Maybe someone can answer this...

I want to go to Riften and join the Thieves Guild. But I read the level scaling (or lack thereof) in this game is designed so when you first encounter an enemy (is it type of enemy too or just that one in that spot?) and run away, that enemy will not level up any higher and you can come back and kill it later. I wouldn't want to run past a bunch of enemies on my way there and get them stuck at, say, level 20, if they're supposed to be 25 or 30 by the time I make my way out there. I don't want anything to be too easy, or cause enemies that could have awesome gear to not have it because I encountered them too early. Anyone know how it works?

Go to a major city's stables and find the carriage.

Pay 20 gold to go to Riften.

Profit.

Whoa. Thank you.

Regions do have level ranges, but when you leave, level and progress through the game, returning to lower level regions, will have newer, tougher mobs around your level, in addition to the low level mobs that were already there.