Skyrim:Eastmarch

Hold: Eastmarch (lore page)
Location
Eastern Skyrim

A view of Eastmarch, looking southwest from Steamcrag Camp

Eastmarch is a hold in eastern Skyrim, with its capital in Windhelm. The hold is the home of Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak, leader of the Stormcloaks movement. It only becomes Imperial-run if the player joins the Imperial Legion and completes the entire quest line, including both the Battle for Fort Amol and the Battle for Windhelm. Should this occur, the new Jarl will be Brunwulf Free-Winter.

Eastmarch is in the northeastern corner of Skyrim. Winterhold is to the northwest, the Pale and Whiterun Hold to the west, the Throat of the World to the southwest, and the Rift to the south. The Dunmer homeland of Morrowind is to the east, across the Velothi Mountain passes. Since the Red Year, Dunmer have had a much bigger presence in Eastmarch, particularly in the capital, due to its proximity to one of the only passes through the Velothi.

Bonestrewn Crest rises from the sulfur pools

Topographical Overview

Eastmarch varies greatly. The central and southern parts of Eastmarch are dominated by sulfurous pools and rocky crags, as well as Bonestrewn Crest. The Velothi Mountains form a spine along the eastern edge of the Hold, and a high ridge to the south leads up from the lowland sulfur pools to the Rift.

The Darkwater River joins the White River in the west, after which the White River merges with River Yorgrim at the Windhelm bridge and flows out into the Sea of Ghosts.

Flora and Fauna

The sulfur pools are home to giants, deer, sabre cats, and other, smaller creatures, such as rabbits and goats. Further north are snowy sabre cats, ice wolves, and frost trolls along the road to Morrowind.

There are a few farms near Windhelm, but otherwise the only plant in the snowy parts of Eastmarch is the humble snowberry bush. In the sulfur region to the south, in the middle of the hold, the endemic plants of dragon's tongue, Jazbay grapes and creep clusters are to be found. The pine forest and shrublands surrounding the sulfur region are home to thistle, snowberries and all common varieties of mountain flowers. Mora tapinella and to some extent nightshade can also be found throughout the hold. In the last parts of the White River, stretching from Mixwater Mill to the Sea of Ghosts, nordic barnacle is common.

Routes and Pathways

Two main routes run north to south in Eastmarch. They skirt the sulfur pools on either side. The roads are connected to each other at the far northern and southern ends, forming a continuous loop. There are also major branches off of this road: one west of Fort Amol leading to Whiterun; one west-northwest of Cragslane Cavern leading south to the Rift, and two near Windhelm. One leads to the Pale and beyond, and the other along the Sea of Ghosts past farms until you hit the impassable, invisible wall near Refugees' Rest.

There are two pathways into the sulfur pools from the east road: one runs from south of Kynesgrove to Witchmist Grove, and the other starts near Steamcrag Camp and heads west to Bonestrewn Crest. Other pathways in the Hold are to landmarks such as the dragon mound above Kynesgrove (and, by extension, Narzulbur), or Mistwatch.

Places

All locations in Eastmarch Hold with individual map markers are listed. There are a few places without map markers listed for your convenience.

Windhelm, the hold capital

Hold Capital

•  Windhelm — A major city in Eastmarch, located near the Dunmeth Pass to Morrowind in northeastern Skyrim. (map)
•  Palace of the Kings — A large castle at the far end of the Valunstrad district in Windhelm. (map)
•  Windhelm Stables — A stable outside of Windhelm. (map)

