Zahkriisos

Zahkriisos is a Dragon Priest found in. His name can translate to either "sword blood" or "bloody sword" in the dragon language.

Interactions

 * He is encountered inside the final chamber of Bloodskal Barrow, which is only accessible through Raven Rock Mine during the quest The Final Descent.

Loot

 * Bone Meal
 * Leveled gold
 * Zahkriisos (Mask)

Combat
Zahkriisos is a shock-based dragon priest, and is able to cast the Master-level spell Lightning Storm one-handed and on the move. The abilities of his mask further enhance what is already a very damaging spell; therefore, potions and equipment that offer resistance to either magic or shock are highly recommended against him.

In addition, he often conjures Seekers from Apocrypha to aid him in combat, and as with other Dragon priests, he makes use of Ebonyflesh and Greater Ward.

Tactics
Zahkriisos' abilities, along with the surrounding environment, make fighting him a somewhat different experience than most other dragon priests.

One good tactic for defeating him is to summon a Storm Atronach, as he will attempt to get rid of the atronach before anything else. As he is a shock-based priest, the atronach will resist all of his attacks, thus leaving you free to attack either him or his summons. Beware, however; if you are closer to him than the atronach is, then Zahkriisos will focus his attention on you instead.

The water surrounding Zahkriisos' tomb is deep enough that it triggers the swimming animation; since he tends to hover above the water when attacking or defending, melee attacks are essentially useless here - though it is possible for the persevering warrior to force Zahkriisos against the non-submerged walls of the chamber. Longer-range bows and spells, on the other hand, are not only more effective, but the appropriate perks can stagger Zahkriisos, leaving him unable to use his magic against you.

If you're having trouble approaching Zahkriisos, the Whirlwind Sprint shout can quickly close the gap between you and him. Alternatively, if you're taking too much damage from him at range, the Become Ethereal shout provides total invulnerability to his attacks for a time, giving you a chance to catch up to him. Also, there are few Potions of Waterwalking scattered around the previous parts of the dungeon, which can be very useful when fighting Zahkriisos. Ahzidal's Boots of Waterwalking can prove useful in the same way.

Trivia

 * Zahkriisos' name may be a reference to the unique blade needed to access his tomb.