Skyrimis one of the greatest video games in RPG history, landing comfortably among the ranks of timeless classics like the originalDiabloandThe Legend of Zelda. The game was released in 2011 as the fifth game in theElder Scrollsfranchise, and rabid fans are still playing the game and modding it up years later.
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It’s the freedom that players love. Run in any direction, and they’ll discover a new town, a mysterious cave,or a hidden quest. For players that enjoy intricate designs and compelling lore, there’s a lot to stop and take note of in Sovngarde.
It’s not the best place for Skyrim Sovngarde loot, this hidden zone is unique because it’s only accessible through a magical portal at a certain point in the main quest, and the player can’t just return there whenever they want. Keep a sharp eye on the details, otherwise, some rare and wonderful things will go unseen and there won’t be a second chance until the next playthrough.
Updated on March 29th, 2022 by Kristy Ambrose:Ten years after the original release of Skyrim, the wonder of Bethesda’s flagship series continues to impress experienced players and draw in new ones. The game has been remastered and re-released, including a more recent anniversary edition, and that’s why more players have discovered Skyrim and the mysterious realm of Sovngarde. That means we have a few more secrets to add to the existing places, things, and phenomena that you can only find in this unique and mysterious zone. Make the most of your limited time in the Nord afterlife and enjoy a few Sovngarde secrets you might have missed earlier.
18Where It’s Located
The realm of Aetherius is where players can find Sovngarde. Aetherius is just one small corner ofElder Scrollslore, and it’s extensive, which is why most players don’t even consider it let alone know about it.
Those of the arcane persuasion would likely know more since this is the part of the universe from which all arcane magical energies flow. Once you see the place it’s also obvious where the term “Shor’s Bones” originated.
17The Northern Lights
The whole zone has a Nordic aesthetic, so this isn’t exactly a shock, but players never look up and nobody seems to notice this. Everyone’s too busy trying to pick out the constellations.
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There’s no cycle of day or night in Sovngarde, and the northern lights are perpetually dancing in the purple sky. The whole zone seems trapped in a natural twilight that has patchy sunlight occasionally depending on exactly where you are, so they’re always visible.
16The Arctic Flora
Who has time to stop and smell the flowers when there’s a dragon that needs to die? For those that do take a moment to observe the landscape ofSkyrimitself, the Arctic flora has been carefully, and for the most part accurately, recreated and designed, right down to the sparse grass, rock lichens, and colorful flowers.
It’s one of the details that helps put together the immersive atmosphere that makes this game so great. The ethereal nature of Sovngarde takes these already gorgeous details and elevates them to breathtaking, so don’t rush through and miss it.
15No Animal Life
Sovngarde is one of Skyrim’s most beautiful zones. It is the afterlife, so it has to be impressive. The flora is lush and beautiful, including trees, lichens, and a variety of wildflowers, which is why most players don’t notice there are no animals at all, not even birds or insects.
It’s nice to not have to deal with angry, large animals like bears or wolves,but since we have to fight dragonshere maybe that’s enough. Maybe that’s all the wildlife anyone needs.
14The Story of Shor
In the realm of the Aedra, few deities reign as high as Shor. He’s the benevolent god that rules the realm of Sovngarde, and he’s the one that makes the rules about who gets in and who doesn’t. He’s been compared to the deity Akatosh when it comes to his power and influence among the gods of Nirn, but he never appears in person. That’s not the only mystery that players walk past in their quest to slay Alduin.
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Despite the time that players spend in Sovngarde, they never find out where the realm came from or what it’s doing there. It’s actually a long and dramatic story, going all the way back to the creation of Nirn and Mundus, and a group of Mer known as the Wandering Ehlnofey. However, there’s little time for ancient mythology when there’s a dragon that needs killing.
13The Animal Totems
Why are there bird motifsall over Shor’s realm? There’s a certain iconographic theme that you might notice in Sovngarde, but even if you do, it doesn’t seem to make sense. There are totem animals that look like birds throughout the zone, starting with the stairway with the so-called “Weeping Angels.”
The fox is the animal symbol of Shor, the god of this realm, so why this bird thing? This could be a tribute to his wife Kynareth, who has a hawk as her symbol, but it’s a strange detail that often goes overlooked.
12It’s Not How You Lived
The Nord tradition related to Shoras the god of the afterlife doesn’t weigh your deeds or behavior in life when determining whether a soul gains access to Sovngarde. The god is only interested in how a person met their end, which was part of the deal that the famously philanthropic Aedra made with the ancient Mer.
On the other hand, those who didn’t worship Shor, also known as Lorkhan, spend eternity in the realm of their chosen deity. The player wouldn’t notice this because their status as the Dragonborn allows them entry into Sovngarde regardless of their race or class.
11Shor Doesn’t Take Sides
Shor’s not a moral god and seems fairly cold and indifferent to the individual choices made by the Nords and Atmorans that he admits to Sovngarde. That’s hard for contemporary Nords to believe, given that there seems to be a civil war going on over the subject of traditional worship.
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Even though he’s an Aedric deity as opposed to a Deadric one, Shor’s benevolence extended to all humans and not just Nords when he created Nirn. Nobody will score any points by taking the Stormcloak’s side in the Civil War, which is really a small thing in the course of history from a god’s viewpoint.
10The Constellations
When a player is studying where and how to spend their skill points, they’ll notice that the charts use constellations in the night sky to illustrate the skill trees and how they work. These constellations are clearly and obviously set in the sky in Sovngarde, where clouds or light rarely, if ever, obscure them from view.
During the quest, part of the sky is obscured, but a handy Shout can take care of that. This reminds the player that their skill trees aren’t just designed for the view but are part of a much larger, mythical world.
9The Weeping Angel Statues
This is one of the creepiest things you can find in this whole game. There are several eerie, hooded figures that are reminiscent of the Dragon Priests and their hallowed mountain peak which line the stairs on the way to Sovngarde. They’re nicknamed Weeping Angels after a similar creature that exists in theDoctor Whouniverseand doesn’t move when the players look at it.
When the player looks away these statues do the same thing. Most players never take note of this, but once they do, it’s both fascinating and terrifying.
