The Temple of Miraak

Background
''I've found Frea, a warrior from the Skaal Village on Solstheim. She is also searching the Temple of Miraak, looking for answers. We've agreed that we need to find where Miraak's power is coming from.''

Walkthrough
Go to the Temple of Miraak to retaliate for the attempt on the Dragonborn's life. On the way, skeletons of several dragons can be seen in addition to the enthralled people of Solstheim being controlled by Miraak to rebuild the temple. The enthralled people will not attack, even those which are reavers, but some cultists will appear and attack if waiting outside of the temple for too long. Outside the temple, there will be a Skaal woman named Frea trying to unsuccessfully convince her people to escape. Her ability to resist Miraak's influence lies in an amulet that she carved for herself. She will also mention that her father, the Skaal shaman is protecting the remaining Skaal in their village with a magical barrier. She will ask for help to free her people.

From the entrance of the temple, speak to Frea and proceed down the long corridor.

Frea: "You must fight against what is controlling you! We must leave this place! Ysra, can you hear me? You must leave this place!"

"You there. What brings you to this place. Why are you here?"

Who are you?: "I am Frea of the Skaal. I am here to either free my people, or avenge them."

Save them from what?: "I am unsure. Something has taken control of most of the people of Solstheim. It makes them forget themselves, and work on these horrible creations that corrupt the Stones, the very land itself. My father Stron, the shaman, says Miraak has returned to Solstheim, but that is impossible."

This Miraak tried to have me killed: "Then you and I both have reason to see what lies beneath us. Let us go. There is nothing more I can do here. The Tree Stone and my friends are beyond my help for now. We need to find a way into the temple below."

You're here by yourself?: "There are a few of us left unaffected by this curse. My father, Storn, the shaman, protects them in the village. I fashioned an amulet to guard me against whatever has taken hold of the Skaal, but it is the only one of its kind. If I cannot find a way to save them, then there is no hope for my people."

Upon entering the temple, she will mention to look in the nearby rooms for anything useful. Some of the rooms contain leveled potions and a chest. At the end of the corridor will be a doorway that will lead to a pressure plate on the ground that will release poison darts. Some cultists will also emerge at this point. Defeat them.

If the dragonborn goes and disturbs the tombs, then draugrs will appear. Defeat them.

Head down the stairs and into a smaller room. Frea warns to be careful as traps can be anywhere. She also reveals some more information about Miraak: "Miraak was trying to take power here., and protect himself in the process.

Avoid the pressure plates and head down the stairs until large gate and a chain is reached. Activate this to open the gate. The gate opens into a large chamber with cages hanging in the center of the chamber. Frea walks over to the barrier and remarks: "I do not wish to imagine the kinds of things that happened in this chamber. Who were these poor souls trapped in these cages? What tortures did they suffer at Miraak's hands? Was it in service to the dragons, or for his own purposes?" She then notices a higher balcony area to the right and remarks that the stairs are knocked out, however she is confident the Dragonborn can find a way up.

Head south and walk around the barrier to reach some two coffins that will open. Defeat the draugr and note the large diagonal beam that leads to the roof. Walk past the coffins and under the beam, then jump onto the beam and walk up it. Jump off the the left to reach the upper balcony area Frea mentioned. Up here is a throne and a boss level chest.

Next head downstairs and defeat the cultists. Follow the one way passageway until a gate is reached. Activate the handle on the left to open the gate. Beyond the gate, the passageway lead to more crypts and resting draugrs.

Eventually the tunnels lead into a swinging spike door trap. Here the draugrs will likely converge and attack, activating the trap themselves and cause some self-inflicted damage. At the same time, a swinging log will fall and hurt the team or the draugrs or both.

Take either the upper or lower path and continue until a pair of double doors is reached. As the dragonborn approaches the doors will close and jets of fire will erupt from the side. Wait long enough, and the jets of fire will subside and the doors will open again. Hurry through before they shut again, and the jets of fire are re-activated.

Beyond this pair of doors are several swinging pendulum axe blades. Frea comments that if would be foolish for her to try and make it past, so de elects to wait. Use Whirlwind Sprint to get past the three sets of blades, until a lever is reached. Activate the lever to the right of the gate which will open it and de-activate the swinging axe blades. Frea will now follow and thanks the Dragonborn.

