The Rift

"Skyrim's southernmost hold has a relatively temperate climate, thanks to northern mountains that block the frigid gales of the Sea of Ghosts, and warming volcanoes in the Velothi Mountains to the east. Its capital is Riften, on the shores of broad Lake Honrich."

- The Rift Loading Screen

The Rift otherwise known as Rift Hold, is the a forest dense region located in Eastern Skyrim near the Morrowind and Cyrodiil border. Rift is situated between many mountain ranges including the Jerall Mountains and the Velothi Mountains.

Stony Basin
The Rift is a sprawling sea of bright trees and mildly cool temperatures that separate the Rift from the rest of Skyrim. The Stony Basin is the lower half of the region, and it shows. As you move southward towards Riften, the temperature becomes much warmer, and the area begins to rise. The only significant settlement located in the Basin is Shor's Stone (an Ebony mining settlement) and Fort Greenwall, the primary bulwark of the region's capital. The basin is also more forest like with such sites as the Vernim Woods and Autumnshade Clearing appearing in the area.

Ragged Hills
The Ragged Hills is much more mountainous and much colder as it is located at the base of the Throat of the World. Dead in the center of the Hills is Lake Geir, which serves as the primary source of food for the surrounding settlements in the area. A few notable settlements dot the landscape including Ivarstead, Nimalten, and Geirmund's Hall. The town of Ivarstead is the beginning of the pilgrimage to High Hrothgar which begins at The Seven Thousand Steps. West of Nimalten is a pass going between the Snow Tower and the Jerall Mountains known as the Lion's Den. This pass connects Nimalten to Helgen.

Smokefrost Peaks
The Smokefrost Peaks is the warmest region in the Rift. This has to do with it's proximity to the volcanic mountain of Trolhetta and the Velothi Mountains. Those who come from Stonefalls and Fort Virak will end up passing Trolhetta and the Dayspring Canyon. The major settlement in the region is Riften, the capital of both Smokefrost and the Rift. Riften is built on the shores of Lake Honrich. The Lake is vast, almost as large as Lake Ilinalta in Falkreath Hold. There have been many notable settlements including Riften, Fort Dawnguard, Largashbur, and Skald's Retreat. Riften is a major trading capital in Northern Tamriel.

The Unified Eastern Kingdom of Skyrim
In 2E 431, the Reman Empire had finally fallen, and High King Logrolf was assassinated. The next ruler of Skyrim came with controversy from the grand city states of Solitude and Windhelm. Jarl Svartr of Solitude claimed Logrolf's daughter, Freydis is an illegitimate heir to the throne. This was the first time someone questioned the legitimacy of the Crown of Verity, the ancient crown that determines the High King of Skyrim. The first person to question its judgment was Asurn Ice-Breaker who lost to Kjoric the White. The Crown named Freydis the next ruler of Skyrim while the Moot named Svartr, the High King of Skyrim. This caused Skyrim to divided into two different states. The Kingdoms of Eastern Skyrim (Eastmarch, the Rift, the Pale, and the Winterhold) followed Freydis while the Kingdoms of Western Skyrim (Haafingar, Whiterun Hold, Falkreath Hold, and Hjaalmarch) followed Svartr.

Extracting the bones of Sinmur in Shor's Stone
"The bones of Sinmur the Terrible are entombed here forever. The heroes Fireheart and Darkhammer sacrificed all to end Sinmur's reign of savagery. The Companions will forever remember their names."

- The Companions

After defeating Fildgor Orcthane of the Stormfist Clan at Skuldafn, the Ebonheart Pact must deal with the Boneshaper Clan of Reachman who have infiltrated the Redbelly Mine in Shor's Stone. The Vestige was sent in to take down the Boneshaper Clan and to find out why to attack Shor's Stone. To do so, the Vestige must break into the mine which is sealed off by the Boneshapers. After destroying the wards, the Pact entered the mine and fought the Reachman. The Vestige had defeated the Reachman, but it was in vain as the Giant of Legend, Sinmur has been restored once again.

