The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim is one of the most popular RPGs in modern times. Gamers were immersed into the medieval world where dragons existed among Man, Mer, and Beast. Though you start off with humble beginnings, it's revealed that you are not like the other residents of Skyrim.

As the Dragonborn, blood may flow through your veins, but you have the soul of a dragon. Your main quest is to learn more about being a Dragonborn and defeating the dragon who is prophesied to destroy the world, Alduin. Not only must you face dragons, but you'll also find that war is blazing between the Empire and Stormcloaks.

When you walk through towns and cities, you'll grab people's attention, for both positive and negative reasons. While most residents have little to say to you, many will request tasks. It's up to you whether or not to accept. Skyrim has several side quests to choose from, but not all of them have an impact on your main journey. Quests range from fetching an item or obtaining a stolen family heirloom. Every quest will grant you various rewards and power-ups, but some prizes may be worse than others.

We've compiled a list of some of the most time wasting side quests in Skyrim. If you're worried you might miss some valuable content, don't worry. We've spoiled these side quests for you. You'll be able to decide if the risk is worth the reward.

15 A Return To Your Roots

In almost every location of Skyrim, there is usually a book laying around. From The Lusty Argonian Maid to A Gentleman's Guide to Whiterun, some books are just for fun, and others have a purpose. Reading Sinderion's Field Journal will give you the quest "A Return To Your Roots." Though it sounds like a side quest to learn more about the Dragonborn, it's a simple item collecting quest. After getting the quest, the journal cannot be dropped until you finish the side quest. You must collect thirty Crimson Nirnroots in Blackreach. After finding them, you turn them into the alchemist Avrusa Sarethi at the Sarethi Farm. Your rewards are the book The Nirnoot Missive and Sinderion's Serendipity, an ability which grants you a 25% chance of creating a duplicate alchemy item. The low rate is unhelpful for alchemists and almost useless if your Dragonborn doesn't create potions.

14 Composure, Speed, And Precision

"Composure, Speed, and Precision" is an unmarked quest that only an archer would take an interest in. Speaking to Angi at her camp will give you the opportunity to learn Archery skills for free. The sidequest has four rounds of launching practice arrows at random targets. Like the title of the side quest, each round is based on composing your shot, shooting targets quickly, and hitting a target with precision. The fourth and final round combines all three prior rounds into a final match. The quest is known for having glitches, such as the quest not being available if a dragon attacks or accidentally firing a non-practice arrow. For all the rounds, you're only awarded six points into Archery and Angi's Bow, which is just a regular hunting bow with a fancier name.

13 The Bard Quest Line

You'll find bards in most inns scattered around Skyrim. If you speak to one in a major city, they'll bring up their experience in the Bards College in Solitude. Before you can become a Bard, you must complete "Tending the Flames." You may rightfully assume that you need musical training to become a Bard. Instead, you'll be collecting "Olaf's Verse" and watching the College Headmaster, Viarmo, perform it. After helping Viarmo, you'll become a Bard. The miscellaneous Bard quests do not grant you any actual music training, either. These three quests only have you finding Finn's Lute, Pantea's Flute, and Rjorn's Drum. The Bard's Quest line is completely optional and offers you a few skill points and no monetary reward.

12 A Night To Remember

Sam Guevenne can randomly be found in a tavern after you reach level 14. He challenges you to a drinking contest in "A Night to Remember." You wind up drinking too much and awaken in a trashed temple. You must then piece together the previous night's events. The Dragonborn stole a goat, and you must now retrieve it. That leads you to Whiterun, where you discover you may have drunkenly gotten married to someone in Fort Morvunskar. The fort is now inhabited by angry, hostile mages. After defeating them, you'll finally find Sam, only to discover his true identity is the Daedric prince Sanguine. He'll greet you again and present you with the Sanguine Rose, which is a magic staff in the shape of a rose. He will then transport you back to the tavern as if nothing happened. The entire event is just a time-wasting prank.

