“Discerning the Transmundane” is a Daedric Quest in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
You get “Discerning the Transmundane” by reading Ruminations on the Elder Scrolls
The second part of this quest, collecting the Blood Samples, can only be begun if the Dragonborn is level 15 or higher.
Contents
Locations[edit]
College of Winterhold - Arcanaeum
Walkthrough[edit]
Part 1: Inscribing the Lexicon[edit]
make your way into the Arcanaeum in the College of Winterhold. Once there talk with Urag gro-Shub about the Elder Scrolls to learn something about them. Be sure that you mention being dragonborn as that will smooth things over some. He will give you 2 books. One of the is Ruminations on the Elder Scrolls, open this book to begin this quest.
Talk with Urag gro-Shub after reading the book to learn its author went to the Icy islands to the North of the College to search for things. Make your down on their side of the city and then use the Icebergs to make your way to the North toward your destination. Along the way expect to encounter Horkers and Wolves.
Along the way expect to encounter Horkers and Wolves.
When you make it to your destination you will see a Boat and across from it an entrance to a cave. This is Septimus Signus's Outpost:
Go inside and you should head down the ladder in front of you. This will quickly lead you to your target, Septimus Signus. He explain that he can direct you to the Elder Scroll, but only if you help him with the Dwemer Lockbox he is trying to solve. He will tell you that you need to visit Blackreach which is hidden underneath Tower Mzark which is in the Alftand Glacial Ruins. He will give you a Blank Lexicon and an Attunement Sphere. Leave his Outpost after that. Now you need to make your way to Alftand, the gateway to the underground city of Blackreach.
Head to the Southwest and make your way to Alftand. Once there go to the Northern side of it and look for the stairway leading down. Follow it to find the entrance to the Alftand Glacial Ruins. Once inside follow the blood that you find. This will lead you to some dwarven architecture. A Stone tunnel that ends at a connecting room with a stone table that is covered in things and a door facing to the North that is barred. Be sure to grab the Research Notes that are on the table. The doorway can be unlocked form the far side. Be sure to be on guard for the Dwarven Spider Workers. Follow the passage leading over to the Western path going up. Follow the path down to the left and be on guard for J'darr, a crazed Khajiit. Just follow the path forward them there. You just need to deal with a Dwarven Sphere or three first. Turn to the North after that. This will lead you toward a Golden Door that is locked (Apprentice level). Open it up for treasure and then head to the east.
This leads back to a room you passed through earlier with lots of cogs and pistons. Now you're on the raised portion of it. You need to head around the room to the left, jumping over the pistons. These can push you off the center, forcing you to restart this section. Time your jumps well and you should have little trouble.
This will lead you to the Alftand Animonculory just past the pistons.
Inside the Animonculory start off to the East. You can search the side rooms to find some items. Follow the path into the room with the golden grating. Head on through the break in it to find Endrast and by him: Endrast's Journal. Be careful as you emerge because there are Dwarven Spheres roaming the area. Head over to the East and go on up the stairs to the North to continue. You will find more Dwarven Worker Spiders in the area. Keep going to the East after that and up the next ramp. You will come to a barred passage. There is a lever on your right to lower the bars. On the other side is a second lever to close the bars again. There is little need unless you want to break the pursuit of enemies who are after you.
You are now in a massive shaft leading down deeper into the Animonculory. Look for the ramp on the far side of the room, just past the braizer, to have a safe way down. This will lead down to a Golden door that is locked (Apprentice difficulty). Get through, deal with the Spider Worker and head to the right, go through the open gate and then loot the chest there. Head on out of the room then drop off the platform to the one below you. Head to the West to find some more loot but you want to head to the East to proceed down.
As you go down, be on guard against some Falmer who are lurking on the pathway. Be mindful of the pistons that occasionally jet out from the sides. Just make your way down to the next golden door. This will lead you into a small Falmer hive. There are about 6 Falmer around. Use the stairs and covered area to make things a bit easier to manage. Head on down the stairs after you deal with them then go to the left and into the next corridor. Look for the next of stairs going down. To the left of them is some scaffolding. Use that to cross over to the South and avoid a number of Fire spurt traps that would need to be jumped over otherwise. Continue onto the South. You are looking for a Boiler Room. In there you will find an Ancient Dwarven Elevator in the Northwest. Use it to ascend back into the Alftand Glacial Ruins.
Once at the top, head over to the barred gateway to the South. Use the lever to lower the bars to allow for easier navigation in the future.
