The Last Dragonborn Respect Thread
By deactivated-5e8a1f5fafc4e 25 Comments
Respect The Last Dragonborn
I actually decided not to post this a few months back, as I thought the denizens of Comic Vine unworthy of the Dovahkiin's greatness: the hero you don't deserve and all that. It's not finished entirely, although all of the most important content is gathered, but I suppose you just need to take what you can get, right? Enjoy.
Oh, and read all of this first.
The Prophecy Of The Dragonborn
Ancient song of the Dragonborn.
Dragonborn, Dragonborn, by his honor is sworn, To keep evil forever at bay!And the fiercest foes rout when they hear triumph's shout, Dragonborn, for your blessing we pray!Hearken now, sons of snow, to an age, long ago, and the tale, boldly told, of the one!Who was kin to both wyrm, and the races of man, with a power to rival the sun!And the Voice, he did wield, on that glorious field, when great Tamriel shuddered with war!Mighty Thu'um, like a blade, cut through enemies all, as the Dragonborn issued his roar!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!But a day, shall arise, when the dark dragon's lies, will be silenced forever and then!Fair Skyrim will be free from foul Alduin's maw, Dragonborn be the savior of men!
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/songs-skyrim-revised
The Prophecy of the Dragonborn, which is depicted on Sky Haven Temple and predicts the major events of every TES game in advance. It should be fairly evident that each of the protagonists are beings driven by fate itself to accomplish the impossible.
Jagar Tharn splits the Staff of Chaos into eight pieces. (TES: Arena)
When misrule takes its place at the eight corners of the world
The Warp in the West and the Numidium. (TES II: Daggerfall)
When the Brass Tower walks and Time is reshaped
The Tribunal are defeated by Dagoth Ur, and the Red Mountain erupts. (TES III: Morrowind)
When the thrice-blessed fail and the Red Tower trembles
Uriel VII is assassinated, and the Oblivion crisis takes place. (TES IV: Oblivion)
When the Dragonborn Ruler loses his throne, and the White Tower falls
Time is sundered on top of the Throat of the World, High King Toryg is killed, Skyrim bleeds from the Civil War. (TES V: Skyrim)
When the Snow Tower lies sundered, kingless, bleeding
Alduin returns and The Last Dragonborn appears to stop him. (TES V: Skyrim)
The World-Eater wakes, and the Wheel turns upon the Last Dragonborn.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/book-dragonborn
https://www.reddit.com/r/teslore/comments/4w8y6h/the_dragonborn_prophecy/
Main Story / What Is A Dragonborn
Dragon Rising
The Dragonborn kills Mirmulnir with the help of Irileth and the Whiterun Guard. He then absorbs his soul and his power, which allows him to Shout in the dragon language without training.
“I can’t believe it! You’re… Dragonborn…
[...]
In the very oldest tales, back from when there were still dragons in Skyrim, the Dragonborn would slay dragons and steal their power. That’s what you did, isn’t it? Absorbed that dragon’s power?
[...]
There’s only one way to find out. Try to Shout… According to the old legends, only the Dragonborn can Shout without training, the way the dragons do.
[...]
That was Shouting, what you just did! Must be. You really are Dragonborn, then…”
https://youtu.be/v_pkv164F4M?t=7m9s
The Way of the Voice
After absorbing his first Dragon soul, The Last Dragonborn was able to learn the first word of the Unrelenting Force Shout, without training. As a Dragonborn, he has an inborn ability to learn Words of Power. He learns a new word like a master immediately, and can absorb the life force and knowledge of dragons directly. After being granted an understanding of the second word, he masters it almost effortlessly, using it to strike spectral targets.
“Without training, you have already taken the first steps towards projecting your Voice into a Thu’um, a Shout.
[...]
When you Shout, you speak in the language of dragons. Thus, your dragon blood gives you an inborn ability to learn Words of Power. All Shouts are made up of three Words of Power. As you master each Word, your Shout will become progressively stronger. Master Einarth will now teach you “Ro,” the second Word in Unrelenting Force.
[...]
“You learn a new Word like a master… you truly do have the gift. But learning a Word of Power is only the first step… you must unlock its meaning through constant practice in order to use it in a Shout. Well, that is how the rest of us learn Shouts. As Dragonborn, you can absorb a slain dragon’s life force and knowledge directly.
“As part of your initiation, Master Einarth will allow you to tap into his understanding of “Ro.”
[...]
“Now let us see how quickly you can master your new Thu’um. Use your Unrelenting Force Shout to strike the targets as they appear.”
[...]
“You learn quickly. Once more..”
[...]
“Impressive. Your Thu’um is precise. You show great promise, Dragonborn.”
[...]
“Your quick mastery of a new Thu’um is… astonishing. I’d heard the stories of the abilities of Dragonborn, but to see it for myself…”
Dragonborn: “I don’t know how I do it. It just happens.”
https://youtu.be/b3CW4zSt8dA?t=6m8s
The Dragonborn absorbs the power of a dragon after slaying one. Thus, thanks to his dragon blood, the Dragonborn mastered in a few days what takes even the most gifted Thu’um users years to achieve. It is reiterated that Shouting is intrinsic to a dragon, and with the dragon blood, it comes to the dragonborn almost without effort. However, he is not yet ready to meet Paarthurnax; his Voice is not strong enough to clear the path.
Dragonborn: “What does it mean to be “Dragonborn?””
Arngeir: “Dragons have the inborn ability to learn and project their Voice. Dragons also are able to absorb the power of their slain brethren. A few mortals are born with similar abilities -- whether a gift or a curse has been a matter of debate down through the centuries. What you have already learned in a few days took even the most gifted of us years to achieve.”
Dragonborn: “Why are shouts in the dragon language?”
Arngeir: “Dragons have always been able to Shout. Language is intrinsic to their very being. There is no difference in the dragon tongue between debating and fighting. Shouting comes as naturally to a dragon as breathing, or speaking. In mythic times, when mortalkind was in great need, the Goddess Kynareth granted us the ability to speak as dragons do. For most people, long years of training are required to learn even the simplest shout. But for you, the dragon speech is in your blood, and you learn it almost without effort.”
