Laid to Rest

Overview

 * Prerequisites: none
 * Quest Giver: Innkeeper or Jarl Idgrod Ravencrone
 * Reward: (Leveled)

Background
Laid to Rest is a quest that takes place in the city of Morthal and can be obtained by speaking with the innkeeper, who will mention the burned down house nearby. Alternatively, Jarl Idgrod Ravencrone can be confronted directly regarding the subject.Also if you use a Shout in the presence of a guard (using Whirlwind Sprint is confimed) they will make him talk to you to stop it, after which talk to him and you can ask him about the fire.

Objectives

 * Talk to the Jarl
 * Investigate the Burned House
 * Find Helgi after dark
 * Talk to Thonnir
 * Investigate Alva's House
 * Show Alva's Journal to the Jarl
 * Kill the Master Vampire
 * Return to the Jarl

Walkthrough
 Talk to the Jarl:  When asked about the burned down house, Jarl Idgrod will indicate that the house had once belonged to Hroggar and that one night the house had burned down while he was away. Unfortunately, Hroggar's wife and daughter, Helgi, had perished in the blaze and rumors around town cite that Hroggar had set the blaze himself so that he could be with another woman, Alva. The Jarl wishes to know what really happened, accident or murder.

 Investigate the Burned House:  Upon entering the burned out house, Helgi's ghost will be waiting in the corner. She recounts what little she knows but promises to reveal more after a game of hide and seek. She wants to wait until nightfall however, as "the other one" will be playing too and only comes out at night.

 Find Helgi After Dark:  Helgi, or rather her grave and coffin, can be found in the graveyard directly behind the burned out house, above the rock outcropping. However, it has been exumed by Laelette, the missing wife of Thonnir. Laelette will attack when approached and is in fact a Vampire. Once Laelette is dead, Helgi will explain from within her coffin that Laelette was supposed to burn her and her mother, but had a change of heart and tried to turn Helgi beforehand and keep her forever. Although Helgi had felt the cold kiss of Vampirism, it is likely that Laelette had not waited long enough and the fire had killed Helgi regardless.

 Ask Thonnir about Laelette:  Thonnir will likely happen upon the grisly scene and be hysterical at the sight of his dead vampire wife. When asked about the circumstances of Laelette's disappearance, Thonnir will state that he had believed that she had run off to join the Stormcloak rebellion. Though he also remembers that she had been spending a lot of time with Alva who, just the week prior, Laelette despised. In fact, she was supposed to meet Alva the night of her disappearance but Alva had said she never showed up. Given the circumstances, it is presumable that Alva is in fact a vampire as well.

 Investigate Alva's House:  Hroggar is staying in Alva's house and will likely be there upon arrival. He will be immediately aggressive so a high sneak skill, invisibility, a calming spell or some other such tactic may be employed if an armed confrontation is to be avoided. Alva's coffin can be found in the basement and in it, Alva's Journal. Alva may or may not be present depending on whether it is day or night. The journal goes into great detail of her plans and reveals that Movarth, a master vampire, plans on turning the town into what equates to blood farm for his coven of vampires.

 Show Alva's journal to the Jarl:  Returning to the Jarl with the journal will prompt her to ask that the master vampire be dealt with so such an awful fate not befall Morthal.

 Kill the Master Vampire:  Upon leaving Highmoon Hall, a mob with Thonnir in the lead has assembled to assist in taking retribution on the Vampires. Travel northeast to Movarth's Lair where Morvarth Paquine lie in wait. The townsfolk can either be told to stay, as they will likely die, or Thonnir may come. Vampire Thralls serve as guardians to the small coven of vampires. Morvath can be found sitting at a large banquet table, counting coin and living large.

If you are struggling to kill the Master Vampire, you can retreat through the cave. There is a point the Master Vampire and his Thralls do not go past - the room with the dead Nord and Redguard in an open grave is safe. You can use this point to retreat, wait and heal yourself. Be aware that the Nord, Redguard, and Vampire Thralls (once killed) can sometimes be brought back to life temporarily by Movarth or the Thralls and will start attacking you.

 Return to Morthal's Jarl:  Once Morvath has been dispatched and his coven eradicated, return to the Jarl for a reward. In addition to the gold, the Jarl will offer the title of Thane of Hjaalmarch provided three people in the hold are assisted with their troubles.

Notes and References

 * If the Dragonborn clears out Movarth's Lair before going to the Jarl with Alva's journal, the assembled citizens still must be led to Movarth's Lair. Movarth will then spawn in the main throne room. The spiders, vampires and loot will all re-spawn.
 * If both Alva and Hroggar were killed during the break in, stealing from their house, even without witnesses, can earn a visit from Hired Thugs with a contract put out by dead Hroggar.
 * If Alva is killed but Hroggar is left alive during the break in, subsequent attempts to speak with Hroggar will cause him to become outraged at the Dragonborn and immediately attack.
 * If the player has already contracted Vampirism before starting this quest, Alva will occasionally offer small bits of different dialogue, such as remarking that she "knows what you are".
 * It is possible for both Alva and Hroggar to survive after completion of the quest. This can be done if the player enters Alva's house at night and wounds Hroggar to the point where he is yielding and kneeling. This will give the player time to swiftly retrieve Alva's diary in the next room and exit the house thereafter. Hroggar shouldn't pursue the player outside. He will be non-hostile and he'll even thank the player once the quest is successfully completed, even though Alva will still be living in the same house.
 * At least one dragon may attack Morthal - possibly interrupting this quest - killing key characters such as Alva, Hroggar, Laelette, Thonnir and/or members of the lynch mob.
 * It is possible to take the journal whilst leaving Alva alive, for example by using "Voice of the Emperor." She will stand in Morthal until the journal is handed to the Jarl, after which she will run to Movarth's Lair and either take sides with the vampires there or be killed by them. It seems Hroggar will thank you and remain non-hostile as long as Alva did not die at your hands during the penultimate stage of the quest.
 * If Benor is your follower during this quest he will still join the mob. He will join you again after the sequence outside Movarth's Lair.

Bugs

 * If Movarth is killed before the lynch mob reaches the outside of the dungeon (and has a small dialogue in which they nominate the Dragonborn to go in) the lynch mob will remain at the entrance to the dungeon.
 * Alva can be found inside Morvarth's Lair if she was not killed during the break in to her house. She will not attack the player and will only respond with NPC dialogue rather than opening a conversation, but if you are fighting with the vampire thrall or mistress she will aid them and attack you. Upon entering the cave using sneak, the other vampires will kill Alva.
 * Occasionally when leaving the cave after killing Movarth, Helgi will begin to speak but then disappear and her dialogue will be cut off.
 * If you break into Alva's house and kill her before prompting the investigation of her house, Alva's journal might not drop.