cross the river to find a narrow
snowy pass leading up, go up and through an archway. You'll emerge on a frozen lake, make an important SAVE here, you're about
to be attacked by two recognize dragons called 'Naaslaarum' and 'Voslaarum'. (It may be a good idea to summon Durnehviir here to
help you).
> Stick the right as you make your way north-northwest towards number (7) on the map. As you approach the Word Wall the
dragons will attack, kill them and learn a word of the 'Drain Vitality' Shout from the unusual wall, SAVE.
> Continue north to find your fourth Wayshrine; the 'Wayshrine of Resonance', talk to 'Prelate Nirilor' to access it. Fill your ewer,
avoid the portal, and then look southwest for a hard-to-find snowy pass; If you stand right next to Nirilor and look southwest you will
see a snowy tree right ahead, go forward and behind this tree to the southwest is a snowy pass, hug the rocks on your right and
continue towards the quest marker.
> You'll soon pass a Moonstone Ore Vein. Go down and take a left before the stone bridge, kill the Falmer outside the entrance to
'Glacial Crevice'.
> Once inside SAVE, stick to left and kill the Frost Troll and Falmer as you ascend the southwest side of the cavern. The Unrelenting
Force Shout is particularly useful during the next few sections of the game. Be careful not to fall off as you kill more Falmer before
passing through an icy tunnel to the left. Open a gate and avoid the tripwire, continue up the ledges on the left and kill more Falmer
and a Chaurus.
> Cross over to the right side and killing the Falmer from the hut to the left, move through the next gate and SAVE. Avoid the tripwire
before moving through and killing another Falmer ignore the spiraling descent and head through the gate, pass some tents and head
up the ledges.
> Kill a Falmer outside and proceed south, fight more recognize Falmer as you carefully navigate along the narrow ledge and across a
bridge. Go through another tunnel to the north east to find a way back out to the Forgotten Vale.
> Once outside SAVE, you'll find an elaborate Falmer village crawling with high recognize Falmer. Avoid the tripwires and navigate
your way up the various make-shift bridges to finally reach a tent, you'll know it's the correct tent if you can find 'Unknown Book,
Vol. IV' inside.
> Drop down to the ground to find a gate to the southeast, go through, SAVE then proceed through the tunnels avoiding a dangerous
tripwire as you go. You'll eventually reach the final Wayshrine; the 'Wayshrine of Radiance', talk to 'Prelate Edhelbor' to open it for
you. Fill your ewer then turn northeast to find a stone bridge.
> Cross the bridge, then climb the stairs past the statue, fill the water basin using your full ewer. Observe as the water filters towards
the door unlocking the mechanism. Open the door to the 'Inner Sanctum'.
> Once inside SAVE, you'll find lots of Falmer and Chaurus completely frozen stiff by some magical force. Open the door to the north
and proceed through to find more frozen enemies and a tunnel leading to 'Auriel's Chapel', go through.
> Once inside SAVE, drop down and move towards the marker, after you approach 'Arch-Curator Vyrthur' he will speak to you then
the frozen enemies will begin thawing and attack you. Defeat a wave of 'Frozen Chaurus', then some weaker Falmer, stay away from
the centre of the room as Vyrthur will drop pieces of the ceiling down to harm you, as another wave of Falmer attack.
> Defeat them, then Vyrthur will summon an 'Ancient Frost Atronach', more pieces of the ceiling will fall, this time targeted at you,
and a wave of higher recognize Falmer will also attack. After they are all dead Vyrthur will stand, you'll be temporarily unable to
open your journal or use anything offensive, while Vyrthur destroys the temple with a mighty explosion and you'll be knocked back.
> Vyrthur will run away, after you come to your feet SAVE, pursue Vyrthur, you still can't attack yet, but you'll find Vyrthur just up
ahead injured. After some dialogue with Serana and Vyrthur you'll be returned control of your weapons and journal and Vyrthur will
attack.
> Although Vyrthur is a vampire, he is still vulnerable to poisons, and particularly vulnerable to fire. Use this knowledge and your
other preferred means to destroy him and you may wish to loot his body for the only set of 'Ancient Falmer Armour' in the game.
> Turn now to the Wayshrine where Gelebor has appeared. Speak to him and he will be assured of your worthiness to carry Auriel's
Bow, it will then appear behind him inside the Wayshrine, take it.
This concludes the quest Touching the Sky and automatically activates the final quest 'Kindred Judgment'.
Kindred Judgment
> You can use Auriel's Bow immediately (if it is daytime) but you only have 'Sunhallowed Elven Arrows'; these arrows cause bursts of
Sunlight that damage everyone around you, this will hurt, but not kill Serana. Simply equip the bow and some arrows, then aim
directly at the Sun. You can ask Gelebor to change any Elven arrows you have into Sunhallowed Elven Arrows for free. Similarly
Serana will change Elven arrows into 'Bloodcursed Elven Arrows', these can be used to blot out the Sun until the next dawn, this is
useful to negate all the negative effects of Sunlight on vampires.
Using the bow successfully for the first time will unlock:

Auriel's Bow46 (20)
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> SAVE, then speak to Serana, she concludes that the only course of action is to kill her father; Lord Harkon. Now activate Kindred
Judgment in your journal and use the portal back to Darkfall Cave.
> Use the tunnel to the south, take a right at the fire, go up the ledges and pull the chain to open the way. Burn through the
cobwebs then take a right towards the waterfall. Take a right again then head up and out into the open.
> Fast-travel back to Castle Volkihar, SAVE when you arrive and be wary of Dawnguard Scouts. Proceed into the castle.
> Once inside SAVE, make your way straight towards the quest marker and confront Lord Harkon in the cathedral, do not go into
sneak mode before talking to Lord Harkon. Do not give Harkon Auriel's Bow, he will just betray you and it leave you at a
disadvantage. Do not summon Durnehviir inside the cathedral.
Harkon will fight you in vampire lord form, he will use 'Vampiric Drain' on you, he'll summon skeletons and gargoyles and he'll
occasionally turn invisible or into a swarm of bats. Stay on him and let Serana take care of his minions or summon some of your own.
Harkon is immune to poisons, undead turning, fear spells and the Wabbajack, he is also highly resistant to frost but highly vulnerable
to fire.
When he is low on health he will flee to his altar and regenerate behind a magical shield, this shield can only be broken by Auriel's
Bow, normal arrows will break it so don't waste your Sunhallowed ones. When Harkon is finally defeated he will curse his daughter
and turn into a pile of red ash, SAVE.
If Lord Harkon fails to die after depleting all of his health; try saving then reloading that save, or alternatively reload an earlier save
and fight him again.
> Serana will offer herself as a follower and the final Dawnguard quest will be complete unlocking:

