Shriekwind Bastion is an ancient Nordic tomb low on a mountain northeast of Falkreath and west of Pinewatch. These days the ruins belong to vampires and skeletons, and the reward for getting through them is a Word of Power for Elemental Fury.
What you’ll find
- Two entrances, North Shriekwind Bastion and South Shriekwind Bastion; the south one enters about halfway through via a hidden door. The exit opens onto an overlook above Falkreath.
- Hallways of skeletons and vampires leading to a large open area and then a room with two gates.
- A round stone with three handles: two open secret doors to gear and empty coffins, the third opens the small gate. In the room beyond, the left chain opens the large gate.
- A wide hallway near the top where the pillar handle opens the gate but fires a flamethrower trap.
- A battering ram tunnel, a blood-spattered throne room and a small room piled with shoes.
- The Master Vampire, then the Word Wall, with a leveled Draugr in the coffin in front of it.
Quests
- Ancient Power
- Cleansing Light (Dawnguard)
- Culling the Beast (Dawnguard)
- Possible location for Totems of Hircine, Onmund’s Request and Trouble in Skyrim.
Notable items
- Speech skill book 2920, Second Seed, v5 on a stone pulpit by a lantern.
- Word Wall: Elemental Fury.
- Possible location of Meridia’s Beacon.
- Rare fur-lined boots and pleated shoes in the shoe room.
- One to three rubies or a flawless ruby on the floor beside the throne.
- A leveled enchanted greatsword that drops when you pull the hidden-door chain from the south entrance.
Tips
At the flamethrower hallway, ignore the handle on the pillar and look right for a chain inside the tunnel; it opens the gate without roasting you. Outside, climb the stairs on the left of the north entrance to a stone bowl with an ancient Nord weapon, a soul gem and a healing potion, plus corundum ore on the slope and a chest under the last arch behind the bastion. When leaving by the end exit, dropping down (with Become Ethereal) to the stream reveals gold ore near the waterfall. You can also climb the mountain straight to the exit door and skip the dungeon entirely, though you would be skipping the fun too.
Good to know
The name likely nods to the Shrieking Winds, the screams of Lamae Beolfag, the first vampire, which fits the current tenants nicely. Riekling followers reportedly refuse to go inside and wait at the entrances on hands and knees.
Details checked against community wiki articles and the Skyrim/Dawnguard game files, summarised in our own words.
