Mulhahlor

Mirkrilaar

Not going into much detail, but I have noticed that when an enemy puts up a ward and you shout at it, the ward blocks the shout almost like it was a spell. Curious...

And the Spellbreaker shield blocks dragon breath shouts, up to a point.

See? Its almost as though wards see shouts as a type of magic.

Mirkrilaar

Mulhahlor

Mirkrilaar

Not going into much detail, but I have noticed that when an enemy puts up a ward and you shout at it, the ward blocks the shout almost like it was a spell. Curious...

And the Spellbreaker shield blocks dragon breath shouts, up to a point.

See? Its almost as though wards see shouts as a type of magic.

Curiouser and curiouser....(Thinly veiled reference)

But wards aren't blocking magic, they are blocking the effect of the magic. When you use the fire spell and some irritating warlock has a ward up you are still casting the spell, still have a drain in magicka. At the same time, when you shout at them you are still shouting and still have all the effects (you can happily incinerate the warlock's pet skeleton that was also in the line of fire). Skyrim doesn't have an effect like Morrowinds silence, and draining magicka isn't blocking a spell, so really there is no way to "block magic."
Tolfdir lied to you.

Krahlokiiz

But wards aren't blocking magic, they are blocking the effect of the magic. When you use the fire spell and some irritating warlock has a ward up you are still casting the spell, still have a drain in magicka. At the same time, when you shout at them you are still shouting and still have all the effects (you can happily incinerate the warlock's pet skeleton that was also in the line of fire). Skyrim doesn't have an effect like Morrowinds silence, and draining magicka isn't blocking a spell, so really there is no way to "block magic."
Tolfdir lied to you.

I looked into it (but it's off of wikis, so maybe not true), and only magical attacks actually damage wards. Physical attacks don't, yet Shouts do damage them. The Elder Scrolls Wiki even describes Shouts as an "ancient form of magic". Again, wikis, but it's the only thing I could find.

I suppose the beauty of TES lore is that so much is ambiguous. Believe what you want, nobody can prove anything.

While the Thu'um is similar to magic it doesn't use magicka (which is emergy from Aetherius, ), therefore it is not the same. The Greybeards refer to focusing your vital essence into a shout.

Shouting is, to my understanding, what Krahlokiiz said. It's focusing your vital essence (spirit/soul) into a physical projection. Whether that be Whrilwind Sprint

 or Fire Breath

, Thu'ums are a  spiritual way of manipulating what is around you. You could say it's "forced intent" (the oldest form of magik), but you could also look at it as a lessons in the Huna tradition (Polynesian shamanism) pertaining the tenet of MAKIA (energy flows where attention goes). 

I don't have read all this thread so maybe someone already speek of that but, in Norse Mythology, there's something called Galdr. Galdr are songs or words which are supposed to unleash magical force or blessings if they are said correctly. It wouldn't be surprising if Thu'um was based on Galdr, just as many things based on Norse Mythology in Skyrim...

Not all magic is spells, and uses magika, for example enchanting and soul gems. You don't use magika to enchant, unless souls contain it. If this is the case, point it out please. 

EDIT: One perk allows you to regenerate magika everytime you fill a soul gem. 

The mages of winter hold accept the dragonborn if they deminstrate the thuum (only on a certien quest) that in-and-of itself is an interesting fact for me.

Kroniid

I don't have read all this thread so maybe someone already speek of that but, in Norse Mythology, there's something called Galdr. Galdr are songs or words which are supposed to unleash magical force or blessings if they are said correctly. It wouldn't be surprising if Thu'um was based on Galdr, just as many things based on Norse Mythology in Skyrim...

I think that might have been their inspiration, because of the Galdur quest, just going off of the similar speling, although it could be coincidence. The description sounds solid, though.

Mulhahlor

Kroniid

I don't have read all this thread so maybe someone already speek of that but, in Norse Mythology, there's something called Galdr. Galdr are songs or words which are supposed to unleash magical force or blessings if they are said correctly. It wouldn't be surprising if Thu'um was based on Galdr, just as many things based on Norse Mythology in Skyrim...

I think that might have been their inspiration, because of the Galdur quest, just going off of the similar speling, although it could be coincidence. The description sounds solid, though.

I agree.

Galdur is another spelling for Galdr, as Galdrar or Galdar. It's from Old Norse so there's no exact spelling, like Odin who's also called Odenn, Othin, Woten... So yes, it's probably their inspiration ! For the name of the quest, at least.

(Another fact I've found is about the name of Volsung, the Dragon Priest. It's the name of the main clan in Volsunga Saga. But that's not the point :'3 )

A spirtual aspect might be interesting, as all we have to do is listen to dragon priests preach?

I've never heard dragon priests saying anything .-.

Firstly, I am very proud that this topic has grown. Secondly, I'm thankful for those who suggested the ancient Nord Magick of the Gladr, I honestly don't think I would ever realise that! Thank you for all of your contributions, I'm grateful. Don't stop, by all means, continue! ^_^