Skyrim:Forgotten Vale

Worldspace: Forgotten Vale (view on map) (lore page)
Added by	Dawnguard
# of Zones	8
Clearable	No
Respawn Time	10 days
Occupants
Falmer, Chaurus, Frost Giants, Frost Trolls, Frostbite Spiders, Ice Wraiths, Vale Sabre Cats, Naaslaarum, Voslaarum
Important Treasure
Auriel's Shield Amethyst Paragon Diamond Paragon Emerald Paragon Ruby Paragon Sapphire Paragon Unknown Book, Vol. I Unknown Book, Vol. II Unknown Book, Vol. III Unknown Book, Vol. IV
Console Location Code(s)
FalmerValleyStart
Region
Haafingar
Location
North of Markarth South of Castle Volkihar
Special Features
Word Wall	Drain Vitality
# of Alchemy Labs	1
Ore Veins
# of Gold	6
# of Malachite	8
# of Moonstone	9
# of Orichalcum	8
# of Quicksilver	12
# of Silver	6

Forgotten Vale

The Forgotten Vale is an isolated region in northwestern Skyrim once inhabited by the Snow Elves worshipping the god Auri-El. It is initially only accessible after traversing both Darkfall Cave and Darkfall Passage, and allows access (via standard entrances and the paragon platform) to eight distinct locations: Darkfall Grotto, Darkfall Passage, Forgotten Vale Cave, Forgotten Vale Forest, Forgotten Vale Overlook, the Glacial Crevice, the Inner Sanctum, and Sharpslope Cave.

The vale is now inhabited by the brutish, corrupted Falmer and a variety of indigenous creatures: frost giants, frost trolls, frostbite spiders, ice wraiths, Vale sabre cats, and Vale deer. You will visit it during the Dawnguard add-on's main questline, either as a Vampire Lord or as a member of the Dawnguard. The temple built by the Snow Elves in honor of Auri-El (displayed as "Temple Balcony" at the wayshrine portals once the final wayshrine is raised at the end of the related quest) is accessed through the Inner Sanctum. In the middle of a frozen lake near the Inner Sanctum is a word wall teaching part of the Drain Vitality shout, which is guarded by the twin dragons Naaslaarum and Voslaarum after completion of the quest Dragon Rising.

Related Quests

• Forgotten Vale Books Quest: Bring the Ancient Falmer Tome to Urag gro-Shub.
• Touching the Sky: Find and retrieve Auriel's Bow.

Locations

• Darkfall Grotto — A small cave in the Forgotten Vale.
• Darkfall Passage — A small cave only accessible through Darkfall Cave serving as the only access to the Forgotten Vale.
• Forgotten Vale Cave — A small cave in the Forgotten Vale containing chaurus and one of the rare shellbugs.
• Forgotten Vale Forest — A small grove in the Forgotten Vale, which can only be accessed by using the paragon platform with the ruby paragon.
• Forgotten Vale Overlook — A small river valley in the Forgotten Vale, which can be accessed by using the paragon platform with the emerald paragon.
• Glacial Crevice — A small cave in the Forgotten Vale, which must be traversed to reach the Inner Sanctum.
• Inner Sanctum — A relatively well-preserved portion of the Chantry of Auri-El in the Forgotten Vale.
• Sharpslope Cave — A small cave in the Forgotten Vale containing chaurus, Falmer, and one of the rare shellbugs.

Walkthrough

Wayshrine of Sight

Auriel's Chapel balcony

From Darkfall Passage, you are transported via the portal in the Wayshrine of Illumination to a cave area with a path winding away and up to the surface. There are six gleamblossom plants in the cave area. You emerge high in the mountains overlooking the vale. There are many gleamblossom plants found throughout the first area of the vale and many torchbugs flying around at night. Off to the west, up an incline you will encounter a frost troll in its lair, which contains the bodies of a dead Vale deer and Vale sabre cat. To the right is a silver ore vein. Two more silver ore veins can be found above the first, to the northwest; they can be reached by heading to the right of the troll's lair. A fourth vein can be found by heading north from the lair. It is on the ground to the northwest of a pointed stone arch.

