History TheElderScrolls / TropesKToL

* TheLastOfTheseIsNotLikeTheOthers: The series has a serious example in Jyggalag, the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Prince]] of [[ControlFreak Order]]. Jyggalag is very [[GodOfGods Anuic]] (static, orderly) in nature compared to the other generally more [[TheAntiGod Padomaic]]-inclined (chaotic, disorderly) Daedric Princes. It is quite likely that [[OrderVersusChaos this is one of the reasons]] the others [[AllTheOtherReindeer despise him so much]]. It is also likely the reason why, once he [[LiteralSplitPersonalities separates himself]] from [[MadGod Sheogorath]], he generally ignores Mundus, the mortal plane. (Due to the actions of the Anuic [[SaintlyChurch Aedra]] during the creation of Mundus, it is much more orderly than the rest of the universe.)

** Malacath, the Daedric Prince of the Spurned and Ostracized (and patron deity of the Orcs), is typically depicted as wielding a large two-handed blade, like a dai-katana. Despite this, the artifact weapons most associated with him are the [[CarryABigStick mace Scourge]] and the [[DropTheHammer warhammer Volendrung]].

* LightningBruiser: Throughout the series, the ProudWarriorRace [[HornyVikings Nords]] are the ''physical'' Lightning Bruiser race of Tamriel. They get some of the best skill bonuses for two-handed weaponry (including [[{{BFS}} Claymores]], Battle Axes, and [[DropTheHammer Warhammers]]), which allows them to hit very hard. They also get skill bonuses toward Light Armor (fur, leather, light chainmail, etc.) which offers them protection while allowing them to move quickly around the battlefield. Finally, their natural physical endurance is among the best of any of the races. The only thing keeping them from being overpowered (and preserving a semblance of balance among the playable races) is that they are least ''magically'' inclined race in Tamriel and even have a [[DoesNotLikeMagic cultural aversion]] to it.

* LingeringSocialTensions: Between the events of ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'', Morrowind's King Helseth abolishes the nation's long-time practice of slavery, particularly of the [[LizardFolk Argonians]] and [[CatFolk Khajiit]]. Despite this, between ''Oblivion'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'', it is revealed that (at the encouragement of Thalmor {{Agent Provocateur}}s and with Morrowind having already been devastated by the [[ChekhovsVolcano Red Year]]), the Argonians [[TheDogBitesBack invaded Morrowind in part for revenge]] at their people's thousands of years of enslavement, raiding and capturing territory as far north as Morrowind's capital of Mournhold before being driven out (though still holding some southern areas).

* LingeringSocialTensions: Between the events of ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIIIMorrowind Morrowind]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsIVOblivion Oblivion]]'', Morrowind's King Helseth abolishes the nation's long-time practice of slavery, particularly of the [[LizardFolk Argonians]] and [[CatFolk Khajiit]]. Despite this, between ''Oblivion'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'', it is revealed that (at the encouragement of [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Thalmor]] {{Agent Provocateur}}s and with Morrowind having already been devastated by the [[ChekhovsVolcano Red Year]]), the Argonians [[TheDogBitesBack invaded Morrowind in part for revenge]] at their people's thousands of years of enslavement, raiding and capturing territory as far north as Morrowind's capital of Mournhold before being driven out (though still holding some southern areas).

* LegitimateBusinessmensSocialClub: Throughout the series, for obvious reasons, the ThievesGuild doesn't have open guild halls like the [[AdventureGuild Fighters]] or [[MagicalSociety Mages]] guilds. Instead, they tend to operate out of various taverns and clubs in major cities. Justified, as these are something of an OpenSecret to create plausible deniability, since their guild halls ''actually'' being secrets would be bad for business.

** The 4th Era Skyrim {{Civil War}} is kicked off when Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak kills Torygg, the High King of Skyrim. Skyrim is fiercely divided on whether this was a lawful duel for the High King's throne in the old way (as the Stormcloaks under his banner see it) or a murder and usurpation of the throne due to Ulfric's use of the [[MakeMeWannaShout Thu'um]] against Torygg (as the Empire sees it).

