The World - Eater ' s Eyrie The World - Eater ' s Eyrie is a quest available in . Walkthrough . Freeing Odahviing . The only way to reach Sovngarde ' s portal is to fly on Odahviing . Freeing him can be done by talking to a guard , located on the second floor of the Great Porch , who will pull the chain . The trap can also be released by the Dragonborn pulling the chain . Odahviing will then propose to carry the Dragonborn to the Velothi Mountains . Followers cannot accompany the Dragonborn to Skuldafn . However , if Bound Until Death has been completed , the Spectral Assassin can be summoned to use as company . If the Assassin dies or disappears during the quest , he can be summoned again at least one day later , even if he is so far away as outside the actual Skyrim world . Beware that , once Skuldafn is reached , there is no turning back , as fast travel is impossible . Skuldafn Temple ' s Courtyard . Odahviing leaves the Dragonborn on a small area west of the Skuldafn temple . As soon as the Dragonborn arrives , it is likely that they will encounter a leveled dragon . Draugr will also be guarding the temple and must be dealt with or sneaked past . The path crosses a bridge to the east , proceeds under an arch , then turns south . Another dragon will be likely waiting further ahead . The first of two optional areas ( Skuldafn South Tower ) is straight ahead to the south . It contains random treasures and draugr . The courtyard turns to the left ( east ) and climbs up a set of stairs to the second level . There are many leveled draugr waiting above , positioned at high vantage points throughout the courtryard area , which makes this area challenging to get through . Just beyond the top of the steps are two archways that lead under a bridge . Beyond that , Skuldafn North Tower can be seen in the southeast corner of the courtyard , on the third level , but it can ' t yet be reached because there is a relatively sheer wall that can ' t be climbed . The path through the courtyard turns left ( north ) , besides the path that hugs the wall in the right , there is a doorway to a short tower on the left . A set of wooden steps inside the tower lead up to a second floor with a chest , otherwise the tower is a dead end . Back outside , the path north leads to another two archways under a bridge , then to a set of stairs that finally lead up to the level of the bridges ( the third level ) and then on to the fourth ( top ) level . At the landing between the two halves of the stairs , it is possible to turn left ( west ) , then left again ( south ) and walk along a ledge that leads to the bridges previously walked under . The first bridge encountered ( the second one walked underneath ) leads east to a ledge that runs north and south . To the north is the landing previously encountered . To the south is the main body of the upper courtyard , with Skuldafn North Tower ahead against the left ( east ) wall . This tower contains more draugr and chests . There are three other sets of stairs leading up from this third level . The stairs to the northeast , and the stairs that are found by staying to the right and walking around to the west side of the third level , lead up to the fourth level of the courtyard , which is the level of the temple itself ( this can also be reached by simply continuing up the stairs from the landing noted earlier ) . Another set of stairs from the south side of the third level leads to a table with a chest on it that contains nothing but some gold . A treasure chest is located to the left ( west ) of the temple ' s entrance , around the corner on a ledge , which only holds some gold . Skuldafn Temple . The temple itself begins in a large area with a huge column directly ahead ( north ) . To the right is a table with embalming gear and several potions . To the right of the column is a chest containing minor loot , while a dart trap protects the path on the left side . There are several leveled draugr to deal with . On the north side of the column is a table with six urns ( three on each side ) . From there , two sets of stairs lead further north to the first puzzle room , which is guarded by several lower - level draugr . This puzzle is made of three pillars with three sides each : the first depicting a bird , the second a snake , and the third a whale . A lever is just north of the pillars . Two different combinations each open a different gate . The gate to the right ( against the east wall ) opens to a treasure chest , while the one to the left ( against the west wall ) opens the way to the rest of the temple . When looking at the puzzle from the lever , the left pillar ' s wall - facing side ( i . e . its left side ) should depict a snake ( facing the matching plate on the wall ) , while the right pillar should have a whale facing the other wall with the matching plate . The center pillar dictates which gate opens . The bird opens the right gate , while the snake opens the left gate . Standing at the lever facing the pillars , this is what should be seen : [ Bird ] [ Bird ] [ Bird ] - opens right gate [ Bird ] [ Snake ] [ Bird ] - opens left gate The direction the lever points makes no difference . Simply activating it , regardless of its position , will open or close the gate corresponding to the center pillar ' s position . The path through the left gate proceeds up stairs , then turns left ( west ) where there are more stairs up . The path leads