Line #594 Franchise/TheElderScrolls


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8	->'' "Go ye now in peace. Let thy fate be written in [[TitleDrop The Elder Scrolls]]..." ''
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10	''The Elder Scrolls'' is a massively popular WesternRPG series produced by [[{{Creator/Bethesda}} Bethesda Softworks]]. "TES" or "ES" for short, the series is renowned for its WideOpenSandbox style of gameplay, allowing the player to play as a heroic or diabolical character, to pursue the main quest with vigor or to ignore it entirely, and to gain prowess and fame through working for factions, guilds, military legions, and even the gods themselves. It is the longest contiguous (since 1994) and best selling (over 58 million copies worldwide) Western RPG franchise in history.
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12	''The Elder Scrolls'' games are set in Tamriel, a continent roughly the size of Africa, on the planet Nirn. Tamriel is shared by ten playable races (eight before ''Morrowind'') -- four races of [[OurHumansAreDifferent Men]][[note]] [[HumansAreDiplomats Imperials]], [[HornyVikings Nords]], [[UnevenHybrid Bretons]], and [[MasterSwordsman Redguards]][[/note]], four races of [[OurElvesAreDifferent Mer (Elves)]][[note]] [[MageSpecies Altmer (High Elves)]], [[ForestRanger Bosmer (Wood Elves)]], [[JackOfAllStats Dunmer (Dark Elves)]], and [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Orsimer (Pariah Elves or Orcs)]][[/note]], and two "[[BeastMan Beast Races]]"[[note]][[LizardFolk Argonians]] and [[CatFolk Khajiit]][[/note]]. Numerous other races are present in the series' lore and backstory, most notably the extinct [[OurDwarvesAreDifferent Dwemer (Deep Elves or "Dwarves")]], the extinct [[AbusivePrecursors Ayleids (Wild Elves)]], and the corrupted, monstrous [[TheMorlocks Falmer (Snow Elves)]].
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14	According to former series developer Ted Peterson, the name ''The Elder Scrolls'' was chosen as the surtitle to ''Arena'' simply because "it sounded cool", and it wasn't determined until later in development what an "Elder Scroll" actually was in-universe ("[[TomeOfEldritchLore Fragments of Creation]]" which simultaneously record past, present, and future events but tend to have nasty side-effects on mortal readers including blindness and insanity).
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16	The series has a large and industrious {{Game Mod}}ding community, which exponentially increases the content of each game while also fixing bugs, adjusting features to the fandom's liking, and much more, right up to complete overhaul mods.
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18	Since ''Morrowind'', each installment in the series has been released on [[MultiPlatform both PC and console]], allowing the series to get into the hands of a wider audience. This also marked the series [[VideoGame3DLeap leap to full 3D]].
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20	[[foldercontrol]]
21
22	The main series ''Elder Scrolls'' games are:
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24	[[folder:Main Series Games]]
25	[[index]]
26	* ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsArena Arena]]'' (1994): [[TheEmperor The benevolent Emperor]] of Tamriel, Uriel Septim VII, has been overthrown by his EvilChancellor[=/=][[CourtMage Imperial Battlemage]], Jagar Tharn, who has trapped the Emperor in Oblivion, assumed his appearance, and has been reigning in his stead. However, the ghost of Tharn's late apprentice, Ria Silmane, teams up with a minor noble (the PlayerCharacter) to fight the usurper. Together, they must [[GottaCatchThemAll collect]] [[DismantledMacGuffin the pieces]] of the [[ArtifactOfDoom Staff of Chaos]] in order to defeat Tharn and rescue the Emperor. ''Arena'' was originally going to be about, well, gladiatorial combat arenas, but that idea was scratched in favor of the background setting they developed for it, Tamriel, into a computer game [[note]]The name "Arena" was retained as an in-game nickname for the realm of Tamriel[[/note]]. The fast-paced gladiatorial combat style remained, though, and ''Arena'' was much more [[ActionRPG action-oriented]] than other {{RPG}}s of the time. In 2004, Bethesda released ''Arena'' as freeware download.