** Lorkhan "the missing God" is strongly associated with a number of playable characters throughout series history, including the protagonists of the most popular games in the series: TES III, IV, and V. Every roleplaying setting is missing its most important character. Players may wonder why the spirit of Lorkhan/Shor is not present in Sovengard in TES V: Skyrim when the player visits that plane. Lorkhan's spirit seems to be [[AGodIsYou otherwise occupied]].

** Lorkhan "the missing God" is strongly associated with a number of playable characters throughout series history, including the protagonists of the most popular games in the series: TES III, IV, and V. Every roleplaying setting is missing its most important character.

* Lorkhan "the missing God" is strongly associated with a number of playable characters throughout series history, including the protagonists of the most popular games in the series: TES III, IV, and V. Every roleplaying setting is missing its most important character.
* Accounts of the creation of the world usually include a deluge myth in which most of the landmasses of early Nirn were destroyed in a flood. Bethesda's original world map was destroyed by the building's sprinkler system, leaving the developers to recreate the most important continents from memory.
* Most of the Eight Divines were named after Daggerfall writers, developers or play-testers. According to the lore, the Divines gave up part of themselves to bring the setting into existence. Since the Divines are named after real people who helped create the game world this is not so much game lore as it is literally true.

* LikeADuckTakesToWater: Starting with ''Daggerfall'', the PlayerCharacter can join various guilds and factions, often with [[SidequestSidestory their own questlines]] nearly as expansive as the main quest itself. Despite always joining as the lowest rank in the faction, the player character can nonetheless complete the questline and shoot up through the ranks in a matter of a few in-game ''weeks'', even despite the presence of other members who've been serving for years if not ''decades'' in some cases. AsskickingEqualsAuthority plays into this, as the player character is just that sort of omnicompetent badass who can resolve the questline's conflict and inspire the loyalty of the other members.

'''Note:''' ''Elder Scrolls'' lore is generally not clear-cut. Reasons for this range from [[UnreliableNarrator biased]] in-universe sources intentionally only giving you only one side of a story, to sources [[CriticalResearchFailure lacking critical information]] or working from [[BlatantLies false information]], to the implication that AllMythsAreTrue, despite the contradictions, or that at least all myths are MetaphoricallyTrue. [[WordOfGod Out-of-game developer supplemental texts]] (frequently referred to as "Obscure Texts" by the lore community) are more trustworthy, but are frequently left [[LooseCanon unofficial]] and sometimes later contradicted. Because of this, it is entirely possible for two contradictory statements in the below examples to ''both'' be true. (And due to frequent events in-universe that [[TimeCrash alter the timeline]], both may ''literally'' be true in-universe.)

* TheLegionsOfHell: This applies to any Daedric Prince who, for whatever reason, attempts to invade Mundus with their [[OurDemonsAreDifferent lesser Daedra]] servants. The purest example is Mehrunes Dagon, the Daedric Prince of [[DestroyerDeity Destruction]]. His legions include the Dremora (a ProudWarriorRace with a very [[RedAndBlackAndEvilAllOver demonic aesthetic]] who serve him in a [[AlwaysChaoticEvil Lawful Evil]] way) as his {{Mooks}} (with the higher-ranking Dremora serving as EliteMooks and PraetorianGuard), [[TheGoomba Scamps]] as CannonFodder, [[EverythingsBetterWithDinosaurs Clannfear]] as {{Attack Animal}}s, [[NeverSmileAtACrocodile Daedroths]] as {{Giant Mook}}s, and the massive Xivilai as his high end EliteMooks. Dagon has repeatedly attempted to [[TakeOverTheWorld take over Mundus]] in this fashion.

