Skyrim:Pinewatch

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Shack: Pinewatch (view on map)
# of Zones	2
Clearable	Yes
Dungeon	Yes
Respawn Time	10 days or 30 days
Level	Min: 6
Occupants
Bandits, Rhorlak, Rigel Strong-Arm
Important Treasure
The Red Kitchen Reader Curious Silver Mold Unusual Gem
Console Location Code(s)
Pinewatch01, Pinewatch02
Region
Falkreath Hold
Location
Northeast of Falkreath West of Helgen
Special Features
# of Tanning Racks	1
# of Grindstones	1
# of Workbenches	1
# of Cooking Pots/Spits	1
# of Wood Chopping Blocks	1
# of Stone QuarriesHF	1
Shadowmark	Danger

Pinewatch

Pinewatch is a shack northeast of Falkreath containing bandits. It contains two zones: Pinewatch and Pinewatch Bandit's Sanctuary.

The cottage rests above a secret underground cave, which can be entered and cleared and the items for both related quests collected prior to starting the quests. With Hearthfire installed, Lakeview Manor is a short distance to the north, beyond the pool.

Related Quests

• No Stone Unturned: Find the 24 gems to restore the Crown of Barenziah.
• Silver Lining: Recover a stolen silver mold for a silversmith.

Walkthrough

Exterior

Along the path to the house from the road are two thistles, six purple mountain flowers, three red mountain flowers, and two blue mountain flowers. The cart in front of the cottage contains four leeks and eight potatoes. There is a small pool just to the northeast, with two mudcrabs and a Nirnroot plant. There is a tanning rack on the south side of the house, and a wood chopping block and a fenced garden at the rear. The garden contains six leek plants, five potato plants, and two snowberry bushes. To the right of the door, behind a food barrel and sack, a Danger shadowmark is painted on the wall.

To the north are two iron ore veins, and to the northwest is a corundum ore vein. Another corundum ore vein can be found due south, and another iron ore vein can be found to the east-southeast. With Hearthfire installed, there are two stone quarries nearby: one by the north side of the cottage, and the second farther north beyond the two iron ore veins near the location of Lakeview Manor.

Down the road to the southwest is a bandit-controlled bridge, a lookout post where bandits and a falling boulder trap await unwary passersby.

Crops	Plants
6 Leek 5 Potato	2 Blue Mountain Flower 6 Purple Mountain Flower 3 Red Mountain Flower 2 Snowberries 2 Thistle

Pinewatch

The entrance is kept adept-locked at all times. The cottage is occupied by Rhorlak, who will turn hostile when you enter unless you are on the quest Silver Lining (see the quest page for details). Everything inside the cottage (except the items held by Rhorlak) is marked as owned, and taking anything is considered stealing. However, entering the cottage is not considered trespassing.

Upon entering, you are in a single room the full size of the cottage. On your immediate left is a rack hanging from the ceiling which holds two pheasants and a whole salmon. In the southern corner is a stack of crates over a flight of stairs that lead down to the basement along the southwest wall. The occupant is usually found downstairs. Opposite the doors, against the northwest wall is a dresser containing clothes, with two common books on top. To the right is a wooden bench, and farther to the right is a small round wooden table with a small mead barrel on top. At the far end of the wall are some barrels and a cupboard holding an iron sword, a Potion of True Shot, and three iron arrows. On the floor in front of the cupboard are two sabre cat pelts. Against the northeast wall is a long wooden table holding two bottles of Nord mead, a banded iron shield, a random sword, an iron helmet, a random war axe, a hunting bow, a random mace, and two iron arrows. Above the table are two garlic braids, a bunch of dried frost mirriam, and a bunch of dried elves ear.

In the eastern corner are more barrels with a crate on top, and beside these is another long wooden table against the southeast wall. On this table are three bottles of Nord mead, two potatoes, a raw rabbit leg, a pheasant breast, a salmon steak, a seared slaughterfish steak, a baked potato, a portion of grilled leeks, and some bread and cheese. Hanging over this table are two more racks holding a total of four rabbits, a pheasant, and a whole salmon. To the right is a set of shelves holding six common books, two hats, a pair of leather bracers, a belted tunic, and two pairs of boots. Beside the shelves is a round table, and near the door, pinned to the wall by an iron dagger, is a warning note.

