As the two entered Bleak Falls Barrow, they spotted an empty camp site ahead of them, a fire providing the only light aside from scattered rays of sunlight. When they approached to survey the camp, Torval moved to scrounge through the chest nearby, while Shai'ira spotted a journal sitting on one of the chairs. She plucked the book from the seat and leafed through it, looking for the latest entry as Torval rummaged through the chest. Torval stood, pocketing a few coin purses, before he approached Shai'ira. "What'd you got there?" He asked.

"It's a journal, it belonged to one of the bandits that had been camping out here. According to the journal, one of the bandits took a golden claw and went deeper into the Barrow alone. Whoever wrote this journal followed him."

Torval rolled his shoulders. "Well then what are we waiting for then? Let's go." The two of them descended deeper into the crypt, Shai'ira making sure to cast spells of candlelight, allowing Torval to see where they were going. They passed through a chamber with three stone pillars to their left, each bearing an animal on its face, and a lever in the center of the room. There were several discarded torches littering the ground, their fires burnt out. The gate leading deeper had already been opened. They moved down a staircase, and spotted the corpses of several skeevers. They pressed on, and heard screaming. Torval dropped into a crouch, leveling his hammer, while Shai'ira prepared spells. The room they'd entered was filled with webs, and it only grew thicker as they moved toward the source of the screams they'd heard, the webs on the ground threatening to trap them. Torval turned back to Shai'ira. "Burn this filth will you? I can barely move." Shai'ira dipped her head in acknowledgement, and she sprayed fire from her hands, focusing on the webs on the floor, so as not to have flames fall on their heads. She cleared a path but stopped as they came to a dead end, with the only path deeper into the barrow being an empty doorway into a chamber they'd passed. Torval took cover behind the doorway and peered through. He spotted a giant (albeit wounded) frostbite spider. It had killed two bandits, and was feasting on the corpse of one. Torval looked back, and gestured to Shai'ira to come to him. "There's a giant frostbite spider in there, but it looks like it's been wounded. You take the lead and hit it with spells. I'll take it from there."

Shai'ira nodded, and readied lightning spells. She quietly ducked through the door, Torval several steps behind her. The spider hadn't noticed them, and Shai'ira took aim for two of its legs. She loosed two searing bolts of plasma, one burned through the joint of one of the spider's legs, the other missed the leg she'd been aiming for, and struck the spider in the thorax. As the creature spun around, Torval sprang forward, swinging his hammer, aiming for one of the spider's uninjured legs.

The limb was crushed with a sickening crunch, and the creature lurched, two of its legs damaged beyond use. Shai'ira maneuvered around the spider's right flank, casting more lightning, destroying several more legs in the process, crippling it even further. Unable to turn to face either of its assailants, the spider was left helpless as Torval climbed atop it, and proceeded to smash his hammer between its lifeless eyes, killing it. With the creature dead, Torval yanked his hammer out of the corpse, and congratulated Shai'ira. She purred at the compliment, and together they moved towards the only exit in the room. A dark elf was caught in the webs that obstructed the doorway, and had subsequently been devoured by the spider. Shai'ira burned the webs he'd been caught in, and Torval moved to press deeper into the barrow, but Shai'ira halted him. "Wait, I think this is the bandit from the journal earlier, let's see if he has the claw." Torval waited while Shai'ira rummaged through the elf's bags and pockets, but found nothing.

Torval glanced back into the chamber, eyeing the two bandits the spider had killed. "Maybe one of them found the claw before the spider got to them." Shai'ira agreed, and the two searched the corpses of the fallen. Torval didn't find anything (other than loose gold and some gems he made sure to pocket) but Shai'ira raised the golden claw in triumph.

"Found it! What do you think this thing is for anyway?" She asked as she examined the claw.

"There was a shopkeeper in Riverwood who said it was an ornament." Torval replied, gesturing to Shai'ira to follow him out of the chamber.

"An ornament?" Shai'ira muttered to herself as she followed Torval. She took note of the carvings on the underside of the claw. From top to bottom of the claw, they resembled a bear, a moth, and an owl. Shai'ira again, wondered aloud what the claw would be used for, refusing to believe it was a simple table ornament. Torval merely shrugged in response. The two moved deeper into the Nordic tomb, descending down several sets of stairs until they came to another chamber, the walls of this one lined with the corpses of Nords who'd been laid to rest.

As they moved into the center of the chamber, they heard shuffling, as if someone were clumsily getting out of bed. They turned around, and found themselves facing four draugr.

Shai'ira loosed two bolts, striking her targets in their skulls, leaving smoking holes. Torval swung his hammer, striking one in the head, knocking it aside. Before he could attack the second one, it raised its sword, ready to bring it down with as much force as its dusty arms could manage. Torval raised his hammer defensively, and the sword clattered against the hammer. Torval struck the draugr with the handle, knocking the walking corpse to the ground, and crushed its skull before it could regain its footing. The pair hesitated, waiting for any further draugr attacks.