Heading north from where you exit the cave area, another rock overhang is being used as a lair by a Vale sabre cat. Just to the north is a silver ore vein and farther north is a Falmer guarding the entrance to Forgotten Vale Cave. Northwest from the entrance you will encounter Prelate Athring in front of the Wayshrine of Sight. Speaking with him will cause him to raise the wayshrine containing the second basin you need to draw water from. The wayshrine will also contain portals to each of the wayshrines you have visited and caused the prelates to raise. North of the shrine is a gold ore vein. From the vein, head south past the shrine to find another silver ore vein near several gleamblossom plants to the right of a hill. West from that vein is another gold ore vein against a rock face. Follow the rock wall south until you reach the main path, then proceed west under a stone arch. As the path starts to climb, ahead are three frostbite spiders. Once they are dealt with, backtrack slightly to just before a broken pillar on the left of the path, and climb to the south to find another gold ore vein, the last in this part of the vale.

Just past the three spiders, hanging from an rock overhang by some webbing is a dessicated corpse that can be shot down with a bow or ranged magic. There are egg sacs on either side of you as you enter the pass, and a giant frostbite spider will descend from above and attack. On your right is a gold ore vein. The pass descends into the next valley, where you can see a large waterfall to the west and a wide river ahead. There are no more gleamblossom plants in the rest of the vale.

As you descend, you will see a lootable skeleton on the right lying across a stone chest. On the ground beside the chest is a large coin purse and a book titled Unknown Book, Vol. I. As soon as you pick up this book, a miscellaneous quest is added directing you to bring this tome to Urag gro-Shub at the College in Winterhold.

Wayshrine of Learning

There is a snowberry bush by the riverbank, and a quicksilver ore vein on the ground to the southeast. Following the riverbank south, you will soon reach Prelate Celegriath by the Wayshrine of Learning. Speaking with him will cause him to raise the wayshrine containing the third basin you need to draw water from.

Dropping down to the riverbank and following it to the far southern end, you'll see a waterfall disappearing underground. You can use this to enter Darkfall Grotto; however, using the amethyst paragon at the paragon platform to enter the grotto will allow you to collect all of the grotto's treasure.

West of the waterfall is a slope with a malachite ore vein partway up. Staying on the west side of the river and following it back north, you will pass some broken stone pillars.

A short distance before the next waterfall is an ice wraith guarding an apprentice-locked stone chest, with skeletal remains, a satchel, and a random enchanted war axe beside it. Just north of the waterfall is a malachite ore vein. Continuing along the riverbank and just before reaching the bottom of the next waterfall, a gap in the ice contains an ice wraith guarding a novice-locked chest, with a lootable skeleton and a satchel beside it. The satchel contains two random potions, including one of waterbreathing, and other loot. There is another malachite ore vein just north of the waterfall, and one more vein on the rock face west of a tall snow-clogged tree on the next landmass to the northwest. After the next waterfall is a snowberry bush.

Crossing back to the eastern riverbank and heading south a few paces to another snowberry bush, another malachite ore vein is to the northeast. Continue southeast for a hundred paces or so for one last malachite ore vein, before returning north. Continuing north along the bank, a frost giant is carrying the amethyst paragon. There are two more snowberry bushes nearby. The river at this end is partially frozen, enabling you to cross to the west side of the large waterfall, where you will find another malachite ore vein on the wall with a small piece of ice for you to stand on while mining.

A few paces back to the south on the western riverbank is a path heading north up a series of stairs. Partway up the stairs, once you are level with the top of the large waterfall, head northeast. On the near shore by the wide rapids, to the left is a pair of broken pillars that are part of a stone arch, with a pedestal holding a paragon socket at the base of the right pillar. This is all that remains of the paragon platform. With the corresponding paragon, the platform gives you access to several otherwise inaccessible areas in the Forgotten Vale as listed below. On the eastern bank under an icy overhang is another frost giant, this one carrying the sapphire paragon. A malachite ore vein and a snowberry bush are to the right of its lair.

Wayshrine of Resolution

Wayshrine of Resolution

Word wall

Returning southwest to the path and stairs, follow them to the top and across into the next valley. The path turns north, following the riverbank, where a natural stone bridge crosses over to the western side. On the far side, to the south is the Wayshrine of Resolution, with Prelate Nirilor standing beside it. Speaking with him will cause him to raise the wayshrine containing the fourth basin you need to draw water from. Beside the wayshrine is a snowberry bush. From here, you can either head southwest toward the frozen lake, or return to the bridge and head north.

