“In My Time of Need” is one of Skyrim‘s most morally complex side quests, and it’s easy to stumble through it without understanding the full weight of your choices. You’ll encounter two factions with legitimate grievances, a woman caught in a dangerous conflict, and a decision that genuinely matters, no matter which path you choose, someone’s getting betrayed. This guide breaks down everything you need to know: exact locations, enemy placements, the best strategies for the combat encounter, and what happens after you make your call. Whether you’re a first-time player trying to figure out what’s actually going on or a veteran optimizing your playthrough, we’ll walk you through every decision point and consequence so you can finish this quest without regrets.
Key Takeaways
- In My Time of Need is a morally complex Skyrim side quest where you must choose between protecting a Redguard refugee or delivering her to face justice, with both choices offering equally valid narrative outcomes.
- The quest begins in Whiterun’s Drunken Huntsman tavern when Alik’r Warriors confront you, and you’ll need to investigate both sides’ claims before committing to either Saadia or Kematu.
- Combat encounters are manageable with proper preparation and weapon selection—archery, summoned allies, and crowd-control spells trivialize the fight if you plan strategically.
- Both paths reward identical gold (1,000), but your choice determines long-term consequences: siding with Saadia leaves the Alik’r hostile, while siding with Kematu permanently removes Saadia from the game.
- Unlike most quests, In My Time of Need respects player agency by refusing to label either choice as objectively ‘correct,’ making it one of Skyrim’s most engaging side quests that truly reflects your character’s values.
What Is the In My Time of Need Quest?
Quest Overview and Requirements
In My Time of Need is a Skyrim side quest that kicks off in Whiterun when you encounter a group of Alik’r Warriors searching for someone. The quest involves a hidden conflict between the Redguard refugee Saadia and the Alik’r organization, putting you square in the middle of a dispute with no clean solution. It’s a genuine moral dilemma, both sides have legitimate reasons to fear the other, and choosing wrong has real consequences.
The quest triggers once you’re level 5 or higher, and you don’t need any special perks or skills to complete it, though having decent combat stats helps during the final encounter. It’s available on all platforms (PC, PS5, Xbox, Nintendo Switch) and works identically across Skyrim‘s Special Edition and Anniversary Edition. The quest markers guide you, but the actual stakes aren’t spelled out, you’ll need to gather intel yourself to understand what’s truly happening.
This isn’t a kill-everyone-and-take-the-loot situation. The quest explicitly rewards one faction, and your choice determines not just your reward but also which NPC potentially becomes hostile to you going forward. That makes it one of the more impactful side quests in the game, even though being buried in the “radiant quest” system alongside dozens of forgettable dungeon crawls.
How to Start the Quest
Meeting Saadia in the Drunken Huntsman
The quest typically begins when you’re walking around Whiterun and get stopped by Alik’r Warriors. They’ll demand you help locate a woman, claiming she’s a thief or criminal. The moment they confront you, you can either attack them (which is messy and illegal) or engage them in dialogue. Talking is always smarter, you’ll learn they’re hunting someone without immediately making enemies.
If you don’t encounter them naturally, head to The Drunken Huntsman tavern in Whiterun’s industrial district (near the Skyforge). This is where Saadia hides. Sit at the bar or search the tavern and she’ll eventually approach you, especially if you’ve already talked to the Alik’r Warriors. She’ll ask you to help her, revealing that the Alik’r are after her for a reason she won’t fully explain at first. She’s genuinely terrified, which adds weight to the encounter, this isn’t just quest flavor.
Tracking Down Kematu’s Camp
Once Saadia recruits you, she’ll ask you to find the Alik’r Warriors’ camp and stop them from hunting her. She claims they’re assassins, but she’s vague about why they want her dead. She’ll direct you toward their location but won’t escort you there, you’re on your own for the dangerous part.
The camp is located northeast of Whiterun, in a bandit hideout called Swindler’s Den. The journey isn’t trivial: you’ll fight through several bandits and creatures along the way depending on your level. Mark the location on your map and prepare before heading out. The camp has multiple entrances and passages, so rushing in unprepared gets you killed fast. This is where your early preparation actually matters, decide on your weapon loadout and whether you’re going in stealthy or loud.
