Skyrim:Radiant

Skyrim uses a Radiant system for dynamically generating game content. This helps to make each playthrough unique, but it is also designed to try and get you to visit each location at least once.

Quests

The Radiant quest system is a quest generator that creates quests from a series of components such as location, enemy type, and reward. Some of these components are randomized, but not all. The randomized components are generated every time that the quest is triggered. Radiant quests are used throughout the game in various faction questlines and in miscellaneous quests.

This quest system cannot create large, complicated, or particularly interesting quests, but it can create a near infinite number of quests with a fraction of the time and effort required to create a traditional one. It works with a system that aims to send you to a location that you have not yet discovered, and it also works to keep you engaged with fresh and interesting discoveries.

Quest Locations

Most radiant quests have a set of about a dozen possible locations where you may be sent. Typically, those locations are selected based on the location's occupants or hold. For example, a quest might take place in any Hagraven nest or any Bandit camp in Falkreath Hold. In these cases, the quest page contains a list of all possible locations, and it is listed as a related quest on the page describing each of those locations.

However, some radiant quests have a much longer list of possible locations. All such quests are listed here, but they are not listed on each possible location page.

Dungeons

• Ancient Technology^DG: Retrieve Dwemer schematics to improve technology for the Dawnguard.
  • Any bandit camp or dwarven ruin
• Azra's Staffs^DB: Retrieve a staff made by Azra Nightwielder for Master Neloth.
  • Any dungeon that contains a boss chest (140+ possible dungeons)
• Bounty: Bandit Boss: Eliminate a bandit leader for a bounty reward.
  • Many dungeons that have a bandit leader (25+ possible locations)
• Family Heirloom: Fulfill a contract for the Companions to retrieve a stolen family heirloom.
  • Most dungeons that have a boss chest (75+ possible dungeons)
• Fetch me that Book!: Fetch a book for Urag gro-Shub.
  • Any dungeon that contains a boss chest (140+ possible dungeons)
• Lost Relic^DG: Retrieve a relic of the original Dawnguard.
  • Most dungeons that have a boss chest (65+ possible dungeons)
• Preemptive Strike^DG: Destroy the vampire before it turns its allies.
  • Any bandit camp or warlock lair
• Rescue Mission: Fulfill a contract given to the Companions to rescue a kidnapped citizen.
  • Most dungeons that have a boss enemy and a place to lock up a captive (50+ possible dungeons)
• Shalidor's Insights: Discover the writings of Shalidor and benefit from his wisdom.
  • Any dungeon that contains a boss chest (140+ possible dungeons)
• Shout - learn about word wall: Explore a location and learn a Word of Power.
  • Almost any dungeon or dragon lair that contains a word wall (30+ possible locations)
• The Break of Dawn: Find Meridia's Beacon and use its light to cleanse her temple of undead.
  • Meridia's Beacon, needed at the start of the quest, can be located in nearly any location that contains a boss chest (150+ possible locations)
• The Forgemaster's Fingers: Find the Forgemaster's Fingers to gain favor with the Orcs.
  • Many dungeons, dependent on the hold from which you receive the quest (30+ possible locations)
• The Words of Power: Follow the Greybeards' advice to learn a Word of Power from a word wall.
  • Almost any dungeon or dragon lair that contains a word wall (30+ possible locations)
• Totems of Hircine: Journey to the given location to find a Totem of Hircine.
  • Many dungeons that have a boss chest (33 possible dungeons)
• Trouble in Skyrim: Fulfill a contract for the Companions to clear out a troublesome area.
  • Most dungeons that have a boss enemy (115+ possible dungeons)
• Wind and Sand^DB: Retrieve a copy of Wind and Sand for Neloth.
  • Any Dragon lair, dragon priest lair, draugr crypt, Falmer hive, Forsworn camp, hagraven nest, vampire lair, or warlock lair.

