Arkthzand Cavern

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Arkthzand Cavern
Map
Province	Skyrim
Region	Blackreach
Type	Zone

Arkthzand Cavern is a zone in The Elder Scrolls Online: Markarth constituting a part of Blackreach beneath Skyrim. The caverns are accessed by any of the two great lifts in the Reach.

Background

"The superstitious Reachfolk rarely speak of the dark caverns that lie beneath the surface of their sacred land. This willful ignorance, born from the wise belief that no good can come from unearthing what's best left forgotten, has served them well since they first settled along the Karth River."

―Arkthzand Cavern loading screen

Arkthzand Cavern is a smaller section of Blackreach than the ajoining Greymoor Caverns, and constitutes the subterranean area of Skyrim's Reach. Since their arrival in Skyrim and settlement of the lands around the Karth River, the Reachmen have claimed the caverns as their sacred land, despite the dangers left behind following the dissapearance of the cavern's original inhabitant's, the Dwemer.

Locations

Main article: Locations (Online)

The following are locations accessible in Arkthzand Cavern and, with the exception of unmarked locations, are discoverable on the map. Points of Interest serve as locations with unique side quests, while cities serve as the centralised areas with multiple sublocations and act as a hub for services and merchants. Explanations of the types of locations are provided in the main locations page.

Wayshrines	Dungeons	Points of Interest
Arkthzand Wayshrine Nighthollow Wayshrine	Gloomreach	Arkthzand Great Lift Bthar-Zel Library of Arkthzand Nalzthdbar Great Lift Nchuand-Zel Nighthollow Keep
Set Stations	Striking Locales		World Bosses
Philosopher's Cradle (Aetherial Ascension)	Ghostlight Grotto Mistgloom Thicket		Sentinel Point

Quests

Main article: Quests (Online)

The Arkthzand Cavern shares its story quests with the Reach. The zone story quests tie into the Dark Heart of Skyrim's overarching storyline, but it is not necessary to complete the story quests for other zones prior to those in the Reach and Arkthzand Cavern. Side quests are non-sequential and can be completed in any order, except where one carries on from another, and repeatable quests can be completed multiple times: weekly for arenas and trials and daily for all others. Note that the Epilogue for the Dark Heart of Skyrim requires the zone quests of both Western Skyrim (including in Greymoor Caverns) and the Reach (including in Arkthzand Cavern) to have been completed before it can be started.

Zone quests

• The Despot of Markarth
• Blood of the Reach
• The Study of Souls
• The Awakening Darkness
• The Dark Heart
• A Feast of Souls

Epilogue ^GM

• The End of Eternity
• Kingdom of Ash
• Second Chances

Side quests

• Endeavor in the Gloom
• Red Eagle's Song
• Defenders of the Reach
• Magic Mycology
• Strange Contamination
• The Scholar's Request
• Unhatched Menace

Creatures

Generic

• [?]

Critters

• [?]

Item Sets

Main article: Item Sets

Item sets are related armor and weapons that, when worn together, provide unique benefits. Overland sets can be acquired from world bosses, world events, delves, public dungeons and containers and as quest rewards; dungeon sets can be acquired from within group dungeons; monster sets can be acquired from the final boss of veteran group dungeons and Undaunted Enclaves; and crafted sets can be created at specific locations across the zone.

Overland

• Radiant Bastion (Heavy) ^MK
• Voidcaller (Light) ^MK
• Witch-Knight's Defiance (Medium) ^MK

Craftable

• Aetherial Ascension (Philosopher's Cradle) ^MK

Skyshards

Main article: Skyshards (Online)

Two Skyshards can be found in Arkthzand Cavern providing two of the three Skyshards necessary to earn a skill point. The zone guide provides clues as to the location of each Skyshard, but many can be found simply by exploring and watching for the distinctive pillar of light they emit. These require the use of Void Portals that can be used without owning the Void Shard.

