When exploring the city of Falkreath for the first time, a funeral can be observed in the surprisingly large cemetery.

Standing by the ceremony reveals from the eulogy that a ten-year-old girl is being mourned. Speaking to the parents after the service reveals that little Lavinia was brutally killed by a man named Sinding. He was captured and imprisoned, and the town is currently deciding his fate.

Speak to Sinding ★
The prison is located in the barracks basement, and Sinding is the sole inmate. Approaching the cell allows for a conversation with him. Sinding deeply regrets his action, explaining that he suffers from lycanthropy and lost control. The blame is placed on the Ring of Hircine, which is supposedly meant to control the transformations. However, the ring is cursed, causing spontaneous transformations at the worst possible times - as was the case with the girl.

Sinding was searching for Hircine, the Daedric Prince of the Hunt, to appease him and return the ring. A great, majestic beast is said to roam the area, and whoever slays it can allegedly speak with Hircine. Upon agreeing to bring the ring to Hircine, Sinding wishes luck on hunting the beast. The transferred Ring of Hircine is automatically equipped and cannot be removed until the quest ends. Immediately after, Sinding transforms into a werewolf and escapes through the roof of the cell.

Kill the great beast ★
The alleged beast is a large white stag roaming the area east of Peak's Shade Tower. A quest marker points directly to the target, eliminating the need for a lengthy search. Once the stag is slain, Hircine appears as the spirit of the hunt, offering to consider lifting the curse in exchange for a service rendered to his glory. One is tasked with hunting down the escaped Sinding, tearing the hide from his body, and presenting it to Hircine as a sacrificial offering.

Begin the hunt
Once again, the game simplifies the glorious hunt by pointing directly to Bloated Man's Grotto.

Upon entering the grotto, the entire area is bathed in an aggressive, deep red light, and the Bloodmoon hangs in the sky - an unmistakable sign that Hircine has declared the hunt. One enters a clearing where a brutal battle has taken place. Three hunters have been torn to shreds, and a fourth - J'Kier - lies dying, warning with his last breath that the prey is stronger than the hunters.

Join the hunt / Kill Sinding
The quest initially assumes that the intention is to kill Sinding. However, this objective can be altered. Upon leaving the starting clearing, one is soon addressed by Sinding, who sits high up on a rocky ledge. Telling him that the assignment is to kill him causes him to show understanding. However, he adds that he could be a powerful ally if spared, promising never to return to civilization.

A choice must now be made regarding who is to be considered the prey - the werewolf or the hunters?

• Hunting Sinding
  One can tell Sinding that choosing to defy Hircine is not an option (the same is assumed if the dialogue is canceled or if one waits too long). Sinding then runs off and fights against the hunters awaiting him further ahead. They stand little chance against a werewolf, and without swift action, he will kill them all. The hunters (2+3+3) wait in three clearings located along the path through the grotto. Intervening in the combat allows for Sinding to be weakened before the final battle. The conflict must be resolved at the final clearing.
  
  Skin Sinding
  Once the werewolf is defeated, the skin must be stripped from his body (a dialogue box appears for confirmation). Once this is done, an Aspect of Hircine appears nearby, looking like the spirit of Sinding in human form.
  
  Speak with Hircine
  He congratulates the successful hunter and transforms Sinding's hide into the famous artifact, the Savior's Hide.
  This concludes the quest.
  
  
• Hunting the Hunters
  Responding to Sinding that his life will be spared causes him to wait so that action can be taken together against the hunters. The objective changes to "Kill the Hunters". One can now eliminate the hunters across all three clearings side by side.
  
  Talk to Sinding
  The werewolf expresses gratitude for the assistance, stating that this will be his new home, far away from people he could harm.
  This concludes the quest. The reward is received upon exiting the grotto. In front of the entrance, one is addressed once again by the spirit of the hunt. He states that although the hunt was turned on its head, it amused and impressed him. In return, Hircine removes the curse from the ring, allowing it to be unequipped at will.

Known Bugs

• After Sinding has supposedly escaped, and it has been confirmed by the guards, he can sometimes still be found inside the cell.
• If the white stag is hunted for too long, it may run across the province border into inaccessible territory. Consequently, the quest cannot be completed.
• It is possible to obtain both artifacts through a exploit. One method involves eliminating all hunters alongside Sinding, exiting the grotto to receive the first reward, then re-entering, killing Sinding, skinning his hide, and accepting the second reward.
  However, this outcome was not intended by the quest design - the quest is already fully completed at that stage, the Bloodmoon has vanished, and the hunt is over. Obtaining the second artifact outside the quest context occurs solely due to a design or programming oversight. It is equivalent to a PC player adding the item via the developer console (which is generally not recommended for unique artifacts). Unforeseen side effects are conceivable.
• A documented side effect of this exploit is Sinding randomly roaming the wilderness of Skyrim, even though he was previously killed and skinned.

Tips & Notes

• If the funeral service for Lavinia is missed, the parents - Mathies and Indara Caerellia - can be encountered and spoken to while working on their farm.
• The quest can also initiate without conversing with the parents. Exploring the Falkreath Barracks allows for a direct conversation with Sinding. In this case, the objective "Speak to Sinding" is bypassed.
• If one suffers from lycanthropy, spontaneous transformations can occur under the influence of the cursed ring. The game calculates a 1:10 chance every in-game minute while located in unnamed locations.
• A radiant quest can be obtained from the Altmer priest Runil, which may randomly target Bloated Man's Grotto.
• Entering Bloated Man's Grotto during the quest at daytime automatically shifts the in-game clock to 23:00 (11 PM).
• When fighting alongside Sinding against the hunters, care must be taken not to injure the werewolf. Hitting him even once instantly changes the objective to "Kill Sinding." This also triggers from defensive spells, such as healing. Ceasing attacks on the hunters will cause them to solely focus on Sinding after a short while.
• Concurrently with receiving the Savior's Hide, the cursed Ring of Hircine is removed from the inventory.
• Nesting hawks can be observed inside the grotto.
• Upon exiting the grotto after the quest concludes, the hunters vanish. To loot all fallen combatants, this must be completed prior to leaving the area.
• For those skilled at climbing, a gold ore vein is located above the torch - indicated by the crosshair in the image.
• A chest is situated in a rocky alcove immediately to the right within the entrance clearing. Another chest lies underwater beneath the waterfall.
• Although generally not recommended, obtaining both artifacts can be advantageous under certain circumstances. To unlock the Steam achievement "Oblivion Walker," 15 Daedric artifacts must be acquired. However, some Daedric quests offer alternative rewards. This forfeit can then be compensated for by securing the second artifact from Hircine.
• The interior of Bloated Man's Grotto is modified for this quest: a clockwise loop is no longer possible, the Shrine of Talos disappears, and entirely different lighting conditions prevail. To acquire Bolar's Oathblade, the grotto must be explored prior to the quest, or revisited at least 10 in-game days after its completion.