About this mod
Whiterun Stronghold is one of a number of hidden fortresses built by a secret organization within the Empire in preparation for the resumption of the war against the Thalmor. It is hidden under the mountains between Whiterun and Riverwood within convenient walking distance of Whiterun.
- Permissions and credits
- Changelogs
Overview
Whiterun Stronghold is one of a number of hidden fortresses built by a secret organization within the Empire in preparation for the resumption of the war against the Thalmor. You start the game with an Imperial Authorization to take command of the stronghold. To enter you must get the key from the previous commander.
At the stronghold you will learn of a wealthy and powerful mage, associated with both the Imperial Resistance and the Thieves' Guild though a member of neither. After she went missing investigators were sent to her work tower. They found the tower destroyed and no sign of the mage. They were, however, able to recover from the ruins a magical obelisk and some of her books which they brought to the stronghold.
From her journals you learn that there are a total of nine of these obelisks scattered across Skyrim and beyond. These obelisks will teleport you to the obelisk that matches the color of the spell you cast at it. There is some risk in using the obelisks as they were created by a mage with a reputation for creating magical devices that were both powerful and unreliable. Two of the spell books you will find in the stronghold. The rest must be acquired in an informal quest by finding each obelisk and reading its nearby spell book. There are no quest markers, you must find the obelisks by following written clues in the mage's journals and in the reports of the investigators. As each location is found it forms part of an expanding transportation system.
Each location in which an obelisk can be found is different. They vary in size, assets and general atmosphere. Three give access to moderately sized residences, one to the Archmage's Chambers, three to basic camping sites and two are set out in the world. There is also a bookstore in Markarth that is not part of this transportation system.
Location Descriptions
Whiterun Stronghold
Theme: Military base, storage and display
Location: Centrally located, it is hidden under the mountains between Whiterun and Riverwood within convenient walking distance of Whiterun. The main Stronghold has a hidden entrance on either side of the mountains. Those entrance areas can be used as basic player homes until you gain access to the Stronghold itself as there are a bedroll, cooking pot and player chest in each of them.
Access: You begin the game with a letter authorizing you to take command of the Stronghold. How you came by that letter is left to the player's imagination. The letter informs you of the location of the Stronghold and that you can get the key from the former Commander and where to look for him. If you lose the authorization before reading it the stronghold will not be accessible.
Description: This is intended as a working base and not as a family home. It is centered on a common area for eating and relaxing. To the north are the private quarters of the commander and a treasure display room off of that. To the east of the commons are two large rooms, an armory, and a mages’ study. To the west is the working area for the staff. There is a small barracks, private quarters for the permanent staff (a mage, a guard and a housekeeper), a pantry, kitchen and workroom for weapon and armor maintenance. To the south of the workroom is an escape route through to the other side of the mountains.
Assets: An armory with named storage and mannequins. A mages’ study with alchemy, enchanting, shrines to the 9 divines, and respawning naturalist displays. Display room for treasures. Kitchen area with cooking pot, oven and respawning pantry. Workroom with anvil, grindstone, workbench and tanning rack. There is a smelter at the southern exit near Riverwood. Barracks with 9 unowned beds. A mage/merchant
Hidden Crater
Theme: This is simply a pleasant place to relax, gather flora and possibly do some hunting. Just stay out of the graveyard at night.
Location: In the mountains south and east of Skyrim.
Access: The spell book for the green crater obelisk is located in the stronghold. It is not accessible except by using the obelisk.
Description: A cloistered garden in the center of a hidden grass and tree covered crater.
Archmage's Chambers
Description: No changes other than adding an obelisk and it’s spellbook to the entrance area.
Access: Gain access to the Archmage’s chamber
Madril's Hideout
Theme: A hideout suitable for a solitary thief, assassin or vampire.
Location: West Skyrim. Midway between Markarth and Solitude.
Access: The key to the hideout can be gained from the owner of the bookstore in Markarth for a modest 10,000 septim bribe. You must read the Second Report: From Winterhold in the Stronghold first to have that option.
Description: The ground floor is rented out to two khajiit. They have the use of it for their business in return for acting as caretakers. The upper floor has a mages’ workroom and temple to Nocturnal. The basement has a secret living area for the player.
Assets: Mages’ study with alchemy, enchanting, staff enchanting and imbuing chamber. Madril's Enchanted Ring which will make use of the obelisks easier and safer. There is also a magical cage to summon creatures for study. The creatures are behind a magical barrier and cannot be killed. They are only for observation. The temple to Nocturnal has a shrine to Nocturnal that will give blessings if suitable offerings are made. The temple also has the 13 doomstones. The caretakers consist of a fence for disposing of your stolen goods and an alchemist specializing in rare, imported or illegal potions, drugs and beverages.
