Saerlund is a Nord and the youngest son of Laila Law-Giver, the jarl of Riften. He is the family’s black sheep: he spoke out against Ulfric Stormcloak, and his mother stripped him of his inheritance for it. He still lives in the palace, but more like a prisoner than a prince.
Where to find them
Saerlund stays in the jarl’s palace in Riften, where he expects every visitor to be there to mock him.
Personality & relationships
Talk to him and he’ll first assume you’ve come to laugh at him. Get past that and he explains himself: he doesn’t necessarily think the Stormcloak cause is wrong, but he is convinced that Ulfric himself only wants the throne and uses the Talos issue to rally followers. That opinion leaves him leaning towards the Empire, and very lonely at court.
His older brother Harrald has all but disowned him. Their exchanges are bitter: Harrald calls him a traitor, while Saerlund accuses him of only parroting their mother’s views to secure his place as the next jarl. In one conversation Saerlund remembers when the two of them fought back to back, and warns Harrald that a storm is coming and he’ll have to pick a side eventually.
Good to know
Despite his Imperial sympathies, Saerlund is still sent off to Windhelm with the rest of his family if the Imperial Legion takes Riften.
Quick facts
- Race: Nord
- Gender: Male
- Level: 8
- Class: Citizen
- Status: Killable
- Found in: Riften
- Base ID: 00013379
Also in Riften
Salvianus, Samuel, Sapphire, Shadr, Shavari, Sibbi Black-Briar, Svana Far-Shield, Syndus, Talen-Jei, Threki the Innocent, Thrynn, Tonilia.
Race, level, class and factions read from the Skyrim game files; story details checked against community wiki articles and written in our own words.