Guides / The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition
Apocrypha
Apocrypha is the Daedric realm of Hermaeus Mora, entered by reading Black Books found across Solstheim. Navigating its shifting corridors of books and acidic seas is required to learn shouts, defeat Miraak, and unlock powerful passive abilities. You progress through chapters by activating Scryers and reading subsequent books until you reach the final reward.
- Region
- Solstheim
- Getting there
- accessed by reading any of the Black Books found across Solstheim, such as Black Book: Epistolary Acumen at Tel Mithryn
- Connects to
- Tel Mithryn
- Related quests
- The Temple of Miraak · The Path of Knowledge · The Gardener of Men · At the Summit of Apocrypha
- Services and people
- Hermaeus Mora · Miraak · Sahrotaar
- Enemy types
- Lurker · Seeker
Achievements here
Items
0/1
Key fights
Enemies: Sahrotaar
Threats: Uses Frost Breath or Fire Breath in aerial passes and on the ground, bites, and tail strikes
Weaknesses and resistances: Resistant to Frost or Fire depending on the dragon type, susceptible to Dragonrend
Tactics: Stand on the open circular platform, use the full Bend Will shout (Earth, Mind, Dragon) directly at him as he hovers or lands to subjugate him rather than killing him
Rewards: Subjugation of Sahrotaar as a temporary mount to reach the Summit of Apocrypha
Enemies: Miraak, accompanied by dragons Sahrotaar, Kruziik, and Relonikiv
Threats: Whirlwind Sprint, Become Ethereal, four-word Dragon Aspect, high-tier Lightning and Frost destruction magic, Tentacle whip from his staff, and fully heals up to three times by sacrificing dragons at the center pool
Weaknesses and resistances: Resistant to Frost and Shock, high magic resistance
Tactics: Keep distance to avoid his tentacle staff, use Dragonrend to ground his mount/dragons, push Miraak to 20% health three successive times while dodging his elemental bombardment, and finish him near the central pool so Hermaeus Mora can impale him
Rewards: Miraak's Mask, Miraak's Robes, Miraak's Boots, Miraak's Gloves, Miraak's Staff, Miraak's Sword, dragon souls (including souls from sacrificed dragons), and access to the Waking Dreams reset circle to reallocate perk points
Enemies
Stomps the ground to cause area-of-effect stagger and spits acidic slime
Can duplicate itself and turn invisible while casting damaging spells
Tips
- Falling or stepping into the dark, churning waters of Apocrypha causes continuous damage over time, so keep your distance from the edges.
- You can return to previously completed Black Book realms at any time while in Solstheim by reading the book again in your inventory.
- At the end of Waking Dreams, you can spend Dragon Souls to reset and reclaim perk points invested in any skill tree.
Not listed for this area: secrets, shops and people.
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