Castle Volkihar Bug

[Muredac Ford]

CastleVolkihar is a location in The Elder Scrolls V: Dawnguard.It is a large castle that rests on a secluded island in the Sea of Ghosts. The castle serves as the primary base for the Volkihar Clan. If the Dragonborn joins the Volkihar Vampires, the castle can be used as a home.

Castle Volkihar is located in a previously inaccessible region in the far northwest corner of Skyrim, near the sea border with High Rock. The entrance can initially be accessed via Icewater Jetty, northwest of Northwatch Keep. The castle can also be reached by Ferrymen, or by swimming across the channel.

Upon entering the castle, the spacious main dining area is the most prominent sight. Two dining tables loaded with platters of human flesh and bones flank the long decorative rug that lines the center of the hall. A vampire cattle is laid out on each table and fed upon by members of the court throughout the day. All the silver plates and goblets found here are smeared with blood.

An Alchemy Lab and a display case with various alchemy ingredients can be found in the bottom floor. In addition, a dead Dunmer alchemist alongside a skeleton can be found lying on the main table. Near the main table is a bookshelf with an assortment of books. This room is also where Ronthil sleeps, usually behind the bookshelf as he is still considered a new recruit and not worthy of sleeping in the coffins that the other vampires sleep in.

A set of stairs leads up to a balcony overlooking the laboratory where an arcane enchanter and a display case with various soul gems can be found. Following the balcony leads to another section with a table and chair that overlooks the balcony. Garan Marethi and Vingalmo can usually be found here.

This small blood spattered room is attached to the main dining area. The central feature is the small stone pedestal that the Bloodstone Chalice sits on, once it is returned to the castle. This chalice grants Blood of the Ancients which allows Vampiric Drain to absorb magicka and stamina in addition to health.

From the balcony area, the sleeping quarters can be accessed. This room contains eight coffins that are used by most of the vampires in the court. Sleeping in a coffin grants the Vampiric Blood Rested effect.

At the back of the room is a small unit that contains an assortment of vampire armors, two pairs of vampire boots and a display case holding a bone hawk amulet. A weapons rack with a leveled weapon can be found near the entrance to the room.

The Castle's blacksmith can be found off of the main dining area where Hestla can be found tending to the forge. This area contains most crafting stations: a forge, tanning rack, grindstone and a workbench, although it lacks a smelter. The upper walkway holds a weapon rack and a training dummy that Fura Bloodmouth frequently practices against. Off to the side is a combat training area complete with ranged targets and additional weapon racks.

Next, there is an area that Harkon and Serana often visit, as it has their thrones and a giant locked cage used for keeping Vampire Cattle in. Harkon and Serana can be found sitting in front of the fireplace watching the flames from their chairs. There is a torture table in the middle of the room, with a vast array of torture instruments ranging from ladles to irons. A unique werewolf pelt can be found in a display case. There is also a knife that can be picked up and used as a weapon, even though it resembles a common silverware knife.

Before the "The Bloodstone Chalice" quest, the room is empty and abandoned, but after the quest is completed the room is fully furnished. There is an arcane enchanter and an alchemy lab in the southwest corner, as well as a few potions and soul gems around them. In the northwest part of the room there is a small closet containing a wardrobe and two locked glass cases: one with two unenchanted necklaces, the other with an enchanted dagger and an unenchanted ring. Also scattered around the room are various planters and pots containing different types of assorted flora, as well a minor loot around the two nightstands flanking the bed.

After passing through a small corridor with kegs of dripping blood in it is the kitchen. There are few things worth noting here aside from minor items and a bleeding rack, as well as a coffin usually used by Rargal Thrallmaster.

The cathedral of the castle is mostly in ruins. Dark and dank, the most prominent feature is the large altar of Molag Bal in the center that perpetually flows with blood. Around the sides of the room are stairs that lead to a small balcony above the main door and an empty chest can be found near the entrance. The Cathedral is the location where the Dragonborn and Serana confront Harkon in the quest "Kindred Judgment."

The dungeon part of the castle is distinctly separate from the living quarters of the castle and are host to enemies. The Volkihar Dungeons include Volkihar Undercroft, Volkihar East Tower, Volkihar North Tower, and Volkihar Ruins.

