I came to Skyrim in search of a way to make the voices stop. I hear them in my head constantly crying, pleading, and screaming for mercy, for vengeance, and for justice. They are the voices of those who have died but not passed on, restless souls who reach out to me seeking absolution and final rest. I find it difficult to separate my thoughts from theirs, my wants from their pleas, and I fear that I will go mad if they don’t stop soon. I don’t know why they have come to me, or why only I can hear them. What it is they want from me is a mystery, but I must try to silence them, appease them, for my own sanity... They urge me to head east toward the province of the nords.
~THE MEDIUM~
The Medium is not your classic necromancer, nor is she your classic undead hunter. Her motives are very different, and ultimately personal. Her goal is to bring the peace of true death to the restless spirits of Skyrim. She is uniquely gifted with the ability to hear and sometimes see the restless dead, not the shambling draugr, but the pure spirit form of one who cannot pass on. She is also able to “feel” them, it is an empathic link that is hard to describe. This link acts as both a curse and a blessing, guiding her to the next tormented soul in her quest to bring peace to those who have nothing left.
Race: The best race is Breton for the starting boost to Conjuration and the Conjure Familiar Spell.
Stone: Mage for aid in leveling our primary skills. Later switch to the Lord for some much needed defense. I stacked both of these stones with the Aetherial Crown for much of my play thru until the primary skills were sufficiently leveled then dropped the Mage stone in favor of the Shadow stone.
Skills: Conjuration, Restoration, Alteration
Stat Placement: M:3 H:2 S:0 I followed this ratio until I had 200 health than I just poured everything into magicka. This keeps the character squishy and encourages the use and support of summons and followers.
Weapons: Crossbow, Silver Sword, Dawnbreaker
Apparel: Robes. I wanted a brighter look to my character so I stuck with the brighter colored robes like novice, adept, and expert and avoided the darker apprentice and master sets. Endgame apparel was a set of expert robes of restoration, the archmage’s boots, and the Aetherial Crown.
Gear: Necromancer’s Amulet, Aetherial Crown
Perk Spread Level 30
Conjuration: This is the primary skill of the Medium; with it she is able to call upon the many wandering spirits of Skyrim to aid her. Starting with the wild spirit of a wolf (Conjure Familiar) and working her way up until she can manifest the spirits of ancient Nord warriors (Conjure Wrathman).
Restoration: Another major skill of the Medium. It is the other side of the necromantic coin. The Medium’s connection with the spirits has given her a keen understanding of the “lesser” undead. The main focuses of this skill are the sun and repel spells with the key perk being Necromage.
Alteration: This skill represents the empathic link of the medium both with the ghosts that haunt the world and with the spirit realm. Taken for access to detection and flesh spells, key perks are the Mage Armor perks boosting our late game survivability.
The Beginning
I remember little of my journey to Skyrim. At some point the voices just took over guiding my limbs irrevocably westward. When I finally found my wits again I was in the back of a carriage with some men, soldiers by the look of them, my hands were bound and the mood was grim. However, I noticed that the voices of the dead were weakening, retreating, I was again in control of my own thoughts. I could still feel the restless dead pleading at the back of my mind but they were greatly reduced. I should have been encouraged, but something was amiss. The voices didn’t seem to be leaving so much as hiding, as if they were afraid. But what would the dead have to fear?
Apparently I was going to be executed for some crime I could not remember committing. I would have argued, protested, fought back, but just as suddenly as the voices receded they returned a hundredfold. I nearly passed out from the urgency they imposed upon my mind. Through the haze of intruding thoughts and emotions I knelt at the executioner’s feet and looked up at the sky, and saw a legend come to life. A dragon black as night came down from the sky and landed on a tower overlooking the execution. My head was pounding, throbbing with the screams of the dead, screams of terror and rage. The emotion was more than I could bear the throbbing and screaming so intense I thought my head would surely explode. Then the dragon spoke...
A single word and the screaming in my head stopped. The voices where gone, not retreated as before but gone, banished. Despite the chaos and death that the dragon wreaked around me I had finally found peace, the deep silence I had so long desired. My tranquility was broken when one of the soldiers shook me, shouting in my ear over the din of the rampaging dragon, and gesturing toward the nearby tower.
