Lore:Northwind Mine

Northwind Mine
Type	Settlement
Continent	Tamriel
Province	Skyrim
Hold	The Rift
Appears in	Skyrim, ESO

Northwind Mine circa 4E 201

Northwind Mine circa 2E 582

Northwind Mine is an ancient iron mine found in the Rift northwest of Shor's Stone, high up in the mountains that form the border with Eastmarch. It tunnels into a mountaintop known as Northwind Summit.

During the Merethic Era, the ancient Nords erected a Word Wall at the top of Northwind Summit, inscribed in the dragon language.

The iron mine at Northwind has been in existence since at least the Second Era, during which time it was worked by a reclusive family of Nord miners who built a significant settlement at the site. They worked the mine for generations, and sometimes didn't descend for supplies for months on end.

This isolation proved disastrous in 2E 582, when a coalition of Reachman clans invaded the Rift and took control of the mine. The locals initially thought nothing of the disappearance of the miners, and it wasn't until nearby Shor's Stone was attacked by the clans that the Reachmen presence was discovered. After the sacking of Fallowstone Hall, a Dunmer member of the Ebonheart Pact and ally of the Companions named Tovisa decided to investigate with the help of the Vestige. They discovered that the mine was occupied by the Stonetalon Clan, who were performing human sacrifices to establish a hagraven coven in the mine. The Stonetalons were successfully driven off and the hagravens killed, although Tovisa was captured and ritually blinded in the process.

By the Fourth Era, a mammoth-hunting camp had been established at the summit. Both the mine and the camp had become abandoned by 4E 201 and were guarded by skeletal undead. With the return of Alduin that year, a dragon began to use the summit as its lair, but was eventually killed when a bounty was placed on its head.

See Also

• For game-specific information, see the Skyrim and Elder Scrolls Online articles.