| 1 | [[Franchise/TheElderScrolls Main Page]] | [[TheElderScrolls/Tropes0ToA 0 - A]] | [[TheElderScrolls/TropesB B]] | [[TheElderScrolls/TropesC C]] | [[TheElderScrolls/TropesD D]] | [[TheElderScrolls/TropesE E]] | [[TheElderScrolls/TropesF F]] | [[TheElderScrolls/TropesG G]] | [[TheElderScrolls/TropesH H]] | '''I - J''' | [[TheElderScrolls/TropesKToL K - L]] | [[TheElderScrolls/TropesM M]] | [[TheElderScrolls/TropesNToO N - O]] | [[TheElderScrolls/TropesPToR P - R]] | [[TheElderScrolls/TropesS S]] | [[TheElderScrolls/TropesTToU T - U]] | [[TheElderScrolls/TropesVToZ V - Z]] |
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| 5 | '''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 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.) |
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| 8 | |
| 9 | !! The Elder Scrolls - Tropes I to J |
| 10 | |
| 11 | [[foldercontrol]] |
| 12 | |
| 13 | [[folder:I]] |
| 14 | * IAmWho: Unsurprisingly common for the PlayerCharacter throughout the series. In addition to often being the [[TheChosenOne prophesied hero]] of the main quest ([[YouAreTheTranslatedForeignWord Nerevarine, Dovahkiin]][=/=]Dragonborn), you are also often the prophesied hero in the expansions (Pelinal Reborn) and in some faction questlines (Listener of the Dark Brotherhood). These titles generally have no meaning outside of their context, so merely finding out that you are, for example, the Nerevarine, doesn't mean much unless you also found out ''what'' the Nerevarine is. |
| 15 | * IAmXSonOfY: |
| 16 | ** Traditional [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Orc]] names follow this structure with the prefixes "gro" and "gra" meaning "son of" and "daughter of", respectively; when referring to a parent, a male orc will use his father's name as his last name, and a female will use her mother's. So, for example, an Orc named Agron gro-Malog is "Agron, the son of Malog". It is also not uncommon for them to use their place of birth as a last name in place of a parent's in some cases. |
| 17 | ** Draconic BeastOfTheApocalypse Alduin just ''loves'' to announce the fact that he is the "firstborn" of Akatosh, the [[DragonsAreDivine draconic]] God of Time and TopGod of the [[SaintlyChurch Nine Divines]] pantheon. |
| 18 | ---> '''"[[NoIndoorVoice I AM ALDUIN! FIRST BORN SON OF AKATOSH!]]"''' |
| 19 | * ICannotSelfTerminate: |
| 20 | ** The Underking, believed to be Zurin Arctus (possibly [[MergerOfSouls merged with]] Wulfharth Ash-King) who served as [[CourtMage Imperial Battlemage]] to Tiber Septim, had this issue. He infused his heart/soul into the [[SoulJar Mantella]] in order to power the Numidium. After Septim used the Numidium to complete his conquest of Tamriel, Arctus tried to take the Mantella back. When he did, it triggered an explosion which "killed" him and sent his heart in Aetherius. However, he persisted in an undead form as the Underking, unable to actually die until he was reunited with the Mantella. As a result of the [[TimeCrash Warp in the West]], he was finally allowed to die. |
| 21 | ** At several points in the series, depending on the mode of resurrection, some ghosts and forms of reanimated dead are still conscious but have no control over their body. They will sometimes be {{Apologetic Attacker}}s and will thank the person who kills them for freeing them as they die (again). |
| 22 | * IconicItem: Throughout the series, in-universe, the various Daedric artifacts are these for their associated Daedric Princes. |
| 23 | * IconicOutfit: In-universe with uniformed [[AncientOrderOfProtectors Blades]] in their [[{{Wutai}} Akaviri]] style armor with Akaviri [[KatanasAreJustBetter katanas]]. Virtually all citizens of Tamriel are able to recognize a uniformed Blade. |
| 24 | * IconicSequelCharacter: It's pretty easy to forget that, despite being an iconic part of the series, the Daedric Princes were first introduced in ''Daggerfall'', the second game in the franchise. (And even then, there was plenty of EarlyInstallmentWeirdness with many of their appearances and personalities.) |
| 25 | * IdealIllnessImmunity: |
| 26 | ** Vampirism and Lycanthropy are technically forms of disease, with this as one of the side-effects. It also allows for a OneCurseLimit and HybridOverkillAvoidance, making them mutually exclusive in-universe (as well as in-game, outside of exploits which usually result in {{Game Breaking Bug}}s). |
