The third and final excavation. Starts automatically three days after the end of The Visage.
Requirements
In order to complete this quest, you will need access to the Glacial Crevice in the Forgotten Vale. You can only go there by doing the Dawnguard questline at least up to 'Touching the Sky'. Additionally, the following items are required during the quest:
- Staff of the Snow Prince - Auryen will bring it for you
- Staff of the Sun Prince - Auryen will bring it for you
- Staff of the Sky Prince - Auryen will bring it for you
- Spear of the Snow Prince - Auyren will bring it for you - Legacy of the Snow Prince will start if you do not have the item yet.
- Ring of Phynaster - Auryen will bring it for you - Relic of Phynaster will start if you do not have the item yet.
- Warlock's Ring - Auryen will bring it for you - Auryen's Notes: The Warlock's Ring will start if you do not have the item yet.
- Shrine of Y'ffre - Auryen will NOT bring it for you, bring it yourself - Requires an archaeology skill of at least 75.
Note on the Shrine of Y'ffre: During the quest you can obtain a lot of Falmer fragments, so the quest can be initiated if you're only a few fragments short. There is the option to make the item close to the location where it is needed.
Excavation of the Lost Ruins
Join the excavation team at Fort Greenwall.
After 'The Visage', the explorers will set up camp outside the Greenwall Cave. This will take three days (72 hours) after you have spoken to Marassi. You can actually wait inside the Lost Ruins as the scaffolding will spawn dynamically.
Investigate what you can and return in three days.
Make your way back through the Greenwall cave and head to the Lost Ruins. Take a careful stroll across the scaffolding but apart from a single falmer excavation site there is not much to do yet. There is no option to help this time. And the area below has nothing of interest either. If you fall to the water, you can get back up by climbing to above the waterfall to the north and use Whirlwind Sprint Shout to get to the lowest land nearby, walk up the slope and Whirlwind Sprint again to the mainland. The chest at the arch is blocked and will be accessible after the scaffold is finished.
Return to the excavation.
Leave and do something else for a while, finishing the scaffolding will take three days (72 hours), but you can wait inside the Lost Ruins if you prefer.
Unlock the Snow Elf chest.
The scaffolding is now complete and the explorers found a Snow Elf chest they can't open. Pick the lock and retrieve Frostwarden. Upon closing the chest again, Latoria will start speaking to you from the highest scaffold.
See what Latoria has to show you.
Latoria has found something interesting up above in the ruins. Carefully make your way across the scaffolding to the larger room. If you take too long she will actually start walking back down. Part of her dialogue will start when entering the highest room, but for the quest to continue you have to wait for her to walk back up.
Locate the missing object from the dais.
The object is the Giant Chalice. Simply jump over the railing in front of you and look to your left. It can be found behind the railing in the south western corner of the room.
Place the cup on the dais.
Placing the cup will lift the barrier that's preventing access to the book.
Investigate the Falmer book.
Open and read the Falmer Tome.
Show Marassi the book.
After your conversation with Marassi, you will hear lots of Falmer screams. Walk back to the central cavern and you will be spoken to by Tulrin Deathweaver.
Fight your way to the entrance.
Large amounts of Falmer will come from everywhere, fight your way back over the scaffolding towards the exit. A few well placed Unrelenting Force shouts can help clear the path a bit. When you get near the exit the screen will turn black, and you'll wake up in the Explorer's Society Guild House.
MASSIVE SPOILER you have been warned! |
Speak with AuryenAuryen could use some comforting words right about now.Speak to the members about becoming the new chief of archaeologyTalk to various members, but the consensus is pretty clear: Kyre Oldenson. |
Read the translated Falmer book
While you were unconscious, Latoria and Kyre made sure the Falmer book was translated and you are given a new book - Forbidden Lore. Read it.
Discuss the book with Kyre
The book contains a prophecy about the Deathweaver who will bring the Falmer to the surface. Auryen will discuss the relation between Malacath (Mauloch) and Trinimac.
