The Milk Drinkers Guide to Power Leveling

Table of contents

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1. Intro
2. Helgen
3. Whiterun
4. Riften
5. Markarth
6. Solitude
7. Windhelm
8. Raven Rock
9. Dawnstar
10. Winterhold
11. Morthal
12. Falkreath
13. Other locations
14. Unverified Info
15. Powerlevelling magic - the cheesetastic way.

Intro

A lot of people who are new to Requiem don’t know what to do in the early game to gain levels, and even experienced users who want to play Dead is Dead might power-game a bit more before venturing forth. Here is a primer to help survive the first 10-15 levels without even entering dangerous combat.

This guide uses more cheese tactics than a McDonald’s uses in a month!

At all points in the guide players should

1. Loot every herb you come across
2. Kill and loot every bunny, fox and deer you can catch.
3. Lockpick any locked doors (if your a thief) / display chests (always). If you not a thief you can knock on the door and ask to be let in for speechcraft XP.
4. Take a bath before selling anything, you get gold and speechcraft penalties if you are dirty.
5. Collect any vegetables which are not marked steal, Loot all chicken/bird nests(which are not marked steal) and activate the cows for milk.
6. Loot every chest/barrel/crate not marked steal
7. Forage whenever near wooden stumps / Fallen trees with Mushrooms.
8. Whenever you complete a quest for someone, you can usually take low value items from their home or store without being a thief.
9. Whenever you are in a town, locate and train with the training dummies for a hour or two, or study one of the skill books.
10. Mine any Ore nodes you come ac cross.
11. Sell things to appropriate vendors, Potions/Reagents to alchemists, Weapons/Armor to blacksmiths, Magical items and Clothing to wizards, Meat to Innkeepers, General goods stores should be last resort for clutter you cant sell anywhere else.
12. Fish at every fishing supplies - or equip the rod and attach the water to fish. Fish until you consistently pick up junk.
13. The inspired buff from campfires gives you 5% Skill gain buff for 6 hours - therefore whenever crafting, training or fighting you should gave this buff on you. It should be something you create whenever the buff expires.

You should choose either Falkreath (less chance of dying from exposure, but can encounter bandits and wildlife on the way) or Helgen Border start (Colder and a risk of exposure death in spawn into a snowstorm, but has a easy to access chest with good loot and with less chance of running into wildlife).

Make sure you allocate your perks before leaving and set up you weapon favorites.

If starting at Falkreath Border - then make your way to Helgan, avoid fighting the bandits as they generally have bows.

if starting at Helgen Border - do not enter the abandoned outpost, at the bottom of the first hill where the path veers off the the left, Follow the markers to the top of the hill, then carefully walk down the hill on the other side, there is a chest to your right near the edge of the mountain. Next to the chest is a skeleton which a iron war-axe to loot (useful for chopping trees). The chest normally contains some expensive goodies. If you exposure meter gets too high - use the axe on trees to build a campfire.

Spoiler warning: chest location

Carefully follow the paved road and make your way to Helgan.

Helgen

I recommend looting Helgen first before doing anything else - 3 days after game starts it fills with bandits.

Head first to the big burning inn type structure as lots of tankards and iron items you can break down for fragments. You can use the fallen tree to access the upper level which has more items / mead bottles.

After that, if you are capable of picking the locks, and have lockpicks - into the fort proper. Use the left hand door to the barracks area.

• Once inside, Loot everything. There is a full set of heavy or light armor with all required weapons.
• Open all of the chests and barrels - literally strip the place - don’t worry about your carry weight if you have smithing, we can address that once we arrive in the kitchen.
• Use the pull cords to open the gates into the main part of the fort.
• Collect the wood by the fireplace and craft yourself a chest (Requires Smithing & Survivalist toolkit) - this will make carrying you loot a lot easier. Place it in the room and start filling it with all the loot you are going to sell or use to level smithing later. Store any spare wood you get as you will need this to construct a campfire later.
• Make sure you pick up everything in this room as well - all goes into your chest.
• There is a crossbow/bolts located on the barrels. One of the barrels is full of vital potions - make sure you check and collect everything.
• If you didn’t pick smithing, Do not forget the Craftsman Manual. You should be perking the first selection in Smithing as soon as you can. Even if you’re a magic user, this will help you gain levels safely.
• Continue though the fort picking up everything (The crushing devices in the dungeons can be left as these don’t have a sell value and cannot be broken down). Make sure you check every chest, shelf, bag and body in the area.
• Pick open every locked jail door you see for experience. Once you get to the underground stream, turn around and go back though the keep - the only thing further is a dozen frostbite spiders and certain death. Don’t forget to pick up your chest before leaving.

