Dragons (Lore)

Dragonkind (Dragon Language: plural Dov, singular Dovah;Events of Aldmeris/Ehlnofex: Aka,A - Translation Dictionary Ancient Nordic: drah-gkon),The Dragon War often called Dragons, Wyrm,Songs of Skyrim and sometimes dov-rha are a reptilian, winged, two-legged race of AkaviriMysterious AkavirPocket Guide to the Empire, Third Edition: Other LandsThe Rise and Fall of the Blades beings usually described as the immortal children of the "Dragon God of Time" Akatosh who usually exhibits the same anatomical form, as did his avatar. They were once widespread in Tamriel and ruled over Men during the Late Merethic Era up until the Dragon War.Merethic Era Their spoken language can be articulated to cast powerful magic known as Dragon Shouts, originated from the power known as the Voice, inherent to all dragons and their kin, the Dragonborn. Such power was also bestowed upon mortals by the efforts of Kyne and Paarthurnax, rendering Men (and especially Nords) capable of shouting, with enough training.
After the Dragon War, dragons no longer ruled over Men, and they began to decline in numbers, being hunted by groups such as the Blades. Dragons were widely believed to be nothing but a legend for much of the late history of Men, until 4E 201, when they resurfaced in Skyrim with the return of Alduin, the World-Eater.
==By game==
*Dragons (Redguard)
*Dragons (Skyrim)
*Dragons (Online)
*Dragon (Legends)
*Dragons (Blades)
==History==
===Origins===
The precise origin of the dragons is unknown. They are believed to be the children of Akatosh, or of Akha,The Wandering Spirits and as such are especially attuned to the flow of time itself.Dialogue with Paarthurnax in Alduin, the self-proclaimed "Firstborn of Akatosh," is believed to be the first dragon.The Song of Gods While both Akatosh and Alduin are represented as dragons, many scholars believe the two are separate entities, which the Nordic pantheon seems to reflect.The Alduin/Akatosh DichotomyAlduin is Real
The College of Whispers has questioned several Dremora, who claim dragons simply "were, and are": eternal, immortal, unchanging, and unyielding.There Be Dragons In this respect, the dragons are closer to the et'Ada than to animals and the mortal races; they are ageless and immortal, with their souls enduring beyond physical death, and they do not mate or breed as animals do. As such, there are no known examples of dragon eggs or dragonlings. The Iliac Bay area has stories of such things, but so far all have proven false. The alleged eggs turned out to be the eggs of reptiles, and the supposed small dragons turned out to be oversized lizards, with no relation to true dragons.
===Dragons in Akavir===
Dragons were indigenous to the continent of Akavir, and the continent's name even means "Dragon Land." After the Tsaesci "ate" the Men on the continent, they next turned toward the Dragons. Red Dragons were shortly enslaved, though Black Dragons were able to escape to Po Tun, known later as Ka Po' Tun. A massive war errupted on Akavir involving the Tsaesci and the Po Tun, resulting in mass casualties on both sides and the death of Dragons in Akavir. It is believed that the Dragons in Akavir were primarily eliminated by the Dragonguard, though some dragons would escape and flee to Tamriel. Following this, The surviving cat-folk of Ka Po' Tun wished to "become" dragons (the word Ka meaning dragon); their leader, Tosh Raka, was the first to successfully transform into a dragon and eventually became the "largest dragon in the world." The cat-folk of Ka Po' Tun would later be referred to as "tiger dragons," suggesting that others may have also transformed as well.
===Merethic Era and dragon worship in Tamriel===
Though dragons in Akavir would become extinct, those that escaped to Tamriel would survive this onslaught and interact with other races, particularly Men. When Ysgramor came to Tamriel in the Merethic Era, his people brought with them a faith that worshiped animal gods. Foremost among all animals was the dragon, or drah-gkon in the ancient Nordic tongue. Occasionally the term dov-rha is used, derived from dovah, the dragons' name for themselves. Using either name was forbidden to all except the Dragon Priests. Many of the temples built to honor the dragons survive today as ancient ruins, haunted by draugr and undead dragon priests.The Dragon War
Dragons embraced their role as man's god-kings. In their eyes, they were clearly superior to the tiny, frail, and short-lived beings that worshiped them. To dragons, power is equal to truth, and their power over Men was indisputable evidence of their superiority. In exchange for the obedience of their priests, the dragons granted small amounts of power to them, bestowing magical masks upon their most favored priests. In turn, the dragon priests ruled over Men, wielding authority equal to the kings.
