Karthwasten is a small mining town on the banks of the Karth River, northeast of Markarth and west of Rebel’s Cairn. It is all about silver: there are two silver mines, two smelters, and houses with silver ore and ingots lying around. Most travellers first turn up looking for the next Sybil of Dibella, only to walk straight into a shouting match over who owns the local mine.
What you’ll find
- Sanuarach Mine: the larger of the two silver mines, at the heart of the town’s dispute. A dead hagraven lies outside by the smelter.
- Fenn’s Gulch Mine: the second silver mine.
- Karthwasten Miner’s Barracks and several homes.
- Two smelters, one outside each mine – handy for turning your own ore into ingots.
Residents
- Ainethach – the mine owner trying to hold on to Sanuarach Mine.
- Atar – leader of the Silver-Blood mercenaries pushing to take the mine over.
- Lash gra-Dushnikh – daughter of Gharol, the blacksmith of Dushnikh Yal.
- Belchimac, Enmon, Fjotra, Mena and Ragnar round out the population.
Quests
- Sanuarach Mine: choose a side. Kill or persuade the Silver-Blood mercenaries to leave for a leveled gold reward from Ainethach – which also makes Lash send word to the Orc strongholds that you can be trusted. Or talk Ainethach into selling and collect from the mercenary leader instead.
- The Heart of Dibella: Hamal at the Temple of Dibella in Markarth sends you here to find the temple’s new Sybil.
- Gharol’s Message: bring Gharol’s sword from Dushnikh Yal to her daughter Lash.
- Balance of Power: a task to defeat Kinthal, northeast of town.
Tips
If you want into the Orc strongholds, side with Ainethach on your first visit – it is one of the easiest ways to earn Orc trust. Players also note that, with some creative scheming, you can get paid by both sides of the mine dispute. Whether that is shrewd business or plain villainy is between you and your conscience.
If fast travel or waiting suddenly gets blocked here with no enemy in sight, head up the hill that links the town to the road by the river and try again from there.
Good to know
Karthwasten has no guards of its own – the only town in Skyrim like that. After the Silver-Blood mercenaries are dealt with, a hold guard eventually shows up at each mine. Long before Markarth took over, Karthwasten was reportedly the regional capital, according to the Pocket Guide to the Empire.
Nearby
Closest places covered on TamrielSaga: Shrine to Peryite, Dragontooth Crater, Four Skull Lookout, Harmugstahl, Blind Cliff Cave.
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.