Skyrim:Darkfall Passage

The cave system is split into two distinctly different areas; the first contains many Falmer and their tents found in several small chambers, while the second consists of a single huge chamber full of bioluminescent fungi and glowing crystalised rock.
 
Related Quests
 

Walkthrough
Darkfall Passage
Passing through the portal found at the end of Darkfall Cave leads to a small chamber with the remains of a wayshrine surrounded by strange tubular plantlife that glows pink and glowing mushrooms. These wayshrine remains cannot take you back to Darkfall Cave. The only way out from this point is to fast travel from an outdoor location. The only light source within this section of the caves come from bioluminescent plants and fungi. A light spell or torches are recommended unless you have good night vision. You will find many glowing mushrooms throughout the cave system in addition to the unique pink glowing tubers, which retract their glowing segments as you approach. There is a passage heading north, with patches of standing water along the undulating path and on the left is a chaurus coccoon  containing a chaurus hunter . Use of detect life spell is highly recommended within this area. Further ahead is a Falmer hive containing a Falmer skulking inside. On the right is a second empty hive. The passage continues and after a couple of twists and turns you come to another occupied Falmer hive, with a second Falmer standing a short distance beyond. They are likely to attack simultaneously. 

Once past these, a short tunnel leads to a chamber with a low ceiling, where you will encounter two chaurus. There are several chaurus egg sacs in small groups around the chamber. Against one of the rock pillars near the middle is a skeleton with a satchel containing loot including two random potions of waterbreathing. Behind the same pillar is a flooded shaft which you can swim down into and follow a flooded tunnel heading east to a second shaft, with a small enclosed chamber above. You will find another skeleton beside an elven bow and arrows, a leveled potion of healing, two random potions of resist fire and a large coin purse. There are also two gleamblossom plants, which are unique plants that are only found within this underground system. They can be harvested for use in alchemy. The skeleton also carries a note explaining this person chose to give up and die here, rather than face the creatures again. Returning back to the previous chamber is the only way back out. There is a narrow passage flanked by pink glowing plants and heads west. 

Following this passage it turns and heads north, where you will encounter a Falmer, and just beyond, on the right-hand wall is a narrow passage. Ahead along the main passage is a pillar in the middle of the passage with a claw trap on the back of it. There is a tripwire beside the pillar that triggers the claw trap. The narrow passage leads back out into the main passage just beyond the trap. On the right just after the pillar is an unlocked Falmer chest. At the far end you will note a Falmer hive with a cocoon beneath it. Both of these are inactive. The passage turns to the west, passing a table top made from chitin holding a random potion of strength, two chaurus eggs, a piece of chaurus chitin, and a random poison. At the next corner are three more chaurus cocoons all of which are inactive. 

The passage turns south and opens up into a large chamber containing many more chaurus cocoons, most of which are inactive. There is a ramp with railings leading up to an empty Falmer tent in front of you. Off to the right, beside a rock pillar is a chaurus cocoon containing a chaurus hunter. To the west is a Falmer standing near the bottom of another ramp, which leads up to a raised area, where another Falmer is patrolling. Further west is a screen of waterfalls. On the lower level, behind a pillar is a Falmer tent with a table holding a random potion of invisibility and three random potions of resist element. At the top of the second ramp, there are empty Falmer tents at either end and a ramp that leads back down on the right. Beside the bottom of this ramp is another occupied cocoon. There is a single Falmer magic-user standing inside a large tent, with a smaller tent on the left. Both these tents back onto a chasm that the waterfalls are sheeting down into. There is a third tent to the south with a Falmer hive on the right. It contains a Falmer. There are three gleamblossom plants in front of the two tent and inside the larger tent is an unlocked chest and a table holding two pieces of chaurus chitin. The smaller of the two tents contains a table with a Falmer war axe on top. The tent to the south is empty and there is a path passing in front of the tent and hive.

After passing the tent and hive, to the south is a dead end. However, if you jump down into the chasm you will end up in a creek of moving water that will drop you next to two lootable skeletons. Follow the path upwards to find another skeleton and an unlocked chest. At the end of the path, there is a pull-rope to the left which will open a hidden door that lets out where the dead end was. To the north on the left-hand side of the chasm is a path rising up past more glowing pink tubers and then back down into another chamber inhabited by more Falmer. There are several tents and around to the west on a ledge is a Falmer. There is an empty tent on the lower level, with a skeleton you can loot in front. Beyond that an apprentice trapped wooden chest surrounded by three gleamblossom plants. The tension cable can be hard to see, but is on the near side and triggers a pair of claw traps hinged on the bridge above. The bridge links raised sections on either side of the chamber. To cross the bridge, pass under it and then around to the right. There is an empty tent on the near side. On the far side is a fenced compound with a pair of gates and three occupied Falmer hives around the chamber walls. Inside the compound, in the center is a grisly statue formed with various human bones standing on some blue crystalized rock and surrounded by fencing. The first tent on the right is empty, the second contains a table holding a piece of chitin, a Falmer sword, a random potion of healing, magicka or stamina, a random potion of resist element and a random poison. To the left of the gates is an open pen filled with human bones and skulls and the tent to the left contains an unlocked chest.

