'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The prologue of Skyrim is perhaps one of its most iconic parts.
As the legacy of all Elder Scrolls games dictates, the character starts as a prisoner. Compared to Oblivion and Morrowind, however, the beginning of Skyrim is a highly linear scripted affair that favors cinematic oomph over everything.
As its novelty wears off, its drawn-out presence becomes hard to justify over repeat playthroughs. It has not garnered its meme status through the sheer kooky nature of its opening dialog as an off-handed nod to Morrowind's opening, but also from its potential to turn janky.
Thankfully, modding comes to the rescue again to address the first problem of the dragon crisis: starting a new game of Skyrim.
Five mods that turn vanilla Skyrim start into something more interesting
1) Alternate Start - Live Another Life
Arthmoor's Alternate Start - Live Another Life is a legacy solution to the problem that is Skyrim's prologue and consequently the most popular one. An obvious upside to this is how well-supported it is regarding compatibility patches with other Skyrim mods.
Instead of the usual start, players are thrown into a damp, flooded dungeon in the remote wilds of Falkreath hold. Teetering on the brink of their mortal life, they are greeted by a statue of Mara that gives them a second chance at life.
The mod provides numerous options to start the title as different characters, from the humble beginnings of a farmer to a recruit of The Companions. The options include the vanilla start and even the chance to manually break out of the prison.
The main quest can be started at any time by visiting Helgen.
2) Alternate Perspective - Alternate Start
While the similarly named Alternate Start - Live Another Life completely oversteps the presence of Helgen from the beginning of Skyrim, Alternate Perspective reinforces its presence with a much more immersive and deliberate pacing.
The mod starts with users in a rented room at Helgen's Inn before the events of Alduin's attack occurred. After creating the character, they are free to explore the world, including the newly integrated NPCs and buildings in the intact hamlet of Helgen, kicking off the main quest at will from a perspective outside of the chopping block.
3) Redux SE
Redux SE is a lesser-known, lightweight alternative that adds not only a short-stringed alternate start but also its own original parallel to the main quest. The mod essentially sidelines the dragon crisis away from the gamer's critical path and provides a roleplay-friendly alternative.
With Redux, the attack on Helgen has taken place without the player's presence, and they can choose to pick up the questline by talking to Baalgruuf or defer it indefinitely.
At the game's start, they awaken inside the metaphysical depths of a dark pit and crawl their way out through piles of charred corpses. A mysterious entity, The Ynahlum, sets down users' backstory and motives through cryptic dialog choices.
The writing of this alternate questline itself is of great merit, as expected from the mod author of Citizens of Tamriel and Mythos.
4) Realm of Lorkhan
Instead of the spectacle-heavy vanilla start, Realm of Lorkhan is reminiscent of Pillars of Eternity 2: Deadfire, taking place on an extramundane aedric plane. Realm of Lorkhan does not have a directly manifested roleplay question to pin the player's background diegetically.
Its customization instead thrives over granularity. The titular realm, where the player must create and customize his character, contains:
- A series of starting equipment and spells.
- A merchant to trade with.
- A series of portals to different parts of the world.
- Its own boon and bane system to add even more character.
5) Skyrim Unbound Reborn
Skyrim Unbound is perhaps the most freeform and compatible solution to start a new character in a jiffy. Instead of its own interactive platform, most of its switches are flipped inside the MCM.
While it does not have any particular spice to add to an alternative way to start the game, this mod is the first to address the needs of a non-dragonborn playthrough. It comes with options to toggle several aspects of the dragon crisis on and off individually, such as the world walls, the scripted dragon spawns, or random dragon event chance.
Note: This article is subjective and reflects the author's opinion.
