In this section of our guide to The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, we provide a comprehensive walkthrough of the Unfathomable Depths side quest. The quest begins in Riften and requires you to deliver a lexicon to Avanchnzel while battling monsters along the way.
- Activating the Quest
- New Main Objective: Take the Lexicon to Avanchnzel
Activating the Quest
While in Riften, visit the city harbor and speak with From Deepest Fathoms, an Argonian woman who is requesting help. She has stolen a cursed item, the Lexicon, which is causing her to have nightmares and she needs someone to take it away from her. Agree to help her and you will receive the task of delivering the Lexicon to Avanchnzel.
Avanchnzel is well-guarded by Automatons, so make sure you are fully equipped with weapons and potions before embarking on this mission.
New Main Objective: Take the Lexicon to Avanchnzel
You can find the dwarven keep west of Riften, at the bottom of the mountain. Begin at Lorgashbur, the Orc camp, or start at Riften and travel around the lake if you have not yet visited Lorgashbur. Keep going up the slope and follow the dwarven path until you reach the keep entrance.
Inside the keep, you will encounter the ghosts of previous treasure seekers who have been trapped there. Interestingly, From-Deepest-Fathoms, the woman who requested your help, is among them. Keep following the path created by the ghosts, but do not turn left at the first intersection. Eliminate the Dwarven Spiders and Dwarven Spheres from a distance, as they are challenging in combat. Keep fighting enemies and eventually, you will reach the Avanchnzel Animoncultory.
After defeating another Spider and Sphere, turn left. Two ghosts will try to open the door, but neither of them has the required skills. If you are skilled at lockpicking, enter the room and collect the treasures inside. Further into the dungeon, you will come across a thieves’ camp where you will see the spirits of the thieves once again. One of them wanted to back out, but the others convinced him to continue. Do not back out yourself. Watch out for the door on the right side of the corridor, as it is protected with a trap. After opening it, run into the room. You will find treasures and the Racial Phylogeny skillbook inside, which will boost your Restoration skills.
To start, head out of the room and turn right towards a Dwemer storage room. Inside, you will find precious stones on a desk to the left that are guarded by a Dwarven Spider. Defeat it and continue on, fighting more Spiders and Spheres and clearing out useful items from the rooms along the way. Eventually, you will come across a room with two Centurions lying on the assembly table. Take advantage of the higher ground to kill all the Dwarven Spiders below before heading down to the lower level. Since the Centurions were not finished, you are free to roam the room and take anything you desire. Afterward, use the passage on the left and pass the body of a thief to watch another conversation and enter Avanchnzel Boilery.
Cross the room and defeat the Dwarven Sphere that will appear. Next, move to the room with a trap where a deadly blade moves back and forth. Avoid being hit by moving between the horizontal obstacles. If you are quick enough, you will reach the lower level where you will find the body of another adventurer.
Continue on until you reach a room where the last of the thieves died. Above the thief’s body, you will find an inactive centurion and a fully operable second one. Throughout the battle, keep your distance and shoot at the enemy as he is quite slow. Once defeated, search the bodies and put the Lexicon on the pedestal in the center of the room to complete the quest.
To exit the dungeon, use the passage behind the Lexicon altar and unlock the door. This will bring you back to the main part of Avanchnzel and the corridor you previously ignored. Kill the Spider and Sphere and exit the dungeon either through the Balcony on the right or the path on the left. Regardless of which you choose, you will quickly return to the surface.
In exchange for completing the quest, you will receive Ancient Knowledge which increases your Blacksmithing by 15% and makes any Dwarven armor you wear 25% stronger. It seems the creators of the Lexicon know how to reward those who assist them.
FAQ
1. What is Unfathomable Depths in Skyrim?
Unfathomable Depths is a side quest in the popular video game, Skyrim. This quest requires the player to explore the ruins of an ancient Dwemer city located in the northern part of the map. The quest begins when the player reads a book called “The Aetherium Wars.” The player must then locate and activate four Dwemer pedestals, which ultimately leads them to the final objective of the quest. The main reward for completing this quest is the Aetherium Forge, which allows players to craft unique and powerful items.
2. Where can I start the Unfathomable Depths quest in Skyrim?
The Unfathomable Depths quest is started by finding and reading the book “The Aetherium Wars”. The book can be found in various locations throughout Skyrim, including bookstores, libraries, and dungeons. One guaranteed location is the Dwemer Museum in Markarth, where the book can be purchased from the curator, Calcelmo. Once the book is read, the quest will begin and the player will need to locate the four Dwemer pedestals to progress through the quest.
3. How do I activate the Dwemer pedestals in the Unfathomable Depths quest?
In order to activate the Dwemer pedestals in the Unfathomable Depths quest, the player must first locate them. The pedestals can be found in four different Dwemer ruins: Arkngthamz, Mzulft, Raldbthar, and Bthungthumz. Once the pedestals are located, the player must place a unique item on each one in a specific order: the Aetherium Shard, the Aetherium Crest, the Aetherium Crown, and the Aetherium Staff. Once all four pedestals are activated, the player can progress to the final objective of the quest.
4. What is the Aetherium Forge in Skyrim?
The Aetherium Forge is a unique forge that is unlocked upon completing the Unfathomable Depths quest in Skyrim. The forge is located in the ruins of Bthalft, and can be accessed by using the lift located at the bottom of the ruins. The forge allows players to craft powerful and unique items, including the Aetherial Crown, the Aetherial Shield, and the Aetherial Staff. In order to use the forge, the player must have one of each type of Aetherium item (shard, crest, crown, and staff) in their inventory.
5. What are the benefits of completing the Unfathomable Depths quest in Skyrim?
Completing the Unfathomable Depths quest in Skyrim has several benefits for the player. Firstly, it provides access to the Aetherium Forge, which allows players to craft unique and powerful items. Secondly, it provides a large amount of experience points, which can help the player level up their character. Additionally, the quest provides a unique storyline and adds to the overall immersion of the game. Finally, completing the quest unlocks the “Lost to the Ages” achievement, which is worth 30 gamer points on Xbox and a bronze trophy on PlayStation.
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