Prerequisites: Complete Main Quest: A Cornered Rat

Intersecting Quests: Main Quest: A Cornered Rat, Main Quest: The Throat of the World

Locations: Karthspire, Riften, The Ragged Flagon, The Ratway, The Ratway Warrens, Riverwood, Sleeping Giant Inn, Sky Haven Temple, Alduin’s Wall

Characters: Delphine, Esbern, Orgnar

Enemies: Forsworn, Thalmor Soldier, Thalmor Wizard

Objectives: Escort Esbern to Riverwood, Talk to Esbern, Gain entrance to Sky Haven Temple, Learn the secret of Alduin’s Wall

History and Prophecy

Objective: Escort Esbern to Riverwood
Target: The Sleeping Giant Inn, in Riverwood

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Now that Brynjolf and the Thieves Guild have helped you locate the slightly deranged Esbern, it is your job to chaperone him to Riverwood. Ask him if he knows the way out of here, and he sets off running. Follow him out of his hidey-hole or request that he follow you. Head down the stairs in the sewer junction chamber.

As you both enter the sewer passages, Thalmor agents begin to appear. Defeat them. Combat continues as you push up the stairs and into the Ratway Warrens. Let Esbern fight the Thalmor Soldiers that may appear; Esbern is a powerful wizard and can handle himself in a fight.

Head west, through the open gate in the hub room and into the connecting sewer tunnel. Go north past the tree routes and up the stairs by the dining chamber. Next, travel around to the south, above the hub room. Cross the middle balcony of the hub room, and go to the upper balcony overlooking this same hub room chamber. Head west into the Ragged Flagon.

From here, head west, into the Ratway mead-tasting room; then turn right (north) and use the wall lever to lower the wooden bridge if you haven’t done this already. From here, you’re one winding corridor away from exiting into Riften. At this point, you can Fast-Travel or trek back to Riverwood and the Sleeping Giant Inn.

Objective: Talk to Esbern

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Inform Delphine that you’ve found Esbern, and she’s most thankful, taking you both down into her secret cellar...