Future of Dragons

[aggie]

This is ment to be a bit broader than ES6, but a thread goes where it goes.

Given that Parhty has lived since Alduin was overthrown(temporarily), and the references to dragons as children of Akatosh, and immortal it seems they have no finite life span.

No matter how the game unfolds there seems no way to know how many Dragons Alduin revived, or if they were limited to Skyrim alone.

That said is there any basis for dragons not being able to exist in any future game?
-not saying they need to, or should...just is there any justification for ruling it out ever now(barring some strange event that confirms all dead)

[TheWickerMan]

I would say that since at the end of skyrim

Spoiler:

There was a large number of dragons circling the Throat of the World

I would assume that dragons will continue to exist in Nirn, whether they are part of the future elder scrolls is a question only the developers could properly answer. I would guess that they might exist just as ordinary animals in future games, perhaps unique 'npcs' but I doubt any further main quests will be completely based around them.
And as you have said they seem to be immortal as shown by paarthurnax, so if they continue to exist then they will.

The only outcome I could see that might destroy them all is if the remnants of the Blades might take up their cause again and seek out to destroy all remaining dragons, which could be inferred from the main quest of Skyrim.

[philfredobob]

well i think it depends on wether the Blades are going to be featured in future games
since the Blades are dragon hunters, they may try and kill many of them ... so it could be possible for a dragon to appear in a future game with the blades trying to kill it or something like that , and they could have certain quests involving a dragon or multiple dragons
i doubt Skyrim will be the last we see of them

[CBR JGWRR]

There are 12 named dragons, of which 5 were ressurected, 1 returned from the currents of time, 2 have no past, 2 survived in mountains in hiding, 1 tricked into undeath, and the last hidden deep underground.

We can estimate the numbers ressurected though.
The main quest for most players takes 1-3 ingame months to complete. If Alduin ressurects one dragon every 2/3 days, then there are maximum of 40 ressurected un-named dragons.


I usually face 10 - 15 un-named dragons over the course of the main questline, and that may or may not be typical.


Which leaves 30 odd surviving dragons, assuming that no more survived by hiding in mountains.



Given that part of the upcoming DLC is dragon riding, then another, presumably named, dragon has survived.


I don't think Bethseda are going to kill off everyone's favourite reptiles.




The blades? Well, as a confirmed Paarthy must live person, stuff em. But they'll probably claim a couple of dovah.

[Pilaf The Defiler]

The ones who manage to stay well-hidden may survive.

The Dragonborn may manage to talk some people into not hunting them into extinction, but not everyone will listen.

Not every Dragon abandoned Alduin's ideals, either. A lot of them will continue to attempt to dominate and enslave mortals, and will have to be killed. Perhaps some will strike deals with rulers of kingdoms and fight for them like they once did for Tiber Septim.

[Savlian]

I'm not sure, but isn't the Akavir continent also called "Dragon-Land"?

I'm pretty sure there'd be some dragons left there...

[CBR JGWRR]

As far as I know, the Akavir dragons got hunted down.

[Travalanche]

The blades make a minor comeback if you follow the canon but they can be further helped if the Dragonborn assists them, I think that they will once again be hunted down to extinction or nearly so as attacking random villages is bound to have repercussions and there are far more men and mer in Tamriel than Dragons and regardless of how powerful said dragon is, numbers can overwhelm.

People have a tendency to kill anything that threatens them.

[legoless]

Any that aren't slain by the Dragonborn will likely eventually be killed by mortals. When Alduin returns at the end of the kalpa, those few might be resurrected again as harbingers of the end times. In the short term, I imagine we'll be seeing a lot more from dragons in TES, perhaps even a few peaceful ones who adopt the Way of the Voice.

[MidbossVyers]

Apparently, in Daggerfall, there was a quest for Akatosh: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Avenge_the_Dragons that had you assassinate a dragon slayer.

[CBR JGWRR]

The trouble is there are only three ends for the dov, death being the more likely one, a massive group hug at the throat of the world, or a dov/mortal alliance which will inevitably be men/mer misusing them.

[MidbossVyers]

Well, instead of mortals, in general, what if just ones that have dragon souls themselves (currently being only you)?

[CBR JGWRR]

Well, instead of mortals, in general, what if just ones that have dragon souls themselves (currently being only you)?

More feasible - the dovahkiin, Odahviing and Paarthurnax waiting for the return of Alduin together does have a nice ring to it to me. Indeed, it's what my main character does, sits at the peak of the throat of the world after the main quest...

[Br3admax]

Apparently, in Daggerfall, there was a quest for Akatosh: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Avenge_the_Dragons that had you assassinate a dragon slayer.