===The Dragon War===
In Atmora, where Ysgramor and his people came from, the dragon priests demanded tribute and created laws which kept the peace between dragon and man. In Tamriel, their rule was quite different. It is unclear if this was due to an ambitious dragon priest, or a particular dragon, or a series of weak kings. Whatever the cause, the dragon priests began to rule with an iron fist, making virtual slaves of the rest of the population.
When the populace rebelled, the dragon priests retaliated. The dragon priests failed to collect the tribute and their control over the masses began to slip. The dragons' response was swift and brutal. This began the Dragon War. At first, Men died by the thousands.
Kyne intervened, and instructed Paarthurnax to assist mankind.Etched tablets on the Throat of the World in Paarthurnax, originally the first lieutenant of Alduin, had become disillusioned with Alduin when the latter proclaimed himself a god. As a result, Paarthurnax betrayed his former master and taught the power of the Voice to mankind.
With the rebellion against the dragon priests, dragons were slaughtered in large numbers. The dragons that survived chose to live in remote places away from Men. Alduin himself was banished by a group of Nord heroes on the peak of Skyrim's Throat of the World, where they used an Elder Scroll to send him into another time. While the Nord warriors hoped that Alduin would be lost in time forever, he would eventually return to terrorize Skyrim again in the Fourth Era.
The Dragon Cult itself, however, survived. They built Dragon Burial Mounds, entombing the remains of dragons that fell in the war, believing that one day the dragons would rise again and reward the faithful.
===Disappearance===
By the First Era, dragons had waned thanks to the Dragon War, though they would face an additional calamity. The Tsaesci invasion from Akavir would bring the Dragonguard to Tamriel, resulting in a renewed genocide by the Tsaesci. The Dragonguard would begin conquering Tamriel, killing dragons along the way until very few remained.The Book of the Dragonborn The invading Tsaesci, though massively successful at first, would eventually encounter Reman Cyrodiil and were repelled at the Battle of Pale Pass. The remaining Dragonguard were said to have heard Reman's voice and ceased fighting; due to the dragons being all but killed off, and also possibly because of Reman's status as a Dragonborn, the Dragonguard swore loyalty to him. Despite their new oath to protect the Reman Dynasty, the Dragonguard would continue their conquest of the dragons, serving as both a monument to their genocide and as a warning for Alduin's future return. Late into the First Era, the Dragonguard would construct Alduin's Wall in order to preserve their history of dragonlore.Annals of the Dragonguard The dragons would be all but wiped out by the Second Era, causing the Dragonguard to devote themselves fully to the Reman Dynasty and become the Blades.
Some dragons survived this purge, though their numbers were few. In the Third Era, Tiber Septim made a pact with the few remaining dragons, swearing to protect them if they would serve him; among them was the dragon Nafaalilargus.Dialogue with Nafaalilargus in Despite his promise, however, dragons were still hunted and slain. It is unknown if the last of these dragons fled Tamriel or were completely exterminated.
