- Not to be confused with Alvon, Alvor Andas, or Alvor Forestborne.
Alvor is a Nord blacksmith living in the village of Riverwood, the husband of Sigrid and father to Dorthe. He can also serve as the introductory quest to Smithing.
Background[]
- "I could forge you a warhammer that would crush a giant's head like a walnut."
- ―Alvor[src]
Alvor is the uncle of Hadvar, who is an Imperial soldier. He owns a house in Riverwood that is attached to his forge. His daughter typically stays indoors, hangs around her father's forge, or plays with Frodnar. If Dorthe is attacked, both parents become hostile to defend her. If a dragon attacks Riverwood, he will attempt to engage it with the first object he can pick up (usually a warhammer).
Alvor mentions that he makes a "decent living" by working as the blacksmith of Riverwood and repairing the sawmill. He sells usual blacksmith items (weapons, armor and smithing resources). Like other characters in Riverwood, he suggests that the Dragonborn should speak to the Jarl of Whiterun about the dragons' return.
Interactions[]
Before the Storm[]
Should Hadvar be followed during "Unbound" as the Dragonborn escapes from Helgen during Alduin's attack, upon arriving in Riverwood, Alvor will be shocked to see Hadvar in such a bad shape upon seeing him and invite him inside to explain everything. Afterwards, he thanks the Dragonborn for saving Hadvar's life and provides several free supplies as thanks, along with access to his forge should the player need to craft new weapons and equipment. He then suggests that the Dragonborn report the situation in Helgen to Balgruuf the Greater in Whiterun so he can send a detachment of his hold guards to protect Riverwood due to the danger the town is from a possible dragon attack.
Blacksmithing Tutorial[]
Learn the basics of smithing.
Dialogue[]
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. But I need your help. We need your help."
- 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? He rules Whiterun Hold. A good man, perhaps a bit over-cautious, but these are dangerous times. So far he's managed to stay out of the war. I'm afraid it can't last, though."
- Which side of the war does he favor? "I don't think he likes either Ulfric or Elisif much. Who can blame him? But I've no doubt he'll prove loyal to the Empire in the end. He's no traitor."
- Who's Elisif? "Ah, I forget you're new to Skyrim. Jarl Elisif, I should say, although only because she was married to Jarl Torygg when he was murdered. Ulfric murdered Torygg, you know. Walked right into his palace in Solitude and killed him. Shouted him to death, if you believe the stories. That's what started this whole war. The Empire couldn't ignore that. Once the jarls start killing each other, we're back to the bad old days."
- You support the Empire, then? "Of course. Skyrim has always been part of the Empire. That doesn't mean I support everything the Empire's been doing lately, but Nords have never been fair-weather friends."
- Which side of the war does he favor? "I don't think he likes either Ulfric or Elisif much. Who can blame him? But I've no doubt he'll prove loyal to the Empire in the end. He's no traitor."
- What can you tell me about Riverwood? "Gerdur's family first settled here as wood cutters a few generations ago. She and Hod run the mill. I make a decent living sharpening axes and fixing the sawmill."
- What do you think about the war? "People are rightly stirred up about the damn Thalmor being allowed to roam around arresting people, just for worshipping Talos. But was it worth tearing Skyrim apart, and maybe destroying the Empire? No, Ulfric will have a lot to answer for in the end. Nords have always supported the Empire, and the Empire has always been good for Skyrim."
- Why are the Thalmor allowed to arrest people for worshipping Talos? "It's from that treaty that ended the Great War, remember, when the Emperor was forced by the Thalmor to outlaw Talos worship. We didn't pay much attention to it when I was a boy - everyone still had their little shrine to Talos. But then Ulfric and his "Sons of Skyrim" started agitating about it, and sure enough the Emperor had to crack down. Dragging people off in the middle of the night... one of the main causes of this war, if you ask me."
Conversations[]
Alvor: "Sigrid! We have company!" Sigrid: "Hadvar! We've been so worried about you! Come, you two must be hungry. Sit down and I'll get you something to eat." Alvor: "Now then, boy, what's the big mystery? What are you doing here looking like you lost an argument with a cave bear?" Hadvar: "I don't know where to start. You know I was assigned to General Tullius's guard. We were stopped in Helgen when we were attacked by...a dragon." Alvor: "A dragon? That's ridiculous. You aren't drunk, are you boy?" Sigrid: "Husband. Let him tell his story." Hadvar: "Not much more to tell. The dragon flew over and just wrecked the whole place. Mass confusion. I don't know if anyone else got out alive. I doubt I'd have made it out if not for my friend here. I need to get back to Solitude and let them know what's happened. I thought you could help us out. Food, supplies, a place to stay." Alvor: "Of course! Any friend of Hadvar's is a friend of mine. I'd be glad to help however I can. [to player] Like I said, I'm glad to help however I can. But I need your help. We need your help. [gift options open] The Jarl needs to know if there's a dragon on the loose. Riverwood is defenseless...You need to get word to Jarl Balgruuf to send whatever soldiers he can. If you do this for me, I'll be in your debt." Dorthe: "Hadvar, did you really see a dragon? What did it look like? Did it have big teeth?" Sigrid: "Hush, child. Don't pester your cousin." Alvor: "Well, I'd better get back to work. You two make yourselves at home."
Dorthe[]
Dorthe: "Can I make something now, papa?" or: "Is it time yet? Time for me to make my sword? Or maybe... an axe?" or: "I'm bored standing around, papa. I could take over for you..." Alvor: "Later, little one. I need to finish what I'm working on. But keep watching. Watch, and learn." or: "He he. Not just yet, Dorthe. I need to keep forging, and you need to keep watching." or: "Patience, Dorthe. You'll get some time at the forge, I promise you. But not right now. You need to keep watching me. That's how you'll learn." Dorthe: "Don't worry, I am." or: "All right. But I'm getting a bit tired of waiting." or: "Yes, sir."
