1. Missable Achievements
   
2. Misc Achievements
   
3. Main Quest Achievements
   
4. Civil War Achievements
   
5. Companions Achievements
   
6. Thieves Guild Achievements
   
7. College of Winterhold Achievements
   
8. Dark Brotherhood Achievements

Missable Achievements

War Hero
Capture Fort Sungard or Fort Greenwall

There are spoilers in this description, so if you don’t want the main story or civil war questlines spoiled for you, simply remember to complete the Civil War quests BEFORE the main quest and you should have no problems with this achievement.

For everyone else, this achievement is the only truly missable achievement in Skyrim. There is a point during the main quest where the Imperials and the Stormcloaks will sit down and negotiate a temporary peace treaty. During this part of the quest, you will be given the option to choose which cities are given to the opposing forces. If you give Markarth to the Stormcloaks and then follow the Stormcloak path for the Civil War questline (Join the Stormcloaks), you will miss this achievement. Alternatively, if you give Riften to the Imperials and then follow the Imperial Civil War questline (Join the Imperial Legion), you will miss this achievement. The safest course of action is to join the Imperial Legion or the Stormcloaks immediately after escaping Helgen at the beginning of the game, and follow the Civil War questline to completion before advancing the main quest. This will guarantee that you unlock the War Hero achievement.

One with the Shadows
Returned the Thieves Guild to its former glory

There are spoilers in this description, so if you do not want to know how the storyline for the Thieves’ Guild ends, do not read past this first paragraph. Just remember NOT to sell or otherwise lose the first set of Thieves’ Guild armor that you are given. Doing so will make this achievement unattainable.

This achievement is mistakenly considered glitched by a lot of people, when really, it is not. After completing the main Thieves’ Guild quest line, you will be promoted to Guild Master of the Thieves’ Guild, taking Mercer Frey’s place. Once promoted, you will be sent to speak with Tonilia, to exchange your normal Thieves’ Guild armor for the Thieves’ Guild Master armor. This is where the achievement would normally unlock, if you had already completed enough jobs to unlock all of the traders that appear in the Ragged Flagon. If you have not unlocked all of the traders beforehand, you still must do that before earning the achievement. To complete these special jobs talk to Vex and Delvin Mallory. The unlock the traders in the Ragged Flagon, you must complete “Special Jobs” that are location specific. There are 5 traders, with special jobs taking place in Markarth, Solitude, Windhelm, Whiterun, and Riften. To be given these special jobs, you have to complete a certain number of side jobs in each area. The fastest way to get these special jobs is to only take jobs for the area that you want the special job. For instance, take jobs in Whiterun, and eventually, you will be given the special job for Whiterun. You can cancel jobs after receiving them, if they are not for the location you want.

After unlocking all 5 merchants in the Ragged Flagon, and earning your Thieves’ Guild Master armor, you will have finally unlocked this achievement.

Miscellaneous Achievements

Citizen
Buy a house

Wanted
Escape from jail

The easiest place to earn this achievement is in Winterhold. Instead of a jail, the guards will throw you in an unlocked cage inside a cave guarded by a single frost atronach. Assault a guard in Winterhold and allow him to take you to jail. Exit the cage and the Atronach will attack. You can fight the Atronach, but if you’re a low level, it may be easier to just run past it. Once you exit the cave, the achievement will unlock.

Be sure to save before committing a crime. Once you escape from jail, you will have a higher bounty than before. It’s easier to reload your save once the achievement pops.

Blessed
Select a Standing Stone blessing

On the world map you will see what look like stone pillars with a diamond near the top. These are Standing Stones. You just need to Activate one of these stones (typically having to kill someone or something near it first). You can only activate one every 24 hours game time.

The first set of standing stones you will likely encounter are the Guardian Stones. They are on the road south of Riverwood and very hard to miss after escaping Helgen. Upon leaving Helgen, there will be a Stormcloak or Imperial Soldier with you that helped you escape. If you follow him, he will take you directly to the Guardian Stones.

Standing Stones
Find 13 Standing Stones

Like the Blessed achievement, but this is for finding all 13 standing stones found in the game. Note that you don’t have to activate all 13 stones, you only have to find them. This achievement is easier than it sounds if you pay attention to your compass and make a point of visiting each stone as you see it appear on your compass.