Wait for word from Auryen
Three days later (72 hours) you'll receive a note from Auryan via a courier. The explorers have set out to a new dig site. The site is located east of Arkngthamz.
Excavation of the Temple of Trinimac
Start the dig
Talk to Kyre. A rockslide blocks the entrance to the temple. Interact with the rock to start mining. The screen will turn black and a message will appear saying you've been mining for 12 hours (although no actual in-game time will pass).
Rest a while before continuing the dig
Talk to Kyre and wait for 12 hours. Talk to him again to continue the dig.
Continue the dig
Interact with the rock to start mining again, repeating the process. You do not have to wait for the guild members to start digging as well. This will discover the new location Temple of Trinimac.
Explore the cavern ruins
Enter the Trinimac's Temple Ruins. Make your way to the bottom and then the middle. Although one can reach the temple by using Whirlwind Sprint, the Explorers cannot follow this way. Use the ladder beneath the temple to reach the entrance.
Try to place the Snow Prince's Spear
Auryen came prepared and brought the Spear of the Snow Prince from the museum. If you have not located the Spear of the Snow Prince, Auryen will direct you to its location and suggest you retrieve it. This will start Legacy of the Snow Prince.
Continue exploring the Temple ruins
In the first room against the wall is a locked chest containing Trinimac's Might; be sure to take it with you. Then continue through the doors. In the next dungeon section a cutscene will play where you have no control over your character until it's done. This involves Tulrin Deathweaver talking about the contents of Forbidden Lore, afterwhich he will notice the player and command his Falmer to attack.
Stop the Falmer
A total of 24 highly leveled Falmer will come up to the player and the Explorer's Society. This is a very tough fight, so come prepared. The bottleneck situation due to the scaffolds makes this fight even harder. Try to move towards Tulrin Deathweaver and fight him. When he drops to roughly 1/5th of his health, he will teleport to the middle of the temple and teleport away. You can make this fight really easy by using the Friend of the Falmer ability, allowing you to ignore all the Falmer besides Tulrin.
After the battle is over the Explorers will discuss the meaning of his words and decide to find the Neb-Crescen before Tulrin can. Don't forget to loot the boss chest and take the Spear of the Snow Prince back on your way out.
Excavation of the Temple of the Venerable Ones
Search for the Snow Elf Temple in the ice
The temple is located in the Glacial Crevice within the Forgotten Vale. If you have completed Touching the Sky the Explorers will follow you while you guide them to the Glacial Crevice. If you did not complete the quest, they will return to the Guildhouse and wait for you there while you complete it.
Before you leave for the temple, completing the quest to obtain the Ring of Phynaster and the Warlock's Ring will save you having to leave the temple to obtain them. Also, having 75 archaelogy and crafting the Shrine of Y'ffre will be required.
Escort the explorers to the temple site
In order for the quest to update you have to enter the Glacial Crevice from the bottom (the map taking place entirely inside the ice caves). Entering from the top does not count. Fast travel to the Forgotten Vale and use the wayshrine to teleport to the Shrine of Resolution, continue from there. If you need to return later for whatever reason it is more efficient to enter the Glacial Crevice from the top. This can be done easily by teleporting to the Shrine of Radiance, moving towards the Inner Sanctum but dropping all the way down from the bridge (using Become Ethereal shout). The entrance is just ahead and the Temple of the Venerable Ones is directly left after you enter.
Reach the frozen temple
In order to get there with the explorers you'll have to make your way through a large part of the Glacial Crevice. Right before the map transition at the top of the Glacial Crevice will be the entrance to the temple.
Interact with the rock to start digging and the screen will fade to black. Once a tunnel has been dug there will be a small campsite just outside the temple and the entrance is freed.
Find a way into the temple
To open the door Auryen once again brought some relics that could be useful, among them the Staff of the Sun Prince. Enter the temple by putting the staff in the slot.