Dragonborn: “There are only four of you?”
Arngeir: “Five. Our leader, Paarthurnax, lives alone on the peak of the Throat of the World. When your Voice can open the path, you will know you are ready to speak to him.”
https://youtu.be/3jkhvQJhDc0?t=10m51s
“As I said, you will know you are ready when your voice can open the path to him.”
“Only those whose Voice is strong can find the path. Come. We will teach you a Shout to open the way to Paarthurnax.”
https://youtu.be/uStnYKXmaJI?t=5m16s
At this stage, even a whisper from the Greybeards, aside from Arngeir, could kill the Dragonborn before his training is complete, along with anyone “not trained in the Way to withstand.”
The Last Dragonborn: “Why don’t the others talk?”
Arngeir: “Their Voices are too powerful for anyone not trained in the Way to withstand. Even a whisper could kill you.”
https://youtu.be/3jkhvQJhDc0?t=12m52s
The Horn of Jurgen Windcaller
The Last Dragonborn learns the final Word of Power for Unrelenting Force, and has passed all of the trials the Greybeards set for him. He is now formally recognised as Dragonborn.
“Ah! You’ve retrieved the Horn of Jurgen Windcaller. Well done. You have now passed all the trials. Come with me. It is time for us to recognise you formally as Dragonborn.”
[...]
“You are ready to learn the final word of Unrelenting Force, “Dah,” which means “Push.”
[...]
“With all three Words together, this Shout is much more powerful. Use it wisely.”
https://youtu.be/Jm6HEJd4j2E?t=28m54s
The Dragonborn receives the greeting of the Greybeards. This means they will Speak to, or Shout at, the Dragonborn “unbridled”, meaning without restraint. Despite the fact even a whisper could have killed the Dragonborn before completing his training, now he can withstand all four of their unrestrained Shouts “unscathed.”
“You have completed your training, Dragonborn. We would Speak to you. Stand between us, and prepare yourself. Few can withstand the unbridled Voice of the Greybeards. But you are ready.”
[...]
“Dovahkiin. You have tasted the Voice of the Greybeards, and passed through unscathed. High Hrothgar is open to you.”
https://youtu.be/Jm6HEJd4j2E?t=30m32s
A Blade In The Dark
The Last Dragonborn kills Sahloknir, a dragon resurrected by Alduin.
“We’re going to go there, and you’re going to kill that dragon.”
https://youtu.be/9iRMzn060ZI?t=5m20s
Alduin: "Sahloknir, krii daar joorre." [“Sahloknir, kill these mortals.”]
https://youtu.be/hUp1ypFJgF8?t=1m37s
The Throat of the World
The Last Dragonborn is titled Stormcrown, the name given to Tiber Septim before him.
"Arngeir, Rok los Dovahkiin, Strundu'ul. Rok fen tinvaak Paarthurnax." [“He is Dragonborn, Stormcrown. He will speak with Paarthurnax.”]
https://youtu.be/uStnYKXmaJI?t=3m14s
Arngeir explains the implications of Dragonrend.
“It is called “Dragonrend,” but its Words of Power are unknown to us. We do not regret this loss. Dragonrend holds no place within the Way of the Voice.”
“What’s so bad about Dragonrend?”
“It was created by those who had lived under the unimaginable cruelty of Alduin’s Dragon Cult. Their whole lives were consumed with hatred for dragons, and they poured all their anger and hatred into this Shout. When you learn a Shout, you take it into your very being. In a sense, you become the Shout. In order to learn and use this Shout, you will be taking this evil into yourself.”
https://youtu.be/qRG_k7JGTOs?t=1m30s
Dragonborn learns Clear Skies.
https://youtu.be/uStnYKXmaJI?t=7m3s
Dragonborn is taught one of the Words of Power for Fire Breath by Paarthurnax.
https://youtu.be/qRG_k7JGTOs?t=8m31s
Paarthurnax on the prophecy and Dragonrend.
“What else would you seek? Alduin and Dovahkiin return together. But, I do not know the Thu’um you seek. Krosis. It cannot be known to me. Your kind - joorre - mortals - created it as a weapon against the dov… the dragons. Our hadrimme, our minds cannot even… comprehend its concepts.”
https://youtu.be/qRG_k7JGTOs?t=10m
“... perhaps none but me now remember how he was defeated.”
“Using the Dragonrend Shout, right?”
“Yes and no. [...] Alduin was not truly defeated, either. If he was, you would not be here today, seeking to… defeat him. The Nords of those days used the Dragonrend Shout to cripple Alduin. But this was not enough. It was the Kel - the Elder Scroll. They used it to… cast him adrift on the currents of time.”
“Are you saying the ancient Nords sent Alduin forward in time?”
“Not intentionally. Some hoped he would be gone forever, forever lost. I knew better. [...] Time flows ever onward. One day he would surface. Which is why I have lived here. For thousands of mortal years I have waited. I knew where he would emerge, but not when.”
“How does this help me?”
“Time was… shattered here because of what the ancient Nords did to Alduin. If you brought that Kel, that Elder Scrolls back here… to the Tiid-Ahraan, the Time-Wound… With the Elder Scroll that was used to break Time, you may be able to… cast yourself back. To the other end of the break. You could learn Dragonrend from those who created it.”
https://youtu.be/qRG_k7JGTOs?t=12m55s
“An Elder Scrolls? What’s that?”
“Hmm. How to explain in your tongue? The dov have words for such things that joorre do not. It is an... artifact from outside time. It does not exist, but it has always existed. Rah wahlaan. They are… hmm… fragments of creation. The Kelle… Elder Scrolls, as you name them, they have often been used for prophecy. Yes, your prophecy comes from an Elder Scroll. But this is only a small part of their power.”
https://youtu.be/py5fEHdF_cs?t=56m18s
“What do I do with the Elder Scroll when I find it?”
“Return it here, to the Tiid-Ahraan. Then… [...] Nothing is certain with such things… But I believe the Scroll’s bond with the Tiid-Ahraan will allow you a… a seeing, a vision of the moment of its creation. Then you will feel - know - Dragonrend, in the power of its first expression.”