#	Description	Location
3	On the lip of a broken bridge, north of Ghostlight Grotto.	Between Arkthzand Wayshrine and Ghostlight Grotto, accessible by a Void Portal.
4	Beneath Nighthollow Keep, obscured by a watery void.	South end of Nighthollow Keep, accessible by a Void Portal.

Achievements

Main article: Achievements (Online)

Achievements can be earned by completing specific tasks include quests and finding locations. Achievements are separated into categories and their progress is viewable from the journal. Earning achievement provides the Vestige some amount of points. Points earned only apply to the character that earned the achievement. Some achievements unlock unique rewards such as trophies or dyes.

Markarth

General

• Arkthzand Armory Style Master
• Nighthollow Style Master
• Saint Pelin's Avenger
• Savior of the Reach
• The Reach Master Angler
• The Reach Skyshard Hunter
• Wayward Guardian Style Master

Exploration

• Defender of the Reach
• Dynastor Deposed
• Gloomreach Explorer
• The Reach Cave Delver
• The Reach Master Explorer
• The Reach Pathfinder

Quests

• Diplomatic Aide
  • Diplomatic Agent
  • Diplomatic Specialist
• Nighthollow Explorer
• Nowhere Beyond Your Reach
• Peered Into the Abyss
• Protector of Markarth
• Reach Ritualist
• Subterranean Scholar
• Taking up the Mantle
• The Reach Grand Adventurer
• The Reach Monster Hunter
  • The Reach Monster Slayer
  • The Reach Monster's Bane
• Wayward Guardian Hireling
  • Wayward Guardian Oathsworn
  • Wayward Guardian Ally

Shalidor's Library

Main article: Shalidor's Library

Ten books that are a part of Shalidor's Library can be found in Arkthzand Cavern and added to the collection. Books that have already been found in other zones will already be marked as completed in the zone tracker.

• A Life Barbaric and Brutal
• All About Giants
• Bloodfiends of Rivenspire
• Clans of the Reach: A Guide
• Living with Lycanthropy
• Nords of Skyrim
• The Crown of Freydis
• The Werewolf's Hide
• Thenephan's Mysteries of Mead
• Varieties of Faith: The Nords

Fish

Main article: Fishing (Online)

Fish can be caught from fishing hotspots, ideally with the correct bait. Common fish will be caught most often while rare fish and alternative bait are rare catches. Each zone has unique rare fish than can be caught from hotspots. Slaughterfish and trodh can be caught from foul hotspots, dhufish and longfin can be caught from saltwater hotspots, silverside perch and spadetail can be caught from lake hotspots, and salmon and river betty can be caught from river hotspots. Chub, minnow, shad and fish roe can be caught and used as bait from foul, saltwater, lake and river hotspots, respectively.

Fish	Source	Quality
Blackreach Pilgrim	Rivers	Superior
Briarthorn Goby	Foul waters	Superior
Druadach Garpike	Lakes	Superior
Fretfish	Rivers	Superior
Hagfin Vendace	Lakes	Fine
Karth Crayfish	Lakes	Fine
Leechtooth Eel	Foul waters	Fine
Lost Valley Trench	Rivers	Fine
Muchbelly Frogfish	Foul waters	Fine
Nchuand Cavetrout	Rivers	Fine
Pinegilled Drum	Lakes	Fine
Siltwallow Burrfish	Foul waters	Fine

Gallery

A Skyshard in Arkthzand Cavern.

The landscape of Arkthzand Cavern.

The landscape of Arkthzand Cavern.

The landscape of Arkthzand Cavern.

The landscape of Arkthzand Cavern.

The landscape of Arkthzand Cavern.

The landscape of Arkthzand Cavern.

The landscape of Arkthzand Cavern.

The landscape of Arkthzand Cavern.

Trivia

• Blackreach has no traveling merchants.

Appearances

• The Elder Scrolls Online: Markarth