The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is filled to the brim with content. So much content, in fact, that players still return to the game to this day. There is a wide variety of activities for players to do, including an infinite number of quests that all serve to shape the world of Skyrim.
"Blood on the Ice" is one of Skyrim's best side quests, partially due to its complexity compared to that of the game's usual quests, but largely due to its reward. In "Blood on the Ice," players are tasked with investigating the murder of an innocent girl and hunting down her killer. Upon completion of the quest, players receive the ability to claim Hjerim, a house in Windhelm, as their own home. Hjerim is fully customizable, with multiple stories and bedrooms, so it is more than worth the effort it takes to complete the quest.
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How to Start "Blood on the Ice"
"Blood on the Ice" may appear to happen randomly during a Skyrim playthrough, but there are actually a couple of conditions that must be met before the quest will trigger. From the beginning of the game, a counter will start that will keep track of the number of times the player enters the city of Windhelm or its surrounding areas. The first requirement that must be met before "Blood on the Ice" will trigger is this counter reaching 4. Players can increase the counter by fast-traveling out of Windhelm and back again three times after they initially discover it.
Apart from the counter, two other conditions must be met in order for the quest to trigger. First, Tova Shatter-Shield and Arivanya must be alive. It's unlikely that these two NPCs will be dead the moment players arrive at Windhelm, but certain bugs have been known to change that. Tova lives at the House of Clan Shatter-Shield in Windhelm and Arivanya lives at the Windhelm Stables, should players feel inclined to ensure they are alive.
Finally, the player must enter Windhelm between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. for the quest to trigger. If all conditions for the quest have been met, a Windhelm Guard will appear in Windhelm's graveyard, along with the victim of the murder and three witnesses. Upon approaching the group, the Windhelm Guard will inform players that there's a serial killer on the loose and the guards are stretched too thin to handle it quickly. The player can then offer to help investigate the murder, and the quest will begin.
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Investigate the Crime Scene in Windhelm
As soon as "Blood on the Ice" begins, players are tasked with questioning each of the witnesses to determine whether they have any pertinent information about the murder. After speaking with each of them, it becomes painfully obvious that none of them have any concrete leads, and players must report back to the guard their empty findings. The frustrated guard intimates that he assumed no one would have seen anything useful, and then directs players to Windhelm's Steward, Jorleif.
Jorleif can be found in the Palace of the Kings, usually in the main hall either standing next to the throne or eating at the table. Upon speaking with him and selecting "I've heard about these murders," he will reiterate what the guard already said about their men being stretched too thin and will offer his assistance if players decide to help with the investigation. Players should then head back to the crime scene and inform the guard that Jorleif has given them permission to investigate the murder.
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Follow the Trail of Blood to Hjerim
During another brief conversation with the Windhelm Guard, he mentions that he noticed a trail of blood leading away from the crime scene. However, he also directs players to Helgird in the Hall of the Dead, who may have more information about the girl's body. At this point in the quest, players have two paths they can take: enter the Hall of the Dead and speak to Helgird, or avoid speaking to her altogether and follow the trail of blood up to Hjerim in northern Windhelm.
There is no real benefit to speaking to Helgird, aside from expanding on the story a bit, as players will eventually be required to follow the trail of blood to Hjerim anyway. Players who do wish to speak to Helgird should enter the Hall of the Dead near the graveyard, head down the stairs inside, and then take the path to the right. She can then be found straight ahead near the girl's body.
Following the trail of blood that leads away from the crime scene will take players to Hjerim, where they will be tasked with finding a way to gain access to the house. The lock on the house can certainly be picked. However, it is a Master lock, so it may prove difficult for those who have yet to invest in their Lockpicking skill. Fortunately, there is a much simpler, more cost-effective way of getting into the house.
