The Fallen and Message to Whiterun

[Mulletguts]

I have both of the above quests open but the only one that seems to be affecting Balgrouf is the Fallen because I am not able to hand over Ullfrics Axe. Does this mean I have to pursue the peace process before going to war again and taking Whiterun?

[Nabinkemper]

The answer I find as part of the research is: Yes. You will need to begin "Season's Unending" and establish a truce before continuing the main quest of trapping Odahviing.

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:The_Fallen

[Mulletguts]

Thankyou. Suppose I will have to get right on it. Damn!

[Master Talon]

wait I had both quests at the same time and it didn't effect it for me. I was able to take the axe and do the "Battle of Whiterun" and had the quest "The Fallen" at the same time. I just did it a few days ago

[Nabinkemper]

It depends on how far in the conversation with Balgruuf a player goes.

If a player goes before Balgruuf and proceeds to discuss with him the need to use the palace as it was intended to fight Alduin, the Civil War quest "Message to Whiterun" will be paused until the first can be resolved. Since the war was still ragging, the follow-up quest would be "Season's Unending."
On the reverse, if the conversation was related to the message from Ulfrich and delivery of the ax, then "Battle for Whiterun" would proceed and the main questline would be paused until the battle was over.

Either interaction would result in one of the quest lines to be paused until the active quest was completed.

[Mulletguts]

This is going to get messy. First I have to get Balgroufs help to defeat the dragon then I have to take his city from him. Now I understand his post-city capture dialogue. If it were a 'real' situation I'd feel dirty. Ah well, such is life, such is war.

[Master Talon]

I did just say I was able to do the battle of Whiterun while having the Quest The Fallen and did that same very thing Mulletguts was trying to do and was able to do so and did it a few days ago

[Nabinkemper]

I don't doubt you were able to do so, Talon; however, The outcome is effected by the order in which conversation occurs.

If you talk with Balgruuf and hand him the ax, while having The Fallen in your quest log, you can complete the Battle of Whiterun and return to Balgruuf (if sided with the Imperials, Vignar for the Stormcloaks) and talk to him about trapping a dragon. This allows you to bypass Season's Unending. However, if you talk to Balgruuf about trapping a dragon first, before handing him the ax, then Message to Whiterun will be put on hold and Season's Unending will be started.

[Mulletguts]

Originally posted by Master Talon:

I did just say I was able to do the battle of Whiterun while having the Quest The Fallen and did that same very thing Mulletguts was trying to do and was able to do so and did it a few days ago

Master Talon may be right. I may have been mistaken in calling it. After doing the Fallen dialogue it then offered me the opportunity to hand over the axe. The Message to Whiterun scenario was completed as well as Falcreath however Ralof is now talking truce and won't move; It seems I have to address the Fallen after all.

[Nabinkemper]

I understand that a player can interact with Balgruuf twice and discuss both scenario's with him (Trapping a dragon, forcing him to choose a side in the war). The issue is the potential for conflict and/or quest bugs that can present themselves.

One thing a player must be aware of is that Skyrim's main quest (defeating Alduin) is tied up with the Civil War. No matter if a player chooses to only play the main quest, they will have to rectify the Civil War one way or another; whether temporarily through negotiation in "Season's Unending," or choosing a side and battling to the end.

The double-interaction with Balgruuf has potentially created a conflict in that both "Season's Unending" was activated as well as "Battle for Whiterun." The recommendation would be to reload the auto-save to when you walked into Dragonsreach and only focus on discussing only the war. Then, follow the Civil War questline to the finish. This would allow you to skip "Season's Unending" if that is what is desired. Or, negotiate a truce and hopefully Whiterun will return to normal allowing for "The Fallen" to be completed; and ultimately bring Alduin to an end.

[Master Talon]

Originally posted by Nabinkemper:

I don't doubt you were able to do so, Talon; however, The outcome is effected by the order in which conversation occurs.

If you talk with Balgruuf and hand him the ax, while having The Fallen in your quest log, you can complete the Battle of Whiterun and return to Balgruuf (if sided with the Imperials, Vignar for the Stormcloaks) and talk to him about trapping a dragon. This allows you to bypass Season's Unending. However, if you talk to Balgruuf about trapping a dragon first, before handing him the ax, then Message to Whiterun will be put on hold and Season's Unending will be started.

I also did the battle before asking to trap Ohdaving as I was trying to say and still didn't trap him yet