“Hakon, Gormlaith, Felldir? Who are they?”
“The first mortals that I taught the Thu’um - the first Tongues. The leaders of the rebellion against Alduin. They were mighty, in their day. Even to attempt to defeat Alduin… sahrot hunne. The Nords have had many heroes since, but none greater.
https://youtu.be/py5fEHdF_cs?t=59m36s
“How could an Elder Scroll cast Alduin through time?”
“I do not know. Perhaps in the very doing they erased the knowing of it from Time itself. The dov are children of Akatosh. Thus we are specially… attuned to the flow of Time. Perhaps also uniquely vulnerable.” [...] “I was far from here on the day of Alduin’s downfall. But all dov felt the… sundering of Time itself.”
https://youtu.be/u4Ri0XOOcsg?t=3m29s
“What does the Dragonrend Shout actually do?”
“I cannot tell you in detail. I never heard it used. Kogaan. It was the first Thu’um created solely by mortals. It was said to force a dragon to experience the concept of Mortality. A truly vonmindoraan… incomprehensible idea to the immortal dov.”
https://youtu.be/u4Ri0XOOcsg?t=4m54s
Meditating on Words of Power.
The Last Dragonborn: “You're the Master of the Greybeards. Do others come here to train?”
Paarthurnax: “I have taught the Way of the Voice for centuries and the Thu'um since long before that. But no, Dovahkiin. Others do not come here to train anymore. Saraan. You are the first in over a hundred years. I meditate on the Rotmulaag - the Words of Power. I counsel in their use. It is enough for me.”
“The Last Dragonborn: You meditate on the Words? How?”
Paarthurnax: “Knowing a Word of Power is to take its meaning into yourself. Contemplate the meaning of a Rotmulaag. You will become closer to that Word, as it fills your inner self. Will I teach you, Dovahkiin? What Word calls you to deeper understanding? There are three to master: Fus, Feim, and Yol.”
https://youtu.be/0n3Tww3cxnk?t=15m32s
“Fus.”
“It is called “Force.” in your tongue. But as you push the world, so does the world push back. Think of the way force may be applied effortlessly. Imagine but a whisper pushing aside all in its path. That is “Fus.” Let its meaning fill you. Su’um ahrk morah. You will push the world harder than it pushes back.”
https://youtu.be/u4Ri0XOOcsg?t=6m3s
“Feim.”
“”Fade” in your tongue. Mortals have greater affinity for this Word than the dov. Everything mortal fades away in time, but the spirit remains. Ponder the meaning of spirit. Unslaad zir. Where mortal flesh may wither and die, the spirit endures. That is “Feim.” Let that meaning fill you. Su’um ahrk morah. You will find that your spirit will give you more strength.”
https://youtu.be/u4Ri0XOOcsg?t=8m12s
“Yol.”
“In your tongue, the Word simply means “Fire.” It is change given form. Power at its most primal. That is the true meaning of “Yol.” Suleyk. Power. You have it, as do all dov. But power is inert without action and choice. Think of this as the fire builds in your su’um, in your breath. What will you burn? What will you spare?
https://youtu.be/u4Ri0XOOcsg?t=9m57s
Elder Knowledge
Arngeir on the Elder Scrolls.
“We have never concerned ourselves with the Scrolls. The gods themselves would rightly fear to tamper with such things.”
https://youtu.be/ywYjduRXcas?t=1m50s
Urag gro-Shub on Elder Scrolls.
“Tell me more about the Elder Scrolls.”
“I knew it. Everyone comes in here, expecting my help, but they don’t even have the proper questions. An Elder Scroll is an instrument of immense knowledge and power. To read an Elder Scroll, a person must have the most rigorously trained mind, or else risk madness. Even so, the Divines usually take the reader’s sight as a price.”
“A price for what?”
“The simplest way to put it is “knowledge,” but there’s nothing simple about an Elder Scroll. It’s a reflection of all possible futures and all possible pasts. Each reader sees different reflections through different lenses, and may come away with a different reading. But at the same time, all of it is true. Even the falsehoods. Especially the falsehoods.”
“Who wrote the Elder Scrolls?”
“It would take a month to explain to you how that very question doesn’t even make sense. The Scrolls exist here, with us, but also beyond and beneath. Before and after. They are bits of Divine made substance so we could know them. Sorry. Talking about the Scrolls, you usually end up in irritating and vague metaphors like that. Some people who study them devoutly go mad.”
https://youtu.be/X6ES3xmwi8g?t=12m53s
The effects of Elder Scrolls is a book Urag gives to the Dragonborn to read.
Those who have an understanding of the Elder Scrolls but do not have the mental discipline to stave off the effects, have their minds shattered, and are struck completely blind. They do glean some knowledge, however, during their “glimpse of infinity.”
Group the Second: The Unguarded Intellects
It is this second group that realizes the greatest danger from attempting to read the scrolls. These are subjects who have an understanding of the nature of the Elder Scrolls and possess sufficient knowledge to actually read what is inscribed there. They have not, however, developed adequate discipline to stave off the mind-shattering effect of having a glimpse of infinity. These unfortunate souls are struck immediately, irrevocably, and completely blind. Such is the price for overreaching one's faculties. It bears mentioning, though, that with the blindness also comes a fragment of that hidden knowledge -- whether the future, the past, or the deep natures of being is dependent on the individual and their place in the greater spheres. But the knowledge does come.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/effects-elder-scrolls
Moth Priests go through the most rigorous mental training to read Elder Scrolls, training for a decade or more. Even when they do, they become partially blinded, although they retain their sanity and do glean even more insights.