If it’s dark when you exit, you can use the bed in the burning inn to sleep in - it’s a lot safer to make the Riverwood run in daylight, however if you do so - Anise’s cabin will be steal rather than take. Walk from Helgan to Riverwood killing & looting any critters Rabbits/foxes you spot on the way - stick to the roads and avoid the bandit camp. At the guardian stones - loot the alchemy bag, walk down to the hunters and pick up the free fishing rod. Check the hunter’s stocks on the shore of the river near the ferry, they sometimes have beef.

If you are feeling brave, you can take a detour to the the unmarked shrine of Talos, there is at least 2 free Amulets of Talos on the worshippers, Elven Sword, Elven Dagger, and random enchanted item. Again - Loot everything.

Cross the river and go to Anise’s Cabin and take everything not nailed down, Read the Alchemy book in on a table at the foot of the bed for free experience (if your a thief - steal it so you can study later) - Anise won’t aggro unless you go into her locked cellar, but provided she is outside, other than the book, everything else inside her cabin is free to loot (including her veggie patch outside). If you arrive before midnight on the first day. You can either walk down to Riverwood looting herbs on Anise’s side of the river and cross at the lumber mill (checking inside of tree-stumps as some contain loot), or cross back over the river - should you encounter Wolves, hope you can run to Riverwood and let the guards take care of them (more dangerous but will give you wolf meat, reagents and pelts).

Once you arrive at Riverwood go to the campsite outside of the town and place your chest, empty it with the exception to your alchemy stocks and the enchanted clothing items. Break down wooden items (bowls ect) into kindling and start a campfire - upgrade it to maximum and stand near until you get the inspired buff.

Speak to Alvor,if you didn’t invest into Smithing in character create, you will need to purchase the smithing toolkit from him.

Run around Riverwood looting any vegetables or chicken nests which aren’t marked as steal, click the cows for their milk. Empty and fill water bottles at the river. Then use the cooking pot & chefs toolkit to craft any stews you can make. Surplus ingredients go in your chest. Make sure you run down to the bridge and pick up the free Salmon.

Keep a bow and some arrows or the crossbow & bolts if you are a physical fighter(it’s safer to attack the giant the companions are fighting from range and will give you marksman experience. For mages - be aware of friendly fire and try to range attack the giant). Break everything metal/hide/leather down and re-smelt into ingots. Make sure you craft some more lockpicks with your broken down materials, you will need them in Dragonreach. Also recommend crafting a Alchemist and Chef’s toolkit, anything additional you can use to temper your weapons. You can use the wood chopping blocks at the lumber mill to get yourself some more wood and craft yourself some arrows or bolts if you are a archer. With any extra ingots/leather continue to craft, smelt, breakdown until you run out of material. The unenchanted clothing can be broken down and converted to bandages at the forge, while any healing alchemy reagent (e.g Blue mountain flowers) can be made into medical paste. Both these items should be combined to give you healing poultices (I suggest carrying 1-3 at all times unless you are perked into restoration). By this point you should have leveled up at least once, so make sure to invest that point into Speechcraft (and alchemy if you have two perks available)

The enchanted clothing you obtained should be kept and sold to Farengar once you arrive in Whiterun (if you don’t intend on wearing it yourself). Hold on to your alchemy supplies - Arcadia has better prices than the Riverwood alchemist. Anything else you are carrying which can’t be broken down should be sold to the Riverwood trader. Finally pick up your chest.

Leave Riverwood and head to Whiterun, again picking up herbs & free vegetables from the farm on the way - be careful at the river - there is 4 mudcrabs and two wolves in the area if they start to fight stand on the large rock and be prepared to ranged shoot the survivors. Once again looting/clean/skin any corpses. Note: If you are a thief, you can avoid this altogether, and steal a low value item - like some wood from one of the woodpiles in Riverwood and immediately offer to pay your fine to the guard which will teleport you to Dragonreach.

Once past the fights, pick any herbs or skill a skin critters until you arrive at the Whiterun farms. Use ranged attacks to help out the companions with their giant problem. You can generally loot some or all of the crops/barrels in this area. Once you make it to Whiterun proper - check the chests and barrels outside the gates - they normally contain items which can be broken down, food or items which can be sold.

Whiterun

Spoiler warning: Outlaw Refuge location

Located at the rear of the Bannered mare, inside of the animal pens. Manhole in the centre pen.

As soon as you arrive, speak with Adrienne and get the quest to deliver a sword to Proventus Avenicci in Dragonsreach.

If you are tired, there is a free bed in the outlaw’s refuge (every city has one). Make sure you pick up any herbs around town, Loot all chicken nests and activate the cows for milk. You should do this at every city you visit. Wooden chests can be placed within sewers for easy access to your stashed stocks while in town.

