Hillgrund's Tomb, Joe's Dungeon Guide Part 11

• Posted by Joe Lacy March 27, 2012 - 1,657 views

   Dungeon: Hillgrund's Tomb

  

   Set-Up:

  • Melee: Steel Battleaxe of Bitter Cold
  • Magic School: Conjuration
  • Ranged: Ancien Nord Bow of Bitter Cold with Steel Arrows
  • Armor: Amulet of Kynatreth(+10 Stamina), Imperial Officer's Helmet, Silver Ruby Ring(+15% Two-Handed Dmg), Steel Armor(Fine)(+24% Magicka Regen), Steel Cuffed Boots(Fine)(+15% Two-Handed Dmg), Steel Imperial Gauntlets(Fine)(+15% Two-Handed Dmg)
  • Companion: Faendal: Steel Set, Orcish Battleaxe of Torpor, Imperial Bow with Iron Arrows

   Level: 12 100/100/220

   First Thoughts:

  • This dungeon has its own story, and is one of my favorites in Skyrim.
  • You're tasked with finding and "removing" a necromancer from this family tomb.
  • I remember being swarmed by Draugr in this tomb, so that might pose a problem due to my low level and gimped stats.
  • The quest throughout this area is a lot of fun, and, at times, emotional.

    Note1: I have added a "Level" section to the guide to give you an idea of my progress, and difficulty.
    Note2: The "Level" section is set as "Level: # Magicka/Health/Stamina"

   Play-By-Play:

