Dragonkind (Dovahzul: plural Dov, singular Dovah, Aldmeris/Ehlnofex: Aka) often called dragons, wyrm and sometimes dov-rha are a race of Akaviri beings. Usually dragons are described as immortal children of Akatosh, the Dragon God of Time. From the Late Merethic Era until the Dragon War, they were widespread in Tamriel, ruling over mankind, believing non-dragon beings to be weak-minded. Their spoken language allows them to cast powerful magic, Dragon Shouts, from a power known as the Voice, which is inherent within all dragons as well as their kin, the Dragonborn. Kyne, Nordic goddess of the Storm, and Paarthurnax, Alduin's lieutenant, bestowed this to mortals which rendered them (especially Nords) capable of using Shouts with the proper training.
After the war, dragons were nearly made extinct, believed far and wide to be little more than legends until the Fourth Era with the return of Alduin the World Eater, Firstborn of Akatosh in Skyrim.
The origin of dragons isn't known but they're believed to be the children of Akatosh and thus specially attuned to the flow of time itself. Once indigenous to the continent of Akavir until they fled to Tamriel when the Tsaesci attempted to consume them. The Ka Po' Tun of Akavir wished to become dragons (Ka meaning dragon), and it's said that Tosh Raka, their leader, has become one.
Several Dremora where questioned by the College of Whispers on the subject of dragons who back up the claims that they seem to be attuned to time by claiming they "were, and are": eternal, immortl, unchanging, and unyielding. So rather than beasts or mortals, dragons are closer to Daedra who also do not age and are immortal with their souls lasting beyond the physical death, with no need to breed or mate. There have never been examples of dragon eggs or dragonlings. The Iliac Bay stories of such were proven false: the eggs were those of oversized lizards.
As the self-proclaimed "fistborn of Akatosh", Alduin is believed to be the first dragon to have existed, and while Akatosh and Alduin are shwo as dragons, many scholars believe them to be separate entities. The Nordic pantheon shows this; see also, the Alduin-Akatosh dichotomy and the concept of dragons being able to time scheme against themselves.
In the Merethic Era, Ysgramor, an Atmoran warrior and leader of the Five Hundread Companions, came to Tamriel and his people brought with them their animal worship, and with that came the dragon. They weren't permitted to used dovah, the name the dragons used for themselves, as this was forbidden to all by the Dragon Priests. Temples were built to honour the dragons, and many survive to the Fourth Era as ruins, filled with draugr, and some haunted by the undead dragon priests.
The dragons for their part took to their position as rulers over mortals. It was in their nature and they were superior; mortality meant nothing to them, and the people worshiped them. To a dragon, power is equal to truth, and their power over men couldn't be disputed. In exchange for the obedience of the priests, small amounts of favour and power was granted to them in the form of magical masks to their most favoured. These priests ruled over men the way a king would.
Where Ysgramor came from, the dragon priests demanded tribute and created laws where a peace was kept between man and dragon. In Tamriel rule was different either from an ambitious dragon king, a particular dragon, or many weak kings. Whatever caused it, the dragon priests exerted their power absolutely and the rest of the people were little more than slaves.
Of course the people rebelled. The dragon priests retaliated. Tribute wasn't collected by the dragon priests and they began to lose control; the dragons responded quickly and brutally, and so began the Dragon War where at first men died in their thousands.
This is when Kyne appeared with the instruction for Paarthurnax to assist mankind. Paarthurnax had grown disillusioned with Alduin when Alduin proclaimed himself a god, and so he betrayed his leader and taught the power of the Voice to men.
As the people rebelled against the dragon priests, dragons were slain in huge numbers with those that survived isolating themselves from morals. Alduin was banished by Nordic heroes at the Throat of the World through the use of an Elder Scroll to send him hurtling through time. They thought he would be trapped in time forever but he returned in the Fourth Age, resurrecting his followers again.
This wasn't the end of the dragon cult. Dragon mounds were built to bury the remains of the dragons that fell in the war in the belief that they would rise again, and the faithful would be rewarded.