The Quest Objectives Explained
Finding the Redguard Woman in Whiterun
Your initial objective points you toward finding a Redguard woman in Whiterun who’s being hunted. This sounds straightforward, but there’s actually a specific location where the quest wants you to find her: The Drunken Huntsman. You can stumble into this tavern by exploring Whiterun’s market district, or follow the quest marker directly. Saadia typically stays near the bar, making her hard to miss if you know where to look.
The twist is that she won’t reveal her full situation immediately. You’ll get fragments of her story, something about the Alik’r, a past in Hammerfell, vague threats, but not the complete picture. This is intentional. The game is letting you gather your own evidence before committing to a side.
Investigating the Alik’r Warriors
Once you understand the Alik’r are actively hunting in Skyrim, you have options for gathering information. You can confront them directly in Whiterun and demand answers, or you can follow them and observe. Talking to them reveals their version: Saadia is a traitor who caused the deaths of Redguard soldiers during a civil war in Hammerfell. They’re not wrong. If you dig deeper, especially if you spare Kematu during the final encounter and interrogate him, you’ll learn that Saadia betrayed her own people to the Thalmor, resulting in a massacre.
This is the moment the quest becomes genuinely difficult. Both factions have valid claims. The Alik’r aren’t lying about what Saadia did. She’s not lying about fearing them. The game is actually asking you to make a choice between justice and mercy, not between right and wrong.
Locating Kematu’s Camp
Kematu and his crew camp out in Swindler’s Den, a location you’ve probably seen before while exploring Skyrim’s wilderness. It’s northeast of Whiterun, marked by a wood structure and bandit activity. The camp has three main areas: the exterior (where guards patrol), a tent with Kematu, and interior passages leading deeper into the hideout.
The objective isn’t to clear the entire den, you’re specifically looking for Kematu to either kill him or talk to him. That distinction matters. If you go in swinging, you’ll kill him and complete Saadia’s objective. If you sneak or talk your way through, you can meet Kematu face-to-face and hear his side of the story, which changes whether you actually want to help Saadia or turn her over.
Two Paths: Saadia or Kematu Choice
Siding with Saadia
If you choose to help Saadia, your objective becomes killing Kematu. Head to Swindler’s Den and eliminate him. You can do this stealthily, Archery and Sneak make this trivial if you’re specced for it. Or you can go in loud, clear the camp, and kill Kematu directly. There’s no “right” combat approach: use whatever works for your build.
Once Kematu’s dead, return to Saadia. She’ll reward you with 1,000 gold and offer to “repay” you with a promise of future aid (which never actually manifests). The quest completes, and you’ve saved someone who’ll remain in Whiterun afterward. But, you’ve also allowed a woman who betrayed her own people during wartime to escape justice.
The long-term consequence: Kematu and any surviving Alik’r Warriors will become hostile if you encounter them again. This is a minor concern since they don’t respawn, but it means you can never hear their full story beyond what Kematu says if you talk to him before combat. Saadia stays safe in The Drunken Huntsman, occasionally greeting you like a friend, but that’s the extent of the relationship.
Siding with Kematu
Here’s where things get interesting. If you meet with Kematu directly, either by fighting through the camp or sneaking in and talking to him, you can negotiate. Kematu will explain the full situation: Saadia sold out Redguard positions during the war in Hammerfell, directly causing soldier deaths. He’s not exaggerating. This isn’t a he-said-she-said situation: gaming guides and walkthroughs from established sites confirm the lore checks out.
Chose this path, and Kematu proposes a deal: help him capture Saadia (alive), and he’ll take her back to Hammerfell to face Redguard justice. The combat objective changes, you’re now protecting Kematu while he fights, rather than killing him. This is actually more mechanically difficult because you need to keep him alive.
Return to Whiterun with Kematu, and confront Saadia at The Drunken Huntsman. You can either lure her outside or let the confrontation happen inside. Kematu will take her into custody. You’ll get your reward: 1,000 gold from Kematu (the same amount as Saadia, so financially neutral) plus the satisfaction of delivering a war criminal to face justice.
