The World-Eater’s Eyrie

he World-Eater’s Eyrie
Quest Giver	Odahviing
Location	Skuldafn
Prerequisite	The Fallen
Next Quest	Sovngarde
Reward	Progress in storyline Nahkriin Storm Call (shout, one word)
Type	Main Quest
QuestID	MQ303

 

Background

Alduin’s right-hand dragon Odahviing has revealed that Alduin has escaped to Sovngarde, the Nord underworld, where he feeds on the souls of the dead. His portal to Sovngarde is located in the ancient dragon temple of Skuldafn, high in the Jerall Mountains. The only way to reach it is to set Odahviing free so he can fly the Dragonborn there.

Walkthrough

Freeing Odahviing

The only way to reach Sovngarde’s portal is to fly on Odahviing. Freeing him can be done by talking to the guard, located on the second floor.  The trap can also be released by pulling the chain. Odahviing will then propose to carry the Dragonborn to the Jerall Mountains. Followers cannot accompany the Dragonborn to Skuldafn; this includes Dead Thralls who will not be there when the Dragonborn returns, so if they’re being used as “walking trunks”, a wise Dovahkiin will take them home, kill them and stow the loot there. Although, if Bound Until Death has been completed, they could summon the Spectral Assassin to use as company. If the Assassin dies or disappears during the quest, he can be summoned again at least one day later, even if he is so far away as outside the actual Skyrim world. It is highly recommended that one holds off on heading to Skuldafn until they are ready. Once Skuldafn is reached, there is no turning back, as fast travel is impossible.

 

Skuldafn Temple’s Courtyard

As soon as the Dragonborn arrives to Skuldafn, it is likely that they will encounter a leveled dragon. Draugr will also be guarding the temple and must be dealt with or sneaked past. Another dragon will be waiting further ahead. A treasure chest is located to the left of the Temple’s entrance.

There is only one fixed dragon (Fire) encounter here. The other dragon battle outside is a random encounter and may not be present. There are also two optional areas (Skuldafn South Tower and Skuldafn North Tower). These contain random treasures as well as draugr to fight.

 

Skuldafn Temple

First Puzzle Room:This puzzle is made of three pillars with three sides each: the first depicting a bird, the second a snake, and the third a whale. Two different combinations each open a different gate. The gate to the right contains a treasure chest, the one to the left opens the way to the rest of the temple. When looking at the puzzle from the lever, the left pillar’s wall-facing side should depict a snake (facing the matching plate on the wall), the right pillar should have a whale facing the other wall with the matching plate. The center pillar dictates which gate opens. The gate on the right must be closed before the left gate will open. The bird opens the right gate, while the snake opens the left gate. Standing at the lever facing the pillars, this is what should be seen:
[Bird] [Bird] [Bird] – Opens Right Side Gate
[Bird] [Snake] [Bird] – Opens Left Side Gate

The lever should be leaning towards the pillars before the pillars are spun into place. Then activate the lever to face towards the doors. If it is not done this way the doors will not open.

Second Puzzle Room: The correct symbols are above the alcoves where the pillars are located; the one in front of the door entered, the second up the stairs to the right and lastly the third across the walkway to the left. The pillar located immediately in front of the door should be set to snake, the pillar to the right set to bird, and the one to the left should be set to whale. The puzzle can be bypassed by using the Whirlwind Sprint shout while on the platform near the lever, or by jumping across.

Third Puzzle Room: In a hallway, the Dragonborn will have to face a leveled draugr or Dragon Priest. The Diamond Claw should be looted from his dead body. Like all the dragon claws, the puzzle door’s key is found on the claw’s palm. It is, from the top to the bottom: [Fox]-[Moth]-[Dragon]
A word of the Storm Call shout is on a Word Wall found after opening this door. As the Dragonborn can never return to Skuldafn, don’t miss this Word of Power.

Entering Sovngarde

Passage to Sovngarde on top of Skuldafn

On the roof of Skuldafn Temple, there is one elder dragon and one leveled dragon on each side of the portal, as well as four leveled draugr. By luring the deathlords close to the edge of the roof, it is possible to knock them off with Unrelenting Force. If done quickly, they can be run around while the shout recharges and be thrown off one or two at a time. The dragons will remain neutral unless provoked with Dragonrend, an attack, or transforming into a Vampire Lord or werewolf.

A dragon priest is just ahead of the dragons’ pillars. The priest’s name is Nahkriin, and his staff is the key to going to Sovngarde. After killing him, his Dragon Priest Staff can be looted from his body. This is also the only opportunity to get his mask. To enter Sovngarde, his staff must be used on the altar, before jumping into the portal.

