Lianda reads over the letter from her older sister with some suspicion. Ena's never been overly friendly, but perhaps this is an olive branch as well as a request for help...

Regardless, she'll respond. Luckily, Falkreath isn't too far from her home in Whiterun - about eight hours' travel walking. She says farewell to her children, asks Lydia to watch over them and the home, and sets out in the early morning.

She arrives at the gate as the day is starting to fade. The guards eye her with some suspicion, but let her through. She looks around, then walks over to the inn her sister had specified. It's clearly seen better days.

When she enters, Ena stands from her table and waves her over.

"I'm glad you could make it," she says quietly.

Quick hug. "So am I. Luckily the courier caught me while I was in Whiterun. What's this about werewolf attacks?"

"It's as I said. Mysterious deaths. The town's shaken pretty badly. I think the jarl's planning on hiring a mercenary, but they'll be no one of your caliber - this town isn't exactly rich."

"I'll talk to the jarl and see what I can do," she says reassuringly. "Attacks like these can't be allowed to continue."

"That's all I can ask. What've you been up to lately, anyways? It's been forever since we last talked..."

She updates Ena on her life - though Ena's fairly vague on questions about her own - and then gets a bed at the inn. (Ena claims not to have room where she's staying). 

The next morning, bright and early, she approaches the jarl's longhouse.

A guard greets her at the entrance.

"You expected?"

"Not yet. I've heard about your... recent troubles, and would like to offer my help with the problem, though."

"You're a mercenary then?"

"Not quite. My sister lives nearby, and asked for my help. I do have experience in solving mysteries and in fighting various beasts, though."

"Hm. Okay." He sends another guard into the hall to announce her. "Who is your sister?"

"Ena. I'm not sure where exactly she lives, only that's she's been here a few months."

"Sounds familiar. Not many Redguards in town."

"Yes. I'd imagine she stands out a bit."

"A bit." He waits a bit before continuing. "What do we call you then?"

"Oh - sorry. Lianda. Whiterun's newest Thane."

"Should have lead with that."

He opens the door for her.

"Yeah, sorry, still getting used to this whole Thaneship thing."

She left her (visible) weapons in the inn (and they can hardly strip her of her Voice), so she enters without bothering to check anything at the door.

The Steward addresses her. "You're the one interested in fixing our werewolf problem?"

"This is Thane Lianda of Whiterun."

Nenya blinks at him for a moment before looking back to her.

"Well. Please come forward. The Jarl will be eager to speak with you."

"Thank you." She walks forward. 

Jarl Siddgeir sits on his throne looking vaguely stressed. He stares at her when she walks up.

"You don't look like much, girl. You're going to kill our werewolf?"

"This is Whiterun's Thane, my jarl. Thane Lianda."

"I've fought werewolves before, and worse, my jarl."

He stares at her for a moment.

"Really?" He hmms and then stands. "Not going to refuse a Thane, especially not now."

He moves over to a small table to the side of the room that is filled with papers.

"This is all the information we've been able to collect on the murders."

"Thank you."

She looks it over. 

Nenya steps forward.

"The attacks started three months ago. A guard was alerted to a disturbance at Sigard Rolloson's home, a local. They did not make it in time. All that was left was pieces of him and his wife. Since then it has attacked two other homes, all during the fullmoon"

She points the houses out on a map.

Any sort of noticeable pattern? Are they clustered around a common point, in a line... Of course, it'll be hard with just three points, but there might be something even this early.

"Any sign of forced entry?"

The Jarl goes back to his throne, watching.

"In every one of them. The doors were shattered." She pauses. "Nobody claims to have seen anything."

"Hm... Do the three victims have any common enemies?"

"They all run in very different circles. Rolloson was a merchant; weapons, Jin-Lake was a bartender at the local inn. The second victim, M'aiq Potter, was an apprentice to his father. The other two were not locals- a courier and a traveling bard, they were together. They don't seem to have anything in common, least of all enemies."

"Hm... Anyone moved to the area just before the attacks started up? Or came back in that timeframe after an absence?"

"We removed the few newcomers from the city in the aftermath of the second attack."

She picks up and hands her a list of four names.

Grarbrand the Giant

Herntgaror Fenrifkssen

Titus the Builder

Petra the Withdrawn

"All of these people have unexplained absences in the past half year. We have confined most of them to their homes, with the exception for Grarbrand, who is in the Prison."

"Why?"

"He kicked up a fuss when we told him he wasn't allowed to leave, attacked a guard."

Gary shifts uncomfortably from his position across the room.

"Ah. Hm... Might as well go down the list. Where is the prison?"

She waves Gary over. "The Guard-Captain will escort you. Please keep us updated. The sooner we can get this resolved the better. Tensions are high in Falkreath."

"I understand completely."

The Guard-Captain leads her out and heads towards the city prison.

She follows.

When they get there, she spends a bit simply observing this Grarbrand. 

His name doesn't do him justice. He is larger than even a particularly tall Nord, you might think he had some actual giant blood in him. Right now he sleeps in the corner of his dirty cell, and the stench of him fills the air around him.

