Windstad Manor sits on the lightly forested banks at the delta of the Karth and Hjaal Rivers, in northern Hjaalmarch, close to the western border of The Pale.
To the west is the imposing sight of the arch of Skyrim's capital and capital of Haafingar Hold, Solitude. To the north are the icy waters of the Sea of Ghosts, and to the northeast, just a stone's throw away is the ancient Nordic tomb of High Gate Ruins. Morthal, the Hold capital, lies a fair distance to the southwest. If "Lights Out!" has been started, the shipwreck of the Icerunner will appear just a few yards away to the northeast as an additional fast travel point close to the manor.
Features[]
An anvil is already available upon first arriving at the homestead's location after purchasing it to begin construction of the house if needing to turn iron ingots into nails, iron fittings, hinges, and combined with corundum ingots to make locks, along with a chest containing starting supplies.
It is unique from the other two building sites in that the fish hatchery is available.
The Hjaalmarch Stormcloak Camp a short walk to the south-east, and the Pale Imperial Camp to the east have blacksmiths that sell iron, corundum, and steel for building up the homestead. Even if a side has been chosen, but the Civil War has not progressed beyond "The Jagged Crown," the smiths will engage in trade if approached. Quickly exiting the camp afterward will avoid conflict.
There is a clay deposit immediately southeast of the manor's front steps and northeast of the log pile.
Quarried Stone and a clay deposit are north-northwest of the manor, at the rock face next to the water's edge, near the fish hatchery.
A small lake with horkers can be found near the fish hatchery, though their proximity to the path of Valdimar results in their frequent attacks upon him. HorksbaneDR can assist him greatly in defending himself.
Purchase[]
Upon completion of the quest "Laid to Rest," this site can be bought from the steward of Hjaalmarch at Highmoon Hall in Morthal for 5,000 . Depending on the progress of the Civil War, this steward will be either Aslfur or Pactur. The dialogue option will say, "I'd like to purchase a house." However, when that option is chosen, the steward will say that there are no houses available, but there is some land.
Back view of each wing type built. Library (tower), Storage Room (patio), and Greenhouse
View of Windstad Manor from the nearby marshes viewing the Enchanter's Tower extension
The Windstad Manor smelter
The horse available from Windstad Manor
Windstad, looking at kitchen and Alchemy tower, Solitude in background
Winstad horkers and fish hatchery
Windstad farm animal pen
Windstad stables with the farm and animal pen
View north from alchemy tower
Windstad workbench and anvil
Windstad stables
Windstad carriage
Trivia[]
Adopted female children seem to dislike this home as they will sometimes say, "This place is scary. There are monsters in the swamp, I just know it."
Two dead draugr may spawn by the stables.
Bugs[]
This section contains bugs related to Windstad Manor. Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:
Please reload an old save to confirm if the bug is still happening.
If the bug is still occurring, please post the bug report with the appropriate system template 360 / XB1 , PS3 / PS4 , PC / MAC , NX / PS5 , XS , depending on which platform(s) the bug has been encountered on.
Be descriptive when listing the bug and fixes, but avoid having conversations in the description and/or using first-person anecdotes: such discussions belong on the appropriate forum board.
Click to see the list of bugs encountered
360 After a random encounter with bandits at the Dragonborn's home, the carriage driver's horse may become an enemy, which causes the Dragonborn's spouse, steward, follower, etc. to continually attack it. If it is attacked, a bounty will be added (which can be resolved by fast traveling away from the manor and staying away for about an in game day).
A spouse may sometimes get stuck between furniture, such as the low display case and the default wooden chest inside the entryway. This may be fixed by leaving and re-entering the house.
If the hawk egg on top of the main hall is not collected and something kills the hawk or moves the feathers (e.g. dragons) a rock warbler egg may spawn in its place.
360 The drafting table may not display all of the plans that should be available, meaning it may be impossible to finish building the house. This can be fixed by taking something from the chest next to the drafting table or putting something in it.
PC PS3 After going to the drafting table and selecting Small House Layout, the quest arrow stays on the drafting table. Then when building the house at the workbench the house does not show up.
PC 360 Moving from one workbench to another may cause the second workbench to display all possible items, including those which have already been furnished. This may lead the Dragonborn to inadvertently re-purchase items, which causes a loss of materials and has no impact on the furnishings of the house. This can be avoided by selecting each workbench twice (occasionally a third time is needed) upon every use. It is advised to load the last save or immediately remove all items from containers, weapons racks, and mannequins in the event that they are built twice, as it may cause some belongings in said containers to be lost.
Building this house does not change the number of houses owned on the game stats.
The mannequins in the armory and main hall may duplicate unique armors.
A trophy in the trophy room may disappear, but the game acts as if the trophy is still there.
The armor mannequin in the upstairs main hall may move forward, away from its pedestal.
360 Items placed on tables may revert to their original drop point on the floor upon reentering the home.
360 If the armory is built and weapon racks added, at some later point a few of them may begin to malfunction. For example, when entering this room two of the four weapon racks along the right wall in the corner may allow the weapons they are currently displaying to be removed, but will not allow new or even the same weapons to be placed or replaced. This may also happen to any weapon racks in the entryway, not only in this homestead but in the other two as well.
PS3 Weapons on the weapon rack in the entry way may move higher and higher until they eventually disappear completely.
PC 360 The bard that lives in Winstad Manor, Sonir, may stay permanently in the house, no matter how many times she is dismissed.
PC (Fix) One possible workaround for PC may be to use the console commandkill while she is targeted and using the command markfordelete on her corpse. This requires testing, as it is unknown if she is an essential character, though this status could be removed with the command setessential xx019630
PC Sometimes when the expansion wings are built where the room is located on the ground floor and no additions are made to the second floor (kitchen, greenhouse and trophy room); the access doors from inside the main hall open to a wall, making it impossible to go inside the room.
PS3 Sven may vanish if he is appointed steward at Windstad Manor. The option to hire a new steward will not be available.
PS3 Some parts of the house building set may vanish.
PC 360 The Dragonborn's steward, bard, or spouse may sometimes say, "I trust you're not planning any trouble," as if they were unfamiliar with the Dragonborn.
PS4 360 Since bandits can spawn in the area, they may also spawn inside the walls of the house. They will become hostile, but cannot easily attack or be attacked through the walls.
PS4 Known bug where the fish will disappear upon revisiting the site. A quick fix includes traveling away from the homestead and traveling back. Bug is reoccurring in the game save.
360 Spouse may walk backwards and occasionally get stuck.
. Depending on the progress of the Civil War, this steward will be either Aslfur or Pactur. The dialogue option will say, "I'd like to purchase a house." However, when that option is chosen, the steward will say that there are no houses available, but there is some land.
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