# Dragon Shouts

*"They say Ulfric Stormcloak murdered the High King... with his voice! Shouted him apart!"*

— Hold guards of Skyrim

**Dragon Shouts,** also known as ***thu'um*** in long-lost Draconic language, is an ancient form of magic manifested by dragons and mortal humanoids in ancient Skyrim. As the descendants of Akatosh, the draconic god of time in Mundus, dragons of Skyrim — *dovah* in their tongue — have innate ability to understand and manifest Shouts. Their language is, by itself, a method of manifesting their magical abilities: To put it simply, two dragons fighting are actually partaking in a fierce debate. Through painstaking practice and meditation, mortals can also study, understand, and use Shouts. The reclusive hermits known as the Greybeards are the most prominent examples. Old Skyrim legends tell the story of **Dovahkiin,** mortals born with draconic souls, and therefore can inherently use Shouts like dragons do while being mortal themselves. According to the legend, at the end of the world, the last Dragonborn will rise and save the world from its demise. ### Learning Dragon Shouts To learn the Shout, you must meet the following prerequisites: ***Character Level 2nd.*** You must be at least a 2nd-level character before you learn the secrets of the Shout. ***Ability to speak, read, and write* Dovah-Zul.** *Dovah-Zul* is an ancient and obscure branch of Draconic language, spoken by the dragons of Skyrim. The language itself *is* the source of magic — the ability to speak *Dovah-Zul,* therefore, technically counts as using Shouts. By DM's discretion, this prerequisite can be toned down to "ability to speak, read, and write Draconic," especially for campaigns not set in Mundus. ***Complete a special task.*** As a mortal, in order to use the Shout, you must first study and understand the meaning of each syllable of the Shout you would use. Typically, this takes a substantial amount of time and effort, as well as knowledge and wisdom to understand the nature of immortal *dovah* and their language. ___ By DM's discretion, you may also have to meet one or more of the following prerequisites, in addition to the prerequites above: ***Charisma 13 or higher.*** The Shout relies on the inherent magical ability of the user, be it dragon or mortal. In order to achieve something meaningful from your Shout, your supernatural presence must be significant enough. ***Proficiency in the Arcana skill.*** Learning a language is one thing; mastering it is another, even moreso if the language is magical in nature. Simply knowing few words of *Dovah-Zul* is not enough to manifest the magical power of the words. ***Find a tutor.*** Sometimes, the best way to learn the Shout is to find a tutor to teach you. If your DM asks for this prerequisite, you must find an NPC who would tutor you in the ways of using Shouts. You cannot learn more Shouts in this way than your tutor knows, and you might also need to seek out additional ways to learn more Shouts. Finding the tutor would be the challenge by itself. The Greybeards of High Hrothgar are reclusive in sharing their knowledge, fearing the power of the *Thu'um* they wield and knowing the risk of it falling to the wrong hands; *dovah* are magnificent yet malevolent in nature, and therefore are unlikely to reveal their secrets, or even let the arrogant mortals dare ask for such requests. ### Shout rank The first time you learn to use the Shout, you gain the first Shout rank. You start as a wyrmling, and you advance your Shout rank as you master the Shout. | Shout
Rank | Shout
Points | Shout
Limit | Level Prerequisite | |:-:|:-:|:-:|:-| | Wyrmling | 4 | 2 | 2nd to 4th | | Young | 6 | 3 | 5th to 8th | | Adult | 10 | 5 | 9th to 12th | | Ancient | 12 | 6 | 13th to 16th | | Wyrm | 14 | 7 | 17th or higher | ***Shout points.*** The number of Shout Points you have is based on your Shout rank, as shown in the table above. The number shown for your rank is your shout point maximum. Your Shout point total returns to its maximum when you finish a short rest or long rest. The number of Shout points you have cannot go below 0 or over your maximum. ***Shout limit.*** There is a limit on the number of Shout points you can spend to use the Shout. The limit is based on your Shout rank, as shown in the table above. For example, as a Young Shout user, you can spend no more than 3 Shout points on a Shout each time you use it, no matter how many Shout points you have. ***Advancing Shout rank.