While the last recorded sighting of a dragon in Tamriel was in the time of Tiber Septim, as late as 3E 405 dragons were kept in sacred groves by the Order of the Hour,Events of "Avenge te Dragons" and another was kept during the Imperial Simulacrum on the Battlespire.Events of Starlover's Log The dragon Skakmat was also known to have reported to the court of Daggerfall shortly before the Warp in the West.The Daggerfall Chronicles: P. 181, Narrative
===The Dragon Crisis===
By the time of the Fourth Era, no dragons were known to exist, and they were said to have been extinct for centuries;Dialogue with Delphine in additionally, Alduin's Wall had been forgotten by Tamriel, and thus the Prophecy of the Dragonborn fell into antiquity.Dialogue with Esbern in However, in 4E 201, Alduin emerged from the Time Wound, assaulted Helgen and razed it to the ground, beginning the Dragon Crisis.Events of "Unbound" in Following this, Alduin began to resurrect other dragons from their burial mounds. After an attack on the Western Watchtower in Whiterun Hold by the dragon Mirmulnir, which was eventually defeated by a contingent of forces led by Irileth at the Western Watchtower, the Last Dragonborn was revealed, absorbing the soul of Mirmulnir.Events of "Dragon Rising" in 
With little concern about the Last Dragonborn's emergence, Alduin continued to resurrect dragons, eventually resurrecting Sahloknir near Kynesgrove. The Last Dragonborn and Delphine, one of the last members of the Blades fought and killed Sahloknir, though Alduin left as soon as Sahloknir began his attack at the former's command.Events of "A Blade in the Dark" in Due to the loss of Alduin's Wall, many were unsure of why Alduin had returned; Delphine initially suspected the Thalmor were behind the return of the dragons, and other individuals believed that the Third Empire or the Stormcloaks were responsible.Dialogue with Skald the Elder in Dialogue with Hadvar during "Before the Storm" in To learn how to defeat Alduin, the Last Dragonborn ventured with Delphine and another Blade, Esbern, to Sky Haven Temple, where they found Alduin's Wall and learn of the Prophecy of the Dragonborn. From this, they determined that Alduin could be defeated with the help of a shout, though they didn't know what shout.Events of "Alduin's Wall" in 
The Last Dragonborn learned from Arngeir that the shout's name is Dragonrend and met the leader of the Greybeards, the dragon Paarthurnax. Paarthurnax assisted the Last Dragonborn in finding the Elder Scroll that was used by the ancient Nords to banish Alduin, in the hopes that returning it to the Time Wound would allow the Dragonborn to see a vision of its creation, from which the Dragonborn would learn Dragonrend from its creators. Paarthurnax's hypothesis was right, and after learning the ancient Dragonrend shout from the vision, Alduin confronted the Dragonborn and Paarthurnax atop the Throat of the World and a battle ensued. After the Dragonborn defeated him, Alduin fled to Skuldafn to enter Sovngarde in order to devour souls which allowed him to regain his power.Events of "Alduin's Bane" in The Dragon Crisis continued to lay waste to Skyrim, enough that the Skyrim Civil War was temporarily halted due to fears from both sides.Events of "Season Unending" in The Last Dragonborn took advantage of this ceasefire to capture the dragon Odahviing inside Dragonsreach, who carried the Dragonborn to Skuldafn, as the location was only known to the resurrected dragons under Alduin's command and accessible only by flight.Events of "The Fallen" in Odahviing's defection ensured that the Last Dragonborn could enter Sovngarde through Alduin's portal at Skuldafn, which leads to Sovngarde.Events of "Sovngarde" in In Sovngarde, the Last Dragonborn gained entrance to the Hall of Valor, where the ancient Nords who banished Alduin in the past joined the Dragonborn in another battle against Alduin, in which the Last Dragonborn slew Alduin and put an end to his threat.Events of "Dragonslayer" in 
Following Alduin's defeat, Odahviing swore loyalty to the Last Dragonborn, and Paarthurnax decided to attempt to convince the remaining dragons to embrace the Way of the Voice. Events of Epilogue" in However, dragons would remain hostile, continuing to terrorize the province of Skyrim and attack the Last Dragonborn.
==Notable dragons==
===Alduin===
Alduin, the World-Eater, is the Nordic god of time whose banishment and subsequential return to Tamriel were a result of an Elder Scroll. He was first banished from Tamriel through the last resort of the ancient Nord heroes who used an Elder Scroll to force Alduin to become lost in time in the hopes that he would never return. However, he was sent forward in time thousands of years into the future, to the Fourth Era. Alduin resurrected his fallen dragon allies and attempted to reestablish his rule over the world
===Durnehviir===
Before the Dragon War in the Merethic Era, Durnehviir lived amongst his kin in the skies above Tamriel. While his brethren used more traditional forms of combat, Durnehviir pursued an interest in Necromancy that eventually led him to the Ideal Masters.
