Finding the first "Unusual Gem" in a burial urn or on a Jarl’s nightstand is a rite of passage for almost everyone who spent time in the frozen north of Tamriel. These floating, pinkish-red crystals quickly become a burden, clogging up the quest item inventory and weighing 0.5 units each. While they appear to be simple trinkets, they are actually the scattered remnants of a legendary artifact. Finding all twenty-four Barenziah stones is perhaps the most tedious scavenger hunt in existence, yet the reward, a passive ability called Prowler’s Profit, effectively breaks the game’s economy by showering you in diamonds, emeralds, and flawless garnets.

To move the quest forward, the stones must be appraised. This requires a trip to Riften to speak with Vex in the Ragged Flagon. However, Vex won't give you the time of day unless you are a full member of the Thieves Guild. Once the stones are identified as part of the Crown of Barenziah, the quest "No Stone Unturned" begins.

The Prerequisite Checklist

Before embarking on a cross-country tour of the provinces, it is important to acknowledge that some Barenziah stones are locked behind significant paywalls or late-stage quest progression. You cannot simply walk into every location and claim your prize.

Specifically, you will need to:

  1. Join the Thieves Guild: Essential for appraising the stones and completing the final leg of the quest.
  2. Join the Dark Brotherhood: One stone is located inside their sanctuary. Accessing it requires starting the questline or, alternatively, destroying the faction.
  3. Amass 25,000 Gold: One stone resides in Proudspire Manor in Solitude. To gain entry, you must purchase the home, which requires completing favors for the Jarl and having a massive pile of septims.
  4. Progress in the College of Winterhold: The Arch-Mage’s quarters hold a stone, and you won't get inside until the quest "Under Saarthal" is underway.

Whiterun: The Central Hub

Whiterun is usually where most hunters find their first few pieces. The city and its surrounding areas contain three stones that are relatively easy to grab early in a playthrough.

Dragonsreach Jarl’s Quarters Once you have permission to enter the Jarl’s living space (usually after helping with the first dragon threat), head upstairs to the Jarl’s bedroom. The stone sits on the end table to the right of the bed. It’s one of the easiest to miss because the room is often occupied, but as long as you are the Thane or a friend of the court, picking it up isn't considered a crime in many versions of the game.

Jorrvaskr Living Quarters Head into the basement of the Companions' mead hall. Navigate to the very back where Kodlak Whitemane has his private quarters. The stone is resting on a shelf in his bedroom. You don't necessarily need to be a member of the Companions to walk in, but being a member makes the act of "borrowing" it much less awkward.

Whiterun Hall of the Dead Enter the catacombs located beneath the temple. From the entrance, take the first left, then the first right, and descend the ramp. The stone is tucked into a burial niche on the immediate left. This area is often filled with skeletons, so be prepared for a minor skirmish if you haven't cleared it recently.

The Rift: Secrets of the Thieves

Since Riften is the home of the Thieves Guild, it makes sense that the surrounding area is dense with Barenziah stones. There are three in this region, including a few tucked away in dangerous dungeons.

Mistveil Keep In Riften itself, head to the Jarl’s chambers. Similar to the one in Whiterun, this stone is located in the master bedroom on a bedside table. Security can be tight here, so entering at night while the Jarl is sleeping might require some stealth.

Black-Briar Lodge Located east of Riften, this is not the manor inside the city walls. This is the private lodge guarded by mercenaries. You’ll find the stone in the upstairs master bedroom on a side table. If you are doing the quest "Promises to Keep" for Louis Letrush, you will be directed to this house anyway, making it a convenient double-dip.

Ansilvund Burial Chambers This is a more combat-heavy acquisition. Ansilvund is a Nordic ruin located in the eastern mountains of the Rift. You must fight your way through the excavation and into the burial chambers. After defeating the final boss and claiming the Ghostblade, look on the table in the back of the room near the exit. The stone is sitting right there, usually near the boss’s chest.

Haafingar and Solitude: The Expensive Collection

This region contains four stones and represents the largest financial hurdle of the quest. If you are low on gold, this is where your progress will likely stall.

The Blue Palace In Solitude, the seat of the High King's widow holds a stone in the Jarl’s quarters. It is on the bedside table in the bedroom at the end of the hall. Like other palace stones, it is technically stealing, so keep an eye on the guards’ patrol routes.

Proudspire Manor This is the 25,000-gold stone. After buying the house from Falk Firebeard and becoming a citizen of Solitude, you can enter your own home. The stone is in the master bedroom on the top floor, sitting on a chest of drawers. There is no way to bypass this payment in the standard game without using glitches or external commands.

The Dainty Sload This is a ship docked between the Solitude Lighthouse and the city itself. Board the ship, fight through the corsairs, and head into the First Mate’s quarters. The stone is sitting on a table next to a chest. It’s a quick in-and-out if you are a high-level combatant.

Reeking Cave This location is tied to the main quest "Diplomatic Immunity." Originally, the stone was inside the Thalmor Embassy itself, making it missable. In updated versions of the game, it was moved to Reeking Cave—the tunnel you use to escape the embassy. Look near the body of the dead conjurer in the cave. If you missed it during the escape, you can always return to the cave entrance northwest of the embassy.

Eastmarch and Windhelm: The Ancient City

Windhelm and its surrounding caves house four more pieces of the puzzle. These are relatively straightforward to find once you know which doors to open.

House of Clan Shatter-Shield This residential home in Windhelm is usually open during the day. Head upstairs to the first bedroom on the left. The stone is on the bookshelf. If the door is locked, a basic lockpick will suffice, as the family doesn't tend to have high-level security.