To the west is a separate chamber with a large pile of the crystalized rock and stretched across the path is a string of bone chimes. There are many Falmer hives around the walls at differing heights, but none of these are occupied. The path first circles this chamber, passing three more gleamblossom plants among the crystal, before continuing to the south and then turning east as it starts to rise. At the top you enter yet another chamber with a large pen in the middle containing two chaurus and several egg sacs. Behind this on a raised section is a large ornate tent. In front of the tent is an area that appears to be some kind of stage, where a leveled Falmer is standing. Inside the tent is an unlocked chest, with two gleamblossom plants to the right. On either side of the tent are bridges crossing through the sheeting waterfalls, through which will come two more Falmer if alerted by any fighting. 

Crossing either bridge leads back across the same chasm as seen earlier, to a ledge with two paths leading away, to the north and to the east. The path to the east has a tripwire across the front that triggers a claw trap hinged from above, and leads into another chamber containing a large, ornate Falmer tent flanked by two occupied chaurus cocoons in front of two empty normal Falmer tents. There are four more tripwires strung around an unlocked Falmer chest near the middle of the chamber. Each of these trigger spears from the ground. To the right of the entryway is a rope hanging down that can be used to activate the claw trap repeatedly. Inside the larger tent is a table with an alchemy lab built-in and on the table are two random potions of healing and a random lingering poison.

Following the passage heading north and you eventually come to some bone chimes hanging down from the ceiling. Under these is a tripwire which opens a wooden tray attached to the ceiling and filled with boulders, that rain down on anyone caught underneath. There is a skeleton that can be looted lying under the boulders. The path turns east and then after a short distance back to the north. Ahead the path splits, with the right-hand side rising above the left. If you drop down at the start of the left-hand side you'll encounters a skeleton with a satchel beside it, both of which can be looted. The satchel contains two leveled potions of healing. Just past where the two paths rejoin, it turns to the west and rises sharply. Near the top, on the left by a large rock is a skeleton carrying another note, which mentions lots of traps nearby and refers to the Falmer as "the cursed". There is an elven sword and shield and a random potion of resist fire beside the skeleton. To the north is an obvious concealed door, with a claw trap hinged above and on the wall to the left are two rope releases. The one on the left lowers the concealed door while the one on the right triggers the claw trap from above, spears from below and poison darts from the side. 

thumb|right|Inside Darkfall PassageThrough this door the scenery changes drastically, with no more Falmer, but unique Vale sabre cats and Vale deer. As soon as you lower the door there is a Vale sabre cat standing facing you on a flat-topped rock. It's markings are of greenish stripes and spots. The path starts on the left before curving around a pillar in front of you. You pass the first poison bloom, another unique plant found only here in the Darkfall Passage and which can be triggered by the wildlife. The first bloom is found in the middle of the path as it passes between two rock pillars. They expel a small cloud of poisonous gas, unless you harvest them before they have a chance to start opening. The path continues descending, passing another gleamblossom by more glowing crystalised rock. From here the path heads northwest, passing two more gleamblossom plants beside more rock, and a ledge in front of you, to the right of the main path, that has a cluster of three poison blooms growing on top. The main path has another four gleamblossom plants along it before it descends to a cloudy underground lake. You are likely to encounter Vale deer roaming at will. They bear similar markings to Vale sabre cats. At the bottom the path splits in front of another rock pillar with a fork continuing to the south, passing a poison bloom, before crossing a bridge that spans the lake and a second fork heading west. This secondary route leads past a single gleamblossom by the shore and a group of three poison blooms on a raised ledge behind. To the west and throughout the cavern the rocks form many ledges and platforms, which by using simple mountain climbing techniques can be navigated. There doesn't seem to be anything of interest in the water.

Following the path across the bridge, there is a poison bloom on an island halfway across, on the right. On the far side, by a large overhanging rock is a Vale sabre cat den containing a single cat guarding the bodies of two Vale deer. There is also a gleamblossom nearby. The path forms a switchback to the northwest re-crossing the chamber below. Halfway across is another island with three poison blooms and three gleamblossom plants on the right. If you look to the southwest you will see a dim glow among the darkened rocks and casting detect life will outline a Vale sabre cat. Following the path to the top you will encounter the ghost of Prelate Sidanyis standing in front of the first wayshrine, known as the Wayshrine of Illumination. He will welcome you, assume you are an initiate and ask if you are prepared to honor the mantras of Auri-El. Once you confirm you are, he will cause the wayshrine to rise from the ground. There are seven gleamblossom plants found around the wayshrine. On your left as you reach the top of the bridge there is a path descending towards the dimly lit area seen from the halfway point. At the bottom you will encounter a Vale sabre cat, the remains of a skeleton with two random filled soul gems and two gleamblossom plants. If you are here during the related quest, don't forget to draw water from the basin. The portal transports you to the start of Forgotten Vale.

Notes
A total of 34 gleamblossom plants can be found here, 13 of which are in the earlier chambers.
A total of 12 poison bloom can be found, all in the last chamber.
Poison bloom and Vale sabre cats won't respawn.
The portal inside the way shrine to Forgotten Vale may not be apparent. It may just look like another wall, which can be very confusing as other portals in the way shrines tend to shimmer. Walk all the way to the back wall on the other side of the Draw Basin.