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You can loot Harkon's ash pile for his Vampire Royal Armour, his special sword, and some other high end treasures. Garan Marethi
will appear now and recognise you as the new leader of the Volkihar Vampire Clan, the castle and its vampires are now yours.
The castle blacksmith 'Hestla' (found in the southeast of the keep) will now stock 200 additional Elven arrows for you to use to
convert into either Sunhallowed of Bloodcursed Elven Arrows. You can later ask Garan to repair the passage to the courtyard of the
castle. You can also return to the Soul Cairn and talk to Valerica, this will make her leave the Soul Cairn and return to the castle once
more. Additionally; various side-quests become available from various members of the castle.
External image
This is DLC takes place entirely in a new region called 'Solstheim', and introduces a new quest line involving a new antagonist who is
corrupting the population of this region. You will be given over '50' new quests, '6' entirely new factions, over '20' new creatures and
enemies, the ability to 'ride' dragons as steeds and attack enemies while doing so, '4' new Shouts, over '80' new characters, a
powerful new metal called 'Stalhrim', '9' new powers, '11' new spells, '4' new blessings, and a whole variety of new armour,
weapons, clothing, books, foods, and ingredients.
There are '10' new achievements added by the Dragonborn DLC and '1' is Missable;
Four achievements are unlocked by completing quests in the main quest line.
One is unlocked by learning the secrets of at least 5 'Black Books'.
One by learning all three words of the new 'Dragon Aspect' Shout.
One for crafting an item from the new Stalhrim metal.
One for riding five dragons.
One for buying a house in Solstheim.
One for discovering thirty locations in Solstheim.
The Missable achievement known as 'Stalhrim Crafter', concerns the crafting of an item from Stalhrim. This is missable because there
are only two characters who can teach you how to craft this metal, and they can both die or glitch. I have detailed the best way to go
about gaining this achievement on the page itself.
I will guide you through every location and quest that is required for the achievements and nothing more. Solstheim has many areas
and many more quests that are not related to any achievements, but it is important not to go wandering off into places you are not
told to go to specifically for a quest, the missable achievement can easily become permanently glitched by doing so.
Getting to Solstheim
Before going to Solstheim you should first complete the Main Story quest 'The Way of the Voice'. This activates the Dragonborn
Main Story quests properly and gives you a quest marker.
Also before going to Solstheim you may want to build your Smithing level up to 80 and unlock the Ebony Smithing perk. These two
things are essential in order to craft an item from the new metal found in Solstheim; 'Stalhrim' and consequently unlock the
'Stalhrim Crafter' achievement. You can, if you wish, build your Smithing in Solstheim, but the resources in Skyrim are far greater.
Dragonborn
After completing the Main Story quest 'The Way of the Voice' you will soon be attacked by a group of 'Cultists' from Solstheim. Kill
them and examine their bodies to find the 'Cultists' Orders', read them and you'll be directed to 'Gjalund Salt-Sage', the Captain of
the 'Northern Maiden' anchored at Windhelm Docks, SAVE.
> Go to Windhelm Docks and find Gjalund on his ship. Ask him about 'What happened . . ?', then say 'Yes, you are . . .', you'll then
have the; 'I'll pay you double . . . ', and 'You owe me . . . ' options - choose the latter and he'll take you to Solstheim.
> You'll arrive at the main city of Solstheim, 'Raven Rock' and just before you dock you'll unlock:
Outlander in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Outlander31 (20)
Arrive on Solstheim
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> A Dark Elf named 'Adril Arano' will approach you and warn about the different laws in Solstheim than Skyrim, Adril is the Second
Councilor of Raven Rock and somewhat of an authority figure there. After the dialogue alight and SAVE.
Buying a house in Raven Rock
Your next priority is not the main story, it is the buying or rather the awarding yourself a house in the town. This involves the
completion of three side-quests that tie neatly with a few other achievements.
> Firstly make your way into town through the eastern entrance and turn left. You'll find the local blacksmith 'Glover Mallory' at his
forge on your left. Talk to him.
> He wants you to find a very special pickaxe known as an 'Ancient Nordic Pickaxe' (the only pickaxe that can mine the new 'Stalhrim'
metal). This directs you to 'Crescius Caerellius', he can be found in the 'Raven Rock Mine' just up the hill on your left, activate the
quest in your journal to help find him.
> Once inside SAVE, allow Crescius and Aphia to finish talking, then talk to Crescius.
> Offer to help Crescius, this activates the side-quest 'The Final Descent':
The Final Descent

> Keep talking to Crescius and believe his story, he will eventually give you a letter and a key, and some more information.
After this make sure to ask him for the Ancient Nordic Pickaxe, tell that it isn't his and he'll give it to you.
> Now be sure to activate the Final Descent quest in your journal and remove all others then carefully proceed down the steps and
all the way down into the mine.
> Both east and south are dead-ends so proceed north, kill the spiders and you'll come to a gap that has been crudely boarded up.
Burn or smash through the gap and SAVE.
> Use the key on the metal gate and proceed north, you'll start to encounter levelled Draugr now, kill or sneak past them be careful
of the swinging gate trap in the corner. Proceed on until you see a circular room with a grid in the floor, SAVE before entering this
room.
> There are a lot of high levelled draugr in this room, be prepared for a tough fight, and don't be afraid to use a power or two and
some potions etc. When the fight is won SAVE and proceed through the door to the west.
> You'll soon come to a peculiar upright sarcophagus filled with shiny blue stone:
External image
This is a rare Stalhrim deposit, make sure to mine this now and keep the resulting Stalhrim ores. SAVE.
> Around the corner you'll find an alchemy lab, up the stairs from this there is a spell caster trap at the top, try taking the soul gems
from the stands quickly or just run through.
> Proceed down and through a wooden door, SAVE, three more high levelled draugr will attack in here, kill them, and pick the door
under the waterfall that leads into 'Bloodskal Barrow'.
> Mine the Stalhrim deposit here and then exit again.
> Head upstairs and activate the handle on the north side of the room, this opens up a passageway to the south. Proceed through
the passage in the south and turn right up some stairs.
> Dash across the side of the room to remove the hostile soul gem attacking you and proceed on through kind of elevated caged
walkway, you'll see a wooden door ahead, it just contains a random loot chest and it's protected by a dart trap. On your way
towards this door you should find a passage on your left, go through.
> Drop down carefully and walk to the other side of this room to find the skeletal remains of 'Gratian Caerellius', take the journal and
the 'Bloodskal Blade' then read the journal.
> It seems Gratian was close to solving the puzzle of opening the nearby door when he was killed by draugr. The idea is to use the
Bloodskal Blade to activate the door's mechanisms. This unique blade emits a red dash of energy whenever a power attack is
performed, holding cn_RT while moving either left or right will create a horizontal dash, and holding cn_RT while stationary will
create a vertical dash.
This energy does not dissipate; you will notice red gashes in the sides of the large archway around the door. Use power attacks to
activate these gashes, try to use your reticule to hit them dead on. It doesn't matter what order you hit them in, when the final gash
is activated the door will open, SAVE.
> Proceed inside and face seven swinging blade traps, maneuver through them all to come to a waterlogged area, SAVE.
> Make your way into this room and the Dragon Priest 'Zahkriisos' will emerge and attack you. Zahkriisos can be quite formidable at
higher levels, but just try to dodge his lightning attacks and dispose of him quickly. Once he's dead loot his remains for his mask and
gold and turn your attention to the back of the room for the Word Wall there.
This Wall grants you the first word of the achievement related 'Dragon Aspect' Shout, be sure to learn it now.
> Proceed through the northwest tunnel to find your first 'Black Book' on a pedestal:
Reading this very special book, known as the 'The Winds of Change' will transport you to another realm, specifically into Hermaeus
Mora's plane of Oblivion known as 'Apocrypha'. You must find at least '5' of the '7' Black Books and consequently travel through five
different areas of Apocrypha for the 'Hidden Knowledge' achievement. I have included the locations of the easiest five Black Books
and how to navigate through them, as we complete the other main quests of Dragonborn.
Black Book: The Winds of Change

