Bethesda's Skyrim Is Bursting With Hidden Treasures
While 14sq miles might not sound like much space to you seasoned hikers out there, Skyrim’s map-space is rammed in excess with 343 unique locations amid its stunning vistas.
In other words: it FEELS huge – and would make for a wicked game of hide-and-seek. Bethesda have made the most of these 343 locations by packing them with all sorts of secrets and treasures.
Below is a list of 21 Skyrim secrets you’ll wish you’d known about!
21. Wampa Cave/Bleakcoast Cave
Bleakcost Cave holds an unlikely portrayal of Luke’s capture by a Wampa during The Empire Strikes Back.
Southeast of Winterhold – way out in the frozen wastes – lies an equally frozen Star Wars reference. Head into Bleackcoast Cave and get some major 70s nostalgia, as you uncover what appears to be the scene of Luke Skywalker’s capture by that grizzly Wampa in The Empire Strikes Back!
20. Kyne’s Sacred Trials
Kyne’s Sacred Trials has you trekking across Skyrim’s wilds bringing Kyne worship back to the land at the behest of some old geezer.
Fancy returning Skyrim to the good old days of traditional Kyne worship – when everyone had white picket fences around their castles and attended Viking church every Sunday? If you visit Froki’s hidden shack – and meet Froki – he’ll send you on a quest to kill several guardian creatures about Skyrim – performing the sacred trials of Kyne and earning yourself Kyne’s Token.
19. Ranmir’s Love
There’s more to that drunk Ranmir than what meets the eye…
Winterhold’s a pretty barren place – and its left many of its people barren too. Pay a visit to the local boozer, help the town drunk pay off his booze-related debts, and you’ll unlock a hidden dialogue option with the inkeep that will see you chasing up Ranmir the drunk’s lost love – or rather her remains in an anonymous cave between Winterhold and Dawnstar,
18. Bern’s Body (Lost Prospect Mine)
Poor old Bern. There’s nothing we can do for him now, though, except steal his gold.
Are the prospects truly lost at Lost Prospect mine? Although a miner’s journal suggests that the mine is completely tapped out of ore, follow the mine (which is between Fallowstone Cave and Black-Briar Lodge in The Rift) to its bottom until you hit the waterfall. While it looks an unassuming fall of water – as waterfalls generally do – behind it is a secret entrance, leading to the last of the mine’s gold.
17. The Lonely Giant
Some random tall bloke mourns his abnormally large German Shepherd.
Ever wanted to see a 12-foot naked man cry over a hairy elephant? Well now you can! Head Northeast of Mistwatch to witness a Giant sullenly watching his hairy mammoth take a bath forever. Actually, he might just be dead. RIP in peace.
16. The Grim Reaper
The face of death! Literally! Meet the (grim) Reaper.
While being the prophesized hero of Tamriel carries with it a few inevitable brushes with death, the Dawnguard DLC gives you an opportunity to come face-to-face with Death himself! Place 3 Reaper Gem Fragments upon the altar in The Reaper’s lair – and you’ll be heartily greeted by the grim reaper – carrying 3 Black Soul Gems. Alternatively, just scatter a few Flame Runes around his altar to draw him and his minions out of hiding.
15. Voice of the Sky Perk
Ascend the 7000 Steps, discovering its 10 etched tablets in order to unlock Voice of the Sky.
Remember walking up the Seven Thousand Steps on your way to the Greybeards’ hideout way-back-when? Remember those funny little tablets on the way up, telling the history of the Way of the Voice? Well, read all 10 to get a super-secret bonus called Voice of the Sky which prevents any and all animals from attacking you for a full day (in real time!).
14. Meeko the Dawg
Meet Meeko the dawg, looking rather nonplussed by a man tooting a recorder.
Ever fancied just dropping this whole hero business for a few hours, and playing fetch in a Giant-infested swamp with a faithful canine companion? Well you can’t do that. But you can travel to a road south of Solitude and meet a new canine friend who lives in a little shack in the woods and is totally up for adoption.
13. Frostflow Abyss
Who knew that such monstrosities could be lurking beneath a cute little lighthouse?
Somewhere between Winterhold and Dawnstar lies a cute little lighthouse. Descend into the basement below the lighthouse and you’ll discover that this building is not what it seems. Beneath Frostflow Lighthouse lies a gaping, icy abyss. Descend it and you’ll discover the Falmer-related fate of the family who once lived here, along with the remains of the family. Burn their father's body back in the lighthouse signal fire and earn yourself the Sailor’s Repose healing spell bonus.
12. Lost Legends
Revive the Lost Legends themselves by piecing together the Gauldur Amulet.
Happening upon a book called Lost Legends – either at your local library or in the bottom of some corpse-infested dungeon – will set you on a hidden quest, which involves uncovering the 3 parts of The Gauldur Amulet (split across Saarthal, Geirmund’s Hall and Folgunthur), and giving said amulet a cheeky reforge at Reachwater Rock – resurrecting the cheeky chaps who owned them in the process.
11. The Pale Lady of Frostmere Crypt
The Pale Lady frequents a haunted forest beneath Frostmere Crypt…with very few clothes on.
