Skyrim:Helgen

Town: Helgen (view on map) (lore page)
# of Zones	1
Respawn Time	Never (storage is safe)
Occupants
Bandits, Imperial Legion Soldiers, Stormcloak Soldiers
Console Location Code(s)
HelgenExterior
Region
Falkreath Hold
Location
North of Greywater Grotto South of Riverwood

Helgen before the dragon attack

Helgen is a small town in eastern Falkreath Hold.

Helgen after the dragon attack

It is the location where you begin the game, as you are transported there to be executed. Largely run by the Imperial military, the town features several fortified towers and buildings. Shortly after your arrival, the settlement comes under attack by the ancient dragon Alduin, and you are forced to escape through Helgen Keep.

If you return to the town after visiting Whiterun, the ruins will be inhabited by a group of bandits.

Helgen PeopleEdit

Residents Gunnar Stone-Eye Haming Ingrid Matlara Torolf Vilod

Officials Elenwen General Tullius Hadvar Headsman Imperial Captain Priestess of Arkay

Prisoners Gunjar Lokir Ralof Ulfric Stormcloak

a.

^

These people are only in Helgen during the opening quest, Unbound, and upon completion will relocate elsewhere in Skyrim.

b.

^

These people are killed during Alduin's attack on Helgen.

c.

^

Lokir is killed during the opening cutscene while attempting to escape the Imperial Legion.

Related QuestsEdit

• Unbound: Escape Imperial custody and a dragon attack.

NotesEdit

• During the introductory sequence before the initial quest Unbound, Ralof remembers Vilod, who used to make mead with juniper berries. If you later return to Helgen, bottles of this mead may be found on the second floor of the partly destroyed inn you jumped into during Unbound.
• Two additional residents are present during the introductory sequence; these unnamed NPCs are referenced only as MQ101GenericCivilianNordMale and MQ101GenericCivilianNordFemale in the game data. They're seen carrying firewood and a bucket inside the gate when the carriage enters town, but are never seen again.
• Helgen doesn't count as a discovered location, and therefore won't count toward the Explorer achievement.
• Helgen is the default destination for bad AI targets, meaning that bugged NPCs may end up wandering nearby.
• Approximately halfway down the road to Pinewatch, a small group of bandits has set up camp under an overhanging ledge. The bandits guard a novice-locked chest and a copy of the Light Armor skill book The Refugees.

BugsEdit

• The mead with juniper berries isn't properly enabled during your arrival and will only appear upon your later return to Helgen.
  • The Unofficial Skyrim Patch, version 1.2.1, fixes this bug.
• Vilod and Matlara are left alive after the dragon attack and can be seen wandering Helgen after its destruction.
  • The Unofficial Skyrim Patch, version 1.3.3, fixes this bug.
• Bandits, containers, and items don't have their encounter zone set and will respawn despite being in a "no reset" zone.
  • The Unofficial Skyrim Special Edition Patch, version 4.0.8, fixes this bug.