The Build
The barrier between the world of the living and that of the dead is somehow thinner in Skyrim, almost permeable. This strange occurrence combined with the mediums sensitivity with the spirit realm has resulted in the ability to call upon and manifest spirits in times of need. These summoned ghosts will fight for and defend the medium until expelled or dismissed. In addition to these ghostly allies she is also able to “phase” between this world and the spirit world, a realm that exists alongside our own. Straddling the barrier increases her resilience to physical damage since she is not entirely here nor there. A sword thrust that would have killed her instead leaves a gash, or a mace strike that would have caved in her skull instead results in a bruise and a headache.
The medium is primarily a conjurer but in order to stay true to our role play she will only use a limited number of conjuration spells. The spells chosen best represent her ability so manifest the spirits of the dead and call upon them to aid her in times of need. She will also make use of Alteration magic which represents her empathic nature (able to communicate with spirits) and the defensive ability described above.
Ghostly Allies
The meat of the build is its use of ghosts as allies. Below is a list of the ghostly summons that will become available to the medium on her journey.
Conjure Familiar (a spirit of the wild): This white wolf is the first spirit that the medium is able to manifest. This enigmatic spirit acts as a guide and guardian and is the most liberally used summon for the early levels and even in the late game when a quick distraction is needed. Breton’s start with this spell which is what makes them the best race choice, if you aren’t a Breton then you should buy this spell as soon as possible.
Conjure Boneman (the ghost of an ancient archer): The land of Skyrim is full of restless spirits that have long ago forgotten what it was like to live and feel. This bowman is little more than an afterimage, a shadow of aggression left over from some ancient battle. The Medium gains the ability to summon this ghost as soon as you find the spell tome in the Soul Cairn.
Conjure Mistman (the ghost of a long dead mage): Just as the bowman before, this mage no longer remembers who he once was. All that is left from his past life is his magic ability. Perhaps he was once an apprentice at the College of Winterhold before his untimely end. The Medium will learn how to summon this ghost from the Augur of Dunlain. After speaking with the augur you can read this spell tome.
Conjure Wrathman (the ghost of an ancient nord warrior): This powerful spirit is one of the oldest to still haunt the secret places of Skyrim. He is a powerful warrior perhaps even one of the original companions. The Medium learns this summon from Alduin’s Wall in Sky Haven Temple. After entering Sky Haven Temple you can read this spell tome.
Summon Durnehviir (the spirit of a mighty dragon): There has been a progression throughout the build in the power of the ghosts the medium is able to summon. Durnehviir represents the ghost of a dragon; you don’t get much stronger than that. For roleplay purposes only the souls of named dragons can be used to learn the words for summoning Durnehviir. This follows the progression of the mediums abilities, and will make Durnehviir an ally for the latter half of the play-thru. The first soul will be Sahloknir since Mirmulnir’s is used to learn Fus.
Call of Valor (the fallen heroes of Sovngarde): After entering Sovngarde the medium is left with a link to the heroes there and is able to call upon these powerful spirits for aid in combat. This shout is probably the purest form of a ghost summon available in the game. Unfortunately these spirits will only be available once you have defeated Alduin.
Summon Arvak (the ghost of a faithful steed): This spirit horse still responds to his name and comes to the call of the medium. Arvak was a strong and reliable steed in life; death has done little to alter his spirit though it has altered his form. The medium can learn this summon at any time once they gain access to the Soul Cairn.
Summon Arniel’s Shade (the ghost of Arniel Gane): Arniel Gane was a wizard at the College of Winterhold and a friend of the medium. He was studying planar travel when through some ill-advised experiment he disappeared. Whether this is his ghost called up to protect his friend or merely an echo left behind by the experiment is unknown. Learned by completing Arniel’s quest, the last stages are only available once you become the archmage.
The Sixth Sense
This is the primary impetus that propelled the medium into the land of Skyrim. Her ability to sense and even communicate with the dead is unique, I may be wrong but I don’t think there is a single instance (outside combat) in which any other character communicates directly with a ghost, I guess the Dragonborn is unique in more ways than one. Below is a list of the spells that represent the medium’s “sixth sense”.
Detect Dead (the mediums link with the other side): The medium is able to feel the urgings of the many restless spirits that still haunt Skyrim. Furthermore she is able to locate nearby undead and the recently deceased.
Detect Life (the mediums empathic link with the spirit): While it is the dead spirits that most concern her travels, the medium is still able to sense the spirits of living things. With a bit of focus she can filter out the “white noise” of Skyrim’s many ghosts and single out only those who still have the spark of life.
Aura Whisper: This is one of the first shouts the medium should learn once she realizes why she was brought to Skyrim. It best represents her ability to commune with the spirit world and represents a mastery of this “sixth sense.”