Roaming an underground forest beneath Frostmere Crypt (a place where clothes are discarded with wanton abandon apparently) is The Pale Lady, yet another legend given a shout-out in the Lost Legends book. Enter Frostmere Crypt, south-southwest of Dawnstar, and claim the Pale Sword – dealing with the Pale Lady as you please.
10. Old Hroldan
Nap in a bed once used by Tiber Septim himself in order to summon the ghost of Old Hroldan.
On the right of the road from Fort Sunguard to Markarth is an unassuming inn with one claim to fame – Tiber Septim himself once slept there. Also, its other claim to fame is that a quick nap in the bed once used by Tiber Septim will summon Old Hroldan’s ghost – and a subsequent hidden quest.
9. Headless Horseman
The Headless Horseman roams Skyrim blindly (he would be blind given that he doesn’t even have a head), always returning to Hamvir’s Rest provided you run into him before dawn.
The Headless Horseman is one of Skyrim’s more difficult mysteries to uncover – largely because he continuously roams the land on the back of his ghostly steed – and only does so at night. Should you happen upon him, sprint or ride after him and he’ll lead you to Hamvir’s Rest. Why Hamvir’s Rest? Talos knows. He’s got no head so his bottle’s probably gone.
8. Solstheim’s Mountain Tops
One of four of Solstheim’s great mountain peaks…
Being rather snowy and mountainous, Skyrim has its fair share of snowy mountain peaks. On the Isle of Solstheim – as seen in the Dragonborn DLC – these mountain-peaks are map locations in and of themselves – named Frykte Peak, Hvitkald Peak, Mortrag Peak, and Mount Moestring – and provide commanding views of the entire island.
7. The Prison of Winterhold
One of the multiple Frost Atronachs guarding the entrance to Winterhold’s hidden prison – The Chill.
While most of Skyrim’s cities tend to keep their jails within convenient walking distance inside of their walls, a menial crime committed in Winterhold will land you in a mysterious, icy cell north northeast of Winterhold off of Skyrim’s Northern coast – suitably titled The Chill because a brief stay here will have you freezing your Nordic nips off.
6. The Oblivion Gauntlet
The Midden – beneath the College of Winterhold – contains a rather shady-looking Daedric relic.
Did you know that there’s a secret Daedric relic hidden in The Midden underneath the College of Winterhold? Did you also know that there are 4 rings in a locked chest in the College library that are specifically for each finger of the relic? Did you also know that if you place each ring on the relic you’ll summon a magical pirate and begin a secret treasure hunt? No? Well now you do!
5. King Karstaag the Frost Giant
King Karstaag was originally first-seen during Morrowind’s expansion pack – Bloodmoon. This here is his ghost.
Many things are hidden amidst the snowy, DLC-induced reaches of the island of Solstheim. If you just so happen to place a certain Karstaag’s Skull – found in a certain glacial cave – on a certain Karstaag’s throne, in the middle of Castle Karstaag Caverns, you might just discover one of them – albeit in the form of a ghostly Morrowind reference – along with the 5 Grand Soul gems he’s carrying.
4. Secret Ants!
Skyrim’s tiniest critters are running kingdoms of their own, right beneath your feet!
While most of Skyrim will probably be spent watching the clouds – what with all the Dragons flying out of them and ting – if you happen to look down, in some of Skyrim’s warmer regions, you’ll find the realm’s tiniest critters running their tiny little kingdoms on various roads and tree stumps.
3. Forsworn Briarheart’s Removable Hearts
A Forsworn Briarheart, prior to having his heart pickpocketed from his chest.
Ever heard the phrase “she stole my heart” or something along those lines? While the phrase isn’t usually figuratively meant (at least I hope it isn’t), successfully sneaking up on a Forsworn Briarheart will let you legitimately rip their heart out. Nothing says true love like ripping your better half’s heart out and using it to up your Alchemy level.
2. Vulthuryol – The Underground Dragon
Meet Vulthuryol – perhaps the only living Dragon in the game who can claim to be a secret Dragon.
Props to Vulthuryol for being Skyrim’s biggest secret. LITERALLY. If you already thought Blackreach Skyrim’s most cavernous indoor location, head on down to that same Dwarven underground city and fire off Unrelenting Force on that huge gong dangling somewhere in the middle of it all. What follows is the only underground fight with a living Dragon in the whole game.
1. The Ebony Warrior
Meet The Ebony Warrior – a bit of a hothead who thinks he can tangle with the Dovahkiin. He’s even studied the Way of the Voice. Help him fulfil his lifelong dream by Unrelenting Forcing him over a mountain.
Earning top marks for initially being one of the game’s best-kept secrets, as well as being yet another signifier of the painstaking amount of attention-to-detail that goes into any Bethesda RPG, The Ebony Warrior nabs our #1 spot. Yes. The legends are true. Once you’ve hit Level 80, an Ebony-clad warrior appears in the game-world, tracking the Dovahkiin down to any major city for a duel to the death.
If Skyrim’s hundreds of quests, locations, and characters weren’t already enough to keep player’s going for hours on end – the various Easter Eggs hidden throughout the game should keep you going for just a few more! And who knows? Maybe we haven’t discovered everything that’s out there…there’s only one way to find out, though…read through the game files looking for things you haven’t heard of before! Or, you could get a few hours in and go looking properly, you lazy woman you.
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