Lifting the Shroud Lifting the Shroud is a quest available in . Background . The town of Ivarstead has been haunted by a ghost from Shroud Hearth Barrow . Though the ghost never comes into town , the townsfolk would be grateful if the Dragonborn investigated the barrow . Walkthrough . This quest can be started either by checking with Wilhelm in the Vilemyr Inn or just exploring the Shroud Hearth Barrow . Objective : Investigate Shroud Hearth Barrow . Upon entering the Barrow , the Dragonborn is confronted by the spectral figure of Wyndelius Gatharian behind a barred gate wailing , " Leave this place ! " Once he departs , a room with a series of levers is encountered opposite where he appears . The Illusion skill book , " Before the Ages of Man " , can be found in this room . Once the correct combination of levers is pulled , the gates will open across the way and the path that Wyndelius took can be followed . Wyndelius will be waiting , or even sleeping if one remains stealthy , in the next room and must be dispatched . Killing him reveals that he is no more than a mere man in the guise of a spirit , further evidenced by the special potion found on him and confirmed by reading his journal . With Wyndelius ' journal in hand the objective " Investigate Shroud Hearth Barrow " is completed and a new objective presents itself . Objective : Bring Wyndelius ' Journal to Wilhelm . Leaving the barrow and returning to Wilhelm with the journal will satisfy his curiosity and bring the mystery behind Shroud Hearth Barrow to a close , as far as Ivarstead is concerned at least . Wilhelm will give the Dragonborn the Sapphire Dragon Claw as a reward , which is in fact the claw that Wyndelius was searching for in the Barrow and thus is the key to unlocking its treasured depths . The Barrow Returns . Back in the Barrow , the room opposite Wyndelius ' quarters contains the door to the main chambers with the combination being moth , owl , and wolf ( this can be seen on the claw in inventory ) . The first chamber contains the spell tome Oakflesh as well as a number of Draugr . The next room holds a spiraled stairway , with a water trap at the bottom with a lowly adventurer drowned in its depths . At the top is a master - locked door with an expert - locked chest holding leveled loot . In the middle of the stairway is the path leading to the next room where several skeletons are in an oil pool . Igniting the oil by shooting the hanging lamps , or otherwise igniting the oil via Flames - based spells or the Fire Breath shout , puts an end to these archers . Before heading down the wooden stairway to cross the room , on the right side , is a window to another room . The entrance to that room is located around the corner , through a coffin controlled by a handle next to it . Also , on the left side there are two more coffins that can be opened by activating a handle located on the wall next to each one of these coffins ; one of them has a Draugr , and the other one a skeleton . The following corridor is home to several Draugr , one of which holds the key to the door beyond . A room with a cascading waterfall has a drawbridge across it , but it ' s pulled up . A leveled sword can be found behind the waterfall . At the top of the stairs to the right is a turn - stone matching puzzle . Opening the door to the room behind it will initiate a battle with a Draugr . Once he is dispatched , standing on the central pressure plate causes the doors to several alcoves to rotate open , which reveal the combination ( from left to right : whale , hawk , snake , whale ) to the puzzle . Rotating the short pillars outside then standing on the pressure plate causes the bridge to be lowered . Across the bridge is an apprentice - locked door with a gold ingot within . However , taking the gold ingot from the pedestal sets off a fire trap . The ingot can be retrieved without being harmed by standing back from the pedestal and using Unrelenting Force , spells , or arrows to push it off , then waiting for the fire to stop . Further along is the door to the Shroud Hearth Depths . Shroud Hearth Depths . The first main room is filled with a series of sarcophagi which hold graduating levels of skeletons and leveled Draugr . As they appear and are killed , the next tier will appear from their crypts , culminating in a leveled Draugr Lord at the room ' s apex . Once he is dispatched , the Dragonborn can continue to the final chamber . Using all three words of the Unrelenting Force shout to knock the Draugr Lord into the water is also a one - hit kill . It is quite easy to go into sneak mode , if Sneak skill is high enough , to pick off all the Draugr with a high - power bow . Within the chamber can be found a chest with leveled loot , though the trap on the side of the chest mush be picked open to avoid the spears from the ceiling , and a Word Wall for the Kyne ' s Peace shout . There is more loot in an alcove left of the Word Wall . Whirlwind Sprint will be needed to get to it . Also in the chamber is an adept - locked chest under the water to the right of the large trapped chest , in an alcove .