Player
(I take my leave of Jarl Balgruuth and Whiterun and head towards the small village of Ivarstead nestled at the foot of the Throat of the World. I then ascend the winding 7,000 Steps of the great mountain to reach the ancient stone monastery of High Hrothgar. I enter and am immediately approached by a bearded old man in grey robes and three of his fellows)
Arngeir
So... a Dragonborn appears, at this moment in the turning of the age.
Player
I'm answering your summons.
Arngeir
We will see if you truly have the gift.
Show us, Dragonborn. Let us taste of your Voice.
(I demonstrate by shouting FUS at the Greybeards, who stumble from the force of it)
Dragonborn. It is you. Welcome to High Hrothgar.
I am Master Arngeir. I speak for the Greybeards.
Now tell me, Dragonborn, why have you come here?
Player
Who are you? What is this place?
Arngeir
We are the Greybeards, followers of the Way of the Voice.
You stand in High Hrothgar, on the slopes of Kynareth's sacred mountain.
Here we commune with the voice of the sky, and strive to achieve balance between our inner and outer selves.
Player
I want to find out what it means to be Dragonborn.
Arngeir
We are here to guide you in that pursuit, just as the Greybeards have sought to guide those of the Dragon Blood that came before you.
Player
You mean I'm not the only Dragonborn?
Arngeir
You are not the first. There have been many of the Dragon Blood since Akatosh first bestowed that gift upon mortalkind.
Whether you are the only Dragonborn of this age... that is not ours to know.
You are the only one that has been revealed thus far. That is all I can say.
Player
I'm answering your summons, Master.
Arngeir
We are honored to welcome a Dragonborn to High Hrothgar.
We will do our best to teach you how to use your gift in fulfillment of your destiny.
Player
What is my destiny?
Arngeir
That is for you to discover. We can show you the Way, but not your destination.
Player
I'm ready to learn.
Arngeir
You have shown that you are Dragonborn. You have the inborn gift.
But do you have the discipline and temperament to follow the path laid out for you? That remains to be seen.
Without training, you have already taken the first steps towards projecting your Voice into a Thu'um, a Shout.
Now let us see if you are willing and able to learn.
When you Shout, you speak in the language of dragons. Thus, your Dragon Blood gives you an inborn ability to learn Words of Power.
All Shouts are made up of three Words of Power. As you master each Word, your Shout will become progressively stronger.
Master Einarth will now teach you "Ro," the second Word in Unrelenting Force.
Ro means "Balance" in the dragon tongue. Combine it with Fus - "Force" - to focus your Thu'um more sharply.
Einarth
Ro...
(I learn the word from Master Einarth)
Arngeir
You learn a new word like a master... you truly do have the gift.
But learning a Word of Power is only the first step... you must unlock its meaning through constant practice in order to use it in a Shout.
Well, that is how the rest of us learn Shouts. As a Dragonborn, you can absorb a slain dragon's life force and knowledge directly.
As part of your initiation, Master Einarth will allow you to tap into his understanding of "Ro."
(I approach Master Einarth and tap into his understanding)
Now, let us see how quickly you can master your new Thu'um.
Use your Unrelenting Force shout to strike the targets as they appear.
Borri
Fiik...Lo...Sah!
(a shade appears. I shout FUS RO at it. I repeat the process with each shade that appears)
Arngeir
Well done. Again.
Einarth
Fiik...Lo...Sah!
Arngeir
You learn quickly. Once more.
Wulfgar
Fiik...Lo...Sah!
Arngeir
Impressive. Your Thu'um is precise. You show great promise, Dragonborn.
We will perform your next trial in the courtyard. Follow Master Borri.
(I follow Master Borri into the courtyard, where a freestanding gate stands)
We will now see how you learn a completely new Shout.
Master Borri will teach you "Wuld," which means "Whirlwind."
Borri
Wuld...
Arngeir
You must first hear the Word within yourself before you can project it into a Thu'um.
Approach Master Borri and he will gift you his knowledge of "Wuld."
(I learn the Shout from Master Borri)
Now we will see how quickly you can master a new Shout.
Master Wulfgar will demonstrate Whirlwind Sprint. Then it will be your turn.
Master Borri.
Borri
Bex!
(the freestanding gate opens)
Wulfgar
Wuld...Nah...Kest!
(Master Wulfgar flies through the open gate just before it closes behind him.)
Arngeir
Now it is your turn.
Stand next to me. Master Borri will open the gate. Use your Whirlwind Sprint to pass through before it closes.
Borri
Bex!
(I Shout WULD and pass through the gate cleanly before it closes)
Arngeir
Your quick mastery of a new Thu'um is... astonishing. I'd heard the stories of the abilities of Dragonborn, but to see it for myself...
Player
I thought it was this easy for everyone.
Arngeir
No. Indeed not. But beware that your skill does not outstrip your wisdom.
You are now ready for your last trial.
Retrieve the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller, our founder, from his tomb in the ancient fane of Ustengrav.
Remain true to the Way of the Voice, and you will return.