You can read the skill books in the city. The books are located in the following areas - Grab them as you see them:

• An Archery book (Black Arrow, The, Part II) on the top shelf behind the counter of the Drunken Huntsman.
• An Alchemy book (Herbalist’s Guide to Skyrim) on a table through a door to the left of the alchemy lab in Arcadia’s Cauldron.
• A Speech book (Biography of the Wolf Queen) on the cupboard opposite the entrance at Belethor’s General Goods.
• An Archery book in Honningbrew Meadery bookshelf to the left when entering (Also in House Clan Battle-Born or House Gray-Mane or in the Temple of Kynareth).
• A Restoration book (Withershins) on a bookshelf in the Temple of Kynareth.
• A Two-Handed book (Battle of Sancre Tor) in the House of Clan Battleborn.
• A Heavy Armor book (Hallgerd’s Tale) on an end table in the main hall in Jorrvaskr.
• A Two-handed book (Song of Hrormir) in Kodlak Whiteman’s room in the Jorrvaskr Living Quarters.
• A Archery book(The Marksmanship Lesson) in a expert locked display cabinet in Aela’s Quarters. This book is also available at Mixwater mill in Windhelm if you cannot pick the lock.
• A Smithing book (Armorer’s Challenge, The) on the shelf next to the Skyforge .
• An Illusion book (Before the Ages of Man) sitting on a table in the Jarl’s quarters of Dragonsreach.
• A Enchanting book(Enchanter’s Primer) Carlotta Valentia’s House, on the bedroom floor

Deliver the sword to Proventus Avenicci. Once delivered, you can take everything not marked as steal in Dragonsreach (Specifically the great porch and Jarl’s quarters have the most free items provided they are not occupied). Breakdown all silver and iron and steel you find for easier carry. Lockpick locked chests and display cases. Doing this quest also gives you a free bed in Dragonsreach. You can take a mammoth tusk in the Jarl’s quarters storage room and give it to Ysolda to get free speech experience. If you don’t plan on joining the companions you can use the dummies at the great porch to train a few hours for safe experience.

At Farengar, get the quest to deliver frost salts to Arcadia. Sell him the enchanted robes you collected from Helgan.

If you join the Companions you can get a lot more free weapons and armor from Jorrvaskr, including powerful two-handed weapons. When “testing your arm” against Vilkas you can get some free one-handed experience bashing his shield. WARNING: In some rare instances he will kill you, usually for casting mage armor and using magic. If not - you can use the dummies at Jorrvaskr to train a few hours for safe experience. again after joining - strip the place of anything not nailed down(, take all silver plates, goblets, bowls and decanters from the main hall and what you can from downstairs).

Deliver frost salts to Arcadia, then use her alchemy table to begin crafting potions with the herbs you gathered on the way from Helgan. Sell them to her one at a time, along with any ale, wine and mead that you picked up from Dragonreach. Buy training with the surplus money. Maintain a surplus of 3000 septims for wagon rides to other cities. Stop next door at Belethor and sell all the Glazed items you looted from dragon reach - these can’t be broken down.

Check the missive’s board for each delivery quests to other major cities along with hunt the vampire quests - you should check this board every time you enter a city. You don’t have to hunt the vampire, the guards will take care of them. Delivery quests have a time limit, so make sure to only pick up ones you are going to visit in the next few days.

If your speechcraft is high enough (>25) you can talk to Mikael for Carlotta, complete the quest and then loot her shop of garlic and vegetables.

Pick all locked doors while in sneak mode. Even if you’re not a thief, you’ll get lockpicking experience. Do this everywhere in Skyrim.

Shopping list before leaving Whiterun:- Backpack, Iron lantern, Tent and a set of harvesting knifes (orcish/elven) for skinning / harvesting dead animals - the harvesting knives should be purchased if the general store or blacksmith has stock - if not ask the blacksmith to craft them for you, the rest you can craft yourself.

If you’re feeling brave, head north from Whiterun and collect Four treasure chests;

Spoiler warning: chest locations

One to the east by the river with mudcrabs (watch for wolves and bears and sabre cats)

Map	chest

One by the eastern wall of Whiterun on a hill.

Map	chest

Proceed north along the road and let the guards kill the 3 bandits that spawn. Loot their corpses.

One right at top of watchtower, run up the ramp, jump down onto the archway, then across to the other tower. for Thieves there is also a locked chest next to the ramp near the archway (but best grab this while guards are distracted by the bandits)

Map	chest

Then proceed up the hill to the west to find the 4th and final chest.

Map	chest

Continue to Lorius’ farm and convince him to help Cicero for free speech experience.

If you’re feeling like easy combat, head northwest to a mammoth graveyard (location below) and lure the 2 poachers to the Whiterun guard by Cicero’s wagon.