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28	* ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIDaggerfall Daggerfall]]'' (1996): Set six years after the events of ''Arena'', the PC, a personal acquaintance of Uriel Septim VII, is sent to the western province of High Rock to investigate the ghost of its former King Lysandus, who now haunts the eponymous city of Daggerfall. Cooperating with the [[SecretPolice Emperor's Blades]], the PC soon uncovers a sinister plot to reactivate the LostSuperweapon Numidium, a Dwemer-crafted HumongousMecha originally used to forge the Third Tamrielic Empire. Several factions in the region enter the fight for controlling the Numidium, and it is up to the PC to [[MultipleEndings decide who gets it]]. Also of note is the emphasis on side-quests. Increased after seeing how much time ''Arena'' players spent on them, the designers decided to put them in the spotlight in ''Daggerfall''. ''Daggerfall'' features several different factions for the player to join outside of the main quest, all of which combine to add hundreds of hours of side-questing. It also has positively HUGE [[RandomlyGeneratedLevels randomly generated dungeons]], often "designed" [[RuinsForRuinsSake in the silliest ways possible]]. In 2009, Bethesda released ''Daggerfall'' as a freeware download.
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30	* ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' (2002): Set 10 years after the events of ''Daggerfall'', a convict from the Imperial City Prison (the PC) is released in the north-eastern province of Morrowind on the Emperor's direct orders. Guided by the Blades, the PC investigates the local prophesies of TheChosenOne, known as the Nerevarine, who will save the land from the dreaded "Blight". Tracing the source of the Blight to the [[BigBad evil]] PhysicalGod, Dagoth Ur, the PC is launched into a labyrinthine plot involving an AncientConspiracy, prophecies, lost prophecies, ''false'' prophecies, {{reincarnation}}, gods, backroom politics, gang wars, and TheCorruption. Like ''Daggerfall'', ''Morrowind'' offers LoadsAndLoadsOfSidequests, of which some of the faction questlines are nearly as expansive as the main quest itself. ''Morrowind'' is significantly smaller in scope than its predecessors (a "mere" 9 square miles as opposed to thousands, and a non-infinite number of side-quests), but manages to come off as much more epic anyway thanks to the quality of the writing, the [[SceneryPorn diverse, exotic landscapes]], and the sheer [[SlidingScaleOfContentDensityVsWidth density]] of available content. It's also notable for being much, much ''[[NewWeird weirder]]'' than the rest of the franchise, being set in an alien landscape populated by Dunmer (Dark Elves), {{Bizarchitecture}}, dinosaur-like fauna, giant arthropods, {{Living Gasbag}}s, {{Cthulhumanoid}}s, and more. [[/index]]
31	** ''Tribunal'' (2002): An attack by the [[MurderInc Dark Brotherhood]] brings the PC to Morrowind's capital of Mournhold. While investigating the attack, the PC becomes involved in a power struggle between the King of Morrowind, Hlaalu Helseth, and the Tribunal deity, Almalexia. It's noticeably more challenging than the main game, and intended for mid-to-high level characters. Unlike the rest of the game, you are restricted to only one part of the stated-to-be massive city and the sewers/ruins beneath it.
32	** ''Bloodmoon'' (2003): Arriving on the [[GrimUpNorth frigid northern island]] of Solstheim, the PC runs into ravaging [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent werewolves]] and is soon embroiled in a ritual conducted by the Daedric Prince [[TheWildHunt Hircine]] to determine the strongest fighter on the island. Naturally, the PC has to participate, all the while helping an Imperial mining colony to grow from literally nothing into a thriving frontier settlement (with plenty of interesting moral dilemmas along the way).
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34	[[index]]
35	* ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'' (2006): Set six years after the events of ''Morrowind'', Emperor Uriel Septim VII is assassinated by the [[ApocalypseCult Mythic Dawn]], but not before seemingly accidentally freeing yet another convict from the Imperial City Prison (the PC). The PC then joins the Blades in their search for the last remaining heir to the Empire, Martin Septim, against the backdrop of [[DuringTheWar an ongoing invasion]] from [[TheLegionsofHell Oblivion]] by the Daedric Prince Mehrunes Dagon, whom the Mythic Dawn worships. ''Oblivion'' was the first big-name RPG for the 7th generation of consoles, and made full use of the Xbox 360's and Playstation 3's technical capabilities. A [[VideoGameDemake Demake]] of ''Oblivion'' was released for mobile phones called ''The Elder Scrolls Travels: Oblivion''. A PSP version was also planned and demonstrated, but was cancelled.[[/index]]
36	** ''Knights of the Nine'' (2006): The PC investigates a [[BloodstainedGlassWindows brutal attack on the local chapel]] to discover that an ancient EvilSorcerer plans to destroy Cyrodiil and only certain artifacts can defeat him. In order to defeat him, the PC must recover all of the artifacts and [[OrderReborn reestablish the order]] of eponymous Knights of the Nine.
