Forums » Elder Scrolls

What Do You Usually Do First?

    • 557 posts
    September 13, 2012 11:31 PM EDT

    Seeing as Skyrim has been out for almost a year now (see Mason, I didn't "jump the gun"!), I'm curious to see what you do after you escape Helgen. Do you start the quests right away? Do you explore? Do you start over (like I've done countless times)? Or do you do something completely different and strange? 

    Post your typical actions in the comments! 

  • September 13, 2012 11:46 PM EDT

    I normally head over to the Talos Shrine and pick up the random item, head over and pick up one of the guardian stones, clear out Embershard, do the Golden Claw mission after talking to Gerdur, than decide whether to become Dragonborn.

    • 668 posts
    September 14, 2012 12:39 AM EDT

    I try to earn as much xp as possible to get a good weapon to kill things.

    • 952 posts
    September 14, 2012 4:03 AM EDT

    http://theskyrimblog.ning.com/forum/topics/first-thing-you-do-after-helgen

    There's already a thread about this, you can see over there what I do.

    • 557 posts
    September 14, 2012 6:43 AM EDT
    I've never seen that thread before. Damn b
    • 271 posts
    September 14, 2012 8:53 AM EDT
    It's alright. it doesn't matter so much! :-P
  • September 14, 2012 11:46 AM EDT

    Went and solved the love triangle dialemma. Then I murdered the Nord who gave me the letter. Sorry, but Faendel offered more!

    • 557 posts
    September 14, 2012 12:22 PM EDT
    Hmmm, sounds interesting!
    • 291 posts
    September 14, 2012 9:39 PM EDT

    Go to Riverwood, say hello to everybody in my head (I love Riverwood...I'd totally live there in real life if I could).  Wander about a bit.  Do some chores, sell some crap from the starter dungeon, buy/make the following: backpack, bedroll, leather armor, fishing net...general survivally things.

    Then I wander around, get bored, and go to Whiterun.

    • 557 posts
    September 15, 2012 7:39 AM EDT
    So you go right to Riverwood. I tried going right to Riften once. Got killed by Giants. Damn.
    • 291 posts
    September 15, 2012 11:39 AM EDT

    Heh, yeah.  I thought about going to Falkreath first once, but then I kept thinking about how the sun was shining so brightly.  How the insects were buzzing in the air.  How I knew that when I got to Riverwood, the music would be playing that soft, plucking guitar that always makes me feel relaxed and completely sucked into the world.  And I just couldn't turn away.

    I suppose I owe the developers a tip of the hat for this one.  I know they purposefully designed that one section of the road to be as gobsmackingly visually stunning as possible.

    • 557 posts
    September 15, 2012 1:40 PM EDT

    I agree. I love Riverwood!

    • 2 posts
    October 6, 2012 9:52 AM EDT

    Go to Riften for the Speech glitch at the Black Briar Meadery. Do the Civil War/Main Quest.

    I try to avoid exploring too much in case i end up with a quest book/item in my inventory which i can't get rid of. 

    • 557 posts
    October 6, 2012 11:44 AM EDT

    I explore all the time! If I find a quest item, I do the quest.

    • 1913 posts
    October 6, 2012 5:08 PM EDT
    At first I tried to kill Hadvar, but when I found out he's essential I just join what ever faction matches my characters class.
    • 7 posts
    October 8, 2012 12:42 PM EDT

    Which is completely lame.  It's not like Hadvar is needed at all, really.  The game could have just assigned you over to Whiterun to continue the main quest. 

    • 2 posts
    February 11, 2013 2:05 AM EST
    I chop firewood in riverwood to earn septims. Outfit myself with the proper gear then hunt to level archery and sneak...then I start to explore and do the quests
  • August 4, 2013 2:21 AM EDT
    ive had good ol skyrim since release but i dont think ive been to the infamous talos shrine, where is it?
    • 4 posts
    August 4, 2013 10:15 AM EDT

    normally if i am in the mood for a challenge i walk from riverwood all the way to riften

    • 116 posts
    August 4, 2013 3:24 PM EDT
    I always clear embershard first
    • 1483 posts
    August 4, 2013 3:47 PM EDT

    I found that Haemar's shame is easier to contract vampirism. The vampire there can't seem to climb the wooden ladder and you can easily move in and out reach without any danger from catching a sword to a face, especially on Legendary. There is also a bunch of clothing and skill book if you go up right from the start, they disappear once you talk with Gerdur.

    • 4 posts
    August 4, 2013 3:53 PM EDT

    Most of the times I just loot everything in Helgen and when I come out of the cave, I go straight for the bandit camp at the left for some extra coins and the treasure map. I also go to the shrine of Talos and loot the thalmor agent for the free enchanted item. After that  I pick the gaurdian stone that I need, I loot the treasure chest across the river near rivenwood and after that I simple sell all my stuff. Then the last thing I do is clear the mine that's near the gaurdian stone and sell the stuff once more in rivenwood. After that I just do what I feel like doing.

    - Altmer Fanboy

    • 69 posts
    August 4, 2013 3:55 PM EDT

    I go through the beginning until I have aquired the Golden Claw, returned it to Lucan, and aquired the Dragonstone from Bleak Falls. After that I start the guild that suits my character, do every misc. quest that I can in Windhelm, and go kill Nazeem. Once I'm at a high level I start the main questline.

    • 1483 posts
    August 4, 2013 4:09 PM EDT

    LOL, I usually go in the opposite direction to the Rift  The skill book is also cool, because you can save it for later - it's in the inventory of dead Nord. There is actually a big Khajiit caravan destroyed by bandits with chest, iron armor, steel weapons...

    • 1483 posts
    August 4, 2013 4:17 PM EDT

    That's what I do as well, that's why I like that path. The skill book will disappear later in the game, so I go grab it right from the start.