Skyrim:Yngol Barrow

Related Quests
 
 
 

Walkthrough
The layout of the barrow is fairly linear: there are twists and turns, but the main path will not split. There are no enemies until you face Yngol's Shade. Bouncing blue orbs are found throughout the barrow, and will follow you around. At no point do these orbs become hostile, and they disappear when you claim the Helm of Yngol.

Exterior
There are several standing stones in front of the entrance. There is a short flight of stone steps leading up from the shore and through a squared arch to a statue, with twin piles of stones on either side and a circular stone dish in front holding some kind of offering, including sprigs of snowberries, foodstuffs, and a copy of Yngol and the Sea-Ghosts. Larger statues flank the entrance, which is marked by a lit brazier on a stand. There is an iron ore vein and a cluster of slaughterfish eggs on a small island a few paces to the north.

Yngol Barrow
right|thumb|The puzzle room in Yngol BarrowUpon entering, you are in an ice tunnel descending to the north. At the bottom is a lit torch on the left. After a slight turn, you will see the first of the blue orbs. If you have a follower with you, they will remark about finding an old ruin. Just after seeing the orb, there is an open sarcophagus on the right with a dead draugr lying on the ground in a small section featuring typical Nordic barrow architecture. Continue following the icy passage as it twists and turns until there is a turn to the north, where ahead you will see two more upright sarcophagi; the sarcophagus to the right has a dead draugr behind the lid, with the passage onward to the right of it. The passage opens into a room with three rotating pillars in alcoves on either side and a closed gate ahead with a lever in front of it. The rotating stone puzzle is solved by reading Notes on Yngol Barrow, found on the dead scholar in front of the gate. The notes include a translation describing three animals in their habitats. To your right, as you face the locked gate, you will find an alcove with a throne, and an alcove with running water: the pillar in this alcove must be turned to the Whale symbol. On the opposite side, there is an alcove covered in weeds and plants: its pillar must be turned to the Snake symbol. The pillar in the last alcove, with sunlight shining through, must be turned to the Eagle symbol. The throne opposite the sunlit pillar requires no action on your part. Pull the lever once you have positioned the pillars correctly to continue.

Beyond the gate are some catacombs, with two large urns opposite behind a pedestal that may hold the coral dragon claw (see also below). The passage turns to the north and becomes an icy tunnel, which passes through some shallow water before descending and entering a natural cavern with a bridge crossing a pool. Underwater beneath the middle arch of the bridge is an unlocked chest and a burial urn. Across the bridge is an iron door, with flights of stairs leading down behind. At the bottom is a gate with a lit brazier behind. There are several hanging moss, a dead draugr in an alcove, and two burial urns here. The passage turns to the southeast, then to the northeast. Through another iron door is a wider passage with a passage off to the left. Ahead is an adept-locked gate, behind which is an alcove containing an unlocked wooden chest, three burial urns, a steel greatsword (which may be hard to see behind the chest), and a random pair of boots. There is also a salt pile in front of the chest that cannot be interacted with, and more hanging moss growing down the alcove's back wall.

left|thumb|Bouncing glowing orbs at the puzzle doorFollowing the passage to the left leads to a small room with a random greatsword hanging in the air above fifteen sprigs of snowberries. The passage continues to the northeast. Near the end is a pressure plate that triggers a spike wall to slam down from above in the doorway; moving slowly avoids damage. The doorway is at the top of wide stairs down into a room that has suffered quite a bit of damage. There is an overturned unlocked chest and a dead draugr among the rubble, while opposite are several upright sarcophagi covered with thick cobwebs with a dessicated corpse on the floor in front. There is an open door on the right-hand side of the room leads to a passage with a puzzle door at the far end. The combination is found on the coral dragon claw, which you may find on a pedestal earlier in the barrow, or by visiting Birna in Winterhold. The correct combination for the puzzle door is (starting from the outer ring): Snake&mdash;Wolf&mdash;Moth. There are no negative consequences for incorrect guesses.

right|thumb|Yngol's Shade guarding the Helm of YngolBehind the puzzle door is a tomb with a throne. A ghost-like draugr or dragon priest (the bright mist in the room makes him hard to see) will animate and attack you once you step in the room. Depending on whether or not you have the Dungeon Delving quest (see notes), this encounter may lead you to obtain either the Helm of Yngol or the Helm of Winterhold. The throne is in the center of the room facing away from you, with an unlocked chest behind it and a random two-handed weapon on the floor to the left. There is a dead draugr in an alcove on the northeastern side of the room. Beyond the throne, there is a gate that rises when you take the helm. Through the doorway is a second unlocked chest at the base of spiral wooden stairs that provide a quick shortcut to an unmarked exit. You exit to the northeast of the entrance, due south of Wreck of the Winter War.
 

Notes
Although Birna is a shopkeeper, she will sell the coral dragon claw for 50 gold through a separate dialogue option.
If you're in Yngol Barrow and not doing the Yngol's Barrow quest, you will not be able to get out through the back gate, and will have to retrace your steps (this doesn't seem to apply to Skyrim SE). This appears to be intentional. To access the chest, enter the barrow through the alternate exit, which is not marked on your map. Turn right from the main entrance and follow the shoreline north until you come to two logs washed up on shore. Turn right and head towards the cliffs until you reach a little bay with a large rock formation on your right; some of the rocks in this formation have horizontal lines carved on them. Head towards this formation, and you'll find the alternate exit.
Once you've offered to buy the coral dragon claw from Birna (even if you didn't actually do so), the claw on the pedestal in Yngol Barrow will disappear.
The button on the pedestal in the throne room does nothing.

Bugs
 
 
Simply go to Winterhold and buy the other claw from Birna if this happens. If you have killed Birna, the quest cannot be completed.
  You can open the console and type   to spawn a copy of the claw in your inventory.
 
If this is the case, exit the cave and leave your follower outside.
 
Create a new save inside the cave and reload it.
{{Bug|Clearing the dungeon and collecting the helm but the gate to the exit doesn't open.

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