| 27 | ** This is also a side effect of the Corprus disease, in addition to making the sufferer into TheAgeless. Once the mental degradation symptoms of the disease come into full effect, the sufferer's only hope for death is a MercyKill. |
| 28 | ** Throughout the series, this is a racial trait of the [[LizardFolk Argonians]]. Downplayed in that it's not truly "ideal," but the Argonians are naturally highly resistant to most forms of disease. This actually may have hurt their reputation during the deadly Knahaten Flu outbreak in the 2nd Era, which crippled much of Tamriel. As the Argonians were immune to the disease, [[ReptilesAreAbhorrent they were blamed as the creators (or at least as carriers) of the disease]], [[FantasticRacism souring their relations with many of the other races of Tamriel]]. |
| 29 | * IdiosyncraticCoverArt: Starting with ''Morrowind'', every installment of the series has featured MinimalisticCoverArt showing an emblem of some sort from the Elder Scrolls universe as though it were printed on the cover of a book. Collector's Editions and "Game of the Year" editions follow a similar trend, usually with some small change to the color or emblem from the standard edition of the game in question. |
| 30 | * IdiosyncraticEpisodeNaming: Each entry of the series is a OneWordTitle usually named after ThePlace where the game takes place. This also applies to expansions and spin-offs. |
| 31 | * IdiotHero: The Tang Mo are a race of "[[BeastMen monkey-folk]]" hailing from the continent of [[{{Wutai}} Akavir]], far to the east of Tamriel. They are described as kind and brave, but also very simple. Despite this, they are capable of raising armies and have successfully defended themselves time and again against their hostile neighbors, including the Kamal "[[EvilIsDeathlyCold snow demons]]" and the Tsaesci "[[SnakePeople snake vampires]]". |
| 32 | * IdiotSavant: [[DivineParentage Demiprinces]] are a form of [[OurDemonsAreDifferent lesser Daedra]] born from the union of a [[HalfHumanHybrid Daedra and a mortal]]. Their dual nature gives them an ''odd'' [[CloudCuckoolander perception of the world and time itself]]. In addition to their eccentricities, Demiprinces have an extremely difficult time maintaining knowledge which lies outside their spheres of influence. However, they are the ''[[BunnyEarsLawyer undisputed masters]]'' of whatever lies within their spheres. |
| 33 | * IDontLikeTheSoundOfThatPlace: |
| 34 | ** Many of the [[EldritchLocation planes of Oblivion]], realms of the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Princes]], have names like this. These include [[DestroyerDeity Mehrunes]] [[OmnicidalManiac Dagon]]'s "[[FireAndBrimstoneHell Deadlands]]", [[GodOfEvil Molag]] [[TheCorrupter Bal]]'s "[[BloodyBowelsOfHell Coldharbour]]", [[AllTheOtherReindeer Malacath]]'s "[[DeathWorld Ashpit]]", [[ImAHumanitarian Namira]]'s "[[BodyHorror Scuttling]] [[VoidBetweenTheWorlds Void]]" etc. |
| 35 | ** Even plenty of mundane place names in Tamriel have this effect, including full blown provinces like Black Marsh and Daggerfall. Locations in Skyrim seem to take it up to eleven. A short sampling: Frostflow Abyss, Sightless Pit, Hag's End, Bleak Falls Barrow, Blackreach, Benkongerike (translates as 'Kingdom of Bones'), and Stillborn Cave. It shouldn't come as too much of a surprise when you remember that Skyrim is a GrimUpNorth land where almost EverythingIsTryingToKillYou and these places were named by the Nords, a ProudWarriorRace of HornyVikings. |
| 36 | * IFightForTheStrongestSide: |
| 37 | ** Mazken (aka Dark Seducers), are an intelligent race of [[OurDemonsAreDifferent lesser Daedra]] in service to the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Prince]] [[MadGod Sheogorath]]. Mazken are said to be a treacherous race that will quickly switch allegiances if it becomes beneficial to them. The group of Dark Seducers fought in ''Battlespire'' betrayed their former master (a lieutenant of [[TheSacredDarkness Nocturnal]]) to side with [[DestroyerDeity Mehrunes Dagon]] when he promised them greater power. Because of this, it's difficult to tell if they've always been servants of Sheogorath or if he is simply their race's most recent master of convenience. |
