Skyrim: Under Saarthal College Of Winterhold Quest Walkthrough (2024)

Your first real assignment as a student at the College of Winterhold is to go on a school trip down to some ancient ruins. Understanding the intricacies of archeological excavation in Skyrim would broaden your horizons and deepen your understanding of the College's many fields of study.

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Unfortunately, this school trip will lead you through deadly traps and powerful undead as you make a discovery that will set the stage for the rest of your time at the College of Winterhold. With challenging puzzles stopping you in Saarthal, you might want to refer to a guide throughout the class trip.

First Lessons

Before you can start Under Saarthal, you need to complete First Lessons, a quest that automatically starts when you first arrive at the College of Winterhold. You will be stopped at the College's entrance by Faralda. She will force you to complete a test to gain entry.

The test will consist of being made to cast a spell of her choosing. If you do not know the spell, you can buy the tome for 30 gold.

After you pass, you will be brought to Mirabelle Ervine, who gives you Novice Robes and Novice Hood before bringing you on a tour of the Hall of Attainment. You will be given a bed to rest in, as well.

With the tour concluded, you are told to attend a class taught by Tolfdir in the Hall of Elements. He will demonstrate how to use ward spells before sending you to Saarthal, starting the quest Under Saarthal.

Entering Saarthal

To continue the quest, travel to Saarthal, southwest of Winterhold. Speak to Tolfdir at the entrance to enter the excavation site.

Once inside, Tolfdir will tell you to look for Arniel Gane, another staff member who is waiting deeper in the ruins and indicated with a quest marker. He will ask you to pick up four Magical Artifacts from the surrounding area. Picking up the Ancient Amulet from a black section on the wall will trigger a mechanism, trapping you.

Tolfdir will come running at the noise. At his suggestion, equip the Saarthal Amulet and cast an offensive spell or Shout at the wall that used to hold the amulet, breaking it and revealing a hidden path.

Exploring Saarthal

Walk through the tunnelwith Tolfdir until you reach a dead end. A vision will trigger where a robed mage, Nerien, will appear. After a cryptic warning, he disappears, and a trio of draugr will emerge from their coffins. Tolfdir will help you defeat them.

The next room is a large, circular chamber with metal spikes blocking the way through. After defeating the room's draugr, look for a pair of chains by the spikes. Pulling them will let you through, allowing you to enter Saarthal properly.

Deeper into the ruin, you will have to fight through several more draugr. With the ruin's tight spaces, surviving as a spellcaster will be especially challenging. There are many traps scattered around Saarthal that will quickly damage you.

It won't be long before you encounter the first puzzle.

Solving The First Saarthal Puzzle

This puzzle is straightforward, if deceptive. It is a narrow corridor with six rotating pillars, three on each side. The hints to solve the puzzle are carvings situated behind each pillar, though obscured by shadows. Illuminating the area using spells like Candlelight or Magelight will help you spot the carvings.

You need to match each pillar to the carving behind it. Pull the lever in front of the exit to complete it. The solution is below.

The next room will be a large chamber with two floors and a pair of ramps leading up to the second floor. There will be a high-level draugr waiting at the top. It will be a challenging opponent.

After defeating it, you will have to navigate through several more draugr-filled rooms with more runes on the ground. Your progress will be halted by a second puzzle.

Solving The Second Saarthal Puzzle

This second puzzle is more complicated. You will need to match four rotating puzzles with the sequence outlined at the entrance. This is complicated by the pillars rotating each other. If you are struggling, the solution is below.

The pillars will be numbered according to the following table:

Rotate the pillars in the following order.

1. Rotate 1 to Fish
2. Rotate 2 to Snake
3. Rotate 3 to Bird
4. Rotate 4 to Fish

Pull the lever when you have completed the puzzle to finish it.

Defeating Jyrik Gaulderson

Once you get through this puzzle, you'll be reunited with Tolfdir. The two of you discover a giant floating orb protected by an energy barrier. Your investigation into the orb is cut short when Jyrik Gaulderson, a draugr sitting in front of the orb, wakes up.

Jyrik is invulnerable to damage and will chase you through the room while attacking you with an axe and magic. You will need to survive until Tolfdir figures out that the orb is protecting Jyrik. He will need some time to drain the orb, rendering Jyrik vulnerable to damage.

While your spells will be able to damage him, Jyrik will quickly rotate between elemental resistances.

You will need to tailor your spells to work around his resistances. That aside, however, he is not a particularly hardy foe. Speak to Tolfdir after defeating Jyrik to continue the quest. You will have to inform the Savos Aren, the Arch-Mage of the Orb.

On your way out, make sure to visit the Word Wall to learn Ice Form and loot the nearby chest before going to the College.

Savos will be in the Arch-Mage's Quarters. When appraised of the situation, he tells you to help investigate the matter by going to the Arcanaeum and speaking to Urag gro-Shub. This starts the next quest, Hitting The Books.

You will also be rewarded with a Staff of Magelight and will be able to take on quests from your fellow students.

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