37	** ''Shivering Isles'' (2007): The PC is summoned by the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Prince]] [[MadHatter Sheogorath]] to help prevent the [[EternalRecurrence regular destruction]] of his Oblivion realm.
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39	[[index]]
40	* ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'' (2011): Set [[DistantSequel 200 years]] after the events of ''Oblivion'', the Tamriellic Empire is [[VestigialEmpire in bad shape]], being slowly picked apart by its reformed ancient rival, the [[AntiHumanAlliance Aldmeri Dominion]] led by the fascistic [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Thalmor]], through means of subterfuge, imposing treaty terms, and outright war. Said imposing treaty terms have caused significant strife in the few remaining provinces of the Empire, with Skyrim itself, homeland of the [[HornyVikings Nords]], erupting into full blown CivilWar. The PC is unintentionally captured by the forces of the Empire along with a contingent of the Stormcloak rebels, including their [[RebelLeader leader]], Ulfric Stormcloak. Moments away from being executed, the PC and the Stormcloaks are saved when Alduin, the "[[BeastOfTheApocalypse World-Eater]]", swoops in and destroys the village. Now with dragons appearing all over Skyrim, the PC discovers that they're the Dovahkiin (Dragonborn) and the only one able to stop Alduin from ushering TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt. A remastered "Special Edition" was released in 2016 for PC, Platform/XboxONE, and Platform/PlayStation4. The Special Edition updates ''Skyrim''[='s=] graphics and engine to that of its Bethesda sister property, ''VideoGame/Fallout4'', and also includes modding capabilities on console for the first time in the ''ES'' series. In 2017, ''Skyrim'' was also released for Platform/NintendoSwitch and [=PlayStation=] VR. Another re-release titled "Anniversary Edition" was announced in 2021 for the Platform/PlayStation5 and Platform/XboxSeriesXAndS.[[/index]]
41	** ''Dawnguard'' (2012): The Dragonborn gets involved in a conflict between the newly reformed [[VampireHunter Dawnguard]] and a race of vampires in north-western Skyrim, who wish to fulfill an ancient prophecy and [[TheNightThatNeverEnds permanently blot out the Sun]].
42	** ''Hearthfire'' (2012): The Dragonborn gets into [[AHomeOwnerIsYou homebuilding]] and childrearing.
43	** ''Dragonborn'' (2012): The Dragonborn visits Solstheim, previously the setting for ''Bloodmoon'', and faces off against the ''[[EvilCounterpart First]]'' Dragonborn, an undead [[ReligionOfEvil Dragon-Priest]] named Miraak who, like the Dragons, is now seeking to return to life.
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45	[[index]]
46	* ''The Elder Scrolls VI'' (TBA): The next main installment in the franchise was announced during 2018's UsefulNotes/ElectronicEntertainmentExpo. No details were revealed other than a brief glimpse of what appears to be the game's setting. The game spent the next five years in preproduction while Bethesda worked on ''VideoGame/{{Starfield}}''. Ahead of the ''Starfield'' release in 2023, Bethesda Softworks vice president Pete Hines announced that the game had officially entered development but is still "years out" from release. Like ''Starfield'', the game is expected to be released on PC and, with Microsoft's purchase of Zenimax in 2020, a console exclusive to Platform/XboxSeriesXAndS.
47	[[/index]]
48	[[/folder]]
49
50	Bethesda has also produced several other games and media set in the ''Elder Scrolls'' universe:
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52	[[folder:Other Games and Media]]
53	[[index]]
54	* ''Literature/TheElderScrollsInUniverseBooks'' (1996 to present): Covers the various {{Fictional Document}}s and {{In Game Novel}}s found in the series from ''Daggerfall'' on.