| 38 | ** This is a staple of [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragon]] culture, going hand in hand with their beliefs that AsskickingLeadsToLeadership and their tendency toward HonorBeforeReason. Dragons will only follow those who prove themselves to be the strongest. An interesting variation comes from the backstory - Paarthurnax betrayed Alduin and sided with Mankind during the last Dragon War, teaching the Ancient Nords the Thu'um, the draconic LanguageOfMagic, which allowed them to turn the tide and defeat Alduin and his followers once and for all. Essentially, Paarthurnax chose to follow the strongest side as all Dragons do... he just happened to ''make'' them the strongest side first. |
| 39 | * IFoughtTheLawAndTheLawWon: Until you've reached a relatively high level with correspondingly strong equipment, the various CityGuards will be one of the biggest threats to you should you commit a crime in their presence. They tend to be quite numerous, quite strong, and, depending on the game, either spawn infinitely until you are brought to justice or respawn after a few days in the event you are able to kill them all. |
| 40 | * IfYoureSoEvilEatThisKitten: |
| 41 | ** This is common in the initiation ritual to join the [[MurderInc Dark Brotherhood]]. Typically, the initiate is required to murder an innocent. This shows that they are both willing to murder, and are willing to follow any order given. |
| 42 | ** This is a common requirement in order to serve some of the more outright malevolent Daedric Princes, including Boethia, Mehrunes Dagon, and Molag Bal. Given that they are, respectively, [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder a chronic backstabber]], an OmnicidalManiac, and a damn-near full blown GodOfEvil, proving how "evil" you are before they'll allow you to serve them is pretty justified. |
| 43 | * IgnoredExpert: |
| 44 | ** In the backstory, the Psijic Order (a powerful MagicalSociety and the oldest monastic order in Tamriel with some ability to predict the future which has, depending on the political climate of the time, [[TheGoodChancellor advised the leaders of Tamriel]]) advised Emperor Uriel Septim V against his planned invasion of [[{{Wutai}} Akavir]] in the mid-3rd Era. Uriel V did not heed their warnings and invaded anyway, suffering from all manner of misfortune before eventually having his forces decimated and becoming a casualty himself. Later Septim emperors became distrustful of the Psijics, eventually banning their ambassadors from the Imperial City entirely. |
| 45 | ** The now-extinct Ayleids (Wild Elves) once ruled a mighty empire out of Cyrodiil, said to be the very first empire in Tamriel. At least some of their success is credited to worshiping the Daedra, including some of the traditionally [[GodOfEvil "bad" Daedra]]. This led their mighty empire down some very dark paths, including [[SlaveryIsASpecialKindOfEvil the enslavement]] and [[KickTheDog vile torture]] of the Nedes, [[{{Precursors}} human ancestors]] to many of the modern races of Men. The "moth eyes", Moth Priests who study the [[TomeOfEldritchLore Elder Scrolls]], warned them that their hubris would "bear bitter fruit." The Ayleids ignored this, and their hubris would indeed lead to their downfall when their Nedic slaves [[SlaveLiberation rose up]] and [[TheDogBitesBack overthrew]] their Ayleid masters, eventually driving them to extinction. |
| 46 | * IHateYouVampireDad: With a few exceptions, this is generally the case throughout the series and in the backstory for a Vampire's friends and family. |
| 47 | * IHaveManyNames: |
| 48 | ** The series' [[OurGodsAreDifferent various deities]] all have many names, often being called different ones depending on the culture and their religious traditions. One of the most prominent examples is Lorkhan, the [[GodIsDead "dead" creator god]] of Mundus, the mortal plane, who exists in some form in every culture's CreationMyth. He is Lorkhan for most [[OurElvesAreDifferent Elven]] pantheons (which translates to "Doom Drum" in [[ClassicalTongue old Aldmeris]]), Shor for the [[HornyVikings Nords]], Sheor for the [[UnevenHybrid Bretons]], Sep for the [[ScaryBlackMan Redguards]], Shezarr for the [[HumansAreDiplomats Imperials]], Lorkhaj for the [[CatFolk Khajiit]], LKHAN to the Dunmer... The list goes on... For a full list for each deity, see the [[Characters/TheElderScrollsDivineBeings Elder Scrolls: Divine Beings]] character page. |
