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For other uses, see Solitude.

Solitude is the capital city of both Haafingar Hold, and the province of Skyrim. Currently ruled by Jarl Elisif the Fair, widow of the late High King Torygg, it is the headquarters of the Imperial Legion stationed in Skyrim. General Tullius commands the Imperial army from the stone-walled Castle Dour with his second-in-command, Legate Rikke, while Solitude's Jarl, Elisif, resides in the Blue Palace. The Thalmor have an embassy hidden in the nearby mountains.

"This city has a long history of madness and murder. The Wolf Queen... Pelagius... The death of High King Torygg... And now, public executions. My books tell the stories. Have no doubt - as pretty as its streets are, as jovial as the bards may be... darkness is drawn to Solitude."
Styrr[src]

Part of the reason for this is the eminently defensible nature of Solitude itself. Set upon a great stone arch that towers above the mouth of the Karth River, the city is surrounded by the soaring peaks of the nearby mountains. Solitude is both a reinforced and breathtaking stronghold. It is also protected from attack from the west by the still-largely intact Fort Hraggstad overlooking the Sea of Ghosts.

Solitude is also a major shipping port and important Imperial supply line. Solitude sits on a natural arch, giving its port much needed shelter from the strong winds of the Ghost Sea. Most of the shipping in Solitude is run by the Imperial-financed East Empire Company, who have a large storage warehouse built into the rock beneath Solitude.[1]

Civil War

During 4E 201, as the Skyrim Civil War rages on, Skyrim becomes a nation divided, with three of its nine holds, The Pale, Winterhold, and The Rift, allying with Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Eastmarch Hold and Windhelm, and his Stormcloak rebels, while The Reach, Falkreath, and Hjaalmarch remain a part of the Empire, leaving Whiterun Hold neutral and middle ground between the two sides until the Battle for Whiterun to decide its allegiance, and Solitude serves as the center of Imperial power in Skyrim.[1] Much of Solitude's coffers and supplies have been diminished and its security is becoming increasingly vulnerable with many of its Hold Guards conscripted to serve in the Legion's army, leaving very few to patrol the settlements within Haafingar Hold to keep them safe from threats. Jarl Elisif considers these sacrifices necessary in order to quell the rebellion and defeat Ulfric and is resigned in her belief that General Tullius will do what is best since they are so dependent on him.[2]

Geography

Solitude Seal

Solitude is located on the eastern coast of a peninsula in Haafingar, in the far northwest of Skyrim. The city is built on a cape on the mouth of the Karth River and has a port on the river itself. A large percent of Haafingar's population lives within Solitude's walls. It is also one of the northernmost cities on the mainland of Tamriel, second only to Dawnstar.

Bards College

Founded during Skyrim's long Alessian flirtation, the Bards College continues to flaunt a heretical streak, and its students are famous carousers, fittingly enough given their chosen trade. Students yearly invade the marketplace for a week of revelry, the climax of which is the famous burning of "King Olaf" in effigy, possibly a now-forgotten contender in the War of Succession. Graduates have no trouble finding employment in noble households across Tamriel, including the restored Imperial Court in Cyrodiil, but many still choose to follow in the wandering footsteps of illustrious alumni such as Callisos and Morachellis. Students may apply at any time, but should have a good knowledge of Speech.

Points of interest

TESV Banner Solitude

The banner of Solitude.

Inns

Shops

Houses

Jarl's residence

Other

Purchasable property

Proudspire Manor

Proudspire Manor.

Proudspire Manor, Solitude's only available home, costs 25,000 Gold. The Dragonborn can buy it from Falk Firebeard after becoming a Thane of Haafingar. When the Dragonborn has purchased Proudspire Manor, Jordis the Sword-Maiden, the Dragonborn's personal housecarl, stays there.

Characters

Blue Palace

Elisif the Fair
Falk Firebeard
Sybille Stentor
Bolgeir Bearclaw
Bryling
Erikur
Erdi
Odar
Una

Merchants

Sayma
Beirand
Fihada
Endarie
Angeline Morrard
Corpulus Vinius
Sybille Stentor
Addvar
Jala
Evette San

Followers

Jordis the Sword-Maiden
Belrand
Ahtar

Castle Dour

General Tullius
Legate Rikke
Captain Aldis
Ahtar
Gianna
Legate Adventus Caesennius

Bards College

Aia Arria
Ataf
Bendt
Giraud Gemane
Illdi
Inge Six Fingers
Jorn
Pantea Ateia
Viarmo

Priests

Rorlund
Styrr
Silana Petreia
Freir

Others

Vittoria Vici
Aquillius Aeresius
Gisli
Greta
Gulum-Ei
Heimvar
Irnskar Ironhand
Jaree-Ra
Jawanan
Lodi
Kayd
Melaran
Minette Vinius
Noster Eagle-Eye
Octieve San
Roggvir
Svari
Sorex Vinius
Vivienne Onis
Dervenin
Varnius Junius

