One of Skyrim’s most consequential choices comes down to a single moment: who do you trust with a corrupted soul gem? The Black Star quest forces players to pick between two seemingly identical rewards, but the difference fundamentally changes how enchanters approach soul trapping for the rest of their playthrough. Unlike most Daedric quests that hand you an artifact and send you on your way, this one splits into two mutually exclusive rewards based on a conversation choice most players rush through without realizing what they’re losing.
This decision matters because soul gems fuel the entire enchanting economy in Skyrim. Whether someone’s building a legendary enchanter or just wants to keep their favorite weapon charged, the choice between the Black Star and Azura’s Star determines which souls they can trap and how often they’ll need to hunt for refills. The game doesn’t explain the mechanical difference clearly, and by the time players realize what they’ve chosen, it’s too late to change without console commands or reloading an old save.
Key Takeaways
- The Black Star exclusively captures black souls from humanoid NPCs, making it superior for enchanters who frequently encounter bandits and human enemies during normal Skyrim gameplay.
- Choosing between the Black Star and Azura’s Star is a permanent decision that fundamentally changes how you approach soul farming and weapon enchantment throughout your entire playthrough.
- The Black Star provides infinite soul gems by reusing the same artifact for grand-level souls, eliminating the need to purchase or hunt for replacements from merchants.
- Azura’s Star captures white souls from creatures like mammoths and summoned Dremora, making it better for players who invest heavily in conjuration or prefer a moral playstyle.
- Equipping a soul trap weapon early and carrying multiple empty gem sizes maximizes soul farming efficiency regardless of which star variant you choose.
- Players must speak to both Nelacar and Aranea Ienith before deciding, as returning the cleansed star to either NPC determines which artifact version they receive with no possibility of obtaining both.
What Is the Black Star in Skyrim?
The Black Star is a reusable grand soul gem that exclusively captures black souls, meaning humanoid souls from NPCs like bandits, mages, or Forsworn. It’s the corrupted version of Azura’s Star, modified by the mage Malyn Varen in his attempt to achieve immortality by trapping his own soul inside the artifact.
From a mechanical standpoint, the Black Star functions identically to a regular grand soul gem, except it never breaks after use. Players can fill it, drain it for enchanting or recharging, then immediately refill it without visiting a merchant or dungeon. This makes it the most valuable soul gem in the game for players who focus on enchanting builds.
The item itself looks visually identical to Azura’s Star, a glowing, translucent star-shaped gem. The only difference lies in what it can capture. While Azura’s Star accepts souls from creatures (mammoths, giants, Dremora), the Black Star only works on humanoid enemies. Since Skyrim throws bandits and human enemies at players far more frequently than high-level creatures, this distinction becomes crucial for anyone planning to use enchanting as a primary skill.
The Black Star vs. Azura’s Star: Key Differences Explained
The core difference between these two artifacts boils down to soul type compatibility. Azura’s Star captures white souls (creatures like wolves, bears, mammoths, and summoned Dremora), while the Black Star captures black souls (humanoid NPCs such as bandits, necromancers, and Forsworn).
Both versions are reusable grand soul gems, meaning they hold grand-level souls and never disappear after use. This alone makes either choice superior to standard soul gems, which shatter once drained. The decision isn’t about quality, it’s about which enemy types a player encounters more frequently and which souls they prefer to farm.
Soul Gem Mechanics: Why This Choice Matters
Black souls provide grand-level soul energy regardless of the enemy’s actual level. A level 1 bandit fills the Black Star just as completely as a level 50 bandit chief. This makes soul farming incredibly efficient, players can clear any bandit camp and walk away with multiple grand souls if they’re carrying additional black soul gems alongside the Black Star.
White souls require hunting specific high-level creatures. Mammoths and giants consistently provide grand souls, but they’re less common than humanoid enemies. Summoned Dremora from conjuration spells work as a repeatable source, but that requires investing in conjuration and carrying a weapon with soul trap or using the soul trap spell.
