City · Eastmarch
Ancient stone city of Ysgramor and capital of Eastmarch, now the Stormcloak headquarters under Ulfric. The Palace of the Kings, the Gray Quarter and the docks with the boat to Solstheim are found inside its walls.
Windhelm is the capital of Eastmarch on the Skyrim map.
Windhelm is the capital of Eastmarch and the seat of Ulfric Stormcloak, in the cold north east of Skyrim. The city stands on the north bank of the river, reached by a long stone bridge from Windhelm Stables, where the carriage also stops. The village of Kynesgrove is a short ride to the south, and from the docks the Northern Maiden sails to Raven Rock on Solstheim if you own the Dragonborn add-on. Expect blizzards: Windhelm has some of the harshest weather of any city.
Ulfric Stormcloak rules Windhelm from the Palace of the Kings. Jorleif is his steward and Wuunferth the Unliving is court wizard. If the Imperial Legion deposes Ulfric, Brunwulf Free-Winter is made Jarl. Your own housecarl, once you are Thane of Eastmarch, is Calder. The requirements are laid out in Thane of Windhelm.
Hjerim is the large house in Valunstrad tied to the Blood on the Ice murder quest. The official price is 12,000 gold, but Jorleif accepts as little as 8,000. Availability depends on the Civil War: on the Stormcloak side you must finish Rescue from Fort Neugrad first, on the Imperial side you must take the city. If you buy it before finishing Blood on the Ice, entering the house starts that quest. Furnishings cost 1,000 each for the bedroom and kitchen, 1,500 each for the living room, alchemy lab and enchanting lab, 2,000 for the armory and 500 to clean up the killer's mess, plus 1,250 for a Hearthfire child's bedroom. See Skyrim houses for a comparison.
Innocence Lost, the entry point to the Dark Brotherhood, begins when you meet Aventus Aretino in his house. Blood on the Ice sends you hunting a serial killer through the city at night, and the Stormcloak side of the Civil War is joined in the Palace of the Kings.
Trainers in Windhelm: Torbjorn Shatter-Shield (Two-handed, expert), Silda the Unseen (Pickpocket, expert), Wuunferth the Unliving (Destruction) and Revyn Sadri (Speech). Niranye in the market is also a fence for the Thieves Guild once you have done her favor. More trainers are listed under Skyrim trainers.
Windhelm is in the north east of the map, the capital of Eastmarch. You enter over a long stone bridge from the stables on the south bank of the river.
The Stone Quarter is Windhelm's market district. It holds the open air market, Candlehearth Hall, the Temple of Talos, the blacksmith and The White Phial.
Ulfric Stormcloak, leader of the Stormcloak rebellion, with Jorleif as steward. Brunwulf Free-Winter replaces him if the Imperials win.
Progress the Civil War (Rescue from Fort Neugrad for Stormcloaks, or capture the city as an Imperial), then pay Jorleif. He asks 12,000 gold but accepts 8,000.
With the Dragonborn add-on, talk to Gjalund Salt-Sage on the Northern Maiden at the Windhelm docks and pay for passage to Raven Rock.