Zinnorokkrah

Well, there's me- and Budz has let me know that he's been working on some new stuff, not exactly related to TDL, but he's still willing to help us any way he can. [Correct me if I'm wrong Budz- that's just the vibe I got from the conversation]

Here you go- a song for the bards to sing. The alternate title bears the name of the dragon awakened by Alduin from the nearby burial mound. He'll actually speak to you if you're non--hostile at first, so it would be nice to think that the guardian dragon in your game is him [Though it probably isn't] The Dragon of Rorickstead Or Nahagliiv the Benevolent Oh there was a dragon with talons so red, Who circled protective over ole Rorickstead And the bandits did swagger and brandish the blade, And dreamed of red battle and to be made But then they went quite those bandits with dreams full of red, When that noble dragon raised his mighty head; "This village is mine, and you shall do no ill deed, Now I think that at last Sovengarde calls an end to your tiid!" And so there came clashing and slashing of steel, As mighty Nahagliiv charged full of zeal And those braggarts and bandits were harmful no more, When their hideous corpses were charred on the floor!

Well, I can say for sure that the panel of the "King" & "Queen" being buried is definitely relating to the Dragon Priests. The central figure, surrounded by fire, wears robes like those of the Dragon Priests and wields two of their daggers while Alduin or some other dragon remains perched above him. The figures carrying the deceased on those litters seem to be acolytes of some sort, as their staffs bear a strong resemblance to those of the Dragon Priests- or, if it is just a common Ancient Nordic practice to make staffs which look like that, then they could be priests of other Divines represented by their animal totems. Now, what interests me about this panel is that I) There is a dog in the procession. Why, I have no idea, but maybe you guys could figure it out. & II) Are they the High King & Queen of Skyrim? They both seem to be wearing what appears to be The Jagged Crown.

Alright, here another update- if you want to comment on anything about this mod concepts, critiques, suggestions, anything at all, feel free. Now, technically there's still another dragon in Brom Brod, but I won't detail it just yet as it pertains to a quest line I'm going to bring up later. The next dragon is the Ag'Kendov or Burn Warrior, part of Krein Zeymah or Sun Brothers- these are dragons highly associated with fire & the sun. They have a long history with the Falmer, as they were originally, at the Chantry of Auri-El and in Haafingar as a whole- and are highly hostile towards vampires. This dragon resembles the Blood Dragon of vanilla Skyrim, except with spines instead of sails, a normal tail tip, and a crest of horns instead of a shield; with a colour palate into the bronzes, and burnt oranges & it may or may not resemble the 'Ruddy Aspfang' of "Bellyaches New Dragon Species & Odahviing replacer". This dragon uses its new mastery of fire alongside its speed and power to assault its enemies. Dunmer have a natural advantage over these dragons, if you don't happen to be one; fire resistant gear might be a good idea. Ag'Kendov Level: 18 Health: 5,000 Resistances: -30% to frost, 70% to fire, 45% to magic, 35% to damage, 70% to poison, 100% to disease Shouts: Fire Breath [YOL TOOR SHUL], Unrelenting Force [FUS RO DAH] Magic: Fireball, Fire Cloak, Wall of Flames [in the air] Special Notes: This dragon will in general keep its distance, preferring to use its Shouts and magic over physical combat- though it will if you make a nuisance of yourself. This dragon prefers quick attacks, and move faster even than its younger counterpart. If you aren't a Dunmer, and especially if you're a vampire, having some fire-resistant gear might be a good investment. Even among dragons, this creature is deadly- though it gives up some of its physical strength for superior speed and a stronger Thu'um. When in combat, this dragon will likely use quick bursts of fire to cover an assault, giving you the impression that it is farther away than it actually is until it's too late. And now, another part of the in-game book "Alduin- so the legends say -spent his days with the few remaining females of the clans, trying to increase the speed of their reproductive cycle, and hatch the eggs that they were left with. While his people ruled the Atmorans, Alduin fought to bring them back from the brink, and mourned the deaths of his fellow dragons in the wars with the Tsaesci. Eventually, the Nede people of Atmora broke into a vicious civil war- a war that the dragons intervened in on the behalf of their worshippers. This war was started primarily over the few remaining patches of fertile land but what they didn't know- so the legends say -was the reason the fertility was going from the earth. Alduin was drawing it out, trying to achieve his goal of restoring his race to their full glory. However, the vast power of his Voice, and the disruptive nature of the spell caused a tragedy. Many of the females died, and the few survivors became more important than ever. Alduin, in his grief, ordered the dragons out of the war, and they followed Ysgramor across the Sea of Ghosts to Skyrim, to begin anew."

