Scrollhammer: Dragons

by Lolpwnt

In ancient times, the skies of the North were ruled by the great Dragons, the Dov, immortal sons of the time-god Akatosh, who had lived eternal from before the creation of the world. The Dragons appear to mortals as winged creatures of incredible majesty, yet their power is far beyond their mere physical strength. Each Dragon is imbued with the very power of the gods themselves in their breath- the power of the Thu'um. For whatsoever a Dragon speaks aloud in his language, he speaks in royalty, and that very thing beckons to the command of his tongue. Mortals know this ancient power as the Voice, for those men who are born with the blood and soul of a Dragon may likewise master the Thu'um.

The Dragons are truly eternal, for their souls come from before the creation of time itself. They cannot comprehend the very concept of mortality. Should a Dragon be slain, he may be brought back with a powerful enough Thu'um. Dragons alone hold the power to slay their own kind: for should a Dragon defeat another, he steals the power of his soul, and banishes him from the world forever.

It is the nature of a Dragon to dominate all life. Thus it came to pass in that at the height of their power, the Dragons sought to make all mankind their slaves, to one day feast upon their souls and devour all the world 'til it be created anew. The early men submitted to the Dragons, and worshiped them as gods. Great temples and barrows were built by mortal hands to their glory. But those ages are long gone, for great heroes of man arose, and stole the power of the Thu'um from the Dragons to do battle with them. One by one the Dragons were slain, until but a few remained. The great barrows still stand, haunted by the Draugr, or Wights, the restless long-dead remains of the damned who once bowed down to the Dragons in awe.

But the time of dragons comes again. For thus it is prophesied in the Elder Scrolls, and thus it is sung in the Song of the Dragonborn:

"And the scrolls have foretold,

Of black wings in the cold,

That when brothers wage war come unfurled!

Alduin bane of kings,

Ancient shadow unbound,

With a hunger to swallow the world!"