Whiterun

Overview

Whiterun is the central region of Skyrim, home to the capital city. This area features diverse dungeon types ranging from simple bandit caves to powerful vampire lairs. Threat levels range from Average to Perilous, making the region suitable for all experience levels depending on location choice. Notable features include excellent crafting facilities and varied ore resources.

Caves, Mines, & Passes

	Broken Fang Cave
Occupants	Skeletons / Ebony Vampire / Vampires
Special Features	Alchemy Lab; Arcane Enchanter
Important Treasure	Silk Mage Robes of Master Conjuration Silk Mage Robes of Master Destruction Skillbook: Illusion (Mystery of Talara, Part 4) Skillbook: Lockpicking (The Wolf Queen, v1)
Interesting Notes	Skillbook: Enchanting (Twin Secrets) can be found to the East at Shrine of Stendarr. Skillbook: Speech (2920, Second Seed, v5) can be found North of the entrance at a Shrine of Zenithar.

Tactical	Threat Level: Perilous

	Darkshade
Occupants	Trolls
Special Features	Fishing Supplies
Important Treasure	Skillbook: Heavy Armor (Orsinium and the Orcs)
Ore Veins	x3 Gold

Tactical	Threat Level: Difficult

	Graywinter Watch
Occupants	Trolls
Special Features	None
Important Treasure	Froki’s Bow Skillbook: Marksman (Vernaccus and Bourlor)
Ore Veins	x2 Corundum (outside, N across river, next to rocky outcropping and a tree)

Tactical	Threat Level: Difficult

	Guldun Rock Cave
Occupants	Giants
Special Features	None
Important Treasure	Skillbook: Heavy Armor (The Knights of the Nine)
Ore Veins	x2 Orichalcum (outside, 210ft N-NW of camp)

Tactical	Threat Level: Dangerous

	Halted Stream Camp
Occupants	Bandits
Special Features	Forge/Anvil; Grindstone; Tanning Rack; Wood Choppping
Important Treasure	Poacher’s Axe
Ore Veins	x1 Corundum; x16 Iron

Tactical	Threat Level: Average - You can usually skip the boss fight by shooting the flaming pot in the last room before entering.

	Redoran’s Retreat
Occupants	Bandits
Special Features	Cooking Pot/Spit
Important Treasure	Skillbook: Sneak (2920, Last Seed, v8) Treasure Map IV

Tactical	Threat Level: Average

	Shimmermist Cave
Occupants	Falmer / Chaurus / Frostbite Spiders / Skeever / Automatons
Special Features	None
Important Treasure	None
Ore Veins	x2 Quicksilver (outside, W-SW of entrance. 1st is in front of large rock, 2nd is directly south of it)

Tactical	Threat Level: Dangerous

	Sleeping Tree Cave
Occupants	Giants / Mammoths
Special Features
Important Treasure	Skillbook: Destruction (A Hypothetical Treachery)
Ore Veins	x1 Orichalcum
Interesting Notes	Skillbook: Destruction (A Hypothetical Treachery) can be found in a puzzle ruin to the SE. Skillbook: Conjuration (Liminal Bridges) can be found opposite of the puzzle ruin to the E atop a hill.

Tactical	Threat Level: Dangerous

	Swindler’s Den
Occupants	Bandits / Kematu* / Alik’r Warriors*
Special Features	Cooking Pot/Spit
Important Treasure	Skillbook: Pickpocket (Thief)
Ore Veins	x1 Iron

Tactical	Threat Level: Average - Kematu & Co only show up during In my Time of Need.

	White River Watch
Occupants	Bandits / Wolves
Special Features	Alchemy Lab; Cooking Pot/Spit; Wood Chopping
Important Treasure	None

Tactical	Threat Level: Average

Forts, Nordic Towers & Watchtowers

	Fellglow Keep
Occupants	Warlocks / Frostbite Spiders / Vampires / Wolves / Skeletons / Atronachs / The Caller / Orthorn / Slighted*
Special Features	Alchemy Lab; Arcane Enchanter; Forge/Anvil; Workbench; Atronach Forge
Important Treasure	Quest Book: The Aetherium Wars Quest Book: Lost Legends Skillbook: Conjuration (The Doors of Oblivion) Skillbook: Destruction (A Hypothetical Treachery) Unusual Gem

Tactical	Threat Level: Dangerous (Perilous) - There is Master(?) locked room in the keep that can be opened with the Fellglow Keep Key, but be warned that it’s packed full of Slighted. - With a successful Speech check you can avoid confrontation with The Caller.

	Fort Greymoor
Occupants	Bandits
Special Features	Cooking Pot/Spit; Forge/Anvil; Tanning Rack; Workbench
Important Treasure	Skillbook: Evasion (Rislav The Righteous)

Tactical	Threat Level: Average

	Valtheim Towers
Occupants	Bandits
Special Features	Alchemy Lab; Clay Deposit; Cooking Pot/Spit
Important Treasure	Skillbook: Marksman (The Black Arrow, v2)
Ore Veins	x1 Corundum; x1 Iron

Tactical	Threat Level: Difficult - Be aware that even though there’s only Bandits present, there are a lot of them, many of which are Archers in an area with a lot of exposed ground.

Ruins & Tombs

	Dustman’s Cairn
Occupants	Draugr / Frostbite Spiders / Silver Hand* / Skeevers
Special Features	Alchemy Lab; Arcane Enchanter; Word Wall: Fire Breath
Important Treasure	Fragment of Wuuthrad Skillbook: Two Handed (Battle of Sancre Tor)

Tactical	Threat Level: Difficult - If The Companions quest Proving Honor isn’t active, you’ll only have access to the first room.

	Hamvir’s Rest
Occupants	Skeletons / Draugr
Special Features	None
Important Treasure	None
Ore Veins	x1 Iron (outside, W-SW of the ruin)

Tactical	Threat Level: Difficult

	Hillgrund’s Tomb
Occupants	Draugr / Frostbite Spider
Special Features	None
Important Treasure	None
Ore Veins	x1 Silver
Interesting Notes	Skillbook: Illusion (The Black Arts On Trial) can be found 370ft S of entrance at a tree stump and dead bandit.

Tactical	Threat Level: Difficult

	Moldering Ruins
Occupants	Vampires / Ebony Vampire* / Death Hounds
Special Features	Cooking Pot/Spit
Important Treasure	None

Tactical	Threat Level: Dangerous (Perilous) - An Ebony Vampire has a chance to spawn in place of the Steel Plate Vampire Boss.

	North Skybound Watch
Occupants	Bandits / Giant Frostbite Spider
Special Features	None
Important Treasure	Skillbook: Block (Battle of Red Mountain)
Ore Veins	x1 Moonstone (outside 240ft E-SE of North Skybound Watch entrance, roughly halfway to Orphan Rock, on east side of valley)
Interesting Notes	There is Hanging Moss (23) and Jazbay Grapes (8) present.

Tactical	Threat Level: Average

	Rannveig’s Fast
Occupants	Sild the Warlock / Subjugated Ghosts / Ghost Adventurer
Special Features	Alchemy Lab; Word Wall: Kyne’s Peace
Important Treasure	Skillbook: Destruction (Horror of Castle Xyr) Unusual Gem

Tactical	Threat Level: Dangerous

	Silent Moons Camp
Occupants	Bandits
Special Features	Forge/Anvil; Grindstone; Workbench
Important Treasure	Notes On The Lunar Forge Skillbook: Smithing (Light Armor Forging) Various Lunar-enchanted weapons Bouncer

Tactical	Threat Level: Difficult - Though populated only by bandits, their archers and the unique weapon of their leader make for a challenging encounter.