Esbern and Delphine are probably safe in Skyhaven temple.

Just because the Greybeards don't particularly like the Blades doesn't mean they would allow someone to attack and kill them in the middle of the negotiations. The whole reason the conference is being held at High Hrothgar is because it's the one place where everyone involved knows they have to behave themselves or else, and they all know that the Greybeards can back up the "or else" part like nobody's business. They wouldn't be doing it to help Delphine and Esbern, they would do it to stop someone from using the meeting to attack and kill another participant and probably destroy any chance of negotiating a ceasefire.

And, again, Elenwen is not going to do anything at that meeting that openly oversteps her legal, Imperially-backed role in the proceedings. It would just give everybody in the room a reason to go aggro on her with a perfectly valid excuse and there is no one there is who not already looking for one. She has a right to seek out, prevent, and punish Talos worship according to the WGC and the Empire has to comply with that, but even Tullius could justify kiling her in defense of two Imperial citizens who did nothing but show up at a meeting.

...or is it because after ascending the 7000 steps everyone would be too tired to fight?

And people want to help the Thalmor at this point when they already know you assist the Blades?

We're talking about two washed up useless wastes of space bloated to bursting with self-importance.
The fact that they revealed their existance to the Thalmor for no good reason whatsover is probably the least of their problems.

To be honest, I feel this is one of the areas Skyrim was most lacking in. Sure you have Ulfric and Tullius being snippy, and neither of them plays nice with the Thalmor either, but there should have been more interaction between them all. I wanted to see Elewen threaten Esbern or Delphine, if only in a veiled manner, or Ulfric to reach out to his former masters and possibly try to explain his actions.

More interaction overall would have been very much welcomed.

And for those who say that she wouldn't care about two Blades... Esbern was Lore Master and Delphine is clearly a skilled agent. The dossiers show that she's been a priority target for years, and it's clear that Esbern is as well. The Thalmor most definitely are concerned with them, but I think they know that High Hrothgar isn't the best place to confront anyone.

Wow nothing you said is true.

Exactly. If the Thalmor had their choice they would have murdered everyone up there. Not just the useless blades.

I agree. So many main characters in the same room, enemies, past friends, so much tension on all fronts - just wasted. I mean:
-Ulfric vs Greybeards. Have they even met since he left them? Had any kind of contact? What do the Greybeards think of the way he uses his voice?
-Ulfric & Galmar vs Rikke. Used to be friends if I understand it correctly. Now, enemies.
-Elisif vs Ulfric. The one who really has a personal reason to hate him, he killed her husband. (She does in fact call him murderer, so ok.)
-The Blades vs Greybeards. Ok, they had their argument in the hallway.
-Ulfric vs Elenwen. Could have been more there.
-Obviously Ulfric knows Delphine but not Esbern. From the war, probably, but how? Does Tullius and Rikke know Delphine?
-And even if Elenwen can't kill Delphine and Esbern at the council, they should be worried that she now knows they are alive and active in Skyrim, and the risk that she finds them later, with a death squad, has increased.
-and when did it become clear to eveyone that I am the Dragonborn? I don't think I said it when I talked to Ulfric and Tullius trying to convince them. Shouldn't it cause somekund of reaction (especially if you joined one of the sides - ok, maybe it does, I've only done Season Unending once, with a neutral character).

Balgruuf might mention that you are the dragonborn to Tullius, and Ulfric will trust the Greybeards on that matter.

Yeah... that just kind of happens, doesn't it?

As a Stormcloak I just RPed with Ulfric that I had killed a dragon in Whiterun, plenty of people saw me absorb the soul, and everybody heard the Greybeards' summons, which... you now, I always wondered if that "DOVAHKIIN!!" of theirs is supposed to resonate across all of Skyrim and not be audible only in the immediate area. I'm assuming yes since they apparently summoned Tiber Septim in the same way and it would be quite a coincidence if he just happened to be right there in the same general area too when it happened.

So, anyway, presumably the summons would've been heard in Windhelm as well. Shortly after that (in my game, at least) the SCs have taken Whiterun with my help, naturally it would be common knowledge there that I was the one who killed the dragon, I mean that's a story that's gonna get passed around. Other SC soldiers find out, word gets passed up the chain of command about what the new recruit did, eventually it gets back to Windhelm where they also heard the summons and surely Ulfric is gonna put two and two together.

With regard to playing out the peace council, you could just assume that the Greybeards informed everyone that it's being held at the request of the Dragonborn, but that wouldn't explain why some people already seem to know that's who you are when you first meet them prior to that, don't Tullius and Ulfric both behave as though they know it when you ask them to come? Even if you've never talked to them before, or joined either side in the war? I've only done it once and I can't remember.