As a side note, the Guardian Stones are counted as three separate stones in the stats page of the in-game menu, but only count as 1 towards this achievement. This is because there are actually 15 standing stones, but they are found in 13 locations dotted around the landscape. The achievement is determined by finding the locations, rather than the stones themselves.

The stones you need to find are as follows:

• The Guardian Stones
• The Apprentice Stone
• The Atronach Stone
• The Lover Stone
• The Lady Stone
• The Lord Stone
• The Ritual Stone
• The Serpent Stone
• The Shadow Stone
• The Steed Stone
• The Thief Stone
• And The Tower Stone

Reading a book in the game called “An Explorer’s Guide to Skyrim” will mark all of the stones on your map for you, making them extremely easy to find. The book can be found sitting on the counter at Arcadia’s Cauldron (the alchemy shop next to the Bannered Mare) in Whiterun.

Sideways
Complete 10 Side Quests

Hero of the People
Complete 50 Misc Objectives

Alternatively to the Sideways achievement, this achievement is earned by completing all of those odd jobs and objectives found under the Miscellaneous tab in your journal. Most of these “quests” can be completed multiple times, and are found so often in the game just by talking to people, you’ll probably earn this achievement without even trying.

If for some reason you are having trouble earning this achievement, you can visit any tavern in any town and ask the bartender if he’s heard any news. He’ll give you a quest that usually involved killing something.

Hard Worker
Chop wood, mine ore, and cook food

This achievement is pretty easy to understand. You will need a woodcutter’s axe which can usually be found near a chopping block in most towns. You will also need a pickaxe, which can always be found in a mine. And then you will need ingredients to cook food. There are many different kinds of animals that you can kill in the wild but one of the easiest animals to kill are the salmon found in rivers. Just jump into the river at Riverwood and catch one, then pick up a salt pile which can be purchased from just about any inkeeper or bartender.

Once you have the axe, you need to chop wood. There is a chopping block next to the mill in Riverwood.

Once you have the pickaxe, you need to find an ore vein. These can be found in all kinds of caves and even outdoor locations, but the most obvious place to find one is in a mine. There is a mine just south of Riverwood with some low level bandits inside.

Finally, find a cooking pot. These can be found in most taverns and kitchens in the game, as well as some hunter and bandit camps in the wild. There are many recipes to choose from, but the easiest is mixing a piece of meat like a rabbit haunch or that salmon you caught, with a salt pile.

Once completing all three of these tasks, the achievement should unlock.

Artificer
Make a smithed item, an enchanted item, and a potion

This achievement is extremely easy as many characters in the game will teach you how to make these various items.

The blacksmith in Whiterun can teach you how to smith weapons and armor. The alchemist in Whiterun can teach you to make potions. And the court wizard in Dragonsreach Castle (Whiterun) can teach you to enchant items.

Once you have completed the tutorials for these various tasks (or simply created the items on your own) the achievement will unlock.

Thief
Pick 50 locks and 50 pockets

If you pick the locks on most of the doors and chests you find in dungeons, the first half of this achievement will come naturally. Picking 50 pockets may not be so easy for some players, especially the people trying to play as strictly warrior or mage types.

One easy way to do it is to find as many articles of clothing that you can (or create your own) that increase pickpocket success. You can relatively easily boost your chance for pickpocket success by enchanting boots, gloves, a ring, and an amulet, to increase your pickpocketing skill. Then simply save and go on a pickpocketing spree through any town.

Locks and pockets picked can each be tracked on the stats page.

Snake Tongue
Successfully persuade, bribe, and intimidate

This achievement can be earned without investing any of your perks into the speech skill. From time to time during conversations, you’ll be able to attempt to persuade the person you’re conversing with to do something, whether it’s giving you information, items, or telling guards to look the other way. It can be relatively easy to guess whether or not persuade, bribe, or intimidate will working on the person you’re trying to perform the action on. For instance, guards probably won’t be intimidated much by you, but they are rather likely to take a bribe.

The easiest way to get the achievement is to venture to Riften. Once there, head to the Black Briar Meadery, just across from the blacksmith, and talk to the guy behind the counter. Ask him what he thinks of Maven Black Briar and after a few lines, you’ll be able to attempt to persuade him. He has a very low resistance to speech attempts, so you can use any of the three options to get the truth out of him. Repeat this twice more, using different options each time, and the achievement will unlock.

