How on earth do you play as a Dunmer in Skyrim?

[Uncumber]

I'm trying to play as a Dunmer and I'm finding it absurdly difficult from an RP perspective, perhaps that's because I don't know enough, but. .

 

Firstly, there's the matter of being Dragonborn. Have there ever been any non-human Dragonborn? Or any non-humans that even have the ability to use 'The Voice'? I can't think of any in Skyrim at all. It's annoying that all the Greybeards are human. Is The Voice referenced in any previous games? It just makes me feel so odd thinking I'd be the first and only dark elf to be born like that. Being essentially the re-incarnation of Talon 'n' all, the man God. Although I've heard somewhere that the Nerevarine was supposedly a Dragonborn too - is that true?

 

Secondly, the Civil War! From my perspective, I prefer the stormcloaks (purely aesthetic reasons, blue and wolves :D ) - but why on earth would a Dunmer choose to join those who're explicitly racist towards them? Just look at Windhelm! However, why would they want to join the Legion either? In Morrowind there was a distinct anti-imperial feel, it just feels very wrong.

 

apologies if these are dumb questions, I've tried reading as much information as possible, but I'm still stuck in my mind >.<

[sajuukkhar9000]

How can a Dunmer be Dragonborn?

How is it that a Kahjiit can be the Nerevarine, the reincarnation of a Dunmer hero?

How is it that an Argonian can be a Shezzarine, a Champion of Lorkhan and man?

The gods and fate care not what form their avatars take, just that they DO what needs to be done.

 

The Voice was mentioned as far back as Morrowind, there is a book called Children of the Sky that mentions it, as does The Five Songs of King Wulfharth, and Mankar Cameron mentions it in the commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes in an indirect way.

 

The Nerevarine isn't a Dragonborn, the prophecy calls him "Dragon Born" but that meant he was born in the Empire, not that he had the soul of a Dragon.

 

As to why a Dunmer would join the Stormcloaks, its because Akatosh is schizophrenic. Akatosh's madness drove one of his avatars, Pelinal, to do crazy things, his madness affects you to. It is why The Dovahkiin can find it ok to be leader of all the guilds, despite their contradicting views.

Edited July 7, 2012 by sajuukkhar9000

[Uncumber]

Mmm, but that being said, those books only mention Nords using The Voice if I'm reading it correctly. Isn't it a bit odd that you're the only non-human dragonborn/voice user in history? Obviously I can say 'the gods decided it!' but it doesn't reeeally make it any less funny when everything lore related about the 'dragonborn', is essentially nord related.

 

I thought there might be at least one story somewhere, or an NPC elf, orc, or whatever using the voice, or being a dragonborn. That would then surely make your story somewhat more believable wouldn't it?

 

I can RP-explain my way around most things, being a member of all guilds for example - since my character is quite shady I just 'pretend' she's working them all for personal gain (basically.) But the guilds are faaairly minor to me, the whole 'Being a Dragonborn' is to me, a major factor. And I just can't get my head around how completely Nord they seem.

 

the civil war is less of an issue for me, but again 'madness' seems like a bit of a cop out. I can say I want to rise in the ranks for 'personal gain' to some extent.. but to the point of seemingly cooompletely betraying my race (stormcloaks hate dunmer, imperials have hardly been better) just seems a bit drastic.

 

Ah maybe I'm just being too picky.. I'm really just wondering how other non-human players justify their major decisions so maybe I can get a new perspective :smile: .

[sajuukkhar9000]

Mankar Camoran, an Altmer, was a Dragonborn, and could use the fire breath shout.

 

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:The_Book_of_the_Dragonborn

"The connection with the rulers of the Empire was thus there from the beginning - only those of the dragon blood were able to wear the Amulet of Kings and light the Dragonfires. All the legitimate rulers of the Empire have been Dragonborn - the Emperors and Empresses of the first Cyrodilic Empire founded by Alessia; Reman Cyrodiil and his heirs; and of course Tiber Septim and his heirs, down to our current Emperor, His Majesty Pelagius Septim IV.

