History Characters / SkyrimMainCharacters

* BadassBeard: Justified out of sheer practicality, since they live atop a ''very'' tall, windy, snow-covered mountain. It's also one of the main ways to tell them apart, since each has a different beard style: Arngeir's is knotted, Einarth's is the longest, Borri's is the shortest, and Wulfgar's is the thickest.

* BadassBeard: You didn't expect one of the greatest Nordic heroes to ''not'' have a glorious, bushy beard, now did you?

* BadassBeard: A long, tied one, not unlike the beard worn by Arngeir.

* WizardBeard: They typically wear these, which double as a BadassBeard.

%%* BadassBeard

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/CharlesMartinet (English), Ivan Zharkov (Russian)

-> '''Voiced by:''' Charles Dennis (English), Ilya Isaev (Russian)

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/LyndaCarter (English), Olga Pletneva (Russian)

->'''Voiced by:''' Paul Ganus (English), Vasily Stonozhenko (Russian)

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/PaulEiding (English), Igor Staroseltsev (Russian)

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/ChristopherPlummer (English), Victor Bohon (Russian)

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/MaxVonSydow (English), Ilya Isaev (Russian)

->'''Voiced by:''' Joan Allen (English), Lyudmila Shuvalova (Russian)

[[quoteright:348:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/Dovakhiin_7544.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:348:''[[TheDreaded Beware, beware, the Dragonborn comes....]]'']]
->''"And the fiercest foes rout when they hear triumph's shout..."''

[[IAmWho The Dovahkiin]] is TheChosenOne of prophecy, foretold to be the one to defeat Alduin, [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt who is poised to destroy all of Nirn]]. They turn out to be a [[YouAllMeetInACell penniless prisoner waking up in the back of a cart and about to be executed]].

