- "If word got out that I'm practicing my Dibellan Arts in Riften, they'll run me out of town."
- ―Haelga[src]
Haelga is a Nord who lives in Riften, where she runs Haelga's Bunkhouse with her niece, Svana.
Background
According to her niece, Haelga is a very loose woman who slept with three men in one month. Her reputation is further justified with contextual evidence from her bedroom: a bed with shackles, a shelf full of stamina potions, a horker tusk and leather strips underneath her bed, a jar of honey and more leather strips on the dresser, The Lusty Argonian Maid Vol 1 and Vol 2, a bottle of Falmer Blood Elixir (which Brynjolf says will allow one to "make love like a sabre cat"), as well as a shrine to Dibella, a deity that Svana claims she worships too much. Haelga wears an Amulet of Dibella and there is also a note on her store counter from a "Secret Lover."
If the Dragonborn kills her niece, Haelga will flee the bunkhouse. When she comes back, she states she is too upset to talk.
Interactions
Taking Care of Business
When asked to pay her debts, Haelga will refuse. The Dragonborn can either steal her Dibella Statue and blackmail her to pay or win a fight with her during a brawl.
Caught Red Handed
Svana will ask the Dragonborn to collect Haelga's Marks of Dibella from the men she slept with.
Conversations
Love and Sibbi
Svana: "Aunt Haelga, why do you...demean yourself with these people you barely know? They show no real love for you."
Haelga: "Its only a bit of fun. You're a lovely young thing, you should try it sometime."
Svana: "No! I'm saving myself for someone special. Someone who loves me dearly."
Haelga: "You mean Sibbi? You must be joking! All he wants to do is bed you and be done with it. You may as well get it over with and let him."
Svana "You're wrong! Sibbi and I are in love and you're just jealous."
Rent payments
Haelga: "Svana, has that Skooma-riddled addict paid her rent yet? Or does she have more excuses?"
Svana: "She said she'll have it soon. She still has her job at the Meadery for now, so she'll be able to pay us."
Haelga: "Why do you insist on defending that woman? All she does with her money is spend it on that Dark Elf garbage."
Svana: "Just be patient, aunt. She'll have it, I promise."
Religious harness
Grelka: "Oh, Haelga!...There you are. Your special shipment just came in from Hammerfell on the Khajiit caravan."
Haelga: "Oh, good. I want to try it on as soon as possible."
Grelka: "'Try it on'? What do you need a leather harness for anyway?"
Haelga: "It's [pause] a religious thing."
The Dibellan arts
Maven: "Haelga, I like you, so I'm only going to say this one time. If you ever try and "practice the Dibellan arts" with Hemming again, I'll make sure that pretty little face loses its beauty."
Haelga: "He wasn't protesting, Maven."
Maven: "Of course he wasn't you stupid whore; he's a man. Now I'm not going to warn you again. Is that clear?"
Haelga: "Very well."
Missed invitation
Haelga: "So, Tythis... you coming by the Bunkhouse later?"
Tythis: "Of course. I rented a bed there. Where else would I sleep?"
Haelga: "I have plenty of room in my bed."
Tythis: "Good, that must be very comfortable for you. I think mine's a bit too small. Perhaps we could trade?"
Haelga: "Sigh."
What are these for?
Madesi: "Lady Haelga, so pleased to see you. Your Marks of Dibella are ready."
Haelga: "Oh, splendid! I can't wait to use them."
Madesi: "Begging your pardon milady... I know these have something to do with Dibella, but whatever are they for?"
Haelga: "Maybe I'll show you one day, Madesi. Have them delivered to the Bunkhouse, won't you?"
An exhausting lover
Bolli: "Haelga, we need to stop seeing each other."
Haelga: "Oh, Bolli you silly man. You weren't saying that when you were licking that honey off my..."
Bolli: "Haelga! That's just it. I can't keep up with you. Your Dibellan techniques... they're exhausting."
Haelga: "Is it really me, or is it your wife? You need to make a choice Bolli. The honey or her."
Too much to leave
Haelga: "When are you going to take me away from here Bolli?"
Bolli: "I told you, I can't just pick up and leave. I have my wife, my business... not to mention you have the Bunkhouse."
Haelga: "That old place? I could care less about it. Its you I want, Bolli."
Bolli: "I... I'm sorry Haelga, I can't. Not yet."
Quotes
- "This heap of matchsticks is what everyone calls Haelga's Bunkhouse. Can you stay here? No. The Bunkhouse is for the working man, not some sort of a luxury inn for tourists."
- "What? How... where did you get these?"
- "I don't know why I bother."
- "New around Riften? Take my advice. Stay at the Bee and Barb... the Bunkhouse isn't for you."
- "Oh, it's you. Come to extort more from me?"
- "Huh? Oh. Sure, whatever. I prefer Dibella's teachings myself."
- "Of course not. You expect me to take care of it by myself? My niece Svana helps me with the chores. She'd be more help if she kept her head out of the clouds. She's been with me ever since her parents were killed by bandits and she was dropped in my lap."
- "There's a College in Winterhold that teaches magic. It's very secretive, though, and you know how people hate secrets. The Jarl's court wizard was taught there. That one's full of secrets."
- "You looking for something or what?"
- "No, don't tell me. I don't want to know. Look, we need to keep this quiet... between you and me, okay. No one else needs to know about it. If word got out that I'm practicing my Dibellan Arts in Riften, they'll run me out of town."
Trivia
- Despite Haelga claiming to practice the "Dibellan Arts," or have intercourse, out of religious devotion, such practices are considered immoral by most followers of the Nine Divines, and are not practiced or condoned by actual priestesses of Dibella before marriage.confirmation needed
- Sometimes, Haelga will not be at the bunk house late at night; if Bolli's house is checked, they will be found sleeping together. They also share a table every night at The Bee and Barb.
- A letter addressed to Haelga mentions Haelga wearing Daedric boots during intercourse. However, there are no Daedric boots anywhere in Haelga's Bunkhouse.
- There is a jar of honey found in her bedroom. This jar of honey is one of the only two in Skyrim without installing downloadable content.
- She will sometimes flirt with male characters, regardless of race.
- If the Dragonborn is married to Haelga through console commands, she has a special dialogue option that allows conflict to be avoided during "Taking Care of Business."
- Despite giving tokens to her lovers, each of the three men she has been with actually have a low opinion of her; Indaryn says that she would not "be worth the hassle" he would go through with Maven about his connection to Haelga, Bolli insists that she "slipped something" in his drink, and Hofgrir says that she is "crazy" and "out of control."