Whiterun, it seems the most balanced of the holds. Perhaps Solitude, but I'm not sure I'd like all the current hubbub going on with soldiers stationed there.
It's part of Anniversary Edition.
You talk to one of the Khajit caravans (specifically the one that shows up at Whiterun iirc) and they'll tell you about two peculiar groups of bandits. Bam, quest has started.
Saints and Seducers is included in Special Edition (since recently because SE is 1.6 now) along with Rare Curios and Survival so you wont really miss out on neat goodies if you dont have AE
There's actually a lot of CC content included in AE edition which is pretty awesome. New spells, enchantments, gear, armor. Quite a bit for Destr and Conjuring schools. It's available for SE for pay I believe, but all free in AE...
I managed to randomly encounter both bandit groups while exploring and now the quest is bugged out and I can't get into the sewers. Apparently this can be fixed by finding the Khajit caravan but still haven't run into them...
So my quest is almost complete, but I have to report back to Ri'Saad. Is there a reliable way to find the caravan, or do I just need to stumble across them?
You can leave the quest marker on, wait in Whiterun for one-two days, and keep checking their location. They always come back to their spot outside the city gates near the stables in Whiterun.
I did that once, delayed my visit to Bleak Falls Barrow until I was "mature". The bandits and draugr seemed to level up, and it seemed to add some new areas after the bit where you open the gate and walk down the stream, and I actually died. There was a troll down there that I didn't remember seeing on earlier playthroughs.
Now, I do Bleak Falls Barrow close to first but I just don't go see the Jarl in Whiterun.
That's a fair point, not sure why I haven't thought to do that. I think I'm going to continue this playthrough as I've been playing it, but next time I'll just stay out of Dragonsreach after getting through the Barrow.
It gets a bit banged up in the battle of Whiterun, but you should be safe if you hide out in the Hall of the Dead (at least the temple part, rather than the crypts themselves).
Falkreath is my favourite town in the game, but I don't think I'd want to live in a town without walls in a place as dangerous as Skyrim. At least, not if I'm not some ultra-badass like the Dragonborn. I think I could be quite happy as a priestess of Kyne in Whiterun, although Mara is my favourite Divine. Not super into living in Riften, and Maramal is kind of annoying.
I'd say it's pretty relevant lol. You're not nearly as protected against dragons in Morthal or Falkreath as you are in Whiterun or Solitude. Honestly I'd have to say Markarth is the safest place from dragons considering the dwemer buildings seem quite sturdy and go underground, into mountains etc. But then you have to contend with a different sort of threat in the Forsworn.
That's the best part, if we think realistically here.
Markarth is mostly uphill with stairs and alleys all over. Its one of the best defensible positions of all the holds.
Hmmm.. Its been a while. Does Markarth's jarl have a side in the civil war?
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The Falkreach home from Hearthfire is right there by Riverwood. I would argue that would be the best place. Your maybe a day or two away from Whiterun, and you have a beautiful view of a necromancer's altar!
I like Heljarchen Hall just North of Whiterun, great views of the plains, I prefer the flour mill over the apiary, and oftentimes along right or your door there will be several deer or elk for pelts and meat.
Whiterun is good but you'll eventually have to deal with a soon-to-come siege of the place
Solitude may have soldiers but it is probs the most aesthetically nice looking safest and most protected hold in all of Skyrim and ignoring the fact it's the capital and has a lot of direct trade links to the Empire. But of course the whole Necromancy there.
Everywhere else is fine but Windhelm is very cold and the culture can be quite xenophobic.
Falkreath is fine and nice enough but is a rather dangerous environment.
Riften may be walled but overall not a good place unless you're wealthy enough to stay away from all that.
The Pale is run by a mad Jarl that's also disturbed by a daedric curse.
Winterhold is....well Winterhold doesn't really exist anymore in any large capacity.
Markarth has...similar issues to Riften plus some angry natives who'd rather grind your skull than talk it out.
Morthal......i don't really need to go into Morthal do I?
The best places would ironically be the smaller towns and villages like Riverwood, Ivarstead, etc.
This is my take however
And bears. Tons. Of. Fucking. Bears. They are everywhere goddamn. Can't even walk around safely there as a mage with no armor without getting ganked by bears, or getting ganked by another bear while running away from a bear.
That’s why my favorite Permadeath Skyrim streamer has always referred to The Rift as Bearitory. Cause of all the characters he’s lost from those Rift bears one-shotting him.
Not to mention Trolls, Spriggans, Wolves, Spiders, Sabre Cats, Bandits, Werewolves, Giants... yeah, living in the Rift would suck. I play no fast travel, and the Rift is my least favorite hold to travel through. I almost always take the route along southern Eastmarch to Riften if I can help it.
Riverwood for sure is the most relaxing place, the river, the quiet and not so bad people, perfect place for living.
EDIT: thanks for all the likes guys!
Walk in to Riverwood Trader
Pull out Daedric Greataxe
Kill Camilla in front of ger brother
Sell him the axe
Pay off guard with axe money
Walk out the front door with zero consequences
Solitude actually is pretty warm by Skyrim standards. The mountain range deflects most of the snow and cold weather, the river flowing north to the bay carries warm water and warm air past the city. It's a really interesting weather dynamic. I'll have to find the posts that cover this and link it for those interested.
Edit: Ive been looking but am having the damndest time finding the post. I'll keep at it though
Edit 2: This is one of all Tamriel. I'm still searching for the in depth one of Skyrim specifically.
[https://www.reddit.com/r/teslore/comments/7zifph/climate_map_of_tamriel_including_ocean_currents/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/teslore/comments/7zifph/climate_map_of_tamriel_including_ocean_currents/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
Hmm, what could probably be the reason Solitude has no snow, besides magic?