Once inside a Black Book you cannot simply turn around and leave, you must either die, or travel through the realm of Apocrypha,
fighting its hostile inhabitants and solving its puzzles, to find the Black Book of the same name and learn its secrets. If you do die
anywhere in Apocrypha you will be transported back outside of the book; reading it again will return you to the start of the area, so
it is best to save often and whatever you do; don't go swimming!
> You'll arrive on a platform in a very strange new world. The black seas of ink around you are not for recreational purposes. The
Daedric Prince of Knowledge Hermaeus Mora will speak to you here, then you can proceed to find the exit and the secrets of The
Winds of Change.
> Be careful of the tentacles that damage you as you walk along the first platform, a new enemy called a 'Seeker' will attack you
here, destroy it and activate the 'Scrye' which serve as levers of sorts and open doors etc.
> Proceed through the open gateway and you'll notice a blue 'Font of Magicka' on the wall, activating these will give you a full boost
of magicka. Go around the corner to find a green 'Font of Stamina' which grants a stamina boost and another Scrye to open the next
door.
> Kill the Seeker in the next room and hit the next Scrye, SAVE.
> In the next open room you'll encounter your first 'Lurker'; these are giant type enemies with multiple poisonous attacks, be careful
to avoid their black ranged attacks and make use of the fonts there.
> Once the Lurker is dead, SAVE and hit the Scrye to open the gate at the top. Find the large Black Book and activate it to be offered
three special powers:
Companion's Insight - Any follower with you will become immune to your friendly fire.
Scholar's Insight - Skill Books give you 2 skill points.
Lover's Insight - Do 10% more damage to, and get 10% better prices from, people of the opposite sex.
Choose your power then look at the book and activate 'To Solstheim' to exit Apocrypha.
This will count as 1 / 5 for the Hidden Knowledge achievement.

The Final Descent: Continued
> Go up the stairs and enter 'Bloodskal Barrow', you'll be attacked by several 'Reavers' - much like bandits, kill them and proceed a
little further on to the exit.
> Once outside SAVE, you'll find yourself a little north of Raven Rock at Bloodskal Barrow, there will be a few more Reavers outside
here, kill them then proceed south on foot, do not fast-travel back to Raven Rock.
> You can find Glover Mallory at the blacksmiths and try to return the Ancient Nordic Pickaxe to him, but he'll tell you to keep it.
Now continue on to find Crescius in his house a little further on.
> Once inside SAVE, talk to Crescius and tell him he was right to receive your reward.
March of the Dead