Houses

• Animal Extermination (A): Fulfill a contract given to the Companions to kill an invading beast.
  • Most houses (not inns) occupied by regular citizens (40+ possible houses)
• The Burglary Job: Steal a special item from a wealthy home.
  • All wealthy homes (25+ possible houses)
• The Shill Job: Place an item as evidence inside a wealthy home.
  • All wealthy homes (25+ possible houses)
• The Sweep Job: Steal three specific valuable items from a wealthy house.
  • All wealthy homes (25+ possible houses)

Stores/businesses

• The Heist Job: Steal a particular item from a store.
  • Most stores with a strongbox (25+ possible stores)
• The Numbers Job: Alter the business ledger of a store.
  • Most stores with a ledger (25+ possible stores)

Quest NPCs

Most radiant quests only involve a limited number of NPCs. In some cases, there may be a few different quest-givers, in which case those quest-givers are listed on each quest page, and the quest is listed under each NPC's list of related quests.

However, cases where any one of a large number of possible randomly chosen NPCs are listed here. These quests are not listed on each possible NPC page. Note that quests tied to the NPC's home (rather than specifically to the NPC) are listed under Quest Locations.

Quest Givers

• The Forgemaster's Fingers: Find the Forgemaster's Fingers to gain favor with the Orcs.
  • Any Orc living in an Orc Stronghold
• All Bounty Quests
  • Any innkeeper, jarl, or steward

Quest Targets

• Animal Extermination: Fulfill a contract given to the Companions to kill an invading beast.
  • Most regular town citizens who have a home (60+ possible NPCs)
• Enchanting Pick-Up: Sergius wants you to pick up an item from a client for enchanting.
  • Many citizens living in cities (55+ possible NPCs)
• Hired Muscle: Fulfill a contract for the Companions to bring a citizen back in line.
  • Most citizens in the game (400+ possible NPCs)
• Hunting the Monster^DG: Destroy the vampire target.
  • Most citizens in the game (for the initial target, the person who gives the location of the vampire)
• Rescue^DG: Rescue a victim from vampires.
  • Any NPC with a relationship rank of at least 1 with you and is not part of any of the factions excluded from selection
• Rescue Mission: Fulfill a contract given to the Companions to rescue a kidnapped citizen.
  • Most citizens in the game (235+ possible NPCs)
• The Fishing Job: Steal an item out of a target's pocket.
  • Most citizens living in a major city

World Interactions triggered by NPCs

• An enemy's gratitude: Experience the rewards for killing someone.
  • An NPC whose enemy you have killed (70+ possible NPCs)
• Revenge, Hired Thugs: Experience the consequences of killing someone.
  • Any NPC whose relative you have murdered
• Scare my Enemy: Assault a target.
• Steal, Thugs hunt player: Experience the consequences of stealing from someone.
  • Any NPC from whom you steal, even if you are not caught

NPCs and Creatures

Many NPCs and creatures have characteristics that are randomly generated. Although past Elder Scrolls games have used leveled lists to generate generic enemies, in Skyrim that ability now extends to named and unique characters.

For example, Krev the Skinner is the boss bandit for the quest The Silver Hand. Although they will always be a bandit, Krev's race is randomly determined from a leveled list of possible bandit bosses. In this case, even Krev's gender is randomly determined.

Notes

• The radiant location of some quests is determined upon game start, not when the quest appears in your log, meaning you cannot reload an old save to reroll a different location.
• Similarly, some quests are activated immediately upon completion of the previous one, before you claim your reward, so only reloading a save from before that will give a different target; simply reloading before speaking to the quest-giver won't (i.e. you will have to complete another radiant quest before you can see what target has been selected for the next quest).
• NPCs and locations added by mods or add-ons can be assigned as targets or givers in radiant quests if they fit the parameters for the given quest.
  • If a quest has been assigned to a target on Solstheim^DB or any other new lands added by mods, there will be no quest markers while you are on mainland Skyrim, and the same is true in reverse (if you are on Solstheim or a new land, there will be no markers pointing to Skyrim).
• Randomly generated quest locations do not take your character's level into account, so it is possible to be given a radiant quest target in a dungeon that has a minimum level well above yours.

See Also

• Oblivion:Radiant