So I've been putting off the Forbidden Legend quest, because I know the Gauldur Blackblade (a health-draining one-hander) and Blackbow (a mana-draining bow) are levelled items, and I wanted to make sure to get the best versions of both items. Recently, the UESP wiki updated the level requirements for each version, and the Blackblade and Blackbow hit their highest levels at 36+. Being level 40, I finally did the quest - and the Blackblade that drops is the lowest-level version, which drains a trivial 5 points of health. (If it matters, this is all post-patch, and I'm playing on the PS3.)

Anyway: so I reloaded, tried exiting and re-entering the dungeon, tried everything I could think of, but always got the low-level sword. Very frustrating, but not game-breaking. Hopefully, Bethesda will release some DLC at some point which will allow me to "level up" my levelled items (or disenchant and re-forge them).

So, I continue the quest, get the non-levelled staff from the second dungeon with no problems, and then I head to the third dungeon (Geirmund's Hall) to get the Blackbow. On my way there, I notice that I have no quest marker for the hall at all. Odd. I try the Clairvoyance spell, and nothing happens. No trailing blue beacon at all. I switch to another quest, and Clairvoyance works fine. I switch back to Forbidden Legends - still no visual effects on my Clairvoyance.

Weird. So, I look up the dungeon's location in the strategy guide, travel there without the assistance of a map marker, and go inside. I get past the first couple of rooms, and encounter an "animal tiles" puzzle. Having done this quest before on my first character, I solve the puzzle by memory and pull the lever to open the gate to the next room. Nothing happens.

To make sure I have the solution right, I look up the answer on the wiki. I have it correct. I cross-reference the wiki with my official strategy guide. Solution is the same in both sources. The gate opened by the puzzle won't open, despite the animal tiles being in the correct order.

I tried loading a recent auto-save. Still no quest marker, still no working puzzle solution.

I tried completing a different quest, then switching back to Forbidden Legend. Still no quest marker, still no working puzzle solution.

Aside from venting and warning - I guess I've created this thread to ask the forums: have you experienced anything like this when completing the Forbidden Legend quest, (or any other)? Did you find a way around it? Did it fix itself later? If I'm screwed out of one of the best bows and one of the best amulets in the game, I'm going to be pretty upset considering the time I've put into this character (who happens to be an archer / sniper). Moreso, if I'm stuck with an un-finishable quest in my quest log, my OCD is going to drive me to drinking.

Wat do?

Five minutes old and already on page 3.

Bumping for halp.

This quest messed up for me aswell, the amulet in Geirmund's Hall is in the floor or something :'(