Dark Soul Gems?

[silverstar]

So, after having finally finished the Mage's Guild quests and clearing out every last bit that they throw at me, I of course come across a dark soul gem on the corpse of a Necromancer Adept. And as luck would have it, it's empty.

 

Now, I know that earlier in the quest it tells you to put the Grand soul gems in the container and pray and stuff, then hit it with a soul trap spell. But that doesn't seem to work. So, I'm wondering...

1: How do I make Dark Soul Gems?

2: Are they any better than Grand Soul Gems, perhaps able to hold larger amounts of mana for me to enchant armor/weapons with, for bigger effects or more attacks?

3: Can they be filled past Grand status, and if so then what do I have to kill to do so? Even the Worm King only topped it at Grand(which you would expect would be far greater, since he's supposed to be an ultra powerful mage).

[Marxist ßastard]

1. Go to one of the larger Necromancer holes, and look for an altar. At midnight, there should be a beam of light shining down on it. If not, wait 24 hours repeatedly until there is one -- I'd assume this is based on the lunar cycle. Put a grand soul gem into the altar, and cast soul trap on it. Afterwards, there will be a black soul gem in the altar.
   
2. They can hold the souls of non-unique NPCs, which all classify as grand-level.
   

[silverstar]

That's it? I can just kill non-unique NPCs and get grand-level souls? Nothing about the 1600 mark? Man, that sucks. At level 41, running around and killing almost everything, it's hard for me NOT to run into swarms of enemies that would give me a grand-level soul(unless it's a rat or mudcrab, which I'm still coming across quite often... guess the scaling doesn't really take out some enemies, does it? :P).

 

If I am going to sacrifice an NPC or bandit or something to fill a soul gem, I'd at least expect them to be worth more. Especially for how rare the BSGs are. Makes it... not worth it, really. :/

[VaanicOne]

That's it? I can just kill non-unique NPCs and get grand-level souls? Nothing about the 1600 mark? Man, that sucks. At level 41, running around and killing almost everything, it's hard for me NOT to run into swarms of enemies that would give me a grand-level soul(unless it's a rat or mudcrab, which I'm still coming across quite often... guess the scaling doesn't really take out some enemies, does it? :P).

 

If I am going to sacrifice an NPC or bandit or something to fill a soul gem, I'd at least expect them to be worth more. Especially for how rare the BSGs are. Makes it... not worth it, really. :/

 

I think it's mostly for the pleasure of doing a totally evil deed.

 

besides, lower level players can't always come across creatures that have a grand level soul.

[Povuholo]

They can hold the souls of non-unique NPCs, which all classify as grand-level.

 

Well i caught mannimarco in it. When i had to kill him i first walked to one of the altars to get a black soul gem, i didn't want to waste his soul. Too bad you can't see the name of what you have caught, or i would've placed it somewhere in my house for display.

Isn't that an unique npc?

 

Oh and I used it to enchant the arch mage's robe ;D

[silverstar]

I wonder if there's any way to modify things so NPCs have a higher(possibly "black") soul rating, which can only be held by Black Soul Gems? Maybe double a Grand, both in capacity and in effect while enchanting?