Using the Alternate Start - Live Another Life mod in Skyrim provides unparalleled freedom to establish your character's backstory and explore the world at your own pace before engaging with the main storyline. When you're ready to embrace your destiny as the Dragonborn and face Alduin, there are two straightforward methods to initiate the main questline.
Initiating the Main Questline
The Alternate Start mod is ingeniously designed to seamlessly integrate the main quest into your game. Once you decide to begin, you simply need to trigger the sequence that leads to the iconic Helgen opening.
Method 1: Ask an Innkeeper for Rumors
This is the most common and immersive way to begin the main quest when using Alternate Start. It organically guides you towards the starting point of the Dragonborn's journey.
- Locate an Innkeeper: Travel to any inn across Skyrim. Popular choices include:
- The Bannered Mare in Whiterun
- The Sleeping Giant Inn in Riverwood
- The Winking Skeever in Solitude
- Initiate Conversation: Approach and speak with the innkeeper.
- Ask for Rumors: Select the dialogue option: "Heard any interesting rumors lately?"
- Receive Helgen Rumor: The innkeeper will typically share a generic rumor about the devastating events that occurred in Helgen, mentioning the destruction and chaos. This conversation effectively points you in the direction of the ruined town.
- Travel to Helgen: Once you have the rumor, head towards Helgen. As you get close to the vicinity of the town, the main quest will automatically begin, launching you into the initial cutscene as if you had just escaped the dragon attack.
Method 2: Travel Directly to Helgen
For players who prefer to bypass the innkeeper conversation or simply want to jump straight into the action, you can go directly to Helgen yourself.
- Locate Helgen: Open your world map and pinpoint the location of Helgen. It's situated south of Riverwood and southeast of the Guardian Stones.
- Travel to Helgen: Make your way to the ruined town. You can walk, ride a horse, or fast-travel to a nearby discovered location and then proceed on foot.
- Trigger Event: As you approach the entrance or the immediate vicinity of the destroyed settlement, the main quest's introductory sequence will automatically trigger. This will initiate the events where you witness Alduin's attack and begin your path as the Dragonborn.
Important Considerations
Regardless of which method you choose, the key to starting the main quest with the Alternate Start mod is to reach the specific geographical trigger point near Helgen. The mod is designed to kick off the original game's introduction (where you witness Alduin's attack and escape with Hadvar or Ralof) once you are in the immediate area of the town. This allows you to integrate the vanilla starting experience seamlessly into your alternate playthrough.
