While some believe Skyrim to be one the most overrated games, it remains one of the best RPG games with so many quests and sidequests to discover and new adventures and paths to embark on. However, the Anniversary Edition made the game 10x better with brand new content and some of the best questlines Skyrim has ever seen. It allowed players to receive all the Creation Club material and more. This meant tons of quests, player homes, spells, and, best of all––weapons! Whether they wanted a magical sword, new enchanted staffs, or bows perfect for stealth, they could have it all, such as the Bow of Shadows. The Bow of Shadows is a genuinely unique bow that is a necessity for thieves or assassins in Skyrim because it allows the archer to turn invisible and gain speed. Here's how you can claim it for your character.
Check that the add-on is installed
The Bow of Shadows is part of a unique questline called "In the Shadows," which is a part of the Creation Club. If you have the Anniversary Edition, this will be included for free and won't need to be purchased. You will just need to make sure it is installed in the Creation Club menu found on the Main Menu. If you don't have the Anniversary Edition, you can purchase it with 200 Credits, which must be bought with real currency.
How to complete In The Shadows quest in Skyrim
Talk to Proventus Avenicci in Whiterun
To begin the quest to retrieve the Bow of Shadows, you will need to head to Dragonsreach in Whiterun and speak with the Steward, Proventus Avenicci. Look for the dialogue prompt, "Is there anything you need from me?" Once asked, Proventus will give you a letter, and the quest will automatically begin. You can find the letter in your inventory as the Steward's Note, and you must read this to continue.
Related: Skyrim Item Codes List
Take the Ledger Copy in Arcadia's Cauldron
After reading the letter, you will need to head over to Arcadia's Cauldron. This is the alchemy shop located near the Bannered Mare inn within the Marketplace of Whiterun. As soon as you head inside, you will notice an open book on the closet counter corner. This is the Business Ledger Copy you must grab and read to continue the questline. Upon reading the Ledger, it will notify you of two choices: investigate the Hall of the Dead or check the Stables for possible informants about the assassination claim.
Investigate the Hall of the Dead or Check Stables
It's up to you whether you choose to delve into the Hall of the Dead, but you will continue the quests faster if you bypass this option altogether. You can head straight to the Stables right outside Whiterun, and within the horse stables will find the body of a Nord. When you search the body, you will find the next piece of the story, the Stable Hand's Note. This will lead you to investigate a bandit camp not far away from Whiterun, Silent Moons Camp. You will also find a Detect Life spell tome, which you may want to take to assist you later.
Investigate the Silent Moons Camp
Silent Moons Camp is just Northwest of the Whiterun Stables, and doesn't take long at all to reach, especially if you have a horse. Once you get there, you will be attacked by a group of bandits inhabiting the camp. You will need to take them out to search the camp and find the Assassin's Journal.
Find the Assassin's Journal at Silent Moons Camp
You can find the Assassin's Journal on a table within a sheltered part of the camp. You won't need to venture inside any of the outposts. It is heavily guarded by bandits, some shooting bows and some that use magic. Make sure you have healing available to you because you will need to get through all of them to retrieve it. Once you read the journal, you can continue the questline to the final stage––finding the Assassin and stopping him before he attempts to kill the Jarl.
Find the Assassin in Dragonsreach
The Assassin is located on the upper floors of Dragonsreach, with a perfect view down to the Jarl on his throne. You can find him by taking the staircase on the right side of the throne and heading straight through the doorway located to the left, as your quest marker suggests. This is the moment that the Detect Life spell comes into use. Since the Bow of Shadows turns the user invisible, you can equip this spell to see where the Assassin is hiding. Once you attack them, they will be visible again for you to take out. You will want to dodge any arrows coming your way as the bow deals some big damage. You can also attempt to use Wards or shields to block incoming arrows and then deal out your own damage in between shots.
Retrieve the Bow of Shadows
Once the Assassin is killed, you can retrieve the Bow of Shadows from him, as well as some nice Ebony arrows to utilize with it. If you wish to finish off the quest as well, you simply have to return to Proventus to notify him the threat has been taken care of. He also rewards you with a nice hefty amount of coins, although the best reward is the bow. You are now equipped to become the best Assassin in Skyrim, capable of sneaking past any enemies and shooting out quick, lethal blows from the darkness.
This is how you can complete the In the Shadows quest and retrieve the mighty enchanted Bow of Shadows in Skyrim. Let us know in the comments below if you were able to complete the quest following the guide above!
Looking for more Pro Game Guides Skyrim content? Check out our guides on Skyrim Together Reborn Mod – How to play Skyrim in Co-op mode or Best Mods for Skyrim!
Abby Smith is a super nerd and video game fanatic and grew up playing games on a variety of platforms. She likes to spend her free time binge-watching Netflix, reading all genres of novels, and playing all the best new video games. She is currently a full-time Staff Writer for Pro Game Guides, and as an alumni from Full Sail University, also enjoys dabbling in creative writing such as short stories, scripts, and comics on the side.