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56	* ''VideoGame/AnElderScrollsLegendBattlespire'' (1997): Originally planned as an expansion for ''Daggerfall'', ''Battlespire'' was released as a spin-off DungeonCrawler. Set during the time period of ''Arena'', the Imperial Battlespire, located in the "Slipstream" between the mortal plane (Mundus) and the void of Oblivion, is the [[WizardingSchool training grounds]] for the elite [[MilitaryMage Imperial]] [[MagicKnight Battlemages]]. You play as a recruit who, on the final day of your training, finds that the Battlespire has been invaded by the [[LegionsOfHell Daedric forces]] of Mehrunes Dagon, the Daedric Prince of [[DestroyerDeity Destruction]]. [[DownerBeginning Many are dead]] and [[ItsPersonal your partner has been taken captive]]. You must fight through the various levels of the Battlespire (and a few realms of Oblivion) in order to rescue your partner and stop the invasion. It was the first game in the series to include multiplayer, and the only one to do so until ''Online'' in 2014.
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58	* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsAdventuresRedguard'' (1998): ''Redguard'' is a spin-off ActionAdventure game with very few RPG elements. Some 400 years before ''Arena'', a Redguard by the name of Cyrus travels home to find his sister missing and himself embroiled in a web of political intrigue. The ''Pocket Guide to the Empire'', [[{{Feelies}} which came with the game]], gave one of the first comprehensive looks at the series' [[{{Backstory}} background lore]], which would be greatly expanded on in future games.
59	[[/index]]
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61	* ''The Elder Scrolls Travels'' (2003-2004): A series of small, mobile phone games developed for Java-enabled devices, including the Platform/NGage. These include ''Dawnstar'' (2003), ''Stormhold'' (2004), ''Shadowkey'' (2004), and ''Oblivion'' (2006). The canonicity of each is [[CanonDiscontinuity unclear at best]].
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63	[[index]]
64	* ''[[Literature/TheElderScrolls The Elder Scrolls Novels]]'' (2009-2011): ''The Infernal City'' (2009) and ''Lord of Souls'' (2011) by Greg Keyes. Set forty years after ''Oblivion'', they tell of the appearance of the floating city of Umbriel in Tamriel and the devastation it wrought.
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66	* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsOnline'' (2014): An {{MMORPG}} prequel to the main ''Elder Scrolls'' series, set during the Second Era interregnum between the fall of the Akaviri Potentate and the rise of the Septim Dynasty. The PC has had their soul stolen by the Daedric Prince Molag Bal, and they must stop him as he attempts to take over Tamriel. Meanwhile, the Ruby Throne is empty, and three alliances vie for control of Cyrodiil and the Empire. Originally subscription based, it went "Buy to Play" in March 2015, meaning you only need to buy the game to play it.
67	** ''Imperial City'' (2015): The PC helps put an end to Molag Bal's plot in the Imperial City itself.
68	** ''Orsinium'' (2015): The PC helps the Orcish king, Kurog, establish a new city of Orsinum in the mountains of Wrothgar.
69	** ''Thieves Guild'' (2016): The PC joins the Thieves Guild, and assists in their power struggles against the corrupt merchant lords in the Hew's Bane peninsula of Hammerfell.
70	** ''Dark Brotherhood'' (2016): The PC joins the Dark Brotherhood in their sanctuary in the Gold Coast region of Cyrodiil, while a knightly faction called The Order of the Hour seeks to eliminate the guild.
71	** ''Morrowind'' (2017): The PC travels to Vvardenfell and discovers that Vivec is losing his divine power, putting Vvardenfell in danger of destruction.
72	** ''Clockwork City'' (2017): The PC travels with Divayth Fyr to Sotha Sil's eponymous realm, only to find it under attack by shadowy Daedric forces.
73	** ''Summerset'' (2018): The PC discovers, on the Altmeri isle of Summerset, that a Daedric threat puts all of Tamriel in danger.
74	** ''Murkmire'' (2018): The PC travels to the Murkmire region of Black Marsh, where a wealthy patron seeks a lost artefact deep in the untamed swamps.
75	** ''Elsweyr'' (2019): The PC travels to the Khajiit homeland of Elsweyr, where a trio of dragons have just been released and now threaten the province.
76	** ''Dragonhold'' (2019): The PC travels to Southern Elsweyr to rebuild the ancient Dragonguard and fight a dragon-worshipping cult.
