To start this quest find the book “The Legend of Red Eagle”. This book can be found ALL over Skyrim and is not that hard to find. My first encounter with the book was in Whiterun, in Farengar’s study in Dragonsreach. To the left of where you first meet Farengar there’s a small room with shelves full of books. Our book is in here on the shelf directly in front of you when you walk through the door.

Reading the book is entertaining and gives the players out there with decent deductive reasoning skills a SLIGHT idea of what to expect. For those who abhor reading, simply opening the book will suffice in adding a Misc. quest to your journal: “Find Red Eagle’s sword.”

This quest will take you into the western reaches of Skyrim where a rather nasty human npc opponent, the Forsworn, run rampant and attack on sight. Most are archers, dual wielders, or sword/shielders BUT let it be known there are a few out there with a propensity for some nasty magic, so keep your wits about you. The closest major landmark in this area, if you haven’t explored it yet, is Markarth so I’d suggest starting your search there by taking a horse and carriage from any major settlement. You can walk there if you’re that sort but I don’t have the patience for that (it is just northeast of the Sky Haven Temple, if you’ve gotten that far yet).

The place you’re looking for is called Red Eagle’s Redoubt, east of Markarth. If you make the misc. quest your active quest the game even provides a quest marker for this area. Heading east from Markarth you’ll cross a river, unconventionally, by which I mean NOT using a bridge. Across this north/south river is a branch that moves to the east. Follow this branch for a short ways until you see a path that heads north up a hill to your left and a small town-like encampment ahead of you. BEWARE! This camp is FULL of Forsworn, 8-10 at least that I saw as I foolishly tried to snipe a few and zounds more came from unseen reaches of the map to investigate the silently appearing arrows in their buddies head(s). But I digress, remember that northward path I mentioned? Yeah we’re going up there.

A short ways up this path should bring you to Red Eagle Redoubt. Shouldn’t be far because you can actually look down on the afore mentioned Forsworn camp from here. There are two Forsworn here guarding the entrance of the Redoubt. I encountered an archer and a dual wielder, not sure if the game likes to randomize opponents though (It does. -BK). Regardless, the archer liked to stay back so it should be easy to draw one out of the small camp, dispatch, and then return to “take care” of the other. There’s nothing really of note to loot in the camp save a couple of potions and a little gold.

This area is a pretty straight forward dungeon but beware, the Forsworn are bastards and “trap” seems to be one of their favorite words. When you’re ready, gird yourself and enter the cave which takes you to Red Eagle Ascent.

Proceed down this first hallway slowly. After a couple of turns the room will open up and, if you’re observant, you’ll notice a tripwire, diabolical bastards, straight ahead. Just past this tripwire are two Forsworn. If you’re a jerk, like me, use their trap against them by causing a distraction. A sound or something to draw attention will draw the two towards you. One will, apparently, forget about their own trap and trigger the tripwire which will rain firey death on the second as they too were coming to investigate. How you deal with the two here is up to you just be warned the tripwire triggers a sort of Alchemist’s Fire trap that rains down from the ceiling. After you deal with this room’s occupants, loot, and head to the doorway. Before going into the next room, look left. Apparently they were aware they were going to EVENTUALLY show their stupid sides around this trap and hid a Potion of Healing here behind this torch. Yoink! Now to the next room.

This hallway turns twice and goes up a flight of stairs before opening up into a larger room. As you enter the larger room beware the bear trap on the ground almost immediately. As you turn the corner you’ll see a Forsworn at the top of another flight of steps. Don’t be deceived, because there are actually THREE of them up there. If you startle the guy up the stairs, he’ll move triggering a rock slide trap. At the top of these stairs is a pressure plate that triggers a sort of “Indiana Jones darts flying from a wall” kind of trap. Starting to get the picture with these Forsworn and their traps? Keep heading up and you’ll come to a landing with a kind of alter on it and a set of stairs heading up. There’s a chest to loot under the stairs and a potion on the alter.

