Skyrim's lost settlements and regions

This is an attempt to find the lost settlements and regions as known in the game Arena and in TES literature. Beside the lost settlements from the game Arena, this guide also includes settlements which seems to have been destroyed before the events during the Imperial Simulacrum (3E 399 - 3E 400), and various names of settlements, passes, mountains, mountain ranges which you never encounter in game.

Introduction

In Arena there were far more settlements than in the game Skyrim, although various mod authors have created mods that brought back some of those lost settlements. Also various maps were made, which suggest the original locations of those settlements, but most of those maps contradict each other. Years ago I have tried to find the original locations in my mod for Skyrim Legendary Edition, Arena Lore, but I may have been wrong on various occasions and the differences between the various maps may have led me to the wrong conclusions. So I decided to stick with the original map of Skyrim as found in Arena and the original distances between the various locations in Skyrim and the Imperial City in Cyrodiil. With this we have to consider that in Arena the player could not travel along the roads in Cyrodiil, so we might assume that travelling from the Imperial city to any location in Skyrim was made through one of three passes in southern Skyrim: Pale Pass south of Riverwood, a pass south of Riften, and a pass between Elinhir in Hammerfell and Falcreath (in Skyrim the pass near Haldir's Cairn).

When were those settlements destroyed? A timeline:

• Imperial Simulacrum: 3E 399 - 3E 400 (Arena)
  
• Oblivion Crisis: 3E 433 (Oblivion)
  
• Red Mountain erupts: 4E 5
  
• The Void Nights: 4E 98 - 4E 100
  
• The Great Collapse: 4E 122
  
• The Riften Raze: 4E 129
  
• The Great War: 4E 171 - 4E 175
  
• The Markarth Incident: 4E 176
  
• Stormcloak Rebellion & Return of the Dragons: 4E 201 (Skyrim)

Most probably most of those lost settlements may have been destroyed and abandoned during the Oblivion Crisis, but other incidents may also have been of influence.

The events in Arena are situated during the Imperial Simulacrum in 3E 399 and 3E 400. Emperor Uriel Septim VII is betrayed by the Imperial battlemage Jagar Tharn and imprisoned into another realm. At the time Skyrim consisted of 8 city-states, 8 towns, 16 villages and other locations.

I started wondering if it would be possible to find any remains of the lost settlements in Skyrim, since only about 200 years have passed between the events in the game Arena and in the game Skyrim. Could the developers have added some references in the form of ruined walls, pillars, etcetera? If there are, at least the city-states and towns would have had some sort of fortification, most probably a military imperial fort.

In the following sections I have tried to follow the map of Arena as much as possible to find remnants of towns and villages. Sometimes, however, this was impossible because of mountains and mountain ranges, and I had to find a reasonable alternative. Of course, I'm aware that the maps of the province of Skyrim in the games Arena and Skyrim do not match and that the developers may have decided to relocate some of the lost settlements. Also, in the game Arena the world was flat and you would only see mountainous areas in the distance.

Abbreviation	Meaning
UESP	Unofficial Elder Scrolls Pages - Lore: Places [en.uesp.net]

Lost, forgotten or unknown*) locations are marked on the map with:

Icon	Meaning
	City-State
	Landmark
	Pass
	Region
	Town
	Village

*) Unknown locations may refer to locations named in the game's data files but not mentioned as such while playing the game. When no reference is found at all, the location may be referred to with 2 question marks and will be marked with the above landmark icon.

Arena's City-States

For now I will assume that most former city-states are still at their present location: Dawnstar, Falkreath, Riften, Solitude, Whiterun, Windhelm and Winterhold, the only exception being the city-state Snowhawk, although UESP refers to Fort Snowhawk. But, I also have some doubt about Dawnstar and Falkreath.

