Racial Motifs 38 : Draugr Content . By Narsis Dren ― Treasure Hunter So , you want to be able to pass yourself off as a Draugr ? That makes perfect sense ! Done it myself , and more than once ! Just follow my instructions below , and you ' ll have gear so Draugr - y not even a Dragon Priest ' s mother could tell it from the real thing ! After all , if you ' re going to imitate my exploits recovering relics from ancient Nord tombs , in theory it will go much easier if it looks like you belong there ! Anyway , that ' s the theory . AXES Draugr - style weapons have three characteristics : they ' re old - fashioned Nord in design , they ' re typically high - caste or high - quality , and they look like they ' ve been in a tomb for centuries . Draugr axes exhibit all of these traits . BELTS Draugr all wear those big , broad Nord belts of thick leather , with great , round metal buckles ― but the buckles should be rusty , as should any metal rivets or edgings on the tassets that hang from the belts . And rub grave dirt into every crack . BOOTS Take a pair of Nord boots , you know the kind : simple , but thick and sturdy . Leave them next to your stove or forge for a month , making sure to spray them with water once or twice a day . When the metal is spotted with rust , and the leather is cracked and flaking , you ' re done . BOWS How Draugr bows maintain their flexibility and functionality after rotting in a vault for a thousand years is a mystery , even to me ― but they work just fine , and I ' ve got the arrow - scars to prove it . However , if you don ' t want your " new " Draugr bow to snap in half when you draw it , I advise using fresh materials . Just antique it appropriately for that musty from - the - catacombs look . CHEST PIECES Get one of those Nord cuirasses that shows a lot of skin , the kind that says , " I ' m too tough to care about the weather . " Then weather it : dry out the leather , spot the steel with rust , rip chunks out of any fur , and finally scar up every visible surface with a chisel . There you have it : authentic Draugr armor ! DAGGERS Why does a Draugr dagger look so creepy ? I mean , it ' s just an ancient Nord fighting knife that ' s been buried with an undead warrior for a millennium . If you want the same look for your dagger , you can ' t go wrong with rust spots and spider webs . GLOVES Acquire a pair of medium - grade Nord gauntlets , with good coverage of the lower forearms . Then Draugr - ize them by tying them to a cord and dragging them behind your mount for a few weeks . HELMETS Don ' t get mere helmets , get full Nord helms that cover the entire head , and ideally have prominent horns . Don ' t skimp on this : the horned helm is very important to achieving that classic Draugr silhouette . Scar the leather parts with a cleaver , ding up the metal with a hammer , and rub rust and grave dirt into every surface . LEG GREAVES Start with a pair of basic cylindrical greaves of Nord design , then " Draugr them up " by burying them in a dung heap for two weeks . You can add verisimilitude by nicking them with a chisel if you like , but after the dung treatment nobody ' s really going to look at them all that closely . MACES A Draugr ' s mace may look old and rickety , but I assure you , it ' s strong , solid , and will crush your skull in a heartbeat if you ' re careless . Make sure your Draugr warhammer is made of sturdy materials underneath its coating of dust , rust , and cobwebs . SHIELDS The ancient Nords bore large shields , and so do their revenants . Use modern oak and steel , but craft your Draugr shield to an old pattern , then use a heavy axe to nick its face and edges as if it ' s survived a hundred battles . I use a heavy lumberjack ' s tool for this purpose ― no points for subtlety ! SHOULDER ARMOR Take a pair of classic Nord shield - shaped pauldrons , and then abuse them by tying them to the rim of a servant ' s wagon wheel for a week . Your servants may complain that this makes the wagon ' s ride intolerably bumpy , but just tell them you ' re following Narsis Dren ' s advice . That will silence them ! STAVES Draugr revenants schooled in " the clever art " don ' t cast a lot of happy healing and light spells , so for authenticity , make sure your Draugr staff has a dark and sinister look to it . You can ' t go wrong with dried bloodstains on the head and haft , in my experience . SWORDS The ancient Nords liked their swords large and heavy enough to kill at a single blow , so avoid light , dueling - style blades for your Draugr - style swords . And no matter how nicked and dented it is , your sword ' s edge should still be razor - sharp .