Missing in Action is a side quest in the game The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim
Walkthrough[edit]
In Whiterun, near the market, you overhear an argument between Fralia Gray-Mane and Olfrid Battle-Born. Fralia blames the Battle-Born for the disappearance of her son. Talk with her at her Stall in the Market to begin this quest. She will ask you to talk to her inside her house.
Idolaf Battle-Born tells Fralia that her son died as a Stormcloak traitor. Go to Fralia's home, House Gray-Mane in Whiterun and talk to her. Enter her house and find her and Avulstein Gray-Mane there. Avulstein is her other son. He will threaten you initially but will back off once it is clear you intend to help find out the fate of his brother. She tells you that Thorald Gray-Mane, her son, is missing. She knows that Thorald is not dead. She thinks the Battle-Borns know something about Thorald's fate but are not telling her. She wants you to find out what they know.
To find the evidence you need, you can either break into the Battle-Borns house. You can either get the key or information from Idolaf Battle-Born. Getting the information from Idolaf takes a high tier speech check 75+. You can find a note on Olfrid Battle-Born and Jon and blackmail them for the information.
To blackmail Jon Battle-Born you need to get pickpocket him to get a letter from from Olfina Gray-Mane. Talk to him about it and he will agree to bring you the Imperial Missive if you wait in front of the Shrine of Talos. This can also be done if you pickpocket the letter from Jon off Olfina Gray-Mane.
If you search inside House Battle-Born you can find an Imperial Missive. Search around the place to find the locked door by the main bedroom . It says that Thorald Gray-Mane is not dead but rather was taken prisoner by Thalmor agents. According the the document, Thorald is being held by General Tullius in Northwatch Keep. Find Avulstein and tell him. He will want to go along with you. You can either head in alone or agree to have him as an aid. Avulstein can become your follower and you both go to the keep. He will offer and you can accept for the aid.
Northwatch Keep is located near Solitude. To get there, go west from Solitude, then when you get to Steepfall Burrow, turn North onto the shore[1]. If you agreed to have Avulstein Gray-Mane along, he will be nearby the Keep with 2 friends: Geirlund and Vidral
Fight your way into the keep, then descend to the dungeon and locate Thorald in the torture chamber. Rescue him. He does not want to return to Whiterun but gives you a message to take to his mother, "Suffer the Winter's Cold Wind for it bears aloft next summer's seeds" to prove that he is alive
Go back to Whiterun to tell Fralia of her son's fate. She rewards you with a weapon made by her husband, Eorlund Gray-Mane.