When none came, they moved onwards, taking care to avoid the trap they'd spotted in front of them. They traversed the next set of stairs, and proceeded through the chamber, until their path was blocked by axes swinging across the hallway. Before they could make a plan to deal with the swinging axes, they again heard the sound of draugr being woken from their slumber. This next batch was easily dealt with, as the size of the chamber enabled Shai'ira to cut them down before they could draw close enough for Torval to engage. The air smelled of ozone and seared, rotten flesh as they turned their attention back to the trap in front of them. Shai'ira noticed the axes swung into small alcoves, and there was enough space between the axes for them to move through unscathed if their timing was right.

Torval had a different solution however. He stuck his hammer in front of the alcove for the axe, near the top. There was a grinding sound as ancient machinery broke against his hammer, and the now disabled axe hung lazily in front of them. Torval fixed Shai'ira with a smug gaze. She rolled her eyes. "I guess I should have expected such a blunt solution from you Torval. What with you being a Nord and all." Torval's smug grin only grew wider, and he repeated his actions with the next two axes, Sha'ira moving the broken ones out of the way so he could proceed. Their progress from this point was uneventful, only the occasional lone draugr, which was quickly swept aside with a blast of lightning, or swing of a hammer. The two came to an obsidian door, and with a brief pause to down some food and water, they continued.

They came to a large chamber ahead of them. Shai'ira cast several balls of light around the room, illuminating it for Torval. Ahead of them were six draugr. They spotted the duo, and moved to engage. Shai'ira readied her spells, but cast a quick glance upwards. A pot of something was dangling from the ceiling, and Shai'ira blasted the rope holding it as the draugr approached. The pot shattered, and oil spilled from it, covering the ground between them and the draugr. Shai'ira waited until the second draugr stepped into the puddle, then sprung the trap, setting all six of the undead ablaze. They advanced on the duo for several more steps, before the fire consumed them.

Shai'ira scanned the chamber, and spotted stairs leading up, and a stone walkway, potentially leading deeper into the tomb. She cast another spell of candlelight, allowing Torval to see more than a few inches in front of him, and the two proceeded. They eventually came to a long antechamber several minutes later, a large stone door impeding their progress. Shai'ira cast another light spell, ignoring Torvals grumbling about needing to buy torches at the earliest possible opportunity, and the two analyzed the door. At its center, was a receptacle with three holes lining the top. There were also three "rings" carved into the door, different animals depicted on their faces, an owl, a bear, and a moth. Remembering the golden claw, Shai'ira fished what she now realized must have been a key out of her bag, and gazed at the engravings, she then showed them to Torval.

Torval looked at the claw, then his khajiit companion, intrigued. "What are you thinking?"

Shai'ira motioned to the door."Follow my lead. I think I know how to open the door." Torval nodded, and followed Shai'ira, paying close attention to what she did next. Shai'ira placed her hands on the outermost ring, and pushed. The ring depressed, and she found she could rotate it left and right. Torval smiled approvingly, then moved to follow her example. They moved the rings until they resembled the pattern on the claw, then Shai'ira inserted the claw into the receptacle, then placed it back into her bag. There were several clicks as the door unlocked, then proceeded to open, the sound of stone grinding against stone.

With their last obstacle now behind them, the two proceeded through the cave they found themselves in, then moved towards a massive stone wall. Shai'ira heard something beckoning to her, calling her towards the wall. As she moved to follow the whispers, a coffin on her left swung open. A draugr fixed her with its icy blue eyes, and attempted to leave the coffin, but was stopped when Shai'ira crushed its skull with her mace. With the last remaining threat eliminated, Shai'ira moved back towards the stone wall as Torval retrieved the stone tablet they'd been tasked to find. Shai'ira placed a hand on the carved emblems, feeling the chiseled words against her hands, for they could only be words. The whispers stopped.

Slightly shaken, feeling suddenly light headed, she turned towards her nord companion. He gazed at her, his eyes filled with concern. "Are you alright? Should we get you to a healer?" Shai'ira shook her head.

"I am a healer, remember? Besides, I feel fine now."

"Whatever you say Shai'ira." Torval paused. "We should stop by the Riverwood trader on our way back to Whiterun. I promised the owner I'd keep an eye out for his claw." Shai'ira nodded, and they proceeded through a passageway on their left, and soon found themselves outside again, the sudden light stinging their eyes. They trekked through the woods, and crossed the river as soon as it was shallow enough to allow a crossing, and returned to Riverwood. They dropped off the golden claw, honoring Torvals promise (and walking away a few hundred septims richer) then proceeded back to Whiterun, their quest nearly complete.