One of Bethesda's flagship series, The Elder Scrolls debuted in 1994 with Arena, blossoming over the years from a little-known fantasy RPG to one of the bestselling, most beloved franchises in modern gaming.
With Skyrim's tenth anniversary around the corner, and seeing as the next installment in The Elder Scrolls will not arrive for a frustratingly long time, it seems appropriate to look back at the fifth game in the series and the vast array of great side quests throughout the base game.
The Mind of Madness
Located in the city of Solitude, this callback to The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion's wildly popular DLC Shivering Isles is an adventure into the twisted, whimsical world of Skyrim's Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of Madness. Fans of classic movies like Alice in Wonderland and the 2005 sleeper hit video game Psychonauts will be more than pleased with this quest.
To find the quest, the Dragonborn must speak to a homeless man named Dervenin who adamantly wants his master to return from "vacation." He was last seen in the Pelagius Wing at the Blue Palace. Once the Dragonborn gains access to the dilapidated Wing, they will stumble upon a world controlled by Sheogorath and his mad sense of humor.
A Night To Remember
Upon reaching level 14, the Dragonborn can encounter a character by the name of Sam Guevenne in a tavern. Sam will pull the Dragonborn into a drinking contest, and whoever wins will receive a very special staff. After a few too many drinks of Sam's special brew, however, the screen goes dark and the Dragonborn falls unconscious. They awaken in the Temple of Dibella in the city of Markarth.
The quest itself is a romp through the mysteries of whatever happened during the previous night, and Skyrim's humor is put on full display in what could rightly be called a homage to The Hangover. At the end of the quest, the player is rewarded with a Daedric staff, the Sanguine Rose.
Forgetting About Fjola
What starts out as a classic fantasy story about a brave hero saving a damsel in distress has become famous among fans due to the quest's surprising twist ending.
In their travels, the Dragonborn will most likely come across Mistwatch fort, a castle held by a fearsome group of bandits. Once inside, they will come across a man named Christer who is there to look for his wife, Fjola, who disappeared many months ago. Should they agree to help the poor soul, the player will fight their way through the fort until they stumble upon the bandit leader, who happens to know quite a bit about Fjola's whereabouts.
The Silver Hand
The fearless band of warriors known as the Companions offers some of the best quests in Skyrim, but fans agree that none are more exciting than when the Dragonborn finally learns the secret that holds the group together.
After obtaining the trust of each of the Companions, the Dragonborn will be lead to the Underforge in the dead of night. There, a secret passage leads underground and into a chamber where a ritual to transform the Dragonborn into a werewolf will take place. Once this gift is bestowed upon the player, they will be given the task of destroying a group of werewolf hunters called the Silver Hand. It is a short and bloody quest, and it will be sure to please any fans of The Elder Scrolls: Morrowind.
Diplomatic Immunity
A dive into the fascinating politics of Skyrim, this quest sees the Dragonborn sneaking into the Thalmor Embassy during a party and gathering intel on whether or not the elven supremacists are responsible for the return of dragons to the world of Tamriel.
Players looking for a quest that is not filled with combat or assassinations will be intrigued by this quest. The Dragonborn must do their best impression of James Bond throughout, as the entire purpose of the quest is to spy on and scheme against the elves.
To Kill An Empire
Espionage is a running theme throughout Skyrim's Dark Brotherhood questline. In one of the final acts to rid the world of the Emperor, the Dragonborn is sent to impersonate the famous chef known as "the Gourmet" and serve the Emperor a specially made meal with an appropriate amount of poisonous jarrin root.
The quest is an intense story with plenty of twists and turns along the way to keep the player interested. Of course, trouble can be expected when the "Emperor" finally consumes the poisoned meal, although perhaps not in the way players expect.
The Affairs of Hagravens
Located east of the Lover Stone and north of Markarth, Blind Cliff Cave is a Forsworn dungeon divided into three areas: Caves, Towers, and Bastion. Within the Bastion, the Dragonborn will discover a wicked old hagraven named Melka with an intense vendetta against her fellow hagraven, Petra.
According to Melka, Blind Cliff Bastion was her home before ruthless Petra arrived and took over, imprisoning her. She requests that the Dragonborn aid her in defeating Petra and clearing the cave of her minions. If executed, the player will receive a powerful staff and the experience of teaming up with one of Skyrim's most despicable creatures.
The House of Horrors
Fans of classic horror films like The Conjuring or House on Haunted Hill will adore this horrific story of possession and demonic worship in Skyrim. Found by speaking with Tyranus, a devout Vigilant of Stendarr in the city of Markfarth, the Dragonborn will accompany Tyranus into an abandoned house to rid it of corrupting Daedric magic.
As with anything dealing involving the Daedra, things go awry, and the Dragonborn will find themselves on a hunt for a sacrifice to Molag Bal in order to obtain his deadly mace.
The Forsworn Conspiracy
After witnessing a brutal murder in broad daylight in shadowy Markarth, the Dragonborn will be whisked into a conspiracy between the Forsworn and the wealthy Silver-Bloods. When the killer is dispatched by either the city guard or the player, a man named Eltrys will hand the Dragonborn a note that the player supposedly dropped.
If read, there will be instructions to head to the Shrine of Talos. From there, a classic mystery is played out with the Dragonborn acting the part of a detective.
Rise In The East
The Dragonborn acts as a mercenary-for-hire in this quest, aiding the East Empire Company in their attempts to rid the waters of a band of vile pirates who call themselves the Blood Horkers.
The Horkers are restricting the trade between Solitude and Windhelm, and it's up to the Dragonborn to dispatch them. Featuring a swashbuckling battle through a band of vicious pirates, the quest feels like the sort of pulpy adventure found within the pages of Conan the Barbarian.