So do the Dragonborn Emperors have any special ability from having the Dragonblood? (I know they can't absorb Dragon Souls, but do they have any other power?)
So do the Dragonborn Emperors have any special ability from having the Dragonblood? (I know they can't absorb Dragon Souls, but do they have any other power?)
The Dragonborn Emperors were said to "see more than lesser men." I assume this relates to Uriel's visions, of his death and of the Event that was the Oblivion Crisis and the Hero that came of it. They could also light the Dragonfires, thus renewing the Covenant first made by Alessia.
Alessia, I believe, was unique though. Michael Kirkbride, on the difference between Alessia and the shouting Dragonborn, says, "Alessia didn't have the power to absorb dragon souls. Hers was a much more nuanced power: to dream of liberty and give it a name and on her deathbed make Covenant with the Aka-Tusk." The Aka-Tusk, by the way, is the oversoul that all Time deities (Akatosh, Auriel, etc) are a part of. If I remember right, it was this Covenant that made all following emperors Dragonborn. To dream of liberty obviously relates to her slave rebellion against the Ayleid. Not sure what 'give it a name' means. I'm sure Tom and Phil have some ideas. They're more about this Cyrodiilic stuff than I am.
The Dragonborn Emperors were said to "see more than lesser men." I assume this relates to Uriel's visions, of his death and of the Event that was the Oblivion Crisis and the Hero that came of it. They could also light the Dragonfires, thus renewing the Covenant first made by Alessia.
Alessia, I believe, was unique though. Michael Kirkbride, on the difference between Alessia and the shouting Dragonborn, says, "Alessia didn't have the power to absorb dragon souls. Hers was a much more nuanced power: to dream of liberty and give it a name and on her deathbed make Covenant with the Aka-Tusk." The Aka-Tusk, by the way, is the oversoul that all Time deities (Akatosh, Auriel, etc) are a part of. If I remember right, it was this Covenant that made all following emperors Dragonborn. To dream of liberty obviously relates to her slave rebellion against the Ayleid. Not sure what 'give it a name' means. I'm sure Tom and Phil have some ideas. They're more about this Cyrodiilic stuff than I am.
Cheers, Matt.
I have heard of the Aka-Tusk before, but I'd forgotten the name of it, thanks for shining a light on that.
Seeing as the Dragonfires are useless now, wouldn't that make them regular mortals?
Cheers, Matt.
I have heard of the Aka-Tusk before, but I'd forgotten the name of it, thanks for shining a light on that.
Seeing as the Dragonfires are useless now, wouldn't that make them regular mortals?
"And this thing I have thought of, I have named it, and I call it freedom. Which I think is just another word for Shezarr Who Goes Missing..."
Could be what he means here. :)
However I reject the different form of Dragonborn notion as to me it just adds unnecessary complexity. I like to think that if Alessia had killed a dragon she would absorb a soul just like our Dovahkiin. The thing really is that Cyrodiil doesn't need shouters and roaring voices of conquest, it is not their song. They needed civilisation and stability, lasting legitimacy and endurance just like their prime divine, Akatosh. To me that is the only nuance worth considering.
The parallels in theme are still there, though. The Nord's Dragonborn protect them from the end of the world and dragons, the Cyrodiilic Dragonborn protect the people from demonic invasion and act as a figure of unity. Both are needed to fight tyranny and oppression. It is especially interesting if you look at their gods. One has Aka, the other has Kyne and the philosophy and sphere each deity represents is inherent in the expected cultural view of each Dragonborn.
Edit: Yeah, sadly the Cyrod's days of lasting legitimacy are done. Their song has ended, their Tower's theme likely resolved. Their purpose has been done, what the future holds is on them alone.
"And this thing I have thought of, I have named it, and I call it freedom. Which I think is just another word for Shezarr Who Goes Missing..."
Could be what he means here. :)
However I reject the different form of Dragonborn notion as to me it just adds unnecessary complexity. I like to think that if Alessia had killed a dragon she would absorb a soul just like our Dovahkiin. The thing really is that Cyrodiil doesn't need shouters and roaring voices of conquest, it is not their song. They needed civilisation and stability, lasting legitimacy and endurance just like their prime divine, Akatosh. To me that is the only nuance worth considering.
The parallels in theme are still there, though. The Nord's Dragonborn protect them from the end of the world and dragons, the Cyrodiilic Dragonborn protect the people from demonic invasion and act as a figure of unity. Both are needed to fight tyranny and oppression. It is especially interesting if you look at their gods. One has Aka, the other has Kyne and the philosophy and sphere each deity represents is inherent in the expected cultural view of each Dragonborn.
Edit: Yeah, sadly the Cyrod's days of lasting legitimacy are done. Their song has ended, their Tower's theme likely resolved. Their purpose has been done, what the future holds is on them alone.
