The Andvaranaut's curse is so powerful that it affects your saved games.
If you get it, and then reload a previous save, it will *still* be in your inventory. I find it both very cool and very aggravating, but the game actually gives you a very clear indication about what to do to break the curse: Brynhild is among the few people who will still talk to you, and she will tell you that someone pure and innocent will help you break the curse. Not sure how that pertains to the troll (though he is simple minded, I'm not really sure he's that innocent and/or pure), but with that hint, Heime is a no-brainer.