| 49 | ** From the backstory, Tiber Septim was the {{Founder|OfTheKingdom}} of the Third Tamriellic Empire who [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence ascended after his death]] as [[DeityOfHumanOrigin Talos]], the Ninth Divine. He was known by many names, including Tiber Septim, Talos Stormcrownd, Hjalti Early-Beard, Ysmir Dragon of the North, Wulf, and others. There is even debate regarding which of these was his birth name, as Septim has a MultipleChoicePast further complicated by [[HistoricalHeroUpgrade Imperial propaganda]] and even a CosmicRetcon which may have made his multiple conflicting pasts all true, regardless of the conflicts. |
| 50 | * IHaveYourWife: The Dunmeri [[TheClan Great House]] [[TheMagocracy Telvanni]] is practically a breeding ground for {{Evil Sorcerer}}s and {{Mad Scientist}}s thanks to its rather [[MightMakesRight lax]] [[KlingonPromotion rules]]. Telvanni Mage-Lords have been known to kidnap the wives, daughters, and other family members of their rivals in order to influence them. |
| 51 | * IKnowYouKnowIKnow: During the Alessian Revolt, this plays out in a bizarre, metaphysical way between Akatosh, the [[OurDragonsAreDifferent draconic]] God of Time and [[TopGod chief deity]] of the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Aedra]], and Pelinal Whitestrake, the [[GodInHumanForm physical manifestation]] ("Shezarrine") of the spirit of the [[GodIsDead "dead" creator god, Lorkhan]], who was sent to be Alessia's divine "champion" in her war against the (primarily) Daedra-worshiping [[AbusivePrecursors Ayleids]]. Pelinal was aware that Akatosh knew [[TheBerserker just how insane he was]] and could always feel Akatosh's burning gaze upon him. Crosses over with TeethClenchedTeamwork for Akatosh and RageAgainstTheHeavens for Pelinal, as Pelinal, being a Shezarrine, is the physical incarnation of Lorkhan's soul. During the [[CreationMyth creation of Mundus]], the mortal plane, Lorkhan convinced/tricked (depending on the storyteller) the et'Ada ("original spirits") who would become the Aedra (including Akatosh) into sacrificing large portions of their divine power to create Mundus. In revenge for this perceived treachery, the Aedra killed Lorkhan, tore out his "divine center" (heart), and cast it down into the world he created where his spirit would be forced to wander. Akatosh considered it a "moment of weakness" when he went with Lorkhan's plan to create Mundus and likely still harbors a grudge. When Pelinal went too far in one of his berserker fits of rage and damaged the lands themselves, Akatosh and the other divines [[ScrewThisImOuttaHere nearly left Mundus in disgust]] until they were placated by Alessia. To quote ''The Song of Pelinal'': |
| 52 | --> '''Pelinal''': ''"O Aka, for our shared madness I do this! I watch you watching me watching back!"'' |
| 53 | * IKnowYourTrueName: |
| 54 | ** It it stated that all Daedra have both a neonymic and a protonymic. The neonymic is their name that they can change. It holds a certain amount of power, but is hard to use against them because they can change it at any time. However, the protonymic is their true name that they cannot change. It is heavily implied that through use of the protonymic mortals can do horrible things to even the most powerful of Daedric Princes. The PlayerCharacter in the ''Battlespire'' spinoff game manages to banish Mehrunes Dagon through using them both. |
| 55 | ** In a Downplayed version, shouting a dragon's name using the Thu'um is viewed as a challenge to that dragon; it will usually seek out whoever made the shout out of curiosity and honor, but is under no compulsion to do so. |
| 56 | * ILied: This is a trait of Molag Bal, Daedric Prince of [[TheCorrupter Domination and Corruption]] and the closest thing to a true GodOfEvil in the ''ES'' universe. He ultimately does not keep his word with his minions. "Rewards" are given solely for the purpose of creating a more useful or obedient minion, and remaining in his service will ultimately result in the servant only being rewarded with [[FateWorseThanDeath slavery and endless torment]]. |
| 57 | * IllegalReligion: |
| 58 | ** During the reign of the Tribunal in Morrowind, ''all'' other religions were effectively illegal. While a term in the Armistice (which joined Morrowind to the Empire as a VoluntaryVassal) forced them to allow the Imperial [[SaintlyChurch Nine Divines]] religion to practice within Morrowind, other religions were still effectively banned. Some, like Daedra worship, were even punishable by death. |