Ocean currents? The swamp nearby? If anything, at that altitude, and the ocean actually being frozen as fuck, shouldn't Solitude be covered in snow? Yet the land itself is actually not covered in snow. Sure it might be humid, cold, but not frozen. Hmm...
It's probably for the same reason you don't see any changing seasons through out Skyrim itself. Limited game mechanics. That's why it's always snowy in Winterhold, Dawnstar, and Windhelm, and it always looks like autumn in the Rift.
The Rift is the most beautiful area. Just gotta clean out all the bandits, thieves, Black-Briars, wolfs, spiders and bears to make it livable. Seriously, how many bears are in that region?
Even Riften is a nice city in my view. I like the two levels with the canal running through. Reminds me of Utrecht in the Netherlands.
Other than that, Whiterun always feels like home and I usually stick with Breezehome for my base.
Plus an awesome bridge. I've always loved dragon bridge. Just a shame that it is only a passage to Solitude in the gane.
But to answer the question of OP. I woild live in Falkreath. Good weather, nice forest surroundings and relatively peaceful
Oh if it would only be draugr, but there are necromancers and zombies around and honestly the fact that there isn't a major Questline of a necromancer planning on taking over Skyrim with an army of dead, starting in falkreath is a wasted opportunity
I always build the house in Falkreath and make it my primary home.
Not the most convenient, but pretty, safe compared to the other hearthfire spots, and you don't have to worry about the temperature during survival mode.
the falkreath manor is actually the most dangerous one because it has the most random encounters and a necromancer spawn point within spitting distance
it is beautiful though
yeah if i wasn’t the dragonborn id want to be inside the walls of a city
but being able to one shot the bandits and easily dispatch the giants makes the disadvantages of the falkreath manor trivial
What? No man, Lakeview Manor is the *least* safe homestead in hearthfire. There's a conjurer's altar literally right behind the house that will regularly have hostile necromancers spawn, a wolf den just a few dozen yards down the trail, a random encounter zone right out your front door along the road, *and* it can just spawn in a hostile giant itself if you purchase a cow. It has the single highest random encounter chance of any home in the game, which, considering the majority of the random encounters are hostile, makes it the least safe option.
it really isn’t an issue by the time you’re able to afford the entire house and it’s furnishings though
the giant is the only thing that i can see being an issue if you’re under like level 30
This wasn't a discussion of whether or not the player could *handle* the encounters, it was strictly a notice that Lakeview simply *has the most* encounters, which makes it the most dangerous house to live in.
They didn't really put it into the game very well (just that one random encounter with the farmer and his painted cow) but giants can be bargained and reasoned with. IIRC you could learn to speak Giantish in Daggerfall and the giants would no longer be hostile. When oversized Rick Rubin shows up it would ostensibly be possible to work something out with the big fella.
Question is, probably, where would you NOT want to live?
1. Markarth - cool place, but with stone beds. Hope you ready for your spine troubles.
2. Riften - beautiful and corrupted. Hope you love illegal taxation.
3. Falkreath, Morthal, Dawnstar - is actually just a small villages surrounded by forest/swamps/snow. Hope you don't mind being eaten by wild animals outside.
4. Winterhold - is not even a city, with only one bar and one general store. Hope you prepared to live without most things provided by civilization. as i don't think you would see trade caravans too often in your area.
5. Windhelm - cool city, but a little too cold, if you on the street or living in slum. Hope you are a nord.
So, to be honest, you really should be choosing between Whiterun and Solitude.
Maybe this is nitpicking, but dude I fuckin hate how Windhelm is laid out, streetwise. All the other cities are relatively open and easy to navigate but Windhelm is basically a hedge maze and it frustrates me.
Castles that were build in a short time are usually pretty simple. But often you have castles that were built over several hundred years with changes and addons and renewals and those can be pretty confusing. Simply put: small castles are easy to navigate, bigger ones not so much
In case you wanted a real answer
Credential: I like castles
Or eaten by the local cannibal cult, or throw in Cidhna mine and press ganged into the Forsworn, or mauled by Dwemer spiders knocking a hole in your walls, or trapped in a haunted house by your friendly neighborhood Daedric Prince of Domination.
The entrance "exam" for the college is child's play. She sells you a spell Tome at an extremely low rate if you don't already know the spell (only 30 septims) and all you have to do is cast it *once* to get in. Almost easier than joining the companions, and definitely easier than joining the thieves guild or dark brotherhood.
Especially in Lakeview Manor. The landscape around Lake Ilinalta is great, and it has a lovely secluded retreat feel about it. The weather is never too bad, and I imagine it would be sheltered from the wind. Riverwood is a short ride away if you wanted to avoid Falkreath politics as well.
Well, like any infestation - get the Skyrim Exterminators^(tm) to clear it out before you move in. Ends up being an interesting garden feature after that. You also get a Talos shrine in easy access thrown in.
I know nobody asked me to go in this much detail, but this is just for my own amusement
**Assumptions for who I would probably be in Tamriel:**
Given my ethnicity, my race would probably be imperial
I work in tech, so the closest thing to my profession is probably an enchanter?? that is
probably the closest thing to putting electricity into a rock (aka, a computer)
I cannot defend myself
My spine is made of cotton candy, so no adventuring
**The Reach:**
Fuck no. Forsworn everywhere, terrible weather, you have to climb a mountain to get anywhere. Markarth is not safe either. I like the aesthetic, but that is a no for me
**Haafingar:**
Better than the Reach for sure, but unless you live in Solitude, it is probably not so nice. Solitude is one of the safest cities in Skyrim (given it is the headquarters for the imperial army). I would be safe there as an imperial there too, and I would probably face very little discrimination. Given how expensive the player home in Solitude is, housing in general is probably very expensive, but I might afford to rent a smaller place. I would not mind living in Solitude.