* AbusiveParents: As part of the Dragonborn's MultipleChoicePast, the Dragonborn can tell Serana in "Dawnguard" that they had a poor relationship with their parents, who are now absent from their life, and they are glad for it. SelfMadeOrphan is implied to have taken place.
* TheAce: It's rare for an NPC to have 100 in any skill, but the Dragonborn can grow ''every'' skill to level 100.
* ActionGirl: If you choose to play as a female.
* ActionSurvivor: After surviving almost being executed by beheading and burnt alive by a dragon, you proceed to become TheChosenOne to prevent the end of the world.
* AdventurerArchaeologist: Somewhat justified, as many Word Walls are located deep within trap-filled and Draugr-infested tombs built by the Ancient Nords. Some quests involve exploring Dwemer ruins for ancient, forgotten knowledge, and many College of Winterhold quests involve exploring old ruins for artifacts of power.
* AlwaysABiggerFish: According to lore, Akatosh used his own blood to create the first Dragonborn, who would serve as guardians for mankind and natural predators for Dragons.
* AmazonChaser: If the Dragonborn marries a female follower, especially Uthgerd the Unbroken, Mjoll the Lioness, or Aela the Huntress.
* AndTheAdventureContinues: The game doesn't end when you complete the main storyline, and random Radiant Quests ensure you have something to do afterwards.
** Both [[spoiler:Tsun and Paarthurnax]] doubt your purpose has been completely fulfilled and several plot-threads are left unresolved, such as the calling of a Moot to elect a new High King. Similarly, whoever wins at the end of the Civil War questline will imply that they expect to call on you in the future, since a second war with the Thalmor seems to be all but inevitable.
** The end of ''Dragonborn'' adds another plot hook into the mix, [[spoiler:as Hermaeus Mora declares you will replace [[TheStarscream Miraak]] as his [[NobleTopEnforcer right-hand man]], despite any objections you might have in the matter.]]
* AntiHero: There is no karma meter, but the GreyAndGrayMorality of the two main questlines can put you anywhere on the index of subtropes. Possible membership in factions like the Companions, Thieves' Guild, and/or the Dark Brotherhood add to this.
* TheArchmage: Specialize in magic, and the Dragonborn will become this quite quickly overall. You also become this literally at the end of the College of Winterhold questline.
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority:
** Your actions in the various holds can lead to the Jarls declaring you Thane, which is a courtesy title of recognition and prestige.
** If you're scouted out to join a group like the Thieves' Guild, the Companions, or the College of Winterhold, by the time their questline is over, [[spoiler:you'll have been made their leader in recognition of your skill]].
** In ''Dragonborn'', you can become Tribe-Kin to a tribe of [[spoiler:Rieklings]], and eventually their chief after ChallengingTheChief.
* TheAtoner:
** You can invoke this by completing the Dark Brotherhood main quest which ends with you killing [[spoiler:the Emperor]]. Afterwards, join the Imperial Legion and help them win the civil war as way of making amends for the crimes you committed against the Empire. See FaceHeelTurn if you do the opposite.
** The game itself will invoke this trope with you. If you steal from your fellows in the Thieves' Guild or kill a colleague in the Dark Brotherhood, you must make restitution (though the latter is a subversion as a fine of 500 gold is all that is assessed for murder). You can also pay off your bounties for crimes committed in various communities. If your skill in Illusion is high enough to pacify a guard long enough to accept the bounty, you can make restitution for any and all crimes.
** Smaller sidequests occasionally allow you to do a favor for someone you wronged in another quest. For example, you can beat up the bartender at the Bee and the Barb in Riften as part of a racketeering job for the Thieves' Guild, then retrieve the gemstones her lover needs to prepare a wedding band so he can propose to her.
* AwesomeMcCoolname: Ignoring how you can name your character whatever you want, most characters refer to you as Dovahkiin or Dragonborn; the former, being dragon speech, sounds comparably awesome to other dragon names like Alduin, Paarthurnax and Odahviing.
** To expand on this, Dovahkiin is not only a title, but a name, and suitable for a BarbarianHero in the mold of Beowulf, it has multiple meanings. The first assumes that "Dovah" is meant to be read as a single word, in which case the literal translation is "Dragon (Dovah) Born (Kiin)." The second assumes that "Dov" and "Ah" are meant to be read as two separate words, in which case the literal translation is "Dragonkind (Dov) Hunter (Ah) Born (Kiin)," or, with interpretation, "Born Hunter of Dragonkind."
* AxCrazy: The Dovahkiin tends to show shades of this in everyday conversation, but if you actually ''choose'' to play them that way, they take the cake and then robs the entire bakery.
-->'''NPC:''' [Is Markarth] Bloody enough for you, outsider?\\
'''Dovahkiin:''' More blood is always good.
* BadassBeard: Todd Howard really wasn't kidding when he said that ''Skyrim'' would have truly epic beards...
* BadassBoast: The dialogue gives the chance to make a couple if you're so inclined.
* BadassBookworm: Via reading skill books or specializing in magic.
* BadassBystander: Later in the game dragon attacks become more a nuisance than a threat--you fast travel to a town to conduct some business, but a dragon is attacking. You step in to help the guard kill it (likely doing most of the work yourself) and absorb its soul, then go back to whatever you came here to do while the townsfolk gather around the beast's skeleton and whisper in awe about you.
* BadassInCharge: By the end of the game, you have the potential to be [[spoiler:Thane of all nine holds, TheArchmage of the College of Winterhold, Guildmaster of the Thieves' Guild, Harbinger of the Companions, Listener of the Dark Brotherhood, Lord/Lady of Clan Volkihar, ''and'' Chief of the Rieklings of Thirsk Hall]]. The only guild you can't take total control over is [[spoiler:the Dawnguard, because unlike every other guild, their leader doesn't die or get killed by you]].
* BadassPreacher: If you join a temple to the Divines.
* BaldOfAwesome: The Dragonborn can be bald, and as can be expected, kicks considerable amounts of ass.
* BaldOfEvil: If the Dragonborn is bald, and if they resort to evil, such as murder and theft.
* BaldWoman: If the Dragonborn is both bald and female.
* BarbarianHero: Although you can play your Dragonborn as whatever kind of character you like, the "official" Dragonborn seen in the promotional art and trailers is one of these. It comes naturally to Nords. In general, the theme of ''Skyrim'' is BarbarianHero to ''Oblivion'''s KnightInShiningArmour.
* BareFistedMonk: A Dragonborn can use nothing but their fists to get ahead. After taking some basic steps, the Dovahkin can kill anything one could think of unarmed. Khajiit and Argonians get a damage bonus since they have claws, and the skill "Fists of Steel" in the Heavy Armor tree is integral to this playstyle.
* BeardOfEvil: If you play this way.
* BeastMan: The Dragonborn can be a [[CatFolk Khajiit]] or an [[LizardFolk Argonian]].
* BerserkButton: A minor tip? Kidnapping a OneManArmy's spouse is an ''incredibly'' bad idea. The vampires and Rochelle the Red are [[TooDumbToLive stupid enough]] to learn this the hard way.
* TheBerserker:
** According to the game, specializing in two-handed weapons qualifies you. Potions that increase two-handed skills are rendered with "of the Berserker."
** Playing as an Orc will give you the option of triggering a berserker rage that will temporarily double melee damage output while halving damage received.
* BewareTheNiceOnes: You can play as a polite, kind and all-round NiceGuy or NiceGirl, who nonetheless is perfectly capable of bending reality itself to tear enemies apart and ''not'' afraid of doing so!
* BloodKnight: You can choose to be one. Given that you're in the land of blood knights, it comes naturally. Paarthurnax also mentions that, as you have the soul of a dragon, you have an innate desire for destruction. Even if you ''[[NiceGuy don't]]'' play as one, this tendency can ''[[InHarmsWay still]]'' come through. After all, what ''sane'' person would willingly accept a bounty that requires them to charge headfirst into a dragon's lair, because their ''real'' goal was the Word Wall that dragon was guarding?!
* BoomerangBigot: You can have a "Skyrim for the Nords" attitude when talking to Brunwulf Free-Winter, who holds disdain for such an attitude... while not being a Nord yourself.
-->'''Brunwulf:''' You one of those "Skyrim for the Nords!" types?\\
'''Non-Nord Dragonborn:''' [[BluntYes Yes. Outsiders like me have no place here.]]
* BornLucky: Playing as an Imperial will allow you to randomly find more gold when looting containers. Additionally, an optional quest for members of the thieves guild will cause you to randomly find gems in most of the game's containers, and the lockpicking skill tree has perks that cause you to find more gold and magic items.
* BountyHunter: One way to make money is to ask around for bounty decrees (the target is usually a dragon, a group of bandits, or a troublesome giant), kill the target, then collect your bounty from the local Jarl.
* ButForMeItWasTuesday: Manages to pull this on ''dragonslaying'' of all things. Each dragon just serves as a minor annoyance in the end. Miraak calls them out on this at one point.
--> '''Miraak''': ''"[[ArmorPiercingQuestion Do you think it hurts to have their souls ripped out]]?"''
* TheChampion:
** Serves as one for Serana in ''Dawnguard''. It could also be said that the Dovahkiin is this for all of Skyrim, with regards to the main quest.
** Becoming a Thane of any hold is essentially about formalizing this relationship with the local Jarl.
** Completing Daedric quests generally results in the Daedra in question declaring you their chosen champion, regardless of how you might feel about it.
* ChickMagnet: They are very much this with a number of potential spouses, tons of ship tease with [=NPCs=], and others who flirt with them - even when it makes no sense, like Elisif the Fair (to be fair, this is due to the limits of the randomized stock voice types and dialogue).
* TheChosenOne:
** A slightly unusual case in that there's sometimes more than one Chosen One running around; but the PlayerCharacter is implied, in ''The Book of the Dragonborn'' as well as a very accurate ancient prophecy, to be [[LastOfHisKind the last Dragonborn]].
** [[spoiler:The ''Dragonborn'' DLC confirms that you are the ''Last'' and must deal with the return of the ''First''.]]
** The Dragonborn is also the chosen one of every ''other'' circumstance and guild they run across. Whether it's restoring ancient guilds to power, ending a civil war, averting a vampire apocalypse, or a random alchemist needs to find a magical phial. The Dragonborn's presence changes everything.
** Taken UpToEleven when you [[spoiler:reach Sovngarde and are challenged by the guardian of Shor's Hall, Tsun. He wants to know by what right you should be allowed to enter, and you can say that you're the Dovahkiin... But if you've completed all the other Faction Quests, you can also say that you're Harbinger of the Companions, Archmage of the College of Winterhold, Nightingale of the Thieves' Guild, ''or'' Listener for the Dark Brotherhood.]]
** Zig-zagged in some of the Daedric quests. Some of the Daedric Princes will allow the player to invoke RefusalOfTheCall with no consequences, but [[BatmanGambit know that the player will accept anyway]] because they offer powerful trinkets and weapons as a reward, and if the player says no, they'll find someone else to reward instead.
* ChronicBackstabbingDisorder: Being ''Elder Scrolls'' game, you can backstab basically everyone. Notable example: [[spoiler:You kill the Emperor at the end of the Dark Brotherhood questline. Bonus points if you've previously joined the Legion and sworn allegiance to the Emperor. Then you can accept the Emperor's last request to murder the man who ordered his assassination.]] Less notable example: Help Madanach and the Forsworn escape Cidhna Mine, accept his reward and thanks, then stick a knife in his back when he turns to leave.
* ChronicHeroSyndrome: Can be played as such. It's hard not to qualify when you've helped out literally half the population of Skyrim in some way or another.
* ColonelBadass: The Dragonborn's rank at the end of the CivilWar. An Imperial-aligned Dragonborn is specifically a Legate Badass.
* CombatPragmatist: If it gets the job done, no tactic is too underhanded for you. The kill animations are often quite brutal in this regard--some of them including using the shaft of a warhammer or battle axe to break the neck of the foe, headbutting them to death, {{Shield Bash}}ing them to death, decapitations, and occasionally you just ''kick'' them. And let's not forget the Dragon Shouts, which let you freeze enemies solid, rip out their souls, drain their health, or, most famously, toss them through the air and off cliffs to die on impact.
* CoDragons: By the final mission in the Civil War questline, you've become the Co-Dragon to either Tullius or Ulfric, alongside Rikke or Galmar, respectively.
* CoolHelmet: Always depicted as wearing a horned helmet with a face mask in promotional art (the readily available iron helmet, for those interested). In the game, you can wear a variety, including that one, or none at all.
* CrazyPrepared: Potentially. A Dovahkiin focused on smithing, enchanting, speech, and alchemy (at the expense of perk-placement in other skills directly related to combat or magic) can have custom-made weapons, potions, and enchanted gear for ''any'' eventuality. You essentially sacrifice the ability to be the perfect warrior to instead be the high-fantasy equivalent of ''Batman''.
* CreateYourOwnVillain: [[spoiler: A Stormcloak-aligned Dragonborn is this to The Empire, an unnamed captain decided to have the Dragonborn executed for being at the wrong place at the wrong time when they tried to cross the border when the Stormcloaks were captured. For this, the Dragonborn joined the Stormcloaks and tipped the balance that would allow the Stormcloaks to regain Skyrim from the Imperial Legion.]]
* CrystalDragonJesus: The Dragonborn is essentially The Elder Scrolls' version of Christ, a god in a mortal's body destined to save the world. [[spoiler:You even go to the afterlife and then return to the mortal realm.]]. Some of the songs about the Dragonborn declare that once they've defeated Alduin, they will usher in a new Age and (depending on your interpretation) give the gift of the Voice to the races of Man on a large scale.
* CursedWithAwesome:
** You can become a werewolf, making you passively immune to disease and contracting vampirism. Oh, and the whole transforming into a werewolf and tearing people limb from limb with your bare hands part is kinda cool as well. The only real downside is that you don't get the experience bonus from resting.
** Becoming a [[MonsterLord Vampire Lord]] with ''Dawnguard'' removes or negates many of the drawbacks of common vampirism, making becoming one incredibly worth it, despite the stat-penalty during daylight hours.
* DadTheVeteran: With ''Hearthfire'', the Dragonborn can adopt children, and this trope applies for one who joined either side of the CivilWar.
* DareToBeBadass: Invoked by the Greybeards during the ceremony where they formally recognise the Dragonborn:
--> '''Greybeards''': Meyz nu [[LegacyCharacter Ysmir]], [[TheRedBaron Dovahsebrom]]. Dahmaan daar rok! [[labelnote:Translation:]]''You are Ysmir now, the Dragon of the North. Hearken to it!''[[/labelnote]]
* DeadpanSnarker: There are plenty of sarcastic dialogue options.
* DeceasedParentsAreTheBest: As part of the Dragonborn's MultipleChoicePast, the Dragonborn can tell Serana in the ''Dawnguard'' DLC that their parents were [[GoodParents good people]], but have since passed on.
* DefectorFromDecadence: If the Dragonborn is an Altmer and loyal to the Empire, one of the possibilities for why they arrived in Skyrim is that they are one of the many Altmer fleeing the expanding influence of the Aldmeri Dominion. Due to the White-Gold Concordat being signed between the Thalmor and the Empire, the Thalmor were effectively granted free reign to come and go throughout the Empire and the jurisdiction to arrest anyone they wish. One suspects that Altmer ''not'' loyal to the Dominion are on the top of their list...
* {{Determinator}}: Slaying dragons, ending Civil Wars and saving the world? Numerous characters comment on the Dragonborn's tenacity.
* DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu: The Dragonborn always has the option of telling the Daedric Princes, in no uncertain terms, to go to hell.
* DidYouJustPunchOutCthulhu: You eventually end up defeating Alduin, firstborn of Akatosh, god of Time itself, whose purpose is to bring about the end of the world and who has done it many times before.
* DidYouJustScamCthulhu:
** The Dragonborn can do this to several Daedric Princes during their personal quests. They can also pledge their soul to more than one Daedric Prince...which, since the Dragons-blood is a gift bestowed by Akatosh, might not actually be ''their'' soul to sell!
** [[spoiler:Can be all the more apparent at the end of the main quest, as Tsun, after the Dragonborn defeats Alduin, will tell the Dovahkiin that their afterlife is guaranteed to be spent in Sovngarde. Tsun says this even ''after'' the Dovhakiin tells him that they are a Nightingale to Nocturnal, suggesting that not even a Daedric Prince can prevent the Dragonborn from going to the Nord race's WarriorHeaven for their afterlife, even if they aren't a Nord.]]
* DisabilitySuperpower: Compared to dragons, the Dragonborn is mortal due to being embodied in a mortal coil. Compared to other mortals, the Dragonborn has the Thu'um of a dragon. This confluence enables the Dragonborn to understand and use Dragonrend (dragon soul, but mortal mind), but give the power of a dragon's Thu'um behind the Shout. This is what enables the Dragonborn to succeed against Alduin where the first mortal Thu'um Masters failed.
* DisproportionateRetribution: If you join the Stormcloaks and the Dark Brotherhood, you can bring about the secession of Skyrim from the Empire and [[spoiler:even kill the ''Emperor'']], as part of a RoaringRampageOfRevenge against the Empire for that [[ObstructiveBureaucrat petty]] Imperial captain ordering your execution at Helgen, even ''after'' it was brought to her attention that you weren't on the list.
* DoomMagnet: Everywhere the Dragonborn goes, expect trouble to follow. Some characters refer to you as "doom-driven", emphasizing this nature of the Dovahkiin. The mere act of the Dragonborn showing up in an area can lead to the collapse of ages-long plots by villains and bringing about the (often violent) resurgence, collapse, or changing of any number of guilds and organizations. Not to mention that both dragon attacks and the ''Dawnguard'' DLC's random vampire attacks will only happen when the Dragonborn shows up. The best way to prevent either from happening to someone you like is to ''stay the Oblivion away from them.''
* TheDragon: Unrelated to being Dragonborn, this crops up in a few places when the Dovahkiin...
** Becomes one to General Tullius or Ulfric Stormcloak at the end of the Civil War questline.
** [[spoiler:Becomes one to Hermaeus Mora at the end of the ''Dragonborn'' DLC. It's made clear that, [[UnreliableExpositor according to Mora]], the Dragonborn doesn't have much choice about it. But the Chieftain of the Skaal points out that Akatosh deliberately created them for a higher purpose, so there may still be wriggle-room.]]
** Becomes one to the Night Mother as her Listener during the Dark Brotherhood questline.
* DragonKnight: Alhough not technically a knight, the Dovahkiin (literally "Dragonborn") can have elements of this depending on player build. The Dragonborn can also create dragon scale or dragon plate armor, and use fire-based shouts and magic to complete their dragon personage effectively and accurately. The Dragonborn gets extra dragon points if they're an [[LizardFolk Argonian]].
* DragonRider:
