Vald is a Nord heavy in Riften with ties to the Thieves Guild. He used to run jobs for Maven Black-Briar, until he crashed a boat on Lake Honrich while transporting the Quill of Gemination and lost the quill in the process. Maven has had him on a leash ever since, and these days he works off the debt by guarding Riftweald Manor, the house of Mercer Frey.
Where to find them
He keeps watch over the yard of Riftweald Manor. Once you resolve things with him, he leaves Riften and is never seen again.
Quests
Vald stands between you and Mercer’s house during The Pursuit, and he carries Mercer’s House Key. You have a few options:
- Kill him and take the key.
- Pickpocket the key.
- Persuade him that Mercer needs him in Markarth right away, then kindly offer to mind the house – he hands you the key himself.
- Take the long way round: Vex explains that Vald only cares about money, so recover the Quill of Gemination for Maven. She wipes his debt, and when you tell Vald he is a free man, he happily lets you in.
Plain bribes won’t cut it – he says no amount of coin fixes his problems unless Maven lets him go – and threats just make him laugh and invite you to try.
Personality & relationships
Vald is blunt, rough-spoken and permanently spoiling for a fight. The Pursuit also reveals that he and Vex were once close, romantically so.
Good to know
He always carries an iron dagger, the house key and some leveled bandit loot. If he turns hostile and won’t talk, spells such as Calm or Harmony can settle him down long enough for a conversation, as can the Bend Will shout (Dragonborn). Getting caught while pickpocketing him can leave him unwilling to talk at all, even after Maven clears his debt.
Quick facts
- Race: Nord
- Gender: Male
- Level: levels with you (x1.2)
- Class: Bandit
- Status: Killable
- Found in: Riften
- Base ID: 00072B04
Also in Riften
Valindor, Vanryth Gatharian, Vekel the Man, Vipir the Fleet, Vulwulf Snow-Shod, Wujeeta, Wylandriah, Aerin, Alessandra, Anuriel, Arnskar Ember-Master, Asbjorn Fire-Tamer.
Race, level, class and factions read from the Skyrim game files; story details checked against community wiki articles and written in our own words.