Skyrim HUD (the uncanny guidance provided by the spirits): Yes even the game HUD has a place in the medium’s abilities. The HUD represents the guidance that the voices in her head give her, urging her unerringly to where she is needed.
Ghost Form
The mediums affinity for the spirit realm has granted her the power to phase between the corporeal and incorporeal. She is able to assume the spectral nature of a ghost. This has varying effects as she grows in proficiency with this new found ability.
Oak-Ebonyflesh/Dragonhide (straddling the barrier between life and death): The medium is able to set one foot on the other side making her not entirely among the living but neither is she in the realm of the dead. The effect of partially phasing to the other side leaves the medium resistant to physical harm.
Become Ethereal (the physical body fades away leaving only the spirit): Just as Aura Whisper represents the mastery of her empathic link, this shout represents the mastery of the defensive nature of the ghost form. The medium is able to not just blur her link to the physical; she is able to sever it making her untouchable.
Aetherial Crown with Shadow Stone (the medium is able to fade from sight much like a ghost): A trick taught to the medium by the ghost of Katria. Loading the crown with the Shadow Stone will give us unlimited usage of this power (not just once a day) simply un-equip then re-equip the crown to reset the power.
Exorcisms
The Dawnguard are masters at combating the undead. The mediums innate abilities made learning these new skills second nature, making her a powerful conduit for the purifying power of the divines.
Turn/Repel Undead (the mediums ability to communicate with the dead): The medium is able to impart the light of truth to the deceased mind communicating directly to the trapped soul and reminding them of the life they once had. This results in either momentary confusion or outright terror as the creature fleas the battle.
Sun Fire/Vampire’s Bane/Stendarr’s Aura (the medium dissolves the unnatural energies that bind the dead to this world): The medium will learn these devastating techniques from the Dawnguard, able to convert the purity of light into a weapon that banishes the dead from this world.
Soul Rend (the Mediums sensitivity to the souls of others turned weapon): With this shout she is able to sever the link between body and spirit causing great harm to, if not instantly killing, her enemy. Use with care, this ability can lead one down the dark path of necromancy.
Progression
After Riverwood head straight to Dayspring Canyon, do not become dragonborn just yet, instead start the Dawnguard questline.
Dawnguard: This is the first quest we want to start. The goal is to gain access to the Soul Cairn as quickly as possible so we can learn the majority of our conjuration spells. We won’t be using all of them right away as certain criteria needs to be met in order for the medium to be able to call upon each spirit. I suggest finishing the quest Beyond Death so you can get other followers besides Serana, alternatively you could just grab the spell tomes and leave if you don’t mind being stuck with Serana. The key spells that you learn upon accessing the Soul Cairn are Conjure Boneman and Summon Arvak. You can pick up the other spells now but don’t read them just yet; certain events need to happen for the medium to learn them (purely for roleplay purposes.)
I strongly suggest you also free Florentius and get him to join the Dawnguard so you can learn the other sun spells. With these tools the medium solidifies her role as an undead hunter. However, her focus is not on vampires so much as it is on the shambling hordes of undead that haunt Skyrim’s ruins. For her the hunt is not an act of vengeance or hatred (like Isran) instead it is an act of compassion and mercy as she delivers the peace and rest these tortured souls deserve.
College of Winterhold: This is the next step in the story of the medium as she searches for the reason she is cursed/blessed with the ability to communicate with the dead and why they urged her to Skyrim. Complete the college quest line up until you speak with the Augur of Dunlain. It is during this ghostly conversation that the medium will gain the Conjure Mistman spell. Now is also a good time to complete Blood on the Ice in nearby Windhelm if you haven’t already. The Necromancer’s Amulet is an invaluable piece of gear both for aiding you in casting your summons and reinforcing your role as support for your summoned ghost and not as a frontline combatant.
Main Quest: After your conversation with the Augur you answer the call of Balguuf the Greater who is seeking the college’s aid in defeating a dragon that has begun to terrorize his hold. You leave the college, letting your fellow wizards look into the whereabouts of the Staff of Magnus, and head to Whiterun. It is upon defeating Mirmulnir that you discover the purpose of your sojourn in Skyrim. You are Dragonborn and the only one capable of defeating Alduin and saving both the living of Skyrim and the dead of Sovngarde.