Group the Third: Mediated Understanding
Alone in Tamriel, it would appear that only the Cult of the Ancestor Moth has discovered the discipline to properly guard one's mind when reading the scrolls. Their novitiates must undergo the most rigorous mental cultivation, and they often spend a decade or more at the monastery before being allowed to read their first Elder Scroll. The monks say this is for the initiates' own protection, as they must have witnessed many Unguarded Intellects among their more eager ranks. With appropriate fortitude, these readers also receive blindness, though at a far lesser magnitude than the Unguarded. Their vision fogs slightly, but they retain shape, color, and enough acuity to continue to read mundane texts. The knowledge they gain from the scroll is also tempered somewhat -- it requires stages of meditation and reflection to fully appreciate and express what one saw.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/effects-elder-scrolls
After repeated readings, Moth Priests become more and more blind, but receive greater and more detailed knowledge. Their mental fortitude also increases. There comes a Penultimate Reading, eventually, which will permanently blind the Priest, but he will have retained the revelations gleaned from the Scroll.
Group the Fourth: Illuminated Understanding
Between the previous group and this one exists a continuum that has, at present, only been traversed by the monks of the Ancestor Moth. With continued readings the monks become gradually more and more blind, but receive greater and more detailed knowledge. As they spend their waking hours pondering the revelations, they also receive a further degree of mental fortitude. There is, for every monk, a day of Penultimate Reading, when the only knowledge the Elder Scroll imparts is that the monk's next reading shall be his last.
For each monk the Penultimate Reading comes at a different and unknowable time -- preliminary work has been done to predict the occurrence by charting the severity of an individual monk's blindness, but all who reach these later stages report that the increasing blindness seems to taper with increased readings. Some pose the notion that some other, unseen, sense is, in fact, continuing to diminish at this upper range, but I shall leave such postulations to philosophers.
To prepare for his Ultimate Reading, a monk typically withdraws to seclusion in order to reflect upon a lifetime of revelations and appoint his mind for reception of his last. Upon this final reading, he is forever blinded as sure as those Unguarded ones who raced to knowledge. The Illuminated one, though, has retained his understanding over a lifetime and typically possesses a more integral notion of what has been revealed to him.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/effects-elder-scrolls
Septimus Signus, the world’s foremost master of Elder Scrolls, was driven insane by his study of them.
“The “Ruminations” book is incomprehensible.”
“Aye, that’s the work of Septimus Signus. He’s the world’s master of the nature of Elder Scrolls, but… well. He’s been gone for a long while. Too long.”
“He’s dead?”
“Oh no. I hope not. But even I haven’t seen him in years, and we were close. Became obsessed with the Dwemer. Took off north saying he had found some old artefact. Haven’t seen him since.”
https://youtu.be/X6ES3xmwi8g?t=20m5s
Septimus Signus...
“You have an Elder Scroll? Here?”
“I’ve seen enough to know their fabric. The warp of air, the weft of time. But no, it is not in my possession.”
“To glimpse the world inside an Elder Scroll can damage the eyes. Or the mind, as it has to Septimus. The Dwemer found a loophole, as they always do. To focus the knowledge away and inside without harm. Place the lexicon into their contraption and focus the knowledge into it. When it brims with glow, bring it back and Septimus can read once more.”
“What is an Elder Scroll?”
“You look to your left, you see one way. You look to your right, you see another. But neither is any harder than the opposite. But the Elder Scrolls… they look left and right in the stream of time. The future and past are as one. Sometimes they even look up. What do they see then? What if they dive in? Then the madness begins.”
https://youtu.be/X6ES3xmwi8g?t=25m55s
Lexicon inscribed.
“Give it, quickly. Extraordinary, I see it now. The sealing structure interlocks in the tiniest fractals. Dwemer blood can loose the hooks, but none alive remain to bear it.”
https://youtu.be/dMJZxpXM6Js?t=39m22s
Alduin’s Bane
Paarthurnax.
“You have it. The Kel - the Elder Scroll. Tiid kreh… qalos [Time bends… touch]. Time shudders at its touch. There is no question. You are doom-driven. Kogaan Akatosh [Blessing of Akatosh]. The very bones of the earth are at your disposal. Go then. Fulfill your destiny. Take the Scroll to the Time-Wound. Do not delay. Alduin will be coming. He cannot miss the signs.”
https://youtu.be/aJY49wVFK0c?t=13s
The Dragonborn reads the Dragon Elder Scroll at the Time-Wound to see a vision of the past. He watches the first Tongues battle Alduin, and instantly learns Dragonrend upon seeing it’s use. The Dragonborn, unlike anyone else, suffers no ill-effects from using the Elder Scroll, despite the fact they are prone to causing partial or full blindness in even rigorously trained Moth Priests, or mind-shattering madness in those without training. Without any training of his own in using an Elder Scroll, this is an immense feat of willpower.
https://youtu.be/aJY49wVFK0c?t=1m12s
The Dragonborn fights Alduin on the Throat of the World. Paarthurnax is cut down early on in the fight, as per the Prima Guide, leaving the Dragonborn to defeat Alduin alone. Using Dragonrend to bring Alduin to the ground, the Dragonborn defeats the World-Eater, who flees are claiming that he cannot be slain.
Alduin: "Bahloki nahkip sillesejoor. My belly is full of the souls of your fellow mortals, Dovahkiin. Die now and await your fate in Sovngarde!"
Paarthurnax: "Lost funt. You are too late, Alduin! Dovahkiin! Use Dragonrend, if you know it!"
https://youtu.be/aJY49wVFK0c?t=6m10s
During the fight, Alduin’s dialogue includes:
"Dovahkiin, you call yourself? Arrogant mortal."
"Bahloki nahkip sillesejoor.” [“My hunger has been fed by mortal souls.”]
"I will feast on your soul in Sovngarde!"
"You are no match for me, joor!” [“mortal!]”
"Paarthurnax is weak. I am strong."
"My time has come again."
"Maar saraan ko Sovngarde." [“Terror awaits in Sovngarde.”]
"I have feasted on many greater than you."
"You will pay for your defiance!"
During the fight, Paarthurnax’s dialogue includes:
"Unslaad hokoron! [“Unending Enemy!”] Never again!".
"Dovahkiin, vosaraan! [“Dragonborn, your opposite awaits!”] Use Dragonrend before Alduin consumes you!"
"Use Dragonrend, Dovahkiin!"
"He is too strong on the wing! Bring him to gol [“Earth”] with Dragonrend!"
"Use Dragonrend! It is the only chance to defeat him!".
"Now, Dovahkiin! Now he is vulnerable!"
