Mourning Never Comes

Background
Muiri requests that Alain Dufont be killed. She will also provide an optional target, Nilsine Shatter-Shield, however Nilsine does not have to be killed to complete this quest.

This quest is received by speaking with Astrid in the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary after completing at least one of the first three contracts assigned by Nazir.

Objectives

 * Talk to Muiri
 * Kill Alain Dufont
 * Kill Nilsine Shatter-Shield (Optional)
 * Talk to Muiri

Talk to Muiri
After Astrid assigns the contract and points out who to speak to, head to Markarth and speak to Muiri. During shopping hours, she can often be found at her place of work, The Hag's Cure. She will explain the situation, express why she wants it done and her feelings on the people she wishes dead. The quest markers will now appear on the map. Exhaust all dialogue options and she will supply two vials of Lotus Extract.

Kill Alain Dufont
Travel to Raldbthar. Once there a bandit is visible (there may be several bandits outside, depending on the Dragonborn's level). Once inside either move past the flames to a leveled locked gate, and directly into a room with Alain and two bandits, or choose stealth and work around the ruin. Working up and around the ruin, going through a second Master level gate will lead to a platform above Alain. On this platform there will be two levers, and next to them are the Dwarven Ballista Traps they fire. These fire explosives down at Alain and his bandit comrades if the levers are activated.

Strategies

 * In the same room Alain is in, on the upper platform are two large Dwarven Crossbows, each have a nearby switch that is used to activate them. The explosions from these may ignite the oil below. One is aimed almost directly at one of the bandits sitting in the chairs (being off enough to one side to possibly hit the other), while the other is aimed behind Alain, but on the other side of the oil puddle. Strangely though, the two bandits that are sitting down will not be killed by the exploding crossbow bolts as long as they are sitting in the chairs.
 * Firing an arrow at the camp fire or using Throw Voice on the fire and then triggering the giant crossbow aimed at them will kill most (if not all) of them instantly.
 * To avoid a fight, it is much easier to go directly through the flames at the beginning than to go around the ruin unless possessing a high level in the sneak. Alain can be taken out easily with a bow, and his bandit buddies probably won't look for the assailant for too long.
 * Beneath Alain is in a small amount of oil. Use a fire spell and the resulting fire might be able to burn him (and the two other bandits) in one attack.
 * With high enough sneak skill, it is possible to shoot arrows to lure his friends upstairs, then do a forward roll once they're walking up the stairs repeatedly to reach Alain, Kill him (dagger, bow, etc..) and then quickly sneak out of the room.

Kill Nilsine Shatter-Shield (Optional)
Before doing this part of the quest, make sure the quest Blood on the Ice is done, as there is a bug associated with the quest.

Muiri will reward Muiri's Ring if Nilsine is also killed.
 * Travel to Windhelm to find the bonus target.

Strategies

 * The best way to do this without getting a bounty is to wait until 9:00 PM when Nilsine will go to the Windhelm Hall of the Dead or the Temple of Talos (Praying for and mourning for her dead sister). There she can be killed in one hit using the lotus poison provided by Muiri without raising any suspicion.


 * If you kill her with the Ebony Blade after completing Blood on the Ice, she counts as a trusted friend to charge the blade.


 * Another good strategy for killing Nilsine is to pickpocket the key from her during the day, sneak into her house at night, wait until she goes to her bed and do a sneak attack, which will kill her instantly and soundlessly.

Talk to Muiri
Head back to Markarth and talk to Muiri to receive the reward(s).

Trivia

 * If Raldbthar was already cleared out and Alain Dufont already killed before starting this quest, the dialogue options will be to simply inform Muiri that Alain is already dead. She seems disappointed, as his death is something of an anti-climax since she was hoping to be the cause of his demise, but trusts that he is dead and pays the reward. However, this means the quest ends there and there is no option to kill Nilsine Shatter-Shield, making it impossible to obtain Muiri's Ring.
 * Using console commands to resurrect Alain after killing him will not make Muiri offer the Nilsine quest either.
 * If both Alain Dufont and the optional objective of killing Nilsine Shatter-Shield were done, then Muiri becomes a candidate for marriage. Simply approach her while wearing an Amulet of Mara.
 * When the quest is completed, if Nilsine Shatter-Shield is killed, then her mother Tova Shatter-Shield will commit suicide.
 * If Nilsine is killed before she asks you to, the part WILL be complete, but it will never mark the point as complete. This means you will still get Muiri's Ring

Bugs

 * Sometimes Nilsine will be flagged as essential, and will be unkillable, making the bonus unobtainable.