Dorthe: "You really think I can be a blacksmith someday, papa? As good as Eorlund Gray-Mane? Or maybe... even as good as you?" Alvor: "Oh, I know it! You keep working hard, like you been doing, and you could be the greatest blacksmith Skyrim has ever seen." Dorthe: "He he. Thanks, papa."
Gerdur[]
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."
Hadvar[]
Hadvar: "Uncle Alvor! Hello!" Alvor: "Hadvar? What are you doing here? Are you on leave from...Shor's bones, what happened to you, boy? Are you in some kind of trouble?" Hadvar: "Shh. Uncle, please. Keep your voice down. I'm fine. But we should go inside to talk." Alvor: "What's going on? [looks at player] And who's this?" Hadvar: "He's/She's a friend. Saved my life, in fact. Come on, I'll explain everything but we need to go inside." Alvor: "Okay, okay. Come inside, then. Sigrid will get you something to eat, and you can tell me all about it."
Hod[]
Alvor: "I got a new order in for shields. I'm gonna need some hardwood planks. None of that soft pine this time." Hod: "Ay, we can get that for ya. We just finished the timber for those catapults." Alvor: "War may be good for business, but it's hard on families." Hod: "A hard truth, that is. Let's drink to the fallen ones."
Sigrid[]
Alvor: "Sigrid! Love of my life! When you get a spare moment, I could use some water." Sigrid: "Don't you sweet talk me, Alvor. Not after last night. I'll bring you water when I'm done with my other chores." Alvor: "Woman, you'll be the death of me yet. Fine, take your time. I'll just die of thirst in the heat of this forge."
Alvor: "Good morning, wife." Sigrid: "Hello, husband. You're rising late. You spent too long at the Sleeping Giant last night, didn't you?" or: "Hello, husband. You slept well?" Alvor: "Ah. Uh. Of course I'm not just rising. You must have been out when I woke up." or: "Like a stone." Alvor: "Well, I'd better get to work. I have to fix another saw blade for Gerdur's mill." Sigrid: "Take care, husband."
Quotes[]
- "Ain't everyday we get visitors in Riverwood."
- "Whatever you need. By Ysmir, if it's simple and strong, I can forge it."
- "You lookin' for a new blade?"
- "You need iron or steel. Leave the fancy Elven stuff to the Elves." – Sale dialogue if the player is not a Mer.
- "Iron and steel mostly. I might even have some of your fancy Elven pieces lying around somewhere." – If the player is a Mer.
- "Let me stew, alone!" – If Sigrid dies.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- Alvor allows the Dragonborn to use his forge. The iron and steel ingots are found under his workbench and can be taken without punishment if the Dragonborn helps Alvor or escapes Helgen with Hadvar.
- If Sigrid dies, Alvor will say nothing else but "Let me stew, alone!", making him impossible to interact with. A workaround is to attempt to pickpocket right in front of him without taking an item. He will tell the Dragonborn to keep their hands to themselves, but the menu options will return in subsequent interactions.
- If the Dragonborn followed Hadvar during "Unbound" and Alvor dies, even if he is murdered, a courier will bring a Letter of Inheritance with 100
. - The Dragonborn can train their smithing skill with Alvor if the option, "Do you need any help around the forge?" is selected. Note that after this is done, this option cannot be used with any other blacksmith, although with any other blacksmith the items crafted have the same results.
- If Alvor and Sigrid are killed by the Dragonborn, their child, Dorthe, will say; "I hate you for ever and ever!" and "Get away from me!" If they're killed by external forces (such as a dragon), however, she will say sadly, "I don't want to talk about it."
- With the Hearthfire add-on installed, Dorthe can be adopted by the player character if both Alvor and Sigrid get killed – even by the Dragonborn personally.
- When a new game is started, Alvor will be unarmed, unlike most other characters. When provoked into combat for the first time (often by a dragon attacking Riverwood) he will grab the best weapon he can find at his forge, either on the table or on the weapons rack, which he will keep equipped on his person for the rest of the game.
- In combat, after the first time he meets the Dragonborn, he wields an iron warhammer.
- If a dragon attacks Riverwood, he will attack it and will most likely die. The Dragonborn may be accused by guards of murdering Alvor if the guards see them with weapons drawn near the corpse.
- If stolen from, he will send hired thugs to attack the Dragonborn.
- If the Dragonborn attacks a member of the village, Alvor's disposition towards them may lower.
- Alvor is voiced by singer and voice actor Michael Gough, who also voices many other characters, such as Vilkas and Balgruuf the Greater.
- Alvor is the only character to refer to High King Torygg as Jarl Torygg. (His role as High King of Skyrim was obviously more important than his position also as Jarl of Solitude; normal custom with any form of nobility is to use someone's highest title.)
Bugs[]
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This section contains bugs related to Alvor. Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:
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- PC 360 PS3 Along with Delphine, Sigrid, Gerdur and Faendal, Alvor can attack the Dragonborn for no apparent reason. Yielding to a guard or fast traveling to a different Hold can generally fix this.
- PC 360 In very rare cases, Alvor may be at the forge working, but the Dragonborn cannot buy things from him.
- Solution: Wait an hour, then allow him to work for a few seconds.
- PS3 Upon exiting his house, he may not walk all the way through the door, causing him to become trapped in the wall.
- Solution: Fast traveling away and back to Riverwood fixes this.
- PS4 After exiting Alvor's house, and going to the forge, Alvor's face can be seen glitching through the wall, and it can be assumed he is still sitting when this is happening.
- Solution: Move around, and even re-enter the house and exit again. If all else fails, reload the last save.