Tending the Flames

Unearthing Arcane Edda

If you speak with any of the Bards who sing and play (usually in the main inn or tavern in any of Skyrim’s main cities), they mention that you might be interested in becoming a member of the Bards College. These hints are optional to find but point you in the direction of the College.

When you’re ready to become a Bard, visit the Avenues District. One of the fancier buildings houses the Bards College, as indicated by the door icon on your local map. The College Headmaster Viarmo is in the lobby of this building.

He warns you that the College accepts few applicants, but for your interview, he has a task that might be appropriate. He tells you that the Burning of King Olaf Festival, held by the College each year, has been forbidden by Solitude’s Jarl Elisif. He believes he can change the Jarl’s mind if he can perform a reading of King Olaf’s Verse, a part of the living history of Skyrim called the Poetic Edda that the Bards College keeps.

The College historian, Giraud Gemane, believes that the only surviving copy of King Olaf’s Verse was buried in the old king’s tomb. Giraud’s research leads him to believe that Dead Men’s Respite is the location where the king still lies. Look here.

A Ghost of a Chance

From Dragon Bridge, you can head south along the road to Robbers’ Gorge, then follow the river east to the tomb, or take the longer (but safer) road past Fort Snowhawk before heading through the mountains. Enter the ancient barrow and head into the entry chamber, where you encounter the ghost of a bard. It turns and walks through the portcullis, fading out before you can interact with it. Return to the table and remove the Ruby Dragon Claw from the pressure plate, which raises the portcullis. You’ll need the Claw later, but first, defend yourself from the restless Draugr. Your claw removal startled them out of slumber.

• Ruby Dragon Claw

With the Draugr temporarily thwarted, head through the doorway that opened and around to another sighting of the ghostly form; it bears the name Svaknir. Don’t focus on it as you walk down the corridor; there’s a floor pressure plate that triggers a spear trap for the unwary! Follow the narrow crypt corridor around and down, to a seemingly dead end. Look to the right for a chain that rotates the stone wall in front of you, opening up a way into the main crypt.

Svaknir walks out of sight, leaving you to fend off some Frostbite Spiders. Carefully pick your way past more cobwebs to another chain (in a crypt with fallen masonry) and pull it. The walls rotate once more, opening a new path through the tombs and unlocking several more chambers with Draugr. Fight or sneak through to the stairs heading down, avoiding the flame trap at the bottom.

You come out into a cobwebbed chamber with a floor grate, where more Frostbite Spiders descend to fight you. After looting the room, open the grate via the chain on the east wall, and drop into the water below. Wade into a damp burial chamber with spiral wooden steps that Svaknir wanders up while you deal with more Draugr and Skeever. Expect attacks from Draugr bowmen on the upper platform. Head up the steps, into the caged platform, and take stock of the path ahead of you.

On the floor to the door’s right is a hinge trigger wire. Disarm it (Lockpicking: Adept) and you can open the door and safely cross the bridge.

Otherwise, open the door and carefully time your movements past the deadly swinging blades, stopping at the safe spots indicated by the candles (and lack of blood). Hurry! The longer you wait, the less synchronized the blades will be, making your run that much harder. You can also try a direct sprint (augmented with spells or a Shout if necessary), or leap to a side alcove and back onto the bridge, avoiding some of the blades. Activate the chain at the bridge’s opposite end to stop the blades (allowing your followers to pass), and exit via an upper door.

Svaknir appears again near a sealed door in the next corridor. You cannot open the door for now, so continue deeper into the crypt. Deal with more Draugr along the way and a nasty magic caster trap as you move into a connecting chamber with a floor grate. Look down, and you see Svaknir descending the steps. Then look back up to see the Draugr rushing you from all sides.

After dealing with the ambush, activate the chain between the two carved dragon heads on the south wall to open the grate. Descend the spiral steps below, use the handle, and you come upon the final resting place of Svaknir, the bard who wrote King Olaf’s Verse and who first began the festival so long ago. The specter sits next to his corpse, waiting for you to bear his masterwork out into the world. Pry it from his bony fingers.

