Corpulus Vinius

Corpulus is the owner of The Winking Skeever in the Nordic hold of Solitude.

NPCs usually state that he is known for telling rumors.

It is possible for him to hire thugs to 'teach a lession' to your character. The complete details/conditions are not yet known, but listed below are the possiblities, and most likely reason for the attack.
 * Caused Stealing from the Winking Skeever, or completing a certain quest/objective: It is most likely for stealing from the Winking Skeever, since he calls your character a thief).
 * Whether or not you get caught: It was received after stealing, despite not being seen by anyone. It may or may not be a glitch, and it may or may not happen if you get caught (under the assumption that the guards will come after you instead).


 * When/Where: The thug encounter happened in the wilderness, but the theft happened shortly before the departure, so it could have just been after a certain time.


 * Character-Specific: Corpulus is an inn-owner that is known for spreading rumors. It could be within his personality to prefer sending thugs rather than guards, but it is possible that it is (at least to some extent) generic, as it seems to have no effect on the dialogue that he offers.

Appearances

 * The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Note
While Skyrim is out, and the information is through experience, I added the future tag because it is still new enough that information may not be accurate. If there is a better tag, it should probably be changed. Skyrim Characters