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Gain Access to Hjerim and Look for Clues
To gain access to Hjerim without picking the lock, players should start by speaking with any guard in Windhelm and asking about the house. They will mention that Tova Shatter-Shield has the key to Hjerim, and an objective marker will appear for Tova on the compass. However, should players still struggle to find her, she can usually be found in the House of Clan Shatter-Shield near Hjerim or at the market in southern Windhelm. Thankfully, she is very cooperative and agrees to give players the key to Hjerim upon being informed of their role in the investigation.
Upon entering Hjerim, a bloody chest is immediately noticeable in the alcove on the left. Investigating and searching the chest reveals a bunch of flyers and a rather incriminating journal from someone nicknamed "The Butcher," and the objective for the quest will update to "Follow up on the clues from Hjerim" once the journal and flyers are collected. Despite the quest now leading the player elsewhere, they should continue their investigation of Hjerim.
In the back of the house on the first floor is a small room where a small shelf can be found, along with more flyers and a Strange Amulet. Collect the Strange Amulet if you want to uncover the identity of the true killer, as missing this will result in the incrimination of an innocent individual. Investigating and opening the wardrobe to the right of the shelf will reveal a false back panel inside, which opens into a room resembling a butchery. Another journal can be found on the altar there. Finally, the player can end their investigation of Hjerim and leave the house.
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Gather Information About the Butcher and the Amulet
The next objective for "Blood on the Ice" is quite cryptic, but speaking to any of the guards in Windhelm will do the trick. There are two questions players can ask guards here: "Can you tell me anything about 'the Butcher'?" and "Do you know what this amulet is?" The guard will mention a certain Viola Giordano, who has apparently been spreading conspiracies about someone called "The Butcher." When it comes to the amulet, however, the guard will direct players toward Calixto Corrium, who owns and runs Calixto's House of Curiosities in south-eastern Windhelm.
Calixto can be difficult to track down, as no objective marker appears for him and his museum is locked most days. However, if players are lucky enough, they can find him in his shop during the day. During the evening, usually around 6 p.m., he can be found wandering the streets near Candlehearth Hall. When he is asked about the amulet, he calls it "The Wheelstone" and mentions that it is usually carried by court mages. He then offers to purchase the amulet for 500g—an offer that players should accept.
Unlike Calixto, Viola can be found wandering the streets at almost any time during the day. At night, she is typically found in Candlehearth Hall. Upon speaking with her, players can ask her about the flyers, and she eventually affirms their suspicion that Wuunferth the Unliving is the killer. The quest's objective will then be updated to "Talk to Jorleif." However, the player should wait before doing so.
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Accuse Wuunferth or Find the Real Killer
This stage of the quest is where choice really matters. The player can either head straight to Jorleif and falsely accuse Wuunferth to end the quest, or they can go speak with Wuunferth to attempt to find the real killer. Each decision will produce different results from a narrative perspective, but the reward will stay the same. Players should note that if they choose to accuse Wuunferth, it will later be revealed that he was innocent and the true killer is still at large.
To find the real killer, simply speak with Wuunferth in his room in the Palace of the Kings. After entering the Palace of the Kings through the front gate, the stairs to Wuunferth's room can be found through the first door on the left labeled "Palace of the Kings Upstairs." Inside, players should move up the stairs there, turn left at the top, then move straight forward to Wuunferth's room and speak with him.
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After being teased about dabbling in necromancy, Wuunferth grows defensive, and then players should respond with, "I found your journals and amulet where the Butcher worked." As the conversation continues, Wuunferth reveals that the amulet is indeed used for necromancy and that the next killing is likely to happen in the Stone Quarter at night. Head to the Stone Quarter, the area around Candlehearth Hall, and wait until around midnight.
Eventually, the quest objective will update and send players on a chase after Calixto Corrium, who is apparently the real killer. Attacking him will trigger a fight, but he isn't too difficult a foe to take down. Once he's defeated, players can then head back to Jorleif to break the news that Calixto is the murderer, thus ending the quest.