Loot their corpses. If you didn’t take the mammoth tusk from the Jarl’s storeroom - this is your easy change to get one, harvest the dead mammoth and all of the mammoth skulls (your wooden chest will be useful here, otherwise this may take several trips to take everything and run back to Whiterun to sell it). If it gets Dark - place your tent and a campfire and get some camping experience. Check the skills menu on your campfire - you may have perks to invest.

If you meet any slow moving deadly enemies like large mudcrabs or trolls, lure them to Whiterun guards and let them take care of them. Harvest the dead animals.

If you have collected Unusual gems and don’t intend on joining the thieves guild - the Khajiit caravans will purchase them from you.

Once you have cleared Whiterun area, get in the wagon and drive to Riften.

Riften

Lots more skill books here:

• Lockpicking book(Surfeit of Thieves) in Mistveil Keep on the end table of the Jarl’s bed chambers
• Pickpocket book(Life of Eslaf Erol, The Beggar part I) on a dresser on the second floor of Haelga’s bunkhouse
• Pickpocket book(Purloined Shadows) door opposite the entrace on the floor between the end table and the bed in the Honorhall Orphanage.
• Two-handed book(Words and Philosophy) on a dresser in the SW corner of the second floor in front of a bed in the Mistveil Keep Barracks (can sometimes fall into the bucket next to the dresser).
• Lockpicking skill book (Advances in Lockpicking) In the sewers, entered through an opening south of the Riften docks . on a barrel behind a grille.
• Fire and Darkness(Fire and Darkness) The Ratway Warrens (Riften), in Esbern’s room Combat Likely, a Safer copy is in the tent of the fisherman at Lake Ilnanta by Falkreath.

With very little danger (maybe random wolves or spiders) you can grab the Alteration book(Reality & Other Falsehoods) in the basement of Snow-Shod Farm, located southwest of Riften (lockpicking novice required and will give you a bounty if sucessful). You can also hike it to Largashbur(red circle), southwest of Riften, for a Blocking book(Battle of Red Mountain) in the basement. But you run the risk of enemies in the woods and a giant at the scene. You may require some creative cliff climbing to gain access.

You can grab the Smithing books(Last Scabbard of Akrash) located south of Black-Briar Lodge

There are lots of nice quests and speech checks here.

• The shakedown speech check at the main gate.
• A speech check on the forcegreet from Maul
• Help Shadr clear his debt - grab him on the bridge after speaking to Maul (requires high speech check on Sapphire)
• Get info on Maven from Ungrien on the meadery.
• Speak to Louis Letrush to get his quest and You’ll get a speech check trying to get into the jail and also on getting Sibbi Black Briar’s key.
• Don’t forget to grab speech experience from Dirge about his name if you head to the Ragged Flagon (requires combat too access via the Ratway).
• Speak to Svana Far-Shield and accept the Marks of Dibella quest but be prepared to fail speech checks unless you’ve been working speechcraft hard.
• Help Wujeeta cure her Skooma addiction and then turn around and grab free speech experience to ask where she gets her skooma. ( who can be found walking around the Riften docks or inside the Riften Fishery during the day. In the evenings, she will be at Haelga’s Bunkhouse, while occasionally she can be seen standing on the porch of Honeyside).
• Help Wylandriah find her missing items .

Once you help Wujeeta don’t forget to loot the entire Riften docks.

Don’t forget to do Priestess Alessandra’s quest for a free healing spell (Requires going to Whiterun and back) - She’s normally in Riften’s Hall of the dead.

If you are feeling brave - you can start the “book of love” quest from Dinya Balu (Requires going to Ivarstead and back) - you may encounter Bears, trolls and wolves on route. The next step sends you to Markarth. You can also pick up Wylandriah’s Spoon from Fellstar Farm while in Ivarstead, Fellstar Farm is locked during the day, so you may want to enter at night while the owners are at home, if you don’t want to risk getting caught trespassing.

Use the wagon to Markarth

Markarth

Spoiler warning: Outlaw Refuge location

If facing the entrance to the temple of dibella, Access is behind 2 stone chairs, and the on of the corridor to your right.

Once in Markarth grab the meat from the Dog handler at Markarth stables to deliver inside (spiced beef to Voada). Vist Kayla and pick up a ring to deliver to Calcelmo. Visit the Hag’s cure to collect a potion to deliver to Markarth’s Steward.

