Utilizadora:Psylocke/Sandbox A

This sandbox is currently being used to revamp Skyrim:Esbern.

Sandbox APredefinição:NPC Summary/Utilizador Header
Location	The Ratway, then Sky Haven Temple
Race	Elder	Gender	Male
Level	PC×0.75 (range=10-30)	Class	Conjurer
Other Information
Health	50+(PC-0.75)×6.2
Magicka	150+(PC-0.75)×5
Faction(s)	CrimeFactionRift; FavorExcludedFaction; TownRiftenFaction; WIAdditem03ExclusionFaction; all friends in here

Esbern

Esbern is an elderly conjurer, and chronicler and agent of the Blades who has survived the investigations of the Thalmor by hiding in Riften's Ratway. Long obsessed with the foretold return of the dragon Alduin, the World-Eater, Esbern serves as a mentor, guide, and advisor to the Dovahkiin.

In combat, Esbern relies on mainly destruction spells, and occasionally summons leveled atronachs.

Spells

Esbern knows the following spells:

• Alteration:
  • Stoneflesh
• Conjuration:
  • Conjure Flame Atronach
  • Conjure Frost Atronach
  • Conjure Storm Atronach
• Destruction:
  • Fireball
  • Firebolt
  • Flame Cloak
• Restoration:
  • Fast Healing
  • Steadfast Ward

Related Quests

• A Cornered Rat
• Alduin's Wall
• Season Unending
• Paarthurnax
• Dragon Hunting
• Dragon Research

Quest-Related Events

A Cornered Rat

"Just ask him where he was on the 30th of Frostfall. He'll know what it means." —Delphine

In this quest, Delphine tasks you to search for her old colleague, Esbern. According to her, Brynjolf of the Thieves Guild will provide you with the intel on his exact location—for a small favor.

After locating Esbern and successfully convincing him to leave the sewers, make your out way out of the Ratway and return to Delphine in the Sleeping Giant Inn. The current quest will end, which begins the next quest, Alduin's Wall.

Alduin's Wall

"..."

Reunion

When your conversation with Esbern ends, this quest will be triggered. You will have to navigate your way out of the Ratway and away from the clutches of the Thalmor, who are also present in the sewers. Once you and Esbern have successfully escaped, return to Riverwood and speak to Delphine in her secret basement at the Sleeping Giant Inn.

"It's been too long, old friend. Too long."

Esbern:	"Delphine! I... it's good to see you. It's been... a long time."
Delphine:	(to Esbern) "It's good to see you, too, Esbern. It's been too long, old friend. Too long. Well, then. You made it, safe and sound. Good. Come on, I have a place we can talk."
Delphine:	(to Orgnar) "Orgnar, hold down the bar for a minute, will you?"
Orgnar:	"Yeah, sure."

She will then lead the group to her basement, whispering, "This way." If you try to speak to her, she will say "Let's see what Esbern has to say." Once the whole group is below, she will start off a discussion regarding Alduin and the dragons:

Delphine:	"Now then. I assume you know about..."
Esbern:	"Oh yes! Dragonborn! Indeed, yes. This changes everything, of course. There's no time to lose. We must locate... let me show you. I know I had it here, somewhere... Give me... just a moment..."
Delphine:	"Esbern, what..."
Esbern:	"Ah! Here it is. Come, let me show you."

"You see, right here. Sky Haven Temple..."

Esbern, after searching through his inventory, will then take out a book named Annals of the Dragonguard, place it on the table, and continue his explanation about the dragons' return, as well as a bit of history:

Esbern:	"You see, right here. Sky Haven Temple, constructed around one of the main Akaviri military camps in the Reach, during their conquest of Skyrim."
Delphine:	(to you) "Do you know what he's talking about?"
Esbern:	"Shh! This is where they built Alduin's Wall, to set down in stone all their accumulated dragonlore. A hedge against the forgetfulness of centuries. A wise and foresighted policy, in the event. Despite the far-reaching fame of Alduin's Wall at the time - one of the wonders of the ancient world - its location was lost."
Delphine:	"Esbern. What are you getting at?"
Esbern:	"You mean... you don't mean to say you haven't heard of Alduin's Wall? Either of you?"
Delphine:	"Let's pretend we haven't. What's Alduin's Wall and what does it have to do with stopping the dragons?"
Esbern:	"Alduin's Wall was where the ancient Blades recorded all they knew of Alduin and his return. Part history, part prophecy. Its location has been lost for centuries, but I've found it again. Not lost, you see, just forgotten. The Blades archives held so many secrets... I was only able to save a few scraps..."
Delphine:	"So you think that Alduin's Wall will tell us how to defeat Alduin?"
Esbern:	"Well, yes, but... there's no guarantee, of course."
Delphine:	"Sky Haven Temple it is, then. I knew you'd have something for us, Esbern."

Akaviri Ruins

Once you entered the Karthspire, advance further into the cave to discover some stone ruins and a puzzle consisting of three rotating pillars.

Delphine:	"This looks promising."
Esbern:	"Yes. Definitely early Akaviri stonework here."
Delphine:	"We've got to get this bridge down. These pillars must have something to do with it."
Esbern:	"Yes. These are Akaviri symbols. Let's see... you have the symbol for "King"... and "Warrior"... And of course the symbol for "Dragonborn." That's the one that appears to have a sort of arrow shape pointing downward at the bottom."

When you have solved the puzzle, Delphine will say "Whatever you did, it worked. Let's see what else those old Blades left in our way." They will then press on further through a tunnel until a chamber, where Esbern will come to a halt all of a sudden.

"Why are you stopping?"

Esbern:	"Wait."
Delphine:	"Why are you stopping?"
Esbern:	"We should be careful here. See these symbols on the floor?"
Delphine:	"Hmm, Esbern's right. Look like pressure plates."
Esbern:	(to you) "Be careful. We'll cross once it's safe."

Once you have successfully deactivated the trap, they urge you to move forward:

Delphine:	"Looks safe now. Let's move."
Esbern:	"Yes, yes! I think we must be close to the entrance."

Dovah Sos

The group can then safely exit the chamber and continue across a pair of bridges, and finally reach a large chamber with the entrance to Sky Haven Temple. At the far side of the room is a large stone head—which according to Esbern is the visage of Reman Cyrodiil—and a large carved circle on the floor.

Esbern:	"Wonderful! Remarkably well-preserved, too. Ah... here's the "blood seal." Another of the lost Akaviri arts. No doubt triggered by... well, blood. Your blood, Dragonborn."
Delphine:	"Esbern's probably right. Try using your blood on the carved seal on the floor."

Once the blood seal has been activated, they exclaim:

Delphine:	"That's done it! Look, it's coming to life! You did it. There's the entrance! After you, Dragonborn. You should have the honor of being the first to set foot in Sky Haven Temple."
Esbern:	"There's no telling what we might find inside!"

A Forgotten Sanctum

As you enter the temple, Delphine will light up several braziers along the corridor with her torch as the group proceeds deeper into the temple. Esbern will be very engrossed in the architecture:

Esbern:	"Fascinating! Original Akaviri bas-reliefs... almost entirely intact! Amazing... you can see how the Akaviri craftsmen were beginning to embrace the more flowing Nordic style..."
Delphine:	"We're here for Alduin's Wall, right, Esbern?"
Esbern:	"Yes, of course. We'll have more time to look around later, I suppose. Let's see what's up ahead."

Once you are in the middle of the main chamber, where Alduin's Wall is located, Esbern will again be very captivated—this time by the wall:

Esbern:	"Shor's bones! Here it is! Alduin's Wall... so well preserved... I've never seen a finer example of early second era Akaviri sculptural relief..."
Delphine:	"Esbern. We need information, not a lecture on art history."
Esbern:	"Yes, yes. Let's see what we have..."