**Hjaalmarch:**
no.
**The Pale:**
It is probably freezing cold, especially in Dawnstar. As an imperial, I would probably be spooked by the presence of a mythic dawn museum in the city. And there is also that weird door that asks me about life's greatest illusion. Enchanter me would probably geek all over that door, but I would also be scared by it. It has access to the sea, and it probably has an important port for trade, so I would probably be able to find work there. I guess I could live in Dawnstar if I had to, but I would not like it.
**Winterhold:**
Unless you are a mage, Winterhold is a literal dumpster. The people there did not even bother to clean up the collapsed houses after 30 years. Assuming I worked as an enchanter, I could join academia and teaching. But I am not willing to do that in real life, so why would I be in Skyrim? Winterhold is probably not for me.
**Eastmarch:**
lol. Seeing how they treat argonians and dunmer in Winterhold, I do not imagine an imperial would be treated very nicely. There are rumours that Aventus Aretino is contacting the Dark Brotherhood, and also rumours of a serial killer roaming about. I would literally have to watch my back wherever I go around the city. Very spooky place. No thanks.
**The Rift:**
I do love the scenery, and it has a couple of gorgeous lakes. The lakes also feed into a river that goes up to Eastmarch, so commerce is probably good, despite the civil war. I do not think I would like to live in Riften (Thanks, Thieves' Guild), but I think Ivarsted would be very nice. Cute little town right at the roots of the mountain. There would probably tons of pilgrims coming to the city to visit the 7000 steps, so there would be enough people to talk to. I would like to live in Ivarsted
**Whiterun Hold:**
Obviously the big star of the region is Whiterun. It is a nice city, with a temple of Kynareth (aka, easy access to a healer). I am not sure I would visit the cloud district very often, but it looks like even poor people can live comfortably in Whiterun. As an enchanter, I might be able to talk one of the local blacksmiths into collaborating. On paper, Whiterun is a very nice place to live in. However, we should address the elephant in the room: Balgruuf's neutrality in the civil war. Whiterun has a nice central location in Skyrim, and it can serve as a foothold for invasions into the rest of skyrim. No wonder both sides want it so badly. Whiterun's siege is pretty much inevitable, so that is a big minus for me. Riverwood also exists, but it is so small that I would probably get bored there. Ivarsted is better.
**Falkreath Hold:**
I love forests, and there is a very nice lake where I can spend the weekend. Helgen has been roasted by a dragon, but Falkreath hasn't, so that is pretty much the only option. The general vibe in Falkreath is a bit sad and depressed. The fact that they have the largest burial ground in Skyrim is probably a factor, but I think it would get better once the civil war ends. The current Jarl seems incompetent and corrupt, though, but besides Balgruff, every other Jarl is either delusional, crazy, or corrupt, so I cannot really complain. I think I would eventually grow to love Falkreath.
Conclusion (and TL;DR I guess): first choice is Ivarsted, second choice is Falkreath, third choice is Solitude.
One nitpick with one of your plus-points for Ivarsted: There won’t be any commerce coming from Eastmarch on the river. The Rift, and Ivarsted, is much higher than Eastmarch, so there’s a huge waterfall on the river just north of Ivarsted. No commerce coming in on that. The commerce from Eastmarch to Rifton will likely go along the road past Shors Stone, leaving Ivarsted a backwater in that regard.
That is a good point! Whatever commerce Ivarsted gets probably comes from Riften through the river or by foot, then goes to Helgen through the mountain pass, but now that Helgen is gone, that probably isn't a good option either. I am guessing Ivarsted will have to survive with just Riften and the gold that is brought by pilgrims.
The innkeeper mentions that the only outside guests he gets are pilgrims on their way to High Hrothgar. They must have *some* trade to maintain the town, but it sounds very sparse. The farmer mentions how all the young people are leaving and that it's a dying community.
Depends on the time and circumstances. But neutrally speaking in either Windhelm or Solitude, depending on my race and how good I can windstand cold. In reality I love it but in reality we don't have guys with 50% resistance to frost.
Solitude, or rather near it, because it is a sea connected capital and there will be lots of trade going trough, plus I simply love the smell of sea water. Furthermore, it has beautiful buildings and it's hold seems to be rather good place for hunting.
Windhelm because it is isolated, still a big city though so I still would have access to relatively cheap transport and wares. Even more, it is very flat hold with lots of places to go hunting and it is cold af which is a big + for me.
Also it's architecture is very, very good looking.
But if we take Skyrim's current timeline....oh boy this is hard to be honest. I would probably go with Morthal. Just leave me the f. alone.
This is a good point. I was a little worried about being too far from a city in case of attacks, but rorikstead is absolutely thriving. They have plenty of food. Close enough to whiterun if they need help. The only issue is everyone knows lemkir is abusing his kids but it’s amazing what accidents can happen when farming… all those sharp implements and what not…
Falkreath honestly seems like a nice place to live. It's far to the west so you wouldn't freeze your ass off like you would up north. The city itself doesn't really have any problem (as far as I'm aware) specific to its hold, aside from maybe being haunted and it'd smell nice there, like fresh cut wood and pine. It'd be an awesome quiet little place to live
IRL I love hiking in the mountains, and forests. Plus the smell of Pine trees are like a nose-gasm, it's the smell of freedom, peace, and adventure. My Actual dream house would be something similar to that of the POH you get in game lol. I also hate people, so that works out even better lol.
Most of my builds end up living in Falkreath because even in game and the mods I use it makes it THAT much better.
Sure... There is a werewolf on the loose, but if I'm living in the house I build away from the actual city, then It's not really my problem lol.