Heading southwest leads to a stone arch, with stairs rising from the lake toward the wayshrine. Under the arch is a lootable skeleton, with two random potions of resist fire beside it. Heading southwest from the arch and following the western edge of the lake will lead you to a total of three moonstone ore veins. The last vein is just past a small copse of trees and some broken masonry near the lake. From this vein, if you head due east toward the word wall and have completed Dragon Rising, two named dragons, Naaslaarum and Voslaarum, will burst from beneath the ice of the lake and simultaneously attack you. During the battle, they may dive back through the ice before smashing more holes in the ice when they emerge again. Stairs lead up to the word wall, which teaches a word for the Drain Vitality shout. To the right of the word wall is an unlocked stone chest, and beside the chest is a lootable skeleton, a leveled potion of healing, and two random potions of resist fire.

There are also three chests under the ice in the lake, with their locations noted on the map below. Any character that isn't an Argonian will require potions of waterbreathing or preferably a corresponding enchanted item or spell to recover the loot from these chests. A light staff or spell would also be desirable if you don't have night vision. Vampire's Sight is ideal, as you can recast it as often as you like, even underwater, unlike spells. The first submerged chest is below the large waterfall at the south end of the lake. Proceeding south along the western side of the lake, you will reach a large section of fallen masonry in front of a snowbank. An ice wraith will emerge from the snow and attack as you approach. A moonstone ore vein is against the rock face behind the snowbank. A second vein is at the top of a slope a short distance east of the waterfall, nearly level with the bottom level of the waterfall. To find the first submerged chest, enter the water directly beneath the waterfall and dive down to the chest near some sunken masonry, then return to the surface. Next, head north-northeast from the waterfall until you reach a hole made by the dragons. Dive here and face south, and you should see two broken pillars very close to the hole. Between the pillars is the second chest atop skeletal remains. Back on the surface, head southeast from the hole toward a stone arch. Nearby on the frozen lake are two sets of skeletal remains with an elven sword and two random potions of resist fire.

Heading north along the eastern side of the lake, you will pass another moonstone ore vein near where the rocks end. From there, return to the word wall and dive into one of the holes made by the dragons to the west to find the third submerged chest near two broken pillars. Still underwater, a short distance to the southeast are two satchels among a large collection of skeletal remains. Back on the surface, return to the bridge north of the Wayshrine of Resolution and cross back to the north. Once across, the path descends, following the riverbank northwest. You'll eventually reach a small deserted Falmer settlement consisting of two Falmer tents with a campfire between them. The first tent contains a leg of goat on the ground and a Vale deer hide in a large leather pouch. The second tent has a chitin table holding two random potions of healing, a pearl, a small pearl, a random filled soul gem, and a fox pelt. Beside the table is another large leather pouch holding a Falmer war axe.

Continuing along the river heading southwest, you will reach a group of five chaurus cocoons, two of which are occupied, with two orichalcum ore veins among them. A short distance farther is the lower entrance to Sharpslope Cave. A second, upper entrance to the cave places you closer to the rare shellbug inside; see the next paragraph for details. There are three more occupied chaurus cocoons and four more orichalcum ore veins along the river, with the first vein immediately south of the lower entrance, and the last vein in the corner on the opposite bank.

Returning to the small deserted Falmer settlement, just to the northeast is an unlocked gate across a path that zigzags up the side of the mountain. After a couple of switchbacks, a natural stone bridge crosses south over the river. Before crossing the bridge, at the top of the path to the north is a Falmer tent guarded by a Falmer magic-user. The tent contains a Falmer chest and another leather pouch holding a gourd and a pine thrush egg. The bridge is guarded by a Falmer, with any fighting likely to alert several more Falmer to your presence. Across the bridge, the path continues to follow the riverbank far below. As it reaches another bridge, this one made by the Falmer, on the left are two leather pouches, one holding a quiver of Falmer arrows and a Falmer sword, and the other holding two rock warbler eggs. Across the bridge is a Falmer archer standing on a ledge overlooking the river below. The path ascends west over a large natural stone arch, which is marked by two strange posts on the far side. The path continues to the west, with the upper entrance to Sharpslope Cave marked by a tattered banner fluttering overhead.

