Player
(I journey to Riften to speak with Brynjolf to see what he might know about finding Esbern in the Ratway. I find him in the central market)
I’m looking for an old guy, probably hiding out in the Ratway.
Brynjolf
Yeah. I bet I know your guy. He’s hiding out in the Ratway Warrens. Paying us good coin for nobody to know about it.
Player
How do I find the Ratway?
Brynjolf
If I have to hold your hand through everything, maybe you aren’t cut out for this kind of work.
It’s under your feet, lad. Just follow the smell.
(I delve into the Ratway and find the entrance to the Ratway Vaults just beyond the Ragged Flagon. There I find Thalmor soldiers searching the area)
Thalmor Wizard
There’s the Blades agent! Kill him!
(I defeat the three Thalmor goons, but I had better find Esbern quickly! From the Vaults I find the entrance to the Ratway Warrens that Brynjolf told me about. After killing a deranged cannibal named Knjakr, I find a secure door reinforced with iron. This must be it. I knock)
Esbern
Go away!
Player
Esbern? Open the door. I’m a friend.
Esbern
What?! No, that’s not me. I’m not Esbern. I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Player
It’s okay. Delphine sent me.
Esbern
Delphine? How do you… so you’ve finally found her, and she led you to me. And here I am, caught like a rat in a trap.
Player
Delphine needs your help to stop the dragons.
Esbern
So Delphine keeps up the fight, after all these years.
You’d better come in and tell me how you found me and what you want.
This’ll just take a moment…
(various sounds of bolts being pulled and locks being undone echo into the Ratway)
This one always sticks… there we go.
Only a couple more.
There we are!
Come in, come in! Make yourself at home!
That’s better. Now we can talk.
So Delphine keeps up the fight, after all these years.
I’d thought she’d have realized it’s hopeless by now. I tried to tell her, years ago…
Player
What do you mean, “it’s hopeless”?
Esbern
Haven’t you figured it out yet? What more needs to happen before you all wake up and see what’s going on?
Alduin has returned, just like the prophecy said!
The Dragon from the dawn of time, who devours the souls of the dead!
No one can escape his hunger, here or in the afterlife! Alduin will devour all things and the world will end. Nothing can stop him!
I tried to tell them. They wouldn’t listen. Fools. It’s all come true… all I could do was watch our doom approach…
Player
Alduin… The dragon who’s raising the others?
Esbern
Yes! Yes! You see, you know but you refuse to understand!
Player
You’re talking about the literal end of the world?
Esbern
Oh, yes. It’s all been foretold. The end has begun. Alduin has returned.
Only a Dragonborn can stop him. But no Dragonborn has been known for centuries.
It seems that the gods have grown tired of us. They’ve left us to our fate, as the plaything of Alduin the World-Eater.
Player
It’s not hopeless, Esbern. I’m Dragonborn.
Esbern
What? You’re… can it really be true? Dragonborn?
Then… there is hope! The gods have not abandoned us! We must… we must…
We must go, quickly now. Take me to Delphine. We have much to discuss.
But, give me… just a moment… I must gather a few things…
