Skyrim:Kill Hern

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Kill Hern, a reclusive vampire. Quest Giver: Nazir Location(s): Half-Moon Mill Prerequisite Quest: Whispers in the Dark Next Quest: The Silence Has Been Broken Concurrent Quest: Kill Lurbuk Reward: Leveled gold ID: DBSideContract04

Hern and Hert

Quick Walkthrough

1. Go to Half-Moon Mill.
2. Kill Hern the vampire.
3. Return to Nazir.

Detailed Walkthrough

Hern is a fairly easy kill, even if he is a vampire. He is usually with his wife in Half-Moon Mill's only home. They can both be killed with any weapons—as long as Hern dies, the mission completes. During the day, you'll find him outside, hanging out on a bridge. You can sneak into a shack next to the bridge and attack him safely with a ranged attack from an open window. His wife usually won't notice if it's a one-hit kill. You could also wait until morning for his wife to leave for the lumber. She always leaves before him, presenting a window where he can be found alone inside the house. If you have Hearthfire installed, and her disposition is high enough for her to give you free lumber, you can ask her for free lumber when they are together inside the house; she will go outside to supervise your cutting of logs, and you will be alone with Hern. Also when they are entering or leaving the house if you engage Hern in conversation and hold him behind you can then sneak attack and kill him after Hert leaves the area.

Alternatively, like most other assassination targets, you have the option to talk to Hern which gives you three dialogue choices, two of which will turn Hern hostile.

Topic	Dialogue	Response
"I know what you are, nightspawn."	"Well then, you won't be leaving here alive!"	Becomes hostile and attacks
"Assassin versus vampire. A fight for the ages."	"Ah, so the Brotherhood has come for old Hern, has it? Well then, let us meet as equals."	Becomes hostile and attacks
(Remain silent)	"Hmph. Don't say much, but there's a strange aura about you. You walk in the shadow of death... Leave here. Leave here and never return."	Hern walks away

Reward

Levels	Reward
1–9	250
10–19	400
20–29	500
30–39	600
40+	750

Note that there is no reward for killing Hert, although if she witnesses you killing Hern, you can kill her to avoid the bounty.

Notes

• Attacking Hern can incur a bounty, just like any other assault. Speaking to him will provide two dialogue options that will cause him to attack you, preventing a bounty. Either that, or kill any last witness (usually his wife).

Quest Stages

Contract: Kill Hern (DBSideContract04)
Stage	Finishes Quest	Journal Entry
10		I must travel to Half-Moon Mill and kill the vampire Hern. I may use any means at my disposal. When I am done, I am to report back to Nazir at the Sanctuary and collect my reward. Objective 10: Kill Hern
20		Objective 20: Report back to Nazir
200	Finishes quest	Hern is dead, and I have collected my reward from Nazir at the Sanctuary.

• The following empty quest stages were omitted from the table: 0, 255.

Notes

• Any text displayed in angle brackets (e.g., <Alias=LocationHold>) is dynamically set by the Radiant Quest system, and will be filled in with the appropriate word(s) when seen in game.
• Not all Journal Entries may appear in your journal; which entries appear and which entries do not depends on the manner in which the quest is done.
• Stages are not always in order of progress. This is usually the case with quests that have multiple possible outcomes or quests where certain tasks may be done in any order. Some stages may therefore repeat objectives seen in other stages.
• If an entry is marked as "Finishes Quest" it means the quest disappears from the Active Quest list, but you may still receive new entries for that quest.
• On the PC, it is possible to use the console to advance through the quest by entering setstage DBSideContract04 stage, where stage is the number of the stage you wish to complete. It is not possible to un-complete (i.e. go back) quest stages, but it is possible to clear all stages of the quest using resetquest DBSideContract04.

Prev: Whispers in the Dark

Up: Dark Brotherhood Conc: Kill Lurbuk

Next: The Silence Has Been Broken