Their from bethesda's http://i14.photobucket.com/albums/a350/fivefold/spongebob-imagination-1a0uyxv.jpg

Lol, I use my imagination a lot with Ulfric. A lot. And probably in some ways that Bethesda never really intended...

Don't confuse fact with opinion. This is the Internet, no one spouting out facts and truths here.
You're free to like Esbern & Delphine, but I personally hated the way their characters were used in the story (to be honest: I hated the entire story - so much wasted potential. But that's another topic). Now, I will say that the concept of the last of the Blades finding purpose once more in aiding the Dragonborn for one last big hurrah; flipping the bird to the Thalmor while they're saving the world by rocking out and grinding of Alduin's tail is pretty awesome.

However I didn't see well constructed characters who played a part in Skyrim's story. Delphine was an annoying, arrogant piece of poor writing. She seemed more concerned with proving she's relevant (rather then such little things like saving the world) by actively getting in your way and placing demands on you. The only reason she get's away with it, is because the railroady plot demands it so.
As for Esbern. Well there wasn't much of a character there. He's basically just a voice who throws out some exposition.

http://i461.photobucket.com/albums/qq340/Sheenio_2008/shocked_meme.png

They seem to know. Ulfric gets surprised, and shocked, when you tell him about Alduin, but other than that... No reaction whatsoever. As I said, I've only done it with a neutral character (she had talked to them once before, just saying hey, remember me? And then exited dialogue when they tried to recruit her).

A little OT: My SC character used shouts in both Korvanjund and Whiterun and is still a little confused why neither Ulfric nor Galmar (who MUST have heard her) have mentioned it. She ran into Ralof who said something about the Dragonborn, hinting that there probably at least are rumors about her by now. I think I'll rp that she tells Ulfric next time she sees him, just to find out he has suspected it (since he must have heard the Greybeards, and put two and two together after Galmar told him about their new recruit shouting at draugrs).

Without them the dragonborn never would defeat Alduin thats a fact which means they aren't useless wastes of space.

The Thalmor already knew they were alive and in Skyrim so they revealed nothing they didn't already know.

Your stated opinions are easily proven wrong with facts. So once again nothing you said in that post was true.

http://i.imgflash.com/JY.gif


I see a lot of people expecting a lot of bioware quality in writing from Bethesda. I see a lot of people with hi hopes and expectations. You know word spreads.

I have documents from the thalmore embassy saying x person is In riften etc.

Why would the grey beards and ulfric hate each other? It's not how the grey beards are or ulfric.

I'm pretty damn sure the blades are usefull if you follow their way of thinking.

You just gotta love people who fail to understand what an opinion is. The Internet truly is an eternal source of entertainment.

Really? What did they contribute? I'm genuinly curious. Throw some of those facts out here, instead of alluding to that there are such facts.
I mean, the only instance I can recall of the blades actually helping in our quest to defeat Alduin is Esbern translating the prophesy of Alduin's wall. Did we need the information he gives there? True. However Esbern is only needed there to translate that wall because the writers wanted to throw out exposition in an voice acted format. You can cut out Esbern out of the story completely, switch his scene at Alduin's Wall with you reading the prophecy in a dusty old tome and nothing would have changed.

You just kinda' admitted that they aren't useless.

OK, now you're talking about wild speculation and rewriting the story. By that logic we don't need the Greybeards. Bethesda could've had some kid run up to us and say: "I had a dream that you can talk like a dragon. Have you tried it?".

What'd be even better is having Alduin do it.

Alduin: So, we meet again, Dovahkiin.

PC: What?

Alduin: You know, Dovahkiin? Dragonborn?

PC: What's that?

Alduin: A mortal with the soul of a dragon. You can absorb the souls of dragons you defeat and use them to power shouts.

PC: Shouts?

Alduin: Dragon language is magical. You can manifest fire, ice, and many other abilities by shouting in our language.

PC: That's neat.

Alduin: Indeed. You're also the only one who can stop me.

PC: Who are you?

Alduin: Alduin... You know... The World-Eater? The Firstborn of Akatosh? The dragon destined to devour the world so it can be born anew?

PC: Oh... If I'm the only one who can stop you, should you really have told me all this?

Alduin: ...No. I shouldn't have. Bye, I guess...

Damn. See? Bethesda should've done it your way. Then they could've released the game on 10/10/10.

Yes he did which is why he's the one confusing opinion with fact.

Using his logic every character is useless to the story.

I think thats a good observation, perhaps they plan to assassinate the Thalmor agent and blame it on a bear.. :3

Couldn't Paarth have filled you in? He seemed to know everything about the previous war against alduin. Mainly because he was there. I don't really see the necessity of the blades.