Read all the skill books in Markarth:

• Alteration book(Bravil: Daughter of the Niben) on a table to the right of the Jarl’s throne in Understone Keep
• Conjuration book(The Warrior’s Charge) on a dresser in the Jarl’s bed chamber in Understone Keep (lockpicking required)
• Illusion book(The mystery of Princess Talara IV) in the right room in Nepos’ House (Nepos won’t aggro until you do the Forsworn Conspiracy quest)
• Illusion book(2920, Sun’s Dawn, v2) in the inner sanctum of the Temple of Dibella (lockpicking required and the quest from the drunk to steal the statue)
• Light Armor(Ice and Chitin) book on a table in the guard tower next to the mead keg, along with a One-handed book(The Importance of Where) on a table nearby.
• Restoration book(2920, Rain’s Hand, v4) on a shelf next the priest’s bed in the Hall of the Dead
• Speech book(A dance in fire) on a crate behind the counter at Arnleif and Sons Trading Company.
• Archery Book(Vernaccus and Bourlor) on a circular ledge with a pot on the west side of the main room in the treasury house.
• Lockpicking book(Proper Lock Design) Cidhna Mine, next to the Evidence Chest

For Smiths, this is a good time to pick up the Dwarven crafting book next to Calcelmo in Understone Keep (might be marked as stolen, be careful). While you’re at it, buy Elven crafting from Calcelmo. Buy Orcish book from Ghorza (Markarth Blacksmith near Cindna Mine)

You can talk to Mulush gro-Shugurz for Omluag for free speech experience. While you’re at it, if you do the first few parts of the Forsworn Conspiracy you can get another speech check on him.

You can get a speech check from Garvey to get Weylin’s key and another one to get the key to Margaret’s room. You will likely fail the one at the Treasury House. Do not go to Nepos.

In the Understone Keep you can pass an easy speech check to get into the Hall of the Dead where you’ll speak to Eola about pursuing the Namira’s Ring quest. After the conversation is over you’ll get a free Amulet of Arkay - Hold onto this, its a quest objective in Windhelm.

Be sure and loot local ingredients for alchemy like Juniper and Hanging Moss.

If you want, you can grab the easiest to acquire follower in Requiem. Cosnach will follow you if you feed him 1 mead.

If you’re crazy you can try running it to Burguk’s Longhouse in Dishnikh Yal, located southeast of Markarth where there’s a Heavy Armor book in the cellar.

Use the wagon to Solitude

Solitude

Spoiler warning: Outlaw Refuge location

In between Winking skeever and Angelina's aromatics - next to some mead kegs.

In Solitude watch the execution scene and the talk to Angelina in Angelina’s aromatics and get the quest to find out what happened to her Daughter. Pick up quest from Taarie in radiant raiment to wear a dress for Elsief.

You can make a delivery from Sorex Vinius - He will either be in the winking skeever or walking around town. Talk to Octieve San, then convince Irnskar Ironhand to forgive Octieve San’s gambling debts.

Speak to Evette San in the market, then Retrieve spices from Vittoria. Finally talk to Captain Aldis and accept rare gifts - you’ll need this when you get to Windhelm.

Skill Books:

• Archery book(The Gold Ribbon of Merit) on a table in the Fletcher’s Shop in Solitude, immediately to the left upon entry;
• Archery book(the Imperial Crossbow Manual) on the table by Legate Rikke & General Tuallis in Castle dour.
• Light Armor book (The Rear Guard) on a table in the soldier’s quarters of Castle Dour
• Light Armor book (The Refugees), in the upstairs bedroom on a wall shelf above some candles in the Blacksmith’s house
• Speech book(the Buying game) on the top floor of the Bard’s College in Solitude, right hand classroom on the top shelf of the bookcase.

If you’re brave (enemies unlikely), you can talk to Jaree-Ra and pick up the quest to wreck the icerunner, you can hike over the Solitude Lighthouse and grab an Alteration book(The Lunar Lorkhan) on a table in the far side of the room (may require lockpicking) while putting out the lighthouse fire. Many alchemy ingredients, including Nirnroot, surround the lighthouse to make sure to pick all of those.

Once at Blue palace, deliver the to Falk Firebeard for some money. Wear clothing from radiant raiment in front of Jarl Elisef and ask her opinion. For your reward you can sell the garment. Get the key to the Pelagius wing from Erdi.

Head down to the docks and loot all the clams/fish/barrels in the area.

If you’re brave, There’s an Alchemy book(Mannimarco, King of Worms) and a Block book (Warrior) on the Karth River Henge. Two copies of the alchemy book are also near Winterhold, The Winterhold copies are more risky to obtain due to Ice bears, Trolls and wolves in the area, but closer to winterhold itself.

Use the wagon to Windhelm

Windhelm

Spoiler warning: Outlaw Refuge location

Dark Elf Quarter, near the well there is a staircase with a bristleback at the top. Behind the Bristleback are some hay bales. The entrance is behind these.

