Summary
- Skyrim dragons offer a fascinating aspect of lore, with missing details leaving room for development.
- Not much known about dragons' heights in series, but they could suggest deeper lore implications.
- Unique elemental abilities and allegiances make each dragon a formidable force in the Elder Scrolls universe.
Ever since dragons were seen in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim, they have become a fan-favorite component of The Elder Scrolls franchise. And while it took some time for Skyrim to actually offer dragon riding and for the concept to arrive in The Elder Scrolls Online set in the distant past, the series’ lore on dragons is quite lacking that there’s a lot of room to develop their role in the overall mythos. In fact, such are the missing details about dragons in the game that not a lot is known about their overall way of life and true physical characteristics - a fitting mystery, considering their legendary nature.
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However, fans who want to really immerse themselves in the lore might be intrigued as to just which among the series’ slate of dragons are truly the “largest” - much like how a kaju like Godzilla can impose their superiority through sheer display of height. While Skyrim and The Elder Scrolls Online’s dragons generally follow the same in-game skeleton, tidbits about the lore may imply something deeper going on with their overall heights.
9 Durnehviir
The Only Undead Dragon In Skyrim
Skyrim
- Released
- November 11, 2011
WHERE TO PLAY
-
PERCEIVED SIZE
-
N/A (same as Skyrim’s other dragons, lore-wise could be larger due to mastery over Necromancy)
The idea of a skeletal dragon is an image to reckon with, regardless of where it is found - and Durnehviir serves this exact purpose as the only undead dragon in Skyrim. When the Last Dragonborn and Serana went to the Soul Cairn inside Oblivion to look for Valerica, they’re surprised to discover this undead dragon guarding her. As it turns out, Durnehviir’s quest for domination led him to the study of Necromancy, during which he made a deal with the Ideal Masters to gain their favorite. After unknowingly accepting the deal to guard Valerica “through her life,” Durnehviir didn’t realize Valerica was a vampire and was therefore immortal, meaning he was tricked into eternal servitude.
While Durnehviir is defeated by the Dragonborn, his soul cannot be devoured, and he cannot materialize due to his unholy pact. Instead, he offers to be summoned by players when they need an ally, allowing him to enjoy even a few minutes of freedom before being called again. While it’s unknown what specific type and size of dragon Durnehviir is, the nature of Necromancy in Tamriel as the art of manipulating souls and corpses. However, Durnehviir being granted Necromancy by those from Oblivion itself could mean they gave him the ability to manipulate his body’s structure, which could infer the capability to increase his size.
8 Sahrotaar
Miraak’s Faithful Mount And Servant
-
PERCEIVED SIZE
-
N/A (same as Skyrim’s other dragons, lore-wise could be larger than most dragons except for Revered, Legendary variants)
When players finally have to confront Miraak during “At the Summit of Apocrypha” in Skyrim, they will be surprised to see that he also has his faithful mount Sahrotaar with him. Possessing both frost and fire breaths, Sahrotaar is a force to reckon with, especially when faced alongside his master.
Not much is known about Sahrotaar’s history, except for the fact that at he swore allegiance to Miraak at some point and even considered him the “true” Dragonborn. While not much is known about his size, Sahrotaar as a Serpentine Dragon means he is only a step away from the most powerful types of his kind. If size scales by power in The Elder Scrolls, then perhaps Sahrotaar should appear much larger than most dragons when faced in his “true” sizing.
7 Laatvulon
The Final Darkness And The Demon Of The East
Elder Scrolls Online
- Released
- April 4, 2014
WHERE TO PLAY
- Developer(s)
- ZeniMax Online Studios
- Genre(s)
- MMORPG
- Platform(s)
- PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Stadia, PC, macOS
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PERCEIVED SIZE
-
ESO Model Viewer: X 45.90 m * Y 9.45 m * Z 31.80 m (presumably can become much larger due to Dark Aeon powers)
Similar to his rival Nahfahlaar, Laatvulon doesn’t have a lot to share about his origins except for his historic rivalry with the former. After being imprisoned with the help of Nahfahlaar’s help, Laatvulon escaped around the same time his master Kaalgrontiid was released from captivity. The two became allies once more, with Laatvulon creating the New Moon Cult to help Kaalgrontiid succeed in the plan of “replacing” Akatosh.
