Ill Met by Moonlight

The Curse of Falkreath

For such a modest town, Falkreath has a sizable cemetery. As you enter this location, a burial ceremony is under way for a young girl. Instead of marching right in and interrogating everyone, you may listen to the townsfolk and gain some insight. Speak to the parents of the slain child—Indara Caerelia or her husband, Mathies. Either will tell you that their daughter was ripped apart by a man named Sinding, a laborer passing through this Hold. If you can stand to look upon him, you’re told where he is. If you miss the burial, find Mathies or his wife tending to crops near their home.

Visit the Falkreath Barracks and locate Sinding in the jail. The man explains he suffers from lycanthropy and was in werewolf form during the attack. He is remorseful about his murderous infanticide. He tells you he lost control and needed to be restrained. He blames this on a cursed ring he acquired. It belongs to Hircine (the Daedric Lord of the Hunt). Sinding was told it could help him control his transformations, but instead it caused them to occur sporadically and at the most inopportune times. Sinding seeks to appease Hircine by returning the ring. He says legend holds that Hircine will appear to any who can slay a legendary beast that roams these woods. The beast in question is close by. Agree to take the ring to Hircine.

Ring of Hircine (Cursed)

The Lord of the Hunt Smiles on You

The great beast of the forest is usually close to the path in the woods surrounding Peak’s Shade Tower, but it moves constantly. Long-range weapons, such as magic or a bow, are an obvious advantage. Pursue the White Stag, and hunt it until your shots bring it down. Approach the slain animal, and a manifestation of Hircine appears. Speak to the Aspect of Hircine, and he recognizes the ring you carry. Hircine tells you Sinding has fled and gone into hiding, and a Great Hunt has been called to slay him. Hircine charges you to find this rogue shifter, tear the skin from his body, and bring it as an offering to him. He mentions there is a spot of competition to win Hircine’s favor, and there’s no time to dillydally.

Sinding has fled to Bloated Man’s Grotto, a cave on the southern rim of the Tundra, just north of Lake Ilinalta. Journey there, and enter the grounds of this interior forest. The sky is bloodred and swirled with clouds. The Bloodmoon looms overhead. Hircine’s power is focused on this place. As the entrance cave opens up, you spot a campsite where a group of hunters lie in pools of blood. A Khajiit named J’Kier greets you as a fellow hunter. Though badly lacerated, he explains that the prey is too strong, but more hunters have come to slay the monster and gain Hircine’s favor. J’Kier then passes. You can check on Batum gra-Bar, Ma’tasarr, and Hoddreid, but the rest of the hunting party has died. Sinding is a considerable force in this forest.

The path to the left has been blocked by some fallen trees, so continue down the path past the pond. You hear a roar from up ahead and turn a corner to see Sinding standing atop a rocky outcrop. He doesn’t attack you immediately. You can:

• Charge in, ignoring any conversation Sinding attempts to have with you. This begins Path 1.
• Ignore any conversation topics and attempt to kill Sinding, as Hircine has requested. This also begins Path 1.
• Or, tell Sinding you’ve been sent to kill him. While he understands he can’t stop you, he promises not to return to civilization to inadvertently murder anyone else. Spare his life (which begins Path 2), or kill him for defying Hircine (which also begins Path 1).

Path 1: Ending the Sins of Sinding

If you tell Sinding that he has to die or attack him at any time, you are fulfilling Hircine’s request. Sinding flees to the ruins atop the hill, leaving you to give chase. The hunt is now on! Stalk your furry prey, using any means at your disposal. Quicken your pace by utilizing the Slow Time and Whirlwind Sprint Shouts, or you can simply run to Sinding instead (supplement your sprint with some Fortify or Restore Stamina potions). If you’re only relying on your nonaugmented sprinting, you’ll barely match Sinding’s pace.

Continue to track and keep pace with Sinding as he clears the ruins, drops down, and slaughters two hunters in the first clearing. You may catch him here if you’re swift and engage in a brief combat, but he flees after a few strikes. Pursue the beast into a second clearing, where three more hunters wait, and then into a third clearing where you find an additional three hunters. Attempt combat in all three locations.

In the third clearing, Sinding finally stands his ground. With the help of any surviving hunters, bring down your quarry.

After you tear the skin from Sinding’s body, Hircine appears in Sinding’s form and thanks you for your offering. Satisfied that Sinding has been cast from this world, the Lord of the Hunt transforms the skin into his legendary artifact, the Savior’s Hide, and gives it to you as a reward.

• Sinding’s Skin

Path 2: Taking the Side of Sinding

Inform Sinding that you will spare his life: Sinding is thankful, but there is little time to lose; more hunters have appeared and must be defeated. Sinding waits for you on the promontory. Head up the stairs on your right and join forces with him, then head through the ruins to reach the first group of hunters. There are two in the first clearing, three in the second, and three more in the third.

Speak with Sinding, and he is grateful for your help. But when you leave the Grotto, you find yourself face to face with Hircine once more. No matter your answers, he is satisfied by the hunt, and removes the curse on the ring.

Quest Conclusion

If you sided with Hircine, you receive the Savior’s Hide.

• Savior’s Hide

If you sided with Sinding, you keep Hircine’s ring.

• Ring of Hircine

Postquest Activities

If you obtained the Savior’s Hide, the ring is removed. If you sided with Sinding, you keep the ring, which is no longer cursed. It grants you an additional werewolf transformation per day (but only if you’re a werewolf), and you don’t need to worry about uncontrollable transformations!