Serana

A vampire trapped for millennia who holds an Elder Scroll and the key to stopping the sun's extinction.

Serana is a pivotal character introduced in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim's 'Dawnguard' expansion, voiced by Laura Bailey. She is a vampire trapped inside a statue within the Dimhollow Crypt in the Pale. Upon her release by the player character, she reveals she possesses an Elder Scroll and that her family resides in Castle Volkihar off the coast of Skyrim near Solitude. Her narrative arc begins when she asks for an escort back to her home, setting the main storyline in motion. Serana makes herself known to the Dawnguard and pledges to help them against her father, whatever side the player chooses.

Quick Facts

First appears: Dimhollow Crypt in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim - Dawnguard
Origin: Castle Volkihar, off the coast of Haafingar

Lore & Background

Serana is the daughter of Lord Harkon, leader of the Volkihar clan, and Valerica. Thousands of years ago, her father pledged his soul to Molag Bal to gain immortality for himself and his family through vampirism. Harkon intends to kill Serana to fulfil the prophecy; her mother Valerica fled the castle with one of the Elder Scrolls, and Serana was found trapped inside a statue. Valerica then fled with the Elder Scroll to the Forgotten Vale. For centuries, Serana remained in stasis while her father sought other scrolls and weapons like Auriel's Bow. When awakened, she reveals that Harkon intends to kill her to fulfill the prophecy. She also shares that her mother was estranged from the family after fleeing the castle.

Reader's Guide

Serana acts as a unique companion who can be recruited early in the questline by escorting her from Dimhollow Crypt. She possesses the ability to resurrect fallen enemies and cast powerful spells like Drain Vitality. If the player chooses the Volkihar path, she transforms into a Vampire Lord alongside the player, utilizing a skill tree with eleven perks that levels up through kills using Drain Life or bite attacks. On the Dawnguard path, she aids in retrieving the missing Elder Scrolls, including one held by her mother Valerica in the Soul Cairn.