Halldir's Cairn

Template:SkyrimCaves

Summary

It is a cave found South-west of Falkreath. Several quests are focused here and can be spoiled by premature exploration. This is a small-to-moderate single-level dungeon with undead foes and moderately difficult bosses in the different instances.

Quests

• Find Runil's Journal
• Find Rjorn's Drum - Inside the chest in the final room, where Halldir is found
• Trouble in Skyrim - Kill the leader of Halldir's Cairn

Walkthrough

When first entering the cave, the player will notice a column of blue light and three dead bodies around it. On a pedestal near the column is a journal, telling of a ghostly voice compelling the bandits to kill themselves on a blood-soaked rock cairn, as well as a key to the only door going further inside the cave (Key to Halldir’s Crypt). This first room has no enemies and it is filled with numerous mushrooms.

Eventually you will come across a Draugr resting in a throne. After a fight, there will be an iron gate needing to be opened with a lever that is located behind said throne.

Slay the ghosts that come to life as you advance through the catacombs and eventually you will come across a room holding a Nordic Pillar Puzzle. Rotate the three pillars in the room, so that the symbols on the pillars match the symbols on the walls opposite them(Hawk, Snake, Whale) then pull a lever to advance to the next room. Incorrect combinations result in a dart trap shooting poisoned darts at the player when the lever is pulled. If the stones will not turn an error has happened and you need to reload the cave.

As you step into the final room a fight against Halldir will begin. He seems to be a former magician who uses destruction school spells again the player. When reduced to about two-thirds of his health he will use the special ability to multiply himself. These three copies use ice, fire and lightning spells. Once you defeat all three forms, Halldir appears back in the middle of the room and so the player can finish him off.

Halldir drops an Ancient Nord Sword with a random enchantment, some gold and Halldir's Staff, which has a 60 second Calm and Soul Trap effect. After Halldir is killed, a trap door in the center of the room can be opened to return to the initial room of the cavern where the blood covered Cairn is gone. All is left is some rocks on the floor where the cairn was.

Notable Loot

• Halldir's Staff x2 (One from his Ash Pile and one that drops from his hand when killed)
• Rjorn's Drum
• Spell Tome of Raise Undead
• Numerous Soul Gems (including Black Soul Gem at higher level)
• Iron Ore Vein (2)
• Alchemy Ingredients, mostly mushrooms: Numerous to be found, mostly in the first room. Approximate numbers:
  • 7x Bleeding Crown
  • 7x Blisterwort
  • 11x Fly Amanita
  • 20x Imp Stool
  • 19x Namira's Rot
  • 19x White Cap

Enemies

• Halldir
• Draugr (leveled)
• Ghosts

Appearances

• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Template:1st

Bugs

• Template:360As this dungeon can be entered several times for different quests, sometimes the object of the venture cannot be obtained, and the quest cannot be finished. For example, if Rjorn's Drum is picked up the first time in the Cairn without having activated that quest, the quest to find it can not be completed. Or, if entered after the first time to kill the leader (Companion's repeatable quest), killing the Dragon Priest that spawns instead of Halldir does NOT complete the quest.

•  PS3  Template:360Halldir may spawn completely invisible for no apparent reason along with his copies.(confirmed)