Evie Summers
In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the people of Dawnstar are afflicted by terrible nightmares, which are caused by the Skull of Corruption. The nightmares are a symptom of the people of Dawnstar having their memories stolen by the Daedric Prince Vaermina. The player, as the Dragonborn, must assist Erandur, a priest of Mara, to stop the nightmares. The player can choose to either kill Erandur and take the Skull of Corruption or let him destroy the skull. Regardless of the choice, the people of Dawnstar will be freed of their nightmares.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the quest | Waking Nightmare |
| Location | Nightcaller Temple, east of Dawnstar |
| Objective | Stop the nightmares experienced by the people of Dawnstar |
| Cause of nightmares | Skull of Corruption, one of Vaermina's artifacts |
| Solution | Kill Erandur and take the Skull of Corruption, or let him destroy the skull and gain him as a follower |
| Outcome | Either way, the nightmares in Dawnstar will end |
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What You'll Learn
- The Skull of Corruption is an artifact of Vaermina, a Daedric Prince
- Erandur, a priest of Mara, asks the Dragonborn to help end the nightmares
- The Skull is located in Nightcaller Temple, east of Dawnstar
- Players can kill Erandur and take the Skull, or let him destroy it and follow them
- Taking or destroying the Skull ends the nightmares in Dawnstar
The Skull of Corruption is an artifact of Vaermina, a Daedric Prince
The Skull of Corruption is a Daedric artifact of the Daedric Prince Vaermina, who is also known as the Prince of Dreams and Nightmares. The Skull of Corruption takes the form of a staff, which is obtained by completing a quest for Vaermina. In Skyrim, the quest begins in the northern city of Dawnstar, where the people are suffering from terrible nightmares and lack of sleep. The player must assist Erandur, a priest of Mara, to stop these nightmares.
Upon entering Dawnstar, the player hears talk of the inhabitants suffering from terrible nightmares and lack of sleep. Even the Jarl is struggling to sleep. Erandur, who can be found in the Windpeak Inn, explains that the nightmares are caused by an event that happened in Nightcaller Temple, a ruin located on the clifftop overlooking Dawnstar. He prompts the player to follow him to the temple to put an end to the nightmares.
Inside the temple, the player must help Erandur cast a fire spell on the wall to create an opening. In the next room, Erandur points out the Skull of Corruption, which is located in the inner sanctum. At this point, the player can choose to kill Erandur and take the Skull of Corruption, or let him complete his spell to destroy the Skull. If the player kills Erandur, they can obtain the Skull of Corruption and keep it as a weapon. However, if the player lets Erandur destroy the Skull, the nightmares in Dawnstar will be lifted, and Erandur will offer to travel with the player as a follower.
The Skull of Corruption has the ability to steal dreams from sleeping NPCs, increasing its damage output. It can also create an identical clone of almost any NPC it is used on, including their equipment. The clone will usually be immediately hostile to its double, and will disappear after thirty seconds.
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Erandur, a priest of Mara, asks the Dragonborn to help end the nightmares
In the video game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, Erandur, a priest of Mara, asks the Dragonborn for help to end the nightmares that the people of Dawnstar are experiencing. Erandur, who can be found in the Windpeak Inn, explains that the nightmares are caused by the Skull of Corruption, one of Vaermina's artifacts. He requests that the Dragonborn travel with him to the Nightcaller Temple, where they will need to fight enemies and retrieve a book called "The Dreamstride" to bypass a magical barrier.
Once inside the temple, Erandur will lead the Dragonborn to the Skull of Corruption, which is located in the inner sanctum. At this point, the Dragonborn has a choice: they can either kill Erandur and take the Skull of Corruption for themselves, or they can let Erandur complete his spell to destroy the skull. If the Dragonborn chooses to kill Erandur and take the skull, they will obtain one of the Daedric artifacts needed for the Oblivion Walker Achievement. However, if they choose to spare Erandur, he will destroy the skull and offer to travel with the Dragonborn as a follower.
Regardless of the choice made, the nightmares plaguing the citizens of Dawnstar will stop. The quest, known as "Waking Nightmare," will also bring the Dragonborn one step closer to being able to purchase the Heljarchen Hall in Dawnstar. After completing the quest, Dawnstar guards can be heard saying, "No more nightmares. Thank the gods for that."