The path continues past the entrance to an area beneath the natural stone arch, where three leather pouches are on a flat rock next to a gold ore vein. The leather pouches contain four pieces of gold ore, three rock warbler eggs, and a pickaxe. The path continues to the south, leading to another Falmer-built bridge which crosses to the east. On the far side is a Falmer tent containing a table holding two random potions of healing and a random potion of magicka, as well as a leather pouch holding five chaurus eggs. As the path rises to the east, on the far side of the stone spire ahead is a Falmer chest. The path keeps rising and turns southeast, passing a gate near another Falmer. The area beyond the gate contains a frost giant carrying the emerald paragon along with two dead Falmer, a dead chaurus, and a dead chaurus hunter, all of which are leveled and appear to have been killed fighting the giant. Scattered on the ground nearby are several Falmer weapons and shields along with many bones, suggesting the battle has continued for some time.

The path continues to circle the tall stone spire past a Falmer chest on a ledge to a Falmer-built platform. It is possible to climb to the top of the spire for a magnificent view and a snowberry bush, with a partially buried skeleton among the branches holding a gold sapphire ring. From the platform, a collapsed Falmer bridge originally led north, while an intact Falmer bridge crosses to the southwest. This leads to another platform with a leather pouch holding a bowl of frost salts and four samples of hawk feathers. Another natural stone arch crosses to the west to a Falmer tent guarded by a leveled Falmer. A second Falmer patrols the next Falmer bridge to the south. Two leather pouches on the right after crossing the natural stone arch contain two racks of dog meat, a joint of raw horse meat, and a cabbage. The tent is larger and more ornate than most Falmer dwellings, and contains a chest with quality loot and a leather pouch to the right holding a joint of raw venison and a set of small antlers. A large rock behind the tent holds a goat hide, a random poison, a set of large antlers, a Falmer bow, and a leather pouch holding a piece of moonstone ore and a piece of chaurus chitin. Against the south side of the tent is another leather pouch holding a troll skull.

The next Falmer bridge heads south to a pair of tents facing each other on a slanted platform. The western tent contains a Vale deer hide, a deer pelt, two haunches of raw venison, and a Falmer war axe on a wooden chopping block. The eastern tent contains two leather pouches; one holds two racks of dog meat, and the other holds a sample of hawk feathers, two pearls, and three small pearls. A large rock behind the eastern tent holds an altar of sorts made from a goat hide that can't be interacted with laid flat on a leather pouch. On top of the hide are two garnets, a ruby, and a troll skull.

The path heads southwest to the next ledge and east across another Falmer bridge to a larger area, with a haunch of raw venison in a leather pouch on your right as you leave the bridge. Ahead is a large rock with a Falmer sword and a skull on top and a leather pouch to the right holding a piece of chaurus chitin. A Falmer tent is up a ramp to the north, with deer skulls and antlers stuck to posts flanking the entrance. The tent contains a Falmer chest, with leather pouches holding six loose Falmer arrows and a random empty soul gem on either side. Under the tent is a gated storage area containing two haunches of raw venison, a set of large antlers, three cabbages, and a gourd. Returning south, a ramp descends to another ledge guarded by a leveled Falmer. On the south side of the ledge are two more leather pouches holding a piece of chaurus chitin, two chaurus eggs, and a goat hide. From the ledge, a natural stone bridge heads southwest, and a Falmer-built bridge heads west.

The path across the Falmer bridge leads down to a Falmer tent, with a mammoth skull attached above the entrance. The tent contains a table holding Unknown Book, Vol. III, two random potions of healing, and three pearls, as well as a leather pouch holding a Vale deer hide. Head across the stone bridge to the southwest and then back across another nautral stone bridge heading southeast to an upper section of the river, with a stone ramp descending to the north. At the bottom, on the opposite bank are three chaurus cocoons, but only one is occupied. Two final orichalcum ore veins are also along the river nearby. Returning up the ramp to the upper section of the river above the waterfall, to the east is a path up to a small pass leading to three moonstone ore veins: two are on the ground, and one is on the side of the rock face to the south. Return again to the upper section of the river and head south to where some Falmer fencing is stretched in front of the headwater. Beyond the fence, two leveled Falmer guard the entrance to the Glacial Crevice.