** Near the end of the main quest, [[spoiler:the Dragonborn does this after releasing Odahviing]].
** In ''Dragonborn'', they learn the [[MoreThanMindControl Bend Will]] shout that allows them to command dragons into their service and use them as mounts.
* DragonTamer:
** After being tricked into being captured by the Dragonborn, Odahviing pledges himself to their service in exchange for his freedom, and from then on works as an ally in combat whenever they Shout his name.
** After defeating him in combat, the {{Dracolich}} Durnehviir from the ''Dawnguard'' DLC allows the Dragonborn to summon him by Shouting his name to serve as a combat summon so that he can be freed from his duty in the Soul Cairn for brief moments.
** The full Bend Will Shout introduced in the ''Dragonborn'' DLC allows the Dragonborn to bend even dragons to their will in a more direct application of the trope, which they mainly use [[DragonRider to ride them around.]]
* TheDragonslayer: A natural part of being Dragonborn. The Dragonborn is described as being the ''ultimate'' dragonslayer, because they don't just kill the dragon's body; they also absorb the dragon's soul upon its death, thus preventing it from being resurrected.
* TheDreaded: Dragonborn, being the only mortals capable of truly killing a dragon, are actually mentioned as being something the dragons fear above all else. Case in point, the music that plays during your fights with dragons is titled on the soundtrack as "One They Fear."
* DudeWheresMyRespect: Often.
** Playing any race other than Nord tends to lead to this, but Khajiit, Argonian, Altmer, and Dunmer Dragonborn in particular will still get talked down to by guards and some [=NPCs=], even after defeating Alduin.
** The Blades, despite supposedly being sworn to ''serve'' the Dragonborn, often treat them as an indentured servant and ''demand'' they perform tasks for them.
** Due to ambient dialogue being randomized, guards will often mock and talk down to you regardless of your titles and status, such as "So you can cast a few spells, am I supposed to be impressed?" even if you're the [[spoiler:Archmage of the College]], and "Now I remember, you're that new member of the Companions... so, you do what? Fetch the mead?" after [[spoiler:you've eradicated the Silver Hand and been named Harbinger]].
** Averted in a few rare circumstances. For example, when entering the College of Winterhold, you're normally expected to make a show of magical aptitude, but if you simply tell Faralda that you're the Dragonborn and fire off a Shout, she'll enthusiastically let you through. And in ''Hearthfire'', it turns out that yes, simply being the Dragonborn is all the cred you need to adopt children at Honorhall.
** Played straight to some degree in the ''Dragonborn'' DLC by Telvanni Master Wizard [[JerkAss Neloth]], who doesn't think much of the Dragonborn even if they're the Archmage of the College of Winterhold and/or saved Solstheim from First Dragonborn Miraak, and is ''especially'' unimpressed if the Dragonborn shows off Shouts in his presence. [[spoiler:Subverted later on when he becomes grudgingly respectful of the Dragonborn once they claim the Staff of Magnus, recovers the ''Oghma Infinium'' and the Black Books, defeats Miraak and earns the patronage of Daedric Prince Hermaeus Mora, and if the Dragonborn has done enough favours for him to be recognized as a member of House Telvanni.]]
* EstablishingCharacterMoment: In Bethesda's official live-action trailer, as the citizens of a city are shown fleeing in terror from a dragon attack, the Dragonborn's reaction is to merely [[FistOfRage clench his fist]] for a moment, draw his sword and [[DissonantSerenity calmly proceed]] to march through the fray, before [[IAmYourOpponent staring down]] the dragon without flinching. While the race and class are left up to the player in-game, this is overall a rather fitting depiction since upon seeing a dragon, the Dragonborn will ([[VideoGameCrueltyPotential likely]]) end up running ''[[InHarmsWay towards]]'' the danger.
* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: In the Legion campaign, you're primarily addressed by your rank, starting at [[MildlyMilitary Auxiliary]] and working your way up to [[ColonelBadass Legate]].
* ExtremeOmnivore:
** With the ''Dawnguard'' DLC, a perk allows you to devour any living creature in werewolf form to sustain the transformation, including bears, spiders, Falmer, giants, mudcrabs, etc.
** Eating alchemy ingredients is the most obvious way to learn their traits. Said ingredients include stuff like various teeth, claws, antlers, pearls, barnacles, elemental salts, and [[ImAHumanitarian human hearts and flesh]].
* FantasticRacism: If you meet up with Brunwulf Free-Winter, you have the option of saying that Skyrim is for Nords alone. [[BoomerangBigot Strangely enough, you get this option even if you're not a Nord.]]
* FeaturelessProtagonist: As in every ''Elder Scrolls'' game.
* FemmeFatale: Very possible for a female Dragonborn of any non-beast race.
* FightMagnet: Bandits, wild animals, vampires, dragons... Whenever the Dragonborn tries to get from point A to point B, someone or something will want a piece of them. There's a reason why Nords became a {{Proud Warrior Race|Guy}}.
* FolkHero: InUniverse. The bards even composed a song called "The Dragonborn Comes," foretelling your arrival. You may occasionally encounter wandering minstrels who will sing it at your request.
* FoodChainOfEvil:
** Though not necessarily evil themselves, the Dragonborn does sit at the top of one of these, being the only natural predator of dragons.
** This can be taken further by becoming a [[VampireMonarch Vampire Lord]], as you essentially become TheAgeless predator of mortal and immortal beings of all kinds.
* FreudianExcuseIsNoExcuse: Some optional dialogue can have the Dragonborn potentially express this opinion on The Forsworn, believing whether or not they unjustly lost their lands became irrelevant when they retaliated by killing people indiscrimiately without even caring enough to check if their victims have anything to do with their grievances.
* FriendToAllChildren:
** The Dragonborn can be played this way, even joining in a game of hide and seek or tag. You can also subvert this trope, using magic and shouts to cheat at the games.
** In ''Hearthfire'', they can offer to adopt orphaned children, after hearing how they've been forced to live in abject poverty. Sadly, the number of children is limited to two, even though there are a lot more than that in need of homes.
* FriendlyNeighborhoodVampire: As a vampire, it's perfectly possible to only drink blood from bandits and other enemies, and even feeding on [=NPCs=] does not seem to cause them any real harm. You can even become a [[OneWingedAngel Vampire Lord]] [[BadPowersGoodPeople without siding with the evil Volkihar vampires]].
* FurAgainstFang: Played straight if the Dragonborn is a werewolf and sides with the Dawnguard against Lord Harkon.
* GeniusBruiser: Potentially; you can easily wear heavy armors, use insanely powerful weapons and be really good in hand-to-hand combat, yet also be a skilled mage, alchemist and/or enchanter.
* GeniusDitz:
** Can invoke this with the Greybeards, saying you have no idea how you can [[InstantExpert learn new Thu'um quickly]], you just ''do'' it.
** If you join the College of Winterhold but haven't specialized in magic thus far, you essentially are acknowledged as being the least skilled with magic, but potentially one of the most powerful.
* GentlemanAdventurer: Or LadyOfAdventure depending on the player's gender. The Dragonborn is frequently referred to as an adventurer, despite potentially being rich enough to not need to continue to explore Draugr-infested crypts or Dwemer ruins for anything other than ''fun''.
* GentlemanThief: The Thieves' Guild questline actually encourages you to be one, with penalties for murdering people during robberies; the desired outcome being to simply break in, get the goods and get back out again without anyone the wiser. The gentleman aspect comes even more into play considering you might be at the point where you have several thousand Septims sitting comfortably in your back pocket, meaning you honestly ''don't'' need to steal to make a living.
* GentlemanWizard: Becoming the Archmage of the College and Thane of numerous Holds means you are essentially not only a respected member of the magical community in Tamriel, but also part of Skyrim's elite society.
* GoodIsNotNice: It's entirely possible to be a genuinely heroic figure who wants to help as many people as you can, while being a total asshole to all of them.
* GoodIsNotSoft: Can be played like this. And probably will be, given that the usual means of dealing with people that think it's a good idea to mess with you and/or Skyrim's civilian population involves destructive magic and/or remorseless pieces of metal.
* GoodParents: As part of their MultipleChoicePast, the Dragonborn can tell Serana in the ''Dawnguard'' DLC that they have a very close and healthy relationship with their parents, who are still alive, and are eager to see them again. Serana, who does ''not'' have such a thing, admires this and responds by telling the Dragonborn that they are a good son/daughter.
** It's also very easy to play as one with the ''Hearthfire'' DLC. The Dragonborn can often play games with their children, come back from their travels with gifts, and just show them strong love in general.
* GoodPeopleHaveGoodSex: If you get married and go to sleep with your spouse (either because you're at the house or you're traveling with them), you get the "Lover's Comfort" buff, where the Dragonborn is in such a good mood that skill-building becomes a lot easier for a while. The buff is unavailable if your Dragonborn is a werewolf, but the possibility of it implies this trope regardless.
* GoodScarsEvilScars: If you wish, the Dragonborn can have a plethora of manly scars.
* GlamourFailure:
** After becoming a werewolf, city guards will comment that the Dragonborn appears to have fur growing out of their ears and [[PsychoticSmirk a wolfish grin]]. This happens even if you are an Argonian, whose ears and facial expressions shouldn't be readily apparent in the first place, or if you're a Khajiit, and have furry ears anyway. Oddly, a glitch can cause them to make comments of this nature even if [[spoiler:you cure your lycanthropy as part of the Companions questline]].
* GrowlingGut: During Namira's Daedric quest, Eola claims to hear the Dragonborn's stomach growling in response to all the corpses kept in Markarth's Hall of the Dead. Depending on if you want to play as a cannibal or not, this is either a fellow cannibal being privy to your secret desires, or a disgusting psychopath messing with your head.
** If you're a vampire, people start commenting on your pale skin and hungry eyes.
* HalfHumanHybrid: The Dragonborn ''isn't'' one, but some people unfamiliar with the specific lore surrounding the Dragonborn ''think'' they are one. They are this trope in a spiritual sense since they have the body of a mortal but the soul of a dragon.
--> '''Hadvar:''' Dragonborn, huh? So was it your ma or your pa that was the dragon?
* HandicappedBadass: Your Dragonborn can appear to be missing an eye or be completely blind if you wish, though this doesn't affect gameplay in any way.
* HappilyMarried: Entirely possible to invoke this, although some potential spouses are rather sour.
* HarbingerOfImpendingDoom: Alduin's Wall shows that "''The Prophecy of the Dragonborn''" foretold ''all'' of the events of the previous games, which were signs that would herald the coming of the Last Dragonborn.
* HellishHorse: The Dragonborn can gain possession of [[spoiler:Shadowmere]] if they decide to join the Dark Brotherhood. In ''Dawnguard'', they can also learn to summon a purple-flaming skeletal horse named Arvak after finding its skull in the Soul Cairn.
* HelloInsertNameHere: Played with; regardless of the name you pick, you're usually addressed or mentioned as "the Dragonborn" or "Dovahkiin," but your name will frequently appear written in notes and journals. [[NoPronunciationGuide The reason for this is obvious]].
* TheHero: What kind of hero is up to you.
* HeroicWillpower: Neloth expresses surprise when the Dragonborn manages to overcome the Miraak enthrallment should you opt to touch the All-Maker stone near Raven Rock that he was observing. It's likely because the Dragonborn is no ordinary mortal.
* HeroWithBadPublicity: Even if you're the nicest, most heroic guy imaginable, you'll still get a bounty on par with murder if you're exposed as a werewolf or vampire lord. [[PainfulTransformation One]] [[OneWingedAngel wonders]] [[BodyHorror why]]...
* HiredGuns: Various [=NPCs=] will occasionally refer to the Dragonborn as a travelling sellsword.
* HornyVikings: A Nordic Dragonborn will find themselves embracing many beloved Viking clichés.
* HorrifyingHero: Potentially. You can perfectly rely on things such as {{Necromanc|er}}y or weapons and artifacts you got from Daedric Princes, dress in black armors with SpikesOfVillainy, and/or become a vampire or a werewolf, and ''still'' be a genuinely heroic character. This is even more present in ''Dawnguard'', where [[spoiler:you can become a [[MonsterLord Vampire Lord]] even if you side with the unambiguously good, vampire-hunting Dawnguard. (You will have to cure yourself whenever you need to complete their quests, but you can turn yourself back into one after it's done.)]]
* HumanoidAbomination:
** Is viewed as one by the dragons, being a mortal who somehow possesses the soul of a dragon and is able to permanently kill them, then proceed to use their souls as ''fuel''.
** Technically could be considered one even outside of the dragons' perspective. After progressing far enough in the game, the Dragonborn essentially has ''a multitude of dragon souls inside their body'', which are used to fuel their RealityWarping ability. And a [[spoiler:Vampire Lord]] Dragonborn adds to this the bonus of [[spoiler:being an immortal undead with a OneWingedAngel form]]. They also skirt around AnimalisticAbomination if they're a Khajiit or an Argonian.
* HunterOfHisOwnKind:
** Given how the Dragonborn is of the same kith as dragons, this is to be expected.
** Most vampires you encounter are hostile, so being one yourself invokes this trope. Being a werewolf can result in this too (mostly in the Sinding/Hircine quest).
** Thalmor can invoke this in both directions if you're an Altmer. Once you hit the Thalmor Embassy, they'll start sending execution squads after you, which will only happen to a Dragonborn who has the patience to ''not'' brutally murder Thalmor they encounter beforehand.
** Literally occurs in ''Dragonborn'', where you hunt down [[spoiler:Miraak, the very first Dragonborn]].
* IAmYourOpponent: The Dragonborn towards dragonkind.
* IHateYouVampireDad: In ''Dawnguard'', [[spoiler:if the Dovahkiin accepts Lord Harkon's offer of Vampire Lordship and ends up killing him.]]
* IHaveManyNames:
** Aside from the name you give your character, you have the title "Dragonborn" (obviously), "Dovahkiin" (Dragonborn in dragon language), the title "Stormcrown" and "Ysmir, the Dragon of The North" by the Greybeards, and "Qahnaarin" ("Vanquisher"), given by [[spoiler:[[DracoLich Durnehviir]]]] in the ''Dawnguard'' DLC. The Stormcloaks and Empire will also give you titles that effectively serve as your name while working for them, and once you become the leader of some of the various factions, most members of that faction will address you by your title there.
** If you side with the Stormcloaks in the Civil War questline, you're given several names as you progress: Ice-Veins, Bone-Breaker, Snow-Hammer, and finally, Stormblade.
* IconicOutfit: As shown above, publicity images commonly depict the Dragonborn as a BarbarianHero wearing a horned Iron Helmet, Studded Armour and Iron Gloves and Boots, with the [[IconicItem Iron Helmet]] alone often being used to represent the character.
* ImAHumanitarian:
** One of the Daedric quests allows you to become a cannibal.
** "Human Flesh" is also an alchemical ingredient, and the most obvious method of discovering an ingredient's first trait is eating it.
** Furthermore, the most effective method of healing oneself in werewolf form is to take a bite out of some dead human enemies.
** You can choose to play as a Bosmer, an elf race which is believed to practice ritual cannibalism.
* IneptMage: Evoking this trope, it is possible to become Archmage of Winterhold even if you're not specialized in magic at all. You do need to cast a couple spells during the questline, but they are all quite basic and some can be replicated with staves. The mages don't seem to care whether you're using magical or mundane ways of carving a bloody path through their enemies. Then again, you do wield an ancient form of magic only known by about five other people in all of Skyrim, and indeed one of the ways to gain entry to the College is to tell Faralda that you're Dragonborn and prove it by Shouting at her.
* InformedAttractiveness:
** People won't be gushing over you, but you'll occasionally hear some [=NPC=] banter that paints you as good-looking regardless of your appearance, even if you're non-human, covered in dirt, brutally scarred, partially blind, and clad in dragon bones. Then again, given that Skyrim is a land of {{Blood Knight}}s, these might well be sexy traits as far as the locals are concerned.
** Some very complimentary examples from Narri of Falkreath:
--->'''To a male Dragonborn:''' Shor's bones, a handsome man in Falkreath!\\
'''To a female Dragonborn:''' You're going to have the men around here wrapped around your finger in no time.
** Put on the Amulet of Mara, which indicates that you're interested in getting married, and listen to assorted [=NPCs=] comment about how someone like ''you'' should already have been snapped up. Then again, you ''are'' the Dragonborn, and potentially have quite a long list of other respectable[[note]](or not-so-respectable but still quite lofty)[[/note]] titles as well.
** In Riverwood, Alvor the Blacksmith's wife might mention to a female Dragonborn that she's very pretty... and to stay away from her husband.
** Inverted if you approach a male Dunmer while naked:
--->You aren't as attractive as you're like to believe.
* InstantExpert: Happens in three ways:
** The first way is what effectively makes the Dragonborn so special. Instead of having to spend years on mastering the Thu'um, you can simply absorb a dragon's soul and use those to master a known word of power. This does have its limits; the Dragonborn does not absorb a full understanding of the Dragon Language itself, something Alduin mocks you about at one point. Similarly, Arngeir only realises this when you tell him that you had no clue what any of the Greybeards actually were saying during your initiation ceremony.
** The second way is with the skills themselves: If you read enough skill books and possess enough money to buy training sessions, you can easily go from being a complete novice in a skill to being fairly passable in it in the course of an in-game afternoon. It's also funny when one considers the perk system; if, for example, the Dragonborn decides to take the Dragon Smithing perk, they instantly know how to forge armors from dragon scales and bones, despite the fact that ''no one in Tamriel'' knows how to do this (given that until very recently, there ''were'' no dragons around!).
** The perk tree works in a way such that you can save all of your perks and use them when you deem the skill necessary. This can result in a novice who barely knows how to aim with a bow at a deer becoming a master huntsman who can land a killshot on a elite Thalmor Justicar from several miles away.
* InterspeciesRomance: Possible for any Dragonborn. If playing as a Khajiit or a Bosmer, this is the ''only'' sort of romance you will be able to have (without the assistance of console commands or mods), because there are no marriageable members of those races in the base game.
* {{Irony}}: The Dovahkiin can invoke this if they go with Ralof during the intro. Prior, an Imperial captain (over Hadvar's objection) commanded that you be beheaded despite being innocent of any crime except being in the wrong place at the wrong time. That said, guess who is one of the very first Imperials you can kill as soon as you enter Helgen Keep? And, for bonus points, the first weapon you can get your hands on is {{an axe|ToGrind}}.