Esbern will then continue explaining the meaning of the carvings while walking down the wall's length:

Esbern:	"Look, here is Alduin! This panel goes back to the beginning of time, when Alduin and the Dragon Cult ruled over Skyrim. Here, the humans rebel against their dragon overlords -- the legendary Dragon War. Alduin's defeat is the centerpiece of the Wall. You see, here he is falling from the sky. The Nord Tongues -- masters of the Voice -- are arrayed against him."
Delphine:	"So, does it show how they defeated him? Isn't that why we're here?"
Esbern:	"Patience, my dear. The Akaviri were not a straightforward people. Everything is couched in allegory and mythic symbolism. Yes, yes. This here, coming from the mouths of the Nord heroes -- this is the Akaviri symbol for "Shout." But... there's no way to know what Shout is meant."
Delphine:	"You mean they used a Shout to defeat Alduin? You're sure?"
Esbern:	"Hmm? Oh, yes. Presumably something rather specific to dragons, or even Alduin himself. Remember, this is where they recorded all they knew of Alduin and his return."
Delphine:	"So we're looking for a Shout, then. Damn it."

After your conversation with Delphine, Esbern will continue talking about the wall. Delphine, who is rather uninterested, will simply say, "Well, I'm going to look around some more. See what the old Blades left for us." once he is finished with his lecture.

At this point, the current quest will complete and the next one, The Throat of the World, is triggered. Also, the quest Rebuilding the Blades can be started by talking to Delphine again.

The Throat of the World

"..."

Reminiscence

In this quest, you are required to travel to the highest mountain in Tamriel, the Throat of the World, to meet up with the Greybeards' leader, Paarthurnax. Once you have passed stage 20 of this quest, there will be four new conversation scenes between Esbern and Delphine that you can observe.

Esbern:	"The architecture of this temple is marvelous. Have you ever seen stonework like this, Delphine?"
Delphine:	"I'm not a scholar, Esbern. How many times do I have to tell you?"
Esbern:	"Nonsense. Is a child who learns to read "not a scholar" of literature? Is a smith's apprentice "not a scholar" of blacksmithing?"
Delphine:	"Well, I'm "not a scholar" of architecture. And that's that."
Delphine:	"Do you ever think about them, Esbern? The others?"
Esbern:	"The other Blades? No. Best not to think what the Thalmor do to their victims, my dear."
Delphine:	"You're right. Sorry to bring it up."
Esbern:	"I've been writing some notes about all the Akaviri designs we've discovered. If only the Imperial Library could see my research."
Delphine:	"Esbern, if the Empire could even acknowledge the Blades existence, we'd all have reason to celebrate."
Esbern:	"Now, now my dear. I'm talking about academia, not politics."
Delphine:	"There's a difference?"
Esbern:	"I've been chronicling the recent history of the Blades. What would you like your entry to say?"
Delphine:	""I survived"?"
Esbern:	"Come now. You did more than just survive all those years. Your evasion of the Thalmor would be useful for future Blades to study."
Delphine:	"What? Your heroic tale of locking yourself in the Ratway for years isn't enough?"

Season Unending

"They may put their weapons down for a moment, but only to gather strength for the next bloodletting. They are not yet tired of war. Far from it. Do you know the ancient Nord word for war? "Season unending"... so it has proved." —Arngeir

A turning point in the Skyrim storyline, this quest serves as an intersection of two questlines. A truce is to be brokered between the two warring parties in the civil war—the Stormcloaks and the Imperial Legion—in order to gain the help of Whiterun's jarl in trapping a dragon, and it is up to you to oversee the negotiations.

Upon your arrival at High Hrothgar, you will be able to witness a heated argument between the Blades and the Greybeards:

Delphine:	"So, Arngeir, is it? You know why we're here. Are you going to let us in or not?"
Arngeir:	"You were not invited here. You are not welcome here."
Delphine:	"We have as much right to be at this council as all of you. More, actually, since we were the ones that put the Dragonborn on this path."
Arngeir:	"Were you? The hubris of the Blades truly knows no bounds."
Delphine:	"If it were up to you, the Dragonborn would sit dreaming on this mountain doing nothing!"
Esbern:	"Delphine, we're not here to rehearse old grudges. The matter at hand is urgent. Alduin must be stopped. You wouldn't have called this council if you didn't agree. We know a great deal about the situation and the threat that Alduin poses to us all. You need us here if you want this council to succeed."
Arngeir:	(after a long pause) "Very well. You may enter."

