Forbidden Legend quest refuses to start at all

[SacredCaedeus]

So, I don't know what the deal is with this quest. On some play throughs I can start this quest no problem, but on others it just doesn't work at all. To lay it out, Forbidden Legend is supposed to start in one of many ways.

 

One way starts by reading the book related to the quest, which sets you on the track to putting together the Gauldurson Amulet.

 

The second and third way is by finding a Writ of Sealing on either Jyrik Gauldurson in Sarthaal or Sigdis Gauldurson in Giermund's Hall.

 

The fourth way is to read the notes from Daynas Valen not too far inside Folgunthur Crypt.

 

The fifth way is to read an edict in Reachwater Rock, which then directs you to the book, and so on.

 

I've tried every single way to trigger this quest, but nothing works. Reading the book does nothing, the notes and the Ivory Claw do not spawn with Daynas Valen, and the other two Gauldurson draugr don't even have their writs, nor their amulet fragments. I've looked into my mod list with TES5Edit and no mods in my load order make changes to the quest aside from the Unofficial patch.

 

Also, before anyone says, yes I've tried using the console to get Daynas Valen's notes in my inventory to read them. Nothing happens. Did the same with the writs of sealing. Still nothing happens. Trying to set the quest progression doesn't trigger the quest either. I've tried just about everything I can think of short of restarting the file, and I'd really rather not do that if I can help it.

[valcon767]

something I have had work in a similar situation (for both this quest and "Lost to the Ages" {the aetherail stuff quest added by Dawnguard}) was to

 

read the book (placing it in inventory)

drop the book

re-read the book (quest then triggered)

 

if that does not help and the setstage command (check with sqs first then setstage it to the lowest stage of the quest ..usually 0 or 10) does not work

I do not know what to tell you.

 

[KoolHndLuke]

Do you have at least one gauldur amulet fragment in your inventory? I always start this quest while doing the under saarthal quest.

  "Finding the Gauldur Amulet Fragment in Saarthal during the quest Under Saarthal for the College of Winterhold can also start the quest without needing to read Lost Legends or a Writ of Sealing".

"This quest can only be completed if the Dragonborn joins the College of Winterhold"- Elder Scrolls Wiki 

[SacredCaedeus]

KoolHndLuke, my post said the amulet fragments aren't there. I loot the bodies and neither the writs, nor the amulet fragments are even on the bodies.

 

valcon767, I can try that, but I'm not sure it'll even work. If it does, I'll edit this post with the outcome.

 

Edit: Yeah those suggestions don't work.

[KoolHndLuke]

Have you tried validating your files thru Steam? I am having a problem with a Dawnguard quest and can't find a solution either. One other thing to note is that if certain "hidden" conditions are not met in Skyrim, it can and will screw things up down the line. While Sky is supposed to be a "do it in any order" kind of game, it certainly doesn't play that way some times. Since the gaulder amulet quest can be reached very early in the game, why not try it on a new char and see if it works. One other thing you might try is to reset the draugrs inventory thru console. Another would be to edit the gaulder amulet in the CK or download a mod for it and see if anything changes. On a side note, I have noticed more broken vanilla quests in the pc port than I ever did on the console version.

[valcon767]

 

On a side note, I have noticed more broken vanilla quests in the pc port than I ever did on the console version.

 

I know that feeling all to well.

 

console version (X360) I only got buggy on Thieves Guild questline.

 

PC :

        Vanilla bug with Thane of Falkreath questlne (it has been reported to USLEEP, and if I do not do this right offhand I can never finish it)

         Forbidden Legend (starts 80% of the time roughly)

         Lost to the Ages (85% start, but bugs during it for sure)

         Eye of Mangus (bugs in it for sure)

         Thieves Guild (problems getting side jobs to show and some of the questline has bugs every time, usually different each time at that)

 

what I have ended up doing now to help me at least access the different quests

       new game (I use AS-LAL) starts with random choice

       get out of bad situation (if need be)

       pass thru Helgen and complete "Before the Storm"

       while in Dragonsreach - read books to start quests for Forbidden Legends, Lost to the Ages, Red Eagle's Sword (so they can be done later hopefully)

       walk to Falkreath (fast travel, even carriage ride, tends to cause me to hit that vanilla bug) and do Thane of Falkreath questline

       then if all that worked right play as normal.