>Main Quest: Paarthurnax

Slaying the Summit’s Hermit

Your alliance with the Blades sits uneasily upon a knife edge. They refuse to help you (which basically means you cannot access their Other Faction Quests) until you’ve defeated the monster at the Throat of the World. Reasoning with them that Paarthurnax has changed his ways and now embodies peace and meditation falls on deaf ears. They simply want you to remove Paarthurnax, as they perceive him to be partly responsible for the many deaths of their ancestral clan members.

Return to the Throat of the World (or remain here after the end of Main Quest: Alduin’s Bane) and approach Paarthurnax. Kill him using your favorite weaponry. One method is to launch Fire Breath (the Shout he actually taught you) into him until he starts to flinch and takes to the skies. Then wound and bring him down to the ground with Dragonrend. Finish with your other attacks, using a bow, magic, or melee weapons. Gather the gold and bones from Paarthurnax’s corpse, but only after absorbing his soul.

• Dragon’s Soul

Quest Conclusion

Return to Delphine or to Esbern. Depending on when you killed Paarthurnax or who gave you this quest, expect a similar response from either of them: They are extremely happy; the ancient evil is avenged, and the shades of many Blades salute you this day!

Return to Master Arngeir, and the greeting is slightly colder. You are lucky the Greybeards are men of peace, as you’ve tested their philosophy beyond the breaking point. You’ve thrown your lot in with a cabal of Akaviri barbarians. You are no longer welcome in High Hrothgar.

Postquest Activities

Your other Main Quests continue as normal. Contact with the Greybeards is now kept to a minimum; they want nothing more to do with the likes of you. The Blades welcome you into their fold. You may begin any of their Other Faction Quests after speaking to Esbern or Delphine.