- Giraud Gemane within Bards College has requested that the player retrieve Rjorn's Drum from the ruins of Halldir's Cairn.
- Travel to Halldir's Cairn, defeat the monsters present and retrieve the drum.
To receive this quest, one must have already completed Tending the Flames. When that quest is completed and you are a full member of the Bard's College, you can speak to Giraud Gemane, who is usually found in the Bard's College, and he will ask you to retrieve Rjorn's drum in Halldir's Cairn. Halldir's Cairn is a cave located southwest of Falkreath.
Travel to Halldir's Cairn and enter it. In this room, there will be a rather noticeable pillar of energy. Next to it are strewn several bodies, and on a nearby pedestal lies a journal detailing their demise and a key to the locked door ahead. Go through the door and up the stairs and you will be confronted by several ghost enemies. Continue, and go through the closed door. At the intersection you can go right, but watch out for the plate which activates a swinging spike wall. Behind it there may be a Potion of Extreme Healing. To continue towards the drum take a left at the intersection and follow the hallway, fighting ghosts. You will come upon a throne with a seated draugr, which will then proceed to attack you. Defeat it and activate the lever behind the throne to open the iron gate. Go through and fight the assorted ghosts and draugr. When you come to another gate and lever, look around the rooms on the walls to find a pillar puzzle. The pillar should match the two pictures on the ceiling opposite it. Pull the lever to open the gate. There is also a locked door with a locked chest behind it in these rooms.
Continue and take a right at the next turn, fighting two more ghosts. Going straight will yield a chest and some burial urns. Follow the corridor until you come to a large room with a blue energy pillar in the center similar to the one near the entrance. A powerful draugr (Halldir) will be immersed in it. Begin fighting him, but he will soon disappear leaving you to fight his clones, some of which have very powerful spells. After defeating his clones, Halldir will reappear and you will be able to finally kill him. The drum, and other loot, is in the chest next to the throne. You can also pick up Halldir's unique staff. For a quick exit simply open the trap door in the middle of the room and you will find you are right over the entrance room, and that was the same energy pillar. Use the three ledges to break your fall. Exit the cave and head back to the Bard's College in Solitude.
Find Giraud Gemane, most likely in the Bard's College, and give him back the drum. He will thank you and boost all warrior skills (two handed, one handed, smithing, block, heavy armor, and archery) by 1.
