Skyrim:Thief Cache

Thief Cache outside Mistveil Keep Barracks

Thief caches are barrels that appear in various places around Tamriel as you progress in the Thieves Guild quest line. They often appear near other barrels, but can easily be distinguished from them by the Thieves' Cache shadowmark () on their side. The first three appear in Riften after you first join the Thieves Guild. After that, three barrels appear in each of the appropriate cities as you complete the various reputation quests.

The barrels contain significant loot and will respawn if the player leaves the town for at least 10 days completely. If entered within that period, the timer will revert to zero.

An additional barrel is available with the Dragonborn add-on.

Locations

Riften

1. In the northwest corner of the garden behind Honeyside.
2. In the northwest corner on the walkway outside the second floor of Mistveil Keep Barracks.
3. West of Valindor's House, across the canal.

Markarth

1. Beside a pillar down the stairs between Nepos's House and Understone Keep.
2. At the base of the northernmost waterfall below Ghorza's smithy. Only the top is visible; the rest is submerged.
3. Immediately outside Vlindrel Hall.

Solitude

1. Just off the pathway behind Vittoria Vici's House.
2. Behind The Winking Skeever, to the north.
3. Standing upright beside the other barrels next to the door to Erikur's House.

Whiterun

1. Behind Carlotta Valentia's House.
2. In the farmyard next to the Gray-Mane's house.
3. Behind The Bannered Mare.

Windhelm

1. Outside Niranye's House.
2. Beside the door to Sadri's Used Wares.
3. In the alcove north of the door to Hjerim.

Raven Rock^DB

1. In the basement of Glover Mallory's House at the end of the Paid in Full quest.

Notes

• Once your Prowler's Profit ability is active, all of the caches will now be likely to include a considerable number of precious gems.
• Looting the caches and selling their contents can be quite profitable, as all fences have 4,000 gold each, (except for Enthir, who only has 500), meaning there is a substantial amount of money to be made.
• A "Thieves' Cache" sign can be found on the right side of Ysolda's House behind 2 barrels and a pile of firewood, but the game doesn't consider it a real "Cache".

Bugs

• The caches may not appear after completing the correct quests.
  • The Official Skyrim Patch, version 1.9.26.0.8, fixes this bug.
  • You may enable them with the console using the following IDs:
    • Markarth: prid 000FF21F
    • Solitude: prid 000FF216
    • Whiterun: prid 000FF21C
    • Windhelm: prid 000FF219
• The caches may not reset themselves and may disappear once the Thieves Guild questline is complete. ^?