How to Find the Oghma Infinium in Skyrim

Last Updated: August 6, 2020

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is a video role playing game available on PS3, Xbox, and PC. There are a variety of quests, magical items, and features available throughout the game. One such item, the Oghma Infinium, is a very powerful Daedric artifact of the Daedric Prince, Hermaeus Mora. It is an ancient tome of knowledge written by Xarxes, the wizard sage and scribe also known as the Ageless One. The item grants you 5 levels that relate to which path you chose; choices include “Path of Might,” “Path of Shadow,” and “Path of Magic.”

Part 1

Part 1 of 7:

Speaking with Urag gro-Shub

1
Head to the College of Winterhold. This is located northeast of Winterhold.
- You must be at least level 15 to do this quest, and you must have done the “Elder Knowledge” quest, which is a part of the main storyline.
2
Go to the Hall of Elements. Head forward through the bridge and toward the door directly in front of it; this door leads inside the Hall of Elements.

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3
Go to the library. Enter the door on your right to get to the Arcanaeum, follow the stairs to the second floor and you’ll see that you’re in a library.
4
Talk to Urag gro-Shub. Urag gro-Shub is the orc at the main desk of the library. He’ll ask you questions; answer with the following:
- “I’m looking for the elder scroll”
- “Tell me more about the Elder scroll”
- “Alright do you have one I could use?”
- “What about the Dragonborn?”
- After you answer correctly, he’ll bring you two books.
5
Read the book “Rumination of the Elder Scrolls.” The quest “Discerning the Transmundane” will begin.
6
Talk to Urag again. Tell him the following:
- “This ‘Ruminations’ book is incomprehensible” and then “Where did he go?”
- Urag will tell you to go north toward the ice fields.

Part 2

Part 2 of 7:

Finding Septimus Signus

1
Head for the black mountain. Leave the college of Winterhold and head north, and keep going until you see a black mountain shape on your map bar. You’ll see a small boat and a makeshift door near it; this is Septimus Signus’s outpost.
2
.Enter the door. You’ll arrive at an ice cave, go below toward the lower part of the cavern and you’ll see Septimus Signus.
- If you’re having a hard time finding Septimus Signus’s outpost, head north toward the Sky Temple ruins first, then head northwest until you see the boat.
3
Talk to Septimus Signus. You’ll be informed of the Elder Scrolls, but he will also ask you to do something for him first and he’ll give you the Elder Scroll in return. The quest “Transcribe the Lexicon” will start after you speak to him.

Part 3

Part 3 of 7:

Killing J'darr

1
Head for Alftand. It’s directly southwest from Septimus Signus’s outpost; an easier way to find it is to open your map and place the marker on that location.
- Skyrim will automatically show Alftand in your map, so don’t worry about having to go around for ages trying to find it.
2
Enter the Alftand Glacial ruins. Within Alftand you’ll see that the quest cursor will point you deeper into the area and into the Alftand Glacial ruins. Enter the ruins and follow the only path available inside it. You’ll hear people talking, so if you’re level is low, tread lightly.
3
Keep going forward. After you reach the table with Dwarven Spiders on top (near the bloody gate), go up the inclined path and continue going deeper into the ruins until you hear another voice. Look to your right and you’ll see a Khajiit named J’darr.
4
Kill J’darr. He’ll try to kill you, so dispose of him before he does.

Part 4

Part 4 of 7:

Getting to the Staircase After the Waterfall

1
After you kill him J'darr, head down the only road available. You’ll see a glowing stone inside a gold ornament. Two Dwarven spheres will attack you in this area; take them down before pushing forward.
2
Go forward, then left at the corner after killing the Dwarven spheres. Continue walking through that path until you reach the end, and two Dwarven spiders will spawn. Kill the spiders and go through the large golden door.
3
Keep walking through the corridor and turn left at the end of it. Continue going forward and up the staircase, then turn left at the top of it. Turn left at the end of the next corridor, but be careful of the pistons that could push you off the ledge.
- On the end of the first corridor after you enter the gold gate, there’s a chest, but it’s lined with a trap. If you want the chest, just go a bit to the left and avoid the embossed piece of the floor.
4
Keep following the corridor until you reach another golden door. Enter it to get to the Alftand Animonculory. Keep going forward and enter through another golden door, turn left at the corner and kill the Dwarven Spider.
5
Head up the stairs and kill the Dwarven machinery that will attack you. Continue walking forward until you see another set of stairs. Run up the stairs but avoid the embossed tiles that are lined with gold.
- If you happen to step on one, a booby trap will activate, run down the stairs and try again when it does.
6
Head left at the top of the stairs. You’ll see that the lever is on the other side of the metal bars. Get really close to the bars, and you’ll be able to activate the lever. Head down the stairs and jump onto the circular platform below it.
7
Go near the mini waterfall and you’ll see another staircase. Use it to go further down until you reach the golden door that’s protected by a flame torch. Wait for the flame to stop before going through it, then enter the door.

