Skyrim Find Esbern in Riften

In Skyrim, the hero must find Esbern to understand why dragons are returning to Skyrim. Esbern can be found somewhere in Riften. The hero must approach Brynjolf in Riften to help find Esbern. This will guide the hero in finding Brynjolf in Riften, undertaking Brynjolf's first quest, finding Brynjolf in the Ragged Flagon in the Ratway, and then venturing into the Ratway vault and the Ratway warrens to find the exact location of Esbern.

In Skyrim, the hero must make his way from Riverwood to Riften. The following route is suggested - first from Riverwood fast travel to Ivarstead and make your way east to Lake Geir. In this way, the hero should hit Darkwater Crossing, a town near Lake Geir. This is not a scenic route. It is a route marked to meet a dragon. Defeat the dragon and absorb its soul. Absorbing dragon souls is needed to achieve more difficult shouts like Fire, Fire Breath and Fade, Ethereal. From Darkwater Crossing, head east to reach the road that will lead south to Shor's Stone and Riften.

In Skyrim, the hero must find Brynjolf after reaching Riften. Brynjolf is easily found. He is found in the Bee and Bard, an inn which is literally just northeast and across the bridge from the entrance of Riften. Now, when the hero enters the Bee and Bard, Brynjolf is just at the door. Brynjolf is looking for a talent to help with an "unusual" task. Either the hero can help out Brynjolf or just seek information from the innkeeper of the Bee and Bard to find the location of Esbern in Riften.

If the hero wishes to help Brynjolf, then meet him at market square just outside the inn during the daytime. He will distract people at the market square with his wares, while the hero will pick the lock of a cabinet and then a steelbox to obtain Madesi's Ring. Now walk over to someone called Brand-shei sitting on a barrel listening to Brynjolf's nonsense, and reverse pickpocket him. Once this is done, Brynjolf will congratulate the hero on a job well done and ask that the hero meet him at the Raged Flaggon in the Ratway.

In Skyrim, the hero can use the compass to locate the entrance to the Ratway. The entrance to the Ratway is in the sub-level of Riften and can be reached by descending some stairs and walking past a wooden plank.

Once inside the Ratway, open up the map, and switch to the local map mode. With this local map, it is quite easy to navigate one's way to the Ratway Ragged Flagon. Defeat some lowlifes in the ratway and arrive at the Ragged Flagon. In the Ratway, it may be wise to find a lever that will activate a small drawbridge to link up the Ragged Flagon more directly to the exit of Riften.

At the Ragged Flagon, Brynjolf will ask the hero to do more tasks for him in order to join his faction. But it is not necessary to do more of Brynjolf's lame quests to find Esbern. Just to the right of the main bar of the Ragged Flagon is the entrance to the Ratway Vault. At this point, the Ragged Flaggon will come under attack by some Thalmor guards and wizards. Defeat them and head into the Ratway Vault.

In Skyrim, the hero continues the descent into the ratway vault and warrens. Eventually, the hero reaches the ratway warrens. The ratway warrens look like some kind of subterranean apartment complex. Within one of the rooms is Esbern. The door that leads to Esbern's room has a box in it which can be opened. When the door is knocked, Esbern will ask the hero what he wants. Tell Esbern that Delphine is looking for him. Esbern will initially disbelieve this and shut the box, but will reopen it again when told to remember the "30th of Frostfell". Inside the room, tell Esbern that the hero is the dragonborn. He will suggest that there is hope afterall, and now wants to go to Riverwood. The hero needs to escort Esbern to Riverwood.

Before leaving Esbern's room, remember to pick up a book called the Legends of Skyrim near the entrance to Esbern's room. This will unlock the legends exploration side quests.

In Skyrim, the hero needs to escort Esbern (alive) to the Riften surface from the Ratway Warrens. Now, the hero, his follower and Esbern will be besieged by Thalmor warriors and wizards on the way out. These are easy to defeat. Prevent the wizards from summoning atronachs of any kind, and the hero and Esbern should be safe. For the magic wielding hero, use dual destruction and use frost spells on one hand and fire spells on the other hand. This will ensure that the Thalmor do not have any stamina left to attack and can be easily defeated by the hero, his follower and Esbern. Note that if Esbern disappears occasionally from the screen, do not worry. Just reach the exit of the Ratway to Riften surface with Esbern alive (not killed in the battle with the Thalmor), and then fast travel to Riverwood. Esbern will appear again at Riverwood.

Now Esbern will get reacquainted with Delphine at the Sleeping Giant Inn and the next part of the journey is particularly exciting, as the band of four (if the hero has a follower) blades will head out to look for the legendary Alduin's Wall within the Sky Haven Temple.