The quest can be started in one of three ways; two of them require the player to be at least level 13.
While 13 is more for flavor than a minimum required level, it is definitely recommended players have started to establish their character's combat abilities to survive all of the encounters in Sigil of the Fallen.
After level 13, the player can speak to an Innkeeper in Skyrim and select the player choice, “I’m in need of some work. Do you have anything for me?”.
They will give the player the “Warning: Restless Dead” note.
After level 13, a random encounter can occur in Skyrim at night (between 8pm and 4am). During this encounter, the player will see a spirit Dremora standing over a dead Vigilant of Stendarr. As the player approaches, the Dremora will disappear.
This random encounter of a dead Vigilant can also occur during the daytime, however the Dremora will not be present.
On the body of the Vigilant is the “Vigilant's Note”.
Regardless of which note the player receives, reading it will start the quest with the objective to investigate the area in the Reach.
The player can also head to the Reach without the objective and discover the cave (labeled the Soul Sanctum) and start the quest if they explore the area. This does not have level 13 as a requirement.
As the player approaches near the cave entrance, a spirit Dremora will appear on a cliff overlooking the entrance and begin teleporting in leaps with a visual and audio cue to draw the player's attention and lead them to the entrance.
Once the Dremora reaches the entrance, it will beckon to the player. When they approach, the Dremora will run inside the cave, dissolving the boulder that had blocked the path.
The player will then receive the objective to enter the cave.
Once inside the Soul Sanctum, the objective will update to explore the cave, and will point the player farther in.
As the player makes their way toward the main room, the original ambient music will play, and a unique discovery stinger will trigger when the large crystal structure - later introduced as the Sigil Geode - comes fully into view.
Upon entering the main room, an effect will trigger that slows time and adds a screen overlay that looks like fractured glass, and a barrier will appear to block the player from exiting. The music will shift in tone, and the objective will update, instructing the player to approach the geode.
In the center of the room, on a large raised platform, the Sigil Geode will sit. To either side, and straight ahead, there will be paths that lead farther into the sanctum, but they will be blocked by pole gates. Each path will be highlighted with a color: left = blue; forward = red; right = green.
As the player gets closer to the Sigil Geode, they will be lifted into the air as energy from the geode begins to build. The player will be able to move their camera, but won't be able to move or control their character otherwise. As the player nears the ceiling, the geode will explode in a burst of energy, launching the player into the wall behind them and knocking them out.
The player will awaken on the floor with their controls locked, looking up at a large pinkish ball of energy where the intact geode previously stood. A series of colored wisps will stream from near the geode and disappear out of view, and the large energy ball will dissipate.
A notable friendly Spirit with a purple hue will approach and cast a healing spell on the player. The player will be revived and will rise to see the Sigil Geode now shattered into pieces, hovering around the center of the room.
The player will regain control, and the objective will update to follow the Spirit.
The helpful Spirit will stand at the top of the stairs, pointing toward the wall above the cave entrance.
When the player stands next to the Spirit, the wall above the entrance will shift and will reveal the Geode Guardian - bound in purple spirit chains, hanging in an alcove. The objective will update, instructing the player to speak to the Geode Guardian, and the scene will begin automatically.
The Guardian will explain the overall task the player must accomplish. She will blame the player for releasing the spirits trapped within the Sigil Geode, and the player will now need to track down and return the escaped spirits.
The helpful Spirit that remained will become a persistent follower - the player’s Guide Spirit - as they track down the others and continue beyond.
Once the Guardian finishes, the camera will shake as three stones will rise from platforms near the Sigil Geode. The objective will update to activate a class stone.
There will be three Hero Spirits the player must return to fully restore the Sigil Geode. The player will be able to choose which Hero Spirit to pursue in any order, but once a path is confirmed by activating the stone a second time, that choice will be locked in - and act as the completion state for this quest.
For the very first path the player chooses, the Guide Spirit will accompany them through to the point of returning the first Hero Spirit to the geode. After that, the player would need to ask the Guide Spirit to come with them and act as their follower. The player can choose to dismiss the Guide Spirit at any time via a dialogue option, but she will reappear during relevant story moments.
Click the links below to read more details about each path.
After the player completes their first path, the other two stones will become unlocked once more, and the next quest will start.