Ragnvald Ragnvald is the ruin of an ancient Nordic city that is located in the Reach , north of Markarth , and lies in a deep mountain pass . Ragnvald can also be found directly southwest of the Dwarven ruin Bthardamz . It is the resting place of Otar the Mad , a Dragon Priest . It is one of the few ruins in the Reach that the Forsworn do not appear in . Walkthrough . Ragnvald Temple . The door to the temple opens into a large area to the west . A little way ahead is a dais with a table , on which lies a draugr corpse . To the west , an arched passage leads down a set of stairs . The path turns right ( north ) . Straight ahead is a small area with a dead draugr with some loot as well as a soul gem and a potion nearby . To the right ( east ) , a set of steps leads down to a T intersection . To the right ( south ) is a dead end with a chest . To the left ( north ) is a pathway just next to the stairwell ( heading west ) , which leads farther into Ragnvald Temple . While progressing down this pathway , the sound of swinging blades , can be heard nearby . The path turns left , then right again , and leads to a walkway over a tall room . At the end of the walkway , a wooden staircase leads down to a lower level , while a path at the current level leads onwards through a pool of oil into the temple . A leveled draugr awaits in the lower level , while another patrols in the distance . In the lower level , against the west wall , is a shelf with several alchemy ingredients , while in the southeast corner is an alcove with a chest . In the northern wall is an opening to a path that immediately turns right . Here the swinging blades can be seen that have been heard for so long . At the other end is a draugr guard , a lever that stops the blades , a chest containing minor loot , and a potion . Back up at the platform , there are four pathways . The first ( on the left ) has a wooden ramp leading down to a second lower level area . The second ( also on the left ) leads across a walkway to a platform with a pool of oil , a wooden door heading east that is barred from the other side , and a door to the Ragnvald Crypts ( to the south ) . The third pathway leads right ( south ) across an arched walkway to another platform with a wooden door in the north wall that , again , is barred from the other side . The last path leads straight ahead ( west ) to a set of stairs that lead down to a third lower level section . From the bottom of the steps , straight ahead is a raised platform with a table containing two slots . Activating either one will add the miscellaneous quest " Unlock the Sarcophagus in Ragnvald . " Adding the quest will help find the location of the two keys to Otar ' s tomb . Up the steps at the west end of the room are a set of bars through which another part of the dungeon can be seen , but which cannot be opened . Back to the east is the rest of this lower level section . A chest and a potion are in the northwest corner . The northeast corner has a table with a soul gem and a potion . Ragnvald Crypts . Entering the door to the Crypts , a path to the south leads to the upper part of a room with two identical hallways that lead south to the same place . The one on the right has a restless draugr patrolling and the left has pressure plate activated traps . From the crypt on the other end , the path turns left ( east ) , then left again ( north ) . In the next main hall , four draugr of varying strengths will attack . The path turns right ( east ) , then left , left again ( west ) , then right . At the end of that pathway is a room with a pool of oil in the middle of the floor , a booby - trapped chest at the end of the room , and two more draugr . On the table behind the chest is the Mystery of Talara , Book II . In the right ( east ) wall is an opening to a path heading upstairs to the left ( north ) then left again ( west ) . The path turns left again and leads to the upper part of a large multi - level room . To the left ( east ) is a room with a skull on a pedestal in the middle . However , before that , note that there is a walkway leading west , then north up some stairs , and back west that returns to Rangvald Temple . The large room with the skull has a raised area on the east end that holds a chest and several urns . There are two wooden ramps leading up to small areas with minor loot . Note the iron coffin in each , with a pool of oil and a lamp above next to each one . The skull is actually Saerek ' s Skull Key . The impending battle can be avoided by dropping a similar sized item on the pedestal before taking the skull . This way the pedestal will not activate . Otherwise , once the skull is taken off the push - plate Saerek the Guardian will break out of a coffin in front of the Dragonborn . Once he and the other two draugr are killed , the quest continues by heading back into Ragnvald Temple via the door seen before . Ragnvald Temple again . Directly ahead is one of the doors that was barred , only now the door bar can be activated and the door opened . Proceeding north across the stone bridge , then across the arched walkway , around a pillar , and across another bridge is another platform . It is fine to jump off of this platform . Behind to the north is the door to the next area — Ragnvald Canal . Ragnvald Canal . Directly ahead is a waterfall falling into the canal . To the right is a wooden ramp leading down into the canal . To the left is a wooden bridge with leveled draugr present . Across the first wooden bridge and to the right is a small room with a chest . Back at the first wooden bridge , dropping into the water on the right ( south ) , then heading directly forward , next to the stone wall on the right is a lever . Pulling it will drop the bridge . A twisting pathway leads generally south to a chamber with another skull on a pedestal . At the southern end of the lower part of the room is another chest . This skull is Torsten ' s Skull Key . Taking it will release enemies . After defeating Guardian Torsten , up the stairs directly opposite his coffin , the bridge to the right ( east ) leads to steps that climb left ( north ) , then left again ( west ) . Directly across a pillar , a small wooden bridge leads to a novice - locked chest . To the right ( north ) is a pathway with a trap trigger that releases swinging blades . This pathway leads north , then turns right and back left , crossing another bridge . On the other side is a room with a novice - locked chest and an Arcane Enchanter . An opening leads to the right ( east ) to another bridge , up some stairs , and back into Ragnvald Temple again . Otar the Mad . The path leads to the other side of the other barred door . Through it is the coffin with two slots in it which is opened with the two skulls that have been collected . After the coffin opens , the dragon priest Otar the Mad will attack . After Otar is killed , his body contains the Dragon Priest mask Otar . The path past his coffin ( to the west ) will now be opened . Through the opening are a chest and several more urns . To the right ( north ) is an apprentice level chest in the rubble . To the left ( south ) is a word wall for a word of the Kyne ' s Peace shout . The only way to exit is all the way to the east and back out the original entrance to the temple .