Stones of Barenziah in Skyrim: Complete Location Guide & Rewards (2026)

The Stones of Barenziah are infamous among Skyrim players for one simple reason: they’re everywhere, they look valuable, and you can’t drop them once you pick them up. What starts as a curious collectible quickly becomes a inventory-cluttering obsession that sends you scrambling across every hold in Skyrim.

But here’s the thing, completing this notoriously tedious quest actually pays off. If you’re willing to hunt down all 24 unusual gems scattered throughout the province, you’ll unlock one of the most lucrative passive perks in the game. Whether you’re a completionist who can’t stand an unfinished quest log or a player looking to drown in gemstones, this guide breaks down everything you need to know about the Stones of Barenziah, from their exact locations to whether the payoff justifies the hours spent backtracking through dungeons you cleared 50 levels ago.

What Are the Stones of Barenziah?

The Stones of Barenziah are 24 unique quest items disguised as “Unusual Gems” that players can find throughout Skyrim. They’re pink, glowing gemstones about the size of your fist, and they stand out visually against most environments, though not always enough to catch your eye mid-combat.

Each stone is part of a crown that once belonged to Queen Barenziah, a legendary figure in Morrowind’s history. The crown was shattered, and its pieces were scattered across Skyrim by the Thieves Guild long before the events of the game. When you pick up your first stone, it triggers the No Stone Unturned quest, one of the longest-running miscellaneous quests in the game.

These gems weigh 0.5 each and can’t be removed from your inventory through normal means, no selling, no dropping, no storing in containers. They’re yours until you complete the quest or resort to console commands (PC only). The game doesn’t give you quest markers for the remaining stones, which is why this quest has a reputation for driving completionists up the wall.

Why You Should Collect the Stones of Barenziah

The Prowler’s Profit Perk Explained

The reward for collecting all 24 Stones of Barenziah is a hidden perk called Prowler’s Profit. Once activated, this perk dramatically increases the number of precious gems you find in loot containers throughout Skyrim, chests, urns, corpses, basically anywhere randomized loot spawns.

Instead of finding one or two gems in a typical draugr chest, you’ll start pulling out five, eight, sometimes a dozen flawless diamonds, emeralds, and rubies. The effect is permanent and retroactive, meaning every container you open from that point forward benefits from the boost. For players who clear dungeons regularly or run radiant quests, Prowler’s Profit translates into tens of thousands of gold over time.

Gems are lightweight (0.1 to 0.2 weight each for flawless variants) and valuable, making them ideal loot for carrying capacity management. Flawless diamonds sell for 500 gold each, and you’ll be swimming in them. If you’ve invested in the Speech tree or run a merchant-focused build, this perk turns dungeon crawling into a legitimate money printer.

Is the Quest Worth Your Time?

Honestly? It depends on your playstyle and how far into the game you are.

If you’re a completionist or someone who spends hours exploring every corner of Skyrim, hunting down the stones is a natural extension of what you’re already doing. Many stones are located in places you’ll visit during major questlines, Thieves Guild, College of Winterhold, Dark Brotherhood, so you can knock out several without going out of your way.

But if you’re a focused player who sticks to the main story and a few faction quests, dedicating 3-4 hours to backtrack through dungeons for a loot boost might feel tedious. The lack of quest markers means you’re either following a guide (like this one) or stumbling around blindly hoping to spot a pink glint in a display case.

The financial payoff is real, though. Players have reported earning 50,000+ gold just from gems within a few hours of unlocking Prowler’s Profit. If you’re saving up for expensive homes, training skills, or outfitting yourself in Daedric gear, the perk justifies the grind. Plus, there’s something deeply satisfying about closing out one of Skyrim’s most notorious quests.

How to Start the No Stone Unturned Quest

You don’t need to do anything special to start No Stone Unturned, just pick up your first Stone of Barenziah, and the quest automatically appears in your miscellaneous objectives. The quest description simply reads “Bring the Unusual Gem to an appraiser,” which is vague even by Skyrim standards.

The earliest stone most players encounter is in Jarl Balgruuf’s quarters in Dragonsreach (Whiterun). It’s sitting on a bedside table in his bedroom, which you can access after completing the main quest “Bleak Falls Barrow” and delivering the Dragonstone. Just walk into his chambers, it’s not trespassing, and grab the gem from the nightstand.

Once you have a stone, the next step is finding an appraiser. Head to Riften and locate Vex inside the Thieves Guild headquarters in the Ratway. You’ll need to join the Thieves Guild to access this area, which means completing the quest “A Chance Arrangement” for Brynjolf in Riften’s marketplace.

When you show Vex the stone, she’ll identify it as part of Barenziah’s crown and update your quest to “Recover the Stones of Barenziah (1/24).” From that point, you’re on the hunt for the remaining 23 gems scattered across the province. She won’t provide locations or markers, you’re doing this the hard way.

