The Elder Scrolls: Tamriel

Tucked into the rocky cliffs between Riverwood and Helgen, Embershard Mine is a narrow, half-collapsed tunnel system once used for iron extraction but long since overrun by outlaws. From the outside, its wooden supports and lantern-lit entrance appear quiet, but the faint clang of picks and the murmurs of bandit voices echo from within. Inside, the mine winds through tight passages and unstable caverns reinforced with old timber beams and scattered with mining tools, crates, and stolen goods. A hidden lever-operated gate leads deeper into the mine, where a smelter still glows faintly and weapon racks hint at the bandits' continued operations. Despite its small size, Embershard is dangerous—its tight quarters ideal for ambushes, and the final chamber fortified like a makeshift camp. While little iron remains to be mined, the outlaws within have turned it into a convenient hideaway and staging point for raids. To many in Riverwood, it’s a shadow at their doorstep—close, quiet, and armed