Farms, Towns, and Settlements including Orc Strongholds and Inns

•  Brandy-Mug Farm — A wheat farm, a short distance east of Windhelm Stables. (map)
•  Darkwater Crossing — A small mining camp that operates the Goldenrock Mine. (map)
•  Hlaalu Farm — A small farm east of Windhelm. (map)
•  Hollyfrost Farm — A large farm with a single-roomed L-shaped farmhouse east of Windhelm. (map)
•  Kynesgrove — A small village located on the road south from Windhelm, in Eastmarch. (map)
•  Mixwater Mill — A remote mill on the White River. (map)
•  Narzulbur — An Orc stronghold located in Eastmarch hold. (map)
•  Riverside Shack — A small shack east of Gallows Rock and west-southwest of Kynesgrove, along the eastern bank of the White River. (map)
•  Traitor's Post — A crumbling shack and bandit outpost east of Windhelm, and just north of the Sacellum of Boethiah. (map)

Camps, including Giant Camps and Military Camps

•  Broken Limb Camp — A small giant camp on the edge of the hot springs in Eastmarch near the bank of the White River. (map)
•  Cradlecrush Rock — A small giant camp containing only one giant. (map)
•  Eastmarch Imperial Camp — A small Imperial camp in the hills of Eastmarch, southeast of Windhelm. (map)
•  Steamcrag Camp — A giant camp south of Windhelm and east of Bonestrewn Crest. (map)
•  Windhelm Military Camp — An Imperial camp southeast of Windhelm. (map)

Caves

•  Cragslane Cavern — A small cave being used by bandits for skooma operations and animal blood sports. (map)
•  Cragwallow Slope — A small cave southeast of Windhelm home to conjurers and atronachs. (map)
•  Cronvangr Cave — A medium-sized cave southwest of Kynesgrove, inhabited by frostbite spiders and vampires. (map)
•  Eldergleam Sanctuary — An underground grove and worship site of the followers of Kynareth. (map)
•  Lost Knife Hideout — A large, leveled cave system that serves as the hideout for the Lost Knife bandits. (map)
•  Mara's Eye Den — A small cave found on the middle island of Mara's Eye Pond. (map)
•  Snapleg Cave — A medium-sized cave carved into the side of a mountain. (map)
•  Stony Creek Cave — A small cave located in the southeastern corner of Eastmarch that is occupied by bandits. (map)
•  Uttering Hills Cave — A cave occupied by bandits, in the mountains to the west of Windhelm. (map)

Dragon Lairs

•  Bonestrewn Crest — A mountaintop dragon lair located south of Windhelm. (map)

Mines

•  Gloombound Mine — A large ebony ore mine southeast of Windhelm, within the Orc stronghold of Narzulbur, that also contains some iron ore veins. (map)
•  Goldenrock Mine — A small corundum mine that supports Darkwater Crossing. (map)

Ruins including Dwarven and Nordic Ruins

•  Ansilvund — A Nordic ruin situated northeast of Shor's Stone. (map)
•  Hillgrund's Tomb — A small Nordic barrow where the Hillgrund family dead are interred. (map)
•  Kagrenzel — A small Dwarven ruin located high in the Velothi mountains, east of Ansilvund, northeast of Shor's Watchtower. (map)
•  Mzulft — An extensive Dwarven ruin south-southeast of Windhelm, along the main road between Windhelm and Riften. (map)

Towers and Forts

•  Abandoned Prison — A collapsed, partially flooded Imperial prison inhabited by the ghosts of its drowned prisoners. (map)
•  Fort Amol — A Stormcloak fort located to the northwest of Darkwater Crossing along the White River. (map)
•  Gallows Rock — A single level fort occupied by the Silver Hand. (map)
•  Mistwatch — A fort located at the northern base of the mountains on the border of the Rift and Eastmarch, just southeast of the Atronach Stone on the edge of the hot springs. (map)
•  Morvunskar — A fort located to the southwest of, and overlooking, Windhelm. (map)
•  Refugees' Rest — A dilapidated tower east of Windhelm and close to the Morrowind border. (map)

Standing Stones and Daedric Shrines

•  The Atronach Stone — One of the thirteen Standing Stones scattered across Skyrim. (map)
•  Sacellum of Boethiah — The shrine for the Daedric Prince Boethiah located in the mountains directly east of Windhelm on the map. (map)

