Skyrim:Unearthed

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Assist Ralis Sedarys in his search for the relics of Ahzidal in Kolbjorn Barrow. Quest Giver: Ralis Sedarys Location(s): Kolbjorn Barrow Reward: Relics of Ahzidal, Ralis Sedarys as a follower (if spared) Word for the Cyclone shout Disposition: =1 (Ralis Sedarys, if left alive) ID: DLC2dunKolbjornQST/DLC2dunKolbjornMiscQST Suggested Level: 30

Ahzidal, the embittered destroyer

Quick Walkthrough

1. (Optional) Read Ahzidal's Descent.
2. Investigate Kolbjorn Barrow and speak to Ralis Sedarys.
3. Agree to help Ralis fund his excavation by donating 1,000 gold and wait for a message from him.
4. Visit Kolbjorn Barrow and defeat the draugr.
5. Find a way deeper into the barrow, and then speak to Ralis again.
6. Donate 2,000 gold to fund the excavation of Kolbjorn Barrow and wait for another message from Ralis.
7. Return to Kolbjorn Barrow, clear the draugr, and search for missing miners.
8. Speak to Ralis, fund 3,000 gold to his excavation, and await another message.
9. Return to Kolbjorn Barrow and clear the draugr.
10. Speak to Ralis, fund 5,000 gold to his excavation, and await another message.
11. Return to Kolbjorn Barrow and locate Ralis.
12. Defeat Ahzidal and confront Ralis; decide what to do with him.

Detailed Walkthrough

A Strange Partnership

Just northeast of the Old Attius Farm is Kolbjorn Barrow. Outside Kolbjorn Barrow is a lone Dunmer named Ralis Sedarys. Go up and talk to him and he'll explain that he is a treasure hunter and has come with news that he has located a treasure in the barrow, but he cannot afford to excavate it alone and requests a donation of 1,000 gold, with a promise of a share of any treasure discovered.

First Visit

A few days after you give him the money, a courier will give you a note about the barrow. Head off over to the barrow, and Ralis will explain that the draugr have been disturbed, and they have killed all the miners. He asks you to go in and kill the draugr and then find a way further into the barrow. After you have killed the draugr, take the Skull off the altar to open the next area, Go into the next room and pick up the Ahzidal's Boots of Waterwalking. (If the skull has been knocked off the pressure plate on the altar during the fight it must be lifted back onto the plinth and removed once more, or you can "walk" onto it and off by getting on the altar). Go back and talk to Ralis. He'll then ask for 2,000 gold to hire some more miners.

Second Visit

Several days afterward you'll get another note asking you to come back to the barrow. There are more draugr and two of the miners are missing. He asks that you locate the missing miners and to kill the remaining draugr. Before you get to Mireli, there is a gate with 4 handles arranged vertically to the right of the gate. Do not pull the third (from the top), as it releases a dart trap. Pull the switches in the following order: first, second, fourth, first. In the last section of the mine near the corpse of Mireli is a handle (near the floor on the other side of the wall with candles, a soul gem and coins) that can be turned to reveal a secret room where Ahzidal's Ring of Necromancy can be found. Note that although you will hear the sounds of a nearby word wall, it will not be accessible until a later visit.

Ralis now wants 3,000 gold to hire some mercenaries.

Third Visit

You will receive a third letter a few days later, asking you to return to the barrow. When the courier delivers the letter, he will tell you "Another letter from Ralis. He's starting to scare me a little", a portent of things to come. Ralis will tell a similar story as last time: that there are yet more draugr, and that this time they have killed all the mercenaries that he hired. Enter the barrow and kill the draugr. To access Ahzidal's Gauntlets of Warding, pull the chain to the right of the iron doors that lead to the staircase into the newly excavated section, then backtrack around the corner where they will be sitting on a pedestal that was previously unavailable. Then, head down the stairs, avoiding the trap, and kill the new draugr. When you reach the open chamber, you must ensure all the pressure plates are lit for the gate to open and reach Ahzidal's Ring of Arcana. (The Light Foot perk does not prevent you from lighting the pressure plates.) The timing is a bit tight; if you can't get it, using Slow Time seems to work, or you can run along the joint between two rows of tiles, depressing both rows at once, for a total of three runs across the grid. You can also circumvent the puzzle entirely with Telekinesis. A pit filled with deep water surrounds the plinth that the ring is on. At the bottom you can find a coin purse, a burial urn and a leveled battleaxe. Once you're done here, head up the stairs and back out of the barrow to talk to Ralis who now wants 5,000 more gold. He will then send you one last note, which simply reads "You're needed."