"Grarbrand?" she calls out.

No response. Except the loud snoring.

"I'll fetch a bucket of water? Deep sleeper."

"Hm... Is he likely to attack me if I shake his shoulder? A bucket of water seems a bit... Antagonistic for my preferred approach."

"Won't wake up. Always been like this. I'll do it."

"Alright."

He fetches, then unlocks the cell and throws the water on him from the doorway.

He falls off the bed with a loud thump and groans.

"Dinner time already, brother?" He slurs.

"No. You'll answer some questions for Thane Lianda. Stand up."

"T'fuck does a Thane want with me?"

"I'm investigating the recent attacks. Were you in the town for the last three full moons?"

He looks at her from his position on the ground. "In Solitude. Like I told 'em."

"Do you have anyone who can confirm that?"

"Maybe if you pay her."

"Can I have a name?"

"Lucia. Works out of the Winking Skeever."

He stands. "You gonna let me out now?"

"Not until we have confirmation, unfortunately. I'll send the letter to a friend of mine in Solitude right away, though."

"Not good enough. How come that fucking dunmer isn't down here. I heard them talking about it, its a suspect too."

...Yeah she likes him a lot less now.

"The others didn't resist house arrest," she says. 

"I was at the fucking pub, wouldnt even let me finish my drink. What did they expect?"

"Well, that was rather rude of them."

"Exactly. M'not a fucking werewolf. Let me go home."

"I need to follow procedure here, unfortunately."

"What good are you then?"

"I'm getting you out of here sooner than the next full moon, is what."

"How long till then?"

"The next full moon? Over a week. When you get out of here? If your Lucia is cooperative, four days or so. Maybe three, if she responds immediately."

"Give her enough money and she will," he grumbles.

"We'll see. Do you have anything else to say?"

"I'm hungry. I've answered all your questions and I'm innocent, least you can do is get me some ale."

She glances at Gary. "Since he's been so cooperative, I suppose an ale wouldn't be out of the question?" She turns back to Grarbrand. "I'll definitely bring some with me if I have more questions."

"So long as he behaves."

"We won't have any problems, I don't think, will we Grarbrand?"

"Whatever. Don't you have a beast to kill?"

"Sure do." She waves and heads out.

"Where to next?"

"I was just going to go down the list, unless you have a different idea. You're more familiar with the locals than I am."

"Dunmer girl is the closest."

"Alright. Is that Petra? Any advice about her?"

"Keeps to herself. Himself." He pauses. "They're mute. I don't know sign language."

"I know Hammerfell sign. I think it's mutually intelligible with Skyrim sign... Do you know which pronoun set's right for - them?"

"Responds to anything. Except it," he frowns.

"Alright. Which way to their house?"

He leads her there. It's out of the way, very run down and difficult to get to. 

He knocks.

A small dunmer opens the door after the first knock and looks at them both curiously.

"This is Thane Lianda. She's looking into the attacks."

"Hello," she says and signs (slowly and carefully) at the same time. She doesn't bother signing the next bit: "I'd like to come in and talk some, if you don't mind? I know Hammerfell sign."

Petra steps back and lets them in.

The house, more of a shack, is as shabby as it looks from the outside. There are holes in the walls and the ceiling looks like it's been patched up with random peices of wood. But otherwise the place is clean and tidy; if a little cluttered.

Petra steps further into the room and signs in the Hammerfell dialect: What do you need?

"I'm investigating the recent attacks. You were listed as a suspect, unfortunately. Were you in the area for the past three full moons?"

Yes, I was here.

"Were you out of the area between four and three full moons ago?"

I arrived in the city five months ago. And ten days. Exactly.

"Have you left at any time between then and now?"

Yes. I have business that sends me all over Skyrim.

"Have you run into any werewolves in your business?"

Not my type of business, no.

"Do you mind if I take a look around your house?" 

Petra stares at her for a long moment before shaking their head.

Go ahead.

She looks carefully, making a ball of magical light almost as an afterthought - primarily scanning the floor for any signs of claw-marks or remnants of blood, focusing around the entrances.

No blood or claw marks anywhere.

"You haven't been here long, but is there anyone who could speak to your character?" 

Petra spells out the name: Julitta Salvarus.

I've known her since I was a child. My sister did business with the family.

"Thank you. If you don't have any questions for me, I can go talk to her, then."

Are you Ena's younger sibling?

She nods. "You know her?"

I've heard of her. Seen her around the city. Do you work together too?

"No. Actually hadn't seen her in years, until coming here."

Petra nods.

Good luck. I hope you find whoever is doing this. I will be here.

"Thank you. Hopefully this'll all be resolved soon." If Petra has nothing further to sign, she says goodbye and lets herself out.

The Guard-Captain follows her out.

"Anything useful?"

"I'll be talking to a friend of hers, Julitta Salvarus, for character references at some point. Petra doesn't strike me as the type to half-win a fight with a werewolf, or to not seek healing if bitten, but you never know. There wasn't any sign that she'd ever turned inside her house - from what I've seen, the first transformation is usually a surprise."

