Quick Links

  • Prerequisites To Complete
  • Accepting Bloodline
  • Exiting Dimhollow Crypt
  • Traveling To Castle Volkihar
  • Speaking With Lord Harkon
  • Vampire Lord Training
  • Rewards For Completing Bloodline

The Dawnguard DLC in Skyrim adds several new quests involving vampires; in this questline, you will learn about these creatures and the Volkihar Clan. One of the quests that you will come across while completing this DLC is Bloodline. For this quest, you will need to lead the vampire Serana home and meet Lord Harkon, the leader of the Volkihar Clan.

In this guide, we are going to go over everything you need to know about the Bloodline quest. This is the third quest within the Dawnguard, so first let's take a quick look at the previous quests that you will need to complete first.

Prerequisites To Complete

exterior of fort dawnguard in Skyrim

There are two prerequisite quests that you need to be complete before starting Bloodline. Both of these quests can be found below.

Quest NPC To Speak With
Dawnguard Agmaer
  • Located in Dayspring Canyon, east of Riften
Alternatively, you just need to be level 10 and this quest will automatically be accepted
Awakening Isran
  • Located in Fort Dawnguard, east of Riften

Accepting Bloodline

player speaking with serena in dimhollow crypt

During the prerequisite quests, you will visit Dawnguard Fort and learn of the vampires who attacked the fort.

After venturing to Dimhollow Crypt in search of these vampires, you meet Serana, who will automatically give you the Bloodline quest once Awakening is complete.

Exiting Dimhollow Crypt

cavern of dimhollow crypt

Once accepting Bloodline, Serana will ask you to lead her home to Castle Volkihar, located to the north of Northwatch Keep. After speaking with Serana about returning home, Gargoyles will appear around you and Serana, which must be defeated.

With the Gargoyles defeated, head to the exit of the cavern room that you are in and enter into an area with a lever and a gate. Pull this lever and proceed through the gate, while killing the draugr that appear.

Continue on through the gate and enter into an arena-like room, filled with enemies. Kill all of these enemies and leave through the iron door, but be sure to approach the word wall and learn the Drain Vitality shout.

After you leave Dimhollow Crypt, you can make your way to Castle Volkihar.

Traveling To Castle Volkihar

exterior of castle volkihar

As mentioned earlier, Castle Volkihar is located north of Northwatch Keep. This is an old fortress where the Thalmor keep Thorald Gray-Mane as a prisoner. You can reach this fortress by heading west from Solitude.

On the northern edge of Northwatch Keep, you will find Icewater Jetty with an empty boat. This boat serves as your transportation the first time you visit Castle Volkihar.

Board the boat and head to the castle, where you will meet Lord Harkon.

Speaking With Lord Harkon

player speaking to lord harkon in castle volkihar

Here, you will watch Serana and Lord Harkon reunite, as he questions her about the Elder Scroll she has, as well as who you are.

Eventually, Lord Harkon will present you with the opportunity to become a vampire. If you accept the offer, Harkon will bite you, which causes you to pass out.

If you refuse the offer to become a vampire, you will be banished from Castle Volkihar and won't be able to enter back inside. From here, you will need to return back to Isran and finish the quest.

Later during the Dawnguard questline, you will have the opportunity to become a vampire again during the Chasing Echoes quest. This is helpful if you change your mind after refusing Harkon.

Vampire Lord Training

player training to be a vampire lord with lord harkon

After Harkon turns you into a vampire, he will give you some training so you can learn the basics of being a vampire lord. This training will occur in the castle's cathedral. Below, you can find the tasks that you will need to perform during this training session.

  • Transform into a Vampire Lord
  • Land on the ground
  • View Perk Tree
  • Select a Power

Rewards For Completing Bloodline

perk tree for vampire with all perks active

The only reward you will receive for completing Bloodline is the option to become a vampire. This means that if you refuse the offer, you will not receive any reward.

If you become a vampire, you will also have access to the Vampire Lord Perk tree. This is a series of perks unique to vampires that can be unlocked as you perform vampire activities. For example, as you consume enemies or use the Drain Life spell, you will rank up your vampire ability, allowing you to access new perks.

Once this quest is complete, you will start one of the following quests.

  • A New Order
    • this quest will occur if you refuse to become a vampire
  • The Bloodstone Chalice
    • this quest will occur if you become a vampire

The Bloodstone Chalice quest will be provided by Garan Merethi, who is located within the castle. If you returned back to Isran and refuse to become a vampire, he will automatically provide you with A New Order.

Next: Skyrim: Things That Make No Sense About The Dawnguard