Skyrim:Ansilvund

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This article is about the location. For for the quest, see Ansilvund (quest).

Nordic Ruin: Ansilvund (view on map)
# of Zones	2
Clearable	Yes
Dungeon	Yes
Respawn Time	10 days or 30 days
Level	Min: 8
Occupants
Fjori, Holgeir, Lu'ah Al-Skaven, Draugr, Warlocks
Important Treasure
2920, Sun's Dawn, v2 Ghostblade Transmute Mineral Ore Unusual Gem
Console Location Code(s)
Ansilvund01, Ansilvund02, AnsilvundExterior
Region
Eastmarch
Location
South of Windhelm Northeast of Shor's Stone
Special Features
# of Alchemy Labs	2
# of Arcane Enchanters	2
Ore Veins
# of Iron	1

Ansilvund Excavation's entrance

Ansilvund is a Nordic ruin situated northeast of Shor's Stone. It contains two zones: Ansilvund Excavation and Ansilvund Burial Chambers.

The ruins are what is left of the tomb built by Holgeir in memory of Fjori, as described in the book Of Fjori and Holgeir. They are guarded outside by a leveled warlock, usually found near the cooking spit, inside the ruined tower at the alchemy lab, or near the hay pile. In one of the pots is a dead Mudcrab, and on the table is another copy of Of Fjori and Holgeir. Inside the tower is an alchemy lab beside which are some ingredients and potions, a locked chest, and a hay pile for sleeping. On top of the tower is a boss chest; to reach this area Whirlwind Sprint with at least two words must be used. Stand on the small rocky outcropping almost directly above the excavation entrance and face west towards where the tower near wall is the lowest and the rear wall juts up. There is an iron ore vein a few yards to the north of the cooking spit.

Related Quests

• Ansilvund: Kill Lu'ah Al-Skaven in Ansilvund.
• Dungeon Delving: Do a favor by retrieving an item from a cave. (radiant)
• No Stone Unturned: Find the 24 gems to restore the Crown of Barenziah.
• Onmund's Request: Help Onmund negotiate the return of a family amulet from Enthir. (radiant)

NOTE: Some radiant quests have a sizeable list of possible locations. These quests are not placed on individual place pages, and are instead listed at radiant quest locations.

Notes

• There is an unminable gold ore vein just after the room that holds the key and skill book. There is a draugr attempting to mine it.
• To the east of the camp is a quicksilver ore vein, and further east an iron ore vein. Between the two but to the south is a corundum ore vein.

Walkthrough

Zone 1: Ansilvund Excavation

The tomb is being excavated, as evidenced by the carts, shovels, and pickaxes lying around on your descent to the first room. There is a leveled potion on the table to your left, and an iron ore vein to the right just before entering the room. To the south is a dead end when approached from this direction, but it is the exit from the next zone and is guarded by a draugr standing near a dead frostbite spider. There is a draugr patrolling the wooden walkway along this path. Beside the first torch sconce and up the planks is a chest with a novice-level lock.

Through the cobwebbed room, if you are undetected, two draugr can be observed mining the blocked path with a seated warlock overseeing their efforts. The warlock and the draugr to the left are standing in an oil slick, with a lantern hanging above them. The path leads to a small room with a fire and a pressure plate on the right which activates a rock trap directly above the fire. This can be used to kill the warlock patrolling this room and the next area, which contains four white caps and two imp stools on the ground. Turning around and head up the planks to find an area with a leveled potion on the table with the dead draugr beside an apprentice-locked chest, and a poison on the small table in the opposite corner. There is a draugr patrolling above the next hallway which can be killed from here with a ranged weapon.

If you wish to skip a section of the ruins, the area with the draugr can be reached by standing on the table with the dead draugr and using Whirlwind Sprint with only two words (one word is not enough, while three words will send you through to the other side of the hallway).

In the hallway is a tripwire which activates a swinging mace. At the top of the planks is another mage and beyond the mage is a room where you'll find three seated warlocks conversing near a cooking pot and an arcane enchanter. There are two taproots under the stairs which lead to the fire. The warlocks' discussion is relevant to the Ansilvund quest, but can be heard afterwards:

"I think it's sweet Lu'ah is so worked up over her dead soldier."
"Yeah, but raising Draugr to take on both the Imperials and Stormcloaks? That's just crazy."
"True, but I'm not going to be the one to try to oppose her..."