• Dawnstar or Danstrar
  
• Falcreath or Falcrenth
  
• Riften or Rifton
  
• Snowhawk
  
• Solitude
  
• Whiterun
  
• Windhelm
  
• Winterhold

Arena's Towns

During the Imperial Simulacrum Skyrim consisted of the following towns:

• Amol
  
• Dragon Bridge
  
• Granitehall
  
• Karthwasten Hall
  
• Oakwood
  
• Stonehills
  
• Sunguard
  
• Vernim Wood

Arena's Villages

Villages in the game Arena were:

• Amber Guard
  
• Black Moor
  
• Dragon Wood
  
• Dunpar Wall
  
• Dunstad Grove
  
• Greenwall
  
• Helarchen Creek
  
• Lainalten
  
• Laintar Dale
  
• Markarth Side
  
• Neugrad Watch
  
• Nimalten City
  
• North Keep
  
• Pargran Village
  
• Reich Corigate
  
• Riverwood

Arena's Fortresses

Fortress of Ice

The location of the Fortress of Ice built by Arch-Mage Shalidor has always puzzled and still puzzles me. In the game Arena the fortress is located west of the city-state Winterhold and therefore Saarthal comes to mind. Not Saarthal itself, but a large structure north of the ramps leading down to the entrance of Saarthal. At the other hand, you may find a large structure between Snow Veil Sanctum and Journeyman's Nook, or between the entrance and the exit of Snow Veil Sanctum. Could this have been part of Snow Veil Sanctum, or ...

Other locations named in TES literature

Throughout TES literature you may find mention of various settlements:

Holdings of Jarl Gjalund by Slafknir the Scribe:

• Bromjunaar (Labyrinthian)
  
• Granite Hill (region around Granitehall)
  
• H'roldan (Old Hroldan)
  
• Hilgrund's Steading (Ivarstead)
  
• Korvanjund
  
• Rorik's Steading (Rorikstead)
  
• Volunruud

Cap'n Dugal's Journal by Torradan ap Dugal:

• Dunbarrow

Translation of one word wall also mentions a destroyed village:

• Vundeheim

The line with the Storm Call word Qo translates as:

"(This) stone commemorates (the) villagers of doomed Vundeheim, burned alive by (the) Lightning of Unending Sorrow."

The word Qo is the 3rd word of the Storm Call shout, but it is not to say where you will learn this word as it completely depends on how the game is played. Most probably the village of Vundeheim is located in the small valley south of Forelhost, as the word wall near Forelhost is the only Storm Call word wall not inside an interior Nordic ruin, as the other two word walls are found in Highgate Ruins and Skuldafn Temple.

Unknown ruins and remnants

Sofar I have only found two ruins that have puzzled me ever since I started thinking about the settlements and regions which have not appeared since the game Arena.

One of these ruins is a large structure between Journeyman's Nook and Snow Veil Sanctum, the other a large stone structure directly south of Saarthal, which can be seen when going down the ramps towards Saarthal's entrance. I think the building near Saarthal is the most probably location for the Fortress of Ice, since on the old maps, the fortress was situated west of Winterhold, being built by Arch-Mage Shalidor.

Is this the Fortress of Ice, near Saarthal?

Or, is this the Fortress of Ice, between Journeyman's Nook and Snow Veil Sanctum?

Passes at Skyrim's borders

In the game Arena, the province of Skyrim used to have seven passes leading to its surrounding provinces High Rock, Hammerfell, Cyrodiil and Morrowind.

• From Solitude to Jehanna in High Rock *)
  
• From Karthwasten Hall to Dragonstar and Dragon Gate in Hammerfell (Briar Rock Pass?)
  
• From Falcreath to Elinhir in Hammerfell (near Haldir's Cairn; Haldir's Pass?)
  
