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So, You’ve Slayed Alduin: Now What, Dragonborn?

Congratulations, intrepid adventurer! You’ve faced the World-Eater himself and emerged victorious. Alduin is defeated, but Skyrim? Skyrim is far from over. What to do once you’ve killed Alduin isn’t a simple question with a simple answer. You’ve only scratched the surface of what this vast and immersive world has to offer. Now is the time to dive deeper, explore hidden corners, and truly become a legend. Embrace the myriad of quests, factions, and challenges that await. Your journey has just begun.

Beyond the Dragon Crisis: Embracing the True Skyrim Experience

The main questline in Skyrim, while epic, is just one slice of a very large pie. Consider it the opening act to your personal saga in this northern land. Here’s a roadmap of where to go next:

Complete Faction Questlines: The Companions, Mages Guild (College of Winterhold), Thieves Guild, and Dark Brotherhood each offer extensive storylines with unique perks and rewards. Becoming the leader of each faction is a worthy goal, granting you access to powerful artifacts and unparalleled influence.
Delve into the Civil War: Choose a side, Imperial or Stormcloak, and fight for control of Skyrim. This questline offers strategic battles, political intrigue, and a significant impact on the game world. Remember that your choice will alter the landscape and the experience.
Explore Daedric Quests: These quests are offered by the Daedric Princes, powerful entities from Oblivion. Each quest is unique and often morally ambiguous, offering powerful artifacts and a glimpse into the darker side of Skyrim. Prepare to make difficult choices.
Embrace the Dragonborn DLC: Head to Solstheim and face Miraak, the first Dragonborn. This DLC adds a new land to explore, new enemies to fight, and new powers to master. It’s a challenging and rewarding experience that further expands your Dragonborn abilities.
Venture into the Dawnguard DLC: Choose your side in the ancient battle between vampires and vampire hunters. Joining the Dawnguard or becoming a Vampire Lord offers unique skill trees and storylines, dramatically changing your gameplay experience.
Master Your Skills: Skyrim’s skill system allows you to become a master of any craft. Focus on leveling up your combat skills, crafting skills, or magical abilities. The higher your skill level, the more powerful you become.
Discover Hidden Locations: Skyrim is filled with hidden caves, ruins, and dungeons. Explore every nook and cranny to find rare items, powerful spells, and fascinating lore. There are secrets waiting to be unearthed everywhere.
Collect Unique Items: From Daedric artifacts to powerful weapons and armor, Skyrim is filled with unique items waiting to be discovered. Hunting down these items can be a rewarding and challenging experience.
Become a Land Baron: Purchase land and build your own homes with the Hearthfire DLC. Customize your home with crafting stations, trophies, and even hire a steward to manage your property.
Embrace Roleplaying: Create a new character with a unique backstory and playstyle. Explore Skyrim from a different perspective and make different choices. This can add a new layer of depth to your gameplay experience.
Experiment with Mods: For PC players, mods can drastically alter the gameplay experience. From graphical enhancements to new quests and items, mods can breathe new life into Skyrim.

Digging Deeper: The Unending Allure of Skyrim

The beauty of Skyrim lies in its freedom. You are not confined to a single path. You are free to explore, experiment, and create your own story. Embrace the chaos, embrace the adventure, and discover the true potential of the Dragonborn. The Games Learning Society understands the power of games like Skyrim to engage players and foster a love of learning. It’s a testament to the immersive nature of these virtual worlds. GamesLearningSociety.org is dedicated to the intersection of games and education.

Embracing Your Inner Completionist

For some, the true challenge lies in completing everything Skyrim has to offer. This is no easy feat, requiring hundreds of hours of gameplay and a dedication to exploring every corner of the map. Aim to unlock every skill, complete every quest, and collect every unique item. It’s a daunting task, but the reward is a sense of accomplishment unlike any other.

Crafting Your Own Narrative

Ultimately, Skyrim is a blank canvas. The story you tell within its world is entirely up to you. Are you a noble hero, a cunning thief, or a ruthless assassin? Your choices will shape your destiny and the fate of Skyrim itself. Don’t be afraid to experiment, make mistakes, and forge your own path. That’s the true essence of the Skyrim experience.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Can you keep playing after killing Alduin?

Yes! Defeating Alduin only concludes the main questline. The game world remains open, allowing you to explore, complete side quests, join factions, and continue your adventures. Skyrim is designed to be played long after the main story is finished.

2. What is the last mission in Skyrim?

The final quest stage in the main questline is called Dragonslayer, which you achieve after defeating Alduin in Sovngarde. However, it’s not the end of the game.

3. Can you continue playing Skyrim after the main quest?

Absolutely! The game is designed to continue after you finish the main questline. You can continue to level up your character, explore the world, complete side quests, and participate in various activities.

4. Do dragons still spawn after killing Alduin?

Yes, dragons still spawn after killing Alduin, although they spawn less frequently. There will also be dragons at discovered dragon roosts, but random encounters will be much rarer.

5. Is Miraak the final boss?

Miraak is the final boss of the Dragonborn DLC, not the main game. He’s a powerful antagonist and a significant challenge for high-level characters.

6. Is there a reward for killing Alduin?

Unfortunately, you don’t receive any specific rewards like dragon bones, scales, or a dragon soul after defeating Alduin. The reward is primarily narrative – saving Skyrim from the World-Eater.

7. Where can I find Delphine after defeating Alduin?

After completing the main questline, Delphine relocates to Sky Haven Temple in the Reach. Her schedule there is more dynamic than it was at the inn.

8. What does Alduin drop when killed?

Alduin does not drop any loot, such as dragon bones, scales, or souls, when defeated.

9. Is there anything worth grabbing in Sovngarde?

Sovngarde contains a few unique, non-food items: the Roasted Ox Head and Roasted Ox Leg, which are categorized as miscellaneous items. You can also find some flowers there.

10. How many endings does Skyrim have?

Skyrim doesn’t have distinct endings in the traditional sense. The main questline has one primary outcome – defeating Alduin – but many quest arcs, like the Civil War, have varied endings based on your choices.

11. Is Stormcloak or Imperial better?

The choice between the Stormcloaks and the Imperials depends on your roleplaying preferences. Choose the Imperials if you want to maintain the Empire’s presence in Skyrim, or the Stormcloaks if you believe Skyrim should be independent and free to worship Talos.

12. Has anyone completed Skyrim 100%?

Yes, some players have achieved a 100% completion of Skyrim, including finishing every quest, collecting all items, spells, and shouts, and unlocking every skill. This can take hundreds of hours of gameplay.

13. Which ending in Skyrim is canon?

There is no officially declared canon ending for Skyrim. The events of future Elder Scrolls games will eventually reveal the consequences of the choices made in Skyrim.

14. Is Skyrim an endless game?

Skyrim is, in a way, an endless game due to its radiant quests, which are dynamically generated by the game’s AI. These quests provide a continuous stream of new objectives and challenges.

15. What is the hardest boss fight in Skyrim?

While subjective, the Ebony Warrior and Karstaag are often considered the toughest boss fights in Skyrim, requiring high-level characters and strategic combat. Additionally, some Dragon Priests can also pose significant challenges.

What to do once killed Alduin?