So I stumbled upon this cavern south of Helgen called Southfringe Sanctum. The enemies there were humans known as 'Spellswords' and as they were hostile I proceeded to wipe them out. There was a fox named Pumpkin (named fox!!) that I saved from some spiders there. The first time they got him so I reloaded and charged in to save him. Can anyone tell me the significance of this location or of the fox named Pumpkin? First named fox I've seen, and he was originally in a cage/trap that appeared to be baited with some chicken. He was standing on a pile of smoking blue ash as if a vampire died there .... I figure it's got to mean something but I am mystified. Anyone?

Bump for this mystery!

Maybe the named fox is someone's pet or something that you are asked to find or save in a quest?

Wasn't their a dog named pumpkin in rock milk cave in oblivion?

I just found this place last night but there was no fox. What was down there was an elf I believe who I had to cut out of the webs. I got a quest to help her escape, so I finished clearing the place out and we ran to the exit. Only problem is now she won't leave. She stands in the doorway to Skyrim with her weapon drawn so I can't finish the quest and see what happens.

No fox, no ashes for me.

Yes, I ran into those spellswords as well, I think the fox is a reference to Oblivion with the dog with the same name. I think the dog was a companion to the 'Blackbow Bandits' in Oblivion.

yes, i think this fox is a reference to him

Aye. I just thought Pumpkin in Skyrim was just a reference to Pumpkin in Oblivion. It might be like the sheep in Oblivion too, since if you continually click the fox it might follow you. I clicked it a few times and later thought it was following me, but then he/she got killed, so I'm not sure...

There are a few named pets in the game. Pumpkin is one of them.

I think he is hostile until you kill the NPCs in the dungeon. It may have been because he got hit by me first.

I didn't think foxes in the game were hostile (unless spriggans got to them), but maybe Pumpkin was following me to bite my ankles?

Pumpkin was also a named Mole Rat in Fallout 3.

FUS RO DAH her old ass through the door. Worked for me.

I had one attacking me once and I didn't see any Spriggans around unless they were far away and sent the fox after me. I had just arrived from Fast Traveling though so I'm thinking Shadowmere (I was riding) may have 'landed' on the fox when we spawned at the destination.

This is a known bug. Check the wiki for some possible workarounds.

Pumpkin is an Easter egg, as was stated above, in many of Bethesdas games there is a certain animal in a cage always called Pumpkin. Check the UESP wiki for more info on it.

I just took you up on this. And I didn't find anything about animals in cages. Aside from the squash the only other Pumpkin I find on UESP was a dog in Oblivion. And he lived in a tent, not in a cage.

it belongs to the same faction of the mages there.

It's interesting to note that Soulfringe Sanctum is one of the few places where it's possible to get an ancient nord armor(the other being Forelhost but it's more difficult and probably as a reult of a bug, since it's looted off ghosts).

I believe there is a set in Volenruud, as well.

Other than saving the fox, there isn't anything else to do with him. There is someone else to save (a person) in this cave though. Look carefully in the spiders den areas. It's a small side quest.

I'm pretty sure I killed all the humanoid NPCs (except the 'other' one) in there and when I cast Detect LIfe Pumpkin still glowed red. FWIW Pumpkin was out of the cage when I first entered. Now, I didn't approach Pumpkin, but he/she glowed red with Detect Life.

My bad, I got UESP confused with the Regular Skyrim Wiki. Heres the link > http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Pumpkin
As you can see its an easter egg.