Pinewatch downstairs

Descend the stairs to another room of the same size. On your left is a cupboard holding two cabbages, two potatoes, two raw rabbit legs, and four salt piles. To the right is a fireplace, with a cooking pot on a hearthstone and a bulb of garlic beside it. On the mantelpiece are three iron daggers, a bowl of troll fat, and a bottle of alto wine. To the right of the fireplace is a pile of firewood with a woodcutter's axe leaning against it, and behind the firewood is another cupboard which holds only clutter. Hanging over the cupboard are three bunches of dried elves ear and two bunches of dried frost mirriam. Coming out of the middle of the northeast wall is a single owned bed, with an end table to the left holding two bottles of Nord mead. To the right is a dresser containing clothes, with a steel mace on top. Under the bed is a pair of random boots.

Against the southeast wall is a round wooden table and chairs with a loaf of bread and two more bottles of Nord mead. To the right is an empty set of shelves, with a bottle of wine beside it on the floor and two loose septims on the floor in front. To the right of the shelves is a long wooden table holding a Note to Rhorlak, a small coin purse, five loose septims, a random war axe, a quiver of iron arrows, and a bear trap. On the wall immediately to the left of the table is a button that swings open the shelves, revealing a tunnel behind. There is a bucket containing three bottles of wine immediately behind the shelves, which are a bonus as mentioned in the note to Rhorlak. Most of the bandits below are leveled, and most are within earshot of several others, which can lead to some challenging battles.

Beneath the cottage

At the bottom, the tunnel opens into a large chamber with architecture similar to Nordic barrows, with wooden platforms on scaffolding linked by wooden bridges. On your immediate right, leaning against the wall is a woodcutter's axe, while on your immediate left is a set of shelves holding a quiver of random arrows, a bear trap, and a copy of the Sneak skill book The Red Kitchen Reader. Farther to the left is the corpse of a High Elf with an iron dagger in their back, in front of another set of shelves holding a random healing potion, a random stamina potion, a hide shield, an iron helmet, and a woodcutter's axe. To the right is a cart containing several cheese wheels and potatoes, with a flight of wooden stairs descending to the ground level below. To the right of the tunnel past a wall of wooden planking is a narrow bridge linking to the first platform.

On the far side of the first bridge is a bandit standing guard, with a second farther to the left. Beneath the platforms and bridge is a rubble-choked chamber. On the far side of the first bridge is a crossroads, with a second bridge behind continuing to the north, a door on the right that is barred from the other side (which will be a shortcut back out later), and a bridge crossing to a level-locked door to the west. Behind this door is a small alcove with a set of shelves holding four bottles of alto wine, three bottles of wine, a random potion of health, a random potion of stamina, a random potion, a random poison, and a bottle of frostbite venom. Another bridge leads past the alcove to the north and meets up with a second western bridge connecting to the other northern bridge across the gap; continuing to the north leads into another chamber. Another bandit patrols the bridge heading west; any noise at this point can alert the bandit and cause them to investigate. The chamber to the north contains nothing of interest, and only provides an alternative route down to the ground level in the first chamber. In this chamber, there is a wooden ramp on the left and an earthen ramp on the right, both descending to the ground. A short tunnel heading southwest leads back beneath the platforms and bridges in the first chamber.

Spike pit

At ground level, near the southern corner of the chamber is an apprentice-locked chest by a rock pillar with a torch above it, close to the front of the chamber and the first wooden bridge crossed previously. There are several carts nearby, with several cabbages strewn across the ground. To the north of the stairs is a trap door, with a lever to the right and another at the rear that both operate the door. The corpses of two Khajiit lie on top of the trap door. Under the flight of stairs is a tunnel, with a bear trap partway along it. After two turns, the tunnel descends into a small spike pit beneath the trap door. Among the stakes are several human bones, the bodies of two more dead Khajiit, a small coin purse, a potion of minor healing, and a lit torch. Returning to ground level, a short distance east of the trap door is a woodcutter's axe stuck in a block of wood, and beyond that is another bear trap on the ground.

