History TheElderScrolls / TropesM

* MobilePhoneGame: ''The Elder Scrolls Travels'' was a series of mobile phone games developed for Java-enabled devices, including the UsefulNotes/N-Gage. These include ''Dawnstar'' (2003), ''Stormhold'' (2004), and ''Shadowkey'' (2004). [[CanonDiscontinuity The canonicity of each unclear at best]].

* MartialPacifist: The Bosmer have a reputation for being pacifists, due to the fact that throughout all the wars throughout Tamriel's history, the Bosmer have been the aggressors in only a small number of conflicts. They have, however, been forced to repel invaders on countless occasions, so they're not averse to combat; their race has produced some of Tamriel's finest archers, and if in [[GodzillaThreshold dire straits]], they have the power to unleash the nightmarish beasts of TheWildHunt against their foes.

*** The [[ForestRanger Bosmer (Wood Elves)]] are revered for their skills as marksmen, and the Legion has used them as skirmishers.

* MartialPacifist: The Bosmer have a reputation for being pacifists, due to the fact that throughout all the wars throughout Tamriel's history, the Bosmer have been the aggressors in only a small number of conflicts. They have, however, been forced to repel invaders on countless occasions, so they're not averse to combat; their race has produced some of Tamriel's [[ArcherArchetype finest archers]], and if in [[GodzillaThreshold dire straits]], they have the power to unleash the nightmarish beasts of TheWildHunt against their foes.

** In-universe, depending on the time period and the location, the [[BadassArmy Imperial Legion]] trains in numerous weapon types. Their most popular weapon is the [[NationalWeapon Imperial Sword]], though they've also trained their soldiers to use [[CarryABigStick maces]], polearms, and [[ArcherArchetype bows]].

*** The [[ForestRanger Bosmer (Wood Elves)]] are revered for their [[ArcherArchetype skills as marksmen]], and the Legion has used them as skirmishers.

*** Nirn's [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Dragons]] are capable of bending reality with their LanguageOfMagic, known to mortalkind as the "[[MakeMeWannaShout Thu'um]]". As seen most prominently in ''[[VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim Skyrim]]'', the ancient [[HornyVikings Nords]] were taught this technique during their Merethic Era war against the dragons, who were seeking to be worshipped as gods. They not only defeated the dragons using the Thu'um, but expanded their empire across all of northern Tamriel. It took a coalition including the aforementioned Dwemer for their expansion to finally be halted. One of their leaders, Jurgen Windcaller, experienced a HeelFaithTurn and preached that the Thu'um should only be used to honor the gods, preaching pacifism and founding the [[OldMaster Greybeards]]. Use of the Thu'um as a weapon of war would drop drastically in the centuries to follow.

* TheMagicVersusTechnologyWar: The Dwemer and the Chimer (the ancestors of the Dunmer) warred for centuries. The Chimer were skilled warriors and worshipped the Daedra to help them fight, but they were too few in number and lacked the powerful weapons to match the Dwemer's armies of automatons and HumongousMecha, so the Dwemer usually won. Score one for technology. [[FromBadToWorse But then the]] Nords invaded Resdayn. Even though the Nords were utterly primitive next to the mighty and advanced Dwemer civilization, [[EmpoweredBadassNormal the power of their]] [[MakeMeWannaShout Thu'um]] combined with their superior numbers and [[ProudWarriorRace ferocity in battle]] actually put the Dwemer on the back foot. Score one for magic. They were only defeated and driven away [[EnemyMine by the Dwemer joining forces with the hated Chimer]]. The Chimer later fought the Dwemer again at the Battle of Red Mountain, and the Chimer pushed the Dwemer back until the latter [[RiddleForTheAges did... something]] with the Heart of Lorkhan and all (but one) vanished without trace.

* MakeMeWannaShout:

* MundaneMadeAwesome: [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Dragons]], for whom their LanguageOfMagic is so intrinsic, don't [[BreathWeapon breathe fire]] so much as [[RealityWarper command fire into existence]] using the [[MakeMeWannaShout Thu'um]]. It is mentioned that when two dragons fight, they're really having an intense ''verbal debate''. Essentially, they ''Invert'' the trope, making it Awesome Made Mundane.

** In-universe, depending on the time period and the location, the [[BadassArmy Imperial Legion]] trains in numerous weapon types. Their most popular weapon is the [[NationalWeapon Imperial Sword]], though they've also trained their soldiers to use [[CarryABigStick maces]], [[BladeOnAStick polearms]], and [[ArcherArchetype bows]].

*** The Skull of Corruption is an artifact staff associated with Vaermina, the Daedric Prince of Nightmares. It has the power to [[DreamStealer steal the dreams of sleeping mortals]] in order to increase its own power. In various instances, it has either allowed the caster to create clones of the staff's target (who then fight for the caster) or it casts a damaging spell which gets stronger if it has stolen dreams.

