Geirmund’s Hall is an ancient Nordic tomb on an island in Lake Geir, east of Ivarstead. It’s the resting place of Lord Geirmund, once Arch-Mage of Windhelm and Lord Battlemage to King Harald – and the prison of Sigdis Gauldurson, sealed here as undead as punishment for betrayal and murder. Come for the Forbidden Legend, stay for one of the more annoying boss fights in the game.
What you’ll find
- Undead guardians, and Sigdis Gauldurson waiting in his tomb at the end.
- A hidden underwater chamber: activate the raised stone underwater directly below the entrance hole.
- A combination door – hawk, whale, snake, whale, in the order the symbols appear (the third is behind a skull).
- A drawbridge with two levers. The obvious one on the ground springs a trap; the real one is behind it, tucked against the cave wall.
- A trapped door down a broken ledge to the right of the bridge, guarded by a fire-blasting soul gem; look for the disarm mechanism at the base on the right.
- Ingredients like Bleeding Crown, Hanging Moss and White Cap.
Quests
Forbidden Legend – Sigdis guards a fragment of the Gauldur Amulet.
Notable items
- Gauldur Blackbow, an enchanted ancient Nord bow that absorbs Magicka.
- Gauldur Amulet Fragment (+30 Stamina).
- A boss chest with leveled loot.
- Words and Philosophy (Two-Handed) in the boss chest room on the way out.
- A Potion of Light Feet in an alcove to the right as you face Sigdis’s tomb.
Tips
Sigdis clones himself, teleports and spams Unrelenting Force while everyone fires at range. The clones have a light blue glow and no horns on their helmets, and if you damage Sigdis as he climbs out, he’s the only one not at full health – focus him. Kill him while he’s still climbing out and the clones never appear. His shout can disarm you and fling a favourite bow out of reach, so use a spare weapon or bound weapons, which can’t be knocked away. Shock spells through the grate overlooking his hall work before you cross the levers, and hiding behind the stone on the grave platform makes it a decent spot to train Sneak, Archery or Conjuration. Paralysis poisons won’t work on him.
Good to know
Reyda’s remains are not inside the tomb. Wilhelm in Ivarstead mentions she gathered ingredients on a small island nearby – that’s the place to search.
Nearby
Closest places covered on TamrielSaga: Shroud Hearth Barrow, Nilheim, Ivarstead, Honeystrand Cave, Pinepeak Cavern.
Location data (hold, map position, editor ID) read from the Skyrim game files; details checked against community wiki articles and summarised in our own words.