The initial assault fails when Nidhogg's champion, Vishap, is slain by the Warrior of Light at the Steps of Faith as it tries to dismantle the rest of the wards. Nidhogg awakens and rallies the Dravanian Horde to renew his war on Ishgard with the support of Ysayle whose heretics disable the outermost ward of Daniffen's Collar. The Ishgardians inherit Ratatoskr's power and mutate into dragon-like creatures when exposed to dragon's blood. The story was designed to conceal the Holy See possessing both of Nidhogg's eyes: the right eye buried with Haldrath, while the left is used by the Azure Dragoon, the current being Estinien Wyrmblood. The Holy See whitewashed history to make Nidhogg appear to have attacked Ishgard unprovoked, claiming Thordan and his twelve knights faced the dragon in a battle that lasted a week that claimed the lives of both the king and six of his men. Intending to slaughter those of the Ishgardian bloodlines who remain loyal to their faith, Nidhogg continued to wage his war of vengeance for the next 1000 years, entering periods of deep sleep for portions of the conflict as his kind normally does. Nidhogg blamed Hraesvelgr for giving the mortals-if indirectly-the opportunity to slay Ratatoskr, and coerced him into relinquishing one of his eyes to him. While this would normally kill a dragon, Nidhogg mustered the strength to reach the palace of Zenith and tell his brother, Hraesvelgr, of what had transpired. A furious Nidhogg slew Thordan, but was defeated by his son Haldrath, who plucked the dragon's eyes from his head. This led to Thordan killing Nidhogg's sister, Ratatoskr, and he and his knight ate her eyes to obtain their power. His concerns appeared unfounded for two hundred years, until the Ascians revealed to King Thordan I the source of the dragons' powers lay within their eyes. Only Nidhogg believed there could be no peace between their kinds, viewing mortals as untrustworthy after what happened to Bahamut and Tiamat. Twelve hundred years ago, the Ishgardians and the dragons forged an alliance based upon the example of Hraesvelgr and Saint Shiva.

Nidhogg soundtrack