Tending the Flames

Walkthrough
When wanting to join the Bards College in Solitude the headmaster Viarmo will explain that the Dragonborn first needs to prove worthy. For this the Jarl needs to be convinced that the festivity she cancelled, the Burning of King Olaf, needs to be reinstated again. Viarmo hopes to use the very old, only recently rediscovered King Olaf's Verse along these lines, and it is up to the Dragonborn to retrieve it.

Find King Olaf's Verse
And so the Dragonborn is directed to the Dead Men's Respite, obviously this will not go without some degree of resistance. Many draugr get in the way, and after passing many chambers the Dragonborn finally finds King Olaf's Verse with the help of the friendly ghost of Svaknir, who actually wrote those verses.

A quite epic showdown follows in the tomb of Olaf One-Eye, were many draugr attack. Luckily Svaknir helps out.

Return to the Bards College
Return to the Bards College.

Give Viarmo King Olaf's Verse
And there hand over King Olaf's Verse to Viarmo. An inquisitive Dragonborn will already have noticed that the verses are in part unreadable. And this is exactly what Viarmo laments.

Help Viarmo reconstruct Olaf's Verse
Nothing much to do but to try to imitate the style of the verses and based on historic information stitch together "something". There are "persuade"-related options that have to do with dragons that the Dragonborn can suggest with supposedly high appeal at court.

Note: Apparently it does not actually matter what the Dragonborn suggests, other than that the new verses actually get customized to the decisions made.

Meet Viarmo at the Blue Palace
After the rewrite of the verses, Viarmo heads over to the palace, intent to perform them in front of the Jarl. Follow him to the palace.

Watch Viarmo perform Olaf's Verse
Once there, talk to Viarmo, who will then perform the verses in front of Jarl Elisif the Fair. It is a success, convincing the Jarl to allow the Burning of King Olaf festivity again. She also promises additional funding to the Bards' College.

Speak to Viarmo
Viarmo is overjoyed, a great success for the Bards College and also for the Dragonborn.

Speak to Jorn
The Dragonborn is directed to Jorn, who will make all the preparations for the festivity.

Speak to Jorn after dusk
But only after dusk, so talk to him again after 9pm.

Attend the burning of King Olaf
Outside the Bards' College, Viarmo holds a short speech, thanking the Dragonborn for making this possible, and an effigy of King Olaf is ceremoniously burned, as most of the citizens of Solitude look on. Finally the Dragonborn has become a bard, and receives part of the patronage gold as reward.

With such a practical problem-solver in their midst, Viarmo hints at further tasks the other deans may require help with.