Elder Scrolls
Register
Advertisement
Elder Scrolls

Ysolda is a Nord found in Whiterun, usually near Dragonsreach and the marketplace. After the Dragonborn has given Ysolda a mammoth tusk for "Rare Gifts," she becomes a candidate for marriage.

Personality[]

Ysolda comes across as a bargain hunter and keen tradeswoman, yet her personality seems quite friendly if a bit nosy. Most of her interactions with other characters are friendly, while at other times she will exchange a few hostile words.

Interactions[]

Rare Gifts[]

Ysolda asks the Dragonborn to find her a Mammoth Tusk, which she needs to give to a Khajiit caravaneer. Doing so will increase Speech. However, if the Dragonborn's Speech level is already 100, the quest can be completed but with no real reward. Though the tusk is supposed to be given to a Khajiit caravaneer, she does not appear to ever relinquish it, and it can be reacquired later in the game. She will even accept a stolen tusk, such as one from Jorrvaskr.

A Night to Remember[]

Ysolda can be involved in the quest "A Night to Remember," and is one of the possible characters that gives the Dragonborn the wedding ring. This can still occur if the Dragonborn is married to her, and she does not have any problem letting the Dragonborn borrow her wedding ring for someone else. Due to Radiant A.I., this will not always be the case. After completing the quest, it may be difficult to find Ysolda. She will usually turn up at the Temple of Mara in Riften if the Dragonborn continues searching.

Rescue Mission[]

Ysolda can also be involved in The Companions quest "Rescue Mission," and is one of the possible characters that the Dragonborn must rescue.

Ysolda's Shipment[]

If the Dragonborn travels to Sleeping Tree Camp and enters Sleeping Tree Cave, Ulag will have a note from Ysolda about Sleeping Tree Sap. Married or not, the Dragonborn can confront her about it. In return, she will offer 150 Gold for every bottle brought to her, as her previous dealer is dead. The tree can be harvested for the sap, but it cannot be sold to anyone apart from Ysolda, Khajiit Caravans traders, and some other merchants.

Schedule[]

  • Goes home to sleep at 12 AM.
  • Wakes up at 8 AM.
  • Browses the market from 9 AM to 3 PM.
  • Walks around Whiterun, particularly up to Dragonsreach and around the Plains District, from 4 PM – 8 PM.
  • Visits The Bannered Mare from 9 PM to 12 AM.

Dialogue[]

"Once I've made enough money trading with the Khajiit caravans, I'm going to buy The Bannered Mare from Hulda."

What do you know of the Khajiit? "About the same as everyone else. They're the cat-folk of Elsweyr. Great warriors, good traders. Way I hear it, Elsweyr ain't nothing like Skyrim. It's got tropical forests and dusty badlands. It sounds awful!"
You mentioned trading caravans? "Yeah, these Khajiit make a living traveling the roads and selling their wares. It's got to be tough. Skyrim's a hard enough land when you've got a roof over your head. Worse thing is, nobody wants them in the cities. Nobody trusts them."
Why not? "Reputation, mostly. A lot of Khajiit turn to smuggling and thievery to get by. A few bad apples spoil the bunch. You know how it is."
Do you trust them? "Matter of fact, I do. They've been fair enough with me, far as I can tell. And a Nord knows a liar when she sees one."

"Farewell."

Rare Gifts[]

You're looking to become a merchant? "Before my ma and da passed, I told them that one day, I'd become the best trader in Skyrim. I met one of the caravan leader, Ma'dran. He said he'd help me get started if I could bring him a mammoth's tusk. Easier said than done."
Maybe I can help you. "You'd do that? If you find one, I could teach you a thing or two about trading. Help you get a fair bargain in the future."
Good luck with that. "I'll do my best."

(After finding the tusk:)

Here's your mammoth tusk. "Thank you. This should turn that old cat's gaze. Maybe I'll be able to become a caravaneer myself, one day. As promised, let me show you a thing or two about bargaining. Don't want some shifty merchant giving you a raw trade."

Conversations[]

Anoriath[]

Ysolda: "I've got a recipe for venison stew that I want to try out. Will you have venison anytime soon?" Anoriath: "Certainly. I'll be sure to bring some back for you the next time I go hunting." Ysolda: "Make it quick, and there might be a bowl of hot stew in it for you."

Brenuin[]

Brenuin: "Spare a coin for a fellow Nord who's down on his luck?" Ysolda: "So you can spend it on drinks at the Bannered Mare? If it's food you need, ask for that instead." Brenuin: "Never mind you, then. I'll find a more charitable soul." Ysolda: "That's what I thought."

Carlotta Valentia[]

Ysolda: "Those green apples you sold me the other day were delicious." Carlotta: "Aren't they? I always set some aside for myself when the traders bring them up from the south." Ysolda: "I'm sure you could charge double for those and still sell them all within a week." Carlotta: "You're right. I'll have to remember that the next time I get a shipment in."

Fralia Gray-Mane[]

Ysolda: "Fralia, do you ever deal with the Khajiit at all? I'm sure they would love to trade in your husband's steel." Fralia: "Plenty of people here that need Eorlund's craftsmanship, my dear. We've never had any reason to deal with those caravans of theirs."

Nazeem[]

Nazeem: "Ah, Ysolda was it? What brings you to the market?" Ysolda: "I'm here to buy food, Nazeem. I suppose you don't need to worry about that." Nazeem: "Owning a farm does have its advantages."

