A Hall of the Dead is where Skyrim’s city folk end up after their final adventure. These funerary halls hold embalmed and buried citizens, and each has a shrine to Arkay, god of burials and funeral rites. You’ll find one in Whiterun, Solitude, Markarth, Riften, Windhelm and Falkreath – but not in Morthal, Dawnstar or Winterhold, whatever the loading screen claims.
What you’ll find
- A Shrine of Arkay in every hall.
- Catacombs beneath the Whiterun and Solitude halls, where priests perform the death rites – and where the odd skeleton may still wander.
- Fresh graves – when a citizen dies during your game, a coffin or burial urn labelled with their name soon appears in the nearest city’s catacombs. A sobering record of your misadventures.
Whiterun
The catacombs hold the book Death Blow of Abernanit in the first room on the left, an Amulet of Arkay and a Stone of Barenziah. The quest Andurs’ Arkay Amulet starts here.
Solitude
Mostly loot from the fallen: Asgeir’s wedding band, or Vittoria Vici’s wedding band, dress, sandals and wreath, if things go badly during Bound Until Death, and General Tullius’ armor if he dies in the Battle for Solitude. The Wolf Queen Awakened also involves this hall.
Markarth
The Restoration skill book 2920, Rain’s Hand sits on the shelf above the bed in the chamber right of the Shrine of Arkay. The creepy quest The Taste of Death begins here.
Windhelm
Tied to Blood on the Ice, the Butcher murder mystery.
Riften
Connected to the quest Pilgrimage.
Falkreath
The Conjuration skill book The Doors of Oblivion hides under the bed on the left.
Tips
Halls of the Dead are a cheap source of skill books: Whiterun, Markarth and Falkreath each have one lying around. If an important NPC died in a quest, check the local catacombs before reloading – their unique gear may well have been laid to rest with them. And try not to loot every urn in front of the priests; grave robbing is still frowned upon.
Details checked against community wiki articles and the Skyrim game files, summarised in our own words.