The entire first blood.

[mucuz]

So basically I have just got to the part of the story where you fight Tioman, and with her connection to Nidhogg it made me wonder - who are the entire first brood? Like I know Nidhogg is a main component of the first brood, along with his sister Tiamet, but has there been any others mentioned? It's fascinating and would be awesome to find out some more details, thanks

[Anonymoose]

Since I can't find the phrase "first blood" in Heavensward content, I'm going to guess you meant "first brood".

The First Brood refers to Midgardsormr's children - the seven great wyrms seen with him on the artwork. I'm going to avoid spoilers since most of the relevant information is gained after your encounter with Tioman. But suffice to say they flew to corners of the world and gave birth to enormous broods of dragons - all the dragons of the world are descended from these seven, as far as we've been told.

Midgardsormr is thus considered the Progenitor - the Father of Dragons.

The names and bare bones information are follows, in no particular order but convenience.

Bahamut
Flew to Meracydia, fathered a great brood alongside Tiamat.
Slain by Allag and resurrected as a primal shade.

Tiamat
Flew to Meracydia, mothered a great brood alongside Bahamut.
You'll meet her later.

Ratatoskr
Stayed in Eorzea. Deceased as of the beginning of the game.
You'll hear more about her later.

Hraesvelgr
Stayed in Eorzea.
You'll hear more about him pretty much right now.

Nidhogg
Stayed in Eorzea. Presently waging a 1,000 year war on Ishgard.
Major antagonist of Heavensward.

UNKNOWN
The sixth Celestial Dragon is named and has a history. It will not be revealed until later.

UNKNOWN
The seventh Celestial Dragon is named and has a history. It will not be revealed until later.



BONUS INFORMATION
Dragons reproduce asexually, which explains Midgardsormr being a single father.
Dragon mates are lifelong spiritual connections, not reproductive ones, which makes Bahamut/Tiamat a little easier to understand.
Tioman is an old and powerful dragon, but not from among the first brood.

[mucuz]

Yeah "first brood" not first blood, my bad.

Thanks for the amazing analysis of the dragons within this aspect, I am looking forward to hearing more about the missing dragons as the narrative progresses. "Heavensward" so far has held a much more interesting lore than "A Realm Reborn", and that is no doubt about the dragons that feature.

Do you think the two unnamed dragons will feature in the next two patches - before the third expansion - or as an element of the next expansion?

[myahele]

I find it very interesting that Garlemald royal family's insignia is that of a dragon. See how Garleans are pretty much repeating many Allagan feats, I can't help but wonder if they ran into one of the unknown Celestial Dragon and killed or subdued him or her in one of their conquest. Just like the Allagans, such victory will lead into implementing some dragon motifs in certain things to commemorate their victory?

Surely, there are at least one Celestial dragon in Ilsabard or Othard?

[Anonymoose]

Do you think the two unnamed dragons will feature in the next two patches - before the third expansion - or as an element of the next expansion?

Shooting from the hip? I think they might get a name drop if things are foreshadowed far enough in advance ... but overall I don't expect to see them all that soon. It all depends on where we're headed and when. General feeling is that we're headed towards Ala Mhigo next, and it seems like a waste to have more Celestial Dragons spent on Eorzea. Are we going anywhere else in that expansion? Or are we waiting until 5.0+? My best guesses for the locations of the other two are Othard and/or (depending on how big it is) Thavnair, but who knows if and/or when we're headed in that direction.

I find it very interesting that Garlemald royal family's insignia is that of a dragon. <...> Surely, there are at least one Celestial dragon in Ilsabard or Othard?

I had a similar thought, though we did basically get confirmation that Garlemald uses dragons because, "Hey, yeah, dragons are totally kickass heraldic beasts." I feel like - between the topical relevance of the Battle of Silvertear Skies and the wars on Ilsabard - it would have come up if one was there... but it's definitely possible. We don't exactly get much water cooler chat with the Garleans.

[Quor]

Moose, first off, I gotta say I'm a long time lurker and occasional poster and I've always enjoyed your comments, theories and analyses. Basically, anything you write is a good read. As for the topic at hand, to me, it seems like Othard is the logical place for at least one of the other remaining two First Brood. Iirc, there are three major continents on Hydaelyn; Meracydia, Eorzea and Othard. I may be wrong, as I'm not sure if Garlemald counts as a part of Eorzea, or if it's more linked to Othard, or if it's a sub-continent in and of itself, but I do remember a few mentions of "threat continents" with Eorzea being one of the three.

If that's true, then you had 3 dragons in Eorzea (Ratatoskr, Hraesvelgr and Nidhogg) and 2 in Meracydia (Tiamat and Bahamut). The dynamic I read into this is that, when you're basically an immortal being, you want someone who understands you by your side, so it stands to reason the last 2 would stick together. Dragons also seem to enjoy their own space, so with 3 in Eorzea and 2 in Meracydia, it makes sense that the last 2 would strike out on their own. If they went in the direction of Garlemald, chances are they're probably already dead, captured, in hiding, or they've fled. The Garleans aren't the type to just let super-powerful beings live their lives and do their own thing. From what we know of the world, that just leaves Othard.

On another note, I've often wondered about the dynamic between each of the first brood. Obviously Tiamat and Bahamut loved one another, and there clearly was strong affection between Hraesvelgr, Nidhogg and Rataroskr. I'm undecided as to whether R and N were "lovers" in the way that T and B were or if R was more of the "kid sister" to her big brothers H and N.

Incidentally, regarding R and N (don't read this part mucuz!)....

edit: thank you nalien!

I hate the idea that Ratatoskr is gone, but given what happens to Estinien at the end of the MSQ, I wonder if something similar can't occur with Ratatoskr. After all, according to what we've been told, most, if not all current Ishgardians/Coerthans are descended from the people who feasted on R's power. As noted in game, "just a sip" of dragon's blood is enough to awaken the latent dravanian power within them, turning them into a dragon. In a sense, this kinda makes all of these people "children" of Ratatoskr, which, if you look at it from that perspective, adds an extra layer of F'-ed up to what Nidhogg has been doing.

But it also means, if N can be reborn by essentially possessing Estinien, then does that mean R could also be reconstituted somehow? They both essentially had the same thing happen to them, only N's power was concentrated in his two eyes, while R's power is spread across likely thousands of individuals. It's probably a long shot, but I'm kind of giddy at the idea that the true end of the Dragonsong War will come only when the people of Ishgard and Coerthas find a way to "give up" the latent power of R that is in their blood, thus paving the way for R to be reborn.

[MeoTwister5]

I'm actually curious at the possibility that the identities of the last two unknown first brood are being purposely withheld. None of the in-game lore make any mention nor reference beyond the first 5 dragons, and the story/characters act as if they don't exist...

[Hinoto-no-Ryuji]

I'm actually curious at the possibility that the identities of the last two unknown first brood are being purposely withheld. None of the in-game lore make any mention nor reference beyond the first 5 dragons, and the story/characters act as if they don't exist...

Keep in mind, though, that we never got any direct references to Tiamat, Hraesvelgr, or Ratatoskr before Heavensward either, and none of the Dravanian dragons make any mention or reference to their Meracydian kin. It's not too hard to imagine that not all of the First Brood were as close as Bahamut and Tiamat, or Niddhogg and Hraesvelgr and Ratatoskr. Maybe they just drifted apart across the ages, as they sired their own broods in their own corners of the world.

[Nalien]

edit: i can't into spoilers. halp

[ HB] this [ /HB], minus the spaces, naturally.

So... Would this be a good time to mention how there are/were currently two Azure Dragoons? I mean I kinda figured that was a subtle hint towards Nidhogg having lost both his Eyes, but it could also be a subtle hint towards Ratatoskr exerting her presence? I'd need to recheck the Dragoon quests, I think there was probably mention of the Eye responding to us as well, though that could always be more of a "Wait what?" thing for the Eye, rather than it being bipolar for the first time in a thousand years... Dragoon lore confuses me... Are we a second Azure Dragoon because of Middy? Even though he doesn't show up until late into 2.x? Is it just Nidhoggs other eye waking up? Why weren't there ever two before then? Or were there? Why'd we even need to be an Azure Dragoon when there is seemingly an entire order of Dragoons now? There must be some relevance to us being the second Azure Dragoon, I mean I doubt it's Estinien is the Azure (Nidhogg) Dragoon, and we're the Azure (Ratatoskr) Dragoon, but yeah... Dragoon lore confuses me...

Could totally see Aymeric opting to become Ratatoskr though... I kinda really want to see that, just because it would make future Eorzean Alliance meetings much more entertaining... Perhaps a Dragoon is a better option for someone becoming Ratatoskr, though... Wonder if they were subtly hinting at something with Heustiennes armor colour... It's... Close enough to the only depiction of Ratatoskr we've gotten? Hey, 2.0 ended assuming you'd played Dragoon, might as well end 3.0 on the same note!

[Hinoto-no-Ryuji]

[ HB] this [ /HB], minus the spaces, naturally.

So... Would this be a good time to mention how there are/were currently two Azure Dragoons? I mean I kinda figured that was a subtle hint towards Nidhogg having lost both his Eyes, but it could also be a subtle hint towards Ratatoskr exerting her presence? I'd need to recheck the Dragoon quests, I think there was probably mention of the Eye responding to us as well, though that could always be more of a "Wait what?" thing for the Eye, rather than it being bipolar for the first time in a thousand years... Dragoon lore confuses me... Are we a second Azure Dragoon because of Middy? Even though he doesn't show up until late into 2.x? Is it just Nidhoggs other eye waking up? Why weren't there ever two before then? Or were there? Why'd we even need to be an Azure Dragoon when there is seemingly an entire order of Dragoons now? There must be some relevance to us being the second Azure Dragoon, I mean I doubt it's Estinien is the Azure (Nidhogg) Dragoon, and we're the Azure (Ratatoskr) Dragoon, but yeah... Dragoon lore confuses me...

Could totally see Aymeric opting to become Ratatoskr though... I kinda really want to see that, just because it would make future Eorzean Alliance meetings much more entertaining... Perhaps a Dragoon is a better option for someone becoming Ratatoskr, though... Wonder if they were subtly hinting at something with Heustiennes armor colour... It's... Close enough to the only depiction of Ratatoskr we've gotten? Hey, 2.0 ended assuming you'd played Dragoon, might as well end 3.0 on the same note!

Kinda depends a bit too heavily on whether or not we leveled Dragoon, doesn't it? If all of that were to effect the MSQ in the ways you suggest, what would you propose for those who haven't reached lv50 DRG?