"This is your chance, Dovahkiin! Strike with all your force!"
"Hurt him while he is grounded!"
After the fight, Alduin states:
"Meyz mul, Dovahkiin. [“You’ve become strong, Dragonborn.”] You have become strong. But I am Al-du-in [“Destroyer-Devour-Master”], Firstborn of Akatosh! Mulaagi zok lot! [“My strength is the greatest!”] I cannot be slain here, by you or anyone else! You cannot prevail against me. I will outlast you... mortal!"
After the fight, Paarthurnax states:
"Lot krongrah [“Great victory.”]. You truly have the Voice of a dovah. Alduin's allies will think twice after this victory."
“It wasn’t really a victory, since Alduin escaped.”
“Ni liivrah hin moro. [“Do not diminish [wither] your glory.”] True, this is not the final krongrah - victory. But not even the heroes of old were able to defeat Alduin in open battle. Alduin always was pahlok - arrogant in his power. Uznahgar paar. [“Unending ambition.”] He took domination as his birthright. This should shake the loyalty of the dov who serve him.
https://youtu.be/aJY49wVFK0c?t=14m54s
Season Unending
The Greybeards heard the Dragonborn shouting Dragonrend from High Hrothgar.
“Alduin… we heard the Dragonrend Shout from here… you defeated him?”
https://youtu.be/ch2pmgOMdUs?t=11m5s
The Dragonborn can Shout the name of a Dragon, and they will hear his call no matter where they are.
“By calling the dragon with the Voice, he will hear you wherever he might be.”
https://youtu.be/ch2pmgOMdUs?t=37m9s
The Dragonborn can learn Shouts just by seeing them being used, so he should be able to use Alduin’s Meteor Shower and any other Shouts he has been exposed to.
The Fallen
The Dragonborn summons and traps Odahviing successfully.
https://youtu.be/kV8lEP1IgaA?t=6m6s
The World Eater’s Eyrie
The Dragonborn single handedly kills all of Alduin’s remaining dragon lieutenants and a high-ranking Dragon Priest, who were guarding his portal to Sovngarde in Skuldafn.
Odahviing: Mindoraan, pah ok middovahhe lahvraan til. [“As you know, all his dragon-loyalists are mustered there.”] I surely do not need to warn you that all his remaining strength is marshalled there.
https://youtu.be/kV8lEP1IgaA?t=8m34s
https://youtu.be/1my0pXWn6es?t=1m46s
https://youtu.be/1my0pXWn6es?t=10m23s
Sovngarde
Alduin casts a soul snare over Sovngarde.
“Many have braved the shadowed vale but vane is all courage against the peril that guards the way.”
“What’s this mist?”
“I do not know - but none have passed through. Alduin, his hunger insatiable, hunts the lost souls snared within this shadowed valley. Can you lead the way to where Shor’s Hall waits, beckoning us on to welcome long sought?”
https://youtu.be/KvQPrkSlzms?t=1m37s
Tsun: “What brings you, wayfarer grim, to wander here, in Sovngarde, souls-end, Shor’s gift to honoured dead?”
The Last Dragonborn: “I pursue Alduin, the World-Eater.”
Tsun: “A fateful errand. New few have chafed to face the Worm since first he set his soul-snare here at Sovngarde’s threshold. But Shor restrained our wrathful onslaught - perhaps, deep-counseled, your doom he foresaw.”
https://youtu.be/KvQPrkSlzms?t=5m52s
The Dragonborn passes the Warrior’s Test, by fighting the God Tsun, a warrior of supreme quality who the Nords revere as their greatest warrior. Tsun’s purpose is to “winnow all souls” who would enter Shor’s Hall, meaning, only the best warriors pass the test.
“I am Tsun, shield-thane to Shor. The Whalebone Bridge he bade me guard and winnow all those souls whose heroic end sent them here, to Shor’s lofty hall where welcome, well-earned, awaits those I judge fit to join that fellowship of honour.”
[...]
“Living or dead, by decree of Shor, none shall pass this perilous bridge ‘til I judge them worthy by the warrior’s test.”
[...]
“You fought well. I find you worthy.”
https://youtu.be/KvQPrkSlzms?t=6m35s
Ysgramor states that Shor prevented all the warriors of Sovngarde from leaving his hall to face Alduin until The Last Dragonborn arrived, likely because Alduin would have consumed them.
Ysgramor: “Welcome, Dragonborn! Our door has stood empty since Alduin first set his soul-snare here. By Shor’s command we sheathed our blades and ventured not the vale’s dark mist. But three await your word to loose fury upon the perilous foe.”
https://youtu.be/KvQPrkSlzms?t=9m33s
The three Nords comment on Alduin.
“At long last! Alduin’s doom is now ours to seal - just speak the word and with high hearts we’ll hasten forth to smite the worm wherever he lurks.”
“Alduin’s mist is more than a snare - its shadowy gloom is his shield and cloak. But with four Voices joined, our valor combined, we can blast the mist and bring him to battle.”
“Felldir speaks wisdom - the World-Eater, coward, fears you, Dragonborn. We must drive away his mist, Shouting together, and then unsheathe our blades in desperate battle with our black-winged foe.”
https://youtu.be/mmJxh-56niI?t=11m2s
The Dragonborn, alongside the three first Tongues, dispels Alduin’s Mist and soul-snare from Sovngarde. Forced to come out and fight, the Dragonborn destroys Alduin once and for all. Even though the three Tongues were present, they should be considered superfluous to the Dragonborn’s success in the fight, just as Paarthurnax was: when they fought Alduin before, they couldn’t even hurt him, and it is part of the Prophecy that only The Last Dragonborn can slay Alduin. They also attribute the victory solely to The Dragonborn at the end.
“We cannot fight the foe in this mist!”
“Clear Skies - combine our Shouts!”
“Stand fast! His strength is failing! Once more, and his might will be broken!”
“One more time, and the World-Eater must face us!”
Alduin says, before he is destroyed:
"Zu'u unslaad! Zu'u nis oblaan!" [“I am eternal! I cannot end!”]
