Vulthuryol is one of Skyrim’s best-kept secrets: an ancient dragon who doesn’t appear unless you call him. He is summoned in the vast underground Dwemer city of Blackreach, and only when someone rings the huge glowing orb that hangs over its centre. His name in the dragon tongue, Vul–Thur–Yol, means “Dark–Overlord–Fire”. He is easy to recognise by his metallic bronze hide and the black-and-beige pattern on his wings and tail.
Where to find them
Head for the centre of Blackreach, where a large yellow orb floats above the Blackreach Debate Hall and the Hall of Rumination. It is visible as soon as you enter the cavern. The closest exit from that part of Blackreach is the Great Lift at Mzinchaleft.
Summoning Vulthuryol
- Fight your way to the orb complex – hostile Falmer and their servants guard the area.
- Shout Unrelenting Force at the orb. It rings out, the sound echoes through the caverns, and Vulthuryol arrives.
- If you don’t engage him, he eventually settles on the ground outside the south entrance of the orb complex.
He can only be summoned once, so make the fight count.
Notes
- Unlike most dragons, Vulthuryol does not take to the air in combat. He crawls along the ground and relies on Fire Breath.
- Despite being an ancient dragon, his shouts and bites do surprisingly little damage, and he drops the standard Dragon Bones and Dragon Scales. He is still a tough fight for anyone below about level 20.
- Bend Will does not work on him.
- You can trigger the orb without knowing any shouts: raise a draugr with necromancy or the Ritual Stone, bring it to Blackreach, provoke it, and let its shout hit the orb. That even lets you claim a dragon soul before finishing Dragon Rising.
