The Feeble Fortune*

A Token Gesture

Assuming you’ve killed Gaius Maro by following Gabriella’s instructions to the letter and securing the bonus, when you speak to her at the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary, she hands you a token, mentions a fortune-teller named Olava, and suggests you visit her for a reading. She quickly tells you about the problems that occur at the start of Dark Brotherhood Quests: The Cure for Madness. When you have a spare moment, head to see Olava.

Journey to Whiterun and locate Olava the Feeble’s House, off the main path in the southern part of the city. Tell her you have a token for her, and she shakes off her bad mood, realizes you’re a friend of Gabriella’s, and agrees to give you a reading. She sees a Sanctuary but with snow and lit by the star of dawn. There are other shadowy figures she spies in the ether, and before you are Family, she sees a great spillage of blood. But before that, she sees a ruin ripe for the plunder—Deepwood Redoubt. Through there is a place named Hag’s End, where an assassin of old bequeaths his ancient earthly possessions to you!

Danger at Deepwood

Trek to the mountains west of Dragon Bridge, using any path to the north of Hag’s End. The path disappears, forcing you to hike to the perimeter, which is flanked by a few large snow-capped stones. Head up the stairs and find the illuminated iron door in the southeast overhang dug into the mountains. There’s a campfire to your left and an altar to your right. Forsworn instantly attack if they spot you. The iron door leads to Deepwood Redoubt’s interior.

Pass a few tomb corpses and head through a gate and up some stairs, watching out for a dart trap (check the floor and step over the trigger plate). Turn left (southeast) and begin fighting through more Forsworn. There are bowmen on the bridge, so head right, through an old Nord crypt entrance (watching for swinging axes, which you can switch off using the lever at the end) and into a ruined embalming room. There is an iron door here and three Rune Traps. The iron door is locked (Expert); unlock it using your Lockpick skill or the key you find on the corpse of the Forsworn you must fight in the adjacent bedroom.

• Deepwood Redoubt Key

Once through the door, check the floor for a trigger plate to avoid getting hit by a wall trap, open the iron door, and cross the bridge you saw earlier. Head northeast. Move up the stairs to a larger iron door. This brings you into Deepwood Vale.

This hidden vale is a large, multileveled entrance to Hag’s End. You’ll probably face around ten Forsworn on the various balconies, turrets, and upper ledges as you progress. You may systematically check everywhere while fighting through these foes, race for the entrance to Hag’s End, or take a more long-range approach, sneaking along the sides and firing your bow from range. There are wooden steps below a slightly sunken arch; use those, climb up the arch span instead, or use the stone steps farther south. Deal with the Forsworn boss on the upper level, then continue up and locate the iron door leading into Hag’s End.

Open the double doors to the northeast and enter a witches’ banqueting hall. To continue, dispatch three witches and a Hagraven. When you damage or pass the Hagraven, she will teleport away; you’ll have to fight her again later. Open the door at the hall’s opposite end; this leads to a dead-end room with more ice traps.

Look right (southeast) and climb the stairs, watching out for a trigger plate that launches a battering ram from the left. Disarm the hinge trigger to open the chest on the shelf in this area. Turn right (southwest), and battle your way through two more witches and the Hagraven in the alcove throne room. Ignore the raised bridge for the moment, and check for a handle on the wall behind the throne. Pull that, and a section of wall opens, revealing a hidden alcove. This is where the slain Dark Brotherhood Assassin lies. Take whatever treasure you wish from the corpse and nearby chest. The assassin’s outfit is of particular interest.

• Ancient Shrouded Armor
• Ancient Shrouded Boots
• Ancient Shrouded Gloves
• Ancient Shrouded Helmet

Assuming you wish to complete your investigation of Hag’s End, use the lever next to the bridge to lower it. Cross and fight a witch, then ascend more stairs to a junction with a gate (Master) leading to a treasure chest and fire trap. Open this using the Hag’s End Key, located on the mantel in the Hagraven’s bedroom (in this hall) or on the Hagraven once you kill her.

On your right (northeast) is a handle. Pull it, and three portcullises open. Wait for the spear traps to recede before moving into a circular chamber with spilled oil. Treat the Hagraven and two witches to a burning (there’s an oil lamp in the dragon statue’s teeth), before yanking the chain attached to the statue, opening another portcullis, and exiting up into a grand hall, where the Nordic voices call you to a Word Wall!

• Word of Power: Slow Time

Conclusion

With a new Shout learned, open the door to Deepwood Vale. You emerge on a high ledge overlooking the exterior area. Your final Hagraven battle occurs here; watch for her “pets”—Skeevers, Frostbite Spiders, or even Trolls—that you must tackle before you can cut the old crone down. Inspect the Hagraven, as she carries the Hag’s End Key, which can open the gate you saw earlier. Also check the sacrificed witch on the altar; here you’ll find the impressive Bloodthorn dagger. Then face the waterfall, drop to the Hag’s End entrance, and retrace your steps back into the wilds of Skyrim.

• Hag’s End Key
• Bloodthorn
• Predator’s Grace Boots