It's no secret that Skyrim lets players do some dark things. The Dragonborn can become a killer for hire, break into houses and rob people blind, loot tombs, and beat NPCs to death. Plenty of quests require betrayal or deceit, making it hard to be consistently honorable throughout the game.
Yet, in between these ruthless choices, the Dragonborn has opportunities to do good. Skyrim is full of miscellaneous quests, but some are more than simple errands. Through these objectives, the player can help others find peace, joy, or even a new home. Here are a few of the kindest things the Dragonborn can do for others.
10 Help Narfi Find Closure
Narfi is a mentally-ill beggar in Ivarstead, who has been waiting a year for his missing sister Reyda to return. The player can locate her remains and bring Narfi her necklace. They must either break the news of her death or lie, telling him she'll be home soon.
It's a heartbreaking quest, especially considering Narfi later becomes a Dark Brotherhood target (possibly a mercy killing). However, if the player is truthful, Narfi expresses gratitude at having a keepsake of Reyda's, to remind him of his lost loved one.
9 Give to the Homeless
Skyrim has its share of poverty, and big cities have a few homeless folks wandering the streets. Players can choose to spare a Septim, offering charity to these unfortunate souls. Though it may not solve the larger problem, one coin can go a long way.
If the player wants to do more, one opportunity lies in Solitude. Noster Eagle-Eye, a homeless veteran, mentions having lost his prized helmet in a cave. The player can retrieve it for him, providing some solace to a man who has lost everything.
8 Help Erik Start His Adventures
In Rorikstead, the player meets Erik, a young man who dreams of a life of adventure. His father Mralki isn't quite ready to let him leave the nest, so Erik asks the player to convince his father to let him go.
As per the usual, the player can persuade, bribe, or intimidate Mralki. The "bribe" option, though, is simple generosity: the Dragonborn can offer a few hundred gold to buy Erik some adventuring gear. After completing this goal, Erik becomes available as a loyal, eager follower.
7 Save a Stray Dog
Wandering through Hjaalmarch, the player can encounter a stray dog named Meeko. They can follow him back to Meeko's Shack, where the poor pup will look at his dead owner lying in bed and whimper.
If the player is so inclined, they can take this lonely pooch under their wing. Like any dog, he's a helpful follower, aiding the player in fights. More than that, though, he's a devoted and loyal companion. He deserves to curl up in front of a hearth with his new best friend, the Dragonborn.
6 Deliver Alessandra's Dagger
Alessandra is Riften's Priestess of Arkay, and feels bitter about her role. She never wanted to spend her time surrounded by death, but she followed the path her father laid out—and bears some resentment towards him, even after his death.
The player can offer to take Alessandra's father's ceremonial dagger to Whiterun, and place it with his remains there as a way to achieve closure. After they return to her, Alessandra tells the player that she finally feels at peace with both her father and her life.
5 Retrieve Runil's Journal
Another Priest of Arkay, Runil tends the huge cemetery in Falkreath. He's empathetic and kind, yet troubled by his past. Long ago, he was a Thalmor battlemage, and now serves Arkay to atone for the pain he inflicted.
Runil asks for the player's help retrieving a journal he lost in a cave. Upon returning it, Runil explains that it chronicles regrets he tries not to forget. In performing this simple service, the Dragonborn can help ease the mind of a man desperately trying not to repeat his mistakes.
4 Convince Borgakh to Follow Her Path
Borgakh the Steel Heart is an Orc woman, soon to come of age and be married off to the chief of another stronghold. If the player speaks to her on the matter, she will admit she doesn't want this. The Dragonborn can pay off her dowry or persuade her to follow her own way.
In a world full of paths to choose from, nobody should feel trapped the way Borgakh does. A little heart-to-heart convinces her that she's her own person, capable of making her own decisions.
3 Matchmake For Calcelmo
Though he may be a brilliant scholar, Calcelmo's interpersonal skills can leave him at a loss. During "The Book of Love," the Dragonborn must help him with a romantic dilemma: Show Faleen, the Jarl's housecarl, how he feels about her.
With a little help from Yngvar the Singer, the Dragonborn can bring Calcelmo and Faleen together, passing poems and messages between them. Ultimately, they help the court wizard pluck up the courage to confess his feelings. Despite his awkwardness, Faleen accepts his heartfelt sentiments, thanks to the player's help.
2 Complete Torygg's Last Rites
After gaining her favor, Jarl Elisif the Fair asks for the player's help with a "personal matter." Following her husband's death, she explains, she made offerings to all the gods—except Talos, whose worship is outlawed.
Since paying tribute to an outlawed god would bring harsh scrutiny and punishment on Elisif, she asks the Dragonborn to discreetly complete the rite. Regardless of the Dragonborn's position on the Civil War or Talos worship, this simple act both honors a fallen leader and brings peace to a young widow's grieving heart.
1 Adopt a Child
With the Hearthfire add-on, adoption becomes available to the player. The Dragonborn can adopt from Honorhall Orphanage, or take in any of the lonely orphans throughout Skyrim.
From Sofia, who sells flowers in the freezing streets of Windhelm, to Blaise, who sleeps on a stable floor, Skyrim is full of children who need loving homes. Taking in one or two, giving them a warm bed and the company of their good dog Meeko, is one of the best things the Dragonborn can do in all of Skyrim.