Boethiah Cultist (Skyrim)

For other uses, see Boethiah Cultist.

"At last, a worthy opponent!"

―Boethiah Cultist^[src]

Boethiah Cultists are generic, variant-race characters residing at the Sacellum of Boethiah during the quest "Boethiah's Calling." They are led by the Priestess of Boethiah.

Interactions[]

Boethiah's Calling[]

Non-hostile Boethiah Cultists can be found at the Sacellum of Boethiah and play an integral part of the Daedric quest. The Dragonborn may kill all of the Boethiah cultists to start the next part of the quest, which involves killing the Champion of Boethiah.

Hostile cultists can also be met in random encounters and will attack upon sight if the Dragonborn is level 30 or above. Depending on the Dragonborn's level, their stats are identical to those of a bandit.

Priestess of Boethiah[]

The Priestess of Boethiah is a female Dunmer who interacts with the Dragonborn, informing them of basic information about Boethiah. She also tells the Dragonborn that they must sacrifice a victim to the shrine in order to win their approval.

Successfully doing so causes Boethiah to challenge her followers to a free-for-all amongst themselves, including the Dragonborn. The Priestess is killed during the battle, and the Dragonborn is the victor.

Dialogue[]

Priestess of Boethiah:

Boethiah's Calling

"We are Lord Boethiah's faithful. Have you come to test your mettle?"

Is this some kind of cult? "We are forged by Boethiah's example. We carve our will upon the the world through our tongues and our blades. You? You are nothing. An empty vapor, dispersed by the slightest breeze."

I'm not afraid of you. "Good. Perhaps I've misjudged."

Who is Boethiah? "The Lord of Plots, Deceiver of Nations, Devourer of Trinimac. The Queen of Shadows, Goddess of Destruction, He-Who-Destroys and She-Who-Erases... Many are our Lord's lofty names, but they befit only us mortals. Intone her mighty names from now until the end of time - it is for naught. Names mean nothing to our Lord. She only cares for those who care for themselves, whose hearts are full of purpose, whose lives are full of deeds."

My heart is full of purpose, and my life is full of deeds. "If you desire a glimpse of our Dark Mistress, then this is what you must do. First, prove your tongue can wield a lie. Find someone. Gain his trust. Lead him to the shrine above. Next, instruct your thrall to touch the Pillar of Sacrifice. Its magic will ensnare him, rendering him helpless. Then, girded with certitude, plant the ceremonial blade deeply, so that the waters of his heart wash over you. If your will is strong enough, it will stir Boethiah in her Dark Mansion, and she will appear before us."

I'll do it. "That remains to be seen. But if it is so, and if Boethiah appears, then we will welcome you as one of us."

I'll do nothing of the sort. "Then you are weak and inconsequential."

Quotes[]

"A well placed word, or a well placed dagger. Both can achieve equal purposes."
"Do you wish to test yourself against me?"
"Though we live in shadow, we carve indelible signs of our passing into the world."
"You were weak. Now you are dead. What signs have you left of your passing for us to remember you by?"
"If you wish to gain Boethiah's attention, you must slay a thrall upon her shrine."

Notable items[]

Hostile cultists typically carry a copy of Boethiah's Proving. Reading the book will begin "Boethiah's Calling."
The non-hostile cultists located at the Sacellum of Boethiah all carry a Blade of Sacrifice.

Trivia[]

It is possible to loot two copies of the Blade of Sacrifice from the Priestess's body: After killing her during the skirmish that follows the sacrifice, the Dragonborn can loot one copy from her body before she is possessed by Boethiah. After the possession is over, her body falls to the ground and another copy can be found in her inventory.

Gallery[]

Bugs[]

This section contains bugs related to Boethiah Cultist (Skyrim). Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:

Please reload an old save to confirm if the bug is still happening.
If the bug is still occurring, please post the bug report with the appropriate system template 360 / XB1 , PS3 / PS4 , PC / MAC , NX / PS5 , XS , depending on which platform(s) the bug has been encountered on.
Be descriptive when listing the bug and fixes, but avoid having conversations in the description and/or using first-person anecdotes: such discussions belong on the appropriate forum board.

If Boethiah's Proving is read before taking it from the inventory, the quest may never appear.
It is possible for a Boethiah Cultist to appear anywhere, even in the courtyard of High Hrothgar. If one does spawn there and "The Way of the Voice" quest is open, every single Greybeard in the courtyard will attack, first Ice Forming and then attempting to punch the cultist to death.