The Bastard ' s Tomb ( Book ) Content . By Taleon Mythmaker In life , Yoregg Grass - Grazer was a rogue and a scoundrel . He made a fortune , first as a bandit and a raider , and later as a landowner and businessman . In all of his roles , he more than earned the name he was given — Yoregg the Bastard . By all accounts , he relished the name , and even had it applied to his tomb when his long and vile life finally came to an end . This is the tale of how that came to be . Yoregg the Bastard was among the oldest men in Windhelm , but he was as strong and as vigorous as anyone half his age . He owned many of the shops and market stalls in the city , as well as the tavern , the stables , and most of the farms beyond the western walls . But " own " might be too soft a word . Yoregg ruled over his holdings with as much power and authority as any thane or jarl in the land . If you worked for Yoregg , he treated you little better than a servant or a slave , and if you rented land from him , he made sure you acted as a humble vassal in his vaunted presence . In other words , he was a pure and total bastard . While Yoregg continued to fortify his fortune and terrorize the people beholden to him , he also began work on his tomb . He chose a location far to the southeast , in the region where he made his first fortune as a bandit and a raider when he was a very young man . The old hide - out that he used as a headquarters in those days of pillaging and plunder was located within a series of caves in the mountains separating southern Eastmarch from the Rift . He hired the talented stoneworker , Shreg Rock - Fingers , to turn the unadorned caves into a suitable resting place for the Bastard . She didn ' t disappoint . When Yoregg traveled to the tomb to see what Shreg had accomplished , he made one of the few blatant mistakes of his life . And it was a mistake that was about to cost him dearly . The truth was , Shreg had a grudge against the Bastard . Of course , almost everyone who had ever met the Bastard had a grudge or a grievance or an ax to grind with the intolerable man . But Shreg ' s grudge was personal and deep seated . Yoregg had squeezed gold from Shreg ' s parents for decades while they toiled and worked the farm he rented to them . She remembered how they suffered , but rarely complained . How almost every coin they earned had to go to the Bastard to pay off their debt . But it was never enough . And when Mother fell sick , Shreg could only watch as Yoregg and his goons unceremoniously tossed her family from their land for failing to make their regular payments . On that day , Shreg swore she would find a way to make the Bastard suffer . Yoregg was thrilled with the work Shreg had done on the tomb . It was regal and vast , and it appealed to his overblown sense of self - worth and status . He adored the raised dais and the altar that were the focal point of the main burial chamber , and the high ceiling above gave the place a majestic air that played to the Bastard ' s ego . " Yes , " he declared , " this will do nicely . " Shreg led the old man to an open sarcophagus made of chisiled stone that stood upright against one wall . " Would you care to step inside , my lord , " Shreg asked as innocently as she could manage , " so that I can take an accurate measure ? " Yoregg beamed . He couldn ' t wait to step inside the ornate stone casket . But Yoregg was still a big man , even at his advanced age , and the inside of the box was tight and snug . " Squeeze in , my lord , " Shreg said , shoving at one of Yoregg ' s broad shoulders . Finally , after a bit of a struggle and some judicious contortions by the old man , Shreg was able to swing the massive lid of the sarcophagus closed . " How does it feel , my lord ? " Shreg asked sweetly . " It ' s a bit cramped , " Yoregg admitted . " And very dark . " " Just like your soul , my lord , " Shreg shouted , making sure he could hear her through the stone . " Excuse me ? What did you say ? " Yoregg demanded , his voice reflecting confusion and anger and a slight hint of blossoming fear . " This is for my parents , you bastard , " Shreg declared as she sealed the lid of the sarcophagus . " Enjoy your eternal rest , my lord . " Shreg could hear the Bastard ' s cries echo through the chambers as she exited the tomb . She hoped it took him a long , long time to die .