• From Riverwood to Bruma in Cyrodiil (Pale Pass)
  
• From Riften to Cheydinhal in Cyrodiil **)
  
• From Riften to Silgrad Tower in Morrowind (near Dayspring Canyon; Dayspring Pass)
  
• From Windhelm to Blacklight in Morrowind (Dunmeth Pass)

*) Could also have been a bridge over the river.
**) Named Gromm's Pass in the CC mod Goblins

Skyrim's Mountains, Forests and other Locations

Mountainous Areas

• Brittleshin Hills - the mountainous area between Lake Illinalta and the Whiterun tundra
  
• Dragon's Teeth Mountains - the mountain range between Skyrim and Hammerfell
  
• Druadach Mountains - the mountain range between Skyrim and High Rock
  
• Haafingar or Kilkreath Mountains
  
• Hjaalmarch Mountains
  
• Jerall Mountains - the mountain range between Skyrim and Cyrodiil
  
• Karthspire - the mountain on which Sky Haven Temple is built
  
• Korvag Crag - a small area in the Hjaalmarch Mountains west of Labyrinthian
  
• Lone Mountain - mountain in the centre of the Whiterun tundra, west of Fort Greymoor
  
• Pale Mountains
  
• Smokefrost Peaks - mountain peaks around the three-country point of Skyrim, Cyrodiil and Morrowind in the utmost southeast of The Rift
  
• Throat of the World or Monahven
  
• Velothi Mountains - the mountain range between Skyrim and Morrowind
  
• Winterhold Mountains
  
• Ysgramor's Teeth - a small mountain range and natural border between the The Reach and The Rift

Forests

• Karth River Forest - forest area around Dragon Bridge
  
• Pine Forest - forest in the Falkreath Hold south of Lake Illinalta
  
• Yorgrim Forest - forest directly south of Lake Yorgrim

Coastal Areas

• Broken Cape - coastal area directly north of Winterhold
  
• Frozen Coast - coastal area west of Dawnstar
  
• Giant's Coast - coastal area north of Solitude
  
• Hsaarik Head - utmost northern tip of Broken Cape
  
• Winterhold Ice Coast - coastal area of the hold of Winterhold

Valleys

• Hailstone Valley - a valley southeast of Dragon Bridge and west of Morthal

Other locations

• Barleydark Farm - a farming area southwest of Fort Greymoor that never made it into the game
  
• Briar Rock Ruins - old joined name for Dead Crone Rock and Hag Rock Redoubt
  
• Irontree Mill - a lumbermill in the Haafingar Hold that never made it into the game

Literature

Aalto

• Reven - Warrior
  
• Simovles Que - The Red Kitchen Reader

Bardmont

• History of the Fighters Guild

Bromjunaar

• Slafknir the Scribe - Holdings of Jarl Gjalund

Cascabel

• Tenace Mourl - The Rear-Guard

Darkmoor

• Stern Gamboge - Biography of Queen Barenziah
  
• Plitinius Mero - The Real Barenziah

Dawnstar

• History of the Fighters Guild
  
• Carlovac Townway - 2920, The Last Year of the First Era

Dunbarrow

• Torradan ap Dugal - Cap'n Dugal's Journal

Falcreath

• Varnard Karessen - On Lycanthropy
  
• Anonymous - King Edward

Granite Hill

• Slafknir the Scribe - Holdings of Jarl Gjalund

H'roldan

• Slafknir the Scribe - Holdings of Jarl Gjalund

Hilgrund's Steading (Ivarstead)

• Slafknir the Scribe - Holdings of Jarl Gjalund

Korvanjund

• Slafknir the Scribe - Holdings of Jarl Gjalund

Rorik's Steading (Rorikstead)

• Slafknir the Scribe - Holdings of Jarl Gjalund

Saarthal

• Aicantar of Shimerene - Before the Ages of Men

Volunruud

• Slafknir the Scribe - Holdings of Jarl Gjalund

Arguments for locations

Following are just my personal ideas and arguments for placing Skyrim's lost settlements and regions on the Skyrim map.