She keeps to herself the way Petra had signed Julitta's name a bit emphatically - that could be anything, and Petra might just want her name cleared sooner.

"I'd like to go ahead and finish everything with Petra before moving down the list, so do you know where this Julitta lives? Or anything about her?"

"Old Falkreath family. Mostly Imperials. They distribute alchemical ingredients, wolfsbane mainly."

Unfortunately she doesn't know enough about botany to remember if that's strange. Though she's not aware of many uses for wolfsbane beyond poisoning werewolves.

"Lead the way, then."

He leads and takes her to what seems like one of the nicer and larger homes in the city.

She knocks on the door.

It takes a while but eventually, a small redguard woman opens the door. Her hands and bits of her face seem to be covered in black charcoal. She blinks at them.

"Hey, sorry, I was upstairs.. wasn't expecting anyone."

"It's okay. We'd like to talk to Julitta Salvarus, about an old friend of hers, Petra, if now's a good time."

"That's me, but uh, the name Petra isn't ringing any bells..."

"Petra the Withdrawn? Mute dunmer, said they'd known you as a child?"

"Oh! Yes, I know them. Never really had much to do with them though. I think they had a sister? She mostly dealt with my uncles. Who aren't here."

"Ah. Do you know them enough to speak to their character? Or would your uncles?"

"I suppose out of any of us, I could. We spent some time together, mostly during the times when their sister needed to have privacy."

She bites her lip and then steps out of the doorway.

"Sorry, I have horrible manners. Please come in."

"It's okay." She steps in and out of habit does a quick scan of the room. 

The room is mostly empty and seems to just be a normal foyer. A bit dusty, maybe.

"So, may I ask, what exactly is this about? Has Petra done something wrong?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out. Do you know if she's the type to not seek medical treatment after being attacked?"

"Unlikely? But I could easily imagine that she'd be capable of administering treatment herself. Her sister was a very capable woman, from what I remember, and she seemed like the type to impart that knowledge to Petra."

"Does she strike you as ever careless?"

She thinks about it. "Not really? Petra was a very... particular child. Everything they did was precise. But I haven't seen them for over a decade, they might have changed. Doubtful, but there's a chance."

"Thank you. Do you have any idea why she would have directed us here, if you don't know her well?"

"Maybe they don't know anyone else here? How long have they been in town?"

"A bit over five months."

"Yeah, so maybe it's that? Not many people would know sign language here..."

"Point. Well, I won't take up any more of your time. Thank you for helping. Do you have any questions for me?"

"Do you have any other suspects?"

"A few."

"Would you like me to check them with my list of people that buy Wolfsbane from me?"

"Does Wolfsbane have any use for werewolves? I thought it was just a poison..."

"I was more thinking that anyone buying wolfsbane has a higher chance of seeking them out and everything that can result from that..."

"Point. Well, I can supply the list easily enough. Beyond poisoning werewolves, what does Wolfsbane do?"

"Visibly it produces a very angry rash. Eventually it'll liquidfy their organs."

"Does it have any beneficial effects?"

"Yellow Wolfsbane is less deadly and could be used to keep one weak during the full moon. If the werewolf didn't want to hurt anyone, that is."

"That's interesting. Has anyone new been buying any of the types? Or a regular recently stopped buying?"

"I'll write you up a list?"

"Sure, if you don't mind."

Julitta quickly leaves and comes back a few minutes later with a list of six people.

Only one of them matches up with the suspect list: Herntgaror Fenrifkssen.

Hm. "What's Herntgaror's buying patterns been like?"

"He's been a regular since I took over. Comes by at least twice a week." She pauses. "Doesn't tell me what he needs it for and it's a lot. He might just like me though? Is always asking me out for dinner and such things."

"What type does he buy?"

"All types. Whatever I have in stock, really."

To her that either sounds like 'selling it on,' 'experimenting,' or 'no idea what he's doing, buying for an excuse to flirt.' Could be something else, though.

"Thank you. You've been a great help. Can you think of anything else relevant to the investigation?"

She shakes her head. "Nope. But would you like a supply of Wolfsbane? Might need it if you catch up with them."

"Sure. How do you use it?"

"Usually you'd need to work a little alchemical magic, but in this occasion I'll give you some oil that my uncle prepared. You can apply it to your weapons."

"That's very handy. Thank you. What's the cost?"

"No charge. You're doing a service to Falkreath, I wouldn't dare to make you pay."

She hands the bottle to her.

"If you need more, you know where I live."

"Thank you. If there's nothing else, I should probably continue with my investigation..."

"Nothing. Good luck."

"Thanks."

And she makes her goodbyes.

"So, what did you think of her?" she asks Gary, mentally reviewing the entire conversation. (An outside perspective never hurts.) "I'm fairly certain she was being truthful, but not entirely forthcoming... Her mention of the Yellow Wolfsbane also provides another avenue of suspects, you know - someone who's been a werewolf for a while, and has recently stopped taking precautions. I'll have to talk to the others on her list at some point... Though for now, is this Herntgaror Fenrifkssen nearby?"