Ruunvald Excavation is a location in The Elder Scrolls V: Dawnguard. It is located southeast of Tolvald's Cave and directly east of Shor's Watchtower. Volk's Journal is just outside the entrance, in a tent.
Related Quests
The cave is accessed during the quest Bolstering the Ranks, in which several Charmed Vigilants can be found, the vigilants who went missing. Inside the temple, Florentius Baenius can be found.
He has been captured and held in a cage. He can be freed by taking the Ruunvald key off of Minorne's corpse.
Interior
Ruunvald Temple
Mining
- Malachite ore vein - It is at the bottom of the entrance. Another one is found once the first tunnel is entered, at a fork, with the ore vein to the right.
- Three malachite ore - in a cart halfway through the tunnel after the entryway.
- Malachite ore vein - in the second chamber, at the bottom, in a well lit area. There is also a chunk of malachite ore in a bin to the right of the vein.
- Malachite ore vein - after the chamber containing "Discovering Ruunvald Vol. III", in the exiting tunnel, a vein is found to the right.
Loot
- All of the Charmed Vigilant here wear Novice Robes with a matching hood, which can be sold for a decent amount of gold. They also carry an Amulet of Stendarr, a crossbow, and steel bolts.
Notable items
- Minorne - on an altar, right in front of the Dragonborn, as soon as the temple is entered.
- Discovering Ruunvald, Vol I - just to the right of the tunnel leading out of the first chamber, on a wooden crate.
- Discovering Ruunvald, Vol II - in the second chamber, next to a wooden lean-to, on top of some wooden crates.
- Discovering Ruunvald, Vol III - in the largest chamber, as soon as the wooden walkway is descended on, it will be to the left, on a platform with some large yellow urns, on a desk.
- Staff of Ruunvald - can be looted from Minorne, along with Ruunvald Key.
Trivia
- Ruunvald Excavation and any related doors will not appear in the world until the quest Bolstering the Ranks has been accepted and Isran identifies it as the location of Florentius. Before this, the old Nordic doorway exit will be missing, as will the campsite, and the entrance in the mountain will be sealed.
Bugs
- When entering the temple, the Dragonborn may find a large world hole which, if they fall into it, will bring them to a different area in the temple.
- When activating the associated quest, the marker will appear above the undiscovered location on the map but the world compass will be directing the Dragonborn towards Riften instead. This is fixed by entering and exiting Riften.