Retaking Fallowstone Hall
The Rageclaw Clan of Reachmen led by Chieftain Frostfang had assaulted the legendary Fallowstone Hall to take the almighty axe known as Wuuthrad. Vigrod Wraithbane led the force that retook the Hall. The Vestige rescued survivors from the previous attack and needed to reach the inner vault to secure Wuuthrad. To do so, they needed to summon Sage Tirora to open the keep. Once inside, the Vestige confronted Frostfang and defeated him in combat. Further, into the hall, the Vestige finds the statue of Ysgramor but only to find Wuuthrad gone. There have been reports made that Order of the Black Worm has appeared with the Reachman at the Vernim Woods.

Worm Cult Vermin at Vernim Woods
The Ebonheart Pact tracked the Reachmen to Vernim Woods. The Reachman had formed an alliance with the Worm Cult where the cult would resurrect Sinmur in exchange for a blessing from Molag Bal. The leader of the Boneshaper Clan, Stral Blackthroat, had started the ritual in the Vaults of Vernim. A Pact spy named Belron comes up with a plan requiring the hearts of Reachman champions. With the hearts gathered, the Vestige was able to enter the Vaults of Vernim and defeat Blackthroat. With the Reachman beaten, the only force left to fight is the Worm Cult who had taken Wuuthrad and with it, Sinmur's control.

The Phantom Menace of Nimalten
The tension was high in Nimalten, a fairly recent assassination attempt was made on Thane Fjora and has Nimalten on high alert. Aera Earth-Turner, a former refugee during the Daggerfall Covenant's conquest over Bleakrock Isle was in charge of the investigation. The Vestige was sent to investigate Housecarl Betar-Nes' house. The Vestige learned that Sinmur requires spirits to awaken his power. The traveler reported back to Aera who informed them about Golun Drenduf's demise by the Worm Cult. They learn that the Worm Cult plans to use the spirit of Dead Companions to fuel Sinmur and that they are gathering in Nimalten Barrow.

Aera had pursued the Cult into the Barrow and the Vestige followed suite. It was revealed that Fjora's advisor, Borodin, was pulling strings behind everyone and was responsible for bringing the Worm Cult into Nimalten. Borodin convinced Aera to join him so she could see her dead family once again, so she attempted to assassinate Fjora and killed Golun. The Vestige decided her fate, but it is unknown whether they let her leave or killed her in the barrow. With that out of the way, the Vestige defeated the Phantom Menace of Nimalten.

The Defiled Tomb in Pinepeak
The Worm Cult split into two parties that went towards Ivarstead and another towards Grethel's Vigil, the one towards Ivarstead traveled to the hidden cavern of Pinepeak Cavern. A group of Mages Guild scholars came to Pinepeak to check on the tomb of Hakra, one of Ysgramor's Companions. The Worm Cult had forced them out and tried to take the spirit. The Vestige consulted with Hakra who tells them that two urns bind her to Pinepeak. They had to be destroyed to escape from the Cult. Eventually, the Cult was expelled from Pinepeak and Hakra was freed. She joins the Ebonheart Pact and their fight against the Cult and Sinmur.

Unearthing Taarengrav
The Worm Cult had dug up an Ancient Nordic tomb located southwest of Nimalten. Valdur of Ysgramor's Companions was buried in the tomb of Taarengrav which eventually got buried in the Ragged Hills. How the Cult knew of its whereabouts are unknown, but regardless, they dug up Taarengrav in a matter of days. The Companions had set up camp on the northern end of the site. Narir of the Companions ordered the Vestige into entering the Taarengrav Barrow and disrupting the ritual stealing Valdur's spirit. Inside the barrow, the Vestige unshackled Valdur, preventing the cult from taking his soul. With two members of the original Companions, the Ebonheart Pact is stronger than ever. Nothing stands between the Pact and Sinmur's spirit.

