Lost to the Ages (quest)

Place the Aetherium Shards
After having found all four Aetherium Shards, Katria directs the Dragonborn to the Ruins of Bthalft where the legendary Aetherium Forge is rumoured to be. In the Ruins of Bthalft, visit the central, celestial-looking sculpture on a platform, and place the shards into it. A rumble occurs but nothing more.

Retrieve the Aetherium Crest
Katria suggests to retrieve the shards that have now been neatly placed in a gear-like object, the Aetherium Crest. More rumbling.

Stand Clear
Katria then warns the Dragonborn to quickly step back from the platform. Shorty thereafter a Dwemer elevator shaft shoots out of the ground, making way to the forge.

Find the Aetherium Forge
Enter the elevator to the forge, and dive into the depths. Follow the path through the huge cave, until reaching a closed off gate. Here Katria suggests activating the two resonators above the gate, by shooting at them. Finally the Dragonborn enters the impressive chamber of the Aetherium Forge.

Shut off the Steam
To make the forge work, first two steam valves need to be closed.

Defeat the Guardians of the Forge
This activates nine Dwarven Spiders and six Dwarven Spheres that need to be defeated.

Shut off the Steam (Optional)
Turning off the steam valves (again) seems to put The Forgemaster on the plan. Defeat it as well.

Speak with Katria
After all that commotion Katria explains: to ultimately test that this is indeed the fabled Aetherium Forge the Dragonborn should have the honour of creating something. But she warns that the Aetherium Crest will only be good to forge one item. Asked about more Aetherium in Skyrim, she thinks it to be a miracle that any should exist today at all. So it is very unlikely to find more.

Search for Crafting Materials (Optional)
Supposedly everything required to forge one of three items is present at the forge.

Use the Aetherium Forge
The Dragonborn now has the choice to forge one of three items:


 * an Aetherial Crown,
 * an Aetherial Shield, or
 * an Aetherial Staff

Katria is amazed and relieved to have finally found the forge, the goal of all her years of research that cost her life, and thanks the Dragonborn, hoping the forged item will tell and be proof of her discovery. She then vanishes.

Verloren in der Vergangenheit (Aufgabe)