Labyrinthian (Skyrim)

Labyrinthian is an ancient Nordic tomb in. It is located northeast of Drelas' Cottage and southeast of Morthal. Labyrinthian is in the Hjaalmarch hold and is the location of two different Word Walls, Dismay and Slow Time. The Headless Horseman also appears near here. Frost Trolls inhabit the area.

Merethic Era
The ancient Nordic ruin of Labyrinthian was first constructed by the Dragon Cult as a temple to the Dragons. The temple then grew to become the city of Bromjunaar, and it is theorized that the city may have been the capital of Skyrim during the height of the Dragon Cult's history and influence, though few historical records exist to verify this. There are however some historical records that prove that Bromjunaar was a center for the Dragon Priests, and many of the highest ranking Dragon Priests met here to discuss important matters.

During the Dragon War, the city went through drastic changes as the forces of the Dragons mobilized to fight against the people of Tamriel who were rebelling against them. After the war ended, the city was abandoned and it fell into ruin.

The name "Labyrinthian" comes from the labyrinth Arch-Mage Shalidor constructed inside the ruins of Bromjunaar to test new Archmages, as he stood at the forefront of a movement to enact higher standards among mages and to discourage magicka usage among the common castes.

Second Era
During the 9th century of the Second Era, Jarl Gjalund of Whiterun brought back the city to its former glory and reestablished it as a city. The city was used a source of lumber and stone.

Third Era
In 3E 399, the Eternal Champion retrieved a piece of the Staff of Chaos from inside Labyrinthian to use against the Imperial Battlemage Jagar Tharn

Fourth Era
In the Fourth Era, the city of Labyrinthian was only but a memory. Like most ancient Atmoran cities in Skyrim, they had been abandoned and fell into ruin as people migrated and spread across the country. Occasionally, trading caravans will pass through Labyrinthian, but will usually take safer, longer routes due to the freezing cold, snow, wind and Frost Trolls in Labyrinthian and across the mountains.

Before becoming Arch-Mage, Savos Aren joined an expedition to Labyrinthian. Lead by the Arch-Mage's favorite student Atmah, a group of mages ventured into the ruins, searching for the Staff of Magnus and various other items believed to be held within. Shalidor's Writings are specifically mentioned as a hopeful find by one of the ghost-characters, (although they are not found in the passages to complete the Labyrinthian quest). Along with Savos and Atmah were Takes-In-Light, Hafnar Ice-Fist, Girduin, and Elvali Veren. Savos was the only one to make it out alive. Several others perished in combat. Savos left two of his companions behind, enthralled and forever assigned to the maintenance of a magical containment ward whose purpose was to contain Morokei. The Dragonborn kills these two mages in the search for the Staff of Magnus.

Design and features
This is a very large area composed of many sub-levels, all of which are worth exploring. Upon entering this area, the Dragonborn is greeted by several Frost Trolls.

Bromjunaar Sanctuary
In the center, there is a large, raised circular area. Underneath that, there is the Wooden Mask, and a Hired Thug's Missive. Equipping the mask will transport the player back in time where the player will find a series of busts where the Dragonborn can place each of the Dragon Priest's Masks locatable throughout Skyrim. When all eight masks are placed, the dragon's mouth opens, and a ninth mask is revealed: Konahrik.

Shalidor's Maze
There is also a door named Shalidor's Maze, just behind the location. This leads to the maze of the same name, which is home to one Daedra.

Upon passing through the door, the player sees a courtyard with a corpse in a circle and the maze just beyond. Approach the corpse, and four staves rise from the ground; one for destruction, one for alteration, one for illusion, and one for restoration. It's advisable to take these, as they help in the maze.

Continue straight and the player will notice a Sigil of Alteration on the wall at the very entrance. Use the Staff of Magelight, aimed at the sigil, and the gate to the right will open. Continue through the maze, killing a Skeever along the way. Many corners of the maze feature "shutters" which contain random loot, one containing a Spelltome for Heal Other). The player will come to a similar Sigil of Destruction. Use the Staff of Fireballs, this time to open the trapdoor below. Go right, up a staircase, and to the left side of the maze. Go North, (right, if at the top of the staircase), to a Word Wall for the Dragon Shout Dismay. From here, turn around, looking south, and enter this side of the maze, which is sealed with a Sigil of Illusion. Use the Staff of Fear. Continue as last time, this time killing off Ice Wraiths. At the end, the Sigil of Restoration is displayed, use the Staff of Repulsion which opens another trap door.

