Riverwood

Riverwood is a small lumber village on the White River, tucked into a pine valley in the south of Whiterun Hold. It is the first proper settlement you reach after escaping Helgen, and for countless players it is where Skyrim really begins. Above the village, on the mountainside, you can already see the dark silhouette of Bleak Falls Barrow waiting for you.

Who lives here

• Alvor – the village blacksmith and Hadvar‘s uncle.
• Gerdur – owner of the lumber mill and sister of Ralof.
• Delphine – who runs the Sleeping Giant Inn and has rather more going on than an innkeeper usually does.
• Lucan and Camilla Valerius – the siblings behind the Riverwood Trader, who have just been robbed of a golden claw.

Role in the story

In Before the Storm you arrive here with either Hadvar or Ralof and ask Alvor or Gerdur for help. Later, the Sleeping Giant Inn becomes the setting for A Blade in the Dark, when Delphine finally reveals who she really is.

Good to know

• Alvor’s forge, tanning rack and smelter make Riverwood a great place to learn smithing early on.
• The road from Helgen to Riverwood passes the three Guardian Stones – the Warrior, Mage and Thief Stones.
• Riverwood is a common spot for an early dragon attack, so keep your bow handy.