While Nahfahlaar once again aids yet a new ally in defeating Laatvulon, the dragon’s essence is now located in Apocrypha’s Infinite Archives. Here, Laatvulon is made en masse as maligraphies serving the Daedric Lord Tho’at Replicanum. Not much is truly known about Laatvulon’s canonical size, except he’s a bit smaller than Nahfahlaar as indicated in the Elder Scrolls Online Model Viewer.
6 Nahfahlaar
Laatvulon’s Ancient Rival
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PERCEIVED SIZE
-
ESO Model Viewer: X 46.00 m * Y 10.30 m * Z 33.60 m (presumably can become much larger due to Dark Aeon powers)
When fans of the Elder Scrolls franchise realize that Nahfahlaar was actually Nafaalilargus, they’ll recognize the red dragon as one of the antagonists in The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard, where he met his end at the hands of protagonist Cyrus the Restless. However, in the Alliance War, Nahfahlaar became instrumental in the defeat of Kaalgrontiid, who aspired to tap into the power of the Moons to be “as powerful” as Akatosh himself.
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Not much is truly known about Nahfahlaar’s true origins, except for the fact that he’s made quite an ancient enemy in the form of Laatvulon. Nahfahlaar understood his thirst for domination as something innate among dragons, but he often allied with mortals in order to survive. While his physical essence died at the hands of Cyrus, it’s possible for Nahfahlaar to be risen. In the model files of The Elder Scrolls Online, he shares a size profile with Kaalgrontiid.
5 Odahviing
Alduin’s Former Ally Turned Dragonborn Mount
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PERCEIVED SIZE
-
N/A (same as Skyrim’s other dragons, lore-wise could be larger as stats when summoned depended on player level)
When Skyrim teased how players can not only call upon a dragon to help them in combat but actually ride them in the Dragonborn expansion, the game is pertaining to Odahviing - a dragon slain in the Merethic Era but revived by Alduin in his quest to enact the end times. By the time players, as the Last Dragonborn, traps and defeats Odahviing, the dragon bargains for his freedom for the price of aiding the player in combat whenever it is called. This transforms Odahviing into an on-call dragon that players can “summon” through the “Od-Ah-Viing!” Shout.
By the time Odahviing becomes an ally, he is technically immortal and only leaves when all enemies are dead - making him quite a powerful asset. Odahviing’s stats will differ based on how powerful players are when they start “The Fallen.” And while Odahviing, like other Skyrim dragons, technically follow a similar “skeleton,” Odahviing is the only dragon in Skyrim that can appear across different levels - either as a Blood Dragon at his lowest and an Ancient Dragon at his strongest. Assuming a dragon’s strength means they can grow as well, then Odahviing is perhaps among the largest and most powerful dragons around.
4 Kaalgrontiid
The Dark Aeon Aspirant To Be Equal To Akatosh
-
PERCEIVED SIZE
-
ESO Model Viewer: X 46.00 m * Y 10.30 m * Z 33.60 m (presumably can become much larger due to Dark Aeon powers)
Believed to have originated from Alduin’s rage in ancient times, Kaalgrontiid may have split to form his own rage in order to satiate his primal ambition for domination. Back then, Kaalgrontiid aspired to consume the Moons of Tamriel in order to become the Dark Aeon and have power “rivaling” that of Akatosh, the Dragon God of Time. While the Khajiit hero Khunzar-ri managed to lure Kaalgrontiid and his dragons into “putting” some of their power into the Jode’s Core and being sealed, events of Elder Scrolls Online had inadvertently led to the dragon’s escape.
