After receiving a powerful vision and joining the legendary knight, your next goal is to find the Helm of the Crusader. You’ll explore the hidden Ayleid ruin of Vanua, face some dangerous creatures, and uncover the history of a fallen knight. Whether you fight your way through or find a clever shortcut, claiming the Helm will bring you one step closer to defeating Umaril once and for all.
How to Complete Shrine of the Crusader Quest
After you finish the Pilgrimage, you’ll receive a powerful vision. When you pray at the final wayshrine, you’ll be transported high above the Imperial City, where you’ll meet the Divine Crusader himself, Pelinal Whitestrake. He’ll reveal more about his past, about Umaril, and explain how Umaril has returned. Because of Umaril’s connection to the Daedric Prince Meridia, he can’t truly be killed when defeated, his spirit just escapes back to Oblivion, where he slowly regains his strength to return again.
Pelinal tells you that the only way to truly defeat Umaril is by gathering all the sacred relics and calling on the power of the Nine Divines. He doesn’t know exactly where the relics are now, but he does have a lead. He suggests searching the Ayleid ruin called Vanua, where he last saw the Helm of the Crusader. The ruin is hidden far off the main roads and guarded by dangerous creatures, so Pelinal believes the Helm is probably still there.
Shrine of the Crusader Location
As soon as the vision ends, your journal will update and a map marker will appear, pointing you toward Vanua. You’ll also officially become a member of the Knights of the Nine, starting with the rank of Knight Errant.
Vanua is located not far from the Imperial City, where the Upper Niben River meets Lake Rumare. To find it, you’ll need to dive underwater in that area the entrance to the ruin is submerged. Once inside, the path is pretty straightforward. However, you’ll occasionally have to navigate through rocky caves and crawl through holes in the walls to get around cave-ins.
In the second part of the ruin, called the Shrine of the Crusader, you’ll discover the body of Sir Amiel, a fallen knight. He’s carrying a Fine Steel Longsword and a Knights of the Nine Shield. When you search his body, you’ll find his journal and a special ring. Reading the journal reveals that Sir Amiel was actually the leader of the Knights of the Nine. His writings explain that the group fell apart due to greed and infighting, as some members wanted to use the relics for their own power instead of their true purpose.
The journal also hints that the group’s old headquarters, the Priory of the Nine (located in the West Weald, southeast of Skingrad near the Elsweyr border), still holds the Cuirass of the Crusader. Sir Amiel’s ring is the key to unlocking a hidden part of the Priory where the Cuirass is kept. But before you head there, you still need to finish your task in Vanua and recover the Helm of the Crusader.
Helm of the Crusader Location
Keep moving through the Shrine of the Crusader and into the Lost Catacombs, it’s a short but monster-filled path that eventually loops back up to the upper part of the Shrine. There, you’ll find the Helm of the Crusader sitting on an altar, high up on a ledge overlooking Sir Amiel’s body. Grab the Helm to complete this part of the quest.
Make sure you’ve picked up Sir Amiel’s ring! You’ll need it to unlock a door at the Priory of the Nine later. If you forget, you’ll have to come all the way back here. Once you’ve got the Helm, leave the ruin and head toward the Priory of the Nine.
