Vampire Faction -- Touching the Sky

Vampire Faction -- Touching the Sky

This is probably the most complicated quest in the series and the one that I like the best -- but it is a long one so you should definitely head either home or to the Castle and sell off any loot, maintain your kit to be sure you have everything that you think you will need, and otherwise prepare for a reasonably long quest.  When you are ready open your map and find the nearest fast travel spot to the marker, then head there and hoof it (or ride your demon horse) to Darkfall Cave.

Inside the cave you will encounter more than a few Frost Spiders - following the right-hand path will take you to a pair of Moonstone Ore veins you may as well mine on the far side of a bridge.  If you did not bring a pick with you that is no big deal there is one on a table to the right -- just look for the lantern.

When you try to return to the main path though, the bridge will collapse (it is OK you were meant to do this) and you will fall into the rapids and be pushed down through a tunnel and land in a spider nest -- kill all of the spiders -- there is a spider den here down a round passage that has a skeleton and a treasure chest at the end that is worth looting -- and then just follow the path from here until you reach an abandoned camp where you will find a body with a note on it you should read...  Bummer huh?

You should loot the camp and body as there are some useful items to be had, and then you should look to the wall behind the lean-to shelter for a chain to pull that opens the secret door and go through that and follow the path that will bring you to a shrine at which there is an elf praying.  He tells you that this is the Great Chantry of Aerial.  Work through the conversation options with you -- he knows why you are here and will help!

-- Auriel's Chantry --

The elf is Knight-Paladin Gelebor, who explains that he is among the last of his species, which is Snow Elves.  He tells you his story and agrees to help you if you help him -- and what he needs you to do is help him kill his brother, Arch-Curate Vrythur, who has become corrupted by the Falmer.  

After you agree to help he gives you an Initiate's Ewer and then explains that in order to reach his brother you must follow the path of an initiate of the Chanty of Auri-El, a challenge that requires you to pass through five Wayshrines like the one that he just summoned for you -- and by doing so you will  eventually reach the Inner Sanctum where his brother and Auriel's Bow are located.  Well that's great mates!  We kill two birds with one stone!  Or we kill one brother and get the bow we came here to get with one stone... Err... No... I am close, hold on!  We get the bow and kill a brother with umm, one arrow?  Bugger!

Anyway  when you are done talking to him head into the Wayshrine and enter Darkfall Passage, then follow the path dealing with the many Falmer and Chaurus Hunters that pop up to do mischief to you -- when you reach the next camp kill the enemy here and loot the camp then head past the large blue crystal to another passage and follow that to the waterfall. 

There is a room on the leftt down a passage and inside is a skeleton with a note you should read that warns you of traps (but then you already triggered a few of those didn't you?  So no surprise for you!) and, near it are two ropes.  The left-hand one opens a secret door, the right-hand one will give you a surprise!  (I did not say a good surprise, now did I?).

Kill the big cat and then follow the path until you encounter Prelate Sidanyis who is waiting at the Wayshrine of Illumination ahead.   He opens the shrine for you and you go inside, draw water from the basin and then enter the portal.

Obtaining Uber Rare Shellbug Chitin

-- Forgotten Vale --

Now before we do anything else, in addition to being part of the journey you are on this area also has some extra stuff in it that you will want, so a little exploring as you go is in order!  You will find here some Unknown Books that are used in another quest and this is the only opportunity you will have to obtain them, so I would do it if I were you...

Follow the path to the vale, where you need to find the other four shrines and fill your Ewer at each.  Explore the area and you will find the Wayshrine of Sight, and Prelate Athring, the Wayshrine of Learning and Prelate Celegriath.  You should find the Unknown Book, Vol. I along the way (in any event you want to do that before completing this part).  The next Wayshrine is across the river, and it is the Wayshrine of Resolution with Prelate Nirilor in attendance. 

Now this next bit is really important!  The third word of power for Drain Vitality is learned just to the south of the Wayshrine of Resolution, where you will find its word wall.  Now we already went to the trouble of learning the first two words, we may as well learn the bloody third word right?  Seriously, be sure you do this and get the book BEFORE you continue to the fourth shrine, alright then?

If you follow the path along the ridge instead of turning to go down the slope when you first arrive in the Vale there is a cat to kill and a Silver Vein you can mine before heading down into the Vale...  I recommend doing your exploring during the daytime so if darkness falls make camp until dawn.  There are additional Silver veins along the upper ridge so if you are low on that metal you can get a few here, and if you continue along the upper ridge you will also find a Gold vein bear the path leading up into the area above (that you do not want to go up just yet as you still need to explore the bottom of the Vale first).