The Battle of Honrich Tower
The Worm Cult began to terrorize the Rift countryside starting with the Honrich Tower on the Treva River. Jorunn the Skald-King intervenes and begins to fight the Worm Cult. The Vestige had been given the mission to destroy the Daedric army being manifested in Honrich. The Pact fought a series of Dremoras and Harvesters while the Vestige closed Portals spewing with Daedra. Valdur opened a portal to Arcwind Point in the Jerall Mountains where Thallik Wormfather of the Worm Cult Chapter in Skyrim is performing a ritual with Wuuthrad and Sinmur. The Vestige arrived in the ritual chamber to find that Thallik fused with Sinmur and destroyed Wuuthrad. Wuuthrad would remain broken until the Fourth Era when the Companions in Whiterun would rebuild it to honor their harbinger.

In the Wake of the Giant; Restoring Riften
The abomination of Sinmur and Thallik Wormfather had rampaged across the Smokefrost Peaks. The giant had devastated the city of Riften. The northern wall had been completely torn down, and the surrounding farms were in flames. The Vestige helped in rebuilding the town and protecting citizens from the damage. Captain Viveka is suspicious of the Worm Cult in Riften. Anchorite Garmar resurrected Zombies throughout the city and the Vestige disposed of him and the Zombies. The Cult had left a shard of Wuuthrad in Riften. After finding the shard, the Pact seeks pieces in places such as Forelhost and the Lost Prospect Mine. The Vestige then travels to the base of Trolhetta and prepares to defeat Thallik Wormfather at the battle atop of Trolhetta.

Construction of Fort Dawnguard
Sometime after the Worm Cult threat in the Rift, the son of the Jarl of Riften contracted Sanguinare Vampiris and eventually turned into a Vampire. The Jarl could not bear to kill his son, so he spent a fortune building Fort Dawnguard to house his son from the outside world. He hired men to guard the keep; these soldiers eventually became the Dawnguard militia. Sometime later, the guards were forced to put the Jarl's son down, and because of this, they were banished from ever returning to the Rift. Despite this exile, they continued to fight Vampires across the region until they eventually split up. Fort Dawnguard became an old abandoned castle.

Regions

 * Stony Basin
 * Ragged Hills
 * Smokefrost Peaks

Settlements

 * Riften
 * Mistveil Keep
 * Ivarstead
 * Shor's Stone
 * Nimalten
 * Largashbur
 * Fallowstone Hall
 * Boulderfall Pass
 * Fullhelm Fort
 * Fort Dawnguard
 * Fort Greenwall
 * Northwind
 * Sunguard
 * Reich Corigate

Ruins

 * Honrich Tower
 * Arcwind Point
 * Taarengrav
 * Forelhost
 * Smokefrost Vigil
 * Avanchnzel
 * Angarvunde
 * Shroud Hearth Barrow
 * Geirmund's Hall
 * Treva's Watch
 * Faldar's Tooth
 * Nilheim
 * Darklight Tower
 * Rift Watchtower
 * Stendarr's Beacon
 * Nimalten Barrow
 * Trolhetta Summit
 * Blessed Crucible
 * Ruins of Bthalft
 * Ruins of Rkund

Caves

 * Boulderfall Cave
 * Broken Helm Hollow
 * Clearspring Tarn
 * Crystaldrift Cave
 * Darkwater Pass
 * Fallowstone Cave
 * Honeystrand Cave
 * Nightingale Hall
 * Pinepeak Cavern
 * Redwater Den
 * Ruunvald Excavation
 * Snapleg Cave
 * Tolvald's Cave
 * Trollslayer's Gully
 * Lost Prospect

Landmarks

 * Lake Honrich
 * Lake Geir
 * Treva River
 * Trolhetta
 * Steelheart Cleft
 * Autumnshade Clearing
 * Vernim Woods
 * Giant's Grove
 * Velothi Mountains
 * Jerall Mountains
 * Darkwater River
 * Dayspring Canyon
 * Honeystrand Hill
 * Mammoth Ridge

Trivia

 * Eastmarch and the Rift in ESO are meant to be much more westward than they are in-game. The Velothi Mountains in the Rift are much closer to the sea and gave the Blacklight region little space. This was done so the Skyrim regions can connect to Stonefalls and the other Pact areas. Otherwise, Stonefalls would have to extend much further to reach Skyrim.

By game

 * The Rift (Skyrim)
 * The Rift (Online)

Appearances




Fürstentum Rift La Grieta|