Thief, Mage, Assassin, Warrior, Rogue, Vagabond. Whatever you may fancy yourself, there is at least one place you lay your head, sheltered from the bitter wind and chilling rain of Skyrim's winter. Home.

Of the nine holds of Skyrim, from which do you hail? What feeling to you get when traversing the territory surrounding your hold, and interacting with the people within? What are the skills that come to mind when you think of your home? What about the other holds, strewn about Skyrim?

Eastmarch -- Eastern Skyrim. It's Capital is Windhelm.

Falkreath -- Southern Skyrim. It's Capital is Falkreath.

Haafingar -- Northwest Skyrim. It's Capital is Solitude.

The Pale -- Northern Skyrim. It's Capital is Dawnstar.

The Reach -- Western Skyrim. It's Capital is Markarth.

The Rift -- Southeast Skyrim. It's Capital is Riften.

Whiterun -- Central Skyrim. It's Capital is Whiterun.

Winterhold -- Northeast Skyrim. It's Capital is Winterhold.

Lets discuss ... Nearly every play-through, I find myself settling down in Falkreath. I love the atmosphere. The people have been hardened over time, developing a delightfully macabre sense of humor, as evidenced in the names of shops, cemetery, etc. A hardy, hard working people, wanting little more than for the rest of Skyrim to leave them alone -- or better yet, just forget they were even there. The skills I see being most prevalent in Falkreath are Marksman, One Handed, Blocking, Light Armor, Alchemy and Sneak. Alternatively, Marksman, Sneak, Alchemy, Restoration and Alteration.

Riften ... I dont like to hunt too near to home. It makes staying satiated quite a bit more difficult, and there are always those blasted Vigilents of Stendar after me, but it's the risk I choose to take, to keep my neighbors from finding out my little secret. Riften is a den of thieves, as filthy and degenerate as the whole Black-Brier family. Easy hunting grounds. The skills I see are Sneak, Pickpocket, Lock-picking, one handed, light armor, and Alteration. Alternatively, one handed, light armor, alchemy (Poisons and Potions), sneak, marksman, and smithing (lock picks).

Whiterun for me. Love the hold and all it offers. Has enough merchants to keep me satisfied.

The Reach FTW....

It's the most remote hold, and really is like its own little world within a world. You could make an entire character and have him live in the reach and never leave it.

My Nord characters most prefer the northern coast, the hold doesn't matter as long as it has a clear view on the ocean and lots of snow and icebergs.

My other characters (that is, Altmer characters) have no real preference. As long as it's away from any acute dangers it's good. One reason I don't like most HF houses is that they are too exposed, the one in the far North is good because I would expect it to be one that isn't laid out for every bandit to see.

Always seemed to end up living in Lakeview manor with all my characters even though I purchased every house available at one time or another. Liked sitting on the balcony taking in the view. Only annoying thing was the witch at the bottom of the garden, oh and also the gormless giant that came for a visit once a week!

It's a tie between The Reach and Falkreath. As much as I love the wooded area around Falkreath, I can't get over the city of Markarth..... it's just so perfect. Can't wait for my new character to make it over there.

Dark Elf defensive mage, btw. Character type doesn't really affect the areas that I love

I use cabin mods and stuff but MOST of my characters use a Hunter's Cabin mod outside of Riverwood. Its a nice location too.

But for characters using vanilla houses I gotta say Whiterun is my most used home. I enjoy the location. Its good for hunter style characters with the Whiterun plains and the Rift isn't to far off. Its central too. Second pic is a tie between Riften and Windhelm. I hardly use hearthfire homes as I wish there was more styles instead of them all looking like cookie cutter homes.

I prefer the quiet, foggy pines of Falkreath. Sure, playing as a Roguish-Sellsword you'd think Riften, with its seedy underground would be the perfect place to set up a home. However I enjoy the privacy, mystery and low-radar feel of Falkreath. It feels (and is) a place where a cat on the lam can just disappear for a while.

My Warlock, on the other hand, fancies the murky swamps of Hjaalmarch. The dank caverns and boggy wastelands can easily conceal the foul smells and sounds of someone raising the dead and fooling around with various flora and alchemical ingredients, all which can be easily found in the bog.

Last few playthroughs Ive really called Falkreath home. Love Lakeview Manor, and the town is really close. Even evil characters can get lost in the beauty and tranquility of the Falkreath forrests. Its just very peaceful.

Good thread.

