Some quests in Skyrim offer players a choice, which usually determines the result of the questline at the end. Whiterun is one of the first major places a player goes in Skyrim, and it's home to a decent amount of quests that ask the player to do more than simply "go here and kill this guy".
The quest "In My Time Of Need" is one of these choice-driven quests whose outcome is entirely determined by the player's actions. Though the questline is rather extensive, and can be made even longer depending on the player's path, "In My Time Of Need" is a pretty easy quest to start, assuming one has made it out of Helgen.
Skyrim's First Choice-Driven Quest
Players need to choose between two very different paths when doing "In My Time Of Need". One sees the player side with the Redguard fugitive Saadia and help her mislead the Alik'r warriors hunting her down. The other path sees the player turn Saadia into the Alik'r warriors for her supposed betrayal in the faraway land of Hammerfell.
Both options give players the same reward of 500 gold even though their results couldn't be more different. It is possible to collect both rewards through a relatively complex process, though. Take Saadia to the Alik'r and wait until she is paralyzed by them. Then, take the Alik'r's reward and kill him. Saadia will come out of paralysis eventually, but will be hostile to the player. Use a variant of the Calm spell on her to temporarily be able to talk to her and collect the other 500 gold. She will remain hostile forever, but killing her doesn't incur a bounty.
How To Start In My Time Of Need
"In My Time of Need" can only be started after the quest "Dragon Rising" has started. This is the part of the main quest when the player is tasked with investigating an attack on a nearby watchtower with a troupe of Whiterun guards. The quest doesn't have to be completed, just begun.
Head to the entrance to Whiterun and either wait for a few hours in-game or re-load the city by exiting then re-entering the gate until two Redguards in Hammerfell garb appear right outside Warmaidens. Talk to these two Alik'r warriors to begin the quest. You can also find Saadia on the top floor of the Bannered Mare, who will initiate the quest as well.
The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition is available on PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, and Xbox One and Series X|S
