The Elder Scrolls (TES) is a series of video games by Bethesda Game Studios (who also produce the Fallout series). The series debuted with The Elder Scrolls: Arena in 1994 and now has five major installments, an MMORPG, and many expansions and spin-offs. A sixth installment is officially in the works as of June 2018.
- The Games
- TES I: Arena
- TES II: Daggerfall
- TES III: Morrowind
- TES IV: Oblivion
- TES V: Skyrim
- The Elder Scrolls Online
Each game is set in a different time period in the world of Nirn, on the continent Tamriel. The player character is a Chosen One who gets swept up in events and must save the world from the current apocalyptic event... or not. The Elder Scrolls games are known for their large worlds, highly customizable player characters, and open style of play, meaning that the player is not railroaded into following a certain path through the story. The player is free to explore the world, interact with NPCs, and take quests (or not) as they choose.
Interestingly, TES validates each player's choices by making every single possibility canon. The events of the main installments are said to take place during temporal events known as "Dragon Breaks," wherein time splits into infinite parallel realities. When the Dragon Break resolves, all outcomes are true even if they contradict. Most people cannot recall precisely what has happened to them after a Dragon Break. The world moves on, somewhat baffled, and everyone makes sense of their new reality as best they can.
Major Races of Tamriel[]
The races of Tamriel are classified as Men, Mer (elves), and Beastfolk. Each has their home in one of the Imperial provinces, with the exception of the Orsimer. Typically, the player character may be any of the major races:
- Men
- Bretons - the Western European-inspired Men of High Rock
- Imperials - the Roman-inspired Men of Cyrodiil, the governmental heart of the Empire
- Nords - the Northern European-inspired Men of Skyrim
- Redguards - the African- and Middle Eastern-inspired Men of Hammerfell
- Mer
- Altmer - the High Elves of the Summerset Isles
- Bosmer - the Wood Elves of Valenwood
- Dunmer - the Dark Elves of Morrowind
- Orsimer - commonly known as Orcs, they make their homes individually or in small enclaves wherever they can eke them out
- Beastfolk
The Elder Scrolls and the PPC[]
Minis from this continuum are mini-cliff racers,[source, please!] a hostile airborne beast in TES III: Morrowind, commonly referred to throughout TES.
Agent Za'kiir is a Khajiit from TES V: Skyrim.