Read the books:

• Alchemy book(A Game at Dinner) on a table on the second floor of the New Gnisis Cornerclub
• Blocking book(The Mirror) in Jarl Ulfric’s bedroom in the Palace of the Kings in Windhelm (Requires the quest from Captain Aldis in Solitude)
• Conjuration book(2920, Frostfall, v10) behind a dresser upstairs in Belyn Hlaalu’s house;
• Destruction book(A Hypothetical Treachery) in the Aretino house
• Heavy Armor book(The Knights of the Nine), Palace of the Kings Upstairs (Windhelm), first room on the left upstairs, top shelf of cupboard
• Illusion book(The Black Arts On Trial) behind the counter in the White Phial store. while in this store, don’t forget to pick up Wylandriah’s Soul Gem.
• Pickpocket book atop a dresser in the Argonian Assemblage - requires you to help the Argonians first.
• Sneaking book(The Red Kitchen Reader) propped between a barrel and the stairwell on the first floor of the New Gnissis Cornerclub
• Speech book(2920, Second Seed, v5) on a shelf behind the counter of Sadr’s Used Wares.

There’s also an Archery book(The Marksmanship Lesson) on a table at Mixwater Mill, southwest of Windhelm, in Gilfre’s house, which you can get with minimal risk. Alternately, one is inside an expert locked display case in Aela’s room in Jorrvaskr’s private quarters in Whiterun. Theres a Light Armor book (Rislav The Righteous) in the riverside shack guarded by a wolf or a bear - these can be picked off at range from opposite side of river.

Do the necromancer amulet quest. It’s extremely easy and provides an overpowered item (or a lot of gold). Quickest way to safely trigger is to run between windhelm stables and the farm a bit further down the road and back 3 times, then wait until after 7pm before entering the city - Susanna’s body should be in the graveyard to start the quest.

Other easy quests

Stands-In-Shallows - Windhelm docks - “Some Light Theft” Steal Skooma from the cornerclub - rewards sneak skill.

Torbjorn Shatter-Shield - House of Clan Shatter-Shield - “Rare Gifts” give him the amulet of Arkay you got from Markarth. (do this before “A Few Words with You”).

Scouts-Many-Marshes - Windhelm docks - “A Few Words with You” persuade Torbjorn Shatter-Shield to increase wages. Rewards potions.

Revyn Sadri - Sadri's Used Wares - "That Was Always There" break into a house and plant a ring. (expand to see rewards)

Option 1: Return the Ring - difficult leveled lock (Expert or Master level). Alternatively, you can opt to pickpocket the key from Viola. Reward: Revyn's disposition towards you will increase. The most immediate implication is that you will be able to freely take all low-cost items in the store and sleep in his bed for free. You will also be able to buy training in Speech to level 50. He is the only Speech trainer that you can trade with (which you can do to get the gold back) without joining the Volkihar vampires. Option 2: Tell Viola - Reward: Gold, Her disposition towards you will increase, one implication being that you can freely take all low-cost items in her house. This is also the only way to be able to marry her. On the other hand, Revyn's disposition will decrease. This will result in negative comments every time you enter his store, but he will still trade with you (and his other dialogue will be as friendly as otherwise).

Visit the docks talk to Gjalund, ask him to take you to Solstheim.

Raven Rock

Spoiler warning: Outlaw Refuge location

Trapdoor - Under some scathclaw between Alor's House and the retching Netch.

Read the Book:

• • A Heavy Armor book (Hallgerd’s Tale) in Alor House in Raven Rock in the basement on a shelf (another copy is in Jorrvaskr in Whiterun)

Quests:-

• Take the Ancient Nordic mining pick quest from Glover mallory (Blacksmith), go to Crescius Caerellius. He will Offer a quest to go deeper into the mine. Should you choose to proceed further, there are spiders and Skeevers in the first section, and dragur in the second. Otherwise you ask for the pick back.
• Geldis Sadri in The Retching Netch - It’s All In The Taste - Simple delivery quest in Ravens rock
• Captain Veleth - Recipe for Distraction

If you hug the shore West of town you can pick up bonemeld helment and gloves from the boats (Green Dot), 4 Nirnroot (red marks) and a chest containing Skooma (blue mark). Don’t forget to search every Clam/Pearl Oyster along the way as the amount of pearls, small pearls that can be found adds up. If you swim to the island offshore (yellow Circle) there are dead soliders, but also some ash hoppers guarding them if you are fast you can grab the gear and run. When traveling West do not go past the “herd” of Netch (black Line) Else you will agro the bandits at the tower.

There is a 5th Nirnroot on a Island out to the sea to the north - only attempt this if you have snowberry extract to survive the swim.

Go through the main gate to the South you can follow the shore to pick up more perl Oysters and Clams.If you are brave and quick you can go out the Old Attius Farm where Captain Veleth is fighting the three Ash Spawn, besides him is a dead soldier (red cross) with a full set of high end Bonemold HA armor and usually some high end Elven weapons: Crossbow, Bolts, Sword, Dagger. These initial three Ash Spawn are not as fast as regualr ashspawn and can easily be kited around without getting too close, they also do not seem to have the ranged attack that the other Ash Spawn have. A few silver Crossbow bolts from range will put these down fairly easy. For a little risk you can get a full set of HA and some decent weapons. When traveling when traveling South outside the gates do not get too close (Blue Line) to the shipwreck as you will agro the Bandits.