Find the Neb-Crescen
There are seven doors at the back of the temple and a large gate each left and right of the large podium. For now go to either the left or right gate.
Left gate
Use Phynaster's Ring in the socket
To open the left gate use the Staff of the Sky Prince in the socket next to the gate. Auyren will have brought that one along. The large shrine in the room is dedicated to Phynaster. Auyren will speculate that the socket on the panel will require the Ring of Phynaster if you have not acquired the ring yet a secondary quest called Relic of Phynaster will start to retrieve the ring.
After using the ring on the socket the shrine will raise and the Touchstone left half will be up for taking.
Right Gate
Use the Warlock's Ring in the socket
To open the right gate use the Staff of the Snow Prince in the socket next to the gate. Auyren will have brought that one along. Auyren will speculate that the socket on the panel will require the Warlock's Ring. if you have not acquired the ring yet this one will start Auryen's Notes: The Warlock's Ring as Auryen gives you the note.
After using the ring on the socket the shrine will raise and the Touchstone right half will be up for taking.
Reassemble the gem at an archaeology station
Go outside, there is a Archaeology Station in the camp; rebuild the Harmonic Touchstone. No other materials are required other than both halves.
Use the Touchstone on the pedestal
Inside the temple main room place the touchstone in the socket on top of the platform. The Explorers will speculate a bit about its use. Activating the touchstone again brings up three options: Activate Touchstone, Reset chimes and take the Touchstone back.
Place and use the chimes.
You can only place one chime at a time. The sequences you need for now are in the Falmer book.
The first six sequences open the three left doors and three right side doors. The doors will stay open and the treasures can be looted all at once. Sequences from the book:
- 1st line: 3 5 4 2 1 - opens the first door
- 2nd line: 2 3 4 1 6 5 - opens the second door, the chest contains the Glacial Spire
- 3th line: 8 7 6 3 2 5 - opens the third door
- 4th line: 8 6 7 3 1 2 - opens the fifth door
- 5th line: 7 1 5 2 3 4 - opens the sixth door, holds the Constellation Cube, and a Dibella Statue
- 6th line: 8 1 7 2 6 3 - opens the seventh door, holds a lot of gems
- 7th line: 5 6 4 9 1 - requires the 9th chime
Try some random things and Auryen will mention there must be a chime missing in order to do the 7th line. Or alternatively pick up the 9th chime directly. The 9th chime is located in the same map as the temple, go west outside the temple walls past the shrine where the half Touchstone was found, into the caves and travel all the way down to a locked falmer hut with a boss chest. There are also 2 Falmer excavations in that area. Find the chime and try the 7th line again.
The explorers will now suggest that something might be at the bottom of the Shrine of Y'ffre
Rebuild an artifact which holds the final sequence.
Don't skip this part or the quest sequence breaks. Craft the shrine and turn it around in your inventory until you can see the vague tally marks at the bottom. This requires 75 in Archaeology Skills.
Play the final sequence found on the bottom of the shrine.
Play the sequence :7 5 6 1 3 2 and the 4th door will open. Do not worry about the 9th chime, it will not mess up the placing of the other chimes.
Kill Tulrin Deathweaver.
Tulrin Deathweaver appears and will take the Neb-Crescen, Blade of Treachery from the pedestal. He'll be accompanied with 2 high level Falmer. This can be an extremely hard boss fight. Tulrin will use Fireball, Ice storm and Fire clock as well as hit with Neb-Crescen. He will sporadically turn invulnerable during the fight (you will be notified by the Explorers and a message in the top left). The Ghostly Visage will start using the chimes to make him vulnerable again.
When he is invulnerable it's best to move out of his way. If the other two Falmer are dead he will get distracted by the Explorers. After defeating him take the Neb-Crescen, Blade of Treachery from his remains and listen to Auryen's speech.
