The Straw that Broke is a small, sad quest in Ivarstead in the Rift. Narfi, the beggar living in a ruined house across the river, has lost his parents and still believes his sister Reyda will come home one day. You find out what really happened to her, and bring back the one thing left of her.
How to start
- Cross the river in Ivarstead to the ruined house and talk to Narfi.
- He rambles about his parents and his sister, mentioning that the innkeeper told him Reyda would return.
- Do not loot Reyda’s necklace before the quest starts; it can make the quest impossible to finish.
Walkthrough
Ask Wilhelm about Reyda
Go to the Vilemyr Inn and speak with Wilhelm. He explains that Reyda used to gather ingredients on the small islands east of the village, mentions Geirmund’s Hall (adding it to your map) and admits she is probably dead.
Locate Reyda’s remains
Wilhelm’s directions are misleading: Reyda is not on the islands at all. Her skeleton lies at the bottom of the river just southeast of Ivarstead, close to the bridge. Follow the quest marker, or cast Clairvoyance to trace the route. Detect Dead will not reveal the remains. If you stand in the middle of the bridge facing east and dive in, the skeleton should be easy to spot. Next to her is a satchel with some alchemy ingredients and her necklace.
Bring the necklace to Narfi
Take the necklace back to Narfi and hand it over. The quest ends with Narfi giving you a few ingredients as thanks.
Rewards
- Three random alchemy ingredients from a short list that includes Nirnroot, Void Salts, Human Flesh, a Human Heart, a Giant’s Toe and a Daedra Heart
- The ingredients in Reyda’s satchel
Tips and notes
- Narfi is also a Dark Brotherhood contract target. If you kill him for the contract before finishing this quest, it fails, so return the necklace first if you want both.
- Showing the necklace to Wilhelm before the quest starts can break it, because his dialogue about Reyda disappears.
- The satchel can sometimes be invisible; it is next to Reyda’s left hand, around her waist, and can still be searched.
- Wilhelm may occasionally speak Narfi’s lines if you bring him the necklace, a harmless but odd glitch.