You can go past the Raven Rock Mine to the North and pick up at least five Ashen Creeper (first cross). You can cliff climb (second image at fallen treestump looking west) to a Gold Vein and emerald geode to the west (Second cross). Just North of the first group of Ashen Creeper is two Gold Veins and a dead miner (with pick) with five Gold Ore and a couple of Geode rocks (Third cross). Mine all of these for Gold Ore and Emeralds. Just North of there is an abandoned house (4th cross) and along the East side is a Satchel, but be careful as there is a loaded Bear Trap (3rd image).

Visit the docks and pay for a return trip to Windhelm, Use the wagon to Dawnstar.

Dawnstar

Spoiler warning: Outlaw Refuge location

Behind Hale bales at the rear of Windpeak Inn.

Very dangerous to visit because its so cold - make sure you have warm clothing!

Read the Skill books:

• Conjuration book(2920, Hearth Fire, v9) behind the sales counter in the Mortar and Pestle Shop
• Destruction book(The Art of War Magic) on a table up the left staircase in White Hall
• Destruction book(Response to Bero’s Speech) in on a barrel in Iron Breaker Mine;
• Lockpicking book(The Wolf Queen, v1) in the cell across the entrance of the Dawnstar Jail (A key is on the table to the right);
• Smithing book(Cherim’s Heart) in a wooden box with carpets, in the back of Quicksilver mine on the ground floor.

If you’re brave, there’s an Illusion book(Incident at Necrom) at the Shrine of Dibella south of Dawnstar. Wolves and bears and trolls a very real threat.

Empty the mines: There are two in this town - Quicksilver and iron.

Dawnstar doesnt have any “easy quests” So Wagon to Winterhold.

Winterhold

Spoiler warning: Outlaw Refuge location

At the rear on the frozen hearth, in the ruined part of town. Well near a wall overlooking the sea.

Very dangerous to visit because its so cold - make sure you have warm clothing!

While in Winterhold you can steal Arcane Authority for Malur Seloth(Jarl’s Longhouse) and also convince Ranmir to pay his debt to Haran(The Frozen Hearth)

Skill Books:

• Alteration book(Breathing Water) in Kraldar’s House inside a basket on a shelf, opposite the door as you enter.
• Destruction book(Mystery of Talara, v3) in Birna’s Oddments, upstairs, on a table in the left corner among the beds.
• Enchanting book(Twin Secrets) inside a basket on top of a barrel in the Jarl’s bedroom (on the right when entering the Jarl’s Longhouse). The barrel and basket are immidiatly to your left after entering the room.
• Restoration book(The Exodus) in the cellar of the Frozen Hearth in Winterhold, At the back of the pile of crates opposite the dining table, tucked between a crate and a support beam. Pick up Orichalcum Ingot for Wylandriah, its in the satchel on the top shelf of the display cabinet next to the bath’s trapdoor.

If you have the speech (100), or magic skill to enter

• The Winterhold College librarian Urag gro-Shub will sell you a Blocking book (A Dance in Fire, Book II) and a Heavy Armor book (Chimarvamidium).

There are a bunch of Winterhold College quests that can be done without leaving town, again assuming you can enter the college and have completed “Under Saarthal”.

• Help Tolfdir find his missing alembic.
• Brelyna’s Practice: Help Brelyna Maryon by allowing her to practice her spells on you.
• J’zargo’s Experiment: Help a student test out a fiery new spell.
• Out Of balance: Drevis Neloren wants you to purify the focus points for magical energy around the College of Winterhold.

If you’re brave (Ice wolves, bears and frost trolls possible), There’s an Alchemy book(Mannimarco, King of Worms) on the Karth River Henge near Solitude or in a apohtacary satchel, next to some skeletons on the winterhold coast (downhill from Rundi’s Alter) , or in a bowl at at Rundi’s Alter (the alter itself is mined with frost traps so go around behind it).

Further along the smithing book (Heavy Armor Forging) is located inside Whistling Mine.

Wagon to Morthal

Morthal

Spoiler warning: Outlaw Refuge location

Next to the brazier at the entrance to the graveyard. Note: this refuge doesn't have a bed for the player.