A Poor Investment

When you get the final note, return to the barrow and look for clues at the camp, then head into the barrow and clear it out. You are finally able to reach the word wall which teaches a word for the Cyclone shout. On reaching the room with all the pressure plates on the floor, follow the passage to the left. A gate will close behind you will have to fight three draugr. The gate blocking access to Ahzidal's Armor of Retribution can be opened by rotating the two animal totem pillars until the whale symbols are facing you, then pulling the lever on the floor. Rotate the two animal totem pillars until the eagle symbols are facing you and pull the lever on the floor again to open the gate you came in, and the gate over the spiral staircase. At the bottom of the staircase, the gate blocking access to Ahzidal's Helm of Vision can be opened by rotating the two animal totem pillars until the snake symbols are facing you, then pulling the chain next to the door. There is a giant pool of oil encompassing almost the entire room, so it is recommended that you intentionally ignite it safely from the staircase as pulling the chain with an incorrect pillar arrangement will cause several flame spout traps to blast the area in front of the gate. Removing the helm from its pedestal will activate another flame spout trap that is aimed back towards the gate. You may use Telekinesis again, but the flame jet will still travel far enough to ignite the oil. There is a Stalhrim source to the left of the helm chamber.

After battling several leveled draugr, you will eventually find Ralis completing the ritual to awaken a dragon priest named Ahzidal. Defeat Ahzidal, loot his eponymous mask, then speak to Ralis, who will explain that he was under a spell. You can then choose to kill him or let him live, in which case he will become available as a follower. If you kill him, you may loot Hoarfrost, a unique ancient Nordic pickaxe, from his corpse. You can also take it from him if you spare him.

You can find the Black Book Filament and Filigree at the end of the exit tunnel.

Notes

• In total you will require 11,000 gold to complete the excavation.
• The time between each investment and the next courier message is three full days (72 hours).
• If you visit between messages, there will be miners and possibly guards working. They have generic dialogue reflecting the current state of the quest.
• Throughout the quest, a series of journals can be found, giving insight into Ralis' state of mind. Take care when reading them as the disappearance of the camp after defeating Ahzidal and dealing with Ralis will not occur if you take his journals from the camp prior to the final encounter. They may also be stuck in your inventory permanently if you do so.
• You can find Ahzidal's unique heavy armor set and rings:
  • Ahzidal's Boots of Waterwalking are available after the first phase of digging.
  • Ahzidal's Ring of Necromancy may be found after the second phase.
  • Ahzidal's Gauntlets of Warding and Ahzidal's Ring of Arcana can be acquired after the third phase.
  • Ahzidal's Armor of Retribution and Ahzidal's Helm of Vision become available after the fourth phase.
• The Ring of Arcana may not be on its plinth when you get to it—shouts from the draugr in the adjacent chamber can knock it into the pit of water. If this occurs, equipping the Telekinesis spell can help you locate it (due to its longer range compared to the standard cursor).
• You may hear the chanting of the nearby word wall after the second phase has occurred, but you won't be able to access it until the fourth phase. You might be able to access it during the third phase if you stand close enough to the wall.
• The grate that opens to allow you to descend to meet Ahzidal on your final visit is controlled by the familiar pillars and is well-marked. The eagles on the opposite wall must be set on the corresponding pillars.
• The iron gate blocking the pedestal that holds Ahzidal's Armor of Retribution is not so obvious, however. As you enter the room, on the walls to either side there will be pull chains just to the right of an arch-way. If you pull the chains, this will activate rotating doors which will reveal that behind the arch-ways are two more pillars, each with the sign of the fish. The pillars behind the chairs need to be matched to these to open the gate and obtain the armor. Setting both pillars to the Snake (and activating the lever) will unleash a trap of poison darts. The pillars here perform an uncharacteristic double-duty by opening two separate portals.
• The mining camp outside the barrow will remain until Filament and Filigree is read or you leave the area after dealing with Ralis, at which point all traces of the camp will disappear, including Ralis's journals.
• The fastest way to complete this quest would be to murder a Redoran guard, and serve the jail time rather than pay a bounty. This will cause seven in game days to pass each time, allowing quick completion.

