Mzinchaleft Mzinchaleft is a Dwemer Ruin located southwest of Dawnstar and east of Ustengrav . It is involved in a Dark Brotherhood quest , as well as a favor quest for Mjoll the Lioness in Riften . The Gatehouse of Mzinchaleft houses an entrance to Blackreach . It is accessible through the main quest . There is also a set of Falmer Armor in Mzinchaleft behind a gate with an Expert level lock . History . Mzinchaleft shows the ancient struggle between the Dwemer and Falmer . The Falmer now lurk in their former masters ' ruins , killing off Dwarven sentinels and constantly preparing for their war against the light dwellers . Walkthrough . Outside Mzinchaleft , there are multiple bandits , who can be avoided with a high enough Sneak skill . Once inside , the Dragonborn faces various bandit plunderer s , Dwarven spiders and spheres on the first level . The path winds generally to the north . At one point , a Bandit can be found with Maluril ' s room key . Along the second westward - bound section of the path is an opening to the right ( north ) that contains a bandit camp with various armor and potions on tables , plus a chest with a leveled sword . Just beyond that is a crossroads with an open gate straight ahead ( west , leading to nothing ) , a hallway sloping down to the left ( south ) that leads to a closed gate , and an Adept - locked door to the right ( north ) . The right - hand door leads to Maluril ' s room . Aside from Maluril himself , Maluril ' s Journal is on a table , and a chest is nearby . The Speech skill book " A Dance in Fire , Book VII " is on another table in the same room . The left - hand path leads down to a room with steps up on both sides ( which simply lead to ledges on either side of the room ) . Across the room to the south is another open door . This leads to a path that turns west , north , and west again . There are several Dwarven Spiders and Guardians along the way . The path turns north again , then back to the east to a closed gate . Beyond that gate is a puzzle involving a series of levers . To get to the final room , the levers must be toggled in the correct order . This puzzle is made much easier using the Slow Time or Whirlwind Sprint shouts to run past the moving bars . To solve the lever puzzle : After this , the path to the south is clear . Past a closed door is an elevator to Mzinchaleft Depths . Mzinchaleft Depths . Upon entering the Depths , there is a huge room with walkways above green water . ( Underwater , there is a gate near a set of stairs leading into the water . Beyond the underwater gate is a submerged entryway to a three - room area . In the left room is an unlocked chest with leveled loot , and the right room has Dwemer tableware . These may be collected without the use of potions of Water - Breathing , but non - essential followers are likely to get lost behind you and drown . It is advisable to have them wait for you on dry land . ) There are several Falmer here . At the first intersection , proceeding to the left ( west ) leads to a dead end with a Falmer tent . To the right ( east ) is another intersection . Turning right again ( to the south ) leads to a platform with a Chaurus and a chest in the back corner with leveled loot , plus 3 glowing mushroom s and many chaurus eggs . There is also a ballista on the same platform , but it is not possible to interact with it . Back at the second intersection ( under a pavilion ) , there is a chest on a ledge to the north that is most likely only reachable with the Whirlwind Sprint shout . It contains randomized loot . This chest is also reachable by jumping into the water and climbing up the wall directly to the west of the chest , or by walking around the ledge to the east , and jumping up the wall . Continuing east from the second intersection leads to another platform with a Falmer . There are also steps that lead down to the water , and a large closed door that opens to the east . To the south , the steps down to the water lead to an underwater gate in the southeast corner ( against the south wall ) . This gate leads to a table with Dwarven Oil on a table , as well as 2 chests ( one of which is in an underwater bedroom ) . Some type of waterbreathing ( spell , potion , enchantment ) will be required , as the entire section is underwater with no air pockets . The chests contain random loot . To the north is a walkway that leads nowhere , but has several Falmer on it , along with 3 Dwemer cog s , a Falmer bow , and 2 chaurus eggs on a table . A double staircase leads down to the water to the west . At its bottom , there is another completely submerged staircase that leads down to the south . Making a right hand U - turn at the bottom of those stairs leads to an alcove with a chest . It contains random loot . Back up on dry land at the top of the stairs , the door leads to steps down to the south , and the path winds until it opens on a room that appears to be some type of court room ( with a high bench , two tables in front , and benches for an audience ) . There are two more Falmer here . Against the north wall of this room , a path leads east , then turns north again . After a long straight path , it turns west again to a room with a Chaurus , a Falmer , and a trap with tripwire at the entrance . On a ledge overlooking the room are two Falmer huts , one containing a chest with leveled loot . There are many chaurus egg sacs scattered throughout the room . The path continues north , then west , where the rough cave ends and the Dwarven ruins begin again . A gate leads to a large room with a fountain in the middle . There are several more Falmer here . Steps to the southwest lead to a spike gate that cannot yet be opened . In the northwest corner of the room is a spiral ramp with a Falmer tent in front that has three chests ( two outside , one inside ) containing leveled loot . The ramp leads up to a walkway with an expert - locket gate to the north and an unlocked ( but closed ) Falmer gate to the south . Behind the Falmer gate is a Falmer , tables with various loot , and a button . Activating the button opens the spike gate . Behind the Expert - locked gate , the path goes left and right . To the right ( east ) is a table with an extremely rare set of Falmer Armor on it , plus a chest with a scroll and other loot . To the left is another table with a chest with leveled loot . Back in the fountain room and up the steps , there is another fountain , but there are also two Falmer , one being a very high level ( e . g . Falmer Warmonger ) . An adept - locked door leads south southeast , while a gate to the north leads to a long set of steps up . The south door leads to a room with much loot : a chest that contains a levelled weapon , a Centurion Dynamo Core on a table , along with much Dwemer scrap metal and a dead Dwarven Centurion that holds more loot . The steps on the other side lead up to the entrance to the Mzinchaleft Gatehouse . Mzinchaleft Gatehouse . In the final room , the Mzinchaleft Gatehouse ( which also contains a passage to Blackreach ) , the Dragonborn is required to fight a Dwarven Centurion ( leveled ) and a Dwarven Sphere . At this point , without the required quest item , the Dragonborn may only return to the surface via a lift ( to the west side of the Gatehouse , behind where the centurion was waiting ) directly to Skyrim . Against the north wall ( behind the steps ) is a spear gate . Up the steps is a ledge with nothing , but from there , it is possible to walk across the pipes to two other ledges , where pieces of Dwarven armor can be found . Mjoll the Lioness ' sword , Grimsever , is found to the right of the Dwarven Centurion , on a pedestal . It may be covered by a shield . It is possible to use a potion of invisibility , grab Grimsever , then quickly dart out of the room as the potion wears off after grabbing the sword . Upon taking the elevator to Skyrim , a lever to the right can be pulled to permanently unlock a quick route for future use . It is due west of where Mzinchaleft is marked on the world map , next to a north - south road . Note that the Attunement Sphere is needed to activate the Dwarven Mechanism ( which is to the southwest in the Gatehouse ) . The Sphere can be obtained from Septimus Signus at Septimus Signus ' Outpost which is north of the College of Winterhold . Once activated , a set of steps surrounding the mechanism is revealed that lead down to a door to Blackreach .