Pinewatch chamber

Following the platforms and crossing the bridges to the west leads to a narrow corridor and a small empty room, with another chamber beyond containing a total of three bandits. One of the bandits is usually found working a grindstone, a second patrols the chamber, and the third just stands around. The chamber is filled with stacks of crates, barrels, sacks, and furniture. There is an unlocked chest near the bottom of a ramp to the north of the grindstone. The ramp leads up to a stone walkway running across the chamber. At the top of the ramp is an oil lantern hanging above a broken urn, while an intact urn is on the walkway to the east. At the rear of the chamber, to the north, part of the walkway is separated from the rest. A wooden ramp leads up to a novice-locked chest on this separate section of walkway. Beneath this section, a path descends to the southeast to a wooden door that leads into Pinewatch Bandit's Sanctuary. Just in front and to the left of the door is a final bandit standing against the wall, and four loose septims are on the ground in front of the door.

Pinewatch Bandit's Sanctuary

Pinewatch sanctuary

The architecture in this zone is still that of typical Nordic barrows. Ahead is a chamber with bone chimes hanging from the ceiling in front, which may be avoided by passing to the left. The chamber beyond is filled with stacks of crates and barrels in rows on either side of a long wooden table in the center. There are three bandits sitting at the table, one of which is a magic-user who has a preference for shock magic. All three of the bandits carry a copy of Roras's Letter, which details a plot to break into the treasure room by Roras, whom the previous warning note has revealed to be dead. On the table are five bottles of Nord mead, four of them in a basket. A path runs behind the stack on the left, with a bear trap on the ground at either end. There are four common books on top of a barrel near the front of the chamber. Partway along the stack on the left is a novice-locked chest, just before a rock pillar. Nearby on the same side, just after the pillar, is an expert-locked chest. There is a barrel next to the second chest with a basket on top containing another five bottles of Nord mead. Along the southwest wall is an earthen ramp, which starts at the rear of the room and rises toward the front. At the top of the ramp is a short narrow tunnel heading west into another chamber. You can hear a bandit singing or talking to themselves as they patrol the chamber ahead.

There are several rock pillars supporting the ceiling and blocking a clear view of the next chamber. There is only the one bandit patrolling this chamber. Between the pillars is a bear trap, and against the northern wall are two level-locked square cages. The left-hand cage can be opened with the Pinewatch Key, which is carried by Rigel Strong-Arm. However, neither cage contains anything of interest. To the southwest is a large arch with wooden beams supporting it. To the right under the arch is a pickaxe, and just beyond is the body of a dead bandit near part of a walkway that has fallen from above. At the end of the chamber is a narrow flight of stone stairs leading up to a wooden door.

Dead draugr

Beyond the door is a chamber guarded by a single bandit with five upright sarcophagi against the walls, in front of each of which is a dead draugr. To the west is a level-locked wooden door, and to the east an irregular tunnel. The door opens to reveal a small room containing a novice-locked chest with an adept-locked tension cable that triggers a spear trap from directly behind the chest. There are two small coin purses on the floor to the right of the chest. Against the walls are two sets of shelves holding a quiver of random arrows, an empty random soul gem, an unusual gem, a random poison, eight common books, a random light armor cuirass, a pair of random boots, a random potion of healing, s small coin purse, and four loose septims.

Bandit dormitory

The tunnel to the east turns south, with another copy of the Warning and another iron dagger on the ground at the turning. Ahead, the tunnel opens into a cave that is being used as a dormitory. Opposite, a bandit is sleeping in a single bed, with four other unowned single beds in the chamber. Any fighting will alert four more leveled bandits, who are behind the wooden wall to the left on which is a mounted elk's head. To the southwest is a long wooden table and a chair, with another copy of Roras's letter on the table. There are two dressers between some of the beds opposite, one of which has a random bow and a random sword. On the left, against a wooden wall, are two sets of shelves holding three sets of random armor, two random helmets, and three pairs of random boots. To the left of these shelves is yet another copy of the Warning stuck to the wall with another iron dagger.

