Hey folks

So I was thinking about Skyrim and its dungeons, and it occurred to me that some of the best dungeons it had were the ones that housed the named Dragon Priests. Forelhost is my personal favorite, but most if not all of these areas are some of the best dungeon layouts and some of them actually have information that gives insight to the Dragon Priests' characters, such as Labyrinthian, Forelhost, and that one in the Reach that's name escapes me.

However, I feel a lot more should have been done with the Dragon Cult. As I said, some of the Dragon Priests are somewhat developed either through spoken lines (in the case of Morokei, or in the quests surrounding them, but there are others that don't get any more development than your average Draugr.

This is something I would have liked to have seen handled differently in Skyrim. The Dragon Cult is one of Skyrim's more interesting concepts, but it isn't really handled to its full potential.

For a long time now, I've been clear that I don't really know what Alduin's motivation is. Everyone acts as if he's out to destroy the world, but I see no evidence of this. The reason is because of the Dragon Cult. Alduin forsook his duty as World Eater in favor of ruling the world and being worshipped as a god, which led to the formation of the Dragon Cult, the subjugation of the Joor, and culminated in the Dragon War. Alduin was thrust forward in time during a battle at the Throat of the World by an Elder Scroll, and transported to present day. To me, this means the trip was instantaneous, and Alduin's goals, character, and mindset should be identical now to what it was then. That means he'd have no interest in destroying the world just yet (despite the ramblings of the NPCs).

Because of this, I would have liked to see the Dragon Cult play a bigger role (that is to say, actually play a role) in Skyrim's Main Quest. Specifically, I'd like to have seen Alduin try and reestablish it. I'd have loved to see certain human characters, whether they be Jarls, wizards, warriors, or anyone else, ally themselves to the dragons and begin worshipping Alduin. It would have been great to see a new generation of Dragon Priests rise up and begin forcing people to bow before them. I think that would have added a lot more to the main quest, giving insight to Alduin's character and allowing for some creepier moments (for example, a new Dragon Priest using Yol Toor Shul to incinerate a Priest of Talos for refusing to acknowledge Alduin's dominance). It would have also created a greater dichotomy between Alduin and his Dragon Cult and Paarthurnax and the Greybeards, and could possibly have led to Alduin's human lieutenant attempting to shout down Master Arngeir on the steps of High Hrothgar, similar to what happened to Jurgen Windcaller ages ago.

Let me be clear about this, I am not suggesting that this be added in DLC. I think Skyrim's Main Quest Ship has sailed (and somewhat run aground), and I don't want this to be added at all. I'm just saying I feel it could have been added to give the Main Quest more substance. Obviously, it would have required major rewrites and changes, but I think that something like this could have been very feasible and very nice to see.

Thoughts?

Now that is what I've been saying by the lack of good writing in the game. This concept slipped thru their fingers as it wasn't brought forward in the writing process. If even a portion of this had made it in the end results would have been a little bit clearer.

As it stands there is less reason to care about Alduin than there is what your next meal will be. No it should definatly not be DLC. That path has failed enough.

Yes! I'm currently going through Forelhost for the 3rd time and it's just as much fun as the first time. What you're suggesting does sound like a major - and pretty epic - re-write. I would have been happy with more references to the dragon cult... Maybe instead of dragon priest crypts being available as separate dungeon quests, it would have been good to somehow tie them together, perhaps the one in Valthum could have actually escaped and gone around attempting to reinstate the dragon cult. Then again, Bethesda barely had time to finish what they had on their plate, let alone build on the current questlines.

I agree whole-heartedly. The reemergence of the dragon cult would have been a whole lot better than the civil war questline(s). I would have preferred to see the CW scrapped in favor of a DC uprising. It could be that Bethesda felt that a resurgent Dragon Cult with Alduin at the lead would seem too much like the Mythic Dawn and Mankar Camoran from Oblivion (mysterious ancient cults rising out of nowhere to try and take over the world). Or maybe that had nothing to do with it, and it is just another example of their insightful writing...