Greetings.
Last Time: I finished my trek with a rest in the Hold Capital of Solitude, and inspected the seat of power of the Imperials in Skyrim. It’s detailed here.
This Time: I take a detour from my Skyrim meandering to toil away at forges in an attempt to create some new and improved Bonemold armor. It’s all detailed here:
Welcome to Raven Rock: Visiting the isle of Solstheim, surrounded by the Sea of Ghosts? Then moor up at Raven Rock, and explore this realm for new and improved items. The first of these to undergo inspection are the various armor types.
Armor in Skyrim is always a source of interest, as it improves your defenses as well as allows you to appear threatening, frightening, heroic, or brooding. With the advent of the Dragonborn expansion, there are additional armor types to check out, as well as Enchanting, and even the creation of your own spider bombs. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves: Firstly, let’s figure out what the different types of armor are, how to obtain them, and the plans to improve them. Ready your anvil and heat up your forge, wield your best metal-flattening hammer, and let’s find us some improved protective gear!
Bonemold Armor: Slightly chunky and very yellow, Bonemold armor (worn here by the flammable Captain Veleth, head of the Raven Rock Redoran Guards) is the first of the craftable armors of Solstheim.
Sturdy, carapace sections of resin-coated bone give an other-worldly look to this Dunmeri armor type. Think of this type of armor as at least as tough as iron or steel (but lighter), and mainly worn by the Redoran Guard that patrol Raven Rock. This heavy armor can be created at a forge with Bone Meal, Iron Ingots, and Netch Leader. It can be improved at a workbench with Bone Meal, and the Steel Smithing Perk (and a Smithing Skill of 20 or greater).
Captain Veleth: The Dunmer in charge of Raven Rock’s protection is a big fan of both banishing Ash Spawn, and Bonemold Armor.
Improved Bonemold armor (which is tougher than Dwarven Armor but weighs less) can only be crafted once you’ve completed the Solstheim Regional Activity: Thievery and the Karstaag Connection, an unmarked favor involving you meeting with Glover Mallory the Raven Rock Blacksmith, having already finished Thieves Guild Quest: Taking Care of Business and being welcomed in to the guild in Riften. Glover requires a formula for Bonemold, which is found on the corpse of an adventurer named Esmond Tyne in Castle Karstaag Caverns.
Glover Mallory: If you’re after ready-made Bonemold, or special improvements to this armor, then try visiting Glover in Raven Rock; he’s most helpful.
No Smithing skills or fondness for the Thieves Guild? Then locate the corpse of a Redoran Guard close to Old Attius Farm, near where you first find Captain Veleth fighting. A full set is available here. Some Reavers also wear this type of armor, and if all else fails, you can always pester Glover Mallory to sell you some.
How are your armor and weapon creations influenced? Are the environments of Solstheim helpful to your crafting? Tell us about it here.
Until next time (when I provide further knowledge regarding the smithing techniques available in Dragonborn), may your Bonemold Armor always absorb enemy strikes, and your Netch Leather never split.
As always, look for the The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim: Revised & Expanded Prima Official Game Guide at a retailer near you!
