Been playing for hundreds of hours - and this is the first time I have encountered this.... I just arrived in a walled city (Markath) - and a dragon spawned.

Not sure if it was a glitch? Or perhaps an improvement from the latest patch that allows dragons to spawn in the walled cities?



Has anyone else encountered a random dragon encounter inside Whiterun, Markarth, Solitude, RIften or Windhelm before? I've been playing this game for hundreds of hours and only just experienced it. Curious to know whether it is a glitch, a patch improvement, or just a really rare programmed event.




http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7033/6548795117_55344ef313_o.jpg

Just last night, in fact, an Ancient Dragon spawned in Markarth after I fast travelled there to talk to the Jarl about buying a home. It's first breath almost killed me as it caught me from behind. Poor orc lady blacksmith got well toasted.

I too encountered a dragon in markarth. It was upon exit of a building thought. It's uncommon for dragons to attack walled cities it seems but not so much the open plan cities like winter hold or dawnstar.

I've encountered them inside Whiterun and Solitude. It does appear to be less common than the open cities or outside, but it does happen.

I killed one in Whiterun. It's skeleton was in front of my home for a few days.

I have over 250 hours in.... and not once has this happened to me.

Am I the only one?

Oh ok - cheers. I would love to see the code of how the dragons are spawned - I have never encountered one in a walled city before, and I have been playing for 309 hours! I was annoyed because I thought Bethesda didn't allow it (thanks to console limitations or something) but I guess it's just reaaaally rare.

It is not a glitch, but it is extremely rare.

Been playing for 309 hours and it JUST happened for me for the first time.... so I guess it's just reeaaaaaally rare.

I've run into dragons in Markarth and Solitude. I would guess that it's just the randomness of where they spawn and what irritates/interests them enough to come to ground.

I know you'll find them outside of Windhelm often, it's just chance whether the guards pull them closer to the walls by engaging them there than out by the stables where the dragons seem compulsed to harass the horses.

It's not a glitch OP.

Dragons can (and do) attack the walled cities as well. Most every time I travel to Dawnstar, I get to kill a Dragon.

I've also had them attacking Windhelm and Solitude quite frequently. The most humorous one I witnessed was when I fast-traveled to the College of Winterhold. An Ancient Dragon spawned almost as soon as I arrived and then made the mistake of trying to land inside the courtyard (next to the statue) the Mages had killed it almost before I could draw my weapon! lmao

I heard and saw the Dragon, then saw it hover like it was trying to land, then those Six or Seven Master Mages that run the College (including the Archmage) unleashed Hell on it. I'm being as serious as a heart attack when I say that the Dragon was dead before it hit the ground. Free Dragon Soul for me!

But I digress. Back on topic, Dragons attacking the walled cities is no glitch, it's actually quite common in my game as well as other peoples games just from the other conversations that I've had on this subject.

I had a Dragon attack the college once. But it happened at night and everyone was in bed. Apparently they are heavy sleepers, because it sure as well wasn't a quite fight. Dragon: Yol Toor Shul (or whatever) every time he landed on the ring, me: Fos Ro Dah every time it cooled down, with lots of Ice Spikes making him cry out in anger and pain.

I recently started a new character and after 20 hours I have killed 5 dargons:
two have been in the wilderness (inc. the one at the watchtower as part of the main quest)
three have been inside walled cities (whiterun, solitude and markarth)

Had one attack me inside Solitude yesterday. First time it's happened.

Not sure if the College of Winterhold counts, but that place is dragon central for me. I've walked out of the Hall of Attainment to be greeted by a blast of frost breath three times now. In a row. Dragon sitting right in the courtyard. I bought the house in Markarth just so I wouldn't have to travel to the College that much anymore.

I have seen it happen. The only thing I don't like about it is that 'named' NPC's can be killed. Losing a blacksmith can really svck.

Same thing happen to me in Markarth...except the dragon wouldn't die. I'm gathering the spawn wasn't a glitch, but it didn't die. I've read that they won't die until they have a place to land, which I guess explains why it only took one hit to kill after exiting the city and it following me xD

I've run into precisely one in Solitude. Only walled city I've had get attacked though...and it was a regular dragon even though I was at a higher level, so it didn't last long.

So far, that's the only one in a walled city I've encountered.

It seems like I run into them in "open" cities all the freaking time though. Just last night I had two dragons attack on consecutive trips to Winterhold.

I've actually had quite a few.

Two in Riften.
One in Whiterun.
Three in Solitude.
One in Markath.

Had more in the open cities/towns. Not had one spawn inside Windhelm (Had plenty spawn at the stables and the farms outside), but considering the tight quarters of Windhelm, I dread encountering one there. The one in Markath was bad enough.

The Windhelm stables seems to be one the places I encounter them the most, though none have ever gone inside the city for me. Even outside along that bridge is a difficult fight. Guards are there to help out, but it's hard getting in a position to consistently hit the dragon until it lands.

Outside of Whiterun between the city itself and the watchtower where you fight the dragon for the MQ seems to be another really common area. But again, I've never battled one IN Whiterun.

I had a dragon attack in the College of Winterhold the very first time I went there, and again right after I defeated Ancano. This 50 hours and 125 hours into the game respectively. Then about 200 hours into the game I had an Ancient Dragon attack Solitude, he dropped right into the town square by Angeline's Aromatics. I was returning Noster's helmet to him at the time.

I fought an ancient dragon in Windhelm damned creature killed 3 citizens and 2 guards before I managed to deliver final blow also I have encountered dragon in Winterhold and Whiterun both batlles to remember. Dragon attacks in cities seem to be rare but it is possible.

I had one attack me inside Windhelm. I thought it was a glitch though, because it didn't burn up and give me a soul. It is still there after several entrances into the city.

On my first save, I had like ten or more dragon attacks on solitude, almost every time I fast traveled there one attacked.
Almost every guard was dead, quite a few civilians were killed, and their skeletons littered the streets. Though this was before patch 1.2, as I sort of got bored of having everything completed and started a new save.

Not sure if the skeletons are still everywhere though.

I had 2 Dragons show up and land right in the middle of the streets of Whiterun at the same time. The townsfolk killed the 2nd one before I even got a chance to fight it but I got both souls and looted both.

That's classic. Similar to my College of Winterhold encounter that I mentioned previously in here. You'd think Dragons would use better tactics...