I started a new character through the Another Life, and I was in Riverwood last night on my way to Helgan for the first time. I saw a gent there dressed in a black hooded robe with a dagger at his side. I have been playing Skyrim since release date and have never before seen this gent. When you go to talk to him, it says, "Talk to Shady Sam." If you click on him to start a conversation, he just says can I help you or do you need something. There is no conversation other than that. He is there during the day and the evening and does not appear to be a vampire. There are no guards yet in Riverwood, as I have not progressed that far in this new game. Does anyone know who this gent is??

He is added by the mod, Alternate Start.

Okay. What is his purpose and what does he do??

If you choose to start as a noble in solitude the main story has to be started by first meeting up with shady Sam.

Okay. SO seeing as I choose to start out in Breezehome, he is just a nobody. Thank you.

Depending on the start you chose, sometimes just going to Helgen or talking to the right person will continue the quest to trigger the MQ.

Otherwise say you start out in a tavern, Alternate Start will direct you to investigate rumors by going to Solitude or Windhelm. I know if you go to Solitude and ask about in the Winking Skeever your told to look for a man named Shady Sam last seen in Dragonsbridge. Talk to him and he says for 2000 coin he will tell you what he knows. You can try and talk him down, I was successful at passing a persuasive check for 71 coin lol. he told me of increased activity at Darkwater Crossing and suggested I look there.

I know the hunter start sends you right to Helgen to look about, considering Alduin does a fly by of your camp with that start.

The Breezehome start also sends you right to Helgen to investigate rumors of a war going on there. That is where I have been starting, so I was kind of surprised to see this unknown character in Riverwood.

All starts except the hunter and the vanilla (I was caught crossing the border ilegally) pass thru Shady Sam.

UNLESS you go to Helgen Directly.

Also, this really should be in the mods forum, since the main topic is the Mod: Live Another Life.