Wikia

Discerning the Transmundane

Quest Giver	Septimus Signus
Location	Septimus Signus's Outpost
Prerequisite	Level 15 to complete
Reward	Oghma Infinium
Type	Daedric Quest

It serves as the Daedric Quests for Hermaeus Mora. It also runs concurrently with the Main quest "Elder Knowledge" and is the only method of accessing Blackreach.

Background

"I met Septimus Signus, a brilliant but mad scholar living in the northern ice fields. He's directed me to a Dwarven observatory that supposedly houses an Elder Scroll. He doesn't care about the Scroll itself, but wants me to use some kind of machine there to inscribe a Dwarven lexicon with the Scroll's knowledge and bring it to him."

Walkthrough

Although this quest can be started any level, such as during the main quest "Elder Knowledge", the second part involving the harvesting of blood can only be initiated after level 15.

It can be started by speaking to Septimus Signus, a brilliant but mad scholar who has devoted his life to studying the Elder Scrolls. He can be found in Septimus Signus's Outpost, an ice cave north of Winterhold. He explains that the Dwemer lockbox buried within the outpost holds the "heart of a god" and he wishes to access it to learn it's secrets.

He gives the Dragonborn an Attunement Sphere and a Blank Lexicon which must be inscribed with the Dwemer mechanism located within the Tower of Mzark. The tower can only be accessed via Blackreach, the underground ruins of an ancient Dwemer city.

Alftand Glacial Ruins

The first step is to travel to the Dwemer ruin of Alftand, located in the snowy mountains southwest of Winterhold. Enter the Alftand Glacial Ruins and progress through the tunnels of ice. Eventually a Khajiiti skooma addict named J'darr will attack. His brother's journal reveals that he, along with several others, were members of a failed expedition to the ruins. Proceed through the caves and past two Dwarven spiders until the Alftand Animonculory is reached.

Alftand Animonculory

Proceed through the ruins and fight past the various Falmer that reside here. Several dead members of the failed expedition can be found here. Eventually the Alftand Cathedral will be reached which grants access to Blackreach.

The Alftand Cathedral

Head past the traps and Falmer who guard this section. Past a set of double doors opens into a large room patrolled by several enemies. Head through the main gate where two Dwarven centurions can be found. One Centurion lies on the floor inactive, however the other will awaken when approached. Defeat the Centurion and take the key from its corpse. Proceed to the next gate where a Redguard named Umana and an Imperial named Sulla Trebatius begin to fight after a brief exchange of words. If one is killed, the other will turn and attack the Dragonborn.

Proceed towards the Dwarven mechanism located in the center of the room. Activate the mechanism with the attunement sphere which causes the floor to retract into stairs. Head down the stairs and into Blackreach.

Blackreach

Progress through the vast cavern towards the objective marker, fighting off the various creatures within. Once the Tower of Mzark is reached, proceed inside and through the corridors to the main room. Head up the the spiral stairs until the Dwemer mechanism is reached. Place the blank lexicon inside the receptacle and begin the inscription puzzle.

Lexicon puzzle

The puzzle involving pushing four buttons on the podium in a certain order. After placing the Lexicon, the two buttons on the right side will light up.

To decipher the code, press the third button a few times, until the Lexicon opens and button two lights up. Press button two until the overhead lenses are seen directing light onto the sphere, then the first button lights up. Press this button to reveal the scroll.

Next, pick up the Elder Scroll and the runed lexicon from the receptacle and return to Septimus.

Return to Septimus

The next part of this quest is dependent on character level. Returning to Septimus at under level 15 will cause him to dismiss the Dragonborn until he has had time to study the Lexicon. When level 15 is reached, he will send a courier to summon the Dragonborn back to the outpost.

Returning to Septimus at level 15 or higher will prompt him to begin immediately reading the Lexicon. He then reveals that he is in the service of Hermaeus Mora, the Daedric Prince of Knowledge.

After studying the Runed Lexicon, he explains that Dwemer blood is needed to open the Dwemer lockbox. Since the Dwemer are extinct, blood from the various Mer races must be collected to create a facsimile. Specifically, the blood of Altmer, Bosmer, Dunmer, Falmer and Orsimer. Septimus then gives the Dragonborn an essense extractor and requests that the blood be collected for him.

Hermaeus Mora's intervention

Upon trying to leave the iceberg, Hermaeus Mora confronts the Dragonborn and reveals that as soon as the lockbox is opened, Septimus' usefulness will be over. He then offers the Dragonborn Septimus' position. Responding either way has no discernible consequences.

Harvesting blood

To harvest the blood, loot the corpse of a deceased person with the Essense Extractor in the inventory. Blood samples can be acquired from any dead body in Skyrim.

Liar's Retreat is one of the few locations where all blood types, except Altmer, can be found. If this locations is used, then the quickest way to obtain the missing Altmer blood is from the corpse of the Altmer inside the spiked pit trap in Halted Stream Camp. The pit trap can be accessed without entering the mine itself.

Locations containing most blood types

Liar's Retreat - contains all blood types except Altmer.
Nightcaller Temple - Altmer, Dunmer and Orsimer.
Rannveig's Fast - Bosmer, Dunmer and Orsimer.
Silverdrift Lair - Bosmer, Dunmer and Orsimer.

Other locations

The following is a list of locations that contain corpses or enemies that can be freely slain and used to harvest blood.