Arena's City-States

Arena's city-states were large walled cities with a fortress. At least Riften, Solitude, Whiterun and Windhelm are walled cities with a fortress, but Falkreath, Dawnstar and Winterhold don't. The city-state of Snowhawk doesn't exist anymore, although it is often referred to as Fort Snowhawk. However, in the game Arena Snowhawk was situated south-southwest and not east of Dragon Bridge.

Potentate Versidue-Shaie had his fortress in the city-state of Dawnstar. The only military fort near Dawnstar is called Nightcaller Temple. This fort could very well have been the potentate's fortress. Seeing the many ruined walls near the fort may be an indication that Dawnstar originally was situated near Nightcaller Temple. Another argument is that Dawnstar wasn't a seaport in Arena.

Falkreath used to be much closer to the Dragon's Teeth Mountains and the borders with Cyrodiil (originally Imperial Province) and Hammerfell, actually quite close to the city-state of Elinhir in Hammerfell. At some time Falkreath was even part of the Colovian Highlands kingdom. Most probably Arena's Falkreath was situated across the border near Halldir's Cairn, completely destroyed, but "rebuild" at its present location.

What happened to the city-state of Winterhold is very well known in lore. Most of the city was lost during the Great Collapse in 4E 122, and cast into the Sea of Ghosts.

Arena's Towns

Amol was a town west of Windhelm. The town seems to have nothing to do with Fort Amol, which is situated southwest of Windhelm. Most probable location seems to be along the road from Windhelm to Nightgate Inn, on the eastside of Lake Yorgrim.

The town of Dragon Bridge may have been situated east of present day Dragon Bridge in an area between the Karth River and Hjaal River, north of the road from Morthal to Dragon Bridge.

Granitehall's location is very well described in lore, east of Fort Sungard in a region called Granite Hill. It used to be part of the Whiterun Hold but at some point it became part of the Falkreath Hold. It was situated near the crossroads between Whiterund and Markarth, and Falkreath and Rorikstead.

Karthwasten Hall is often referred to as Skyrim's Karthwasten, but that can't be correct, as the town was situated far more to the south, in fact somewhere between Markarth and the Karthspire. The town was closer to the borders with Hammerfell and High Rock, quite near the city-state of Dragonstar in Hammerfell.

The town of Oakwood was situated west of Riverwood, which would place Oakwood in the Brittleshin Hills somewhere near Bleak Falls Barrow. Probably Arena's Riverwood was located more to the south, as it was certainly closer to Pale Pass. Oakwood's location is unsure, but maybe on the eastside of Lake Illinalta, either on the north- or southside, at the beginning of the White River. This is just guessing. Another guess might be that Skyrim's Helgen might have been Arena's Riverwood, as that would make Arena's Riverwood close enough to Pale Pass and it would make its location more acceptable as being located southwest of Nimalten City, which would locate Oakwood somewhere along the road from Helgen to Falkreath.

Stonehills was situated about halfway between Dawnstar and Labyrinthian, which would locate the town of Stonehills a bit more to the north of the Stonehills mining settlement.

Sunguard was a town west-northwest of Riften, which would locate the town around Treva's Watch. It has nothing to do with Fort Sungard as sometimes suggested.

Vernim Wood was a town north of Riften, probably somewhere in the area between Cragslane Cavers and Ansilvund. Nothing solid, to my regret.

Arena's Villages

The village of Amber Guard was situated about halfway between Karthwasten Hall and Snowhawk. On the Skyrim map the village could have been located near or around Four Skull Lookout. A few ruined remnants can be found there.

Black Moor was also known as Darkmoor or Greymoor, and its former location is pretty consistent with the location of Fort Greymoor. Actually the fort could once have been the residence of Count Sven Advensen and his wife Lady Inga, granted by Emperor Tiber Septim on the count's retirement from the Imperial Legion. The couple became the guardians of Princess Barenziah, the later queen of Morrowind. The village was most probably located around or near the fort.

