Bolstering the Ranks

Quest Giver: Sorine Jurard. This quest occurs only once.

Finding Arkay’s Voice

Once you learn that the Moth Priest was abducted by vampires during Dawnguard Main Quest: Prophet, Sorine Jurard may, during the course of your regular conversations, ask if you have a moment. She’s been talking with Gunmar and is concerned about the severity of the vampire threat. She believes the Dawnguard will need Florentius, a Priest of Arkay, to help. Sorine thinks Isran may not want his help but wants you to find out anyway.

Find Isran and inform him that you “need to find someone named Florentius.” Isran, as expected, is deeply concerned about the man and certainly doesn’t trust him. Mention that Sorine thought he’d be able to help, and Isran swallows his feelings and gives you approval to find Florentius, who was last seen aiding the Vigilants of Stendarr at Ruunvald.

Travel to Ruunvald Excavation in the snowy foothills of the Velothi Mountains, east of Shor’s Watchtower and south of Tolvald’s Cave. You need to trek south from the map marker to reach a gap in the mountainside that allows access up, then go north past the snow line to the excavation entrance. Close by is a tent with an interesting journal to read. It recounts the actions of Volk, a Vigilant guard who mentions that the excavation team was taking longer and longer to return to the surface, then disappeared entirely. Curious...

• Volk’s Journal

A Charmed Life

Enter the Ruunvald Excavation and peer into the maw below. You should spot a Vigilant with a strange red haze about his head. This Vigilant, and all others in this part of Ruunvald, have been charmed and should be seen as hostile enemies. There’s nothing you can do to save them, except to send them to Stendarr, courtesy of a quick death. Battle your way down the mine shaft and into a second mine cavern, engaging more Charmed Vigilants and their Husky hounds. Eventually, you reach a chamber with a rickety bridge. Here you’ll find further adversaries, including Volk (pictured), who is possessed like the rest of them. Deal with all who oppose you before searching for a tunnel on the lowest level leading south to Runnvald Temple.

After a short passage, you enter the main temple room. This is where your primary adversaries, including a warlock named Minorne and the ill-fated expedition leader Moric Sidrey, have imprisoned Florentius close to the raised altar. Dispatch everyone who isn’t called Florentius. Search the corpse of Minorne to discover the Ruunvald Key, which is handy to open the otherwise-inaccessible gate to the cage where Florentius is located.

• Ruunvald Key

Quest Conclusion

Once freed, Florentius Baenius asks what he (and Arkay, as he professes to have direct communication with the god of the cycle of birth and death) can do to help you. Once you mention Isran, Florentius thinks you’re a joke, but once “Arkay” has instructed him that it’s a good idea, he begrudgingly agrees to head off to Fort Dawnguard. You don’t need to accompany him; he appears the next time you arrive at that destination. The quest now concludes.

Postquest Activities

Now head south, using the key to open the iron door. Enter a room with a treasure chest and an alcove lever in the southeast area near the bed; the lever raises a stone staircase leading to an exit into Skyrim.

When Florentius moves in to Fort Dawnguard, a new alchemy lab appears in the forge area. Florentius sells a variety of items (mainly potions) to help you and sometimes has a Faction Quest of his own: Lost Relic. You may now speak with another resident of Fort Dawnguard and take on a new Faction Quest.

• Vendor (Apothecary): Florentius Baenius