Volunruud is an ancient Nordic tomb north of Whiterun, just past Halted Stream Camp and Silent Moons Camp. Its name reportedly translates as something like “Horror” in the dragon tongue, which is a fair warning. Inside you hunt down two ceremonial weapons to open a sealed inner tomb, where a very grumpy ancient Nord and a Word Wall are waiting.
What you’ll find
- Heddic’s Volunruud Notes on the floor right at the entrance, which start Silenced Tongues.
- A large hub chamber with four tunnels branching off.
- A western room with catacombs, a draugr deathlord, plenty of spike-trap pressure plates and the ceremonial axe on a rack.
- A northeastern route with a swinging gate trap leading over a bridge to a small crypt that holds the ceremonial sword and an ancient Nord helmet.
- Volunruud Elder’s Cairn, opened with both weapons, where leveled draugr, a draugr archer and Kvenel the Tongue lie in wait. Kvenel can summon frost atronachs.
- A Word Wall for Aura Whisper.
Quests
- Silenced Tongues – collect the ceremonial axe and sword and open Elder’s Cairn.
- The Silence Has Been Broken – Amaund Motierre waits in the southwest room during this Dark Brotherhood quest.
- Radiant quests Trouble in Skyrim and Fetch Me That Book! can also lead here.
Notable items
- Eduj (unique sword) and Okin (unique war axe), both looted from Kvenel.
- One-Handed skill books Mace Etiquette (on the throne in the west room) and Night Falls on Sentinel.
- Jeweled Amulet, a Dragon Priest Dagger and the book Songs of the Return, Vol 2.
- A possible spawn spot for Meridia’s Beacon, which starts The Break of Dawn.
- Ingredients: Bone Meal, Salt Pile and Troll Fat.
Tips
Read the notes first – skipping them can make the cairn door act up. Watch your feet in the axe room, since nearly every step seems to be a pressure plate. If the axe won’t come off its rack, knock it down with an arrow or Unrelenting Force. Kvenel is tough, so deal with the archer and the regular draugr quickly before focusing on him. After the fight, a chest sits on a ledge left of the bridge; carefully edge around the rock pillar or use Whirlwind Sprint to reach it.
Nearby
Closest places covered on TamrielSaga: Halted Stream Camp, Stonehill Bluff, Silent Moons Camp, Tower of Mzark, Heljarchen Hall.
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.
