Dragonborn:Bristleback Cave - UESPWiki (2024)

Bristleback Cave is an icy cave due northwest of Broken Tusk Mine, along the western coast, containing bristlebacks and rieklings.

This is a long, deep, and winding cave, that is home to rieklings which have a tendency for hiding in riekling barrels and in snow piles. There is a riekling village very deep in this cave, with a chest at the bottom of a chasm that is spanned by the bridge in the village.

Related Quests

• Pain in the Necklace: Find East Empire pendants for Fethis Alor‎.

Walkthrough

Exterior

The entrance is guarded by a small riekling camp. Consisting of two riekling tents separated by a lookout platform, with several food barrels and a campfire. There are a total of seven rieklings in and around the camp, with four of them towards the south of the camp, one hiding in a riekling barrel, one hiding behind a bush and the final one to the north. There is also an unlocked chest flanked by the riekling barrel and a food barrel to the north of the tents beside a wheel-less cart filled with empty wine bottles. There are numerous clams and a few pearl oysters along the shore near the camp, while the cave entrance is to the northeast of the tents.

Bristleback Cave

The cave system has a large number of bowls, plates, cups, goblets, jugs, etc and also huge amounts of clutter throughout. The entrance leads directly into an icy tunnel with two dead reavers in the middle of the tunnel ahead by a T-junction with the tunnel continuing to the north and a second tunnel heading west. To the right is a riekling barrel that will burst revealing a riekling as you approach and scattering a few items in the area. Behind the reavers on the ground is an apothecary's satchel and nearby is an iron dagger, three blue mountain flowers, a butterfly wing, an empty petty soul gem and a chitin plate.

The tunnel to the west rises to a cart in the middle of the tunnel with another rock surrounded by fencing and a mounted goat's head laying against the rock. The tunnel turns to the south and continues to rise. At the top it open out into a rounded rock cave with a pile of firewood to the left, including two loose pieces. To the right there are a couple of ledges, but there is nothing of interest. High up the wall opposite is a balcony that is a shortcut exit from the end of the cave ststem.

The tunnel heading descending to the north has a riekling wandering around on the left and once attacked it will alert a second riekling. On the left in a small spur off of the main tunnel is a small encampment with a patch of planking on the ground. A riekling will burst from a snow bank from ahead along the main tunnel as you near this. There is a riekling barrel that bursts as you approach, in front of you to the right of the tent in the encampment. This will spread items all over this area making it impossible to specify exactly where items started out or where they will be found. In this area there is a barrel on its side with a cooking stand to the right, with a drum on top and a mead barrel to the right of this. Behind all of this is a large rock. On top of the rock is a potion of minor healing in a kettle . There is an ice pillar in the middle of this spur. In the northeast corner is a tent with a campfire in front of it. To the right of the tent is a wide open chest with a potion of minor healing inside. There are various crates and a barrel with the following items found in and around them; three bottles of skooma, three pieces of chitin plate, a pair of leather boots, a random potion, four potatoes, a leather strip and three bulbs of garlic.

Further along the main tunnel where the riekling burst from the snow, by rocks jutting from the ice. There are two further barrels with a goat horn on a stand lighting the area. Leaning against the stand is an iron war axe. Beside this is an open crate containing a piece of burnt spriggan wood. The tunnel continues and ahead it narrows and descends to the north. At the bottom you can see several rieklings running around and various other items strewn everywhere.

At the bottom of the ramp you are faced with a camp of rieklings, eight will attack as soon as you are spotted or initiate the fight. At the mouth of the narrow part of the tunnel there are two boar tusks on the ground. In front of you is an overturned cart with a leg of goat on top and three cabbages underneath. as you move forward, on your right is an empty tent with two barrels to the right, a rock behind the barrels has an empty open crate on top. The path bears to the northwest here due to an ice pillar and large rock being in the middle of the tunnel. Opposite is another empty tent. On top of the large rock are two sacks, a practice dummy on it's side with an empty common soul gem on top amongst clutter that has been arranged into some kind of idol or sculpture. To the west of the large rock is another short spur with a campfire surrounded by more barrels, a crate with a chitin plate on top, an open chest containing three bowls with a boar tusk on the ground to the left of it and a riekling hut with fencing on either side.

