Dragonborn

Skyrim:Raven Rock Mine

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Mine:
Raven Rock Mine
(view on map)
# of Zones 1
Clearable Yes
Dungeon Yes
Respawn Time 10 days or 30 days
Level Min: 30
Occupants
Draugr, Frostbite Spiders, Skeevers, Zahkriisos
Important Treasure
Black Book: The Winds of Change
Bloodskal Blade
East Empire Pendants
Spell Tome: Ice Spike
Zahkriisos
Console Location Code(s)
DLC2BloodskalBarrow01, DLC2BloodskalBarrow01a
Region
Solstheim
Location
Raven Rock
Special Features
Word Wall Dragon Aspect
# of Alchemy Labs 1
# of Arcane Enchanters 2
# of Smelters 1
# of Grindstones 1
# of Wood Chopping Blocks 1
# of Stalhrim Deposits 1
Ore Veins
# of Ebony 9
Raven Rock Mine

Raven Rock Mine is a small ebony mine in northern Raven Rock initially containing draugr, frostbite spiders, skeevers, and the dragon priest Zahkriisos. It contains only one zone, Raven Rock Mine.

Its word wall teaches part of the Dragon Aspect dragon shout. There are two entrances to the mine, with the exterior entrance in Raven Rock and another entrance inside Bloodskal Barrow. Much of the interior of the barrow can initially be accessed from the barrow's own exterior entrance, but the deepest section of the barrow can only initially be accessed from the mine, as reflected in the walkthrough below. A tiny separate room in the barrow with an upright sarcophagus containing a stalhrim deposit flanked by two large urns can also only be accessed from the mine, as also described in the walkthrough below.

Residents[edit]

Residents
Evul Seloth *
Gratian Caerellius †
Meden Maren *
Millius †
Naris Mavani *
Tolenos Omoren *

* Only appear after the quest The Final Descent.
† Deceased.

Related Quests[edit]

Walkthrough[edit]

Exterior[edit]

To the left of the path leading north between Ienth Farm and Alor House toward the mine is the farm's ash yam field, while to the right of the path is a trama root, a wood chopping block, a woodcutter's axe on top of an unusable barrel, and a smelter. In front of the entrance are many unusable barrels and crates, including two crates marked with the East Empire Company emblem, and another trama root. A pair of lit braziers flank the entrance.

Raven Rock Mine[edit]

The entrance leads into a tunnel descending to the north past several unusable barrels and crates, with one crate and a sign on the wall bearing the mark of the East Empire Company. At the bottom, turn west and enter a habitable area serving as a base camp for exploration of the mine.

Typical marriage

The first time you enter the mine, you will overhear an argument between Aphia Velothi and her husband Crescius Caerellius. Crescius wants to search the mine, but his wife is worried that he will get killed. Speaking with Aphia will give you insight into their relationship, as well as the history of the mine, her husband, and his family. Speaking with Crescius will initiate the quest The Final Descent. If the quest An Axe to Find is active, you may recover an ancient Nordic pickaxe from Crescius while talking to him; this will prove useful when exploring the mine. Crescius will also give you the Raven Rock Mine key during the conversation.

Into the hole

Along the south wall, a copy of History of Raven Rock, Vol. I is on the floor between two benches, with two sacks beneath one of the benches. Along the north wall, a small shelving unit on a table holds two loose coins. To the left of the table is a set of shelves holding various items of clothing, two leather helmets, and copies of Lives of the Saints and The Red Year, Vol. I, with a fish barrel to the left of the set of shelves. A flight of wooden stairs leads up to a loft. Under the stairs are more barrels, crates, and open boxes, one of which contains a sample of iron ore. One of the crates has a pickaxe on top, and three more pickaxes hang from a row of six weapon racks in the northwest corner. In the loft, mechanisms for lowering and raising buckets into and out of the mine below are on the walls. In the southwest corner is a grindstone, and in the northwest corner is a table holding a copy of The Poison Song, Book III. An East Empire Company strongbox is beneath the table, and a sack is to the left of the table. Three more pickaxes hang from racks between the grindstone and the table.

Blocked!

