Skyrim: 20 Hidden Quests Only Experts Found (And Where To Find Them)

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim was one of those games that changed the way that the world played. When it first released in 2011, many players began to lose months of their lives exploring one of the largest open gaming worlds ever created. The fantasy-based title put players in the role of a Dragonborn, a mortal born with the soul of both a human and a dragon. The Dragonborn's quest is to find and destroy the legendary dragon Alduin, who is prophesied to destroy the world.

Three pieces of downloadable content eventually accompanied Skyrim: Dawnguard, Hearthfire, and Dragonborn. All three DLCs allowed players to continue their exploration of the game's massive world and even opened up more of that world for additional quests and adventures. In 2013's The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Legendary Edition, players got the game plus all DLC. In 2016, players got a new and remastered version of the game with The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – Special Edition. Although the title initially released over seven years ago, many players are still stepping into the shoes of the Dragonborn and wandering the forests, mountains and plains of Skyrim.

Players continue to play Skyrim because of its colossal world: there are so many parts of it that many players have not ever found, much less explored. This means that there are still many quests left out there in Skyrim, those secret missions that only expert players know about.

Here is Skyrim: 20 Hidden Quests Only Experts Found (Where To Find Them).

Forbidden Legend is a quest only open to those Dragonborn who join the Dark Brotherhood of assassins and have access to the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary. There, find a book called Lost Legends to learn all about Gaulder legend and begin a mission to find the missing pieces of the Gauldur Amulet, which, when assembled gives the player +30 to Health, Magicka and Stamina.

The resulting quest will first take the Dragonborn to Folgunthur. where the player will find the journal of Daynas Valen. It is here that the player can determine the three locations with the missing Amulet pieces: Geirmund's Hall, Saarthal, and Reachwater Rock. Once collected and assembled, the Dragonborn can reforge the Amulet for wearing.

One of the most fun parts of the Dragonborn journey in Skyrim is finding all the dragons that the massive open world has to offer.

There are a few dragons, though, that are particularly difficult to locate. One of these is Vulthuryol, who resides within Blackreach.

Players can summon him by finding a yellow Dwemer gong hanging within the Silent City.

Use Unrelenting Force on the gong, and Vulthuryol will appear and fly overhead, breathing fire. He's extraordinarily difficult to tackle, though, because the Dragonborn can't use Bend Will on him. Also, players should make sure that their levels are high enough to defeat him: low-level players will quickly find themselves facing elimination by Vulthuryol.

There are several ways to begin the quest of The Pale Lady. Around Frostmere Crypt, the Dragonborn will stumble upon some bandits fighting among themselves. This will open up some information that something strange is going on within the crypt.

Alternatively, players can also meet Eisa Blackthorn outside the crypt: reading her journal will also begin the quest. As the Dragonborn fights through the crypt, more journals turn up. Reading each will continue to update the quest.

With enough exploration, the player will discover an underground forest: there, a bandit perished at the hand of a Wispmother, The Pale Lady.

There are three options to complete this quest: grab the bandit's sword and place it on the nearby pedestal or save the bandit before the Pale Lady can attack him. Then the player must fight The Pale Lady.

After investigating the area around the pedestal, players will find a key and an incident report.

The report mentions some missing rings, all located within the Arcanaeum. After retrieving all the rings, the Dragonborn must place them in their correct places on the gauntlet. This activates the gauntlet, causing it to clench into a fist.

This also summons dremora Velehk Sain: the player then must decide whether to release Velehk or end him. Releasing him will give the Dragonborn a new treasure map. Ending him offers a daedra heart.

Another unmarked quest in Skyrim revolves around summoning Karstaag, a mighty ghost frost giant that players can find in the Castle Karstaag Ruins.

This quest begins by traveling to the Glacial Caves and retrieving Karstaag's Skull. The skull needs to go to the Karstaag Ruins. But there's a trick to get in: if the player is a master-level lock picker, the Dragonborn can open a door leading into the ruins. Otherwise, traverse through the Riekling-infested Castle Karstaag Caverns to get there.

Once in the castle, players must defeat more Rieklings and place the skull on a large throne. This summons Karstaag, who will immediately attack. Defeat him and get the ability to summon him during battle.

Kolb and the Dragon isn't so much a quest as it is an Easter egg, but it's still a fun "mission" to play through and a nice break from the in-game action.

Players first need to find the Kolb and the Dragon: An Adventure for Nord Boys book.