Part 5

Part 5 of 7:

Getting to Black Reach

1
- Be careful in this area; there are a lot of Falmers, and they’re pretty sturdy, especially the ones wearing heavy armor.
2
Kill all the Falmers that you see. Afterward, continue going deeper into the ruins, head down the stairs, and you’ll be attacked by more Falmers. Dispose of them and ignore the lever for now, turn left and continue going down deeper.
3
Enter through another corridor and turn left at the end. Go down the stairs and open the door to Alftand Cathedral.
4
Turn left. Be careful when you do—the floor is lined with more booby traps. Head through the golden door and up the stairs, you’ll be attacked by more Falmer; kill them and go up the stairs to your left. Flip the switch and head through the newly opened gate.
5
Kill the Dwarven Centurion. After you kill it, you will obtain the Lift key. Head up the stairs and through the door, but keep out of sight. There will be two enemies here that will try to kill each other; wait for one of them to die before taking out the other one yourself.
6
Activate the Dwarven mechanism at the middle of the room. A staircase will appear, use it to get to black reach.

Part 6

Part 6 of 7:

Completing the Quest "Transcribe the Lexicon"

1
Head down the stairs once you get to Blackreach. Go southwest until you reach a small canal; turn left from there and cross the bridge.
2
Continue walking forward until you see a tower. Head for the tower and enter the door. Inside there’s a lever; pull it to reach the tower of Mzark.
3
Keep walking forward once you’re at the tower of Mzark. Turn left at the room where a giant Dwarven sphere is embedded on the floor. Climb up the stairs and you’ll see a large machine.
4
Go near the control of the machine and activate it.
- From the right, press the second button 3 times.
- Press the third button twice, and the last button will open.
- Press it the last button, and the machine will activate.
5
Go down and grab the Elder Scroll from the machine. Head back up and take the lexicon back from where you placed it.
6
Back track to Blackreach and follow the marker. You’ll see a tower toward the south. Head there and activate the Dwarven machine to release the bars on the gate. Go inside and use the lever to exit back into Skyrim.
7
Open your map and fast travel back to Septimus Signu’s outpost. Head inside and talk to Septimus, tell him “I’ve inscribed the Lexicon” and he’ll take it from you. He’ll ask you to do more tasks.
8
Go back up. You’ll see something less than pleasant blocking your way. Talk to it and choose “I am your servant, my lord” at the end of its dialogue. Now head back out into Skyrim.

Part 7

Part 7 of 7:

Getting the Oghma Infinium

1
Head for Liar’s Retreat. To get there, go southwest from Solitude and follow the stream and climb up the mountain until you find Liar’s Retreat.
2
Kill everything inside. Be careful, there are a lot of Falmers here, and they are very hard to kill. Once you’ve killed the Falmers, take their blood and head into the next corridor.
3
Open the door on the left end of the corridor. Kill the orc there and take his blood. Leave the room and head toward the right side of the corridor. Enter through the second door and collect blood from the dead wood elf between the beds.
4
Go inside the tunnel at the end of the hallway. Keep going until you see another dead bandit; harvest blood from him, and you’ll have 4 types now.
5
Head back out into Skyrim and go to Halted Stream Camp. You can find it north of Whiterun.
- If you’ve finished the quest for Amren’s sword, then you’ve already cleared this place and you’ll be able to fast travel to it.
6
Head inside and travel to the other end of the cave. You’ll be taken back outside, and you’ll see a high elf that died in the pitfall. Crouch and take his blood, then backtrack into the cave and back out Skyrim.
7
Give the blood to Septimus. Fast travel back to Septimus Signus’s outpost and give him the blood. Follow him inside the Dwarven entry that opened.
8
Take the book once Septimus has been burnt to ashes. You now have your Oghma Infinium!