The wooden stairs next to the fish barrel lead down to a series of wooden ramps descending into the mine. After passing an illuminated crate holding a mead barrel on a platform, you will reach a fork in the path. To the left heading south are some exhausted ore deposits, a table holding a sample of iron ore, and a skeever. To the right heading north is the continuation of the descending walkway, with three frostbite spiders and some flammable gas along the way. Eventually your path will be blocked by wooden slats ahead. Remove these with magic or a weapon, and continue to a chamber with a key-locked gate. An East Empire Company strongbox is on a crate to the right of the gate. The gate can only be unlocked with the Raven Rock Mine key you received from Crescius. Opening the gate allows you to enter the Nordic ruins mentioned in the letter received from Crescius at the start of the quest. Shallow water covers the floor of the crypt ahead. Follow the wall to the left to find a chest in an upper burial alcove. A draugr slumbers in an alcove nearby; three other sleeping draugr in the area will be roused by any fighting.

A pressure plate that activates a spike wall trap is in the middle of the passage onward. Pass by the spike wall and up a flight of stairs with a dead draugr lying at the top. The path turns to the west at this point and continues to a chamber with four draugr-occupied thrones; two thrones are facing you, and two are just behind facing the other direction. Two of the four draugr on the thrones are dead, and another dead draugr lies in front of the thrones, while a third active draugr roams in the distance. A random potion and a rare potion of waterwalking are in a basin between the thrones. After disposing of the three active draugr, optionally loot three burial urns and two more dead draugr in and near the wall alcoves in the area, then climb the path to the west through a doorway next to a large urn into a circular chamber with a metal grate covering most of the center of the room. Around the perimeter of the room are thrones occupied by draugr. Five of the draugr will rise while you move about the room, while five dead draugr sit in other thrones or lie on the floor. Along the south wall, among some rubble from a cave-in, is a master-locked chest. The room's exit door is to the west.

Stalhrim deposit

In the next room, two upright sarcophagi are ahead to the left, with a filled common soul gem on a plinth between them. The path twists around to the west to a raised area with two dead draugr seated on thrones and two embalming tables between the thrones. One of the dead draugr wears an ancient Nord helmet and holds a honed ancient Nord sword, and the other dead draugr holds an ancient Nord bow. On the tables are two more dead draugr, two random potions, a random strength potion, a random soul gem, a sample of frost mirriam, a deathbell flower, a bowl of vampire dust, a sample of scaly pholiota, and a random poison, with a large urn to the left of the table on the left. Between the two tables is an upright sarcophagus containing a stalhrim deposit, which you can mine if you have an ancient Nordic pickaxe. Mining this deposit reveals another dead draugr. An alchemy lab is around the corner along the east wall, with an ashen grass pod and two bowls of netch jelly on top. The lab is between two sets of shelves. The set of shelves on the left holds a sample of emperor parasol moss, a luna moth wing, a salt pile, a bowl of frost salts, a sample of scathecraw, a sprig of dragon's tongue, and a burial urn. The set of shelves on the right holds a bowl of void salts, a pot of spawn ash, a potion of waterwalking, a sample of ash creep cluster, another luna moth wing, a bowl of fire salts, a boar tusk, and a burial urn.

Sparkly

The path continues to the north, climbing to a plateau with two Sparks spellcaster traps flanking the path. Knocking out or removing the filled soul gems will disable the traps. The path then descends into shallow water to a pair of wooden doors. Beyond the doors is a multi-level room with shallow water covering the floor. At the east end of the room is a waterfall, behind which is an apprentice-locked door leading to a single tiny room within Bloodskal Barrow. This room features an upright sarcophagus containing a stalhrim deposit flanked by two large urns; once mined, the deposit reveals a dead draugr. There are no other exits from this room in the barrow. Returning to the mine, a raised area is to the left along the south wall, with a patrolling draugr wandering along it. Engaging the patrolling draugr will cause up to five additional draugr to converge and attack you. Climb up the wooden ramp to a balcony with four upright sarcophagi, two of which have been opened. Along the south wall is a lowered portcullis, and at the east end is a lit fireplace, with a wooden walkway next to the fireplace crossing to the north over the room below. On the far side of the walkway is another balcony. In the northwest corner is an arcane enchanter on a sideboard, with an expert-locked chest beneath the enchanter and a potion of waterwalking and a weapon on the floor nearby. Near the edge of the balcony to the south is a plinth with a handle that opens the portcullis on the other side.

