So, as I have understood it skill in magic will increase the lifespan, but does this extend to the Thu'um as well? It would make sense since the Greybeards are very old and must use many years simply to learn a shout, not to mention master it, but does anyone know if it have the same effect?

Tiber Septim became relatively old, 108 or so I believe. Even so, with magic you have to work on extending your life time in order to reach the desired effect. I'd imagine Thu'um users would have to do the same.

I'd imagine so. Interestingly, Arngeir is the single highest-leveled thing in the game. He even has a higher level than Alduin. This doesn't mean anything in lore terms, of course, but it shows that the greybeards are probably meant to be seen as the most ancient of ancient, as far as NPCs go. When mastered, the Way of The Voice appears to completely negate ageing.

That said, there is a difference between the Way of The Voice, and the simple use of dragon-shouts. The Way seems to be a philosophy, one with transformative effects on the body. You can be a powerful Thu'um user without mastering it, just look at Ulfric.

meditative monks with additional mythological longevity. I like it.

According to the Arcturian Heresy, the Greybeards are probably the oldest men on Nirn, seeing as how when Wulfharth "grew older than the Greybeards" he died.

Assuming they are the same Greybeards. Which, if they are, opens the possibility that Arngeir really is older than Alduin, if you think about it. Then again, we don't know how long previous kalpas might have been, or at what point Dragons came from the Earth-Bones (assuming they are not Earth-Bones themselves).

I was somewhat surprised to hear that the villagers deliver food up there.

We know that Arngeir was not a Greybeard at the time of Tiber Septim. He says he have never seen the abilitiesof a Dragoborn before.

If they live longer than usual, it's probably due to them using a special youth-shout, the opposite of the one Wulfharth used to age everyone up.

I think that even though it is a type of magic the greybeards do not get much of an extended lifespan. I think mages and such do so because of the way they manipulate energies and maybe because of restoration spells. Mages need to understand how magicka works. Thuum users need to understand how dragon language works. Maybe in those processes there are fundamental differences on how they understand magics.

Besides have we seen any cases of 1000 year old humans tht were just powerful mages? I dont recall any. Powerful mages may gain another lifetime due to magics but that is relative if you are mer, human or beastfolk. A mer lives longer period so tht may be why they can live so long as mages. Humans doubling their lifespans means from 150-200 years of age. Maybe tht is the key difference between the greybeards longevity as well.

Sry about typos and such. From mobile.

The Greybeards spend their lives away from everyone else, severely reducing any chance of being murdered or disease getting in. They also save a lot of their energy through meditating on the magic of themselves and the gods. So the Greybeards should definitely live longer lives than the average Nord.

However, an increased lifespan just because you know the Thu'um? Unless there's a shout to keep yourself youthful, then I highly doubt it.

Also, Ulfric was chosen to become a Greybeard. So they take on new members.

They are meditating and focusing their essence constantly in the same way that Dragons do. I bet the greybeards are all over 120.

I do recall him training with the Greybeards, however I don't remember anything that mentions that. Where exactly is that said?

Um, if he didn't train with the Greybeards (though he probably wasn't chosen, any Nord can learn Thu'um if they put their heart into it and he probably went up High Hrothgar of his own will), how did he learn how to Shout? He's not exactly Dragonborn. And Ulfric does mention this in conversation. He trained with the Greybeards, then left for the Great War.

Sorry, what I meant was that I knew he trained with the Greybeards, I wasn't exactly under the impression he was selected to become one of the them.

Talk to Ulfric and he tells you all about it. He was sent to the Greybeards to learn the Way of the Voice, and unlike Bargruuf he excelled, but his temperament was too unruly and so he was forced to leave. If Ulfric had been less of a prototypical Nord, he might have went on to become a Greybeard himself.

Ulfric mentions he was going to become a Greybeard himself but left to go fight in the Great War. He says Arngeir would consider it one of his greatest failings. In the same conversation he also states that Arngeir is the oldest and most powerful Thu'um user of the Greybeards.

I found that interesting as previously I had assumed his Thu'um wasn't as powerful as the others which is why he was chosen as the spokesman - so he wouldn't kill you, seems to be inverted in that he has mastered his Thu'um so much more than the others that he can talk normally.

I have a question that is a bit off topic of aging, but if Arngeir is the powerful in the way of the Thu'um how is it that he is able to talk to you but the others cannot because a simple whisper would tear you apart?

Because he's managed to control his voice. So states the Prima Guide.

I suppose Kyne has her hand in their longevity. I remember reading that she was the one who gave mortals the ability to shout, even though Paarthurnax tought them how to use it. Having the god of nature, wind and life giving a power to mortals, it would make sense that it increases their lifespan. As to how much, you got me.

Not that I don't believe you, but bloody when and how do I get the dialog option to hear this? Do I need to do "season unending?" All I know is that he was training, but literally zero details. That bothers me.

The only time it's available is after you learn youre Dragonborn and before you go to the Greybeards.

Balls. well, thanks. next character I'll have to make sure to do it. It sounds relevant to my inevitable TES Novels pitch. If I can find out who at Random House I'm supposed to bloody pitch to.

Maybe the fact that they take on new members is irrelevant. There probably is a Thu'um that counteracts aging, and if not then they could just re-animate themselves with normal magic. There is nothing that says that the Graybeards cannot use normal magic.