***Some possible spoilers below***


I am planning to use Helgen (the destroyed Helgen) as my base of operations in the early game, for fun, before buying any houses.

How many days have to pass before the dead bodies disappear (bodies including the ones I killed in Helgen Keep)

If I return soon enough, will I be able to loot them all?

ALSO, How long does it take before the bandits appear?

Do they appear instantly, or does it take a while?

Last of all, Am I interfering with any quests at all by returning?

I know there is a group of bandits and a bandit leader who drops a leveled weapon when killed.

Does that have anything to do with any quests?

Basically, I just dont want to return back there if I am goin gto trigger any quests, or interfere with any by killing the bandits.

A nice run-down on returning to Helgen would be appreciated.

I'd think storage would be your real problem. Later bandits move into Helgen.

Could you be more specific?

Also, the wiki confirms that all the storage in Helgen (exterior Helgen ruined Inn) are safe and do not respawn.

As far as I know, the burnt corpses are permanent.

Yes, they are lootable.

Usually a couple days before bandits get settled in.

No, as far as I know, no quests are tied to Helgen.

I try to shy away from killing bandit bosses with leveled weapons. Mostly because when I have in the past, they have been involved in some quest, and when I killed them too early, I couldn't get the quest to start.

however I really want to get back to helgen right away and use the inn as my free home.

I am just needing some detailed information and advice on the right timing for this.

I used Drelas's cottage to dump my things before I got a house. He never respawns and no enemies spawn in that house. I'm unsure of his containers, so I just dump and organize my things in piles on the floor. Very simple. It's where I stored over 180 bottles of Honneybrew Mead

Looking at the wiki doesn't show any handplaced quests being associated with Helgen other than the intro, so you should be fine there. I suppose there's always a chance that some Radiant Story quest could point you there, but I'm sure that's pretty unlikely. You'd have to wait for the CK to come out before anyone can know for sure.

A bigger problem would be the fact that there are no usable beds in Helgen. All of them are fake beds, except the double bed on the bottom floor of the inn, which is marked as owned.

Also, I think the bandits respawn after a certain amount of time, like most enemies, so you'd have to worry about that as well.

Taken from: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Houses#Free_Shacks


Helgen Inn: The ruined inn in Helgen features a wardrobe and an end table that can be used for storage, both of which do not reset. The inn also features a perfectly preserved and functional bed. This makes for a very useful shelter at the beginning of the game, however the fort may spawn bandits if not visited for some time.

............it says here that the bed is usable.

As for the Bandits, am I being warned because bandits can/will loot my containers?

Bandits won't loot your containers.

Sounds like a fun plan. Im giving it a go.

If that's accurate, and if the bandits respawn only rarely, then this would be a sweet idea.

Both times I've been back there that bed has been marked as owned. I went back while the place was still on fire, too, and then once much later on.

If I'm not mistaken, don't areas only respawn if not visited for a certain amount of time? So if u keep visiting to dump off your loot and whatnot it should stay clear.