As you circle the outer edge Serana will spot the shrine just as you find the third Gold vein -- mine that and as you continue along the edge (ignoring the shrine) you will find the entrance to the Fogotten Vale Cave!  Go in and clear out the targets and then head up the ramp to the left and pull the rope release there to open the secret door -- inside the secret chamber is a Shellbug that you can mine to obtain both gems AND Shellbug Chitin, which is an uber rare crafting ingredient required to make special armor.

Once you have mined the Shellbug backtrack to the Vale and continue exploring, and once you complete the circuit of the Vale bowl, hit the center to loot the Gleamblossoms to be had there and finally head to the Wayshrine and talk to the keeper to fill your container.  When you have done that head along the nearby path (through the arches) and on the other side of this cut just before you reach the river you will find a skeleton next to a treasure chest -- on the ground next to the chest is a coin purse and the first of the Forgotten Books so be sure to loot those!

Noe head south along the river to reach the Wayshrine of Learning and speak with Prelate Celegrioth and fill the container.  Backtrack to the northwest following the river and you will encounter a Frost Giant -- kill it and loot the body to recover an Amethyst Paragon and some other stuff.  Hold on to the Paragon.  On the other side of the river is a path leading up so climb that and you will see the next shrine.  Make your way along the path and over the stone bridge to the Wayshrine of Resolution and talk to Prelate Nirilor to fill your container.

If it is getting dark (it probably is) go ahead and camp until dawn.

Unlocking the third word of the Drain Vitality Shout

-- Word of Power --

From the shrine head south to the center of the frozen lake where you will find a word wall and the third word for the Shout Drain Vitality!  Now, I do not have to tell you to collect that, right?

Did I mention that you have to battle a pair of Dragons?  One is named Naaslaarum, the other Voslaarum.  Yeah and they are freaking deadly so be careful right?  In fact now would be a good time to save your game, I am just saying...  They don't stay on the ground for very long so get your licks in while you can and make sure you use Fire Protection potions because their breath does a lot of damage!

After you kill them be sure to head up to the word wall and collect the word -- go ahead and activate it now as that gives you Drain Vitality at full strength!

So at this point you should head back to the shrine and then backtrack over the bridge and down the path to the river again.  Heading west will take you to a Falmer camp -- clear that and then head above to the Falmer village and clear that -- simply follow the path up and through Sharpslope Cave and then make your way over the bridges to the house that is closest to the entrance of the Glacial Cave and grab the book, some healing potions and pearls from the table.

After you have looted everything you want, head up the path and walk into the Glacial Crevice here and you will enter the path that takes you to the final area of the Vale -- just follow the path and stick in an easterly direction, killing anything that attacks you along the way.  You pass through some tunnels and the path itself can be a bit dangerous, so go easy on the edges of it, but you will eventually arrive at the exit to the Forgotten Vale.  Well done!

Follow the path to the hut with a mammoth skull above it (there are more than one) and, inside you will find Unknown Book, Vol. IV and well done mates!  Good on ya!  Nice one!  There are several veins of Quicksilver here if you need that...

Now head north through the cave and down to the Wayshrine of Radiance and Prelate Edhelbor where you make the last fill and complete the challenge.  Now you need to head northeast until you reach the Inner Sanctum and go in!

Unlocking the Achievement Auriel's Bow

-- The Inner Sanctum and Auriel's Chapel --

Inside go up the steps past the statue and pour the Ewer into the basin in order to unlock the seal on the main door to gain admittance.  Go inside and activate the alter and then standing behind it grab the Ewer and duck through the closing door, following the path to the next alter using it to activate another alter, and loot the potions and treasure inside!   There is a Frost Giant is here with a Ruby Paragon BTW.

Now backtrack and open the way back to the main hall and follow the path through the Inner Sanctum and ruins past all of the frozen Falmer until you reach the throne chamber, where you will find the man you have come looking for. 

That is when your problems begin because the first thing that he does is unfreeze all of those Falmer!  You will fight waves of them and then the Ancient Frost Atronach that he summons -- pursue him and continue to battle the summons and eventually he will retreat up the stairs and continue to battle you -- on the balcony you learn some key information...

Once you defeat him the Wayshrine here will raise and Gelebor will emerge -- chat with him and then go into the Wayshrine and obtain the bow -- Auriel's Bow to be exact -- the bow we have been searching for!  Well done!  Now ask Gelebor for some arrows -- he gives you however many (up to 20) of Elven Arrows you have, converted into Sunhallowed Elven Arrows.

Talk to Serana to decide how you will deal with the situation with her father -- clearly you will have to kill him before he kills you both...

Now before you leave head back to the balcony, arm the bow and one of the special arrows, and aim it at the sun and release the arrow to unlock the Achievement "Auriel's Bow" (20 GP) for shooting a special arrow into the sun with it.

You have now completed the quest TOUCHING THE SUN and flagged the quest KINDRED JUDGEMENT.  Well done!