Landmarks, including Bodies of Water, Clearings, Ships and Shipwrecks

• Darkwater River — A river connecting Lake Geir to the White River. (map)
• Dunmeth Pass — The main pass and one of the few traversable roads leading through the Velothi Mountains between northwestern Morrowind and eastern Skyrim. (map)
•  Mara's Eye Pond — A small lake due east of Gallows Rock. (map)
• River Yorgrim — A river flowing from Lake Yorgrim to Windhelm. (map)
• Sea of Ghosts — A vast ocean along the northern coast of Skyrim. (map)
• Velothi Mountains — A mountain range that stretches along the eastern border of Skyrim. (map)
• White River — The longest river in Skyrim, stretching from the south of the province to the northeast corner. (map)
•  Witchmist Grove — A small shack north of Bonestrewn Crest and south of Kynesgrove. (map)

The dragon mound southwest of Kynesgrove, with Windhelm and Morvunskar visible in the background.

Unmarked Places

• There are five Dragon Mounds in Eastmarch.
  • East of Kynesgrove.
  • Southwest of Kynesgrove.
  • Northwest of Anga's Mill.
  • North of Eldergleam Sanctuary.
  • West of Mzulft.
• There are a few Shrines in Eastmarch.
  • A Shrine of Akatosh northwest of Cragslane Cavern.
  • A Shrine of Dibella west of Abandoned Prison.
  • Two Shrines of Talos:
    • Southwest of Windhelm.
    • East of Cradlecrush Rock.

Eastmarch Quests

All the quests that are started in or are related to Eastmarch (except for radiant quests begun in other holds) are listed here:

Main Quest

• A Blade in the Dark: Prove you are Dragonborn to Delphine by slaying the dragon Sahloknir.
• Season Unending: Enforce a ceasefire to secure Dragonsreach.

Imperial Legion Civil War Quests

• Reunification of Skyrim: Reunite Skyrim under the leadership of the Empire. (radiant)
• The Battle for Fort Amol: Prepare for the final assault on Windhelm. (radiant)
• Battle for Windhelm: Conquer the Stormcloak capital and bring Ulfric to justice.

Stormcloaks Civil War Quests

• The Jagged Crown: Find this crown for Ulfric Stormcloak.
• Message to Whiterun: Deliver an axe to the Jarl of Whiterun.
• Battle for Whiterun: Take Whiterun in the name of the Stormcloaks. (radiant)
• Liberation of Skyrim: Drive the Imperials from Skyrim. (radiant)

Daedric Quests

• Boethiah's Calling: Become Boethiah's new champion.

Dark Brotherhood

• Innocence Lost: Help an orphaned child avoid being returned to a sadistic caretaker.
• Mourning Never Comes: Help Muiri get her revenge.
• Kill Ma'randru-jo: Assassinate Ma'randru-jo to complete a Dark Brotherhood contract.

College of Winterhold

• Revealing the Unseen: Learn the Location of the Staff of Magnus.

Thieves Guild

• Summerset Shadows: Remove a rival guild from the picture.

Companions

• The Silver Hand: Join the ranks of The Circle and clear Gallows Rock of werewolf hunters.

Bards College

• Finn's Lute: Return an invaluable lute to Inge Six Fingers.

Side Quests including Divine Quests

• Blood on the Ice: Windhelm is plagued by a shadowy killer.
• The White Phial: Retrieve a legendary artifact to fulfill an old alchemist's wish in Windhelm.
• Repairing the Phial: Acquire the materials necessary to repair the White Phial.
• Rise in the East: Help the East Empire Company take care of some pirates.
• The Blessings of Nature: Restore the Gildergreen for Danica Pure-Spring.

Dawnguard Quests

• Lost to the Ages: Search for the Dwemer's Aetherium Forge.

Dragonborn Quests

• Dragonborn: Travel to the island of Solstheim to find out what's happening there.

Other

In addition, many miscellaneous quests, such as favors, are located in Eastmarch. They are listed here.