Hrolfdir’s Shield is a unique heavy shield based on the steel shield. It has no enchantment, but it carries plenty of political weight. It belonged to Jarl Hrolfdir, father of Igmund, who went to negotiate peace with the Forsworn and never came back.
How to get it
Speak to Igmund in Markarth once you are on good terms and he asks you to recover his father’s shield. The shield is placed in one of several Forsworn haunts across the Reach:
Expect angry Forsworn and probably a hagraven or two. Bring it back to Igmund to complete Recover Hrolfdir’s Shield.
Is it worth wearing?
As a shield, not much. Its armor rating of 24 is fine early on, but it cannot be improved at a workbench whatever perks you have, so it falls behind quickly. The real reward is the quest itself: finishing it lets you buy a house in Markarth, which is the main reason most players bother. A home in the city of stone gives you a safe base in the west, storage space and easy access to the smiths and merchants of the Reach. Compared with other jarls’ favor items, like the Helm of Winterhold or Roggi’s Ancestral Shield, it is just as plain, but the payoff is better. Keep it in mind as a stepping stone rather than an end-game shield, and do not expect it to stand up to anything a skilled smith can forge for you.
Good to know
- If Thongvor Silver-Blood becomes jarl after Season Unending, this quest cannot be obtained.
- Hrolfdir died trying to make peace with the Forsworn, which explains the locations.
- No enchantment means nothing to learn at the enchanter.
Stats
| Item | Slot | Type | Armor | Weight | Value | ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hrolfdir’s Shield | Shield | Heavy | 24 | 12 | 60 | 00064B71 |
Stats from the Skyrim game files (Skyrim.esm and the official add-ons): base values before Smithing and perks. Where several versions exist (leveled copies), all are listed.
