Hi guys.

Been a while since I posted a topic so bare with me, but I have a few questions regarding the Dragonborn DLC.

After 5 years, dozens characters created and hundreds of hours racked up, I arrived on the ash covered island of Solstheim for the very first time last night with my Dragonborn Warrior.

I never got round to venturing over there on the original game, but in hindsight I'm glad, as experiencing it for the first time on SSE is amazing with the obvious improvements such as visuals and general performance, and I can't wait to get my teeth stuck into it!

I've not ventured too far out of Raven Rock so far (which I must say is an awesome little settlement - the dark elves are my favourite race I think) and so I've mostly just helped out the townsfolk by completing side quests for the old Imperial miner and Captain Veleth. (Btw if there's any other cool ppl that are worth talking to in Raven Rock do let me know!)

Thinking further ahead however, I'd like to know your thoughts on whether travelling to Solstheim with a non Dragonborn character is viable, and if there's enough things to do.

In some of my future planned playthroughs, my characters won't be touching any of the vanilla Skyrim main questline, completely distancing themselves from being Dragonborn and living in a world without dragons entirely. (i.e not completing Dragon Rising) - but what does this mean for Solstheim, would Miraak still exist over there? What if I happened to stumble across his temple on a non Dragonborn character, what would happen? Would I be forced into the DB questline that way? It's something I have to think about because obviously I have no previous experience with this expansion so would appreciate being cleared up on this.

Many thanks in advance guys, sorry for the lengthy post! I'm sure I'll think of more questions once it's been submitted XD

I don't think he's even mentioned if you haven't started the MQ and learned your first shout. Enjoy exploring. There is some really cool stuff on that island. My current character is there and it's been a lot of fun.

Miraak will not exist and the main Dragonborn questline will not be accessible until you finish "The Way of the Voice." You can however do any of the side quests you find there though.

I don't know what will happen if you try to enter the Temple of Miraak without first being Dragonborn. I suspect it will be locked. But someone else may know the answer to that question better than I.

Not sure I ever want to do this, but good to know it works just in case.

I played the Dragonborn MQ through twice, won't do it again. I always do all the quests I can find on Solstheim (there are a fair few of them scattered around). Talk to Cindiri Arano - she's got a little quest. And Deathbrand won't start until level 36 even if you've read the book.

There are some things I won't do - get involved in the Skaal/Riekling fuss for instance (I don't need to be friendly with either faction - hate the Rieklings, don't have any interest in smithing stahlrim, it's ugly). And you want to look up the "find my steward" quest for Neloth before you do it because it's a tad buggy.

I'm not sure when the boat to Solstheim is enabled. It may not be there until the cultists come over on it, which is linked to the MQ at the point where you're found to be dragonborn. So you may find you can't get there.

The boat should be enabled right away I think? I remember taking someone fresh off the tutorial on the Ps3 to Solstheim. Sadly half of the NPCs are at the stones. But you can still explore and several quest!

I've spoken to the boat guy before I goat the Dragonborn quest. He offers a ride, but I never wanted to do it.. afraid I would break something.

Yep, you can take the boat without ever seeing the cultists.

It is!

The trick is, that you have additional speak-options, to make the captain let you ride for free, if you was attacked by the cultists before.

Otherwise, Solstheim is a normal target for radiant-quests, like the one from the Thieves-Guild. You just have to pay the first time for a regular ride.

And Gjalund Salt-Sage talks about taking supplies to Raven Rock for the people there....

It would be cool if there was a mod starting you out as a Dunmer with Bonemold armor and weapons to start out with on the Island. Than to start the storyline, get sent over to Skyrim to talk to Jarl Balgruuf by House Redoran as a way of them...lending....assistance or something like that. Being a prisoner can be a degrading way to start out.

If your character hasn't been marked Dragonborn yet by the Greybeards as per Pseron Wyrd's post above, Frea won't even be at the temple in order to start the DLC's main quest. The Skall village will be on hiatus until you do, making Stahlrim crafting inaccessible in the process.

I dont really like Solstheim...messes with my allergies and i cant be a Wearbear. And Hermaeous mora gives me the creeps