Ragnvald

The Ragnvald is a nordic ruin in the Reach, directly north of Markarth (City).

Description
Ragnvald is in The Reach. North of Markarth, and lies in a deep path in the mountains. It is the resting place of Otar the Mad, a Dragon Priest.

Walkthrough
If you follow the map to Ragnvald, you should arrive there practically no time at all. On your way to Ragnvald, there is a dragon-- coming from the burial site just to the East. As you approach Ragnvald, you will be confronted by two Draugr's--one will have an axe and one will shoot you from a distance with a bow. Dispatch of these two foes, head up the stairs, and open the door.

Area 1 -- Ragnvald Temple

The area that you will load into is called Ragnvald Temple. If you follow the main path past the Draugr on the table, you will reach a pathway going downwards. For those of you that use soul gems to enchant (or to those of you that like to sell things for a profit), there is a petty soul gem just down the path next to another deceased Draugr. After taking the gem, head down the next flight of stairs ( Treasure in this area: On your right, there will be a chest--be sure not to miss it, though it is in plain sight). Head to your left to find a pathway just next to the stairwell, leading farther down into Ragnvald Temple. As you go down this pathway, you will begin to hear an odd sound--this is how you can tell you're going in the right direction. When you reach the end of the pathway, there will be a wooden staircase leading down to a lower level and a path leading onwards into the temple. Occupying the lower level will be a Draugr Scourge--to those of you that are lower levels, please be cautious that you don't die there. The type of Draugr actually depends on the level of your character. Higher level characters will face higher level opponents.

The lower level is insignificant to your progress in the temple. (Treasure in this area: There is a pile of fire salts on one of the book shelves, a chest hidden behind a pile of dirt and rocks, and a chest down a corridor with swinging blades in it.) 

If you aren't interested in the treasure down below (and if you aren't, shame on you) or if you've already obtained it, press onwards to the platform with the oil on it. In the middle of this platform will be what looks like a drawbridge, and next to it will be a stone pathway leading over into our next destination--Ragnvald Crypts.

Area 2 -- Ragnvald Crypts

As you enter the Crypts, you'll be faced with two identical doors that lead to the same place. However, the door on the left is trapped with poisoned arrows, so take the door on the right. There is a patrolling Restless Draugr, but nothing that you can't handle. In the next main hall, four Draugrs of varying strengths will attack you--but for the most part, they are extremely weak and can be taken care of with a few swings of your sword or axe (or magic, for those of you that use it). Continue onwards down the pathway, dispatching of any Draugrs that decide to wake up and attack you. At the end of that pathway you'll reach a room with a pool of oil in the middle of the floor and a chest at the end of the room (take note that the chest is booby-trapped). Here you will find two more Draugrs (these things are everywhere, huh?) waiting for you to kill them. Head upstairs after they're dealt with and take an immediate left, into a room with a skull on a pedastle in the middle.

Prepare yourself for battle--equip your weapons and spells and such--then take the skull. As soon as the skull is in your inventory, a pushplate will activate and Saerek the Guardian will break out of a coffin just in front of you. Dispatch of him and his two friends quickly (and if you like, search the chest near his coffin), then head back the way you came, across a stone bridge above the room with the pool of oil in it, up some stairs, and back into Ragnvald Temple.

Getting to area 3 is easy from here--head across the stone bridge to the platform with oil on it, then continue directly forward across a bowed bridge, around a pillar, and across another bridge to another platform. Go ahead and jump off of this platform (don't worry, we'll be back later) and turn around. Behind you will be the door into area three--Ragnvald Canal.

Area 3 -- Ragnvald Canal

Go ahead and take your first left upon entering the Canals, then head over to a wooden bridge that should be in front of you. In the middle of that wooden bridge, take a left INTO the water, then head directly forward and climb up on some rocks. Here--next to the stone wall on your right--you will find a lever. Pull the lever, and it will drop another wooden bridge for you to cross. Head to the wooden bridge you just lowered (or turn to your left and explore a room behind an iron door, which houses a chest) and cross it (you may have to go back to the first bridge and cross it to make it to the second one). Follow the twisting pathway to your right until you reach a chamber with another skull in it.

Just as before, prepare yourself for battle, then take the skull and deal with anything that comes at you. After defeating Guardian Torsten, head up the stairs directly opposite his coffin and take a right at the location you found the skull, and continue along that path. There will be a pathway with swinging blades on it, just a warning. Follow that pathway along until you reach a door that leads back to Ragnvald Temple.

Boss Fight -- Otar the Mad

Obviously, you've noticed the coffin with the two slots in it sitting in the Temple area. With the two skulls you've collected, you now hold the ability to open it. Insert the skulls into the slots and proceed to fight Otar. Each person does it their own way, I simply stood in front of him with my sword and slashed him a few times--that seemed to do the trick. Otar is wielding a Staff of Lighting Wall, which can do some heavy damage if you're not careful.

After you've killed Otar the Mad, search his body to find the Dragon Priest Mask Otar (which gives an added resistance to fire, frost, and shock). Past his coffin, the path will now be opened. Trek up the stairs and to the left, where a Word of Power (Kyne) is waiting to be learned. Additionally, if you wish to reclaim the skull keys either to sell or display in your house, they can be taken from the coffin after the fight.