Drelas’ Cottage is a small cabin in the valley between the mountains, west of Hamvir’s Rest, south of Morthal and northwest of Dustman’s Cairn. It looks like a peaceful homestead with a vegetable patch and chickens, but the owner, a Dunmer dark mage named Drelas, attacks anyone who wanders in. Get past him and you’ll find a well-stocked workshop.
What you’ll find
- Drelas himself, who turns hostile as soon as he spots you. He uses Firebolt, Lightning Bolt and frost magic, with Ice Spike being his favourite.
- An arcane enchanter and an alchemy lab inside, plus plenty of ingredients.
- A chest with the mage’s valuables in the upstairs bedroom.
- A small vegetable garden and a chicken’s nest with two or three chickens outside.
Notable items
- The upstairs chest is one of the places where Meridia’s Beacon can turn up.
- Alchemy ingredients throughout the cabin.
Tips
Drelas fights entirely with spells and leans heavily on frost, so frost resistance or a quick rush to close the distance works well. Watch the sky on the way in: Eldersblood Peak, which has a Word Wall, is just up the hill to the northwest, and a dragon often circles near the cottage. Followers act strangely inside – most will just tell you that you’re not supposed to be in here, even after Drelas is dead. Only Cicero and Serana keep talking normally. Serana has her own quirk here, though: she can get stuck hovering over Drelas’ body after the fight, and attacking her until she drops is reportedly the only way to snap her out of it. Also avoid shouting Slow Time indoors here – players report the effect sticks around until you rest.
Good to know
Drelas doesn’t respawn, but his belongings do – and everything stays flagged as stolen, even with the owner gone. Some players still use the cottage as an early, free base for crafting and storage, or as a makeshift home if they never become Thane anywhere. Just don’t expect a deed.
Nearby
Closest places covered on TamrielSaga: Greenspring Hollow, Hamvir’s Rest, Dustman’s Cairn, Rannveig’s Fast, Redoran’s Retreat.
Location data (hold, map position, editor ID) read from the Skyrim game files; details checked against community wiki articles and summarised in our own words.