Now to further increase your standing in Raven Rock you must find 'Old Attius Farm', and complete the March of the Dead side-
quest.
> Old Attius Farm is located just a little south of Raven Rock, head there now.
> As you approach the farm sign: SR-mapicon-Farm.png, you'll find a Redoran Guard called 'Captain Veleth' fighting some 'Ash
Spawn' - be careful not to hit Veleth and kill the Ash Spawn.
> Talk to Veleth and offer to help him, activate the March of the Dead quest in your journal and check one the Ash Spawn's remains
for a 'Declaration of War' note.
> Hand the note to Veleth and tell him of the declaration, he is confused because the note is signed 'General Falx Carius' and Veleth
believed him to have died over '200' years ago. Nevertheless Veleth wants you to go to 'Fort Frostmoth' where the General claims to
be, and end the attacks on Raven Rock.
> Head out on foot, try to start going a little out of your way to discover various locations as you travel. You do not need to enter the
places, just turn the marker from black to white so it will count towards the 'Solstheim Explorer' achievement.
> So head south first towards a little ship icon: SR-mapicon-Shipwreck.png, and discover the 'Wreck of the Strident Squall. Now head
northeast to discover 'Hrodulf's House. Then continue northeast to find the fort.
> Upon arriving at the fort SAVE. Try to approach from the south side near the water, as you enter the fort's courtyard you'll hear the
General's voice, it seems he thinks you are the invading force trying to take the fort 200 years ago. The General will unleash an
ambush of Ash Spawn, kill all the Ash Spawn around the exterior.
> Enter the fort from the main entrance, SAVE, kill the couple of Ash Spawn in the first room then proceed north down the stairs to
find more levelled Ash Spawn. Go down a passage to the north to the tomb, defeat the Ash Spawn at the bottom and you'll find
'Ildari's Journal' on a table, and a knapsack below it, pick it the journal and check the knapsack for the 'Fort Frostmoth Key', now
return back up.
> Now use the key to go through the wooden door and head up stairs, SAVE.
> The General along with some levelled Ash Spawn inhabit the next room, the General carries a very powerful heavy two-handed
hammer called the 'Champion's Cudgel', and it can cause very heavy damage.
> After defeating the General and his Ash Spawn, take the key, and the Cudgel if you wish, from his body and use the side door to
return outside.
> Now return to Captain Veleth and tell him of your victory. Proceed back Raven Rock on foot discovering 'Kolbjorn Barrow' on your
way.
> Talk to Captain Veleth and you will receive some levelled gold, and complete this quest. He will also pass on a personal thank you
from Second Councilor Adril Arano.
Now to finish your claim for the right to own a house in Raven Rock you must complete one more side-quest.
Served Cold
If you hang around Captain Veleth for a few seconds he should give you a note from Adril, he wants to see you straightaway, this
begins the quest 'Served Cold'.
> If it's the right time of day you'll find Adril right there in the market place, otherwise find him in 'Morvayn Manner' (the next door
southeast of Glover's house) or he may be in the 'The Retching Netch' corner club across the street from that.
> Talk to Adril, he believes that an assassination may be imminent on 'Councilor Lleril Morvayn' by a member of 'House Hlaalu'. Offer
to help and you'll be directed to a Dark Elf pawnbroker called 'Geldis Sadri', find him in the Retching Netch.
> Enter the Netch and SAVE, find Geldis behind the bar downstairs and talk to him about Adril. He suggests you hide inside the 'Ulen
Ancestral Tomb' and see if anyone shows up who you can link to the assassination.
> Go back outside and turn left, the tomb is just down the street on the left. Invisibility or fortify sneak potions and items can be very
useful here, but just your normal sneaking abilities should suffice, sneak into the building and SAVE.
> Head inside and hide at the side in the dark, wait for about 10-20 seconds and a mysterious visitor will enter and approach the
central grave. Sneak up behind the visitor and just reveal her name, you do not need to pickpocket or talk to her. Now leave the
tomb and report back to Adril.
> Find Adril and tell him the identity of the Ulen Ancestral Tomb visitor to be 'Tilisu Severin'. He is suspicious of this since she doesn't
belong to the Ulen family. Adril wants you to find definite proof of Tilisu's involvement of the assassination, and so directs you to the
'Severin Manor' across the street from the Retching Netch, he also gives you the key to the door, SAVE.
> Sneak into Severin Manor, you will find Tilisu and 'Mirri Severin' inside with weapons drawn, you can sneak past them or kill them,
it doesn't ultimately matter. But you could pickpocket the safe key from Mirri. You must find the safe downstairs- its in the room
straight opposite the stairs in the south corner obscured by a basket.
> Open the safe and find the letter marked 'The Ulen Matter' which reveals the plot to assassinate Councilor Morvayn at the hands
of the family's patriarch 'Vendil Severin' or rather 'Vendil Ulen'. SAVE then take the letter back to Adril.
> Find Adril and tell him of the plot, he will send two of his best Redoran Guards to 'Ashfallow Citadel' to track down and kill Vendil
and he wants you to accompany them and do all you can to help.
> Make your way out on foot and head for the blackened out tower icon to the northeast to discover 'Highpoint Tower', then
continue northeast to discover 'Ramshackle Trading Post', then make your way east towards the Citadel.
> The two Redoran Guards will be dead by the time you arrive (scripted), they were killed by 'Morag Tong' assassins, there will still
be a couple outside of the Citadel so take them down before proceeding inside.
Note: the Citadel will be your 10th location found.
> Once inside SAVE, take a right and head downstairs, take out the single guard down there and proceed through the tunnel behind
him. Another two guards will be patrolling down here, kill them and find the chain behind the entrance to the room on the left and
open the metal bars ahead. SAVE.
> Proceed forward and kill another three assassins. Open the door to the right and avoid the bear traps inside to pull the chain at the
far end, exit this room and find the second chain on the wall to the left of the bars you need to open.
> Proceed on and be careful to avoid the many pressure plate traps on the floor as you navigate into a niche to the right and pull the
two chains inside to open the bars ahead again.
> Sneak down the now opened passage, and SAVE. Vendil accompanied by two more assassins will be in the final chamber ahead.
You can try to lure them back into the traps in the corridor, but they shouldn't be too much trouble.
> Once Vendil is dead SAVE and exit the Citadel. Report your victory back to Adril in Raven Rock.
> Adril will be very pleased with you and he'll ask you to follow him to the Councilor. Talk to Councilor Morvayn after Adril is finished,
he believes that mere coin is not enough to reward you and he gives you 'Severin Manor' as your home in Raven Rock.
Owning a house in Raven Rock will unlock:
Raven Rock Owner in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Raven Rock Owner45 (20)
Own a house in Raven Rock
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It's now time to continue with the Solstheim Main Story; reactivate the 'Dragonborn' quest in your journal and proceed towards
southwest out of town to find the 'Earth Stone', SAVE.
Dragonborn
> The Earth Stone seems to be a monolith of some sort, and it's being worked on by the people of Raven Rock, but they seem to be
in a trance.
> When you arrive you'll be approached by 'Neloth', he'll be equally evasive as everyone else in Raven Rock when asked about
'Miraak', but he will mention the existence of an ancient temple that once belonged to Miraak located in the centre of Solstheim.
This is a bit vague, but it's you have to go on, so it's off to the centre of the island.
> The closest fast-travel point should be the 'Ramshackle Trading Post' that you should have discovered earlier, fast travel there
now.
> Once at the trading post SAVE, make your way west around the hillside and then turn northwest, make sure to discover 'Kagrumez'
before heading west and north again and reaching the 'Temple of Miraak'.
> Do not attack the people here, they are friendly, albeit unhelpful. It appears that, much like the people around the Earth Stone,
these people are 'entranced'. Head up the stone stairs, then up the wooden scaffolding and then down into the interior. This ends
the quest Dragonborn, and begins the quest 'The Temple of Miraak'.
External image
The Temple of Miraak

At the temple you should be sought out by a Nord from the nearby 'Skaal Village' named 'Frea', it seems she is not entranced like the
others and she is fully aware that some of her people have been enslaved. Frea will offer to help you get to the bottom of this, at
which point two Cultists will exit the temple and attack you, kill them and head inside.
> Once inside SAVE, head straight north and then when you enter a room to the west; there'll be a dart trap in the floor and two
Cultists will attack you, avoid the trap and kill them. Now proceed forward and avoid the battering ram trap in the floor before
opening a metal gate with the chain.
> Move through into a kind of torture room, Frea will comment about the throne above you to the north, you can use the stairs and
then the pillar to jump up there for a chest, otherwise make your way around the room to be attacked by some draugr and a few
Cultists.
> Defeat the enemies then continue downstairs and SAVE. Use the handle to open the next metal gate and kill the draugr that
inhabit the next rooms. Avoid the swinging gate and battering ram traps to reach a fork in the path.
> Kill the even more draugr here and proceed on until you reach a door protected by flame throwers, after this door Frea will claim
she unable to get through the next swinging blade traps and she'll wait for you to go through and deactivate them, SAVE.
> Time your movements (perhaps using Whirlwind Sprint) and make it through the traps, activate the lever at the other end and
move through.
> Move around through a side screen and activate the handle to open the next door, a ramp will open automatically for you to
proceed. Avoid the dart traps in the floor as you battle two draugr and a higher level Cultist. When they are dead enter the 'Temple
of Miraak Sanctum' behind them.
> Once inside SAVE, kill the skeletons and then the draugr, take the next left down some stairs and kill the two Cultists then head
down the stairs behind them.
> The Word Wall for the second word of the 'Dragon Aspect' Shout will be on your left at the bottom. Learn the word the temple will
shake, unleashing more draugr, along with a notable draugr 'Gatekeeper'.
> Kill them all and take the 'Temple of Miraak Key' from the Gatekeeper, SAVE.
> Use the key on the iron door in the sarcophagus and then again on the next iron door. Proceed to the northwest corner of this
banqueting room and around the corridor to pull the handle and open the secret passage to the south.
> Move through the next part until you reach a dead end room with a grate in the floor, SAVE. Pull the handle and head down the
wooden stairs, then down a second set, then through two circular rooms to pull another handle and open a third stone staircase.
> Proceed down then SAVE, be sure to avoid the tripwires that drop boulders down these next stairs and destroy the draugr to reach
a chest at the foot of a shrine to Hermaeus Mora.
> Pull the chain behind the shrine to open a secret passage, follow the passage to reach strange room with the Black Book: Waking
Dreams inside.
> SAVE, then read the book to enter Apocrypha.
Black Book: Waking Dreams - Part I

