Daedric Artifact

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For a list of game-specific artifacts, see Daedric Artifacts (Skyrim) and Daedric Artifacts (Online).

Not to be confused with Aedric Artifacts.

Daedric Artifacts are special items in The Elder Scrolls series. They are artifacts that are said to have been created by the Daedric Princes. A Daedric artifact is usually attributed to just one Daedric Prince, but some Daedric Princes can be attributed to multiple artifacts, such as Hermaeus Mora with the Oghma Infinium and the Black Books, or Hircine with the Savior's Hide and his ring. Interestingly, two Daedric artifacts are attributed to and are artifacts of the Dwemer civilization. Their civilizations' engineers and blacksmiths built weapons and armor of great power and versatility, crafted from the unique ore that Dwemer miners excavated from under the earth.

Although not specifically referred to as "Daedric Artifacts" in the game, several of these items make an appearance in The Elder Scrolls: Arena. 

List of Artifacts

Dawnbreaker

The Dawnbreaker is the weapon of Meridia. It possesses a unique enchantment that is quite useful for killing many undead at one time. It burns any target for 10-15 points, and, when killing undead, has a chance to cause a fiery explosion that turns or kills nearby undead.

• Skyrim: Dawnbreaker is the reward for completing the quest The Break of Dawn.

Azura's Star/The Black Star

Azura's Star is a powerful soul gem, and unlike other soul gems, it is reusable. Soul gems are used to enchant or recharge powerful items. Azura's Star can also hold powerful souls like Almalexia and Vivec, while the most powerful conventional gem, the Black Soul Gem, cannot.

• Morrowind: Azura's Star is the reward for completing the quest given at the Shrine of Azura.
• Oblivion: Azura's Star is the reward for completing the quest of the Shrine of Azura
• Skyrim: Azura's Star is the reward for completing the The Black Star quest from the Shrine of Azura. Note that these shrines are different from the ones referred to in the Morrowind references.

Savior's Hide

Savior's Hide is a piece of armor created by the Daedric Prince Hircine. It gives the wearer a small resistance to magic.

• Morrowind: It resides in a heavily locked cupboard in the Hall of Fyr in Tel Fyr, and the key sits at the end of an undocumented quest, a long string of keys and locked cupboards which also lead to a Daedric Crescent, a huge plethora of Dwemer artifacts, and another of the Daedric Artifacts.
• Oblivion: The Hero must complete the Shrine of Hircine quest by killing the Unicorn, and then taking its horn to Hircine.
• Skyrim: The Savior's Hide is gained by completing the Ill Met by Moonlight quest, which involves killing then skinning Sinding. If the Dragonborn chooses to spare Sinding and fight the hunters, Hircine will reward the Dragonborn with his "uncursed" Ring of Hircine.

Goldbrand

• Morrowind: Goldbrand is rewarded for completing Boethiah's Quest, and can be upgraded into Eltonbrand through a secret easter egg
• Oblivion: Goldbrand is the reward for completing the Boethiah's Shrine quest.

Ebony Mail

• Morrowind: Ebony Mail is rewarded by Tholer Saryoni at the end of the Tribunal Temple questline.
• Skyrim: Ebony Mail is the reward for completing Boethiah's Calling.

Mace of Molag Bal

A vicious mace with a strength-and-magic-drain enchantment.

• Morrowind and Oblivion: attained by completing the quest given by Molag Bal.
• Skyrim: attained from a quest in Markarth called "The House of Horrors".

Mehrunes' Razor

A powerful daedric artifact created by the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon and has the ability to kill a target instantly using its Daedric Banishing magic. The weapon also has the ability to take the souls of the enemies that it banishes. It is located in the lost Ayleid city of Varsa Baalim. In the fourth age the arch mage Frathen Drothan was excavating the ruins in an attempt to locate it. The fort of Sundercliff Watch was built atop of these ruins during the Reman Dynasty.

The Dark Brotherhood has coveted this ebony dagger for generations. This mythical artifact is capable of slaying any creature instantly. History has not recorded any bearers of Mehrunes' Razor. However, the Dark Brotherhood was once decimated by a vicious internal power struggle. It is suspected that the Razor was involved.

• Morrowind: It is received by completing a quest for Mehrunes Dagon. It does not have the one-hit kill ability of lore.
• Oblivion: It is available after downloading an extra content package of the same name and completing a quest which it adds (this version does have the one hit kill ability).
• Skyrim: Received after completing Pieces of the Past quest, which begins at a small museum in Dawnstar, and retains its one hit kill ability.

