Old Hroldan is all that remains of a once-mighty stronghold on the Karth River, southeast of Markarth, near Fort Sungard. These days it is a single inn, the Old Hroldan Inn, run by a Nord woman named Eydis while her husband is away fighting in the civil war. It is a quiet stop on a long road – unless you sleep in the wrong bed.
What you’ll find
- The Old Hroldan Inn and its innkeeper, Eydis, who loves to talk up the place’s history.
- Tiber Septim’s room, which she will rent you for 10 gold. Legend says this is where the future emperor slept after his victory here.
- A ghost from the old battle who wanders the inn as if he owns it.
- Reachwater Rock, a sealed Nordic tomb, lies just to the west.
Quests
The Ghost of Old Hroldan – Rent Tiber Septim’s room and sleep past 1 AM, and Eydis wakes you with a scream. A spectral soldier has sat down for a drink and is convinced you are Hjalti, his old comrade. He was promised Hjalti’s sword before he fell, and he has been waiting ever since. Eydis can point you to one of several Forsworn haunts where the sword might be – Broken Tower Redoubt is one of the candidates. Bring the sword back and the ghost finally rests, rewarding you with a point each in One-Handed and Block.
Tips
The 10 gold room is the best deal in the region: a bed, a free skill boost and a ghost story, all in one. The quest only starts once you actually sleep there, so do not just rent the room and wander off. Plan the trip as a pair with Reachwater Rock next door if you are on the Forbidden Legend trail.
Good to know
Hjalti Early-Beard was Tiber Septim’s name before he became emperor. Back then, so the story goes, Hroldan was a Reachman fortress, and Hjalti blasted its gates open with the Thu’um before going on to found the Third Empire. The place has had plenty of spellings over the centuries, including H’roldan and Hrol’dan. The ghost presumably mistakes you for Hjalti because you share the same Dragonborn spark – which is flattering, if a little confusing for a dead man.
Nearby
Closest places covered on TamrielSaga: Soljund’s Sinkhole, Serpent’s Bluff Redoubt, Moldering Ruins, Reachcliff Cave, Karthspire Camp.
Location data (hold, map position, editor ID) read from the Skyrim game files; details checked against community wiki articles and summarised in our own words.