Falmer Fissure

Falmer Fissure

Once you have passed through the Glacial Crevice, you will emerge again outside in the isolated southwest area of the Forgotten Vale. There are two paths. The first path continues ahead under a walkway that links two raised Falmer tents and continues to more Falmer settlements. The second path, to your immediate left, heads north, with a string of bone chimes stretched across the path. Beyond the chimes, two Falmer patrol in front of a gate that blocks an area containing a frost giant. There is a Falmer chest to the right of the gate, and a dead Falmer lying on a large rock just beyond them. Farther northwest are two more dead Falmer, the occasional weapon, and many scattered bones including mammoth skulls and rib cages. The frost giant's lair is under a rock overhang, and contains the bodies of two chaurus, a chaurus hunter, and another Falmer, along with a Falmer bow and a Falmer sword. The frost giant carries the diamond paragon, which enables you to use the paragon platform to teleport to a unique area in the Glacial Crevice. There is a quicksilver ore vein at either end of the lair, and two more to the south, with one near the top of a rise, and the other a short distance beyond.

Returning to the exit from the Glacial Crevice, the two raised Falmer tents are accessed by a curved ramp. In the first tent is a central campfire with a Falmer sword and a rack of dog meat on either side, and a second Falmer sword, a Vale deer hide, a deer pelt, a piece of chaurus chitin, a haunch of raw venison, and a gourd either on benches or in a leather pouch against the wall. A short walkway crosses to the second tent, which contains a Falmer chest and a leather pouch holding a pine thrush egg, a rock warbler egg, and two pieces of honeycomb. Under the second tent is a string of bone chimes.

Following the path east at ground level, another tent on the left contains two legs of goat, three gourds, and a set of large antlers among straw scattered on the floor. The next section of the path is trapped with a tripwire at either end, each triggering separate claw traps, while above is a lookout point with a Falmer on guard. Past the second tripwire are two ramps. The ramp on the left leads back up to the lookout point and a raised tent, which has a central campfire and a troll skull on a bench. A second Falmer, a magic-user, is in the middle of the path at ground level beyond the start of the ramp on the right. Any fighting with either Falmer is likely to alert several more Falmer in the settlements beyond. On the north wall of the path near the second Falmer is a leather pouch behind some fencing holding a piece of silver ore and two pieces of quicksilver ore, with another piece of quicksilver ore on the ground beside it. The ramp on the right has another tent built under it opposite the fenced leather pouch, containing another leather pouch holding a rack of dog meat and a leg of goat. The ramp ascends to the east, passing a smoky campfire to a set of elevated walkways that crisscross the settlement and link several tents on different levels. Take care, as there is another Falmer patrolling a walkway farther ahead, and a Falmer magic-user in the first tent on the left. Before reaching the junction for that tent, you will pass the top of another tent on a lower level. In the raised tent on the left are three samples of hawk feathers, a hawk beak, a glowing mushroom, two bowls of powdered mammoth tusk, a bowl of bone meal, a set of small antlers, and three loose chaurus eggs, all on a bench or in two leather pouches. There is also an alchemy lab built into a table, with two random potions of healing, magicka, or stamina beside it.

The main walkway continues, passing a raised platform with an open wooden box filled with water containing three living clams that can be harvested. The walkway then passes between the side of a tent and a tall rock, with a string of bone chimes hanging down, and continues past another junction with a branch to the left all the way to a rock wall at the back before turning left and continuing through a gap between two walls to another area. The walkway branching to the left passes another tent on the same level to the right, which contains a table holding a fox pelt, a random filled soul gem, two chaurus eggs, and two random potions of healing, magicka, or stamina (see bugs). Opposite the tent is a curved ramp leading up and around the tall rock to the tent beside the clams, which contains a Falmer chest and two mammoth tusks in a leather pouch. As the walkway descends past the previous tent, it takes a couple of turns and passes more bone chimes, then passes the entrance to the empty tent you previously passed above. The next tent along the walkway contains an ice wolf pelt on the floor, two Vale sabre cat hides and two pieces of quicksilver ore on top of a straw bale, and an open crate holding a pickaxe, two more pieces of quicksilver ore, two amethysts, and an emerald. The walkway finally descends to ground level, where two quicksilver ore veins, three loose pieces of quicksilver ore, and two pickaxes are found.