It can be found in various locations throughout Skyrim, including The Arcaneum, Nightingale Hall, Blue Palace, Radiant Raiment in Solitude, Carlotta Valentia's house in Whiterun, Castle Volkihar, Corpselight Farm, Cragwallow Slope and Dragonsreach.

The book is basically a choose your own adventure game. Players begin it by reading the book and make their first choice for the story on page 2. Continue making decisions until the tale ends.

Kyne's Sacred Trials begins when the Dragonborn visits Froki Whetted-Blade at Froki's Shack. Froki tells the player all about the trials and then marks locations on the map where each trial takes place.

The quest is to destroy three Guardian Beasts: a wolf located at an unmarked location just west of Lakeview Manor (northeast of Falkreath), a skeever at Windward Ruins (southwest of Dawnstar), and a mudcrab at another unmarked location southeast of Gjukar's Monument.

After defeating these three creatures, Froki will task the player to destroy three more beasts: a sabre cat northeast of Journeyman's Nook, a mammoth west of Loreius Farm, and a bear northeast of Twilight Sepulcher. Finally, the player will get tasked to take down a troll in the Graywinter Watch cavern.

Once all beasts are defeated, Froki will reward the player with Kyne's Token.

Some locations in Skyrim are so hidden that it takes players months and months to find them. Sometimes they never find them at all, but when they do, they are rewarded with great treasure and amazing new abilities.

One hidden location is Ironbind Barrow.

This is a Nordic ruin that players can find by wandering around the Great Lift at Alftand.

For those who stumble upon it, though, be warned: the barrow is crawling with frostbite spiders, including one gigantic one. There are also skeever and draugr to fight.

Continue onward to find Warlord Gathrik, who guards a word wall. Defeat him and gain the word that gives the Dragonborn the Become Ethereal shout.

Kagrenzel is another one of those hidden locations in Skyrim. It is located in the Velothi mountains, and the only way to get there is via an unmarked path that starts just behind the Tower of Ansilvund.

This path is a dangerous one: not only will the Dragonborn face the peril of frost trolls, but a high-level conjurer also often blocks the pass. Eventually, players will discover the dwarven ruin of Kagrenzel.

Inside players will find a dark room with a pedestal at the center of it. An orb appears there every few seconds, along with the sound of chimes. Touching the open up the floor, sending the player plummeting: carefully guide the fall and enter into a new explorable area. Continue onward and cross a bridge that leads to a Flawless Diamond.

Another quest that will never appear in the journal is Coming of Age.

It begins outside Ironbind Barrow, where the Dragonborn will find Salma and Beem-Ja just outside.

Speak with Salma, and she will decide that it's time to enter the ruins. This is helpful because both NPCs will help clear out the frostbite spiders that attack throughout the journey. Escort them all the way through the ruins until the Warlord Gathrik fight.

Beem-Ja will then try to destroy the Dragonborn for a sacrifice, so end Beem-Ja first. This is not an easy task because he can reanimate Gathrik's body to fight. Loot Beem-ja's body and get a letter to Salma from her father warning her about Beem-ja.

There's also a word wall and chest behind Gathrik's throne.

The Liar's Retreat quest is a little tricky to find unless the player accidentally stumbles upon it or actually has knowledge of its existence.

Northwest of Broken Tower Redoubt is an old bandit bar and hideout that has an underground cellar.

It is currently under attack by Falmer. Explore the cellar and fight your way through, all while looking for the usual items. Search for the body of Rahd in the final chamber, who is on top of an altar, a Falmer sword stuck through his chest. Next to him is the unique Orc weapon, the Longhammer.

Look carefully, though: the sword is easy to miss as Rahd's body generally hides most of it.

Players who travel to Old Hroldan Inn directly south of Soljund's Sinkhole could have an opportunity to meet Old Hroldan's ghost. Be warned, though, that he won't appear at first.

Players must sleep in Tiber Septim's bed there. Upon awakening, the Dragonborn will hear a scream and a summoning sound. Leave the room and meet Old Hroldan's ghost. He will mistake the Dragonborn for Hjalti and request that Hjalti's Sword is brought to him so they can be sworn in as brothers. Speak to Eydis for the location of the sword.

Follow those directions and retrieve the sword: giving it to Hroldan's ghost will allow the Dragonborn to relearn a few new skills: One-Handed and Block.

Players who travel south of Ivarstead and start exploring the southern tip of Skyrim may eventually discover Arcwind Point, a series of Nordic ruins guarded by skeletons, draugr, some undead and even a dragon.

For those players who have the Dawnguard DLC, it is also the location of the word wall for the Drain Vitality shout.  Players will have to fight their way through the ruins to find it.