*** The Skull of Corruption is an artifact staff associated with Vaermina, the Daedric Prince of [[YourWorstNightmare Nightmares]]. It has the power to [[DreamStealer steal the dreams of sleeping mortals]] in order to increase its own power. In various instances, it has either allowed the caster to create clones of the staff's target (who then fight for the caster) or it casts a damaging spell which gets stronger if it has stolen dreams.

** This is also a tactic of Vaermina, the Daedric Prince of [[YourWorstNightmare Nightmares]]. She can cause this by afflicting mortals with ceaseless, horrific nightmares. For a mortal, simply ''being in'' her realm of [[EldritchLocation Quagmire]] can qualify as this.

'''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.)

** Almalexia, one of the Dunmeri [[PhysicalGod Tribunal]], is one in her recurring appearances as well. She typically wears {{Stripperiffic}} attire crossed over with sheer VaporWear, in addition to being a [[DarkSkinnedRedhead Gold Skinned Redhead]].

* MadLibFantasyTitle: The series title. In fact, according to a former developer, "The Elder Scrolls" was chosen as a surtitle to ''Arena'' simply because "it sounded cool". It wasn't until later that the devs decided what an Elder Scroll actually is in-universe. The individual game titles avert it, instead being {{One Word Title}}s following ThePlace titling convention (with a few Subversions), using in-universe locations.

** Early games in the series offer them as a variety of two-handed blunt weapon, much like a SimpleStaff. Actually striking opponents with them should be a last resort, as they are not particularly strong weapons, but they are ''highly'' enchantable. Starting with ''Oblivion'', staves become oversized magic wands, with no bludgeoning functionality. Each can each cast a predetermined spell a limited number of times, saving you from dipping into your personal supply of magicka.

** It is possible for the PlayerCharacter to be one of these throughout the series, as there are loads and loads of weapons to choose from. How much of a "master" you are depends on how skilled you are with said weapons, however. Unless you plan to invest a lot of time to practice using different weapon types or a lot of money for training your skills in those weapon types, it's recommended that you stick with one melee weapon type and become a master of that. In ''Oblivion'', the skill system was revamped to include only "Blade" and "Blunt" weapon types. This means that you can become a "Blade" master by [[KnifeNut using a dagger]] a lot, then switch to a massive [[{{BFS}} Claymore]] and instantly be a master with that too. After many criticisms, ''Skyrim'' moved back away from this system, instead having "One-Handed" and "Two-Handed" weapons classed together, with Perks that give you bonuses for using specific weapon types within those types (blade, axe, blunt, etc.) While you can still level up your One-Handed skill by using a sword, then switch to an axe and still be as effective, the axe will be less powerful if you haven't also taken the axe-related Perks.

* MoneySpider: Generally averted, as most creatures drop bits of VendorTrash or [[OrganDrops Organ Drop]][=-style=] alchemical ingredients which you'll need to sell in order to make money. Rarely, you may find a wolf or bear or ''dragon'' with some coins, jewelry, or gems. One can presume that these were ingested when the creature in question ate the person carrying them...

** Starting with ''Oblivion'', [[PotionBrewingMechanic creating poisons]] is added as a subset of the {{AlchemyIsMagic}} skill. Poisons can be applied to weapons to deal extra damage and/or make them {{Status Inflicti|onAttack}}ing. ''Skyrim'', via the Pickpocketing skill, adds the ability to drop poisons directly into the inventory of [=NPCs=], who will then be inflicted by the poison's effects, right up to death.

** Starting with ''Oblivion'', [[PotionBrewingMechanic creating poisons]] is added as a subset of the [[AlchemyIsMagic Alchemy]] skill. Poisons can be applied to weapons to deal extra damage and/or inflict a StatusEffect. ''Skyrim'', via the Pickpocketing skill, adds the ability to drop poisons directly into the inventory of [=NPCs=], who will then be inflicted by the poison's effects, right up to death.

** The [[UnevenHybrid Breton]] race is renowned not only for their own [[WitchSpecies inherent magical abilities]], but for the AntiMagic traits the [[BreedingSlave elven blood flowing through their veins]] gives them. They are extremely magic-resistant, bordering on immunity with their racial power. They are especially strong against the Altmer, who bias towards Destruction magic. While they [[SquishyWizard lack the physical durability]] of their [[HumansAreWarriors fellow races of Men]], Bretons are the bane of opposing mages everywhere.

** In lore this is a specialty of the Bretons of High Rock, as their ([[UnevenHybrid traces of]]) elven blood gives them an [[WitchSpecies innate affinity for magic]] and a [[AntiMagic resistance to it]], while their human-like bodies are generally more resilient than ([[SquishyWizard often squishy]]) pure elves. Their culture in High Rock is based on that of medieval France and England, so Bretons have a strong chivalric tradition and each city-state in High Rock has their own knightly order.
** Likewise, the Altmer (High Elves), known for their [[WitchSpecies sorcery and magical prowess]], do employ armed-and-armored soldiers as well. Each and every one of these soldiers uses magic as a supplement in combat. However, the "true" Altmer mages (who are typically upper class) [[KlingonScientistsGetNoRespect look down upon]] the Altmer "warriors" (who are typically middle or lower-class).

