The Jagged Crown (Quest)

Overview
The Jagged Crown is a quest for both the Stormcloaks and Imperial Legion questlines. The quest is given to the Dragonborn as their first task after joining their chosen faction. The player returns to Windhelm or Solitude, where they are told they must go to Korvanjund to retrieve The Jagged Crown.

Stormcloaks quest line
Upon returning from the previous quest, Ulfric and Galmar will be in conversation.

Ulfric: "Tell me again why we're wasting time and dwindling resources chasing a legend. We don't even know it exists!"

Galmar: "The Jarls are upset. They don't all support you."

Ulfric: "Damn the Jarls."

Galmar: "They demand the Moot."

Ulfric: "And damn the Moot! We should risk letting those milkdrinkers put Torygg's woman on the throne? She'll hand Skyrim over to the elves on a silver plate."

Galmar: "All the more reason then. The crown would legitimize your claim."

Ulfric: "A crown doesn't make a king."

Galmar: "No, but this one..."

Ulfric: "If it even exists."

Galmar: "It exists. And it'll be the symbol of the righteousness of our cause. Think about it. The Jagged Crown! It heralds back to a time before jarls and moots. Back to the time when a king was a king because his enemies fell before him, and his people rose because they loved him. Skyrim needs that king. You will be that king, Ulfric. You must be."

Ulfric: "You're certain you've found it?"

Galmar: "When have I ever been false with you?"

Ulfric: "Fine. I'll send the Unblooded here with you. Fancy a crawl through a moldering dungeon to see if you can't stir up Galmar's Jagged Crown?"

Galmar: "It'll be there. You'll see."

Galmar will next instruct the Dragonborn to head to Korvanjund to retrieve the crown. Upon arrival at Korvanjund, you meet up with a small group of Stormcloak soldiers led by Galmar Stone-Fist and Ralof. Go inside and defeat the awaiting Imperial Legion.

Imperial quest line
Upon returning from the previous quest, Legate Rikke and General Tullius will be in conversation.

Tullius: "Tell me again, why I'm wasting men chasing after a fairy tale."

Rikke: "If Ulfric gets his hand on that crown, it won't be a fairy tale. It'll be a problem."

Tullius: "Don't you Nords put any stock in your own traditions? I thought the Moot chose the king. We're backing Elisif. When the Moot meets, they'll do the sensible thing."

Rikke: "Not everyone's agreed to the Moot. You've been here long enough to know that Nords aren't always sensible. We follow our hearts."

Tullius: "So what - Ulfric gets this crown and then suddenly he's High King?"

Rikke: "No, it's not as simple as that, but the Jagged Crown would be a potent symbol for his cause to rally around. But, if we found it first..."

Tullius: "And we gave it to Elisif?"

Rikke: "In the absence of the Moot, it would further legitimize her claim."

Tullius: "Perhaps... I'm entrusting you with what resources I can spare. But I'm warning you, if this turns out to be a waste of time and men..."

Rikke: "It won't be a waste."

Tullius: "Make sure you take the Auxiliary here. You can send him/her back when you get there and find nothing but old bones and cobwebs."

Rikke: "The Stonefist's no fool. He's found the Crown. But we'll get to it first."

Legate Rikke will then instruct the dragonborn to head to Korvanjund and retrieve the crown. Upon arrival at Kovanjund, meet up with a small group of Imperial soldiers led by Legate Rikke and Hadvar. Go inside and defeat the Stormcloaks.

Walkthrough
The quest includes a stone door with concentric, rotatable rings, similar to the one in Bleak Falls Barrow. The door requires the use of the Ebony Claw, found right in front of it. The code for the door is on the palm of the Ebony claw (this applies to all dragon claws). The code for Korvanjund is dragon, moth, and fox.

Through the door, there is a barred doorway, where the Dragonborn must find a lever. It can be found through taking a passageway to the right of the room (when facing towards the barred door) and continuing across two walkways to a chest. Right after stepping off the wooden walkway, face left, there will be a handle in the wall (located by a burial urn). Pull this to open the doorway.

Note: On the way to open the barred door, there is an altar on the second level that has a dagger on it (leveled), if removed, a passageway opens up that leads to another secret entrance that is opened by a lever on the left. Inside is a chest with leveled loot. The chest is booby-trapped.

In the next room, there is a leveled Draugr sitting on a chair. Interacting with it will wake it, turning it hostile. It is advised to sneak and then attack this Draugr for the initial contact. This Draugr will raise three other leveled Draugr. After defeating them, loot the Jagged Crown from the dethroned Draugr.

This item isn't obtainable after quest is finished. After retrieving the crown, farther down in the cave, the Word Wall for the "Slow Time" shout will be obtainable.

Optional betrayal - switching sides
While the Jagged Crown is in the possession of the Dragonborn, the player can also decide to travel to the capital city of the opposition to hand over the crown to either General Tullius in Solitude, or Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak in Windhelm. The leader of the opposing faction will accept the crown and unceremoniously recognizes the Dragonborn as a member of their faction. From there on, you will fight the war on the side of your new allies. This way the Dragonborn can have Stormcloak Armor or Imperial Armor for free.