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The Skull is located in Nightcaller Temple, east of Dawnstar
The Skull of Corruption is located in the Nightcaller Temple, which is found east of Dawnstar. To get to the Skull, you must first enter the temple with Erandur, a priest of Mara, who will guide you through the temple.
The temple is inhabited by frost trolls, and other creatures such as snow bears, snowy sabre cats, ice wraiths, or frostbite spiders, depending on your level. Once inside, Erandur will cast a fire spell on the wall to create an opening. In the next room, you will find the Skull of Corruption, which is causing the nightmares in Dawnstar.
You can choose to either kill Erandur and take the Skull of Corruption for yourself, or let him destroy the Skull and gain him as a follower. If you choose to take the Skull, you will have to kill Erandur as Vaermina commands. If you let Erandur destroy the Skull, he will offer to travel with you as a follower, and he will not betray you as Vaermina claims.
Regardless of your choice, the nightmares in Dawnstar will end, and the citizens will be grateful. The quest will also bring you one step closer to becoming Thane of the Pale and acquiring Heljarchen Hall.
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Players can kill Erandur and take the Skull, or let him destroy it and follow them
In the Waking Nightmare quest in Skyrim, players can choose to kill Erandur and take the Skull of Corruption, or spare him and let him destroy the skull. Erandur is a priest of Mara and a former priest of Vaermina, who wants the Dragonborn's help to stop the nightmares affecting the people of Dawnstar.
If players choose to kill Erandur, they can take the Skull of Corruption for themselves. This will result in the player losing out on a potential follower, as Erandur will not be able to join the player if they kill him. Additionally, killing Erandur is not considered a crime, and the player will obtain one of the Daedric artifacts needed for the Oblivion Walker Achievement.
On the other hand, if players choose to spare Erandur and let him destroy the Skull, he will offer to travel with the player as a follower. Erandur will not betray the player, contrary to what Vaermina claims. This option allows the player to gain a follower without having to kill Erandur, but it does mean giving up the chance to acquire the Skull of Corruption as one of the Daedric artifacts.
Regardless of the player's choice, the nightmares plaguing the citizens of Dawnstar will stop. Completing the Waking Nightmare quest will also bring the player closer to purchasing the Heljarchen Hall in Dawnstar and becoming Thane of the Pale.
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Taking or destroying the Skull ends the nightmares in Dawnstar
In The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the people of Dawnstar are afflicted by terrible nightmares. Erandur, a priest of Mara, seeks the Dragonborn's help to end the nightmares. He explains that the nightmares are caused by the Skull of Corruption, an artifact of the Daedric Prince Vaermina, who has stolen the dreams of the people of Dawnstar.
The Dragonborn must travel with Erandur to the Nightcaller Temple, where the Skull of Corruption is located. Inside the temple, the Dragonborn must fight their way through various enemies, including Vaermina Devotees and sleeping Orcs, to reach the Skull. Once the Dragonborn confronts the Skull, they have a choice: they can either kill Erandur and take the Skull for themselves, or let Erandur destroy it and spare his life.
Regardless of the choice made, the nightmares plaguing the citizens of Dawnstar will end. Completing the quest Waking Nightmare will bring relief to the town, as guards can be heard saying, "No more nightmares. Thank the gods for that." The citizens of Dawnstar will no longer be tormented by the Skull of Corruption, and they can finally find peace in their sleep.
While taking the Skull may grant the player a powerful artifact, it is not essential for completing the quest. Destroying the Skull ensures that Erandur survives and can become a follower, providing aid and assistance to the player. However, it is worth noting that taking the Skull does not impact the ultimate goal of ending the nightmares in Dawnstar.
The consequences of the player's choice extend beyond the immediate quest. Taking the Skull may have implications for future quests and achievements, such as obtaining the Oblivion Walker achievement, which requires collecting a certain number of Daedric artifacts. Additionally, sparing Erandur and gaining him as a follower can provide valuable support and additional dialogue options throughout the game.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, but only if you choose to obey Vaermina's command. If you let Erandur destroy the Skull, he will not turn on you and can be recruited as a follower.
The nightmares plaguing the citizens of Dawnstar will stop, but you will miss out on the opportunity to recruit Erandur as a follower.
The nightmares in Dawnstar will stop, and Erandur will offer to travel with you as a follower. He will not betray you, contrary to what Vaermina claims.
In addition to acquiring Erandur as a follower, you will be able to purchase Heljarchen Hall in Dawnstar and become Thane of the Pale.