With everything done Auryen will mention to take all the used items back to the museum with you. Along with the three staves, also take the Harmonic Touchstone! The Temple of the Venerable Ones can no longer be visited afterwards, so make sure you don't forget anything.
Epilogue
Return to the museum after 10 days and you will be greeted by Auryen who will give you the Fate of the Snow Elves as well as 20 000 gold, supposedly from the other holds as a thanks for your adventure. After this you will be transported to a credit scene where icecreamassassin thanks you and all who contributed to this mod.
Quest Stages
| Trial of Trinimac (DBM_Excavation03A) | |
|---|---|
| Stage | Journal Entry |
| 10 | The explorers should have a base camp set up near the caverns of Fort Greenwall. I should check on progress when I can.
Objective : |
| 15 | The explorers have started working on building a scaffold for the excavation of the ruins under Fort Greenwall. It will take about a week to complete, but some areas are accessible already, though I should watch my footing
Objective : |
| 20 | According to Marassi, the excavation team should have finished the scaffold. I should check back and continue investigating the ruins.
Objective : |
| 25 | Marassi has pointed out a locked chest I should investigate.
Objective : |
| 40 | Latoria has determined that a dais in the book chamber is linked to the barrier preventing access to the book. The others think an object is missing from the dais and may be around the chamber.
Objective : |
| 45 | I've found a giant metallic chalice-like object. I should see if it works to place it on the dais.
Objective : |
| 50 | I've placed the giant cup on the dais which Marassi believes is a shrine to Phynaster and the barrier disabled. I should investigate the book.
Objective : |
| 55 | The Falmer tome is indecipherable. It's written entirely in Snow Elvish, of course. It has a page full of tally marks of some kind, but without knowing the contents of the book, I have no clue what it could mean. I'll show it to professor Marassi.
Objective : |
| 70 | A terrible event has befallen us and Marassi was killed in a cave in which I too narrowly escaped. Everyone is distraught, most of all Auryen. I should try and comfort my old friend.
Objective : |
| 80 | I've appointed Kyre Oldenson as the new chief of archaeology. He has much left to learn, but shows a great deal of promise and has come a long way since he first joined.
Objective : |
| 90 | Kyre and Latoria have translated the Falmer book with Calcelmo's help. I should read it and see what clues it holds.
Objective : |
| 95 | The translated Falmer tome has overtones of rebellion and "rising up" with the help of the deathweaver who I assume is the one who is responsible for Marassi's death. It also speaks of Mauloch and the snow elves' "betrayed lord". Additionally it makes reference to Y'trre as well and the sealing away of some great power. I should talk to the others and see what knowledge they may have.
Objective : |
| 100 | Kyre and Auryen are going to do more research about where a likely location for a temple of Trinimac may be. I'll check back in with them at another time soon.
Objective : |
| 110 | Auryen and the others have discovered a possible site for a long forgotten temple to Trinimac in the southwest of Skyrim. They have set out to establish a base camp there already and I should meet them there.
Objective : Start the dig |
| 115 | The explorers have set up camp and we're underway with a major dig. I should jump right in and continue with the digging.
Objective : Continue the dig |
| 120 | We have dug long and hard for many hours and managed to clear away a large portion of the ancient landslide. There are some indications that we are on the right track, so we should continue digging tomorrow.
Objective : Rest awhile before continuing the dig |
| 125 | I've gotten a bit of rest from digging, but now we should continue onward and find the entrance to the temple of Trinimac.
Objective : Continue the dig |
| 135 | We've done it! We have uncovered the entrance to a cave that shows good promise of leading to Snow Elven ruins and the theoretical location of the temple of Trinimac.
Objective : Explore the cavern ruins |
| 140 | The explorers will accompany me inside the caverns and ruins. We should be on our guard as we suspect that Tulrin Deathweaver may be present here, and I sense that he is a powerful individual.