to the upper level of a medium - sized two - level room with several draugr at the bottom of wooden ramps leading down . A table supports the corpse of a draugr and several urns , while between the ramps is a chest . Through a narrow opening to the west is a web - covered crypt area that leads to the right ( north ) , where three frostbite spiders are at the top of a ramp . The path turns right ( east ) and leads through a web - covered doorway that needs to be cut . Beyond that , the path turns back left ( north ) , where another spider is found guarding a short set of steps up . At the end of a short hall , the path again turns right ( east ) , leading up another set of steps to more spiders and an iron door . There is a chest buried under the spider web just before and to the right of the iron door , near the egg sac . Behind the door is the second puzzle room , which is guarded by several more leveled draugr . This is a two - leveled room , where there is a log ramp leading up to the second level . The correct symbol for the pillar directly in front of the door is snake ( found behind the pillar ) on that side of the platform is a chest . The correct symbols for the other two pillars are above the alcoves where the pillars are located . The one on the second level to the right is bird , and the one on the second level to the left is whale , then activate the lever on top of the central platform , dropping a drawbridge leading to a door to another part of Skuldafn Temple . The puzzle can be bypassed by using the Whirlwind Sprint shout while on the platform near the lever , or by jumping across . Beyond the door , the path leads east , then turns north to a two - leveled room with several draugr . A table in the center of the bottom of the room holds an empty chest . Steps lead up to the north , then the path turns right ( east ) and leads clockwise around the room until the bridge is reached . Across the bridge is a doorway to a path leading west , then north to the base of a spiral staircase . However , a trap trigger will cause a lantern to drop onto the oil - covered floor , setting it ablaze , and also launches darts at the doorway . There are several urns and various loot around the bottom of the staircase . At the top of the stairs is a gate to the north that cannot yet be opened , and a door to the south . Behind the door are three leveled draugr , a chest to the right , and a lever to the left that opens the gate . Through the gate is a slight upward incline , then the path turns right ( east ) and opens on a long hallway that is split into sections . At the end of the second section , a chest is on the right . Between the second and third sections is a trap trigger that will cause another lantern to fall on the oil - covered floor . At the end of the hall , the path turns left ( north ) , where the third puzzle room is found . The Dragonborn will have to face a leveled draugr or Dragon Priest . The Diamond Claw should be looted from his dead body . Like all the dragon claws , the puzzle door ' s key is found on the claw ' s palm . It is , from the top to the bottom : [ Fox ] - [ Moth ] - [ Dragon ] Beyond the door , a word of the Storm Call shout is on a Word Wall found at the north end of the room . This will be the only chance to obtain this word since the Dragonborn can never return to Skuldafn . Just before exiting there is a room on the right containing loot , including a random assortment of gems in a basin underneath a linen wrap . Entering Sovngarde . On the roof of Skuldafn Temple , there is one elder dragon and one leveled dragon on each side of the portal , as well as four leveled draugr . By luring the draugr close to the edge of the roof , it is possible to knock them off with Unrelenting Force . If done quickly , they can be ran around while the shout recharges and be thrown off one or two at a time . The dragons will remain neutral unless provoked with Dragonrend , an attack , or transforming into a Vampire Lord or werewolf . Directly across from the entrance to the roof ( west ) , there is a tower with a leveled chest on the lowest level . A dragon priest is just ahead of the dragons ' pillars . The priest ' s name is Nahkriin , and his staff is the key to going to Sovngarde . After killing him , his Dragon Priest Staff can be looted from his body . This is also the only opportunity to get his mask . To enter Sovngarde , his staff must be used on the altar , before jumping into the portal . It is possible to enter the portal without fighting Nahkriin if the Dragonborn runs to the portal before it is closed ( by Nahkriin reclaiming his staff ) . Tactics to defeat Nahkriin . Nahkriin can be difficult for lower leveled characters , especially those who are not resistant to frost damage . Nahkriin relies heavily on ranged attacks and will , at all times , keep his distance . In some cases , he will also cast a cloak spell and conjure a frost atronach before the fight , as a form of defense against melee - oriented foes , which means that attacks should be carefully planned . He may also cast Ice Spike , slowing the Dragonborn drastically for a short period of time , leaving them more vulnerable to attacks . Like every other dragon priest , Nahkriin wields a high - leveled staff , and having a good amount of healing potions might be necessary for this fight , and later on for Sovngarde . A few methods can be used to make the fight easier :