Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition Guide The Atlas Hold 9: The Rift

[9.18] Avanchnzel

Related Quests

Side Quest: Unfathomable Depths

Recommended Level: 16

Dungeon: Dwarven City

Dwarven Centurion
Dwarven Sphere
Dwarven Spider

Crafting

Alchemy Lab

Dangers

Dwarven Thresher Trap (trapped door)
Dwarven Thresher Trap (pressure plate)
Spear Trap (trapped door)

Collectibles

Skill Book [Restoration]: Racial Phylogeny

Special Objects

Lexicon Receptacle
Chests
Potions
Loose Gear

This impressive collection of dwarven ruins stands among the Rift’s southern mountains. This is a large area, for the ruins run deep into the rock. Scale a series of spiral pathways to locate Avanchnzel’s cavelike entrance, and head inside.

Exit to Skyrim

Central Cavern

Destroy a couple of formidable Dwarven Spiders on your way to this massive, open-air cavern. Take the east passage and dismantle a Dwarven Sphere in the adjoining chamber, then scale a sloping passage and unbar a door so you may step out to the balcony and loot an outdoor chest. Head back inside and return to the large cavern. Loot another chest on a wall as you enter the south passage.

Chest
Chest (Locked: Apprentice)

Door to Avanchnzel Balcony

South Passage

Dispatch more Dwarven Spheres and Spiders as you navigate the long passage that leads down to the main chamber’s ground floor. Unlock an Apprentice-level gate along the way to access a nook with chest.

Chest

Trapped Treasure Room

Annihilate a deadly group of Dwarven Spiders to secure the central chamber’s ground floor, then approach the south door. Look up to notice several slots on the ceiling—spears will stab out from these when you open the door, so stand back and to one side to avoid this nasty surprise, or try to pick the door’s trigger hinge. Loot two chests in the treasure room before backtracking out.

Danger! Spear Trap (trapped door)
Chests (2)
Potion
Loose Gear

Path to Animoncultory

From the base of the central chamber, take the east passage to locate the door that leads to the Avanchnzel Animoncultory. Raid a chest in the hall as you go.

Chest

Door to Avanchnzel Animoncultory

Treasure Room

Smash some Dwarven Sentries in this first chamber, then unlock the Adept-level gate to reach a chest.

Chest

Connecting Corridor

Loot a locked chest as you navigate this winding hall.

Chest (Locked: Adept)

Study

To safely enter this room, stand close to the door and run forward as you open it. You’ll burst into the room before being hacked up by the blades that emerge from the ground when the door is opened.

Danger! Dwarven Thresher Trap (trapped door)
Skill Book [Restoration]: Racial Phylogeny
Chest
Loose Gear

Storage A

Make use of an Alchemy Lab here if you like.

Crafting: Alchemy Lab
Potion

Storage B

Bash through a few more dwarven automatons in this chamber, then unlock an Adept-level door and an Apprentice-level gate to access a pair of small treasure rooms.

Chest
Chest (Locked: Novice)
Potions
Loose Gear

Centurion Assembly

A large number of Dwarven Spiders guard this large chamber, where fearsome Dwarven Centurions were once built. Loot a chest that sits on a large shelf against the west wall on your way to the boilery.

Chest

Door to Avanchnzel Boilery

Door to Avanchnzel Animoncultory

Access Corridor

Raid a pair of chests that sit on shelves as you move through this corridor, and grab a few potions from another shelf ahead.

Chests (2)
Potions

Spinning Blade Slope

Avoid the pressure plates that line this sloping hallway—stepping on one triggers a nasty spinning blade trap that must then be bypassed with care. Pull the lever at the bottom of the slope to deactivate the trap if need be.

Danger! Dwarven Thresher Trap (pressure plates)

Centurion Chamber

A tower Dwarven Centurion guards this final chamber. Defeat the mechanical monster easily by simply backing away until the brute becomes stuck on thick pipes. You may then unleash ranged attacks to bring it down.

Lexicon Receptacle