Married
Get married

To get married, head to Riften and enter the Temple of Mara. Inside is a Priest who will give you an Amulet of Mara. While wearing this amulet, NPCs in the game may mention that you are wearing it in a conversation. You can ask them if they are interested in you, and if they say yes, you can tell them to meet you back at the Temple of Mara so that you can be married. After attending the service, the achievement will unlock.

Popular NPCs that you are able to marry are Aela the Huntress, Ysolde, and Lydia. All three are found in Winterhold, with other marry-able NPCs are scattered around Skyrim.

Master Criminal
Bounty of 1000 gold in all nine holds

This achievement is very easy, though you may want to level up to at least level 15 or 20 before attempting it, as the guards can easily kill you at lower levels. Killing an NPC gives you an instant 1000 gold bounty, so simply enter town and murder the first person you see. As long as another NPC is nearby to witness the murder, you should see a notification in the top left corner that says you’ve earned a 1000 gold bounty in whatever hold you’re in. Flee the scene until you are no longer being pursued, and then fast travel to another location and repeat the process. There is a major city in each of the 9 holds, so killing 1 guard or citizen in each of the major towns (Whiterun, Solitude, Falkreath, Dawnstar, Winterhold, Windhelm, Markarth, Morthal, and Riften) will give you 1000 bounty in each hold. Remember that you have to have a 1000 gold bounty in all nine holds at the same time. So do not pay off your bounty before traveling to each city.

Golden Touch
Have 100,000 gold

This achievement may be one of the last you get, depending on how you choose to play the game. Most people will unlock this simply while playing the game, others may choose to work for it. There are several ways to make gold in the game. Completing quests will usually earn to 500 – 1500 gold. You can loot all of the valuable items from every corpse and dungeon you stumble across and sell them at merchants. Or you can craft and sell items. If you choose to earn your wealth by selling items to merchants, you should invest in your speech skill, not only to get better prices from shop keepers, but to earn the investment perk. The perk allows you to invest 500 gold in any shop, which gives that shop 500 more gold to buy items every two days. The best shop to invest in, is the Riverwood Trader in Riverwood. After investing in the Riverwood Trader, he will have 10,000 gold to spend every two days. This allows you to sell 10,000 gold worth of items to him every two days, making the trip to 100,000 gold as effortless as possible.

Delver
Clear 50 dungeons

There are over 150 dungeons in Skyrim, from caves to forts, to dwemer ruins and burial crypts. Clear 50 of these, and the achievement will unlock. To clear a dungeon, a certain unwritten task has to be performed, whether it’s clearing the dungeon of enemies, defeating a boss-level enemy, or opening a certain chest/grabbing a certain piece of loot. You can check whether or not a dungeon has been cleared by highlighting it on your world map, if it’s cleared, it will say “Cleared” next to the name. You should earn this easily by playing through the game normally.

Skill Master
Get a skill to 100

The Elder Scrolls series has a unique leveling system in that, the more you use a skill, the faster it will level up. If you want to level up a certain skill quickly, (Archery, for instance) you simply have to use a bow and arrow in combat frequently. Combat skills require you to use that skill against a living creature. Using the Archery example again, shooting a tree with hundreds of arrows will not advance your Archery skill at all. Shooting a killable person or creature with arrows will, however. If you stick to one combat skill (Archery, Two-Handed, One-Handed, or Destruction), you should have this achievement by the time you complete the game. The more you hit an enemy with your weapons, the faster you will level up those skills, so turning up the difficulty is a good way to quickly level your combat skills as one enemy will require more hits to take down, meaning you will advance your skill further per enemy.

You should also have a Guardian Stone equipped that matches the skills you want to excel at. Guardian Stones give you +20% faster skill advancement for the class of your choosing, and the Lady Stone will make all of your skills level 15% faster. It’s generally a good idea to have one of these stones active at all times.

Explorer
Discover 100 Locations

This achievement should unlock while playing through the game. There are hundreds of locations to find including cities, towns, caves, dragon rocks, burial mounds, forts, and more. Every time you find a new location the words ” – Location Name -  Discovered” will appear on the screen and you will be able to fast travel to that location from any outdoor area. If for some reason you do not have this achievement by the time you finish the game,it’s best to just start wandering the wilderness, going to every undiscovered location on your compass. Undiscovered locations appear darker on the compass than discovered ones.

Reader
Read 50 Skill Books

Skills books can be found scattered all across Skyrim. As a rule, you should open every book you come across. You don’t have to actually read the book, as simply opening a skill book will advance whatever skill it is for by 1 point. Not all books are skill books and you can’t re-read a skill book, even if you find it in another location. Read 50 skills books and the achievement will unlock. There are 102 different skill books in the game. What they are called, and information on where you can pick them up can be found here:

Skyrim Wiki: Skill Books

Daedric Influence
Acquire a Daedric Artifact

There are 15 Daedric Artifacts in Skyrim. Earn any one of them and this achievement will unlock. See the Oblivion Walker achievement below for more information.

Oblivion Walker
Collect 15 Daedric Artifacts

There are 15 Daedric Artifacts in Skyrim, you will have to collect all 15 to unlock this achievement. Earning a Daedric Artifact requires you to complete various quests and tasks to earn each one. Some are harder to earn than others, and require you to earn a certain level before you can begin the quest. The Daedric Artifacts you will need to acquire are as follows:

• Azura’s Star of Black Star
• Dawnbreaker
• Ebony Blade
• Ebony Mail
• Mace of Molag Bal
• Masque of Clavicus Vile
• Mehrunes’ Razor
• Oghma Infinium
• Ring of Namira
• Sanguine Rose
• Savior’s Hide or Ring of Hircine (The Cursed Ring of Hircine does not count, you must complete the Ill Met By Moonlight quest for this artifact to count)
• Skeleton Key (The key is taken away at a certain point in the Thieves Guild story. You do not need to have the key in your possession for it to count)
• Skull of Corruption
• Spellbreaker
• Volendrung
• Wabbajack

How to complete these quests and where to start them can be found here:

Skyrim Wiki: Deadric Artifacts

Dragon Soul
Absorb a dragon soul

You must follow the main story for a while before you get to kill your first dragon. After you complete the Bleak Falls Barrow mission, you will be tasked to kill a dragon sighted near Whiterun. The fight can be tough but there are several guards that will help you out. Once the dragon dies, stand next to it and you will automatically absorb its soul.

 
Dragon Hunter
Absorb 20 dragon souls

You must follow the main story for a while before you get to kill your first dragon. After you complete the Bleak Falls Barrow mission, you will be tasked to kill a dragon sighted near Whiterun. Once this dragon is defeated, other dragons will begin spawning all across the wilderness. You will probably unlock this achievement while trying to earn all of the others. The dragons respawn continuously so you’ll never have to worry about seeking them out.

Words of Power
Learn all three words of a shout

You will probably earn this achievement while progressing through the main story by unlocking the Unrelenting Force shout. The first word in this shout is found in Bleak Falls Barrow. The Greybeards will teach you the second and third words in this shout while progressing through the main story. Once they teach you the third word, the achievement will unlock.

Thu’um Master
Learn 20 shouts

You learn shouts at certain points in the main story, and from word walls found in various dungeons and in the wilderness. Walls found in the wilderness are almost always guarded by Dragons. You must kill dragons and absorb their souls to unlock shouts that you have learned.

You do not have to unlock all three words of a shout for this achievement. Simply learning the first words for all 20 shouts in the game will make this achievement unlock.

Apprentice
Reach Level 5

Not only do you need to reach Level 5 in the game for your character, but you must also press to access the equip screen. When you do select Skills at the top. When you do this you will have a choice between leveling up your health, magicka, or stamina. Once you choose one of those three to level up, you will officially have hit Level 5.

Adept
Reach Level 10

Not only do you need to reach Level 10 in the game for your character, but you must also press to access the equip screen. When you do select Skills at the top. When you do this you will have a choice between leveling up your health, magicka, or stamina. Once you choose one of those three to level up, you will officially have hit Level 10.

Expert
Reach Level 25

Not only do you need to reach Level 25 in the game for your character, but you must also press to access the equip screen. When you do select Skills at the top. When you do this you will have a choice between leveling up your health, magicka, or stamina. Once you choose one of those three to level up, you will officially have hit Level 25.