The enchanting community generally favors the Black Star because essential Skyrim techniques often involve clearing bandit camps and dungeons filled with human enemies. These encounters happen organically during normal gameplay, whereas hunting mammoths or casting summon spells specifically for souls feels like a detour. For players who prioritize efficiency, black souls are simply easier to farm.
How to Start the Black Star Quest
Players can trigger the quest “The Black Star” by visiting the Shrine of Azura directly or by speaking with an innkeeper who directs them there. The shrine sits on a mountain peak south of Winterhold, visible from a distance due to the massive statue of Azura. Once at the shrine, an Altmer priestess named Aranea Ienith initiates the quest by explaining that Azura’s Star has been stolen and corrupted.
Alternatively, some players stumble into the quest by finding Nelacar in Winterhold first, though the formal quest start still requires visiting the shrine. Either way, the path eventually leads to the same decision point.
Finding Nelacar in the Frozen Hearth
After Aranea explains the situation, she directs the player to find Nelacar, a former researcher of Malyn Varen who now works at the Frozen Hearth inn in Winterhold. Nelacar sits near the fire inside the inn and has critical information about where Malyn took Azura’s Star.
When approached, Nelacar reveals that Malyn attempted to corrupt the artifact to trap his own soul and avoid death. The experiment went wrong, and Malyn became trapped inside the star itself. Nelacar suggests the player retrieve the star from Ilinalta’s Deep, a dungeon southwest of Whiterun on an island in Lake Ilinalta. This conversation plants the seed for the later decision, Nelacar’s attitude toward Azura makes it clear he doesn’t worship the Daedric Prince and would prefer the artifact remain “freed” from her influence.
Step-by-Step Walkthrough: The Black Star Quest
Visiting the Shrine of Azura
The Shrine of Azura sits atop a mountain south of Winterhold, accessible by following the road south from the city or fast-traveling to nearby landmarks and climbing. The shrine features a massive statue of Azura with her arms outstretched, and Aranea Ienith waits at the base with two other worshippers.
Speaking to Aranea initiates the quest. She explains that Malyn Varen, a former mage from the College of Winterhold, stole Azura’s Star and attempted to corrupt it for his own use. She asks the player to retrieve it from Ilinalta’s Deep and cleanse it by returning the star to the shrine. This conversation sets up the quest objectives and marks Nelacar’s location in Winterhold.
Exploring Ilinalta’s Deep Dungeon
Ilinalta’s Deep is a flooded fortress ruin located on a small island in Lake Ilinalta, southwest of Whiterun. The entrance sits partially submerged, and the dungeon interior contains necromancers, skeletons, and various undead enemies. The layout is straightforward, mostly linear corridors with a few side rooms containing loot and alchemy ingredients.
Players should prepare for frost-based magic attacks from the necromancers and bring fire spells or enchanted weapons to deal with the undead efficiently. The dungeon isn’t particularly long, but the enemies can overwhelm lower-level characters if not approached carefully. According to RPG Site, this dungeon represents a mid-tier challenge suitable for characters around level 15-20.
At the deepest point of the dungeon, players find Malyn Varen’s corpse holding Azura’s Star. Picking up the star triggers a vision and transports the player inside the artifact itself.
Navigating Inside Azura’s Star
The interior of Azura’s Star is a surreal pocket dimension with a dark, starry void aesthetic. Floating platforms connected by narrow bridges form the environment, and Malyn Varen’s soul, along with several hostile Dremora, inhabit this space.
The layout is relatively small but disorienting due to the visual design. Players need to navigate the platforms while fighting off Dremora enemies that Malyn has enslaved. These enemies are tougher than the necromancers in Ilinalta’s Deep, so conservation of resources becomes important. Stock up on health potions and magicka/stamina recovery items before entering the dungeon.
Defeating Malyn Varen
Malyn Varen’s soul appears as a ghostly mage at the center of the star’s interior. He’s hostile immediately upon approach and uses destruction magic, primarily shock spells, along with summoned Dremora to attack. His combat difficulty scales with the player’s level, but he’s generally manageable for anyone who cleared Ilinalta’s Deep without major issues.