Head back down using the elevator. Now make for the Southwestern corner of the room. There a Golden door can be found that will lead onwards. This leads out to another downward ramp. Follow it to encounter more Falmer and a Frostbite Spider. Take them all down and through the door at this lowest point. This will lead you into the Afltand Cathedral
Head into the Cathedral and go to the West. Deal with the Falmer then open the golden door there. Another pair of Falmer wait on the other side at the top of the stairs. Head to the left of the stairs just ascended to find more stairs. This leads to the lever you need to lower the Bars blocking your way forward. Be on guard as there are a skeever or two in the area.
Go on up the stairs in front of you and press on deeper into the Cathedral. Just through the gate you opened there is a Dwarven Centurion. it is a good idea to trigger the fight then rush back to the lever and close the gate. This will trap the Centurion on the far side of the gate and make it a lot easier to take down. Be sure to loot its body as it has the Key to Alftand Lift which is important.
Go on up the stairs in front of you and press on deeper into the Cathedral. Just through the gate you opened there is a Dwarven Centurion. it is a good idea to trigger the fight then rush back to the lever and close the gate. This will trap the Centurion on the far side of the gate and make it a lot easier to take down. Be sure to loot its body as it has the Key to Alftand Lift which is important.
Head on up the stairs and open the gate. Approach the Dwarven Mechanism. This will trigger the appearance of Umana and Sulla Trebatius. The two will start to fight each other. The Dragonborn can either wait and kill the survivor or intervene and they will attack together.
When the fight is done, go up to the Dwarven Mechanism and activate it. This will cause the area around it to drop down and create a stairwell. Follow the stairs down to the room hidden below it. This leads right to Blackreach.
Once in Blackreach you will want to head to the Southeast, after going West down the nearby ramp. This lets you find the nearby Great Lift to Alftand. You can activate it by hitting pressing a button by the golden tower in a Dwarven Head Pedastal. Now start over to the West along the cobblestone path. Continue until you come across a stone bridge just past a lake with a cascading waterfall. Turn South after that. This will lead you to your destination: The Tower of Mzark. Go inside the doors and pull the lever to ascend into the Tower itself.
Go inside search the first room for items and then into the next one with the massive Bronze device. Head to the left and start up the ramp there. keep going up until you find the control panel there. It is time to begin the Oculory Puzzle.
Solve this puzzle and you will be rewarded with the Elder Scroll raising out its Containment Sphere. As you head down, be sure to grab the Runed Lexicon which has been inscribed with the knowledge of the scroll. Use the elevator underneath the controls to quickly return to the Surface of Skyrim.
Part 2: Blood[edit]
Make for Septimus Signus's Outpost. Talk with Septimus Signus in his outpost and give him the Runed Lexicon. If the Dragonborn is below Level 15, Septimus will tell the Dragonborn he needs time to delve into the device.
- This part of the quest is inaccessible until the Dragonborn is level 15 or above
Septimus will contact the Dragonborn and tell them to come visit him. A Courier will come and give you the letter: Letter from Septimus Signus.
He has figured out what he needs to open the Skyrim: Dwemer Lockbox. Talk to him in his outpost and he will explain. He needs the blood from all the Mer races in Skyrim: Altmer, Bosmer, Dunmer, Falmer and Orismer. As you leave the Wretched Abyss, Hermaeus Mora, he will speak with you some about this. Now though it is time to hunt up some Blood Samples:
If you have found Liar's Retreat then you can get almost all the Blood types (except Altmer). Search the pile of corpses in front of the entrance. This can easily take care of the remaining blood types.
Return to the Alftand Cathedral. There should be plenty of Falmer corpses for you to quickly get a sample with the Essence Extractor.
Liar's Retreat - Head inside as it being overrun by Falmer.
As you get to the crossing between the Alftand Cathedral and Alftand Animonculory, look for the little passage. You will find the corpse of one of the expedition who was an Altmer. Make your way back to the surface using any of the elevators after that.
From the Alftand Cathedral head into the Alftand Animonculory. You want to find the body of Yag gra-Gortwog. Go over to it and use the extractor.
Liar's Retreat - Check the pile of corpses just outside the entrance.
You can head to Silent Moons Camp, Northwest of Whiterun. There is usually a Wood Elf at the top of the camp.
Liar's Retreat - Check the pile of corpses just outside the entrance.
There are a few locations you can find a Dark Elf Corpse:
Drelas' Cottage - You are attacked by the hostile mage Drelas.
Liar's Retreat - Check the pile of corpses just outside the entrance.
Evergreen Grove - A body can be found on the altar.
Part 3: Collecting your Reward[edit]
Return to Septimus in his outpost. He will use the Essence Extractor on himself then approach the Dwemer Lockbox. It will open for him. Go inside with him and look at the book on the pedestal in front of you. This is the Oghma Infinium. One more conversation with The Wretched Abyss and you are done with the quest.
