Skeletons are the dead who refuse to stay that way. Brought back by magic or other supernatural means, these piles of animated bone are a common sight in the tombs, crypts, ruins and forts of Skyrim. Some were raised by necromancers to serve as minions; many others simply stand guard in burial places, waiting for adventurers to disturb their rest.
They are a varied lot. A skeleton might carry a sword, an axe, a club or a bow, sometimes with a shield, and some can also cast destruction magic. Armour is not unusual either, especially on skeletons of ancient Nords. For reasons nobody seems able to explain, some skeletons have eye sockets that glow blue while others stay dark.
Variants
- Skeleton – the basic reanimated warrior.
- Skeleton Warrior – a tougher fighting variant.
- Skeleton Champion – the strongest of the listed variants.
Skeletons appear in both the base game and Dawnguard, and their level adjusts to the player.
Where to find them
Expect skeletons wherever the dead are buried or where necromancers practise their craft: tombs and burial crypts, ancient ruins and abandoned forts. Skyrim in particular is full of such places, so few dungeon crawlers get far without meeting a few rattling guards. If a dungeon is held by a necromancer, the skeletons there are likely to be that mage’s servants rather than random restless dead.
Lore
Necromancers raise them as cheap and obedient muscle; the infamous Sload necromancer N’Gasta is one example of a sorcerer who kept skeletal servants. Even so, the source notes that most skeletons in Skyrim are found in tombs and crypts rather than in a necromancer’s service. For other undead you may meet in the same halls, see the draugr and the ghost.