If you have already started the quest Paarthurnax and have done the deed, the fourth and fifth dialogue lines above become:

Arngeir:	"I know what path you set him/her on. And now Paarthurnax's wisdom is lost to us, just when we need it most."
Delphine:	"He/She did what had to be done. It was long overdue. My only regret is that I wasn't able to kill him myself."

If you instead have agreed to not kill Paarthurnax, these lines become:

Arngeir:	"We know what path you've set him/her on. But he/she has made a different choice. Paarthurnax is still safe from your malice."
Delphine:	"For now. The Blades' memory is long, as you know."

After their conversation, the Blades will then make their way to the council table.

Esbern:	"Stop! Are you so blind to our danger that you can't see past your petty disagreements? Here you sit arguing about... nothing! While the fate of the land hangs in the balance!"
Ulfric:	"Is he with you, Delphine? If so, I advise you to tell him to watch his tongue."
Delphine:	"He is with me. And I advise you both to listen to what he has to say, before you do anything rash."

Esbern will then continue lecturing the delegations about the mortal danger involved with the return of the dragons, after which the negotiations will resume proper.

Paarthurnax

"..."

This quest will be triggered upon the completion of negotiating a truce during Season Unending, unless you have already started the quest somewhere during the course of The Fallen.

Rebuilding the Blades

"..."

Once you have gathered three recruits, Delphine will tell you to ask Esbern about the dragon lairs he's been studying. Do as she says and speak to Esbern to complete this quest and begin the repeatable radiant quest, Dragon Hunting.

Aftermath

"..."

Once you have finally completed the main questline, you can return to Sky Haven Temple at your leisure. If Esbern is nearby...

Notes

• If you have not started any quests involving him, he will simply open the porthole and tell you to go away, promptly closing it afterwards.
• After arriving at Sky Haven Temple, Esbern can grant the Dragonslayer's Blessing which gives a 10% increased Critical Hit Chance vs. Dragons for 5 days.
• Esbern is voiced by Max von Sydow, though various lines of dialog appear to be performed by another actor. These lines often occur interspersed with von Sydow's voice, making for a very jarring experience for anyone familiar with the esteemed actor's voice.
• He can be a very useful follower. After you free him from his cell during A Cornered Rat, he will be an invincible follower, and will remain so as long as you avoid Delphine (and therefore Riverwood).
• Alternatively, you can take him to Delphine and have them both follow you for two invincible followers. You may also have a regular follower with you.
• There is also a male Nord in Oblivion with the name Esbern.

Bugs

• After being escorted to Sky Haven Temple, Esbern might appear wherever the Dragonborn fast travels. ^?
  • To fix this, you must unpatch your Skyrim game. It only appears on patch 1.5 and after Alduin's Wall quest.
• The Dragon Infusion Perk in Dragon Research Quest is bugged; see that page for details.
• When you first meet Esbern during A Cornered Rat as part of the main quest, sometimes his voice will be missing and/or he doesn't answer the door. Visit this page for details and possible solutions. ^?
• After arriving in Sky Haven Temple, Esbern may not engage in the correct dialogue to activate or complete any of his quests. ^?
• If you tell Esbern to wait somewhere, he may disappear when you return for him. ^?

• He can sometimes be found in Riverwood (waiting to engage in conversation with Delphine), in Riften, or traveling the road.

• The miscellaneous objective 'Return to Esbern' may initiate in your quest log upon killing a dragon at any Dragon Lair. The quest does not update after speaking to Esbern, and cannot be completed. Killing other dragons does not appear to have the same effect.