All 24 Stones of Barenziah Locations

Stones in Whiterun Hold

1. Dragonsreach (Whiterun) – Jarl Balgruuf’s bedroom, on the nightstand next to his bed. Walk upstairs in Dragonsreach and enter his quarters.

2. Jorrvaskr (Whiterun) – Kodlak Whitemane’s bedroom in the living quarters beneath Jorrvaskr. The stone sits on a small table near his bed. Accessible once you join the Companions.

3. Hall of the Dead (Whiterun) – On a table in the catacombs beneath the temple. Enter through the main door in the Wind District and head downstairs.

Stones in Windhelm and Eastmarch

4. Palace of the Kings (Windhelm) – Upstairs in Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak’s bedroom, on a table near the war room. You can access this area freely if you’re aligned with the Stormcloaks, or sneak in if not.

5. House of Clan Shatter-Shield (Windhelm) – On a dresser in one of the upstairs bedrooms. This is a private residence, so entering counts as trespassing. Pick the lock or sneak in at night.

6. Stony Creek Cave – Near a dead bandit at the end of the cave, close to the exit that leads to Kagrenzel. This dungeon is east of Windhelm, off the main road.

Stones in Solitude and Haafingar

7. Blue Palace (Solitude) – In Jarl Elisif the Fair’s bedroom, on a small shelf near her wardrobe. Head upstairs in the Blue Palace and enter her chambers.

8. Proudspire Manor (Solitude) – On a table in the master bedroom on the second floor. You’ll need to purchase this house for 25,000 gold to access it.

9. Bards College (Solitude) – In the library area on a bookshelf. The Bards College is in the southwest corner of Solitude, near the main gate.

Stones in Riften and The Rift

10. Mistveil Keep (Riften) – Jarl Laila Law-Giver’s bedroom, on a nightstand. Access the keep through the main entrance in Riften and head upstairs.

11. Black-Briar Lodge – On a table in the upstairs bedroom. This location is southeast of Riften, between the city and Merryfair Farm.

12. Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary – In Astrid’s bedroom, on the bedside table. You’ll need to join the Dark Brotherhood questline to access this area near Falkreath.

13. Ansilvund – On a table in the burial chamber where you fight Lu’ah Al-Skaven during the “A Love Beyond Death” quest. Ansilvund is northeast of Riften, along the mountain pass toward Windhelm. Many players hunting for powerful blessings often stumble across this dungeon during their travels.

Stones in Markarth and The Reach

14. Understone Keep (Markarth) – In the Jarl’s bedroom on a table next to the bed. Enter the keep through the main doors and head upstairs.

15. Treasury House (Markarth) – In a bedroom on the second floor, on a nightstand. This building is part of the Thieves Guild questline (“The Silver Lining”) and is located in the upper district of Markarth.

16. Dead Crone Rock – On an altar at the summit of the tower, near the word wall. This location is southwest of Markarth, high in the mountains. Expect to fight hagravens.

17. Sunderstone Gorge – On a table in the final chamber where you fight the necromancer boss. This dungeon is west of Bloated Man’s Grotto, in the mountains north of Falkreath.

Stones in Winterhold and Other Locations

18. College of Winterhold – In the Arch-Mage’s quarters, on a shelf next to the bed. You’ll need to progress through the College questline to access this room, or become Arch-Mage yourself.

19. Hob’s Fall Cave – On a table in the final chamber, near the necromancer. This cave is northeast of Winterhold, along the northern coast. Websites like Game8 feature detailed dungeon breakdowns for locations like this.

20. Yngvild – In the throne room on a table next to Arondil’s notes. This dungeon is north of Dawnstar, along the coast. It’s part of the “Masks of the Dragon Priests” exploration.

21. Rannveig’s Fast – On a table in the room where you find the imprisoned ghost. This location is northwest of Rorikstead, high in the mountains. The dungeon has a unique trap mechanic involving a cage drop.

22. Pinewatch – In the basement vault, on a table near the loot. This bandit hideout is part of the Thieves Guild quest “Silver Lining” and is located south of Falkreath.

23. Fellglow Keep – In the ritual chamber on a table or pedestal. This location is part of the College of Winterhold quest “Hitting the Books.” The keep is southeast of Winterhold.

24. Dainty Sload (ship) – In the captain’s quarters, on a table or shelf. This ship is docked north of Solitude, near the East Empire Company Warehouse. It’s part of a Dark Brotherhood contract (“Mourning Never Comes”).

Tips for Finding All Stones Efficiently

Using Quest Markers and Mods

The vanilla game doesn’t give you quest markers for the Stones of Barenziah, which is a major pain point. But, players on PC have several options to make the hunt more bearable.

