Just like the base game, there are numerous puzzles to solve in the Dawnguard expansion of Skyrim. This guide will focus on the Skyrim Dawnguard Dimhollow Cavern Puzzle.
Skyrim Dawnguard Dimhollow Cavern Puzzle
Skyrim’s new expansion, Dawnguard, brings with itself a whole new quest-line that involves vampires, visiting places where the undead walk, possibly becoming a Vampire Lord, and much more.
The quest-line brings within itself a few puzzles of sorts, and though most are quite doable with little to no assistance, the Dimhollow puzzle is one which some people have trouble with.
The Dimhollow Cavern puzzle is part of the Dimhollow Crypt, which is a huge cave towards the south-west of Dawnstar. The Dimhollow Cavern puzzle can only be accessed after you complete the other part of the Dimhollow Crypt.
Dimhollow Cavern
At the end of the Dimhollow Crypt, you’ll see a wooden door. Go through it to enter the Dimhollow Cavern. Here, the first thing you will see is a Scroll of Fire Storm on a pedestal ahead of you. This can come in handy as you will have to face even more vampires here.
By staying on the balcony for a bit, you can eavesdrop on a conversation between Lokil, Vigilant Adalvald and a nameless vampire. After hearing this conversation, proceed down the stairs and turn right to face some vampires and a thrall.
After taking care of them, look behind the staircase and you will find a chest next to the wall. Now, go across the bridge and you will encounter a puzzle on the island.
Before you attempt to solve this puzzle, go to the other side and you will find a chest to the west of you, accompanied by the corpse of a Novice Conjurer, plus some loot and a coin purse.
After getting your loot, return to the puzzle and press the button in the center. This will cause purple-colored flames to ignite a section of the floor.
Push the brazier forward and backward until all of them have been ignited by the fire in a pattern covering the circle.
Right as you put the last brazier in the right spot, your screen will shiver and the middle of the floor will sink.
This will let out a stone monolith. Activate it and you will be met with a strange woman, Serena. You will have a talk with her, and afterwards, you will have to leave with her.
You cannot leave the way you came as it’ll be closed by a locked gate. You must head towards the North-East, across the bridge. You will encounter two gargoyles on your path.
Instead of going towards them, turn right and go up the slope, and through the wooden door. Open the gate by pulling the lever in the next room.
You have to be cautious as this will cause two skeletons to spawn from the floor and two draugr to come out from the standing coffins on the wall to the right.
Before you exit, go along the wall to the south (on the level under the lever) and get a Spell Tome: Necromantic Healing from the chest on the adjacent table. Also, use your torch to look for the chest and urn behind the standing stones.
As you exit the room, going under the opened gate, you’ll encounter five skeletons and a boss draugr around a flaming pit, in a large room. You will find the boss chest behind the throne of the draugr.
From where you came in, go to the head to the North-East, towards the word wall and go up the stairs behind it. This will lead you to two enchanted weapons and coin purses on top of a table.
In this room, you will also find four Malachite Ore Veins, two on each side of it. To get out of this room, use the double door to the north. This will lead you to a corridor with a gate at the end of it. This will take you outside.
Open the gate using the chain on the pillar to the East and you will end up on the other side of the mountain. This is the end of the Dimhollow Cavern puzzle.
For more help on Skyrim Dawnguard, read our Legendary Dragons, Dragonbone Weapons and Arvak Guide.
