Okay, so I just picked this quest up on my Imperial Legion character, I was thinking that I could turn the Grey Mane guy into the Battleborns or the Guards or something, but it seems that my only option is to work against my belowed Battleborn familily and break into the house and steal the book.

Is there no way to make it end bad for the Grey Manes?

Read the book, Help the Empire!

So I just go into the Battleborn house and read the book? Then what?

You can go and speak to General Tullius about releasing him. He refuses... but at least you tried.


I'm guessing that was supposed to be the Imperial Method, but for some reason it doesn't work.

Oh okay.. So I just let him rot in the cell then.. Damn Stormcloak, got what he deserved..

I actually saved the Grey-Mane on my Legion character. I support the Empire fully, but have no love for the Thalmor. If he were in Imperial custody, I'd let them keep him, but having citizens kidnapped by the Thalmor will only fuel the Stormcloak cause.

I wasn't able to make the Speech check myself, but I saw someone on here say that if you persuade Idolaf to tell you about what really happened to Thorald, he'll say they were actually friends, and he wrote to the General to see if there was a way to locate or help him. He's been spreading the lie that he's dead because the truth is far more troubling.

So I asked my superior officer General Tullias to get him freed, but there's nothing he could do. I told the Grey-Mane I'd do it alone and without bloodshed though, so I looked for another way. Turns out, if you talk to the guard in full Imperial Legionnaire armor, you get the option to have the Thalmor release him.

Yes but where do you acquire the Legionnaire armor? I've only seen Imperial officer helmet in Fort Greymoor.

You can't. One of the numerous quest bugs that hopefully Bethesda will fix at one point. You are said to be given the option to free him but can not do so without attacking the fort.

I read somewhere there is a backdoor to the keep?

Yes, if you run into the court yard over towards the right there is another court yard. Go there and on the left should be a door. However, I think it's locked but I've never tried it. I also just stormed the place with the guys outside since they didn't seem to be any other way to finish the quest

theres supposed to be an alternate version were you wear a specific set of legionnaire armor and convince te thalmor to release him into your custody.

unfortunately the armor was actually left out of the finised game so its just broken and you cant do it tat way as of now.

there is an alternate way to obtain the book tho besides breaking into the battleborn's house and taking it. you can blackmail jon battle-born to make him give it to you.

Just kill all the thalmor idiots cause the city guard will get a new bit of dialogue about how the thalmor feel being taken down a notch

You can persuade Idolaf Battleborn to give you the information. But I had speech level of 100 before the option even showed in his conversation.

If you asked your commanders the right questions after the civil war back in Solitude , you'll find their feelings towards he Thalmor are "ambiguous" at best.You can RP it any way you choose , it's your game.I just chose to free him so he could go back to his stormcloak buddies and tell them the story of the imperial legate that killed every stinking Thalmor in the keep and released him , so maybe all imperials aren't that bad.You know , plant a little seed for when the Thalmor decide to pounce , and the way they talk everywhere they're not exactly keeping it a secret about their "love" for mankind , let alone the imperium.