 

Because of this connection with the Emperors, however, the other significance of the Dragonborn has been obscured and largely forgotten by all but scholars and those of us dedicated to the service of the blessed Talos, Who Was Tiber Septim. Very few realize that being Dragonborn is not a simple matter of heredity - being the blessing of Akatosh Himself, it is beyond our understanding exactly how and why it is bestowed. Those who become Emperor and light the Dragonfires are surely Dragonborn - the proof is in the wearing of the Amulet and the lighting of the Fires. But were they Dragonborn and thus able to do these things - or was the doing the sign of the blessing of Akatosh descending upon them? All that we can say is that it is both, and neither - a divine mystery."

Mankar couldn't wear the Amulet of Kings unless he was Dragonborn.

 

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Mythic_Dawn_Commentaries_1

Offering myself to that daybreak allowed the girdle of grace to contain me. When my voice returned, it spoke with another tongue. After three nights I could speak fire.

Speaking fire?

In a language not his own?

Taught by light?

 

Sounds exactly like the Fire Breath shout, and like how the Greaybeards give you knowledge of words via beams of light so was Mankar by Dagon.

 

Also three nights? one night for each of the three words?

Edited July 8, 2012 by sajuukkhar9000

[Rooker75]

Reman Cyrodiil was a dragonborn and surely he was an Imperial with a name like that.

[StayFrosty05]

Akatosh choose the one most suited for the role and most likely to succeed with the return of Alduin....your character is the most talented warrior/mage/etc....(whatever you chose) in/near Skyrim.....It not about race, it's the ability to get the job done...that's how I see who is chosen as Dragonborn anyway....But then again, I play a Nord (wanted a large, intimidating protagonist without having to go green) so I guess a lot easier for me to RP.

[Lachdonin]

As Sajuukkhar pointed out, we have at least one confirmation (or as close as you can get) of a non-human Dragonborn.

 

Part of this issue is, prior to Skyrim, the whole Dragon War/Dragonborn dynamic never really existed. It's created numerous gaps in the timeline which we have not been able to fill yet.

 

For instance, did the Dragon War happen before Humans were relocated to Atmora? Or did it happen after the Nedic settlers returned to Skyrim, and drove out the Snow Elves. If the former, then the whole Dragon War thing could almost be considered a continuation of the conflict between the Divines and Lorkhan. If the latter... Well... Why didn't the Dragons enslave the Snow Elves?

 

But i digress. The simple fact is, there is absolutely nothing, in any source i have read, to say that ONLY humans are Dragonborn. The most famous certainly were, but lets face it, the most famous Germans are either mathematic geniuses or genocidal madmen. Doesn't mean all Germans fit into either category.

 

 

**As an asside, where the flipping hells did all those Kudos come from? Last time i was on here i have 5, and that was in March...

Edited July 8, 2012 by Lachdonin

[Kraeten]

Secondly, the Civil War! From my perspective, I prefer the stormcloaks (purely aesthetic reasons, blue and wolves :D )

 

Wolves? Um....the Windhelm banner features a bear....not a wolf. The Solitude banner on the other hand does feature one..... ;)

 

- but why on earth would a Dunmer choose to join those who're explicitly racist towards them? Just look at Windhelm! However, why would they want to join the Legion either? In Morrowind there was a distinct anti-imperial feel, it just feels very wrong.

 

I agree, it doesn't make much sense for a Dunmer to join the Stormcloaks. As for Morrowind, the Dunmer didn't like the Imperials because they disagreed on many subjects. For example the Dunmer of Morrowind disliked the Empire's decision to ban slavery. And when we get right down to it, most dark elves are arrogant snobs who dislike just about everyone isn't a Dunmer. The years since Morrowind went up in flames have gone a long way towards humbling them though.

 

As for a reason to support the Empire... I'd ask in return why not support it? The Imperials fight to uphold a strong unified society, where all the races are treated equally. That's a decent enough cause, and it's in your race's best interest that Jarl Ulfric is replaced.

[BrettM]

Regarding the Civil War, there are several scenarios that can justify a Dunmer becoming involved.

 

1. Sooner or later the Aldmeri Dominion is going to get around to Morrowind unless somebody else beats them first. The Dominion wants it all in the long run. A Dunmer who realizes this has good reason to evaluate the situation and decide whether a unified Empire or an independent Skyrim will have a better chance of beating, or at least delaying, the Dominion. So shouldn't this smart Dunmer throw his support to the side he thinks will give his homeland a better chance in the long run?

 

2. Dunmer have no particular reason to love either the Empire or Skyrim, having had troubles with both in the past. A vengeance-driven Dunmer might decide to pick the side that he believes will lead to the destruction of both those enemies in the long run. Or perhaps he actually supports the Dominion and wants to help them conquer more quickly by weakening their enemies.

 

3. A Dunmer might well decide to make Skyrim his permanent home, putting aside all thoughts of a Morrowind that has been wrecked for the foreseeable future. A young Dunmer might even have been born in Skyrim -- second or third generation -- and consider it just as much his home as anyone else born there, having no personal memories of Morrowind or Dunmer culture as it used to be. Such a Dunmer has just as good a reason to pick a side as anyone else who sees Skyrim as home, Nord or not. Perhaps he would support the Empire under the "strength in unity" argument, having not been raised as a Talos worshipper. Or perhaps he would support the Stormcloaks under the "right to self rule" argument. Or perhaps he was even raised as a Talos worshipper by Nord foster parents (like Brand-Shei in Riften, who was raised from an infant by Argonians) and is willing to fight for his religion.

 

As you can see, a Dunmer (or any other non-Nord) character can easily be given a backstory that justifies involvement in the Civil War on either side. I think that's part of the fun of making non-Nord characters, because there are additional questions that need to be answered. E.g., why isn't your Redguard character fighting the Thalmor in Hammerfell instead of wandering around Skyrim?

[sukeban]

As you can see, a Dunmer (or any other non-Nord) character can easily be given a backstory that justifies involvement in the Civil War on either side. I think that's part of the fun of making non-Nord characters, because there are additional questions that need to be answered.

So much truth in this, demonstrating the magic of roleplaying.

 

My newest character is actually a Dunmer who has chosen the Stormcloaks for reasons quite similar to those you stated in "Number Three." The RP backstory is that this particular Dunmer had been born in Windhelm, but had moved to Riften at a very young age, essentially growing up there. He got caught up in some ridiculousness north or Riften on a Canis root collecting adventure and was nearly beheaded in Helgen. Having escaped--and it being on his way home--he decided to stop by Windhelm to check out what his "hometown" was like, having heard all sorts of glorious tales. Needless to say, he was displeased when he entered the city gates and saw Rolff, eventually challenging him to a fist-fight (and LOSING because Level 2 Masters fist-fights are no joke!).

 

Anyway, he met Ulfric and thought that he was a tool, but realized that listening to the likes of Ambarys would get his people nowhere. So he joined the Stormcloaks, both to drive the Imperials out of the land that he had always considered to be his home, and also to prove to the Nords that they were wrong about the Dunmer, that they are brave and mighty warriors that even Talos himself would fear. And to prove that Skyrim truly is big enough for everybody... provided that they are willing to fight for it.

 

So he is basically fighting for the land that he considers to be his home. He bears the Empire no particularly ill will, but he realizes that what's best for the Empire and what's best for Skyrim aren't the same thing any longer. Plus, there's the whole "close shave" aspect that he hasn't quite forgotten. He doesn't particularly trust Ulfric and knows that some of the local Nords are beyond convincing as to the inherent awesomeness of his people, but he has faith in the average Nord to like him after they get to know him.

 

Lastly, Dragonborn definitely doesn't have to be a Nord. Nor do they have to be at all related. Talos was a Nord, but, as someone else mentioned, Reman Cyrodiil was not. Dragonborn is based on the caprice of Akatosh and if he is feeling in an ironic mood or not. An Altmer Dragonborn could supply his quota of LMAO for an entire Era!