> You will be greeted by Miraak himself, along with a Serpentine Dragon and some Seekers. Miraak will not reveal much about his
designs, other than he is using the inhabitants of Solstheim to build him a temple, seemingly in order to return to Tamriel.
> After this Miraak, unafraid of you, simply rides off on a dragon and commands his Seekers to return you back Solstheim. Because
you did not learn the secrets of the Waking Dreams Black Book it will not count for the Hidden Knowledge achievement, not yet.
> You'll be returned to the Temple and this will conclude the quest 'The Temple of Miraak' unlocking:
The Temple of Miraak in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

The Temple of Miraak36 (20)
Complete "The Temple of Miraak"
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The Fate of the Skaal
> Follow Frea along the passageway and out of the Temple, once outside SAVE. Pop down the hill a little just to discover the 'Wind
Stone' now. Then continue to follow Frea to the Skaal Village.
> Frea will talk to her father and the shaman of the Skaal village 'Storn Crag-Strider' about the happenings at the Temple, and she'll
introduce you to him. Talk to Storn.
> Tell Storn about the Black Book and that you are Dragonborn, he does not know exactly what lies in store for Solstheim with there
being two Dragonborns here, but he wishes you to help free those enslaved by Miraak at the special 'All-Maker Stones' around the
island.
> Storn thinks you need to learn a Shout called 'Bend Will' in order to free his people, the only place he knows where this word can
be found is to the north at 'Saering's Watch'.
NOTE: Don't worry about the quest to find a Stalhrim blacksmith at the moment, you'll come to that only after this quest.
> Head out directly north first, to discover a cave called 'Frossel' and then a little west and watch out for some pirates when you
discover 'Haknir's Shoal'.
> SAVE, then proceed directly west to discover the 'Headwaters of Harstrad', your destination now is 'Benkongerike' to the
northwest, it contains your next Black Book. So put the Fate of the Skaal quest on hold for now and head there instead.
Benkongerike
> Once at Benkongerike SAVE, this cave is crawling with 'Rieklings'- little Goblin-like creatures that can be a pain when in large
groups. The Black Book we need is deep in the interior. Head down the snow slope and into the cavern, take a left and enter an open
room.
> Kill all the Riekling Warriors here and proceed through a few tunnels to fight more Rieklings. Move through the next tunnel then
take a right then a left avoiding the tripwires as you go.
> You'll come to a large room with bridges, kill all the Rieklings and proceed across the bridges to reach a doorway in the east side of
the room. Proceed through and SAVE, in the next room some higher level Rieklings will surprise you by jumping out of some barrels,
kill them and open the door to 'Benkongerike Great Hall'.
> Once inside move a little forward to climb a spiral staircase, SAVE at the top and move through taking the next right and you'll
come to a room with more Rieklings and chargers. Kill the enemies and find a Stalhrim deposit in the northwest corner.
> Arrange the pillars at the south side of the room so they match the symbols above, the second one is missing, it is whale - so the
pillars should show: Hawk, Whale, Whale, Snake, pull the handle and move through.
> Approach the Word Wall to learn a word of the 'Cyclone' Shout. Now go up a broken pillar to the east and through a tunnel to find
the Black Book: Untold Legends.
Black Book: Untold Legends

> Once in Apocrypha SAVE, head down then select the book marked 'Chapter II', now cross the bridge to fight a Lurker, kill it and
cross the other side, take a left and open another book to 'Chapter IV'.
> Go straight and through the passageways to enter an open room with some Seekers, kill them and use the Scrye outside the
middle door on the west side of the room to open that door. Then use the Scrye in here to open the door on the opposite and use
the Scrye in there to open up the door in the centre of the room.
> Use the Scrye in the centre to unfurl the stairs and open the way to the south, proceed on through and open 'Chapter V'.
> Once inside SAVE, move forwards all the way down and read the Black Book: Untold Legends, you'll be offered one of three
powers:
Black Market - Summon a Dremora merchant who you can trade with.
Secret Servant - Summon a Dremora butler to carry your items for you.
Bardic Knowledge - Summon a drum that increases Stamina regeneration for you and your follower.
The Fate of the Skaal - Continued

> Once back in Solstheim SAVE, use the iron door back to Benkongerike, hit the chain down the passage and then turn left and exit
the cave.
> Now continue towards 'Saering's Watch', there will be a levelled dragon here along with multiple draugr guarding the Bend Will
word wall.
> You can wait a time for the draugr and dragon to fight and weaken each other, or just wade in and kill everyone. The important
thing is to learn the word, and if you haven't already got at least one dragon soul in reserve to unlock it, make sure to hang around
Saering's Watch and kill the dragon there for his soul.
Note: Saering's Watch will be the 20th location you've discovered.
> With the first word of Bend Will unlocked fast-travel down to the Wind Stone. Once there make a very important SAVE, use Bend
Will on the people there and a Lurker will appear. Kill the Lurker quickly and make sure no one else dies, especially 'Deor
Woodcutter' or 'Baldor Iron-Shaper'.
> Now run back to the Skaal Village and enter the 'Shaman's Hut', talk to Storn and tell him that his people have been freed. He
thanks you and wants you to free the people from all the other All-Maker Stones around Solstheim. He also points you to the Dark
Elf wizard-lord 'Neloth' who may know more about the Black Books and Miraak's interest in them. This completes this quest and
activates two more 'Cleansing the Stones' and 'The Path of Knowledge', but we are going to leave both of them alone for now and
conclude our business involving the crafting of Stalhrim.
> SAVE before returning outside, now fast-travel back to Raven Rock, wait 12 hours, then fast-travel back to Skaal Village, SAVE
immediately and do not interrupt Deor and Fanari as they discuss the disappearance of Baldor Iron-Shaper.
> Once the dialogue has finished they will walk apart, talk to Deor and offer to help find Baldor, this will activate the quest 'A New
Source of Stalhrim'.
If you interrupted Deor and Fanari or for any other reason cannot get the quest to begin try reloading the previous save and trying
again. If this still does not work try reloading an even earlier save. If you cannot fix the bug the only thing you can do to attain the
'Stalhrim Crafter' achievement is to begin a new game altogether, progress to 'the Way of the voice' in the main story and begin
'Dragonborn' again.
A New Source of Stalhrim