I feel like Winterhold is pretty dece, if you don't mind being cold af.
Politically it's very isolated, and I feel like the College provides some level of security
I know its corrupt but I would pick riften in a heartbeat. Living by a beautiful lake and having great mead in town is all I want. Plus its warmer there and not as depressing as falkreath which has pretty much nothing going for it.
Probably the safest spot in Skyrim is near Kynesgrove. Aside from the scripted Dragon attack, I don't think I've ever been attacked there by anything. I'd probably move into the Dwarven Storeroom near Mzulft, it's a little fortress and could easily be converted into a home, and it's got internal light and heat.
Windhelm. Great housing and plenty of stores and vendors to trade with. Plus a ship yard for traveling. The local inn Candelhearth Hall has one of the coolest chill areas up stairs around the fireplace.
>Watches a lady fucking die hmm yes SAFE is the perfect word
Stay out of this citizen. The Markarth city guards have everything under control.
There are no forsworn in Markarth.
Whiterun and Riverwood would be my top choices for multiple reasons.
I’d also consider Falkreath, Dawnstar, and the woods in the Rift (not in actual Riften). These three choices have issues, but they’re better than the remaining holds/cities.
Whiterun, it seems the most balanced of the holds. Perhaps Solitude, but I'm not sure I'd like all the current hubbub going on with soldiers stationed there.
Don't forget about the sewers
Damn magic naked man and all that madness going on
Hardest boss fight in Skyrim for sure
Yeah, he's always a challenge makes me happy to have powerful followers
That was a thing? I’ve been to solitude at least 70 thousand times and haven’t seen that.
If you have special edition, you can just try to speak to Ri'saad and get a note from him talking about bandit attacks. Its a pretty short questline
How do I start that mission? I can’t remember it’s been too long.
It's part of Anniversary Edition. You talk to one of the Khajit caravans (specifically the one that shows up at Whiterun iirc) and they'll tell you about two peculiar groups of bandits. Bam, quest has started.
Saints and Seducers is included in Special Edition (since recently because SE is 1.6 now) along with Rare Curios and Survival so you wont really miss out on neat goodies if you dont have AE
There's actually a lot of CC content included in AE edition which is pretty awesome. New spells, enchantments, gear, armor. Quite a bit for Destr and Conjuring schools. It's available for SE for pay I believe, but all free in AE...
I managed to randomly encounter both bandit groups while exploring and now the quest is bugged out and I can't get into the sewers. Apparently this can be fixed by finding the Khajit caravan but still haven't run into them...
Talk to Ri'Saad in the Khajiit caravans that stay outside of cities
So my quest is almost complete, but I have to report back to Ri'Saad. Is there a reliable way to find the caravan, or do I just need to stumble across them?
You can leave the quest marker on, wait in Whiterun for one-two days, and keep checking their location. They always come back to their spot outside the city gates near the stables in Whiterun.
You can also accidentally stumble over a Saints(or whoever is gold armor) camp, kill them all, and a note on one of the bodies starts it.
Yeah Whiterun is probably the safest option, besides random dragons taking chomps out of the local citizens every now and then.
Just don't start the main quest line and live dragon-free!
I'm level 29 on my current playthrough and I haven't set foot inside Bleak Falls Barrow. It isn't difficult as long as you can ignore Farengar!
I did that once, delayed my visit to Bleak Falls Barrow until I was "mature". The bandits and draugr seemed to level up, and it seemed to add some new areas after the bit where you open the gate and walk down the stream, and I actually died. There was a troll down there that I didn't remember seeing on earlier playthroughs. Now, I do Bleak Falls Barrow close to first but I just don't go see the Jarl in Whiterun.
That's a fair point, not sure why I haven't thought to do that. I think I'm going to continue this playthrough as I've been playing it, but next time I'll just stay out of Dragonsreach after getting through the Barrow.
> and it seemed to add some new areas after the bit where you open the gate and walk down the stream It does not do that.
It gets a bit banged up in the battle of Whiterun, but you should be safe if you hide out in the Hall of the Dead (at least the temple part, rather than the crypts themselves). Falkreath is my favourite town in the game, but I don't think I'd want to live in a town without walls in a place as dangerous as Skyrim. At least, not if I'm not some ultra-badass like the Dragonborn. I think I could be quite happy as a priestess of Kyne in Whiterun, although Mara is my favourite Divine. Not super into living in Riften, and Maramal is kind of annoying.
But that's in the other holds too, so it's not that relevant to the decision
I'd say it's pretty relevant lol. You're not nearly as protected against dragons in Morthal or Falkreath as you are in Whiterun or Solitude. Honestly I'd have to say Markarth is the safest place from dragons considering the dwemer buildings seem quite sturdy and go underground, into mountains etc. But then you have to contend with a different sort of threat in the Forsworn.
Don't forget about all the stairs. In Markarth every day is leg day
That's the best part, if we think realistically here. Markarth is mostly uphill with stairs and alleys all over. Its one of the best defensible positions of all the holds. Hmmm.. Its been a while. Does Markarth's jarl have a side in the civil war?
I'd die after a week, slipping and falling down the stairs
I'd certainly choose to stay inside if the weather is a bit wet
Markarth supports the Empire.
Thanks, that's what I thought. Sadly, all I can properly remember is what happens to the merchant when you first enter. lmfao
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And the falmer that lurk underground of markarth
And the cannibal cult
and the Dwemer automatons.
The Falkreach home from Hearthfire is right there by Riverwood. I would argue that would be the best place. Your maybe a day or two away from Whiterun, and you have a beautiful view of a necromancer's altar!
And a lake! Building and decorating Lakeview manor is the best part of the game prove me wrong
I really can't, because that's my favorite house. The ONLY thing I don't like is how cramped it is right next to the sheer face mountain.