Altmer
Halted Stream Camp - A corpse inside the spiked pit trap. Northwatch Keep - Northwatch guards. Shrine of Talos Massacre - The corpse of a Thalmor Justicar near the shrine. Thalmor Embassy - Thalmor guards. Uttering Hills Cave - Linwe during the quest "Summerset Shadows".
Bosmer
Bthardamz - A hostile mage named Orchendor. Liar's Retreat - The corpse of a bandit near the entrance. Redwater Den ^DG - The Dealer.
Dunmer
Drelas' Cottage - A hostile mage named Drelas. Evergreen Grove - A corpse. Knifepoint Mine - The Champion of Boethiah during the quest "Boethiah's Calling". Liar's Retreat - The corpse of a bandit deeper into the cave. Reeking Cave - The corpse of a mage.
Falmer
Most Dwemer Ruins. Liar's Retreat.
Orsimer
Cracked Tusk Keep - Several Orc bandits. Liar's Retreat - An Orc bandit hiding in a locked room near the entrance. Nightcaller Temple - Several Orc invaders during the quest "Waking Nightmare".

Conclusion

Once the blood has been harvested, return to Septimus. He enthusiastically asks for the extractor and presses it into his abdomen, injecting the blood into his body.

Next he approaches the lockbox and the locking mechanism begins to spin. A tunnel-like entrance appears and Septimus runs inside, but much to his dismay he doesn't find the answers he was looking for.

Rather than the heart of a god, all he finds is a pedestal on which the Oghma Infinium sits. Amidst the confusion he begins to levitate and Hermaeus Mora disintegrates him into a pile of ash.

Approach the pedestal and take the Oghma Infinium. Upon leaving the chamber, the Wretched Abyss appears again as a manifestation of Hermaeus Mora. He greets the Dragonborn as his Champion and an option is presented to agree or disagree with his assertion. Again, either answer has no consequences.

After the conversation is over the Wretched Abyss dissipates and the quest is completed.

Trivia

If The Elder Scrolls V: Dragonborn is installed, the Wretched Abyss is replaced by a mass of floating tentacles, which is how Hermaeus Mora appears throughout the add-on.

Journal

Journal Entry
I've been given a book of bizarre ramblings about Elder Scrolls, written by Septimus Signus. He claims to have spent time at the Winterhold Arcanaeum. Objective: Ask Urag about the insane book.
I've learned that Septimus Signus, a preeminent scholar of the Elder Scrolls, is currently living in the far north, studying a Dwarven artifact. He might know where I can find an Elder Scroll for Paarthurnax. Objective: Find Septimus Signus
I met Septimus Signus, a brilliant but mad scholar living in the northern ice fields. He's directed me to a Dwarven observatory that supposedly houses an Elder Scroll. He doesn't care about the Scroll itself, but wants me to use some kind of machine there to inscribe a Dwarven lexicon with the Scroll's knowledge and bring it to him. Objective: Transcribe the Lexicon
Objective: Give the Lexicon to Septimus
Under Level 15: I met Septimus Signus and brought him a Dwarven lexicon containing the distilled knowledge of an Elder Scroll. With it, he believes he can open the lockbox he's been studying. He will contact me when he has the secret. Objective: Give the Lexicon to Septimus
Level 15+: I met Septimus Signus and brought him a Dwarven lexicon containing the distilled knowledge of an Elder Scroll. With it, he believes he can open the lockbox he's been studying by creating a mixture of blood that will resemble Dwarven. I need to collect blood from several different races if I want to help him. Objective: Harvest High Elf blood Objective: Harvest Wood Elf blood Objective: Harvest Dark Elf blood Objective: Harvest Falmer blood Objective: Harvest Orc blood
Objective: Bring blood to Septimus
Objective: Take the Oghma Infinium
I met a strange hermit named Septimus Signus, who needed the knowledge of an Elder Scroll and a collection of blood to open a dwarven lockbox he had studied for years. I helped him open it. It did not contain what he had expected, but instead a book of great knowledge, the Oghma Infinium. Quest complete
I met and killed a strange hermit named Septimus Signus, who needed the knowledge of an Elder Scroll and a collection of blood to open a dwarven lockbox he had studied for years. Quest failed

Bugs

This section contains bugs related to Discerning the Transmundane. Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:

Confirm all bugs with other editors on the talk page before adding them below.
Always try reloading an old save first, before asking for assistance.
Don't discuss possible bug fixes or origins. Leave those and all other first-person-anecdotes on the talk page, not the article.

Always add 360 , PS3 , and PC to clarify which system the bug appears on.

Click to see the list of bugs encountered.
PC When Septimus finds the book, Hermaeus Mora might not kill him and the quest becomes stuck. This can happen if staying close to Septimus, trying to talk to him or reading the book before he finishes speaking. Solution: Killing Septimus resumes the quest as usual. 360 After Septimus is killed and the book is not read, the Lexicon may lock again with no way to unlock it. PC 360 PS3 After completing the quest, the lexicon and essence extractor are still considered quest items and are unable to be removed from the inventory. 360 After giving Septimus the essence extractor, he, and any followers present freeze up. Solution: Attacking Septimus, then sheathing the weapon and speaking to him may resolve the issue.

Start a Discussion Discussions about Discerning the Transmundane

Maybe we can't use Vyrthur's blood in discerning the transmundane because it's vampire infected

5 messages
- LunarDracofire95
  
  you cant use his blood because he is a vampire.your not able to use vampire infected mer becuse their blood is not pure blood 2013-04-23T18:57:15Z
- Alduin1996
  
  Or you cannot use his blood because it does not ask for it. 2013-05-18T18:15:38Z
Discerning the Transmundane Problem

3 messages
- AzuraKnight
  
  Copy/paste from the wiki page - When Septimus finds the book, Hermaeus Mora might not kill him and the quest becomes stuck. This can happen... 2013-05-13T08:25:58Z
- Lord Hadron
  
  Nothing happens? He actually finishes what he says up until "It's marvellous", i've only seen him say that in the general subtitles, but ne... 2013-05-13T08:26:19Z

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