Master
Reach Level 50

Not only do you need to reach Level 50 in the game for your character, but you must also press to access the equip screen. When you do select Skills at the top. When you do this you will have a choice between leveling up your health, magicka, or stamina. Once you choose one of those three to level up, you will officially have hit Level 50.

Main Quest Achievements

Unbound
Complete “Unbound”

Story related achievement, cannot be missed. You earn this achievement after escaping Helgen, which is the town you start the game in. Create your character and follow the instructions of the characters around you. The achievement will unlock after you leave the cave under the town and enter the wilderness.

Bleak Falls Barrow
Complete “Bleak Falls Barrow”

This quest is part of the main story and can not be missed while following the Main Quest line. Soon after entering Whiterun, the Jarl will speak to you. After a short conversation, he will will send you to the court wizard who will you give you a quest to go to Bleak Falls Barrow to retrieve a dragon stone. After completing the dungeon and finding the stone (it’s in a chest next to the Word Wall), you must return to the Court Wizard and give him the tablet. Once complete, this achievement will unlock.

The Way of the Voice
Complete “The Way of the Voice”

Story related achievement, cannot be missed. Once you acquire the Dragon Soul and speak with Jarl Balgruuf in Dragonstone, you will be tasked to go and speak with Arngeir of the Greybeards. He is located in a monastery high up on the mountain next to High Hrothgar (the area is known as “The Throat of the World”.) Climb up to the peak to speak with him and perform the training objectives involving the Words and learning the Whirlwind Sprint shout to unlock this achievement.

Diplomatic Immunity
Complete “Diplomatic Immunity”

This is a story related achievement and can not be missed. After meeting with the Greybeards, you will meet a woman named Delphine. She will send you on a quest of espionage that takes you to the Thalmor Embassy. After escaping the Thalmor Embassy, you must return to Delphine to complete the quest and unlock the achievement.

Alduin’s Wall
Complete “Alduin’s Wall”

Story related achievement that can’t be missed. After Delphine sends you to rescue Esbern from the Riften ratway, you will be tasked with escorting or meeting them at a place called Sky Haven Temple. It’s a dangerous journey for low-level players as you’ll usually have to fight at least one dragon and there is a Forsworn camp along the way. Once inside the temple, follow Esbern until you reach Alduin’s Wall. Once Esbern is done speaking to you about the wall, the achievement will unlock.

Elder Knowledge
Complete “Elder Knowledge”

The Fallen
Complete “The Fallen”

This is a story related achievement and cannot be missed. After learning the Dragonrend shout, you will be ready to take on Alduin himself. But the only way to reach Alduin’s portal to Sovngarde, is to fly like a dragon. Paarthurnax or Esbern will tell you that Dragonsreach was originally build to trap dragons, and that’s exactly what they suggest you do. They will give you the shout to summon Odahviing. After convincing the Jarl of Whiterun to go along with your crazy scheme, you will be taken to the GreatPorch of Dragonsreach, where you must summon Odahviing. Once Odahviing arrives, a battle will begin. Use your Dragonrend shout to make him land, and then lure him into the large open room. Once he’s in the middle, the guards will spring the trap, and you will be able to talk to Odahviing. Agree to let him go and the achievment will unlock.

Dragonslayer
Complete “Dragonslayer”

Taking Sides
Join the Stormcloaks or the Imperial Army

This achievement is available right after leaving Helgen.To join the Stormcloaks, walk or take a cart to Windhelm. Once there, enter the Palace of Kings and speak to Ulfric Stormcloak. Tell him you wish you join the Stormcloaks. After a short initiation quest, you will be allowed to join the Stormcloaks.

To join the Imperial Legion, walk or take a cart to Solitude. Once there, enter the Castle Dour and speak to Leggate Rikke. After a short initiation quest, you will be allowed to join the Imperial Army.

Join either the Stormcloaks or the Imperial Legion, and this achievement will unlock.

War Hero
Capture Fort Sungard or Fort Greenwall

There are spoilers in this description, so if you don’t want the main story or civil war questlines spoiled for you, simply remember to complete the Civil War quests BEFORE the main quest and you should have no problems with this achievement.

