I think it's worth mentioning that you don't even need to be a Hlaalu in order to play through this quest, just asking for rumors can get you on the right track. It even makes a decent beginning mission due to a reward of a dwarven waraxe and 1000 gold. Velas can be killed relatively easily even by a completely pathetic character with no future due to their ethnicity and profession (Such as a mage that is neither a Breton or an Altmer and wasn't lucky enough to be born during Sun's Height.) by using frost damage scrolls that can be bought from Galbedir.
I think it's worth mentioning that you don't even need to be a Hlaalu in order to play through this quest, just asking for rumors can get you on the right track. It even makes a decent beginning mission due to a reward of a dwarven waraxe and 1000 gold. Velas can be killed relatively easily even by a completely pathetic character with no future due to their ethnicity and profession (Such as a mage that is neither a Breton or an Altmer and wasn't lucky enough to be born during Sun's Height.) by using frost damage scrolls that can be bought from Galbedir.
Just finding the body also works.