Focus on taking down Malyn first, as his summons disappear once he’s defeated. Ranged attackers can use the platforms for positioning advantages, while melee fighters should close distance quickly to prevent him from kiting with spells. Restoration magic or healing potions are essential since there’s no way to exit the star mid-combat to resupply.
Once Malyn falls, a portal appears that returns the player to the material world outside Ilinalta’s Deep. Azura’s Star now sits in the player’s inventory, cleansed but not yet complete. The next step determines which version of the artifact the player receives.
The Critical Decision: Nelacar or Aranea Ienith?
After defeating Malyn Varen, the player must choose who to return Azura’s Star to: Aranea Ienith at the Shrine of Azura or Nelacar at the Frozen Hearth in Winterhold. This decision is permanent and determines which version of the artifact the player receives. There’s no way to obtain both on a single character without console commands or mods.
Choosing Nelacar for the Black Star
Returning to Nelacar at the Frozen Hearth in Winterhold results in obtaining the Black Star. Nelacar explains that he has no love for Azura and believes Malyn’s modifications, while twisted, freed the star from the Daedric Prince’s control. He completes Malyn’s work by finalizing the corruption, creating a reusable soul gem that captures black (humanoid) souls.
This choice angers Azura, but there are no immediate consequences beyond missing out on Azura’s Star and the potential follower. No bounty is placed on the player, and no enemies spawn. The Black Star simply appears in the player’s inventory, ready for use.
Choosing Aranea for Azura’s Star
Returning to Aranea Ienith at the Shrine of Azura restores the artifact to its original form: Azura’s Star. Aranea thanks the player, and Azura herself speaks, expressing gratitude for cleansing her artifact. As a reward, Azura makes Aranea available as a follower, and the player receives the unmodified star that captures white (creature) souls.
Aranea is a capable mage follower with destruction and restoration magic, making her a solid companion for warrior-focused builds that lack ranged magic damage. But, many players consider the Black Star’s mechanical advantages more valuable than gaining a follower, especially since Skyrim strategies often emphasize optimizing crafting skills like enchanting.
Which Should You Choose? Black Star vs. Azura’s Star Analysis
Benefits of the Black Star for Enchanters
The Black Star dominates for players focused on enchanting. Humanoid enemies are everywhere in Skyrim, bandit camps, Forsworn territories, necromancer lairs, and civil war battles all provide abundant sources of black souls. Every single humanoid enemy provides a grand soul regardless of level, which means even a level 1 bandit chief gives the same soul value as a legendary dragon.
For enchanters, this translates to never running out of grand souls. Clear any bandit camp with a soul trap weapon or spell, and walk away with multiple grand souls. This efficiency makes leveling enchanting dramatically faster compared to hunting specific creatures for white souls.
Also, black souls recharge weapons just as effectively as white souls. Players who rely on enchanted weapons in combat will constantly need soul gems for recharging, and the Black Star eliminates the need to buy or hunt for fresh gems. According to Twinfinite, most optimization guides recommend the Black Star specifically because of this resource efficiency.
When Azura’s Star Is the Better Option
There are valid reasons to choose Azura’s Star, though they’re more niche. Players who roleplay as devout Azura worshippers or want to avoid using black souls for moral reasons will prefer the unmodified artifact. The game’s lore treats black soul gems as morally questionable, and some players enjoy adhering to that characterization.
Mechanically, Azura’s Star works better for players who heavily invest in conjuration and use summoned Dremora for soul farming. Summoned creatures count as white souls, so players can repeatedly cast Soul Trap on their own summons to refill Azura’s Star without hunting specific enemies. This method works anywhere, even inside cities or player homes, making it technically the most controllable soul farming method.
Finally, players who want Aranea Ienith as a follower must choose Azura’s Star. She’s a competent mage follower, though not necessarily the strongest option in the game. For players building top Skyrim builds around specific playstyles, the follower might matter more than the soul gem efficiency.
