Guides / The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition

Embershard Mine

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition guide · Exploring near Riverwood early in the journey

Embershard Mine is a small iron mine occupied by bandits, located southwest of Riverwood along the path from the Guardian Stones. It serves as an early-game dungeon where you can clear out a small bandit operation and harvest raw iron ore. Exploring deeper requires lowering a wooden drawbridge using a nearby lever.

Region: Whiterun Hold
Levels: 2–18
Getting there: southwest of Riverwood, just north of the Guardian Stones along the road
Enemy types: Bandit · Bandit Outlaw · Bandit Thug

Items

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Spell Tome: Clairvoyance: On a table inside the bandit living quarters near the raised bridgeLight Armor Skill Book: Light Armor Forging: Next to the blacksmith forge in the lower cavern areaPickaxe: Near the entrance carts and scattered near various ore veins throughout the mineEmbershard Cell Key: Carried by one of the bandits near the central forge area, or sitting on a table nearby

Secrets

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A locked treasure chest is hidden underwater in a flooded trench near the forge area.A pull lever near the raised wooden bridge can be triggered to drop the bridge and allow passage deeper into the mine.

Enemies

Bandit

Steal / drop Iron weapons, fur/iron armor, lockpicks

Common low-level melee and archer enemies stationed throughout the tunnels.

Tips

Mine the numerous iron ore veins scattered across the walls to gain crafting materials and level up your Smithing early.
You can drop a suspended bone-and-pot trap onto the bandits below near the bridge by cutting the tripwire above.

Not listed for this area: shops and people.

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Riverwood

Bleak Falls Barrow

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