10 Subtle Details That Make Skyrim WAY More Interesting
3. The Shattershield Tragedy
The Shattershields are one of the clans in Windhelm and are perhaps the most tragic story the city has to offer. Prior to the player's arrival in the city, one of the twin daughters of Tova Shattershield is murdered by the serial killer called the Butcher. You can solve the murder if you wish, but that isn't what is interesting about them.
During the Dark Brotherhood quest-line, you are given the optional objective to kill Nilsine Shattershield, the twin of the deceased. Should you choose to complete the completely optional objective, you can later return to their household and find that their mother has killed herself.
This is one of the best examples of subtle story-telling and one of the rare occurrences where the game presents you with genuine consequences for your actions. These moments should have been made the focus of the game as they have the most impact.