Hired thugs won't leave me alone

[HweenHunter]

I went to Winterhold and they showed up me being a level 3 at the time I could not kill them. now I am a level 5 at an orc stronghold working on smithing and they showed up. This time I was able to kill one but they still killed me (mind you I am an orc so imagine my suprise when the other orcs just ignored the nords walking in and killing one of their own) how does one get rid of these punks if they are unable top kill them? BTW Lydia was totally useless in this whole ordeal just dying right off the bat so if there is a better companion for early game stages please feel free to mention.

[Ilja]

Hired thugs come after you one time. They are called, when you take something that is considered stolen. Once you kill them, they usually have a letter from the person who hired them, but you can't speak about that with the character.

As said, they only come after you once, unless you are using a mod that allows new ones to appear.

You don't really get a rid of them, except running away and avoiding them, until you get them killed. They will follow you around the map during that time.

My level 1 Breton girl just killed them with her bow, with Marksman (SkyRe) skill 5 (lowered by Disparity.) Get creative and you can handle them. I have few ideas, if you really can't get it done.

[HweenHunter]

I used beserker rage to kill them. I stole all their stuff and hung them embarssingly on top of the chiefs house for all to see.

[Ilja]

Heh. My lass jumped between stairs and the roof of Hall of the Dead in Whiterun, occasionally luring them closer. The level roof is a good place to avoid their attacks and send arrows flying toward them.

My other character was a spellcaster. He used Fury to one of them and ran away, while boys were beating each other. The only fellow who survived got his face full of lighting. :)

If you wish to actually "send the message", then this mod might be for you. Note that the files is classed as adult in Nexus, so you need to sign in before being able to see it.

https://youtu.be/vk9z61awvHQ

Clean up your Corpses by Mofakin
http://www.nexusmods.com/skyrim/mods/59340/?

[PixelTraveller]

Can people send hired thugs after you for no reason? I had to fight some outside Riften, found a note where Grelka was instructing them to shake me up and even kill me if necessary. Don't think I did any Thieve's Guild quests at her house... it seemed random.

[Ilja]

You don't have to be a thief, just to take something that did not belong to you or murder someone.

Sometimes relatives can also send enemies after you. This happens if you kill a character that does not start as a hostile, but becomes aggressive after your actions.

For example: Anise, after you break in to her basement.

More information about thugs and conditions below

Skyrim:Hired Thug UESPWiki
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Hired_Thug

[PixelTraveller]

Thanks for the info :) Kinda amazed that they will come after you even if you're not caught.

[Hare+Guu!]

Killing assassins is fun. They carry a lot of gold and decent loot.

[Brandybuck]

Who says this game doesn't have consequences for your choices?

[Trigger]

if you can't kill them, then run and use whirlwind sprint to open some distance between them and you