Skill Books:

• There’s a one-handed book(2920, Morning Star, v1) inside the bucket on the barrel to the left of the bed of Jorgen and Lami’s House;
• A Heavy Armor book(920, MidYear, v6) inside the guardhouse, behind the barrel to the right of the fireplace
• An Enchanting book(Catalogue of Armor Enchantments) on a bookshelf and a Restoration(2920, Rain’s Hand, v4) book on a table, both in Falion’s House.
• A Lockpicking book(The Locked Room) on a bookshelf, Upstairs room on the right in Highmoon Hall;
• A Pickpocket book(Aevar Stone-Singer) on a shelf under a basket in Thonnir’s house

Wagon to Falkreath

Falkreath

Spoiler warning: Outlaw Refuge location

Shack on the hill at the rear of the graveyard. Note: this refuge doesn't have a bed for the player.

Read the Skill Books:

• Alchemy book(De Rerum Dirennis) behind some baskets in the back right corner of the store Grave Concoctions.
• Blocking book(Death Blow of Abernanit) on a table in the war room of the Jarl’s Longhouse;
• Conjuration book(The Doors of Oblivion) under the left bed in the Hall of the Dead;
• Pickpocket book(Guide to Better Thieving) in an expert locked display case in the Jarl’s bedroom in Falkreath;
• Restoration book(Racial Phylogeny) on a bookshelf inside Corpselight Farm;
• Smithing book(Light Armor Forging) atop a barrel in the basement of Lod’s house;
• Speech book(A Dance in Fire, v6) behind the counter in the Dead Man’s Drink tavern;
• Two-handed book(The Legendary Sancre Tor) upstairs on a chest in front of the bed of the barracks in Falkreath.

There are a few simple quests to do, including stealing a private letter for Dengeir (careful, Hod’s house is really hard to get into without being seen), and delivering Berit’s ashes to Runil (Thadgeir)

There is also a Archery Book(Father Of The Niben) at hunter’s rest - West of halfmoon hill.

Other locations

There are a few other places you can go that aren’t too dangerous in the early game

Skill Books:

• There’s a Sneaking book south of Shor’s Watchtower in a hollow tree, north of Riften;
• An Enchanting book(A Tragedy in Black) on a treasure crate above the Eldergleam Sanctuary.
• A One-handed book(Fire and Darkness) by the fisherman at the west end of Lake Ilinalta
• A Sneaking book on a bedside table in the cellar of Nightgate Inn

If you travel to Rorikstead, you can get speech experience to convince Erik’s father Mralki to purchase armor for his son.

Unverified Info

There’s a ton (250+) of Hanging Moss in the Hall of the Dead in Solitude, protected only by two weak skeletons and an apprentice lock.

Narzulbur - East of Kynesgrive has a load of ebony you can mine for free.

Powerlevelling magic - the cheesetastic way.

Make sure you start “research” from your spell research journal whenever you are “training” for bonus XP.

** Always use your trainers every time you level **

For Destruction and restoration no fighting required, just jump in a forge and heal the fire effect. The fire damage from forge give destruction xp and you heal yourself to earn restoration.

For Restoration, Heal yourself using Heal Self I. Yes, first one, not rank II or higher, use the first one; also, use Turn Undead when possible, and specially Repel Undead when you face more than one enemy.

for Alteration - use Detect Life in a crowded area. Keep Transmute Muscles, mage armor and mage coat active if you have the spells.

For Conjuration - See a critter? Soultrap and kill it. Bunnies, foxes, baby spiders, tiny mudcrabs are all none hostile and can be soultrapped for XP. Raise dead on anything you kill.

For Illusion - go to a Inn and cast Lionheart on people. the higher the level the more XP you get. Keep Darkvision up. those critters you are soul trapping for conjouration, use you illusion spells on those too.

The College of Winterhold is a great place to train because of two things:

1. The Arcanium has a feature that allows you to “study” for a few hours which gives you a passive buff that doubles all XP gained (for 12 in game hours or so) for whatever subject you studied
2. There’s a training area downstairs (beneath the Eye of Magnus) where you can be damaged from magical attacks from a Simulated NPC. You can train restoration from there. I also use that area to conjure a summon and attack it with destruction magic. This will level all three schools as your summon will engage in combat and you’ll be damaging an NPC. But As its a training area - you cant be killed, you will simply be K/O and wake up in a bed.

At higher levels

Destruction: Trolls. Specifically frost spells getting cast on frost trolls from a safe height. Destruction becomes stupidly difficult to level with fire and lightning as many things just die instantly. So instead of killing thousands of bandits, find a bunch of trolls. Each tick of Icestorm (level 50 Adept spell) generates XP and there’s several ticks per cast per troll.

Conjuration - make sure you always have a bound weapon summoned.

Illusion: Trolls again. Cast Enraging Orb and watch them fight each other and heal from the damage. At higher level, cast Fog of Shadow in areas with many high level enemies, like Falmer. They hear the noise of the spell impact and will investigate the area, becoming influenced again and again. To stay out of combat, cast Shadow Stride on yourself.

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