Windhelm is its usual cold, blowy self. I enter the town without provocation. I find my way to Oengul War-Anvil, and give him the sword I retrieved from Cronvangr cave. He is much relieved, and happy for the return of Queen Freydis's blade, gifting me gold. I use this gold to restock my quiver with more arrows. I visit some of the other shop keepers, and we trade items.
Walking through the city, I stumble upon a gruesome sight just outside the Hall of the Dead - a woman, murdered and bloody. The people around mutter words of shock, but the guard on duty seems unperturbed and asks me to move along. Being the inquisitive type, I grill them for information.
Apparently there have been a spate of murders of young women in Windhelm - it seems that the alleged benefactor of Skyrim is unable to keep his own hold safe. The guards are too busy to properly investigate, so ask me, Hedron the Collider to look into things for them. Their thoughts obviously being that an adventurer should have some keen forensic skills.
It doesn't take much to work out what went on with this murder. All I have to do is follow the trail of blood (of which there is a lot) from the corpse back to its origin - a mansion called Hjerim. The front door is locked, so I ask a guard about it. The place belonged to a woman who was the first victim in this bizarre case. Naturally her grieving mother is keen for answers, and gives me the key to gain entry.
I rummage around the place, looking for answers. Stenvar remains silent throughout, though does stumble over some empty mead bottles. I tut and roll my eyes, his clumsiness will result in some serious problems in the future I feel. I find a chest with some pamphlets titled Beware the Butcher! and immediately think this may be useful.
I also find the entranceway to a hidden chamber at the back of a wardrobe. The chamber is filled with bones, blooded remains, and embalming tools similar to something that may have been used to kill the woman. The state of the room has no effect on my warrior sensibilities - I have too often been the cause of similar. I find another Butcher note, as well as an amulet. I leave the place.
Speaking with a guard about the pamphlets, it is revealed that a local lady is printing them as a means of warning the population against the killer. Viola Giordano tells me that the only person she'd suspect of murdering anyone is the mage in the Palace of Kings, Wuunferth, and she suspects him of necromancy. From the layout of bones I've seen, I tend to agree.
I head to the Palace to confront the mage.
