Bthardamz

The Bthardamz Dwemer Ruins are located in The Reach, just northwest of the Shrine to Peryite. Although Dwemer in origin and still harboring its original inhabitants Automaton guardians, the site now primarily serves as the sanctum to Peryite's Afflicted and their leader, Orchendor. The exterior appears much like any other Dwemer Ruin in Skyrim and has a light Afflicted patrol guarding it. The exterior buildings cascade down towards a recessed rockface where the entrance to the ruins interior can be found. There are two levers near the entrance. The lever by the stairs activates a trap and the lever by the door lowers the bars which block the entrance.

Interior Walkthrough
The Bthardamz Interior is a winding collection of districts and small connecting areas. There are three major districts, the Upper and Lower Districts and the main Arcanex. Three much smaller areas serve as thoroughfares or small alcoves, the Workshop, Dwelling and Study.

Bthardamz Upper District
This is perhaps the largest section of Bthardamz and appears to function as the living quarters for Peryite's Afflicted. Upon entering one will notice Dwemer pots that have been filled with a curious green liquid, not unlike the vomit that spews forth from the Afflicted themselves. The district has a heavy population of Afflicted mages, fighters, and archers that patrol the ruins. There are several chests scattered throughout the district that may contain a few nice enchanted items, however approach with care as one may set loose a few leveled Dwarven Spheres or spiders. The district is separated into two distinct areas and is separated by the Bthardamz Workshop.

The first area of the Upper District is quite straightforward. There's a chest on one of the tables in the first room. When arriving to the first intersection, there's a novice-level gate to the right and a door to the left. The door leads to sleeping quarters of the Afflicted. The couple of Afflicted residing in these can be bypassed by going through the locked gate. The next room to the right holds more Dwemer pots, an apprentice-level gate and a chest with loot behind this. Further on, the hallway descends and finally opens up to a large hall. Entering the room, one of the first large chambers, one can overhear a prayer circle of three Afflicted calling out to their patron Peryite. They give thanks that their leader Orchendor who has led them there and shown them that their suffering is not a punishment, but a blessing. They pleed for guidance and to be given a sign, pledging to devote their lives and to suffer until such a time.

The next large hall contains four Afflicted, some of which are patrolling. Proceed to the lever on the upper level to the right and take note of the chest on the same level. The next room is more cavern-like. Another chest can be found attached to a wall by taking a small detour and following the stairs to the bottom of the room. After exiting the next door, you'll find yourself in another intersection. The next room forward is a dead end and holds a couple of Dwarven Spheres and a wall chest. Be careful, because the Spheres will appear when approaching the chest. To the right of the intersection there's another Afflicted and a swinging blade trap which is activated by the pressure plate in front of it. If situated correctly, the Afflicted can be taken out by sneaking to the pressure plate and activating it. Yet again, the hallway descends and opens up to another larger room. Fight your way through the three more Afflicted and enter the Bthardamz Workshop

Bthardamz Workshop
The Workshop is a fairly small section of the ruins and could possibly serve as a refining and distribution area for the green liquid found throughout the ruin.

A couple of Afflicted reside in the first set of rooms which seem to serve as resting quarters. In the next room, three Dwarven Spiders will drop down from the nearby pipes when approached. There's a chest and another hidden Spider around the corner behind the pipes. The nearby stairway leads to a balcony in the Upper District with a chest and a good vantage point from which to fire from into the second half of the district's as yet unexplored section. There's another chest on the balcony. This is also a good opportunity to use ranged attacks to take down some of the Afflicted patrolling in the lower area.

An afflicted messenger can be overheard awakening a mage with a message from Orchendor. Orchendor has sent word that more barrels of "Ichor" are to be sent to him in the Arcenex. Returning to the workshop and exiting the second, ground level, door will open into the second Upper District section.

Bthardamz Upper District revisited
You will enter the same area you were able to take a look at from the balcony. The doorway leading to the Dwelling is to the right and fruits for your efforts (if you decided to shower the Afflicted with arrows from the balcony) to the left. Going straight up both the stairways and to the right, there's another chest hidden next to a balcony-type platform. The route will take you even higher before reaching the door to the Lower District.

A gold ore vein is situated in the upper levels, near the tower which leads to the Dwelling. Search the rocky area next to the tower to find this.

Bthardamz Dwelling
The dwelling can be reached through the second section of the Upper District. Upon entering, you might be able to overhear a curious speech of one of the Afflicted. Take a moment to listen. The Dwelling consists of a single room with two afflicted, a chest and an apprentice locked gate with a speech skillbook Biography of the Wolf Queen and another chest. Leaving the Dwelling and following the stairway up will lead to the Lower District entrance.

Bthardamz Lower District
After the hallway with a few suddedly appearing Dwarven Spiders, the Lower District opens up into an amphitheater with an Afflicted mage performing for his compatriots. His debut satyr can be turned to tragedy with a simple flip of the lever, thereby releasing a troupe of dancing dwarven blades. Take an advantage of the height to take out the remaining Afflicted and go for the very visible chest in the centre. The District commons are heavily patrolled by Afflicted as well as a few Dwemer automatons. Again, the Lower District is divided into two distinct areas by the Bthardamz Study.

The next point of interest is the large cavern with a river. Numerous Afflicted will be patrolling the bridges which crisscross over the river. Again, a great spot for a sneaky archer. There's a small chest and a skeleton which can be found by jumping up the rocks near the waterfall. Watch out for a couple of suddedly appearing Dwarven Spheres when you proceed to the walkway around the waterfall.

Another number of Afflicted can be found patrolling near the stairway which leads upwards. The pressure plate and the lever near the doorway activate a nasty trap of swinging blades. To the right, there's another room with a chest against one of the walls. In the same area, following the hallway to the right and before another stairway is a Gold Ore Vein. Take out the Spiders in the upper level before mining and going up to the Study.

Bthardamz Study and Lower Disctrict upper levels
The study is a very hallway like area with a few enemies, chests and little else. With a sneaky character, it is actually possible to sneak through the Study without seeing a single enemy. Exiting the other side will lead to the upper tiers of the Lower District.

Traversing the catwalks one will encounter more Afflicted. Behind a gate at a dead end is a chest. Along the back side of a rotunda are three more mages sitting... perhaps scrying the Ichor on the tables infront of them. Continue along the catwalk to the entrance to the Arcanex.

Bthardamz Arcanex
The Arcanex serves as the inner chambers and stronghold for the Afflicted Priest of Peryite, Orchendor. He is guarded by a formidable force of Dwemer Automatons, ranging from spiders to the ever imposing Dwarven Centurion.

Upon entering, you'll be greeted by a view to a cavern-like room with a few Dwarven Spiders and Spheres patrolling the bottom. The catwalk will lead you to the higher levels. Before going up the set of stairways in front you, take a quick left to empty a nearby chest.

Near the top of the chambers, where the Centurion patrols, a Quicksilver Ore Vein can be found. Orchendor can be found in a large chamber past the Centurion. He is a highly skilled mage that deals considerable Destruction damage. He is capable of teleporting and will often do so onto the upper tiers of the room, thus raining down fire and frost. Once he is defeated, the key to the Bthardamz Elevator can be looted from his corpse to exit.

Related Quests

 * The Only Cure, given by Kesh the Clean at the Shrine of Peryite.