Blood on the Ice is one of the most famous quests in Skyrim for a variety of reasons. The name of the quest is intriguing enough on its own, standing out amongst a horde of forgettable titles in the quest journal. While Oblivion famously features a Murder Mystery Mansion, Skyrim lets players investigate a serial killer and take on the role of crime scene investigator.
In many ways, Blood on the Ice is the best representation of what quests in Skyrim should look like. It makes the player direct the quest as they see fit, not the other way around, and eventually forces them to make difficult choices based on their own investigation. It's a quest that every Skyrim player should experience, and thankfully, it's relatively easy to start.
Updated June 4, 2022 by Erik Petrovich: Blood on the Ice is one of Skyrim's most well-known quests. Taking place in Windhelm, this quest puts players in the role of detective trying to figure out who is behind a series of grisly murders happening across Windhelm. It's one of Skyrim's coolest stories, perhaps even one of the coolest quests in all the Elder Scrolls games, thanks to the little narrative details discovered along the way. It's worth mentioning that some players have issues where Blood on the Ice won't start. The entry on how to start Blood on the Ice has been updated with some workaround fix suggestions, though in some cases this bug can be irreperable.
Blood on the Ice: A Murder Mystery in Windhelm
As players enter Windhelm at night, they will encounter a guard standing near the corpse of a woman in the city's graveyard, just left of the front gate down an alley. After interrogating nearby onlookers the Dragonborn discovered that the body isn't wearing clothes, though the woman's gold and jewelry were left behind. After looking at the body in the Windhelm Hall of the Dead, Helgird says the cuts on the woman's body were made with embalming tools. Helgird insists it wasn't her, so the Dragonborn leaves only to find a trail of blood leading to a manor named Hjerim.
Tova, the mother of the slain woman, gives the player a key to the manor. Inside the Dragonborn is tasked with investigating the crime scene - they find a Strange Amulet among journals of someone called The Butcher, no doubt the perpetrator of the crimes. A man named Wuunferth is blamed for the crimes following this information, and this can theoretically be the end of the quest. After a few days, though, the killer strikes again, prompting players to solve the mystery once and for all.
How To Start The Blood On The Ice
To start Blood on the Ice, players must first head to Windhelm. Upon reaching Windhelm players should enter the city gate and head towards the cemetery, in the western portion of the city. Turn left, walk for a few seconds, then turn right to go north towards the graveyard through an alley.
Sometimes in Skyrim Blood on the Ice won't start. In these cases, it's best to turn off any mods you're using, try old saves and autosaves, or if all else fails use the console to force the quest to start.
Getting to Windhelm: By Foot, Carriage, or Boat
Getting to Windhelm can be accomplished in three ways: by walking there, by taking a carriage, or taking a boat. Windhelm is located on the far east of Skyrim in Eastmarch, so if you prefer to take the scenic route, head northeast from Whiterun through the mountain pass. Alternatively, a Carriage can take you there instantly from any major city. Players can also reach this frozen port city by boat, from either the Solitude Docks or Dawnstar Docks. It can also be reached by taking a boat back from Solstheim, but you need to get to Windhelm to reach the island in the first place.
Blood On The Ice Quest Rewards
There are a number of special rewards that the player can get depending on their choices during Blood on the Ice. If the player chooses not to arrest Wuunferth, the Player Home Hjerim becomes available for purchase from Jorleif. This option only occurs if the player has chosen the Stormcloaks, or if they have chosen Imperials and completed the Civil War questline.
Additionally, the body of Calixto will contain the Necromancer's Amulet if the player sold him the Strange Amulet earlier. Using a key found on his body players can get into Calixto's house, which has a chest and several other items that all but confirm his role as The Butcher.
Skyrim Special Edition is available for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S