Standing Stones Locations (Plus Map)

*Don't be afraid to click-and-enlarge or whatever!*

Standing Stones:
Skill Improvement Stones:
                 (A) The Warrior Stone (Falkreath), Combat skills increase 20% faster
                  (A) The Mage Stone (Falkreath), Magic skills improve 20% faster
                  (A)The Thief Stone (Falkreath), Stealth skills increase 20% faster
                  (B) The Lover Stone (Reach) All skills improve 15% faster
Other Stones
                  (C) The Apprentice Stone (Hjaalmarch) Recover Magicka twice as fast, but twice as weak to magic damage
                  (D) The Atronach Stone (Eastmarch), 50+ Magicka, 50% absorb spells, -50% Magicka regen
                  (E) The Lady Stone (Falkreath), Regenerate health and stamina 25% faster
                  (F) The Lord Stone (Pale), 50+ damage resistance, 25% magic resistance
                  (G) The Ritual Stone (Whiterun), Raises all dead around you to fight for you
                  (H) The Serpent Stone (Winterhold), Paralyze the target for 5 seconds and do 25 points of damage
                  (I) The Shadow Stone (Rift), Invisibility for one minute
                  (J) The Steed Stone (Haafingar), +100 carry weight, no movement penalties from armor
                  (K) The Tower Stone (Winterhold), Allows you to pick the lock on anything, once per day

Thieves Guild Quest: No Stone Unturned (Map Locations)

For Reference:

1.     [1.00] Solitude (Proudspire Manor)

2.     [1.00] Solitude (Blue Palace)

3.     [1.21] Thalmor Embassy (Elenwen’s Solar)

4.     [1.27] Dainty Sload

5.     [4.00] College of Winterhold (Arch-Mage’s Quarters)

6.     [4.02] Yngvild (chamber behind throne room)

7.     [4.05] Hob’s Fall Cave (in the sleeping area)

8.     [5.00] Markarth (Treasury House)

9.     [5.00] Markarth (Understone keep)

10. [5.36] Dead Crone Rock (on altar)

11. [6.00] Whiterun (Jorrvaskr)

12. [6.00] Whiterun (Hall of the Dead)

13. [6.00] Whiterun (Dragonsreach)

14. [6.09] Ranneveig’s Fast (near the watery prison)

15. [6.29] Fellglow Keep (the workroom in the front foyer)

16. [7.00] Windhelm (House of the Shatter-Shields)

17. [7.00] Windhelm (Palace of the Kings]

18. [7.36] Stony Creek Cave (in the room off the side river)

19. [7.38] Ansilvund (in final room)

20. [8.02] Sunderstone Gorge (by Word Wall)

21. [8.22] Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary

22. [8.28] Pinewatch (in the treasure room)

23. [9.00] Riften (Mistveil Keep)

24. [9.35] Black-Briar Lodge (master bedroom)

Thane Quests: How to Become Thane in All the Holds

Thane Tasks

Thane of Haafingar

(N/A) Jarl Elisif the Fair – Solitude

To become Thane, you must complete the Side Quest: The Wolf Queen Awakened and a task the Jarl gives you, Elisif’s Tribute. This pretty much involves trekking through the wilderness.

Then you must complete five Favors (miscellaneous objectives) for the citizens of Solitude (including the Jarl). This does not include helping members of a guild, such as the Thieves Guild, or the Dark Brotherhood.

Finally, you may purchase a house in the city. Steward Falk Firebeard is able to sell you Proudspire Manor for 25,000 Gold.

Proudspire Manor: 25,000 Gold

Upgrades: Bedroom (2,000), Living Room (2,000), Alchemy Lab (2,500), Enchanting Area (2,500), Kitchen (1,500), Patio (500)

Bonus: Stone of Barenziah (Unusual Gem), Housecarl: Jordis the Sword-Maiden, Blade of Haafingar(sword).

Thane of Hjaalmarch

(Stormcloak) Jarl Sorli the Builder – Morthal

To become Thane, you must have captured Morthal in the Civil War Questline.

(Imperial) Jarl Igrod Ravencrone – Morthal

To become Thane, you must have completed Side Quest: Laid to Rest.

You must then complete three Favors (miscellaneous objectives) for the citizens of Morthal (including the Jarl). This does not include helping members of a guild, such as the Thieves Guild, or the Dark Brotherhood.

There is no house available in Morthal, however you receive the Blade of Hjaalmarch(sword).

Thane of the Pale

(Stormcloak) Jarl Skald the Elder – Dawnstar

You must complete the Daedric Quest: The Waking Nightmare as well as Jarl Skald’s favor.

