The Paragon Platform (Dawnguard) is a small, battered but still working magical platform in the Forgotten Vale. It has no map marker, which is fitting for a place that exists purely to send you to other secret places. Slot one of the five Paragons into it and it opens a portal to a hidden spot elsewhere in the Vale.
What you’ll find
- A single socket: once a Paragon has been used you can take it back out and swap in another one, so you only ever need one platform.
- The Paragons themselves are carried by frost giants, so getting the full set means a lot of giant-slaying.
The five portals
- Amethyst – a little ledge overlooking Darkfall Grotto, with a chest of potions, gold and scrolls to the right.
- Diamond – a section of Glacial Crevice with a chest of gems, gold and potions.
- Emerald – Forgotten Vale Overlook. Follow the river down and turn right just before the lower waterfall for a chest with gold, potions and gems, some elven and dwarven weapons, a skeleton and Unknown Book, Vol. II.
- Ruby – Forgotten Vale Forest. Head southwest to ruins where Falmer and frost trolls are busy fighting each other. A Falmer Warmonger there carries Auriel’s Shield.
- Sapphire – the Inner Sanctum, where three chests of gems, gold and potions sit with loose gems and pieces of elven armor scattered around.
How to get there
From the Wayshrine of Resolution, travel due east. After you cross a hill you’ll see a cave with a frost giant across the river, straight ahead and slightly left. Climb down the cliff toward it, then turn around: the platform sits against the cliff on the other side of the river.
Tips
The Ruby Paragon is inside the Inner Sanctum, behind a secret passage you open with the Initiate’s Ewer, so you’ll be coming back to this platform later in Touching the Sky. Make a habit of checking every frost giant you kill. The giant who lives in the cave right next to the platform is a convenient first stop.
Details checked against community wiki articles and the Skyrim/Dawnguard game files, summarised in our own words.
