There is always a thrill of excitement at the thought of being able to battle the most powerful animals in all of Skyrim, regardless of whether players are learning about their lineage as the last Dragonborn for the first time or the 300th time. Granted, many players will meet a dragon for the first time in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim’s opening sequence, when a devastating dragon attack halts their execution in Helgen. Although they are unable to defeat that specific dragon, players soon come face to face with one.
Players who have arrived in Whiterun at the start of the main quest line are shortly offered the mission “Dragon Rising.” The player character must assist in slaying the dragon Mirmulnir before it can begin a full attack in this quest because the “world-eater” dragon Alduin has dispatched it to attack the western watchtower outside of Whiterun. One of the game’s turning points occurs during this adventure, when the player discovers they are the Dragonborn after absorbing Mirmulnir’s soul. Most players are unaware of Mirmulnir’s greater significance to the lore of Skyrim.
Although Mirmulnir is frequently swiftly forgotten after the Dragonborn learn who they are, he has previously played a part in the mythology of Skyrim. One of the few dragons that the Blades kept alive after the Dragon War and that Alduin did not raise from the dead is Mirmulnir. Alduin was expelled from Nirn during the ancient and epic Dragon War, which also resulted in the deaths of most dragons. It is astounding to consider that Mirmulnir existed during the earliest periods of Skyrim history given the magnitude of the Dragon War in Tamriel’s history.
In reality, the Atlas of Dragons, a book that can be acquired in the Sky Haven Temple, contains further details about Mirmulnir. The temple was actually an outpost for the Dragonguard, the oldest known dragon hunters that participated in the First Era of Skyrim’s history. The document is discovered in what may be a Blades headquarters and is chock-full of traps that only a Dragonborn can disarm, which explains how this gang will soon coalesce into the Blades faction. The fact that Mirmulnir was kept alive is described in the book, suggesting that the dragon has likely been on the Blade’s radar for some time.
Experienced Skyrim players may have observed that the majority of the dangerous dragons that strike from the air lack individual names. As there are only three named dragons, they are referred to as the “Main Dragons.” Alduin, Mirmulnir, and Paarthurnax are on this list. Alduin and Paarthurnax have a big say in Tamriel’s future, but Mirmulnir’s position in the game has considerably less of an impact. However, how soon after the Dragonborn first meets the dragon will determine this. As most players are aware, Skyrim offers players a great deal of freedom, letting them explore whatever they see fit.
There is a ton to see and do on Skyrim’s southern border, so players can play for hours before coming across Mirmulnir. Before engaging in combat with Mirmulnir, anyone who levels up their Dragonborn may be astonished to discover that the dragon has also advanced in level. The Dragonborn may run across Mirmulnir as a blood dragon, frost dragon, or ancient dragon if they reach a high enough level. Given that he has concealed abilities that correspond to the Dragonborn’s development, Mirmulnir was obviously intended to be a formidable force in Skyrim. Mirmulnir’s significance is shown by the fact that it appears he was created to have a significant influence even when encountered later in the game.
