Dwarven Armor (Skyrim)

Dwarven Armor refers to a set of matching Heavy Armor pieces in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

About
This ancient bronze-gold coloured armour is that of a lost race known as the Dwemer. Calcelmo, a character in Understone Keep, has a particular interest in many of the rare Dwarven items, and will ask you to bring him any pieces of Dwarven Armor if you find them.

Dwarven armour is not armour that was worn by the Dwemer, rather it is armour that was scavenged from parts of the dwarven machines and automatons.

When unimproved, Dwarven Armor is better than Iron and Steel Armor but not as effective as Steel Plate or other higher quality armors (as seen in the Smithing skill tree).

The quest Unfathomable Depths, given by the Argonian From-Deepest-Fathoms in Riften, gives you a perk named Ancient Knowledge. It gives you a permanent 25% bonus to armor when wearing a full set of Dwarven armor, the perk also allows blacksmithing to increase at a 15% faster rate. At legendary quality a full set of Dwarven armor with the perk is better than the next tier of armor (Orcish) although it begins to lose ground against Ebony and Daedric.

Items
Like all Armors in Skyrim, Dwarven Armor is made up of 5 matching pieces.

Smithing
Dwarven Armor can be crafted with the Dwarven Smithing Perk available at Smithing level 30. Dwarven Metal Ingots are used to both craft and improve Dwarven Armor and Weapons. Crafting Dwarven Armor is a very effective way to grind this skill, due to the abundance of Dwarven Metal that can be found throughout the numerous Dwarven ruins in Skyrim.

To craft Dwarven Armor you need:
 * Dwarven Armor: 3 Dwarven Metal Ingots, 3 Leather Strips, an Iron Ingot, and a Steel Ingot
 * Dwarven Boots: 2 Dwarven Metal Ingots, 2 Leather Strips, an Iron Ingot, and a Steel Ingot
 * Dwarven Gauntlets: 1 Dwarven Metal Ingot, 2 Leather Strips, an Iron Ingot, and a Steel Ingot
 * Dwarven Helmet: 2 Dwarven Metal Ingots, 2 Leather Strips, an Iron Ingot, and a Steel Ingot
 * Dwarven Shield: 2 Dwarven Metal Ingots, a Leather Strip, an Iron Ingot, and a Steel Ingot

Locations
In addition to Smithing the armor from Ingots, Dwarven Armor can be found in some Dwemer Ruins.
 * Nchuand-Zel has a full set of Dwarven Armor behind an expert lockpick gate in the Nchuand-Zel Armory.
 * Mzinchaleft contains several pieces of this armor, as well.
 * Random mercienaries found roaming the roads and forests of Skyrim may also wear this armor.
 * Dwarven armor may appear in a chest at Ironbind Barrow next to the word wall.
 * The boots, helm and gauntlets can be bought at the imperial camps by talking to the blacksmith there.
 * Can be given as a leveled piece of equipment reward (will not always be Dwarven) by General Tullius.
 * Individual pieces may be found in certain almost shrine-like locations near larger Dwemer ruins.