The ghosts have been trying to flee Alduin's rampage, and in their desperation they found you. The defeat of Alduin is the primary goal for the Medium and why the spirits brought her to Skyrim. With the defeat of Alduin the medium will have brought peace to the vast majority of ghosts that haunt Skyrim allowing them to enter Sovngarde without fear of the World Eater.
Other Notable Quests
In addition to the above major questlines there are also several minor quests that the medium would be drawn to complete.
Tending the Flames: Aid the ghost of Svaknir in defeating Olaf One-Eye.
The Book of Love: The final trial set upon you by Mara is aiding the spirits of Ruki and Fenrig.
Lost to the Ages: Help Katria finish her life’s work, and find peace in the afterlife.
Laid to Rest: Investigate the tragic house fire that resulted in Helgi’s ghost haunting Morthal.
Evil in Waiting: The spirit of Valdar beseeches you to aid him in defeating an ancient evil.
The Man Who Cried Wolf/The Wolf Queen Awakened: A coven of necromancers have released the powerful ghost of Potema the Wolf Queen of Solitude.
The Break of Dawn: The Lady of Infinite Energies summons you to her temple and requests that you cleanse it of the dark shades that now reside there.
Locations of Interest
Below is a list of locations that would interest one with the Mediums talents. These areas can be cleared at any point during a play thru, and may even end up as one of the targets for the side quests you complete for the Dawnguard or the College.
Yngvild: Stop a depraved necromancer and free the spirits he has bound to his will.
Rannveig’s Fast: Find out what has bound the souls of adventurer’s to this ancient ruin and free the subjugated ghosts within.
Yngol’s Barrow: A scholar form the college has gone missing and strange lights can be seen at night. The spirits here are restless.
Old Hroldan Inn: An Inn located on the road between Falkreath and Markarth is said to be haunted by an ancient warrior.
Abandoned Prison: This ruined prison found on the banks of the White River is said to be haunted by the prisoners once held there.
Forelhost: A horrible tragedy once occurred here in the name of the dragons. Put these tormented spirits to rest.
Ansilvund: Someone has disturbed this ancient resting place. The dead here are now being bound to another’s will and robbed of their eternal sleep.
Kjenstag Ruins: A ghost is said to appear at night wandering these ruins.
Combat
The summon spells are your primary offense and defense, rely on them to carry every battle. Wearing clothes exclusively and the health and stamina regen reduction caused by the Necromancer’s Amulet help push you into the support role. Your sword and crossbow are fall back weapons for when you run out of magicka and can’t summon, they will see less and less use as you level up and increase your magicka pool.
Each encounter should start with a flesh spell and a summon spell. Then you should fall back into a support role focused on healing your allies (healing hands/necromantic healing) or taking pot shots with your crossbow. Against undead enemies you will be more aggressive firing off sun spells or flanking them with an active Stendarr’s Aura, be careful with the projectile sun spells since they will also damage your summon. Stendarr’s Aura is safe to use as it only damages hostile summons, making it preferable in hectic battles or enclosed spaces. If you start to agro the enemy then fall back, put your summon between you and your pursuer, and use the Shadow Stone to fade out of sight until the danger passes. Alternatively you could use Become Ethereal and grab the enemies focus while your summon flanks them.
~
The smell of smoke still hung in the air, a memory of the house that used to be here. The ruined timbers poked up through the blanket of snow like the ribs of some great beast picked clean by scavengers and now forgotten. The “others” urged me to linger in this town, compelled me to inquire about the burned down house, and now I stand in what was the threshold as twilight comes on. I felt her before the sound of her sobbing reached my ears. Her form was barely discernable in the falling snow, huddled in the ruined corner of the house weeping softly.
I approached cautiously, one thing I’ve learned is that phantoms can be unpredictable especially when one of the living can see and hear them, like I can. I inquired as to why she was weeping. She looked at me and I felt her fear and confusion, briefly I felt the heat of the fire and tasted the smoke in my mouth. Tears ran unbidden down my cheeks as I again asked her why she was crying and what had happened here? “You need to find me before she does,” was the only answer I received before the girl faded away leaving me standing alone in the dark and the snow.
Conclusion
Thank you all for reading I hope you enjoy this build as much as I have. Ever since I posted my faction build the Resurrectionists I’ve been toying with this build which like my other build the Chirurgeon forms a part of that faction. If you liked this build (and necromancy in general) then please check out those posts and let me know what you think.
Again thank you to the readers, the CB hosts, and the Vault in general for making this a great site and a great community to be a part of.
And a huge thank you to HeroicX for the fantastic build video!
