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Walkthrough

• 1. Introduction
  • Guide Information
    • Foreword 1
    • PS3 Controls 2
    • Xbox 360 Controls 3
    • PC Controls 4
    • The Compass 5
    • Compass icons 6
    • Being Stealthy 7
    • Lockpicking 8
    • World Map 9
    • Dragon Shouts 10
    • Defense (How to Not Die) 11
• 2. Character Creation
  • Leveling Basics
    • Leveling Up 12
    • Attributes 13
    • Perks 14
  • Race
    • Basics of Race 15
    • Argonian 16
    • Breton 17
    • Dark Elf (Dunmer) 18
    • High Elf (Altmer) 19
    • Imperial 20
    • Khajiit 21
    • Nord 22
    • Orc (Orsimer) 23
    • Redguard 24
    • Wood Elf (Bosmer) 25
  • Skills
    • Basics of Skills 26
    • Alchemy 27
    • Alteration 28
    • Archery 29
    • Block 30
    • Conjuration 31
    • Destruction 32
    • Enchanting 33
    • Heavy Armor 34
    • Illusion 35
    • Light Armor 36
    • Lockpicking 37
    • One-Handed 38
    • Pickpocket 39
    • Restoration 40
    • Smithing 41
    • Sneak 42
    • Speech 43
    • Two-Handed 44
  • Suggested Builds
    • How to Build a Phenom 45
    • Legendary Breton Build 46
• 3. Main Quests
  • Act I
    • Unbound 47
    • Before the Storm 48
    • Bleak Falls Barrow 49
    • Dragon Rising 50
    • The Way of the Voice 51
    • The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller 52
  • Act II
    • A Blade in the Dark 53
    • Diplomatic Immunity 54
    • A Cornered Rat 55
    • Alduins Wall 56
    • The Throat of the World 57
    • Elder Knowledge 58
    • Alduins Bane 59
    • The Fallen 60
  • Act III
    • Season Unending 61
    • The World-Eaters Eyrie 62
    • Sovngarde 63
    • Dragonslayer 64
• 4. Side Quests
  • Misc Quests
    • Blood on the Ice 65
    • Forbidden Legend 66
    • In My Time Of Need 67
    • Kyne's Sacred Trials 68
    • Laid to Rest 69
    • Lights Out! 70
    • Missing in Action 71
    • No One Escapes Cidhna Mines 72
    • Promises to Keep 73
    • Repairing the Phial 74
    • Rise in the East 75
    • Rising at Dawn 76
    • Tending the Flames 77
    • The Blessings of Nature 78
    • The Book of Love 79
    • The Forsworn Conspiracy 80
    • The Golden Claw 81
    • The Heart of Dibella 82
    • The Lost Expedition 83
    • The Man Who Cried Wolf 84
    • The White Phial 85
    • The Wolf Queen Awakened 86
    • Unfathomable Depths 87
• 5. The Companions
  • Main Quests
    • Intro 88
    • Take up Arms 89
    • Proving Honor 90
    • Animal Extermination 91
    • Stealing Plans 92
    • The Silver Hand 93
    • Retrieval 94
    • Blood's Honor 95
    • Purity of Revenge 96
    • Glory of the Dead 97
  • Misc Quests
    • Intro 98
    • Trouble in Skyrim 99
    • Hired Muscle 100
    • Purity 101
    • Escaped Criminal 102
    • Rescue Mission 103
    • Animal Extermination 104
    • Dragon Seekers 105
    • Family Heirloom 106
    • Totems of Hircine 107
• 6. College of Winterhold
  • Main Quests
    • Intro 108
    • First Lessons 109
    • Under Saarthal 110
    • Hitting the Books 111
    • Good Intentions 112
    • Revealing the Unseen 113
    • Containment 114
    • The Staff of Magnus 115
    • The Eye of Magnus 116
  • Misc Quests
    • Rejoining the College 117
    • Tolfdir's Alembic 118
    • Out of Balance 119
    • Enchantment Fetching 120
    • Restocking Soul Gems 121
    • Valuable Book Fetching 122
    • Shalidor's Insights 123
    • The Atronach Forge 124
    • Velehk Sain's Treasure 125
    • Aftershock 126
    • Rogue Wizard 127
    • Arniels Endeavor Part I 128
    • Arniels Endeavor Part II 129
    • Arniels Endeavor Part III 130
    • Arniel's Endeavor Part IV 131
    • Brelyna's Practice 132
    • JZargos Experiment 133
    • Onmunds Request 134
    • Destruction Ritual Spell 135
    • Illusion Ritual Spell 136
    • Conjuration Ritual Spell 137
    • Restoration Ritual Spell 138
    • Alteration Ritual Spell 139
• 7. Thieves Guild
  • Main Quests
    • Intro 140
    • A Chance Arrangement 141
    • Taking Care of Business 142
    • Loud and Clear 143
    • Dampened Spirits 144
