During the "No One Escapes Cidhna Mine" quest, I went the route of aiding Madanach on his escape attempt right up until he returned my equipment to me. Then I killed him and his crew before they could escape Cidhna mine and harm anyone in the city. In other words, he and his band never made it into the streets of Markarth. When I exited the mine alone I was greeted by Thonar Silver-Blood, who thanked me for killing Madanach and rewarded me for my efforts.

The problem is, the NPCs in Markarth are confused. When I approach them they'll angrily say something along the lines of "I can't believe you helped Madanach escape into the wilds. Do you know how many people in the city died in his escape?", or they'll say "I saw you helping Madanach escape. You're a hero to the people in the Warrens!". But then, when I actually initiate a conversation with them (by pressing "E"), they'll instead say something along the lines of "I can't believe anyone ever doubted your innocence. The guards have a lot to answer for this!", or they'll praise me for killing Madanach in some other way.

So, the NPCs seem confused because of my last-second double-cross. The same NPC will think I helped Madanach escape, and that tons of people in the city died in the process (even thought that didn't happen), but then they'll turn around and acknowledge that I sided with the Silver-Bloods and helped kill Madanach instead. Nearly all the NPCs comment this way whenever I approach them. Is this bug going to have repercussions at a later point and break my game somehow?

Edit: Attaching screenshot for clarification. Focus on the NPC comments at the bottom of each image.

Image link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7022/6460956975_8d453e0542_b.jpg

There are a lot of bugs related to this quest. The guards that arrest you in the temple of Talos have a tendency to respawn, and when they do, this makes other random npcs in Markarth hostile.

The safest thing to do is sprint to the temple in Markarth each time you return to the city. That way you can immediately pay your bounty (usually 1000 gold) and not have to deal with random attacks.

While I understand that is a common bug for this quest, I'm not having this particular problem at all. There are two guards in the temple but they are indifferent to me. Nobody is attacking me in the city. My bug is that the NPCs are clearly confused - they'll scold me for helping Madanach escape (even though he didn't), and then turn around and praise me for killing him. Almost in the same breath.

If you kill him before he leaves the jail (I did on the steps out) then wait an hour, everything dies down outside and you get the quest completed without bugs.

Cant remember where I read it, but the solution worked for me.

Hope you have a save at that point

There's nothing to "die down". Nobody is hostile, and the quest completed.

Me thinks you half-read the post and assumed I was talking about a more common bug.

Sorry mate, yeah I think your right..

I remember hearing the guy near the Jarl saying something like "I'll have Madanachs head" when I've already killed him.

Have to check it out, but yeah, sounds bugged


To much beer not enough brains here lol

Did you take an arrow in the knee?

Ok, well you should be fine then. There isn't any more to the quest after Madanach's death, so even if the townfolk are confused, it shouldn't affect you.

Attaching screenshot for clarification. Focus on the NPC comments at the bottom of each image.

Image link: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7022/6460956975_8d453e0542_b.jpg