The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim/The Pit

This is a sub-page of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.

At one point during development, there was to be an Imperial City-style arena in Windhelm called the Pit. Quests, code, maps and even NPCs still exist for it in the base game, but it was ultimately scrapped. Through the cut dialogue and quests, it's implied you are jailed and forced to fight for your freedom. Your encounter with the Dark Brotherhood target, Alain Dufont, also took place in the Pit originally. In the final release, you simply face off against him in a Dwemer ruin.

There's only two maps left of the Pit, and you can access them in the console by typing coc WindhelmPitEntrance and coc WindhelmPitExterior.

Note: The WindhelmPitExterior map transports you to the actual Windhelm map, but you spawn underneath it.

Scripts

There is an entire list of scripts all relating to the Arena, including references to wagers and to the enemies the Dovahkiin would battle;

arenacombatantscript.pex
arenacombatquest.pex
arenacrowdquestscript.pex
arenaentrancetriggerscript.pex
arenaexitdoorscript.pex
arenainteriordoorscript.pex
arenascript.pex
arenaspawnpointscript.pex
arenatransitioncombatquest.pex
arenawagerdoorexteriorscript.pex
arenawagerfighterquestscript.pex
arenawagerfighterscript.pex
qf_arenacombatquest00dbspecia_00097594.pex
qf_arenacombatquest00jailfigh_000967dd.pex
qf_arenacombatquest00leveltra_000935f4.pex
qf_arenacombatquest02wolves_00092a49.pex
qf_arenacombatquest03frostbit_00092a4a.pex
qf_arenacombatquest04npcsplus_00092a4b.pe
qf_arenacombatquest05bear_00092a4c.pex
qf_arenacombatquest06sabrecat_00092a4d.pe
qf_arenacombatquest07chaurus_00092a4e.pex
qf_arenacombatquest08troll_00092a4f.pex
qf_arenacombatquest09npcsplus_00092a50.pex
qf_arenacombatquest10giant_000967d9.pex
qf_arenacombatquest11npcsplus_000967da.pex
qf_arenacombatquest12icewrait_000967dc.pex
qf_arenacombatquest13npcsplus_000967db.pex
qf_arenacombatquest_00040b56.pex
qf_arenacrowdquest_000d7b12.pex
qf_arenawagerfighterquest_000dc9df.pex
qf_eastmarchjailarenafightque_00092a54.pex

NPCs and Dialogue

There are also several cut NPCs relating to the Windhelm Pit, even having their own faction in the code (ArenaFaction). Some of the unused NPCs even have dialogue about the Pit, with some of that leaking into the main game with references to a "Bloodworks" still appearing during the quest "Blood on the Ice", these Bloodworks got turned into the Windhelm Barracks in the final game. There are also several dialogue boxes that were left behind.

Dialogue Boxes

ID	Text
ArenaWagerDoorMessage	You cannot enter the Pit without making a wager.
ArenaNobodyLeavesMessage	You cannot leave the Pit during combat.
ArenaCombatantName	Pit Fighter

Benkum

Benkum would've been the Nord overseer of the Pit. He would've been posted permanently in the Bloodworks, and has unused dialogue:

• "Hello, hello, hello. Interested in fighting in the Pit? The rules are strict, but if I don't see it, it didn't happen, know what I mean?"
• "It's very important to Huki that all the battles are fair. What's more important to me is that my pay is fair."
• "Prove your valor in the Pit! If you haven't got any valor, prove your pocketbook!"

Brond

Brond is one of the combatants of the Pit. A Nord, he strangely carries a dragonplate shield alongside, in comparison, underpowered weapons (a steel sword, an Imperial bow and iron arrows). He too, has unused dialogue:

• "I've been a lot of things in my life. Pit fighter's the one I'm best at."
• "We should get a dragon for the Pit. I'd love to fight one."
• "I've been fighting in the Pit for years. That should tell you something."
• "There's two kinds of Pit fighters -- good ones and dead ones."
• "Ulfric once tried to get me to fight for him, but marching bores me."
• "Steel. Barehanded. Armor. Naked. It's all fighting. I can kill you with a weapon or by myself. No difference."

Edorfin

Edorfin is another Pit combatant, a Wood Elf. Nothing particularly interesting about him, he only has one unused line of dialogue.

• "What I lack in strength, I make up for with tenacity."

Fellow Prisoner

A radiant Nord bandit who appears naked, with only a sword and shield equipped. Their name is quite telling - it seems to suggest that you may have had to been forced to battle in the Pit at one point. They have no special dialogue.

Huki Seven-Swords

The most filled out of the cut NPCs, Huki even has dialogue with the player. She is a Nord, and references Dark Brotherhood target Alain Dufont in her dialogue. Huki also seems to align with the Stormcloaks- unsurprising considering the location of the arena.

• "Looking for something?"
• "Real Nords like to prove their mettle in the pit."
• "Just between you and me, I wouldn't mind if the Empire just up and left for good."
• "I'd love get one of those Imperial weasels under my boot..."
• "All right, meat, it's time for you to earn your freedom."

And the dialogue between you and Huki:

Huki: "What is this, you think you're clever? If you want to fight your way out of here, you have to do it in the Pit. Gotta give the crowd a show. Luckily there's no shortage of Pit bait around here. Now get in there and earn your freedom."

Player: "What do I have to do?"

Huki: "We don't just let people rot in cells until they've served their time. Here, you fight. If you win, you go free. If you lose, well, you'll know the freedom of Sovngarde if you're lucky."

Player: "I'm ready to go."

Huki: "All right. Head to the pit when you think you're ready."

Player: "I want to fight Alain Dufont."

Huki: "Well, aren't you in luck? He's the next piece of gutter scum on the docket. Between you and me, I hope you cleave his arrogant head open."

The dialogue about Alain Dufont seems to only trigger if Alain isn't dead and if the player is through the Dark Brotherhood quest involving him.

Liesl

Another Nord Pit fighter. Nothing interesting again, except some unused dialogue.

• "Stand away from me, or I'll crack you like an egg."
• "What are you looking at? Scared of strong women?"
• "You look mighty tasty. Better not stick around for supper."

Pit Fan

These are NPCs who spawn if one travels to the unused "WindhelmPitEntrance". There are nine in total, spanning four races (Dark Elf, Imperial, Nord, and Argonian), and have nothing in the way of unique dialogue or scripts. One can guess with the location of where they are spawned, that they are obviously supposed to goad and cheer the combatants on.