Location from The Elder Scrolls by Bethesda Game Studios
A bleak plane of Oblivion where soul-trapped beings are condemned to wander for eternity. Ruled by the Ideal Masters, the Soul Cairn is accessed during the Dawnguard questline alongside the vampire Serana.
The Soul Cairn is a plane of Oblivion governed by the Ideal Masters, mysterious entities that collect souls as currency and power. Every soul captured by a soul gem that is then used in enchanting is consigned to this desolate realm. The Dragonborn enters the Soul Cairn through a portal in Castle Volkihar's undercroft alongside Serana, seeking her mother Valerica who has been hiding there with an Elder Scroll. Durnehviir, an undead dragon bound to the Soul Cairn by the Ideal Masters, patrols the realm. The Dragonborn must either become partially soul-trapped or become a vampire to survive entry. Jiub, the Dark Elf who drove the cliff racers from Morrowind, can be found among the trapped souls.
An endless wasteland of purple-grey desolation under a sky devoid of sun or stars. Crumbling stone structures and soul gems litter the barren ground. Ghostly figures drift aimlessly between bone-white pillars and dark crystal formations. Lightning crackles across the violet sky, and the air itself feels heavy with trapped despair.
Also known as: Soul Cairn, the Cairn, realm of trapped souls