Cold-Blooded Log 10: The Climb to High Hrothgar

Difficulty: Survival Mode
Platform: Steam Deck
Build: Argonian Mage
Follower: Lydia

There was no putting it off any longer. The mountain wasn’t going to climb itself.

Sooner or later I was going to have to make the journey to High Hrothgar. There wasn’t much sense in delaying it any further. All I could do was hope my armour was warm enough to get me there in the first place. If the Greybeards live entirely outside, I may have made a serious mistake coming up here at all.

I didn’t even reach the steps before I overheard two people talking. Apparently my presence wasn’t subtle, as both of them turned to look at me mid-conversation.

One of them introduced himself as Klimmek. He makes regular trips up the mountain, delivering supplies to the Greybeards. I offered to take the supplies up for him, not expecting him to accept. He did.

Video Log: Cold-Blooded – Log 10 (No Commentary)

The Climb

The climb itself wasn’t particularly difficult, at least not in terms of terrain. The problem was the cold. The higher I went, the more noticeable it became. I’m still not convinced my armour is doing much to help, but at the very least I wasn’t losing health as quickly as I expected.

At some point during the climb I realised Lydia was no longer beside me. Whether she fell behind or chose a different path, I couldn’t say. Either way, I was committed to continuing upward.

I briefly considered whether bringing the horse would have made the journey easier, but that thought didn’t last long. Further up the path I noticed movement, followed by the familiar shift in music that signals something is about to go wrong. Taking a detour around it felt like the safer option. In that moment, leaving the horse behind felt like the correct decision.

Somewhere along the way I also remembered that I can, in fact, run. It took me a moment to remember how, but once I did, the climb became a mix of short sprints and cautious walking. It wasn’t elegant, but it was effective.

High Hrothgar

I reached the chest Klimmek had mentioned and dropped off the supplies before continuing on. High Hrothgar itself was at least partially indoors, which was a relief.

The Greybeards greeted me and immediately asked me to prove that I am Dragonborn. I only have one shout available, so I used Unrelenting Force. That was apparently enough to satisfy them.

They then taught me another word of Unrelenting Force and asked me to demonstrate it. Stronger, louder, and significantly more force behind it this time. That seemed to meet their expectations.

Back Into the Cold

Just as I was starting to think I might be able to stay inside, they decided it was time to go back out into the cold. Apparently learning shouts indoors isn’t an option.

Outside, they taught me part of Whirlwind Sprint. That should at least make the journey down a little faster, assuming I don’t misjudge it and launch myself off the mountain.

With that done, they gave me my next task: retrieve the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller and return it to High Hrothgar.

No Bed for the Dragonborn

After everything, I was ready to rest. Unfortunately, that wasn’t an option. There are beds here, but they all belong to the Greybeards. Apparently being Dragonborn doesn’t come with sleeping privileges.

So instead of resting, I’ll be making the journey back down the mountain in the next entry.