Soul Cairn: Constant Health Drain

I have this same issue now, to where I can not play almost at all unless I am in a dungon. If I load into a city, fast travel, or have a dragon spawn, it freezes in the same way you describe. I have to turn off my PS3 all the way and when it comes back on it says that my hard disk may be corrupt and does a 15-minute check.

I have over 100 hours play time and this issue has me really down, but here is what I have found suggested around the net:

1. Wait 30 in-game days so that all the dungeons and dead bodies everywhere will ether re-spawn or de-spawn from the game world, which is said to lower the size of the save file. (I can't use this one because if I wait I freeze right after.)

2. Turn off auto save and any other type of save that you have not done your self. (I know it's a life saver, but just make yourself save every 15 minutes or before you think you're about to have a big battle.)

3. Check all of your saves from the PS3 save utility for any saves that say "corrupt" on them and remove them. Also, remove all the really old saves.

4. Hope that there will be a patch for this soon. :)

Let me know if this works for you, and good luck!

After you pass through the "gate" where you met the questgiver, go EEEN (about 70 degrees right from N), it's a long walk but eventually you will find a shrine-like structure which is basically a roof supported by 4 columns, it will be illuminated from within in purple, the skull will be at the foot of a pedestal at the shrine's center. The shrine is due east of the entrance to Valerica's prison.

Here's a video guide.