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Nightcaller Temple

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition guide · Investigating the nightmares in Dawnstar

Nightcaller Temple is an ancient ruin overlooking Dawnstar that houses the source of the town's recurring nightmares. Players enter the temple alongside Erandur during the Daedric quest "Waking Nightmare" to destroy the Skull of Corruption. Progressing through the temple requires drinking Vaermina's Torpor to experience the Dreamstride and bypass magical barriers.

Region: The Pale
Getting there: East-southeast of Dawnstar, up the cliff overlooking the town
Related quests: Waking Nightmare
Services and people: Erandur · Vaermina
Enemy types: Vaermina Devotee · Orc Invader

Don't miss 0/1

Skull of Corruption: In the final chamber of Nightcaller Temple, at the center of the dais surrounded by a glowing magical barrier that Erandur dispelsHow: Kill Erandur when the Daedric Prince Vaermina commands you to do so before he completes the banishing ritual, then take the staff from its pedastalMissable because: permanently lost if you let Erandur finish the ritual, which destroys the staff.

Items

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The Dreamstride: On a pedestal in the temple's laboratoryVaermina's Torpor: Located on a counter in the temple's laboratory areaAlchemy skill book: Mannimarco, King of Worms: On an alchemy lab table in the laboratorySpeech skill book: 2920, Second Seed, v5: On a small shelf near a bed in the living quarters

Key fights

Battle for the Torpor of Vaermina

Enemies: General Mathias and his Orc Invaders vs. Vaermina Devotees

Threats: Two-handed heavy melee strikes, battlecries, and close-quarters combat while you are unarmed and unarmored in the Dreamstride

Weaknesses and resistances: Standard humanoid vulnerabilities to physical damage and magic; no special elemental resistances

Tactics: Navigate the library's multi-tiered walkways to sneak past combatants or use environmental chokepoints and stairwells to bypass the fighting entirely rather than engaging head-on

Rewards: The Torpor of Vaermina (potion) which is required to release the Miasma

Confrontation at the Skull of Corruption

Enemies: Veren Duleri and Thorek

Threats: Veren uses Destruction magic (Sparks, Lightning Bolt) and Ward spells, Thorek attacks with heavy one-handed/two-handed melee weapons; both attack simultaneously upon awakening from the Miasma

Weaknesses and resistances: Standard Dunmer 50% Fire Resistance (Veren); vulnerable to shock to drain Veren's Magicka, and standard physical and elemental damage

Tactics: Let Erandur draw aggro while taking cover behind the dais pillars, focus down the squishy mage Veren Duleri first to eliminate ranged shock damage, then flank and finish Thorek at the altar

Rewards: Access to the Skull of Corruption (choice to claim the Daedric artifact or allow Erandur to destroy it and gain Erandur as a follower)

Enemies

Vaermina Devotee

Weak to ShockSteal / drop Vaermina Robes

Hostile priests awakened from stasis as the Miasma clears

Orc Invader

Steal / drop Orcish armor pieces

Hostile warriors caught in the magical sleep alongside the devotees

Tips

Let Erandur take the initial aggression when entering rooms, as multiple enemies often awaken at once.
You must kill Erandur when commanded by Vaermina if you want to claim the Skull of Corruption for the Oblivion Walker achievement; sparing him makes him available as a follower instead.

Not listed for this area: secrets, shops and people.

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Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary

Korvanjund

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