In the ES universe, magic was used by the Et'Ada- who are the Divines & the Daedra, and maybe the ancestors of the Merethic races. It is described as a creative force that keeps the world in check, and working. In that way, it works like qi [commonly known as chi], a life-force exerted by all living things and even the world itself to sustain existence. The Aedra are Et'Ada who live in Aetherius, the realm from which all pure magicka flows, and as such, are the beings most closely tied to the world and its workings. In that way- they are more powerful than the Daedra, but more limited in their use of that power, as the Daedra aren't tied down to anything. To answer your question about spell-casting, if we take into account that casting a 'spell' is just redirecting the magicka which helps fuel your body [Meaning maximum magicka is really maximum useable magicka], then you could use your magicka to effect someone else's. Say, for example, that the neural system helps distribute magicka throughout the body- using a Fear Spell would alter that flow of energy, causing the brain to release the hormones and chemicals associated with fear and a quick retreat for self-preservation whereas a Fortify Lock-picking enchantment would be using an amulet [a piece of magical technology] redirecting that energy to yourself to affect the connects between neuron paths associated with dexterity and problem-solving, thus making you able to asses, feel, and then pick the lock more easily. Regarding the books- as far as I can understand, they are the spell in its entirety; the knowledge, the direction of energy, everything you'd need to know. Now- some people, like Merethic races and Bretons, are more inclined to use magic than others. Those with the inclination learn magic faster. When the knowledge within the tome is absorbed entirely, it follows that the tome would disappear. Scrolls are different, in that they perform the spell once- and that's it. The player, being a destiny driven hero, is more inclined towards magic than pretty much anyone else in that particular game, which would be why they can learn the spell almost instantaneously. Or maybe that's just an over-simplification to explain the game engine on my part. In any case, I hope you found this helpful. I could be wrong, but this is how I understand it from the ES universe and the lore provided. If anyone knows better, feel free to correct me; I always like to learn.

Thank-you Dragonzzilla. Hopefully other people will be as interested in this as you. But for now, here's the next update. The next dragon is the Fo'Kruziik or Frost Ancient- the oldest, and in many ways the most powerful dragons of Brom Brod. If the Krah'Nonvul was the equivalent of an Elder Dragon, the Fo'Kruziik is the equivalent of an Ancient Dragon. This dragon has, in its age, gained new powers, and abandoned others, and its entire hide- spines and markings included -has turned an icy white-blue. This dragon's breath can be catastrophic, and is almost certainly fatal every single time. This dragon has become slow in its age, though it hasn't weakened, and like every dragon; I can't emphasize enough not underestimating it. While this dragon is amazingly powerful, it does have a single weakness; with age, its hide has weakened to physical attack. Get in close, stay out of the way of the head, and you just might make it. Fo'Kruziik Level: 45 Health: 10,000 Resistances: -40% Fire, -20% Shock, 100% Frost, 65% Magic, 35% Damage, 90% Poison, 100% Disease Shouts: Frost Breath [FO KRAH DIIN], Ice Form [iIZ SLEN NUS], Disarm [ZUN HAL VIIK] Magic: Frost Cloak, Conjure Frost Atronach, Wall of Frost [in the air] Special Notes: This dragon is much slower than its younger compatriots, but that doesn't make it any less dangerous. Its magic and Shouts mean it doesn't have to be near you to harm you, or move fast to dish out heavy damage- and if it so wishes it can literally freeze you in its tracks using the Ice Form Shout. Staying away from this dragon's head is in general a good idea, though that doesn't put you out of harm's way. Just like its younger clanmates, this dragon uses its frost to great effect- strategic or otherwise, and the same warnings apply. One important thing to remember about this dragon is that while its hide has become more resistant to magic, it has become weaker to basic damage. If you can get this dragon to land, and stay out of its way, you just might have a chance at killing it. However, getting this dragon to land is a whole different story...

