Though the main story ofThe Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimfeatures some pretty fun quests, much of what makes the game so enjoyable is all the optional content. Players will often find themselves faced withcountless side quests to pursue, but some aren’t as easy to start as others.
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Skyrim’sThe Break of Dawnside quest can only be started by acquiring a unique item known asMeridia’s Beacon. In most cases, finding a unique item requires the Dragonborn to visit a specific location and open a chest, but this isn’t the case for Meridia’s Beacon, as its location isn’t always fixed.
How To Find Meridia’s Beacon
Before players can begin searching for Meridia’s Beacon, they must first ensure that theirSkyrimcharacter has reachedLevel 12. Upon reaching this level, the beacon will spawn inalmost any boss chestavailable in the game. If players have already completed a dungeon after hitting Level 12, it is recommended that they check their inventory, as they may have already acquired Meridia’s Beacon after opening the boss chest at the end of said dungeon.
Those who wish to begin"The Break of Dawn"side quest without visiting any unnecessary parts of the map can do so by traveling directly tothe Statue to Meridia. This statue can be reached byfast-traveling to Solitudeand proceeding west towardthe Daedric Shrine markeron the map. After climbing the snow-covered mountain and ascending the stairs toward the statue itself, Meridia will speak to the Dragonborn and task him with finding and retrieving her beacon.
Once Meridia finishes addressing the Dragonborn, the location of Meridia’s Beacon will be highlighted on the map. From here, all players need to do is fast-travel to the marker, enter the highlighted dungeon, and uncover the chest in which the beacon is stored. Once the beacon has been acquired, Meridia will speak and ask the Dragonborn to return to her statue to continue the quest.
How To Complete The Break Of Dawn Side Quest
Upon returning to the Statue to Meridia, players can approach the Gem Pedastal at the base of the statue and interact with it to insert Meridia’s Beacon. With the beacon returned to its proper place, the Dragonborn must travel to the base of the Daedric Shrine and enter inside to restore Kilkreath Temple to what it once was. To do this, the players must find andinteract with each of the pedestalsspread throughout the shrine and guide the light of Meridia’s Beacon to the correct spots.
Eventually, players will gain access to theKilkreath Catacombs, wherein they will faceMalkoran, a powerful sorcerer with some pretty devastating attacks. Once he is defeated, an entity known asMalkoran’s Shadewill appear and launch an attack. Like Malkoran, this shadowy foe should not be taken lightly, as its attacks can be pretty unforgiving.
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Once Malkoran’s Shade has been felled, the Dragonborn can interact with the pedestal at the back of the room toacquire the Dawnbreaker, a one-handed sword that can be used to deal some pretty significant damage to undead enemies.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimis available for PS3, PS4, PS5, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, and Nintendo Switch.
