Throat of the World ( Skyrim ) The Throat of the World , also known as Monahven ( Dovahzul : " Mother Wind " ) is a major landmark in , and the highest mountain of Tamriel . The Nord s believe that Men were formed here when the goddess Kyne breathed onto the land . Hence , the " Song of Return " refers not only to Ysgramor ' s return to Tamriel after the destruction of Saarthal , but to the return of Men to what Nords believe to be the cradle of humanity . Pilgrims travel from across Tamriel to climb the Seven Thousand Steps to the ancient monastery of High Hrothgar , where the order of the Greybeards dwells in absolute silence in their quest to become attuned to the Voice of the Sky . The snow at the peak is said to never melt . Because of this , a strong alchemical apparatus known as the White Phial was crafted from it . Role in history . Battles . The peak of the mountain was the site of the battle between Alduin and his army of Dragons against the Ancient Nordic Heroes during the Dragon War in the Merethic Era . A second battle took place in the Fourth Era between the Dragonborn and Paarthurnax against Alduin himself . Elder Scrolls and the time wound . A Time Wound formed at summit when Felldir the Old used an Elder Scroll to banish Alduin , creating a Dragon Break . When Alduin reappeared at the summit in the Fourth Era , he began to resurrect fallen Dragons and started the Dragon Crisis . The Last Dragonborn of the Fourth Era traveled to the summit to ask Paarthurnax for a means by which to defeat Alduin . This led the Dragonborn to obtain an Elder Scroll from an ancient Dwemer Ruin in Alftand . Once it was read upon the mountain the Dragonborn saw a glimpse of the battle between Gormlaith Golden - Hilt , Hakon One - Eye , Felldir the Old and Alduin . Listening to the old Nord heroes , the Dragonborn was allowed to learn Dragonrend , a shout that temporarily stuns a dragon and inhibits its ability to fly . Subsequently , Alduin was drawn to the site . Together with Paarthunax , the Dragonborn bested Alduin in battle . The black dragon Alduin fled to Skuldafn and opened a portal to Sovngarde , afterlife of the Nords , where ultimately the battle between Alduin and the Dragonborn takes place . Tiber Septim . Tiber Septim , then known as Hjalti Early - Beard , was summoned to the Throat of the World by the Greybeards after his victory over the Reachmen at Old Hroldan . Climbing the mountain . Most of the enemies who reside on the path to the mountain are wolves . But due to the strength of some frost trolls , bears , sabre cats , and Ice Wraiths , which may dwell on the stairs of the mountain , it is inadvisable to travel there before Level 10 . Additionally , riding horses or sprinting up the mountain may seem quicker , but can be dangerous due to the path ' s proximity to dangerously high cliffs . Horses will also be attacked by the foes found on the mountain . Etched tablets . There are ten Etched Tablets along the trail telling of the founding of High Hrothgar . Reading them all will give you Voice of the Sky effect . Notable items . At the very peak of the mountain there are two ebony ore veins and two malachite ore veins which requires some climbing . Somewhere around the sides of the mountain , just before the peak , there ' s also one silver ore vein . There is the Notched Pickaxe embedded in the rock close to one of the ebony ore veins .