Anyone know why Elrindir in the Drunken Huntsman might be treating me differently?

Lately he's been greeting me with, "What can I do for you, you miserable wretch?"

Did you steal from, or kill his brother?

I haven't taken anything from him. Who is his brother?

What race are you? I've noticed he treats the 'lesser' races like Khajiit and Argonian a little more favorably.

I don't remember his name, but he runs the meat stall in Whiterun's market.

Oh crap, that's it. I had to kill him as part of a Dark Brotherhood contract. That explains it. Thanks!

That's the quirky thing about the Radiant Story system.

Even though no one witnessed you doing the crime, somehow word gets around to the victim and/or their family members about your evil deeds. In Oblivion, there were physic guards.... now we have all-knowing citizens galore!

Oh, plenty of people witnessed it, trust me.