Despite being over 11 years old, Skyrim is still a game that continues to impress its players with all the details and secret areas, although some of those locations can be disappointing. Covering all the holds and every dungeon in a single playthrough would be an almost impossible task, so it's no surprise that even now, new places, side quests, and hidden bosses are still being discovered. While some of these are well worth the hunt to find, others aren’t worth the trouble.
Skyrim isn’t the biggest Elder Scrolls map, as that honor goes to the Elder Scrolls Online, but that doesn't mean the snowy province isn't packed full of interesting sights. While no hidden location in Skyrim is ever completely boring, some are only worth visiting once. Here are some easily missed places that aren’t worth a revisit when starting another Skyrim playthrough.
Skyrim's Lady Of The Lake Doesn’t Live Up To The Excalibur Myth
The Lady of the Lake is an unmarked Skyrim location in Whiterun hold. Just a short journey west of Whiterun and slightly northwest of the giant encampment of Bleakwind Basin is a small body of water. Upon approaching this, players will find a skeletal hand sticking out of the water, which is more of a shallow pond than a lake.
A clear reference to the Arthurian legend and the Lady of the Lake with Excalibur, there's little more at this Skyrim location than a visual Easter egg. The hand does hold a leveled sword which players can take but depending on the Dragonborn build for that playthrough, it may or may not be useful. Histcarp and silverside perch can also be fished from the "lake," and a nirnroot can be found on the banks making this trip not entirely worthless.
This Skyrim Link To Morrowind Is A Let Down
Refugees' Rest is a ruined tower Skyrim players can find by following the road out of Windhelm and walking east toward Morrowind. The tower will contain either two frost trolls, ice wraiths, or snow bears, depending on the Dragonborn's level. There are also a couple of books on the ground and a locked chest on the roof.
Outside, a book full of Elder Scrolls lore, Decree of Monument, can be found that explains the significance of this location. Refugees' Rest was the meeting place for many Dunmer who were fleeing Morrowind during the Red Year when Vvardenfell was destroyed by the eruption of Red Mountain. As the Dunmer sought safety in Skyrim, this tower was the place many waited for their loved ones.
While the history behind this place is fascinating, the actual in-game location is sorely lacking. It feels a lot like a missed opportunity, and adding one or two NPCs there for the player to speak to could have added more depth. For fans of The Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, this unique and snowy Skyrim location is a nice thought, but the in-game execution is more than a little disappointing.
Skyrim's Puzzling Ruins Hold Little Reward
The next location is often referred to as the pillar ruins puzzle or the puzzling pillar ruins. Skyrim players wanting to find this puzzling ruin should follow the road west out of Whiterun until they reach the fork at Fort Greymoor, then take the road south. Located just off the main road as it curves is the ruin, a little southeast of Sleeping Tree Camp.
Once there, players will see a group of standing stones and three puzzle pillars, along with a sealed grate. Players will have to solve the simple puzzle to open the grate, and as a reward, there is a chest down the stairs under the grate. The chest will contain a Destruction magic skill book for Skyrim, A Hypothetical Treachery, which doesn't really make all the fuss worth it.
Players Shouldn’t Bother Getting Their Feet Wet For This Skyrim's Silvermoon Shipwreck
The Silvermoon is a Skyrim shipwreck found deep in the waters of Lake Ilinalta. Players wanting to visit will find the wreck directly north of Falkreath and just south of the Lady Stone. From the surface, only the mast of the ship is visible, but diving below isn't really worth the trouble.
Investigating the wreck will reveal it was a trading vessel, but everything of value has long since been taken. Players hoping for loot will be disappointed to find little other than a chest of the middle deck, some alchemical ingredients, and a leveled axe. While some of the shipwrecks found throughout Skyrim are intriguing and atmospheric, the Silvermoon isn't one of them.
The Iceberg Explorer Of Skyrim Is Sad But Little Else
The remains of an unfortunate explorer can be found off the coast on an iceberg. Following the shoreline west from the Skyrim city of Winterhold, players will find the Tower Stone, directly north of the standing stone and southeast of Yngvild is this unmarked Skyrim location. Little is left of this traveler save for their half-buried skeleton, the flag they still clutch, a chest, and a book.
The visual storytelling seems to be that of an explorer who succumbed to the elements. While the heavy armor skill book The Knight of the Nine is useful for those playing as a warrior Dragonborn, this Skyrim location is not easy to get to. Unless players are planning an excursion to the Tower Stone, this hard-to-find location is not worth the trip.
This Unfortunate Skyrim Miner's Fate Is A Little Dull
Tucked away near the center of Solstheim, part of Skyrim’s final expansion DLC, Dragonborn, is a tiny unmarked mining camp. Almost directly west of Brodir Grove and south of the Abandoned Lodge, there is little remarkable about this Skyrim location, with just a simple tent set up and a few pieces of food to loot. However, to the right of the tent is the unfortunate miner who was working there.
This Dunmer male lies crushed beneath his own wares as it appears his cart full of ore has rolled down the small hill onto him. While this is another example of Skyrim's environmental storytelling, it's a little on the boring side. There is no follow-up as to who this miner was or why he was out in the middle of nowhere, leaving this sad story feeling unfinished.
Giant Skyrim Nirnroot Aren't As Interesting As They Sound
In the far frozen north of Solstheim is Giant Nirnroot Island. Most players will never find this Skyrim location, as it's the northernmost island in a group off the northeast coast of Solstheim, and players will have to brave a swim in the icy waters to get there. Once there, however, things get a little weird as the nirnroot that grows here is much larger than others seen throughout the game.
These massive nirnroots will yield two and sometimes three times the normal amount when harvested and are guarded by some very grumpy spriggans. The body of an unfortunate alchemist can be found, proving that these living plants guard their home fiercely. While this is somewhat interesting, there is no explanation as to why the nirnroot here are so big when compared to the rest of Skyrim, so unless a player is really hankering for some nirnroot, then this out-of-the-way island really isn't worth the swim.
Source: LAWD Explores/YouTube