Skyrim:Gerdur

Gerdur (RefID: 00013489)
Home Town	Riverwood
House	Hod and Gerdur's House
Race	Nord	Gender	Female
Level	9	Class	Lumberjack
RefID	00013489	BaseID	0001347C
Other Information
Health	116	Magicka	77
Stamina	77
Primary Skills	Smithing, Two-handed, Alchemy, Enchanting, One-handed
Morality	No Crime	Aggression	Aggressive
Voice Type	FemaleNord
Faction(s)	CrimeFactionWhiterun; JobLumberjackFaction; Riverwood Gerdurs House Faction; TownRiverwoodFaction; civilian allies of Sons of Skyrim faction

Gerdur at the Riverwood Mill

Gerdur is a Nord lumberjack in Riverwood. She runs the mill with her husband, Hod, and they have a son, Frodnar. Her family founded Riverwood, and has lived there for many generations. She is the sister of Ralof, and, like him, a staunch Stormcloak supporter. She holds some low level items in her inventory, which you can take if you went with Ralof and you ask her for assistance.

She wakes up at 7am and goes to the mill to start her workday, which lasts for 12 hours. She returns home at 9am, 10am, and 11am for half an hour, then goes back to her worksite. At noon, she has a one-hour lunch back home. She visits the local blacksmith, Alvor, at 2pm for half an hour. At 3pm and 4pm she again returns home for half an hour. At 7pm her workday ends and she heads back home to eat dinner for one hour. She goes to bed at 10pm.

She wears farm clothes, boots and gloves. She carries the key to her house as well as common items and gold. She wields an iron dagger.

Related Quests

• Before the Storm: Inform the Jarl of Whiterun about the dragon attack on Helgen.
• Unbound: Escape Imperial custody and a dragon attack.

Dialogue

Her potential greetings are:

"New to Riverwood? If you're looking for work, go see Hod at the mill."

"I own the lumber mill, and pay a fair wage. See my husband Hod if you're looking for work."

"We're a small village, but we work hard, and take care of our own."

"Only worry we've got is the war reaching this far."

"Years past, the lumber was used for houses or furniture. Now, the soldiers just buy it all."

"The thought of my wood being used for weapons... Makes me sick."

"No use thinkin' of things I can't change. Too much work to be done..."

If the quest The Golden Claw has not been completed, Gerdur may also inform you:

"Lucan over in the Riverwood Trader says thieves broke into his store. Strange, he says they hardly took anything."

When spoken to:

What can you tell me about Riverwood?

"It's my mill. Some folks think it's my town too, but it ain't. The Jarl in Whiterun owns the land and the town. I just pay the taxes."

Do you have any supplies I can take?

"And by 'supplies' I suppose you mean weapons and armor. Alvor can help you out. He's our blacksmith."

How do I get to Whiterun from here?

"Cross the river and then head north. You'll see it, just past the falls. When you get to Whiterun just keep going up. When you get to the top of the hill, you're at Dragonsreach, the Jarl's palace."

What can you tell me about the Jarl?

"Jarl Balgruuf? I don't mean to be disrespectful, as he's ruled Whiterun Hold well for years, but he seems in over his head now. He's been trying to stay out of the war, but it can't last. He's going to have to pick a side. I'm afraid he's going to make the wrong choice."

Is Balgruuf loyal to the Empire?

"I wouldn't say that. But he and Ulfric have been at odds for years, and I'm afraid Balgruuf will end up siding with the Empire because of it. But it's hard to believe that even Balgruuf would choose Elisif over Ulfric."

Who's Elisif?

"I suppose she's Jarl Elisif now. She married High King Torygg just before Ulfric killed him. The Empire supports her claim to be High Queen. I don't really have anything against her - not her fault that her husband Torygg was bought and paid for by the Empire. But she's nothing but a puppet for the Empire now, with her husband Torygg dead. Ulfric will make sure she never takes the throne as High Queen."

Ulfric killed the High King?

"Some say murdered, but it was a lawful challenge in the old way. Ulfric called him out as a traitor to Skyrim, and killed him in single combat. If Torygg couldn't defend his throne, he had no business being High King."

So there's no High King now?

"No, not until the Moot meets to choose another. And it won't meet until one side or the other wins the war. Don't worry, though. Ulfric is our rightful High King. He'll drive out the Empire and Skyrim will have peace at last."

Do you support the Stormcloaks?

"Of course. Ulfric's cause is just. It's time for Skyrim to rid itself of the Empire."

What do you think about the war?

"The Empire may have been good for Skyrim once upon a time, but those days are long past. Banning the worship of Talos was the last straw. Thalmor everywhere, dragging people off for honoring our own gods! I'm glad Ralof is helping drive them out of here. If I was a bit younger, I might have joined the fight myself."

Conversations

Gerdur can be seen having a conversation with her husband Hod at her mill:

Gerdur: "Can the sawmill handle those logs? They look a might big."
Hod: "Ay, it can. Wouldn't want them any bigger though."
Gerdur: "And the blade?"
Hod: "Gettin' dull. We'll need a new one soon."
Gerdur: "I'll talk to Alvor about getting us a new one."

She may also pay a visit to the town's blacksmith Alvor, asking him for parts:

Gerdur: "Are those parts ready yet?"
Alvor: "I can only hammer so fast, Gerdur."
Gerdur: "They don't have to be perfect. Just send them over when they're ready."