After the battle:
“All hail the Dragonborn! All hail him with great praise!”
https://youtu.be/mmJxh-56niI?t=12m46s
After defeating Alduin, Odahviing, one of Alduin’s former high-ranking servants, acknowledges the Dragonborn’s superiority, names him overlord, and agrees to serve him instead.
As for myself, you've proven your mastery twice over. Thuri, Dovahkiin [“My Overlord, Dragonborn.”]. I gladly acknowledge the power of your Thu'um. Zu'u Odahviing. Call me when you have need, and I will come if I can."
https://youtu.be/KvQPrkSlzms?t=26m36s
Arngeir states that the Dragonborn has shown himself mighty, in Voice and deed, and that he has gained mastery of dreadful weapons. He is now the master of his own fate, a hero or villain for the ages, if he so chooses.
"I can see it in your eyes. You've seen the land of the Gods and returned. Does this mean... it is done? Is Alduin truly defeated?"
“Yes. I went to Sovngarde and killed Alduin there.”
"At last. It is over. Perhaps it was all worth it in the end. You've shown yourself mighty, both in Voice and deed. In order to defeat Alduin, you've gained mastery of dreadful weapons. Now it is up to you to decide what to do with your power and skill. Will you be a hero whose name is remembered in song throughout the ages? Or will your name be a curse to future generations? Or will you merely fade from history, unremembered? Let the Way of the Voice be your guide, and the path of wisdom will be clear to you. Breath and focus, Dragonborn. Your future lies before you."
https://youtu.be/iNNjcSUnL5U?t=1h6m33s
Paarthurnax
The Dragonborn may have killed Paarthurnax during or after the main quest concludes. What this means is that not only is the Dragonborn able to defeat Paarthurnax in battle, but after killing him, he has absorbed all of Paarthurnax’s power and knowledge. Paarthurnax himself is superior to the Greybeards, meaning the Dragonborn will have absorbed a source of power even greater than the Greybeards themselves, in addition to the power he already possesses.
(2:27 for Paarthurnax’s death)
Dawnguard
Regarding Vampires.
“Not just vampires. We are among the oldest and most powerful vampires in Skyrim.” [...] “I offer you my blood. Take it, and you will walk as a lion among sheep. Men will tremble at your approach, and you will never fear death again.” [...] “Awake at last. Good. The power is growing within you, and now you must learn to wield it. [...] “The true power of the ancient blood is found in the form of the Vampire Lord. Assume the mantle of the Vampire Lord, and we will continue.”
[...]
“In this form, you can drain the life from your foes with your right hand. With your left hand, you can wield the power of blood magic to raise the dead. You can also call upon the powers of night to turn into a swarm of bats and reappear some distance away. Should you run out of magicka, you can descend to the ground and fight as the beasts do. Do so now, and we can continue. Good. You are weaker while on the ground, because you cannot access the blood magic. However, the night powers are still yours to command, and your claws are still formidable weapons. Over time, your powers will grow in strength and you will find new ways to use your gifts.
“There is one last thing you must know. Slaying mortal men with your life drain grants you new night powers and blood magic.”
https://youtu.be/GCw_6BDWirc?t=45m18s
“As a vampire, you will gain new powers, but also a weakness to sunlight. With each passing day that you do not feed, that weakness will become more deadly, but your powers will also become stronger. Feed upon those who are sleeping, and your vulnerability will diminish along with your powers.”
https://youtu.be/JR0DYFWLaCs?t=12m17s
“Remember, you are no mere vampire. You are something far greater.”
https://youtu.be/JR0DYFWLaCs?t=13m23s ”
The Bloodstone Chalice.
“The Chalice has been in Lord Harkon’s possession for quite some time now. It is, when used properly, able to increase the potency of our powers.”
https://youtu.be/GCw_6BDWirc?t=50m48s
Vampire origins.
“The first vampire came from Molag Bal. She… was not a willing subject. But she was still the first. Molag Bal is a powerful Daedric Lord, and his will is made reality. For those willing to subjugate themselves, he will still bestow the gift, but they must be powerful in their own right before earning his trust.”
https://youtu.be/GCw_6BDWirc?t=1h18m42s
Valerica >>> Serana.
https://youtu.be/GCw_6BDWirc?t=1h47m38s
The Dragonborn defeats Durnehviir, a dragon who has killed innumerable foes in combat, including other dragons, and is undefeated. He is more powerful than Valerica, who is powerful enough to stalemate the Keepers of the Soul Cairn, and she is also far more powerful than her daughter, Serana. Durnehviir in addition can raise legions of the undead to fight for him.
Valerica: “One more word of warning. There’s a dragon that calls itself Durnehviir roaming the Cairn. Be wary of him. The Ideal Masters charged him with overseeing the Keepers, and will undoubtedly intervene if you’re perceived as a threat.”
https://youtu.be/3NuJ7Xbm7Mk?t=7m33s
Valerica: “Forgive my astonishment, but I never thought I’d witness the death of that dragon.”
Durnehviir: "My claws have rendered the flesh of innumerable foes, but I have never once been felled on the field of battle. I therefore honor-name you "Qahnaarin," or Vanquisher in your tongue."
Dragonborn: “How did you end up in the Soul Cairn?”
Durnehviir: "There was a time when I called Tamriel my home. But those days have long since passed. The dovah roamed the skies, vying for their small slices of territory that resulted in immense and ultimately fatal battles."
Dragonborn: “Were you a part of all that?”
Durnehviir: "I was. But unlike some of my brethren, I sought solutions outside the norm in order to maintain my superiority. I began to explore what the dovah call "Alok-Dilon," the ancient forbidden art that you call necromancy."
Dragonborn: “So you sought the Soul Cairn for answers.”
Durnehviir: "The Ideal Masters assured me that my powers would be unmatched, that I could raise legions of the undead. In return, I was to serve them as a Keeper until the death of the one who calls herself Valerica."
https://youtu.be/3NuJ7Xbm7Mk?t=15m8s
Remember everything that was said earlier about the effects of reading Elder Scrolls? Good. The Dragonborn reads a second scroll, but does so undergoing a ritual considered dangerous even among Moth Priests. Only the most resilient among them can perform this ritual and require years of practice to complete it successfully.
