Strange mineral in Blackreach

[Inquart]

Fellow Skyrim players,

 

While thoroughly exploring Blackreach today (a truly amazing place, I must add), I couldn't help but notice that strange, purple mineral sticking from the ground here and there, dotting the landscape - and I'm not thinking about Geode Veins here, although these were a bit strange for me too as I have always thought that Soul Gems are magically created rather than mined (and maybe they still are and those Veins were just an anomaly?); no, I'm referring to something that looks like that Magic Ore from Gothic series (I'd post a screen of what I'm talking about to make it all easier, but it's too big and I don't really know how to compress it, sorry). Does anyone know what it is? Some unnamed, undiscovered mineral maybe?

 

Also, I'd like to know - out of pure curiosity - your opinion on those Falmer Servants. Isn't it strange that Falmer use captured humans as their, let's say, mercenaries, who instead of getting paid simply get to live a little bit longer? Now, I know that Falmer are rumored to be regaining some of their former intelligence in addition to their instincts, I know that they seem to evolve further, but still - I thought that they just kill everyone they capture or feed them to their pet Chaurus (correct me if I'm wrong, but Blackreach is the only place where we can encounter these human slaves, so maybe it's not common among Falmer yet to "employ" them). Or another thing: that unique Dragon, Vulthuryol - what was it doing underground and how did it get to Blackreach? I know he's supposed to be secret and all, I also know that Skyrim - while undoubtedly great - is just a game, so he was there because Bethesda put him there, but I'd like to know your thoughts.

 

Damn, if that Apocrypha is going to be half as amazing as Blackreach (and Soul Cairn), then bring it on already!

 

Oh, I'm sorry if there's already a similar topic somewhere on the forum and if my questions are somehow stupid, I was just curious ;)

[sajuukkhar9000]

Ever since Dawnguard came out, I have suspected that the strange material we see is Atherium in its raw form.

[Dudeman325]

It could possibly be a mineral that the Dwemer were using to make their metal. I think there's a good reason why we have to melt them down rather than making ingots from mined ore, because the Dwemer knew a lot more about the very ground itself than anyone else. It seems like their metal can be magickal, as evidenced by their automatons carrying soul gems, which are sometimes charged or sometimes empty. I believe this means the very power that fuels them comes from something in the metal itself, and mortal men haven't been able to comprehend just what it is. We can't ask the Dwemer though, because they aren't here anymore...

 

Edit: As to the second topic... I think you are analyzing things too much. The Falmer are very symbolic of a once proud, near-immortal race who has been swallowed by a mortal world. They have adapted to it, and act more like mortal Men each and every day. They are (possibly nearly-) blind to the world around them. Your analysis is very astute, but I don't think you are connecting the pieces together that you've learned (no offense :) ). I know I've seen chaurus in the Morthal swamps, but I think the Falmer have been making a surface presence around there, or maybe its just a mod.

 

As far as the underground Dragon... Dragons have always known more than mortals about power, and sought to hoard it in any form they could. The Dwemer obviously found some kind of power in Blackreach, and I don't find it that surprising that a Dragon would be drawn there, especially if he couldn't leave with it, which is also very symbolic of both the Dwemer and the Falmer.

 

I really like Blackreach because it has all these parts that tie together. They aren't that separate if we just look at them.

 

Sorry for the long post. Have fun!

Edited December 15, 2012 by Dudeman325

[Sierra312]

My theory on Vulthuryol is that, somewhat like the Balrog of Morgoth which fled into the depths of Moria, this dragon escaped the Dragon War and subsequent Akaviri purge by sheltering within the city of Blackreach.

 

The dragon may have entered one of the many caves or Dwemer ruins scattered throughout the region, and fleeing deeper underground, come across the caverns which make up Blackreach. Dwelling there, he either was reluctant to return to the surface, or unable to find his way out again; perhaps the Dwemer trapped him there.

[BrettM]

I have thought of several possible explanations for Vulthuryol's presence, including the idea that he fled there to hide from the Dragon War or the Akaviri purge (which was not exactly subsequent to the Dragon War, unless you consider a millenium or two in-between as "subsequent").

 

The problem is that any explanation must account for why he responds specifically to a Shout directed at a particular Dwemer artifact and nothing else. Dragons can hear the use of the Voice at tremendous distances, like whales hearing each other thousands of miles apart, and can even identify each other that way. (Paarth, for example, knew which dragons were around without ever leaving his mountain, and was able to suggest Odahviing as the best candidate to trap.) Yet you can Shout anywhere else in Blackreach without causing Vulthuryol to appear. Why? How is he tied to that artifact? Either he is unable to hear you otherwise, or he is not interested in responding to just any use of the Voice. Yet he is instantly hostile to anyone who does call him forth.

 

Is it possible that Vulthuryol was captured by the Dwemer at some point, with the artifact being his prison and your Shout the key? Or perhaps he was persuaded (willingly or not) to serve the Dwemer and the artifact is an alarm system designed to detect the presence of Voice masters attacking the city. The Dwemer must have had good reason to fear conquering Nords back in the years when they were attacking Morrowind and the Reach.

[Sierra312]

My apologies, I thought the Akaviri invaders came hunting dragons far sooner after the Dragon War. However, in the aftermath of the war, am I correct in saying that any survivors were relentlessly hunted and slaughtered, by the Nords if not the Akaviri?

 

That is a very well-thought out theory you have, and one I've never heard before. Thanks for sharing.

[Lachdonin]

My apologies, I thought the Akaviri invaders came hunting dragons far sooner after the Dragon War. However, in the aftermath of the war, am I correct in saying that any survivors were relentlessly hunted and slaughtered, by the Nords if not the Akaviri?