* JumpingOffTheSlipperySlope: The Dark Brotherhood questline invokes this on your character. While your dialogue options choose how they respond to the quests to kill people, the early victims you're sent against are varying shades of unpleasant jerks who have done something to deserve their fate, with the exception of one victim who may be a MercyKill for how miserable his life has become. However, as the questline continues, your victims become less and less deserving, and by the time you're into the end of the questline you're killing perfectly good and innocent people who do not even have contracts on them, but killing them gets you closer to the ''actual'' target of the contract.
* KarmaHoudini:
** Depending on what you do through the game. By the end of it, you can be a cannibal, a Dark Brotherhood assassin, TheDragon for several evil Daedric Princes, master of the Thieves' Guild, and Lord of Skyrim's most powerful Vampire Clan, yet still only be known and praised as the savior of Skyrim. The only possible forms of comeuppance you can receive are sub-optimal quest results, making various enemies, and the occasional Game Over.
** In a more in-universe case, the Dragonborn can potentially make promises to the various Daedric Princes, meaning that in death they would serve them in some way, and yet they won't live up to his end of the bargain in the end. For instance, as the Champion of Nocturnal, they would guard over the Twilight Sepulcher for some years, or as a Champion of Hircine, they would spend eternity in Hircine's hunting grounds. However, because they are Dragonborn, their soul belongs to Akatosh before all others. Even if soul trapped and not a Nord, the Dragonborn's final reward will always be Sovngarde, no matter who believes they have a claim on the Dragonborn's soul.
* KavorkaMan: Quite possibly. You can play as a butt-ugly old guy or lady and still get people wanting to marry you in all nine holds.
* KlingonScientistsGetNoRespect:
** Despite most Nords being wary of magic, this is actually mostly averted if you play a Dragonborn that specializes mainly (or entirely) in magic; while [=NPCs=] may often tell you to be careful with whatever spell you've equipped, they will otherwise treat you as fairly as they would a non-magic based Dragonborn.
** Furthermore, you can use your status as The Archmage to gain entry to Sovngarde, with Tsun saying that the "clever arts" are still well respected there. That's right, skill with magic grants you access to a warrior heaven.
* KnownOnlyByTheirNickname: In the Stormcloak campaign, you're given a series of nicknames by the men, analogous to the Legion ranks. Stormcloak troops will refer to you by these nicknames.
* KleptomaniacHero: Entirely possible to do, and even probable if you are playing a thief archetype. Interestingly, while hot property is limited to designated fences for proper sale, there's nothing stopping you from ''gifting'' hot property for miscellaneous "I'd love it if you could find me one of those" quests.
** The Dragonborn's background also makes your kleptomaniac tendencies a JustifiedTrope. You are a Dragonborn, you see, a mortal born with the soul of a dragon. Paarthurnax explains that this not only grants you access to the dragons' [[MakeMeWannaShout Thu'um]], but it also makes you prone to draconic personality flaws, like wanting to [[HairTriggerTemper fight over anything]] and being driven to dominate - and, apparently, also kinda making you want to gather your own DragonHoard. In this case, it could be said all gamers are Dragonborn: [[ShootEverythingThatMoves killing every monster you come across]], [[ItsUpToYou completing every quest you come across]] (including and especially ones that will give you perks like land ownership in return), and taking all the stuff [[RuleOfThree you come across]] are practically ingrained in gamer culture from the time one can first hold a controller.
* TheLadette: A female Dovahkiin can chug mead and get into fistfights at the tavern...
* LadyOfWar: ... or a female Dovahkiin can effectively be one of these.
* LastOfHisKind:
** ''The Book of the Dragonborn'' heavily implies you are the ''Last'' Dragonborn. Confirmed in ''Dragonborn'', because while you are the last natural, intended one in the line, [[spoiler:the ''First'' Dragonborn has been biding his time in Apocrypha and seeking his return]].
** In a metaphorical sense, since the Dragonborn are said to have been created by Akatosh and you are the last one in the line, the Dragonborn could be considered the ''lastborn'' offspring of Akatosh, as opposed to Alduin who is the ''firstborn''.
* LightningBruiser: In werewolf form, you can do a sprint slash; you sprint towards your foe, then do a power attack while still sprinting. Fully perked, the werewolf sprint attack maxes out at 960 damages at level 46--which is several times stronger than a hit from maxed Legendary daedric warhammer without fortify restoration abuse. If you have ''Dawnguard'', the werewolf form also has a pretty respectable scaled armor rating that maxes out at 400 and when combined with some passive magic resistance could practically make you impervious to damages. One combination that absolutely qualifies for this trope, however, is the Elemental Fury shout combined with the orc racial power, [[UnstoppableRage berserker rage]]. Elemental Fury increases your attack speed, doubling it at max power, while berserker rage doubles your attack damage while cutting the damage you take in half. This combination renders any and all melee engagements moot; your enemies may as well be fighting an avalanche.
* LikeBrotherAndSister: The Dragonborn and Serana can easily end up as this, especially if the Dragonborn becomes a Vampire Lord.
* LivingLegend:
** The Dragonborn is revered by the Nords as a legendary figure and hero. [[spoiler:Esbern and Paarthurnax later reveal that the player actually is ''the'' Dragonborn who was prophesied in the Elder Scrolls to defeat Alduin]].
** As the player rises through the ranks, they can become this to the side chosen in the Civil War storyline.
* MagicKnight:
** No matter what race the Dragonborn is, they can use at least some form of basic magic. The Thu'um Shouts further solidify this; even a Dragonborn who never expends any magicka will still be blasting enemies with their Voice.
** Should the Dragonborn decide to focus solely on magic, smithing and enchanting, they can end up as a Mage decked out in heavily enchanted armour that reduces the magicka cost to nearly zero, allowing them to constantly fling fireballs at their enemies.
* MagneticHero: Although you can only have one follower with you at a time, there are 49 available and you can potentially recruit them all.
* MakeMeWannaShout: The Thu'um is literally called a Shout and can give you several different abilities. Check the MakeMeWannaShout entry in Skyrim/TropesHToM of the main pages for a full list of what the Dragonborn can potentially do with the Thu'um.
* MamaBear: If the Dragonborn adopts children in the ''Hearthfire'' DLC and lives in one of the custom-built houses, one of their duties is to protect them from invaders and other dangerous enemies.
* MasterArcher: By bringing the Archery skill up to level 100, they can perform trick shots, zoom in on targets, and achieve other unusual abilities that no other character in the game is seen to do.
* MasterPoisoner: The Alchemy skill revolves around this, although you can also use it to make potions to buff your own skills.
* MatchMakerQuest:
** You get to help a few couples get together in the quest "The Book of Love".
** While the above one is easy to miss, likely one of the first quests you'll do in the game is help either Sven or Faendal court Camilla by framing the rival suitor. But you also have the option of outing the suitor who asked you to do the framing... and/or [[TakeAThirdOption marrying Camilla yourself]] if you've done other things beforehand.
* MeaningfulName: While most refer to you as "Dragonborn", the name ''Dovahkiin'' can be broken down into "Dov Ah Kiin", fitting with the dragon naming conventions of three words joined to form their names. This alternate spelling produces the translation "Dragonkind Hunter Born" or "[[HunterOfHisOwnKind Born Hunter of Dragonkind]]", a very apt description.
* MemeticBadass: In-universe, the Dragonborn is a legendary figure and a paragon of what it means to be a [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Nord]] (even if they're not a Nord). As you complete questlines and gain authority and rank in various factions, city guards and some other [=NPCs=] will comment they've heard about your exploits.
* MilitaryMage: Partake in the Civil War with a magic-themed playstyle allows you to fill that role. Even if you don't, using Shouts during Civil War battles offers some shades of this trope.
* MultiMeleeMaster: Swords, daggers, maces, hammers, axes, staves, pickaxes, all of varying designs and variably one or two-handed.
* MuggingTheMonster: It's remarkable how many people think attacking you is a good idea. You can actually get ambushed by a thief in a random instance and have the option to dismiss them entirely:
-->'''Dragonborn:''' I don't have time for this.\\
'''Thief:''' Don't you walk away from me!
* MultipleChoicePast:
** Although it's left blank for the player to make up, you can make a couple of in-game suggestions about it. In Cidhna Mine, you can claim your family is still alive but in another part of Tamriel, and in another quest you might tell Eola you've already indulged in cannibalism. However, since this is optional dialogue and can also be refuted in the same conversations, it's not set in stone.
** In ''Dawnguard,'' Serana will ask you about your family. As noted elsewhere in this folder, you have a few options for what to tell her about your parents.
* MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch:
** By no means required, but entirely possible. Listing the ways to invoke it for each race would be a page unto itself. Particularly ironic examples include a Nord joining the Legion or an Imperial joining the Stormcloaks.
** The Altmer, Bosmer and Khajiit are the most extreme cases, as for them, it ''is'' effectively required -- the main storyline involves direct action against the Thalmor who rule over their respective homelands.
* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: Dragonborn, of course. But Stormblade/Legate, Harbinger of the Companions, Archmage of the College of Winterhold, Guildmaster of the Thieves' Guild, Listener of the Dark Brotherhood and Ysmir, Dragon of the North also count.
* NaziProtagonist: Due to the creative freedom of the Dragonborn's backstory, they can be a [[ANaziByAnyOtherName fantasy variant of this]].
** A high elf Dragonborn wound up in Skyrim after trying to escape Thalmor-occupied Summerset Isle. They may support the Thalmor by joining the Empire to strengthen their hold on Skyrim or they can assist them by making decisions that benefit the Thalmor (such as helping Ondolemar investigate Ogmund). However, the Thalmor are indifferent to them, as they will still send Thalmor Justicators to attack them if they believe the Dragonborn is interfering with their business. The Dragonborn can also turn traitor and join the Stormcloaks instead to fight back against the Thalmor oppression.
** The Dragonborn can join the Stormcloaks, a lighter version of the Nazis (fair-haired nationalists led by a charismatic war veteran with a penchant for hammy speeches). The Dragonborn can just as nationalistic as the racist members of the Stormcloaks and be xenophobic towards non-humans.
* NiceGuy:
** You can be one by helping every helpless civilian you find on your travels, giving mercy to enemies who ask for it, donating money to beggars, and playing games with children.
** With the ''Hearthfire'' DLC, the Dragonborn can adopt up to two orphans, giving them a loving home where they will be attended by your housecarls and stewards while you're off keeping Skyrim safe.
* NinjaPirateZombieRobot: As the game progresses and you complete guild questlines, main quests, civil war, and sidequests, the player will rapidly become an example of this trope. You already start off as part-dragon, which is coupled with your race of choice. Once the guild questlines are finished, you can add Viking champion/Legate, Archmage, mentor of ''another'' Viking guild, thief, assassin, priest, bard, champion of multiple deities and Daedric princes, ally of the Forsworn, Thane of all nine holds, and werewolf/vampire[[note]]Vampirism and lycanthropy are both diseases and both bestow immunity to disease once contracted, which makes them mutually exclusive[[/note]] to the list.
* NominalHero: At the end of the day, the Dragonborn will save Skyrim annd defeat Alduin, even if they pledge allegiance to the Thieves Guild, the Dark Brotherhood, and the vampire's side in the Dawnguard DLC, and all around act like a uncaring bastard. In the end, as "evil" as a Dragonborn can be they are still [[EvilVersusOblivion going against a being who is going to end the world if not stopped]], after all.
* NoSell: Bugs notwithstanding, werewolves are completely immune to disease or being infected with vampirism; conversely, vampires have that same immunity to disease and cannot contract lycanthropy.
* NobleTopEnforcer: At the end of ''Dragonborn'', [[spoiler:Hermaeus Mora appoints the Dragonborn as their new [[TheDragon Dragon]], although it's made ''very'' clear that the Dragonborn actually does '''not''' have much of a choice in the matter. Likewise, what Mora does to Miraak is their demonstration of why it's not clever to try and play TheStarscream in your Daedric boss' realm.]]
* NonHumanSideKick: On top of any human/mer followers, you can have a dog as a follower, or an Armored Troll (with "Dawnguard") or a Riekling, or a Dwemer Spider/Sphere (with "Dragonborn"). During Clavicus Vile's Daedric quest, you also have Barbas, a Daedra [[AFormYouAreComfortableWith assuming the form]] of [[BigFriendlyDog a dog]] as a temporary follower.
* NotSoDifferentRemark: Paarthurnax notes that the Dragonborn has the same innate urge to kill, destroy, and conquer as all dragons do.
* OccultDetective:
** Various quests have the Dragonborn having to deal with witches, werewolves, vampires, ghosts, necromancers, Daedric Princes, and all manner of arcane creatures.
** The Clairvoyance spell will direct you to your current quest target.
* OddFriendship:
** Potentially, between the Dragonborn and Paarthurnax.
** The ''Dawnguard'' DLC allows you to befriend Serana, a friendly vampire, even if you are a member of the violently anti-vampire Dawnguard faction.
** More humorously, [=NPCs=] like Rolff Stone-Fist and Uthgerd the Unbroken will also become your friends after you beat them up in a brawl, even if you oppose everything they stand for and never interact with them in any meaningful way again.
* OhCrap: The reaction of various dragons when they realise ''[[TheDreaded who you are]]''.
* OlderThanTheyLook: You can customize the Dragonborn to look as young or [[YoungerThanTheyLook old]] as you please, but most NPC's will interact with them like they're a young adult in their twenties or thirties (or their race's equivelent to that age group.)
* OnceDoneNeverForgotten: All the guards will give you shit over [[spoiler:releasing Odahviing, even though you had a perfectly good reason to do it. Even if you later used Odahviing to win the Civil War (which is the whole reason that the current guards have their jobs), or just used him then and there to kill a hostile dragon, they'll ''still'' call you out on it]].
-->'''Guard:''' [[spoiler:Releasing a captured dragon.]] I don't think I'll ever understand that one...
* OneManArmy:
** The Dragonborn's path is full of hundreds of enemies, including wild animals, giants, bandits, golems, undead, Thalmor, and, of course, dragons. And none of them will survive the encounter. At higher levels it is entirely possible for a player to enter a room with half a dozen enemies and casually take them all out with one attack, or even all out at once with a Thu'um or other spell. And several quests have people sending you out to forts and caves and tombs to liberate them from bandits or undead, and you'll do it with ease. This is seen most prominently in the Civil War quests, in which one quest to liberate a fort from the enemy gives you the option to to barge in alone instead of a more conventional ambush tactic.
--->'''Dragonborn:''' I have a better plan. You wait here, and I'll take care of it.
** Also of note, the song "Dragonborn" contains choice lyrics like "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 "Mighty Thu'um, like a blade, cut through enemies all / As the Dragonborn issued his roar!"
* OneWingedAngel: Werewolf and Vampire Lord forms allow the player to pull this, taking on a monstrous but powerful form to shred enemies with their bare claws and (if a Vampire Lord) dark magics.
* OnlyInItForTheMoney: Quite possible with any Dragonborn, but comes out most when playing a Thief archetype combined with the right dialogue options. Especially if you join the Thieves' Guild.
* OpenSecret: [[spoiler:Guards will occasionally mention they know that you're in the Thieves' Guild, or a member of the Dark Brotherhood (including suspecting that you killed the Emperor himself), but never confront you about it because they lack direct evidence - and also because they're ''terrified'' of you.]]
* OurElvesAreDifferent: The Dragonborn can be an elf, such as an Altmer (high elf), a Bosmer (wood elf), a Dunmer (dark elf), and an [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Orsimer]] (Orc. Yes, orcs are elves in this universe).
* PalsWithJesus: The Dragonborn can undertake quests from various Daedric Princes and eventually becomes recognised as their respective Champion. Given the Daedric Princes' rather indifferent (if not outright hostile) attitude towards most mortals in Nirn, being considered not ''completely'' useless is a pretty big accomplishment.
* PartTimeHero: The Dragonborn can be played as such.
* PaperThinDisguise: Averted if playing as an Altmer, which turns the infiltration of the Thalmor Embassy into a doddle. Instead of keeping a low profile, the Dragonborn can casually walk up to people, barking orders. Since everyone is so afraid of the Thalmor, they don't dare ask any questions.
* ParentalAbandonment: As part of their MultipleChoicePast, the Dragonborn can tell Serana in the ''Dawnguard'' DLC that they are an orphan, who grew up alone and never knew their parents.
* PersonOfMassDestruction: You have at your command the Thu'um, the elemental forces of magic, and mastery over all types of weapons and styles of using them. Special mention must go to Storm Call. Run into a town or fort full of enemies, Shout out the words to Storm Call, and watch blasts of lightning rain down on your enemies until there's nothing left for them to strike.
* PetTheDog: A literal example. Over the course of your travels, you can rescue stray dogs from enemies.
* PhysicalGod: The Dragonborn is essentially ''The Elder Scrolls''[='s=] universe's equivalent of a demigod.
* PintSizedPowerhouse: Choosing to play as a Breton, the smallest of the playable races, does nothing to lessen the Dragonborn's lethality as a fighter.
* PlatonicLifePartners: With Serana. Despite all of the ShipTease, Serana cannot be married. She will take your advice about being cured of vampirism (with the right dialogue options), follow you to the death, and even join an organization of vampire-hunters to side with you, but if you ask her to marry you, she will be flattered, but turn down any marriage proposal and still remain on incredibly-friendly terms with the PC.
* PrimalStance: Drops into this when Sneaking.
* ProudWarriorRaceGuy: They can have this attitude, whether they're a Nord or not.
-->'''Jarl of Whiterun:''' Alduin... The World Eater? But if he has come, then surely it is the end?\\
'''Dragonborn:''' Maybe, but I intend to die fighting!\\
'''Jarl of Whiterun:''' Spoken like a true Nord!/No Nord could have spoken better! I stand with you, Dragonborn!
* ProfessionalKiller: Very possible with a Dragonborn that joins the Dark Brotherhood. Can be most prevalent during your first meeting with [[spoiler:Amaund Motierre]].