Bugs

• Ralis may hire the miners, but never get anywhere with them - despite the passage of days (or even months), the courier never arrives, and when you check the dig site, they haven't reached the entrance.
  • Check the site once, talking to Ralis, then sleep in a bed in Solstheim for 24 or 48 hours. Repeat for each stage.
  • If the courier never arrives with Ralis' letters, you can bring him to you by bringing up the console, and typing and entering prid 00039FB7 (the courier's ID)
  • Then type and enter moveto player
  • Finally, you can talk to the courier to trigger his letter delivery dialogue.
• Upon entering Kolbjorn Barrow for the second time, the door at Mireli might drop down prematurely and lock you out of the room instead of locking down your retreat. Manually reopening the door will not help as it will just become an invisible barrier blocking your entrance. To reach Mireli and complete the quest, go back to the big hollow room and jump onto the platform. ^?
• Upon entering Kolbjorn Barrow for the fourth and final time, you are instructed to find Ralis Sedarys (stage 410). At some point before reaching the chamber with Ralis and Ahzidal, the quest may immediately progress to confronting Ralis (stage 475). It is possible that Ralis will be flagged as hostile towards the draugr and Ahzidal (or vice versa), and a brawl will ensue before you reach the chamber. Since Ralis is considered an essential NPC until you choose the dialogue option to kill him, upon reaching the chamber you will find Ralis chanting, as if to summon Ahzidal, but Ahzidal and the draugr are already dead. Approaching Ralis will trigger the normal dialogue (choose to kill or spare him). If he is spared, he will continue chanting as he runs away. He will still be chanting when approached at The Retching Netch.
• Ralis' journals can be found on a table outside of the barrow excavation. Taking them after completion of the quest will permanently mark them as quest items, and it will be impossible to ever remove them from your inventory.
  • The Unofficial Dragonborn Patch, version 2.0.3, fixes this bug.
  • You can remove the journals from your inventory by storing them in Ahzidal's ash pile, but they will still be marked as quest items.
  • They may be removed via the console by typing Player.removeitem xx018108 1 and repeating for the IDs xx01810F, xx018110, xx018111, and xx0181CB. The xx on each ID will vary; see this page for details.
• Ralis' journals can also be permanently marked as quest items if you complete the quest and leave the barrow without collecting the Black Book. This glitch actually seems to depend on the passage of time. Completing the Black Book quickly may cause the glitch to not be fixed. Waiting a few extra hours before leaving the dungeon should fix it. ^?
• Upon entering Kolbjorn Barrow for the third time, one of the draugr that you must kill may be outside of the map.
  • Leaving and reentering Kolbjorn should fix this issue.
• If you haven't picked up Ahzidal's Ring of Necromancy yet during the 2nd investment, it will disappear during the 3rd investment if you try to go back and grab it. It can be retrieved if you return to barrow after the third investment but before receiving the next letter. ^?
• If Ahzidal is killed as he rises from the ground, his corpse and ash pile may be below the ground and not lootable. ^?
• Upon entering Kolbjorn Barrow for the fourth time, the doorway leading to the lower section of the tomb may be blocked by rubble. Though this rubble can be walked through, as it has no collision, it can make it difficult to find where to go.
• At the second phase, you may find the third phase area accessible instead of being sealed off, allowing you to get Ahzidal's Gauntlets of Warding and the Ring of Arcana early.
• All of the generic miners present, both male and female, have "opposite gender animations" marked.