Autumn Mist Manor
Theme: family home.
Location: Mountains south east of Skyrim. Reached through an old smugglers’ route to the far side of the mountains.
Access: Buy the key from the builder that Madril hired for a hefty 40,000 septim price. To be able to buy it you must first enter the stronghold and read the journal that gives his name and location. The option will not be available until you do.
Description: The top floor of the manor consists of a library and a mages’ study. The middle floor has a living area, master bedroom and children’s room and an exterior courtyard divided into a garden play area and a working farm area. The bottom floor has kitchen, pantry, servants’ quarters and a cave containing a sacred healing pool.
Assets: The library has many bookshelves. The mages’ study has alchemy, enchanting, shrines to Boethia, Mephala and Azura. Also an enchanted mirror and two devices that enhance enchanting and alchemy for a short time. Each can be used once per day. The children’s room has 4 child beds and an unowned double bed for the caretakers of your choice. The kitchen has a cookpot, oven and pantry. The working area of the courtyard has a smithy, a pen for a cow, goats and chickens, a plantable garden area and a mill. There is a cook/merchant and a smith/handyman pair who live downstairs.
Smugglers' Den
Location: Solstheim near Raven Rock.
Access: You must find the hidden entrance. To find it you will simply have to search carefully.
Description: An abandoned smugglers den which also works as a basic camping spot for you to stay at while exploring Solstheim. There is little in there but a bed, cookpot and chest.
Vale Hidden Camp Site, Blackreach Storage Room, Soul Cairn Cache
Locations: Hidden Vale, Blackreach, The Soul Cairn.
Access: You must simply find each site from the descriptions in the book "Travels in Strange Lands" in the stronghold.
Description: Camp sites for use while exploring and an easy way to travel to and from during and after the local quests.
Thieves' Guild Trophies
Those Thieves' Guild trophies in the vanilla game that were previously not takeable (Jeweled goblet, ect.) were replaced by takeable versions. Those can be displayed in the Stronghold but probably not in other custom displays
Naturalist Display and Pantry Items
The naturalist display and pantry items like the bread platters and soup pots will now respawn every 24 hours in the stronghold, hideout and manor.
Quick Access Guide: For those with no patience
Whiterrun Stronghold:
read imperial authorization.
coc wolfskullcaveexterior: Get key.
coc wrshtowerext: Find stronghold. Read reports, journal and spellbooks.
Madril's Hideout:
coc wrshbooks. Player.additem f,10000. Buy key.
coc wrshhideext: Enter hideout. Get Madril's ring. Read spellbook.
Autumn Mist Manor:
coc largashburexterior02. player.additem f,40000. Buy key.
coc wrshsmugglersrouteext. Enter manor. Read spellbook
Requirements
Hearthfire, Dawnguard and Dragonborn
Recommended Mods
My Home Is Your Home by Volek
Hearthfire Multiple Adoptions by TMPhoenix
Multiple Floors Sandboxing by Dovahklon
Crafting Pulls From Nearby Containers by Davidjcobb (not available for SE)
Jaxonz Positioner by Jaxonz
Changes from version 1.10
Fixed obelisk appearance
Some cosmetic changes
Safer teleport stones
Three new locations
Credits
Alchemy Clutter Resource by Blary
Ingredient Wall Art Resource by Blary
BookSet Resource by Blary
Weapons wall art by InsanitySorrow
Clutter Stuff by InsanitySorrow
Tapestries by RoboBirdie
Oriental Rugs by Volek
Modder’s Resource Pack by Oaristys
Paintings and Frames by Artisanix
Elianora’s Extra Resources by Elianora
Bunny Toys by Flintone
ResourcesForModders by Runspect
Remove clothes tutorial by Subtanker
Talos statue and Dragon Priest Mask stand by Tamira on Elderscrolls Forum
Tutorials by Darkfox127, Hellcat5, Alexander J Velicky, Antony Bellingham, and many others
Conflicts
Main stronghold will conflict with any added structures in the same location.
Items added to the Archmage's chambers near the top of the stairs may conflict with items added by other mods.
The bookstore in Markarth may conflict with any structure added in the same area.
This mod may conflict with any mod that alters the Thieves' Guild trophies, and my trophies will not be placeable in displays from other mods.
Other Mods
Whiterun Stronghold SE