His wish was to raise armies of undead for his own ends, so he made a pact with the Ideal Masters to gain access to their realm's undead. The pact specified that Durnehviir was to serve as the keeper of the Soul Cairn, and guard a powerful necromancer named Valerica until her eventual death - terms to which Durnehviir, being an immortal dragon, agreed. The Ideal Masters deceived Durnehviir, as Valerica was a vampire, and thus also immortal. As a result, Durnehviir was doomed to guard the Soul Cairn for eternity.Dialogue with Durnehviir in 
===Grahkrindrog===
A dragon who went on a slaughter of Winterhold and Eastmarch in 2E 184. He was killed by the Dragonguard and his name was confirmed with help from mages of the College of Winterhold.Atlas of Dragons
===Kahvozein===
A dragon that was worshipped by a particular sect of the Dragon Cult. According to Tolfdir, the cult was quite fond of ritual sacrifices to the extent that the High Priest would spend a great deal of time sharpening a dagger, named Kahvozein's Fang, so it was always ready for its next victim.Dialogue with Tolfdir in 
===Kaalgrontiid===
Kaalgrontiid is a dragon that appeared in Elsweyr in the Second Era. He was once locked away in the Halls of Colossus, and unintentionally freed by Abnur Tharn.
===Mulaamnir===
Mulaamnir is a dragon that appears in . He was the second-in-command of Kaalgrontiid with whom he was imprisoned inside the Halls of Colossus and later escaped with when Abnur Tharn accidentally broke the seal keeping the dragons imprisoned.
After escaping he assisted Kaalgrontiid in the destruction of Elsweyr by attacking the Khajiiti Defense Force.
===Nahfahlaar===
Nahfahlaar was a dragon known for making repeated alliances with mortals for protection, which saved him from elimination by the Dragonguard. One of his former protectors was king Casimir II of Wayrest. Around 2E 582 Nahfahlaar had made an alliance with the Dragonguard and helped the organization put an end to the dragon threat in Elsweyr.Events of He was employed by Tiber Septim during his conquest of Tamriel in the Second Era, and served as a powerful ally to the would-be emperor, who guaranteed victory for the Imperial Navy in many battles. By then Nahfahlaar referred to himself as Nafaalilargus. It was also Nafaalilargus that killed Prince A'Tor, the leader of a rebellion against Septim and his forces during the Battle of Hunding Bay.
Nafaalilargus was then trusted with guarding the soul gem which held the soul of A'Tor and keeping it from anyone who sought it. However, the Redguard pirate Cyrus confronted Nafaalilargus and managed to slay the dragon, claiming A'Tor's soul.
Since Cyrus was not a Dragonborn, Nafaalilargus' soul was not absorbed and could have been revived by Alduin.
===Numinex===
King Olaf One-Eye subdued the great dragon Numinex in a legendary duel of Thu'ums, and brought him back to the fledgling town of Whiterun as a captive.Olaf and the Dragon It was then that the magnificent keep of Dragonsreach was rebuilt and renamed to serve as a cage for Numinex, whose skull still adorns the Great Hall.Dialogue with Farengar Secret-Fire in Paarthurnax notes that Numinex went mad due to his captivity and forgot his own name.
===Odahviing===
Odahviing was an ally of Alduin during the Dragon Crisis. The Dragonborn summons him to Dragonsreach in the main storyline of Skyrim in the hopes that the dragon would reveal the whereabouts of Alduin. The dragon helped the Last Dragonborn reach kuldafn and gain entry into Sovngarde.Events of "The World-Eater's Eyrie" in .
After Alduin's defeat Odahviing became a loyal ally to the Dragonborn and would come to assist them whenever he was called upon.
===Paarthurnax===
Paarthurnax is the leader of the Greybeards who lives atop the Throat of the World. He served as Alduin's lieutenant during the Dragon War in the Merethic Era, during which he was said to have committed terrible atrocities against mankind.
