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Elder Scrolls

For the location, see Throat of the World.
"Only those whose Voice is strong can find the path. Come. We will teach you a Shout to open the way to Paarthurnax."
Arngeir[src]

The Throat of the World is a quest available in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. During this quest the Greybeards teach the Dragonborn all three words of the Clear Skies shout, Lok (Sky), Vah (Spring), and Koor (Summer) in order to reach the summit of the mountain. The Dragonborn also learns a word of the Fire Breath Shout (the exact word depends on the words already known).

Background[]

With Esbern's help, I've deciphered Alduin's Wall in Sky Haven Temple. It revealed that Alduin was defeated in ancient times by a Shout of some kind. Maybe the Greybeards can teach me this Shout, or at least tell me how I can learn it.

Objectives[]

  1. Talk to Arngeir
  2. Learn the "Clear Skies" Shout
  3. Use the "Clear Skies" Shout
  4. Talk to Paarthurnax
  5. Learn the Word of Power from Paarthurnax
  6. Talk to Paarthurnax

Walkthrough[]

Find Arngeir in High Hrothgar and speak to him about defeating Alduin. He will become angry that the Blades are involved and if the incorrect dialogue option is chosen he will refuse to help. At this point Einarth will speak in a voice that echoes around the building:

"Arngeir, Rok los Dovahkiin, Strundu'ul. Rok fen tinvaak Paarthurnax." (This translates to: He is Dragonborn, Stormcrown. He will speak [with] Paarthurnax.")

Arngeir will apologize and mention Einarth reminded him of his duty. He will teach the Clear Skies Shout. From the courtyard, follow the path up the steps. The path will continue into some bad weather; use the Clear Skies Shout to clear the mist and continue to the Throat of the World to meet Paarthurnax. There is a frost troll and some ice wraiths along the way.

Word Wall Throat of the World

The Word Wall at the Throat of the World

Before learning about Dragonrend, Paarthurnax will offer to teach a word of the Fire Breath Shout. Paarthurnax will use the Fire Breath Shout at the nearby Word Wall, allowing the Dragonborn to acquire a word of the Shout.

While speaking with Paarthurnax, it is learned that no dragon can use Dragonrend, because it was the first Thu'um made by mortals and the concept of mortality is beyond their understanding. According to Arngeir, the Shout was made entirely with hatred for dragons - by those who suffered the slavery of Alduin. Learning the word would mean taking part in the hatred that created them as well.

In addition, Paarthurnax allows the Dragonborn to Meditate on the Words of Power, adding bonus effects to Shouts and the Dragonborn.

Paarthurnax reveals that Alduin was first defeated using the Dragonrend Shout, but not without the aid of an Elder Scroll. After Dragonrend was used, the Elder Scroll was used on Alduin to cast him on to the tides of time. However, Alduin was simply sent forward. Since that day, Paarthurnax has remained at the point where time was shattered. He stayed there, waiting thousands of years for Alduin to appear once more.

From here the next task is to find an Elder Scroll, though Paarthurnax does not know where it may be. He suggests talking to either Arngeir or Esbern, both of whom will direct the Dragonborn to the College of Winterhold.

Journal[]

The Throat of the World – MQ204
ID Journal Entry
10

With Esbern's help, I've deciphered Alduin's Wall in Sky Haven Temple. It revealed that Alduin was defeated in ancient times by a Shout of some kind. Maybe the Greybeards can teach me this Shout, or at least tell me how I can learn it.

  • Objective 10: Talk to Arngeir
60

With Esbern's help, I've deciphered Alduin's Wall in Sky Haven Temple. It revealed that Alduin was defeated in ancient times by a Shout of some kind. Arngeir knew the name of the Shout, "Dragonrend", but could not teach it to me. However, he has agreed to show me the way to reach Paarthurnax, the Greybeards' leader, who lives at the top of the Throat of the World. Arngeir says that Paarthurnax is the only one who may know this Dragonrend Shout.

70
  • Objective 20: Learn the "Clear Skies" Shout
83
  • Objective 25: Use the "Clear Skies" Shout to open the path
90
  • Objective 30: Talk to Paarthurnax
100

With Esbern's help, I've deciphered Alduin's Wall in Sky Haven Temple. It revealed that Alduin was defeated in ancient times by a Shout of some kind. Arngeir sent me to talk to Paarthurnax, who he said was the only one who might know this Dragonrend Shout. It turns out that Paarthurnax is actually a dragon.