There are numerous draugr in this crypt area. Past the chair at the blocked pathway is an unlocked chest. The chair marks the onward path and leads to the area that be accessed earlier. Just before the steps is a floor trap that raises up and squeezes you into some ceiling spikes, and is just smaller than the room itself. There are a few soul gems on the table.

Between the two candles is an apprentice-locked chest, and another draugr can be observed mining down below. On the small table are a few leveled potions and a soul gem. Descending deeper underground, the next area is first guarded by a tripwire which activates some falling rocks to your right. A draugr, a flame atronach and a warlock are guarding this area (at low levels this draugr can also be found mining). On the table are three potions, another copy of Of Fjori and Holgeir, and Lu-ah's Journal. The book contains clues to solve the puzzle in the room.

The pillars can be found above the table, and the solution from left to right, is Eagle, Snake, Whale, Snake. The solution can also be seen on the corresponding signs below the pillars, but they are hidden by rubble and weeds. The switch is on the slightly raised section in the middle of the puzzle area and activates a portcullis to the south. There is an additional trap on the bridge; the middle section has a pressure plate that activates a short burst of flames from the statue to the right. To the right, just before the door to the burial chambers, you'll find an open chest.

Zone 2: Ansilvund Burial Chambers

The first of several successive traps is found a few steps into this area, all triggered by pressure plates. The first is hidden under the vines and activates darts to your left and front-right, the second activates a swinging blade to the right, the third activates darts to the right, the fourth activates a swinging blade to the left, and the fifth activates darts to the left. Another pressure plate to the right pathway activates a swinging blade to the left. They can all be avoided by sticking to the right-hand wall until the sixth plate.

Before the sixth plate, there is a room to the east with an adept-locked door which contains a leveled, locked chest and a pull chain to stop the swinging blades already encountered. The seventh and final plate in this area is just before the next hallway and it activates multiple swinging blades in the hallway. There are three draugr guarding the next room, though two of them can often be found dead, having activated one of the three fire plate traps between the two pillars. A copy of the Illusion skill book 2920, Suns' Dawn, v2 is on a pedestal straight ahead; taking it activates darts from the eastern pillar. The Ansilvund key is on a pedestal found near four floor and four standing sarcophagi; taking the key activates darts from the pillar behind you, and all eight sarcophagi open, though only five draugr will rise.

Up the stairs, by the skill book pedestal, there's an adept-locked chest. In the middle of the room, a master-locked (unlocks with the Ansilvund key) caged room can be found with an open chest. The door to the left opens to a very small room with an inaccessible skeleton. Use the key again to open the second master-locked cage door to recross the room and enter the next room. There is a draugr here attempting to mine the wall with a sword or an axe; past this is an area with either a draugr or a warlock on the walkway. The next walkway contains more pressure plate traps: the first activates a spiked gate to the left, next comes two fire traps, and the then another spiked gate to the right. When passing the fire before the traps, a draugr will run out of the door and along the walkway towards you; if you just stay still, it will likely be killed by the traps it activates trying to get across.

The next section is another crypt area with a warlock and a dead draugr, beside which is a potion. Passing the first throne activates up to six draugr from their slumber. Continuing on, you may see a pedestal straight ahead; there is a piece of armor lying on it but taking it activates darts to either side. To get to the pedestal, you must cross a circular area which contains a floor trap which pushes you up into some roof spikes. There is a single draugr patrolling the hallway before the double iron doors, which leads to the final area.

Opening the doors starts to reveal the final area of the ruins. After the fight here, take the potions next to the dead draugr and take the Unusual Gem. There is a chest in the rubble up the southern steps, so loot it and leave through the master-locked door at the top of the northern steps (this can be unlocked with Lu'ah's key). This room contains a bed, a table, an alchemy lab, and a chest. On the table you'll find the spell tome Transmute Mineral Ore, two potions, a Dragon's Tongue, and the Imperial Condolences, which tells of the death of Lu'ah Al-Skaven's husband Saeel Al-Skaven.

The boss chest is opened and on the shelves are some ingredients, soul gems, and magical robes. The door leads back to the excavation area; the gate at the top of the spiral staircase can only be opened by Lu'ah's key. There is nothing here, so jump down to the dead end and exit.