Even a decade after its original release there is one spooky thing that mostSkyrimplayers have never seen: the Headless Horseman.Skyrim’s most elusive specter is a reference to the classic Halloween taleSleepy Hollow, in which a headless horseman terrorizes a New England town.
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The Headless Horseman inSkyrimis a littlemore Nordic than gothic, though. There are ways to ensure a frightening nighttime encounter with this ghost, but because it is such a rare spawn it’s best to remain patient and keep trying – or, just visit him in the daytime instead.
The Headless Horseman: A Specter of Skyrim
The Headless Horseman is an enigmatic spirit inSkyrimwith little explanation on his backstory. Some fans believe he is simply a wandering spirit, while others theorize that the Headless Horseman is Ragnar the Red himself, a figure often referenced in songs throughout Skyrim whose head was supposedly struck from his body by a shieldmaiden. By using console commands players can see that the Headless Horseman is wearing Steel Plate Armor that removes his head cosmetically,raising more questionson his origins and whether he is a real ghost or not.
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Whoever the Headless Horseman is, one thing is for certain: his opinion of the living is quite negative. When encountered he will whisper phrases like, “all the living shall fear the dead”. He appears to toy with those following, too, saying “such an abrupt end to our game” if he does not reach Hamvir’s Rest before sunrise. He neither attacks the player nor can be attacked (like other ghost NPCs inSkyrim)and thus does nothave any special lootor combat actions.
How To Find The Headless Horseman in Skyrim
The Headless Horseman can be encountered either at night or in the daytime with different methods for each.In the daytime, the Headless Horseman makes his homeat Hamvir’s Rest, a Nordic tomb at thebase of the mountains north of Whiterun. If a player fast-travels to this location there is asmall chance that he will appear standing just outsidethe above-ground entrance.At night, the Headless Horseman can technicallyspawn on any road in Skyrim and make his way towards Hamvir’s Rest,making encounters few and far between.
To ensure the best chances of running into this ghost at night,don’t go looking before 10 p.m. or after 6 a.m. Stay on the main roads andturn your “actor” view distance up to maximum. This ensures that if the Headless Horseman spawns, you can see him from further than normal. It’s a good idea to ride a mount when searching for the Headless Horseman, as you can follow him and hear his various unique voice lines along the way as the sun rises.
SkyrimSpecial Editionis available for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S
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