For everyone else, this achievement is the only truly missable achievement in Skyrim. There is a point during the main quest where the Imperials and the Stormcloaks will sit down and negotiate a temporary peace treaty. During this part of the quest, you will be given the option to choose which cities are given to the opposing forces. If you give Markarth to the Stormcloaks and then follow the Stormcloak path for the Civil War questline (Join the Stormcloaks), you will miss this achievement. Alternatively, if you give Riften to the Imperials and then follow the Imperial Civil War questline (Join the Imperial Legion), you will miss this achievement. The safest course of action is to join the Imperial Legion or the Stormcloaks immediately after escaping Helgen at the beginning of the game, and follow the Civil War questline to completion before advancing the main quest. This will guarantee that you unlock the War Hero achievement.

During the Civil War questline, you will be tasked with helping your faction of choice capture several forts occupied by the opposing faction, which are dotted around Skyrim. This generally involves killing a certain number of enemy soldiers. If you joined the Stormcloaks, you will eventually be tasked with besieging Fort Sungard near Markarth. Simply take the fort and the achievement will unlock when you turn in the quest. Alternatively, if you joined the Imperial Legion, you will be sent to attack Fort Greenwall near Riften. Take the fort and turn in the quest to unlock the achievement.

Hero of Skyrim
Capture Solitude or Windhelm

The final quest in the civil war questline has you helping Ulfric Stormcloak attack Solitude, or General Tullius attack Windhelm. This quest works just like the Fort quests in that you must slay a certain number of soldiers to push forward into the city to your end goal, which is a confrontation with either Ulfric Stormcloak or General Tullius.

No matter which side you choose, the end result is the same. The achievement will unlock upon completion of the quest.

Companions Achievements

Take Up Arms
Join the Companions

The easiest way for you to join the Companions is to head to Jorrvaskr in Whiterun and speak to the companions until one of them tels you to speak with Kodlak Whitemane. Kodlak will ask you to follow Vilkas around and do as he says. Eventually, you will be given a real quest by Aela The Huntress  that could involve any number of tasks that are level-specific. Once you complete that quest, you will take part in a short ceremony and given a bed. The achievement will then unlock.

Blood Oath
Become a member of the Circle

After completing a series of quests for the Companions, Aela and Skjor will ask you to become a Werewolf. You may accept or refuse, but refusing will keep you from being able to complete the Companions questline. Upon completing the ceremony, you will be transformed into a Werewolf and must fight the guards of Whiterun, or flee. Eventually, your transformation will wear off and you will wake up back in Jorrvaskr. Once this happens, the achievement will unlock.

Glory of the Dead
Complete “Glory of the Dead”

 After Kodlak Whitemaine is killed by the Silver Hand assassins, you’ll attend his funeral and go on a quest to posthumously allow his spirit to enter Sovngarde by curing his Lycanthropy. This involves restoring Wuuthrad (Ysgramor’s Axe), and then going to Ysgramor’s tomb. After clearing the dungeon, you’ll speak to the spirit of Kodlak Whitemaine. He’ll instruct you to place a Glenmoril Witch’s head on the burning altar. When you do this, you’ll have to defeat Kodlak’s beast form. When you’ve slain it, speak to Kodlak again and you’ll be promoted to Harbinger of the Companions, ending the Companions’ quest line and earning this achievement.

College of Winterhold Achievements

 
Gatekeeper
Join the College of Winterhold

You need to journey to the town on the top left of the screen called Winterhold. From here, look for the entrance to a large bridge that connects to the college on your map called “College of Winterhold”. From here, speak with the woman protecting the bridge from intruders and you will have to prove to her you have what it takes. She offers the Flame Bolt spell if you don’t already have it. Equip it, then shoot the symbol on the floor with that magical power, and she will guide you to the college. Once there, talk to the woman who is in a conversation with another man in front of the large doors, and choose to join the college and go for a walk around the campus.

