Winterhold - A hold in northeast Skyrim, with its capital in the city of Winterhold. Whiterun Hold - A hold in central Skyrim, with its capital in Whiterun. The Rift - A hold in southeast Skyrim, with its capital in Riften. The Reach - A hold in western Skyrim, with Markarth as its capital. The Pale - A hold in northern Skyrim, with its capital in Dawnstar. Hjaalmarch - A hold in northern Skyrim, with its capital in Morthal. Haafingar - A relatively small hold in northwest Skyrim, containing the provincial capital Solitude. Falkreath Hold - A hold in southern Skyrim, with its capital in Falkreath. Eastmarch - A hold in eastern Skyrim, with its capital in Windhelm. Snowy mountain environments are also found in part of most holds. Many of the holds have distinct climates, such as the Rift being an aspen forest, Falkreath Hold being a pine forest, and Eastmarch being tundra. One consequence for you is that guards in each hold only care about crimes you have committed within that hold: any bounties you acquire are tied to a specific hold. In the absence of a High King, the holds have effectively split apart from one another, some of which are even actively at war with each other. Skyrim has nine holds, or regions, each governed by a jarl who lives in the region's capital city.
