Volskygge is a sprawling ancient Nordic tomb in the mountains far west of Solitude, roughly between Northwatch Keep and Deepwood Redoubt. It is home to Volsung, one of the eight masked dragon priests, who waits on the summit beside a Word Wall. You can fight your way through the whole thing, or – spoiler – just climb the mountain.
What you’ll find
- A small side tomb near the entrance with a swing trap and a sealed coffin hiding a leveled draugr.
- A bandit camp in the courtyard, and more bandits in the first halls.
- Plenty of traps: poison darts, a spiked gate, swinging logs, a pendulum axe, spike pits, a battering ram and a spike wall.
- A four-totem puzzle (bear, wolf, fox, snake) explained by The Four Totems of Volskygge. The order is snake, bear, fox, wolf.
- Draugr in the Passages, including a scourge and a Draugr Death Overlord on a throne.
- A cave packed with frostbite spiders and their nest.
- An orichalcum ore vein by the stream, and two Emeralds in front of the Word Wall.
Quests
Volskygge is a possible location of Kahvozein’s Fang for the Alteration Ritual Spell quest from Tolfdir; if you come in from the peak, the fang lies just inside the unlocked door. It is also linked to Find the Source of Power.
Notable items
- Volsung, the dragon priest mask.
- Surfeit of Thieves (Lockpicking) – on a bookshelf near the start.
- A healing potion on a trapped pedestal in a hidden room – approach from behind to dodge the spikes.
Tips
From the main entrance, head left and zigzag up the mountainside (a horse helps) to reach Volskygge Peak, Volsung and the Whirlwind Sprint wall without touching the dungeon. Inside, once you solve the totem puzzle the gate behind you locks again, so stock up on potions first. Struggling with the Death Overlord? Lure him to the spider cave, hop onto a ledge he can’t reach and pelt him from there.
Good to know
The tomb boasts one of the largest hoards of ancient Nordic cups, plates and jugs in the game – perfect for anyone furnishing a house with that authentic “grave goods” look.
Nearby
Closest places covered on TamrielSaga: Lost Echo Cave, Deepwood Redoubt, Pinemoon Cave, Pinefrost Tower, Rimerock Burrow.
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.