The land of Skyrim is huge and populated with a whole colourful cast of characters. Some of these individuals may be kings, jarls or thanes, while some may lead storied lives of heroism. Some may be terrible, monstrous individuals who delight in the suffering of others, and then there are those who were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time.
There are lots of dangers out in Skyrim, and while the Dragonborn can save a lot of people, you can't always help everyone. Some will have already suffered a rather unlucky or ironic fate before any intervention could come. These are sometimes sad, sometimes darkly funny, and occasionally terrifying.
10 Ilas-Tei — Rodent Rage
Up in a remote part of Winterhold you can find the body of unfortunate Argonian Ilas-Tei. Her earthly remains are surrounded by skeevers, who presumably were the instrument of her demise. Most are dead, though one is alive and very much hostile.
A cage and several scrolls can also be found alongside the scene — a Scroll of Rage and some Scrolls of Calm. Phinis Gestor at the College of Winterhold makes some claims about the young Argonian having been a budding illusionist. Whatever Ilas-Te was trying to accomplish, it obviously spectacularly backfired.
9 Talvur And Karan — Star-Crossed Lovers
In the hills north of Old Hroldan there is a small campsite. Inside it is possible to find the bodies of Talvur and Karan, along with a hostile animal. Karan's journal, left next to her, explains that she was the daughter of a wealthy Breton, and Talvur was a poor Dunmer miner. Knowing her father would never accept their feelings for one another, the two eloped together.
They were able to successfully get away, and hoped to start a new life in Riften together. Sadly, they didn't count on the viciousness of some of Skyrim's creatures. The elaborate ring hidden in Talvur's pouch just twists the knife a little.
8 Endrast — No Escape
Underneath the Dwarven fortress of Alftand, there are several NPCs who met unfortunate ends. However, that of Endrast is particularly unfortunate. His party were captured by the Falmer, and while most of his companions were killed, he was able to make a break for it after one of his companions pushed him ahead.
He made it quite a way out of the Dwemer tunnels, only to realize that he had been fatally wounded by a Falmer arrow. Alone, afraid and regretting his own apparent cowardice, Endrast's last moments were probably pretty awful.
7 Isabelle Rolaine — Bottom Of A Bottle
In the Frozen Hearth you can find Ranmir, a belligerent drunk drowning his sorrows, convinced his girlfriend Isabelle ran away and left him. Following her trail leads to Vex of the Thieves' Guild, who admits Isabelle came to her looking to make money for her and Ranmir — despite not having any thieving skills. Vex told her of a big score in a cave near Winterhold.
On going to the cave Vex mentions, it's possible to find Isabelle's body, right inside the entrance. There's no sign of blood or a struggle, and she's surrounded by empty wine bottles. It seems possible Isabelle, afraid of what she might face inside, drank to try and steel herself, and instead passed out and froze in the bitter cold.
6 Agrius And Friends — The Wrong Barrow
Agrius and his buddies Raen and Vigrod were just some of the numerous bandits you may find wandering Skyrim. After being violently ejected from the Knifepoint Gang, the three sought a place to hide out from the law and their former colleagues. Unfortunately for them, they chose a cave that was inhabited by the malevolent and powerful draugr Halldir, who began to consume their souls. Compelled by his influence, they each threw themselves onto the rocks of the cairn in the centre of the cave.
Not only did the ill-fated bandits wind up dead, but their spirits end up forced to fight intruders that threaten their new undead overlord. All because they camped in the wrong place.
5 Hrodulf And Bjornolfr — Madness On Solstheim
On the shore of Solstheim, not far from Raven Rock, you can find the body of Hrodulf alongside a boat with his valuables, and the burned spriggan that was probably responsible for his death. This is unfortunate enough, but it's only scratching the surface.
Exploring Hrodulf's ruined cabin nearby reveals a trapdoor into the cellar, where Hrodulf's journal and letters from his partner Bjornolfr reveal his slow descent into insanity. Slowly driven out of his mind by the hum of Dwemer machines below the house, his diary ends with the ominous last passage 'fire in the deep'. Following a hole he dug in the wall leads to Dwarven ruins, and more tragically, the body of Bjornolfr, who had clearly arrived to try and help his beloved.
4 Lucky Lorenz — Luck Run Out
Lucky Lorenz, owner of one of the most ironic names in Skyrim, can be found in his little cabin along the river from Darkwater Crossing. His house is caved in by a large tree, which not only seemed to wreck his home, but had the profound misfortune to fall right on top of Lucky.
He can be found with a copy of some questionable literature about an Argonian maid next to him, so you can at least hope that Lucky was living his best life in his final moments.
3 Habd And Family — Scratches In The Cellar
Habd was a Redguard man with a dream, to move him and his family out to the remote areas of Skyrim. He was overjoyed to finally purchase Frostflow Lighthouse. Not all the family were as enthused by the isolated spot. When his daughter Sudi began to claim to hear scratches in the cellar, he dismissed it as angst about the move. Then, one day, he returned from a trip to find his wife murdered and children missing.
Habd, knowing something had come from the cellars, went down and sealed the door behind him. He hoped to save his children, or at least protect anyone else from the threat. He would, sadly, not succeed.
2 Saden — Sealed His Fate
Off Solstheim you can find Horker Island. As its name might suggest, is populated by the three-tusked, often-aggressive marine mammals. You can also find a note from a Dunmer named Saden, warning visitors away. He tells of how his crew landed there and most met grisly ends at the hands, or flippers, of the horkers.
Saden, for his own part, was consumed by hatred for them, and set out on a quest for vengeance. His remains can be found not far away, with a special mace called Horksbane, which deals additional damage to the creatures. That was his level of commitment to horkercide.
1 Rundi — A Cold One
East of Winterhold, on a small island, it is possible to stumble across an altar where the body of Rundi can be found. He is half frozen, next to a collection of ritual ingredients and a staff of ice spikes.
The reason for this bizarre demise can be cleared up to some degree by speaking with Phinis Gestor at the College of Winterhold. He explains that Rundi, along with his brother, had some preoccupation about creating some revolutionary chilled mead. Evidently, Rundi might have gone a little overboard on the cold spells.