Revealing the Unseen
Complete “Revealing the Unseen”

After learning about the Staff of Magnus, Savos Aren will tell you to speak to Mirabelle Ervine. Mirabell will tell you that some Imperials came looking for the staff, but she couldn’t tell them where it was kept, directing you to a Dwarven Ruin called Mzulft, which is where the Imperials were headed to find out more about the staff. Mzulft, like most Dwemer Ruins, is full of mechanical guardians and Falmer. When you reach the Mzult Aedrome, the central chamber will have a boss-level enemy, either a Falmer Shadowmaster, or a Centurion Sphere Master. Be sure to loot this enemy upon killing it, as it will be carrying a focusing crystal you need later. When you enter the  Oculory, speak to Paratus Decimius, and follow him. He’ll provide you with important information need to complete the puzzle in the Armillary. Once you have solved the puzzle, speak with Paratus again and he will reveal the loaction of the Staff of Magnus. Once you have the location, head back to the College of Winterhold and speak to Savos Aren. After the exchange between Savos and Ancano, the screen will go white, and the achievement will unlock.

For those of you having trouble with the puzzle in Mzulft, you can find the solution here: http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Revealing_the_Unseen#Puzzle_Solution

The Eye of Magnus
Complete “The Eye of Magnus”

After you recover the Staff of Magnus, head back to the College of Winterhold. You will have to fight a large group of Magic Anomalies that have been released by Ancano’s tampering with the Eye. After killing them all and saving Winterhold, you will be told about the magic maelstrom that is blocking entrance to the College. Use the Staff of Magnus to clear a path, and then work your way into the Hall of the Elements. There, Ancano will tell you that he has become too powerful for you, and that you won’t be able to harm him. This is correct, to an extent. Ignore anything he might throw at you and watch the eye. When it opens, use the Staff of Magnus on it. This will drop Ancano’s guard and you can then attack him. Repeat this process as many times as it takes to kill him. Be careful of the Magic Anomalies that will be released by the Eye about half way through the fight. If you stand far enough away from Ancano when you use the Staff on the Eye, they may even attack him for you.

When Ancano is dead, three Mages from the Psijic order will appear and tell you that the Eye is too dangerous, and that the world isn’t ready for it yet. They will then take it with them back to their Monastery. Tolfdir will then proclaim you the new Arch-Mage of Winterhold, and The Eye of Magnus achievement will unlock.

Thieves’ Guild Achievements

Taking Care of Business
Join the Thieves Guild

To join the Thieves Guild, head to Riften. In the market square, you will find a man named Brynjolf. When you speak to him, he will ask if you want to complete a certain task for him. It involves stealing a ring from a nearby jeweler and reverse-pickpocketing it onto a vendor that has angered the guild. Agree to complete the quest, and Brynjolf will create a distraction for you. When the job is complete, Brynjolf will ask you to meet in the Ratway, the series of tunnels under Riften.

When you enter the Ratway, you’ll have to kill a few local thugs and work your way to the Ragged Flagon Cystern. Once there, you will find Brynjolf again, who will ask you to collect three debts from three different shopkeepers around Riften. When speaking to the shopkeepers, you can try to persuade them, or you can choose to brawl with them. Just don’t use weapons or magic. After collecting the debts, go back to the Ragged Flagon, speak to Brynjolf, and he will introduce you to Mercer Frey, the current Guild Master. Once you speak to Frey, the achievement will unlock.

Darkness Returns
Complete “Darkness Returns”

Later in the Thieves’ Guild questline, after meeting Karliah, obtaining the Skeleton Key, and becoming a Nightingale you will be tasked with returning it to Nocturnal, the Deadric Prince of Shadow. To do this, you will be sent to the Twilight Sepulcher. The Twilight Sepulcher is a Nordic ruin at the south-western edge of the Falkreath hold. There, you must follow the Pilgrim’s Path, to be able to meet with Nocturnal. The path is relatively straightforward, in the first room, you’ll have to fight or sneak past multiple Nightingale Sentinels. In the next room, stay out of the light, and don’t take anything from the chest that are scattered about. Later on, you’ll come to a statue of Nocturnal, and the only way to proceed will be to give the statue what Nocturnal truly wants, which is darkness. There are two pull-chains on either side of the statue, hidden behind torches. Pull both chains to put out the fires, which will open a secret door behind the statue. Eventually, you will fall down a hole, and a short cutscene of sorts will play, with you using the Skeleton Key to open the inner sanctum, taking you to the Ebonmere to speak with Nocturnal.

After speaking to Karliah and choosing your Nightingale power, the achievement will unlock.