Uthred of Winstad- The name says it all? Hjallmarch is where his favourite home is. Although that would not be his favourite place. The manor is pretty much placed on the three-way border of three holds. It isn't in marshland, indeed it is placed next to the sea of ghosts. You have an excellent view of Solitude from there. Uthred isin't a off - the - radar kind of man. He likes to be where important things are developing. This is a hard question. I don't really feel like he has any one hold he truly looks forward to seeing. Hjallmarch is quiet after the hustle and bustle of Imperial business in Haafinger. The pale is a nice hold, very Nordic in more ways than one. Uthred is no great fan of the reach, its a dangerous place, and you can never quite see your enemies. Falkreath is too small and unimportant to be visited often, although the forests do grant some excellent hunting. The rift is a nice big hold, he likes the western part of it a lot. I cannot give a definitive answer.

I tend to always use Whiterun and Lakeview. My very, very first character eventually moved to Solitude. I thought that house was sooo cool when I first got the game, and then my girlfriend got Hjerim and (as long as you get rid of the murder scene) showed me how much more awesome it looks, and how it's furnishings are better. After that the Solitude house was just "meh". Then her mom (yes my gf's mom) played and somehow liked the Riften house. The house in Markarth is cool too, if it didn't have a stone bed!

But that's more on actual homes.

I find myself defaulting to Whiterun every playthrough. I'm just so scared to live anywhere that isn't walled, even Riverwood! Not because I'm actually scared. I just don't want a dragon to come through and slaughter a valuable npc (like a merchant). I know they WILL attack walled cities (it was fun to watch the entire Imperial Legion take out a dragon in Solitude once) but no where else seems secure. I may just live in the Mage's college in the special room you get at the end of the quest.

My head is in Whiterun but my heart is on an afternoon ride through the Pale or a campsite view of the rising Nebula above a lake near Faldar's Tooth.

Or is my heart in Whiterun and my eyes are simply open to the northen lights irradiated splendid across the snow on an evening ride from Morthal to Windhelm?

Morning north of Solitude. Nighttime in the ice fields or listening to the wind roar outside the Arch Mages Quarters as I lie next to my Spouse (because that mod lets me)

Today I am building Windstad Manor. Slowly. I think this will be a good place to move my family to. I hope my children won't be lonely. I will spend more time with them. I will add more fish to my fish farm and now I am planning my greenhouse. And then.......Hmmmmmm. Then there is Whiterun.

Skyrim is my home Sir.

As one answer to your interesting question.

Half-cocked on gin.

^^ Well said.

I really prefer the Reach when it's all cloudy and foggy as it reminds me of Wales, Ireland (without those super high mountains of course ). The central tundra reminds me of the Scottish highlands, but also most of Scandinavia. All places that I love aesthetically. Of course I also like the hold bording Morrowind with its lovely Autumn feel and the Falkreath when I want to see the high trees half-covering the aurora during the night. The northern coast is nice, but when I see the sea I feel kind of sad because all that is exciting ends.

I'm waiting for Hevnoraak to chime in about Valthume

Windstad Manor, over in Haafingar for me. Between the fishery, natural abundance of alchemical ingredients in the swamp, infrequent bandit raids/creature attacks, and proximity to Solitude, it's ideal. Lakeview Manor has way too many monsters and raids compared to Windstad. I'm limiting travel to carriage and foot only so Windstad is actually more accessible then Lakeview - Morthal is a quick jaunt through the swamps.

Regardless of which location you choose, get the carriage driver - his list of available destinations is awesome; he's a big help if you're not fast traveling.

Whiterun is my favorite. It reminds me of my actual home.

Falkreath, even if it's presented pathetically in skyrim, seriously. Once the home of Emperor Cuhlcain the TRUE founder of the third empire is left as a pathetic little village.

A pathetic little village with a big graveyard.

Yea but Falkreath at one point was the capital of the Colovian Estates, one of the biggest factions in western Tamriel during the Interregnum that eventually took over all of Cyrodiil and eventually the third empire. It should've been a glorious walled city with a large, historical castle with a mixture of Colovian and Nord influences.

An NPC says something like "many battles have took place in Falkreath." It is possible that a lot Falkreath had been destroyed.

I highly doubt the entire city was destroyed, even if it was we would see the ruins of it. I just say it was poor planning.

That's quite a bit to destroy if Cider's right.

This is an old excuse and a poor way to hide the fact that they couldn't because they developed the game on a 5+ years old range of hardware.

Nevertheless, it excites me for the next BGS game.