Skyrim:The Ghost of Old Hroldan

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Put an ancient ghost to rest. Quest Giver: Eydis Location(s): Old Hroldan Inn, random dungeon Reward: +1 in One-handed and Block Disposition: =1 (Eydis) ID: FreeformOldHroldanB

"I've been waiting for you."

Quick Walkthrough

1. Sleep at the Old Hroldan Inn.
2. Speak to the ghost that appears.
3. Speak with Eydis.
4. Go to the random dungeon and recover Hjalti's Sword.
5. Return the sword to the ghost for free training in One-handed and Block.

Detailed Walkthrough

"Hjalti was a shrewd tactician, and his small band of Colovian troops and Nord berserkers broke the Reachman line, forcing them back beyond the gates of Old Hrol'dan. A siege seemed impossible, as Hjalti could expect no reinforcements from Falkreath."

Tiber Septim's Bed

Old Hroldan Inn, the remote inn along the shores of Karth River in the Reach, holds an important place in history, at least according to innkeeper Eydis. As soon as you enter the taproom she will claim, "Old Hroldan is the stone that the Empire's history is built on." and will then ask if you want to rent Tiber Septim’s bed. When asked to elaborate she will provide a lengthy description on the historical importance of Old Hroldan, as the place marks Tiber Septim’s first victorious battle, when he freed the area from barbarians during the second era. According to history, the victorious general then spent the night at the inn and his bed is still there, as good as new. She takes a meager 10 gold for renting out the precious bed, so accept the offer and follow her to the room. Note the skill book The Battle of Sancre Tor on the nightstand, then go to bed.

Ghost of Old Hroldan

"You promised me, Hjalti."

When you wake up, you will hear Eydis scream in terror from the taproom as the inn has received an unexpected visitor, namely the Ghost of Old Hroldan who wanders around like he owns the place and even pauses to eat and drink. The scared Eydis will tell tales about Old Hroldan being haunted, but will only have guesswork to offer. Instead, go talk to the ghost who is obviously confusing you with someone else:

"Hjalti? Is that you? I've been waiting."
"I fought by your side. To take back the Reach from the savages."
"Do you remember me now, Hjalti?"

When asked about why he is referring to you as ‘Hjalti’ he will remind you that the two of you fought together to free Hroldan, and that you promised him to be his sworn brother. He then explains that he has waited an eternity for the sword that will fulfill the promise, but will not reveal anything else.

Hjalti's Sword

Head back to Eydis and explain the situation. Once again, Eydis knows her history and will recall a legend that said that Tiber Septim attacked a camp right before heading to Hroldan. Her guess is that he left the sword there. She will then mark a random location on your map, choosing from the following list:

Possible Locations: Broken Tower Redoubt • Bruca's Leap Redoubt • Deepwood Redoubt • Dragon Bridge Overlook • Druadach Redoubt • Hag Rock Redoubt • Red Eagle Redoubt • Serpent's Bluff Redoubt

She will then speculate on the name ‘Hjalti’ and guess that it was one of the many names of Tiber Septim and even suggest that the ghost is that of a deceased soldier, one of 'Tiber Septim's dead men'. Leave her behind and head to the location.

Sworn Brothers

Luckily, Eydis’ map marker will show you all the way to the boss-leveled chest in the depths of the random location so make your way there and claim Hjalti's Sword. Return to Old Hroldan Inn and the ghost and present him with the sword. He will be most grateful to become your ‘sworn brother’ after hundreds of years and reward you with a few lessons from the sword masters of Alcaire, a one-point bonus to your One-handed and Block skills. He will then disappear into thin air, confident that you travel along with him.

"That night a storm came and visited Hjalti's camp. It spoke with him in his tent. At dawn, Hjalti went up to the gates, and the storm followed just above his head. Arrows could not penetrate the winds around him. He shouted down the walls of Old Hrol'dan, and his men poured in. After their victory, the Nords called Hjalti Talos, or Stormcrown."

Notes

• It is possible to acquire Hjalti's Sword in one of the potential spawn zones even before sleeping at Old Hroldan and starting the quest. The sword is flagged as a quest item until it is turned in.
• For more information about Hjalti and the Battle of Old Hrol'dan, see The Arcturian Heresy.

Quest Stages

The Ghost of Old Hroldan (FreeformOldHroldanB)
Stage	Finishes Quest	Journal Entry
20		(Objective is assigned): Bring Hjalti's Sword to the Ghost of Old Hroldan

• The following empty quest stages were omitted from the table: 5, 10, 15, 100.

 

Notes

• Any text displayed in angle brackets (e.g., <Alias=LocationHold>) is dynamically set by the Radiant Quest system, and will be filled in with the appropriate word(s) when seen in game.
• Not all Journal Entries may appear in your journal; which entries appear and which entries do not depends on the manner in which the quest is done.
• Stages are not always in order of progress. This is usually the case with quests that have multiple possible outcomes or quests where certain tasks may be done in any order. Some stages may therefore repeat objectives seen in other stages.
• If an entry is marked as "Finishes Quest" it means the quest disappears from the Active Quest list, but you may still receive new entries for that quest.
• On the PC, it is possible to use the console to advance through the quest by entering setstage FreeformOldHroldanB stage, where stage is the number of the stage you wish to complete. It is not possible to un-complete (i.e. go back) quest stages, but it is possible to clear all stages of the quest using resetquest FreeformOldHroldanB.