Quest Stages

Unearthed (DLC2dunKolbjornQST)
Stage	Finishes Quest	Journal Entry
40		Outside Kolbjorn Barrow, I met Ralis Sedarys, an explorer who came to Solstheim in search of relics within the barrow. But when he arrived, he found it buried by the ash. He had all but given up on excavating it, but if I can supply the funds, he offered to make me a partner in his expedition. Objective 40: Fund the excavation of Kolbjorn Barrow (1000 gold)
75		Ralis Sedarys came to Solstheim in search of the Relics of Ahzidal, powerful items said to have been sealed in Kolbjorn Barrow, but found it buried by ash. I agreed to fund his expedition to excavate the Barrow. He set to work, saying he'd send a courier when he had progress to report. Objective 75: Wait for a message from Ralis
100		I agreed to fund Ralis Sedarys' expedition to excavate Kolbjorn Barrow. I should visit the site and see how the work is going. Objective 100: Visit the Kolbjorn Barrow Excavation
110		I agreed to fund Ralis Sedarys' expedition to excavate Kolbjorn Barrow, but work on the dig has come to a halt. The excavation had reached a dead end when Draugr within the tomb awoke, killing several miners and causing the rest to flee. Objective 130: Clear the Draugr from Kolbjorn Barrow Objective 140: Find a way deeper into the Barrow
130		I agreed to fund Ralis Sedarys' expedition to excavate Kolbjorn Barrow, but work on the dig has come to a halt. The excavation had reached a dead end when Draugr within the tomb awoke, killing several miners and causing the rest to flee. I defeated the Draugr, but now need to find a way past the dead end.
140		I agreed to fund Ralis Sedarys' expedition to excavate Kolbjorn Barrow, but work on the dig has come to a halt. The excavation had reached a dead end when Draugr within the tomb awoke, killing several miners and causing the rest to flee. I found a way past the dead end, but must deal with the Draugr before work can continue.
150		I agreed to fund Ralis Sedarys' expedition to excavate Kolbjorn Barrow, but work on the dig has come to a halt. At his request, I defeated the Draugr and found a way past the dead end. Objective 150: Speak to Ralis
160		I agreed to fund Ralis Sedarys' expedition to excavate Kolbjorn Barrow, but in order to continue, he needs more gold to hire replacements for the workers that have been killed. Objective 160: Fund the next phase of the excavation (2000 gold)
175		I agreed to fund Ralis Sedarys' expedition to excavate Kolbjorn Barrow. He told me to return in a few days to see how work was progressing. Objective 175: Wait for a message from Ralis
200		I agreed to fund Ralis Sedarys' expedition to excavate Kolbjorn Barrow. I should return and see how the work is going. Objective 200: Return to Kolbjorn Barrow
210		I agreed to fund Ralis Sedarys' expedition to excavate Kolbjorn Barrow, but work on the site has stopped. Most of the miners were killed by another wave of Draugr attacks, and two more are unaccounted for. Objective 230: Clear the Draugr from Kolbjorn Barrow Objective 240: Search for the missing miners
230		I agreed to fund Ralis Sedarys' expedition to excavate Kolbjorn Barrow, but work on the site has stopped. Most of the miners were killed by another wave of Draugr attacks, and two more are unaccounted for. I dealt with the Draugr, but still need to locate the missing miners.
240		I agreed to fund Ralis Sedarys' expedition to excavate Kolbjorn Barrow, but work on the site has stopped. Most of the miners were killed by another wave of Draugr attacks, and two more were unaccounted for. I found the bodies of the missing miners, but still need to deal with the Draugr threat.
250		I agreed to fund Ralis Sedarys' expedition to excavate Kolbjorn Barrow, but work on the site has stopped. At his request, I dealt with the Draugr and found the bodies of the missing miners. Objective 250: Speak to Ralis
260		I agreed to fund Ralis Sedarys' expedition to excavate Kolbjorn Barrow, but the ongoing Draugr attacks means he needs more gold in order to hire more miners and guards to protect them. Objective 260: Fund the next phase of the excavation (3000 gold)
275		I agreed to continue funding Ralis Sedarys' excavation of Kolbjorn Barrow. He told me to return in a few days to see how work was progressing. Objective 275: Wait for a message from Ralis
300		I agreed to continue funding Ralis Sedarys' excavation of Kolbjorn Barrow. I should return and see how the work is going. Objective 300: Return to Kolbjorn Barrow
310		I agreed to continue funding Ralis Sedarys' excavation of Kolbjorn Barrow, but Draugr have attacked the miners again, and only a few managed to escape. Ralis asked if I could wipe them out so the excavation could continue. Objective 330: Clear the Draugr from Kolbjorn Barrow
350		I agreed to continue funding Ralis Sedarys' excavation of Kolbjorn Barrow, but Draugr again attacked the miners. Once again, I slew the Draugr so work could proceed. Objective 350: Speak to Ralis
360		I agreed to fund Ralis Sedarys' expedition to excavate Kolbjorn Barrow, but once again, he needs more gold to hire increasingly reluctant miners and guards to work on the site. Objective 360: Fund the next phase of the excavation (5000 gold)
375		I agreed to continue funding Ralis Sedarys' excavation of Kolbjorn Barrow. He told me to return in a few days to see how work was progressing. Objective 375: Wait for a message from Ralis
400		I agreed to continue funding Ralis Sedarys' excavation of Kolbjorn Barrow. I should return and see how the work is going. Objective 400: Return to Kolbjorn Barrow
410		I agreed to continue funding Ralis Sedarys' ill-fated excavation of Kolbjorn Barrow, but when I returned to his mining camp, I found only blood and corpses. Ralis himself was nowhere to be seen. Objective 410: Locate Ralis
449		I agreed to fund Ralis Sedarys' ill-fated excavation of Kolbjorn Barrow, but when I returned to his mining camp, I found only blood and corpses. Deep within the barrow, I found Ralis performing a ritual to release Ahzidal, the Dragon Priest that had been sealed there.
450		Objective 450: Defeat Ahzidal
475		I agreed to fund Ralis Sedarys' ill-fated excavation of Kolbjorn Barrow, but when I returned to his mining camp, I found only blood and corpses. Deep within the barrow, I found Ralis performing a ritual that released Ahzidal, a powerful Dragon Priest I fought and defeated. Objective 475: Confront Ralis
480		Ralis Sedarys came to Solstheim hoping to find the Relics of Ahzidal and release their maker from his imprisonment in Kolbjorn Barrow. When he found the barrow buried by the ash, he convinced me to fund its excavation, using the miners as blood sacrifices for his rituals. I saw through his lies and decided to kill him for his crimes. Objective 480: Kill Ralis
485		Ralis Sedarys came to Solstheim hoping to find the Relics of Ahzidal and release their maker from his imprisonment in Kolbjorn Barrow. When he found the barrow buried by the ash, he convinced me to fund its excavation, using the miners as blood sacrifices for his rituals. I saw through his lies and killed him for his crimes.
490		Ralis Sedarys came to Solstheim hoping to find the Relics of Ahzidal, but fell under the spell of their maker, a powerful Dragon Priest entombed in the barrow. He convinced me to fund its excavation, but was compelled by Ahzidal to use the miners as ritual sacrifices. Ralis had no control over his actions, so I allowed him to live and depart the barrow in peace.
Kolbjorn Barrow Misc Objectives (DLC2dunKolbjornMiscQST)
10		Objective 10: Speak to Ralis Sedarys at Kolbjorn Barrow
20		Objective 20: Investigate Kolbjorn Barrow

