Ancient Technology

Walkthrough
To start this quest, A New Order must have been completed. Speak to Sorine Jurad to begin the quest, she will explain that she has located a schematic that can provide a new upgrade or ammunition type for the crossbow. She asks the Dragonborn to retrieve it from a radiant location, typically a Dwarven ruin or bandit stronghold.

The schematic is always located inside the boss level chest at the radiant location, sometimes guarded by a boss level enemy, such as a bandit chief. A Dwarven haul note alongside various pieces of Dwemer metal may also be in the chest.

Once the schematic has been obtained, deliver it to Sorine in return for a leveled piece of enchanted armor or weapon. She will also teach the Dragonborn how to craft the item in question, provided the corresponding smithing perk has been unlocked. This quest will repeat six times, and each instance will grant a single upgrade or ammunition type.

However, It is possible to find a schematic and associated goods in a chest randomly before speaking to Sorine Jurard to officially begin the quest (A New Order needs to have been completed before this may occur). If this happens, the quest will begin when the schematic is obtained, indicating that the Dragonborn should return to Sorine Jurard.

Enhanced Crossbow Schematics
Obtain first enhanced crossbow schematic from a radiant location. Possible locations include:
 * Broken Helm Hollow
 * Embershard Mine
 * Fort Fellhammer
 * Gallows Rock
 * Halted Stream Camp
 * Kagrenzel
 * Nchuand-Zel (in Markarth)
 * Robber's Gorge
 * Treva's Watch
 * Stony Creek Cave
 * Swindler's Den
 * Broken Oar Grotto
 * Uttering Hills Cave
 * Valtheim Towers
 * Alftand
 * Mzinchaleft
 * Raldbthar
 * Bloodskal Barrow
 * Damphall Mine
 * Hrodulf's house [

Dwemer Exploding Fire Bolt Schematics
Obtain Dwemer exploding fire bolt schematic from a radiant location. Possible locations include:
 * Embershard Mine
 * Kagrenzel
 * Knifepoint Ridge
 * Orotheim
 * Treva's Watch
 * Gallows Rock
 * Bilegulch Mine
 * Lost Knife Hideout
 * Rift Watchtower
 * Robber's Gorge
 * Fort Fellhammer
 * Hrodulf's house
 * Faldar's Tooth
 * Bloodskal Barrow

Dwemer Exploding Ice Bolt Schematics
Obtain Dwemer exploding ice bolt schematic from a radiant location. Possible locations include:
 * Nchuand-Zel
 * White River Watch
 * Stony Creek Cave
 * Embershard Mine
 * Mzinchaleft
 * Uttering Hills Cave
 * Swindler's Den
 * Raldbthar
 * Orotheim
 * Broken Oar Grotto
 * Lost Knife Hideout
 * Fahlbtharz

Dwemer Exploding Shock Bolt Schematics
Obtain Dwemer exploding shock bolt schematic from a radiant location. Possible locations include:
 * Broken Oar grotto
 * Faldar's Tooth
 * Fort Fellhammer
 * Gallows Rock
 * Mzinchaleft
 * Raldbthar
 * Redoran's Retreat
 * Robber's Gorge
 * Treva's Watch
 * Nchuand-Zel

Dwarven Crossbow Schematics
Obtain a Dwarven crossbow schematic from a radiant location. Possible locations include:
 * White River Watch
 * Redoran's Retreat
 * Knifepoint Ridge
 * Kagrenzel
 * Orotheim
 * Stony Creek Cave
 * Gallows Rock
 * Mzinchaleft
 * Swindler's Den
 * Damphall Mine

Enhanced Dwarven Crossbow Schematics
Obtain a enhanced Dwarven crossbow schematic from a radiant location. Possible locations include:
 * Halted Stream Camp
 * Nchuand-Zel
 * Broken Oar Grotto
 * Raldbthar
 * Valtheim Towers
 * Redoran's Retreat
 * Kagrenzel
 * Rift Watchtower
 * Damphall Mine
 * Fahlbtharz
 * Faldar's Tooth

Bugs

 * The quest marker will point towards Stony Creek Cave instead of Kagrenzel. Even inside Kagrenzel, the quest marker will point outside. Entering Stony Creek Cave from the Kagrenzel side and then returning to Kagrenzel will correct the quest marker.
 * The schematic may appear in a chest in a chamber just off of the main path inside Stony Creek Cave, not in the Falmer chest at the end (or beginning) of Kagrenzel. This may be a result of entering Kagrenzel by using Whirlwind Sprint to go past the waterfall in Stony Creek, finding the Falmer chest empty and then returning to Stony Creek.
 * Since the quest can point anywhere it may also point in the direction of the quest location Mzinchaleft instead and point to a chest next to the stairway in the last room, which is confusing as there is no way to open the door that can be seen inside the room.
 * The item may spawn in the Mzinchaleft Gatehouse in a chest that the Dragonborn cannot get to unless they send a follower to retrieve the items in the chest.
 * Sometimes the "What can I do to help?" may disappear from Sorine Jurard's dialogue, making it impossible to obtain the quest.
 * If all six Ancient Technology quests are completed before finishing the main Dawnguard questline, when obtaining side quests from Sorine, Florentius or Gunmar, a permanent, impossible objective may appear telling the Dragonborn to aid Sorine.
 * While searching for schematics in Broken Oar Grotto, Serana may be completely unable to leave the grotto once she entered. As she insists on accompanying the Dragonborn and will not obey dialogue options to wait or part ways, this makes the remaining main quest line impossible to complete once she enters the grotto.
 * The quest marker inside Nchuand-Zel will point towards the Nchuand-Zel Armory, but once inside it will point back out to Nchuand-Zel. Once outside it will point back in again. Entering and exiting the armory does not fix this.
 * Solution: follow the same path followed in the quest The Lost Expedition.
 * Solution: enter and exit Nchuand-Zel completely several times.
 * After completing the final quest, all members of the Dawnguard present in Fort Dawnguard may become hostile (except for Dexion Evicus, battle trolls, and dogs).
 * Solution: return to a save prior to the acquisition of the final schematic, the Enhanced Dwarven Crossbow.