Dragon Wood is a village often referred to as Kynesgrove (aka Kyne's Grove), but may have been situated further up the hill towards Sahloknir's dragon mound. Spread along the path up the hill ruined remnants can be found. The forest in the area is sacred, which is why Ganna and Gemma Uriel were not able to start their wood mill along the White River near Kynesgrove.

Dunpar Wall was situated south of Dawnstar and northeast of Labyrinthian. The area around Red Road Pass and maybe Fort Fellhammer might have been the original location. In particular near Red Road Pass various ruined remnants can be found.

Dunstad Grove is referred to as Fort Dunstad, but on the Arena map Dunstad Grove is situated north of Labyrinthian and southwest of Stonehills. This would also mean southwest of Dawnstar, while Fort Dunstad is located south of Dawnstar. Along the road from Morthal to Stonehills, north of Labyrinthian some ruined remnants can be found.

The village of Greenwall is referred to as Fort Greenwall, but on the Arena map Greenwall is located west of Riften and not north, about halfway between Riften and Sunguard, in which case the area around Faldar's Tooth comes to mind.

Helarchen Creek was a village southeast of Dawnstar and southwest of Winterhold. As such Driftshade Refuge may have been the possible location of the village, and various ruined remnants can be found in the area around Driftshade Refuge. It seems to have nothing to do with the area around Heljarchen Hall.

Lainalten was a village north-northwest of Granitehall, approximately west of Rorikstead, possibly near Mouldering Ruins and the nearby dragon mound.

Laintar Dale was a village about halfway between Labyrinthian and Dragon Wood (Kynesgrove), but a little further north. The west shore of Lake Yorgrim, near Nightgate Inn may have been the village's original location. Some ruined remnants can be found there.

Markarth Side was a village halfway between Dragon Bridge and Snowhawk, and therefore can't have anything to do with the city of Markarth other than its name. A possible location could be along the road from Robber's Gorge to Dragon Bridge, east of Chillwind Depths, but nothing solid though.

The location of Neugrad Watch is unsure. The village was located north of Falkreath, about halfway between Falkreath and Oakwood, maybe even along the south shore of Lake Illinalta, east of Half-Moon Mill, where some remnants can be found.

Nimalten City was a village about halfway between Whiterun and Sunguard, possibly northeast of Ivarstead, across the river along a dirt path.

North Keep was a village north of Falkreath and south of Granitehall. Because of various remnants between Moss Mother Cavern and Lake Illinalte, that location is most probably the former location of North Keep.

Pargran Village was a village about halfway between Nimalten City and Dragon Wood, most probably near Fort Amol. Near the bridge over the Darkwater River various ruined structures can be found.

Reich Corigate was a village halfway between Sunguard and Vernim Wood. The village may therefore have been location somewhere between Boulderfall Cave and Clearspring Tarn.

Riverwood was orginally located closer to Pale Pass, but it is unclear how much further south.

The final map

Final? Not really! This is my personal idea of the locations of those lost settlements and regions as these were present in the game Arena and mentioned throughout TES literature. The map will also contain the names of mountains, mountain ranges, forests and other locations, for which there are no map markers.

Mods that bring back lost settlements

In this section mods are presented that brought back lost settlements from the game Arena and some locations that never made it to the game. Mods presented here are found in the Steam Workshop (Skyrim & Skyrim LE), AFK Mods (Skyrim, Skyrim LE & Skyrim SE) and Nexus Mods (Skyrim, Skyrim LE & Skyrim SE).