Olfina Gray-Mane[]

Ysolda: "Are you still working at the Bannered Mare in the evenings, Olfina?" Olfina: "And why shouldn't I? Just because I'm a Gray-Mane doesn't mean I can't earn my own keep." Ysolda: "I didn't mean... I'm sorry I asked."

Quotes[]

  • "Once I've made enough money trading with the Khajiit caravans, I'm going to buy The Bannered Mare from Hulda."
  • "I spend a lot of time at the market stalls so I can learn the merchant's trade. I need more experience if I'm going to run an inn someday."
  • "They say there's nothing a Nord woman can't do if she puts her mind to it."
  • "We Nords are strong, and we're as tough as stone. But I'll bet you didn't know there's some of us with a good head for business, too."
  • "There's some company I certainly prefer over others. Have you met Mikael? The most amazing bard I've ever heard."

Gallery[]

Trivia[]

  • Ysolda can take over different shops if their owner dies. If more than one owner dies, she will not appear in all of them at the same time.
    • She says that she wishes to buy The Bannered Mare from Hulda, and if Hulda is dead, Ysolda takes over as landlady.
    • If Anoriath dies, she will sometimes tend to his market stall, though her dialogue will not change and she will not have anything for sale. She does not seem to have a set work schedule like the other merchants; she leaves the stall and continues to wander Whiterun.
    • If Belethor dies, she will also take over his shop.
  • If the Dragonborn chooses to marry Ysolda, a Khajiit caravan will attend her wedding if the quest "Ysolda's Shipment" is complete. This is a very rare chance to see multiple Khajiit NPCs inside the walls of a city, and the Khajiit merchant can be traded with.
  • Occasionally, Ysolda can be seen holding a basket of flowers. She is one of the few characters known to do this.
  • If the Dragonborn marries her prior to "A Night to Remember," she will still have the dialogue for the quest and talk as though she and the Dragonborn were never married.
  • She was voiced by Corri English, who also provides the voices for various other characters.
  • If Mikael is killed, Ysolda's disposition toward the Dragonborn will decrease, and she will make statements supporting this, such as that her blood boils every time she sees them.
  • Ysolda's name is referenced in Final Thoughts. However, they are not the same person.
  • Ysolda is not always essential. Upon first entry into Whiterun, she is actually killable because she is not yet involved in any quests. If she is killed, her remains will be placed in the Hall of the Dead.confirmation needed

Bugs[]

This section contains bugs related to Ysolda. Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:

  1. Please reload an old save to confirm if the bug is still happening.
  2. If the bug is still occurring, please post the bug report with the appropriate system template  360  /  XB1  ,  PS3  /  PS4  ,  PC  /  MAC  ,  NX  /  PS5  ,  XS  , depending on which platform(s) the bug has been encountered on.
  3. Be descriptive when listing the bug and fixes, but avoid having conversations in the description and/or using first-person anecdotes: such discussions belong on the appropriate forum board.
  •  PC   360   PS3   If married, a bug might occur where the Dragonborn will find themselves unable to sleep or wait in her house. Lover's comfort can still be obtained by renting a room in the Bannered Mare while she is in it.
  •  PC   360   PS3   If Hulda dies and Ysolda takes her place at The Bannered Mare, she will still speak about buying the inn. Ysolda will also not gain the speech dialogue to sell items once she owns The Bannered Mare.
    • This will also leave the quest "The Whispering Door" unable to be started, as she cannot be asked about rumors.
  •  PC   360   PS3   If Ysolda takes over The Bannered Mare, The Dragonborn can say that they would like to rent a room. In spite of renting the room and taking 10 Gold, the room will not be theirs. This bug does not happen every time and the circumstances for it to happen are unknown.
  •  PC   360   PS3   Similar to The Bannered Mare bug, if Belethor dies and she inherits Belethor's General Goods, she cannot be traded with.
  •  PC   360   PS3   She may stop cooking meals for her Dragonborn spouse after about seven times.
  •  PC   360   PS3   As a female Dragonborn, talking to her about a wedding ring for the quest "A Night to Remember," she will refer to the Dragonborn as if she is male. In other words, her dialogue does not alter if one is a female.
  •  PC   360   If a mammoth tusk is found before accepting her quest to find one, it may not come up at all. This can be fixed by dropping the tusk and picking it up again.
  •  PC   360   PS3   If she is married and moved to a house outside Whiterun before starting the quest "Battle for Whiterun," she will still appear in the streets running to Dragonsreach. 
  •  PC   PS3   If told to move to a certain house, Ysolda may disappear instead of showing up.
    • This can be fixed if the Dragonborn is at a point in a quest that involves Ysolda, resulting in a quest marker for her on the map wherever she is.
  • Sometimes, her quest to find a mammoth tusk may not appear at all.
  •  PC   After giving Ysolda the wedding ring and finishing the quest "A Night to Remember," she may continue to walk towards the Dragonborn and initiate a conversation when they are close enough to her, despite having completed the quest. If this happens, she will permanently stay by the well in the plains district, ignoring her normal daily routine.
    • Leading her to a building and going inside while she is talking to the Dragonborn may trap her inside of it, because she will not walk back out with them. Leading her into her own house has a chance of fixing this bug.

Appearances[]

Advertisement