Halted Stream Camp is a fortified bandit encampment located northwest of the Whitewatch Tower, east of Silent Moons Camp.
Background
It is the base of operations for bandits who hunted mammoths for their tusks and Mammoth Snouts. They also planned to use the spell Transmute Mineral Ore to turn the mine's iron ore into gold ore.
Description
The camp is surrounded by a log palisade with two gates, with a bone rattle-trap at the east entrance. An elevated walkway runs along the western and northern parts of the camp. There are mammoth bones and firewood scattered around as well as a woodchopping block, complete with woodcutter's axes. A locked (apprentice-level) chest is under the elevated lookout station in the southeast corner of the camp and a trapped (apprentice) chest is under the ramp at the north end of the palisade (a spiked ball on a chain). There is a wooden pole shed in the center of the camp with a table and a tanning rack. A grindstone is at the north end of the walkway, above the entrance of the mine.
Halted Stream Camp Mine
The camp is built next to the cliff wall with an entrance into a mine. The mine has many iron ore veins (and pickaxes to mine them with), and is the main living quarters of the bandits. The way to the main part of the mine is through a locked (novice), gate, which can be opened with the key to Halted Stream Mine. There are two bone rattle-traps inside the mine. There is a forge, grindstone and tanning rack in the mine's main chamber. There is also a locked chest (novice) in the main chamber through the wooden hallway under the main stairs. There's a large oil pool in the main chamber. Either by taking advantage of the several oil lamps hanging in the roof, or using flame spells, this pool can be very useful when clearing out the mine, especially at low levels.
Spike Pit
The exit at the back of the mine leads to a pit trap the bandits have been using to kill mammoths. There are spikes in the bottom that may wound or kill anyone trying to use the pit as an entrance. A dead Altmer lies in the middle of the spikes, alongside several animals in the trapped pit.
Mining
Halted Stream Camp is a good place for mining iron. There are sixteen iron ore veins and one corundum ore vein to be mined. There are at least three pickaxes in the first part of the mine.
Iron Ore Vein Locations
These are the locations of the iron ore deposits in the mineshaft:
- Just after the first rockfall trap pressure plate, located on the ground.
- After the first vein, go straight and it's just past the cart filled with tusks on the left.
- To the right of the second vein (facing it), on the ground.
- After the third vein, it is in the wall behind it.
- After opening the gate it is ten paces down the shaft on the left.
- After the fifth vein there is a support-like structure on the left, the sixth vein is to the right of it on the ground.
- On the wall directly next to the sixth vein.
- Five paces away from the sixth vein.
- On the wall to the right, next to the eighth vein.
- On the left side of the shaft near the end, just before the rattle-trap hanging on the wall.
- Turn right upon entering the big room, on the wall before the ramp.
- At the bottom of the ramp, on the ground to the right.
- Go straight and it's on the ground beneath a candle holder on the wall containing three lit candles.
- Walk past the dead mammoth on the floor and it's underneath the wooden platform on the right side of the ramp.
- Continuing down the next shaft it is left of the mammoth skull trap pressure plate.
- Before the exit to Skyrim on the ground to the left.
Corundum Ore Vein Location
- In the second room at the foot of the bed that is on the wooden platform past the dead mammoth.
Quests
- This may be the location of a Companions' quest given by Farkas right after joining.
- This may be the location of Amren's Family Sword, needed for the completion of the quest "Amren's Sword".
- The books Remanada and/or Chimarvamidium may be located here, which are possible targets for the quest "Fetch Me That Book!".
- Possible location for the book Shalidor's Insights needed for the "quest" of the same name.
- There is a bounty on bandit leader given from Proventus Avenicci of Whiterun, this may be the location of the leader.
- There is a random elven corpse in the spear pit at the end of the tunnels, that may be useful in "Discerning the Transmundane".
- This may be the location of the Dawnguard Rune Hammer, needed for the completion of "Lost Relic".
- This may be the location of Meridia's Beacon which unlocks the quest "The Break of Dawn", in the large chest near the beds.
Notable items
- Eight mammoth tusks
- Four iron ore, three on bookshelf, one on table.
- One silver ore on the table.
- Due to large amounts of iron ore veins there is a high probability of finding gems.
- Transmute spell tome – on the table next to the bed.
- Poacher's Axe – carried by one of the bandits.
- Burned Book - inside the forge ashes
Trivia
- This is a good place to retrieve a mammoth tusk for Ysolda or Madesi, as the bandits have already collected them from mammoths they have killed. This is also a good place to retrieve a mammoth tusk and gold ore for Madesi as the Dragonborn can use transmute to easily obtain the ore.
- There are pressure plate trigger traps at both entrances, a rockfall trap and a mammoth skull trap.
- This is an excellent place to get blood for the quest "Discerning the Transmundane." There is blood from a Wood Elf, a dark elf, a High Elf (in the spiked pit outside) and an Orsimer.
- There are two chests to be found in the cave. On the platform where the 'leader' and bedding are located and one under the raised walkway to the west of the dead mammoth.
- The entrance to the camp is a random encounter spawn point, which often triggers when approaching the camp from the north. NPCs from the random encounter are very likely to be attacked by the bandits inside the camp.
- Though the back exit to Skyrim leads into a mammoth trap which cannot be climbed out of, fast travel is possible from it, making it a quick exit.
- This is a good place for players wishing to quickly level their Alteration skill by grabbing the spell tome, Transmute, off the table by the bandit leader and using it on the many iron ore veins.
- This is also a good place for players wishing to easily level their Restoration skill. By going to the spike pit and carefully walking into it repeatedly to lower your health without dying, you can constantly heal yourself to raise your skill.
- If sneaking and undetected, one can overhear a conversation between two bandits near the forge:
Bandit 1 "Gotta have a sharp axe to cut through all that fat..."
Bandit 2 "Hurry up with it. We've got a merchant in the pit to take care of after we carve this thing up."
- The bandits' dialogue suggests that the High Elf in the pit outside was a merchant. He also has two Coin Purses next to his body, but one of them is difficult to get without the Telekinesis spell.
Bugs
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This section contains bugs related to Halted Stream Camp. Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:
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- There is a quest bug in this dungeon relating to the College of Winterhold. The quest is from the College librarian Urag gro-Shub, to obtain any of the books from "Fetch Me That Book!", which is located in the boss chest. However, if the book is picked up before receiving the quest, the game won't allow the book to be turned in and will still tag the book as located inside the chest. Furthermore, the book is tagged as a quest item and cannot be dropped. Despite its weight showing as one pound, it does not count towards carry weight.
- 360 PC There is a Radiant AI quest to visit the camp and kill the leader but if this has already been done (and the quest is received again), the game may freeze when the Dragonborn enters the cave. (PC has CTD).
- 360 There is a section in the tunnel leading to the spike pit (where the bear trap and blood splatter are), where the Dragonborn may fall through the floor.
- PS3 Sometimes a glitched Hunting Bow can be found on one of the bandits with a base damage of 146.
- 360 After leaving through the mammoth trap exit, it is possible for the Dragonborn to not be able to move (including Whirlwind Sprint). To fix this, fast travel to any other destination and attempt to move, if this bug persists, try reloading a previous save.
- When walking close to the chest under the wooden platform the Dragonborn may clip close to the chest and will not be able to move. To fix this, fast travel to Halted Steam Camp again.confirmation needed