Skyrim 32-bit

Amber Guard by Shlitzohr & Leadpipejustice[www.nexusmods.com]
Amber Guard by ClefJ[www.nexusmods.com]
Amber Guard by ThirteenOranges
Amol by Kaefie
Blackmoor by Kaefie
Cascabel by Halbert2022[www.nexusmods.com]
Dunpar Wall by Schlitzohr & cherboi[www.nexusmods.com]
Dunpar Wall by Kaefie
Granitehall by Schlitzohr & that guy[www.nexusmods.com]
Granitehall by Kaefie
Granitehall by ThirteenOranges
Helarchen Creek by Arthmoor[www.afkmods.com]
Helarchen Creek by Arthmoor
Helarchen Creek by Kaefie
Laintar Dale by ThirteenOranges
Laintar Dale (HF Edition) by ThirteenOranges
Nimalten by Kaefie
North Keep by Kaefie
North Keep by Kaefie
Oakwood by ThirteenOranges
Oakwood (HF Edition) by ThirteenOranges
Pargran Village by Kaefie
Reich Corigate by Schlitzohr & Leadpipejustice[www.nexusmods.com]
Sunguard by Kaefie
Vernim Wood by Kaefie

Forgotten Settlements by Ruled[www.nexusmods.com]
Amber Guard, Bardmont, Blackmoor, Dragon Wood, Dunpar Wall, Helarchen, Lainalten, Nimalten, North Keep, Olenveld, Pargran, Reich Corigate & Vernim Wood. Also includes Irontree Mill, Oakvale (Oakwood?) and various other locations.

Legendary Cities - TES Arena - Skyrim Frontier Fortress by Jabr[www.nexusmods.com]
Amol, Blackmoor, Dunpar Wall, Helarchen Creek, Granitehall, Nimalten, North Keep, Pargran Village & Vernim Wood.

Skyrim 64-bit (Skyrim Special Edition)

Amber Guard by Schlitzohr[www.nexusmods.com]
Amol by Schlitzohr[www.nexusmods.com]
Bromjunaar by Sdougiss[www.nexusmods.com]
Dunpar Wall by Schlitzohr[www.nexusmods.com]
Granitehall by Schlitzohr[www.nexusmods.com]
The Fall of Granite Hill by Arthmoor[www.afkmods.com]
Granite Hill by Schlitzohr[www.nexusmods.com]
Greymoor by Schlitzohr[www.nexusmods.com]
Helarchen Creek by Arthmoor[www.afkmods.com]
Lainalten by Schlitzohr[www.nexusmods.com]
Laintar Dale by Schlitzohr[www.nexusmods.com]
North Keep by Axis1211[www.nexusmods.com]
North Keep by Axis1211[www.nexusmods.com]
Oakwood by Arthmoor[www.afkmods.com]
Oakwood by Schlitzohr[www.nexusmods.com]
Reich Corigate by Schlitzohr[www.nexusmods.com]
Vernim Wood by Schlitzohr[www.nexusmods.com]

Legendary Cities - TES Arena - Skyrim Frontier Fortress by Jabr[www.nexusmods.com]
Amol, Blackmoor, Dunpar Wall, Helarchen Creek, Granitehall, Nimalten, North Keep, Pargran Village & Vernim Wood.

And a new mod ...

Coming soon, a new mod, adding commemoration statues and signages to Skyrim. No actual cities, towns and villages, as already many have been created and published. As I am not into adding more settlements into the game, I decided to add some statues and signages to the game. As far as I'm concerned Skyrim is already as crowded as it is.


A commemoration statue with a readable edge tablet.

Skyrim's Lost Settlements[www.afkmods.com]

[Altbert]

I may going to create sort of a port of my Skyrim LE mod "Arena Lore" by adding monuments to the areas where I think those lost settlements could have been located, instead of just map markers.

[Altbert]

Thanks, israel! I can't remember much of playing Arena, but it does ring a bell.

[seal cub clubbing club]

well done ^^ i played arena and if you ever get too the halls of labyrinthian that ive dwelled then make sure too bring a necklace of passage :D

[Altbert]

Thanks to you both! Probably have an update later today or otherwise tomorrow.

[giantforaday]

Great work and interesting read

[DerEider]

GREAT idea ... & fav'ed.
Looking to using this in my next visit to Skyrim