The Elder Scrolls’ most obscure lore explained

The Elder Scrolls is a living world filled with history and events that touch cultures and beings from across a continent and dimensions. The first game in The Elder Scrolls series, Arena​​​​​​, was released in 1994 with its world map almost the same as that featured in modern Elder Scrolls games. As with all story worlds that become so massive with nearly three decades of time to expand the lore, some parts of the world and story are better known among fans than others, especially in regards to the content with which Skyrim copes, but much of the more obscure lore of The Elder Scrolls is just as compelling as the more popular lore.

Much of The Elder Scrolls’ more obscure lore can be found in the game’s books throughout the games, some of which are consistent across the main series, but others only appear as commentaries on historical events in the game after they occurred in the timeline. . These books are incredibly interesting because they tell a small part of the whole, while other pieces need to be found to make sense of the real picture as in the real life story. For example, the events and possible causes of the Ascension War are discussed in Lymdrenn Telvanni’s diary, which can be found in Skyrim.

The Oblivion Crisis was the central event of The Elder Scrolls: Oblivion, and while it only took place in Cyrodiil, the Crisis actually affected every Province in the Empire. The Hero of Kvatch and Martin Septim are known for permanently closing the Gates of Oblivion, but tales of common people rising up against the Dremora invaders abound in the books of Tamriel.

An example of resistance against the Dremora during the Oblivion Crisis was the An-Xileel Daedric Resistance in Black Marsh, where the Argonians raised an army that proved so effective that they overran the planes of Oblivion and the Dremora lords were forced to close their gates. . Gates to avoid being invaded.

The Argonians managed to hold Black Marsh and prevented any further Gates from being opened until the Crisis ended, being the only Province to do so. Part of their success has been attributed to the Argonians’ connection to the Hist, the oldest beings on Nirn and natives of Black Marsh who take the form of trees. The Hist’s connection to Nirn allowed them to foresee the coming invasion and warned the Argonians of what was to come; this allowed the Argonians to prepare for a stand, despite the Empire withdrawing its forces from the Province.

The success of the Daedric An-Xileel resistance had a domino effect and resulted in a much stronger Black Marsh than before. As a result, and in response to centuries of raiding and enslavement, the Argonians invaded southern Morrowind in the War of Ascension, an event that would not have happened if the An-Xileel had risen to power thanks to the Resistance, and if Morrowind had not been weakened thanks to the Crisis and the eruption of Red Mountain. The War of Ascension permanently changed Morrowind’s relations with Black Marsh, brought about the downfall of several major Dunmer Houses, and sent countless Dunmer refugees flooding into Skyrim.

Skyrim’s geographic position to Morrowind makes their connection obvious, especially in times of need, but the Dunmer and Nords share surprising connections in their beliefs and traditions, including the island of Solstheim and various other events involving Red Mountain. The Heart of Lorkhan is within Red Mountain, an artifact said to have been taken from the god Lorkhan as punishment for creating the mortal plane. As Red Mountain resides in Morrowind, the Heart has obvious connections to the Dunmer, with the death of Indoril Nerevar and the Tribunal’s rise to power directly related to it.

Lorkhan is considered a trickster god among the elves, as he is credited with tricking the other Aedra into giving away some of their power to create Nirn, the Mortal Plane. Lorkhan was punished and is the only Aedra considered truly dead, with his body comprising the various physical parts of Nirn such as the two moons and the Heart of Lorkhan located on Red Mountain. Because of his role in creating mortality, Lorkhan is reviled by all elves except the Dunmer.

But Lorkhan is also revered among the Northmen, who know him as Shor. He plays a particularly important role in the Nords’ belief in Sovngarde and the afterlife, implying that Lorkhan is not dead, as many of the other religions in Tamriel believe. Lorkhan also has an unlikely connection to Sithis, the god of the Dark Brotherhood; Religions in Tamriel believe that Lorkhan was originally created by Sithis to destroy everything in the universe after the Aedra enslaved everything Sithis had created. This is a perspective that aligns with how most Mer other than Dunmer view Lorkhan as he brought mortality to the world.

Humans have a very different perspective on Lorkhan from the Elves and instead interpret Lorkhan as the creation of all mortals. They credit him with their existence and therefore don’t see him in the same negative light. This could explain why, when in Sovngarde and speaking with Tsun, a Dragonborn who introduces himself as the Dark Brotherhood’s Listener is met with hostility, implying that the connection to Sithis is not truly a positive one.

Lorkhan is one of two Aedra present in all religions in Tamriel, and curiously appears in the Redguard Yokudan religion of Hammerfell. Unlike other imperial provinces, Hammerfell never worshiped the Eight Divines and instead brought its own religion from the continent of Yokuda. In Hammerfell, Lorkhan and Shor are known as Sep and are portrayed as the helper to the chief god of the Redguard pantheon. In his creation myth, he tricks the other spirits into creating a new world by telling them that they can reach The Far Shores, the afterlife of the Redguard, by wrapping old snake skins and forcing them to live out the rest. of their lives as mortals.

The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim – Anniversary Edition is available for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S.