Passing through the gap between the rock walls to the next area leads to more raised tents, with the walkway continuing between them. The tent on the right contains two gourds and a leg of goat on the floor, while the tent on the left contains a table holding two chaurus eggs, two pieces of chaurus chitin, and a honed Falmer sword. Past the second tent, two Falmer patrol the walkway, and three more tents are on the left. The first tent is below you, after a switchback in the path. Next to it is the second tent containing two legs of goat and two rock warbler eggs in a leather pouch. The third tent is off a junction and is tilted on its side, with a beehive hanging from the ceiling containing a bee, a piece of honeycomb, and a beehive husk. The walkway continues past the three tents up to a tent that is larger and more ornate, which contains a Falmer chest, a bench, a table, and a leather pouch holding a sample of hawk feathers, a set of small antlers, a bird nest containing a rock warbler egg, two random potions of healing, magicka, or stamina, a random poison, Unknown Book, Vol. IV, a beehive husk, and a piece of honeycomb. Return along the walkway and take the switchback past the first of the previous three tents, which contains a bench with a sprig of snowberries, a pearl, and a garnet. The walkway continues to descend past an alcove with three chaurus cocoons, two of which are occupied. The walkway finally skirts around a fire before reaching ground level. Nearby under the last tent is a storage area containing four pieces of chaurus chitin. The path leads east to a gate, with another fire to the left.

Beyond the gate, the path turns south to enter a wide tunnel and starts to rise. A lookout point and a quicksilver ore vein are on the left partway up, and several glowing mushrooms grow on the walls. The tunnel continues past an empty Falmer tent, turning west and continuing to rise even more steeply. The path passes between two Falmer-built ledges near an empty Falmer hive, followed by another quicksilver ore vein on the left. Farther up the rise, on the left is a second Falmer-built ledge and another empty Falmer hive. The path then passes through a narrow gap with a tripwire across the front that triggers a large rockfall from farther up on a raised platform, with the platform just beyond an occupied Falmer hive opposite another quicksilver ore vein. At the top, a final quicksilver ore vein is on the left just before the path emerges from the tunnel and continues northwest.

Wayshrine of Radiance

More Falmer tents are on several levels, and ahead is Prelate Edhelbor in front of the Wayshrine of Radiance. Speaking with him will cause him to raise the wayshrine containing the fifth and final basin you need to draw water from.

A ramp to the left of the wayshrine leads up to a Falmer tent, which contains three leather pouches holding two bowls of troll fat, a bowl of powdered mammoth tusk, a leg of goat, a gourd, and a mammoth tusk. The walkway continues up past another tent containing a goat hide, a piece of honeycomb, a troll skull, and a normal deer hide. The third tent contains two quivers of Falmer arrows and two pieces of chaurus chitin, with one of the quivers on the floor beside the leather pouches which hold the remaining items. The walkway now crosses to the right side of the wayshrine, passing the empty lower level of a two-level tent, with a ramp spiraling up to the upper level. The tent's upper level has open sides for use as lookout points. Inside are three leather pouches holding a haunch of raw horse meat, a leek, and a haunch of raw venison. The walkway continues along a stone wall before spiraling up to yet another tent, which contains a table holding three random potions of healing and three random potions of magicka. To either side of the table are leather pouches holding two orange dartwings, a blue dartwing, a luna moth wing, two blue butterfly wings, a sample of slaughterfish scales, four pearls, and two small pearls.

Inner Sanctum

Returning to ground level, the path heads northeast toward a large stone arch and a stone bridge that crosses to the Inner Sanctum. Before the bridge, another quicksilver ore vein is to the left, on the west rock wall. Under the bridge, to the right are three loose elven arrows. Far below this point to the east is a ledge that can only be reached by careful rock climbing or by using the Become Ethereal shout and dropping from under the bridge. On the ledge is a gold ore vein with some skeletal remains, a pickaxe, a gold ruby necklace, a Falmer weapon, a bowl of powdered mammoth tusk, two pieces of gold ore, a diamond, two flawless diamonds, and a bird nest containing a rock warbler egg. From here, you can reach several more ledges with harvestable bird nests. Once finished, you can either climb down or use become ethereal again and drop to the first Falmer settlement near the Glacial Crevice exit.

