“The Bloodstone Chalice” is your first job as a vampire of the Volkihar Clan, right after accepting Harkon‘s blood in Bloodline. A court mage wants an ancient artifact filled, and the only spring that will do is hidden under a skooma den in the Rift.
How it starts
Harkon tells you to find Garan Marethi in Castle Volkihar and say “it is time”. Garan, a Dunmer vampire and old House Dres mage, explains that the Bloodstone Chalice must be filled at the Redwater Spring and then mixed with the blood of a powerful vampire. He also warns that Redwater Den is run by “unsavory people”.
Walkthrough
Redwater Den
From the outside it’s a rundown shack guarded by two lookouts. Go round the side and drop through the trap door. The doorman asks you to keep your weapons away, and the dealer at the counter will happily tell you about Redwater Skooma – with good Speech she even hands out free samples.
Past the coughing customers is an Adept-locked gate. Pick it, or pickpocket the key from the attendant.
The skooma cave
Beyond the gate the den’s real business shows: vampires, death hounds and thralls in a distillation cavern. A cell on the lowest level opens with the Redwater Den Backrooms Key or an Adept lockpick. Climb to the upper platform, pull the lever to lower the drawbridge and push on to the door marked Redwater Spring.
Redwater Spring
The spring lies in an old Nordic tomb swallowed by an earthquake long ago, so add draugr to the guest list. Grab Venarus Vulpin’s Journal from the table near the start, mind the floor trap over a spike pit, and fight your way to Venarus Vulpin – the vampire behind the skooma ring – and his thralls. His research notes, gold and gems sit on a nearby table.
Stalf and Salonia
Just as you reach the bubbling spring, two members of Harkon’s court, Stalf and Salonia Caelia, show up to claim the credit. Let them finish bickering before you strike – attacking early brands you a traitor to the court. Kill both, fill the Chalice with spring water and add blood from one of their bodies.
Return
Head back through the den and give the Chalice to Garan in Castle Volkihar. Harkon’s next task follows in Prophet (Vampire).
The skooma shortcut
Drink the Redwater Skooma in the den and you black out, waking up in a cell deeper inside. A Telekinesis spell tome lies in there – a handy early pickup. Unlock the cell and carry on to the spring as normal.
Notes
Garan suggests you could “deal with” the den’s owners peacefully, but in practice the only way through is by force. On later visits the den’s original staff are gone, replaced by hostile thralls and a vampire.