-Vargr
I came to Skyrim in search of a way to make the voices stop. I hear them in my head constantly crying, pleading, and screaming for mercy, for vengeance, and for justice. They are the voices of those who have died but not passed on, restless souls who reach out to me seeking absolution and final rest. I find it difficult to separate my thoughts from theirs, my wants from their pleas, and I fear that I will go mad if they don’t stop soon. I don’t know why they have come to me, or why only I can hear them. What it is they want from me is a mystery, but I must try to silence them, appease them, for my own sanity... They urge me to head east toward the province of the nords.
~THE MEDIUM~
The Medium is not your classic necromancer, nor is she your classic undead hunter. Her motives are very different, and ultimately personal. Her goal is to bring the peace of true death to the restless spirits of Skyrim. She is uniquely gifted with the ability to hear and sometimes see the restless dead, not the shambling draugr, but the pure spirit form of one who cannot pass on. She is also able to “feel” them, it is an empathic link that is hard to describe. This link acts as both a curse and a blessing, guiding her to the next tormented soul in her quest to bring peace to those who have nothing left.
Race: The best race is Breton for the starting boost to Conjuration and the Conjure Familiar Spell.
Stone: Mage for aid in leveling our primary skills. Later switch to the Lord for some much needed defense. I stacked both of these stones with the Aetherial Crown for much of my play thru until the primary skills were sufficiently leveled then dropped the Mage stone in favor of the Shadow stone.
Skills: Conjuration, Restoration, Alteration
Stat Placement: M:3 H:2 S:0 I followed this ratio until I had 200 health than I just poured everything into magicka. This keeps the character squishy and encourages the use and support of summons and followers.
Weapons: Crossbow, Silver Sword, Dawnbreaker
Apparel: Robes. I wanted a brighter look to my character so I stuck with the brighter colored robes like novice, adept, and expert and avoided the darker apprentice and master sets. Endgame apparel was a set of expert robes of restoration, the archmage’s boots, and the Aetherial Crown.
Gear: Necromancer’s Amulet, Aetherial Crown
Perk Spread Level 30
Conjuration: This is the primary skill of the Medium; with it she is able to call upon the many wandering spirits of Skyrim to aid her. Starting with the wild spirit of a wolf (Conjure Familiar) and working her way up until she can manifest the spirits of ancient Nord warriors (Conjure Wrathman).
Restoration: Another major skill of the Medium. It is the other side of the necromantic coin. The Medium’s connection with the spirits has given her a keen understanding of the “lesser” undead. The main focuses of this skill are the sun and repel spells with the key perk being Necromage.
Alteration: This skill represents the empathic link of the medium both with the ghosts that haunt the world and with the spirit realm. Taken for access to detection and flesh spells, key perks are the Mage Armor perks boosting our late game survivability.
The Beginning
I remember little of my journey to Skyrim. At some point the voices just took over guiding my limbs irrevocably westward. When I finally found my wits again I was in the back of a carriage with some men, soldiers by the look of them, my hands were bound and the mood was grim. However, I noticed that the voices of the dead were weakening, retreating, I was again in control of my own thoughts. I could still feel the restless dead pleading at the back of my mind but they were greatly reduced. I should have been encouraged, but something was amiss. The voices didn’t seem to be leaving so much as hiding, as if they were afraid. But what would the dead have to fear?
Apparently I was going to be executed for some crime I could not remember committing. I would have argued, protested, fought back, but just as suddenly as the voices receded they returned a hundredfold. I nearly passed out from the urgency they imposed upon my mind. Through the haze of intruding thoughts and emotions I knelt at the executioner’s feet and looked up at the sky, and saw a legend come to life. A dragon black as night came down from the sky and landed on a tower overlooking the execution. My head was pounding, throbbing with the screams of the dead, screams of terror and rage. The emotion was more than I could bear the throbbing and screaming so intense I thought my head would surely explode. Then the dragon spoke...
A single word and the screaming in my head stopped. The voices where gone, not retreated as before but gone, banished. Despite the chaos and death that the dragon wreaked around me I had finally found peace, the deep silence I had so long desired. My tranquility was broken when one of the soldiers shook me, shouting in my ear over the din of the rampaging dragon, and gesturing toward the nearby tower.
