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It is the only settlement located in Falkreath Hold, apart from the town of Falkreath itself.

Dawnstar is the capital city of The Pale. It serves as a garrison town on the northern coast of Skyrim. It's currently governed by Jarl Skald the Elder. It is located in the northermost part of the hold of Skyrim known as The Pale. It was after the destruction of a fortress in Dawnstar during 2E 283 that Potentate Versidue-Shaie declared martial law, leading to one of the most brutal and bloody periods in the history of Tamriel

Falkreath is the only major city within Falkreath Hold and thus, is home to its Jarl. The town lies in the southwest of the province of Skyrim, near the borders of Hammerfell and Cyrodiil. At one period in history, Falkreath was part of Cyrodiil. Later, the town became a settlement in Skyrim. The Jarl of Falkreath is Jarl Siddgeir. The graveyard of Falkreath contains many famous Nords who requested to be buried in Falkreath, next to the other honoured dead of past battles. Since they were constantly living alongside the dead, the people of Falkreath gave many of their shops and other buildings names related to death. As its residents will tell you, Falkreath was the place of many battles in the past, being the main reason for the large graveyard.

Markarth was the former city of Nchuand-Zel, belonging to the ancient Dwemer, also known as the Dwarves, who resided in Morrowind, Skyrim, and Hammerfell during the First Era, and whose origin was located in the west-central region of Skyrim, the homeland of the warlike and barbaric Nordic tribes. Following the disappearance of the Dwemer from the face of Nirn after they attempted to control the power of the Numidium, Markarth was abandoned until the rise of the Septim Empire, the third of the Cyrodiilic Empires which arose under the leadership of Tiber Septim and his successor, Pelagius Septim. Emperor Tiber Septim established the Imperial College of the Voice in Markarth, which, subsequently, attracted the Nords to establish it as one of the nine cities of Skyrim. Unlike the Dwemer cities and strongholds located in Morrowind and Hammerfell, the city of Markarth was not constructed out of metal, but instead was built out of stone, likely due to the abundance of stone found in the mountains of Skyrim. Another theory that could explain why Markarth was constructed out of stone is that the Nordic occupiers of Markarth had constructed their own city over the ruins of the metallic Dwemer city of the same name, which may thus be underground.

The city lies deep in the marsh, a foreboding area of Hjaalmarch which is isolated from other villages. Despite this, the town has an Imperial Legate stationed within, and the ruling Jarl Idgrod Ravencrone appears to support the Empire. On one edge of the town, a burned-down house stands untended in the snow, involved in the quest Laid to Rest. The residents are still talking of the scandal surrounding the housefire which left a mother and her daughter dead. Hroggar, the husband and father, almost immediately moved on to another woman and is now living in her house leaving the other residents supicious of his family's death. Villagers will sometimes speak of seeing strange lights and shadows in the marsh at night, and show concern about the mill, which appears to be the town's only source of trade.

The entire city is bisected by a large canal that used to serve as access for small cargo boats but has lately fallen into disrepair and decay thanks to the lack of trade during the Civil War. Despite this, Riften remains a bustling center of commerce; the Black-Briar Meadery has almost a monopoly on the sale and distribution of a Nord’s favorite pastime: drinking. The city is located in the beautiful Autumnal Forest region of Skyrim, and that beauty has encroached upon the city, in the form of wondrous foliage and generally pleasant weather. But most of the structures in Riften are wooden, and the city has a sort of old, run-down feel, which often takes visitors by surprise. Not that this bothers the people who live there, who see Riften for what it truly is—a bustling, energetic city with a strong economy fueled by hard-working fishermen and mead makers. Despite the fact that the current Jarl in office is Laila Law-Giver, the residents understand that the city is, for all intents and purposes, actually owned and operated by Maven Black-Briar, and in order to survive and thrive, everyone needs to adhere to her rules.

Solitude, capital city of both Haafingar and indeed Skyrim, is the jewel of Imperial Skyrim. Ruled by Jarl Elisif the Fair, widow of the late High King, it is home to the headquarters of both the Legion and the Thalmor. Part of the reason for this is the eminently defensible nature of Solitude itself. Set upon a great stone arch that towers above the mouth of the Karth River, and surrounded by the soaring peaks of the Haafingar Mountains, Solitude is both a reinforced and breathtaking stronghold. Given the city’s name, it may be ironic that over 80 percent of the Hold’s population lives within Solitude’s walls, but this is testament to the city’s political importance, formidable defenses, and diverse population. Home of the famous Bards College and one of Skyrim's chief ports. Watercraft from up and down the coast can be found at her crowded quays, loading timber and salted cod for the markets of Wayrest, Anvil, and Senchal. Founded during Skyrim's long Alessian flirtation, the Bards College continues to flaunt a heretical streak, and its students are famous carousers, fittingly enough given their chosen trade. Students yearly invade the marketplace for a week of revelry, the climax of which is the famous burning of "King Olaf" in effigy, possibly a now-forgotten contender in the War of Succession. Graduates have no trouble finding employment in noble households across Tamriel, including the restored Imperial Court in Cyrodiil, but many still choose to follow in the wandering footsteps of illustrious alumni such as Callisos and Morachellis.

Whiterun is seen as the most “pure” Nordic city in Skyrim. In Whiterun, Nords live as they have for centuries: their lives are simple, harsh, and rooted in ancient traditions. Even the city’s fortifications—wooden and stone palisade walls and the sheer defensive advantage offered by its position on a large bluff that raises the city above the surrounding Tundra—are archaic by contemporary standards. It is the culture of Whiterun that best exemplifies what it means to be a “True Nord.” Whiterun is located on the eastern end of its Hold, a cold and windy Tundra that fills the center of Skyrim. It was founded by Jeek of the River, who was the captain of the Jorrvaskr. At the time, this was the sole structure in the city. Now, Whiterun is a large city, albeit one that retains the feel of a smaller Nord village. When approaching Whiterun, the towering fortress of Dragonsreach dominates the view. Its history can be traced back to the First Era, when King Olaf One-Eye subdued the great dragon Numinex in a legendary duel of Thu’ums atop Mount Anthor, and brought him back to the fledgling town as a captive. It was then that the magnificent keep was rebuilt and renamed to serve as a cage for Numinex, whose head still adorns the Great Hall.

According to the lore written in Songs of the Return books Ysgramor stumbled upon the grave of his son, Yngol, and in grief decided to build a great city where the nearby river met the sea. It was built as a monument of the mankind. The city was built in Atmorian fashion and was made by elven captives. Ysgramor commanded for a great bridge to be constructed. Forever striding the river so no elf might sneak through to avenge his devious cousins. As the bridge was built long, so too was the palace built high, spires reaching the sky to show dominion even over the very winds that had brought forth such grief. It is said that huge tomb was prepared for Ysgramor in the deep hallows beneath the city. However, Ysgramor chose to be buried at sea, facing his homeland, Atmora. Ysgramor's burial place is known as Ysgramor's Tomb. Windhelm was originally the capital city of the First Empire during the reign of Ysgramor Dynasty. During the third century of the First Era, Windhelm was sacked during the War of Succession, and again in the sixth century, by the Akaviri army of Ada'Soom Dir-Kamal. During the Oblivion Crisis, Windhelm was the only sizable city in the otherwise determinedly rural Hold of Eastmarch, and served as a base for Imperial troops guarding the Dunmeth Pass into Morrowind.