List of Bugged Books Up-to-Date As of Patch: 5.0.7
With the other thread reaching its 57th page and with the approval of the previous thread’s author, who’s not had enough time lately to keep it updated, I’ve decided to create a new thread in order to keep track of those books which are bugged and require ZOS’s intervention to fix, and allow players to ask for help finding books they might be looking for. The ultimate goal of this thread is, with the help of the community of players and ZOS, to allow people to reach 100% Eidetic Memory completion on any character, regardless of alliance, provided they do necessary quests and have necessary chapters and DLC.
When it comes to Eidetic Memory books, there are several issues which typically cause a book to be unobtainable:
1) The area they are in is only accessible during a quest (after the quest, or after a certain stage in the quest, interacting with the access door is greyed out and the area is inaccessible). Interacting with them is not required to progress the quest, and so they are very easy to miss.
2) The book is a quest item. It starts the quest, can be read during the quest, or is placed in the inventory during a quest, but after the quest or after a certain stage, becomes inaccessible. Interacting with these books (thus giving the Eidetic Memory entry) is not required during the quest, and there is no post-quest location. In some cases, the book is placed into the inventory with no notice and removed at a later quest stage (sometimes as soon as you talk to the next person). These books MUST be read during that time period, as no post-quest location exists.
3) As people progress through various quests, certain areas of the world change, depending on what quests are active and what might be happening in the area. In the process of this phasing, some of the books may disappear. If one doesn’t obtain that entry during the period when the book is active, there may not be another opportunity.
4) The books are only obtainable within the Gate Camps of certain alliances. Access to these books is restricted only to members of one or two alliances. Fortunately, there are very few books like this, but copies of them need to be placed in areas accessible by members of the other alliances.
I want to give a special Thank You to Ayantir, Garkin, and Kyoma for keeping the LoreBooks addon up-to-date and to Mix for creating the last thread, keeping it updated as often as he was able, and giving me permission to make this one. I also want to thank all the amazing community members that have helped and continue to help fellow players find books and note which ones are bugged and in need of fixing. A huge thanks also goes to all those people at ZOS who have worked together to create this amazing world we play around in and all of the bits of lore we’re chasing after, and to those who take the time to run down and fix those pesky books that we report. With motif pages, Shalidor’s Library, and Eidetic Memory books, there are 4162 books currently (as of pre-Elsweyr) scattered throughout the world in PvP areas, in overland zones, throughout quests, in dungeons, trials, and arenas, and even randomly hidden within various bookcases - with more being added in every update – and players are talking about and actively working toward trying to collect them all. How amazing is that?
Imperial City Bookshelf Guide
(Credit to Mix for the maps, routes, and pictures)
Note that these are from the perspective of an EP character and may not be the most reasonable route if one is entering from one of the other alliance main camps. Also included are pictures of all of the bookshelves. Note that there are also 8 bookshelves located within the Temple Rectory in the SE area of the Temple District (four stacks of two bookshelves, one on top of the other, with two stacks on either side of the area at the top of the stairs) and one bookshelf located in the room underneath the flag in the Elven Gardens district (down the stairs from where you enter that room). These are not pictured or included in the route.
Temple District:
IC Bookshelf 1:
IC Bookshelf 2:
IC Bookshelf 3:
Jump down to reach bookshelf 3.
IC Bookshelf 4:
IC Bookshelf 5:
Bookshelf 5 is in the same room as bookshelf 4.
IC Bookshelf 6:
IC Bookshelf 7:
Nobles District: Be aware there is a patrolling boss monster along this route!
IC Bookshelf 8:
IC Bookshelf 9:
Elven Gardens District:
IC Bookshelf 10:
There is also a bookshelf under the capture area in this district.
Memorial District:
IC Bookshelf 11:
aka the "book stacks"
If one follows the listed route and, additionally, checks the bookshelves listed above, they will come across roughly 27 different bookshelves. Note that it is possible to enter different Imperial City campaigns and find different books within the same bookshelves, potentially bringing that total up to 54 with the Elsweyr update’s two Imperial City campaigns.
If having difficulty locating the following books, check the images (Credit to Mix for accumulating these, and those credited for the images):
- Letter to Artisan Craftworks: Letters and Missives: Mournhold, Deshaan
- Or Else: Daedric Cults: Fighter's Guild area, Riften
- A Death Desired: Final Words: (moved in Update 12): Cyrodiil
- Kalodar's Letter: Final Words: Venim Woods area, The Rift
- Larellei, Wenayasille, Morilata, Angalayond: Mysteries and Clues: Rivenspire thank you @StrangerFull for the new location and screenshots!
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- Missing Citizens: Mysteries and Clues: Dawnbreak, Auridon
- The Knighting Ceremony: Rituals and Revelations:
- The Hidden Key: Mysteries and Clues:
- Knowing Satakal: Devoted and Deranged: IC Bookshelf (Book Stack room in Memorial)
- The Fires Guide the Way: Mysteries and Clues: Shada's Tear, Craglorn in the City District, book starts quest (repeatable) and the prompt on read says "The Light Holds the Way" instead of the proper title.