And now- the second update. I hope people will be looking at this... Please note I'm intending to make this both Dawnguard and Dragonborn compatible, and may suggest including plug-ins for Dawnguard or Dragonborn dragons. The next dragon is the Krah'Nonvul or Cold Noble, a seasoned warrior of Brom Brod. This dragon is essentially a higher level frost dragon, looking more or less the same but with more powers, and instead of the vanilla Frost Dragon look it is paler, more of a white with less distinctive markings and paler spines. This dragon is capable of using its breath to deadly effect, and has mastered new spells to use in combat. Its age means its hide has strengthened a bit more, and its physical attacks remain powerful. This dragon has only had more time to become more attuned to its powers, and to its element- its power is only accentuated by its cunning, and like all dragons, underestimating it because of its slightly slower speed is ill-advised. Krah'Nonvul Level: 27 Health: 8,000 Resistances: -30% Fire, -15% Shock, 80% Frost, 50% Magic & Damage, 80% to Poison, 100% to Disease Shouts: Frost Breath [FO KRAH DIIN], Unrelenting Force [FUS RO DAH], Disarm [ZUN HAL VIIK] Magic: Ice Storm, Frost Cloak, Wall of Frost [in the air], Conjure Frost Atronach, Paralyze Special Notes: This dragon might be a bit slower than its younger compatriots but it doesn't need speed to gain an advantage. Its magic and Shouts mean it doesn't have to be near you to harm you, or move fast to dish out heavy damage- and if it so wishes it can literally freeze you in its tracks using the Paralyze spell. Staying away from this dragon's head is in general a good idea, though that doesn't put you out of harm's way. Just like its younger clanmates, this dragon uses its frost to great effect- strategic or otherwise, and the same warnings apply. If you aren't a Nord or a Vampire [or even if you are] you might want to stock up on frost-resistant gear. This dragon will teach you the true meaning of being frost-bitten. And now another excerpt from the in-game book- picking up where the last one left off. "The earliest tales of dragons come to us out of Akavir, when a clan of red dragons was enslaved and later culled by the Tsaesci. In a fury, a clan of black dragons- which from recent evidence are suspected by certain scholars of being of Alduin's own blood -and the greatest warriors and mages of the dragons' society. Many of those great mages were female dragons, believed by many, including the Dremora, to not even exist. This tale explains why. The battle was a slaughter, many of the dragons falling to the endless arrows and the unnatural magic of the Tsaesci that silenced their Voices. The dragons still prevailed, hacking through the Tsaesci forces and freeing the few red dragons that remained. Alduin- it is said -then led the dragons out of Akavir, flying for days on end, floating on the surface of the sea when they needed rest, using the strength of their Voices to bend time to their will and reduce the distance. They eventually landed in Atmora, where their arrival was seen as a divine message from "The Dragon". The dragons, proud, dominating creatures that they are, accepted the worship graciously, and ruled as god-kings over man, while Alduin remained aloof- the focus of worship, and yet obsessed with rebuilding his people." Please comment if you have a critique, an idea, or a compliment.