*** Between adventures, you can study and understand the nature of the Shout, advancing your Shout rank. In order to advance Shout rank, you must meet the level prerequisite for the next rank, as shown in the table above. Advancing Shout ranks requires 250 days of meditation, research, and practice, and costs 1 gp per day. After you spend the requisite amount of time and money, you advance to the next Shout rank. Advancing to Wyrm rank is exceptionally harder for mortals; in addition to the normal procedures above, you must find a *dovah* or other master of the Shout who are willing to teach you ways to the true nature of *thu'um.* \page ### Using Dragon Shouts The Shout is a special type of magic that you can cast by speaking a specific word or combinations of words in *Dovah-Zul,* channeling the magical power from the words themselves. ***Shouts and Shout points.*** Each Shout is composed of one or more words, and the Shout point cost of that option appears in parentheses after the words. You must spend that number of Shout points to use that option, while abiding by your Shout limit. If you do not have enough Shout points left, or the cost is above your Shout limit, you cannot use the option. ***Components.*** Because of its nature, all Shouts require you to speak the word verbally when you use them. You cannot use your Shout if you are gagged, in an area of the *silence* spell, or otherwise incapable of speaking out the word verbally. This restriction cannot be bypassed by any means, such as telepathy or the sorcerer's Subtle Spell Metamagic option. ***Shout save DC.*** Some of your Shouts require your target to make a saving throw to resist the feature's effects. The saving throw DC for your Shout equals 8 + your proficiency bonus + your Charisma modifier. ## List of Dragon Shouts The Shouts are presented in alphabetical order. #### Clear Skies *Lok (Sky) — Vah (Spring) — Koor (Summer)* As an action, you clear the weather within your proximity. You must be outdoors to use this Shout. ***Lok Vah Koor (7).*** You change the current weather conditions within 100 feet of you to clear and calm. You can change precipitation, temperature, and wind. It takes 10 minutes for the new conditions to take effect. The changed weather condition lasts for 1 minute, after which the weather gradually returns to normal. #### Disarm *Zun (Weapon) — Haal (Hand) — Viik (Defeat)* As an action, you causes the enemies to drop their weapons and shields, making them vulnerable. Each creature that can hear your Shout within the cone centered on you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or drops anything that it was holding. The object lands at the creature's feet. ***Zun (2).*** The size of the cone equals 20 feet. ***Zun Haal (5).*** The size of the cone equals 60 feet. ***Zun Haal Viik (7).*** The size of the cone equals 100 feet. #### Dismay *Faas (Fear) — Ru (Run) — Maar (Terror)* As an action, you causes fear within the enemies' heart, making them cower in terror. Each creature that can hear your Shout within the cone centered on you must succeed on a Wisdom saving throw or becomes frightened of you for 1 minute. A creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turns, ending the effects on itself on a success. If the creature's saving throw is or successful or the effect ends for it, the creature is immune to this Shout for the next 24 hours. ***Faas (2).*** The size of the cone equals 20 feet. ***Faas Ru (5).*** The size of the cone equals 60 feet. ***Faas Ru Maar (7).*** The size of the cone equals 100 feet. #### Fire Breath *Yol (Fire) — Toor (Inferno) — Shul (Sun)* As an action, you exhale a breath of fire in a 30-foot line that is 5 feet wide or in a 15-foot cone (your choice). Each creature in the line must make a Dexterity saving throw. A creature takes fire damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. ***Yol (2).*** The fire damage equals 2d6. ***Yol Toor (5).*** The fire damage equals 5d6. ***Yol Toor Shul (7).*** The fire damage equals 8d6. #### Frost Breath *Fo (Frost) — Krah (Cold) — Diin (Freeze)* As an action, you exhale a breath of frost in a 30-foot line that is 5 feet wide or in a 15-foot cone (your choice). Each creature in the line must make a Constitution saving throw. A creature takes cold damage on a failed save, or half as much on a successful one. ***Fo (2).*** The cold damage equals 2d6. ***Fo Krah (5).*** The cold damage equals 5d6. ***Fo Krah Diin (7).*** The cold damage equals 8d6. #### Marked for Death *Krii (Kill) — Lun (Leech) — Aus (Suffer)* As an action, you shout the dreadful words into one creature you can see within 30 feet of you, sapping its vitality and exposing its vulnerability for 1 minute or until your concentration is broken (as if concentrating on a spell). ***Krii Lun Aus (6).