So what triggers Farengar Secret-Fire's impulse to collect samples off a live (and rather indignant) captive dragon? I want to see the scene for myself, but he doesn't seem to be coming.

I have yet to talk to Ohdaviing in full convo, all he's said to me so far is his "well done in capturing me" blurb. I've talked to Farengar, Balgruuf, Irileth, even one of Balgruuf's sons so far, and they all have a response to the capture event.

COMPLETELY wrong forum, buddy. Keep walking around, see if you can trigger it.

Oh jeebus...

As Akatosh as my witness, I thought I was in the Skyrim cheats forum... :bolt:

Have the full conversation with Ohdaviing. It was midway thru that he came in and started being a fool around my new dragon friend. You don't need to actually decide whether or not you release him, just talk up to that point... shortly after exiting the conversation you should hear Ohdaviing say "What are you doing back there?!" If it doesn't happen I'll fall back on my usual explanation for Bethesda games... glitch?

I had a similar thing, except that the "samples" weren't taken from the back, but the front. Odahviing (the correct spelling btw) had a rather typical draconic reaction (Yol Toor Shul or Fire breath) straight to the face.

Farengar was dead by then, so It was weird with the Jarl and housecarl's dialogue without Farengar's.