11 The Book Of Love

"The Book of Love" is a quest line that doesn't require you to draw a weapon. If you attempt to receive the Blessing of Mara at the Temple of Mara in Riften, you will be given three side quests from one of the priestesses, Dinya Balu. She asks you to go to Ivarstead to help Fastred. She is in love with Bassianus Axius, but her parents disapprove. Her parents think that Fastred will leave if she marries him, and hope that she will marry a local man instead. Next, you'll have to travel to help Calcelmo, who is in love with a local woman but doesn't know how to approach her. The last task will bring you to Gjukar's Monument, where two married spirits are trying to find each other. After reuniting them, you can finally receive the Blessing of Mara for +15% Resist Magic ability.

10 No Stone Unturned

"No Stone Unturned" will send you on a wild gem chase all around Skyrim. After finding an Unusual Gem, you can take it to Maul, a member of the Thieves Guild in Riften. He'll tell you to bring it to someone else in the guild. After letting Vex examine it, she will tell you the Unusual Gem is part of a set of 24 called the Stones of Barenziah. The stones will take some time to collect. After you've collected all of the stones, Vex will ask you to retrieve the Crown of Barenziah from Tolvald's Cave. The Dragonborn doesn't receive the crown for all of their efforts. The crown sits on a special stand in the Thieves Guild. You will only receive the ability Prowler's Profit, which increases your chances of finding multiple gems.

9 A Lovely Letter

Riverwood is the first village you encounter, but it's not without its issues. In "A Lovely Letter", you'll enter the love triangle with Faendal and Sven, two men in love with Camilla Valerius. Her feelings for either man are unknown. They both try to manipulate her with forged letters from the other man. You can choose to let one of the men win. Camilla will immediately hate the man whose name is signed on the forged letter. The winner of Camilla's heart will also have the man offer his services as a follower. Of course, you can refuse them both, pickpocket both forged letters, and Camilla will hate them both, and you can marry her instead. There is no real reward for the Dragonborn in this side quest. You can completely skip it and let Sven and Faendal figure it out themselves.

8 Blood On The Ice

Even with all of the guards in Windhelm, or the entirety of Skyrim, it feels like the Dragonborn often has to step in and solve the town's problems. "Blood on the Ice" contains several mini-quests. A serial killer has murdered three women. It is up to the Dragonborn to investigate the last dead body in the morgue. You must then read different journals around Windhelm to try and discover the identity of the murderer. You can accuse the Jarl's mage, Viola Giordano, who will be jailed. The real murderer turns out to be Calixto Corrium, owner of the House of Curiosities. You can kill him after he ambushes you. No matter which path you choose, your only reward is the Necromancer Amulet, which is not worth all the detective work.

7 Caught Red Handed

Haelga has a bad reputation in Riften. In "Caught Red Handed", her niece Svana tells the Dragonborn that Haelga has slept with multiple men in one month and also has evidence in her room to prove it. Her bedroom contains leather strips, a jar of honey, aphrodisiacs like the Falmer Blood Elixir, and both volumes of The Lusty Argonian Maid. Svana believes that her aunt needs to be punished. You are tasked with getting unique sapphires called the Mark of Dibella from the men Haelga has been intimate with. Once they're shown to Haelga, she will try to bribe you. Svana will be grateful for your help and award you with a random enchanted weapon or piece of armor. The entire quest revolved around making Haelga feel shamed for her activities. Luckily, this side quest can be completely avoided.

6 Forgotten Names

The "Forgotten Names" quest is another long item fetch quest in Skyrim's roster. In the depths of the College of Winterhold, you can uncover a Daedric Relic. Suspiciously near the Gauntlet, you'll find the Midden Incident Report which lists students who were killed near the Gauntlet. You will have to find the rings of Katarina, Treoy, Balwen, and Pithiken. Velehk Sain will then appear in front of the Dragonborn. You can either set him free and receive a treasure map or refuse and send him to Oblivion. Velehk Sain will become enraged and attack you. After the Dragonborn defeats Velehk Sain, they will only receive two Scimitar swords, Hammerfell clothing, boots, and a single Daedra Heart. All the effort and time it takes to fetch the items is mostly useless.

