Thirsk Mead Hall (Dragonborn)

 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.

History
The book Thirsk, A Revised History describes the founding of the Mead Hall. The following is a summary.

Roughly a hundred years, before the book's publication (probably sometime around 3E 320, seeing as the book first appears in Bloodmoon), 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.

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.

After the Rieklings have been eradicated, the Hall is refurbished. 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.

Notable loot
There are 27 bottles of Black-Briar Reserve to be found around the Hall, each with a base value of 100 gold coins and a jar of honey

Side quests

 * Retaking Thirsk &mdash; Help the Nords retake Thirsk Mead Hall from Rieklings.
 * The Chief of Thirsk Hall &mdash; Help an intelligent Riekling Chief with several tasks.

Miscellaneous quests

 * Elmus' Mead &mdash; Bring Elmus a bottle of Ashfire mead from Thirsk.
 * Elmus' Berries &mdash; Bring Elmus some juniper berries.
 * Halbarn's Supplies &mdash; Bring ten stalhrim ore and fifteen ebony ingots to Halbarn Iron-Fur.
 * Hilund's Spears &mdash; Bring fifty Riekling spears to Hilund.

Enemies
The quest Retaking Thirsk involves the slaying of a band of Rieklings that have taken over the Hall, including their chief.

Amenities
There are sleeping quarters at the back of the Hall (to the north), containing five beds. None of them are owned.

There is also a blacksmith and his forge outside, once the Rieklings have been dealt with.

Trivia

 * Thirsk, A Revised History also gives a list of chieftains from Hrothmund up to Bujold the Unworthy, although the records are not complete -- there is a gap around the time of the Nerevarine's involvement with the Mead Hall.
 * It somewhat resembles the Companions' Jorrvaskr, both of which are mead halls.

Bugs

 * When waking Halbarn Iron-Fur from his bed (directly to the left upon entering the sleeping area), he will get out of his bed on the wall-facing side and will clip into the wall.
 * When entering Thirsk Mead Hall, no floor will be present. Reloading a save fixes this.