Yes, You Can Return to Castle Volkihar After Slaying Lord Harkon!
As a passionate Elder Scrolls vampire clan leader myself, I can definitively confirm that you absolutely can travel back to the reanimated Castle Volkihar to roam its dark halls once more after striking down the mighty Lord Harkon in battle.
Having emerged victorious from the bloody final fight against your vampire liege at the climax of the Dawnguard questline, the once pristine castle may initially seem eerily vacant when you first set foot back within its stone walls. However, taking Harkon‘s place on the blood-soaked throne at the peak of the Volkihar hierarchy opens up new possibilities!
Assuming Your Place as Rightful Leader of the Volkihar
With the former patriarch out of the picture, the duty of restoring the ancient vampire clan to its former glory now falls to you – his formidable vanquishing heir. Based on your standing, here‘s what you can expect after besting Lord Harkon:
If You Are a Vampire: Castle Volkihar becomes your new base of operations! Fellow clan vampire Garan Merethi officially dubs you the leader of the reconstituted Volkihar court.
If You Are Not a Vampire: You will be approached by Dawnguard commander Isran with an invitation to join their vampire hunting ranks. But fear not – during the later quest "Chasing Echoes" you will have the chance to again receive the dark gift of vampirism from Serana!
Regardless of Current Vampirism Status: Retainer and senior vampiress Valerica may return from the dusky Soul Cairn realm to take up residence once more in her study within the castle based on dialogue during your next rendezvous. And of course the ever-loyal pureblood vampire daughter Serana remains by the Dragonborn‘s side.
Retaking Your Seat in Castle Volkihar
Now let‘s dig deeper into what awaits upon your homecoming…
While the undead denizens roaming the castle may seem vaguely aimless without their late master to guide them, you can still interact with the existing Volkihar vampires on site:
| Castle Volkihar Vampires | Details |
|---|---|
| Garan Marethi (leader if you‘re a vampire) | Offers side quests and capable steward |
| Vingalmo & Orthjolf | Bicker over leadership aspirations in Harkon‘s wake |
| Salonia Caelia | Resident alchemist and merchant |
| Stalf | Educated undead tutor |
Eerie ambiance prevails throughout – dilapidated stone fortifications flanked by gargoyle sentinels surrounding a great hall adorned with blood-filled goblets & wrought iron candelabras, vaulted ceilings letting in faint wisps of haunting blue light. The environment perfectly befits the new nocturnal ruler of this lair. My lone piece of advice: watch your step on the ragged red runner carpeting the great hall leading to the lord‘s chamber upstairs – it has a tendency to snag if caught under an armored boot!
While quiet with only the occasional red-eyed stare tracking your movements, after some time the castle starts to feel like home for a vampire overlord.
Rejoining the Ranks of Vampire Lords
If you find the temptation of hematophagous might too alluring to resist, the opportunity to regain your vampirism arises during the quest "Chasing Echoes." In an emotionally charged scene, the ever-loyal Serana voluntarily reconfers the blessing of vampirism unto you if refusing Harkon‘s initial offer – allowing you to once again ascend to the peak physical form of a Vampire Lord!
| Vampire Lord Ability | Effect |
|---|---|
| Vampiric Grip | Telekinetically grip and hurl enemies |
| Summon Gargoyle | Call forth winged stone gargoyle allies |
| Levitation | Defy gravity at will |
| Infectious Cloud | Drain opponents‘ attributes |
My own preference is maxing out the Vampiric Grip branch of the skill tree first – it‘s just too satisfying yanking those pesky Dawnguard crossbowmen off of high castle ramparts and watching them helplessly plummet!
Further Adventures with Serana
Of course, the experience of returning as an undead lord to the halls of Castle Volkihar can be further enriched by continuing adventures withfidus sanguinis Serana after Lord Harkon‘s demise. A few ways to prolong your unholy pact:
- Bring Serana to the mage Falion in Morthal if you wish to cure her vampirism through mystical ritual and rewarded with the Blade of the Rift.
- Beware Serana may get stuck in combat mode after the final fight; simply knock her down to revive non-hostile dialogue options if this happens.
- Max relationship status with Serana exceeding disposition of 50+ to receive an affectionate nighttime embrace when sharing a bed!
I cannot stress enough what a versatile and uniquely powerful ally Serana remains even in the later stages of gameplay.
Claiming Castle Volkihar As Your Own Stronghold
Once rightfully installed as supreme leader of the vampiric Volkihar clan after stripping the title from the fallen Harkon, the entire estate of Castle Volkihar becomes available as a player home base! This lets you take full advantage of amenities including:
- Spacious aristocratic bedroom quarters
- Abundant containers & display cases for gear storage
- Full alchemical lab & arcane enchanter
- Easy access to courtyard bloodspring for filling empty blood vials
If you have an appreciable collection of gems, ingots, & crafting materials – I highly recommend using the prep room adjoining the great hall which comes equipped with everything needed for hoarding shiny trinkets & poundings miscellaneous valuables into gold rings.
All in all, what better fortress fitting for a ruthless vampire lord to rule from than the iconic Castle Volkihar itself – once you remove the previous troublesome occupant attempting totalitarian domination over you!
So for any fellow Elder Scrolls nightwalker acolytes out there – hopefully this breakdown gives you confidence that indeed you can definitively return to claim rulership over Castle Volkihar to haunt indefinitely after laying waste to the traitorous cur Harkon! Fear not the first lonely night spent in the empty corpses of once buzzing vampire hive. If in need of further assistance transforming your new hollow kingdom into an undead paradise, do not hesitate to reach out and I will gladly provide additional guidance from one vampire leader to another!
