The Fallen (quest)

Walkthrough
After having defeated Alduin during Alduin's Bane, the dragon flees to parts unknown. Since the danger of the World-Eater is still eminent, a way must be found to track down and kill Alduin.

Talk to Paarthurnax or Talk to Arngeir or Talk to Esbern
The Dragonborn now has the choice to talk to Paarthurnax (should the wise old dragon still be alive), to Arngeir one of the Greybeards or to Esbern the Blades "historian".

Either party will make it quite clear that the only way to follow and track down Alduin is to trap one of Alduin's dragon followers in Dragonsreach — the palace is actually built to imprison a dragon — and via interrogation find out where their master escaped to.

Talk to the Jarl of Whiterun
The Jarl Balgruuf the Greater will quickly understand the severity of the situation, but with his people at heart, he will not help the Dragonborn unless the situation concerning the Civil War is settled in some way.

At this point the Dragonborn may already have sided with the Imperials or the Stormcloaks and "won" for their side, "settling" the matter.

Get Greybeards' help in negotiating a truce
If not, a temporary truce must be politically achieved between the two warring factions in Season Unending. And the respected Greybeards' are the hosts of this truce at High Hrothgar.

As it may be, the Jarl of Whiterun will finally agree to help imprison the dragon Odahviing using a trap in Dragonsreach.

Learn Shout to call Odahviing
The shout needed to call Odahviing, all three words of Call Dragon, should already have been learned from Esbern or will be learned from Paarthurnax.

Prepare trap for Odahviing
Now return to Jarl Balgruuf the Greater, and he will speed along the process of trapping the dragon. The Jarl will be up on the Dragonsreach balcony awaiting the Dragonborn.

Call Odahviing to Dragonsreach
Use the Call Dragon shout, all three words, and wait for Odahviing to approach. Then use the shout Dragonrend on the dragon to force it to land on the balcony.

Defeat and trap Odahviing
It is not possible to damage the dragon, and the goal is to entrap it via harness that will automatically fall from the large hall's ceiling. So get Odahviing's attention and then fall back to the main gate of the hall (do not exit the balcony area though)... the dragon should follow and be trapped.

Tip: A powerful follower may actually cause undue detraction, i.e. the dragon does not follow the Dragonborn but concentrates on the follower. So, park any follower inside of the castle before calling Odahviing.

Interrogate Odahviing
The dragon will now be very much more sensible and accessible to discussion. This ends the quest and launches The World-Eater's Eyrie.

Der Gefallene (Aufgabe)