Up there

Head back across the walkway and through the open portcullis, which leads to a short corridor ending in a fork. To the left heading east is a room with a plinth surrounded by lit candles holding a Spell Tome: Ice Spike; above the plinth is an upper level with a spellcaster trap visible to the east, which can be disabled safely from here using ranged attacks. To the right heading west is a wooden spiral ramp leading up and onward. Beneath the ramp is an adept-locked chest, a large urn, and a burial urn among the rubble. At the top of the ramp, you will see three pots on a ledge in the northwest corner; if you jump to this ledge, you will find the fourth and final potion of waterwalking behind the pots. On the landing at the top of the ramp is a long bow and a quiver of iron arrows. In the southwest corner is a bowl on another small ledge you can jump to; a medium coin purse is behind the bowl. A wooden wall ahead to the east shields you from the Lightning Bolt spellcaster trap seen earlier from below. In a darkened alcove to the right of the wooden wall is a plinth holding a scroll of fireball. Cross over the walkway, bypassing the spellcaster trap, to find a set of shelves in the northeast corner holding a sample of canis root and a bowl of frost salts, with a large urn to the left of the set of shelves. The east wall directly behind the spellcaster trap has a concealed door, which can be opened using the pull chain among the cobwebs to the left of the door. Beyond the door is a small alcove with a sideboard holding a potion, a chest, and a large coin purse. The path continues through a door to the west into a corridor and across a caged walkway leading north. On the far side of the walkway is a wide corridor with three upright sarcophagi along each side. Three pressure plates on the floor in front of the sarcophagi each activate a dart trap. The stairs ahead to the north ascend to a door, beyond which is an adept-locked chest. The second sarcophagus along the west wall has fallen, revealing a tunnel leading west.

The strange door

Following the tunnel as it twists and turns, you will emerge on a small ledge overlooking a large cavern far below. A large, strange door is visible to the north at the far end of the room between two waterfalls, and a stream cuts through the cavern. Jump down from your perch to the rocky landing below and proceed to the door. In front of the door are the skeletal remains of Gratian Caerellius lying on a bedroll, with the remains of his assistant Millius at the base of the short set of stairs nearby. Gratian's remains still hold his journal and the Bloodskal Blade, a unique two-handed greatsword. The journal reveals what Gratian had learned about the blade and how it may be used to open the strange door. Next to Gratian's remains is a satchel and an elixir of vigor. Also in the cavern are three dead draugr, as well as a chest to the southeast in the alcove at the end of the stream. Three small cages hanging in front of the door contain a burnt corpse, a dead draugr, and a skeleton, all of which can be looted.

The strange door is opened by equipping the Bloodskal Blade, then performing a power attack in front of each of the glowing red lines in the door to roughly match the lines' orientation, either vertical (forward attack) or horizontal (strafing attack). Begin with the bottom pair of lines and work upwards. Wait until your stamina gauge is full and aim your cursor at the glowing red line before starting each power attack. Each time you perform a swing correctly, the door will slowly rearrange itself and extinguish the glowing red line that matched your attack.

Once you have completed all seven of the required attacks, the door will open into a long wide corridor lined with seven sets of three swinging blades in a row. Similar to some traps in Dwemer and other ruins, these blade traps are triggered entirely by proximity, and cannot be disabled by the lever at the far end of the corridor, which only operates the nearby portcullis. The blades will stop after you have reached the lever. If the blades are again approached from the far end, regardless of the state of the portcullis lever, the blades will once again begin swinging, making it very difficult to bring followers past the blades unharmed.

Risen from the dead
The Black Book

Beyond the portcullis is a large water-filled cavern. Ahead to the east is a chest overlooking the water, which contains very little loot. Approaching the chest will cause the dragon priest Zahkriisos to rise from the water in front of you and start attacking you with powerful shock magic. Once you have destroyed him, you can take his mask, which grants its wearer shock resistance of 50% and a boost to shock damage of 25%. At the far end of the cavern to the east is a word wall which teaches part of the Dragon Aspect shout. Under the water are six Nordic barnacle clusters and two slaughterfish egg nests.

