Board Thread:Lore Discussion/@comment-10993011-20140918001226/@comment-9212235-20150727033751

The main source of the full lore of the Dragonborn is found in The Book of the Dragonborn in Skyrim which makes the claim that Dragonborn cannot be blood relation due to breaks in lineage.

1. Alessia was made the first Dragonborn by covenant with Akatosh. Due to the wonky time-whimy that is the Aurbis, this made it possible for Dragonborn to always exist and thus Miraak is the first (although there is evidence that points to him being the last of the previous kalpa. Also there's that whole bit about him being Sharmat. I digress).

2. There is absolutely no evidence to suggest that Reman was a descendant of Alessia until you get into myths created by Remanite scholars. The idea of Reman being born of Nirn is the main claim.

3. It is well known that the Septim line had a few breaks in it.

4. It is well understood that there is a ritual that must be performed by a new emperor to light the Dragonfires and proclaim himself Dragonborn Emperor.

5. In ESO we see the emperor attempt to claim himself as Dragonborn. Why would they think this could work if it wasn't already established that ritual could in fact do this? Obviously, Mannimarco screwed with it to create the Soulburst, but it is quite possible that the ritual could have worked.

With these events and facts known, it is quite obvious that there must be some other way to create a Dragonborn. The ritual lighting of the Dragonfires is the obvious candidate.