Uthgerd the Unbroken is one such character. She spends most of her time in the Bannered Mare of Whiterun in Skyrim, but after raising affinity with her, the Last Dragonborn can learn why she’s not out adventuring.
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Uthgerd the Unbroken of Skyrim
Uthgerd the Unbroken is a Nord residing in the city of Whiterun in Skyrim. The origins of her title “Unbroken” are unclear, but it could stem from her remaining relatively unscathed throughout a life of adventure. Alternatively, it could potentially refer to her track record of never having lost a fight. However, that clearly isn’t the case as the Last Dragonborn can easily beat her in a fistfight.
In fact, winning in a fistfight against Uthgerd is the only way to become friends with her. Upon beating her, she’ll become available as a Skyrim follower and, potentially, a spouse. She’s a pretty decent follower for early-game players as she specializes in the One-Handed and Heavy Armor skills. Her secondary skill in Archery also makes her viable for long-ranged combat. Plus, Skyrim’s Uthgerd can wield a greatsword with one hand, which is why she’s gotten so popular recently.
Upon meeting Uthgerd, it’s immediately clear that the Nord warrior is an eager fighter. She has a line of dialogue that reads, “I got no quarrel with you, but I won’t turn one down, neither.” She also holds some pretty traditional Skyrim Nord beliefs as she tells the player that the only way to truly know a woman is to have a strong drink and a fistfight with her – how romantic. Aside from that, she believes that combat is the best way to hone her skills and that a true Nord would never skimp on a chance to test her worth.
So, why is she spending so much time drinking at the Bannered Mare? Based on Uthgerd’s character, the Nord warrior should be out vanquishing bandits or testing her might against fearsome beasts. Of course, the player can invite her to become a Skyrim follower, but otherwise, she stays at the inn. Uthgerd explains the reason to the Last Dragonborn herself. According to Uthgerd, she tried joining up with the Companions but was rejected immediately.
When Uthgerd expressed interest to join the guild, the Companions of Skyrim wanted her to prove her worth. Thus, they had her fight against a “young whelp of a lad,” as Uthgerd described him. The Nord warrior took offense to this, believing that the members of the Companions didn’t believe her to be strong enough to hurt him. So, she put everything into the fight. This turned out to be a mistake as she inevitably killed the much weaker young man. And that was grounds for immediate rejection. Uthgerd tried to explain that she never meant to kill the young man, but that didn’t help her case. The Companions denied her entry to their Skyrim faction and said she was too hot-headed to join their ranks.
Unfortunately, this only made the Nord warrior even more cross. In the events of Skyrim, it’s clear that she holds a grudge against the local guild. In her dialogue, she even calls them a bunch of “weak, pathetic cowards.” However, her reaction only serves to justify the Companions’ decision to reject her. After all, the Companions value honor, and Uthgerd’s supposedly accidental killing and her subsequent lack of accountability is a clear lack of it.
The Elder Scrolls: Skyrim is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
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