(Imperial) Jarl Brina Merilis – Dawnstar

You must have captured The Pale Hold in the Civil War Quests.

You must then complete three Favors (miscellaneous objectives) for the citizens of Dawnstar (including the Jarl). This does not include helping members of a guild, such as the Thieves Guild, or the Dark Brotherhood.

There is no house available in Dawnstar, but your consolation prize is the Blade of the Pale(sword).

Thane of Winterhold

(Stormcloak) Jarl Korir – Winterhold

You must complete his Favor

(Imperial) Jarl Kraldar – Winterhold

You must capture Winterhold as part of the Civil War Questline.

You must then complete three Favors (miscellaneous objectives) for the citizens of Winterhold (including the Jarl). This does not include helping members of a guild, such as the Thieves Guild, or the Dark Brotherhood.

Instead of a house, Winterhold gives you…The Blade of Winterhold (sword)....

Thane of the Reach

(Imperial) Jarl Igmund – Markarth

You must have completed his Favor.

(Stormcloak) Jarl Thongvor Silver-Fish – Markarth

You must have captured Markarth in the Civil War Quests to become Thane of this Hold.

You must then complete five Favors (miscellaneous objectives) for the citizens of Markarth (including the Jarl). This does not include helping members of a guild, such as the Thieves Guild, or the Dark Brotherhood.

Then you can buy Vlindrel Hall from Steward Raerek (Imperial) or Steward Reburrus Quintilius (Stormcloak) for 8,000 Gold.

Vlindrel Hall: 8,000 Gold

Upgrades: Bedroom (800), Living Room (900), Enchanting Area (1,000), Alchemy lab (1,000), Entrance (500)

Bonus: Super Storage Room! Follower Argis the Bulwark, and the Blade of the Reach (which is an axe)

Thane of Whiterun

(N/A) Jarl Balgruuf the Greater – Whiterun

You become the Thane a soon as you get anywhere in the Main Quest (namely the Quest: Dragon Rising). Your Housecarl will wait in Dragonsreach until you buy Breezehome.

(Stormcloak) Jarl Vignar – Whiterun

If you side with the Stormcloaks in the Civil War, Vignar becomes Jarl, after you’re Thane.

You are immediately able to purchase Breezehome from Steward Proventus Avenicci (Imperial) or you can wait and buy from Steward Brill (Stormcloak).

Breezehome: 5,000 Gold

Upgrades: Living Room (250), Dining Room (250), Kitchen (300), Bedroom (300), Loft (200), Alchemy Lab (500)

Bonus: Housecarl: Lydia, Blade of Whiterun (axe), nice storage space, and a central location

Thane of Eastmarch

(Stormcloak) Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak – Windhelm

You must capture the holds of Whiterun and Falkreth in the Civil War Questline to become Thane.

(Imperial) Jarl Brunwulf Free-Winter – Windhelm

You must have captured Windhelm in the Civil War Questline (so like, finished it).

You must then do five Favors for the people of WIndhelm and complete Side Quest: Blood on the Ice. When it is completed, (Imperial) Steward Captain Lonely-Gale or (Stormcloak) Steward Jorleif will allow you to buy Hjerim (I’ve heard that the house can be bought while doing the side quest, but I would recommend against it because Hjerim, though lovely, has a lot of glitches). If you decide not to buy the house before completing the quest, I would advise that you buy the Clean Up Crimescene upgrade first!

Hjerim: 12,000 Gold

Upgrades: Clean Up (500), Bedroom (1,000), Kitchen (1,000), Living Room (1,500), Alchemy Lab (1,500), Enchanting Area (1,500), Armory (2000)

Bonus: Housecarl: Calder, Blade of Eastmarch (Axe), Hjerim’s secret room

Thane of Falkreath

(Imperial) Jarl Siddegeir – Falkreath

To become Thane, you have to complete the Jarl’s Favor and a Rare Item Hunt for him.

(Stormcloak) Jarl Dengeir of Stuhn – Falkreath

You must capture Falkreath in the Civil War Quests

You must then complete three favors for the people.

There is no home available in Falkreath, but there is a Blade of Falkreath (sword).

Thane of the Rift

(Imperial) Jarl Maven Black-Briar – Riften

Capture the Rift in the Civil War Quests! Then complete the Quest: Deal with the Skooma Trade.

(Stormcloak) Jarl Laila Law-Giver – Riften

You must complete the third part of Quest: Deal with the Skooma Trade.

Complete five Favors for the citizens of Riften and Steward (Imperial) Hemming Black-Briar or Steward (Stormcloak) Anuriel will allow you to buy Honeyside.