The tunnel turns to the east, but has another spur to the north with two tents, one on the immediate left and one at the back of the spur. There are four goblets on the ground at this junction. Inside the tent on the left is a bucket containing a piece of orichalcum ore and a leather strip. To the right is more fencing with a bowl sat upside down on one of the spears. There is a campfire in front of the second tent and on the left is an unlocked chest with a barrel behind. There is a leg of goat by the fire. To the right of the tent is a barrel with a leveled potion of lockpicking and an elixir of strength sat on top. On the ground is a bowl containing a piece of boar meat with a sheaf of wheat, a boar tusk, a chitin plate and a random defender potion next to it. To the right of the barrel is an open chest with a roll of carpet sticking out and two bowls, one of which contains another random defender potion. To the right of this is an open crate containing a goblet, a potion of lasting potency, a random potion and an elixir of health.

Just past the junction to the east is a bowl on the ground. You can see large rocks and several ice pillars on either side ahead, a tent and then fencing on the left with another tent in the distance in front. There are a couple of rieklings running around and sniping one of them will cause five more to attack you, however you have time to take them all out with a bow or ranged magic due to the distance they have to run to reach you, if sniping from just past the junction. As you move forward a riekling will burst from a barrel to the left of the first tent on the left scattering two bowls, a piece of boar meat and three boar tusks around the area.

You will pass a barrel and crate on the right. At the next pillar the tunnel opens into a large open space with more large rocks and tents in view separated by ice pillars and formations. Continuing to the tent seen from the other end, you pass two barrels and a crate in a gap between two bits of fencing on your left, with a set of large antlers in front of them. There is an open crate containing a bottle of wine by the next bit of fencing also on the left. Along the wall of the cave beyond is a tent set back slightly, so it couldn't be seen from the other end of the path with a flute and unlocked strongbox on a block of wood. In front of this tent is a bucket containing two pieces ofclam meat and a small pearl. There is a campfire in front of this and the other tent. To the right of the first tent are three barrels and a crate with a large piece of charcoal and a knife and fork on top of one of the barrels. There is an open crate containing an elixir of regeneration, a random healing potion and an elixir of lockpicking. To the right of all this is a wide open chest, a barrel and a master locked chest. This is followed by fencing down the side of the tent seen from the other end of the tunnel, which containing a deer pelt.

The next area separated by ice and a large rock is to the southeast. As you approach there are two barrels on your left by the large rock, the second of these burst open to reveal a riekling. There is some vegetation that makes seeing the barrels quite difficult. Following the ice pillar and rocks on your left there is a stretch of fencing with a barrel behind. to the right is a tunnel heading down to the east. Opposite on the other side of the tunnel is more fencing with two more barrels behind. To the right is an open chest. In front of this is a chitin plate. To the right is another empty tent with fencing to the right of this.

Around the next ice formation and rock to the right is a riekling hut with three crates, two of which are open besides it. In the first open crate is a random paralysis poison, a Skirmisher's elixir and a draught of illusion. In the second are three random poisons. There is a horker tusk on top of the crate. In front of the hut is a campfire. Around further to the right past more fencing is another tent containing an open crate with a rock warbler egg inside. In front of this tent are two ash yams. There is a large rock in the middle of this whole area with a large caravan wagon wheel on top along with a goblet and a mounted horker head.

Down the narrow tunnel to the east, as you emerge back into the wider tunnel two rieklings simultaneously burst from snow banks on either side. On the left is a large rock with a sack, a gourd and a wooden bowl containing a green apple on top. There is a large rock, a crate and two barrels, all lit by a goat horn on a stand on your right as the tunnel turns to the north. In front of these is a horker tusk and a potion of resist element on the ground. You can see several rieklings running around in front of you as you turn the corner and can see past an ice pillar on the left. You can also see two tents ahead. Sniping one of the riekling will cause two or three more to attack. As you move forward you will pass some fencing on your right, at the end of this there is a tunnel branching off to the east and immediately turning to the south and back on itself before descending sharply. There is a riekling patrolling up and down this tunnel who might attack with the other two if it is near the top of the tunnel when you take out the first one. To the west is a riekling hut, a barrel on the right that is next to a tent will burst and the riekling will attack. There are a total of four barrels to the left of the hut and in the middle is a crate with an open crate and a sample of hawk feathers on top. The open crate contains a drum and flute. There is a rock and fencing to the right and a lit goat horn on a stand to the right of this, next to an ice pillar. The two remaining barrels of the three are to the right of the horn one of which has a horse hide on top, they are next to a tent. On the right between two empty tents is an open chest full of empty wine bottles. A crate and large rock are to the right of the second tent and fencing begins after this back to the tunnel to the east.