*** The creature must make a Constitution saving throw or becomes marked. Whenever the marked creature is hit by an attack, it takes an additional 1d6 damage from the attack. The marked creature can repeat the saving throw at the end of each of its turn, ending its efffect on itself on a success. On a failed save, the creature takes necrotic damage equal to your Charisma modifier (a minimum of 1). #### Overcome Locks *Bex (Open)* As an action, you speak to a door or a lid, causing it to unlock itself and open up. ***Bex (1).*** You choose an object you can see within 10 feet of you. The object can be a door, a box, a chest, a set of manacles, a padlock, or another object that contains a mundane or magical means that prevents access. A target that is held shut by a mundane lock or that is stuck or barred becomes unlocked, unstuck, or unbarred. If the object has multiple locks, only one of them is unlocked. This Shout has no effect against a target that is held shut with magical means, such as the *arcane lock* spell. #### Spectral Clone *Fiik (Mirror) — Lo (Deceive) — Gut (Far)* As an action, you create an illusory double of yourself in an unoccupied space you can see within 10 feet of you. Your double seems completely real, including sounds, smells, and temperature appropriate to yourself. When your double is hit with an attack or targeted by a spell, the attack or spell has no effect on the double, but the double vanishes immediately after the attack or the spell. \page The double lasts for 1 minute or until you dismiss it without using an action. When you use this Shout again while you already have a double, the first double vanishes. ***Fiik (3).*** The double mimics all your action. When you move, the double also moves to the same direction, but it vanishes when it moves through a solid object or other creatures. ***Fiik Lo (5).*** You can telepathically command your double's action without spending an action. When you move, you can choose to make the double move into a same direction or keep it in its position. As a bonus action, you can make the double move up to 30 feet, but no more than 10 feet away from you. Your double vanishes when you or your double move more than 10 feet away from each other. ***Fiik Lo Gut (6).*** Same as *Fiik Lo,* but the range of the Shout is increased to 60 feet, and your double does not vanish unless you or your double move more than 60 feet away from each other. #### Unrelenting Force *Fus (Force) — Ro (Balance) — Dah (Push)* As an action, you let out a thundering shout that staggers or even casts away creatures and object in a 30-foot-cone radius. Tiny objects in the area that are not worn or carried by a creature nor strapped to the surface is cast up to 30 feet away from you. When you use this shout, your Shout can be heard from as far away as 300 feet. ***Fus (2).*** Each creature in the area must succeed on a Strength saving throw or becomes knocked prone. ***Fus Ro (3).*** Each creature in the area must succeed on a Strength saving throw or becomes knocked prone. Medium or smaller creatures have disadvantage on the saving throw, and is pushed up to 10 feet away from you on a failed save. ***Fus Ro Dah (5).*** Each creature in the area must succeed make a Strength saving throw. On a failed save, the creature is pushed up to 30 feet away from you and is knocked prone. On a successful save, the creature is pushed up to 10 feet away from you but is not knocked prone. Medium or smaller creatures have disadvantage on the saving throw. #### Whirlwind Sprint *Wuld (Whirlwind) — Nah (Fury) — Kest (Tempest)* As a bonus action, you channel a surge of wind that allows you to move in a straight line. The movement is so fast that you do not provoke opportunity attacks while moving with this Shout. ***Wuld (2).*** You move up to 10 feet. ***Wuld Nah (3).*** You move up to 20 feet. ***Wuld Nah Kest (5).*** You move up to 30 feet. ``` ``` ## Credits All contents are created by [Weirdo Whoever](http://weirdoworkshop.blogspot.com) unless noted otherwise. Special thanks to [D&D Wiki](http://www.dandwiki.com) and [NaturalCrit Homebrewery tool](http://homebrewery.naturalcrit.com) for providing the templates for my imaginations. ***Dragon Shouts.*** Unless noted otherwise, all dragon shouts are adapted from game mechanics of *Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim* by Bethesda Game Studios. ***Overcome Locks.*** Inspired by one scene from *Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.* ***Spectral Clone.*** Inspired by one scene from *Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.*

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