There is also the dragon to contend with, given that players have completed the Dragon Rising quest. Also, don't miss the Withershins book, which sits on top of a pedestal at the top of a ruined tower. Reading the book permanently increases the Restoration skill.

Travel to Riften and visit the Temple of Mara. One of the priestesses there, Dinya Balu, will give The Book of Love quest to the Dragonborn.

To earn the goddess' Mara's favor, the priestess asks the Dragonborn to visit Ivarstead to talk with a girl, Fastred, about her love problem.

Fastred is in love with Bassianus Axius, but it seems that her parents do not approve. Speak to her and her parents. There are several choices to make in continuing the quest, but the missions involved will have the Dragonborn traveling throughout Skyrim to help other lovers along the way.

In the end, Dinya Balu will bestow Mara's blessing on the Dragonborn and give you an Amulet of Mara.

This is one of the more fun quests in Skyrim, although it might take a little while to get to it.

This one starts at any major city's tavern. Accept Sam Guevenne's drinking contest, but note that the Dragonborn will pass out after three drinks. The player can then choose to clean up the temple or persuade a priestess to get out of it. Then talk to Ennis, who will tell the player about Gleda. Recover Gleda from a giant. Travel to Whiterun to talk to Ysolda, who will prompt the Dragonborn to find a lost wedding ring. Travel to Morvunskar and enter a portal. Find Sam and get Sanguine Rose as a reward.

Now that is a night to remember!

The secret to getting the Repentance quest is in finding Darklight Tower.

It's an old watchtower southwest of Riften in ruins full of frostbite spiders, trolls, and witches.

Once inside, the Dragonborn meets an Imperial Mage, Illia. She tells the Dragonborn that the order that resides in the tower is evil and that she no longer wants any part of it. She asks the Dragonborn to escort her to the top of the tower and destroy the leader of the order, her mother.

Upon accepting the quest, Illia will lead the way, helping out in any battles that come along. Destroy the order's leader and get the Staff of Hag's Wrath. And don't miss the treasure chest in her tent.

This quest begins by talking to the guard at the East Empire Company Warehouse in Windhelm and then by talking to Orthus Endario, who will ask the Dragonborn to steal Suvaris Atheron's logbook to find out what's going on with the company.

Do so and then return to Endario, who will send the Dragonborn to Stig Salt-Plank in Dawnstar. Talk to him and then return to Endario. Get on a boat headed to Japhet's Folly and talk to Adelaisa Vendicci. End Haldyn and report back to Vendicci.

Finally, return to Endario, the quest completed. There, get rewarded with a lot of gold. In a few days' time, go back to the company's offices and take all the items available.

The Frostflow Lighthouse holds a secret: a family once happily lived here, but something happened, leaving the lighthouse abandoned and the bodies of humans and animals littered about.

Further investigation and reading the family's journals will begin the Frostflow Abyss quest.

There's a cellar key hidden in an urn above the fireplace: retrieve that. Continue to search the lighthouse for the rest of the bodies of the family. This will finally lead to the those who attacked the family and detsroyed them. End the attackers and find Habd's remains. Put the remains in the fireplace, according to his last wishes, to end the quest.

This action will give the Dragonborn the reward of Sailor's Repose, which is a permanent effect giving healing spells 10% more healing power.

Travel to Angi's Camp in the Jerall Mountains, south of Falkreath. There, the Dragonborn will meet Angi who will bestow the Composure, Speed, and Precision camp as an unmarked quest.

Angi offers to train the Dragonborn in archery and gives practice arrows away to begin that training. The training involves four rounds: composure (shooting the nearest three targets without a time limit), speed (shooting the nearest three targets within eight seconds), precision (shooting the farthest target without a time limit), and a fourth round that combines all three skills to shoot all four targets within ten seconds.

Finishing the training will earn the Dragonborn an extra point in the Archery skill. Speak to Angi after and get Angi's Bow, too.

Players who wander around the road southeast from Dragon Bridge might come across an unmarked location. Here is a crashed and ransacked merchant's caravan, its occupants now lying lifeless on the road.

Although this is an unofficial quest, there is still a mission to this location.

Search around and begin investigating what happened. Uncovering clues will unveil who the bodies are and uncover that the Falmer were responsible for the attack: there are Falmer arrows in the bodies, as well as a severed Falmer ear next to the woman's body, suggesting that the merchants did not go down without a fight.

There isn't any great reward in completing the investigation, but isn't learning the truth reward enough?

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Are there any other quests hidden in Skyrim? Share your knowledge in the comments!

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