5 The Lover's Requital

Sibbi Black-Briar is currently in the Riften Jail for murder. In "The Lover's Requital", he will ask you to find his ex-lover Svidi, who is currently going by the alias Lynly Star-Sung. After speaking to her, you'll discover that it was Sibbi who was in the wrong. They were betrothed, but he was cheating on her. She told her brother, and he confronted Sibbi. The two men fought, and Sibbi murdered her brother. Svidi turned Sibbi into the authorities and went into hiding. You can tell him about Svidi's location and get a key to his chest at the Black-Briar Meadery, or just pickpocket it from him. Either way, Sibbi stays in jail, and you can get access to his treasure with or without helping him.

4 The Mind Of Madness

In Solitude, Dervenin asks the Dragonborn to help his master Sheogorath return home. You have to travel to the Pelagius Wing of the Blue Palace and be transported into Pelagius' "Mind of Madness". You will lose all your inventory items and can only equip a Fine Hat and Fine Clothing. Sheogorath will tell the Dragonborn the only way to escape is to use the Wabbajack. This joke weapon shoots purple effects and doesn't seem very effective in battle. It has to be used to cure Pelagius' paranoia, night terrors, and anger issues. Pelagius will be able to love himself again but still despise other people. Sheogorath will allow you to keep the useless Wabbajack weapon and the Fine Clothing. This silly, time-wasting quest should be avoided.

3 Boethiah's Calling

"Boethiah's Calling" is available once you reach level 30 or read Boethiah's Proving. This optional side quest is completely useless unless you want to kill off one of your humanoid followers. Your followers are some of the most trusted aides to the Dragonborn, so it seems cruel to just sacrifice them to cultists. If you accept, you can watch in horror as your follower is trapped and killed to be used as a conduit to call Boethiah. Either way, you will have to kill all of Boethiah's cultists. As with most Daedric quests, "Boethiah's Calling" ends poorly for everyone. Your only reward will be the Ebony mail, which has a poison effect and apprentice-level illusion spell Muffle. Your sacrificed follower will remain dead and cannot be revived.

2 Forbidden Legends

"Forbidden Legends" is a lengthy quest that can be discovered after reading Lost Legends. You'll learn about the Gaulder legend, which will send you on a quest all around Skyrim. The Dragonborn will have to find three separate parts of the Gaulder Amulet in Saarthal, Folgunthur, and Geirmund's Hall. When the three fragments are uncovered, you will have to fight three ghosts: Mikrul, Sigdis, and Jyrik. These battles are long and have several annoying glitches, making the battle annoying quickly. After defeating the ghost, you still have to reforge the amulet. You'll receive a the Gaulder Amulet, which grants +30 to Health, Magicka, and Stamina. For the take it takes to collect the items and fight the bosses, it may be quicker to level up normally by fighting enemies found around Skyrim.

1 A Daedra's Best Friend

The Dragonborn may encounter an adorable dog named Barbas on their way to Falkreath and begin the quest "A Daedra's Best Friend". You find out Barbas can talk, and you follow him to Daedric Prince Clavicus Vile's shrine. You can also completely ignore the quest and just have Barbas travel with you as an essential, unkillable, follower. The Prince speaks through a giant statue. He won't accept Barbas back under his care until you bring him the Rueful Axe. After retrieving it, Clavicus Vile will give you a horrifying choice: kill the dog and keep the axe, or spare Barbas and receive the Masque of Clavicus Vile, which does little but improve a few points of speech and barter. The choice is difficult either way and feels like a waste of time.