The consequence: Saadia becomes hostile if she escapes (which is rare but possible in some playthroughs), and you’ve technically betrayed someone who trusted you. But, you’ve also delivered someone responsible for deaths to face accountability. This is the “harder” choice morally, but it’s the more legally sound one.
Combat Tips and Strategies
Best Weapons and Spells for the Fight
The Alik’r Warriors aren’t high-difficulty encounters, but they’re competent fighters. They use steel and scimitars, with decent two-handed weapon proficiency. Your weapon choice depends on your build. If you’re running Melee Combat, one-handed weapons with a shield give you survivability, while two-handed weapons give you raw damage output. A Greatsword or Battle Axe lets you trade hits and still come out ahead.
For Magic-focused characters, Conjuration spells to summon allies are absurdly effective. Cast Atronach or Dremora Lord before combat, and you’ve essentially created a damage sponge that can tank hits while you cast damage spells from range. Destruction magic (especially Lightning spells for crowd control) works if you have decent spell penetration and magicka.
Archery trivializes this fight. Sneak into the camp, use Sneak attacks for 2x or 3x damage, and Alik’r Warriors will struggle to respond before you’ve dropped them to half health. If you have access to Poison (especially paralyze or lingering damage health poisons), apply it to your arrows for added control.
Gear matters. Heavy armor with high physical defense lets you tank hits from their scimitars. Light armor builds should prioritize Evasion and movement. If you’re underpowered, drink Fortify Health potions before combat and carry Healing potions in your quickslots.
Handling Multiple Enemies
Swindler’s Den has several Alik’r Warriors scattered throughout. If you charge in, you’ll likely face 2-3 simultaneously. This is manageable but requires positioning. Use the terrain, camp structures, trees, rocks, to break line of sight and force enemies to approach one at a time. Don’t cluster your summons or allies: spread them out so enemies can’t hit multiple targets with area attacks.
Alternatively, use Crowd Control. Spells like Unrelenting Force (Unarmored Fus Ro Dah shout) knock enemies down, giving you free hits. Paralyze magic freezes enemies in place. Fear spells make them run away temporarily. These aren’t flashy but they win fights against groups.
Kematu is the only “boss”, he’s the strongest Alik’r Warrior, hitting harder and lasting longer. Focus your best attacks on him once you’ve dealt with or avoided his subordinates. If you’re siding with Kematu, do not attack him, stand back and let him fight other Alik’r, then talk to him once combat subsides.
If you’re severely underleveled (below level 15), stock up on potions, consider using invisibility potions or sneak attacks, and don’t hesitate to run away and level up before returning. The quest doesn’t expire, and there’s no shame in coming back stronger.
Rewards and Consequences
Quest Completion Rewards
Both paths award 1,000 gold, making the financial outcome identical regardless of your choice. Neither Saadia nor Kematu offer additional items, special weapons, or unique gear, just gold. This is intentional design: the reward system doesn’t push you toward one choice over the other. If you want more from this quest, you’re not getting it beyond the cash.
The real reward is closure. You resolve a conflict, save someone (or deliver justice), and move forward. You also gain experience from the combat encounter and potentially the Sneak or Pickpocket experience if you infiltrate the camp stealthily. It’s not a game-changing reward, which makes the choice purely about what feels right to you, not what’s mechanically optimal.
Some players run this quest multiple times across different save files specifically to see both outcomes. That’s valid, the divergence is substantial enough that experiencing both paths gives you the full picture of the narrative.
Long-Term Consequences of Your Choice
Choosing Saadia means the Alik’r Warriors never become allies. You can never join them, never recruit them for anything. They remain hostile if encountered again, though they don’t respawn in fixed locations (you might encounter their patrols in the world randomly). Saadia becomes a recurring NPC in Whiterun, living freely while a war crime goes unpunished.
Choosing Kematu has subtler consequences. Saadia is removed from the game permanently, she’s taken to Hammerfell to face justice. You won’t see her again unless you reverse the quest through console commands (PC only). But, you’ve made a harder moral choice that’s arguably more just. Some players view this as the “good” ending, though Skyrim’s morality system deliberately avoids labeling either choice as objectively correct.