Honeyside: 8,000 Gold

Upgrades: Porch (400), Kitchen (500), Bedroom (600), Garden (800), Alchemy Lab (1,000), Enchanting Area (1,000)

Bonus: Housecarl: Iona, Blade of the Rift (sword), a Garden, an alternate way into Riften.

Daedric Quest: Ill Met By Moonlight

Prerequisites: None

Reward: Ring of Hircine (allows one more werewolf transformation a day, and is needed for an achievement) or Savior’s Hide

Intersecting Quests: None

The Curse on Falkreath

For such a modest town, Falkreath has a sizeable cemetery. As you enter this location, a burial ceremony is under way for a young girl. Instead of marching right in and interrogating everyone, you should talk to the townsfolk for some info. You can speak to the child’s parents (Indara Caerelia or Mathies). Either will tell you that their daughter was ripped apart by a man named Sinding and that he’s located in the Falkreath Barracks. If you miss the funeral, visit the parents on their farm.

Visit the Falkreath Barracks and find Sinding. He tells you he is a werewolf and was given a cursed ring. He says he honestly feels bad about the girl, too. He asks you to help him appease Hircine, Daedric Lord of the Hunt (who owns the cursed ring) by slaying a White Stag in the woods nearby.

WARNING!! When you have this ring in your inventory, it can’t be removed until the quest is over. This is bad because if you are already a werewolf, every minute that you are in a town, you have a 10% chance of transforming suddenly (this gives you an insta-bounty of 1000 Gold every time you change forms)

The Lord of the Hunt Smiles on You

The great White Stag is usually around the path by Peak’s Shade Tower, but it’s always moving. Long range weapons (magic and bows) are probably preferred here. Kill the Stag and a ghost-Hircine appears (ironically as a stag). He tells you that Sinding has escaped and gone into hiding and that the Great Hunt has been called on him (meaning you gotta kill him). Hircine tells you to bring him Sinding’s skin…literally.

Sinding has fled to Bloated Man’s Grotto, which is just north of Lake Ilinalta, on the southern rim of the Tundra. You’ll notice as you enter that the sky is blood red and full of swirly clouds. The Bloodmoon looms overhead (*cue evil music*). As the entrance cave opens up (by the way? The sky is red because Hircine has focused his powers here by calling the Great Hunt on Sinding, apparently), you spot a campsite where a bunch of dead, icky hunters lie. Yum. No, ew, gross! You can talk to a khajit, who’s on his deadbed. He can only tell you that Sinding is strong (oooh, scary) and that more hunters have been called in (backup).

The path to the left has been blocked by fallen trees, so you’re gonna wanna take door number two (path past the pond). You hear a roar (Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!) and turn around to see Sinding (standing epically on a rocky outcrop). Time to CHARGE IN AND BASH BRAINSSS! Ohhwait! Before I forget, there iiiis another option. There are two ways to complete this quest, starting now.

Path 1 involves attacking Sinding or telling him he has to die. This makes him sad and he dashes off. You’ve got to give (annoying) chase and will probably require the use of Whirlwind Sprint or Slow Time Shouts to catch up to him. Sinding will run into the first clearing, kill two hunters, flee into the second, kill three hunters, and finally run into the last clearing to begin fighting 3 more hunters. Here, Sinding will stand his ground and fight. If you’re dying, it’s helpful to know that Sinding has no ranged attacks, so if you’re hurting, back up and start spewing fire or arrow-spamming. After killing Sinding, skin him and give his skin to Hircine, who appears. He rewards you with Savior’s Hide. This is armor which is slightly weaker than Elven Armor at 28 base protection. However, the armor has strong poison and magic resistance. If you wear this armor while playing as a Redguard or Wood Elf, you should have 100% Poison resistance (perfect for vampire and falmer dens)

Path 2 involves talking to Sinding and telling him that you’ve been told to kill him, or that you’ve decided to spare him. Sinding is grateful and the two of you gang up on the hunters.  There are two hunters in the first clearing and three in each of the next two clearings. After this, you can speak with Sinding and leave the grotto. In Path 2, Hircine appears outside of the cave and tells you that regardless of the outcome, he was satisfied by the hunt. He removed the curse on the ring and it grants you one extra werewolf transformation a day as well as counting toward your daedric artifact collection.

Bonus! I’ve heard that it’s possible to get both the hide and the ring. To do this, you have to side with Sinding, kill all the hunters, and then kill and skin Sinding. Hircine will appear, take the skin, give you the armor, and when you leave the cave, he will remove the ring’s curse instead of taking it. I don’t yet know if this is true.