 

Tactics to defeat Nahkriin

Nahkriin can be difficult for lower leveled characters, especially those who are not resistant to frost damage. Nahkriin relies heavily on ranged attacks and will, at all times, keep his distance. In some cases, he will also cast a cloak spell and conjure a frost atronach before the fight, as a form of defense against melee-oriented foes, which means that attacks should be carefully planned. He may also cast Ice Spike, slowing the Dragonborn drastically for a short period of time, leaving him more vulnerable to attacks. Like every other dragon priest, Nahkriin wields a high-leveled staff, and having a good amount of healing potions might be necessary for this fight, and later on for Sovngarde. A few methods can be used to make the fight easier:

The Shadow Stone can be used to turn invisible, allowing the Dragonborn to sprint into the portal before it is closed without confronting Nahkriin. An invisibility potion can also be used, or the Whirlwind Sprint shout to get into the portal past Nahkriin. This will make Nahkriin’s Dragon Priest Mask unobtainable.
Because Nahkriin will never confront the Dragonborn in melee range, he can be killed by hiding behind the pillar, near the edge of the large stairs. Nahkriin will only attack when the Dragonborn gets out of his cover. A bow can then be used to slowly decrease his health, hiding behind the pillar after every few shots.
Nahkriin can also be lured over the edge, and charged with a melee attack, causing him to fall off the edge and die. Shouts can be also be used, such as Fire Breath. This is not recommended, as then Nahkriin will have likely grabbed the staff, making it hard to enter Sovngarde
Nahkriin can also be sneak killed. A high Sneak level is necessary, and muffled boots are recommended. Nahkriin will appear facing the portal to Sovngarde, but, if he does not notice his foe, a sneak attack can be made. It is advised to have either the Backstab, Assassin’s Blade perk, or a high Archery level with a powerful bow.
Attacking with quick magic attacks, such as firebolt work well, then switching to melee force him to move, therefore lowering the chance of a hit from his attack. Then close the distance and use power attacks to stagger him, shouts help as well.
One way to kill Nahkriin and get his staff is to run up the stairs and use the shout Frost Breath, then run in front of him keeping him from getting the staff. Hit him until he has one life left, then if shouts haven’t recharged, stand there till it does, the equip Slow Time or Whirlwind Sprint, let him get the staff, then hit him, loot his body and use Whirlwind sprint before the portal closes.
Nahkrin will initially be moving toward the portal. Run past him and get between him and his staff. He can then be melee attacked till he dies, as he will not fight back until he gets his staff.
Finally, there is a way to come up to Nahkriin and he will not be hostile, even if attacked. When coming out of Skuldafn Temple to Skuldafn there is a wooden bridge directly outside, if the Dragonborn heads to the right and climbs the rocks, it is possible to come out at the side of Nahkriin without making him hostile. With 100 sneak it will still show that the Dragonborn has been detected but Nahkriin will not attack, even if attacked, making him easy to pick off with a bow. Using this method it is not possible to get the staff however, as it will already be in place with the portal open.
Sprint up the stairs to Nahkriin, get him in range for Unrelenting Force. With him staggered by the Thu’um, sprint towards him into melee range. Bashing and power attacks stagger him, so keep doing so before he picks up his staff.
A quick way to kill Nahkriin is: if you have the Sanguine Rose, summon the Dremora near Nahkriin and then pick him off using a bow.
If one has obtained Windshear, one could chain stun Nahkrin until he dies. Windshear is only obtainable if one has progressed to the end of the Dark Brotherhood quest line.
Another tactic similar to the Windshear stratagy above, is to get the “Impact” Perk for destruction magic. It is possible (if you have enough mana or fast enough regen) to repeatedly stager him with most duel cast with any magic other than Sparks, Frostbite, or Flame as they are not “power attacks” and thus do not cause stagger when duel cast.

Bugs

This section contains bugs related to The World-Eater’s Eyrie. Before adding a bug to this list, consider the following:

Confirm all bugs with other editors on the talk page before adding them below.
Always try reloading an old save first, before asking for assistance.
Don’t discuss possible bug fixes or origins. Leave those and all other first-person-anecdotes on the talk page, not the article.
Always add  360  ,  PS3  , and  PC   to clarify which system the bug appears on.

360   PS3   It is possible for the first Skuldafn puzzle room to glitch, not allowing the middle pillar to rotate at all and thus not allowing the door to open. Reloading from a save outside the temple appears to fix this. It may be possible to load a save from inside the temple, before solving the puzzle, as long as the puzzle to open the left-hand door is solved (leaving the chest).
PC   360   PS3  The puzzle with the Diamond Claw won’t open even after inserting the right sequence. Reloading to a save or leaving the temple and reentering the sequence may fix this. Another possible fix is to enter the correct sequence, try the claw, turn all three rings once, try the claw, and continue until the correct sequence is reached again. Also, it is possible that the rings may not turn at all, leaving through the last autosave door and returning may fix this.
If Odahviing is attacked when he is captured, without having talked to him, he will attack the Dragonborn when he is released. Reloading and capturing him again will fix the bug.
If Odahviing’s health is depleted before he is trapped, he will stand in a place for a moment, regenerate his health to full points and attack the Dragonborn again. It is not possible to kill him.
If the Dragonborn dies after riding Odahviing, he may appear near a river below Dragon’s Reach, but he is unreachable. If the game has been saved before riding him, then the Dragonborn may not be able to talk to him or move. This bug has yet to been fixed.
If the dragon priest is killed before he grabs the staff, the seal may never be activated.
PC   360   PS3  The last two dragons may become stuck in a loop if Dragonrend is used on either of them after killing the dragon priest.
PC   360   PS3  On the roof of the Skuldafn Temple there is a pillar that does not touch the ground in the center of the back wall, this is not significant in any way other than the fact that its a bug.
360   It is possible that the dragons on the roof may attack without provocation.