Black Books (Hermaeus Mora)

Black Books are tomes of esoteric knowledge that are magical and other-worldly in nature. When read, they present the reader with exceptionally powerful knowledge that comes with powers which mortals could never conceive. These Black Books were created by Hermaeus Mora to lure mortals into his service. When a mortal, or when essentially anyone reads a Black Book, they are transported to Mora's realm of Apocrypha, and are lured to find powerful, forbidden knowledge without success, and roaming the endless halls and libraries of Apocrypha for eternity. Some have been written in the past, while others appear to be from the future. There are seven known Black Books, which have all been found on Solstheim.

List of Black Books

• Epistolary Acumen
• Filament and Filigree
• The Hidden Twilight
• The Sallow Regent
• The Winds of Change
• Untold Legends
• Waking Dreams

Oghma Infinium (Hermaeus Mora)

• Oblivion: Oghma Infinium is a powerful skill book which is the reward for completing Hermaeus Mora's, quest. He will only give it to the Hero when they have completed every other Daedric Quest in Cyrodiil. The Hero must then capture a soul from every race with a special spell and soul gem and bring it to here. The Hero who does this is then given the artifact which will raise some of their abilities by 10, depending on the path they choose.

Path of Might: Strength, Speed, Blade, Blunt, and Heavy Armor

Path of Shadow: Speed, Acrobatics, Sneak, Security, Light Armor

Path of Magic: Intelligence, Willpower, Destruction, Conjuration, Restoration

• Skyrim: Received after completing Discerning the Transmundane. It is almost exactly the same as the version in Oblivion, except one can do it at any time.

Ring of Khajiiti

A useful tool for any thief, the Ring of Khajiiti has powerful Chameleon and Fortify Speed enchantments upon it, making the user faster and hard to spot.

• Morrowind: The Ring is given to the Nerevarine by Mephala, after completing the quest assigned at her shrine in the Morag Tong headquarters beneath the Arena in Vivec. They do not have to be a Morag Tong member to take on the quest, though the quest is an assassination, and they can join the Morag Tong in the immediate area.
• Oblivion: The Daedric Prince Meridia rewards her faithful with the Ring of Khajiiti.

Ring of Namira

• Oblivion: The Ring of Namira is a special ring created by the Daedric Prince Namira. It has the ability to reflect some of the strength of both physical and magical attacks.
• Skyrim: Received after completing The Taste of Death quest and eating the flesh of the priest Verulus. Does not have the reflection ability known to Oblivion's ring, but rather increases stamina and allows for the act of cannibalism on the corpses of Characters. Cannibalism results in +50 health increase and an increase in health regeneration for a short time. Effects do not stack.

Sanguine Rose

• Oblivion: Sanguine Rose is a staff created by the Daedric Prince Sanguine. It has the ability to summon a random Daedra. Note: after attacking and/or killing the targeted enemy, the Daedra then turns on the wielder.
• Skyrim: Received from Sanguine after completing the quest "A Night to Remember." Conjures a leveled bound Dremora to fight for the Dragonborn. Dremora usually carries a fire enchanted greatsword, will not turn on the Dragonborn unless repeatedly provoked, and does not drop any loot upon death.

Skeleton Key

• Arena: Obtained through a series of actions. First one has to hear the rumor about the man trying to sell information on the Skeleton Key. After agreeing on a price he will mark a dungeon on the map, which also contains another map that will give the location of the dungeon which the Key is currently hiding in. The Key is noted as being able to open any door and/or portal.
• Morrowind: Though it does not have a Security boost attached in this game, the Skeleton Key is still noteworthy as a 50-use lockpick that will open any lock. It is given to the Nerevarine by Gentleman Jim Stacey at the end of the Thieves' Guild quest line.
• Oblivion: The key is an unbreakable lockpick that boosts Security by 40 points, making it a powerful tool for thieves. It is the reward for recovering Nocturnal's Eye.
• Skyrim: Obtained during the Thieves Guild quest Darkness Returns. Essentially an unbreakable lockpick. It is optional whether the Dragonborn keeps it or not, but they cannot continue the Thieves Guild questline and it does not count toward the Oblivion Walker trophy/achievement.

Skull of Corruption

• Oblivion: The Skull is a staff which has the ability to create an evil clone of the humanoid it hits. It was created by Vaermina. Another thing one should bear in mind is to not to drop the Skull of Corruption, especially in combat, as an NPC can obtain and then use it.
• Skyrim: The Dragonborn can only receive the Skull of Corruption by killing Erandur while he is attempting to destroy it during the quest Waking Nightmare. If Erandur is not killed then he sends the staff back to Oblivion and will be forever out of reach.

Spear of Bitter Mercy

• Morrowind: The product of the Mad Prince Sheogorath, the powerful Spear of Bitter Mercy is the reward for completing his quest, which involves the Nerevarine having to kill a large Netch with a fork so as to understand madness.