Bandit bar

Behind the wooden wall to the east is a chamber with a bar set up at the far end and two long wooden tables and chairs at the near end. Both tables have a bottle of Nord mead on top. Against the other side of the wooden wall are two more sets of shelves, which are empty. In front of the bar is a campfire with two pots hanging over it, one containing two baked potatoes, and the other holding four portions of grilled leeks. Beside the fire is a woodcutter's axe. The counter is in a L-shape, and has a bottle of Nord mead on top, and an iron warhammer, three bottles of wine, two random poisons, and a sack of food underneath. Behind the counter is a set of shelves holding eight more bottles of Nord mead. Beside the shelves is a stack of barrels. In the middle of the north wall is a short tunnel, with yet another Warning pinned to the wall by an iron dagger to the left.

Bone chime trapped room

The tunnel leads to another chamber, with many bone chimes hanging from ropes strung across the room, and two long wooden tables and chairs laid end-to-end. Behind the tables is another wooden wall, with the skull of a mammoth on top. Care must be taken to avoid the chimes; start on the right, pass the tables on the right, and then hug the wooden wall to avoid any noise. Against the east wall is a workbench. On the tables and floor are more copies of the Warning, a Father's Missive that expresses a father's concern over his daughter's banditry, and Rigel's letter, which is an explanation to her father of why she has turned to banditry. Against the wooden wall is another set of shelves holding seven common books, six bottles of alto wine, a bottle of wine, a random potion of healing, and a troll skull. In the southwestern corner is a set of shelves holding ten more common books.

Rigel's sleeping quarters

Behind the wooden wall to the north is Rigel Strong-Arm's sleeping quarters. She is the bandit chief, is well armed, and is at the highest possible level. She carries the Pinewatch Key and the Pinewatch Treasure Room Key. Her quarters contain an unowned double bed, with an end table to the right holding a filled random soul gem. To the left is an apprentice-locked chest with a random, possibly enchanted war axe leaning against it. Beside the bed on the floor is a common book, and against the back of the wooden wall is a dresser with a potion of minor healing on top.

There is a narrow tunnel in the west wall, just in front of the entrance to Rigel's sleeping quarters. Along this tunnel are a few loose septims and a small coin purse. At the end is a wider corridor, with a dead draugr lying in front of an upright sarcophagus to the left, and a master-locked wooden door with bone chimes hanging in front to the right; the door is opened with the Pinewatch Treasure Room Key. Beyond the door is a short corridor leading to an iron door, which opens onto the walkway that had partially collapsed with the dead bandit below. The gap ahead is spanned by wooden logs. At this end is a pressure plate, which shoots a barrage of poison darts across from either side. At the far end is another wooden door and another corridor, which turns to the south. Just past the turning is another pressure plate, this one triggering a row of swinging blades ahead. At the other end is yet another pressure plate, which triggers a battering ram in the next corridor heading west. A metal pressure plate near the end of this corridor doesn't appear to trigger anything. Around the corner to the north is another wooden door, which has a swinging mace trap behind it.

Treasure room

The door opens into the treasure room, which is an old catacomb. On a raised section in the middle is a broken sarcophagus, with a final pressure plate in front that triggers a spear trap with many spears thrusting from different directions. The sarcophagus is filled with treasure, including pieces of ebony, quicksilver, gold, corundum, and silver ore, two silver and two gold ingots, a garnet, an emerald, an amethyst, two small coin purses, many loose septims, a random potion of healing, a random enchanted helmet, two silver candlesticks, and a curious silver mold. There is a dead draugr to the left of the sarcophagus that can also be looted. Behind the sarcophagus is a chest, and beside the chest is an iron door that leads back to Pinewatch, bringing you to the barred door found near the beginning of the cave system.

Notes

• A necromancer's large stone table can be found due north of the cottage, past the area for Lakeview Manor near the shores of Lake Ilinalta. Upon the table is a leveled weapon and a copy of the Conjuration skill book 2920, Hearth Fire, v9.

Bugs

• Rigel respawns with the rest of Pinewatch.
  • The Unofficial Skyrim Patch, version 1.3.1, fixes this bug.
• The Light Foot perk does not work on the first pressure plate that activates the darts.
• When loading a quicksave made in Pinewatch, you are sent back to the entrance of the main house, although progress is still saved. ^?