Winterhold (Skyrim City)

Winterhold is a former major city which is located in northern Skyrim. It is the capital city of the hold of the same name. Once a great capital rivaling Solitude in power and importance, Winterhold is now little more than a shell of its former self due to The Great Collapse.

Origins and Establishment
Legends claim that the city was made during the First Era, when Archmage Shalidor built the city of Winterhold with a whispered spell. Whether Winterhold was actually built with magic is unknown, as it could be a hyperbole of Shalidor's power.

War of Succession
In 1E 369, High King Borgas of Winterhold was killed during the Wild Hunt. This plummeted Skyrim into the War of Succession, which broke apart the First Nordic Empire.

Winterhold Rebellion
In 1E 2804, an event called the Winterhold Rebellion took place in protest of the forced conscription which was being imposed on the populace. The following year, the city was sacked.

Golden Age
During the third century of the Third Era, Baron Ulfe Gersen ruled over Winterhold. He "brought considerable wealth and influence" with Morithatha Septim when they married, which enabled them both to help Uriel Septim VI with his political struggles against the Elder Council. Also during the Third Era, it was said that the people of Winterhold favored the use of Axes that were "six feet in length".

Simulacrum
In 3E 399, the final year of the Simulacrum, the Eternal Champion, with the help of the Winterhold Mages, rediscovered the location of the Labyrinthian, a structure constructed by the Archmage Shalidor almost 4000 years prior.

The Great Collapse
In 4E 122, a seemingly never-ending series of storms lashed out at the northern coast of Skyrim, eventually causing most of the city to erode alarmingly fast and be washed away into the Sea of Ghosts. This event is now known as The Great Collapse.

Strangely, the College of Winterhold was unaffected, remaining firm on a now freestanding spire of rock. This has led some to believe that the mages in the College of Winterhold were experimenting, and that this was the cause of the Great Collapse. Many inhabitants of Winterhold, both mages and magic-fearing Nords, were forced to abandon the city, and those who remain still eye the College with suspicion. Alternate theories regarding the Great Collapse are held by some, however; one is that it was a result of the eruption of Red Mountain in Vvardenfell, which was not felt until years after the actual incident.

Regardless of the genesis of the Great Collapse, it is certain that since that time, the population of Winterhold has continued to dwindle. Other than the College, only a handful of buildings still stand. What remains of the town’s economy is based around serving the needs of the College. As such, Winterhold has become something of a haven for mages in Skyrim, a safe refuge from distrustful Nords.

Since The Great Collapse, the city (or what's left of it) has suffered an economic downturn. Before the catastrophic event, the city flourished culturally due to refugees from Morrowind who, far from burdening the eastern city, brought with them new ideas, enriching the city's culture and stimulating its old mercantile spirit. In the past few decades, many of the other Jarls of Skyrim began to disregard the opinions of the Jarl of Winterhold.



Library
Scholars from all over Tamriel have descended upon the hold since it became home to the Ysmir Collective, a library rescued from destruction in the east and the cornerstone of academic life at the College of Winterhold.

Property
Due to a lack of residences caused by the cataclysm, it is not possible to purchase a house in Winterhold. Even with the DLC, Winterhold remains the only hold where it is not possible to purchase property. The Dragonborn will have to enroll at the College of Winterhold, which will entitle the Dragonborn to a dormitory within the College. Completing the entire College quest line will confer upon the Dragonborn the position of Archmage at the College, and thus ownership of the Archmage's quarters.

After encouraging Ranmir to settle his debts with innkeeper Dagur at The Frozen Hearth Inn, the beds in the rooms on the left hand side of the inn are available to use for free. It is permanent and can easily substitute as a house, although there is not as much space.

Inns

 * The Frozen Hearth

Shops

 * Birna's Oddments

Houses

 * Kraldar's House

Jarl's Residence

 * Jarl's Longhouse

Other

 * College of Winterhold

College members

 * Ancano - The Thalmor operative and advisor to the Arch-Mage.
 * Brelyna Maryon - One of the Apprentice mages.
 * Colette Marence - Expert Restoration trainer of the College.
 * Drevis Neloren - Master Illusion trainer of the College.
 * Enthir - Mage of The College of Winterhold.
 * Faralda - Master Destruction trainer of the College.
 * J'zargo - One of the apprentice mages.
 * Nirya - Wizard of The College of Winterhold.
 * Mirabelle Ervine - Master Wizard of the College.
 * Onmund - One of the apprentice mages.
 * Savos Aren - Archmage of the College
 * Sergius Turrianus - Expert enchanting trainer of the College.
 * Tolfdir - Master Alteration teacher of the College.
 * Urag gro-Shub - Mage librarian of The Arcanaeum.

Entrepreneurs

 * Birna - Owner of Birna's Oddments.
 * Dagur - Owner of The Frozen Hearth Inn.

Ruling class

 * Assur - Son of the Jarl.
 * Kraldar - Family member of downfallen noble house.
 * Jarl Korir - the Jarl of Winterhold.
 * Malur Seloth - Steward of the Jarl.
 * Thaena - Wife of the Jarl.

Other citizens

 * Eirid - Daughter of Dagur and Haran.
 * Haran - Wife of Dagur.
 * Kai Wet-Pommel - Member of Stormcloaks.
 * Nelacar - Mage.
 * Ranmir - Drunkard.
 * Thonjolf - Servant of Kraldar.

Becoming Thane of Winterhold
Korir, Jarl of Winterhold, honors the Dragonborn with the title Thane of Winterhold, after performing certain duties in the service of the Hold. It is first required that the Dragonborn recover the Helm of Winterhold from a random location before the Jarl recognizes their worth as a potential Thane.

Duties the Dragonborn may perform to become Thane:
 * Steal Nelacar's staff for the Jarl's Steward.
 * Give Ranmir at the Inn either an Ale or Mead.
 * Encourage Ranmir to settle his debts with the innkeeper.
 * Sell Ore at Whistling Mine.

Trivia

 * The guards in Winterhold do not carry shields.
 * If the guards outside the city gate are killed, they do not re-spawn.