Spellbreaker

Spellbreaker is a powerful Dwemer shield said to have been created by King Rouken, one of the last Dwemer kings, to aid him in his battles against the wizard Shalidor. Since that time, it has often been seen in conjunction with the Daedric Prince Peryite. It either reflects or dispels enemy magic (depending on the game) and can silence spellcasters.

• Morrowind: This shield was hidden in the Dwemer ruin Bthuand, and the Nerevarine was asked to retrieve it by the vampire Mastrius. This vampire had been cursed by the Daedric Prince Azura, and Spellbreaker was required to break the curse. After he receives it, he asks the Nerevarine for half of their life force, needed to break the curse (among other things). He then attacks the weakened Nerevarine.
• Oblivion Spellbreaker was the reward given by the Daedric Prince Peryite for retrieving the souls of several of Peryite's worshipers from where they had been trapped in Oblivion by a misfired spell.
• Skyrim: Received after completing the quest The Only Cure.

Ebony Blade

• Oblivion: The Webspinner Mephala rewards her faithful with an Ebony Blade. While not quite as powerful as Boethiah's Goldbrand, the blade does have Silence and Absorb Health enchantments, which are helpful against mage enemies.
• Skyrim: Received from Mephala after completing The Whispering Door quest.

Volendrung

The Pocket Guide to the Empire relates the story of early Hammerfell history as a Dwemer holding. According to the guide, Hammerfell's original name was Volenfell, taken from the name of the Dwemeri Rourken Clan settlement in the region, the "City of the Hammer". The Rourken were opposed to the creation of the joint Dwemer-Chimer state of Resdayn, which prompted their move westward, sometime during the First Era. A myth arose surrounding their exodus, wherein their chieftain is said to have thrown his "mighty hammer, Volendrung, across Tamriel, promising to lead his clansmer to 'wherever it should fall.'" The "City of the Hammer" rendition is read by the Elder Scrolls Translation Dictionary as a more or less direct translation. "Fell" is the Dwemeri term for city; and "Volen", "Hammer".

Volendrung reappears throughout the series, befitting the hammer's description as an item "prone to disappearing suddenly, resurfacing sometimes in days, sometimes in eons".

• Arena: A map in Hammerfell leads the player to the hammer in Morrowind.
• Daggerfall: The player may receive the hammer after doing a service for the Daedric Prince Malacath. In both of these games, the attributes of the hammer remain similar; giving health to the player who wields it, leeching strength from the enemy on the receiving end of a blow, and possibly paralyzing said enemy.
• Morrowind: It appears again, in the closet of Yagrum Bagarn, the Last Living Dwarf. In Morrowind, however, it is generally useless as a weapon, having lost its magic abilities. Curiously enough, Morrowinds Tamrielic Lore, an in-game book naming Yagrum Bagarn as its author, omits Volendrung in his compilation of ancient Dwemer artifacts.
• Oblivion: The hammer appears in the hands of Malacath once more, and can be received by the player as reward for completing Malacath's quest. As in Daggerfall and Arena, the hammer is magically enhanced, although it drains health rather than strength.
• Skyrim: Received after completing the quest The Cursed Tribe. Similarly, Volendrung drains stamina rather than health.

Sheogorath's Signet Ring

Sheogorath's Signet Ring appears solely in Morrowind, and is one of the most valuable articles of clothing in Morrowind. The ring formerly belonged to Staada (Morrowind) a golden saint in the lead of Sheogorath's Daedra in Azura's Quest. The ring itself grants a constant Personality boost at the cost of draining willpower.

Wabbajack

While this weapon makes no appearance in Morrowind, it originally shows up in Daggerfall. Known only as Wabbajack, this mysterious staff changes any enemy into another random creature. This can completely change a battle by transforming an enemy into something weaker- or possibly something much stronger. As with most all of Sheogorath's work, it should be used with caution.

• Oblivion: The Prince of Madness, Sheogorath, gives the Hero this confusing and potentially battle-changing weapon upon completing his quest, which involves causing chaos by making an apocalyptic prophecy come true in the Khajiiti village of Border Watch. Evidence of Sheogorath's madness can be seen in the final 'sign', where he causes the sky to redden and rain flaming dogs.
• Skyrim: Sheogorath gives the Dragonborn this item during the quest The Mind of Madness received in Solitude.
• Online: During the quest Simply Misplaced, Sheogorath's chamberlain Haskill tells the Vestige to retrieve the Wabbajack for his lord. After returning with the item, Sheogorath lets the Vestige use the staff five times before taking it back.

Appearances

• The Elder Scrolls: Arena
• The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall
• The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion
• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
• The Elder Scrolls Online