Nchuand - Zel Nchuand - Zel is a Dwemer Ruin located beneath the city of Markarth . Access to the ruins is through Understone Keep and the Nchuand - Zel Excavation Site . Quests . The Lost Expedition . With its defensive automatons deactivated , it is overrun with Falmer , thwarting any attempts to study its artifacts and treasures . Calcelmo asks the Dragonborn to defeat Nimhe , a giant frostbite spider that has halted progress at the dig site . After killing the spider , they gain access to Nchuand - Zel . Alternatively , the lock can be picked for access without needing to talk to Calcelmo . If picked , it is an adept - level lock . The key to Nchuand - Zel can also be pickpocketed from Aicantar . The entrance to Nchuand - Zel is a large chamber with several sections . The men working in Nchuand - Zel attempted to block the Falmer from entering the ruins , but the creatures were too strong for the men to hold back . While exploring the Armory , Quarters and Control , the Dragonborn finds notes and journals from the men who were working in the ruins along the way . After completing " The Lost Expedition " and activating the Dwemer defenses , the Dragonborn can witness a short fight between Dwemer Automatons and a few Falmer . Walkthrough . Upon entering , the Dragonborn will be looking down a small hallway . Go down this hallway — minding the fire trap — and get ready to face a Falmer on the bridge ahead . He can be killed easily with a sneaky shot from a bow . There will be three more Falmer along this bridge ( Note : The second Falmer may fall into the water below if it is alerted by sneak - killing the first Falmer . Falling into the water will kill him instantly ) . After those two , there is two more Falmer on the bridge before the door . The final two are stronger than the first two . Nchuand - Zel Quarters . Walk down the hall . To the immediate left ( east ) there are two pieces of scrap metal . To the right there is a mounded Centurion head . Continuing , the Dragonborn will see another Falmer upon rounding the next corner . He will not see them , so they can sneak - kill him easily . Killing him will alert another Falmer , who will subsequently ascend the staircase . Passing the stairs and continuing down the hall , the Dragonborn will meet a single strong Falmer . Keep going and to the right ( west ) there is an adept - locked gate . Behind it is some scrap metal , random armor pieces , a potion , and a Dwemer chest containing random leveled loot . Down the stairs , the Dragonborn will meet several Falmer . Finish them off and continue . Another Falmer will be positioned atop the small stairway in the next room . Engaging him will alert a couple more who will attack . Finish them off and go up the stairs . In the next room the Dragonborn will be returned to the door to Nchuand - Zel . They must go back the way they came until they find the stairway leading down . Go down the stairway and continue through the hall . Prepare to fight a few Falmer at the next stairwell after looting a couple of dead Falmer . Go up the stairs ( beware the fire at the top ) and get " Stromm ' s Diary " . There is also a dead Falmer in this area . If the Dragonborn continues down the hallway , they will soon come to two dead Falmer . There is nothing in the next room except poison on the small blood - covered table and a torture trap to play around with ( pull the lever on the right of the doorway to activate . It will not hurt the Dragonborn ) . Go back the way from which this area was entered , and go back through the door to Nchuand - Zel . To the left ( west ) and then left again ( south ) onto the small platform , is a pathway that can be followed down . At the bottom of the pathway you can turn left ( east ) to cross a bridge where you will see a Falmer . Head back up to where you just came from and turn left ( south ) onto another small platform , down to the bottom level where there is an Adept - locked gate with a chest inside . From here you can swim to the Nchuand - Zel Armoury on the west wall . Nchuand - Zel Armory . Upon entering the Armory , the Dragonborn will be met with a two Falmer just up the stairs . After dealing with them , head right ( north ) and battle a stronger Falmer and his pet , a Skeever . When they are dead , go left ( west ) down the stairs ( beware the fire trap . It is likely it will not touch the Dragonborn , but any followers will be affected . ) Turn left again ( south ) ( beware of a spike trap ; the spikes will come from the walls of the doorway ) and down the small staircase in the doorway . In the next room there are inactive Dwarven Spheres and Dwarven Spiders , as well as the body of a Falmer and Erj . Search his body for his Notes . Behind Erj is a chest containing leveled loot . Four gates around this central room can be opened for loot . Just back up the small staircase on the right ( north ) wall the way you came , head forwards up a staircase to find yourselves at a door back to Nchuand - Zel . This door will lead you to a platform where you ' ll find the body of Krag , which you should search for his Journal . There is also the Alteration skill book " Sithis " on the bench next to him , and on the bed roll furthest from the door is a sack containing ingredients or food items . Turn left ( north ) up the path , past an Imperial corpse , to the door to Nchuand - Zel Control . Nchuand - Zel Control . Upon entry , follow the path forward , and when you turn left be careful of the pressure plate ( arrow trap ) in the middle at the bottom of the ramp . Kill the pair of Falmer at the top and head left ( west ) down the next hall . Be careful of the spike trap in the doorway and kill the next pair of Falmer in the next room . Turn left ( south ) and search Staubin ' s body for his Diary . Continue on and there are several Dwarven Spiders to battle . Head up the double staircase , and continue around this area . There are two dead Dwarven Spheres carrying varying soul gems and a Falmer to kill . Up a small staircase and to the left ( north ) there is a small room with a chest to loot , lever to pull and a potion to grab . This lever reactivates the Dwarven automatons in the ruins , which will take out the Falmer so the expedition can go on : now is time to leave . Continue down the hall past the now - opened gate on the right ( east ) of this room . Head to the end of the path and find an unlocked Dwemer chest . Jump off of this bridge to the lower level and turn south , back out of the entrance door directly by where you land . Head up a dark dirt path immediately to the left ( north ) of the door . From this upper platform you can easily kill the Dwarven Centurion , which was fighting Falmer on Krag ' s platform since you reactivated it , with long - distance attacks , as it can ' t climb the path and can ' t retaliate . Jump back up onto the dirt path to loot the dead Centurion and then return up the dirt path , through the doorway to the left ( north ) , along a corridor to a door back to the Excavation Site . Run back to Calcelmo , where telling him about the expedition will reward the player with a leveled amount of .