Thane of the Pale grants the Dragonborn an honorary seat in the court of Dawnstar, capital of the cold northern hold of the Pale. The Jarl – Skald the Elder in the default Stormcloak-held Pale, or Brina Merilis if the Imperials take over – wants you to prove yourself to the town before offering the title.
How to start
The Jarl will not consider you for Thane until two things have happened:
- Waking Nightmare: Dawnstar’s citizens are plagued by nightmares. Talk to Erandur in the Windpeak Inn to begin Waking Nightmare and see it through.
- Kill the Giant: The Jarl’s favour is a request to deal with a giant troubling the hold. According to the source, you must be at least level 22 for this task to be offered.
Walkthrough
Step 1: Befriend the Jarl
Finish Waking Nightmare, then speak with the Jarl in the White Hall in Dawnstar and take the giant-slaying job. Kill the giant at the indicated location and return. The Jarl then mentions there is room at court for a new Thane – if the people of the Pale agree.
Step 2: Assist three citizens of the Pale
Help three citizens with their problems. Easy options in and around Dawnstar include:
- Aeri (Anga’s Mill) – deliver Aeri’s Note to Skald, or chop wood and sell it to her.
- Beitild (Dawnstar) – bring her iron ore.
- Leigelf (Dawnstar) – bring him quicksilver ore.
- Captain Wayfinder (Dawnstar) – Salty Sea-Dogs: find some Fine-Cut Void Salts.
- Frida (Dawnstar) – Dungeon Delving: recover the Ring of Pure Mixtures.
- Karl (Dawnstar) – the classic drunk’s request: give him an alcoholic drink.
- Rustleif (Dawnstar) – Rare Gifts: find a copy of Night Falls on Sentinel.
The mining requests are the fastest: Dawnstar has iron and quicksilver mines right in town.
Step 3: Return to the Jarl
With three favours done and the Jarl befriended, report back to be named Thane of the Pale.
Rewards
- The title of Thane of the Pale.
- The Blade of the Pale, the hold’s ceremonial weapon.
- Gregor as your housecarl (Hearthfire only).
- The standard Thane privilege of being able to talk your way out of minor offences with the hold’s guards.
Tips and notes
- House: The Pale has no house for sale in the base game. With Hearthfire, it offers the Heljarchen Hall building plot, purchased through the Jarl’s court.
- Since Aeri offers two separate favours, Anga’s Mill alone can cover two of your three citizen tasks.
- The Civil War can replace the Jarl; the new Jarl still grants the title.