The Build
The barrier between the world of the living and that of the dead is somehow thinner in Skyrim, almost permeable. This strange occurrence combined with the mediums sensitivity with the spirit realm has resulted in the ability to call upon and manifest spirits in times of need. These summoned ghosts will fight for and defend the medium until expelled or dismissed. In addition to these ghostly allies she is also able to “phase” between this world and the spirit world, a realm that exists alongside our own. Straddling the barrier increases her resilience to physical damage since she is not entirely here nor there. A sword thrust that would have killed her instead leaves a gash, or a mace strike that would have caved in her skull instead results in a bruise and a headache.
The medium is primarily a conjurer but in order to stay true to our role play she will only use a limited number of conjuration spells. The spells chosen best represent her ability so manifest the spirits of the dead and call upon them to aid her in times of need. She will also make use of Alteration magic which represents her empathic nature (able to communicate with spirits) and the defensive ability described above.
Ghostly Allies
The meat of the build is its use of ghosts as allies. Below is a list of the ghostly summons that will become available to the medium on her journey.
Conjure Familiar (a spirit of the wild): This white wolf is the first spirit that the medium is able to manifest. This enigmatic spirit acts as a guide and guardian and is the most liberally used summon for the early levels and even in the late game when a quick distraction is needed. Breton’s start with this spell which is what makes them the best race choice, if you aren’t a Breton then you should buy this spell as soon as possible.
Conjure Boneman (the ghost of an ancient archer): The land of Skyrim is full of restless spirits that have long ago forgotten what it was like to live and feel. This bowman is little more than an afterimage, a shadow of aggression left over from some ancient battle. The Medium gains the ability to summon this ghost as soon as you find the spell tome in the Soul Cairn.
Conjure Mistman (the ghost of a long dead mage): Just as the bowman before, this mage no longer remembers who he once was. All that is left from his past life is his magic ability. Perhaps he was once an apprentice at the College of Winterhold before his untimely end. The Medium will learn how to summon this ghost from the Augur of Dunlain. After speaking with the augur you can read this spell tome.
Conjure Wrathman (the ghost of an ancient nord warrior): This powerful spirit is one of the oldest to still haunt the secret places of Skyrim. He is a powerful warrior perhaps even one of the original companions. The Medium learns this summon from Alduin’s Wall in Sky Haven Temple. After entering Sky Haven Temple you can read this spell tome.
Summon Durnehviir (the spirit of a mighty dragon): There has been a progression throughout the build in the power of the ghosts the medium is able to summon. Durnehviir represents the ghost of a dragon; you don’t get much stronger than that. For roleplay purposes only the souls of named dragons can be used to learn the words for summoning Durnehviir. This follows the progression of the mediums abilities, and will make Durnehviir an ally for the latter half of the play-thru. The first soul will be Sahloknir since Mirmulnir’s is used to learn Fus.
Call of Valor (the fallen heroes of Sovngarde): After entering Sovngarde the medium is left with a link to the heroes there and is able to call upon these powerful spirits for aid in combat. This shout is probably the purest form of a ghost summon available in the game. Unfortunately these spirits will only be available once you have defeated Alduin.
Summon Arvak (the ghost of a faithful steed): This spirit horse still responds to his name and comes to the call of the medium. Arvak was a strong and reliable steed in life; death has done little to alter his spirit though it has altered his form. The medium can learn this summon at any time once they gain access to the Soul Cairn.
Summon Arniel’s Shade (the ghost of Arniel Gane): Arniel Gane was a wizard at the College of Winterhold and a friend of the medium. He was studying planar travel when through some ill-advised experiment he disappeared. Whether this is his ghost called up to protect his friend or merely an echo left behind by the experiment is unknown. Learned by completing Arniel’s quest, the last stages are only available once you become the archmage.
The Sixth Sense
This is the primary impetus that propelled the medium into the land of Skyrim. Her ability to sense and even communicate with the dead is unique, I may be wrong but I don’t think there is a single instance (outside combat) in which any other character communicates directly with a ghost, I guess the Dragonborn is unique in more ways than one. Below is a list of the spells that represent the medium’s “sixth sense”.
Detect Dead (the mediums link with the other side): The medium is able to feel the urgings of the many restless spirits that still haunt Skyrim. Furthermore she is able to locate nearby undead and the recently deceased.
Detect Life (the mediums empathic link with the spirit): While it is the dead spirits that most concern her travels, the medium is still able to sense the spirits of living things. With a bit of focus she can filter out the “white noise” of Skyrim’s many ghosts and single out only those who still have the spark of life.
Aura Whisper: This is one of the first shouts the medium should learn once she realizes why she was brought to Skyrim. It best represents her ability to commune with the spirit world and represents a mastery of this “sixth sense.”
