Valthume (Skyrim)

Valthume (Skyrim)
Map
Hold	The Reach
Location	South-east of Markarth
Type	Tomb
Sublocations	Valthume Catacombs
Quests	Evil In Waiting
Characters	Valdar's spirit
Location ID	Valthume00 Valthume01 Valthume02

"We stand at the tomb of Hevnoraak, who has been dead for many generations. I fear, however, that his return may be at hand."

―Valdar

Valthume (Skyrim) is an ancient Nordic tomb in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. Located southeast of Markarth in the Reach, it serves as the tomb of a Dragon Priest named Hevnoraak. It can also be reached by going up the hill, to the southwest of Gloomreach.

Since it is not the location of any non-radiant quest, this dungeon is easy to miss. However, it is not possible to get all levels of all Dragon Shouts without it.

Sublocations

• Valthume
• Valthume Catacombs
• Valthume Vestibule

Enemies

Strategies

There are a great number of leveled Draugr here as well as the Dragon Priest Hevnoraak. One of the difficulties is that oftentimes there are a number of enemies at once, which at higher levels, can be very difficult to handle. Conjuration spells, a fully upgraded daedric warhammer or Sanguine Rose can be used to fend off enemies and it helps to be able to use chokepoints and the like to avoid being overwhelmed. Fire Breath is a very useful Shout to use in this dungeon: just one word of power can be very powerful against Draugr Wights and Deathlords. It helps to be proficient in a ranged as well as a melee style of combat as you will likely either run out of magika or simply not be able to deal enough damage to kill everyone engaging you before your arrows can take them out.

Enemy types

• Draugr
• Dragon Priest - Hevnoraak
• Draugr Deathlords
• Frostbite Spiders
• Draugr Scourge
• Skeevers
• Restless Draugrs
• Dogs
• Ghosts

Traps

File:Valthume entrance.jpg

Entrance to the Valthume

• Pressure buttons causing lamps to fall in oil.
• Large trap door in floor, looks like a metal grate. If you fall, you will land in a pit with a small tunnel off of it. There are four frostbite spiders and a draugr in the tunnel, and an expert locked door. Key can be found on the draugr.
• Upon entering the Valthume catacombs, there is a trip-wired chest that releases a giant frostbite spider.
• A pressure plate, that seems like it is supposed to activate swinging axes is seen down the first hallway in the catacombs.
• Soul gems that shoot fire can also be found. The best way to take care of these is to shout at them any of your shouts, Unrelenting Force or Kyne's Peace are the best for this. Or shoot them with a bow to knock them off of the pedestals. A more difficult, way is to just run and maybe use a resist fire potion, or grabbing the soul gems before passing down the hallway they shoot into. There is a separate room with a Draugr Deathlord in it before you come upon the flame hallway. It will be closed with a metal grate, the pull chain is very nearby. There is also a vessel in this room, so if you have the quest arrows for the vessels, make sure to move or take the soul gems before you continue to the third vessel.
• Pressure plate activating a swinging spike wall.
• When you pick up the iron claw, the four statues around you will begin to breathe fire. Grab it and run.
• There is also a swinging log, when you open a door.

Notable loot

• Hevnoraak's Staff (Wall of Storms spell )
• Hevnoraak (Mask) (Effect: Immune to poison and disease)
• Grand Staff of Charming (Slightly weaker version of the Calm spell)
• Small Silver Ring
• Ebony Shield (found in room where you first see the dragon priest's spirit/ghost. Can only be reached by jumping on the wood on the side of the room, then leaping to the platform). Chest with random loot can be found nearby.
• Ancient Nord Helmet
• Spell Tome: Oakflesh
• Withershins - (Skill Book: Restoration) (close to the entry in Valthume)
• All Draugr Deathlords use Ebony Weapons, regardless of level.
• Possible Location for Kahvozein's Fang
• Other books:
  • Aedra and Daedra
  • The Argonian Account, Book III
  • Brief History of the Empire, v2
  • Brief History of the Empire, v3
  • Darkest Darkness - 2
  • Life of Uriel Septim VII
  • The Cake and the Diamond
  • The Hope of the Redoran
  • The Real Barenziah, v2 - 2
  • The Real Barenziah, v3 - 2
  • The Real Barenziah, v4
  • The Talos Mistake
  • The Wolf Queen, v3
  • The Wolf Queen, v7
  • Thief of Virtue - 2
  • Yngol and the Sea-Ghosts

Dragon Shouts

• Word Wall - Aura Whisper

Amenities

• Alchemy Lab

Quests

• Evil in Waiting
• Letter from a Friend
• Shalidor's Insights
• Alteration Ritual Spell

Bugs

This section contains bugs related to Valthume (Skyrim). Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following: Please reload an old save to confirm if the bug is still happening. If the bug is still occurring, please post the bug report with the appropriate system template  360  /  XB1  ,  PS3  /  PS4  ,  PC  /  MAC  ,  NX  /  PS5  ,  XS  , depending on which platform(s) the bug has been encountered on. Be descriptive when listing the bug and fixes, but avoid having conversations in the description and/or using first-person anecdotes: such discussions belong on the appropriate forum board.

Click to see the list of bugs encountered

It is possible that the vessels will not be able to be taken from their pedestals (the option to take will not appear), therefore making the quest unfinishable. This can be fixed by reloading a save and taking the vessel as you normally would (solution worked for 360). If you sit in the throne the skeleton is sitting in in the first room and then stand up, you may be unable to move.  360   The rings to the Door Puzzle may not move correctly. (WWFMankind Jr says: Easy fix, save in front of door with the claw in inventory. Load the save. Should work. Repeat if necessary.) The gate in front of the Word Wall may close on you while inside. Reloading an old save or using a ranged Shout (such as Unrelenting Force or Fire Breath) on the pedestal where the vial was located, it may open the gate momentarily. This gate can also stay closed, in this case shooting it with a ranged spell or weapon will open it. Like the PS3 version, it may be impossible to collect the word of power from the wall. The sounds will play but nothing else will happen.  PS3   If you are having trouble getting the Iron Dragon Claw's door to work, reload to a previous save, go to the Puzzle Door first (easy to find path if you have the Shout quest marker activated) kill the spiders in the room, but do not pick up the Dragon Claw into your inventory. Instead, literally pick it up (mind the fire trap), look at the combination, drop it, key the combination into the door and then obtain the Dragon Claw and use it on the door. Success! (Confirmed: PS3-Not confirmed have tried several times. Does not work. Claw cannot be moved from pedestal without adding to inventory. It may also be possible for the puzzle door not to open, no matter how much you reset your save.  PS3   If you shout at any pressure plate, it will push it down not go back up until an item is put on top, and then removed. Note: Do not shout towards the pressure plate while at the word wall.  360   By standing next to Henvnoraak's sarcophagus and casting Circle of Protection will increase the level of Restoration safely. Sometimes, the second vial will be located within the chest behind the gate, making the Word Wall unreachable. If this is the case, you can open the gate by leaving and returning. If you continue to follow the quest pointers, it will lead you to the third vial and you can then find the second lying on the floor in the room it's located in.

Appearances

• The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim