#thoughtforms and servitors

[the-college-of-whispers]

Dragons

Behold, three days' worth of work.

In-Game Lore

Needless to say, there is a lot of lore when it comes to dragons in the Elder Scrolls series.

In their own tongue, they are called dov (dovah singular). To the ancient Nords, they are called drah-gkon or dov-rha. To the Ehlnofey, they were called Aka.

They are immortal. Their physical forms can be destroyed, but they will always rise again because of their dragon souls. The exception, of course, is if the Dragonborn (or Dovahkiin) gets involved.

During the Merethic Era, dragons ruled over the mortal races (mostly the races of Man) through the use of a wide-reaching cult. Many people from this era are now the draugr that crawl the crypts of Skyrim, Solstheim, Atmora, and anywhere else that dragon priests roamed.

Dragons were believed to have disappeared after the Second Era and made a return during the Fourth Era during the events of the Skyrim game.

In Skyrim, there are several different types of dragons.

Basic Dragons come in brown (with either Fire or Frost breath), white (Frost breath), or bronze (Fire breath).

Blood Dragons are entirely green in color and can breathe either Fire or Frost.

The Skeletal Dragon is made entirely of bones and is only found in Labyrinthian. It has Frost breath.

Frost Dragons are white and grey with very large black spines on their backs. They have Frost breaths.

Elder Dragons are all bronze in color and can breathe either Fire or Frost.

Ancient Dragons are covered with coppery red-and-black scales and breathe either Fire or Frost.

Serpentine Dragons are only found on Solstheim. They have oversized bottom jaws and are blue. They can breathe either Fire or Frost.

Revered Dragons are orange and breathe Fire. They also favor the Drain Vitality Shout. They're also kinda flat.

Legendary Dragons are second only to Alduin in their sheer power. They have striped black and purple scales, white-and-purple wings, large curved horns, unusually long claws, and possibly compound eyes. Like Revered Dragons, they favor the Drain Vitality Shout. They use both Fire and Frost breath.

Pop Culture Witchcraft

Deactivated user @mothmaam has made a dragon-inspired servitor spell, with the warning that they are to be treated with higher respect because it's in a dragon's nature to expect it. I would like to echo that sentiment.

@thecoffeecoyote (whose blog is still @-able but seems to have been replaced by a scam website) has a Thu'um spell based on the "Call Dragon" shout from the Skyrim game. It's used to summon the spirit of Odahviing to help you in your hour of need for several purposes.

@witchladdie (who seems to have now moved to @lampyridaewitch) and @wanderlustspider both came up with the idea to make sigils from Dovahzul (Dragon Tongue) letters rather than English ones. For your convenience, here's a chart of the Dovahzul alphabet:

In modern Western witchcraft, dragons are strongly associated with Fire in the West. These dragons are also associated with the element of Earth because they are often depicted as living in caves. Eastern dragons are associated with bodies of Water like rivers and lakes. Dragons are also creatures of Air, as many of them can fly. Some dragons seem to lean more towards one element over others, but this varies.

Dragons and dragon energy are also associated with storm witchcraft, ebony trees, protection, and wealth. Unfortunately, most things related to dragons depend on the mythology they are drawn from, thus there aren't many solid consistencies.

To dip your toe in the water with the vast mythology of dragons, I recommend OSP's video on dragons in media. I also recommend looking through the blog @thedragonslibrary for a look at dragon spirits!

The Daedric Prince Peryite is known to take the form of a green dragon. Depictions of slain dragons can be offered to Mehrunes Dagon or put on an altar to him.

The dragons of Nirn can be called upon for aid in magic like:

baneful magic, especially cold/frost/ice-based or fire/heat-based curses

cold/frost/ice-based or fire/heat-based spells broadly

knowledge (including actions to gain it and spells to retain it)

protection

sigils and written magic

Thu'um magic (I'll share some links in the Sources for how to use Thu'um magic)

Sources

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Dragons

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Dragon_Priest

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Dragon

https://the-college-of-whispers.tumblr.com/post/661947710734254080/dovahdragon-servitor-spell

https://the-college-of-whispers.tumblr.com/post/661709877221179392/thuum-magix-call-dragon

https://the-college-of-whispers.tumblr.com/post/661607991499423744/dovahzul-dragon-voice-sigils

https://the-college-of-whispers.tumblr.com/post/661607990667935744/how-would-you-use-dragon-language-as-a-sigil

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Dragon_Language

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Dragon_Alphabet

https://thedragonslibrary.tumblr.com/resources

https://jasper-pagan-witch.tumblr.com/post/662691354788446208/if-your-interested-in-dragon-work-where-do-you

https://jasper-pagan-witch.tumblr.com/post/662691356284715008/hello-i-am-interested-in-draconic-withcraft-and

https://jasper-pagan-witch.tumblr.com/post/662691355552776192/hello-love-do-you-have-a-source-you-recommend

https://jasper-pagan-witch.tumblr.com/post/662691353476628480

https://witchipedia.com/elements/fire/

https://witchipedia.com/elements/element-earth/

https://jasper-pagan-witch.tumblr.com/post/629785067993104384/storm-witchcraft-tools-associations

https://jasper-pagan-witch.tumblr.com/post/662603664237658112/wandlore-magical-properties-of-trees

Madame Pamita (2020). The Book of Candle Magic: Candle Spell Secrets to Change Your Life. First Edition, Second Printing. Llewellyn Publications. Appendix V, page 264.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3eXAPwjASEQ

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Peryite

https://the-college-of-whispers.tumblr.com/post/661506022668697601/altar-ideasofferings-for-daedric-princes

https://the-college-of-whispers.tumblr.com/post/656055053328760832/thuum-spells

https://the-college-of-whispers.tumblr.com/post/661675918016872448/about-thuum-magix-and-how-it-works

*quiet sobbing because this post is so long*

[the-college-of-whispers]

Quick Notes on the Less Common Atronachs

I didn't have enough for each of these to warrant them all getting their own posts, so they get a bonus footnote-style post instead.

In-Game Lore

Air Atronachs possess the combined power of Flame, Frost, and Storm Atronachs. They were created by the Serpent (who stole the Mage's Atronach army) and quickly adopted as servants by Mehrunes Dagon.

Fire Daedra are more mundane but dangerous Daedra. They're slightly intelligent and possess some spellcasting abilities. They can only be harmed by mithril or better weapons and greatly resist fire-based spells. Frost Daedra are the same but resist cold-based spells instead.

Iron Atronachs (also known as Earth Atronachs) are composed of both solid and molten iron in a roughly humanoid form. They're from an unnamed volcanic realm of Oblivion, have a relentless appetite for destruction, and are often found in Mehrunes Dagon's Deadlands. Mortal conjurers don't mess around with Iron Atronachs due to a long history of Iron Atronachs going rogue to just destroy everything. Electricity-based spells heal them. Their names often appear with the Daedric clan name "Mynar".

Not much is known about Shadow Atronachs other than that they can be summoned by a conjurer.

Stone Atronachs are made entirely of stone, with four legs, a central body, and one eye. They can be summoned from a variety of sources, including crumbling ruins.

Pop Culture Witchcraft

Deactivated user @mothmaam has an Atronach conjuration spell that, while also summoning Flame, Frost, and Storm, can be used to summon an Air Atronach familiar. You could adapt the spell to account for other Atronach types, and I still hold that you could also shape thoughtforms or servitors to look and work like these Atronachs do.

They are experts in their fields, so you could consider it proper to call on them for different types of assistance:

Air: air- or wind-based spells, anything you would call upon a Flame, Frost, or Storm Atronach for, working with Mehrunes Dagon

Fire Daedra: fire- and heat-based spells

Frost Daedra: cold-, frost-, and ice-based spells

Iron: destruction, heavy duty curses, working with Mehrunes Dagon

Shadow: keeping something hidden, mystery, shadow work

Stone: crystal magic, earth- and stone-based spells, stability

Sources

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Elemental_Daedra

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Bestiary_A#Air_Atronach

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Bestiary_F#Fire_Daedra

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Bestiary_F#Frost_Daedra

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Iron_Atronach

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Bestiary_S#Shadow_Atronach

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Bestiary_S#Stone_Atronach

https://the-college-of-whispers.tumblr.com/post/661947710698668032/conjuring-an-atronach

[the-college-of-whispers]

Atronachs

[No image this time because I didn't want to poorly edit the primary three types together.]

In-Game Lore

Elemental Daedra, better known as Atronachs, are a subtype of Daedra that are highly intelligent and show little to no kinship or loyalty to any Daedric Prince.

The most well-known subtypes are Flame, Frost, and Storm; other variants include Air Atronachs, Ash Guardians, Fire Daedra, Frost Daedra, Iron Atronachs, Shadow Atronachs, and Stone Atronachs. There are minor types, but these don't have much lore to them. For the purpose of this post, we'll be focusing on the three most well-known ones.

Flame Atronachs are native to Infernace and are considered the weakest of the three primary types. They often levitate (which allows them to go over water safely), are immune to Fire and Poison damage (in Oblivion), and are weak to Frost damage (in Oblivion). They have a hatred for Frost Atronachs but can put this aside when serving a mutual master. They are a source of Fire Salts.

Frost Atronachs are native to an unnamed part of Oblivion. They can breathe underwater (in Skyrim), can self-heal (in Oblivion), are immune to Frost and Poison damage (in Oblivion), and are weak to Fire damage (in Oblivion). The hatred of Flame to Frost Atronachs is shared in the reverse, with the same caveat to put it aside. Their names often begin with "Nomeg". They are a source of Frost Salts.

Storm Atronachs are native to Levinace and are considered the strongest of the three primary types. They are largely unorganized and chaotic and are found in many Daedric realms. They can levitate like Flame Atronachs (thus can go over water safely), are immune to Shock, Poison, and Paralysis (all in Oblivion), and have a lot of health and little that they're weak to. They are a source of Void Salts.

Pop Culture Witchcraft

It has been proposed by @mothmaam that you can summon an Atronach as a familiar and provides a spell to do so (linked in the sources). Following this idea, you could also shape thoughtforms or servitors to look and work like Atronachs do.

You could also call upon them as experts in their field of magic - fire and heat-based spells for Flame Atronachs, cold-, frost-, and ice-based spells for Frost Atronachs, and lightning-, storm-, or thunder-based spells for Storm Atronachs. These spells don't have to be baneful magic, but these would best fit if you were casting spells associated with the Destruction school of magic. This includes all forms of baneful magic, energy work, protection, shadow work, sigils, wards, and weather magic (Flame for sun, Frost for snow, and Storm for rain).

Sources

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Elemental_Daedra

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Flame_Atronach

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Frost_Atronach

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Storm_Atronach

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Daedra#Flame_Atronachs

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Daedra#Frost_Atronachs

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Daedra#Storm_Atronachs

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Daedra#Flame_Atronach

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Daedra#Frost_Atronach

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Daedra#Storm_Atronach

https://the-college-of-whispers.tumblr.com/post/661947710698668032/conjuring-an-atronach

https://the-college-of-whispers.tumblr.com/post/662038308530044928/fire-salts

https://the-college-of-whispers.tumblr.com/post/662038308519591936/frost-salts

https://the-college-of-whispers.tumblr.com/post/662038282975297536/void-salts

https://the-college-of-whispers.tumblr.com/post/656421223701626880/magic-arts-oblivion

https://the-college-of-whispers.tumblr.com/post/656149429878980608/magical-skills-skyrim

[the-college-of-whispers]

Ash Guardians

[ID begin: a screenshot of the Ash Guardian model from Skyrim. It's a collection of brown rocks in a vaguely human form that's racing towards the viewer to slap the player character. End ID]

In-Game Lore

Ash Guardians are pseudo-Daedric constructs created by the Telvanni who went to Solstheim to study Ash Spawn. They are controlled by a Heart Stone (also spelled Heartstone) - if they are summoned or created without one, they will attack indiscriminately.

Heart Stones are mined from unusual ore deposits in Solstheim. They can be used not only to control Ash Guardians, but also in enchanting and to prevent necromancy spells from wearing off.

In the Skyrim expansion Dragonborn, you can summon an Ash Guardian by using the spell Conjure Ash Guardian and having a Heart Stone in your inventory for it to consume so it doesn't become hostile. Conjure Ash Guardian is an Expert-level Conjuration spell.

Pop Culture Witchcraft

Wiped user @mothmaam has a spell for summoning an Ash Guardian as a servitor, complete with a crystal to use in place of a Heart Stone. In lore, Ash Guardians seem to lack the intelligence of other Atronachs (such as Fire, Frost, and Storm ones).

Ash Guardians may be related to the Ash Rune spell, which immobilizes whoever sets off the spell. Deleted user @varmafre created an Ash Rune-inspired spell that will stop someone in their tracks or make them forget about whatever it is that they were trying to do.

Because of their strong offensive abilities, Ash Guardians could be useful in aiding you in baneful magic, spells for confidence, protection spells, crystal magic, and even with sigils if you follow the Ash Rune-Ash Guardian connection.

Sources

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Bestiary_A#Ash_Guardian

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Daedra#Ash_Guardian_DB

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Ash_Guardian

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Conjure_Ash_Guardian

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Heart_Stone

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Miscellaneous_Items#Heart_Stone

https://the-college-of-whispers.tumblr.com/post/661947710561288192/ash-guardian-servitor-spell

https://en.uesp.net/wiki/Skyrim:Ash_Rune

https://the-college-of-whispers.tumblr.com/post/656345761608597504/magic-runes

https://the-college-of-whispers.tumblr.com/post/661857112447696896/ash-rune

[flowersandstems]

I have an urge to do a bunch of occult research, but I don't know on what...