Season Unending

Season Unending is a main quest about politics instead of swords. Jarl Balgruuf will not trap a dragon in his city while Whiterun could be attacked at any moment, so you need a ceasefire in the civil war. The only people both sides still respect are the Greybeards – and so a peace council is called at High Hrothgar.

When does this quest happen?

Season Unending only starts if the civil war is still going when you reach The Fallen. If you have already finished the civil war (or one side controls nearly all of Skyrim), the quest is skipped. It also cannot happen if you have killed Paarthurnax, because the Greybeards will then refuse to host it.

Walkthrough

Asking the Greybeards

Talk to Arngeir. He agrees to host a peace council and asks you to invite both leaders.

Inviting the leaders

Visit General Tullius in Castle Dour in Solitude and Ulfric Stormcloak in the Palace of the Kings in Windhelm. Both agree to come – with their own conditions and plenty of grumbling. If you have not joined a side yet, they will also try to recruit you.

The council

Return to High Hrothgar and take your seat. The Imperials, the Stormcloaks, the Blades, the Greybeards and others are all at the table – and some guests are not welcome by everyone, especially the Thalmor. Arngeir lets you lead the talks.

Negotiating

Both sides make demands, usually about which holds should change hands. Each concession you grant one side makes the other demand something in return. Your choices actually change which faction controls certain holds, so think about the consequences.

The truce

Once both sides accept, the truce is signed and the jarl agrees to help with the dragon trap. Return to The Fallen.

Tips

• The holds that change hands here stay that way, so negotiate with your future civil war plans in mind.
• Listen to the arguments around the table – there is a lot of great character writing in this scene.