-->'''[[spoiler:Motierre]]:''' The real reason I'm speaking with a cutthroat in the bowels of this detestable crypt. For I seek the assassination of... [[spoiler:the Emperor]].\\
'''Dragonborn:''' Leaders rise and fall. Business is business.
* PsychoticSmirk: After becoming a werewolf, guards claim that the Dragonborn has a disturbing wolfish grin.
* RagsToRiches: Can become a Thane to multiple Jarls of Skyrim, and unless you're actually trying ''not'' to, you'll probably end up with gold coming out of your ears, especially if you earn the [[spoiler:Prowler's Profit perk]], which lets you discover tons of gold and precious stones in every chest and urn out there in Skyrim, and it's all yours for the taking. Appropriately, you start with rags in your inventory prior to having your restraints cut.
* RatedMForManly: Your job description is hunting dragons and, essentially, eating their souls. The Dragonborn basically lives this trope.
* RealMenLoveJesus:
** You can wear an amulet of any god, pray at their shrines regularly, and serve any temple, should you wish.
** You're not limited to the divines only. Completing the Sacred Trials of Kyne and selecting "I don't believe in the Nine" can make you a Real Man (or Woman) who loves the ''Old Nordic Gods''.
** Joining the Stormcloaks ostensibly makes you a Real Man (or Woman) who loves Talos exclusively.
** In ''Hearthfire'', you can build an altar with shrines to each of the Nine Divines in the cellar of your house, which is technically ''illegal'' in Tamriel under the terms of the White-Gold Concordat. Not that ''anyone'' in Skyrim seems to [[ScrewYouElves particularly care]].
** Or should you choose, you can [[PalsWithJesus pledge yourself]] to one (or more) of the [[JerkassGods Daedric Princes]] and become their Champion.
** You can have a conversation with a Thalmor Justiciar on the road that eventually leads to the Thalmor basically asking "You wouldn't happen to worship Talos, now ''would you?''" All of the ensuing dialogue options have you claiming that yes, you do, with the closest to the contrary being just remaining silent (which the Justiciar interprets as a guilty silence).
* RealityWarper: As with all those capable of the Thu'um. You literally yell at the world using the power and language that shapes it, and it changes at your command.
* ReallyMovesAround: They can own up to five houses (eight with ''Hearthfire'') in just as many different locations, and nothing is really forcing them to make any one of them their permanent residence. They can impose this upon their family, as well. The fact that each Hold is a different jurisdiction makes this a viable means to escape law enforcement.
* RedBaron: The Dragonborn (Dovahkiin), "The One They Fear", Stormcrown, Ysmir the Dragon of the North, Qahnaarin (Vanquisher) and for those who join the Stormcloaks, "Stormblade".
* ReluctantWarrior: Can be played as one, although it's rather hard to do much of the time considering bandits, Falmer, necromancers and the like are everywhere.
* RightManInTheWrongPlace: Hapless emigrant from the heartland province that gets caught up in a trap meant for the leader of a rebel faction against an Empire that has [[TheRemnant seen better days]] discovers that they are actually a demigod and essentially the divine affirmation of the continuation of existence made flesh, determinant of an entire province's future political relations, and vanquisher of a really mean dragon. Or reality's total-reset function gone awry. Or some dragon mantling the godly essence of that function and letting the power go to their head. Elder Scrolls lore metaphysics gets complicated like that...
* RightfulKingReturns: In a metaphorical sense, this is how the Greybeards view the re-emergence of the Dragonborn, lamenting that that the "Storm Crown" had been forced to languish without a worthy brow to rest upon for far too long.
* ScienceHero: If you specialize in alchemy, enchanting, and smithing, you can compensate for a lack of combat and magical skill by carrying around poisons and weapons that can drop giants and armor that makes you nearly invulnerable. All made by your own hands, of course.
* SelfMadeMan: ''Hearthfire'' allows you to become this by building a manor and all of its furniture with your own bare hands. In addition, the Dragonborn pretty much has to ''earn'' all their money, though most often by driving a sword or lightning bolt though their foes to get said money in the first place.
* SemiDivine: The Dragonborn is a dragon soul in the shell of a mortal mind and body. In lore terms, dragons are "Children of Akatosh", or more technically subgradient fragments of Akatosh, who is the god of time and is associated with draconic imagery. This confluence does enable or augment certain Shouts not normally usable by dragons or fully mortal Thu'um practitioners: [[KryptoniteFactor Dragonrend]] is both harmful and outright unusable by full dragons-in-body, and not quite enough to weaken Alduin with just one regular mortal Shouter; with a Dragonborn, they intrinsically know it because they have a mortal mindset and only need to learn the Words of Power, and by nature of being Dragonborn, they can single-voicedly knock Alduin out of the sky and render him vulnerable. [[SuperMode Dragon Aspect]] is "wearing your dragon-ness on the outside" essentially; a mortal Tongue could not because they are not Dragonborn, and a Dragon already ''is'' naturally a dragon on the outside.
* ShipTease: While the Dragonborn has the opportunity to marry a great many potential spouses, they have the ''most'' romantic subtext with Serana, who, ironically, they ''can't'' marry. During the final confrontation with [[spoiler:Lord Harkon]], there's even an option for a Dawnguard-aligned Dragonborn to tell him that they won't hurt Serana because "She means too much to me."
* SilentProtagonist: Actually averted: the Dragonborn doesn't talk normally (though they do have [[DialogueTree dialogue options]]), but they ''are'' actually voiced. Besides performing dragon Shouts, the Throw Voice power has you actually throw out a variety of insults at your enemies[[note]]unless you're one of the beast or elf races[[/note]]. And, as in previous installments of the ''Elder Scrolls'' series, the Dragonborn can always opt to be silent throughout the Dark Brotherhood questline.
* SmarterThanYouLook: Farengar Secret-Fire says this if you ask about him about his work with the Dragon Stone.
* SociopathicHero: With plenty of opportunities for KickTheDog moments while still being nominally part of the 'good-aligned' factions, the Dragonborn can rival the heroes of Myth/GreekMythology in this if the player is so inclined (or even if they aren't; killing people to get what you want is often the simplest course of action in some quests). [[TheMentor Paarthurnax]] implies that this is a result of being Dragonborn, giving them an inborn drive to dominate.
* SpannerInTheWorks: To several factions/people (assuming you don't discover the relevant documents in some cases).
** Given that you really can't ally with the Thalmor without mods, you're pretty much guaranteed to be foiling their plans left and right, potentially with little to no knowledge that you're doing so.
*** They started a costly civil war to keep the Empire in turmoil and unable to consolidate its power in time for the inevitable second war between them. If you don't discover the dossier revealing their role, you either reunify the Empire, thus giving the Empire an opportunity to reconsolidate its own power and prepare for this war, or you unify Skyrim in the name of a bunch of proud warriors who have some serious beef with the Thalmor.
*** They are attempting to hunt down Talos worshipers by catching them in the act. Should you place Torygg's war horn on the Altar of Talos, you will probably kill a couple of Thalmor Inquisitors who try to kill you for doing so. You do find plans on their corpses, though.
*** They have captured one of the sons of the Gray-Mane family an are torturing him for information. You break in and free him because you're friends with that family. You might even unintentionally make this easier if you found Northwatch Keep early on before starting "Missing In Action" and killed all the Thalmor guards there for whatever reason, leaving only a small group of soldiers remaining inside.
*** And all of this is not even considering the possibility that you could simply kill a bunch of Thalmor agents on the road for no particular reason, or to take their things. And while you can't get into the Embassy grounds normally, it's possible to just break into the outer barracks of the Embassy and kill and loot the guards inside. Further, if you've won the Civil War or finished Season Unending, its possible to ''kill Elenwen'' [[DevelopersForesight if you can get inside her building somehow.]]
** In the Dark Brotherhood, you upend Astrid's plans to be the "family don" simply by stumbling into the Night Mother's crypt when attempting to spy on Cicero. Alternately, you upend the entire guild's plans to [[spoiler:keep existing by killing Astrid instead of one of her chosen targets during your recruitment, then following Commander Maro's instructions to wipe out the rest of them]].
** In the Thieves' Guild, you thwart Karliah's plan to kill Mercer by walking into the ambush room first. Karliah shoots you instead. However, as this particular chain of events is the WhamEpisode of this questline that makes her your ally and Mercer your enemy, she uses this setback to turn right back around and orchestrate Mercer's death. Basically, by being a spanner in the works for Karliah, you become a spanner in the works for Mercer.
** You can also potentially infuriate an NPC without even knowing you did it, leading them to send the Dark Brotherhood after you (even if you're the Listener).
** You are also indirectly responsible for the civil war continuing. You just happened to be caught sneaking into Skyrim and were set to be executed alongside Ulfric Stormcloak, but because you're the last Dragonborn, Alduin came after you as soon as he was free from being stuck outside of time. He interrupts your execution and sets to destroying everything he sees, destroying Helgen and causing a distraction that allows Ulfric to flee to freedom and to continue the war.
* TheStarscream: In ''Dawnguard'', the Dovahkiin can become this to [[spoiler:Lord Harkon.]]
* StatuesqueStunner: Have a female Altmer or Orc and make her attractive and you'll tower over almost everybody.
* TheStoic: The Dark Brotherhood questline once again gives the option of staying completely silent during most conversations.
* SuperMode: In the ''Dragonborn'' DLC, you will gain a "Dragon Aspect" power which allows you to crank your Thu'um powers UpToEleven and involves some glowy ethereal spines and horns on your character model to visualize its activity.
* SuperSenses: The Aura Whisper shout. The Dragonborn is also implied to be the only one who can see the glowing eyes of a vampire; other mortals see an ill-defined "hunger" in a vampire's eyes, but the glow is only obvious to the Dragonborn. Similarly, if we assume that the Dragonborn's vision going dark and the Words of Power starting to glow is ''not'' merely a [[GameplayAndStorySegregation gameplay mechanic]], but an actual physical reaction of their Aedric soul's proximity to a Word Wall, this would explain why scholars have remained [[InvisibleToNormals unaware]] of their true function for millennia. Indeed, in-game books note a slight blue glow to some of the ancient words in the Word Walls, but never mention anything special happening.
** If you play as a Khajiit, you have InnateNightVision.
* SupportingProtagonist: While still TheHero, the Dragonborn shifts into this role at various points in ''Dawnguard'', since most of the story is centered around [[HeroOfAnotherStory Serana]].
* SweetTooth: The fact that Skyrim has no shortage of various dessert foods ([[RunningGag sweet rolls]] among them) the Dragonborn can munch on makes it very easy for them to go by this trope.
* TokenMinority:
** If you play as a non-Nord Dragonborn who joins the Stormcloaks.
** Also a lesser case if joining the Companions with a non-Nord Dragonborn, as they have an Imperial and a Dunmer in their ranks.
** When joining the Dawnguard as a elf, Beleval will note that you and her are the only elves, there. They're more diverse than many factions. In addition to Nords, the leader is a Redguard, a couple Bretons, an Imperial, and a couple Orcs, in addition to Beleval's Bosmer.
* TookALevelInBadass: You start off as a unlucky prisoner who crossed the border at a bad time, then almost got beheaded. The rest of the game sees you becoming the Dragonborn to save the world.
* TribalFacepaint: Should you choose.
* TryToFitThatOnABusinessCard: First, take a deep breath. Ready? Here we go. Over the course of the game, you may become: The Last Dragonborn, Stormcrown, Dragon of the North, Thane of Whiterun, Thane of Eastmarch, Thane of Hjaalmarch, Thane of The Reach, Thane of Haafingar, Thane of Falkreath, Thane of The Rift, Thane of The Pale, Thane of Winterhold, [[spoiler:Archmage of the College of Winterhold, Guildmaster of the Thieves' Guild, Nightingale (also of the Thieves' Guild, and Champion of Nocturnal), Harbinger of the Companions, Listener of the Dark Brotherhood, Lord/Lady of Clan Volkihar ''or'' member of the Dawnguard, Stormblade of the Stormcloaks ''or'' Legate of the Imperial Legion, Champion of Hermaeus Mora, Champion of Boethiah, Champion of Molag Bal, Champion of Malacath, Member of House Telvanni, Qahnaarin (the Vanquisher), and Chief of the Rieklings of Thirsk Hall]].
* TrueCompanions: During their time in Cidhna Mine, they can say that they consider the friends they've made in Skyrim to be the only family they need.
* UltimateBlacksmith: A Dragonborn with a maxed Smithing skill will put even Eorlund Gray-Mane to shame: that puny-looking iron dagger they just crafted? Go ahead and swing it at that giant over there and watch them fall to the ground after a couple hits. This humble steel shield? It could probably withstand a meteor shower. You want some [[ArmorOfInvincibility Daedric armor]]? Sure, just give them a few ebony ingots and a Daedra heart and they'll craft it for you in a matter of hours. At level 100 Smithing, the Dragonborn basically rediscovers how to craft dragonbone/scale armor ''all by themselves''.
* UnclePennybags: No matter how you play, there's a good chance you'll end up with tens of thousands of gold before you know it. Fortunately, there's an almost unlimited amount of moments where you can just throw money at people to help with their problems, especially if you get the Investor perk.
* TheUndead: You can become a vampire, if you so choose.
* UnderestimatingBadassery: Most missions/sidequests/questlines are completely separate and don't overlap. That means that even if you've become Harbinger of the Companions, single-handedly stopped the resurrection of Potema, become the Thane of multiple Holds, and revealed yourself as the Dragonborn and ''absorbed the souls of dragons'', you still need to undergo a petty quest to "prove yourself" worthy enough to join other factions. Somewhat justified in that being an adventurer alone (even the Dragonborn) isn't enough to indicate that you're willing to follow orders or maintain confidentiality; however, this justification does not help the cases where you merely have to prove that you're strong enough to fight. That said, there ''are'' a few notable aversions. For example, if you've completed the Wolf Queen questline and started the "Mind of Madness" questline, you may speak with Falk Firebeard and, though he's reluctant to allow anyone passage into the haunted and abandoned wing of the Blue Palace, he will make an exception just for ''you''. It especially gets ridiculous when you're challenged by some random thief or an overconfident enemy like [[spoiler:Ancano's aide, whom you encounter after getting the Staff of Magnus]], and you clearly [[CurbStompBattle demonstrate]] that they prove to be mere cannon fodder.
* UnkemptBeauty: It's possible to invoke this by creating a female Dragonborn with messy hair. Given that this takes place in [[ProudWarriorRaceGuy Sky]][[HornyVikings rim]], it's rather appropriate.
* UnusuallyUninterestingSight: For most people, the sight of a dragon attacking the town would be the stuff of nightmares. For the Dragonborn, it's more of a ''nuisance'' than anything else. [[TheCallKnowsWhereYouLive Back to work.]]
* UnwittingPawn: At the end of [[spoiler:his Daedric quest]] and ''Dragonborn'', [[spoiler:Hermaeus Mora [[UnreliableExpositor claims]] that he's been [[StalkerWithoutACrush watching]] the Dragonborn for some time and subtly [[VillainTakesAnInterest grooming them]] for becoming [[TheDragon his champion]]. Even if you are [[DidYouJustFlipOffCthulhu openly defiant]] towards him, he tells you that this doesn't change anything and you're ''already'' his champion, even if you don't know it yet]].
* VillainProtagonist: In the Dark Brotherhood questline, in some of the Daedric quests, and if you take the vampires' side in ''Dawnguard''.
* WarriorPoet: Joining the Bards' College can qualify you. [[GameplayAndStorySegregation Not that it changes anything]].
* WarriorTherapist: Can potentially be one toward Serana in ''Dawnguard'', depending on how you interact with her.
* WeatherManipulation: The Dragonborn after obtaining the "''Clear Skies''" and "''Storm Call''" Shouts.
** In ''Dawnguard,'' they can actually gain partial control of the sun itself, causing it to either to become their own personal KillSat or blocking it out completely to cause a temporary artificial night.
* WhatTheHellAreYou: Some of the Whiterun Guards have this reaction upon witnessing the Dragonborn absorbing Mirmulnir's soul and demonstrate the Thu'um, before realising that the individual in front of them must be a Dragonborn.
* WhatTheHellHero: In ''Hearthfire'', your spouse may express their frustration at being left at home with the children in the wilderness fending off wild animal attacks while you're off adventuring.
* WildCard: You can tip the balance of power in the Skyrim Civil War, whether for the Legion or Stormcloaks.
* WorthyOpponent: Considered this by many powerful adversaries:
** To Alduin, who eventually concedes that the Dragonborn is the only real threat he's encountered so far.
** [[spoiler:Hermaeus Mora]] directly invokes this if you remain defiant to him throughout all conversations. "You will be a worthy adversary, or [[spoiler:(Miraak's)]] successor, as the tides of fate decree."
** [[spoiler:Durnehviir]] goes so far as to honor-name you [[spoiler:Qahnaarin, the Vanquisher]] for besting him in battle.
** [[spoiler:Miraak]] himself calls you much stronger than he thought possible, and a great many of his lines are compliments to you.
* WrestlerInAllOfUs: Unarmed kill animations include choke slams, suplexes, chokeholds, and in one case an overhead body slam that drops the enemy on their head as of the 1.5 update.
* YouAreTheTranslatedForeignWord: "In their tongue, he is Dovahkiin - Dragonborn!"
* YoungestChildWins: The Dragonborn is the [[LastOfHisKind last]] in the long line of mortals to be gifted with the Dragonsblood by Akatosh and the subject of an ancient prophecy to defeat Alduin, the firstborn son of Akatosh.
** In ''Dragonborn'', the Dragonborn is sent to defeat [[spoiler:Miraak, the first Dragonborn]]. The latter even suspects that [[spoiler:Hermaeus Mora]] pitted them against each other simply because because he found [[BookEnds bookending]] them amusing.
* YourSoulIsMine:
** A rare heroic variation, absorbing the souls of fallen dragons. Can also be done by filling [[SoulJar soul gems]], which are used to enchant or replenish already enchanted items. The ''Dawnguard'' DLC introduces a Dragon Shout that rips souls from enemies, turning them into undead thralls.
** Amusingly, it is also difficult to say which deity, if any, has claim to the Dragonborn's own soul after their death as most of the PowersThatBe end up favoring them in some fashion[[note]]depending on your race and what questlines you tackle, you can have your soul claimed by Malacath (Orc Dragonborn), Hircine (Werewolf), Nocturnal (Nightingale), Sithis (member of the Dark Brotherhood), and Hermaeus Mora (''Dragonborn'' DLC)[[/note]]. The chief claim likely belongs to Akatosh since, as a Dovah, the Dragonborn is essentially Akatosh's son/daughter.

