Nightingale Hood
| Nightingale Hood | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Armor Rating | 15 |
| Weight | 2 |
| Value | 969 |
| Slot | Head |
| Set | Nightingale |
| Level | 1-18; 19-31; 32+ |
| Class | Helmets |
| Skill | Light Armor |
| Unique | Yes |
| Item ID | 0005db88, 000fcc13, 000fcc12 |
| Game/DLC | Skyrim |
The Nightingale Hood is the unique light armor helmet of the Nightingale set of the Thieves Guild. It has a base armor rating of 15 and weighs 2. It makes Illusion spells cheaper to cast. Karliah's ritual in Nightingale Hall, near Riften, hands it over from the Armor Stone during Trinity Restored in the Thieves Guild questline.
Armor Enchantment
Illusion spells cost less Magicka to cast. The strength depends on the level when Trinity Restored begins. Spells cost 12% less at levels 1 to 18, 15% less at levels 19 to 31 and 17% less from level 32.
The Enchantment Effects page lists every armor enchantment.
Nightingale Hood Map Location and Quest Guide
Nightingale Hood map location:
The Nightingale Hood is taken from the Armor Stone inside Nightingale Hall, near Riften. It is the reward for Trinity Restored in the Thieves Guild questline.
- Speak with Brynjolf and Karliah in the Ragged Flagon - Cistern.
- Meet Karliah at the standing stone just outside Riften.
- Enter Nightingale Hall with Karliah and Brynjolf.
- Activate the Armor Stone to take the Nightingale set.
- Equip the armor and follow Karliah's instructions.
Map credit by Map Genie.
The enchantment is set by the character level when Trinity Restored begins.
How It Plays
The Nightingale Hood is the masked cowl of the Nightingales, and it is the magical piece of the set. Its enchantment makes Illusion spells cheaper. Illusion is the school of quiet tricks: muffled steps, invisibility, calm and fear. A thief who adds a little magic to the sneak gains the most from it.
Illusion spells are expensive for a character who has not trained Magicka. Muffle and Invisibility cost a lot for the time they last. The hood trims every cast, so a thief with a small Magicka pool can still use them. A warrior who throws Fear or Rout to break up a crowd also spends less.
The hood is a thin light helmet. It weighs very little and gives modest protection. Its value comes from the enchantment and from the full Nightingale look.
Perks and Builds
The Illusion Skill tree builds on the hood. Novice through Master Illusion each halve the cost of spells of their level, and the hood's cut stacks with them. Quiet Casting makes all spells silent, which keeps a sneaking mage hidden. Animage, Kindred Mage and Master of the Mind extend calm and fear spells to animals, people, undead and daedra.
A sneak thief can use Illusion in place of a bow. Muffle hides the sound of footsteps, and Invisibility hides the body. With both up, a thief walks past guards and empties a room. The hood keeps both spells within reach of a small Magicka pool.
The Light Armor Skill tree covers the armor. Custom Fit adds a bonus when the head, chest, hands and feet are all light armor. The Nightingale set fills all four slots. Agile Defender raises the rating of the hood with the rest.
Compared with Other Hoods
The Thieves Guild Hood and the Guild Master's Hood improve prices. They suit a thief who sells stolen goods often. The Nightingale Hood suits a thief who casts.
Krosis is the dragon priest mask for an archer and thief. It boosts Archery, Lockpicking and Alchemy. A bow thief gains more from Krosis. A thief who uses Illusion gains more from the Nightingale Hood.
The Shrouded Cowl of the Dark Brotherhood improves bow damage, and the Ancient Shrouded Cowl improves it further. Those hoods serve an assassin with a bow. The Nightingale Hood serves an agent of Nocturnal who relies on stealth magic.
Quest Background
The hood comes from the Armor Stone in Nightingale Hall during Trinity Restored. Karliah leads the Dragonborn and Brynjolf there to prepare for the hunt for Mercer Frey. She explains that only Nocturnal's favor can match a Nightingale like Mercer.
The price of that favor is an oath. A Nightingale serves Nocturnal in life as an agent, and after death as a guardian of her shrine. The questline cannot move on without taking that oath. Karliah calls Nocturnal at the three glyphs, and the Daedric Prince accepts the new trinity.