• King Olaf’s Verse

Ascend the spiral stairs and retrace your steps, fighting off any surviving Draugr along the way. When you return to the sealed door, Svaknir is waiting for you. He beckons you to follow and casts a spell at the door, removing the barrier. He then draws his sword and races down the hall. Follow him.

At the hall’s end is a Nordic Puzzle Door.

Puzzle Solution: Bring out the Ruby Dragon Claw you took in the entrance embalming room, and inspect the palm. The forms of a Wolf, a Hawk, and another Wolf are etched into the surface. Make sure the door’s outer, middle, and inner rings have those carvings shown before you insert the Claw to unlock the door.

Head up the stairs beyond the door, where Svaknir waits with ghostly sword drawn as you enter the ceremonial burial chamber of King Olaf. Svaknir challenges the dead king, and the Draugr who protected him in life rise from their thrones to defend him once more. Join the bard in battle and cut down your foes as quickly as they rise.

Svaknir shouts a second challenge, and the Draugr on the middle level stand up one by one. These foes are tougher, but with the help of your spectral ally, you can beat them.

Finally, follow Svaknir up to the upper level, where the dead king’s sarcophagus lies. The bard yells out his final challenge, and King Olaf One-Eye cracks open his sarcophagus and attempts to stop you. Fight the King, as he is carrying the key that allows you to exit this chamber—unless you wish to creep around and unlock the door (Master).

Before you leave, learn the new Word of Power from the Word Wall behind King Olaf’s resting place. Then exit via the Iron Door, where Svaknir—his vengeance finally completed—vanishes in a bright light. Use the lever to remove the blocking stone, and exit Dead Men’s Respite for good.

• King Olaf’s Treasury Key
• Word of Power: Whirlwind Sprint

Return of the King

Present King Olaf’s Verse to Viarmo. His jubilation quickly subsides as he reads the verse and finds some of it missing,and much of it less “poetic” than modern-day Edda. Offer to make up the missing parts of the verses. Viarmo is convinced.

Viarmo needs some story hooks and ideas that give the poem a more thrilling and weaving narrative than before. You are free to choose what happens in portions of the verses.

(Persuade) You can even choose a more fanciful and outlandish story for the poem. Complete the first Persuade, and a second Persuade option opens up. Choosing both of these increases the patronage paid by the court, and therefore your ultimate reward.

With the poem creatively polished, Viarmo sets off to see the Jarl of Solitude inside the Blue Palace. Follow him when the objective updates. Once inside the palace, ask Viarmo if he’s ready. The objective updates again, and he climbs the stairs to gain an audience with Jarl Elisif the Fair.

After a thrilling (and some might say, unbelievable) recount of King Olaf’s fable in verse form, Jarl Elisif the Fair recognizes that Solitude would be remiss if they forgo this traditional burning festival. She agrees to speak to General Tullius about the matter, and ensures that the College is well rewarded for such a stirring piece of poetry.

As soon as Viarmo leaves the Jarl’s chamber, speak with him. Although you aren’t a bard yet, you are set to be inducted during the festival. For now, you are to locate Jorn, who was preparing the effigy of King Olaf, and tell him to finish the preparations: The festival is back on!

Jorn is usually in the Bards College and is an adept given responsibility for the effigy. Speak with Jorn now, and he asks you to return at 10:00 p.m. or later.

Quest Conclusion

Return to Jorn at the allotted time, and watch the festival. You can get some free food and hear some music here. Viarmo lights the effigy of King Olaf, which burns merrily. Then, in front of a crowd of Solitude citizens, Viarmo turns to you and welcomes you into the Bards College with the following rewards:

• Leveled gold pieces
• Perk: Gift of the Gab

Postquest Activities

You may now speak to any of the bards, who are now “friendly” to your cause. You can and should begin the instrument-collecting quests, detailed next.