    • Scoundrel's Folly 145
    • Speaking with Silence 146
    • Hard Answers 147
    • The Pursuit 148
    • Trinity Restored 149
    • Blindsighted 150
    • Darkness Returns 151
  • Misc Quests
    • No Stone Unturned 152
    • Growing The Guild 153
    • The Numbers Job 154
    • The Fishing Job 155
    • The Bedlam Job 156
    • The Burglary Job 157
    • The Shill Job 158
    • The Sweep Job 159
    • The Heist Job 160
    • Retrieve Arondil\'s Journals 161
    • The Dainty Sload 162
    • Summerset Shadows 163
    • Imitation Amnesty 164
    • Deliver Moon Sugar to Ri\'saad 165
    • Silver Lining 166
    • Under New Management 167
• 8. The Dark Brotherhood
  • Main Quests
    • Intro 168
    • Innocence Lost 169
    • With Friends Like These 170
    • Sanctuary 171
    • Contract: Kill Beitild 172
    • Contract: Kill Ennodius Papius 173
    • Contract: Kill Narfi 174
    • Mourning Never Comes 175
    • Whispers in the Dark 176
    • Contract: Kill Lurbuk 177
    • Contract: Kill Hern 178
    • The Silence has been Broken 179
    • Bound until Death 180
    • Breaching Security 181
    • The Cure for Madness 182
    • Recipe for Disaster 183
    • To Kill an Empire 184
    • Death Incarnate 185
    • Hail Sithis! 186
    • Where you hang your enemy's head 187
  • Misc Quests
    • The Dark Brotherhood Forever 188
    • Take the Hidden Treasure - Part I-IV 189
    • Receive a reading from Olava the Feeble 190
    • Locate the Assassin of Old 191
    • Delayed Burial 192
    • Destroy the Dark Brotherhood! 193
• 9. Civil War Questline
  • Choose a Side
    • Stormcloaks or Imperials 194
  • Civil War Questline - Stormcloaks
    • Stormcloaks 195
    • Join the Stormcloak Rebellion 196
    • Joining the Stormcloaks 197
    • The Jagged Crown 198
    • Message to Whiterun 199
    • Battle for Whiterun 200
    • Liberation of Skyrim 201
    • Rescue from Fort Neugrad 202
    • A False Front 203
    • The Battle for Fort Snowhawk 204
    • The Battle for Fort Dunstad 205
    • The Battle for Fort Hraggstad 206
    • Battle for Solitude 207
  • Civil War Questline - Imperials
    • Imperials 208
    • Joining the Legion 209
    • The Jagged Crown 210
    • Message to Whiterun 211
    • Battle for Whiterun 212
    • Reunification of Skyrim 213
    • A False Front 214
    • The Battle For Ford Dunstad 215
    • Compelling Tribute 216
    • The Battle For Fort Greenwall 217
    • Rescue From Fort Kastav 218
    • Battle for Fort Amol 219
    • Battle for Fort Windhelm 220
• 10. Daedric Quests
  • Quests
    • Intro 221
    • A Daedras Best Friend 222
    • A Night to Remember 223
    • Boethiahs Calling 224
    • Discerning the Transmundane 225
    • Ill Met by Moonlight 226
    • Pieces of the Past 227
    • The Black Star 228
    • The Break of Dawn 229
    • The Cursed Tribe 230
    • The House of Horrors 231
    • The Mind of Madness 232
    • The Only Cure 233
    • The Taste of Death 234
    • The Whispering Door 235
    • Waking Nightmare 236
• 11. The Cities
  • Overviews
    • Intro 237
    • Dawnstar 238
    • Dragon Bridge 239
    • Dushnikh Yal 240
    • Falkreath 241
    • Ivarstead 242
    • Karthwasten 243
    • Largashbur 244
    • Markarth 245
    • Mor Khazgur 246
    • Morthal 247
    • Narzulbur 248
    • Riften 249
    • Riverwood 250
    • Rorikstead 251
    • Shors Stone 252
    • Solitude 253
    • Whiterun 254
    • Windhelm 255
    • Winterhold 256
• 12. Dragonborn DLC
  • Main Quests
    • Dragonborn 257
    • The Temple of Miraak 258
    • The Fate of the Skaal 259
    • Cleansing the Stones 260
    • Path of Knowledge 261
    • Gardener of Men 262
    • At the Summit of Apocrypha 263
  • Side Missions-Raven Rock
    • A New Debt 264
    • March of the Dead 265
    • The Final Descent 266
    • Served Cold 267
  • Side Missions-Skaal Village
    • A New Source of Stalhrim 268
    • Filial Bonds 269
    • Lost Legacy 270
  • Side Missions-Tel Mithryn
    • Azras Staff 271
    • Briarheart Necropsy 272
    • Experimental Subject 273
    • From the Ashes 274
    • Healing a House 275
    • Heart Stones 276
