At the moment I am creating a new character, a wood elf named Amédë. I chose the wood elf because I like the advantages to archery, sneak, lockpicking, light armor and alchemy. If you know me and how I play Skyrim, you know I favor archery and alchemy.
No matter what race I am, I haven't really used the racial powers or abilities as much as I ought to. But seeing as each of my characters is for the purpose of trying something new I think I'll try to make the most of it with Amédë. I do like that wood elves are 50% resistant to disease and poison as I dont really like being a vampire and find it annoying having ANY diseases or being poisoned.
I am just going through the very beginning of the game, so I think I'll use this post to talk about how I go through the beginning.
Starting from after Alduin attacks, follow Ralof into a tower where Ulfric Stormcloak will talk about how "legends don't burn down villages." You'll follow Ralof up the stairs where Alduin will bust through the wall and fly away. Upon Ralof's suggestion, jump down to the building below, fall through the hole in the floor, and run outside where you'll run into Hadvar. Wait until he tells you to follow and escape across the town where you'll run into Ralof again. This is where you'll decide whether to follow Ralof or Hadvar the rest of the way. Ralof is obviously a Stormcloak and Hadvar an Imperial soldier. The only perks to following either one is who's family you'll become friends with and which side you'll get an advocate for.
Follow Ralof or Hadvar into the keep. You'll take the armor and weapon(s) from a fallen comrade. If you're anything like me and like to pick up a lot of stuff to sell or whatever its a good idea to ditch your prisoner garb now. I like to go into sneak mode at this point and wait for the guards to come through the East gate. Take care of them, loot them if you so desire and continue on. In the next room there will be a chest to your left with more imperial light armor, a sword and a key. A chest to your right at the foot of the second bed will hold a helmet and gold. A few more gold pieces are farther up on the table to the left. Loot the rest of the room and go back to the front of the keep and unlock the west door. Go down the stairs and into a corridor where Alduin will collapse the ceiling. Go through the door to the left and take care of two more imperial soldiers. There a is a health potion and a magicka potion on the bookshelves to the left and more in the indicated barrel. There's also rock warbler eggs in a basket in front of a table around the corner. Move on and take care of yet two more imperials. There's a knapsack on a table in the middle of the room with a health potions and some lockpicks. There's also The Book of the Dragonborn in front of it. Go pick the lock on the cage (I suggest doing all the cages for extra points towards lockpicking). There's a few gold pieces, a spell box and enchanted mages robes on the body. Loot whatever you like and continue on. Practice lockpicking on the cell doors and find a coin bag in the last cell to the right.
There isn't much in the next room besides some bodies in hanging cages. Moving on, you'll come to a large cavern with at least 5 imperial soldiers in it. There is also oil on the floor that xan be set on fire. Deal with them and loot them if you like (this is where you'll get your first bow if you want).
Follow Ralof across the bridge. Follow the stream and when you turn right, there is a coin bag on the ledge. You'll come to another cavern where you fight some frostbite spiders. Loot the egg sacs for alchemy ingredients.
Next cavern contains a bear where you can attack her or sneak past for sneak points.
There's a chest on a ledge somewhere, I think it's before the bear but I cant seem to find it anywhere. I'll update when I find it again.
Follow Ralof out of the cave. You'll duck to avoid the dragon and then follow him to Ridgewood where you'll talk with his sister, Gerder, and her family (if you followed Hadvar you'll meet his cousin Sigrid and her family- the blacksmiths). There's a few alchemy plants to pick as you go, if you like, especially thistles and mountain flowers. You'll also pass a guardian stone (it's always the mage for me but I don't think it changes, even though my fiance has tried to tell me differently). You'll also get attacked by a couple wolves.
Once you reach Riverwood, you'll go immediately to the left and follow Ralof to his sister past the lumber mill. Once their done talking Gerder will offer you supplies and give you a key to the house. She'll ask you to go to Whitening and warn the Harley about the dragon and ask for reinforcements at Riverwood.
From here I would suggest going straight to Whitening and speaking to the Jarl (and stopping to pick flowers on the way) but it's not necessary. If you picked up loot, you'll want to sell a lot of it right away. This is, of course, the beginning of the main quest.
Depending on how you want to play the game I would suggest waiting till you've leveled up a bit in your choice of weapon as well as armor before continuing anymore with the main quest. But if you're one of those that doesn't mind the constant challenge and are ok with dying repeatedly then continue with the main quest.
Personally I like to immediately start on my alchemy, since thats my main source of money (use my alchemy cheat guide to make this process go a lot faster). Then once I make 5000 in gold, I go to Falkreath, speak to the Jarl and do the quest that allows you to build your own house, and purchase the land (you get all the supplies to build the small layout and then you can build the rest of the house as you get resources, you do have to get resources to build all the furniture except for a chest that is automatically in the house).
If you have any questions or have a favorite way to start the game please leave a comment below.
More from Amédë later!