The story ends in Darkness Returns at the Twilight Sepulcher. The ghost of Gallus waits at the entrance. He says the theft of the Skeleton Key has corrupted the other guardians and cut them off from Nocturnal. The Pilgrim's Path leads through five tests to the Ebonmere. Returning the key reopens it, and Nocturnal appears to speak.
Lore
Nocturnal is the Daedric Prince of night and darkness and the patron of thieves. Her shrine is the Twilight Sepulcher, and her greatest treasure there is the Ebonmere. The Nightingales are her agents, a trinity bound to guard the shrine and the luck it gives.
Nocturnal speaks plainly at the Ebonmere. She frames the return of the key as a bargain fulfilled, not as an act of honor. She tells her new agent to drink from the Ebonmere, where an Agent of Nocturnal is born. She also warns that the key must stay in place this time.
The Ebonmere then grants one of three powers. The crescent moon circle grants invisibility while sneaking. The full moon circle drains life from a target. The half moon circle turns nearby enemies against each other. The power can be changed by stepping onto another circle after a day has passed.
Gameplay Tips
- Start Trinity Restored at level 32 or higher. The character level at the start of the quest, not when the set is taken, decides which version is granted.
- Temper it at a workbench with one Void Salts. The Arcane Blacksmith perk is needed.
Smithing Guide
Enchanted weapons require the Arcane Blacksmith Perk to upgrade.
Upgrades
Nightingale Hood is improved at a workbench with one Void Salts per improvement. An enchanted copy can only be improved with the Arcane Blacksmith perk.
| Quality | Smithing | Armor |
|---|---|---|
| Fine | 14 | +1 |
| Superior | 31 | +3 |
| Exquisite | 65 | +5 |
| Flawless | 100 | +7 |
| Epic | 134 | +8 to +9 |
| Legendary | 168 | +10 |
Armor Set
Nightingale Hood belongs to the Nightingale set. The table shows every piece of the set.
| Name | Image | Slot | Armor | Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nightingale Armor | 
|
Body | 34 | 12 |
| Nightingale Boots | 
|
Feet | 10 | 2 |
| Nightingale Gloves | 
|
Hands | 10 | 2 |
| Nightingale Hood | 
|
Head | 15 | 2 |
Armor Categories
All Helmets
Light Armor
All light armor helmets are listed below with their armor rating, weight, set and upgrade material.
Heavy Armor
All heavy armor helmets are listed below with their armor rating, weight, set and upgrade material.
Dragon Priest Masks
The Dragon Priests wore these masks, and each one carries its own enchantment.
| Name | Image | Armor | Weight | Value | Set | Upgrade | Perk | DLC |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ahzidal | 
|
23 | 9 | 1165 | Dragon Priest Masks | Ebony Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Dragonborn |
| Dukaan | 
|
23 | 9 | 1202 | Dragon Priest Masks | Ebony Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Dragonborn |
| Hevnoraak | 
|
23 | 9 | 891 | Dragon Priest Masks | Iron Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Skyrim |
| Konahrik | 
|
24 | 7 | 3200 | Dragon Priest Masks | Gold Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Skyrim |
| Krosis | 
|
21 | 5 | 1615 | Dragon Priest Masks | Iron Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Skyrim |
| Miraak | 
|
27 | 9 | 849 | Dragon Priest Masks | Cannot be upgraded | None | Dragonborn |
| Morokei | 
|
5 | 4 | 637 | Dragon Priest Masks | Refined Moonstone | Daedric Smithing | Skyrim |
| Nahkriin | 
|
23 | 9 | 2173 | Dragon Priest Masks | Ebony Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Skyrim |
| Otar | 
|
23 | 9 | 1521 | Dragon Priest Masks | Refined Malachite | Daedric Smithing | Skyrim |
| Rahgot | 
|
23 | 9 | 962 | Dragon Priest Masks | Orichalcum Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Skyrim |
| Vokun | 
|
23 | 9 | 2182 | Dragon Priest Masks | Steel Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Skyrim |
| Volsung | 
|
21 | 5 | 4611 | Dragon Priest Masks | Corundum Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Skyrim |
| Wooden Mask | 
|
1 | 2 | 51 | Dragon Priest Masks | Cannot be upgraded | None | Skyrim |
| Zahkriisos | 
|
23 | 9 | 1239 | Dragon Priest Masks | Ebony Ingot | Daedric Smithing | Dragonborn |