If you care about role-playing and building a character philosophy, consider which choice aligns with your Dragonborn’s values. A honor-focused warrior might side with Kematu. A mercy-focused mage might side with Saadia. This is one of Skyrim’s most engaging side quests precisely because it respects player agency and doesn’t hand you a “correct” answer.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Tips for First-Time Players
The biggest mistake new players make is attacking the Alik’r Warriors on sight without understanding what they want. This breaks the quest and makes them all hostile, forcing you into unwanted combat and locking you out of the Kematu dialogue option. If you encounter them early and panic, reload or accept that you’ll be forced down the “kill everyone” route.
Second mistake: trusting Saadia implicitly without investigating. She’s scared and sympathetic, which makes you want to help her immediately. But she’s also lying by omission, she never mentions the war crimes, the deaths, or why the Alik’r actually want her. Take time to explore the situation, talk to both sides, and make an informed choice. Resources like guides from major gaming outlets confirm that Saadia is factually guilty of the betrayal Kematu describes.
Third: going to Swindler’s Den massively unprepared. Some players walk in at level 5 with a dagger and wonder why they’re getting destroyed. The Alik’r Warriors aren’t trash enemies: they’re competent fighters. Ensure you have decent gear, healing supplies, and a clear combat strategy before engaging.
Fourth: not reading/understanding what Kematu actually says. If you side with him, listen to his dialogue carefully. He explains the context and his position clearly. Many players skip his dialogue and later claim the quest is “broken” or “unfair” when it’s simply asking you to pay attention.
Advanced Strategies for Experienced Gamers
For veterans, the real challenge is completing this quest in interesting ways. Pure stealth completion: Sneak through Swindler’s Den entirely, pickpocket or sneak-kill every Alik’r, speak to Kematu without drawing weapons. This is doable with high Sneak and decent gear, and it’s dramatically more satisfying than combat-rushing.
Pacifist run: Avoid killing anyone. Use Fury spells to make Alik’r Warriors fight each other, or use Mayhem to create chaos, then slip past and complete objectives through dialogue alone. Some players argue this is impossible, but with the right spell selection and positioning, it’s feasible.
Unarmed-only challenge: Complete the entire encounter using only unarmed attacks. This requires high Unarmed skill, Fortify Unarmed potions, and possibly summoned allies to tank damage. It’s not optimal, but it’s a valid self-imposed challenge.
Double-agent approach: Tell both Saadia and Kematu what they want to hear, then decide at the last moment which side to actually betray. Mechanically, the quest forces you to choose, but narratively you can role-play as someone manipulating both sides until the final confrontation.
Experienced players should also note: if you’re running modded Skyrim (even on console with Anniversary Edition content), some mods alter this quest’s dialogue, outcomes, or NPC behavior. Always check your load order if something feels off. The vanilla quest works consistently across all platforms and editions, but mods can introduce unpredictable variables.
Conclusion
In My Time of Need exemplifies what makes Skyrim’s side-quest design compelling when done right. It’s not a power fantasy where you’re obviously the hero: it’s a moral crossroads where both choices have weight, where information gathering actually matters, and where your decision reflects your character’s values rather than a predetermined “good” path.
Whether you protect Saadia or deliver her to Kematu, you’re making an active choice with real narrative consequences. The quest rewards you equally regardless of path, trusting you to decide what matters, not to follow a moral compass the game imposes. That’s rare in gaming, and it’s worth experiencing both ways across different playthroughs.
Combat-wise, the encounter is straightforward if you prepare adequately. Loot the camp, grab what you need, and move forward. Story-wise, take your time. Read the dialogue, consider the implications, and commit to whatever choice aligns with your Dragonborn’s character. That’s where the real satisfaction comes from, not from optimizing stats or loot, but from making a choice you can defend when the credits roll.
<h2 id="” data-id=””>Ultimate Skyrim Guide
As you progress through In My Time of Need, you might want to understand how this quest fits into your broader Skyrim journey. The Ultimate Skyrim Guide offers comprehensive strategies for handling every major quest, side mission, and decision point. Whether you’re building a specific character or just trying to get the most out of your playthrough, that resource provides the context you need to maximize your experience.
