Went to Valtheim Towers, killed bandits, knocked one off the connecting bridge with a shield bash and he fell into the water current below - dead. Went down to look for him.. found his sword at the bottom of the river where he fell.. wandered down the riverside and found his body washed up to shore near a waterfall I feared he'd been carried over.
God dammit, Bethesda. I love you.
Oh, and am I the only one who cleared Shimmermist Cave at level 9? Yeah, I'm gangsta like that.