Cross the bridge. Ahead is a flight of stairs ascending to the chantry courtyard, but before proceeding, turn to your left, where a rock outcropping beyond a lone stone arch holds an elven greatsword, two flawless rubies, and a flawless sapphire. Return to the bridge and head up the stairs into the courtyard dominated by a statue of Auri-El. The huge double doors beyond the two curved stairs are locked until you complete the pilgrimage ritual. To do so, empty your initiate's ewer into the basin at the top of the stairs behind Auri-El's statue, filling it with the water collected from the five wayshrines. The doors will then unlock and grant you access to the Inner Sanctum.

Paragon Platform

The paragon platform, also referred to as the paragon portal, will allow you to open portals to a few otherwise inaccessible locations in the Forgotten Vale.

To find the paragon platform, go to the Wayshrine of Learning and turn northwest. Follow along the river until you see a path heading north up a series of stairs on the shore opposite the frost giant carrying the amethyst paragon. Partway up the stairs, once you are level with the top of the large waterfall, leave the path and head northeast along the river. On the near shore to the left is the paragon platform, and on the opposite shore is a frost giant carrying the sapphire paragon.

The platform uses the five different paragons to open portals to unique areas in the Forgotten Vale. The paragons are all carried by frost giants, as noted on the map below.

The amethyst paragon opens a portal to an otherwise inaccessible ledge in Darkfall Grotto.
The diamond paragon opens a portal to an otherwise inaccessible ledge in the Glacial Crevice.
The emerald paragon opens a portal to Forgotten Vale Overlook.
The ruby paragon opens a portal to Forgotten Vale Forest.
The sapphire paragon opens a portal to an otherwise inaccessible room in the Inner Sanctum.

Notes

• Auriel's Shield can be obtained in Forgotten Vale Forest, and Unknown Book, Vol. II can be obtained in Forgotten Vale Overlook.
• Unlike the vale itself and all other connected locations, the Inner Sanctum doesn't respawn.
• While you are in the vale during the quest Touching the Sky, you will be unable to fast travel back to Skyrim. In order to leave the vale, you must go to the wayshrine inside the Inner Sanctum and take the portal to Darkfall Cave. From there, an exit passage will lead you back up to the cave mouth that returns to Skyrim. Once you have left by this method, you should be able to fast travel to and from the vale.
• If Survival Mode^CC is active, you may only rest in the vale if you bring a campsite with you.

Bugs

• Despite the vale being an open world area, you cannot summon Arvak here.
  • The Official Skyrim Special Edition Patch, version 1.6.1130.0, fixes this bug.
• The items in some tents may have fallen through the tables and/or the bottom of the tents themselves, making recovering them difficult.
  • Using an area effect spell either inside or outside the affected tent offers the most likely chance of recovery.
• Fast travel from Forgotten Vale may cause the game to hang on a darkened map screen. This may be caused by fast travel being disabled at certain places or points in the questline and not being properly enabled again. ^?

Map

Guide

	Initial entry point
	Locales
	Unique treasures (Unknown Books, wall, Auriel's Shield, and frost giants carrying paragons)
	Ore veins and loot

Hover your mouse pointer over the dots for additional information.

Portal to Darkfall Passage

Inner Sanctum Balcony

Wayshrine of Radiance

Wayshrine of Sight

Wayshrine of Resolution

Wayshrine of Learning

Paragon Platform

Forgotten Vale Overlook (Portal)

Forgotten Vale Forest (Portal)

Voslaarum

Naaslaarum

Inner Sanctum

Inner Sanctum

Sharpslope Cave

Sharpslope Cave

Glacial Crevice

Glacial Crevice

Darkfall Grotto

Forgotten Vale Cave

Word Wall

Unknown Book, Vol. I

Unknown Book, Vol. II

Unknown Book, Vol. III

Unknown Book, Vol. IV

Sapphire paragon

Amethyst paragon

Emerald paragon

Diamond paragon

Ruby paragon

Auriel's Shield