Dexion Evicus: “In my haste to read the first scroll, I neglected the careful preparation required. I thought I’d be able to allay the after effects, but I was wrong. Now I’m paying for it. [...] Blind? Yes. I’m afraid so. [...] No, there’s another way. The question is, how much are you willing to risk to find Auriel’s Bow? I can’t guarantee you’d be free from harm. Becoming blind could be the least of your worries. [...] Performing the Ritual of the Ancestor Moth within the glade should provide the answers you seek. [...] Once enough of the moths are following, they’ll provide you with the second sight needed to decipher the scrolls. [...] Every Moth Priest is taught this ritual, but few ever get the chance to perform it… you should consider yourself fortunate if it works for you. [...] Oh, the moths don’t literally read the scrolls… but they maintain a connection to ancient magic that allows the Moth Priests to decipher them. [...] It’s through this ancestral chorus that the moths tap into a form of primal augur and become a conduit for deciphering the scrolls. [...] Only the most resilient of priests can do it this way… it takes years of practice to interpret the harmony.”
Dragonborn: “Is it normal for Moth Priests to go blind?”
Dexion Evicus: “Sadly, yes. It’s the inevitable fate we agree to pursue when reading the Elder Scrolls. It generally doesn’t occur until a Moth Priest is in his latter years, but in my case I simply wasn’t preparing myself properly.”
Dragonborn: “What went wrong?”
Dexion Evicus: “Deciphering one of the Elder Scrolls is nothing like reading a simple book. There’s quite a bit of ritual and concentration required. It can take months or even years to complete a single scroll and even then, months to recover.”
https://youtu.be/LM5wjj-9uw8?t=5m58s
“Don’t worry, I’m fine. [...] That felt strange. [...] Never mind that… it worked!”
Serana: “What about Auriel’s Bow? Do you know where we can find it?”
The Last Dragonborn: “The Scrolls gave me its exact location.”
https://youtu.be/GCw_6BDWirc?t=3h22s
Auriel’s Bow.
Serana: “Auriel is one of the elven gods. He’s with the rest of them in Aetherius. The way I’ve heard it, the sun represents the connection from our world to theirs. Supposedly, the bow draws its energy from the sun itself, which is why it shows up in that prophecy.”
https://youtu.be/GCw_6BDWirc?t=3h1m43s
There were hundreds, perhaps over a thousand Falmer inside the Chantry of the Snow Elves originally, and The Last Dragonborn fought through this army in order to reach Arch Curate Vyrthur.
“We only numbered perhaps a hundred at the time…”
[...]
“They swarmed the Chantry in vast numbers until we were completely overrun. We never really stood a chance. I assume the Arch-Curate was corrupted by them when they found a way to breach the Inner Sanctum.
https://youtu.be/OgSoQqHEU00?t=17m47s
Arch Curate Vyrthur blows the roof off of the chantry as shown later, below is the size of the chantry given by the game, which will obviously be an extremely downscaled version of it's true size.
https://youtu.be/JUDHVIIxcDI?t=17m26s
“These Falmer are… they’re frozen in the ice.”
https://youtu.be/JUDHVIIxcDI?t=19m9s
The Dragonborn kills Vyrthur alongside Serana.
“Watch out! He’s pulling down the ceiling!”
“The restoration of this wayshrine means that Vyrthur must be dead and the Betrayed no longer have control over him.”
“The betrayed weren’t to blame.”
“What? What are you talking about?”
“He was a vampire. He controlled them.”
https://youtu.be/JUDHVIIxcDI?t=20m40s
Defeats Harkon. You can give Harkon Auriel’s Bow and still win the fight.
https://youtu.be/ESRozu1RtCo?t=2m3s
Dragonborn
Defeats Krosulhah.
https://youtu.be/sxPNHxPxpTA?t=33m11s
Bends Sahrotaar to his will.
Sahrotaar: "Hail, thuri. Your thu'um has the mastery. Climb aboard and I will carry you to Miraak."
https://youtu.be/nEs842w2JpE?t=39m30s
Defeats Miraak.
Miraak: "And so the First Dragonborn meets the Last Dragonborn at the summit of Apocrypha. No doubt just as Hermaeus Mora intended. He is a fickle master, you know. But now I will be free of him. My time in Apocrypha is over. You are here in your full power, and thus subject to my full power. You will die. And with the power of your soul, I will return to Solstheim and be master of my own fate again. Kruziikrel! Relonikiv! Now!"
https://youtu.be/FsjMAxIcx9w?t=1m55s
Gathers all of the Black Books.
Waking Dreams
Epistolary Acumen - Dragonborn Force, Flame and Frost
https://youtu.be/xPncPU66Wuk?t=7m30s
Filament and Filigree - Secrets of Strength, Arcana and Protection
https://youtu.be/36nbXKD3B6Q?t=24m37s
The Hidden Twilight - Moras Agony, Grasp and Boon
https://youtu.be/2-R5L2ABpkE?t=8m36s
The Sallow Regent - Seeker of Might, Sorcery, Shadows
https://youtu.be/4pxy7SGQUVQ?t=9m41s
The Winds of Change - Insight of Companion, Lover, Scholar
https://youtu.be/XteavDwb8bA?t=10m42s
Untold Legends - Bardic Knowledge, Black Market, Secret Servant
https://youtu.be/1Fl2uWe5aCY?t=7m14s
Haknir Death-Brand.
Haknir Death-Brand was dying.
For Garuk Windrime, ship's quartermaster, it was unthinkable. His grandfather had served under Haknir, nigh on sixty years before, and even then he was a legend among the pirates of the north. "The King of Ghosts," they called him, as eternal and pitiless as the sea he sailed. To Garuk, who had seen him charge into battle, clad in armor of gleaming Stalhrim like the kings of old, his twin swords scything men like grass, Haknir was practically a god.
[...]
He extended his hand. "In Dagon's name, I place a curse upon my armor, and my swords. This ship, and all it carries. Until the day when one of you can best me in combat, you shall have not a single coin." He looked up at them. "Be grateful I have left you with your lives."
