To Dovakhin or not to dragonborn?

Hey guys,

Welcome to the puzzler that has been bugging me as i write my first Skyrim Fanfic.

How many of you folks write your character as Dragonborn, i recently started puzzling over this when considering a fight sequence i was writing. I eventually stumped to not write my assassain as dragonborn, he's hardcore enough has he is.

After reading Imaginepaegents wonderful description of the first ever Dragonborn shout i was wondering how many of us write our characters as Dragonborn?

I mean i eventually will write my Dragonborn type character in the story arc i'm developing. By the way thats a hint, A Listener in the Dark is the first of a multi character story arc.

Okay so discuss...

Never. I have and never will write fiction with the character as the Dragonborn. I may end up featuring the Dovahkiin in a story but they will never be the focus. Why? Well for one thing I dislike the whole Dovahkiin/MQ in Skyrim. Another is because most people know all about it. I rather spend my time introducing new things and characters into my fanfic. Hence my latest idea that takes place 50 - 75 years after the Alduin events.

Really, it depends on how you want your story to work. My character is Dragonborn, but I also have things like the Thieves Guild questline being completed "behind the scenes" by other characters.

Uther Pundragon said:

Never. I have and never will write fiction with the character as the Dragonborn. I may end up featuring the Dovahkiin in a story but they will never be the focus. Why? Well for one thing I dislike the whole Dovahkiin/MQ in Skyrim. Another is because most people know all about it. I rather spend my time introducing new things and characters into my fanfic. Hence my latest idea that takes place 50 - 75 years after the Alduin events.

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I have to say that, though i'm liking the idea of how to apply the Dragonborn to the story i'm developing when i get there. I've also considered that over use of the dragonborn can cause a character to be too powerful. As i discovered in game, sometimes it is more fun to leave the dragonborn component out of the game quest wise and to just play some of the quests as a normal adventurer. In doing so i decided to write my first character like that.

I have to agree with the idea of introducing new things to the mythos, which is why mine is 10 years into the future, i'm planning some major dicking about with the plot. Not that i haven't already started the warping already. Though there will be a Dragonborn they will quickly find that being so only gives them a modicum of advantage in some situations. Plus it allows me to write a Dragonborn settled into their role in Skyrim, with the glories of the past fading, giving my various characters as such one last hurrah before they dwindle to twilight and make way for the new bloods.

bulbaquil said:

Really, it depends on how you want your story to work. My character is Dragonborn, but I also have things like the Thieves Guild questline being completed "behind the scenes" by other characters.

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I'm going to try and develop a wrap around storyline at different sections focusing on some of the guilds then devolving to the overal story. I do have to say any Dragonborn based stories on the Fanfic i have found to be compelling i just was wondering what other peoples motivations behind their characters were.

Thanks for responding guys.

I've found quite a few stories I am fond of that feature the Dovahkiin as either the main character or in a supporting/extra role. I just feel that TES and Skyrim has some much more room and unseen or unheard events that can be used for writing/story material. One reason why any fanfic I write usually has nothing to do with known characters or quests or guilds. There is so much that can be tapped into that most people would never get a chance to read or see or hear about.

Uther Pundragon said:

I've found quite a few stories I am fond of that feature the Dovahkiin as either the main character or in a supporting/extra role. I just feel that TES and Skyrim has some much more room and unseen or unheard events that can be used for writing/story material. One reason why any fanfic I write usually has nothing to do with known characters or quests or guilds. There is so much that can be tapped into that most people would never get a chance to read or see or hear about.

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True i have to say my stuff will be mainly used to explore the little things i find curious in the Skyrim mythos. The things that were eluded to but never explained so i want to take the existing known guilds or character types and use them to push into the unknown.

I'm very curious to see what remains of Skyrim in your what is sounding like an epic.

Haha. Some people may like what I have/am planning but some people may not. It will be a very different tale, for sure. And I am looking forward to more written work from you.

My opinion from a literary point of view would be to use "Dovahkiin" in dialogue only and "dragonborn" for the narrative.

Wabbajack said:

My opinion from a literary point of view would be to use "Dovahkiin" in dialogue only and "dragonborn" for the narrative.

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Though i was referring to the use of the character itself in the story, i think i agree with you. Except i would apply the usage of Dovakhiin in dialogue strictly to the upper echelons of society. As they would prefer to use the more fancy original word, oppossed to the general language, whereas the guard on the street would more likely use Dragonborn. However you raise a fair point.

Start Dale said:

Though i was referring to the use of the character itself in the story, i think i agree with you. Except i would apply the usage of Dovakhiin in dialogue strictly to the upper echelons of society. As they would prefer to use the more fancy original word, oppossed to the general language, whereas the guard on the street would more likely use Dragonborn. However you raise a fair point.

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True true. I never even considered that. Live and learn.

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Only a select few people would probably say Dovahkiin I think. But that is besides the point.

Uther Pundragon said:

Only a select few people would probably say Dovahkiin I think. But that is besides the point.

