Skyrim Secondaries- The Bards’ College: Cinders of History

Giraud can be found wandering the main area of the College fairly easily- he wears all brown, including a brown cap lined with white fur.  When you go to talk to him and ask about the Edda, he immediately concludes that you must be the one that Viarmo is sending after the chunk of verse.  Giraud is thankful to find that someone is going after it already- he is certain that the verse can be found there, and since the location is known, there is no reason to waste any time -not- going after it yet.

Svaknir, it seems, lived some time ago and his section of the Edda, King Olaf’s Verse, was highly critical of the king at the time.  This upset the king in question to the point where he had Svaknir put to death and most or even all of the copies of King Olaf’s Verse burned to boot, just to ensure that it would never be heard again.  Fortunately, Giraud has uncovered evidence that suggests the original copy was buried along with Svaknir, rather than put to the torch.  If Giraud’s readings of ancient texts are right, then the verse is in Dead Men’s Respite, along with the tombs of King Olaf and Svaknir.

Dead Men’s Respite is one of the many ancient Nord ruins found in Skyrim- this one is particularly near to the hold-capital of Morthal, along the river.  It is worthy of note for holding a Word Wall, and being one of many places that you can receive notes about from whomever your mysterious benefactor is.  This is, of course, in addition to the presence of King Olaf’s Verse.

The easiest way to find Dead Men’s Respite is to start from Morthal, and head Southwest.  You’ll soon find yourself traveling upriver into the hills, and after passing a waterfall and a rapids in short order, you will be directly downhill of Dead Men’s Respite.  The tomb is located on the North side of the river, and should show as a ruin on your compass at the top of the screen.  As an added bonus, there is a small hut on the river called the Crabber’s Shanty, where a hunter lives and harvests mudcrabs- this small home is past Dead Men’s Respite, but not by very far- if you head North by Northeast from there up the hill you will quickly locate the ruin.

Entering Dead Men’s Respite admits you to a short downhill hallway with several small stairways in the midst of it.  At the end of this is a door with an open porticullis, beyond which lies a mid-sized room with an altar in the center of it.  Behind this altar stands a ghost, apparently playing the lute.  As you finish entering the room, he beckons for you to follow him, then walks straight through the porticullis behind him.  This leaves you alone in the room.