** Historically in the series, magic staves have been a favored weapon of the [[UnevenHybrid Bretons]] of High Rock, and may even be where the originated. It makes sense, as the Bretons are a natural WitchSpecies (thanks to their traces of Elven blood) with defensive AntiMagic traits, making them excellent in MagicKnight and MageKiller roles.
** Likewise, magical staves are a common tool for [[OurLichesAreDifferent Liches]], further enhancing their [[WitchSpecies already formidable]] magical prowess.

** Several of the WitchSpecies races, such as the Altmer and Bretons, employ rank-and-file soldiers who are naturally gifted in the skills of magic and use spells to supplement their more standard combat abilities.

*** Upon joining the Empire, [[UnevenHybrid Bretons]] were favored for recruitment thanks to their [[WitchSpecies inherent magical abilities]]. They have long served as Battlemages and [[CombatMedic Healers]].

* MohsScaleOfViolenceHardness: The series has generally hovered around the 4-6 range.

** The [[ALoadOfBull Minotaur]] race is believed to [[DivineDate descend from the union]] between St. Alessia (the "Slave Queen" who led the Alessian [[SlaveLiberation Slave Revolt]] against their [[AbusivePrecursors Ayleid]] masters) and Morihaus, the [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Aedric demi-god]] "winged man-bull" sent by the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Divines]] to aid Alessia. [[EternalHero Pelinal Whitestrake]], Alessia's "champion" and Morihaus' divine "uncle," specifically warned Morihaus against this relationship, believing that they would "beget more monsters on this earth." (Which, if this is the true origin of Minotaurs, proved to be the case.) Their son, Belharza, was said to be the first Minotaur and became the second Emperor of the Alessian Empire following his mother's death.

** Starting with ''Oblivion'', [[PotionBrewingMechanic creating poisons]] is added as a subset of the [[AlchemyIsMagic Alchemy]] skill. Poisons can be applied to weapons to deal extra damage and/or inflict a StandardStatusEffect. ''Skyrim'', via the Pickpocketing skill, adds the ability to drop poisons directly into the inventory of [=NPCs=], who will then be inflicted by the poison's effects, right up to death.

* MixedAncestry:
** This is the case for all mixed-race hybrids in the series, being {{Uneven Hybrid}}s while averting AllGenesAreCodominant. Throughout the series, several [[FictionalDocument in-game books]] and [[AllThereInTheManual backstory details]] indicate that each race of Men (Imperial, Breton, Redguard, Nord) and Mer ("Elves" - Altmer, Dunmer, Bosmer, Orsimer) can indeed interbreed, with the race of the offspring usually being virtually identical to the mother, with a few of the father's traits potentially sprinkled in.[[note]]This may also be true for the [[CatFolk Khajiit]], but so far there are no canonical examples.[[/note]] For example, if an [[SquishyWizard Altmer father]] and [[ProudWarriorRace Nord mother]] produce a child, it wouldn't be a MagicKnight combination of each race. Instead, the child would be almost entirely Nord with the potential of having some Altmeri traits, such as slight points to his ears, higher cheekbones, or a slightly different skin tone.
** The Bretons are the most famous hybrid race in Tamriel. Their (human) ancestors were {{Breeding Slave}}s to the Direnni Altmer of High Rock. Over the course of many generations, some of the Elven traits started to come through with greater dominance. This has led the Bretons to be the most [[WitchSpecies magically inclined]] race of Men in Tamriel at the cost of some of the HumansAreWarriors traits of the other races of Men. It still isn't accurate to call the Bretons "half human" hybrids, however. They are still almost entirely human with ''some'' Altmeri ancestry. It's noted that some elite noble Breton families still have slightly pointed ears.
** The Bosmer are said to be result of ancient hybridization as well. When the Aldmer ({{Precursors}} to all of the modern Elven races) first settled in Valenwood, they started to take "Mannish wives," leading to the modern Bosmer. It is worth noting that out of all the races of Mer, the Bosmer are the ones who look closest to humans and have the most human-like skin tones. In the exact opposite of the Bretons, the Bosmer are still almost entirely Mer.

** In general in the series (at least from ''Morrowind'' onward), it is possible for an indiscriminate player to complete most quests that would otherwise require faction relations, persuasion checks, and/or specialized skills (like picking locks or pockets) by prying the quest MacGuffin out of someone's cold, dead hands. Justified as it prevents the game from being UnwinnableByMistake if you manage to kill or bug out a vital quest chain NPC. In many of these cases (especially for factions like the Thieves Guild and Dark Brotherhood), you generally don't receive as great of a reward if you veer off the quest rails and take the full-blown murder path.

* MagicalWeapon: There are several types
** Standard enchanted weapons, which are just normal physical weapons infused with magic