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Skyrim Special Edition deals with serious issues. War. Politics. Religion. When all that gets a bit too sombre, you’ll be glad to know that it also has chicken-loving necromancers, sad giants, and mages who have spontaneously burst into flames. Around Skyrim there are tons of bizarre scenes that won’t be marked on your map, so I’ve found the 20 weirdest encounters for you to peruse at your leisure and find for yourself if you want the odd bit of loot. So sit back, relax, and keep scrolling for screenshots that will make you do at least one double-take.
1. Mournful giant
This sad chap is found to the north-east of Mistwatch, just below Windhelm. You’ll stumble upon him mourning the loss of his now-drowned mammoth, but the good news is he won’t try to hit a homerun using you as the ball. The loss of his mammoth has sent him into shock, so he won’t attack you no matter how close you get - but if you raise a hand towards him, expect to feel the wind through your hair and then a very sharp splat afterwards.
2. The swallowed skeleton
At some point in our lives we have all bitten off more than we can chew, but in this mammoth’s case even a human wasn’t too much of a mouthful. If you peer in between the ribs of this behemoth mammoth found directly to the north of the Sleeping Tree camp (south of Morthal, behind a big mountain), you can see a human skeleton lying between the bones. The only thing that would make this sight better is if the skeleton was hostile, trying to attack you through the very solid mammoth ribs. If only.
3. Best friends forever
I like to think I’d do anything for my best friend, but these two have outdone the best of us and have reached the hallowed height of their friendship. Although seeing as they’re now skeletons, this might not have been a wise move. Found amidst the snow drifts to the southeast of Winterhold on the shore of the Sea of Ghosts, one of the pals got his leg stuck in a bear trap, and his buddy refused to leave his side. It serves as a touching reminder of the power of friendship, as well as a warning about keeping an eye on where you’re putting your feet.
4. Frozen mammoth
In between Winterhold and Dawnstar you can find a perfectly preserved wooly Mammoth encased in a glacier, complete with dwarven spears, arrows, and a levelled two-handed weapon impaled on its back. Looks like the poor animal was hunted by the Dwemer before they disappeared from Tamriel, but look on the bright side - the mammoth’s death three eras ago means you get a bunch of lovely loot.
5. Spontaneous combustion
Silly Yisra. She’s mentioned when you first enter the College of Winterhold as being one of the apprentices who disappeared. Turns out she was trying to improve the Flame Cloak spell and created a version which was a little too powerful, as it incinerated her. You can find her charred body to the southeast of Yngvild, along with some loot. Remember to bring your marshmallows!
6. The squashed miner
On the isle of Solstheim you can find a reminder why you should always make sure you don’t park your overflowing minecart on a hill (a problem we’ve all had at least once, right?). A dark elf miner has been squished underneath his haul of rocks and ore, which means that you get to relieve him of the aforementioned gold ore and tinker with his strongbox. He can be found east of Brodir Grove in the southwest of Solstheim. It’s easy to sympathise with him when your pockets are bulging with gold.
7. Lovers' tent
Love is in the air and red mountain flowers are on the ground in this delightful lovers’ tent on the shore. Just east along the coast from the Dark Brotherhood Dawnstar Sanctuary and northeast from Dawnstar, you can find an Amulet of Mara, two bedrolls, some empty wine bottles and a cosy little fire, but there’s no sign of the lovers who laid there. Let’s hope they haven’t gone for a dip in the icy cold sea water.
8. The incautious bather
I think this girl must have really loved her hygiene to take a bath in a spring despite the swarms of Forsworn prowling around. Next to her floating corpse is a precious necklace and her journal, and reading it should make you think twice before disrobing and jumping into a pool in the middle of nowhere. Especially when you know that there are bandits around who would gladly cut you down with their feather-tipped axes. She’s northwest of the Shrine of Peryite, so if you find her, just make sure you learn from her mistake.
9. The chicken-loving necromancer
South of Geirmund’s Hall is this chicken-loving mage, who could be the most unintimidating necromancer in Skyrim as he decides to fight you not with an atronach, or a reanimated corpse, but an undead chicken. No, I’m not kidding. You have to see it to believe it.
10. Giant mudcrab
Before you wandered the lands of Skyrim, something magnificent once existed. It wasn’t a dragon. It wasn’t a bear. It was a giant mudcrab. The remains of this majestic beast can be found between Broken Fang Cave and Gjukar’s Monument, and if you do the Kyne’s Sacred Trials quest, you’ll get to fight its ghost. Try not to feel too intimidated, okay?
