i enterd tolvalds cave at around lv 10 and found it dificult as i was still lerning the ropes and my folower got killed i have now returned beter geared and trained at lv 32 to find that although the monmsters have returned in the first part i cleared when i get as far as the first dawarven chest where the ambush should happen from each side.. the monsters have alrerady spawned behind the walls my helper keeps shooting arows at the walls trying to attack them and when i loot the chest the doors won open so stuck.. 1 anybody know a work around or a a way to compleatly reset the instance / thanks in advance Artia lv 32 wood elf... ps do your folowers increase in level as i have crafted my folower beter gear it would help if monster and npc levels were displayed...

Followers do increase in level, however they only do so if you dismiss them and have them rejoin you afterwards... I believe the max level for followers is supposedly 35 though... Can't confirm their max level though...

It depends on the follower. Some have higher maximum levels than others.

That's interesting! I had Lidia as a follower since the beginning and never dismissed her... this means that she is still lvl 1?

thanks for the info.. by dismiss i asume you mean go our seperait ways then go back and re hire her.. my folower is Annekke Crag-Jumper have goten quite attached to her althogh its best not to give her any staffs as she loves using them... still fustrated at not being able to proceed in the cave...

If memory serves, I think there is a chain on the wall by one of the openings in that room to manually open it without having to trigger the ambush with the chest... get ready to be attacked straight away by angry falmers!

yeah pretty much.. though I'm not sure you can get Lydia to gain levels with anything else than the console 'disable' and then 'enable' commands...
You can check the followers health by opening console, clicking on the follower to select it, and then typing 'getav health' into the console. Health is pretty good measure on the lvl. My lydia is stuck at 140 or something, the housecarl I got from Riften is over 500... I was much higher lvl at the time.

I experienced the same problem, there's a pull chain in that room on the left as you walk in, using it opens the rock door to your left. Use a torch lol.