Skyrim Walkthrough: Bleak Falls Barrow

So far the quests have been simple ones where you essentially have travelled from one town to another and sought out some character. This quest is the first true 'dungeon' quest and as such is the first real test of your character.

By now you have levelled up at least once - possibly more if you've also taken on some of the mini-quests in the towns so your skill level should be slowly increasing - now you need to really think about the direction of your character and decide what skills you are focusing on - the way you develop your character will define the type of combat tactics you have.

Use of terrain and knowing when to run away become more important in this quest as you will come across larger groups of enemies!

Objectives

• Talk to Farengar
• Retrieve the Dragonstone
• Deliver the Dragonstone to Farengar

Before you take this quest on, you can go back to the original village an pickup the quest 'The Golden Claw' - the locations are the same for both. Speak to Ferbgar and follow the compass marker to the Bleak Falls Temple. Be aware that you will meet bandints along the way with archers - try and pick of the archers with range attacks before joining the full combat.

There are a few carcasses to search and a locked chest - the chest is pretty easy to open! You won't find many attackers until you get deeper into the dungeons so spend time searching for gold and potions.

Eventually you'll find a room with a lever in it - DO NOT PULL IT. To the left of the lever is three pillors - you have to set the right sequence prior to pulling the lever. The sequence is snake, snake, swordfish. For future reference, if you look around the room you will find these symbols on the wall - the lesson here is that there will always be some clues to the puzzles you encounter.

Move through the cobwebs picking up the thief book and scroll of fireball - you'll have to hack through some of the thicker cobwebs. Eventually you will meet Arvel the swift. He's managed to mortally wound a Forstbite Spider but was captured. Kill the spider and then speak to Arvel - make sure you ask him about the golden claw first before freeing him.

Of course, as he is a thief he will double cross you - fight him and you'll find the Golden Claw on his body. Head into the crypt - you'll have to fight some draugrs - these are the toughest creatures you will have fought yet - don't be afraid to run and draw off some draugrs - try not to take too many of them on at the same time.

Dodge through the swinging axes and run through the corridor - you'll come across some more draugs and can use fire to light the liquid on the floor. Another draugr will come out from the coffin - kill it and search the chest for gold and a scroll.

Pull the chain and you'll open access to anouther part of the temple - you'll find plenty of glowing mushrooms to harvest.

Follow the path - looting any chests or corpses along the way - you'll find a tougher draugr and then a door that leads to the sanctum - make sure you're fully healed as you're about to meet a lot more draugrs.

You'll go through some iron doors and find a stone door ahead - this is the second puzzle you have come across. There are a set of rings with symbols on and a keyhole - each ring can rotate and you have to match the symbols on the golden claw - check the golden claw to see the correct sequence. The sequence (bottom to top) is owl, hummingbird, bear. Use the Golden Claw to open the door.

Move towards the engravings and learn Unrelenting force - a draugr overlord appears. This is a great time to get used to using terrain to your advantage - you'll notice that the draugr is slow, so use the terrain well and keep your distance so you can use range attacjs. You'll find the Dragonstone on its body.

Return to Farengar