This is more or less a remodelled view of my original mod concept- Expanded Dragons, Bigger Battles [http://forums.nexusmods.com/index.php?/topic/497140-expanded-dragons-bigger-battles/] but fitting a bit more closely to Skyrim's dragon lore, and adding a few bits and pieces of my own lore and my own opinions here and there. A major issue I had with Skyrim was that the dragons very quickly became shiny, good-looking, prize drops. That is not what a dragon is, and that is especially not what the dragons of the Elder Scrolls universe are. In the ES universe, dragons are more or less demigods- direct, literal descendants of the god of time, Akatosh- and as such, even the weakest of them shouldn't go down easily. I'll be taking influence from a few spectacular pre-existing mods, and- should I get a team -with some luck I'll actually be able to use those mods as a base. I'll be updating this thread little by little with bits of dragon lore and dragon concepts- starting with the weakest and working upwards. Basic Features - The breath of a dragon is now brutal; if you're going to weather it, you shouldn't do so lightly - The physical attacks of dragons are now devastating; you aren't going to get bit by a dragon or get hit by a tail the size of a tree and just brush it off - Choose your battles carefully, low-level characters expecting to just rush out and hack a dragon to pieces will be deeply disappointed - Low-level NPCs will now flee dragons; your average farmer or peasant isn't exactly going to stand and fight a near-invincible dragon - Dragons will now be true masters of the Thu'um, using a minimum of two Shouts and at least one spell each - Every dragon now has a lore-friendly, age and clan specific orientation. Learn your dragons if you want to succeed! And now my first dragon concept, the Grah'viing or Battle Wing. The Grah'viing is the youngest of the dragons, analogous to the basic Dragon of vanilla Skyrim- they aren't particularly skilled in combat-oriented Shouts, but they're brutal in physical combat, trying to make their enemies easier targets with Shouts like Disarm or Unrelenting Force. Grah'viing Level: 10 Health: 4,000 Resistances: 25% to Fire/Frost/Shock, 60% to magic, 40% to damage, 60% to poison, 100% to disease Shouts: Unrelenting Force [FUS RO DAH] and Disarm [ZUN HAAL VIIK] Special Notes: Uses primarily physical combat. After neutralizing enemies, this dragon will land and aggressively target their nearest opponent, dealing out damage until their opponents recover and then it's back into the sky. And now, the first excerpt from a new, in-game book I'll be writing, A History of the Dov "It is unknown how the dragons of Nirn came to be. Some say that they were a race from Akavir, fleeing slavery, others say that they're a global phenomenon- divine children of Akatosh. The Nords of Skyrim believe that the dragons are the souls of fallen heroes from Sovengarde who were swallowed by Alduin, the World-Eater, and sent back into the world in order to cull a new batch of heroes for Sovengarde. Relics of this ancient, and powerful race are rare- especially in more settled parts of Tamriel, but in Skyrim above all many remain. The barrows which are so thickly inhabited by Druagr were once the seats of power for the mysterious Dragon Priests, a cult who worshipped dragons as gods. Here, the dragons would deal with their worshippers and their land-bound subjects, accepting tribute and dealing with matters of state in these vast settlements open to the sky and their mysterious, rune covered walls- dragon burial mounds may be found in several of the holds, and stories dating back to the shadowy Dragon War immortalize local heroes. In the dawn of this new century, a new interest in dragons has arisen, and it shall be my task to inform the world of all that can be learnt." EDIT: And now here's a second dragon concept, Iiz'Kiin or Ice Born, part of Brom Brod or North Clan. This dragon is analogous to vanilla Skyrim's Frost Dragon, and is a member of a clan of dragons indigenous to The Pale in the north of Skyirm. These are the second-youngest dragons of their clan, with the Grah'viing being the youngest dragons of every clan before they develop their unique, clan-based features. This dragon, being capable of using breath attacks, prefers to fight its enemies from a distance, though it can cover ground quickly and aggressively if it wants to. This dragon, having had time to learn, grow, and study, has learnt a bit of magic in its own- and will use it to its best effect in combat. Not only will it use the power of its Shout, but in the air it will use Wall of Frost to head off potential escape routes and Frost Cloak to make any melee damage given at a cost. Iiz'Kiin Level: 18 Health: 5,000 Resistances: -30% to fire, 70% to frost, 40% to magic & damage, 70% to poison, 100% to disease Shouts: Frost Breath [FO KRAH DIIN], Unrelenting Force [FUS RO DAH] Magic: Ice Storm, Frost Cloak, Wall of Frost [in the air] Special Notes: This dragon moves fast on the ground, and acts intelligently in the air. Whether advancing or retreating you'll be slowed by frost at every turn, and every step could cost you dearly. Unless you happen to be a Nord or a Vampire- stock up on enchanted gear or you'll get frostbitten. Hope you appreciate this, and don't feel afraid to comment.

I think a balance between the two styles of architecture is in order. On the one hand- I'm really quite fond of your stave church-like buildings, but the round turrets and the way the walls are built is too much a departure from the Nordic style we see in Skyrim. Also- are you still going to do Solstheim, or are you going to wait until 'Dragonborn' comes out?

None at all. This is much more than just a simple mod, and a lot of this is going to require pushing the limits of the system. Genius takes time, be patient :) So far as I know. If Budz or Neo have one- that's news for me.

No, I don't unfortunately :( But I do my best work with notes to take reference from, so PM's work fine for me :)

It's an addition- with a few options here and there for the end of the Main Quest. @Neo- I can help with dialogue, it's what I've been working on anyways. I've hit a bit of a writer's block for the scripts I'm working on right now, so maybe some new work will help me with both.

People are still working on it. It's just we're entering a new stage of development. I, for example, am currently working out the kinks in the new scripts, and I can't post it here without spoiling it for everyone. That and real life can get in the way :P.

So sorry- wasn't able to get to a computer for awhile, and I was detained by the world in Alberta. On the plus side- the Rocky Mountains and the surrounding forests were very inspirational when it came to thinking up things for Skyrim :P, my daydreaming engine was working overtime! Just settled back in, so don't expect anything for a few days, but I will get back to work ASAP

Thank-you. How does my lore fit in? Do I need to change anything? Just PM me a detailed description of the Great Hall and I'll get to fixing that right away :)