Lifting the Shroud is a quest available in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim in which the Dragonborn must investigate the ancient Nordic burial crypt of Shroud Hearth Barrow for the presence of a spirit that has been haunting the people of Ivarstead.
Objectives[]
- Investigate Shroud Hearth Barrow
- Bring Wyndelius' Journal to Wilhelm
Walkthrough[]
This quest can be started either by checking with Wilhelm in the Vilemyr Inn or just exploring Shroud Hearth Barrow. The town of Ivarstead has been haunted by a ghost from Shroud Hearth Barrow. Though the ghost never comes into town, the townsfolk would be grateful if the Dragonborn investigated the barrow.
Investigate Shroud Hearth Barrow[]
Upon entering the barrow, the Dragonborn is confronted by the spectral figure of Wyndelius Gatharian behind a barred gate wailing, "Leave this place!" Once he departs, a room with a series of levers is encountered opposite where he appears. The Illusion skill book, Before the Ages of Man, can be found in this room. Once the correct combination of levers is pulled, the gates will open across the way and the path that Wyndelius took can be followed. Wyndelius will be waiting, or even sleeping if one remains stealthy, in the next room and must be dispatched. Killing him reveals that he is no more than a mere man in the guise of a spirit, further evidenced by the special potion found on him and confirmed by reading his journal. With Wyndelius' journal in hand the objective "Investigate Shroud Hearth Barrow" is completed and a new objective presents itself.
Wyndelius' Journal[]
Leaving the barrow and returning to Wilhelm with the journal will satisfy his curiosity and bring the mystery behind Shroud Hearth Barrow to a close, as far as Ivarstead is concerned at least. Wilhelm will give the Dragonborn the Sapphire Dragon Claw as a reward, which is in fact the claw that Wyndelius was searching for in the barrow and thus is the key to unlocking its treasured depths.
Further into the Barrow[]
Back in the barrow, the room opposite Wyndelius' quarters contains the door to the main chambers with the combination being moth, owl, and wolf (this can be seen on the claw in inventory). The first chamber contains the spell tome Oakflesh as well as a number of draugr. The next room holds a spiraled stairway, with a water trap at the bottom where a lowly adventurer drowned in its depths. At the top is a master-locked door with an expert-locked chest holding leveled loot. In the middle of the stairway is the path leading to the next room where several skeletons are in an oil pool. Igniting the oil by shooting the hanging lamps, or otherwise igniting the oil via Flames-based spells or the Fire Breath shout, puts an end to these archers. Before heading down the wooden stairway to cross the room, on the right side is a window to another room. The entrance to that room is located around the corner, through a coffin controlled by a handle next to it. Also, on the left side there are two more coffins that can be opened by activating a handle located on the wall next to each one of these coffins; one of them has a draugr, and the other one a skeleton.
The following corridor is home to several draugr, one of which holds the key to the door beyond. A room with a cascading waterfall has a drawbridge across it, but it is pulled up. A leveled sword can be found behind the waterfall. At the top of the stairs to the right is a turn-stone matching puzzle. Opening the door to the room behind it will initiate a battle with a draugr. Once he is dispatched, standing on the central pressure plate causes the doors to several alcoves to rotate open, which reveal the combination (from left to right: whale, hawk, snake, whale) to the puzzle. Rotating the short pillars outside then standing on the pressure plate causes the bridge to be lowered. Across the bridge stands in the corridor stands a single draugr archer. He can be dispatched by activating the tripwire along the ground to cause a number of rocks to fall down the slope. To the right is an apprentice-locked door to the right with a gold ingot within linked to a fire trap. Taking the gold ingot from the pedestal sets off the trap. The ingot can be retrieved without being harmed by standing back from the pedestal and using Unrelenting Force, spells, or arrows to push it off, then waiting for the fire to stop. Further along is the door to the Shroud Hearth Depths.
Shroud Hearth Depths[]
The first main room is filled with a series of sarcophagi which hold graduating levels of skeletons and leveled draugr. As they appear and are killed, the next tier will appear from their crypts, culminating in a leveled draugr lord at the room's apex. Once he is dispatched, the Dragonborn can continue to the final chamber. Using all three words of the Unrelenting Force Shout to knock the draugr lord into the water is also a one-hit kill. It is quite easy to go into sneak mode, if Sneak skill is high enough, to pick off all the draugr with a high-power bow.
Beyond the sarcophagi further into the chamber is a chest with leveled loot (though the hidden trap on the right side of the chest must be picked open to avoid the poison darts from the ceiling) and a word wall for the Kyne's Peace shout.
There is more loot in an alcove left of the Word Wall. Whirlwind Sprint or Telekinesis will be needed to get to it. Also in the chamber is an adept-locked chest under the water to the right of the large trapped chest, in an alcove.
Journal[]
| Lifting the Shroud – FreeformIvarstead01 | |
|---|---|
| ID | Journal Entry |
| 20 |
|
| 30 |
|
| 200 |
|
Trivia[]
- Completing this quest is required for access to the rest of the barrow and eventually Kyne's Peace word wall.
- This is only true by normal means. Utilizing known bugs may allow access without completion of the quest.
- If the Dragonborn picks up the journal before speaking to Wilhelm, they will instead be given the option to say "Actually, you need to look at this." and give him the journal. The quest will then continue as normal.
- After the quest is completed and the mystery of the ghost has been solved, Wilhelm will occasionally say "Now that our "ghost" has been unmasked, I hope we see more visitors in town than just the occasional pilgrim." when spoken to.
- After the quest is completed and the mystery of the ghost has been solved, Wilhelm will still engage in dialogue with Lynly about how she should stay away from the barrow and its resident spectre.
Bugs[]
|
This section contains bugs related to Lifting the Shroud. Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:
|
- If sneaking when falling in the water under the trap door after fighting the 5 Draugr, it is impossible to get up. Every time the camera is aligned above the Dragonborn's head they will sneak and swim at the same time, making the game bug out.
- In Shroud Hearth Depths, if one kills the Draugr while they are standing up from their sarcophagi, the Draugr Lord might fail to wake up and the Dragonborn will be stuck in the chamber. To solve this simply wait for the Draugr to stand up.