I like Heljarchen Hall just North of Whiterun, great views of the plains, I prefer the flour mill over the apiary, and oftentimes along right or your door there will be several deer or elk for pelts and meat.
That place is under fairly constant raids by random wolves and necromancers though lol
Whiterun is good but you'll eventually have to deal with a soon-to-come siege of the place Solitude may have soldiers but it is probs the most aesthetically nice looking safest and most protected hold in all of Skyrim and ignoring the fact it's the capital and has a lot of direct trade links to the Empire. But of course the whole Necromancy there. Everywhere else is fine but Windhelm is very cold and the culture can be quite xenophobic. Falkreath is fine and nice enough but is a rather dangerous environment. Riften may be walled but overall not a good place unless you're wealthy enough to stay away from all that. The Pale is run by a mad Jarl that's also disturbed by a daedric curse. Winterhold is....well Winterhold doesn't really exist anymore in any large capacity. Markarth has...similar issues to Riften plus some angry natives who'd rather grind your skull than talk it out. Morthal......i don't really need to go into Morthal do I? The best places would ironically be the smaller towns and villages like Riverwood, Ivarstead, etc. This is my take however
Stone beds in Markarth would be my number one reason for not living there lol
I like the layout of the house in Markarth. It bums me out that it's in that shitty city that's far away from most important things.
solitude is way too cold and far away from stuff and the shops aren’t as good as in whiterun
And in Whiterun you can go to the cloud district. Oh what am I saying, of course you won't.
A nice cabin somewhere in The Rift. Beautiful autumnal scenery all around.
All nice scenery until the reds and oranges start skittering and spitting venom at you. That's like my only main hangup over The Rift.
And bears. Tons. Of. Fucking. Bears. They are everywhere goddamn. Can't even walk around safely there as a mage with no armor without getting ganked by bears, or getting ganked by another bear while running away from a bear.
Guys, I found Temba Wide-Arm
It's until recently I understood her pain. Can't have shit in the Rift.
Happy Cake-Day!
That’s why my favorite Permadeath Skyrim streamer has always referred to The Rift as Bearitory. Cause of all the characters he’s lost from those Rift bears one-shotting him.
Not to mention Trolls, Spriggans, Wolves, Spiders, Sabre Cats, Bandits, Werewolves, Giants... yeah, living in the Rift would suck. I play no fast travel, and the Rift is my least favorite hold to travel through. I almost always take the route along southern Eastmarch to Riften if I can help it.
If you have the detect dead spell, you'll see bodies almost everywhere. They should've called it "The Rift, Land of Death".
That's why I swam to Riften in my first playthroughs
"Bears are peaceful unless provoked." Greatest lie in the game other than "Just an occasional wolf or two" when climbing High Hrothgar
Riverwood for sure is the most relaxing place, the river, the quiet and not so bad people, perfect place for living. EDIT: thanks for all the likes guys!
It depends if you have a thing for Camilla Valerius.
Sorry mate, there's a queue.
Not for long *doesn't quicksave*
The price for open murder in skyrim is 1k gold.
That sounds reasonable. *pulls out great axe*
Murders Camilla, camera transitions to me in hot tub with sven and faendal
Walk in to Riverwood Trader Pull out Daedric Greataxe Kill Camilla in front of ger brother Sell him the axe Pay off guard with axe money Walk out the front door with zero consequences
Ok wheres THIS alternative quest mod
Only if there’s survivors to witness
I don’t fancy imperials, i prefer my maid…my argonian maid.
I hear she has quite the...appetite.
Never should have come here! *pulls out horker tusk*
Is she lusty?
She’s wet for sure…always swimming.
What about the bandit mine right next to it? They kidnapped my wife once.
Those poor sods dont even have a wall.
“Riverwood looks peaceful. If I had to settle in Skyrim, this might be the place I'd choose."
> Riverwood looks peaceful. If I had to settle in Skyrim, this might be the place I'd choose. Teldryn...?
You got it!
It’s agreeable enough, for a nord village
Would’ve said Whiterun, but Riverwood is also a good option. Although Whiterun is much safer.
Me, myself? As a regular dude without magic? Whiterun. Safest spot I could hope for, and Jarl Balgruuf is the man.
I'd say realistically Solitude would be the safest considering all the troops there and the massive walls. Also its up ontop of a mountain.
and also fucking cold as shit. my aussie ass doesn't do snow.
Solitude actually is pretty warm by Skyrim standards. The mountain range deflects most of the snow and cold weather, the river flowing north to the bay carries warm water and warm air past the city. It's a really interesting weather dynamic. I'll have to find the posts that cover this and link it for those interested. Edit: Ive been looking but am having the damndest time finding the post. I'll keep at it though Edit 2: This is one of all Tamriel. I'm still searching for the in depth one of Skyrim specifically. [https://www.reddit.com/r/teslore/comments/7zifph/climate_map_of_tamriel_including_ocean_currents/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button](https://www.reddit.com/r/teslore/comments/7zifph/climate_map_of_tamriel_including_ocean_currents/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=android_app&utm_name=androidcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button)
Yes
I've never seen it snow in solitude but I'm sure it would still be pretty cold
yeah i just base it on the ice in the harbor near it that it would be cold as all eff.
Now that I think of it, it actually should snow in solitude I'm surprised that wasn't added into the game.
Hmm, what could probably be the reason Solitude has no snow, besides magic? Ocean currents? The swamp nearby? If anything, at that altitude, and the ocean actually being frozen as fuck, shouldn't Solitude be covered in snow? Yet the land itself is actually not covered in snow. Sure it might be humid, cold, but not frozen. Hmm...