Head up this next flight of steps to another landing. As you come around you’ll enter another hallway. Up a couple steps and straight ahead is a dead end with a coin purse on the ground. Luckily there’s a branch to the right for us to take. Turn right, go up a few more steps and you’ll come to a door that takes you out to Red Eagle Redoubt. Same name as before, but different area. Go through it.

Back outside you’ll notice a HUGE set of steps to your right. There’s a Forsworn on the first and second landings that will notice you, only if you’re a non-sneak. At the first landing turn right and head backwards along the ledge a little for a Novice lock chest. Head up to the second landing, nothing, same for the third. On the way up to the fourth, though, you MAY trigger two dual wielding Forsworn charging down on top of you. Guess my sneak wasn’t quite sneaky enough. Continuing on, there’s a third Forsworn to the right of the arches. Takes a little dealing with stupid AI to get it to show itself though. Head up through the arches. At the last arch you have a ruin to your left and a small camp, occupied by two Forsworn, on your right.

The camp contains nothing so loot the two dead nuisances and turn to the ruin. If you look directly at the ruin, from the small camp, there’s a small “village” of Forsworn to the left. Come out of the small village and head to the left, it’s easier in my opinion. There are a total of 4 Forsworn, 1 of which uses magic, an Adept lock chest, and the ALTERATION SKILLBOOK, “Reality and Other Falsehoods”.

After you clear out this little “village” look to the ruin again. Up here are 2 more Forsworn, 1 of which is a Briar Heart. When you dispose of these final 2 and loot the Briar Heart you’ll get the sword, Red Eagle’s Fury, and complete ‘Find Red Eagle’s sword’. At the same time you’ll get a NEW quest:

“Unlock the secret of Red Eagle’s Tomb.”

Stop now if you wish to keep Fury because the next quest changes the sword. Now it’s a fire damage enchanted Ancient Nord Sword. If you continue on the enchantment will change.

Past the Briar Heart’s throne is a tent with a chest in it. Loot and head back to the tower behind his throne. Oh yes, once you get to the dais where the Briar Heart is you’ll get a map marker for “Sundered Towers.”

The key from the Briar Heart will unlock the tower. Make your way through collecting various loot, mainly the novice locked chest in the second tower. Head down and out the backside of the second tower and head towards your new quest marker, Rebel’s Cairn.

Enter the cairn and you’ll follow a short tunnel to a room with a pedestal in the middle. When you activate the pedestal you temporarily lose Red Eagle’s Fury, as it’s the key to opening the wall that just slid open. Removing the sword will close the wall so it HAS to stay for you to proceed. Fret not. We can always reclaim it when we leave…can’t we? Also, activating the pedestal completes: Unlock the secret of Red Eagle’s Tomb. But there’s a door there now! Might as well check it out.

Anyways proceed through the now open wall and down some stairs into a VERY large room. DO NOT RUSH THE ROOM WITH TREASURE LUST. This room contains a very nasty surprise for the would-be “tomb raider.”

As you cross the room and climb the first steps Skeletons (3) and a very angry Red Eagle spring from their tombs to put a stop to your plunder. The skeletons are pie but Red Eagle is a pain in the ass. He seems to know the Thu’um that can disarm you and isn’t shy about using it, meaning: Keep tabs on your weapon(s). He also comes equipped with a fire enchanted Ancient Nord Greatsword that really, really hurts. After dispatching the feisty “old timer.” Lol. Sorry. Anyways, loot him for his sword, it’s decent for two-hand users. There are also a few soul gems and a chest behind Eagle’s coffin.

On your way out if you stop to reclaim Fury you’re in for a rude awakening. Once you slew Red Eagle the Fury transforms into Red Eagle’s Bane, a slightly upgrade Ancient Nord Sword with an enchantment that sets undead on fire and causes them to flee for a short while.

Leave the cairn and pat yourself on the back for having completed yet another blood coursing adventure.