Thirsk Mead Hall ( Dragonborn ) Thirsk Mead Hall is a grand hall on the banks of Lake Fjalding that once served as a home and hunting lodge to a clan of Nord warriors . The mead hall is just east of the Beast Stone . History . The book " Thirsk , a Revised History " describes the founding of the Mead Hall . The following is a summary . Third Era . Roughly a hundred years before the book ' s publication ( probably sometime around 3E 320 , seeing as the book first appears in ) , a small group of Solstheim ' s Skaal decided to break away from their brethren and live independently . They looked for a new location to settle , and found Lake Fjalding after migrating some distance south . Construction began , and after roughly a month , the new Mead Hall was completed , also serving as a hunting lodge . Despite the great achievement , the settlers ' celebrations were short - lived . The construction of the Mead Hall had awakened an ancient creature which had lain dormant beneath the ice nearby . Its name was the Udyrfrykte , and it wrought death upon the settlers at Lake Fjalding in revenge for disturbing its sleep , reducing their numbers by half . A sorcerer managed to drive the Udyrfrykte back to its lair , sparing them from further carnage , but not destroying the beast . After peace had returned , tensions grew over who would be the Mead Hall ' s new leader . Many settlers believed Hrothmund the Red to be the most worthy candidate , but Drengr Bronze - Helm disagreed , stating himself superior to Hrothmund . They fought a duel to resolve their differences , which ended when Hrothmund beheaded Drengr Bronze - Helm where he stood . His battle - prowess earned Hrothmund the title of the Mead Hall ' s first chieftain . To serve as a reminder , Drengr Bronze - Helm ' s head was placed on a pedestal in the middle of the Hall for all to see . This set a tradition that every new leader of the Mead Hall follows . After receiving the consent of Hrothmund the Red ' s spirit in Hrothmund ' s Barrow , they display their most prized battle trophy on the pedestal within Thirsk Mead Hall . Many years later , a fire on the lake freed the Udyrfrykte and it again massacred the residents of the hall . The sole survivor , Svenja Snow - Song , asked the Nerevarine to hunt down and destroy the beast once and for all ; offering leadership of the hall in return . Fourth Era . The warriors of Thirsk bought mead from Skyrim and had it shipped over by the East Empire Company . After the prices began to rise , they started to brew their own mead . Sometime before 4E 201 , the hall was overrun by rieklings led by their chief . Bujold and the other warriors fled the hall and headed down the hill . They , then , set camp along the beach , while the rieklings took over the hall . Later , during the events of , the Last Dragonborn visits the hall and could either help the chief of the Rieklings by killing Bujold and her warriors , or accompany Nords as they retake Thirsk Mead Hall . Interior . When the Hall is overrun with Rieklings , the interior is a mess . Tables and chairs are overturned , and the skulls and painted bones characteristic of Riekling lairs litter the place . A throne sits at the far back of the hall , where the chief sits . If the Dragonborn undertakes the quest " Retaking Thirsk , " after the Rieklings have been eradicated , the Hall is refurnished . New wall hangings , lighting , barrels , cooking fires and furnishings are added , and new sleeping quarters are installed at the back . The improved lighting successfully shows off the Nordic woodwork and architecture . The mead bottles and drinking vessels that adorn the tables are , in many places , knocked over and many of them litter the floor . If the Dragonborn undertakes quest " The Chief of Thirsk Hall , " or does not undertake either quest , the Hall remains as it was when the Dragonborn first encountered it . The two quests are opposed : if the Dragonborn completes one of them , the other is automatically failed . The following miscellaneous quests become available after the quest " Retaking Thirsk . " Characters . After completing " Retaking Thirsk " the former members of Thirsk Mead Hall will move back in . Enemies . The quest " Retaking Thirsk " involves the slaying of a band of rieklings that have taken over the Hall , including their chief . These Rieklings only become enemies during the quest and are not hostile earlier .