Skyrim: Hervik's Lair

Nordic Ruin:
Hervik's Lair
# of Zones 2
Dungeon Yes
Respawn Time Never (storage is safe)
Level Min: 24
Console Location Code(s)
BYOSWiseWomanEntrance, BYOSWiseWomanCell
Region
Whiterun
Location
South of Whiterun Stormcloak Camp
East of High Hrothgar
Entrance to Hervik's Lair

Hervik's Lair is hidden away along the trail from the Whiterun Stormcloak camp to the other side of High Hrothgar. The entrance is marked by a pair of braziers, but only one is still lit.

Related quests

  • Rescue Yarob - recruit a Wise Woman for the Orc Stronghold.

Hervik's Lair

Entrance

The short tunnel leads to a large pair of iron doors, suggesting a much larger space is beyond, Although this area has natural light from above, there is no way to reach that area and fall in here.

Main Halls

There are no enemies in the first chamber, or loot, either. Whoever came here before you must have cleared this part. Further in, down the ramp, you'll come to a door that opens from this side. It may have stopped anything from getting back up to the entry. You'll meet the first of the draugr past this door.

On the table where you enter, you'll find Yarob's journal. She left it there, in case she didn't get out, as a warning to anyone following her. It's also confirmation that you came to the right place. However, at this point she didn't have much idea what to expect, so it doesn't give you much help.

If you go up the ramp to the door on the right, you'll find it locked. It's where you eventualy need to go to find Yarob, but you need the key first. The other door out the chamber, at ground level, is the path you need to take. That takes you through some more draugr, and traps, to a chmaber with a close portcullis. That is raised by a pair of levers at the ends of the side-passages, and leads to the boss-level draugr guarding the key. He won't leave his chamber, so snipe at him from outside with bow or spells.

Yarob wears Hervik's mask

With the key, you can retrace your path and open that door. Through a short corridor, you'll enter the chamber where Yarob encountered the dragon priest Hervik. Unfortunately for her, his mask was cursed, and it's taken control of her when she put it on. You'll have to battle her before she can remove it. The mask, of course grants her extra powers, so it won't be easy.

Once she's taken a knee, and become able to remove the mask, she'll take it to a brazier, and destroy it with flame and shock spells. Only after that do you get the chance to talk to her, and invirte her to Greenspring Stronghold.