Moreover, Kaalgrontiid managed to find the Jode’s Core and absorb the powers of his rage’s members and some lunar power, turning him into an even more powerful threat. While eventually slain, Kaalgrontiid is implied to have been quite a large foe due to his nature as an Elder Dragon. Although Elder Scrolls Online dragons share a larger “common” skeleton, the fact that Kaalgrontiid managed to absorb powers of other dragons and have split from Alduin’s rage means he may have grown in size to match his new powerset.
3 Paarthurnax
Alduin’s Former Lieutenant And Younger Brother
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PERCEIVED SIZE
-
N/A (same as Skyrim’s other dragons, scale could increase due to nature)
Another dragon that players eventually meet in their Skyrim playthrough would be Paarthurnax, whose name in the Dragon Language means “Ambition Overlord Cruelty.” Originally the brother of Alduin, Paarthurnax also became Alduin’s lieutenant throughout the tumultuous Dragon War. Being a skilled sorcerer, Paarthurnax taught other dragons how to use the Thu’um but eventually rebelled against his brother when Alduin proclaimed his own godhood.
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Since Alduin’s defeat, Paarthurnax has meditated in the Throat of the World, where he hid in seclusion for centuries. Not many get the privilege to visit Paarthurnax, and he only reappeared when the prophesied Last Dragonborn had been spotted in Skyrim to teach him the Thu’um and defeat Alduin. Given how Skyrim dragons generally follow a similar skeleton, Paarthurnax is similar to Alduin in size. However, given his mythical nature, it’s implied Paarthurnax might have the ability to become much larger in nature.
2 Alduin
The World-Eater First-Born Of Akatosh
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PERCEIVED SIZE
-
Beyond Planetary (but in-game same as Skyrim’s other dragons)
When players encounter Alduin for the first time in Skyrim, they might be surprised to learn they will actually eventually have to fight this behemoth of a threat - a supposed World-Eater who appears at the end of time. While The Elder Scrolls Online has much larger dragons compared to Skyrim’s that had to use a different engine, Alduin in the lore is a much bigger threat: he born out of Akatosh, the Time Dragon, himself.
Given Alduin’s mythical nature, different races in Tamriel have different accounts of his true nature - with others even sharing different interpretations of his “World-Eating” apocalyptic duty. However, loremaster Michael Kirkbride implies this is quite the literal case. According to his notes in 2011 (as archived by The Imperial Library site), Alduin will end all life not in a metaphorical sense - like leaving Tamriel as a barren wasteland. Rather, in his own terms, “...it’s going to be the whole of Nirn inside his mighty gullet.” This implies Alduin has shape-shifting capabilities, with at least the capability of becoming as large as an actual planet.
1 Akatosh
The Dragon of Time Who Was The First Aedra To Arrive In Nirn
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PERCEIVED SIZE
-
Godlike, Beyond Planetary
While Akatosh comes in different names throughout the Elder Scrolls franchise, he’s most popularly known as the “leader” of the Nine Divines and is considered the great Dragon of Time. The living embodiment of service, duty, invincibility, and endurance, Akatosh is mythically known to be the first of the gods to be created in the Beginning Place. Across different religions, Akatosh is associated with aspects of unitheism (The One), a god of time (Alkosh of the Khajiit and Auri-El of the Mer), destruction (Alduin, among others), and more obscure aspects.
Akatosh in the lore is best known for creating the Covenant of the new Cyrodiil Empire with Saint Alessia, represented through the Amulet of Kings. Although Akatosh has remained largely behind the scenes, the Oblivion Crisis had Martin Septim use the Amulet to become the avatar of Akatosh, transforming into a fiery gold dragon as large as houses in the game to fight an avatar of Mehrunes Dagon. While no official size charts exist for Akatosh, it’s implied that he is potentially much larger than Nirn itself due to his deitic nature.
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