Thane of Eastmarch is the honorary title of Eastmarch, granted from the throne in Windhelm. Unlike most holds, the Jarl of Eastmarch will not even consider you until the civil war has moved along, because Windhelm is the Stormcloak capital. Whoever sits on the throne, either Ulfric Stormcloak or Brunwulf Free-Winter, the price is the same: help the people of the hold and buy the most expensive house in town.
How to start
The offer depends on which side of the civil war you support:
- Stormcloaks: progress through Liberation of Skyrim until you have completed Rescue from Fort Neugrad and freed Falkreath from the Empire. Ulfric then offers you a place in his court as Thane.
- Imperial Legion: finish Reunification of Skyrim. After the Battle for Windhelm, Brunwulf Free-Winter becomes Jarl and can offer you the title.
Speak to the Jarl in the Palace of Kings. The title is offered on two conditions: assist five citizens of Eastmarch and own a house in Windhelm.
Walkthrough
Assist five citizens of Eastmarch
Any five favours from people in the hold count. Many are quick, and several can be done without leaving Windhelm:
- Windhelm: give a coin to the beggars Angrenor Once-Honored or Silda the Unseen; give a drink to Torbjorn Shatter-Shield or bring him an Amulet of Arkay; beat Rolff Stone-Fist in a brawl at the inn; deliver Hillevi Cruel-Sea‘s Nightshade Extract to Wuunferth the Unliving; return Revyn Sadri‘s ring to Viola Giordano; convince Torbjorn to raise the Argonian dock workers’ pay for Scouts-Many-Marshes; steal Double-Distilled Skooma for Stands-In-Shallows; find Shahvee‘s Amulet of Zenithar; deliver a book from Adonato Leotelli to Giraud Gemane in Solitude; find Queen Freydis’s Sword for Oengul War-Anvil; deal with a former crew member for Kjar; gather crops for Belyn Hlaalu.
- Kynesgrove: deliver frost salts to Dravynea the Stoneweaver; chop wood for Ganna Uriel; mine malachite ore for Kjeld; persuade Roggi Knot-Beard to forget his debts for Iddra; recover Roggi’s Ancestral Shield.
- Around the hold: gather crops for Bolfrida Brandy-Mug or Tulvur; chop wood for Gilfre at Mixwater Mill; mine corundum ore for Verner Rock-Chucker; kill a bandit leader for Annekke Crag-Jumper; deliver Sondas Drenim‘s note to Quintus Navale; rescue Derkeethus from Darkwater Pass.
- The Jarl: Brunwulf (and Ulfric’s court) can also hand out a bounty on a bandit leader.
Purchase Hjerim
The house for sale in Windhelm is Hjerim, and it costs 12,000 gold. Buy it from the steward: Jorleif if the Stormcloaks hold Windhelm, or Captain Lonely-Gale if the Empire does. Be aware that buying Hjerim automatically starts the murder investigation Blood on the Ice. You do not have to solve it to become Thane.
Return to the Jarl
With five citizens helped and Hjerim in your name, go back to the Jarl. You are named Thane of Eastmarch and receive your rewards.
Rewards
- The title of Thane of Eastmarch, which means guards in the hold treat you with more leniency
- The Axe of Eastmarch, a leveled hold weapon
- Calder as your personal housecarl, who can follow you and waits at Hjerim
- Ownership of Hjerim (bought as part of the requirements)
Tips and notes
- Eastmarch is the most expensive thaneship in the game because of Hjerim’s price, so save up before you start.
- On the Imperial side, the source notes that you will in practice need to complete Brunwulf’s bandit bounty to become Thane anyway.
- Several of these favours, such as the beggar coins and the drink for Torbjorn, take only a minute, so the five-citizen requirement is much less work than the house price.