After falling, there will be a large blue globe shining in front of the player. This is the portal to fight a Dremora of leveled rank and name. They will conjure two atronachs. If he is killed before everyone teleports back to Labyrinthian, the Dragonborn and the atronachs will be teleported out, not the body of the Dremora. The Dremora carries a rather useful helm called the Diadem of the Savant, a circlet which reduces magicka cost for all classes of spells.

Lost Valkygg
The Valkygg is a tunnel based dungeon. It is heavily guarded by Draugr. They pop out of coffins in most places, but some roam freely. This area seems to be highly saturated with gemstones, but other than that, there is little loot.

Start by entering through the door that is lower in the ground, not the one in the wall face, as that is the exit. Go through this area, it is not overly dangerous, but one may face several Draugr at once. There are two Draugr laying on a stone slab. They aren't dead, and may be attacked before they can get up. Go through the door activated by the pressure pads and head down the hallway to a larger room. There are four more Draugr here to fight, then head through the wooden door. On the left, there is an, (Apprentice), locked door to lockpick. The pressure pad in front of the door activates a poison dart trap. This may have killed the Draugr whose body is lifeless on the ground. Inside the door is a Steel Horned Helmet, and two burial urns to loot. Now, proceed in the other direction.

A Draugr Deathlord guards a chest in this room, near a fairly deep hole. It may use Unrelenting Force, knocking the Dragonborn into the hole. After it is dealt with, go in to the room behind where the Deathlord was, to a chest. Next, go down the hole, (try to land on the beams to avoid injury). Down below, is another Draugr Deathlord. Jump from the little bridge directly across from where the player landed to reach a chest on a rocky ledge. Go out of the door to be, once again, in the Labyrinthian area. The two Deathlords carry randomized Ebony Weapons, which may include an Ebony Bow, Ebony Warhammer, or Ebony Greatsword. As such, it is possible to obtain these powerful weapons at a low level after defeating them.

Ceremonial Door
This door is only opened during the College of Winterhold's quest to find the Staff of Magnus, by using the Torq of Labyrinthian on the door, it slides in and locks, allowing entry.

A Skeletal Dragon rests just inside here, along with many skeletons, which can be sprinted past, to the next room.

Outside Labyrinthian

 * Dragon Priest Mask: Wooden Mask underneath a large, raised circular area. Next to skeleton.

Inside Labyrinthian

 * Spell tome for Detect Life, Ironflesh, Waterbreathing, or Telekinesis on the right table when entering the first chamber of the Labyrinthian.
 * Spell Tome: Equilibrium, in the room with the Arcane Enchanter.
 * Special weapons:
 * Drainblood Battleaxe
 * Drainheart Sword
 * Drainspell Bow
 * Ore Deposit: Gold Ore, in the Labyrinthian Thoroughfare, on the floor in an open chamber with four skeletons just after the passageway turns right. There is a troll to kill in the immediately preceding chamber. There may be a second deposit right near this one, but it cannot be interacted with.
 * Three Gold Ore:
 * In Labyrinthian Chasm, under a Deer Hide inside of a pot
 * In Labyrinthian Chasm, just northwest of the previous one, amongst the urns and other debris that's accumulated near the stairs down.
 * In Labyrinthian Thoroughfare, in the flowing water through a novice locked gate where one first encountered enemies in this area.
 * Four Malachite Ore: Turn right at the point where the second set of enemies was encountered, there is a pathway with water running through it. There are four ore pieces scattered in that short pathway.
 * One Gold Ingot: In the back of the Labyrinthian Thoroughfare area, where there is the option of dropping through the trap floor or going through the doorway to the right, take the doorway. At the end of the hall it is on a bookshelf.
 * Three Ebony Ingots: Just past the Slow Time word wall, there is a pathway that has an alcove on each side. These three ingots are spread amongst the two alcoves on both sides.
 * All levels of Labyrinthian are good sources of Nightshade.

Labyrinthian, Tribune

 * Word Wall: Slow Time
 * Unique Weapon: Staff of Magnus
 * Dragon Priest Mask: Morokei
 * Unique Item: Ancient Helmet of the Unburned, as well as a Honed Ancient Nord Greatsword of Scorching and an Ebony Shield in a room behind an adept locked gate. Soon after entering the Tribune.
 * Two Malachite Ores: One at the top of the tall building that has many barrels inside of it. The other is in the water at the base of said tower.