• The following empty quest stages were omitted from the table:
  • DLC2dunKolbjornQST: 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 98, 99, 101, 120, 198, 199, 220, 241, 242, 298, 299, 320, 330, 358, 359, 398, 399, 440, 476, 477, 478, 479, 500, 550, 600.
  • DLC2dunKolbjornMiscQST: 30.

Notes

• Any text displayed in angle brackets (e.g., <Alias=LocationHold>) is dynamically set by the Radiant Quest system, and will be filled in with the appropriate word(s) when seen in game.
• Not all Journal Entries may appear in your journal; which entries appear and which entries do not depends on the manner in which the quest is done.
• Stages are not always in order of progress. This is usually the case with quests that have multiple possible outcomes or quests where certain tasks may be done in any order. Some stages may therefore repeat objectives seen in other stages.
• If an entry is marked as "Finishes Quest" it means the quest disappears from the Active Quest list, but you may still receive new entries for that quest.
• On the PC, it is possible to use the console to advance through the quest by entering setstage DLC2dunKolbjornQST/DLC2dunKolbjornMiscQST stage, where stage is the number of the stage you wish to complete. It is not possible to un-complete (i.e. go back) quest stages, but it is possible to clear all stages of the quest using resetquest DLC2dunKolbjornQST/DLC2dunKolbjornMiscQST.