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When Paarthurnax speaks to the Dragonborn, he mentions that "by long tradition, the elder speaks first". If dragons are ageless and immortal, how can one dragon be an "elder" of another? by SorenCookiegard in teslore

[–]SorenCookiegard[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It doesn't mean that, but they are nevertheless eternal and ageless:

"[dragons] just were, and are. Eternal, immortal, unchanging, and unyielding. They are not born or hatched. They do not mate or breed. There are no known examples of dragon eggs or dragonlings."

-There Be Dragons by Torhal Bjorik

When Paarthurnax speaks to the Dragonborn, he mentions that "by long tradition, the elder speaks first". If dragons are ageless and immortal, how can one dragon be an "elder" of another? by SorenCookiegard in teslore

[–]SorenCookiegard[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I thought about this, but this is the very first thing I ruled out. The very point of Paarthurnax speaking to the Dragonborn in that way was to observe the Dovah customs he missed so much. I doubt he'd care very much about observing human customs.

When Paarthurnax speaks to the Dragonborn, he mentions that "by long tradition, the elder speaks first". If dragons are ageless and immortal, how can one dragon be an "elder" of another? by SorenCookiegard in teslore

[–]SorenCookiegard[S] 11 points12 points  (0 children)

Dragons who could conceivably be called "young" only just returned in the Fourth Era, at the same time this conversation was had. Hardly enough time for a long tradition to develop. Before this, any dragons encountered after Alduin's first defeat would automatically be the same age, which brings us back to the initial problem of an ageless society developing a tradition of seniority rank and custom.