This watchtower is located across the castle on the other side of the bridge, next to the small wooden dock. It provides a high, safe place from which a guard can watch anyone attempting to approach the island.

This is the main entrance to the castle. Stone statues of gargoyles line the pathway to the main gate and bone hawks typically circle above. Along the rocky shore, several clams can be found and harvested for clam meat. Washed up crates, pieces of old wood, and debris are scattered around the castle's shoreline.

On the north side of the island is an unused dock with a few sunken ships and some minor loot nearby. The inlet was used by the previous owners to bring supplies into the castle. Clams and a few barnacles can be found and harvested. Several hostile skeletons patrol nearby.

The balcony is attached to Valerica's Study, where the Soul Cairn portal is located. The balcony is a fast travel location for Valerica's Study. The only loot that is out on the balcony is a bloody tankard and two dead salmon.

Though you can travel to the island immediately upon installing Dawnguard, the dungeon areas of the castle are initially inaccessible due to the external door being locked and requiring a key. To reach the island, either hire the rowboat at Dawnstar or use the one at Icewater Jetty. Your other options are to swim or walk on the surface of the water using either a Potion of Waterwalking or Ahzidal's Boots of Waterwalking. If you accept Lord Harkon's gift at the end of Bloodline, you can also float over to the island in Vampire Lord form. If you swim, walk, or float to the island from Icewind Jetty, you may encounter two groups of three or four hostile skeletons on the way. These skeletons will rise out of the water and attack when they detect you.

The travel spawn point for Castle Volkihar is at the southwest end of the island, near a tower and the pier that returns you to Icewater Jetty. To reach the castle's entrance, walk northeast from the island pier. There will be a gate blocking your way which will not be opened until near the end of Bloodline. Once you have entered the castle during Bloodline and chosen whether to accept or reject Lord Harkon's gift, the castle will either be open or locked to you, respectively. If you rejected Lord Harkon's gift, you will be teleported out of the castle, and the door will remain locked until the start of the quest Chasing Echoes.

If you accept Lord Harkon's gift, whenever you arrive at the castle on subsequent visits, you may find two or more hostile Dawnguard waiting near the travel spawn point at the southwest end of the island. If you have remained undetected, one of these Dawnguard may be patrolling the northwest shore of the island, while the other can usually be found on top of the tower.

With the Fishing Creation installed, some Fishing Supplies can be found at the pier, along with a bucket of skulls and a fishing rod. Fish that can be found in freezing waters can be found here. Follow the shoreline to the left of the castle until you reach a crumbling, disused dock, where there are several sunken boats and ships. The docks are guarded by four leveled skeletons armed with ancient Nord weapons, which may be honed. They are significantly tougher than typical skeletons; most are magic-users, and graphically they appear to be wearing armor. There are plenty of salmon that can be fished from the docks. Deep below the water is an overturned sunken ship with a broken keel. The hull has split open just enough to grant access below deck. Among some crates is an unlocked chest containing minor loot. Unless you are an Argonian, in order to reach the chest you will need to use a waterbreathing effect via a potion or enchantment. A light spell would also be a boon. To locate the ship, swim from the far end of the docks to the northwest. With Fishing, some vampire fish can be found swimming off the docks here. There are numerous stairs rising up from the docks to terraces far above. At the top is an entrance to Volkihar Undercroft, which is locked prior to starting the related quest.

The entrance leads to a balcony, with stairs descending on the left. There is a skeever wandering this area, which will attack as soon as it is aware of you. You'll also find seven loose septims and some clam meat on the floor among the straw and bones. The stairs descend to a landing, with a barrel of ingredients with a woodcutter's axe stuck into the top by a stone railing. On the right are some crates and food sacks beside the wall. There is an unlocked wooden door in front of you to the north, with stairs leading down on the left to large double doors also to the north. The single door opens onto a balcony overlooking the old water cistern, which can be used to snipe those in the next room. The double doors lead into the same room at floor level. There are up to five death hounds and a feral vampire inhabiting this area. The feral vampire is carrying a journal fragment, which explains how she's been taking control of the keep's death hounds and promises revenge against the vampires living in the keep. If you return here after the quest, only the death hounds respawn.

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