Skyrim:Whiterun Hold

It is initially neutral in Skyrim's Civil War, but both sides are actively competing to gain control of Whiterun. As a result, it is the site of the first battle of the war, Battle for Whiterun (Imperial or Stormcloaks). The Imperial Legion will secure the allegiance of the incumbent Jarl Balgruuf, who seeks reinforcements in the face of an imminent Stormcloak siege, and Balgruuf's government, now aligned with the Empire, will accordingly remain in control of the hold should the Imperial Legion successfully defend the city; otherwise, the victorious Stormcloaks will put Vignar Gray-Mane in power.
thumb|right|Map of Whiterun Hold thumb|right|Whiterun, the hold capital
 

Topographical Overview
The hold borders six of the other eight holds in Skyrim, all but Winterhold and Haafingar.

Whiterun Hold is mostly covered in tundra and bordered by two major rivers&mdash;the White River to the south, and the River Hjaal to the north&mdash;which makes the land fertile and well suited to farming.

Flora and Fauna
The tundra is home to all manner of animals and creatures, from the large&mdash;giants and mammoths&mdash;to the small&mdash;foxes and goats. The White River, flowing down from Lake Ilinalta, is home to a large population of salmon.

The tundra is rich in lavender, tundra cotton and butterflies. At night the butterflies are replaced by torchbugs and luna moths. Another location of interest is Riverwood, where the pine forest stretching up from Falkreath Hold takes by. Here are forest plants like mora tapinella and thistle more common than on the tundra. All types of mountain flowers, except the yellow variant, can be found throughout the hold. The frail red variant however seems to thrive best around the rivers by Whiterun. The snowy parts, like Throat of the World, are only home to the humble snowberry.

Routes and Pathways
As the central hold in Skyrim, its main roads are in good condition, but a few of the more remote roads are not as well maintained. There are main roads heading southward to Falkreath Hold through Riverwood and Helgen, eastward into Eastmarch and the Rift, northward to Hjaalmarch, and westward to Haafingar through Rorikstead, and to the Reach. Travelers should be encouraged to see that the main roads are regularly patrolled by Whiterun Guards.

Places
All locations in Whiterun Hold with individual map markers are listed. There are a few places without map markers listed for their significance.

Hold Capital
 
 
 
 

Farms, Towns, and Settlements including Orc Strongholds and Inns
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Camps, including Giant Camps and Military Camps
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Caves
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Ruins including Dwarven and Nordic
  
 
 
 
 
 
 

Standing Stones and Daedric Shrines
 

Towers and Forts
 
 
 
 
 

Landmarks, including Bodies of Water, Clearings, Ships and Shipwrecks
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Unmarked Places
There are four Dragon Mounds in Whiterun Hold.
North of Shimmermist Cave.
East of Swindler's Den.
Northwest of Bloated Man's Grotto.
West of Rorikstead.
There are four Shrines in Whiterun Hold.
A Shrine of Stendarr south of Swindler's Den.
A Shrine of Talos southeast of Shimmermist Cave.
A Shrine of Zenithar west of Swindler's Den.
A Shrine of Zenithar north of Broken Fang Cave.
Southeast of Sleeping Tree Camp are three Stone Totems which unlock a gate with a skeleton and a chest.

Whiterun Hold Quests
Quests that are started in or related to Whiterun Hold (except for radiant quests begun in other holds) are listed here:

Main Quest
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Imperial Legion Civil War Quests
 
 

Stormcloaks Civil War Quests
 
 

College of Winterhold Quests
 
 

Companions Quests
 
 
 
 
 
 

Daedric and Divine Quests
 
 
 
 
 

Dark Brotherhood Quests
 
 
 
 
 

Thieves Guild Quests
 
 
 

Side Quests
 
 
 
 

Creation Club Quests
 
 
 
 
 
 

Other
In addition, many miscellaneous quests are located in Whiterun Hold. They are listed here.