[[folder:Alduin]]
!!Alduin
->See [[Characters/TheElderScrollsDivineBeings Elder Scrolls Divine Beings]].

!Dragons and Dragon Priests
[[folder:Tropes relating to all Dragons]]
* AbusivePrecursors: The dragons ruled over ancient man in Skyrim and the rest of Tamriel with an iron fist, until they were defeated and [[spoiler:Alduin was sent forward in time.]]
* AllAnimalsAreDogs: The dragon kill-cam involves them snatching their victim up in their mouth before shaking them around and then tossing them away like a dog with a chew toy.
* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Within each Dragon is the innate desire to dominate and destroy, although their baser instincts can be overcome with a ''lot'' of HeroicWillpower. Paarthurnax muses that their kinship means that [[NotSoDifferentRemark those same desires]] also run in the Dragonborn.
* AndThereWasMuchRejoicing: [[spoiler:All in all, the dragons seem pretty happy at the end of the main quest that Alduin is dead... or whatever he is.]]
* AsskickingEqualsAuthority: How dragon hierarchy works. When a scuffle ensues over pecking order position, a dragon either wins the fight, submits, or dies. [[spoiler:Alduin's violation of this understood system (a system ''he put in place'', no less!) by fleeing is what engenders doubts of his supremacy after the Dragonborn Shouts him about the head and wings atop the Throat of The World.]]
* BadassBaritone: All the dragons that you hear talk have deep, booming voices.
* BrownNote: The Dragonrend shout - Joor Zah Frul (Mortal, Finite, Temporary) - is this to all dragons, as it imposes on them the concept of mortality, which they are unable to grasp. Dragonrend makes dragons unable to fly and stuns them temporarily. It also lifts Alduin's complete immunity to damage.
* EvilSoundsDeep: All dragons have deep voices and most of them are evil.
* HonorBeforeReason: A ''true'' dovah that is unwilling to submit will stand and fight to the death, even against an opponent obviously and overwhelmingly superior. The fact that [[spoiler:Alduin flees from a battle with you makes the rest of the dragons question his right to rule.]]
* TheHunterBecomesTheHunted: Whenever a Dragon has the misfortune of incurring the hostility of the Dragonborn.
* IFightForTheStrongestSide:
** A staple of Dragon culture. Dragons greatly respect strength and those who prove to be a WorthyOpponent. One of their traditions holds that when two dov greet each other for the first time, they will test the Thu'um on each other, as a means to both demonstrate their power and to size each other up.
** This belief is best shown when [[spoiler:Alduin flees battle with the Dragonborn. Afterwards, Odahviing reveals that many Dragons have begun questioning his right to rule and are considering defecting or [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere leaving altogether]]]].
* IKnowYourTrueName: Played with. Calling a dragon's name will usually reach out to them and they will appear shortly after. This is how you call out to [[spoiler:Odahviing]] and how the Greybeards summon ''you'', since you have the soul of a Dragon. However, the name doesn't hold any power over the dragon; rather it's the act of calling their name with the Thu'um that summons them. Dragons consider it a personal challenge to call out to each other with the Thu'um, and being ''dragons'' after all, they will usually accept. [[FridgeBrilliance You are no exception]], what with that [[GameplayAndStoryIntegration quest marker]] hanging around in your journal, nagging you.
* ImmortalsFearDeath:
** The inability of a dragon to fully comprehend a mortal existence is exactly why [[BrownNote Dragonrend]] is their KryptoniteFactor.
** They are also terrified of Dragonborn since they devour dragon souls, which would negate their existence altogether. [[spoiler:There's also the fact that Alduin can revive dragons that still have their souls, even if they've been dead for the better half of a millennium.]]
* LanguageOfMagic: The Thu'um is a power that allows dragons to [[RealityWarper bend reality to their whim]] through the power of their words alone: a dragon doesn't ''breathe'' fire so much as command it into being. A common idiom is that a battle between two dragons is actually an impassioned debate.
* MakeMeWannaShout: The original wielders of the Thu'um.
* MightMakesRight: Dragons believe this so strongly, there is absolutely no difference in their mindset between being powerful and being correct. That is why all of them follow Alduin: whatever their personal thoughts on humans, Alduin is the strongest and as such, his views on humanity and the subjugation thereof are correct. It's also why [[spoiler:Odahviing defects]] later on in the story, it's after [[spoiler:the Dovahkiin has bested Alduin in combat, proving that even Alduin has a [[AlwaysABiggerFish bigger fish]].]]
* MonogenderMonsters: All dragons seen so far are male. Justified, as they have no need or capability to reproduce sexually - according to a Dremora, "they just were, and are". Female dragons ''do'' exist if you troll the more obscure lore; the Jills usually spend their, ahem, ''time'' maintaining the timestream at their father Akatosh's behest.
* NoGoodDeedGoesUnpunished: According to the Greybeards and Paarthurnax, many Dragons rebelled ''against'' Alduin's plans and fought for humanity during the Dragon War, only to be [[HeelFaceDoorSlam wiped out afterwards]] by the Blades.
* OurDragonsAreDifferent: Their power comes from speaking Words of Power.
* OutsideContextProblem: How they are perceived by the people of Skyrim. Before their arrival, the Dragons were mostly treated as a non-existent myth.
* PoirotSpeak: Language is very intrinsic to the Dragons, and as such they tend to switch between Tamrielic and Dovahzul regularly.
* ProudWarriorRace: A lot of them have this attitude. It is the general opinion of the dragons that they must stand and fight no matter how powerful their enemy is, even if that enemy is a foe capable of killing them permanently (i.e. you). The dovah also have a tradition where, upon the first meeting between two dragons, they must use their respective Voices upon one another. To put it in perspective, the dragon equivalent of a handshake is to ''punch the other guy in the face.''
* QuizzicalTilt: When conversing with a dragon, they will tilt their head while facing their interlocutor.
* RiseFromYourGrave: [[spoiler:The Dragons aren't just coming back. They're coming back to life. That said, a few such as Paarthurnax have managed to survive since Alduin's previous attack, without being resurrected.]]
* SympathyForTheDevil: It is repeatedly said that many of the Dragons are intelligent, peaceful creatures, if naturally inclined to be destructive and cruel, and want no part of Alduin's plans; but if they openly defy him, he'll surely kill them since he is obviously stronger than any of them. Indeed, many times you'll see dragons flying around that are not hostile unless you engage them, as a dragon's pride is at stake when it comes to fighting a Dragonborn. Special mention for the trope goes to Durnehviir in the ''Dawnguard'' expansion, who yearns to return to Tamriel but has spent so many centuries in the Soul Cairn that now he can only enjoy the temporary summonings you invoke; and Numinex, the dragon trapped in Dragonsreach by Olaf One-eye. Paarthurnax mentions that he visited once, and Numinex had been in captivity for so long at that point that he no longer remembered his own name.
* TokenHeroicOrc: Paarthurnax and several other Dragons are mentioned as having fought on humanity's side during the Dragon War.
* VerbalWeakness: Thanks to the RealityWarper power of the Thu'um, Dragons absolutely cannot hear the ''Dragonrend'' shout - as it momentarily makes them everything they are not.

