The quest Ill Met By Moonlight in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim stands out as one of the most memorable Daedric encounters in Falkreath. Players are drawn into a tragic tale involving Sinding, a werewolf cursed by Hircine, the Daedric Prince of the Hunt. Completing this quest requires making pivotal choices that directly impact your reward, shaping how your character interacts with Hircine's divine influence.
Starting the Quest in Falkreath
To begin the quest, players must visit the Falkreath barracks and speak with Sinding, an imprisoned Nord suffering from a cursed ring. Sinding explains that the Ring of Hircine was meant to control his transformations, but instead forced him into a violent rampage. He asks the Dragonborn to return the ring to Hircine by hunting the White Stag roaming the Falkreath hold.
After tracking down and slaying the White Stag, an apparition of Hircine appears to deliver a new directive. Hircine instructs you to enter Bloated Man's Grotto and kill Sinding to appease the Prince. This confrontation sets up the primary decision of the quest, where you must choose between aiding Sinding or siding with Hircine's hunters.
Siding With Sinding to Spare the Werewolf
If you choose to help Sinding, you will fight alongside him to eliminate the hunters stationed inside Bloated Man's Grotto. This path leads to Sinding remaining an ally who continues to reside peacefully in the grotto. Once the hunters are defeated, Sinding expresses his gratitude for your assistance in his time of need.
Upon exiting the cave, Hircine appears once again to commend your prowess in turning the hunt on its head. He cleanses the cursed ring, converting it into the Ring of Hircine. This powerful Daedric artifact grants unlimited werewolf transformations each day for characters afflicted with lycanthropy.
Siding With Hircine to Hunt Sinding
Alternatively, choosing to follow Hircine's original order requires you to slay Sinding alongside the other hunters. Once Sinding is slain, you must skin his body to claim your reward directly from the Daedric Prince. Hircine accepts the sacrifice and bestows upon you the Savior's Hide.
The Savior's Hide is a light armor chest piece that boosts magic resistance and poison immunity significantly. This option is ideal for characters focusing on light armor skill trees or looking to maximize defensive stats against spellcasters. However, choosing this option prevents you from obtaining the unlimited transformation ring feature.
How to Obtain Both Daedric Artifacts
Clever players can exploit the quest structure to acquire both Daedric rewards in a single playthrough. To do this, agree to help Sinding kill all the hunters inside Bloated Man's Grotto first. Speak with Sinding to complete that stage, then immediately attack and slay him before leaving the cave.
After defeating Sinding, skin his body to prompt Hircine's apparition to grant the Savior's Hide. Once you step outside the cave, Hircine will appear again to reward you with the cleansed Ring of Hircine. This allows completionists to secure both artifacts while satisfying both quest branches.
