I figure this is the first real test, so I need to prepare myself. I figure the Horn is going to be guarded by tons of Draugr, so I decide to help the nice town of Ivarstead out and take care of their spirit problem to practice. Shrouded Hearth Barrow probably has some Draugr too.

The Barrow is right outside of town, so it doesn't take long to get there. As soon as I enter I hear a voice tell me to leave. Encouraging. The place is booby-traped rather nicely (far greater than anything I've found yet), but eventually I find the spirit.

Odd, I don't remember reading anywhere that spirits take naps.

But, like most sleepy beings, this Wyndelius didn't like being awakened, and attacked me on the spot. This spirit was no match for my spells, and quickly fell.

Funny, spirits don't usually materialize after they are destroyed.

Obviously, there was no spirit. This guy was looking for something in the barrow, some great treasure, and didn't want to be disturbed by Nords angry at someone disturbing their bonehouse. He somehow came up with a potion that made him appear as a specter, and played at "haunting" the town. However, the potions eventually made him forget who he was, and in time he came to believe he was, in fact, a specter guarding the crypt.

Of course I learned all this through his journal. I took it up to the innkeeper, who gave me one of those fancy dragon claw/keys, this time with sapphire instead of golden claws (funny how inkeepers of these piddly little towns have these important things).

I figure this was just the thing Wyndelius was looking for, to open up the way to the treasure.

Yep.

And as I suspected, there were some Draugr waiting for me. Including yet another powerful one.

And, again, the dragon claw door was hiding a word wall.

I doubt this would have done the treasure hunter any good, but I was able to learn from it (KAAN, which is the dragon's name for Kyne, which is the Nord name for the Divine Kynareth).

And with that, I feel ready to get the Horn. Unfortunately it's rather far away, all the way on the other side of Whiterun. But I need to stop there anyways - I've got some money to add a bit of love to my house.