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Like Parthurnaax, doing his fancy bilingual show off bit!! I eventually killed him for being a snob professor.

Wabbajack said:

True true. I never even considered that. Live and learn.

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True that till you mentioned it i never even considered it, till you raised the idea. Now its all i can think of, for example some of my characters aren't real higher ups but may have some pretension to higher rank or like using the fancy term; like people who switch to the latin description in gardening shows to look smarter than they are.

There is some potential for fun, then there are the true higher borns that are as common as muck at times. Cheers Wabbajack.

To Dovahkiin or not to Dovahkiin? That is the question. I have no problem with how people portray the subject in the game or in fiction. It is up to them. But there is just so much other things that are ripe for the writing. So much that could be written if the Dovahkiin died before or during Alduin fight. I'd like to see more alternative visions, myself.

I, personally, wanted to write the story of the Dragonborn. Why? Because the beauty of Skyrim is that you can make it whatever you want it to be; the character and the story you create within your game will not ever be duplicated by anyone else. That opens up an endless world of possibilities when it comes to writing about the Dragonborn. They can be anyone and they can do anything. And there is so much to explore in the Dragonborn character! Does he embrace his fate, or does he try to escape it? Does he use his gift for good or evil? Which side will he support in the war—or will he strive to bring peace to Skyrim? What other paths will he pursue beyond hunting for the Elder Scroll and killing Alduin? Will he kill Alduin? There are so many ways the Dragonborn's story can go, and the idea of that is very compelling to me as a writer.

Annika was the first character I created any sort of history or personality for while playing Skyrim. Her story began as a simple idea when I took her to Windhelm to join the rebellion, and eventually it grew far past the story of the game itself, and that's when I decided to write it. Could I write the same story without her being the Dragonborn? Probably. But I don't want to. I want to write a character with the gifts the Dragonborn has, yes, but more importantly with the struggles that come along with those gifts. I want to explore all of those possibilities and answer all of those questions!

But, as bulbaquil so succintly put it, it all depends on the story you want to tell. Your story might have nothing at all to do with the dragon crisis, and as such, the protagonist need not be the Dragonborn. You might throw the Dragonborn in as a minor character, or simply reference him in passing, or not include him at all. Your story might take place before Alduin's return, or after his defeat. As many ways as there are to tell the story of the Dragonborn, there are even more stories to tell about other characters within the world of the Elder Scrolls. It all comes down to which story you, as a writer, want to write.

If there's one thing I've noticed in a lot of television shows, books, or video games, it's that there's always that one episode/chapter/level where the third person switches their focus from the main characters to a completely separate group of individuals. Usually, they're coworkers of the main cast, or at least in the same line of work, but what makes them different is that they're one step lower on the chain of command. They exist behind the scenes, living their own lives in the shadows while the heroes bask in the limelight. It provides the audience with a unique perspective on the events, usually the darker, grittier side of things. With weaker, more expendable protagonists, there's always a sense of fear, of powerlessness, and of the unknown. In this darker setting, a simple task turns into an epic, and a common man can turn into a legend. Plus, it's always interesting to see the real heroes from a distance, where their actions have a chance to ferment before they reach the audience.

So yeah, Dragonborn is cool, but every NPC has a story of their own, just waiting to be written.

I feel the same views as Daaaah Whoosh. Making your own NPCs and getting to live a normal life aside from being the Dovahkiin has always appealed to me, regardless of setting. As imagine said, if I could rewrite the Dragonborn's story, I would.

Yeah.

I, agreeing with a post somewhere at the beginning of the thread, will never have the Dovahkiin as the main character of a book. It's just too much. Most characters have something special, say, they're a lost nobleman or some sort of hero. That coupled with being the fabled Dovahkiin of prophecy is a bit overkill, no?

DovahCap said:

Most characters have something special, say, they're a lost nobleman or some sort of hero. That coupled with being the fabled Dovahkiin of prophecy is a bit overkill, no?

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Yes, that would be overkill. But instead of not making your character the Dragonborn, you can not make them a noble, a hero, and so on. If you're going to write about the Dragonborn, there shouldn't be anything else special or spectacular about them, in my opinion. Not only would it be overkill, but it's also an easy way to make your character into a Mary Sue.

(Also, sorry for the bad manners rating; hit it by accident but fixed it right away!)

imaginepageant said:

Yes, that would be overkill. But instead of not making your character the Dragonborn, you can not make them a noble, a hero, and so on. If you're going to write about the Dragonborn, there shouldn't be anything else special or spectacular about them, in my opinion. Not only would it be overkill, but it's also an easy way to make your character into a Mary Sue.

(Also, sorry for the bad manners rating; hit it by accident but fixed it right away!)

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Yeah i like the idea of the damaged warrior with the burdens of past conflicts weighing her down. Almost accepting and pushing into conflict without consideration of the others around her, just to feel the rush of combat again like a junkie.