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Korvanjund

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition guide · Retrieving the Jagged Crown for the Civil War
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Korvanjund is an ancient Nordic ruin where players travel alongside either Imperial soldiers or Stormcloak rebels during the Civil War questline. Your objective is to battle through waves of draugr to retrieve the Jagged Crown for your chosen faction's leader. Along the way, you must navigate traps, solve two ancient puzzle mechanisms, and defeat a powerful draugr boss sitting upon a throne.

Region
The Pale
Getting there
Northeast of Whiterun, west-southwest of Shearpoint, or east of Loreius Farm
Connects to
Korvanjund Temple, Korvanjund Halls, Korvanjund Crypt
Related quests
The Jagged Crown
Services and people
Legate Rikke · Galmar Stone-Fist
Enemy types
Draugr

Items

0/3

Secrets

0/1

Key fights

The Exterior Courtyard Ambush

Enemies: Opposing Civil War Faction Soldiers (Imperial Legionnaires or Stormcloak Soldiers)

Threats: Ranged arrow volleys and coordinated melee pressure in open space

Weaknesses and resistances: Weak to standard physical and magical attacks; susceptible to crowd control like Fus Ro Dah

Tactics: Use the exterior stairs and rubble for high-ground archery, let your allied soldiers draw frontline aggro, and push through the archway chokepoint

Rewards: Assorted Civil War faction armor, leveled weapons, and access to Korvanjund Temple

Korvanjund Crypt Ambush

Enemies: Multiple leveled Draugr (awakened from wall sarcophagi)

Threats: Simultaneous melee and ranged attacks triggered upon opening the puzzle door

Weaknesses and resistances: Resist Frost (100%) and Poison (100%); weak to Fire damage and Turn Undead

Tactics: Funnel the emerging draugr through the narrow hallway of the dragon claw door to prevent getting surrounded, using your allied soldiers as a frontline meat shield

Rewards: Leveled draugr loot, Ebony/Honed Ancient Nord weapons, safe passage into Korvanjund Halls

Battle for the Jagged Crown

Enemies: Draugr Boss (Draugr Scourge Lord or Draugr Deathlord) flanked by two leveled Draugr attendants

Threats: Uses Unrelenting Force (Fus Ro Dah) or Disarm Dragon Shouts, heavy melee strikes with leveled two-handed weapons, high physical health pool

Weaknesses and resistances: Immune to Poison, 100% Frost Resistance; vulnerable to Fire damage and stagger effects

Tactics: Rush the high throne dais to engage the boss before all draugr fully disembark their sarcophagi, let Legate Rikke/Galmar Stone-Fist tank the boss's Shout and melee, and stay spread out to avoid being hit together by Shouts

Rewards: The Jagged Crown (quest objective), Word of Power for the "Slow Time" shout (Word Wall behind throne), Boss Chest, Ebony/Nordic gear

Enemies

Restless Draugr
Weak to Fire

Common undead soldier patrolling the halls and bursting from sarcophagi

Draugr Wight
Weak to Fire

Stronger variation of draugr frequently armed with bows or ancient Nord weapons

Draugr Scourge
Weak to Fire

High-level undead encountered deeper in the crypt that can summon frost atronachs and use dragon shouts

Draugr Deathlord
Weak to FireSteal / drop Ebony weapons, The Jagged Crown

The final boss seated on the throne in Korvanjund Crypt who awakens when approached

Tips

  • The combination for the puzzle door in the Halls is Fox, Moth, Dragon from top to bottom, which can be seen by inspecting the palm of the Ebony Claw in your inventory.
  • In the second puzzle room with the raised portcullis, head up the stone stairs to the upper balcony to find the lever that opens the gate, but be prepared for draugr to ambush you when pulled.
  • Let your faction allies take the frontline aggro against the tough Draugr Deathlords in the final room to avoid taking heavy shout damage.

Not listed for this area: shops and people.

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