> Your destination is an 'Abandoned Lodge' on the southwest of the island. The best place to fast-travel to is Highpoint Tower in the
middle south, kill the Ash Spawn outside and then SAVE.
> Make your way northwest discovering 'Brodir Grove' on the way. When you arrive at the abandoned lodge SAVE.
> There are at least four hostile Thalmor outside the lodge, kill them in your preferred manner, loot the key from one of them and
enter the lodge.
> You'll find a scared Baldor inside, after some dialogue he will direct you to an unmarked Thalmor ship anchored off the northwest
coast of Solstheim at 'Northshore Landing' to retrieve a map that belongs to the Skaal.
> Leave Baldor in the lodge and fast-travel to Saering's Watch, make your way northwest towards the ship, discovering 'Castle
Karstaag Caverns' and 'Castle Karstaag Ruins' on your way.
> When you arrive at Northshore Landing SAVE, the Thalmor here will not be immediately hostile, you can talk to them first, but if
you do not have a Speech skill of at least '75' then you may as well sneak attack them from the start to gain an advantage.
> If you wish to gain the map by talking: ask the guard if you can talk to their leader 'Ancarion' then go over and talk to him. Say 'I'm
about the Stalhrim map', then select 'The blacksmith won't talk . . ' option.
> Either with Ancarion convinced or not and the map in hand SAVE, then fast-travel back to the Skaal Village.
> Find Baldor and give him the Stalhrim Source Map', he will thank you and as a reward he will reveal the secrets to forging Stalhrim
items. This completes the quest.
> Now if you turn your attention to the nearby blacksmith forge you should have the ability to forge an item from Stalhrim.
Remember that you must have at least 80 Smithing skill and the Ebony smithing perk before you can actually make anything. See the
smithing section of the Miscellaneous achievements page for more information.
> You can forge most Stalhrim items with just Stalhrim ore and leather strips, but some require quicksilver and steel ingots also. You
can buy the items you need from Baldor there and Smithing one of any type of Stalhrim item will unlock:

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White Ridge Barrow
Now with that missable achievement out of the way we are going to put the main story on hold for a while to complete a special
task that builds towards the Hidden Knowledge achievement.
Our new destination is 'White Ridge Barrow' to the northwest of Solstheim. First fast-travel back to Castle Karstaag Ruins and start
heading west towards a black landmark icon:SR-mapicon-Landmark.png, you'll discover this to be a 'Stalhrim Source', mine some
Stalhrim if you like before heading out to the west and hugging the cliff on your left, then start running towards White Ridge Barrow.
> Head inside and SAVE, it seems that some Reavers have had a run-in with the local inhabitants of White Ridge, namely 'Albino
Spiders' and their friends. Lift the bar, open the door, and move through either side to reach a descending staircase, go down and kill
the varying spiders at the bottom.
> Pull the chain at the other side of the room to lower a drawbridge, you should be attacked by a bandit that has been taken over by
a mind-controlling spider parasite. Kill him and a few more spiders and proceed to the right (south), and kill another mind-controlled
bandit. Go through the only way you can to reach a door to 'White Ridge Sanctum'.
> Once inside SAVE, move forward and open another barred door. In the next room you'll encounter lots of mind-controlled bandits
and their spider overlords along with the insane Dunmer sorceress 'Merilar Rendas'.
> Be wary of the large gap in the floor and kill every enemy here, note where Merilar dies as you need the key from her body, take it
and move south cutting the cobwebs to continue.
> Open the next iron door then SAVE, in the next room you'll fight the Dragon Priest 'Dukaan' - he is a very powerful enemy that can
be annoyingly difficult to defeat. Heavy warriors will be greatly weakened by his massive drain on stamina, and mages will have
almost no effect with certain spells such as any frost or lightning based spells. Unless you have a major wealth of stamina potions or
some high level conjuration spells stick to fire spells and the bow and arrow to defeat him.
> Once Dukaan is dead take his mask and learn a word of the Cyclone Shout from the Word Wall there. Make an important SAVE
before reading the Black Book in between the stairs opposite the Word Wall.
Black Book: The Sallow Regent

> Once inside SAVE, go straight forward and strange lights will illuminate you, go all the way to the end then make a right up a ramp.
In the next large room; moving out of light will cause you to receive damage, stay in the light and head south through the room and
kill the two Seekers that will attack.
> Move through the next passage, staying in the light and SAVE. You'll come out at some platforms and bridges, stay in the light as
much as possible as you make your way across them. After the stairs you'll face a Lurker, either run past him or kill him and proceed
on.
> You'll face another higher level Lurker along the way, either run past or kill him as cross the platforms and eventually reach a
staircase with the exit book at the top, activate the Black Book and you'll be offered one of three powers:
Seeker of Might - All Warrior skills are 10% more effective
Seeker of Sorcery - All spells cost 10% less to cast
Seeker of Shadows - All Thief skills are 10% more effective
> You'll be returned to White Ridge Sanctum. Now before you proceed with the Path of Knowledge quest, it is advantageous to
cleanse the remaining All-Maker stones first. Activate the 'Cleansing the Stones' quest in your journal and leave the room via the
stairs you used to enter.
Cleansing the Stones

> In the next large room, with the collapsed floor, take a right and go up the wooden ramps to the northeast. Kill all the spiders in
here and proceed up the wooden ramps again, past the cage on your right and use the ladders that the marker should be on.
> Outside you'll be attacked by a few spiders, kill them and SAVE. The 'Water Stone' is very close by here, head down to the water
and then head southwest towards the stone.
> Once at the stone SAVE, you may encounter a Cultist, kill him then use Bend Will on the stone, quickly kill the Lurker that will
appear, and make sure no one dies.
> Now fast-travel back to Raven Rock and head over to the Earth Stone there, once at the stone SAVE, use Bend Will and this time
two Lurkers will appear, kill the Lurkers quickly and be sure not to allow anyone to die.
> Fast-travel now back to the Temple of Miraak to the north. Proceed southeast and watch out for a Cultist or two that could attack
you on your way to the 'Beast Stone'. This stone is being worked on by Rieklings but they will not attack you after you free them,
SAVE before using Bend Will and kill the Lurker that appears, again ensuring that no one dies.
> Now fast-travel back to Ashfallow Citadel, kill any Ash Spawn outside then go southeast to the 'Sun Stone'.
External image
This should be the 30th location you have discovered unlocking:
Solstheim Explorer in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Solstheim Explorer66 (30)
Discover 30 locations on the island of Solstheim
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> SAVE before using Bend Will on the stone then kill the Lurker that appears, a dragon will also attack, but kill the Lurker first then
take out the dragon.
> When the dragon is defeated, Miraak appears and steals the soul of the dragon, then disappears again.
This completes the Cleansing of the Stones quest. Now activate the quest 'The Path of Knowledge' in your journal. Walk south from
the Sun Stone down to 'Tel Mithryn' to find Neloth.
The Path of Knowledge