At the top of the tunnel is another lit goat horn on a stand surrounded by a barrel with a pair of boots, a chitin plate and set of small antlers all on the ground. At the bottom there are three more rieklings running around and another small campsite. On your left is a tent with fencing on either side and a pile of four riekling spears in front. Around to the right of an ice formation and rock is an open chest containing two random stamina potions, a random poison and a bottle of Honningbrew mead. To the right are two badly stacked crates and three barrels, with an East Empire Company strongbox on top of one of these. To the right of is an open crate containing a copy of Ahzidal's Descent in front of another open chest. To the right again are two more barrels.

Passing a small rock and more fencing you come to a riekling hut with an open chest containing three goblets and more empty wine bottles. In front of the hut is a flat rock formation with a neat stack of three baskets hiding an unlocked strongbox, beside this on the flat rock is a bucket containing a gourd, two eidar cheese wheels in a basket, a sliced eidar cheese, two chitin plates, two pieces of firewood and a cabbage. Beside the flat rock is a campfire with two fillets of horker meat being warmed beside it. To the right of the hut is a crate and some fencing. At the end of the fencing is another tent containing two crates. Further along the tunnel descends again to the west.

At the bottom there is a platter, a bowl, a goblet, a jug and a candlestick. As you approach these a riekling will burst from the snow in front of you. Just after this there is a second candlestick on the ground and the tunnel narrows and turns sharply to the north, where a riekling bursts from a barrel in front of you next to this is a crate with a random health potion on top. The tunnel immediately turns again to the east and then back to the north and then to the west again. Where the tunnel turns back to the west there is an open crate containing only empty wine bottles.

The tunnel descends again to the west and there are three loose riekling spears, and a piece of iron ore, all next to a small rock on the right. There is a brightly lit area ahead on the right and you may see a riekling running from the right, away to the southwest. Just before the brightly lit area there is a metal bowl on your left containing a bottle of wine. After this as the tunnel bears to the southwest and rises quite steeply there is a crate and on the crate is a rabbit, a bulb of garlic, a blue mountain flower and around the crate there is also a thistle branch and two sheaves of wheat. To the right of the tunnel is a tent with a campfire inside, which is creating the light. In front of the tent there are four soul gem fragments, a bottle of skooma-(see bugs) and a chitin plate. To the left of the tent is a barrel and crate. On the barrel are three more bottles of skooma. To the right of the tent is a barrel and an open chest containing four empty wine bottles and seven more soul gem fragments.

At the top of the ramp there is a large rock on your left with a animal skull and a chitin plate on top. In front of you is a hut with a riekling stood to the right of it and as you advance two more will burst from the snow in front of you and a third from behind you. There are two huts here one on your right and the other in front. There are a pile of three loose spears in front of the huts. To the right of the right-hand hut is a barrel, while on the left is a large stack of crates with an iron helmet on top. More crates are to the right of the other hut and a deer pelt is on the ground in front of it. The tunnel turns to the south.

At the end the tunnel turns to the east by a large rock with an oar on top of it and a deer pelt beside it. Ahead you see the start of a large cavern and some fencing at the edge of a ledge. When you reach the fencing you see you are on a ledge over a camp with the path following the walls of the cavern heading down to the left. Looking to the south you see a bridge over a chasm with several rieklings running around in the distance, behind the bridge is a lookout platform with several fences and tents in the distance. Sniping the first riekling will cause four more to search for and attack you, including a mounted riekling. As you turn north to descend the terraces , just after a gap in the fence is a basket containing a set of small antlers. with an upright chest on it's side containing a chicken's egg on top of some clutter. To the left is a deer pelt on the ground. The path follows to cavern wall around to the east and descends the rest of the way.

