The Katariah is the personal flagship of Emperor Titus Mede II, and it only appears once the Dark Brotherhood questline reaches Hail Sithis!. After that it stays anchored for the rest of the game. The ship carries the Emperor on his trip to Castle Dour in Solitude, and it is easily the fanciest boat you will ever climb aboard – and the only accessible one that isn’t a Nordic longboat.
What you’ll find
- Sailors and Penitus Oculatus agents patrolling the decks and cabins.
- Captain Avidius and Lieutenant Salvarus, who both carry the Katariah Master Key.
- Emperor Titus Mede II in his private quarters.
- An anchor chain at the stern – the only way on board.
- A carved Elven woman on the bow, probably Empress Katariah, and a winged dragon on the stern.
- A dead Penitus Oculatus agent and a dead sailor already on board.
Quests
As Listener, you are sent to finish the contract Amaund Motierre placed on the Emperor. In To Kill an Empire you only reached a decoy at Castle Dour, but the Night Mother insists the contract still stands. The Emperor came to Skyrim after his cousin Vittoria Vici was murdered at her own wedding during Bound Until Death – a killing seen as a blow to any hope of peace between General Tullius‘s Legion and Ulfric Stormcloak‘s rebels.
Notable items
- Windshear – a unique scimitar at the very tip of the bowsprit.
- King (Two-Handed skill book).
- Emperor’s Robes, Gilded Wristguards and a Flawless Ruby in the Emperor’s chambers.
- Books: The Real Barenziah (Books I and IV), The Brothers of Darkness and The Arcturian Heresy.
Tips
Climb the stern chain quietly and pick off guards one by one; a master key from the captain or lieutenant opens doors fast. Don’t leave without walking out to the end of the bowsprit for Windshear – lots of players miss it because nobody expects a sword to be parked on the front of a ship. Grab the robes too if you want to look imperial while sneaking about.
Good to know
If a dragon attacks while you are on deck, it can land beneath the water without harm and pop back up later. The dragon on the stern may hint at Akatosh, the god long tied to Tamriel’s emperors.
Nearby
Closest places covered on TamrielSaga: Dainty Sload, Folgunthur, East Empire Company Warehouse, Abandoned Shack, Solitude Lighthouse.
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.
