This page of the TES V: Skyrim guide provides a walkthrough for the Skuldafn temple as part of the main quest, The World-Eater’s Eyrie. The temple presents new puzzles and battles, including a fight against a Draugr Overlord. The main objective is to reach an area with an active portal.
New main objective: Reach Alduin’s portal to Sovngarde
Odahviing will not take you directly to the temple, but will drop you off by a path leading to it. It is recommended to save your game as you will face demanding fights. Head east and temporarily ignore the hostile dragon that will appear above the area. Focus on the other monsters, such as a “normal” Draugr and three Restless Draugrs (screen above). Attack them one at a time, especially the one capable of using magic.
Eliminate all the Draugrs before fighting the dragon, using Dragonrend to force it to land (screen above). If your character has low fire resistance, watch out for its fire attacks. The local ruins can provide cover during the fight. Defeat the dragon using your preferred tactic, absorb its soul, and search its body.
Head south while being cautious, as you will soon encounter a second dragon that attacks with ice (screen above). Use Dragonrend Shout and hide behind nearby covers to avoid the dragon’s ice attacks. After defeating the dragon, absorb its soul, search its body, and head further south.
You will come across the entrance to Skuldafn South Tower on your way. It is optional to explore, but it is recommended as you will not be able to return later in the game. Inside the tower, you will encounter Draugrs, Restless Draugrs, and a Draugr Wight (screen above), which is notably stronger than other monsters. Use the Unrelenting Force Shout often, especially in the small battlefield. After defeating all the Draugrs, go up the stairs and examine the chest to find valuable items.
Whether you explored the tower or not, head east and turn north. You will encounter new monsters regularly, including common Draugrs and Restless Draugrs. Eliminate the archers from afar and be cautious of the Draugr Wights (screen above), as they pose a greater threat. Avoid fighting too many monsters at once by moving slowly.
The last group of Draugrs can be found near the stairs leading to the main temple gate. Watch out for the Draugr-Wight and eliminate the other monsters. Don’t worry about the compass showing additional enemies as they can only be dealt with after reaching the temple roof. If you want, you can return to the Skuldafn North Tower, but there is not much treasure there. Head to the entrance gate to the Skuldafn Temple to continue the main quest. Explore each location thoroughly as you will come across previous items. Choose the corridor on the right and eliminate the Restless Draugrs. Solve the puzzle consisting of three interactive pillars in the middle of the room. Pull the lever to unlock a passage in the north-west part of the room. Eliminate the magic-using Restless Draugr in the new tomb and watch out for more Draugrs breaking through nearby tombs. Head through the western passage and eliminate the Frostbite Spiders.
To continue, head east and use any weapon or magic to destroy the spider-webs blocking your path. Prepare to encounter more Frostbite Spiders on your way and be sure to destroy some webs to gain access to the southern chest. Eventually, you will come across a door in the east leading to a larger room (as shown in the above screenshot). Here, you will need to solve a new puzzle and defeat the local Draugrs, but be sure to search for a chest filled with valuable items before doing so.
Expect more pillar-turning in different parts of the room this time around. The first pillar you’ll come across is opposite the entrance (as shown in the above screenshot). By default, it has an eagle on it, but you’ll need to turn it to a snake to proceed.
Head up the stairs to the upper level and temporarily ignore the lever. Instead, head towards the pillar in the northern part of the room (as shown in the above screenshot). The sign above the bridge displays a fish, so you’ll need to turn the pillar to match it.
Return to the upper balcony and head south (as shown in the above screenshot). The sign above the bridge shows an eagle, so you’ll need to turn the pillar to match it.
Afterward, return to the lever and interact with it to lower the drawbridge (as shown in the above screenshot). Head east and use the door leading to the second part of the Skuldafn Temple. In the nearest room, you will have to fight both normal and Restless Draugrs. Be sure to quickly close the distance between yourself and any monsters using magic and bows.
After the battle, use the stairs to reach the upper balconies and cross the bridge leading west (as shown in the above screenshot). You should soon come across a room with a staircase. Provoke at least one of the Draugrs on the upper level to come down and stand on the nearby pressure plate once he does, dealing high damage.
Use the stairs to reach the upper level and enter the southern room. Here, you will have to defeat two Draugrs (you can also destroy the oil lamp from afar). Afterward, search for an interactive lever (as shown in the above screenshot) and use the newly unlocked northern passage. Be careful on your way to the next location, as touching any of the pressure plates will activate a flame trap.
Before continuing, save your game, as you will have to fight a mini-boss in the form of a Draugr-Overlord (as shown in the above screenshot). Be cautious while battling him, as he can deal considerable damage. You may want to consider attacking from a distance, as close combat is his specialty. Afterward, search his body for the Diamond Claw required for the next puzzle.
Approach the locked northern gate and solve a puzzle similar to the one in Bleak Falls Barrow. The puzzle consists of arranging three interactive rings. Open your inventory, go to Misc, and examine the Diamond Claw you collected. The proper order of symbols is displayed on the Claw. The solution can be seen in the image above. The upper ring should display a wolf, the middle an insect, and the bottom a dragon. Use the Claw to unlock the passage.
In the next room, search for a Word Wall (as shown in the image above) and approach it to learn the Word of Power for the Storm Call Shout. Unlock the Shout by entering the Shouts menu, highlighting the new position, and pressing R. Sacrifice one soul from the recently killed dragons to unlock it. Head to the north-east part of the room to reach the Temple exit, which leads to the previously inaccessible roof.
Eliminate the Draugrs that have appeared on your radar. Be careful, as they will mostly be Draugrs-Wrights (as shown in the image above). Eliminate them one at a time, blocking their attacks or dodging them. Try to eliminate all the Draugrs on the roof using this method.
After securing the lower part of the roof, stand opposite the stairs leading to the upper level (as shown in the image above). Remember to save your game before starting the most important part of the quest.
FAQ
What is Reaching the Portal?
Reaching the Portal is a quest in the game Skyrim, specifically in the DLC Dawnguard. This quest is given to the player by Durnehviir, a dragon who can be summoned using the shout he teaches you. The quest involves traveling to the top of the Throat of the World to reach the portal to the Soul Cairn, a realm of Oblivion. The player must defeat three keepers that guard the portal before they can enter and continue the quest.
What is The World-Eater’s Eyrie?
The World-Eater’s Eyrie is a location in the game Skyrim, specifically in the main questline. This location is the final area of the game and is where the player confronts and defeats Alduin, the main antagonist who is also known as the World-Eater. The location is located in Sovngarde, a Nordic afterlife realm. The player must complete several tasks and defeat multiple enemies before reaching Alduin and engaging in the final battle.
How do I access Reaching the Portal?
To access Reaching the Portal, the player must have the Dawnguard DLC installed and have progressed to a certain point in the main questline. The quest is given to the player by Durnehviir after they have learned the shout to summon him. The player must then travel to the top of the Throat of the World and defeat the three keepers that guard the portal to the Soul Cairn.
What level should I be to complete The World-Eater’s Eyrie?
There is no set level requirement for completing The World-Eater’s Eyrie, as the difficulty of the quest depends on the player’s individual playstyle and skills. However, it is recommended that the player be at least level 40 and have a strong weapon and armor set. The player should also have completed a majority of the main questline and have acquired several powerful shouts and spells to aid in the battle against Alduin.
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