The most popular mod for this quest is Stones of Barenziah Quest Markers, available on Nexus Mods. This mod adds map markers for all 24 stones, eliminating the guesswork and letting you plan an efficient route. It doesn’t break immersion too badly, the markers only appear on your map and compass, not floating in the world.

If you’re playing on console (PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series X

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S) or prefer a vanilla experience, your best bet is following a written guide or video walkthrough. Print out a checklist or pull up a guide on your phone so you can cross off locations as you go. Players looking for other hidden collectibles might also reference guides for soul-capturing items to maximize their efficiency while traveling.

Tracking Your Progress

The quest counter in your journal updates every time you pick up a stone, showing “Recover the Stones of Barenziah (X/24).” This helps, but it doesn’t tell you which stones you’ve already collected.

Keep a manual checklist handy, either on paper or in a notes app. Organize it by hold or region so you can tackle all stones in a geographic area before moving on. For example, clear all Whiterun Hold stones in one trip, then fast travel to Riften and sweep The Rift.

Some stones are tied to specific questlines, so if you’re missing one or two, double-check whether you’ve completed the Thieves Guild (Treasury House, Pinewatch), Dark Brotherhood (Dainty Sload, Sanctuary), or College of Winterhold (Arch-Mage’s quarters, Fellglow Keep) quests. You can’t access certain locations until you’ve progressed far enough in those storylines.

Completing the Quest: Returning to Vex

Once you’ve collected all 24 Stones of Barenziah, return to Vex in the Thieves Guild headquarters beneath Riften. She’ll take the stones off your hands and tell you to speak with Tolfdir at the College of Winterhold to restore the crown (or she’ll mention the restoration herself, this varies slightly depending on patch version).

After a brief conversation, Vex rewards you with the Prowler’s Profit perk. There’s no fanfare, no special animation, just a quiet notification that the perk has been added to your active effects. The crown itself gets placed on a display in the Thieves Guild’s training room, though it’s purely decorative.

From this point forward, every container you loot in Skyrim will have a significantly higher chance of containing multiple precious gems. The effect is permanent and doesn’t require any upkeep. Just keep adventuring and watch your gem collection skyrocket.

One quirk: Prowler’s Profit affects containers you haven’t opened yet, but it won’t retroactively restock chests you’ve already looted. If you’ve cleared a dungeon before completing the quest, you won’t see the gem boost there until the cell resets (usually 30 in-game days for cleared areas). Players who enjoy optimizing their builds, such as those using the Lord Stone for combat bonuses, can layer this perk on top of their existing advantages for maximum efficiency.

Common Mistakes and Troubleshooting

Forgetting to join the Thieves Guild first. You can collect all 24 stones without ever speaking to Vex, but you can’t complete the quest or unlock Prowler’s Profit until you’ve joined the guild. If your journal still says “Bring the Unusual Gem to an appraiser,” you need to finish “A Chance Arrangement” in Riften.

Missing stones in locked or timed locations. Some stones are in areas that become inaccessible after certain quests. For example, if you destroy the Dark Brotherhood instead of joining them, you can’t get the stone in the Sanctuary. Similarly, the Dainty Sload contract has a time limit if you’re following the DB questline. Plan accordingly.

Assuming quest markers exist. A lot of first-time players pick up a stone, get the quest, and then wait for markers to appear. They don’t. You’re either using a mod, a guide, or wandering aimlessly. Resources like Twinfinite often publish updated guides with screenshots for each location, which can help if you’re stuck.

Not tracking which stones you’ve collected. The game doesn’t flag individual locations, so if you’re at 23/24 and can’t remember which one you missed, you’ll need to revisit every spot on the list. Use a checklist from the start to avoid this.

Selling the crown by accident. Okay, you can’t actually do this, the stones are quest items. But some players have reported bugs where stones disappear from their inventory after certain script-heavy events (like the Dawnguard or Dragonborn DLCs). If this happens, reloading a save usually fixes it. On PC, you can use console commands to re-add missing stones: player.additem 0007e8c8 1 for a generic stone, though this can cause quest tracking issues.

Ignoring the Special Edition differences. Most stone locations are identical between Skyrim (2011) and Skyrim Special Edition (2016), but mods and console commands differ. If you’re using guides or mods, make sure they’re compatible with your version of the game.

Conclusion

The Stones of Barenziah quest is a marathon, not a sprint, but the payoff is worth it for players who spend serious time looting dungeons and exploring Skyrim’s corners. Prowler’s Profit transforms gem drops from occasional finds into a reliable income stream, and the satisfaction of closing out one of the game’s most notoriously tedious quests is its own reward.

Whether you’re using mods to mark locations or grinding it out with a checklist, dedicating a few hours to hunt down all 24 stones will set you up with a permanent advantage that scales throughout the entire game. Just don’t forget to actually join the Thieves Guild before you start collecting, because hauling around 24 unusual gems with no way to complete the quest is the kind of pain only a Skyrim player truly understands.