Early in the game, after you are named Dragonborn by the Whiterun guards, a courier gives you a letter from a mysterious stranger. The letter tells of a secret power hidden in the mountains, a Word Wall. However, the signature is only from, "A Friend." <-- I think.

Is it ever explained who this "Friend" is?

Those letters are random. You often get them after you use a shout in a public place. And no, it's never said who that "friend" is. It can be assumed it was someone who saw you use the shout, though.

That would also explain the random encountered DB assassins.

sheogorath

I don't know about the random assassins, but the letter from a friend can be tested. Go into the city and use a shout. Any shout. Perferably one that doesn't get people mad at you. Then give it a couple of in-game days. You'll get a letter. The letters often say where they saw you use the shout, too.

I always assumed it was Delphine...

No real reason, just seemed after finding that note she left that she would be the sort to send anonymous letters to people using shouts.

Wait till you do some of the quests in the Thalmor area. One of my characters has been jumped on twice by 3-men Thalmor assassination teams in the past two days. it's easier to kill the single DB assassin. Oh, and when you kill the Thalmor assassins, you find an interesting note on one of their bodies explaining the why, etc., and a warning to be careful because your character knows how to take care of itself. And she did, both times lol. Made some high-ranking people mad doing one chain quest there, I guess.

Lots of fun.

PS: The only thing that is rather odd, I think, is that you are being hunted by the DB assassins, and they have a note signed by Astrid (sp??) saying not to screw it up; yet you have no problems joining the DB with an active kill contract on your character.

My guess is that the friend is really the Emperor of Tamriel.

Just a lame way of guiding the player towards the word walls. It gets old really fast. And it's stupid.
I'm grumpy. And drunk.

In reality its just one of three options :

1. Shout in town, get letter.

2. Talk to Greybeards.

3. Explore

So much for options I guess.

are you talking about the main quest where you crash the thalmor ambassadors party while searching for info on the dragons? cause just recently did that and had none of those dirty little elves hunt me down (not yet anyway). I also know that that after that main quest random dialog will come out about that quest.

as for the letters, have no idea cause the main thing in the letters says that something along the lines of "wanting the dragonborn's power grow" so could be anyone. Someone with the empire, caus eof the septium blood in you, or someone with the stormcloaks cause the dragonborn comes from Nordic ancestors. Since the greybeards already give you out similar quest it could be them, or that dragon at the throat of the world Paarthurnaux trying to help you( or however you spell it ), other ancient dragons that appose aludin's conquest (there was more than one), Bosomer not getting along with the Altimer/Aldmier dominion.

Personally I think it could be the Nerevarine (Hero of elder scrolls 3 Morrowind) coming back from Akavir trying to recruit the dragonborn to retake Morrowind from the Argonian's. Or thats at the top of my list anyway, would make for an awsome expansion anyway.

I dunno, some `friends` have turned out to be actual people.

Like the invitation to a new museum that opened up. There are a few others.

I'd think so too except the Courier says "He told me to give you this"

The first time I got attacked by the Dark Brotherhood was kinda freaky. I wasnt expecting it at all. I was walking south of Solitude minding my own business and BAM! She came out of nowhere. I had an easier time taking care of the assassin and the three thugs that come before that. When I got the letter the first time I thought it was from the Jarl of Windhelm.

Well to be fair, she's pretty butch man. Easy mistake.

Probably a Grebeard since I once got one wherein my friend saw my shouting at the town of High Hrothgar... that was pretty stupid when I got that letter -.-

It's me, your welcome.

Seriously though, nope its just a random letter, probably Delphine I guess...

I just thought it was one of the Greybeards and that the "a friend" part was glitched and didn't progress with the story.

I assumed it was , as it relates to the Main Quest.

Yeah I'd say it's the person in the spoiler tag in the post above this post. Why? That person wants to keep that persons identidity a secret and can't write that persons real name. So instead uses a friend. (even when the player character knows this person, someone else might read the letter. The only way to make sure that persons identity remains a secret is to write a friend)

No, it starts by you witnessing a killing in the city, and it ends with you meeting the king of the Forsworn.

I know that's kind of vague but I don't want to get into spoilers.

I think those are letters from Uriel Septim VII , he send them like 210 years ago, cause he already knew what was gonna happen I really miss that guy^^

The "friend" who witnesses you shouting is sort of like the person you may have never met who somehow knows you stole from them, and sends hired thugs after you. You could shout in a cleared cave with no one around but the insects, and get a letter from a friend shortly thereafter.

Maybe a butterfly sent it.

Double post