First Lessons

A Cold to a Warm Reception

During your adventuring, you soon learn of a great college to the north, adjacent to the Hold City of Winterhold. You can speak to various folk across Skyrim and receive the following objective. Denizens include:

• Innkeepers or barkeeps in each of the Hold’s inns or taverns
• Court wizards in the Jarl’s service in each Hold City, where available
• Ambarys Rendar in Windhelm
• Corpulus Vinius in Solitude
• Dagur in Winterhold
• Dravynea in Kynesgrove
• Elda in Windhelm
• Faida in Dragon Bridge
• Frabbi in Markarth
• Hadring in Nightgate Inn
• Haelga in Riften
• Hulda in Whiterun
• Iddra in Kynesgrove
• Jonna in Morthal
• Keerava in Riften
• Kleppr in Markarth
• Madena in Dawnstar
• Melaran in Solitude
• Mralki in Rorikstead
• Orgnar in Riverwood
• Skuli in Old Hroldan Inn
• Sybille Stentor in Solitude
• Valga Vinicia in Falkreath
• Vilod in Helgen
• Wilhelm in Ivarstead
• Wylandriah in Riften

Alternatively, you can simply journey to Winterhold and approach the bridge spanning from the city to the College.

At the near end of the bridge that links Winterhold to the College, a High Elf wizard guards the entrance. She stops you (and warns you to stop if you ignore her or try to gain entry into the sealed College without her approval). Although she has some complaints about the College (which you can ask her about), your real reason for being here is to enter the College. Ask if this is possible, and she asks why. Choose the answer that best suits you. She requires that you take a test to show you’re at least possibly competent in the use of magic. You can:

• (Persuasion) Attempt to gain entry without completing her unnecessary test.
• Agree to take the test. When the test begins, Faralda requests you aim a spell at the seal on the ground near her.

Ask if she would grant entry to the Dragonborn. Faralda asks if you really have the Voice. Show her using your Fire Breath (or any other) Shout.

Spell-casting: Bring up your Magic menu and choose the spell Faralda has requested. She can choose Firebolt, Magelight, Fury, Conjure Flame Atronach, or Healing Hands, depending on your available spells and knowledge of particular Magic styles. Aim at the seal, and cast the spell. After your successful casting, Faralda tells you to find Mirabelle Ervine inside the College.

Dragon Shouting: Bring up your Shout inventory, choose any Shout (a good choice is Fire Breath), and bellow. After you strike the seal, Faralda walks over and tells you that there is much you both can learn from each other and that you’d be a superb addition to the College.

You can now ask Faralda more questions about Mirabelle and the College, and you can even receive training in the arts of Destruction magic. College of Winterhold Quests: First Lessons is now active, and you are told to report to Mirabelle Ervine.

The Makings of a Mage

Walk across the bridge to the impressive stone edifice, a fortress both highly defensible and remote enough for its students to concentrate on their studies. Head into the outer exterior courtyard, and meet with Mirabelle Ervine. She greets you and hands you the garb of a mage (which you can wear if you wish). She then begins a tour of the College, and you are most definitely encouraged to follow her.

• Apprentice Hood of Magicka
• Apprentice Robes of Destruction
• Boots

Mirabelle explains that the Hall of the Elements is the primary location for lectures, practice sessions, and meetings. She also points out that the Arch-Mage’s quarters are adjacent but are strictly off-limits to students. Follow Mirabelle to the living quarters. She talks about recent problems the College has been having with Nords. Newest members stay in the Hall of Countenance, where students may be working on spell-casting or experiments. Mirabelle then takes you to the Hall of the Elements.

She tells you that your teacher is likely to be Tolfdir, who is probably already addressing the new Apprentices. She encourages you to report any problems to a senior member before handing you off to Tolfdir.

• College of Winterhold: Bed

Find Tolfdir, who tells you that the lesson has just started. Mingle with the other students —Brelyna Maryon, J’Zargo, and Onmund—and heed Tolfdir’s advice, although a few of the apprentices are more keen on mage dueling than on hearing a verbal lesson. Tolfdir advises them against impulsive behavior and seeks your thoughts. You may answer with an unsure, practical, or safety-based response. Soon enough, Tolfdir agrees to a practical lesson in the art of Wards.

Wards are protective spells that block magic. Tolfdir has made sure no one within the Hall of the Elements will be hurt and then turns to you and asks if you know a Ward spell. You can answer with one of these options:

• You don’t have a Ward spell; Tolfdir immediately teaches you Lesser Ward.
• You have a Ward spell but don’t know how to use it. Tolfdir then explains how they work.
• You have a Ward spell and know how to use it. Tolfdir begins a practical demonstration, which eventually happens no matter which answer you choose.
• Spell: Lesser Ward

Select a Ward spell from your list and activate it. Tolfdir throws a fire-based spell at you, which you absorb. Once you complete this, Tolfdir seems more confident in the newcomers’ abilities and says that he will be leaving soon and taking the Apprentices to Saathal, a Draugr tomb and the site of an ongoing excavation by the College of Winterhold. He expects you to meet him there in a few hours. The lesson now ends.

Quest Conclusion

You are now a member of the College and are free to roam the College of Winterhold.

Postquest Activities

The College of Winterhold Quests: Under Saarthal begins immediately. You can also begin to complete Faction Radiant Quests for the College’s many mages.