Garuk and Thalin shared a single glance. Had anyone else said such a thing, there would have been mutiny. A hundred treasure-mad pirates against one old man. But this was Haknir. The crew was silent.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/deathbrand
Dragonborn kills the ghosts of Haknir and his one hundred man crew.
https://youtu.be/rxnOJLyFfWQ?t=8m18s
Defeats Ebony Warrior.
https://youtu.be/Z35eWAqjFsk?t=10s
Defeats Karstaag.
https://youtu.be/94q9RZbbPa4?t=1m26s
The Last Dragonborn is able to resist the effects of Hermaeus Mora’s Black Books, which would “forever ensnare” many others.
TLD: “I've dealt with Hermaeus Mora before. I've read the Oghma Infinium.” Neloth: "Have you? The actual Oghma Infinium? That's... I've searched for it myself for many years without success...Well then, you should know better than anyone that Hermaeus Mora is not to be trifled with. But he is subtler than most of the other Daedric Princes, as you would expect of the prince of knowledge and fate. You seem to have escaped the fate of many who find themselves ensnared forever by the lure of his secrets. Or... perhaps not."
TLD: “Who is Hermaeus Mora?”
Neloth: "If you have to ask that, you'd probably be best leaving his books to wiser heads than yours. Like all Daedric Princes, he's not to be trifled with. But he is subtler than most of his ilk, appropriate for the prince of knowledge and fate. Many scholars and loremasters have been ensnared by the lure of learning the secrets that only Hermaeus Mora possesses. But don't worry. I have no intention of joining them in their endless search throughout the infinite halls of Apocrypha."
https://youtu.be/TCBHOPqN3-0?t=2m53s
Neloth: “At last. I hope it was worth it. Please... be my guest. You deserve the first look. Besides, it could be very dangerous. These books are known to drive many people insane.”
https://youtu.be/TCBHOPqN3-0?t=41m28s
Mages Guild / Eye & Staff of Magnus and Morokei
While tapping into the Eye of Magnus, the Thalmor agent Ancano erects a barrier so powerful that several of the College of Winterhold Master Mages, including the Arch-Mage Savos Aren, cannot break through. When The Last Dragonborn helps them, they finally break through. Then, when Savos confronts Ancano, it causes an explosion that knocks everybody out and kills Savos. Ancano erects another barrier, which nobody can get through.
“Ancano has done something to the Eye of Magnus, causing the orb to release incredible amounts of energy, and possibly putting the area in danger.”
https://youtu.be/yTlFNnMJHNY?t=37m28s
The Dragonborn fights through Labyrinthian. As he does, he encounters ghostly imprints, memories of six college mages from the past, one of which is Savos Aren. Their numbers are gradually whittled down and are struggling to proceed from the onset of their journey through Labyrinthian. Also, as you proceed through the labyrinth, the Dragon Priest Morokei will repeatedly drain your magicka and empower himself with it. Of the ghosts, only Savos Aren and two others are left before they fight Morokei. Two of the mages have been enthralled, and have trapped Morokei inside a magical barrier. After killing them, The Last Dragonborn fights and kills Morokei, who is wielding the Staff of Magnus. After the Dragonborn kills Morokei, it is revealed that it was Savos Aren who enthralled the Mages, his two friends.
Morokei: "Did he warn you that your own power would be your undoing? That it would only serve to strengthen me?”
https://youtu.be/hA37X274yNo?t=1m18s
Staff of Magnus.
“The Staff of Magnus, one of the elder artifacts of Tamriel, was a metaphysical battery of sorts for its creator, the Arch-Mage Magnus. When used, it regenerates both a mage's health and mystical energy at remarkable rates. In time, the Staff will abandon the mage who wields it before he or she becomes too powerful and upsets the mystical balance it is sworn to protect.”
“Ever hear of the Staff of Magnus? No offense, very few [race] kids your age have. It's this ancient relic that legend says can absorb a spell cast at it and give the spell's power to whoever holds it.”
“Be quiet, [race] fool, the Necromancers would not think at all about killing you just for mentioning the Staff of Magnus. Their most powerful mages are children compared to its power, and if they could possess it, surely they would rule [city name].”
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/staff-magnus
Telepathy
1. Can bend the will of dragons.
Dragons can resist the worst torture Molag Bal has to offer without giving in to it.
Then one such Dragon, a greater Dov named Boziikkodstrun, exerted his nigh-divine will in an attempt to fly beyond the borders of the Mundus. And though he did not succeed, his effort was valorous and remarkable, and impinged upon the attention of Molag Bal himself.
Our Lord and Master noted this feat of will-force, considered that the race of Dov had achieved dominion over much of Nirn, and thus spake unto this Boziikkodstrun, offering him a place of honor and privilege in his domain of Coldharbour. And the Dragon, his resources all but spent by his efforts, did accept and agree.
So Molag Bal opened a window between worlds to allow the Dragon to pass into our Lord's realm, where Boziikkodstrun was granted the privilege of being bound in chains of cold ebon iron, and set in a place of honor in the nethermost depths of the Tower of Lies. For our Lord and Master desired to know the secrets of the Dragons' dominance over the mortals of Nirn. Long was the Dragon tortured and interrogated. But the dragon was haughty, and indignant at his ill treatment, and no matter what torments were brought to bear, the intransigent Boziikkodstrun refused to utter so much as a single syllable in his abrasive language to reveal the secrets of the Dov.
https://www.imperial-library.info/content/daedra-dossier-titans
2. Scales from Miraak’s mind controlling on Solstheim.
3. Dragon Priests like Otar the Mad and Hevnoraak have city-level telepathy.
Closing Notes
The Dragonborn is surpassed by only a select few beings and deities in Elder Scrolls. He may just be the most powerful mortal, although in a sense he is a minor god due to his Dragon blood and soul. He receives a gargantuan amount of scaling from all other users of the Thu'um, and his power multiplies numerous times during the main story and the events of Dragonborn. Being a prophetic being whose destiny is to defeat Alduin, a God who destroys one universe to usher in the next, it's hard to imagine anyone else beating him.
Thanks for reading.