There are no more of the dragonblood beside the dovahkiin, and I agree with Phil and (gasp) disagree with MK. I don't see a point in a difference and there's no evidence for this difference.
The Covenant is essentially ended. From the Trials of Saint Alessia.
Akatosh made a covenant with Alessia in those days so long ago. He gathered the tangled skeins of Oblivion, and knit them fast with the bloody sinews of his Heart, and gave them to Alessia, saying, 'This shall be my token to you, that so long as your blood and oath hold true, yet so shall my blood and oath be true to you. This token shall be the Amulet of Kings, and the Covenant shall be made between us, for I am the King of Spirits, and you are the Queen of Mortals. As you shall stand witness for all Mortal Flesh, so shall I stand witness for all Immortal Spirits.'
And Akatosh drew from his breast a burning handful of his Heart's blood, and he gave it into Alessia's hand, saying, 'This shall also be a token to you of our joined blood and pledged faith. So long as you and your descendants shall wear the Amulet of Kings, then shall this dragonfire burn -- an eternal flame -- as a sign to all men and gods of our faithfulness. So long as the dragonfires shall burn, to you, and to all generations, I swear that my Heart's blood shall hold fast the Gates of Oblivion.
So long as the Blood of the Dragon runs strong in her rulers, the glory of the Empire shall extend in unbroken years. But should the dragonfires fail, and should no heir of our joined blood wear the Amulet of Kings, then shall the Empire descend into darkness, and the Demon Lords of Misrule shall govern the land.'
-- from the liturgy of the Re-Kindling of the Dragonfires
Remember, of course, that the three Cyrodiilic empires of man weren't related to each other. Alessia's line ended. Reman claimed the Chim-el Adabal and took the name Cyrodiil, then his line was assassinated. Tiber Septim then claimed White-Gold and took the Chim-el Adabal from Sancre Tor, and then his bloodline ended with his grandson and his brother's descendants claimed the throne until they too died out with a Pelagius or Casyander, and the Septims after that were from Bretons and a Dunmer. It's definitely not a genetic condition is what I'm getting at. There is definitely a Covenant, and these individuals have definitely fulfilled it.
Well, until the Chim-el Adabal was destroyed.
There are no more of the dragonblood beside the dovahkiin, and I agree with Phil and (gasp) disagree with MK. I don't see a point in a difference and there's no evidence for this difference.
The Covenant is essentially ended. From the Trials of Saint Alessia.
Akatosh made a covenant with Alessia in those days so long ago. He gathered the tangled skeins of Oblivion, and knit them fast with the bloody sinews of his Heart, and gave them to Alessia, saying, 'This shall be my token to you, that so long as your blood and oath hold true, yet so shall my blood and oath be true to you. This token shall be the Amulet of Kings, and the Covenant shall be made between us, for I am the King of Spirits, and you are the Queen of Mortals. As you shall stand witness for all Mortal Flesh, so shall I stand witness for all Immortal Spirits.'
And Akatosh drew from his breast a burning handful of his Heart's blood, and he gave it into Alessia's hand, saying, 'This shall also be a token to you of our joined blood and pledged faith. So long as you and your descendants shall wear the Amulet of Kings, then shall this dragonfire burn -- an eternal flame -- as a sign to all men and gods of our faithfulness. So long as the dragonfires shall burn, to you, and to all generations, I swear that my Heart's blood shall hold fast the Gates of Oblivion.
So long as the Blood of the Dragon runs strong in her rulers, the glory of the Empire shall extend in unbroken years. But should the dragonfires fail, and should no heir of our joined blood wear the Amulet of Kings, then shall the Empire descend into darkness, and the Demon Lords of Misrule shall govern the land.'
-- from the liturgy of the Re-Kindling of the Dragonfires
Remember, of course, that the three Cyrodiilic empires of man weren't related to each other. Alessia's line ended. Reman claimed the Chim-el Adabal and took the name Cyrodiil, then his line was assassinated. Tiber Septim then claimed White-Gold and took the Chim-el Adabal from Sancre Tor, and then his bloodline ended with his grandson and his brother's descendants claimed the throne until they too died out with a Pelagius or Casyander, and the Septims after that were from Bretons and a Dunmer. It's definitely not a genetic condition is what I'm getting at. There is definitely a Covenant, and these individuals have definitely fulfilled it.
Well, until the Chim-el Adabal was destroyed.
My lore question! Please I wish I have more opinions about it (about lorefriendly and/or personal opinion), what do you think of:
If you think Anu as the source of everything,
*It was something before Anu?
*It is possible The Void was always there before Anu?
My lore question! Please I wish I have more opinions about it (about lorefriendly and/or personal opinion), what do you think of:
If you think Anu as the source of everything,
*It was something before Anu?
*It is possible The Void was always there before Anu?