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Forgotten Seasons is a creation that adds an absolutely sprawling Dwemer ruin in the south of the Reach that players can expect to traverse for many hours. The addon introduces new lore not previously mentioned in Skyrim, but it's so well-integrated and well-written that it doesn't break any lore while still offering something completely new.
The Forgotten Seasons creation takes players through several sections in the Dwemer ruin Vardnknd, and each section is themed after the four seasons. In addition to new armors and weapons, Forgotten Seasons adds the Dwarven Horse mount from The Elder Scrolls Online to Skyrim and also offers players a permanent effect upon completion of the main questline.
Updated April 30, 2022 by Erik Petrovich: The Forgotten Seasons creation for Skyrim Anniversary Edition is one of the most detailed and elaborate additions to the game. Also available in Skyrim SE Forgotten Seasons takes players to a gigantic underground dungeon, and the items players get along the way are worth getting lost in the maze of Vardnknd for. There are several items added to the game that aren't weapons or armor, though. Of course everyone knows about the Dwarven Horse, but there is also an equippable Dwarven Drone Fly and a new Alchemy ingredient to hunt down, too. Take your time with this creation - there's a lot to discover, and a few different ways of taking on each wing of the sprawling underground city.
How To Start Forgotten Seasons in Skyrim
Forgotten Seasons almost entirely takes place in Runoff Caverns, a new dungeon hidden away on the southwest border of Skyrim. On the map, it's located roughly halfway between Markarth and Falkreath as the crow flies. If you've found Lost Valley Redoubt (the Forsworn camp featuring a waterfall and Bard's Leap Summit), Runoff Caverns is just a short trip west.
Upon entering the cave the player will immediately notice it's not like other caves found in Skyrim. Players will find a group of dead mercenaries after traveling through the cave system for a short while. If the quest didn't pop into your journal upon entering Runoff Caverns, look for a note in one of the mercenaries' tents that serves as an alternate way to begin the quest.
A Dwemer Ruin In Runoff Caverns
Dwemer Ruins are a common sight throughout Skyrim, even if they're supposed to be rare in the lore. The Dwemer were called Dwarves by many because they preferred to live underground in steampunk-esque megacities. When the Dwemer mysteriously disappeared following the Battle of Red Mountain, these cities fell into disrepair and ruin.
Centuries and centuries later these Dwemer ruins across Tamriel serve as hotspots for graverobbers, thieves, and adventurers alike. Runoff Caverns is unique in that there are few non-machine enemies throughout all of Vardnknd, and players must interact with the machinery in completely new ways to progress through its puzzles. At the center of the ruin is the mysterious Weather Witch, a malfunctioning machine that has the ability to control the seasons and weather patterns throughout all of Skyrim.
Dwarven Visages, Crowns, And Armor
Forgotten Seasons adds a variety of heavy headpieces in the form of three Dwarven Visages and three Dwarven Crowns named after the seasons, specifically Spring, Autumn, and Winter. These headpieces each have different effects based on their associated season, and Visages are used in creating a Dwarven Crown with upgraded effects.
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Effects |
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Dwarven Spring Visage |
+25 Max Health, +5 to Light Armor and Heavy Armor |
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Dwarven Crown of Spring |
+25 Max Health, +5 to Light Armor and Heavy Armor, 10% increased Health recovery |
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Dwarven Autumn Visage |
+25 to Max Magicka, 10% reduction in Magicka cost for Restoration and Illusion spells |
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Dwarven Crown of Autumn |
+50 to Max Magicka, 15% reduction to Restoration and Illusion spell cost, 10% increased Magicka recovery |
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Dwarven Winter Visage |
+25 to Max Stamina, 10% increase to One-Handed and Two-Handed damage |
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Dwarven Crown of Winter |
+40 to Max Stamina, 15% increase to One-Handed and Two-Handed damage, 10% increased Stamina recovery |
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Ward of Seasons |
Fire, Frost, Shock, Poison resistances increased by 10% |
These crowns are found throughout each area in their associated season's section of Vardnknd. In addition to these headpieces is the Ward of Seasons, which is a Heavy Armor piece that increases Fire, Frost, Shock, and Poison resistance. The Ward of Seasons is found on the body of a boss at the end of the main Forgotten Seasons questline.
Other Forgotten Seasons Items
The Dwarven Crowns and the Ward of Seasons aren't the only items introduced to Skyrim with the Forgotten Seasons creation. It also adds a new ingredient (the Wild Grass Pod), several notes and lorebooks that help explain the setting, a new defensive pet, and a Dwarven Horse mount.
The Wild Grass Pod
The Wild Grass Pod is a new ingredient item that can only be found in the Autumn's Bell portion of the Runoff Caverns, where players find a large farm guarded by several patrolling automatons. When used in Alchemy recipes, it has the Fortify Alteration effect, the Resist Poison effect, the Restore Magicka effect, and the Ravage Magicka effect that essentially counts out the Restore Magicka effect when consumed directly.
The Dwarven Drone Fly
The Dwarven Drone Fly is equipped from the inventory and creates a Dwarven Drone that flies around the player, giving them increased Poison Resistance and Stamina Recovery. This unique item can be found at the very end of the Spring's Symphony portion of the Runoff Caverns.
The Dwarven Horse Mount
The Dwarven Horse is a nigh-invincible horse that can be reassembled throughout the Forgotten Seasons questline. The Dwarven Horse is earned by completing the quest of the same name, which can be picked up by interacting with the pile of machine parts just outside of the entrance to Runoff Caverns.
Questlines in Forgotten Seasons
There are three questlines introduced with Forgotten Seasons: the main Forgotten Seasons questline, The Dwarven Horse, and The Dwarven Crown. The Forgotten Seasons questline takes players through the elaborate Dwemer ruin Vardnknd, while the other two quests serve as side objectives for the player to complete along the way.
The Dwarven Horse is picked up outside of the entrance to the ruin, and tasks the player to find pieces to the Horse throughout Vardnknd, granting it as a new mount on completion. The Dwarven Crown is associated with the new headpieces in Forgotten Seasons, and guides the player to create their own customized Crown while locating the others. Players are given a permanent buff that changes depending on the weather upon completing the main questline.
Skyrim Anniversary Edition is available for PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S