Oblivion talk:Vahtacen's Secret

The UESPWiki – Your source for The Elder Scrolls since 1995

Contents 1 Higher Level 2 Specific Spell 3 Exit 4 So, about that pickpocket note... 5 Guardians Spawning 6 Door Bug 7 pillar problem 8 Mutiple Effects 9 the notes 10 Help!

[edit] Higher Level

At level 20+ the last room has a bunch of gloom wraiths after you reveal the helm, and also a Lich right by the exit.

At Level 20 4 Nether Lich appeared upon revealing the helm. If you have already opened up the other exit (average lock) you can run to this and it is then possible to fight them one at a time, especially if you use conjuration to summon a helper such as a Storm Atrioch, e.g. it will block them off from you while it fights for you.

[edit] Specific Spell

The only Fortify Magicka spell that affects the pillar is the Elevate Magicka scroll, which can be found in Denel's chest. Spells that say, "Fortify Magicka on Self" won't work.

How do I cast other two spells that I don't have with me which are elevate Magicka and Fortify Magicka --ShakenMike 13:35, 18 February 2007 (EST)

Look in the chest next to Denel's table. It contains scrolls with all of the spells that you need. Otherwise, you need to go buy a Fortify Magicka spell (e.g., Fortify Magicka) and then use the Spellmaking Altar to create a custom spell to turn it into a "Fortify Magicka on target" spell. It's much simpler to just use the scroll in the chest (if you lost the scroll somehow, just come back in three days and there'll be a new one in there). --Nephele 23:14, 14 February 2007 (EST)

Ok thanks for the advice.--ShakenMike 13:35, 18 February 2007 (EST)

I'm not sure who sells these spells because I used up the scrolls.I'm not sure what the right order of spells to cast to the pillar.

I did the fireball,cold damage first and I can't figure out which the other two spells. I'll check if I made a fortify spell and a damage spell.--ShakenMike 18:21, 20 February 2007 (EST)

The answers to all your questions are already in the article: just try reading the article more closely. It says exactly how to get more of the scrolls and what the correct order is to cast the spells. Or follow the links in my previous post to find out how to buy spells or make a custom spell. --Nephele 22:50, 20 February 2007 (EST)

Ok i'll look again then.--ShakenMike 03:30, 21 February 2007 (EST)

I have finished this quest but somehow I cannot make a custom Fortify Magicka spell at the spell making altar. I have a fortify magicka spell in my spell list but it wont come up in the list of effects to use in a custom spell...--Matthewest ^{•T•C•E•} 00:16, 19 April 2008 (EDT)

[edit] Exit

There is a second locked door in the final room where the elven helmet is. The door is on the same side of the room as the entrance that you came in. Following this passageway will lead to 4 treasures chests/casks. Some of these casks contain leveled treasures (for me it gave ebony guantlets). Be careful as there are 3 undead monsters in the room which you can ignore and just get your treasures if you do it fast enough and then continue forward over the rocks with a jump back into the normal passageway (skips most of the traps as well)

This note was added to the article, but it seems to me like it's just describing the exit from the second zone of Vahtacen. Is this indeed just a note about the standard way out of the room? If so, is a special note about it needed? --Nephele^Talk 16:46, 22 April 2007 (EDT)

[edit] So, about that pickpocket note...

I'll be the first to admit I was a bit "pickpocket happy" when I started the game. Had I known that I was stealing something that would end my Mage's career at the mere rank of Evoker, I would have kept my fingers to myself. Unfortunately, I'm playing on XB360 and can't use the very helpful information provided to fix this situation. Which leaves me with two questions:

1. Has anyone discovered a way to drop a quest item on the XB360? (Going back to an earlier save would mean hours and hours lost.)

2. Are there other items which a person might naively pickpocket only to be "punished" later by a conflict such as the one mentioned here?

Any help/advice would be much appreciated. Folly 20:50, 2 June 2007 (EDT)Folly

[edit] Guardians Spawning

An anonymous user made an edit that says Skeleton Guardians will spawn at a certain point in the quest. I don't have time at the moment, but could anyone confirm that only Skeleton Guardians spawn, rather than a leveled version of a skeleton? I'm thinking that it'll end up being the latter. SubtleCynicism 22:11, 22 September 2007 (EDT)

I've reverted the edit. The paragraph already states that "when you reach the top, a number of level-dependent undead will be released." The undead are triggered simply by walking to the top of the platform, whether or not you grab the elven helm; there are no additional undead that get released when you pick up the helm. Therefore adding a second comment about these undead is misleading because it suggests that there are two separate waves of undead that spawn. Also, the undead are indeed level-dependent: they can be zombies, ghosts, skeletons, wraiths, liches, etc., all depending on your level. Whether any skeletons that appear are melee-variety or archers is completely random. So it's impossible to get much more specific than "level-dependent undead". --Nephele^Talk 03:59, 23 September 2007 (EDT)

[edit] Door Bug

When you reach the first three doors opened with pressaure switches, the doors might not open. This seems to be a bug since when you save, go somewhere else and then come back to Vahtacen two doors may open while the third stays shut. As I see it, you could either run back and forth and see what happens, but the wraiths will be back every time, or you can use the console command "tcl" to unlock the ability of walking through walls. ^{—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 217.211.24.91 (talk • contribs).}

[edit] pillar problem

i cant fully openup the pillar hlp! this is what i do...

i cast the spell flare at the pillar it is ok and opens i cast the spell snowball at the pillar it is ok and opens

but what next i have cast all drain and fortify spells i have on it in every possible combo but it just totally closes! what is wrong can you give me the order in which it is done and a spell you know works best wishes the guy who cant open a pillar!

After flare and snowball you need to cast a Damage Magicka spell (not drain) and THEN a Fortify Magicka spell. This is all spelled out on the article, here. –Rpeh^{•T•C•E•} 16:52, 9 April 2008 (EDT)

[edit] Mutiple Effects

What if you cast a spell or use a scroll or staff that has more than one effect on it, like the staff Apotheosis, on a pillar? Will the pillar work or will it activate the Dark Welkynd Stones? Helper Unknown 20:17, 11 July 2008 (EDT)

Good question. Turns out the answer is "both". Hitting the pillar with Apotheosis twice causes it to drop twice but on the second hit, the stones will fire. Hitting it a third time causes the pillar to reset and then drop once. –Rpeh^{•T•C•E•} 02:18, 12 July 2008 (EDT)

Skaleel herself will implore you to stick to simple spells with single effects. The difficulty of successfully unlocking the pillar with combination spells suggest there's wisdom in those words. —Dark Spark 02:50, 12 July 2008 (EDT)

[edit] the notes

you dont need the refernce text you can just cast the spells/scrolls ^{—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 121.216.248.146 (talk • contribs) on 26 July 2008.}

[edit] Help!

help! please i really need help getting another fortify magicka spell...i used the one inthe chest realised what i done and waited 3 days, no new scrolls in the chest..how can i get another. please help!?!?!!? ^{—The preceding unsigned comment was added by 89.240.63.226 (talk • contribs) on 9 October 2008.}

Wait a bit longer. And you need to wait outside Vahtacen. –Rpeh^{•T•C•E•} 14:38, 9 October 2008 (EDT)