Skyrim HUD (the uncanny guidance provided by the spirits): Yes even the game HUD has a place in the medium’s abilities. The HUD represents the guidance that the voices in her head give her, urging her unerringly to where she is needed.
Ghost Form
The mediums affinity for the spirit realm has granted her the power to phase between the corporeal and incorporeal. She is able to assume the spectral nature of a ghost. This has varying effects as she grows in proficiency with this new found ability.
Oak-Ebonyflesh/Dragonhide (straddling the barrier between life and death): The medium is able to set one foot on the other side making her not entirely among the living but neither is she in the realm of the dead. The effect of partially phasing to the other side leaves the medium resistant to physical harm.
Become Ethereal (the physical body fades away leaving only the spirit): Just as Aura Whisper represents the mastery of her empathic link, this shout represents the mastery of the defensive nature of the ghost form. The medium is able to not just blur her link to the physical; she is able to sever it making her untouchable.
Aetherial Crown with Shadow Stone (the medium is able to fade from sight much like a ghost): A trick taught to the medium by the ghost of Katria. Loading the crown with the Shadow Stone will give us unlimited usage of this power (not just once a day) simply un-equip then re-equip the crown to reset the power.
Exorcisms
The Dawnguard are masters at combating the undead. The mediums innate abilities made learning these new skills second nature, making her a powerful conduit for the purifying power of the divines.
Turn/Repel Undead (the mediums ability to communicate with the dead): The medium is able to impart the light of truth to the deceased mind communicating directly to the trapped soul and reminding them of the life they once had. This results in either momentary confusion or outright terror as the creature fleas the battle.
Sun Fire/Vampire’s Bane/Stendarr’s Aura (the medium dissolves the unnatural energies that bind the dead to this world): The medium will learn these devastating techniques from the Dawnguard, able to convert the purity of light into a weapon that banishes the dead from this world.
Soul Rend (the Mediums sensitivity to the souls of others turned weapon): With this shout she is able to sever the link between body and spirit causing great harm to, if not instantly killing, her enemy. Use with care, this ability can lead one down the dark path of necromancy.
Progression
After Riverwood head straight to Dayspring Canyon, do not become dragonborn just yet, instead start the Dawnguard questline.
Dawnguard: This is the first quest we want to start. The goal is to gain access to the Soul Cairn as quickly as possible so we can learn the majority of our conjuration spells. We won’t be using all of them right away as certain criteria needs to be met in order for the medium to be able to call upon each spirit. I suggest finishing the quest Beyond Death so you can get other followers besides Serana, alternatively you could just grab the spell tomes and leave if you don’t mind being stuck with Serana. The key spells that you learn upon accessing the Soul Cairn are Conjure Boneman and Summon Arvak. You can pick up the other spells now but don’t read them just yet; certain events need to happen for the medium to learn them (purely for roleplay purposes.)
I strongly suggest you also free Florentius and get him to join the Dawnguard so you can learn the other sun spells. With these tools the medium solidifies her role as an undead hunter. However, her focus is not on vampires so much as it is on the shambling hordes of undead that haunt Skyrim’s ruins. For her the hunt is not an act of vengeance or hatred (like Isran) instead it is an act of compassion and mercy as she delivers the peace and rest these tortured souls deserve.
College of Winterhold: This is the next step in the story of the medium as she searches for the reason she is cursed/blessed with the ability to communicate with the dead and why they urged her to Skyrim. Complete the college quest line up until you speak with the Augur of Dunlain. It is during this ghostly conversation that the medium will gain the Conjure Mistman spell. Now is also a good time to complete Blood on the Ice in nearby Windhelm if you haven’t already. The Necromancer’s Amulet is an invaluable piece of gear both for aiding you in casting your summons and reinforcing your role as support for your summoned ghost and not as a frontline combatant.
Main Quest: After your conversation with the Augur you answer the call of Balguuf the Greater who is seeking the college’s aid in defeating a dragon that has begun to terrorize his hold. You leave the college, letting your fellow wizards look into the whereabouts of the Staff of Magnus, and head to Whiterun. It is upon defeating Mirmulnir that you discover the purpose of your sojourn in Skyrim. You are Dragonborn and the only one capable of defeating Alduin and saving both the living of Skyrim and the dead of Sovngarde.