Those weren't Dragons. Those were Dragonlings.

[legoless]

Apparently, in Daggerfall, there was a quest for Akatosh: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Avenge_the_Dragons that had you assassinate a dragon slayer.

Those weren't Dragons. Those were Dragonlings.

There's nothing to suggest that they were dragonlings. You don't actually see them during the quest, obviously, and they weren't the only mention of dragons in Daggerfall. The info has already been incorporated into the wiki's Lore:Dragon article.

[The SheoDovah]

Most likely the Dovahkiin drove them to the brink of extinction and allowed the peaceful ones to live so we could see a few friendly dragons in the next game. Hopefully, Parthy will make a return.

[Pilaf The Defiler]

I'm not sure, but isn't the Akavir continent also called "Dragon-Land"?

I'm pretty sure there'd be some dragons left there...

The source that translated Akavir into Dragon Land is Mysterious Akavir. Actually reading it yields this information:

After the Serpent-Folk ate all the Men, they tried to eat all the Dragons. They managed to enslave the Red Dragons, but the black ones had fled to (then) Po Tun. A great war was raged, which left both the cats and the snakes weak, and the Dragons all dead.

Later lore from Skyrim reveals that some of the Dragons survived and fled to Tamriel, but the Akaviri actually followed them to hunt them down. That's what the invasion in the Second Era was about, the one that Reman quelled. (At least partially. There's conflicting lore about their motives. The point is some Akaviri Dragons survived. Reman and his heirs let the Tsaesci continue to hunt them on Tamrielic soil but Talos protected the last few remaining Dragons when he became Emperor.)

[Ulysess]

You have to admit. Beth could have made dragons a lot more diverse and interesting. The dragon language was great but other than that. They just seem like big unisex daedra like beings. I was really looking forward to skyrim. I was a little disapointed.
In every human culture (even inuits whom have never seen a reptile) there have been dragon myths and stories. After thousands of years of dragon lore bethesda could only come up with ancient, deep voiced clones. So who cares if the blades wipe them out. Beth wont change them in a future game to risk looking like they are redoing skyrim.
Sigh.


Oh yeah, take a look at dragons of akavir: add a dlc worth the money
Its a petition similar to the marry serana one. Only this time we are demanding something bigger.

[Mr.Argonian]

Well I can see some dragons surviving. If they live their life away from mortals without attacking anyone, then they would most likely be led alone. Unless the Blades go completely berserk and commit genocide again.

Personally I think the Blades have a very narror view of dragons. They see them all as threats, when some, like Parthurnaax, are allies who can help them. And hunting down the entire race wasn't really.

Plus if anyone attacks or kills Odahviing the Dragonborn will not be happy.

[Ulysess]

A dragon born obsessed with power may absorb them.
Lets face it they don't breed but they can die. Dragons will eventually go extinct. Counting on your character to save them is pointless. Many have already killed paathernurax simply out of a hunger for souls.
Hunters, mercenaries, blades, adventurers, angry giants, other dragons, storms, etc. Dragons are always losing numbers. Never reproducing. They are doomed to extinction. Maybe if someday they start producing offspring they will survive a little while longer. Even then nobody sees any purpose in the dov. Neither do I, to be honest. Aside from paarthernurax and dunnivier, they are all pretty much the same creature. Maybe if they find away to clone themselves they'll last longer and still be as bland and boring as before.
Unless dragons serve a valuable purpose as did horses or dogs they will go the way of the moa.

[Br3admax]

A dragon born obsessed with power may absorb them.
Lets face it they don't breed but they can die. Dragons will eventually go extinct. Counting on your character to save them is pointless. Many have already killed paathernurax simply out of a hunger for souls.
Hunters, mercenaries, blades, adventurers, angry giants, other dragons, storms, etc. Dragons are always losing numbers. Never reproducing. They are doomed to extinction. Maybe if someday they start producing offspring they will survive a little while longer. Even then nobody sees any purpose in the dov. Neither do I, to be honest. Aside from paarthernurax and dunnivier, they are all pretty much the same creature. Maybe if they find away to clone themselves they'll last longer and still be as bland and boring as before.
Unless dragons serve a valuable purpose as did horses or dogs they will go the way of the moa.

That is so brutally funny. But true. I don't see any of those things happening though. I do believe that it will take a while to put them back in the ground.