One with the Shadows
Returned the Thieves Guild to its former glory

This achievement is mistakenly considered glitched by a lot of people, when really, it is not. After completing the main Thieves’ Guild quest line, you will be promoted to Guild Master of the Thieves’ Guild, taking Mercer Frey’s place. Once promoted, you will be sent to speak with Tonilia, to exchange your normal Thieves’ Guild armor for the Thieves’ Guild Master armor. This is where the achievement would normally unlock, if you had already completed enough jobs to unlock all of the traders that appear in the Ragged Flagon. If you have not unlocked all of the traders beforehand, you still must do that before earning the achievement. To complete these special jobs talk to Vex and Delvin Mallory. The unlock the traders in the Ragged Flagon, you must complete “Special Jobs” that are location specific. There are 5 traders, with special jobs taking place in Markarth, Solitude, Windhelm, Whiterun, and Riften. To be given these special jobs, you have to complete a certain number of side jobs in each area. The fastest way to get these special jobs is to only take jobs for the area that you want the special job. For instance, take jobs in Whiterun, and eventually, you will be given the special job for Whiterun. You can cancel jobs after receiving them, if they are not for the location you want.

After unlocking all 5 merchants in the Ragged Flagon, and earning your Thieves’ Guild Master armor, you will have finally unlocked this achievement.

Dark Brotherhood Achievements

With Friends Like These…
Join the Dark Brotherhood

To join the Dark Brotherhood, visit any inn and ask the inkeeper for the latest gossip. It shouldn’t be long before one of them tells you that Aventus Aretino, a young boy in Windhelm, is trying to contact the Dark Brotherhood. Go to Windhelm and look for Aventus Aretino’s house. Once inside, you’ll be asked by him to kill Grelod the Kind, the wicked old woman that runs the orphanage in Riften. Go to the orphanage and kill Grelod, then head back to Aventus and tell him the job is complete. After 24 hours, a courier will approach you and give you a note that simple reads “we know”. Once you receive the note, sleep in any bed, and you will wake up in an abandoned house, kidnapped by an assassin named Astrid. She will ask you to prove that you are worthy of joining the Dark Brotherhood by figuring out which of the three hooded prisoners in the room is the target for one of their contracts, and killing them. You can kill any or all of the prisoners, it doesn’t matter. Once one or more of them lay dead, Astrid will extend you an invitation to join the Dark Brotherhood, giving you directions to a hidden door near Falkreath that leads to the Dark Brotherhood Santuary. Enter the Sanctuary and speak to Astrid to complete the quest, and unlock the achievement.

Bound Until Death
Complete “Bound Until Death”

This quest happens about half way through the Dark Brotherhood quest line and tasks you with killing Vittoria Vici, the bride of a wedding happening in Solitude. This quest isn’t very special when compared to the other assassination quests, but you will get a hefty amount of extra gold for killing Vittoria while she is giving her speech at the reception. There are multiple ways to kill her, and you stand an extremely high risk of being chased out of town by an angry mob of civilians and guards, but once Vittoria lies dead on the cobblestone, head back to the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary and speak to Astrid, which will complete the quest and unlock the achievement.

Hail Sithis!
Complete “Hail Sithis!”

 For the grand finale to the Dark Brotherhood Quest Line, you will be tasked with killing the Emperor. The fastest way to do this is to head straight to his ship, the Katariah. Dive into the water, and climb the anchor chain on the north-eastern corner of the ship. Once inside, sneak past or kill all of the guards that stand in your way on the route to the Emperor’s Quarters. Captain Avidius, located in the forward cabin, holds a master key for the ship, which can be used to bypass the Master Level locked door between you and the Emperor. Once inside the aft cabin, there will be a brief conversation with the Emperor. He will accept his fate, requesting only that you kill whoever placed the contract on his head. Kill him, and escape through the door at the side of the cabin. Head to Amaund Mottierre in the Bannered Mare in Whiterun and tell him the job has been completed. He will give you the location of the dead drop which is in the barrow you first spoke to him in. Inside one of the urns is 20,000 gold. You can kill Mottierre if you wish, but it doesn’t really matter. Head back to Nazir and tell him the task is complete, finishing the quest, and the Dark Brotherhood related achievements.