I finally climbed the 7,000 steps leading to High Hrothgar and met with the Greybeards. They had so much insight, even though only one of them spoke. They looked similar, all wearing dark robes with gray beards extending from their chins. Most have spent their life secluded in the cavernous halls of High Hrothgar, but their time on Nirn has been valuable. The abilities that I so easily have thanks to being a dragonborn, they’ve spent decades learning. They performed dragon shouts for me and even taught me a few. My stay wasn’t long, but they gave me priceless information. Arngeir, the Greybeard who spoke, directed me towards the horn of Jurgen Windcaller. He said retrieving this would serve as my “final trial.”

Instead of traveling northwest where the horn should be located, I decided to head east from Ivarstead, attempting to reach Riften and eventually the hideout of the Silver Hands. On route Lydia and I stumbled upon many new locations. The first was an abandoned alchemist’s shack. I found a journal and many alchemy ingredients inside, but no alchemist. Leaving this shack and traveling south, we entered Haemar’s Shame, a vampire infested cave. These vampires were mostly weak and didn’t give us much trouble.

We also discovered Autumnwatch Tower. This tower was abandoned except for the dragon perched on top. It’s funny how I look back at my earlier journal entries and realize how the first dragons I came upon were major events. Even after a few weeks of fighting them, I’m used to it. All thanks to being a dragonborn I guess.

Two more notable locations we stopped by were Froki’s Shack and Angarvunde. We ran into an older Nord named Froki who lived in the wilderness with his grandson. Froki was smitten with hunting and preached of the ancient Nord way. He offered to teach us important information if we could hunt a few animals. I also chatted with Froki’s grandson Haming. His parents died in the dragon attack on Helgen, small world.

Lastly, Lydia and I explored Angarvunde, a Nordic tomb. Outside was a camp with supplies and a journal. An explorer wanted to unearth valuables from deep inside but her associates were too scared to lend a hand. When we entered this lady attacked us and we killed her. She had a key on her and we took the liberty of exploring Angarvunde for her. There were many hostile creatures, mostly draugr but the reward was worth our time; inside was a word wall from which I gleaned another dragon shout.

Being a dragonborn is becoming clearer and clearer to me. My visit to the Greybeards was constructive and I’m beginning to realize the importance of the word walls, the souls I gain from felled dragons, and the dragon shouts I’m able to use.