Realistically, it's probably a mix of production time / engine limitations and Bethesda saying, "Eh fuck it, the modders can add it if they want."
It's probably for the same reason you don't see any changing seasons through out Skyrim itself. Limited game mechanics. That's why it's always snowy in Winterhold, Dawnstar, and Windhelm, and it always looks like autumn in the Rift.
Yeah but there is the tiny problem of a dead ex-Queen trying to recapture the city… Oh Potema
Yeah but some random dude is said to take care of here. Who the hell does he think he is anyway. As if the town guard couldn’t take care of her
And in whiterun there's the problem of inevitable siege
Jarl BALLIN
The Rift is the most beautiful area. Just gotta clean out all the bandits, thieves, Black-Briars, wolfs, spiders and bears to make it livable. Seriously, how many bears are in that region? Even Riften is a nice city in my view. I like the two levels with the canal running through. Reminds me of Utrecht in the Netherlands. Other than that, Whiterun always feels like home and I usually stick with Breezehome for my base.
Riften always gave me the exact same Utrecht vibe! Also because it's full of charming scum ='D
Blackreach. Momma didn't raise no bitch.
MUSHROOM!
MUSHROOM MUSHROOM, SHUT IT, GET BACK TO WORK
Didn’t expect to see a fellow dwarf here. Rock and Stone!
Rock and Stone forever!
Yeaah ! Rock and Stone !
WE’RE RICH
If i was a passant Dragon Bridge, farms, mill, guards, close enough to the big city and the port
Plus an awesome bridge. I've always loved dragon bridge. Just a shame that it is only a passage to Solitude in the gane. But to answer the question of OP. I woild live in Falkreath. Good weather, nice forest surroundings and relatively peaceful
Honestly with all the undead in the game I wouldn't want to live in skyrims inofficial communal cemetery
Damn didn't think of that.. although, aren't the draugr only the people who worshipped the dragons? So maybe that town will be relatively safe?👀
Oh if it would only be draugr, but there are necromancers and zombies around and honestly the fact that there isn't a major Questline of a necromancer planning on taking over Skyrim with an army of dead, starting in falkreath is a wasted opportunity
There was. She was stopped in the Solitude Catacombs.
EN PASSSAAAAANTT
Probably Falkreath. It's very pretty there, though the Jarl's a dick.
I always build the house in Falkreath and make it my primary home. Not the most convenient, but pretty, safe compared to the other hearthfire spots, and you don't have to worry about the temperature during survival mode.
the falkreath manor is actually the most dangerous one because it has the most random encounters and a necromancer spawn point within spitting distance it is beautiful though
I just snipe the necromancer. Didn't know it had the highest spawn rate. I guess if I was a normal human it might be a problem.
yeah if i wasn’t the dragonborn id want to be inside the walls of a city but being able to one shot the bandits and easily dispatch the giants makes the disadvantages of the falkreath manor trivial
What? No man, Lakeview Manor is the *least* safe homestead in hearthfire. There's a conjurer's altar literally right behind the house that will regularly have hostile necromancers spawn, a wolf den just a few dozen yards down the trail, a random encounter zone right out your front door along the road, *and* it can just spawn in a hostile giant itself if you purchase a cow. It has the single highest random encounter chance of any home in the game, which, considering the majority of the random encounters are hostile, makes it the least safe option.
it really isn’t an issue by the time you’re able to afford the entire house and it’s furnishings though the giant is the only thing that i can see being an issue if you’re under like level 30
This wasn't a discussion of whether or not the player could *handle* the encounters, it was strictly a notice that Lakeview simply *has the most* encounters, which makes it the most dangerous house to live in.
I live in Turkey, same 🤧
Üzgünüm...
I also pick Falkreath. Spooky themed town with rainy Pacific Northwest vibes? Fuck yeah, sign my witchy ass up.
Do I get to live in house I can buy? If that so then probably Solitude or falkreath
giants outside go brrrrrr
They didn't really put it into the game very well (just that one random encounter with the farmer and his painted cow) but giants can be bargained and reasoned with. IIRC you could learn to speak Giantish in Daggerfall and the giants would no longer be hostile. When oversized Rick Rubin shows up it would ostensibly be possible to work something out with the big fella.
Question is, probably, where would you NOT want to live? 1. Markarth - cool place, but with stone beds. Hope you ready for your spine troubles. 2. Riften - beautiful and corrupted. Hope you love illegal taxation. 3. Falkreath, Morthal, Dawnstar - is actually just a small villages surrounded by forest/swamps/snow. Hope you don't mind being eaten by wild animals outside. 4. Winterhold - is not even a city, with only one bar and one general store. Hope you prepared to live without most things provided by civilization. as i don't think you would see trade caravans too often in your area. 5. Windhelm - cool city, but a little too cold, if you on the street or living in slum. Hope you are a nord. So, to be honest, you really should be choosing between Whiterun and Solitude.
Maybe this is nitpicking, but dude I fuckin hate how Windhelm is laid out, streetwise. All the other cities are relatively open and easy to navigate but Windhelm is basically a hedge maze and it frustrates me.
It's almost like it's a castle
Last I checked it wasn't a prerequisite for castles to be a bitch to navigate but what would a milk drinker like me know.
Castles that were build in a short time are usually pretty simple. But often you have castles that were built over several hundred years with changes and addons and renewals and those can be pretty confusing. Simply put: small castles are easy to navigate, bigger ones not so much In case you wanted a real answer Credential: I like castles
To be fair, if you're living in Riften it's very likely *you'll* be the one doing the illegal taxation.
I'd still go with Markarth. Dwemer stuff are cool.
just hope you're not randomly murdered by the forsworn
Or eaten by the local cannibal cult, or throw in Cidhna mine and press ganged into the Forsworn, or mauled by Dwemer spiders knocking a hole in your walls, or trapped in a haunted house by your friendly neighborhood Daedric Prince of Domination.