During the Fourth Era he assisted the Dragonborn in defeating Alduin after the latter's returned to Tamriel.
===Shulkunaak===
Shulkunaak is a dragon found in the main questline of from whom the Fugitive requests assistance in defeating the Sorcerer-King at the suggestion of Saashi.Events of "Facing the Dragon" in He is the last of his breed.
After giving the Fugitive the information they need, he recognized them as a member of the Blades and challenged them to a battle, ultimately being defeated at their hands. Since Shulkunaak had no intention of killing the Fugitive, his challenge served only to demonstrate the Fugitive's ability to defeat the Litch King. He was left alive to mend his wounds despite threatening to kill the Fugitive if they lost.
Later, Azzin attempted to slay Shulkunaak, but because the dragon did not share his species' propensity for domination, the Fugitive prevented him from doing so. Meanwhile, Saashi, a Khajiit scholar, warned Shulkunaak of the Blade, allowing him to escape.
===Skakmat===
Skakmat was the dragon familiar of Nulfaga, a powerful female Breton wizard and necromancer. At the Battle of Cryngaine Field, Skakmat produced a mystic fog (under Nulfaga's orders) in an attempt to halt the battle in which Lysandus was to be slain.The Daggerfall Chronicles: Narrative
==Places of worship==
When the Dragons ruled Nirn with an iron fist, and the Dragon Priests carried out the orders of the Dragons, there were temples and tombs that the people of Nirn built to worship the Dragon Priests and the Dragons. Most of these locations were also cities where people lived.
===Notable places of worship===
*Bleak Falls Barrow
*Forelhost
*Labyrinthian/Bromjunaar Sanctuary
*Skuldafn
*Shearpoint
*Ragnvald
*Valthume
*High Gate Ruins
*Volskygge
==Types of dragons==
===Jills===
According to Michael Kirkbride, a former writer at Bethesda, "Jills" or "minute-menders"Nu-Hatta of the Sphinxmoth Inquiry TreeNu-Mantia Intercept, Letter 2 are the female variant of dragons, who serve to mend Dragon Breaks. Mannimarco attributed them to fixing the Warp in the West. Their male counterparts, the "Drakes," are said to be less powerful than them.Michael Kirkbride - IRC Q&A Sessions, October 17th
===Uniquely named dragons===
*Alduin
*Paarthurnax
*Odahviing
*Krosulhah
*Mirmulnir
*Naaslaarum
*Nahagliiv
*Sahloknir
*Shulkunaak
*Viinturuth
*Voslaarum
*Vuljotnaak
*Vulthuryol
*Nafaalilargus
*Kaalgrontiid
*Mulaamnir
*Bahlokdaan
==Gallery==
Black-dragon.jpg|A Brown Dragon.
Soaring Elder Dragon.png|An Elder Dragon.
Soaring Ancient Dragon.png|An Ancient Dragon.
Skeletal Dragon.png|A Skeletal Dragon.
Soaring Revered Dragon.png|A Revered Dragon.
Soaring Legendary Dragon.png|A Legendary Dragon.
Soaring Serpentine Dragon.png|A Serpentine Dragon.
Dragon (Online).png|A Dragon in .
Red Dragon.png|A Red Dragon in .
==Trivia==
*The Divine Akatosh is associated with dragons, and his Avatar takes on the form of a dragon.Varieties of Faith in the Empire
*The Daedric Prince Peryite is known to take the form of a dragon.
*In the French version of A Child's Tamriel Bestiary, the word jackal is replaced by jills.
*In , the Ebonheart Pact's crest is depicted as a dragon.
*The symbol of the Septim Empire since the Third Era is a red dragon based on Nafaalilargus.
*According to ancient dragon tradition the elder of two dragons would be the first to speak when the two dragons meet.
==Appearances==
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* (as Avatar of Akatosh)
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** (skeleton)
** (Bone Dragon)
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==References==
es:Dragones
nl:Draken
Category:Beastfolk
Category:Dragons
Category:Lore: Creatures
Category:Lore: Skyrim Creatures
Category:Races