Yep. It's official.

Todd Howard confirms in Game Informer, that the new "Dragon Shout" system in Skyrim is going to amount to the use of Thu'um. It will be an in-game mechanic, unique to the player and the Greybeards, due to the influence of the gods.

This means a few things. First, it essentially means you're a new Tiber Septim. Of sorts.

Chosen one of destiny, named as the Dragonborn? Check.

Climbing to High Hrothgar to meet the Greybeards? Check.

Using words of various power in the same form the Dragons are supposed to? Check.

Summoning an actual Dragon in game as an ally? Yep, that's happening too!

Although, I must say that the idea that Thu'um originated as the Dragons' own form of magic, with Nords learning and co-opting it for their use, seems a bit more like Bethesda's reputation for going with a unique path on things. The Nords have a healthy respect and general level of fear with regards to Thu'um and dragons alike (their views on Alduin being a perfect example), so this idea seems like it has promise.

As always, though, November should reveal all.

Nord magic for the win!

I may have to change my character to Sigrid if only Nords can make the Thu'um!!!

I think any player race can use the Thu'um in the new game.

As far as genealogy goes, I don't think you have to be a full-born Nord, or even a Nord at all, to use the Voice. The Greybeards are the ones that first mastered it, true, but it's suggested in the lore that Tiber Septim was only Half-Nord and he learned the use of The Voice.

Though Sigrid is one of my favorite characters in Oblivion. For obvious reasons.

Two major reasons? ROFL !!!

Actually, that number would be Four.

You're forgetting your ZZ Top, mALX.

I didn't forget ... just couldn't see them under the blue dress, ROFL !!!

Aren't there 7000 steps leading up to High Hrothgar? And I bet fast travel will deposit you at the base of the mountain! I just got an image of several fetch missions for the greybeards, here's hoping for Mark and Recall!


That's really smart . . . we should all travel with our own flotation devices!

Sigrid can take shortcuts down those huge waterfalls in the game and just float right up to the surface at the bottom! Or if a dragon pushes her over the cliff she can bounce right back up to fight him again. She has super 'DD' powers that will save her ... I think I've just talked myself into using her as my character next, lol.

Depending on the substance used for the inflation, one wonders whether it would be possible for a Sigrid-like character to float her way up to the top of High Hrothgar. Helium use, for instance...






That might be too much, even for Chorrol.

I don't know, from all we've discussed here - Sigrid could be quite the UBER character - able to float up to the tops of towers, tube on the rapids, float in the oceans, or bounce her way into combat ... she could turn quickly from the waist and knock an enemy into the next cell ...

I don't know, from all we've discussed here - Sigrid could be quite the UBER character - able to float up to the tops of towers, tube on the rapids, float in the oceans, or bounce her way into combat ... she could turn quickly from the waist and knock an enemy into the next cell ...

Sigrid may need her own video game she can bounce through defeating enemies. And for weapons she can tie her bra to a staff made of ashwood and fill the cups with rocks ... "PAH - CHUKA"