Volsung, “Horror” in the dragon tongue, is a light dragon priest mask with an armor rating of 21 and a weight of 5. Its enchantment, Volsung’s Guile, is a utility package: you can breathe underwater, prices are 20% better and you can carry 20 more points of loot. It is less a combat helmet and more the perfect hat for a hoarder who dives for treasure and then haggles it off at the market.
How to get it
Volsung waits at the top of Volskygge, a Nordic ruin in the mountains of Haafingar. Work your way through the draugr-filled halls and climb to the peak, where the dragon priest rests near the word wall. There is no quest attached, so you can go whenever you like. Defeat Volsung and loot the mask from his remains.
Is it worth wearing?
As a battle helmet, not really; the enchantment does nothing in a fight. As a swap-in helmet, it is fantastic. Put it on before selling to squeeze extra gold out of merchants, wear it while dungeon crawling for a bit of extra carry capacity, and use the waterbreathing to explore underwater areas without panic. The Masque of Clavicus Vile is better for pure trading, since it also raises Speech, but Volsung covers more situations. It is tempered with a 
Corundum Ingot and works with light armor perks. Argonians already breathe underwater, so they lose part of the appeal, but the trading and carry bonuses still make it worth a slot in the bag.
Good to know
- Waterbreathing is a big help during the Apocrypha quest The Path of Knowledge (Dragonborn), where you dive for hidden items.
- One of the eight masks needed at the Bromjunaar shrine in Labyrinthian to unlock Konahrik.
- Masks given to followers can vanish from their inventory over time.
Stats
| Item | Slot | Type | Armor | Weight | Value | Enchantment | ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volsung | Head | Light | 21 | 5 | 320 | Can swim underwater without drowning.; Prices are 20% better.; Carrying capacity increased by 20 points. | 00061CAB |
Improve it at a workbench with Corundum Ingot.
Stats from the Skyrim game files (Skyrim.esm and the official add-ons): base values before Smithing and perks. Where several versions exist (leveled copies), all are listed.