    • Lost Knowledge 277
    • Reluctant Steward 278
    • Old Friends 279
  • Side Missions-Thirsk Hall and Bujolds Retreat
    • The Chief of Thirsk Hall 280
    • Retaking Thirsk 281
  • Side Missions-Kolbjorn Barrow
    • Unearthed 282
  • Side Missions-Others
    • Deathbrand 283
  • Other Missions
    • Bring 10 Stalhrim Ore and 15 Ebony Ingots to Halbarn 284
    • Bring 50 Riekling Spears to Hilund 285
    • Bring Elmus Some Ashfire Mead From Thirsk Mead Hall 286
    • Bring Items to Elynea 287
    • Bring Elmus some Juniper Berries 288
    • Clear the Temples Tomb of Ash Spawn 289
    • Convince Geldis Sadri to Admit Bralsa Drel to the Inn 290
    • Convince Nikulas to Stay in Skaal Village 291
    • Distribute Sadris Sujamma 292
    • Locate Cindiris Folio From the Wreck of the Strident Squall 293
    • Locate the East Empire Pendants for Fethis Alor in Raven Rock 294
    • Locate the Raven Rock Stash 295
    • Recover the Bonemold Formula for Glover Mallory 296
    • Retrieve the Ancient Nordic Pickaxe 297
    • Retrieve Netch Jelly for Milore Lenth 298
    • Take Neras Necklace to Runil in Falkreath 299
    • Visit the Hunters at Frostmoon Crag 300
  • Unmarked Missions
    • Kagrumez 301
    • Karstaag 302
    • Marriage 303
• 13. Dawnguard DLC
  • Main Story
    • Dawnguard 304
    • Awakening 305
    • Bloodline 306
    • A New Order [Dawnguard Only] 307
    • Prophet [Dawnguard Only] 308
    • The Bloodstone Chalice [Vampire Only] 309
    • Prophet [Vampire Only] 310
    • Scroll Scouting 311
    • Chasing Echoes 312
    • Beyond Death 313
    • Unseen Visions 314
    • Touching The Sky 315
    • Kindred Judgment 316
  • Side Missions
    • Pre-emptive Strike 317
    • Ancient Technology 318
    • Bolstering the Ranks 319
    • Lost Relic 320
    • Hide and Seek 321
    • Cleansing Light 322
    • Hunting the Monster 323
    • A Jarls Justice 324
    • Rescue 325
  • Side Missions - Vampires
    • Rings of Blood Magic 326
    • Protecting the Bloodline 327
    • Deceiving the Herd 328
    • Ancient Power 329
    • New Allegiances 330
    • Amulets of Night Power 331
    • Culling the Beast 332
    • The Hunt 333
    • Destroying the Dawnguard 334
    • The Gift 335
  • Side Missions - Others
    • Impatience of a Saint 336
    • Find Arvaks Skull 337
    • Ancient Falmer Tomes 338
    • Lost to the Ages 339
• 14. World Quests
  • Random Encounters
    • A Return to your Roots 340
    • A Scroll for Anska 341
    • Ancestral Worship 342
    • Clear out Moss Mother Cavern 343
    • Destroy the Draugr in Angarvunde 344
    • Dragon Priest Masks 345
    • Evil in Waiting 346
    • Infiltration 347
    • Repentance 348
    • Siege on the Dragon Cult 349
    • Silenced Tongues 350
    • The Legend of Red Eagle 351
    • The Pale Lady 352
    • Unlock the Sarcophagus in Ragnvald 353
• 15. Hearthfire DLC
  • Homesteads
    • How to Build a Homestead 354
    • Personal Steward 355
    • How to Find Building Materials 356
    • Small House 357
    • Entry Way 358
    • Main Hall 359
    • Cellar 360
    • Exterior Furnishings 361
  • North-Wing Options
    • Alchemy Laboratory 362
    • Storage Room 363
    • Trophy Room 364
  • West-Wing Options
    • Bedrooms 365
    • Enchanter's Tower 366
    • Greenhouse 367
  • East-Wing Options
    • Armory 368
    • Kitchen 369
    • Library 370
  • Falkreath Homestead
    • How to Unlock the Falkreath Homestead Plot 371
    • Lakeview Manor Homestead Options 372
  • Hjaalmarch Homestead
    • How to Unlock the Hjaalmarch Homestead Plot 373
    • Windstad Manor Homestead Options 374
  • The Pale Homestead
    • How to Get The Pale Homestead Lot 375
    • Heljarchen Hall Homestead Options 376
  • Adoption
    • How to Adopt Children in Skyrim 377
    • Adoptable Children 378
• 16. Unique Locations
  • Dragon Walls
    • Unique Dragons 379
    • Shouts & Locations 380
  • Standing Stones
    • Locations 381
• 17. NPCs
  • Followers
    • Intro 382
    • Females 383
    • Males 384
    • Others 385
  • Marriages
    • Intro 386
    • Females 387
    • Males 388

