Grelod the Kind

 is the headmistress of the Honorhall Orphanage in Riften.

Personality
Grelod is headmistress of Honorhall Orphanage in Riften, and is frequently and cruel and abusive towards the children in her care. Not only does she beat them and refuse to allow their adoption, but she berates them verbally as well. Listening to Grelod's conversation with the orphans reveals she has 'extra beatings' planned for them. She also mentions that no one will ever adopt any of them. There is a closet in the orphanage with shackles on the walls. One could assume that these shackles are used to restrain the children, either as punishment in and of itself or in conjunction with their frequent beatings. According to Constance Michel, the people of Riften are aware of Grelod's cruel nature; they call her "Grelod the Kind" out of irony.

Interactions
The Dragonborn is asked to assassinate Grelod the Kind by Aventus Aretino after being mistaken for a member of the Dark Brotherhood in the quest "Innocence Lost". If the Dragonborn does so, either to fulfill Aventus's contract or just because they feel that the hateful woman deserves it, the children of the orphanage cheer and do not alert the Riften Guard. Indeed, Grelod can generally be cut down right in front of all of the children with no repercussions. If the Dragonborn lingers around too long the guards may eventually come inside - likely called by Constance Michel, who is the only person to show anything but happiness at Grelod's death. Once Grelod is gone, interactions with the children indicate that their lives have improved considerably: Constance is now in charge of the orphanage, and she treats her charges far more kindly than Grelod did.

Notable loot

 * The book The Pig Children

Trivia

 * After killing her and reporting back to Aretino, guards all over Skyrim will comment about it.
 * Grelod has a single health point, so it is possible to kill her with Telekinesis and a Sweetroll.
 * Grelod is based on Miss Hannigan, the tyrannical orphanage matron from the Broadway Musical, Annie.
 * After she is killed, the children in the orphanage all express respect for the Dark Brotherhood, as well as admiration for Aventus Aretino (for carrying out his promise).
 * It is rumored by one of the kids that she is part Hagraven.
 * It is generally not possible to speak to Grelod, though it can be done if the player confronts her after receiving the contract from Aventus; the player can even claim to be a member of the Dark Brotherhood, even though they have not been recruited yet. However, Grelod will not be intimidated no matter what the player says.

Bugs

 * Performing a power attack on her whilst she is sitting may make her fall through the floor.
 * If she is caught in a full-power Unrelenting Force Shout, she may fall through the floor, and her corpse may resurface where she was talking to the orphans.