[Ulysess]

That is why they should be expanded on in an akavir dlc. I dont know where beth was even going with this whole idea. They are like daedra
From what I understand the daedra are sexless, immortal and single minded because the princes were incapable of anything more complicated. One would assume because of the dov’s astounding similarities to the daedra they would be a prince’s creation themselves. Strangely no. They are “sons of akatosh.” Could some people please tell me why the Aedra, after all their mortal, breeding, complicated creations felt the need to contradict themselves?! It is not as if it were an improvement.
A dovah could have been young, old, male, female, naïve, wise, inexperienced, headstrong, childish, witty, defensive, paternal, relatable and more human.
Sadly now they are simply flappy, sky lizards who swoop down to murder your horse and [&@%!] off, blathering something about Alduin. Returning to blather the same thing about Alduin and kill another expensive horse. Come to think of it, I don’t feel all that bad about stealing their souls now once I have realised that they don’t have much souls to begin with.
It reminded me of Oblivion. The way one guy would tell you to meet another guy (himself) for a quest and he gets murdered by an assassin (himself) and you have to contact the guards (led by himself) to put the murderer (himself) in jail (accompanied by himself).

[Pilaf The Defiler]

You have to admit. Beth could have made dragons a lot more diverse and interesting. The dragon language was great but other than that. They just seem like big unisex daedra like beings. I was really looking forward to skyrim. I was a little disapointed.
In every human culture (even inuits whom have never seen a reptile) there have been dragon myths and stories. After thousands of years of dragon lore bethesda could only come up with ancient, deep voiced clones. So who cares if the blades wipe them out. Beth wont change them in a future game to risk looking like they are redoing skyrim.
Sigh.

It's a part of the lore now that the Dragons are unisex subgradients of "father Akatosh". They're similar to Daedra in that way. The Dremora acknowledge it.

I actually think that makes them far more interesting and less mortal than the Dragons from other fiction. The fact they don't age or need to breed makes them more alien and godlike, and awesome IMO.

Apparently, in Daggerfall, there was a quest for Akatosh: http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Daggerfall:Avenge_the_Dragons that had you assassinate a dragon slayer.

Those weren't Dragons. Those were Dragonlings.

There's nothing to suggest that they were dragonlings. You don't actually see them during the quest, obviously, and they weren't the only mention of dragons in Daggerfall. The info has already been incorporated into the wiki's Lore:Dragon article.

There's something added in Skyrim. A passage from a book, "There Be Dragons":

There are no known examples of dragon eggs or dragonlings. The Iliac Bay area has stories of such things, but so far all have proven false. The eggs turned out to be eggs of other reptiles. The small dragons were merely oversized lizards and no relation to true dragons.

We can assume that the "Dragon hunter" was hunting mature specimens of these same reptiles. Perhaps these reptiles are related to the Sea Drakes and Wamasus in Black Marsh or the Serpents the Maormer rode.

[Ulysess]

Ah so....you are in favour of these bland dov, these strange ilogical creations, these contradictions of draconian mythology some speculate to be built into the very instinct of human beings (the only explanation for dragons being depicted by inuits in the arctic who have never seen a reptile).
Thats okay. I will not force the truth. You should go looking for it. But i shall offer it..

Skyrim dragon improvements

So far Beth has done nothing much to add on to the dragons in skyrim. Dawngaurd adds two new dragons; one being a serpent like beast and the other being Spyro’s terrifying cousin. They both have one new shout (wow progress!) which along with two others can be learned in the game. There is also a new dragon you may encounter and speak to. Sadly he is also a guttural, unisex clone of every other dragon in skyrim.

Okay maybe I am being a little harsh. The dragons do have slightly differing personalities. Alduin is arrogant, Parthurnerax is regretful and pensive and this dragon is melancholy. If there were more dragons to talk to this would be more obvious. But at the moment these three dragons can be considered as minor glitches in the imagination killing machine’s process.

Here are three sure as there is a hell (the waiting room at a doctors) ways to improve the dragons without upsetting too much lore.

1) Less baritone

It’s not easy to convey emotions while shoving a fist down your throat. It’s a little difficult to sound unique while everyone sounds as if they were in the middle of singing Carmina buarana. It would be a little strange to attempt to express yourself whilst speaking through a cow’s arse.

Believe me I could go on all day. But seriously, when I first heard Alduin speak I thought his voice as good as Morgan Freeman or David Attenborough. It was the kind of booming voice for expressing that you are a powerful, evil and relentless. Then I realised every dragon had this kind of voice. It sort of got boring after a while. Beth must have been thinking: deep voices are cool. That is true but the novelty wears off once everyone has it.

Expressing yourself is like creating a sculpture. Your voice is like your tool. If everyone has a hammer you will get similar results.

