The Pale
Overview
The Pale is a harsh, snow-covered region in central-northern Skyrim, governed from Dawnstar. This area features ice caves, Nordic ruins, and enemy fortifications. Threat levels range from None to Perilous, with many locations challenging even experienced adventurers. The region offers access to valuable ore deposits including quicksilver and silver, alongside dangerous elemental encounters.
Caves, Mines, & Passes
| Bronze Water Cave | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Animals |
| Special Features | None |
| Important Treasure | None |
| Tactical | Threat Level: Easy-Average depending on what shows up |
| Dimhollow Crypt | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Vampires / Ebony Vampire* / Gargoyles / Animals / Undead / Death Hounds |
| Special Features | Arcane Enchanter; Word Wall: Drain Vitality |
| Important Treasure | Notes on Dimhollow Crypt, Vol. 3 Spell Tome: Necromantic Healing |
| Ore Veins | x8 Malachite |
| Tactical | Threat Level: Dangerous (Perilous*) - *An Ebony Vampire has a chance to spawn in place of the Steel Plate Vampire Boss. |
| Duskglow Crevice | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Falmer / Bandits / Chaurus / Skeever |
| Special Features | Cooking Pot/Spit |
| Important Treasure | Moth in a Jar Skillbook: Lockpicking (The Wolf Queen, v1) Skillbook: Pickpocket (Purloined Shadows) |
| Tactical | Threat Level: Dangerous |
| Forsaken Cave | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Draugr / Ice Wraith |
| Special Features | Alchemy Lab; Word Wall: Marked for Death |
| Important Treasure | Cracked White Phial Quest Book (The Mirror) Skillbook: Alchemy (A Game at Dinner) |
| Tactical | Threat Level: Difficult - This location contains numerous burial urns, it is worthwhile to complete the quest No Stone Unturned if one wishes to visit or revisit this location to maximize profits. |
| Iron-Breaker Mine | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Civilian |
| Special Features | Smelter |
| Important Treasure | Skillbook: Destruction (Response to Bero’s Speech) |
| Ore Veins | x6 Iron |
| Tactical | Threat Level: None - There may be a glitch in the small tunnel in the mine where you cannot get through the tunnel. This is fixable by simply using a lunge power attack. |
| Quicksilver Mine | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Civilians |
| Special Features | Smelter |
| Important Treasure | Skillbook: Smithing (Cherim’s Heart) |
| Ore Veins | x5 Quicksilver |
| Tactical | Threat Level: None |
Dwemer Ruins
| Irkngthand | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Bandits / Automatons / Falmer / Frostbite Spiders / Skeevers / Mercer Frey |
| Special Features | Alchemy Lab; Cooking Pot/Spit; Tanning Rack; Shadowmark: Guild, Empty, &Cache |
| Important Treasure | Left Eye of the Falmer Right Eye of the Falmer |
| Ore Veins | x1 Corundum (outside, approx 20-25 steps W, stone wall near rock face) |
| Tactical | Threat Level: Dangerous |
| Mzinchaleft | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Bandits / Chaurus / Automatons / Enchanted Sphere / Falmer |
| Special Features | None |
| Important Treasure | Skillbook: Speech (A Dance in Fire, v7) Grimsever |
| Tactical | Threat Level: Perilous |
| Raldbthar | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Bandits / Chaurus / Automatons / Enchanted Sphere / Falmer / Skeever |
| Special Features | Cooking Pot/Spit; Tanning Rack; Workbench |
| Important Treasure | Aegisbane Aetherium Shard Skillbook: Sneak (2920, Last Seed, v8) |
| Tactical | Threat Level: Perilous |
Forts, Nordic Towers & Watchtowers
| Fort Dunstad | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Bandits |
| Special Features | Alchemy Lab; Cooking Pot/Spit; Forge/Anvil; Grindstone; Workbench |
| Important Treasure | Skillbook: Heavy Armor (2920, MidYear, v6) |
| Tactical | Threat Level: Average |
| Nightcaller Temple | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Orcish Invaders / Vaermina Devotees |
| Special Features | Alchemy Lab; Arcane Enchanter |
| Important Treasure | Silk Mage Robes of Master Illusion Silk Mage Robes of Master Restoration Skillbook: Alchemy (Mannimarco, King of Worms) Skull of Corruption |
| Tactical | Threat Level: Dangerous |
Ruins & Tombs
| Frostmere Crypt | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Bandits |
| Special Features | Grindstone; Word Wall: Ice Form |
| Important Treasure | Skillbook: Sneak (The Red Kitchen Reader) The Pale Blade |
| Tactical | Threat Level: Average |
| High Gate Ruins | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Draugr / Dragon Priest Vokun |
| Special Features | Arcane Enchanter; Word Wall: Storm Call |
| Important Treasure | Dragon Priest Mask: Vokun Skillbook: Destruction (A Hypothetical Treachery) |
| Tactical | Threat Level: Perilous |
| Korvanjund | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Draugr / Opposing Civil War faction |
| Special Features | Cooking Pot/Spit; Word Wall: Slow Time |
| Important Treasure | Skillbook: Evasion (Jornibret’s Last Dance) The Jagged Crown |
| Tactical | Threat Level: Difficult |
| Silverdrift Lair | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Draugr |
| Special Features | Cooking Pot/Spit; Word Wall: Disarm |
| Important Treasure | Skillbook: Pickpocket (Thief) Skillbook: Two Handed (Words and Philosophy) |
| Tactical | Threat Level: Difficult |
| Shrine of Mehrunes Dagon | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Dremora / Slighted |
| Special Features | None |
| Important Treasure | Skillbook: Enchanting (Catalogue of Armor Enchantments) |
| Tactical | Threat Level: Perilous |
| Volunruud | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Draugr |
| Special Features | Word Wall: Aura Whisper |
| Important Treasure | Eduj Okin Skillbook: One Handed (Mace Etiquette) |
| Ore Veins | x2 Iron |
| Tactical | Threat Level: Difficult |
| Windward Ruins | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Skeevers |
| Special Features | None |
| Important Treasure | None |
| Tactical | Threat Level: Easy - Bandit camp NW has Skillbook: Destruction (A Hypothetical Treachery) |
| Yorgrim Overlook | |
|---|---|
| Occupants | Skeletons |
| Special Features | None |
| Important Treasure | None |
| Tactical | Threat Level: Easy |