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Elder Scrolls

Not to be confused with Sind.
"Come to gawk at the monster?"
―Sinding[src]

Sinding is a Nord werewolf imprisoned in the jail of Falkreath.

Interactions[]

Upon speaking to Mathies, he explains that Sinding killed his daughter while in werewolf form. Sinding was in Falkreath because he was looking for a giant beast roaming the wilds around the village. If he killed this beast, the Daedric Lord Hircine would lift his curse.

Ill Met by Moonlight[]

During the quest, the Dragonborn receives the Ring of Hircine from Sinding, which causes the wearer to sporadically transform into a werewolf. When walking away from his cell, a glance backwards will show a werewolf ripping off the bars from the roof, and guards will ask the Dragonborn about him escaping upon leaving the barracks. Killing the transformed Sinding and taking his skin is necessary to obtain the Savior's Hide from Hircine and to remove the Ring of Hircine. Alternatively, Sinding can be spared and the hunters killed, which removes the curse from the Ring of Hircine and allows lycanthropes to use it to transform as many times as desired.

If spared, it seems Sinding is ultimately unable to control his beast blood. If the option to spare Sinding is taken, even if the Dragonborn turned around and killed him as well to complete the quest both ways, he can appear later in a random encounter as a hostile werewolf fighting a guard from the local hold. He can also be encountered in werewolf form, but friendly, in Bloated Man's Grotto.

Dialogue[]

Ill Met by Moonlight

"Come to gawk at the monster?"

I hear you attacked a little girl. "Believe me, it wasn't anything I ever intended to do. I just... lost control. I tried to tell them, but none of them believe me. It's all on account of this blasted ring."
What ring? "This is the Ring of Hircine. I was told it could let me control my transformations. Perhaps it used to. But I'll never know. Hircine didn't care for my taking it, and threw a curse on it. I put it on... and the changes just came to me. I could never guess when. It would be at the worst times. Like... with the little girl."
What kind of transformations? "I don't suppose there's a point in keeping the secret if I'm going to die in here anyway. I'm sure you've heard of men who shift to beasts under the influence of the moons. I am one of them. A werewolf. It's my secret, and my shame. That's why I wanted the ring... it was said to give men like me control. Now I may look like a man, but I still feel the animal inside of me, as strong as ever."
What will you do now? "I've been looking for a way to appease Hircine. There is a certain beast in these lands. Large, majestic. It's said that Hircine will commune with whoever slays it. I tracked it into these woods, but then had my... accident with the child. I want to beg his forgiveness. Give him back the ring. But while I'm stuck in here, the beast wanders free."
I'll take the ring to Hircine. "Oh my. You would do this for me? Here, take it. I don't want anything to do with this wretched thing anymore. Seek out the beast. He wanders these woods. Bring him down and... well, the Lord of the Hunt should smile on you. I wish you luck, but should leave here while I still have my skin. Should our paths cross again, I will remember your kindness. Farewell."
Who is Hircine? "Do you not know the Daedric Lord of the Hunt? He revels in the chase, and also gave the 'gift' of lycanthropy to mortals. A powerful force, not to be crossed. As I learned too late."
Why did this make you attack the girl? "I had just come into Falkreath. They needed some help working the mill, and I thought that would be something safe. Something I could do. When I saw the little girl, I was just... I could feel it coming on. I could taste the... I needed to hunt. But this pitiful, limited body wasn't meant for hunting. Slow. No claws. Weak, mashing teeth for chewing cud. I held in my rage as long as I could. But it boiled inside of me. She looked so fragile. Helpless prey. And then... ... I feel terrible about what happened. About what I did. It would probably be best for everyone if I just went away."

In Bloated Man's Grotto:

"...You! Why?"

I've been told to kill you. "And I would deserve it, wouldn't I? I can't stop you if that's what you want to do. Hircine is too powerful. But if you spare me, I can be a powerful ally to you. And I would promise to never return to civilized life. I know now that I can't live among people."
I will spare your life. "Thank the gods. Now let's deal with these other hunters. We hunt together!"
I cannot defy Hircine. You have to die. "So be it."

If chosen to aid Sinding in defeating the hunter:

The last of the hunters is dead. "Thank you for your help. I will make my home here, away from anyone I might hurt."

Quotes[]

  • "Never thought I'd see you again."

Trivia[]

  • If the Dragonborn killed Sinding, a dead werewolf, presumably Sinding, may spawn in the Falkreath Jail at the bottom of the pool. 
  • If left to live, he may be encountered every month at least once at cleared bandit camps feeding on corpses (it may be possible to find him fighting some bandits in the fort in the overworld, but the forts inside have to be cleared), or at Helgen fighting bandits.
  • Falkreath guards will occasionally mention how they know the Dragonborn had something to do with Sinding's escape.
  • Sinding's beast form is significantly larger than the Dragonborn's.

Bugs[]

This section contains bugs related to Sinding. Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:

  1. Please reload an old save to confirm if the bug is still happening.
  2. If the bug is still occurring, please post the bug report with the appropriate system template  360  /  XB1  ,  PS3  /  PS4  ,  PC  /  MAC  ,  NX  /  PS5  ,  XS  , depending on which platform(s) the bug has been encountered on.
  3. Be descriptive when listing the bug and fixes, but avoid having conversations in the description and/or using first-person anecdotes: such discussions belong on the appropriate forum board.
  • He may sometimes be found back in the Falkreath Jail, in werewolf form, after having been spared. Talking to him at this point may cause him to follow the Dragonborn out of jail.
  • After the quest, Sinding has a tendency to show up again later:
    • He can sometimes be found following Vilkas and Ria after being killed/skinned, west of Helgen.
    • He can also show up randomly, in werewolf form, after being skinned, in small towns like Riverwood
    • He may pop up and attack the Dragonborn later on.
    • Also found near Western Watchtower and Pelagia Farm.
  • Sometimes Sinding follows the Dragonborn out of Bloated Man's Grotto after killing the Hunters during the quest "Ill Met By Moonlight," even after Hircine has given the Ring of Hircine. He will then proceed to roam Skyrim, appearing in various places.
  • Sinding will sometimes stay in Bloated Man's Grotto whether killed or not, in the very back of the grotto. When spoken to, he will only reply with "Never thought I'd see you again." or "Until next time."
  • Using Healing Hands or Courage on Sinding will cause him to attack the Dragonborn.
  • During the quest "Ill Met by Moonlight" if the Dragonborn spares Sinding and talks to him before the quest is finished he will make quiet beeping sounds
  • Upon completion of "Ill Met by Moonlight," Sinding, if spared, will not leave the position where he last stood. A second Sinding will spawn inside at the entrance to the Grotto and can be found along with the "original."
    • Note: The original copy cannot be killed nor "disabled."
  • Upon interacting with Sinding, instead of making any comments or werewolf growls, there is a strange static noise that is heard instead.
  • There is a chance after the quest has been completed when the Dragonborn returns to Falkreath Jail, Sinding will have respawned meaning that two of Sinding will be alive if he was spared or that there is a new Sinding even if he was killed in Bloated Man's Grotto.
  • Summoning werewolf spirits while in Beast Form near Sinding after revisiting Bloated Man's Grotto will cause Sinding to become hostile toward the two summoned werewolf spirits.
  • Before entering Bloated Man's Grotto, the werewolf form of Sinding can be found in the jail. If he is found there, Sinding cannot be found in Bloated Man's Grotto. Instead, upon returning to the jail, two versions of Sinding can be found standing next to one another. Because of this, the correct Sinding can not be killed and the quest cannot be completed.

Appearances[]

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