Speaking with Silence

The Pursuit

Speak to Karliah and get some answers. The evidence is damning against Mercer and Karliah can fill in a lot of the story. You’ll receive some potions, which is nice of her. Now fast-travel/carriage to Winterhold and enter the Frozen Hearth Inn where you’ll find Enthir . Enthir will say the journal is in Falmer, and he can’t translate it. He’ll tell you of a man named Calcelmo who can though and now we know where we need to go. Fast-travel or carriage yourself to Markarth so we can find Calcelmo.

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Once here, go all the way west and enter the Understone Keep. Go left at the fork and speak to Calcelmo. Whatever you do, he won’t give you access to his research. Dammit. Now we get two more objectives, one optional. The optional one is to get the Museum’s key. Umm… to get this you’ll need to pickpocket the key that’s laying on the table behdind him. Save before doing so and if you equip the Thieves Guild Boots, you’ll find this easier. Drink a pickpocketing potion if needed.

Return to the entrance and go north. A guard tells you NOT to go beyond into the Museum. Ignore him, get past him and then Sneak. When he’s not looking, use the key you just stole OR lockpick the door and enter the Museum. NOTE that you must be stealthy in this part, just like when we were chasing down Gulum-Ei once more.

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Note: This MUSEUM is chock FULL of display cases. For the most part, there’s no “must have” items here though. All the good stuff is in the middle (good stuff being weapons and such). The only thing I’d recommend trying to get, at the very least, is the UNUSUAL GEM found behind a locked door on the left.

Also, if you’re a stone cold killer, you could always assassinate all three guards without being caught to freely explore this area. Be careful of getting caught though, I’ve had it where I still had a bounty even though I killed all the witnesses. Bear in mind that if you are wanted; then you can’t fast travel until all of the witnesses/guards have been killed.

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If you get caught and don’t care, simply kill the three guards and then proceed north to the next area. If not, sneak your way through the area using the right side. It’s easier this way, or at least it was for me. In this next room, there are two doors to the east and one to the west. Enter the first room to the east to find a Spider Control Rod.