> Once at Tel Mithryn SAVE, find Neloth in the largest of the fungus houses.
External image
> Press cn_A to float up and talk to him. Tell Neloth about the Black Book and he reveals that he has a Black Book there and knows
where to find a more important one, one that will connect you to Miraak. You cannot access the Black Book in Tel Mithryn until you
complete some side-quests for Neloth, but you do not need it. You'll find your fourth at the old Dwarven ruin of 'Nchardak', Neloth
will accompany you there now.
> Head back outside and make your way to Nchardak on foot, it's to the east. There are some Reavers surrounding the exterior of
the ruin, kill them all and make your way to the main entrance. Make sure to stay near Neloth and enter the ruin when he opens the
door, if you wander off the door will close again locking you out. If you do get locked out the only fixes are waiting 24 hours or
reloading an earlier save.
> Once inside SAVE, you will notice the Black Book encased behind impenetrable glass in the floor, Neloth explains that he needs to
restore the steam supply to the room. He'll open a nearby door and then use the lift to enter the 'Great Chamber', follow him down.
> Proceed with Neloth into the chamber, he'll explain that he requires four more Dwemer 'Control Cubes' in order to unlock the
Black Book's case. Take the one cube that he has and head back with him into the room. He will soon walk over to another door
requiring a cube to open it.
> Use the cube in your possession to open the way to the 'Workshop' and follow Neloth inside. Take the cube from the pedestal in
the Workshop and you'll be attacked by two Dwemer spiders, destroy them and SAVE.
> Walk further with Neloth, place a cube on the pedestal to Neloth's right to lower the water level, he will drop down and be
attacked by more Dwemer spiders and a couple of Spheres, destroy them then use another cube on the red control switch in the
centre of the room to lower the northern steps.
> You'll be attacked by a Centurion and some spiders, destroy them all then follow Neloth up the stairs, SAVE.
> Go through the double doors, take a left and retrieve the cube from inside the door to the left again. Removing this cube unleashes
more spiders and raises the water level in the previous room. Go back and retrieve the cube from the pedestal on the upper east
side of the room raising the water level again.
> Go through the door to the south, swim through and enter a room with some 'Dwarven Ballistas', destroy them then SAVE.
> Take the next cube from the pedestal to the north and the Centurion behind you will attack, destroy it then use the cube on the
red switch up top and proceed north out of the room and return to the Great Chamber.
> Once inside SAVE, place a cube on each of the two pedestals to lower the water level fully, you'll be attacked from behind by some
spheres and spiders, destroy them and follow Neloth down to the northern door where two Ballistas will be waiting, help Neloth
defeat them then use a cube to open the door to the 'Aqueduct'.
> Head into the Aqueduct and SAVE, use the switches on the south side of the room to lower the all the bridges at once, hit the
switch on the right first then the one on the left, SAVE.
> Follow Neloth up all the bridges, battle some spiders then some spheres to reach the control pedestal at the top. Place a cube in
the pedestal to lower the water, Neloth will volunteer to stay behind and retrieve the cube after you get the last one.
> Hop down and use the switch to open the door to the west, be careful to avoid the traps in the next room and use the switch to
open the gate and grab the last cube. Now swim back out and meet with Neloth, he will take the other cube and the water will rise
higher.
> Leave the Aqueduct via the southern door and enter the Great Chamber, once inside SAVE, follow Neloth and talk to him to gain
his cube. Now place all 5 cubes in all the pedestals; one on the right at the top and four directly underneath the balcony.
> This will activate the pumps and lower a drawbridge in front of you where a Centurion will attack from, destroy it then follow
Neloth back up the ramps and back into the Reading Room.
> Activate the button on the east side of the room and the Black Book case will open. This will also conclude the quest The Path of
Knowledge and unlock:
The Path of Knowledge in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

The Path of Knowledge40 (20)
Complete "The Path of Knowledge"
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The Gardener of Men
The next quest 'The Gardener of Men' will automatically begin, the first task being the reading of the Black Book: Epistolary Acumen,
make sure to SAVE before reading it.
Black Book: Epistolary Acumen

> Once again you'll find yourself in the strange realm of Apocrypha. Use the Scrye to drop the platform and walk out, be careful to
jump at the right moment into the swaying tunnel. Run to the other side, the way ahead will be blocked, so wait for the tunnel to
sway to the right and jump out here avoiding the tentacles as you go and activate the Scrye and lower the next platform.
> Jump back into the tunnel, make a SAVE here and make the tricky jump onto the platform. Run ahead and activate the book for
Chapter II.
> You'll be in a tube, run ahead and SAVE before hitting the Scrye, the tube will open and you'll be attacked by multiple Seekers and
a Lurker, kill them all and hit the Scrye on the east wall. Proceed through the gate and hit the book to enter Chapter III.
> Once inside SAVE, move around to the left and kill the Seekers here, then move up the stairs and find another swaying tunnel.
Jump inside and run all the way to the other end.
> Kill the Seekers then hit the Scrye and open the gate, head through and wait for the tunnel to reveal a lowering platform, walk
across and kill the Lurker, then go through another short section of tunnel to hit another Scrye.
> Proceed forward for another Seeker encounter, defeat them then hit the book to enter Chapter IV.
> Once inside activate the Scrye and move forward, SAVE before hitting the Black Book and Hermaeus Mora will appear and engage
you in conversation. He will grant you the second word from the Bend Will Shout but reveals that you require the third word to
defeat Miraak. Herma-Mora will help you only if you give him the secret knowledge of the Skaal people. This directs you to Storn at
the Skaal Village.
> Before you leave select one of the three powers from the book:
Dragonborn Force - Unrelenting Force is more power and can disintegrate enemies.
Dragonborn Flame - When Fire Breath kills an enemy a Fire Wyrm will fight for you for 60 seconds.
Dragonborn Frost - Frost Breath encases enemies in ice.
The Gardener of Men: Continued

> You'll be returned to the Reading Room of Nchardak and Neloth will question you. Tell him what you like and exit the ruin. Your
destination now is the old Skaal Village.
> Outside you'll be attacked by a specific dragon called 'Krosulhah'- depending on your level he may be particularly weak. Kill him,
but Miraak will appear again and steal his soul from you.
> Fast-travel to the Skaal Village, once there SAVE and find Storn, usually outside his cabin meditating. Talk to him and tell him you
what you need, Storn believes that it is his fate to one day reveal the secrets of his people and he agrees.
> Storn wishes to tell Hermaeus Mora the secrets in person and so he requests the Black Book to do so. Give him the book and he
will walk a short way into the village and read it. Hermaeus will grab him and take the secrets of the Skaal by force, he reveals out
loud your actions against the Skaal and he gifts you with the third word of the Bend Will Shout.
> Storn is killed by Hermaeus and Frea falls to her knees and curses you, she bids you to go and defeat Miraak like you said, this ends
the quest the Gardener of Men and automatically activates the final quest 'At the Summit of Apocrypha', SAVE.
At the Summit of Apocrypha

Before you can face Miraak in Apocrypha you must unlock all the words of the Bend Will Shout. If you do not have enough dragon
souls you must find a dragon or two.
One way to find dragons is just to periodically fast-travel around the open areas of Solstheim, or return to Skyrim and do the same
(use the arrow icon in the southwest corner of the map to fast-travel there). If there are no dragons showing up you can return to
Skyrim and hit specific dragon lairs for definite encounters. See the dragon lairs section of the Miscellaneous Achievements page for
all dragon lair locations.
> With the Bend Will Shout fully unlocked make sure you are in Solstheim, and that you make a SAVE before reading the Black Book:
Waking Dreams.
Black Book: Waking Dreams - Part II