Palace of the Kings Inside Windhelm’s main palace, take the first door on the left upon entering. Follow the hallway to the very end to find the quarters of Wuunferth the Unliving. The stone is on a table in the back of his room. Despite the name, Wuunferth is generally harmless to players who aren't causing trouble.

Stony Creek Cave Located at the southeastern edge of Eastmarch, this cave is a small bandit camp. Follow the main corridor until you see a small path branching off to the right. This leads to the bandit wizard’s area. The stone is on a table near the alchemy lab. It’s a very small dungeon, making this one of the faster captures.

Fellglow Keep Technically between Whiterun and Windhelm, this keep is central to the College of Winterhold quest "Hitting the Books." You’ll find the stone in the workroom (the room with the alchemy and enchanting stations) in the front foyer area. It sits on a counter, waiting to be claimed while you're busy hunting down stolen books.

The Reach and Markarth: Stone and Silver

Markarth is a city of stone, and it hides three Barenziah stones within its Dwemer architecture.

The Treasury House Directly to the right of the main entrance to Markarth is the Treasury House. Enter the master bedroom (to the left of the main desk) and look on the nightstand next to the bed. Since this is a high-security area, stealth is highly recommended.

Understone Keep / Dwemer Museum Inside the Jarl’s palace, head to the Dwemer Museum. You will need to either pick the lock or obtain a key from Calcelmo (often by completing his delivery quest). Once inside, head to the room on the left. The stone is on a table in the corner. Be careful, as the guards inside the museum are highly aggressive to trespassers.

Dead Crone Rock This is a Forsworn stronghold located southwest of Markarth. You usually visit this location during the quest "Pieces of the Past" to retrieve a fragment of Mehrunes' Razor. The stone is on the makeshift altar in front of the Word Wall at the very top of the tower. This is a long climb with many enemies, so come prepared for a siege.

Winterhold: The Frozen North

The northernmost region contains three stones, two of which are in dangerous locations.

College of Winterhold Arch-Mage’s Quarters As mentioned earlier, you need to progress through the first few College quests to gain access to this room. Once you have entry, the stone is on a shelf to the left of the bed, tucked under a mounted wolf head. If you finish the College questline, you eventually own this room, making the stone yours by right.

Hob’s Fall Cave Located on the coast between Dawnstar and Winterhold, this cave is filled with necromancers. Cross the bridge inside and take the path to the left. You’ll find an area with an alchemy bench; the stone is sitting on a shelf nearby. It’s a cold, dark place, but the path is relatively linear.

Yngvild This ruin is on an island northeast of Dawnstar. You’ll visit it for the quest "Pantea's Flute" or if you're hunting Arondil’s journals. The stone is in the final room (the throne room) on the desk behind the throne. Watch out for Arondil and his spectral summons.

Falkreath and Hjaalmarch: The Final Scattered Gems

The remaining four stones are scattered across the southern and central holds.

Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary Near Falkreath, inside the sanctuary, the stone is on the dresser in Astrid’s room. If you choose to destroy the Dark Brotherhood instead of joining them, you can still enter the sanctuary to grab the stone after killing the residents. It remains there even if the sanctuary is later damaged by fire.

Pinewatch This looks like a simple shack west of Falkreath, but it hides a massive bandit sanctuary behind a secret basement door. Navigate through the tunnels until you reach the room with the bandit and several empty sarcophagi. There is a small side room with a treasure chest; the stone is on a shelf directly across from that chest.

Sunderstone Gorge A cave west of Whiterun filled with fire mages. This is a dangerous dungeon for low-level players. The stone is at the very end of the cave, placed on an altar in front of the Word Wall. Be wary of the fire traps and the powerful mages guarding the final chamber.

Rannveig’s Fast Located south of Morthal, this is a Nordic ruin with a dragon shout. Outside, you’ll find "Subjugated Ghosts." Inside, there is a trapdoor in front of the Word Wall chest that drops you into a cage. The stone is on a table next to the alchemy lab in the prison area where Sild the Warlock resides. You can also reach it by navigating the tunnels normally if you avoid the trapdoor.

The Reward: Is Prowler’s Profit Worth It?

After turning in all twenty-four Barenziah stones, Vex will tell you the crown itself is still missing. You are sent to Tolvald’s Cave to retrieve the Crown of Barenziah. Once returned, the crown is restored, and you receive the Prowler’s Profit perk.

This perk is hidden; it doesn't show up in your active effects menu, but its impact is undeniable. It significantly increases the spawn rate of gems in almost every container in the game. After obtaining this, a simple run through a Draugr dungeon will net you dozens of flawless gems.

Is it worth it? By the time most players collect all twenty-four stones, they are likely already wealthy. However, if you are playing a long-term character or enjoy the feeling of hoarding literal thousands of gems, there is no better quest in the game. It turns the mundane task of looting urns into a dopamine-fueled treasure hunt. The stones of Barenziah are a test of patience, but for the completionist, they are the ultimate trophy in a thief's career.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Sometimes, players report that they cannot find a stone in its designated location. This is usually due to physics glitches—explosive spells or running into furniture can knock the stone onto the floor or behind a wall. If a stone is missing, try using a light spell or a torch to check the corners of the room.

Another common myth is the "multi-click" trick. In some versions of the game, clicking the stone multiple times very quickly can count as picking up two or three stones at once, allowing you to finish the quest without visiting all locations. While this still works in certain unpatched editions, it is generally better to rely on the established locations to ensure the quest script doesn't break.

Regardless of how you find them, the Barenziah stones represent one of the most comprehensive tours of the world's landmarks. From the highest palaces to the deepest, most trap-ridden caves, the hunt for these twenty-four gems is a journey that covers every corner of the map.