After grabbing it, a little Dwarven Spider comes out and follows you. You can use the rod to control where it goes and if there’s an enemy nearby, it will attack them!

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Now that your past the guards, you’ll encounter new enemies (who are Calcelmo’s guards). It doesn’t matter if you take them out or not, but I strongly recommend killing them. Its very difficult to sneak by them, plus you can always profit from the extra loot.

An enemy comes out of the second door on the east side, so kill him and there’s another enemy in the room to the west. Kill them and loot their bodies for some keys. Go through the door to the west and continue on. The side doors don’t have anything special, but take a look if you so desire. You may find some scrolls that aren’t worth much in a bedroom.

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In here, listen to the two soldiers and then kill them. Several more will appear. Make your way through them and go south (the area down the ramps on either side doesn’t have anything for you). From here, go up the ramp to the northeast and in the next room you’ll find several enemies. Kill them all and loot the adjacent rooms. Now proceed east and you’ll get to a hall with a gate on the left. Before entering, continue forward and activate the valve to activate the traps in the adjacent room. Oh, you’re evil!

Once it kills all or most of the enemies, go inside and kill the remaining enemies. Now check the books on the table to find a SKILLBOOK called “Twin Secrets” that raises your Enchanting level by 1. In this same room, check the southeast corner to find the Dwarven Puzzle Cube…

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Note: This is another one of those items to give to Delvin back at the guild.

Now proceed to the Balcony on the east. Go up the stairs up here and into the tower. In here, go southeast, up the stairs and into the room. Read the SKILLBOOK named “Chimarvamidium” on the table to have your Heavy Armor level increase by 1 . In here, also make sure to pick up a piece of Charcoal from the table and a piece of paper . Now go through the double doors and examine the stone.

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Some enemies come in and start searching the tower for you, but we can be sneaky here. From the stone, drop to the left and up the little stairs. At the gap, jump on the small pillar and from here, on to the metal catwalk (now don’t YOU feel stealthy and bad-ass right about now?). Now simply go to the exit. Out here, go where the waterfall is (not the one by the stone bridge, the one past the small path to the south) and jump on it so you can land safely in the water.

Fast-travel back to Winterhold and go see Enthir and Karliah. Listen to all of the talk here and at the end you’ll receive a Nightingale Blade from Karliah. You’ll also be done with this quest and will start the next one automatically.

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Guide Information

• Publisher Bethesda Softworks
• Platforms, PC, PS3, PS4, Switch, XB 360, XB One
• Genre Action RPG
• Guide Release10 November 2021
• Last Updated7 November 2021Version History
• Guide AuthorGreg Wright

Share this free guide:

Skyrim is the homeland of the Nords, a fierce and proud warrior people who are well suited for the bitter cold and mountainous terrain which defines the land. Now scarred by civil war, Skyrim faces its darkest days with the return of the legendary dragons and their leader, the World-Eater Alduin. The future of Skyrim and even the lands beyond hangs in the balance, as the people await the prophesized Dragonborn, a hero born with the power of The Voice and the only one who can contend with the dragons. You are that Dragonborn; your task is to investigate why the dragons are returning, and discover a way to defeat them. At the same time, you’re free to explore Skyrim at your own pace, uncovering its many wonders along the way.

Version 1.2

• Updated guide to character creation, including the basics of Levelling, Attributes, and Perks
• An overview of playable Races in Skyrim, including the perks and benefits of each
• An overview of Skills in Skyrim, including the best perks, levelling tips, and trainer locations
• An updated guide to the Main Story quests of Skyrim, including how to get the most out of the lore
• How to complete all Side Quests, Daedric Quests, and World Quests
• A new guide to Dragon Shouts, including where to find each one throughout Skyrim
• An updated guide to Combat and Defence, including how best to stay alive
• A guide to all guild quests including The Companions, College of Winterhold, Thieves Guild, and The Dark Brotherhood
• A guide to the Civil War quests for both Stormcloaks and Imperials
• An overview of Skyrim Cities including the major vendors, quests, crafting stations, followers, trainers, and marriage partners
• A guide to the Dragonborn DLC main quests
• A guide to the Dawnguard DLC main quests
• A guide to the Hearthfire DLC
• A guide to Achievements for the main game and all DLCs

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