  • Before entering this tomb be sure to grab the chest hidden on its roof.
  • Going through the door brings me into the first room with Golldir, and allows me to begin the quest.
  • He explains that Vals Veran, a necromancer, has gone crazy and started desecrating his family's tomb. His aunt has gone inside to stop him, but she hasn't returned. 
  • I agree to help him, and Golldir, Faendal, and I enter the tomb.
  • The first room is empty, but continuing down the corridor leads to two low-level enemies.
  • Opening the door on the right leads to an empty room and a flail trap.
  • Further down the corridor is another wooden door.
  • I open it to find a Restless Draugr and a mead barrel. 
  • This room has an oil slick, but there aren't any hanging pots.
  • The battle pulled another enemy from down the hall, but the three of us dispatched it with ease.
  • The next room is blanketed with a low fog, venturing further inside we discover the body of Agna, Golldir's aunt; there's blood everywhere.
  • It seems that the necromancer has barred the door and Golldir tells me of a hidden passage. 
  • We exit the room and move down the stairs, but we're ambushed by draugr.
  • The fight is easy enough.
  • I cautiously enter the next room with my bow drawn and get off a shot before an enemy can attack us, but he runs, baiting Faendal and Golldir to follow.
  • I start to give chase when I hear the scraping of stone against stone and narrowly escape the poison darts.
  • Golldir decides to warn me after the fact.
  • As I turn around I'm face to face with another draugr, but my axe makes quick work of him.
  • Time to find Faendal.
  • I start to run as I hear the clashing of steel.
  • Dodging the pressure plate I come to the end of the hallway, Faendal and Golldir are in the doorway, but several stronger enemies block the path.
  • Faendal and I cut through them until we meet in the middle, and finish off the last one.
  • The next room is covered in webs... Spiders.
  • After dispatching the beast, I take a look around the room and find a skeleton clutching an enchanted mace hidden behind some webs.
  • We head farther into the crypt and I silently take down the sleeping draugr before it can alert the others.
  • As Faendal turns the next corner he's takes a blow to the head and before he can get up we're surrounded. 
  • It's apparant how mindless these enemies are.
  • One of them gets in close enough to land a blow and I stagger back, but Golldir comes to my aid, allowing me to line up my bow and send the restless undead to Sovengarde.
  • Upon defeating his ancestors, Golldir tells us that "the bear will show the way."
  • Sure enough, the room has the tiles Faendal and I saw in Bleak Falls Barrow
  • The bear has a pullchain next to it.
  • As I activate it, a passage opens up for us.
  • We delve deeper into the crypt.
  • A Restless Draugr gets up from his throne and charges us, but, again, we dispatch him with ease.
  • The setting has changed from a dusty tomb to a damp, musty crypt; moss covers everything, and roots protrude from the walls. 
  • In the next room we find a large wooden door, and a smaller, locked one(Apprentice) in the corner.
  • The small room behind the locked door yields a small chest and some potions(I don't use these, but I pick up the higher valued ones)
  • Golldir tells us that the large door leads to the burial chamber, and Vals Veran.
  • The chamber has several levels to it, so use this to your advantage once the battle begins,
  • The necromancer approaches, and, after a short conversation(I won't spoil it), the battle ensues.
  • If you're using my set-up I don't recommend charging the draugr, they can cast frost magic on top of the large number of enemies in this fight.
  • The sarcophogus's around us explode and Golldir's ancestors emerge.
  • I immediatly run down the stairs and into the larger room, hoping to funnel them through the door while Faendal and Golldir cut through them from behind.
  • The second wave emerges as the last draugr goes down.
  • I run down to the door again, only to be followed by the same enemies I had just defeated; the necromancer is raising the dead.
  • I summon Stains to distract them while I take care of the stronger undead.
  • The last one lands a blow, nearly killing me, but I finish it off and am rewarded with an epic killcam.
  • I run back into the burial chamber to help Golldir, and the third wave emerges along with the dead from the last.
  • I can't see Faendal anywhere!
  • I summon stains to help Golldir and run through the doors again.
  • As I finish off a restless draugr I hear the overlord shout.
  • The undead rush through the door, but Golldir is close behind.
  • I take out the lesser undead with ease, and summon Stains to help with the overlord.
  • Stains keeps it distracted just long enough for me to get the undead scourge into "stunlock," finishing it off rewards me with another killcam.
  • I make my way into the burial chamber again to face Vals Veran.
  • He backs his way into a corner and screams, "I yield, I yield!" 
  • Stains and I show no mercy.
  • Golldir thanks me, and my quest is complete, time to find Faendal.
  • I finally find him, face down on the floor, my long time companion has been defeated.
  • I leave his armor, and move him up the stairs in the Burial Chamber, place his body on the large slab to the left, and lay his weapon across his chest.
  • Farewell friend, you will be missed.
  • I exit the chamber through the iron doors and find an iron chest.
  • The table across the room holds a few treasures as well.
  • Before leaving I say my last goodbye to Faendal and close the door to the chamber.
  • Opening the wooden doors will unlock a shortcut to the room where we found Agna before.

   Chests/Bosses:

    Chest1-A:

  • Difficulty: Adept
  • Loot: Gold(11)

    Chest1:

  • Difficulty: Unlocked
  • Loot: Orcish Arrow(9), Gold(6), Potion of Healing
  • Affected: No

    Chest2:

  • Difficulty: Expert(unlocked with key)
  • Loot: Dwarven Shield, Gold(133), Iron Boots of Dwindling Shock(+40% Shock Resistance), Jade and Sapphire Circlet, Staff of Reanimation
  • Affected: Yes, heavy armor caused a trend.

    Boss Battle:

  • Boss: Vals Veran
  • Weapon: Steel Dagger/Frost Magic
  • Playstyle: Battleaxe and conjured familiar
  • Loot: Gold(18), Hagraven Claw, Hillgrund's Tomb Crypt Key, Robes of Minor Conjuration, Boots, Steel Dagger
  • Affected: No

    Mini-Boss: Draugr Overlord

  • Weapon: Battleaxe
  • Playstyle: Battleaxe with summoned familiar
  • Loot: Bone Meal, Gold(27), Ancient Nord Battleaxe of Cold
  • Affected: Yes

   Noteable Items/Locations:

  • Gem: Diamond: Located on the table in the "Iron Door Room" after defeating the boss.