In the west corner of the cavern is a portcullis with a lever; defeating Zahkriisos or using the lever will raise the portcullis. Beyond the portcullis is a room containing a plinth holding the Black Book The Winds of Change. Taking the book will transport you to Apocrypha and begin the quest The Winds of Change. Along the north wall is an arcane enchanter flanked by two stands each holding a soul gem, and a set of shelves holding two random potions, a random helmet, a pair of random boots, and a bowl containing a petty soul gem, thirteen loose coins, a garnet, and an amethyst. Along the south wall is a sideboard holding two burial urns, with a boss-level chest to the right of the sideboard. In the middle of the room is a waterfall cascading into a grate in the floor, above which is a wooden spiral staircase leading up to an iron door to Bloodskal Barrow. Either make your way through the barrow to the Solstheim exit, or backtrack through the mine to Raven Rock.

Notes[edit]

  • The four potions of waterwalking here are the only such potions in the entire game. No merchants sell them, and they cannot be crafted.
  • The two bowls of netch jelly in the mine are the only guaranteed source of netch jelly in the game that doesn't involve killing netches.
  • Another copy of the Bloodskal Blade (RefID xx027281) is present behind the word wall, though it is unobtainable through normal means.
  • The quest The Final Descent won't begin or advance if you enter from the Bloodskal Barrow side. Enter instead from Raven Rock.
  • Completing The Final Descent allows the mine to reopen for business. The mine has the second-highest number of ebony ore veins in the game, after Gloombound Mine.
  • Crescius Caerellius partially supports his claim that his grandfather must have died by some means other than a tunnel collapse by stating his belief that the mine's tunnels are too sound for such an event to occur. Though he is correct that his grandfather's disappearance was due to other causes, his confidence in the tunnels may be misplaced: a short distance down the tunnels from the entrance to the mine, you will discover a pair of skeletal arms protruding from beneath a boulder near the tunnel wall, apparently the remains of someone killed by a collapse.

Bugs[edit]

  • When returning to the mine from the tiny room in the barrow behind the waterfall, the door displays the destination as "Bloodskal Barrow" instead of "Raven Rock Mine".
  • One of the East Empire Company strongboxes can be unlocked with a version of Brand-Shei's strongbox key that's unavailable in the game.
    • If you have the Wax Key Lockpicking perk and unlock this strongbox, you will obtain Brand-Shei's strongbox key.
  • The word wall may fail to activate when you approach. The word of power will stop glowing and turn red, but you will not learn the word itself.
    • Saving, exiting, and relaunching the game then loading the save may fix this issue.
    • Learning at least one of the other words of Dragon Aspect before approaching the wall may prevent this bug.
    • Using the Whirlwind Sprint shout to speed into the word when its textures are still glowing may allow the word to be learned. This may require a few attempts from different starting points, so be sure to save the game first. Similarly, using the Silent Roll Sneak perk to roll into the word when its textures are still glowing may allow the word to be learned.
    • On PC PC users can use the "tcl" console command to disable collisions before approaching the wall to allow the word to be learned. However, if you save the game and then use the "tcl" console command while standing within the trigger radius of the wall, then reload that save, the word wall will become bugged even further: the word will not only not be learned, but will also no longer be glowing, despite the "mana flow" effect and sound continuing. In this case, neither "tcl" nor Whirlwind Sprint will allow the word to be learned. Therefore, be sure to save the game while far from the wall.
  • If you reenter the mine after everything has respawned, the stalhrim deposit near the alchemy lab may appear to have more stalhrim. However, when you approach, you will not have the option to "mine deposit", but instead will only have the option to "search draugr", as if the deposit were not there.
  • If you reenter the mine after everything has respawned, only three of the ebony deposits may have respawned. The other deposits can't be mined, and seem to not actually be present, as you can walk through them, and they don't make a sound when a pickaxe is swung at them manually.
  • One of the Nordic barnacle clusters and one of the slaughterfish egg nests in the chamber with Zahkriisos can't be harvested.
  • The frostbite spiders and skeevers may respawn, which can be deadly to the weak miners.
  • The remains of Millius may not spawn. ?

Gallery[edit]

  • Gratian

  • Treasure trap

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