At the bottom there is a pile of crates with two bottles of skooma, three boar tusks and a random potion of stamina in and around them. There is also a drum and an open chest by the crates. To the right is a fence beside another two tents, with two pieces of firewood behind it and a stack of crates and a campfire in front. In the first tent are two candlesticks. Between them is a pile of firewood and in the second are only empty wine bottles. Another fence is to the right of the tents with an open chest and crate in front. On the crate are two boar tusks, a piece of boar meat, a random potion of vigor, a random potion of enhanced stamina, a random potion of magicka and a chitin plate.

To the south, on this side of the bridge are some crates stacked together amongst these is an empty petty soul gem, two bottles of wine, two bottles of alto wine, and an empty lesser soul gem. Between the bridge and these crates is a pickaxe on the ground.

Across the bridge appears to be the main rieklings camp, so expect a tough fight. Initiating the fight via bow or ranged magic allows you to meet the charging riekling and mounted rieklings on the bridge meaning they can only face you a couple at a time and also thin the numbers before they reach you, making the fight far easier to handle. You'll be faced by about nine riekling, two of which are mounted and most are leveled. There are also four additional bristlebacks in two open pens two just over the bridge to the right and two in the distance at the rear of the cavern on the left.

Once you cross the bridge, on your left is a tall lookout platform where one of the rieklings was standing, beside which is a tent containing a bowl, two goblets, a cup, and a jug. Behind the bristleback pen on the right is a second tall lookout platform and behind this is an ice ramp leading up to the southwest, this leads to the shortcut to the exit. The are three large ice pillars in the middle of the cavern. Behind the first pillar and to the left of the second platform is a riekling hut. On the ground to the right of this are two boar tusks and several empty wine bottles. Around the back are piles of barrels, crates and two chests. One of these is unlocked and contains loot and the other is open and contains more empty wine bottles. Amongst the crates and barrels are two fillets of horker meat, two bottles of ale and a horker tusk. To the left of the hut is the second open pen for bristlebacks and to the left of this is an iron dagger on the ground. In the southeast corner of the cavern is a tunnel heading down to the east.

Taking the tunnel that descends to the east, at the bottom there is a rock on your right with a horse hide on top and the tunnel turns to the north. On your left is a hut with a pile of crates to the left with an unlocked chest in front of them. There is also a chitin plate, two goblets and a plate on the ground. Amongst the crates is a bucket containing an iron helmet. Past this the tunnel descends again. At the bottom is a rock with a crate beside it. The tunnel turns again to the west and exits into the chasm that the bridge above, in the large cavern spans. At the end of the chasm is a master locked chest. Climbing the ice ramp behind the platform there is a ledge behind the whole camp with a platform built out from the side of the ledge, behind the hut. Before this on the right is a wide tunnel heading southwest. At the start of the tunnel, on the right is a cart filled with a lute, a drum and fishing rod and on the ground next to it is a drum, a piece of firewood and a crate. On the other side of the tunnel is a pair of fine boots and large piece of charcoal on top of a block of wood. The tunnel bears to the south and rises a long way at the top there is a hut in the corner, the tunnel turns to the east and continues to climb. In front of the hut against the west wall of the tunnel is a crate with a chitin plate, a bowl containing a sprig of snowberries and an open crate containing a bottle of alto wine and an empty petty soul gem on a small holder. In front on the ground is a stalk of wheat. There is a pile of crates with a cow hide on top to the left of the hut and an unlocked chest in front of the crates. Further up the tunnel, on the ground is a leather strip. At the top of another long climb the tunnel turns to the north and then to the west. In the corner to the north is a large rock with a caravan wagon wheel on top, two barrels and a crate beside it. At the next corner the tunnel turns to the north again and there is a rock in the corner with an oar on top and deer pelt on the ground beside a crate. At the end of this tunnel you reach a balcony overlooking the rounded rock cave with a pile of firewood found very early into the cave system and provides a quick route o the exit.

Notes

• There's a skeleton half buried in the snow near the top of the chasm (just below the top on the near-side of the chasm) holding an enchanted Nordic dagger.

Bugs

• You may not be able to interact with a couple of these skooma bottles.
  • This bug is fixed by version 2.0.2 of the Unofficial Dragonborn Patch.