Before the Storm

Ralof meets with Gerdur

If you have escaped Helgen with Ralof, he will direct you towards Gerdur. You can either run ahead to talk to Gerdur before Ralof can reach her, or you can go along with him. If you go to Gerdur first, you can tell her that Ralof said she could help you out:

Ralof said you could help me out.

"Ralof? How do you know him?"

He's a friend. He promised you could help.

"If you really are Ralof's friend, I'll be glad to help you. But you didn't answer my question - how do you know him?"

We escaped from the Imperials together.

Either option leads to:

"You did? We heard that Ulfric was captured... ... no, sorry, but in times like these I can't just take the word of a stranger who wanders into town claiming to be my brother's friend."

A dragon attacked Helgen and destroyed it. Ralof and I escaped together.

"A dragon? In Helgen? It can't be... although... It would explain what I saw earlier... flying down the valley from the south... I thought I must have just been seeing things..."

Never mind.

"I'm sorry to turn you away. I hope you understand. But look... if you need work, Hod can always use help at the mill."

It was a dragon. Ralof will tell you the same thing.

"I don't know why... but I actually believe you. You've got the look of someone who's just seen a dragon. Things just go from bad to worse. First the war, now dragons... what's this world coming to?"

That dragon flew off this way. You must have seen it.

"You're right, I saw it. But... how's that possible? Dragons don't exist... they're just stories from long ago... The Jarl needs to know if there's a dragon on the loose. Riverwood is defenseless... We need to get word to Jarl Balgruuf in Whiterun to send whatever troops he can. If you'll do that for me, I'll be in your debt."

You can also ask her if she has any supplies you could take:

Do you have any supplies I can take?

"Like I said, I'm glad to help in any way I can. Help yourself to whatever you need, within reason."

You can wait around and see Ralof reunite with his sister:

"Brother! Mara's mercy, it's good to see you!"

Ralof: "Gerdur!"
Gerdur: "Brother! Mara's mercy, it's good to see you!" OR "Brother! Mara's mercy, you're safe! Your friend told me about Helgen..."
Gerdur: "But is it safe for you to be here? We heard that Ulfric had been captured..." OR "But is it safe for you to be here? Won't the Imperials be looking for you?"
Gerdur: "Are you hurt? What's happened?"
Ralof: "Gerdur... Gerdur, I'm fine. At least now I am."
Gerdur: "And who's this? One of your comrades?"
Ralof: "Not a comrade yet, but a friend. I owe him/her my life, in fact. Is there somewhere we can talk? There's no telling when the news from Helgen will reach the Imperials..."
Gerdur: "You're right. Follow me."

Gerdur will lead you and Ralof to a spot near the mill where no one is around, while she will call call her husband: "Hod! Come here a minute. I need your help with something."

Hod: "What is it, woman? Sven drunk on the job again?"
Gerdur: "Hod. Just come here."
Hod: "Ralof! What are you doing here? Ah... I'll be right down."

Frodnar will run up to Ralof, excited to see his uncle:

Frodnar: "Uncle Ralof! Can I see your axe? How many Imperials have you killed? Do you really know Ulfric Stormcloak?"
Gerdur: "Hush, Frodnar. This is no time for your games. Go and watch the south road. Come find us if you see any Imperial soldiers coming."
Frodnar: "Aw, mama, I want to stay and talk with Uncle Ralof!"
Ralof: "Look at you, almost a grown man! Won't be long before you'll be joining the fight yourself."
Frodnar: "That's right! Don't worry, Uncle Ralof, I won't let those soldiers sneak up on you."

Frodnar will run off to watch for Imperial soldiers, while Hod will arrive and Ralof will sit on a tree stump:

Hod: "Now, Ralof, what's going on? You two look pretty well done in."
Ralof: "I can't remember when I last slept... Where to start? Well, the news you heard about Ulfric was true. The Imperials ambushed us outside Darkwater Crossing. Like they knew exactly where we'd be. That was... two days ago, now. We stopped in Helgen this morning, and I thought it was all over. Had us lined up to the headsman's block and ready to start chopping."
Gerdur: "The cowards!"
Ralof: "They wouldn't dare give Ulfric a fair trial. Treason, for fighting for your own people! All of Skyrim would have seen the truth then. But then... out of nowhere... a dragon attacked..."
Gerdur: "You don't mean, a real, live..." OR "When your friend told me, I didn't believe it at first either."
Ralof: "I can hardly believe it myself, and I was there. As strange as it sounds, we'd be dead if not for that dragon. In the confusion, we managed to slip away. Are we really the first to make it to Riverwood?"
Gerdur: "Nobody else has come up the south road today, as far as I know."
Ralof: "Good. Maybe we can lay up for a while. I hate to put your family in danger, Gerdur, but..."
Gerdur: "Nonsense. You and your friend are welcome to stay here as long as you need to. Let me worry about the Imperials. Any friend of Ralof's is a friend of mine."
Ralof: "Thanks, sister. I knew we could count on you."
Gerdur: "I ought to get back to work before I'm missed, but... did anyone else escape? Did Ulfric..."
Ralof: "Don't worry. I'm sure he made it out. It'll take more than a dragon to stop Ulfric Stormcloak."
Hod: "I'll let them into the house and, you know, show them where everything is..."
Gerdur: "Hmph. Help them drink up our mead, you mean. Good luck, brother. I'll see you later."
Ralof: "Don't worry about me. I know how to lay low."

After she and Ralof bid each other farewell, she will return to work at the mill.

Bugs

• Gerdur may turn hostile when you fast-travel to Riverwood. Killing her will not result in any bounty.