| Pinepeak Cavern | |
|---|---|
| Type | Landmark |
| Continent | Tamriel |
| Province | Skyrim |
| Hold | The Rift (Ragged Hills) |
| Appears in | Skyrim, ESO |
Pinepeak Cavern is a cave next to the path up the Throat of the World, in the province of Skyrim. It is a natural cavern with a deep and expansive sub-structure that refugees have often used as a sanctuary in centuries of tumultuous times. While some of the local Nords claim that it is safe, others refuse to enter the cave because of the fear that it may cave in on them.[1] Unbeknownst to them, Pinepeak Cavern has a tomb deep in the cave system built for one of the Five Hundred Companions, Hakra,[2] who died in battle against the half-giant chieftain, Sinmur.[3]
HistoryEdit
According to the Speluncus Tamrielicum, the reason why natural caverns such as Pinepeak are so abundant is that they may have served as a system of capillaries and nodes that pulsed the divine essence of its Aedric creators.[4] Ysgramor and his Five Hundred Companions fought a large battle against the Merethic Era Chieftain, Sinmur and the giant clans of ancient Skyrim until Sinmur stood his last stand. Many companions died in this final battle, including Hakra and her fellow companion, Valdur. After Sinmur had been felled by Ysgramor and his legendary axe, Wuuthrad,[3] both Hakra and Valdur were buried in the western corners of the Rift, with Hakra placed in Pinepeak's tomb, to protect the land in death from threats to Skyrim's longevity.[5] Hakra's spirit was bound to the tomb via burial urns of Kyne, Stuhn, and Shor.[6]
During the Interregnum in 2E 582, the Order of the Black Worm had ambushed the Ebonheart Pact at Pinepeak Cavern, during their plan to enslave Hakra's spirit to resurrect Sinmur. With a shard of Hakra's essence, the King's Arrow was able to work with Hakra and release her from the tomb's ward. Once they destroyed the final urn, the Worm Cult had taken full control of her spirit and sent it to attack the King's Arrow. The warrior was not only able to defeat the companion, but also the Worm Cult that infested the cave and with Hakra's spirit liberated, the King's Arrow traveled south to Taarengrav, where the Worm Cult conducted the same plan for Valdur's spirit.[7]
Several years later in 4E 201, the entrance to Hakra's tomb had been lost and the cave was used as bear's den. Some hunters tried to take out the bear but have failed.[8] The Companions of Whiterun sometimes get contracted work to eliminate the bear that lives in Pinepeak Cavern.[9]
GalleryEdit
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Hakra
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Pinepeak Cavern ca. 4E 201
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Pinepeak Cavern's interior
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Tomb of Sly Hakra
See AlsoEdit
- For game-specific information, see the Skyrim and Elder Scrolls Online articles.
ReferencesEdit
- ^ Pinepeak Cavern location in ESO
- ^ Netapatuu's dialogue in ESO
- ^ a b Songs of the Return, Volume 27
- ^ Weeping Wind Cave loading screen text in ESO
- ^ Valdur's dialogue in ESO
- ^ Hakra's dialogue in ESO
- ^ Tomb Beneath the Mountain story quest in ESO
- ^ Pinepeak Cavern location in Skyrim
- ^ Animal Extermination radiant quest in Skyrim