Prior to Alduin's return in the Fourth Age, the last sighting of a dragon in Tamriel was during the time of Tiber Septim. Swearing to protect them if they would serve him, he made a pact with the few that remained, though despite his promise, dragons were still hunted and slain. It's unclear if the last dragons fled Tamriel or were wiped out.
Jills are the female variant of dragons who exist to mend Dragon Breaks. The fixing of the Warp in the West was attributed to them by Mannimarco. Drakes are their male counterparts, though they're said not to be as powerful as them.
Dragon shouts, Shouts or Thu'um in the Dragon language are an ancient form of magic used in Skyrim that's basically become lost outside of certain individuals, Greybeards, dragons and the Dragonborn(s). Using specific 'words of power' to create magical effects, usually for offensive purposes is how each Shout works; one or two words can be used but they're less powerful than the whole shout. Dragons can master and use it at will since the sacred language is their natural ability coming from their souls at the moment of creation, mortals however need to learn and use it via long meditation and practice. Unless you're a Dragonborn because you're born with the soul of a dragon all up inside the soul of a mortal. (So for dragons breathing fire or frost at each other they're actually having a verbal debate, the giant nerds.)
Dragonborns can intuitively learn Shouts and use them after absorbing dragon Souls, and with that the understanding of the dragons of the words. They can also absorb knowledge from other individuals who have mastered them such as the Greybeards.
Brónach's list of shouts in Thedas: Unrelenting Force; Fus Ro Dah (Force Balance Push) Your Voice is raw power, pushing aside anything - or anyone - who stands in your path. Whirlwind Sprint; Wuld Nah Kest (Whirlwind Fury Tempest) The Thu'um rushes forward, carrying you in its wake with the speed of a tempest. Dragonrend; Joor Zah Frul (Mortal Finite Temporary) Your voice lashes out at a dragon's very soul, forcing the beast to land. Aura Whisper; Laas Yah Nir (Life Seek Hunt) Your Voice is not a Shout, but a whisper, revealing the life forces of any and all. Throw Voice; Zul Mey Gut (Voice Fool Far) The Thu'um is heard, but its source unknown, fooling those into seeking it out. Marked for Death; Krii Lun Aus (Kill Leech Suffer) Speak, and let your Voice herald doom, as an opponent's armor and lifeforce are weakened. Dismay; Faas Ru Maar (Fear Run Terror) And the weak shall fear the Thu'um, and flee in terror. Bend Will; Gol Hah Dov (Earth Mind Dragon) Your Voice bends the very stones to your will. As it gains power, animals, people and even dragons must do your bidding.
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earthbones) wrote2017-11-18 09:04 pm
Dragons
Dragonkind
After the war, dragons were nearly made extinct, believed far and wide to be little more than legends until the Fourth Era with the return of Alduin the World Eater, Firstborn of Akatosh in Skyrim.
The origin of dragons isn't known but they're believed to be the children of Akatosh and thus specially attuned to the flow of time itself. Once indigenous to the continent of Akavir until they fled to Tamriel when the Tsaesci attempted to consume them. The Ka Po' Tun of Akavir wished to become dragons (Ka meaning dragon), and it's said that Tosh Raka, their leader, has become one.
Several Dremora where questioned by the College of Whispers on the subject of dragons who back up the claims that they seem to be attuned to time by claiming they "were, and are": eternal, immortl, unchanging, and unyielding. So rather than beasts or mortals, dragons are closer to Daedra who also do not age and are immortal with their souls lasting beyond the physical death, with no need to breed or mate. There have never been examples of dragon eggs or dragonlings. The Iliac Bay stories of such were proven false: the eggs were those of oversized lizards.
As the self-proclaimed "fistborn of Akatosh", Alduin is believed to be the first dragon to have existed, and while Akatosh and Alduin are shwo as dragons, many scholars believe them to be separate entities. The Nordic pantheon shows this; see also, the Alduin-Akatosh dichotomy and the concept of dragons being able to time scheme against themselves.