Quests

Miscellaneous quests

  • Ask Captain Aldis for information about Angeline's daughter. Given by Angeline Morrard in Angeline's Aromatics.
  • Deliver the Stros M'Kai Rum to Falk Firebeard: deliver rum to Falk Firebeard from Sorex Vinius, who can either be found in The Winking Skeever or walking around town.
  • Find Noster's Helmet in a radiant location: given by Noster Eagle-Eye, who can be found outside Radiant Raiment.
  • Kill the leader of Broken Oar Grotto: given by Ahtar, who can be found in Jala's house at night.
    • This quest does not count toward the miscellaneous quest assist the people of Haafingar.
  • Kill the leader of Pinemoon Cave: given by Sybille Stentor in the Blue Palace.
  • Take Torygg's War Horn to the Shrine of Talos in the White River Valley: given by Jarl Elisif the Fair.
  • Talk to the innkeeper about letting Belrand off his debts.
  • Talk to Irnskar about Octieve's debts.

Map

Solitude(Location)

Achievements

Hero of Skyrim (Achievement)
Hero of Skyrim
Capture Solitude or Windhelm
Points 30 Gamer points
Trophy
Silver trophy


Gallery

Trivia

  • Solitude was originally designed as the seat of the Imperials in the province of Skyrim. As a result, the architecture was created to reflect the Imperial style from past Elder Scrolls games. The idea of building it on a land bridge came in early on production.
  • Guards can go into the sewers through the manholes.
  • An unlimited number of steel arrows may be taken from the soldiers training by the Temple of the Divines (they shoot the targets repeatedly). Alternatively, the Dragonborn may pickpocket the guards when they are sleeping, take their steel arrows, and replace them with any kind of arrow of which duplicates are desired.
  • There are six healing potions (three standard, two plentiful, and one minor) that can be found at certain points around the city. All of the aforementioned potions can be taken freely, and they all respawn every 10 in-game days.
  • There are hawks circling the sky above Solitude which can be killed for their beaks and feathers, both of which are alchemical ingredients that can be used to brew potions.
  • With Dawnguard installed, a man named Jolf will appear at the end of the Solitude Docks and will take the Dragonborn in his boat to Castle Volkihar, Windhelm, or Dawnstar.
  • Getting arrested while in Haafingar and sent to Castle Dour Dungeon is an easy way to gain the achievement "Wanted" as there is an easy escape route; the wall at the back of the cell is crumbling. There is another hole in the wall slightly further along with access to the prisoner's belongings chest.
  • It is possible to access the Castle Dour Dungeon by slipping underneath Solitude.
  • If the Battle for Solitude is completed before ever entering the city, Stormcloak Guards will say that it is a shame that Roggvir was executed before they captured the city.[3]

Bugs

This section contains bugs related to Solitude (Skyrim). Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:

  1. Please reload an old save to confirm if the bug is still happening.
  2. If the bug is still occurring, please post the bug report with the appropriate system template  360  /  XB1  ,  PS3  /  PS4  ,  PC  /  MAC  ,  NX  /  PS5  ,  XS  , depending on which platform(s) the bug has been encountered on.
  3. Be descriptive when listing the bug and fixes, but avoid having conversations in the description and/or using first-person anecdotes: such discussions belong on the appropriate forum board.
Show: Bugs
  •  PS3   Solitude may not appear. If Solitude fails to load, reinstall the game.
    • Solution: Delete the data and run the game again; everything should reinstall properly. This will not delete or ruin any saves.
  • The Thalmor Headquarters in the keep area does not contain any Thalmor, despite there clearly being intention for it to do so. This is likely related to the inability to perform the diplomatic solution for Missing in Action.
  •  360   Many of the people do not appear when Solitude is first entered. Fixed by leaving and re-entering.
  •  360   If the Dragonborn commits a crime and then drinks an invisibility potion, and then chooses the option to pay off their bounty, it is possible to end up glitched under the map.
  •  PS3   Occasionally characters may be seen walking or standing on an invisible platform overhead in the air. Leaving and coming back later seems to fix this.
  • Guards in Solitude may not respawn unless killed, allowing for naked, unarmed guards roving about (if their items are taken via the Perfect Touch perk) every time Solitude is visited.
  •  PS3   When fast traveling to Solitude, specifically to the Blue Palace, a dragon body may appear right near the door of the palace. This also can be seen when walking to Castle Dour and after exiting it.
  • After becoming a Thane of Haafingar, the option to use the rank to get the guards to get rid of a bounty may not appear (even though it is less than the limit).
  • After completing the Battle for Solitude, the icon representing Solitude on the map may disappear, making fast travel impossible. The Blue Palace still shows up, however.
  •  PS3   After being imprisoned in Solitude, the Dragonborn may spawn underneath the ground. To fix this fast travel to somewhere else.
  • It is possible for a dragon to attack inside of Solitude, even during the Battle for Solitude.
  •  360   A bit west of Proudspire Manor there is a pillar with a faulty mesh. Part of the pillar may be looked through to view beneath Solitude.
  •  360   Dragon Skeletons have a hard time de-spawning in Solitude, so they may grow in number over long periods of time. This may be fixed by shooting the skeletons with a reanimation spell pushing them towards the main entrance or outside the map.

Appearances

References


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