Shalidor's Maze
After defeating the Dremora, players may be transported back to the entrance of the area, where two Atronachs spawn. Each one drops its respective salt (Frost Salts, Void Salts or Fire Salts).
 * Word Wall: Dismay
 * Skill Book (Conjuration): Liminal Bridges, lying on the ground next to a skeleton somewhere in the maze.
 * Diadem of the Savant: unique enchanted circlet.
 * Alchemy Ingredients:
 * Blue Mountain Flower
 * Daedra Heart
 * Deathbell
 * Dragon's Tongue
 * Hanging Moss
 * Ice Wraith Teeth
 * Purple Mountain Flower
 * Red Mountain Flower
 * Skeever Tail

Bromjunaar Sanctuary

 * Dragon Priest Mask: Konahrik (Mask)
 * Skill Book (Pickpocket): Aevar Stone-Singer
 * Elven Boots of Dwindling Shock

Alchemy Ingredients

 * Bleeding Crown (four in a barrel in Labyrinthian, Tribune)
 * Blisterwort
 * Bone Meal
 * Canis Root
 * Deathbell
 * Ectoplasm
 * Fire Salts
 * Fly Amanita
 * Hanging Moss
 * Lavender (in a barrel in Labyrinthian, Tribune)
 * Salt Pile
 * Skeever Tail
 * Slaughterfish Egg
 * Slaughterfish Scales
 * Spider Egg (in a barrel in Labyrinthian, Tribune, right near the end of the dungeon, just past Morokei )
 * White Cap (four in a barrel in Labyrinthian, Tribune)

Facilities

 * Alchemy Lab - Inside of Labyrinthian, behind a locked door where the spell tome Equilibrium is.
 * Arcane Enchanter - Inside of Labyrinthian, behind a locked door where find the spell tome Equilibrium is.

Quests

 * Staff of Magnus - In the College of Winterholds faction questline.

Labyrinthian in

 * Labyrinthian, built by Arch-Mage Shalidor, was one of the locations that appeared in . It is one of the locations where a part of the Staff of Chaos is located, and the Eternal Champion is tasked with obtaining this after the Fang Lair quest.

Trivia

 * Since the area outside Labyrinthian has at least three respawning Frost Trolls, it is a good place to harvest Troll Fat.

Bugs

 * Some walls and textures may be missing in some rooms, but are solid and cannot be passed through.
 * Morokei may have two Staffs of Magnus.
 * Shalidor's Maze cannot be completed on French version (maybe other languages) because Sigils of Alteration and Restoration don't work. Even if one can jump into the maze, the Sigil of Restoration must be activated to be able to continue. PC players can change the language by downloading this archive, unzip it into Skyrim_Path/data, and edit the Skyrim_Path/skyrim.ini to change French into English. After that, the Sigil of Illusion needs the Staff of Magelight. Confirmed on German version.
 * After solving Shalidor's Maze, and having been teleported to what appears to be an oblivion plane to fight a boss type enemy, sometimes, he merely charges and then everyone is transported back to the entrance of the maze where a Flame and Frost Atronach join the boss. If one deals with the atronachs first, he may disappear and cannot be found again.
 * Staff of Repulsion may not appear with other three staffs, and using Heal Other Spell does not work on the Sigil of Restoration.
 * It is possible to retrieve on Staff of Magnus, leave Labyrinthian, and return later to retrieve a second Staff of Magnus from Morokei's body by not learning the shout Slow Time.
 * Don't take Cosnach or Ghorbash the Iron Hand (PS3 confirmed), Aela the Huntress (PC) or Calder, Cicero or J'zargo (Xbox 360) into Shalidor's Maze for they will glitch and won't ever exit the place. Leaving through the door and teleporting will fix the problem.
 * Riding a horse into the Bromjunaar Sanctuary can result in the character falling outside of the game. Reloading an old save can cause the Dragonborn to move as if on fast-forward while the rest of the world continues to go at a normal rate.
 * Clearing Lost Valkygg can result in Labyrinthian being labeled as "Cleared".
 * If the player has  installed, Durnehviir may spawn if the player Fast Travels to Labyrinthian.

Appearances


Labyrinthion Laberintia Labyrinthian Лабиринтиан (Skyrim)