Skyrim: How Every Character In Sovngarde’s Hall Of Valor Got There

The ending of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim‘s main questline sees the Dragonborn travel to the Nordic afterlife, Sovngarde, to defeat Alduin once and for all. While there, they may enter the Hall of Valor, a mead hall used by Shor to honor worthy Nord heroes. There are around ten NPCs that can be found in the Hall of Valor, each of which played a role in Tamriel’s history and consequently have unique lore behind them.

Sovngarde as a whole was theorized to have been created by Shor. It exists within Aetherius, the Immortal Plane, home to the Nine Divines and the source of magic and creation in the ElderScrolls universe. A realm of pure Magicka, it’s commonly believed by many NPCs in the Elder Scrolls universe that souls ascend to Aetherius upon death and various cultures tell stories of some of the many planes located in there, such as The Far Shores, the Redguard afterlife, and the Sands Behind The Stars, the Khajiit afterlife. Sovngarde is the Nordic equivalent of this, a home for those who have died valiantly in honorable combat. The Dragonborn is one of few, if not the only, living beings to enter Sovngarde, pursuing Alduin there during the events of Skyrim‘s primary storyline.

In order to enter the Hall of Valor, the Dragonborn – like all souls who enter Skyrim‘s afterlife of Sovngarde – must first defeat Tsun in combat. Tsun is believed to be the ancient Nordic god of trials against adversity, once serving as Shor’s shield-thane and dying honorably while defending him in the Dawn Era’s Ehlnofey wars. He guards the whalebone bridge that leads to the Hall of Valor. Once inside the Hall, players are free to explore both of the building’s wings and interact with many of the characters there. Shor’s Hall is depicted as a vast mead hall, and NPCs will typically be seen eating, drinking, dancing, and singing to songs of glory. By talking to these NPCs, Skyrim fans can learn some of the Elder Scrolls region’s expansive history by exploring the lives of those who have passed into the Hall of Valor.

Skyrim Characters In Sovngarde’s Hall Of Valor

These three ancient Nord heroes – Felldir the Old, Gormlaith Golden-Hilt, and Hakon One-Eye – encountered Alduin on the Throat of the World years before his return, working together to send Alduin forward in time with the use of an Elder Scroll. All three of them will then appear during the Dragonborn’s final battle against the world-eater to assist them in defeating him once and for all. Their spirits can also be summoned by the player using the Call of Valor Shout. While it isn’t directly stated how they passed, clearly their heroic actions against Alduin made them worthy enough to qualify for entry into Sovngarde.

Skyrim Characters In Sovngarde’s Hall Of Valor – Jurgen Windcaller

Perceptive players may recognize this character from a previous mission in Skyrim‘s main quest, The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller, in which the Dragonborn is tasked by the Greybeards to locate the ancient artifact. Jurgen Windcaller was the founder of the Greybeards, known in life as the mightiest of all the Tongues and an iconic hero of the First Era. He participated in the Battle of Red Mountain, after which he studied and developed the creed of the Way of the Voice. Although it isn’t exactly known how he died, he was buried in Ustengrav alongside many of his possessions including the Horn.

Skyrim Characters In Sovngarde’s Hall Of Valor – Olaf One-Eye

Olaf One-Eye is one of few characters in the Hall of Valor who shows up elsewhere in Skyrim, appearing as a named Draugr in the crypt Dead Men’s Respite. In Skyrim‘s Bard’s College questline, he’s the subject of the Burning of Olaf festival, defamed after his death by the words of the poet Svaknir. A plaque located in Windhelm lists more of his honorable actions, though.

In life, he battled the dragon Numinex, eventually containing him within a prison located in Whiterun’s Cloud District and prompting the people of Whiterun to rename the keep Dragonsreach in honor of his actions. He then went on to become the High King of Skyrim, conquering the Reach and significantly expanding Skyrim’s boundaries. Despite all of his heroic deeds, however, it isn’t known how Olaf One-Eye finally died.

Skyrim Characters In Sovngarde’s Hall Of Valor – Torygg

Torygg is another former High King of Skyrim, the death of whom started the events of Skyrim’s civil war between the Imperials and Stormcloaks. He was killed in an honor-bound fight against Ulfric Stormcloak, a challenge given to him over leadership of the region. Both Torygg himself and many witnesses claim that Ulfric then Shouted him apart using his Thu’um. Despite this, and the controversy surrounding the fight, Torygg tells the Dragonborn that he knew he was likely to die when he agreed to the fight and still considered it an honorable fate.

Skyrim Characters In Sovngarde’s Hall Of Valor – Ysgramor

Ysgramor was the leader of the Five Hundred Companions in life and is often honored as one of the most influential forces from the late Merethic Era, playing a significant role in the ascendancy of humans on Tamriel. As depicted in Skyrim, he was one of the first humans to leave Atmora for Tamriel, and one of the only survivors of the Mer’s attacks on the newly founded human settlements. Subsequently, he returned to Atmora and assembled an army to seek vengeance, which would later come to be known as the Five Hundred Companions.

Although the exact cause of his death isn’t confirmed in Skyrim‘s lore, his actions had a lasting impact on Tamriel and can be seen in the existence of the Companions and the historical records from the Ysgramor Dynasty. This makes him one of the most important characters in Elder Scrolls history. Players can visit his tomb during the Companions questline, as they attempt to sever Kodlak’s connection to Hircine.

Characters In Skyrim’s Hall Of Valor – Ulfgar the Unending

Ulfgar the Unending is actually a character from an earlier Elder Scrolls game, the Morrowind DLC Bloodmoon. The Nerevarine can agree to assist him on his 500-year quest to locate Sovngarde, and in doing so must defeat him in honorable combat to give him the valiant death the Nordic afterlife requires. His presence in the Hall of Valor canonizes these events, cementing the Nerevarine’s role in helping him reach Sovngarde and providing Morrowind fans with a fun Skyrim cameo return.

Skyrim Characters In Sovngarde – Erlendr, Nikulas & Hunroor

Erlendr, Nikulas, and Hunroor were Ulfgar the Unending’s companions, traveling with him on their quest to search for Sovngarde. The four of them were betrayed by another member of their party, the wizard Grimkell, who turned the three of them into stone and prompted Ulfgar to vengeance by killing Grimkell. Despite their untimely demise, it seems that Grimkell’s betrayal actually assisted them on their search for Sovngarde given all three of them ended up in the Hall of Valor.

Ulfric Stormcloak And Others May Appear In Sovngarde

Many of the NPCs featured in other parts of Skyrim may appear in Sovngarde if certain requirements are met before the Dragonborn journeys there. Ulfric Stormcloak and Galmar Stone-First are two of such characters, showing up if the Imperial Legion was victorious in Skyrim‘s civil war. If the Stormcloaks won instead, Legate Rikke may appear. Svaknir, the bard to Olaf One-Eye, will be featured in the Hall of Valor if the Bard’s College questline was completed, and the Companion’s Harbinger Kodlak Whitemane will likewise make an appearance if the Companion’s questline is finished before the game’s main storyline. These serve as great examples of how dynamic the world of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrimis and help make the player feel as though their actions have a significant impact on the game.

About The Author

Ky Shinkle
(526 Articles Published)

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Ky Shinkle is a Senior Gaming Features Writer for Screen Rant as well as an overall avid gamer and writer. Her prior experience is primarily that of a narrative designer for video games, although her writing has covered all formats from screenplays and novels to stage scripts. A graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design, when she isn’t writing she works on digital media projects and other types of fiction writing. Ky currently works out of Ohio and enjoys spending her free time either playing RPGs or running with her dog.

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