Online:Castle Thorn

It is part of the Stonethorn dungeon pack DLC, along with Stone Garden. The vampire lord named Lady Ingerien, a high elf who once pertained to Clan Direnni, better known by her byname, Lady Thorn, rules from here, commanding her Thorn Legion.

Biding her time in her mountain stronghold, Lady Thorn has quietly built her forces for some nefarious means. Now, whispers and rumors in Western Skyrim point to large host gathered at the castle, preparing to march to war … but to where and for what purpose?
thumb|right|Castle Thorn, Ancestral Necropolis
 

Related Quests
Castle Thorn Objective: Storm Castle Thorn and uncover Lady Thorn's secret.



Characters
Gwendis  
Talfyg

Enemies
Bloodfiend
Blood Channeler
Blood Crawler (Lady Thorn fight)
Blood Scavenger (Lady Thorn fight)
Death Hound
Death Hound Broodling
Hemoptera
Skeleton Hound
Thorn Legion Marksman
Thorn Legion Mauler
Thorn Legion Quickblade
Thorn Legion Sanguimancer
Vaduroth's Sickle
Virulent Viscera
Volatile Hound (Talfyg fight)

Elite Enemies
Blood Guardian (Lady Thorn fight)
Frozen Gargoyle (Talfyg fight)
Reanimated Vampire
Seething Gargoyle
Thorn Legion Senche-raht

Bosses
Dread Tindulra
Blood Twilight
Vaduroth
Talfyg
Lady Thorn

Hard Mode

Books


 

Boss Mechanics
Dread Tindulra
Dread Tindulra isn't very complicated when hard mode isn't active. She spits a lot of fire, and starting at 75% health, she periodically raises her head to the sky and howls, calling a swarm of Death Hound Broodlings to chase the group. Avoid the fire, kill the broodlings and defeat Dread Tindulra. It may be a smart idea to leave one of the Death Hound Broodlings alive, as Dread Tindulra will call another group of broodlings some time after one of her swarms has been completely culled.
 

Blood Twilight
thumb|right|Blood Pool Phase
The Blood Twilight is complicated compared to Dread Tindulra. There are two phases that the Twilight alternates between during the fight. Phase changes are on a one minute timer.
Standing Phase
The Blood Twilight engages the group up close during this phase. The change of phases is on a one-minute timer.
;Dark Barrage: The Blood Twilight attacks one person by rapidly shooting purple bolts at them. The tank can get in front of the target and absorb the damage by blocking. Alternatively, the healer should go nuts to keep the target alive. However, the former is the more viable option. To best mitigate the damage without having the tank block in front of the target, the target should block, set up damage shields and make use of whatever heals they or the healer can throw at them. Attempting to survive without the help of a tank is not viable on Veteran difficulty.
;Shadow Strike: The Blood Twilight teleports and slams down upon its target, dealing devastating physical damage. This can be survived by blocking, warding and healing on normal, but on Veteran, the Twilight should be focused on the tank to prevent weaker group members from being killed in one shot.
;Summon Blood Channelers: Summons four Blood Channelers on all four sides of the room to empower the Blood Twilight. Kill them as soon as possible, they channel a beam into the Blood Twilight that causes it to deal more damage.
;Blood Mines: Blood mines are occasionally summoned after the Blood Channelers die. Stepping on these mines deals magic damage. Try to avoid them; they're very obvious, and look like little red lumps sitting on the ground.

Blood Pool Phase
The Blood Twilight hovers above the center of the arena, becoming invulnerable and causing a pool of red Ichor to rise beneath it. A Reanimated Vampire is summoned during this phase. The change of phases is on a one-minute timer.
;Ichor: Standing in the ichor applies a slowing debuff, and deals a lot of magic damage over time. Stay out of the ichor. If you get hit into the pool, there are stairwells that you can climb to get out of it. Mitigate the damage as best you can as you make your way back up.
::*Shades: The Blood Twilight will summon red shades (identical copies of itself that cannot be hit) to try to push players into the center. If they manage to push you, they deal mild damage.
::*Strategy for Avoiding Being Hit Into the Ichor: Try to hug the wall. Your group should pick a corner to huddle in together and burn the Reanimated Vampire down. Huddling in a corner makes the shades less likely to hit you into the center. When the shades show up, stay in the corner and move around. Do not stray too far from the corner, lest you get shoved into the center.
;Blood Channelers: If there are any Blood Channelers alive during this phase, now would be a good time to take them out, as the Blood Twilight itself will not face you to deal any damage.
 

Vaduroth

 

Talfyg

 

Lady Thorn
Lady Thorn is the final boss of Castle Thorn.

Hard Mode Mechanics

 

Layout
Ancestral Necropolis
Ancestral Necropolis|thumb|right
The Ancestral Necropolis is a large graveyard leading up the castle's courtyard, and the first area of the dungeon. Gwendis and Talfyg can be seen arguing near the entrance of the dungeon. Several Thorn Legion Sanguimancers, one Thorn Legion Mauler, several Skeletal Hounds and plenty of Bloodfiends guard the path to the courtyard.

A single Thorn Legion Senche-raht guards the door to the courtyard. You cannot enter the courtyard unless you defeat the group of enemies in front of the door.
 

Castle Courtyard
Castle Courtyard|thumb|right
A large courtyard with a pointed fence blocking off an expanse of land littered with headstones on either side of the walkway. Dread Tindulra guards the entrance to the castle.
 

Castle Thorn
thumb|right|Castle Thorn
The castle proper. A chest can be found in the entrance hall, to the right of the stairs. An Architectural Survey Summary Report lies on  table in the central hallway. A Thorn Legion Senche-raht must be killed to go through the door to the Garden Conservatory.
 

Garden Conservatory
thumb|right|Garden Conservatory
An indoor garden, complete with gargoyle statues on the rafters above. You will face the Blood Twilight in this chamber.
 

Southern Training Yard
thumb|right|Southern Training Yard
The Southern Training Yard must be passed to reach the Northern Training Yard. In this area, you will be introduced to the mechanic for the next boss fight. Vampires train for combat here. This is also the first area Hemopteras appear.
 

Northern Training Yard
thumb|right|Northern Training Yard
Beyond this area lies the Sanctuary of Lament. More vampires can be seen training for combat here.
 

Sanctuary of Lament
thumb|right|Sanctuary of Lament
Many creatures have been hung from the ceiling on hooks. Vaduroth is fought here.
 

Castle Keep
thumb|right|Castle Keep
A chest can be found on the northern side of the center hallway, before the stairs with the Seething Gargoyles. A heavy sack can be found in the eastern hallway, by the exit.
 

Castle Exterior
thumb|right|Castle Exterior
 

Statuary Garden
thumb|right|Statuary Garden
Talfyg serves as the dungeon's fourth boss in this section.
 

Battlements
thumb|right|Battlements
The last bastion before the Cathedral, where Lady Thorn is holed up. Two Seething Gargoyles guard the bridge, and two Thorn Legion Senche-rahts guard the door to the Cathedral.
 

Cathedral Narthex
thumb|right|Cathedral Narthex
A note titled A Daedric Proposal can be found on a desk in the center of the Cathedral Narthex.
 

Grand Cathedral
thumb|right|Grand Cathedral
Lady Thorn is fought here.
 

Achievements
 

Sets
 

Notes
The entrance to Castle Thorn has been present since Update 26, with one of the towers also being present in the distance.

Maps
 

Gallery