Forebears’ Holdout (Dawnguard) is a large cave southeast of Dragon Bridge, with a river running through it and a small fort built in the middle. It only really matters during the Prophet quest: after you find the scene of an ambush south of Dragon Bridge, the trail of the kidnapped Moth Priest Dexion Evicus leads here. What happens next depends on which side of the vampire war you chose.
What you’ll find
- A cavern with an underground river and a compact fort at its centre.
- Vampires, blooded vampires, vampire’s thralls and death hounds standing between you and the priest.
- An armored troll among the enemies.
- Dawnguard members among the hostiles too, depending on your side.
- Dexion Evicus held behind a magical barrier, with a chest right beside it.
Quests
Prophet – with the Dawnguard, you come here to rescue Dexion by defeating the vampire Malkus and freeing him from the barrier. On the vampire side, you enthrall the Moth Priest instead, and your opponent is Vanik.
Notable items
- A chest next to the barrier where Dexion is held.
- The Weystone Focus, carried by Malkus.
- Dexion carries an Akaviri Sword – with the Misdirection perk, this is the earliest point you can pickpocket it from him.
Tips
The fort in the middle gives the defenders good positions, so clear the cave edges first and don’t let the death hounds and thralls swarm you all at once. Save the troll for when you have room to move. Sneaky pickpockets with Misdirection should plan to lift that Akaviri Sword once Dexion is free, before he heads off with the plot.
Good to know
Despite the name, there is no sign the place has anything to do with the Forebears. Somebody just liked the sound of it.
Nearby
Closest places covered on TamrielSaga: Meeko’s Shack, Chillwind Depths, Dragon Bridge Overlook, Robber’s Gorge, Dragon Bridge.
Location data (hold, map position, editor ID) read from the Skyrim game files; details checked against community wiki articles and summarised in our own words.