[[folder:Paarthurnax]]
[[quoteright:244:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/paarthurnax_6393.JPG]]
[[caption-width-right:244:''"What is better? To be born good, or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?"'']]
->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/CharlesMartinet (English), Ivan Zharkov (Russian)

An ancient dragon who turned against Alduin and aids the Dovahkiin.

* TheAloner: He dwells alone at the peak of the Throat of the World and not even his fellow Greybeards visit regularly. When he first meets the Dragonborn he admits to rambling on a bit from the sheer joy of having someone else to talk to.
* ApologisesALot: Peppers his dialogue with the word "Krosis", which means "sorrow" in dragon tongue and is the language's equivalent of "sorry."
* ArmorPiercingQuestion: His question on morality. When confronted by a Dovahkiin who is undecided about killing him, Paarthurnax does nothing to argue for his own life and in fact says that killing him is probably the most pragmatic option... but then he just asks the quote to the right.
* AscendedDemon: He is a dragon, naturally, and as he himself states, has the desire to dominate and destroy. He even states:
-->'''Paarthurnax:''' "Dov wahlaan fah rel (Dragons were created for domination). We were made to dominate. The will to power is in our blood. [[NotSoDifferentRemark You feel it in yourself, do you not?]] I can be trusted. I know this. But they do not. Onikaan ni ov dovah (Wisdom is not trusting a dragon). It is always wise to mistrust a dovah. I have overcome my nature only through meditation and long study of the Way of the Voice. No day goes by where I am not tempted to return to my inborn nature. Zin krif horvut se suleyk (Honor is fighting the lure of power). What is better - to be born good, or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?"
* TheAtoner: [[spoiler:He admits that dragons seek power, and that his punishment for his past evil deeds is to spend every waking moment fighting the power-hungry nature boiling inside of him. He's been doing that for several thousand years already by the time you meet him.]]
* AwesomeMomentOfCrowning: The epilogue after [[spoiler:defeating Alduin in Sovngarde]], set on the Throat of the World, is essentially the dragon equivalent of [[spoiler:acknowledging that ''he'' is now the effective ruler of the dragons. He's also leading the rest of the dragons in an obituary for Alduin.]]
* BadassBaritone: Which may surprise people who realize that his actor is best known as the voice of ''[[Franchise/SuperMarioBros Mario]]''.
* BigBrotherWorship: As a child of Akatosh, he's technically an elder brother to the Dragonborn, who may see him this way if the player is so inclined.
* BigGood: In the main questline.
* CainAndAbel: The Abel to Alduin's Cain.
* CoolOldGuy: As he was Alduin's right-hand dragon, this means he's several thousand years old. Unlike the other dragons, he was never killed and resurrected, and it ''shows''; his wings are tattered and his horns are broken. He's also the only dragon in the game who is personable and helpful towards the player.
* DeadpanSnarker: Downplayed, but he has a dry sort of wit.
-->"They [the Greybeards] see me as master. Wuth. Onik. Old and wise. [[SelfDeprecation It's true I am old]]."\\\
"You would not come all this way for tinvaak [conversation] with an old dovah."\\\
'''Dragonborn:''' I didn't come here to debate philosophy with you.\\
'''Paarthurnax:''' ''(laughs)'' You have much to learn of the dov, then.
* DefectorFromDecadence: Turned against Alduin a while ago.
* DelightfulDragon: After making a HeelFaceTurn by turning against Alduin and learning the Way of the Voice, Paarthurnax is as friendly and peaceful as a dragon can get while helping the Dragonborn and their goal to stop Alduin.
* TheDragon: [[{{Pun}} Pun not intended]]; he was [[DefectorFromDecadence formerly]] this for Alduin.
* EvenEvilHasStandards: It's suggested that the reason he turned against Alduin is that his big brother had abandoned his duty as the harbinger of the apocalypse and had just become [[EvilIsPetty petty and cruel]]. Paarthurnax wasn't a fan, so he abandoned his draconic ways to discover the Way of the Voice. Nordic legend has it that he had misgivings about Alduin and when [[NatureSpirit Kyne/Kynareth]] visited him, he turned against Alduin. Then, with Kyne, he helped teach them the Thu'um. After that, he turned to the Way of the Voice and it helped calm him and keep him on the side of good.
* FaceDeathWithDignity: If confronted with the fact that you've been ordered to kill him, he outright admits that [[spoiler:the Blades]] are right not to trust him, and that killing him would be the "safer" path for everyone because the urge to dominate is in his blood, as is with all dragons. He's only become "good" because he took time, every day for thousands of years, for meditating and suppressing his nature. It doesn't fade, either: he's gotten better at keeping it in check, but it hasn't ''weakened''.
* TheFettered: He constantly needs to keep himself in check and not succumb to his desire to dominate and destory. This requires a strict regimen of discipline that he has imposed upon himself. One example, he tells the Dragonborn that he enjoys making conversation with others but lives in seculsion anyway because denying himself small pleasures helps him resist the urge to indulge in greater ones as well.
* HeelFaceTurn: [[spoiler:Used to be Alduin's Dragon, but defected before Alduin's first defeat.]]
* TheMentor: Trains the Greybeards and the Last Dragonborn in the Way of the Voice, allowing specific shouts to become much more powerful. Also offers guidance at any opportunity along the main quest.
* MrExposition: He explains a lot of the story when you meet him. He later apologizes for this, as it's been quite a while he's been able to talk to another dovah.
* MySpeciesDothProtestTooMuch: [[spoiler:Domination and ego are in a dragon's inherent nature. Apparently, you can't even ''be'' a dragon without those traits in your blood (the Dragonborn counts, too). But he's tried to find another way, and says he will try to teach other dragons to do it, too. Odahviing confides in the player that, while he wishes Paarthurnax luck, he doesn't think it'll work out because the Way of the Voice runs so contrary to the usual Dragon beliefs.]]
* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: His name means "Ambition Overlord Cruelty."
* NiceGuy: As much as a dragon can be, at least.
* NotSoDifferentRemark: Points this out to the Dovahkiin; being born with the soul of a dragon, the Dovahkiin has the same innate urge to [[VideogameCrueltyPotential kill, destroy, and conquer]] as any other dragon.
* OddFriendship: With the Dragonborn, potentially.
* PoirotSpeak: In the ancient tongue of the dragons, no less! He does this because he craves conversation; between Numinex's death and Alduin's return, he hasn't had a chance to speak to another dragon. He does realize that this means he has to explain every other word he speaks, but asks you to let him indulge himself for a bit, and is grateful that you do.
* ProperlyParanoid: He believed that [[spoiler:Alduin wasn't defeated in the past, knowing that the Elder Scroll would send him 'adrift' in time, but that it would not be permanent. As such, he waited ''where'' he knew Alduin would emerge, but aware he had no clue ''when''. It took ''thousands of years'']].
* ReasonableAuthorityFigure: For the Greybeards, and he also [[spoiler:promises to be this for the rest of the dragons after Alduin dies.]]
* ReformedButRejected: He's been hiding on the Throat Of the World for thousands of years because [[spoiler:he's a dragon, and he did horrible things during the reign of the dragons over man - things that humans will possibly never forgive. Driven home by the Blades, who demand that you kill Paarthunax for what he did millennia ago, even though he's also the reason mankind is still breathing.]]
* TheSlowPath: [[spoiler:He believed Alduin would return from his banishment beyond time eventually and so camped out on the Throat of the World for millennia to wait.]]
* StrawmanHasAPoint: Invoked; when [[spoiler:the Blades]] ask the player to kill him in spite of the fact he's reformed and has helped the player, Paarthurnax says [[spoiler:the Blades]] are absolutely right not to trust him, as he has certainly done a lot of evil things, and even if he is reformed the urge to dominate and destroy is in the blood of a dragon, and he fights the pull to give into those urges every day. He pretty much says that if he were in their situation, he wouldn't trust himself either.
* TokenHeroicOrc: He's the only good dragon seen in the game. Odahving refers to the Way of the Voice, Paarthurnax's personal ethos, as "tyrannical" implying that he has channeled his inherent desire to dominate into controlling ''himself''.
* TrueCompanions: Paarthurnax names the old Nord heroes to whom he taught the Thu'um as his "friends." Considering the timeless nature of the dovah and their desire for conquest and domination, merely naming a mortal a "friend" tells you how much they meant to him, and vice versa.
* VerbalTic: Paarthurnax frequently slips into Dovahzul, the dragon language, while talking to mortals. He usually catches himself while doing so and [[YouAreTheTranslatedForeignWord offers a quick translation of what he meant to say]]. Words that he knows you understand, like "dovah," remain untranslated, and sometimes he'll spout an entire phrase in his tongue (while apparently talking to himself) that he doesn't bother translating.
* VisualPun: Despite being a dragon, he still could qualify for the technicalities of the order's namesake; the spikes along his chin are overgrown from age and mottled grey in color, resembling a beard.

