Delving into the True Meaning of “Dovahkiin”
As a hardcore Skyrim fan who has studied the intricate lore for over 800 hours across multiple playthroughs, "Dovahkiin" holds a special meaning. Translating to "Dragonborn" in the dragon tongue, this storied word encapsulates everything that makes the dragons and their mortal counterparts so compelling.
Breaking Down the Iconic Phrase
While many casual fans know "Dovahkiin" as a phrase shouted by the iconic dragonborn song in Skyrim, its roots draw from two distinct dragon words:
Dovah – Referring to dragonkind, dov are powerful immortal beings said to be created from the blood of Akatosh himself. Dov are deeply tied to the thu‘um, the dragon shouts that can warp reality.
Kiin – Meaning "born" or "child", this signifies that Dovahkiin inherits the body and soul of a dovah on a spiritual level. They can innately use thu‘um without training.
Combined, Dovahkiin refers to the rare mortals born with the body of a mortal, but the indomitable willpower and thu‘um mastery of a true dov. They can consume dragon souls to enhance their power.
Dovahkiin in Skyrim Lore
While past Elder Scrolls games reference legendary figures like Talos Stormcrown developing unnatural dragon powers, Skyrim offered fans the chance to finally feel that power firsthand.
The Dovahkiin in Skyrim draws on an iconic prophecy:
"When misrule takes its place at the eight corners of the world the dragonborn shall come, marked with the ancient power to battle the darkness."
With Alduin the World-Eater resurrected to destroy all life, that prophecy came to fruition when your character discovers their latent gift.
What Makes the Dragonborn Special
1. Innate Understanding of all Dragon Shouts: Dovahkiin can effortlessly learn powerful thu‘um effects without asking the Greybeards to help meditate on the words for months or years. Through absorbing fallen dragons‘ souls, you rapidly build a portfolio of reality-warping effects.
2. Can Permanently Kill Dragons by Consuming Their Souls: Dragons are immortal entities that will resurrect eventually after being slain by normal means. But you possess the unique ability to destroy them forever, an existential threat to their kind.
3. Blood of the Dovah: While full details are unclear, Dovahkiin are strongly implied to carry dormant DNA dating back to Akatosh himself. This divine lineage makes you an anathema to Alduin and those that wish to control the dragons‘ power for themselves.
History‘s Most Iconic Dovahkiin
While Skyrim allowed players to create their own unique Dragonborn hero, many legendary figures across Elder Scrolls history also carried the dragon bloodline:
Tiber Septim (Talos): Founder of the Septim Empire, Talos‘ mastery of thu‘um helped unite Tamriel under his rule. So iconic is his conquest that he later ascended to godhood.
Miraak: An ambitious Dragon Priest from Skyrim‘s Merethic Era, he turned on his masters after developing his innate Dovahkiin abilities. But his lust for power led to Hermaeus Mora enslaving him.
Reman Cyrodiil: This almost mythic figure founded the Second Empire and played a pivotal role alongside Almalexia in defeating an Akaviri invasion. He then instituted the iconic Dragon Guard.
The Dovahkiin bloodline clearly runs strong across Elder Scrolls history!
No matter their moral alignment, these rare heroes always seem drawn by fate to stand against apocalyptic threats like dragons – acting as a nuclear deterrent against forces mortals couldn‘t hope to conquer alone.
And Reman Cyrodiil‘s Dragon Guard highlights how even villainous factions may have to bend the knee when Dohvakiin come calling with righteous power!
As the Dragonborn, absorbing dragon souls allows you to carved out your own piece of history. What would you shout in the dragon tongue?
"Yol Toor Shul" (Fire Inferno Sun): Unleash a blast of flames, turning even frost trolls into charred bones.
"Strun Bah Qo" (Storm Wrath Lightning): Call down meteors from dark clouds to smite groups of enemies with divine wrath!
Dovahzul | Translation
Yol - Fire
Toor - Inferno
Shul - SunWith hundreds of potential combinations, Dovahkiin can craft truly unique thu‘um effects tailored to their own creative vision. You dictate your own legendary story!
And for cosplayers or history buffs looking to invoke Skyrim‘s iconic culture at conventions like PAX East, translating phrases into Dovahzul is deeply rewarding. I break down exactly how it works in this guide!
The rich vocabulary offered taps into that fantasy of what speaking to dragons themselves must have felt like in eras of old. An iconic reward for dedicating hundreds of hours to mastering all things Dovah!
What other gaming languages capture your imagination as effectively? Share your favorite fictional lexicon below!