| 59 | ** A major cause of the 4th Era Skyrim {{Civil War}}. As part of the White-Gold Concordat which ended the [[GreatOffscreenWar Great War]] between the [[VestigialEmpire vestigial]] [[TheGoodKingdom Third Tamriellic Empire]] and the re-formed [[AntiHumanAlliance Aldmeri]] [[TheEmpire Dominion]] (it's third iteration, under [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Thalmor]] rule), the worship of Talos, the Ninth Divine, the God of War and Governance, and the Hero God of Mankind, was banned in the Empire. Talos is a DeityOfHumanOrigin, and the ascended god-form of Tiber Septim (possibly [[MergerOfSouls among others]]), who [[FounderOfTheKingdom established]] the Third Empire by [[TheConqueror conquering Tamriel]] and [[CurbStompBattle shattering]] the Second Aldmeri Dominion, which left many [[OurElvesAreDifferent Mer (Elves)]] quite angry. To this day, many of them refuse to acknowledge the ascension of Talos as one of the Divines. The ban on Talos worship has driven a wedge between the Empire and Skyrim, Septim's ([[WrittenByTheWinners supposed]]) homeland, which is aggravated by the Empire permitting the Thalmor to travel freely throughout the Empire (especially Skyrim) to suppress Talos worship and arrest its practitioners (or worse). As it turns out, the ultimate goal of the Thalmor is to [[KillTheGod destroy Talos]] by [[GodNeedsPrayerBadly depriving him of worship]]. The Thalmor follow the extremist Aldmeri religious belief that the creation of the mortal world was a cruel trick by a malevolent god which robbed their divine ancestors of their pre-creation divinity. By destroying Talos, they hope to [[OmnicidalManiac undo creation]], believing that it will allow them to [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence return to that state of pre-creation divinity]]. |
| 60 | * ImmersiveSim: The series has started down this path without going into full EmergentGameplay territory as of ''Oblivion'', with the addition of [[NPCScheduling Radiant AI]]. |
| 61 | * ImAHumanitarian: |
| 62 | ** Namira is the Daedric Prince of the [[DarkIsNotEvil Ancient Darkness]], associated with [[NightmareFetishist all things revolting]], [[NatureIsNotNice decay]], and [[BodyHorror disfiguring diseases]]. She is also the patron of cannibalism, makes sense given her ''modus operandi'', since cannibalism is typically a revolting and grotesque act which is frowned upon in most civilized societies. |
| 63 | ** The Bosmer are required by the Green Pact (a deal they made with the patron deity of their forest homeland) to consume fallen enemies, so that their bodies are not allowed to rot within Valenwood. Bosmer warriors are known to starve themselves for days before battle so that they can eat the remains of whatever enemies they kill (though, as with many other Green Pact rules, this is relaxed for Bosmer outside of Valenwood). Additionally, this practice is said to have faded during the 2nd and 3rd Eras, and is now rarely practiced outside of a few remote villages. |
| 64 | ** The Tsaesci, an [[{{Wutai}} Akaviri]] race of supposed [[SnakePeople Snake Vampires]], are believed to practice this. Once upon a time, a race of Men similar to those in Tamriel lived in Akavir. However, they were "devoured" by the Tsaesci and are now extinct. (Other sources regarding the Tsaesci use "devour" and "enslave" interchangeably, so "devoured" may be a metaphor for enslavement and/or cultural absorption.) |
| 65 | ** This is rumored to be true of the [[OurGiantsAreBigger Giants]]. There are reports of Giants eating members of the sapient races, though other sources dispute these reports, with one expert claiming to have "never seen a giant eat a Nord." |
| 66 | ** This is also rumored to be true of the [[OurMinotaursAreDifferent Minotaur]] race. A common belief is that Minotaurs are man-eaters, but evidence for this belief is scant. However, in the other direction, Minotaur meat has been known to be consumed by other races and is a key ingredient in the dish slumgullion stew. (Minotaurs are believed to be a sapient [[BeastMan beast race]] along the lines of the [[LizardFolk Argonians]] and [[CatFolk Khajiit]], which makes eating them akin to cannibalism.) |
| 67 | ** [[OurOgresAreHungrier Ogres]] are also reported to eat people. They are known to then place decorative piles of humanoid bones around their lairs. |
| 68 | ** Human Flesh is an [[AlchemyIsMagic alchemical ingredient]] which appears in several games in the series. Eating raw ingredients is a recommended way in the series to learn their alchemical properties. There's also a Human Heart as well (and yes, it's an ingredient just like Human Flesh). |
