The Fallen

This quest starts immediately after the quest "Alduin's Bane" is complete. However, if the Civil War quest line is incomplete or not started, it will be put on hold shortly after it starts for "Season Unending" to commence.

Background
''After I defeated Alduin at the top of the Throat of the World, he fled from me. One of his dragon allies may be able to tell me where he's gone. With the help of the Jarl of Whiterun, I've trapped Odahviing in Dragonsreach. Odahviing revealed that Alduin's lair is located in the ancient temple of Skuldafn, which is only accessible by air. Odahviing has offered to take me there, in return for his freedom.''

Objectives

 * Learn shout to call Odahviing
 * Prepare the trap
 * Call Odahviing to Dragonsreach
 * Defeat and trap Odahviing
 * Interrogate Odahviing

Walkthrough
After Alduin escapes from the Throat of the World at the end of the previous quest, the Dragonborn will need to track him down in order to defeat him once and for all. The Dragonborn can speak to Paarthurnax, Arngeir, or Esbern to learn that the best way to do this is to trap one of Alduin's dragon allies at Dragonsreach in Whiterun and interrogate him for information.

If the Civil War questline has been completed on either side, the Dragonborn can then speak to the Jarl of Whiterun to get his assistance in preparing the trap.

If not, the Jarl will decline to help while the war is still ongoing; this will start the "Season Unending" quest, in which a peace treaty must be negotiated at High Hrothgar between the Imperials and the Stormcloaks to put the Civil War on hold first. If, however, the Dragonborn had killed Paarthurnax by this point in a quest for the Blades, then the truce cannot be called because Arngeir will refuse to help with the negotiations. In this case the only way to continue the quest is to bring about peace by completing the Civil War questline before the Jarl will agree to provide assistance.

Once the Jarl of Whiterun has agreed to help, the Dragonborn will learn from Esbern or Paarthurnax (if the Dragonborn had not killed him) that the names of all dragons are actually Words of Power, and that Dragon Shouts can be used to call them. The Dragonborn will then receive the Call Dragon shout which will be used to lure Odahviing into the trap at Dragonsreach.

The trap can now be launched by traveling to Dragonsreach and speaking with Jarl Balgruuf or, if the Battle for Whiterun was completed in favor of the Stormcloaks, Jarl Vignar Grey-Mane. Exiting through the doors behind the throne room to the Great Porch (which Esbern incorrectly calls the "Courtyard") allows Odahviing to be called and trapped, using first the Call Dragon shout to lure him out, and then Dragonrend to force him down from the sky. Note that it may be helpful to go up on the small balcony to the right and use the Call Dragon shout from there; the shout button must be held down long enough for all three words of the shout to be completed in order to make Odahviing show up.

Since Odahviing cannot be killed, there is no point to trying to fight him or trying to drain his power. Instead, he can be immediately lured into the enclosed area, and the trap will come down on his neck and hold him in place. He will then speak to the Dragonborn, and offer to take them to Alduin's lair at Skuldafn in exchange for his freedom.

Note: If followers or NPCs insist on tanking Odahviing and keeping far away from the trap, attack him until he is "KO'd" and then retreat to the doors. When Odahviing's HP is restored (since he is not killable at this point), he should attempt to follow the Dragonborn and get trapped.

At this point, Farengar may come in and start running tests on Odahviing, with amusing results.

When choosing to free Odahviing, a guard on the second floor will help release the trap. Speaking with Odahviing again will allow him to carry the Dragonborn to Skuldafn, which immediately starts the next quest.

Trivia

 * When the Whiterun Guard (or Stormcloak Soldier, if the city was won for the Stormcloaks in the Civil War questline) is killed and thrown off the building by Odahviing, their body can still be looted by going to their last standing position.
 * Once the Call Dragon shout has been used to call Odahviing to Dragonsreach, there is no cooldown time, so Dragonrend can be used to bring Odahviing down immediately.

Bugs
Der Gefallene El Caído Il Caduto Падший