Objective : |
| 147 | Auryen brought the Spear of the Snow Prince along on the excavation. As a probable devout follower of Trinimac, his spear may be able to open the way into the temple.
Objective : Try to place the Snow Prince's Spear |
| 155 | That did it! I've placed the spear of the Snow Prince into the slot and it opened the mechanism of the temple door. We should continue to explore within it.
Objective : Continue exploring the Temple ruins |
| 165 | Objective : Stop the Falmer |
| 175 | We attempted to overtake and fight Tulrin Deathweaver and his falmer clan, but he proved to be as formidable as we feared. After overtaking his followers, he fled.
Objective : |
| 176 | We need to find the Neb-crescen but to do so we need to uncover the location of a Snow Elf temple in the ice as indicated by the speech given by Tulrin Deathweaver. As we do not have any real leads I should strive to follow any leads that may involve the Snow Elves or their pantheon of Gods.
Objective : |
| 180 | I have done it! deep within Darkfall Passage I have found a Glacial Crevice which has a massive Snow Elf temple of some kind looming over the spans. I should return to the Explorers and inform them of the find at once.
Objective : |
| 190 | The expedition of the Snow Elven ruins continues as we embark to investigate the temple ruins inside the glacial crevice.
Objective : |
| 220 | We've dug through the tunnel wall and broken through to the entrance of the Snow Elf temple. Kyre and the others have set up a base camp and are ready to help find a way into the temple proper.
Objective : |
| 230 | The staff of the snow prince has opened the way into the temple of the venerable ones in truly stunning fashion. We should hurry to try and find the Neb-Cresen before Tulrin and his followers can.
Objective : |
| 251 | We've found a shrine to Phynaster with a ring socket. I'll try and place the ring in it and see what it does.
Objective : |
| 265 | I've found a curious half of a crystal like gem of some sort that looks cleanly divided into two. I should show this to Auryen and see if the other half is somewhere in the temple.
Objective : |
| 270 | I've found the second half of the touchstone gem. Seems that the others think the parts could be restored and are likely the control object for the chime pedestal in the center of the temple. I should combine the parts at the archaeology station at the excavation camp.
Objective : |
| 275 | I've reassembled the harmonic touchstone which should serve as the control device for the chime pedestal in the Main hall of the temple of the venerable ones. I should waste no time and place it there and see what it does.
Objective : |
| 281 | We now have to try and determine how to arrange the chimes and then activate the touchstone in the center. The tally marks in the back of the forbidden lore falmer book should give some clues.
Objective : |
|
Objective : | |
| 295 | The theory seems to be that another artifact of the snow elves could hold a clue about the final sequence of notes. Something dedicated to Y'frre. I should try and assemble something and examine it for clues.
Objective : |
| 300 | I've done it! I've reassembled a rendition of the shrine of Y'frre which has etched tally marks in the base which indicate the final sequence: Seven, Five, Six, One, Three, Two. I should hurry back and sound the chimes and claim the Neb-Cresen before Tulrin shows up!
Objective : |
| 350 | We have defeated Tulrin Deathweaver and thwarted his twisted plan to wage war with the surface. Whether Mauloch was behind his efforts or not, we may never know, but skyrim is safe from his evil, and the Neb Cresen is safely in our possession.
Objective : |
Bugs
PC: It is possible that during the Trial of Trinimac, as you approach quest stage 160, your character becomes locked out of player control and Tulrin Deathweaver never begins his speech to the gathered Falmer, thereby preventing further advancement in the quest. This bug may be fixed in a future update, but if it occurs for you, the console command SetStage DBM_Excavation03A 165 will skip past the speech and move you to the next sequence in the quest. If you are playing the quest for the first time and wish to hear the speech, there is a playthrough of the game at the following link where a player views the speech successfully: https://youtube.com/watch?v=sFh0qcwCqIg&feature=shares&t=3114 (Navigate to 51:54 if the link doesn't do it for you)