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There are some quests inThe Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remasteredthat are straightforward to follow, while there are some that require some effort to complete. You can be fighting some fish for theirScaleson one side quest, and doing a complex puzzle to go through some ruins on another quest.
One of the more challenging quests in the game is Vahtacen’s Secret because it throws a puzzle at you. This can be jarring since the previous quests in the chain were all simple and easy to go through, like killing necromancers or delivering a book. Good thing the puzzle isn’t so complex!
How To Start The Vahtacen’s Secret Quest
To get to the Vahtacen’s Secret quest, you’ll need togo through the Mage’s Guild quest line. This includes obtaining all the commendations for each guild hall in Cyrodill and finally joining the Arcane University.This quest is after the ‘Ulterior Motives’ quest, where you meet the Count of Skingrad.
The quest starts by talking to Raminus Polusafter finishing the ‘Ulterior Motives’ quest. You will then need totalk to Irlav Jarol, who is at the Arcane University, the same as Raminus. He will send you to the ruins of Vahtacen, which is where the majority of the quest takes place.
How To Get To Vahtacen
The ruins of Vahtacen can be foundsouth of the city of Cheydinhal, which is to the east of the Imperial City. It’s located at theend of the Reed Riverif you’re following it to the northeast.
How To Complete The Vahtacen’s Secret Quest
When you enter Vahtacen, you will go through a tunnel first before entering the ruins proper.Talk to Skaleel, a mage in the first room of the ruins, to continue the quest. She will talk about a pillar further down the ruins and willgive you a key to access that area.
How To Solve The Vahtacen Pillar Puzzle
Going further into the ruins,locate and talk to the mage Denelabout the pillar that they’ve been trying to solve. Go to the room with the pillar andread the four tablets on the wallsin each corner of the room, thentalk to Denel about a bookto translate them.
He will explain thatSkaleel has a book that can translate the tabletsaround the pillar.Talk to her againto get the book and give it to Denel. He will then havenew dialogue options to translateeach tablet.
If you don’t have the spells needed for the puzzle, there are spell scrolls inside the chest near Denel. If you’ve used them up, you’re able to either buy them from the Mage’s Guilds or go outside the ruins and wait for four to five days for the chest to reset.
You will need tocast target or touch spells on the pillarin theright order and with the right effectsto open it. Here are all the tablets and their translation:
How To Get TheAncient Elven Helm
Once you’ve used all the correct spells in the correct order on the pillar, it will fully open.Talk to Denel and Skaleel before going deeperinto the ruins. The rest of the ruins are yourtypical Ayelid ruinwith leveled enemies, traps, buttons, and pressure plates.
At the end of the ruins, you will find a large open room with an elevated position in the middle.Go to the very back and find the buttonthere to activate the mechanism to raise the stairs in the middle.On top of the elevated platform is a button. Press it, and it willreveal theAncient Elven Helm.
Go back to Skaleelwith theAncient Elven Helmand talk to her. She’ll instruct you totalk to Irlav Jarol back at the Arcane University.Doing so willcomplete the questand continue the Mage’s Guild quest line.