Continue down the passageway until a pair of doors is reached. Enter through this into a chamber. A dead draugr will fall out of a sarcophagus, alerting the Dragonborn to go this way. Follow the passageway until a handle is reached. Activate this and the gate beyond will be raised. A wooden bridge beyond the gate will fall and create a bridge to cross.

Upon entering this area, three more bridges on the far side of the chamber will fall, unmasking two draugr and a boss level Cultist. Defeat them and then use the double doors to enter the Temple of Miraak Sanctum.

Temple of Miraak Sanctum
Upon entering the sanctum, Frea comments "I do not know what it is Miraak learned that gave hin reason to turn on his masters. But his path seems to have been a cruel one. I wonder if we will find some answers to what happened so long ago."

Walk long the caged corridor and defeat the six skeletons that lurk at the end. Turn left at the end and encounter some draugrs who emerge from their sarcophagus as two swinging log traps are activated. Defeat the draugrs and proceed further and under the caged corridor. Frea notices a caved in floor section and mentions there might be something of nore down there. Jump down the crevice and follow the tunnel to reach a small room containing some spell tomes and potions. Follow the tunnel and exit.

Head on and reach an open area with some stairs leading deeper into the ruin. Frea comments: "How much deeper can this be? I have been told that Miraak's power was great, but to have built so large a temple...I cannot be much farther now. I feel it in my bones."

Defeat cultist and continue down some stairs and under the caged bridge to reach an smaller room lined with sarcophagus and the skeleton of a dragon hanging from the celing. There is also a word wall here containing the Word of Power for Dragon Aspect. Frea comments: ''"I had heard Miraak has turned against the Dragon Cult, but to display the remains in such a manner as this...It is no wonder the dragons razed his temple to the ground. Seeing the remains hung up like trophies must have enraged them to no end." ''

Read the word wall to awaken the draugrs resting in the coffins. One draugr, called the Gatekeeper, will have the Temple of Miraak key that will open the iron door that lies inside his sarcophagus. Open the door and proceed through into a meeting room with long dead occupants. Go through the next set of door and arrive in a dining area. Walk into the kitchen are behind the room to find several potions and ingredients and a small tunnel that leads to a handle. Activate the handle to open the secret passage in the dining area. Frea will announce that the secret passage has been found. Go into the secret passage and through the tunnel to reach a circular room. Frea walks over to a ruined book and remarks: "I wonder if there is something here that tells the story of Miraak..." she then walks into a side room with three Lurker statue heads and remarks: "I do not recognize this statuary. We passed a few of them earlier, but they are becoming more frequent as we get further in. I do not like this place. It almost looks as if these statues will come to life at any moment." she then notices the handle in front of the heads and remarks: "I'll leave the honor of pulling that handle to you. I do not want to put my hand anywhere near the mouth of that statue."

Activate the handle to open the gate on the floor in the same room. Descend the spiral staircase and past some more odd statuary to reach another handle that activates a hidden stairwell. Head down the spiral staircase and exit through a wooden door.

Through the wooden door, is a large chamber with several traditional Nordic archways and more unfamiliar Lurker statuary. Defeat the draugr and skeletons and walk to the top of the stairs to reach a large statue of a crab-like creature, under which a boss level chest is found.

Pull a chain located behind the statue at the end of the chamber and proceed past the doors. Follow the tunnels to reach a circular room unlike anything else that has been encountered before. A Black Book is sitting on a pedestal and Frea comments: "This book... it seems wrong, somehow. Here, yet... not. It may be what we seek."

Read the book and it will transport you to Hermaeus Mora's realm, but you will be forced onto your knees and confronted by Miraak. If you have slain Alduin, Miraak will congratulate you, but point out that he could have accomplished the same had that been his goal. After stating that you know nothing of the true power the Dragonborn can all wield, he demonstrates all three words of the Dragon Aspect shout. Then he instructs the two Seekers under his command to send you back to Solstheim, and proceeds to ride away on a dragon. You will not be able to move at all during this encounter.