The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is filled with hundreds of quests and secrets for players to find. From delving into dungeons for loot to completing guild quests, it's easy to see why many consider Skyrim as the best Elder Scrolls game and one of the best RPGs of the last generation.
Quests in Skyrim might not be as memorable as Morrowind or Oblivion, but its attention to detail has set a standard for the genre. One great example of this is shadowmarks, a unique symbol the Thieve's Guild uses to give information to fellow thieves. The game consistently uses them to great effect without drawing too much attention to them. Here are all of the shadowmarks you can find in Skyrim along with what they mean.
9 The Guild Shadowmark
One of the most obvious signs used is The Guild shadowmark. This mark is a diamond with a circle in the center, depicting the cemetery the Guild leaves from.
When you find this shadow mask, it means a Thieves Guild member is nearby. Most of these can be found in Riften and its sewers, but there are a few dotted across the other holds of Skyrim. If you see this mark, you're safe.
8 Danger
The inverse of The Guild sign is the Danger shadowmark. A triangle with a circle on one end means there's trouble nearby. Stealing from these areas is suicide.
Trained guards, guilds adept with using weapons such as the Companions, and those hostile to thieves have this mark outside of their home. It is possible to steal from these areas, but you will need a character with a high Sneak skill with perks in the Sneak skill tree to stand a chance of getting out alive. Typically, this isn't worth the hassle.
7 Loot
Loot is one of the most common shadowmarks in Skyrim, denoted by a circle with a square that has horizontal lines through it. These areas are filled with valuables that are worth stealing.
Unlike the Danger shadowmark, Loot marks are much safer to steal from. These areas typically include Alchemy shops, inns, or the homes of the rich. There is a greater chance of leaving with valuables from these areas than those with any other mark. Do not confuse these with the Cache mark, however.
6 Cache
Thieves sometimes leave caches for you to find while exploring the various holds of Skyrim's landscape. Instead of a circle and a square, this sign is a diamond with a square. These signs mean there's a chest or storage container nearby with valuables.
They are fairly rare and are well hidden. You will need a keen eye to see these caches, but the loot is worth the trouble. There are only 14 in the whole game. One of them can be found to the right of Ysolda's house behind a pair of barrels. Keep your eyes out for this sign!
5 Empty
Opposite of the Loot shadowmark, the Empty mark tells thieves that there is nothing worth taking inside. These marks are similar to the Loot shadowmark except the horizontal lines in the square are missing.
Poor citizens or already looted zones have these marks. If you decide to ignore the sign's warning, the loot inside is usually a few gold pieces and junk items worth nothing. It is best to ignore these buildings if you're trying to make money from stealing.
4 Protected
Just like the Danger shadowmark, entering buildings with a Protected sign to steal from them is a bad idea. Buildings with this sign mean they are protected by the Guild and should not be robbed.
A diamond with two circles denotes this sign, which draws parallels to the Guild shadowmark. Rich people or those associated with the Guild in some fashion have this sign, Maven Black-Briar being the most obvious example. That doesn't mean they don't have good loot to steal, but stealing from these people is frowned upon.
3 Escape Route
Living as a thief, it is inevitable that you get caught. Thankfully, many members of the Guild have been imprisoned and escaped. Thieves that leave from these prions mark the walls with the Escape Route shadowmark.
A circle with a vertical line and a diamond pointing downward is what you're looking for while in a jail cell. These marks tell thieves that an exit is nearby to escape the prison, such as a nearby grate or a weak wall. There are only two in the game, and one mark denotes a bugged exit that only works with the Unofficial Patches mod.
2 Safe
No sign is as easy to understand as the Safe shadowmark. If you see a triangle with a circle in the center, you are in a safe location that is devoid of guards or traps. Sewers and empty houses usually have this shadowmark carved near their entrance.
While this sign means an area is safe, it doesn't mean these areas will drop any guards following you. The waterway under the Whiterun main gate is a great example of this. This spot is great for resetting your sneak gauge, but guards already chasing you will have no issue running to this safe space and kill you. Use these areas with discretion.
1 Fence
Stealing items is one of the best ways to make money in Skyrim. The issue comes when you need to sell this stolen gear, however. That is where fences come in. Look for a diamond with a vertical line and a smaller triangle above it to find a friendly fence.
Fences will purchase stolen goods from you at a reasonable price, higher than most merchants in Skyrim. There are only 3 in the game that aren't in The Ragged Flagon, however. If you can find one, sell all of your stolen goods to them for a pretty penny. There is one in Markarth, Solitude, and Whiterun—although the "Dampened Spirits" quest must be complete before the Whiterun fence becomes available.