In the Merethic Era, Ysgramor, an Atmoran warrior and leader of the Five Hundread Companions, came to Tamriel and his people brought with them their animal worship, and with that came the dragon. They weren't permitted to used dovah, the name the dragons used for themselves, as this was forbidden to all by the Dragon Priests. Temples were built to honour the dragons, and many survive to the Fourth Era as ruins, filled with draugr, and some haunted by the undead dragon priests.
The dragons for their part took to their position as rulers over mortals. It was in their nature and they were superior; mortality meant nothing to them, and the people worshiped them. To a dragon, power is equal to truth, and their power over men couldn't be disputed. In exchange for the obedience of the priests, small amounts of favour and power was granted to them in the form of magical masks to their most favoured. These priests ruled over men the way a king would.
Where Ysgramor came from, the dragon priests demanded tribute and created laws where a peace was kept between man and dragon. In Tamriel rule was different either from an ambitious dragon king, a particular dragon, or many weak kings. Whatever caused it, the dragon priests exerted their power absolutely and the rest of the people were little more than slaves.
Of course the people rebelled. The dragon priests retaliated. Tribute wasn't collected by the dragon priests and they began to lose control; the dragons responded quickly and brutally, and so began the Dragon War where at first men died in their thousands.
This is when Kyne appeared with the instruction for Paarthurnax to assist mankind. Paarthurnax had grown disillusioned with Alduin when Alduin proclaimed himself a god, and so he betrayed his leader and taught the power of the Voice to men.
As the people rebelled against the dragon priests, dragons were slain in huge numbers with those that survived isolating themselves from morals. Alduin was banished by Nordic heroes at the Throat of the World through the use of an Elder Scroll to send him hurtling through time. They thought he would be trapped in time forever but he returned in the Fourth Age, resurrecting his followers again.
This wasn't the end of the dragon cult. Dragon mounds were built to bury the remains of the dragons that fell in the war in the belief that they would rise again, and the faithful would be rewarded.
Prior to Alduin's return in the Fourth Age, the last sighting of a dragon in Tamriel was during the time of Tiber Septim. Swearing to protect them if they would serve him, he made a pact with the few that remained, though despite his promise, dragons were still hunted and slain. It's unclear if the last dragons fled Tamriel or were wiped out.
Jills are the female variant of dragons who exist to mend Dragon Breaks. The fixing of the Warp in the West was attributed to them by Mannimarco. Drakes are their male counterparts, though they're said not to be as powerful as them.
Dragon Language
Dragon Shouts
Dragonborns can intuitively learn Shouts and use them after absorbing dragon Souls, and with that the understanding of the dragons of the words. They can also absorb knowledge from other individuals who have mastered them such as the Greybeards.
Brónach's list of shouts in Thedas:
Unrelenting Force; Fus Ro Dah (Force Balance Push) Your Voice is raw power, pushing aside anything - or anyone - who stands in your path.
Whirlwind Sprint; Wuld Nah Kest (Whirlwind Fury Tempest) The Thu'um rushes forward, carrying you in its wake with the speed of a tempest.
Dragonrend; Joor Zah Frul (Mortal Finite Temporary) Your voice lashes out at a dragon's very soul, forcing the beast to land.
Aura Whisper; Laas Yah Nir (Life Seek Hunt) Your Voice is not a Shout, but a whisper, revealing the life forces of any and all.
Throw Voice; Zul Mey Gut (Voice Fool Far) The Thu'um is heard, but its source unknown, fooling those into seeking it out.
Marked for Death; Krii Lun Aus (Kill Leech Suffer) Speak, and let your Voice herald doom, as an opponent's armor and lifeforce are weakened.
Dismay; Faas Ru Maar (Fear Run Terror) And the weak shall fear the Thu'um, and flee in terror.
Bend Will; Gol Hah Dov (Earth Mind Dragon) Your Voice bends the very stones to your will. As it gains power, animals, people and even dragons must do your bidding.