 

Some dragons survived right into the 3rd era and beyond. A dragon by the name of Nafaalilargus served as a mercenary for Tiber Septim, to be slain several years after his conquest of Tamriel by the Redguard Sword Saint, Cyrus. The Priesthood of Akatosh, in Highrock, collected dragon eggs and raised 'tamed' tragons in their hidden sancuary grove, viewing them as sacred creatures of Akatosh. One dragon was also reported to have returned to Vardenfell following the Red Year, and is likely still there. We also have no information about the Dragons remaining in Atmora, as the Dragon War seemed to be a purely Tamriel affair.

 

They would have all been hunted, of course, but Dragons are nothing if not intelegent. Hiding from mortals is an easy thing to do, especially when your numbers are so sorely depleted.

[BrettM]

My apologies, I thought the Akaviri invaders came hunting dragons far sooner after the Dragon War. However, in the aftermath of the war, am I correct in saying that any survivors were relentlessly hunted and slaughtered, by the Nords if not the Akaviri?

According to Paarthurnax, there were lots of dragons around until the Akaviri came along, so it would seem that there were more than a few survivors of the war against Alduin.

 

It has been my impression that the Nords were not all that interested in exterminating the dragons after Alduin was defeated. They relentlessly hunted the Dragon Priests and their remaining human followers afterwards, and then turned their attention to the remaining Snow Elves and possibly the Dwemer in Skyrim. See Skorm Snow-Strider's Journal from early in the First Era, just before Harald became the first historical High King.

 

Later in the First Era, during the War of Succession after the death of Borgas, we know that Olaf One-Eye captured Numinex. However, this was an isolated incident rather than part of a Nordic pogrom against the dragons. I suspect the dragons and the Nords mostly left each other alone during the period between the defeat of Alduin and the arrival of the Akaviri, except when some Nord wanted to go make a name for himself (like Olaf) or some dragon made a pest of himself raiding farms.

 

For additional evidence, think about Durnehviir's story. According to him, the dragons were battling each other for territory and dominance, which led to his predicament when he decided to study necromancy as a means of winning. He and Valerica have apparently been in the Soul Cairn since the late Merethic or early First Era, so this rivalry among the dragons probably started right after Alduin was no longer around to provide leadership and organization. If the Nords were presenting a serious threat of extermination, would the dragons have been stupid or insane enough to play dominance games with each other instead of fighting or running from the Nords? I think they were just going about their normal draconic business without any worry regarding the Nords.

Edited December 27, 2012 by BrettM

[Sierra312]

My apologies, I thought the Akaviri invaders came hunting dragons far sooner after the Dragon War. However, in the aftermath of the war, am I correct in saying that any survivors were relentlessly hunted and slaughtered, by the Nords if not the Akaviri?

 

Some dragons survived right into the 3rd era and beyond. A dragon by the name of Nafaalilargus served as a mercenary for Tiber Septim, to be slain several years after his conquest of Tamriel by the Redguard Sword Saint, Cyrus. The Priesthood of Akatosh, in Highrock, collected dragon eggs and raised 'tamed' tragons in their hidden sancuary grove, viewing them as sacred creatures of Akatosh. One dragon was also reported to have returned to Vardenfell following the Red Year, and is likely still there. We also have no information about the Dragons remaining in Atmora, as the Dragon War seemed to be a purely Tamriel affair.

 

They would have all been hunted, of course, but Dragons are nothing if not intelegent. Hiding from mortals is an easy thing to do, especially when your numbers are so sorely depleted.

 

Thank you, I had read up on all the extant dragons after the Dragon War and the Akaviri, including Nafaalilargus, the eggs the priests of Akatosh claimed, and the dragon nesting in the ruins of Vardenfell that the sorcerer found.

 

I had wondered, though, about the tamed dragons in the grove; how large can dragons in a cave grow? Are they really dragons, or maybe just cliff racers or "dragonlings" from the Iliac Bay region? The feasibility of that setup escaped me, I guess.

[Sierra312]

My apologies, I thought the Akaviri invaders came hunting dragons far sooner after the Dragon War. However, in the aftermath of the war, am I correct in saying that any survivors were relentlessly hunted and slaughtered, by the Nords if not the Akaviri?

According to Paarthurnax, there were lots of dragons around until the Akaviri came along, so it would seem that there were more than a few survivors of the war against Alduin.

 

It has been my impression that the Nords were not all that interested in exterminating the dragons after Alduin was defeated. They relentlessly hunted the Dragon Priests and their remaining human followers afterwards, and then turned their attention to the remaining Snow Elves and possibly the Dwemer in Skyrim. See Skorm Snow-Strider's Journal from early in the First Era, just before Harald became the first historical High King.

 

Later in the First Era, during the War of Succession after the death of Borgas, we know that Olaf One-Eye captured Numinex. However, this was an isolated incident rather than part of a Nordic pogrom against the dragons. I suspect the dragons and the Nords mostly left each other alone during the period between the defeat of Alduin and the arrival of the Akaviri, except when some Nord wanted to go make a name for himself (like Olaf) or some dragon made a pest of himself raiding farms.

 

For additional evidence, think about Durnehviir's story. According to him, the dragons were battling each other for territory and dominance, which led to his predicament when he decided to study necromancy as a means of winning. He and Valerica have apparently been in the Soul Cairn since the late Merethic or early First Era, so this rivalry among the dragons probably started right after Alduin was no longer around to provide leadership and organization. If the Nords were presenting a serious threat of extermination, would the dragons have been stupid or insane enough to play dominance games with each other instead of fighting or running from the Nords? I think they were just going about their normal draconic business without any worry regarding the Nords.

 

What you're saying makes a lot of sense. Thanks!