The ghosts have been trying to flee Alduin's rampage, and in their desperation they found you. The defeat of Alduin is the primary goal for the Medium and why the spirits brought her to Skyrim. With the defeat of Alduin the medium will have brought peace to the vast majority of ghosts that haunt Skyrim allowing them to enter Sovngarde without fear of the World Eater.
Other Notable Quests
In addition to the above major questlines there are also several minor quests that the medium would be drawn to complete.
Tending the Flames: Aid the ghost of Svaknir in defeating Olaf One-Eye.
The Book of Love: The final trial set upon you by Mara is aiding the spirits of Ruki and Fenrig.
Lost to the Ages: Help Katria finish her life’s work, and find peace in the afterlife.
Laid to Rest: Investigate the tragic house fire that resulted in Helgi’s ghost haunting Morthal.
Evil in Waiting: The spirit of Valdar beseeches you to aid him in defeating an ancient evil.
The Man Who Cried Wolf/The Wolf Queen Awakened: A coven of necromancers have released the powerful ghost of Potema the Wolf Queen of Solitude.
The Break of Dawn: The Lady of Infinite Energies summons you to her temple and requests that you cleanse it of the dark shades that now reside there.
Locations of Interest
Below is a list of locations that would interest one with the Mediums talents. These areas can be cleared at any point during a play thru, and may even end up as one of the targets for the side quests you complete for the Dawnguard or the College.
Yngvild: Stop a depraved necromancer and free the spirits he has bound to his will.
Rannveig’s Fast: Find out what has bound the souls of adventurer’s to this ancient ruin and free the subjugated ghosts within.
Yngol’s Barrow: A scholar form the college has gone missing and strange lights can be seen at night. The spirits here are restless.
Old Hroldan Inn: An Inn located on the road between Falkreath and Markarth is said to be haunted by an ancient warrior.
Abandoned Prison: This ruined prison found on the banks of the White River is said to be haunted by the prisoners once held there.
Forelhost: A horrible tragedy once occurred here in the name of the dragons. Put these tormented spirits to rest.
Ansilvund: Someone has disturbed this ancient resting place. The dead here are now being bound to another’s will and robbed of their eternal sleep.
Kjenstag Ruins: A ghost is said to appear at night wandering these ruins.
Combat
The summon spells are your primary offense and defense, rely on them to carry every battle. Wearing clothes exclusively and the health and stamina regen reduction caused by the Necromancer’s Amulet help push you into the support role. Your sword and crossbow are fall back weapons for when you run out of magicka and can’t summon, they will see less and less use as you level up and increase your magicka pool.
Each encounter should start with a flesh spell and a summon spell. Then you should fall back into a support role focused on healing your allies (healing hands/necromantic healing) or taking pot shots with your crossbow. Against undead enemies you will be more aggressive firing off sun spells or flanking them with an active Stendarr’s Aura, be careful with the projectile sun spells since they will also damage your summon. Stendarr’s Aura is safe to use as it only damages hostile summons, making it preferable in hectic battles or enclosed spaces. If you start to agro the enemy then fall back, put your summon between you and your pursuer, and use the Shadow Stone to fade out of sight until the danger passes. Alternatively you could use Become Ethereal and grab the enemies focus while your summon flanks them.
~
The smell of smoke still hung in the air, a memory of the house that used to be here. The ruined timbers poked up through the blanket of snow like the ribs of some great beast picked clean by scavengers and now forgotten. The “others” urged me to linger in this town, compelled me to inquire about the burned down house, and now I stand in what was the threshold as twilight comes on. I felt her before the sound of her sobbing reached my ears. Her form was barely discernable in the falling snow, huddled in the ruined corner of the house weeping softly.
I approached cautiously, one thing I’ve learned is that phantoms can be unpredictable especially when one of the living can see and hear them, like I can. I inquired as to why she was weeping. She looked at me and I felt her fear and confusion, briefly I felt the heat of the fire and tasted the smoke in my mouth. Tears ran unbidden down my cheeks as I again asked her why she was crying and what had happened here? “You need to find me before she does,” was the only answer I received before the girl faded away leaving me standing alone in the dark and the snow.
Conclusion
Thank you all for reading I hope you enjoy this build as much as I have. Ever since I posted my faction build the Resurrectionists I’ve been toying with this build which like my other build the Chirurgeon forms a part of that faction. If you liked this build (and necromancy in general) then please check out those posts and let me know what you think.
Again thank you to the readers, the CB hosts, and the Vault in general for making this a great site and a great community to be a part of.
And a huge thank you to HeroicX for the fantastic build video!
-Vargr