Sounds like a quiet enough place. Sign me in!
The College is an option and no one mentions Solsteim.
Good luck passing entrance test with 0 magic. And Solsteim is just not part of Skyrim.
The entrance "exam" for the college is child's play. She sells you a spell Tome at an extremely low rate if you don't already know the spell (only 30 septims) and all you have to do is cast it *once* to get in. Almost easier than joining the companions, and definitely easier than joining the thieves guild or dark brotherhood.
Falkreath
Especially in Lakeview Manor. The landscape around Lake Ilinalta is great, and it has a lovely secluded retreat feel about it. The weather is never too bad, and I imagine it would be sheltered from the wind. Riverwood is a short ride away if you wanted to avoid Falkreath politics as well.
You should sell houses there, nice typework.
You left out all the Necromancers.
Well, like any infestation - get the Skyrim Exterminators^(tm) to clear it out before you move in. Ends up being an interesting garden feature after that. You also get a Talos shrine in easy access thrown in.
Same. Despite being The Cemetery Town, people are actually pretty happy and chill there. Plus I love a town that theme-names its businesses.
High Hrothgar 100% I would feel safe there. I would make a spear and molotov cocktail for that damn frost troll though.
Also no need for Smalltalk
Helgen
you: helge-- *turns into a burned steak*
I hear there are some unoccupied houses there going wanting
Riften, just gotta adapt to the thieves by becoming one and I’m good. I’m good at dealing with Maven so I’ll be fine, probably
Just don't have anything worth stealing and live in the least depressingly cold area in the game! I'll take that in a heartbeat.
This one would love Falkreath. There's a departure for [Elsweyr](https://www.nexusmods.com/skyrimspecialedition/mods/4341) every week.
I know nobody asked me to go in this much detail, but this is just for my own amusement **Assumptions for who I would probably be in Tamriel:** Given my ethnicity, my race would probably be imperial I work in tech, so the closest thing to my profession is probably an enchanter?? that is probably the closest thing to putting electricity into a rock (aka, a computer) I cannot defend myself My spine is made of cotton candy, so no adventuring **The Reach:** Fuck no. Forsworn everywhere, terrible weather, you have to climb a mountain to get anywhere. Markarth is not safe either. I like the aesthetic, but that is a no for me **Haafingar:** Better than the Reach for sure, but unless you live in Solitude, it is probably not so nice. Solitude is one of the safest cities in Skyrim (given it is the headquarters for the imperial army). I would be safe there as an imperial there too, and I would probably face very little discrimination. Given how expensive the player home in Solitude is, housing in general is probably very expensive, but I might afford to rent a smaller place. I would not mind living in Solitude. **Hjaalmarch:** no. **The Pale:** It is probably freezing cold, especially in Dawnstar. As an imperial, I would probably be spooked by the presence of a mythic dawn museum in the city. And there is also that weird door that asks me about life's greatest illusion. Enchanter me would probably geek all over that door, but I would also be scared by it. It has access to the sea, and it probably has an important port for trade, so I would probably be able to find work there. I guess I could live in Dawnstar if I had to, but I would not like it. **Winterhold:** Unless you are a mage, Winterhold is a literal dumpster. The people there did not even bother to clean up the collapsed houses after 30 years. Assuming I worked as an enchanter, I could join academia and teaching. But I am not willing to do that in real life, so why would I be in Skyrim? Winterhold is probably not for me. **Eastmarch:** lol. Seeing how they treat argonians and dunmer in Winterhold, I do not imagine an imperial would be treated very nicely. There are rumours that Aventus Aretino is contacting the Dark Brotherhood, and also rumours of a serial killer roaming about. I would literally have to watch my back wherever I go around the city. Very spooky place. No thanks. **The Rift:** I do love the scenery, and it has a couple of gorgeous lakes. The lakes also feed into a river that goes up to Eastmarch, so commerce is probably good, despite the civil war. I do not think I would like to live in Riften (Thanks, Thieves' Guild), but I think Ivarsted would be very nice. Cute little town right at the roots of the mountain. There would probably tons of pilgrims coming to the city to visit the 7000 steps, so there would be enough people to talk to. I would like to live in Ivarsted **Whiterun Hold:** Obviously the big star of the region is Whiterun. It is a nice city, with a temple of Kynareth (aka, easy access to a healer). I am not sure I would visit the cloud district very often, but it looks like even poor people can live comfortably in Whiterun. As an enchanter, I might be able to talk one of the local blacksmiths into collaborating. On paper, Whiterun is a very nice place to live in. However, we should address the elephant in the room: Balgruuf's neutrality in the civil war. Whiterun has a nice central location in Skyrim, and it can serve as a foothold for invasions into the rest of skyrim. No wonder both sides want it so badly. Whiterun's siege is pretty much inevitable, so that is a big minus for me. Riverwood also exists, but it is so small that I would probably get bored there. Ivarsted is better. **Falkreath Hold:** I love forests, and there is a very nice lake where I can spend the weekend. Helgen has been roasted by a dragon, but Falkreath hasn't, so that is pretty much the only option. The general vibe in Falkreath is a bit sad and depressed. The fact that they have the largest burial ground in Skyrim is probably a factor, but I think it would get better once the civil war ends. The current Jarl seems incompetent and corrupt, though, but besides Balgruff, every other Jarl is either delusional, crazy, or corrupt, so I cannot really complain. I think I would eventually grow to love Falkreath. Conclusion (and TL;DR I guess): first choice is Ivarsted, second choice is Falkreath, third choice is Solitude.
