Skyrim 10 Details Everyone Completely Missed About Whiterun

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Skyrim 10 Details Everyone Completely Missed About Whiterun

Whiterun is a big place. There's tons to discover and tons you can miss, so be sure to check these out. Whiterun is one of the first holds players will enter when they start . This massive keep houses tons of quests, merchants, and main story missions for the beginning and end of the game. With so much to do in Whiterun, it is easy to miss its smaller details. This hold struggles with two families that are at war with each other, and many question the good Jarl Balgruuf is doing by being neutral in the war. Even non-descriptive details, such as marks that cover the city, make the world feel like a real place. It is one of the largest reasons people enjoy so much. Here are 10 hidden details everyone missed about Whiterun in Skyrim. THEGAMER VIDEO OF THE DAY

Three Districts

Whiterun is separated into three distinct districts. While certain NPCs might , each district offers something different from the last. Players enter Whiterun in the Plains District, named so because it is closest to the plains that surround the hold. This is where merchants go to trade items and find an inn to sleep in. The next district is the Wind District, renowned for the wind that rushes through it thanks to the mountains. Most people live in this district. Finally, the Cloud District is where the beautiful yet intimidating Dragonsreach is located, overlooking the entire hold as if it was in the clouds itself.

Skyforge Gear

The Skyforge is one of the most iconic parts of Whiterun. The Companions use the forge to craft their unique weapons and armor. To reflect its uniqueness, the Skyforge is the only forge in Skyrim that can craft the Ancient Nord armor set. You need to complete the Companions questline to learn how to craft it, but once you have done so, visit the Skyforge and craft this cool-looking set. It also can be enhanced up to the benefits that Daedric Smithing will allow, meaning this armor can absorb more damage than most armor sets in the entire game!

Whiterun is Ancient

It makes sense that Whiterun would be an old hold, but the actual age of the city is unknown. Whiterun has at least existed since the Merethic Era since that is when it was initially created. Since Skyrim takes place during the Fourth Era, that means Whiterun is at least a thousand years old, arguably older than that. Jarl Barlgruuf confirms this in the Civil War questline by expressing his concern for the old walls to be destroyed by the Stormcloaks.

Skeleton In Dragonsreach Moat

Everyone who has played Skyrim knows of the bridge that connects the stairs of Whiterun to the epic Dragonsreach building. A moat surrounds the bridge to give the building feel even more intimidating. To make matters worse, there is a floating skeleton that is floating in the water. If you enter the Blackbriars house during a Thieves Guild quest, you can learn from a note that Maven Blackbriar killed a man named Christophe. The skeleton in the water is likely his body, although it's bizarre that no guards have decided to investigate who murdered them and dumped their body into the water.

Jarl Balgruuf s Youngest Son

Jarl Balgruuf has three children that will constantly pester the player every time they enter Dragonsreach. They are all somewhat rude, but none are as sarcastic or mean as Nelkir. Nelkir is the youngest member of the Jarl's family, and he lets out his frustration by being sarcastic towards everyone he meets. During , the player learns that Nelkir's mother is different than his other siblings and a door has been telling him to murder his dad. Balgruuf's family certainly has issues.

Ysolda Is A Drug Dealer

Most Skyrim players know that Ysolda is a trader in Whiterun that wants to prove herself to others in the realm. She needs a mammoth tusk to receive help from a caravan leader who is an expert on trade. That's not the only thing she wants, however. Ysolda can be confronted about the Sleeping Tree Sap she's selling to others in the Sleeping Tree Cave through a note you find. She will ask you to sell her the drug for 150 gold a piece that her supplier-buyer, Ulag, died with. To become the best merchant in Skyrim, it seems you need to both have a silver tongue and a knack for selling drugs.

Civil War Damage

The Civil War questline in Skyrim involves most of the major holds in the game. Players work with either the Stormcloaks or the Imperial Legion to fight for control over the province. One of the quests players will come across is the battle over Whiterun, a city that has stayed neutral for the entire conflict until this point. The Stormcloaks use everything at their disposal to take the city including dozens of conscripted soldiers and siege weapons to weaken the walls. What many don't know is that regardless of who wins this encounter, parts of Whiterun remain permanently damaged. Rooftops of buildings are damaged and debris can be found in certain sections of the city.

Whiterun s Shadowmarks

The Thieves Guild has a unique system to communicate safe locations and areas filled with loot to steal. These are called shadowmarks, and like Whiterun. Look at the exterior of a building or nearby objects to find these illusive insignias. These carved markings can tell if a building is safe, dangerous, filled with loot, or if there is nothing worth taking. You can find what each symbol means in the Thieves Guild hideout in Riften. A book lays on a table that explains what each mark means. You can find these marks for nearly every building in Whiterun, including The Bannered Mare, Hall of the Companions, and certain houses in the city.

Only Temple of Kynareth In Skyrim

Kynareth is one of the major gods in Skyrim that people pray to. She is known for her restorative powers that can heal and cure those in need. While that sounds amazing, Whiterun is the only hold in Skyrim that houses such a temple. It is likely because of the massive tree that resides in the hold's center. One of the quests for Whiterun revolves around reviving this dying tree, which helps explain why those who worship Kynareth made a temple here. Still, it is strange that no other location in Skyrim houses a place to worship this deity.

Grey-Mane Versus Battle-Born

Grey-Mane or Battle-Born? That is one of the first questions players will be met with upon reaching Whiterun. While it seems analogous to the Stormcloak versus Imperial war, it dives a little deeper than that. These houses used to work together in previous eras until the Civil War began. Some viewed that Skyrim belongs to its native people and should be ruled by the Nords. Of course, the other house disagreed and created a conflict and wealth divide between the two. You can see this clearly in the Missing In Action quest, where you must rescue a Grey-Mane's kidnapped son from a Thalmor encampment. You quickly learn that the Battle-Born tribe sent his son to them as a deed for the Empire to show their loyalty. It shows how the Civil War conflict has shaped basic interactions with others in not just Whiterun but all of Skyrim.