So, I was thinking. The Greybeards seclude themselves far away from civilisiation and hardly ever talk, because their voices are just that powerful.

However, it's revealed in Skyrim that Thu'um is the language of the dragons. They say stuff like, I dunno, "fire", and their voices turn to flame. Nordic generals say "blow up the enemy's fortifications", and lo and behold, the enemy's fortifications get blown up. And, the player can wield this power for him/herself, presumably with the help of the Greybeards.

So, the Greybeards speak the dragon language, fine. But if they spoke normal Tamrielic at all, they wouldn't have to be all reclusive-like.

Maybe they can't speak Tamrielic? Maybe they don't have a choice but to never talk and stay away from humans in case they say something that the Thu'um takes out of context. Like, "my feet are killing me". Voila! Murderous feet. Obviously this is a gross oversimplification, but you get my point.

So, why wouldn't the Greybeards speak Tamrielic, unless they were completely incapable of it? Maybe it's their pesky lack of lips and all those razor-sharp teeth getting in the way.

So, yeah. They're totally dragons.

The point isn't what language they're speaking, but that whenever they speak in general they blow stuff up. From all the old information one gathered that no matter what they said, they said it with enough force to level a city.

they can speak http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Greybeards

They're dragons by habit. Their yoga has made them dragons. Yes, by acting the part, they are dragons.


*And by "acting the part," I mean "living accordingly." Sometimes I think of acting as a studio job, that ends after a couple hours of honest labor. That's not what acting the part means, in this context.

Yep, they are. They do speak Tamrielic though.

In the Pocket Guide to the Empire, 1st Edition, the author claims to have spoken to the Greybeards and considered one of them "almost as an equal", so it does appear that they speak languages other than Draconic.

Just like an Altmer to call a dragon an "almost equal." Of course, these are man-dragons, the Altmer do it better.

I'm open to Greybeards being dragons, but so far I haven't seen any good evidence for it. :shrug:

It's a whimsical wish. I think that's all the evidence some need. :vaultboy:

It's not impossible. I don't think the Dragon Language proves it, though. If Kyne gave Thu'um to humans, and she got it from Shor who is related to Alduin who is the lord of the Dragons, then it's more "using the weapon of the enemy."

But that's still a really cool idea and we'll see if Bethesda chooses to pursue that avenue of thought.

It seems to me that rather than walking the walk, they're talking the talk. Which is another way of achieving great things in Tamrielic cosmology (see Prolix Tower)

I personally think it's best to withhold jumping to conclusions until we have more knowledge.

I have always thought them as some grumpy old men sitting on the top of a mountain enjoying the silence :shifty:

Sounds like my kind of group, but with the reveal of the fact that the Thu'um is in a specific, powerful language related to the Dragons, people's thoughtboxes are starting to make noises to pass the time, and this is one of the cooler noises.

:celebration::D grumpy old men (with big beards) rule

I get the impression we're led to believe these men are ancient. Not just 100 or even 200 but thousands of years old. I never hear about more than one group of Greybeards..just The Greybeards. Always just The Greybeards. The same ones that Talos Stormcrown visited.

I'm down with that.

They're dragons that shapeshift into old bearded men.

They are men, who sometimes look like dragons.

Other dragons: Morihaus, Hrol, Trinimac, Tiber Septim

The name Greybeards, sounds like a 1960s rock band. :rock: :biggrin:

The Greybeards are the Dragons, but so are the Tribunal, Talos, Yagrum Barum, Mannimarco, Morihaus, Pelinal, Reman, Ysgramor, Arnand the Fox, Al-Esh (but NOT Alessia), at least three eighths of the Numidium, a large screaming scarlet emerald, the Mudcrab Merchant (watch out for this one), and a small swath of farmland a few miles below White-Gold Tower.

They apparently spoke Tamrielic (which is to say Talos understood the meaning of their words and prophesy) but the effects were as if they had spoke Thu'um anyway. The world was affected, shaken by their speech.

Secondly, they have Thu'um but seem not to be willing to use it like the various Dragonborn have done/will do.
Of course, Jurgen the Calm ate their Shouts once, and turned them inwards to pacifism, so perhaps they still can be Men who are both unable and are not willing.

Dragonlance :celebration:

I honestly cant wait to meet these men and learn as much as possible about them.