Tips for Maximizing Your Soul Gem Usage
Regardless of which star players choose, several techniques maximize soul gem efficiency throughout a playthrough.
Equip a soul trap weapon early. Enchanting a cheap iron dagger with soul trap and carrying it as a backup weapon ensures players never miss an opportunity to capture souls. Switch to the soul trap weapon for the killing blow on any valid target, then switch back to the primary weapon. This habit becomes automatic after a few hours and dramatically increases soul gem income.
Carry multiple empty soul gems of different sizes. The game automatically fills the smallest soul gem that can hold a captured soul. If a player only carries grand soul gems, a petty soul from a wolf will fill a grand gem, wasting its potential. Carrying a mix of petty, lesser, common, greater, and grand gems ensures each soul fills an appropriate container. This is especially important when using core Skyrim techniques for efficient resource management.
Use the Azura’s Star or Black Star exclusively for grand souls. Since the star is reusable, reserve it only for the highest-value souls. Let disposable gems capture lesser souls, and use the star for grand souls that would otherwise require expensive grand soul gems from merchants.
Stock up on soul gems before major enchanting sessions. Enchanting levels fastest when players have a massive stockpile of filled gems and craft dozens of enchanted items in one sitting. According to Game8, this batch approach to leveling crafting skills saves time and makes resource gathering feel less tedious.
Exploit the respawning soul gem locations. Certain dungeons and merchant inventories respawn soul gems regularly. Players can revisit these locations every few in-game days to stock up on empty gems, then fill them during normal questing. This creates a sustainable loop that keeps the enchanting pipeline flowing.
Common Mistakes to Avoid During the Quest
Several pitfalls trip up players during the Black Star quest, and most are irreversible without reloading saves.
Not talking to Nelacar before deciding. Some players return directly to Aranea after retrieving the star without speaking to Nelacar first. While this doesn’t lock out the Black Star option, it means missing the dialogue that explains the mechanical difference. Players should talk to both NPCs before making a final choice to fully understand what they’re selecting.
Forgetting to bring soul trap capabilities to Ilinalta’s Deep. The dungeon is filled with necromancers and undead, perfect for soul gem farming if the player has a soul trap weapon or spell equipped. Many players clear the dungeon without capturing any souls, wasting a prime opportunity. Preparation matters, especially for builds focused on best Skyrim practices for resource efficiency.
Selling or storing the star after obtaining it. The Black Star and Azura’s Star are unique items that can’t be replaced if lost or sold. Players should immediately favorite the star or store it in a secure container at a player home. Accidentally selling it to a merchant means potentially losing track of which vendor has it, and some merchants’ inventories reset.
Not understanding the soul type restriction. A surprising number of players choose the Black Star without realizing it only captures black souls. They then try to fill it with a mammoth or bear soul and assume the star is broken. The game doesn’t clearly communicate this restriction in the quest dialogue, leading to confusion. Testing the star immediately after receiving it clarifies which souls it accepts.
Waiting too long to complete the quest. Some players start the quest at level 10 and don’t finish until level 40, missing out on thousands of potential soul gem uses. The quest is accessible relatively early, and both Ilinalta’s Deep and Malyn Varen scale to the player’s level. There’s no reason to delay completion once the quest starts, especially for enchanters who need the star for Skyrim builds centered on crafting.
Conclusion
The Black Star represents one of Skyrim’s best-designed moral choices disguised as a practical decision. On the surface, it’s a simple question: who should cleanse Azura’s Star? But beneath that simplicity lies a permanent mechanical choice that shapes how enchanters play for the rest of the game. The Black Star’s ability to capture humanoid souls makes it the practical choice for most players, but Azura’s Star holds value for specific builds and roleplay motivations.
No matter which path players choose, obtaining either version of the star marks a major milestone for enchanters. The ability to recharge weapons indefinitely and craft powerful enchantments without burning through disposable soul gems transforms how players approach combat and gear progression. For anyone serious about mastering Skyrim’s enchanting system, completing this quest should be a top priority.
