The Heart of Dibella | Side quests

This section of our TES V: Skyrim guide provides a comprehensive account of The Heart of Dibella side quest. We have presented two different ways to initiate this quest. It is a non-linear task that allows you to decide whether or not to steal the Statue of Dibella. Later in the quest, you must locate and recognize the Sybil of Dibella. After that, you have to rescue her from the Forsworn who have captured and mistreated her.

• Initiating the quest
• New main objective: Find the future Sybil of Dibella
• New main objective: Rescue Fjotra from the Forsworn
• New main objective: Bring Fjotra to the Temple
• New main objective: Pray at Dibella’s Altar

Initiating the quest

Travel to Markarth, located in the western region of Skyrim, to initiate this quest. You can start the quest in two ways: by going directly to the Temple of Dibella or by completing a small errand first.

If you choose the latter option, search for Degaine in Markarth (as shown in the picture). Depending on the time of day, he may be wandering around the town or staying indoors, including the Silver-Blood Inn. Speak to Degaine and he will describe a valuable statue inside the temple and ask you to steal it. This unlocks a mini-quest called Miscellaneous: Steal statue of Dibella.

Regardless of whether you decide to steal the statue or not, you must go to the Temple of Dibella, situated on a hill in the center of Markarth. You can access the entrance through stairs (as shown in the picture) and should have no trouble finding it.

Upon entering the temple, Priestess Senna will inform you that the other sisters are conversing with Dibella and should not be disturbed. Ignore this warning and approach the locked door leading to the Inner Sanctum (as shown in the picture). You can attempt to pick the lock, but you need to remain hidden and keep in mind that the lock is of high quality. It’s preferable to steal the key from Priestess Senna. Open the door to the Sanctum in any way you choose, descend the stairs to the lower level, and decide how you want to proceed.

If you intend to fulfill Degaine’s request, crouch and turn left after entering the room with the priestesses. Choose a dimly lit passage to avoid them and head west to the adjacent room, where you will find the Statue of Dibella (as shown in the picture). Return to the Inner Sanctum exit by following the same route, avoiding the priestesses you encounter (except for their leader, Hamal). Return the statue to Degaine and receive gold as a reward. Return to the Inner Sanctum to meet Hamal, the primary quest giver.

If you don’t want to steal the statue for Degaine or have already returned it, you will need to speak with Sister Hamal in the Sanctum. However, be prepared for an aggressive response if you are a male character as only women are allowed in the Sanctum. Regardless of your gender, Hamal won’t be pleased with your actions, so it’s best to avoid using aggressive dialogue options to prevent a fight with the sisters. Instead, agree to complete Hamal’s mission of finding the new Sybil of Dibella and bringing her to the temple.

New main objective: Find the future Sybil of Dibella

Leave the Sanctum and the Temple of Dibella and check the world map to locate Karthwasten, your next destination. If you have already been to the village, you can use fast travel, but if not, it’s best to start at Markarth and head northeast.

Upon arriving at Karthwasten, find Enmon who should be working by the entrance to Fenn’s Gulch Mine during the day. Speak to him and discover that his daughter Fjorta, the new Sybil of Dibella, has been kidnapped by the Forsworn. You can also invite Enmon to follow you into the Forsworn hideout, but it won’t affect the quest in any way.

New main objective: Rescue Fjotra from the Forsworn

Check the world map, and you will see that the Broken Redoubt Tower is east of Karthwasten. Leave the village to the east and follow the path until you reach a small bridge over a river.

Upon arrival at the ruined keep, deal with the Forsworn outside, particularly the archers on the upper walls. After securing the area, enter the Broken Redoubt Tower and eliminate the Forsworn in the first big room of the keep. Use the southern stairs to continue.

Take the western corridor and be prepared for a long journey through the location. Watch out for the trap activated by a pressure plate on the way and eliminate more Forsworn. Cross the oval room and head towards the passage leading east.

Continue east and be ready for more fights with the Forsworn. Eventually, you will reach the northeast part of the keep. Climb the stairs twice to reach the top floor, and find the door marked by the game. Opening it will lead you to the roof of the keep.

If you head west, you will come across an entrance to the neighboring tower. It’s advisable to save your game here since you will have to battle a mini-boss in the form of a Forsworn Briarheart (as shown in the screen above). Be on the lookout for his potent spells, which you can either avoid or block, depending on your preferred tactic.

Fjotra is imprisoned in a cell that you can unlock either by using picklocks or the key obtained from the Forsworn Briarheart’s corpse. Open the cell door and speak to the girl (as shown in the screen above) to notify her that she has been chosen as the new Sybil of Dibella. Before leaving this location, I recommend checking the nearby chest for valuable items.

New main objective: Take Fjotra to the Temple

New main objective: Worship at Dibella’s Altar

Return to the roof, bring up the world map, and use fast travel to go back to Markarth. Once again, enter the Temple of Dibella and the Inner Sanctum. Find Hamal and inform her about bringing the girl. The priestess won’t give you any material reward, but you can receive a blessing. Head to the main room of the Temple of Dibella and interact with Dibella’s altar (as shown in the screen above). Aside from the standard blessing, you will also gain the Agent of Dibella ability, which increases your damage against the opposite sex.

FAQ

1. What is the Heart of Dibella quest?

The Heart of Dibella is a side quest in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. It is a quest given to the player by a priestess named Senna in the Temple of Dibella in Markarth. The quest requires the player to retrieve the Heart of Dibella, a stolen statue of the goddess Dibella, and return it to the temple. The quest takes the player through various locations in Markarth, including the Warrens and the Shrine of Talos.

2. What are the rewards for completing the Heart of Dibella quest?

Completing the Heart of Dibella quest will reward the player with a permanent increase in speechcraft and a leveled amount of gold. Additionally, the player will be able to receive blessings from the statue of Dibella in the temple, which will grant a temporary increase in speechcraft and persuasion abilities.

3. Are there any prerequisites for starting the Heart of Dibella quest?

Yes, there are prerequisites for starting the Heart of Dibella quest. The player must first complete the quest “The Forsworn Conspiracy” and “No One Escapes Cidhna Mine” in Markarth before being able to speak with Senna in the Temple of Dibella. Additionally, the player must be level 14 or higher before the quest becomes available.

4. Can the Heart of Dibella quest be completed by any character class?

Yes, the Heart of Dibella quest can be completed by any character class. The quest does not require any specific skills or abilities, and the player can complete it using any playstyle or combat style. However, the quest does involve some combat, so it may be helpful for the player to have some combat-related skills and equipment.