> You'll be transported once more to Apocrypha, head forward, up the stairs and activate the book to enter Chapter II.
> Kill the Seekers as you make your up and around this room, go across the bridge and take the book 'Boneless Limbs' from the stand
to unfurl the stairway across from you. Head up these stairs, through the door and enter Chapter III.
> Once inside SAVE, move forward and kill the levelled Seekers, you'll find another book called 'Delving Pincers' on a stand in the
eastern side of the hall, pick it up to open the door you just passed down the hallway.
> Go through the door and use the Scrye to extend a hallway out from this room, go down this hallway and up to enter a new open
room with five bridges spread out like a hand.
> SAVE then move across to the southwest of the room, where the blue font is, and pick up the book 'Prying Orbs' to open the door
to the northwest.
> Proceed through the newly opened doorway and kill the levelled Seeker there. Activate the book to enter Chapter IV, you'll be
attacked on the other side by more Seekers, kill them then SAVE. Move down and go through the hallway at the bottom.
> When you reach a dead-end at the east side the hallway will retract and open up a way back on your left. Go down this new
hallway and it will shift again, it will open up another new way back out on your left again. Move down here and emerge at an open
room with more Seekers.
> Kill all the Seekers then SAVE, go up the stairs and pick up the book 'Gnashing Blades' to open a new hallway, on your right when
you descend the stairs. Go through here and walk towards the lamp, the hall with extend outwards.
> Go down this new hall and then take a left, defeat the Seekers in the next room and go up and cross the bridge. Go up and hit the
Scrye, it will open a new way down the hallway you came from, head through and then up a ramp to enter a new room with large
ink pool in the centre, SAVE and kill the high level Lurker that will emerge from it.
> Go around the room through the southwest corner and activate the Scrye to open the main door in the previous room. Go up the
stairs and activate the book to enter Chapter V.
> Once inside SAVE, head through the hallway and you'll come to a large open room with pedestals at the sides. The idea is to place
the correct volume of the large books you have been collecting in order to open up the way forward.
> The first one you come to; the south-western pedestal, requires 'Gnashing Blades', move round to the left and place 'Prying Orbs'
onto the north-western pedestal, move left again and place 'Boneless Limbs' onto the north-eastern pedestal, and finally move left
again and place 'Delving Pincers' on the south-eastern pedestal. This opens the book in the centre, activate it to enter Chapter VI,
the final chapter.
> Once inside head through and you'll come to an open area, SAVE here and then kill the Seekers. Approach the Word Wall and learn
the final word of the Dragon Aspect Shout unlocking:

76,134
The dragon 'Sahrotaar' will immediately attack, do not attack back, equip the Bend Will Shout and wait for him to land.
> When Sahrotaar lands use the full force of Bend Will (hold cn_RB) and he will yield to your power. This introduces you to the
amazing ability to tame and ride dragons, press cn_A to climb aboard Sahrotaar and he will take you to Miraak.
The game will offer some instructions to riding dragons here; use cn_A to mount and dismount a dragon. You can target specific
enemies using cn_Y and switch between them using cn_left and cn_right. When targeting an enemy use cn_LSc to command the
dragon to attack that target.
When you're outside of Apocrypha you can use fast-travel like normal while still riding a dragon.
> Sahrotaar will circle a platform where some enemies reside, practice the controls and kill all the enemies. He will then fly on and
soon you will be prompted to land by pressing cn_A do so and you'll be taken up to the platform where Miraak will greet you.
> You'll automatically dismount the dragon, SAVE and Miraak will engage you in conversation. Miraak will soon attack; he has many
tricks up his sleeve so be wary, he will use various Shouts and spells in combat and when you reduce him down to about a third
health he will turn ethereal and go the centre of the platform. Here Miraak will kill a dragon and take its soul to regenerate himself.
> Use Dragon Aspect and battle Miraak until you have reduced his health down four times. Hermaeus Mora will eventually appear
and he will finish Miraak, and offer you to be his new champion.
External image
This unlocks the final quest related achievement:
At the Summit of Apocrypha in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

At the Summit of Apocrypha83 (40)
Complete "At the Summit of Apocrypha"
76,134
Hermaeus will then make the final Black Book rise from the ink pool for you to claim your fifth power, loot Miraak's corpse if you
wish then activate the book unlocking:
Hidden Knowledge in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Hidden Knowledge99 (40)
Learn the secrets of 5 Black Books
76,134
The power of this book is the reassignment of any of your skill's perks, but for each you must spend one dragon soul. When you are
ready to leave, activate the Black Book in the centre and you'll be returned to Solstheim, SAVE.
The final remaining achievement of the Dragonborn DLC is to tame and ride '5' dragons. These do not have to be in Solstheim, you
can use the Bend Will Shout on any dragon you like and then ride it. Bear in mind however, that when you tame and ride a dragon,
as soon as you land and then dismount, the dragon will immediately become hostile and attack you.
Taming and riding at least 5 dragons will unlock:
Dragonrider in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Dragonrider55 (20)
Tame and ride 5 dragons
76,134
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The Elder Scrolls V - Walkthrough

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The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Major Quest Lines

The Main Story

The Civil War

The College of Winterhold

The Thieves Guild

The Dark Brotherhood

The Daedric Artifacts

Complete Daedric quests.

The Three Playstyles

Warrior Class Combat

Mage Class Combat

Thief Class Combat

Glitch prevention and relaxing gameplay

Follow Hadvar, Imperials.

Thief - Locks picked: 3 / 50

Reader - Skill Books read: 1 / 50

Black Arrow V2, the keep, on the counter

Unbound in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Go to: The Guardian Stones

Choose 'Thief' Stone.

Standing Stones - Stones found: 3 / 13

Blessed in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Artificer - Make a potion in the 'Sleeping Giant Inn'.

Thief - Locks picked: 8

Thief - Pockets picked: 3

Go to: Chillfurrow Farm

Just outside Whiterun, to the east.

Reader - Skill Books read: 2 / 50

The Importance of Where found in Chillfurrow Farm outside Whiterun

Wanted in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Snake Tongue - Persuade guard to let you into Whiterun.

Hero of the People in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Reader - Skill Books read: 5 / 50

Withershins, the Temple of Kynareth

Begin Main Story quest 'Bleak Falls Barrow'.

Artificer - Enchant an item.

Artificer in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Before the Ages of Man, Jarl's quarters

Reader - Skill Books read: 9 / 50

Hallgerd's Tale in the Jorrvaskr, the main hall

Take Up Arms in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Leave this for now.

Go to: Anise's Cabin

Reader - Skill Books read: 10 / 50

The Song of the Alchemists at Anise's Cabin

Apprentice in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Thu'um Master - Shouts learned: 1 / 20

Thief - Locks picked: 16 / 50

Delver - Dungeons cleared: 1 / 50

Go to: The Lady Stone

Standing Stones - Stones found: 4 / 13

Go back to: Riverwood

Riverwood Trader, Lucan Valerius.

Do not talk to Farengar back in Whiterun yet

Go to: Falkreath Watchtower

Reader - Skill Books read: 12 / 50

Liminal Bridges, Falkreath Watchtower

Go to: Peak's Shade Tower

Delver - Dungeons cleared: 3 / 50

Reader - Skill Books read: 18 / 50

De Rerum Dirennis, Grave Concoctions, behind baskets

Guide to Better Thieving, Jarl's Longhouse, ground floor, right room

Thief: Pockets picked: 15 / 50