One of the major plots of The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is the civil war between the Empire and the Stormcloaks. Players must choose one side or the other during the intro sequence, but regardless of their choice at that time, they can still join either faction by traveling to Solitude and speaking to General Tullius or going to Windhelm and talking to Ulfric Stormcloak.
Either way, after the initiation quest, players will next get a quest to find the Jagged Crown, a legendary item that will give the faction some much-needed legitimacy. "The Jagged Crown" quest is almost identical whether players join the Imperials or the Stormcloaks. This quest is the last chance Skyrim players have to choose a side.
Getting Started
Once players return from their initiation quest, whether to clear out a fort for the Imperials or kill an ice wraith for the Stormcloaks, they'll find the faction leaders discussing the Jagged Crown and how they need it to impress the Jarls of Skyrim. Galmar Stone-Fist will lead the expedition to Korvanjund for the Stormcloaks, and Legate Rikke will lead the Imperials. Either way, they'll want the Dragonborn to join them.
Players must find their way to Korvanjund on their own, but the quest marker doesn't point to the ruin. Instead, it points to a gathering of soldiers just north of the ruin where Galmar or Rikke will be waiting. If players joined the same faction they sided with back in Helgen, Hadvar will be part of the Imperial force, or Ralof will be one of the Stormcloaks.
Either way, the other faction has reached Korvanjund first, and the player's faction must assault their troops in the ruin entrance. Players can be part of this attack or sit back and watch, because the faction allies will make short work of this group. Galmar or Rikke will then regroup with the troops outside the door and then enter.
Korvanjund Entrance
In the first large chamber, the expedition leader will tell the troops to sneak up and attack on their signal, but nothing bad will happen if players choose to ignore them and charge ahead. Once again, the player faction will make short work of any resistance.
In the next room, a narrow staircase appears to be the best way forward. The leader will suspect an ambush, and they'll ask the Dragonborn to find another way into the next area to catch the ambushers by surprise. Before doing so, be sure to loot all the burial urns in this room to get gold, jewelry, and potions. Players can find the way forward by climbing back up the stairs and taking the upper path around the edges of the room to reach a hallway that goes in the same direction as the staircase.
The next room is full of hanging lanterns and oil puddles. Sneaky players can knock one down to instantly kill an enemy soldier. Once the player starts fighting or gets detected, the expedition leader will charge in and clean up the remaining enemies. They'll then head straight up the stairs and into the next chamber, where they and their soldiers will gather around a draugr body and discuss the undead. The door to the next area is just beyond.
However, players should double back before continuing. In the large room with all the lanterns is a staircase leading to a huge chest. The chest is empty, but sitting next to it is Jornibret's Last Dance, a Light Armor skill book. The room also holds a smaller chest near the hallway that leads to the draugr room.
Korvanjund Hall
Fight past a few more enemy soldiers, and eventually players should notice a swinging pendulum trap to the left. Dodge past the pendulums to reach a chest with some decent loot, and be sure to disarm the trap by pulling the nearby lever.
Just past the trap is a long hallway, the Hall of Stories, and at the far end is a claw door. Fortunately, the enemy faction has found the Ebony Claw needed to open it, and it sits next to a dead soldier right beneath the door. Players can see the combination on the claw where it sits or inspect the item in their inventory. The correct alignment is Fox, Moth, and Dragon. Once the right symbols are on the door, use the Ebony Claw on the button to open it up.
Past the door is another large chamber, but this time the way forward is barred by a gate. The expedition leader will tell the group to split up and search for a way to open the gate, but once again it's up to the player to figure things out.
Start by going forward and to the right to find a hallway that leads to the upper floor. Look for a dagger on a table, and either take it or move it to lift a weighted panel and open a secret door. This door doesn't lead to the way forward, but it does lead to a large chest full of loot. Be sure to disarm the trap on the left side of the chest before opening it.
The switch for the gate is past the dagger door. Continue along the upper path, cross along the bridge, loot the chest, and then look at the wall left of the bridge to find the switch and another burial urn. Flipping this switch will also cause the draugr in this room to open their sarcophagi and attack, so be ready for a fight.
The area past Korvanjund Halls is Korvanjund Crypt. Players will enter a room full of bookshelves, and just past them is a throne with a draugr. On the draugr's head is the Jagged Crown, but players must fight it and two more high-level draugr to get it. Hadvar, Ralof, or a generic soldier will spot the crown and try to take it, starting the fight, but players can start things with a sneak attack if they prefer.
Once all the draugr are dead, players can take the Jagged Crown from the former king. The expedition leader will ask the player to take it back to their faction, but before then, be sure to loot the chest behind the throne and collect the Shout word "Time" from the Word Wall at the back of the chamber. Near the Word Wall is a shortcut that leads back up to the start of Korvanjund. Players can open a barred door to quickly exit the barrow.
What to Do with the Jagged Crown
"The Jagged Crown" quest marker will now point players to their chosen faction's headquarters, but secretly, players now have one last chance to switch factions. By taking the Jagged Crown to the other faction's leader, General Tullius or Ulfric Stormcloak, they'll forgive the Dragonborn for working for the other faction and allow them to switch sides.
Either way, this decision will lock the Dragonborn's loyalties in place. While players don't have to continue the Civil War story past this point, they can only perform quests and hold conquests for the faction that holds the Jagged Crown.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is available now on PC, PS3, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.