Skyrim:Beneath Bronze Waters - The Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages (UESP) (2024)

Quick Walkthrough[edit]

1. Travel to Bronze Water Cave.
2. Read the fisherman's journal.
3. Find the Dwarven fishing rod schematic in Alftand Ruined Tower.
4. Bring the Dwarven fishing rod schematic to Calcelmo.
5. Use the dwarven fishing rod to catch two aetherium dynamo cores near Bronze Water Cave.
6. Insert the aetherium dynamo cores into the dynamo actuators.

Detailed Walkthrough[edit]

This quest can be started after The Ultimate Feast has been completed by talking to Viriya:

Know of anyone in need of fishing work around Skyrim?

"Of course. It's all in this note."

She will then hand you a bounty that asks you to investigate the outside of Bronze Water Cave. As you arrive at the cave, you will have to pick up and read the journal that is on a plank of wood. The journal mentions a fishing rod of Dwarven make that might be found in Alftand Ruined Tower.

Travel to Alftand Ruined Tower and after a short while inside you will find the dead body of Jorid, the fisherman mentioned in the journal. Press the button on the desk near the body, but be careful as it will activate flamethrowers ahead of you while opening the door.

Head through the now open door, but be wary of the pressure plates on the floor as they will activate spears. You will find the Dwarven Fishing Rod Schematic on a desk. Once obtained you will need to take the schematics to Calcelmo and speak to him:

I investigated Bronze Water Cave and discovered a dormant Dwarven mechanism.

"Yes..."

Fishermen saw glowing objects that may activate it, but couldn't retrieve them.

"Hmmm... No, that's probably not of any use."

They believed using a Dwarven fishing rod might help. Here are the schematics.

"Ah, yes! There it is! Thank you so much."

In exchange for the schematic, could you build a Dwarven fishing rod for me?

"Of course."

You will then need to wait 24 hours and return to Calcelmo:

I've returned. Is the Dwarven fishing rod complete?

"I've been holding onto this for you. Here! I hope you like it."

Consider the bounty paid in full. I'll try using this near Bronze Water Cave.

"Oh, now, do be careful..."

At this point you will not only acquire a Dwarven Fishing Rod but unlock the ability to create Dwarven Fishing Rods yourself, just in case you misplace the first one.

Head back to Bronze Water Cave where you will have to fish in two spots for the Aetherium Dynamo Cores. Once you have fished them up, place them into the dynamo actuators. This will cause a chest to rise from the water, but will also activate some dwarven spider workers by the cave entrance. Once the dwarven spider workers have been dealt with, open the chest to find the pair of enchanted axes Irkngthand War Axe of Fire and Irkngthand War Axe of Freezing, as well as other typical random chest treasure.

It will also unlock the ability to craft the Irkngthand War Axe, a slightly superior brand of one-handed Dwarven War Axe, which appears to be basically as strong as a Glass War Axe but only requires the Dwarven Smithing perk. This is the base item of which you just received the two enchanted examples.

Bugs[edit]

• The Dwemer spider ambush outside of Bronze Water Cave can be set off prematurely due to the spiders not actually being disabled prior to Beneath Bronze Waters. If set off prematurely, the quest will then be impossible to start because the spiders are required for the quest.
  • The Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch, version 4.2.9a, fixes this bug.

Quest Stages[edit]

Beneath Bronze Waters (ccBGSSSE001_Misc_Dwarven)
Stage	Finishes Quest	Journal Entry
0		Calcelmo has heard fishermen's tales of a strange apparatus outside of Bronze Water Cave. He believes it is an ancient Dwemer mechanism of unknown purpose, waiting to be brought to life. I should investigate the area and see if there might be any way to trigger it. Objective 0: Investigate the entrance of Bronze Water Cave
5		I've arrived at the entrance of Bronze Water Cave. The fishermen that once fished here seem to have left behind a journal. It may contain a clue for activating the mechanisms nearby. Objective 10: Read the fisherman's journal
10		The fishermen at Bronze Water Cave saw faint glowing objects at the bottom of the lake near Bronze Water Cave, but they were unable to fish them up. They believed that a fishing rod of Dwarven make might be needed to retrieve them. They recently left for Alftand Ruined Tower, where the schematics for such a rod might be located. Objective 15: Find the Dwarven fishing rod schematic in Alftand Ruined Tower
20		I've found the schematics for the Dwarven fishing rod that might be used to catch the glowing objects that lie below the water's surface outside of Bronze Water Cave. I should return it to Calcelmo so that he can construct it. Objective 18: Bring the Dwarven fishing rod schematic to Calcelmo
30		I've given Calcelmo the schematics for the Dwarven fishing rod. I now need to wait for him to construct it. I should ask him about it at this time tomorrow. Objective 20: Wait 24 hours for Calcelmo to build the fishing rod
40		Calcelmo should be finished constructing the Dwarven fishing rod from the schematic I discovered. Objective 25: Return to Calcelmo
90		Calcelmo has given me the Dwarven fishing rod. I should cast it at the fishing spots near Bronze Water Cave so that I might be able to catch the objects that might activate the mechanisms near the cave. Objective 30: Use the dwarven fishing rod to catch the strange objects near Bronze Water Cave (0/2)
100		I cast the Dwarven fishing rod into the water near Bronze Water Cave, and caught an aetherium dynamo core. An empty socket on the pedestal nearby appears to be shaped to hold such a core. I'll have to insert the dynamo core to bring the rest of the mechanism to life. Objective 50: Insert the aetherium dynamo core into the dynamo actuator (0/2)
300		After using the Dwarven fishing rod near Bronze Water Cave and powering up an ancient mechanism using aetherium dynamo cores, a pedestal rose from beneath the surface revealing a submerged chest.

• The following empty quest stages were omitted from the table: 101, 200, 201, 400.