77	** ''Greymoor'' (2020): The PC travels to Western Skyrim to investigate devastating magical storms that appear to be the machinations of a coven of Reach witches.
78	** ''Markarth'' (2020): The PC travels to Reachman-occupied Markarth and its surrounds, seeking out the dark power behind the Grey Host.
79	** ''Blackwood'' (2021): The PC travels to the Blackwood region of Cyrodiil, where Mehrunes Dagon is seeking to unearth a powerful set of weapons.
80	** ''The Deadlands'' (2021): The PC travels to Mehrunes Dagon's plane of Oblivion, thwarting his plans alongside mortal and Daedric allies.
81	** ''High Isle'' (2022): The PC travels to High Isle off the coast of High Rock, where talks to end the Three Banners War are threatened by a mysterious order of knights.
82	** ''Firesong'' (2022): The PC travels to the isle of Galen, where conflict is brewing among the local druids over the legacy of the Druid King.
83	** ''Necrom'' (2023): The PC travels to Necrom and the surrounding Telvanni Peninsula region of Morrowind, joining forces with Hermaeus Mora to stop a threat to reality itself.
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85	* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsLegends'' (2015): A digital strategy card game for PC and tablet, which features a story mode (taking place around the Great War before the events of ''Skyrim'') in addition to normal matches.
86	** ''The Fall of the Dark Brotherhood'' (2017): Expanding on events described in Cicero's journal in ''Skyrim'', the Forgotten Hero takes part in the Dark Brotherhood's salvation or destruction.
87	** ''Return to Clockwork City'' (2017): Long after Sotha Sil's death, the Forgotten Hero and their companions make it to the Clockwork City and discover secrets of both its past and present.
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89	* ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsBlades'' (2019): Revealed during the 2018 Bethesda E3 Showcase, Blades is an ''Elder Scrolls'' {{Interquel}} game set during the TimeSkip between ''Oblivion'' and ''Skyrim''. It features an exiled member of The Blades, and aside from exploring [[ProceduralGeneration procedurally-generated dungeons]], the player can also build towns and [[GladiatorSubquest fight other players in an arena]]. Blades is free-to-play on iPhone, iPad, and Android devices, with PC and VR versions also announced with cross-play capability across systems. Originally set to launch in Q4 2018, the release was pushed back into 2019 (with many suspecting that the delay was related to the disastrous launch of ''VideoGame/{{Fallout 76}}'').
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91	* ''TabletopGame/TheElderScrollsCallToArms'' (2019): A 32mm miniatures [[WarGaming wargame]] from Creator/ModiphiusEntertainment.
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93	* ''The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim – The Adventure Game'' (2022): An adventure board game from Creator/ModiphiusEntertainment.
94	[[/index]]
95	[[/folder]]
96
97	An Elder Scrolls Anthology was released in 2013 for the PC. It includes every game in the main series (''Arena, Daggerfall, Morrowind, Oblivion, and Skyrim'') along with all the add-ons and expansions for the most recent three.
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99	''Script/C0DA'' is an unofficial graphic novel script by former series developer Creator/MichaelKirkbride meant to encourage the idea of ''The Elder Scrolls'' lore as a living open-source world.
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101	''The Elder Scrolls'' has inspired many world-building projects, such as ''Literature/TheUutakMythos''.
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103	The series has a well detailed [[Timeline/TheElderScrolls Timeline of Events]].
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105	----
106	!!The Series as a whole provides examples of:
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108	[[index]]
109	* TheElderScrolls/Tropes0ToA
110	* TheElderScrolls/TropesB
111	* TheElderScrolls/TropesC
112	* TheElderScrolls/TropesD
113	* TheElderScrolls/TropesE
114	* TheElderScrolls/TropesF
115	* TheElderScrolls/TropesG
116	* TheElderScrolls/TropesH
117	* TheElderScrolls/TropesIToJ
118	* TheElderScrolls/TropesKToL
119	* TheElderScrolls/TropesM
120	* TheElderScrolls/TropesNToO
121	* TheElderScrolls/TropesPToR
122	* TheElderScrolls/TropesS
123	* TheElderScrolls/TropesTToU
124	* TheElderScrolls/TropesVToZ
125	[[/index]]
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Context Franchise / TheElderScrolls