Originally appearing in The Elder Scrolls: Blades, the Headman's Cleaver is a mighty Orcish axe that has made its way to Skyrim during the release of the Anniversary Edition. While the axe's unique design will surely entice weapon collectors to find it, the Headman's Cleaver offers formidable stats, making it one of the best Two-Handed weapons in the early game. Although its speed is slightly slower than a typical Battleaxe, it possesses a longer attack reach than other Two-Handed weaponry in Skyrim. Furthermore, it features a base damage of 25, the same damage output as a late-game Daedric Battleaxe.
Skyrim fans will be able to obtain the Headman's Cleaver from the start of the game without any required prerequisites. To begin the cleaver's quest, head to an inn and ask for work leads, bounties, or rumors from the innkeeper. Then, they will provide the Dragonborn with a note from Shogarz gra-Batul, starting the quest, "Blood in the Water." Keep in mind that this quest may not be available from the beginning of the dialogue, and the player might need to exhaust several Miscellaneous Quests until reaching "Blood in the Water."
Reading the note from Shogarz gra-Batul will activate a map marker for the Skyrim location where the Orcish weapon can be found. To get the Headman's Cleaver, travel to the Lost Knife Hideout, a cave south of Windhelm and east of Whiterun. The cavern is crawling with hostile bandits but relatively spacious, making it an optimal shooting range for stealth archers. The dungeon is full of loot, so it's recommended for players to broaden their pockets before entering.
Where to Find the Headman's Cleaver in Skyrim
The first two bandits that Skyrim fans will encounter in Lost Knife Hideout will be sharing a brief dialogue that reveals one of them has the key to a Sabre Cat cage. Remember to loot this key, as it will come in handy later. After taking out the two bandits, players will come upon a large open section surrounded by water. Down below Skyrim players can find a fishing spot if they wish to have a moment of calm. Additionally, players can find a hidden treasure chest to the south of the cavern.
After venturing into the deeper portion of the hideout, players will encounter a few more bandits until finding the Darkwater Snake, wielder of the Headman's Cleaver. Players will see a cage with an imprisoned Sabre Cat in the boss room. Using the looted key from earlier, release the cat to distract or weaken the bandits before joining the fray. Once all the enemies have been defeated, the Dragonborn can claim the Headman's Cleaver for their own. If players wish to enhance their new weapon, they can visit a Grindstone and fortify their Skyrim Battleaxe with Orichalcum Ingot.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition is available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.