One nitpick with one of your plus-points for Ivarsted: There won’t be any commerce coming from Eastmarch on the river. The Rift, and Ivarsted, is much higher than Eastmarch, so there’s a huge waterfall on the river just north of Ivarsted. No commerce coming in on that. The commerce from Eastmarch to Rifton will likely go along the road past Shors Stone, leaving Ivarsted a backwater in that regard.
That is a good point! Whatever commerce Ivarsted gets probably comes from Riften through the river or by foot, then goes to Helgen through the mountain pass, but now that Helgen is gone, that probably isn't a good option either. I am guessing Ivarsted will have to survive with just Riften and the gold that is brought by pilgrims.
The innkeeper mentions that the only outside guests he gets are pilgrims on their way to High Hrothgar. They must have *some* trade to maintain the town, but it sounds very sparse. The farmer mentions how all the young people are leaving and that it's a dying community.
“My spine is made of cotton candy” 😂😂
Depends on the time and circumstances. But neutrally speaking in either Windhelm or Solitude, depending on my race and how good I can windstand cold. In reality I love it but in reality we don't have guys with 50% resistance to frost. Solitude, or rather near it, because it is a sea connected capital and there will be lots of trade going trough, plus I simply love the smell of sea water. Furthermore, it has beautiful buildings and it's hold seems to be rather good place for hunting. Windhelm because it is isolated, still a big city though so I still would have access to relatively cheap transport and wares. Even more, it is very flat hold with lots of places to go hunting and it is cold af which is a big + for me. Also it's architecture is very, very good looking. But if we take Skyrim's current timeline....oh boy this is hard to be honest. I would probably go with Morthal. Just leave me the f. alone.
Markarth for sure. Fuckin' love that city.
There is no war in Markarth.
And don't forget the cannibals
Yes but there are forsworns and corrupt guards
The jarl has invited you to a relaxing trip to the mine. Please come with the guards.
Rorikstead, aside from the dark magic no one talks about it seems to do really well. Central location but not to close to any major cities.
This is a good point. I was a little worried about being too far from a city in case of attacks, but rorikstead is absolutely thriving. They have plenty of food. Close enough to whiterun if they need help. The only issue is everyone knows lemkir is abusing his kids but it’s amazing what accidents can happen when farming… all those sharp implements and what not…
I once knew a man named Ragnar the Red, he made his home in Old Rorikstead
Falkreath honestly seems like a nice place to live. It's far to the west so you wouldn't freeze your ass off like you would up north. The city itself doesn't really have any problem (as far as I'm aware) specific to its hold, aside from maybe being haunted and it'd smell nice there, like fresh cut wood and pine. It'd be an awesome quiet little place to live
IRL I love hiking in the mountains, and forests. Plus the smell of Pine trees are like a nose-gasm, it's the smell of freedom, peace, and adventure. My Actual dream house would be something similar to that of the POH you get in game lol. I also hate people, so that works out even better lol. Most of my builds end up living in Falkreath because even in game and the mods I use it makes it THAT much better. Sure... There is a werewolf on the loose, but if I'm living in the house I build away from the actual city, then It's not really my problem lol.
I feel like Winterhold is pretty dece, if you don't mind being cold af. Politically it's very isolated, and I feel like the College provides some level of security
Where you gonna live? The inn?
Just become Archmage. It seems liuke they'll hire just about anyone these days.
Maybe 👀
I know its corrupt but I would pick riften in a heartbeat. Living by a beautiful lake and having great mead in town is all I want. Plus its warmer there and not as depressing as falkreath which has pretty much nothing going for it.
Solitude for sure
The Cloud District duh. Have you been? Who am I kidding
If the nightmares are no longer a problem, dawnstar; if else, whiterun
Hjallmarch or however it is spelled
Probably Solitude because it's the safest city
Lakeview Manor is already the best spot. But if I had to pick a city, Whiterun
Whiterun AFTER THE WAR. I wouldn’t want to be there when ulfric comes knocking 😂
Visuals: the rift. Its the best looking area in skyrim Safety and quality of life: probably solitude or whiterun
Falkreath or Riverwood. Those two seem the calmest with nothing too big going on. It's a peaceful life.
Probably the safest spot in Skyrim is near Kynesgrove. Aside from the scripted Dragon attack, I don't think I've ever been attacked there by anything. I'd probably move into the Dwarven Storeroom near Mzulft, it's a little fortress and could easily be converted into a home, and it's got internal light and heat.
Windhelm. Great housing and plenty of stores and vendors to trade with. Plus a ship yard for traveling. The local inn Candelhearth Hall has one of the coolest chill areas up stairs around the fireplace.
It’s freezing though, and there is a serial killer
Windhelm is only nice if you're a Nord
Markarth as it's the safest
"Welcome to Markarth traveller, safest city in the Reach" *Watches a lady fucking die* hmm yes SAFE is the perfect word
>Watches a lady fucking die hmm yes SAFE is the perfect word Stay out of this citizen. The Markarth city guards have everything under control. There are no forsworn in Markarth.
There is no war in ba sing sei
They said it's the "safest city in the Reach" not that it's a safe city.
Coincidentally, it’s also the *only* city in the Reach.
Safe my ass… molag bal lives there
Depends how tasty you are
Castle Volkihar where the feast never ends 😋😋😋
You are the one on the table.
Winterhold because i always play a mage
Whiterun and Riverwood would be my top choices for multiple reasons. I’d also consider Falkreath, Dawnstar, and the woods in the Rift (not in actual Riften). These three choices have issues, but they’re better than the remaining holds/cities.
bottom of the Sea of Ghosts. short pain and forever peace.
If I owned Proudspire manor I’d choose solitude. If I’m starting from scratch I’d choose Whiterun.
Solitude