LE True Dovah

[Zinnorokkrah]

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.

Edited December 18, 2012 by Zinnorokkrah

[Zinnorokkrah]

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.

[Dragonzzilla]

I support all dragon-related mods. +1

[Zinnorokkrah]

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...

[Zinnorokkrah]

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."

Edited December 19, 2012 by Zinnorokkrah