Where to Find Chillrend in Skyrim: Riftweald Manor Route, With or Without the Thieves Guild

If you want one sword to carry from mid-game to the credits, Chillrend is a strong pick. At its best version it has the highest base damage of any one-handed sword in the base game, it adds frost damage on every swing, and it can paralyze enemies on the spot. The catch: it sits behind an expert lock in the hidden vault of Mercer Frey, the Thieves Guild's own guildmaster.

You'll normally pick it up during the Thieves Guild quest The Pursuit, but you don't have to join the Guild at all. Here are both routes, plus the level to wait for if you want the strongest version.

Quick Overview

When to Get It: Chillrend's Leveled Versions

Chillrend is a leveled item. You can grab it as early as level 1, but the version you get scales with your character level:

The level 46+ version deals 16 base damage and 30 frost damage, matching the Dawnguard dragonbone sword. If you're playing for power, finish other content first and come back once you hit 46.

Route 1: The Pursuit (Thieves Guild)

The Pursuit unlocks after Hard Answers in the Thieves Guild questline. Karliah sends you after Mercer, and the trail leads to his house in Riften.

1. Meet the Guild at the Ragged Flagon. After the confrontation in the Cistern, Brynjolf asks you to search Mercer's house.
2. Head to Riftweald Manor. It's in the eastern part of Riften, next to the Temple of Mara.
3. Deal with Vald. Mercer's hired guard watches the backyard and holds the key to the door. You have three options:
   • Clear his debt through the side quest Vald's Debt, which involves fetching an item for Maven Black-Briar.
   • Pass a hard Speech check to talk him into handing over the key.
   • Fight him. Lead him toward the city guards if you'd rather not do it alone, then take the key.
4. Lower the ramp. Hit the mechanism under the balcony with an arrow, a ranged spell or Unrelenting Force. The ramp drops to the expert-locked back door, which Vald's key opens.
5. Clear the bandits. Three leveled bandits guard the house.
6. Find the Suspicious Cabinet. It's on the upper level and has a false back panel. Open it to reach a dirty cellar and the tunnels below.
7. Get through the traps. Expect pressure plates, a tile floor with a safe path, a dart trap, swinging blades and battering rams. Sprinting past the blades and rams is the easiest way through.
8. Open the final door. It's trapped too, so approach carefully.
9. Pick the display case. Chillrend sits in an expert-locked case to the right of the table. Grab Mercer's plans from the same room, since you need them for the quest.
10. Leave through the Ratway Vaults and bring the plans back to Brynjolf in the Ragged Flagon.

Route 2: No Thieves Guild Needed

You can break into Riftweald Manor at any time, Guild or no Guild:

1. Go to the Temple of Mara in Riften and find the brazier nearest the manor.
2. Jump onto the brazier, then onto the temple roof.
3. Cross onto the locked gate, then jump across to the manor's roof. Whirlwind Sprint makes the gaps easier.
4. Drop onto the small balcony and pick the lock on the door.
5. Follow steps 5–9 above – bandits, the Suspicious Cabinet, the trapped tunnels and the expert display case.

Mercer's plans and the Bust of the Gray Fox won't be there if you come early, but Chillrend will. The house stays accessible after the quest too, so you can come back later.

Tips for the Expert Lock

• Bring plenty of lockpicks. Expert locks are unforgiving at low Lockpicking skill.
• Use a Fortify Lockpicking potion or gear if you have one.
• Grab the skill book. The Red Kitchen Reader, a Sneak skill book, is in the same vault.

What Chillrend Does

Chillrend's enchantment, Frostfeed, adds frost damage to every hit and has about a 26% chance to paralyze the target. Paralysis isn't guaranteed, but in a long fight it procs often enough to pin down tough enemies. The frost damage scales with the Augmented Frost perks in Destruction, reaching 45 at level 46+ with both ranks. It's enchanted with charges, so keep soul gems handy.

Upgrading works differently from most glass weapons:

• Material: Refined malachite at a grindstone.
• Perk needed: Arcane Blacksmith, since it's an enchanted weapon.
• Bonus: Glass Smithing doubles the improvement.

You can't disenchant Chillrend, so its enchantment stays unique to the sword.

On the Anniversary Edition, the included Shadowfoot Sanctum player home has a special display holder for Chillrend.

Common Mistakes

• Grabbing it too early. At level 5 you get an 11-damage sword with 5 frost damage. Wait if you can.
• Forgetting the paralysis is random. Don't count on it to save you in a tough fight – treat it as a bonus.
• Walking the trap corridor. Sprint past the blades and rams instead.
• Taking the plans before Hard Answers. Doing that can break The Pursuit. Leave them until the quest is active.

Chillrend is one of the few base-game swords that stays relevant all the way through the late game. Time your visit right, bring lockpicks, and Mercer's prized blade will carry you a long way.