My Alteration is at 100 so I sought out Tolfdir to get this particular quest. The location to get the knife that allows you to cut out Dragonheart scales is a random location so it can change game to game. THe location for this quest was Folgunther (I think it was Folgunther),.. at any rate it was where a Dragonpriest was located. The probelm is, I'd already killed this Dragonpriest and taken his mask.

Where the problem lies is that in order for a set of gates to open behind the sarcophagous, you have to kill the Dragonpriest and take his mask. But being that he's already dead, the gates wouldn't open. I looked all over for a pull chain and consulted the guide, but had no luck. So I couldn't get the dagger. I ended up having to reload which was a major PITA because it put me back at the tail end of another quest involving the Agent of Dibella quest.

So after redoing all that, I went back to get the quest from Tolfdir again but now it won't appear. I went and found his alembic, which I didn't have to do the first time, thinking this would re-prompt the quest; but it didn't. So I did another quest for him, hoping that it would prompt the quest mentioned in the title, but nope.

I'm on Xbox so I can't do any tricks to get this thing to come back up (I'm so going PC next time). This svcks because I really wanted to get the Dragonflesh spell from him---and this is only way to get it.

Anyone else have a similar experience or any advice?

Thanks in advance.

Go away and wait 30 days, and see if the dungeon resets. The named Dragon Priest won't be there, but there may be a new one.

Not that anyone showed any great interest in this topic (except dookie0311--Thanks!) but I did want to bump it as a warning. I reloaded again and got the same dungeon: and again. I then waited 30+ in game days and got the same dungeon.

It's NOT Folgunther like I initially wrote, but High Gate Ruins. So essentially, the Quest is broken if you do the Scroll for Sanska (or whatever her name is) Quest before doing the Alteration Ritual Spell quest.

I haven't seen this mentioned as a bug and it may just be my experience but I thought it worth pointing out.

So if you ever want the Dragonskin spell, DON'T EVER step foot in High Gate Ruins before you get it. Keep in mind that your Alteration has to be above 90 to get the quest so don't sweat it if you never plan on getting your Alteration that high.

Weird, I did the Scroll for Anska quest before the Alteration ritual quest, and everything worked out fine...

I did the quest with Anska, saw the dagger, left it cos I'm playing a defensive Mage, then a few hours later reached 100 alteration, spoke to Tolfdir and he sent me to that dungeon.

I remember the dagger being in a regular looking chest that was to the left of the word wall...

Sorry if thats not much help, but I feel your pain.

I'm in the same boat. I was so happy to finally get my alteration up and go to Tolfdir, and now this. (Scroll for Anska before the quest for the dagger)

Wait, if you are just being held back by the gate, did you try the platter trick? If you hold a platter or plate in front of you and walk towards something, you will start to clip through it. Whirlwind sprint and you should be able to get through.

?????
How does one "hold a platter"? with telekinesis?
This scares me, but I'll look it up (and maybe try it).....

I don't know. I'm level 67, I don't know if I even need dragonskin or mass paralysis.
Going through High Gate again was weird enough, as Anska is still standing there talking about interpreting the scroll, and at the end the sarcophagus pops open but nothing floats up because the dragon priest is already an ash pile.
I may just let this one sit in my journal, oh well...

if the dragon priest is already dead wouldnt you have already looted teh dagger off him ? for me the very 1st dragon priest i killed had the dagger and i had been unable to drop it for well over 45 levels due to it beign a quest item so when i fiannly got my alteration to 100 it was already in my invent .-.

Huh. This thread is back from the dead.

Anyway... Since the time I first posted this I've found out that it's a known bug, on the list of things that Beth plans to fix at some point in the future. Much like the MQ bug associated with the Cornered Rat quest, the bug doesn't happen to everyone during every play-through. I've started a new character as well so it really doesn't matter. The funny thing is, I don't know if this new character will ever get to 90+ Alteration, which is required in order to get this quest. Oh well, maybe eventually I will.

The dagger isn't on the dragon priest; it's in a room behind the priest throne room, behind gates I can't open anymore, in a chest.

@ Bacillus, I revived it because I was looking for a solution...misery loves company!

I think mine is really going to be broken. I already have the dagger.

Can't even remember where I picked it up, and had no idea what it was for at the time. I think my Alteration skill was only in the 20's, if that. And the way quests break when you find the object first... oh, this is going to svck.

Didn't affect it for me.

The dagger is available in number of dungeons. So check the wiki and go and get it some where else. I usually have it with me, before I start the quest.

There's no way I'm fighting through another dragon priest dungeon on the off-chance that the Fang will be there even though I don't have a quest marker for it.
I think I'd rather just pretend there's no such thing as dragonskin. I have a home-made dragonscale set on this playthrough, for pete's sake, I think it's okay to settle.

p.s. I just want to say, I don't have this dagger because.....

During this playthrough I was trying to be very careful about NOT picking up named items that were not part of a running quest, for fear of breaking another quest.

So I had the opportunity to grab it during A Scroll for Anska but did not, thinking I was playing it safe.