- Mauloch, Orc-Father: Lore and Culture: inside Abamath Ruins, Malabal Tor; also found on IC bookshelves
- Letter to Egranor: Letters and Missives:
Thanks @StrangerFull for the screenshots
- Tome of Daedric Portals: Daedric Cults: inside Eldrald Undercroft in Rivenspire. On a table just to the left as you enter the circular room with the daedric portal thingy.
- Mercano's Journal: Personal Journals: inside the Mages Guild in Woodhearth, Greenshade, on a stool in front of the right fireplace
- Star Teeth, Volume 1: Rituals and Revelations:
Thanks @Sounomi for the screenshot.
- Quartermaster's Log: Diaries and Logs: Blackheart Haven; Thank @StrangerFull for the screenshots.
- Distribution Notes: Houses, Shops, and Trade: Kalari's House in S'ren-ja. If you go upstairs there is a wardrobe that actually leads into a secret room. There are bookshelves on either side of the door leading back out which have the lorebooks on them. Thanks @jackhburgess
- Enak-do's Ledger: Houses, Shops, and Trade: same as above
Regarding the Books of Torinaan and “Blessings of the Eight”
Within Torinaan in Auridon, connected to the area quest “Blessings of the Eight,” there are eleven books located within four shrine complexes, one to Magnus and Syrabane, one to Mara and Stendarr, one to Trinimac and Xarxes, and one to Anu and Y’ffre. Each deity has a book associated with it that has a copy located within its shrine room, and then there are three additional books,
The Fires of Truth,
Letter to the Aldarch and
Brief Letter to the Aldarch. Note that, once a player cleanses both shrines within one of the complexes, the player loses access to that complex and the copies of the books within. Additionally, while
Letter to the Aldarch,
Brief Letter to the Aldarch, and
The Fires of Truth receive locations in the overworld on the platform and steps surrounding the stairs down to the Shrine of Anu and Y’ffre, I was unable to locate similarly placed copies of the other books. However, based on the UESP log information, it would appear that these other books might be included in the pool of books accessed from bookshelves in the following zones.
Bones of the Forest (Shrine of Y’ffre):
Coils of the Father (Shrine of Anu):
Gifts of Magnus (Shrine of Magnus):
The Apprentices’ God (Shrine of Syrabane):
The Heart of Love (Shrine of Mara):
The Sounding Horn (Shrine of Stendarr):
The Everscriven Tome (Shrine of Xarxes):
The Warrior’s Blade (Shrine of Trinimac):
*While randomly checking bookshelves inside the Monastery of Serene Harmony in Shimmerene, I did come across a copy of
The Sounding Horn, which seems to confirm that these books do appear in these pools. It’s not an optimal means of obtaining the books, as the bookshelf pools tend to be quite large and it’s unpredictable when you might obtain the book you’re looking for, but it is an option to find them. Another would be for ZOS to place them in the world within the above-ground area of Torinaan. One possible spot could be at approximately 41.31x25.90 (Auridon) on top of a large stone circle near the door to the Central Torinaan Shrine.
List of Known Currently-Bugged Books
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Treaty of Khenarthi's Roost : Handbills, Posters, and Decrees
This book does not have a location after completing the quest "Perils of Diplomacy" and is bugged for at least one individual who has mentioned it and requested it be added to the list.
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Tome of the Undaunted : Handbills, Posters, and Decrees
This is the unsigned version that is located within the three Undaunted Enclaves. From repeated runthroughs of "Taking the Undaunted Pledge" with characters of multiple alliances, I have noticed that it appears this book is entirely unobtainable, as opposed to just being unobtainable after the quest. Before the quest, no interactions with any of the three Tomes are possible. During the first step of the quest, one signs the Undaunted Tome and, at any time afterward, the only copy that can be interacted with (the one in Grahtwood) only shows the Tome of the Undaunted (Signed). Possible solutions for this book include putting a version somewhere else at one of the enclaves, or even on the pedestal at one of the non-AD Undaunted Enclaves where the books cannot currently be interacted with after the quest, regardless of which alliance the character is in. Another option, since this is literally the same content as Tome of the Undaunted (signed) with the exception of the player’s signature, is to delete this book and just have the signed version be the only one, accessible after completing the associated quest
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Krisandra Edrald's Journal Vol 1, 2, and 3 (3 separate books) : Personal Journals
Part of the quest "A Change of Heart" in Rivenspire at the Edrald Estate, these three books disappear from the world on interaction and are not available after the quest. As with other books, if the player is grouped with other people, this means that only one of them will be able to add the books to their library, which is a problem.
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Note to Vanus : Rituals and Revelations
Part of the quest "Through a Veil Darkly" (the Summerset prologue), this book is found within the Old Wyrd Site portion of the Mines of Khuras during the quest. After the quest, the book disappears. No post-quest location has been found.
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Kinlady's Letter : Summerset Scrolls
This book is present as part of "The Queen's Decree," but disappears once someone interacts with it. If the player is in a group and is not the person to interact with it, they are unable to add the book to their library. The simplest solution is to ensure that the book is present there once the quest is completed.
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Illuminus : Summerset Scrolls
This books is part of the quest "Illusions of Grandeur" in the Illumination Academy, and is recovered and shelved as part of the quest (after which it disappears). No post-quest location seems to exist.
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Naliara's Notes, Days 2, 8, 13, and 18;
King's Haven Territory Record, King's Haven Trade Record, and
King's Haven Scouting Record : Summerset Scrolls
These books are part of the quest "Savage Truths." During the quest, they are interacted with, the note pages disappear, and the plaques on which the records are kept become uninteractable. If a bug occurs where the books aren't added to the collection at this moment, it cannot be fixed. Thus, a post-quest location for them is needed.
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Lirendel's Family Shrine : Summerset Scrolls
This only appears during the quest "A Duelist's Dilemma," on the statue in Tor-Hame-Khard. After the quest, the plaque is once again uninteractable. I'll need to do this quest again to remember where the duel takes place in order to be certain that a rubbing of it isn't left there, but I do not believe that will be the case.
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For Captain Telomure; Pearl Research Notes, Log 3; Journal of Justiciar Avanaire : Summerset Scrolls
All three of these books are located in Tor-Hame-Khard during the quest "Pearls Before Traitors" and disappear on quest turn-in. As interaction with these is not required for the quest, and because at least one of these (Pearl Research Notes, Log 3 is off the beaten path, it makes it very easy for the player to miss their opportunity to retrieve these books for their collection. Therefore, it would be wise to either ensure that they remain present in their current locations after the quest is turned in or to give them a post-quest location, possibly outside the delve near Captain Telomure.
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To the Villainous Manacar : Summerset Scrolls
This book is part of the quest "Bantering with Bandits" and is found in the winery near Alinor during the quest. After the quest, however, this book disappears. There is no post-quest location that I have been able to find.
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Dead Water Riddle Fragment : Lore of Murkmire
While the Bright-Throat Fragment has been given a post-quest location, neither
@virtus753 nor I have been able to locate a post-quest copy of this one. I have searched areas in and around the Dead-Water Village, the Tomb of Many Spears, and the Blackguard camps which the player and Jaxsik-Orrn sabotage, but have had no luck. This could simply be due to not looking in the right place, but it would still merit making sure that nothing has gone wrong with any fix (and maybe suggesting to us where we should look that is the right place).
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Crumpled Nursery Rhyme : Elsweyr Epistles and Almanacs
This book is encountered as part of the quest "In Sickness and In Health" at the Anequina Aqueduct, and is even present after the quest. However, there is no entry for it in the Eidetic Memory Library. Perhaps it should be added?
Books Which Are Unobtainable to Members of Certain Alliances
Updated Instructions from Dortene, Information Request from Emeric : Military Order and Reports (AD, EP)
The only location of these two books is within the Southern High Rock Gate camp, meaning that anyone who isn’t DC is unable to obtain them. If a version were added within the gatehouses at the Gates of Alma Ruma or Ni-Mohk, it would allow members of both EP and AD to obtain them, albeit only after someone captures the keeps necessary to access the gate.
If you find any other bugged books, are able to locate a copy of the bugged books I listed, or have any questions about any other books, please don’t hesitate to say so, and post coordinates or map pictures if you are able, so that others are able to find them/ check it out more easily. The entire purpose of this is for the Community to help fellow players find the books they’re looking for, and it doesn’t work without y’all.
Additionally, if anyone at ZOS has any questions or suggestions on how I can make this more useful to y’all, please don’t hesitate to chime in. As evidenced by what I found with
Orders to Halskar recently, even a lot of people running through an area can miss things or be mistaken about what’s causing it. If you have evidence that “Hey, I really don’t think this book is broken and I’m not sure why you all are saying it is,” even if it’s just to hint “Go look in this general location,” go ahead! If you have questions about something we’re seeing and want to know our quest status in an area, be my guest! If you just want to chat about the hunt or the books themselves, perfect! You folks are part of this as well, and if we can help y’all pinpoint issues going on with these books or confirm that no issue exists, that’s outstanding! My ultimate hope is that, at some point, we can completely remove the “Bugs” portion of the title, and make this thread (or a different iteration) solely about helping people locate those books they’re having trouble finding or chat about the ones they’ve found, so they can experience the story you’ve created to the fullest without having to wonder “Wait, have I completely missed out on getting that story on this toon?” Y’all and the work you do are an integral part of making that happen.
Anyway, that’s more than enough chatter from me for now. Happy hunting, folks, and I’ll see y’all in Tamriel!
Books Which Were Listed Above, But Which Have Been Confirmed as Fixed in the Scalebreaker Patch (and their locations):
The Forest Dark
The Siege of Ald Mirak
The Truth of Minotaurs (You can also see
Forest Dark on the seat in the left and
Siege on the barrel to the right)
Updated Instructions from Dortene
Information Request from Emeric
Sealed Imperial Summons
On the table in Abnur Tharn's camp in northern Grahtwood
I’m on most evenings and would be glad to form a group to do a few a week or whatever works for everyone. All are welcome — no experience required! The only requirement is making sure no one feels rushed and can talk with NPCs to their satisfaction, open chests, etc. I can bring whatever role is needed.