120
  • Objective 40: Learn the Word of Power from Paarthurnax
135
  • Objective 50: Use your "Fire Breath" Shout on Paarthurnax
140
  • Objective 60: Talk to Paarthurnax
200

With Esbern's help, I've deciphered Alduin's Wall in Sky Haven Temple. It revealed that Alduin was defeated in ancient times by a Shout of some kind. Arngeir sent me to talk to Paarthurnax, the Greybeards' leader, who turned out to be a dragon. Paarthurnax didn't know the Dragonrend Shout, but believes that there's a way for me to learn it from the ancient heroes who used it against Alduin.

  • Quest complete

Trivia[]

  • The quest is named after the Throat of the World, the tallest mountain in Tamriel and also the quest's setting.
  • The last of the dragon burial sites marked by the Map of Dragon Burials will be opened after this quest and Alduin can be seen resurrecting Viinturuth, if properly timed.
  • It is possible to reach the peak of the mountain by climbing around the storms blocking the path, use of a horse on the slope to the right of the main doors into High Hrothgar is the easiest way up the mountain. Paarthurnax will not be present if this method is used to circumvent the quest unlocking the mountaintop.
  • There are Ebony Ore, Silver Ore, Orichalcum Ore and Malachite Ore veins to mine near the top of the mountain.
  • A dragon skeleton may be seen half-buried in the snow on the path to the peak, presumably killed during the battle between Alduin's dragon army and the Ancient Nordic Heroes that took place here at the end of the Merethic Era, when Alduin was banished from Mundus.
  • The Notched Pickaxe is also found at the previously mentioned Ebony Ore vein.
  • Paarthurnax will call the Dragonborn "elf" if the Dragonborn is one of the elven races, "orc" if the player is an Orc, "Argonian" if the player is Argonian, "Khajiit" if the player is Khajiit, or "mortal" for the other races when the Dragonborn greets him with Fire Breath.
  • After being taught the first word of Fire Breath, if a dragon soul is spent on unlocking it instead of receiving Paarthurnax's knowledge of the word, the second word will be taught and unlocked.

Bugs[]

This section contains bugs related to The Throat of the World. Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:

  1. Please reload an old save to confirm if the bug is still happening.
  2. If the bug is still occurring, please post the bug report with the appropriate system template  360  /  XB1  ,  PS3  /  PS4  ,  PC  /  MAC  ,  NX  /  PS5  ,  XS  , depending on which platform(s) the bug has been encountered on.
  3. Be descriptive when listing the bug and fixes, but avoid having conversations in the description and/or using first-person anecdotes: such discussions belong on the appropriate forum board.
Click to show
  • Sometimes, one can not learn the second Clear Skies word because it just disappears. The marker remains over the second word indefinitely. The quest will not be able to be completed from this point.
    • This may be caused by not following Arngeir outside immediately, or by entering conversation with him a second time before going to the courtyard.
    •  360   Solution: Reload a save from before entering High Hrothgar to speak to Arngeir. (Reloading a save from within the courtyard after speaking with Arngeir does not seem to fix the problem.)
    •  360   Solution: Follow Arngeir outside immediately after speaking with him, and watch him whisper the words onto the ground in frame to ensure all words stay lit.
  • If a companion were to stand between Paarthurnax and the Word Wall while he uses Fire Breath on the Word Wall the companion will attack Paarthurnax. Upon death he does not burn away and you do not absorb his soul and the mission cannot progress. Have the companion(s) wait before approaching the surrounding area of the Word Wall.
  • The Word of Power occasionally does not appear when Paarthurnax uses it on the wall.
  • When gaining the Clear Skies Shout and trying to use it, it says "more dragon souls needed". Fast travel somewhere else and it should be working.
  •  360   Sometimes after learning two of the words to Clear Sky, the third will be visible but not be able to be learned. This bug will not interfere with completing the quest, use rank one or two to continue forth. Can be fixed by reloading an earlier save point.
  •  360   Sometimes, when Dragonborn already knows the first two words to Fire Breath and has them unlocked with dragon souls, as Paarthurnax attempts to teach the third word of the Shout, the word will not appear. Using Fire Breath on Paarthurnax will proceed to the next part of the quest, but unfortunately, rendering one incapable of learning the third word to Fire Breath.
  • The objective "Talk to Arngeir" may be impossible to complete due to Arngeir being stuck outside and refusing to move unless being attacked. When spoken to he only says "Come inside, the others will meet us there". If this happens, try to walk towards the gate until it opens, and the others should start heading inside, letting you carry on.
  • After unlocking the Clear Skies Shout and reaching the Throat of the World, Paarthurnax refuses to land or does not appear to be at the scene.
  •  XB1   After speaking to Arngeir about the Dragonrend Shout, he may not exit the temple at all, therefore halting progression in the main questline.

Appearances[]

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