[[folder:Odahviing]]
[[quoteright:208:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/odahviing_3837.JPG]]
[[caption-width-right:208:''"As for myself, you've proven your mastery twice over. Thuri, Dovahkiin. I gladly acknowledge the power of your Thu'um."'']]
-> '''Voiced by:''' Charles Dennis (English), Ilya Isaev (Russian)

Alduin's right-hand dragon. [[spoiler:He ultimately changes sides and helps the Dovahkiin.]]

* AfraidOfNeedles: Isn't afraid of taking on the Dragonborn, who fireballs him, shoots arrows into him, repeatedly stabs him, and ''blasts him in the face with a draconic BrownNote'', but he freaks out and spews fire in a panic when Farengar attempts to retrieve some samples of scale and skin tissue.
* AwesomeMcCoolname: His name means "Snow Hunter Wing" or "Winged Snow Hunter."
* BigNo: [[spoiler:Once the Dragonsreach trap's yoke slams down on him and entraps him by the neck, he expresses his despair by exclaiming "Nid!" which is Draconic for "No!"]]
* TheDragon:
** To Alduin. [[spoiler:For a while.]]
** [[spoiler:Becomes a literal one to you after the end of the main quest.]]
* GracefulLoser: [[spoiler:Once he's yoked into the Dragonsreach trap, he admits it was his own fault for getting into his current predicament, and salutes the Dragonborn for their "low cunning".]]
* HotBlooded: Even for a dragon. It's why Paarthurnax recommends challenging him in particular when made privvy to the plan to trap a dragon to interrogate because of his eagerness for a challenge.
* IFightForTheStrongestSide: [[spoiler:After you Shout Alduin about the head and wings the first time atop High Hrothgar, Odahviing and other dragons engender doubts about the supremacy of Alduin amongst themselves. Odahviing only helps the player because he wants to know who is more worthy as leader.]]
* IGaveMyWord: Played with. He acts offended when you question if he can be trusted, saying he has done nothing to earn your distrust. The player can point out [[spoiler:he just tried to trick you into letting him go without telling you everything about Skuldafn, such as how it can only be reached by flying.]]
* IKnowYourTrueName: How he's summoned. It's not so much that he's compelled to, but calling a dragon's true name is tantamount to a challenge, and he's not about to back down when [[spoiler:you just fought off Alduin himself]]. Later, [[spoiler:he comes as a matter of respect.]]
* PlayingWithFire: Fire Breath is his go-to Shout for combat (or for dealing with mages trying to get skin samples off him).
* PoirotSpeak: Like Paarthurnax. It seems that Paarthurnax has a better command of the mortals' tongue, because Odie's speech sounds kinda stilted. Of course, Paarthurnax has been interacting with the various Greybeards over the millennia, while Odahviing has been a pile of bones entombed in a dragon burial mound and probably didn't interact with mortals much beyond domination before the Dragon War.
* RedIsHeroic: [[spoiler:The one red dragon in the vanilla game is the one to pull a HeelFaceTurn.]]
* ReformedButNotTamed: [[spoiler:He pledges allegiance to the Dragonborn at the end of the main questline, but is otherwise still as proud and combative as any other dragon.]]
* SummonBiggerFish: [[spoiler:Once you gain his allegiance, you can summon him to fight alongside you by Shouting his name.]]

[[folder:Mirmulnir]]
[[quoteright:218:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/mirmulnir_3900.JPG]]

The first dragon the Dovahkiin officially takes on in the main storyline. You fight him during the quest "Dragon Rising" at the Western Watchtower near Whiterun.

* AwesomeMcCoolname: His name means "Allegiance Strong Hunt."
* {{Irony}}: Being a survivor of both the Dragon War and the Akaviri dragonslaying, you'd think he'd have a beaten down appearance like Paarthurnax instead of looking like he was resurrected yesterday.
* TheRemnant: According to the ''Atlas of Dragons'' book, he is one of a very small number of dragons under Alduin's command that survived both the Dragon War and the Akaviri Dragonguard reavings.
* ShootTheShaggyDog: As noted above, he survived the Dragon War and being hunted by both the Akaviri Dragonslayers and the Blades for several millennia... only to be killed by an unwitting Dragonborn and a handful of Whiterun guards.
* WarmupBoss: The first dragon you fight, the weakest dragon you fight, and you get a compliment of guards to help take him down.
* WorthyOpponent: Calls out that you and the Whiterun guards are such and make for good sport.

[[folder:Sahloknir]]
[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sahloknir_2699.JPG]]
[[caption-width-right:200:''"I am Sahloknir! Hear my Voice and despair!"'']]

Another named dragon, encountered at the end of "A Blade In The Dark."

* ArrogantKungFuGuy: Arrogantly declares that the Dragonborn's Voice is no match for his own.
* AwesomeMcCoolname: His name translates into "Phantom Sky Hunt."
* BloodKnight: Even by dragon standards. When too injured to fly (which can mean dropping to the ground sprawled out or ''skidding along the ground for God knows how far'',) his response is to get back up and give a BadassBoast.
-->So it's to be a ''real'' fight then? ''Good!''
* RiseFromYourGrave: He is the first visible indication that this is what is happening to the rest of the dragons.
* ShootTheShaggyDog: [[spoiler:Moments after being resurrected by Alduin, he's killed again permanently by the Dragonborn.]]
* UndyingLoyalty: To Alduin.
* WakeUpCallBoss: If you put off the "Blade In The Dark" quest for long enough, he'll spawn as an Ancient Dragon, with absurdly high stats. Note that he'll spawn as the strongest possible dragon that is allowed by the game to spawn at the current player character's level; as such, he will spawn as a Blood Dragon at level 14, or an Ancient Dragon at level 36.
* WorthyOpponent: Considers the Dragonborn one.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Sahrotaar]]
[[quoteright:324:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/sahrotaar_8289.jpg]]

A Serpentine Dragon bound to Miraak's will, he serves as Miraak's personal mount and literal TheDragon.
----
* AwesomeMcCoolname: "Phantom Word Servant" (or "Mighty Servant", depending on whether you read it as two words or three) is the translation.
* BrainwashedAndCrazy: He serves Miraak purely on account of being affected by his Bend Will shout. [[spoiler:He does a HeelFaceTurn when you blast him with the same shout.]]
* TheDragon: Miraak's literal one, serving as the last major obstacle before the final battle with him.
* DragonRider: He serves as Miraak's personal mount. [[spoiler:He also takes you to Miraak's location after his HeelFaceTurn.]]
* HeelFaceBrainwashing: You override his being BrainwashedAndCrazy by Miraak by... making him BrainwashedAndCrazy to you.
* HeelFaceDoorSlam: He gets killed during the final battle with Miraak.
* NonStandardCharacterDesign: Sahrohtaar, along with other Serpentine Dragons, has a very different cranial structure than other dragons, somewhat reminiscent of a [[Film/TheLordOfTheRings Fell Beast]]. [[GameplayAndStorySegregation They leave behind the same skeleton design, however]].
* YouHaveOutlivedYourUsefulness: Miraak [[DevourTheDragon consumes his soul]] during the {{Final|Boss}} BossBattle to restore his health.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Durnehviir]]
See Characters/SkyrimDLC
[[/folder]]

[[folder:Named Dragons]]

The other named dragons that aren't major players in the storyline.
----
* AwesomeMcCoolname:
** Nahagliiv: "Fury Burn Wither"
** Vuljotnaak: "Dark Maw Eat"
** Vulthuryol: "Dark Overlord Fire"
** Viinturuth: "Shine Hammer Rage"
** Krosulhah: "Sorcerer Day Mind"
** Kruziikrel: "Ancient Dominate"
** Relonkiv: "Dominate Wise"
* GiantSpaceFleaFromNowhere: There is exactly zero explanation for [[spoiler:Vulthuryol's presence in Blackreach]], which is probably the last place you'd expect to find a dragon.
* GuideDangIt: Good luck finding Vulthuryol without a guide; he's summoned by [[spoiler:using Unrelenting Force on the sun orb in Blackreach]].
* MiniBoss: Just another dragon, technically, for all of them.
[[/folder]]

[[folder:The Dragon Priests]]
[[quoteright:250:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/dragonpriest_4632.JPG]]

During the Dragons' reign over Mundus in the Merethic Era, they had mortal followers known as the Dragon Cult, led by powerful mages known as Dragon Priests. Although the Cult itself is long dead, Alduin's return has caused several of these Dragon Priests to rise from their graves and terrorize Skyrim. The eight most powerful Priests each possess a mask imbued with powerful magics.

For Miraak, the Dragon Priest who serves as the antagonist for ''Dragonborn'', see [[Characters/SkyrimDLC the DLC character page]].
----

* NotSoDifferentRemark: Paarthurnax notes that the Dragonborn has the same innate urge to kill, destroy and conquer as all dragons do.

* NotSoDifferent:
** Paarthurnax notes that the Dragonborn has the same innate urge to kill, destroy and conquer as all dragons do.
** With Alduin. How does Alduin grow stronger? By devouring the souls of dead mortals. How does the Dragonborn's Thu'um become stronger? By consuming the souls of dead dragons.
** With [[EvilCounterpart Miraak]]. A Dragonborn who has amassed an army of loyal followers, become one of the most powerful individuals in the land, slain multiple Dragons and proven they are not afraid to stand up to Daedric Princes? Sound at all familiar?
** How does one summon a dragon? By calling forth their name via the Thu'um. How did the Greybeards summon the Dragonborn to High Hrothgar to begin their training? By doing the exact same thing!

* AlwaysChaoticEvil: Within each Dragon is the innate desire to dominate and destroy, although their baser instincts can be overcome with a ''lot'' of HeroicWillpower. Paarthurnax muses that their kinship means that [[NotSoDifferent those same desires]] also run in the Dragonborn.

-->'''Paarthurnax:''' "Dov wahlaan fah rel (Dragons were created for domination). We were made to dominate. The will to power is in our blood. [[NotSoDifferent You feel it in yourself, do you not?]] I can be trusted. I know this. But they do not. Onikaan ni ov dovah (Wisdom is not trusting a dragon). It is always wise to mistrust a dovah. I have overcome my nature only through meditation and long study of the Way of the Voice. No day goes by where I am not tempted to return to my inborn nature. Zin krif horvut se suleyk (Honor is fighting the lure of power). What is better - to be born good, or to overcome your evil nature through great effort?"

* NotSoDifferent: Points this out to the Dovahkiin; being born with the soul of a dragon, the Dovahkiin has the same innate urge to [[VideogameCrueltyPotential kill, destroy, and conquer]] as any other dragon.

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/LyndaCarter (English), Olga Pletnev (Russian)

->'''Voiced by:''' Joan Allen (English), Lyudmila Shuvalov (Russian)

* AdventurerArchaeologist: Somewhat justified, as many Word Walls are located deep within trap-filled and Draugr-infested tombs built by the Ancient Nords. Some quests involve exploring Dwemer ruins for ancient, forgotten knowledge.

** Literally invoked by the first dragon you face, Mirmulnir, when he realises far too late just ''what you are.''
-->'''Mirmulnir''': [[OhCrap Dovahkiin?!]] [[BigNo No!]]

[[caption-width-right:218:''"Dovahkiin? No!"'']]

* BigNo: Right as you finish him off.

* OhCrap: What prompts his BigNo as you kill him, realising too late that he's facing a Dragonborn.

* BarredFromTheAfterlife: One theory is that Morokei never died, since he was around well before Alduin started bringing back the Dragon Priests, even wandering into Morrowind to capture the Staff of Magnus.

** Technically could be considered one even outside of the dragons' perspective. After progressing far enough in the game, the Dragonborn essentially has ''a multitude of dragon souls inside their body'', which are used to fuel their RealityWarping ability. And a [[spoiler:Vampire Lord]] Dragonborn adds to this the bonus of [[spoiler:being an immortal undead with a OneWingedAngel form]].

* GrowlingGut: During Namira's Daedric quest, Eola claims to hear Dragonborn's stomach growling in response to all the corpses kept in Markarth's Hall of the Dead. Depending on if you want to play as a cannibal or not, this is either a fellow cannibal being privy to your secret desires, or a disgusting psychopath messing with your head.

* NamesToRunAwayFromReallyFast: Dragonborn, of course. But Stormblade/Legate, Harbinger of the Companions, Archmage of the College of Winterhold, Guildmaster of the Thieves' Guild, and Listener of the Dark Brotherhood can also count.

* FightMagnet: Bandits, wild animals, vampires, dragons... Whenever the Dragonborn tries to get from point A to point B, someone or something
will want a piece of them. There's a reason why Nords became a {{Proud Warrior Race|Guy}}.

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/CharlesMartinet

-> '''Voiced by:''' Charles Dennis

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/LyndaCarter

->'''Voiced by:''' Paul Ganus

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/PaulEiding

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/ChristopherPlummer

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/MaxVonSydow

->'''Voiced by:''' Joan Allen

* MamaBear[=/=]PapaWolf: If the Dragonborn adopts children in the ''Hearthfire'' DLC and lives in one of the custom-built houses, one of their duties is to protect them from invaders and other dangerous enemies.

* NiceGuy[=/=]NiceGirl: