This has been bugging me

[AnubisRaven]

So, it's been bugging me more and more as I replay through the main quest of Skyrim, that, at several times, and in several pieces of lore, the Dragons are described as basically demigods. This is actually pretty cool, and I like that they're like that, but it does take away from some plausibility.

 

For example: Their return. Alduin brought them back, but even if you assume that he travelled to other places in Tamriel, and possibly Akavir and beyond, it doesn't quite account for the influx of dragons that you see, even after Alduin's death. And also, that's assuming that he resurrected dragons indiscriminately. There have been a few dragons (such as Paarthurnax and Nafaalilargus) that have been benevolent or at least neutral towards humans. You will sometimes encounter dragons that just fly overhead and then leave, never having attacked you. Alduin would have no reason for resurrecting said dragons.

 

It's been stated many times that dragons do not breed. Dragonlings from Daggerfall are simply overgrown lizards, so on, so on. But if you read the carvings on the way up High Hrothgar, it's a myth, one that fails to mention the fact that nords were not created in Skyrim, but took it from the Aldmer. Myth rooted in fact, but myth no less.

 

So, it is my theory that dragons do in fact breed. Given the penchant for dragonslaying, however, it seems like it would be convenient for them to create misinformation that they don't. Dremora "interrogated" by the College have said that they always have been, which could easily mean the species, not every individual (Alduin and Paarthurnax are the oldest in any case)

 

The other thing that's been bugging me. Which god are dragons associated with? Alduin and Paarthurnax are said to be sons of Akatosh, but it seems like Kynareth also has something to do with it.

 

This is a lore thread, and again, just a theorizing one at that. It's not necessarily cannon, more like, creating explanations for lore that doesn't really make sense.

[k361]

now this is quite interesting topic.

As for the deities sure Akatosh and Kynareth are probably the source of them.

In fact I believe that Alduin was somehow corrupted overtime which made him desiring to devour tamriel.

Other things...except Yokuda (as I have no knowledge about it ) the dragon lore seems to emerge from every single continent.

Akavir and the dragon devouring...Nedic dragon worship back in Atmora...brought to tamriel as well (if I remember it correctly).

It is said that the dragon priests ruled fairly in Atmora and went loose when the cult did spread ouver tamriel..especially skyrim.

Breeding is another mystery for sure as far I can tell Alduin did revive his lieutenants mostly (Skyrim) if there were brood mothers, who knows.

From all the nameless dragons in game some could be females in fact. question is ...Paathurnax is a solid proof that not all dragons were extinguished throughout history. In fact I think the rest fled to Akaviir.

Edited December 2, 2012 by k361

[AnubisRaven]

It would be unlikely that the dragons would flee to Akavir. Akavir is the home of the blades, and has a penchant for Dragon-slaying.

 

And I agree that Alduin did indeed revive his lieutenants, but perhaps not some other dragons. At the end of the Main Quest, there are a group of friendly dragons that are learning under Paarthurnax, and it's likely that these are part of a younger, less hostile generation.

[k361]

quite true about Akaviir, but there are dragons in there (or were) as Taesci reveled in eating them as I did read somewhere.

However the original question how they came to be and how do they manage their numbers is still in the mists.

As I doubt Akatosh and Kynareth went through such ordeal creating all of them.

[AnubisRaven]

quite true about Akaviir, but there are dragons in there (or were) as Taesci reveled in eating them as I did read somewhere.

However the original question how they came to be and how do they manage their numbers is still in the mists.

As I doubt Akatosh and Kynareth went through such ordeal creating all of them.

 

Again, I'm going with the myth of dragon divinity is just that, a myth. They are demigods, but not gods. The theory they do not reproduce was created by the dragons to protect the young ones.

 

Two theories I have is that, as creatures of Akatosh, they are enough attuned to time to either accelerate their own aging process (and then use this affinity to remain immortal) or they hide their young in some secluded pocket of time, where they can grow up away from any who would wish them dead.

[k361]

indeed that would be the most logical outcome

Might as well read all in-game books related to dragons again :thumbsup:

[Lachdonin]

Tooltips in the game actually state that dragons vary in age, and this is shown through the colour of their scales. If they were in fact created, in their entirety, verbatim (technicly using that imporperly, but eh...) then they should all be the same age, or at least very close together. It remains possible that theirs was a very long creation, spanning throughout the Merethic era (and maybe even into the Dawn era) but with no way to know one simply has to go on beleif. I personally beleive that Alduin, Paarthunax and many of their fellows (Alduin's lieutenants) were created rather than born. Their age, and possition as the First, made them the strongest, and thus the defacto rulers of Dragon-Kind.

 

Anywho, the widely varrying age groups of Dragons implies that, after the creation of the First, there were either secondary creation events, or that reproduction had to occur. Considering Dragons are not particularly sociable, and are essentially immortal, the reproductive cycle would (if it existed) likely be slow, which would account for the ever declining population following the Dragon War. The issue of course is the total lack of any mention of Dragon Eggs anywhere in TES lore, which would imply A; extremely small and infrequent clutches B; live birth or C; no reproduction.

 

If we assume reproduction is possible, with either live birth of small clutches, there is still a problem with explaining the previlence of Dragons in Skyrim on natural breeding. That issue being, of course, the short timespan. Even the most long-term characters only cover the span of a few years, barely enough for a human to grow up, let alone a Mer of Dovah. The short timeframe makes the possibility of post-ressurection breeding unlikely to be the answer (though gameplay mechanics explain everything). We also cannot assume any time-related abilities, as the evidence presented indicates a greater suceptability to manipulations of time, rather than greater power over it.

 

Another possibility is, of course, that the age of a dragon determines the work required to revive it. We know that Alduin is feeding the ressurection of the Dragons using the souls of those killed in the civil war, using Skyrim's strife as fuel for the fire, so to speak. The only times we see him activly doing this are for his lieutennants, all of whom are powerful dragons in their own right and who warrented special treatment by the Dragon Cult. These, being older, more powerful dragons, could require more soul energy to revive, whereas the scattered remains of their lesser kin are raoused simply by Alduin passing overhead. If this is the case, than even Dragons killed by the Dragonborn would be revived as new souls are used to replenish its body.

 

Which brings up an interesting consideration. If the Dragonborn is required to consume the soul of a dragon for it to 'stay dead', are they capable of ressurecting on their own, should death find them some other way? if so, it would explain why the Blades were so reverant of Dragonborn, as their efforts would be somewhat futile otherwise.

 

Personally, i like the idea of Dragons reproducing, in one way or another. It means that they can stick around for many games to come. That said, there is no evidence so far to support it, and any other ways to explain the conflicting number of revived dragons.

Edited December 2, 2012 by Lachdonin

[AnubisRaven]

While the Dragon's breeding being a long slow process is probably true, it's also likely that the dragons can accelerate this process during times like this, when their numbers are in danger (they most likely didn't have enough time the last time they went extinct, as many of them were either killed, or simply retreated and hid)

 

I'm not exactly sure. That was what I thought at first, but given that dragons WERE extinct (to some extent. I believe it's stated a dragon had been hiding under red mountain, Mirmulnir is, in fact, another dragon that had survived and hid, and Vulthoryol, of course, hid in Blackreach. The two dragons you meet in the Forgotten Vale have also likely been hiding, rather than having been resurrected.) it seems very unlikely that they could resurrect themselves. So I'm going to have to say that it's likely very very powerful dragons are able to resurrect others of their kind, but dragons themselves are not capable of resurrections.

 

Another idea is that they are, in fact, capable of resurrection, but it takes a very long time. I could see it being like in the Percy Jackson series, where monsters can't actually be killed, but some of them won't reform for hundreds of years.

 

It's possible that other forces that weren't seen also contributed to the death of the dragons. Possibly interference from a Daedric Prince (Two that could have reasons for aiding in the destruction of the dragons would be Molag Baal, in his quest for domination, or Mehrunes Dagon, possibly seeing them as a threat to his eventual scheme of the Oblivion Gates)

 

The new expansion for Skyrim seems like it will be focusing more on dragon lore, as well as what it means to be dragonborn, so hopefully more answers will come out then.

Edited December 2, 2012 by AnubisRaven

[sajuukkhar9000]

Tooltips in the game actually state that dragons vary in age, and this is shown through the colour of their scales. If they were in fact created, in their entirety, verbatim (technicly using that imporperly, but eh...) then they should all be the same age, or at least very close together

Actually, the loadscreens say their scales are reference to their power, not their age.

 

"While all dragons are fearsome, some are more powerful than others. Brown and green-skinned dragons are generally weaker than their white or bronze-skinned cousins."

Edited December 2, 2012 by sajuukkhar9000

[AnubisRaven]

Tooltips in the game actually state that dragons vary in age, and this is shown through the colour of their scales. If they were in fact created, in their entirety, verbatim (technicly using that imporperly, but eh...) then they should all be the same age, or at least very close together

Actually, the loadscreens say their scales are reference to their power, not their age.

 

"While all dragons are fearsome, some are more powerful than others. Brown and green-skinned dragons are generally weaker than their white or bronze-skinned cousins."

 

True. However, names like "Elder Dragon" and "Ancient Dragon" still seem to support what Lachdonin was saying. Also, it is true that Alduin is at least somewhat older than every other dragon in existence.