* LaughablyEvil: This is a trait of the Dark Brotherhood, an illegal [[MurderInc organization of assassins]] whose membership mostly takes a [[PsychoForHire sadistic glee]] in killing and who practice a ReligionOfEvil. Though horrifying in their occupation, the Dark Brotherhood is at times downright ''hilarious'', in large part due to their EqualOpportunityEvil RagtagBunchOfMisfits approach to recruiting which brings a lot of distinct personalities together. Special mentions include Gogron gro-Bolmog, a [[MightyGlacier heavy armor wearing]] and [[AnAxeToGrind axe-wielding]] [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Orc]] who has a decidedly ''[[LeeroyJenkins non-stealthy]]'' approach to assassination, and Festus Krex, an elderly [[PlayingWithFire pyromaniac]] mage assassin who ''strongly'' believes that ThereIsNoKillLikeOverkill.

* LightningBruiser: Throughout the series, the ProudWarriorRace [[HornyVikings Nords]] are the ''physical'' Lightning Bruiser race of Tamriel. They get some of the best skill bonuses for two-handed weaponry (including [[{{BFS}} Claymores]], [[AnAxeToGrind Battle Axes]], and [[DropTheHammer Warhammers]]), which allows them to hit very hard. They also get skill bonuses toward Light Armor (fur, leather, light chainmail, etc.) which offers them protection while allowing them to move quickly around the battlefield. Finally, their natural physical endurance is among the best of any of the races. The only thing keeping them from being overpowered (and preserving a semblance of balance among the playable races) is that they are least ''magically'' inclined race in Tamriel and even have a [[DoesNotLikeMagic cultural aversion]] to it.

* {{Lunacy}}: This is actually averted for [[OurWerebeastsAreDifferent were-creatures]]. While many in-universe believe the disease has connections to Nirn's [[AlienSky twin moons]], this is not the case. Depending on the exact form of lycanthropy present in the infected, they may [[InvoluntaryTransformation transform nightly, monthly]], or [[SuperMode voluntarily at any time]].

** When translated from draconic, many dragon names have this or a similar effect, crossing over with {{Awesome McCoolname}}. Examples include "Curse Never Dying" and "Snow Wing Hunter".

* KillEmAll: Wulfharth Ash-King, the legendary ancient King of the Nords and noted [[GodInHumanForm Shezarrine]] who [[EternalHero has died and come back to life]] at least three times, was part of two such instances:
** According to "The Secret Song of King Wulfharth," this was the fate of nearly all of the leaders at the [[GreatOffscreenWar Battle of Red Mountain]]. Wulfharth blinded Alandro Sul with a [[LanguageOfMagic Thu'um]] [[MakeMeWannaShout shout]], but was himself struck down with "grievous wounds". Meanwhile, Nerevar, Dagoth, Dumac, and Shor who had been reunited with his [[CosmicKeystone Heart]] all killed each other but not before Nerevar was able to cut out Shor's heart once again.
** This was the result of the fight that ensued when [[CourtMage Zurin Arctus]] attempted to trap Wulfharth's soul. Wulfharth killed all of Arctus' soldiers and then killed Arctus himself with his dying breath. However, Arctus' [[YourSoulIsMine soul-trap spell]] succeeded. The two were apparently left [[MergerOfSouls merged into one undying being]] known as the Underking. (A title that Wulfharth possibly went by even before this event.)

** Wabbajack, a MagicStaff artifact associated with [[MadGod Sheogorath]] is another. Wabbajack [[BalefulPolymorph transforms its target into a random creature]], ranging from sheep to lesser Daedra. This part is more fun than anything. However, it also has a small chance to randomly turn the target into an inanimate object (a wheel of cheese, a pile of coins, a sweet roll, etc.), which also kills it for good. With this latter power, the staff essentially gives you a chance to one-shot nearly any enemy.

** The various CityGuards throughout the series are infamous for this. Commit ''any'' crime in their presence, and be prepared to be pursued by a veritable army of them. The [[ChurchPolice Ordinators]] in ''Morrowind'' notably take this UpToEleven, while the Hold guards of ''Skyrim'' avert it by being much more loose and laid back than other guards in the series.