2) Less daedric

From what I understand the daedra are sexless, immortal and single minded because the princes were incapable of anything more complicated. One would assume because of the dov’s astounding similarities to the daedra they would be a prince’s creation themselves. Strangely no. They are “sons of akatosh.” Could some people please tell me why the Aedra, after all their mortal, breeding, complicated creations felt the need to contradict themselves?! It is not as if it were an improvement.

A dovah could have been young, old, male, female, naïve, wise, inexperienced, headstrong, childish, witty, defensive, paternal, relatable and more human.

Sadly now they are simply flappy, sky lizards who swoop down to murder your horse and [&@%!] off, blathering something about Alduin. Returning to blather the same thing about Alduin and kill another expensive horse. Come to think of it, I don’t feel all that bad about stealing their souls now once I have realised that they don’t have much souls to begin with.

It reminded me of Oblivion. The way one guy would tell you to meet another guy (himself) for a quest and he gets murdered by an assassin (himself) and you have to contact the guards (led by himself) to put the murderer (himself) in jail (accompanied by himself).



Less Nordic

I understand the whole point of making them wyvrens but they didn’t all have to look like that. There could have been different varietys; Akavir lungs, cyrodilic four-legs, hammerfell sky snakes etc. These were different types of dragon in different cultures Beth failed to recognise. We have seen with mods that the dov can be retextured to the extreme even to the point of making sea dragons. Even without the different looks. A different mind-set depending on breed due to culture would have made sense.

Less sterilisations

While investigating some Nordic ruins during the early eons of gameplay I noticed some large cream coloured shells.

“Oh, these must be the dragon eggs. I hope I get to see one hatch or maybe get to see a dragonling like in arena.”

I was disappointed to realise those were merely smashed urns and assumed dragonlings weren’t in this game, perhaps in a dlc. Then I read “there be dragons” and discovered how boring the dov actually are.

In mythology dragons have eggs, in literature dragons have eggs. I was wondering where Beth was going with this one. They had contradicted an important part of high rock lore (dragonlings). What was the point? It eliminated age, making all the dov bearded wise men. It prevented dragonlings returning. Dragon eggs could have created many doors. Beth decided to prevent any diversity with that move.

Gender

If I were to one day lose my testis for ovaries there would definitely be a change in my personality. Men and women differ in personalities due to differences in evolutionary paths and chemical amounts produced inside the body. Women are naturally more perceptive and can concentrate on more than one thing, suiting their gatherer past. The men didn’t usually bring a good hunt back so the women had to find the small berries and nuts. Men see everything in a big picture to suit tracking prey.

QED Men and women think differently. Therefore men and women would have different variants of personality. What beth has done by reducing the dov’s genders to only male has halved their potential for character. Many fan boys are probably kicking and screaming at this point thinking that dragons are asexual. Are you telling me that being referred to in the masculine form (he, him, brothers, sons of akatosh, lord Alduin), having an ambitious, dominating nature (generally male) and sounding like a man is asexual? The daedra are asexual. It makes sense for them to be asexual. They don’t die; they have no need for opposite sexes. Dragons do die. Strangely, they will always be doomed to extinction due to this little detail their retarded gods forgot to fix.

Even a female minded dragon would do. Actually there happens to be Jill dragons that are female. They were created by Akatosh as angels. Can’t we introduce those into the game or has it turned out they were just oversized lizards like the dragonlings?

Don’t get me wrong. The dragons have some good things about them. The thu’um was a great idea. They look superb and some of the dragons I really like. Sadly a lot of potential has been flushed down the drain thanks to a few choices beth made for some apparent reason.
Post scriptum
Congrats if you got this far. If you read any books or old legends about dragons you will find beth was not the first to make dragons god like. Chinese lore depicts dragons as god like imortals.
The american novels inheritance depict dragons as non ageing but killable. Luckily their ability to breed and bond with certain individuals ensured their survival.

[legoless]

There's nothing to suggest that they were dragonlings. You don't actually see them during the quest, obviously, and they weren't the only mention of dragons in Daggerfall. The info has already been incorporated into the wiki's Lore:Dragon article.

There's something added in Skyrim. A passage from a book, "There Be Dragons":

There are no known examples of dragon eggs or dragonlings. The Iliac Bay area has stories of such things, but so far all have proven false. The eggs turned out to be eggs of other reptiles. The small dragons were merely oversized lizards and no relation to true dragons.

We can assume that the "Dragon hunter" was hunting mature specimens of these same reptiles. Perhaps these reptiles are related to the Sea Drakes and Wamasus in Black Marsh or the Serpents the Maormer rode.

I'm aware of the dragonling retcon, but it doesn't apply to the Akatosh Chantry's quest. If you're interested, I'd recommend reading the wiki's quest walkthrough.