| 69 | * ImmortalApathy: |
| 70 | ** One of the reasons the Daedra have BlueAndOrangeMorality when compared to mortals and are frequently dismissive of them is that Daedra are fully immortal and [[DeathIsCheap able to form new bodies for their souls to inhabit]] if their physical form is slain. Furthermore, the Daedra's inability to truly die makes it impossible for them to truly understand how mortals think — mortals live finite lives and face constant reminders of this, and their ability to simply accept this and continue existing without succumbing to despair is something no Daedra can comprehend. |
| 71 | ** Like Daedra, dragons seem incapable of understanding mortal life. As timeless beings who have always been, and always will be (unless a dragonborn [[DeaderThanDead eats their soul]]), the very concept of mortality is alien to them. This was weaponized by the first Tongues to create the Dragonrend Shout, which is the concepts of "mortal", "finite", "temporary" spoken in the Dragons' own language. A dragon subjected to this Shout temporarily loses the ability to fly or Shout due to being [[MindRape forced to experience these alien concepts.]] |
| 72 | * ImmortalityBeginsAtTwenty: While not "immortal," this seems to be the case for the LongLived races of Mer. Mer children seem to age similarly to human children until they reach adulthood, at which point their aging slows down considerably. Queen Barenziah, a Dunmer (Dark Elf), is the most prominent example. Her biographical book series portray her as growing up as a precocious teen and being considered an adult once she was 18 years old. That was nearly 500 years before the events of ''Morrowind'' where she's still alive and well, if noticeably aged. One can also meet families of Mer throughout the series where the parents do not look all that much older than their adult children. |
| 73 | * ImmortalityImmorality: |
| 74 | ** This is the case with the Tribunal's initial act of obtaining immortality. The Tribunal, a trio of Dunmeri {{Physical God}}s who used [[OurDwarvesAreDifferent Dwemeri]] tools to tap into the still-beating Heart of Lorkhan, the [[GodIsDead "dead" creator god]] of Mundus, the mortal plane. They (along with BigBad Dagoth Ur) were instructed by their leader, Lord Indoril Nerevar, to never use the "profane" tools. [[TheRashomon Depending on the version of the story]], they, at the ''very least'' betrayed Nerevar (and his [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric patron Azura]]) by using the tools on the Heart to [[DeityOfHumanOrigin achieve godhood]]. (Vivec even admits directly to this part.) Other versions of the story make them seem even more immoral, with them outright killing Nerevar so that he could not stop them from tapping into the Heart. |
| 75 | ** The 4th Era iteration of the [[AntiHumanAlliance Aldmeri Dominion]], now under the leadership of the extremist Thalmor, have this going on. The Thalmor play up the Altmeri religious belief that the creation of the mortal world was a cruel trick which robbed their ancestors of their pre-creation divinity and forced them to experience mortal loss and suffering. They've banned the worship of Talos, the ascended divine form of Tiber Septim (and possibly others), with the justification that they do not believe a human could become a god. The real reason is even deeper, though. They ([[VillainHasAPoint perhaps rightly]]) believe that Talos is one of the last things keeping the mortal world extant. By depriving him of worship, they hope to "kill" him so that the world will be unmade, and they can return to their pre-creation divine forms. Their rhetoric, backstory, and imagery have [[ANaziByAnyOtherName a distinct Nazi-ish vibe]], and their methods involve large-scale murder of humans and even other elves who disagree with them. |
| 76 | * ImmortalityInducer: The Mantella and the Heart of Lorkhan are both capable of bestowing immortality on those who tap into their power. They are, respectively, an immensely powerful [[CrystalPrison soul gem]] containing the soul of a [[GodInHumanForm Shezarrine]] and the still-beating [[CosmicKeystone heart of a dead god]], respectively. It is implied that those gaining immortality from these objects are essentially tapping into the immorality of the source god (Shezarr/Lorkhan). |
| 77 | * ImmortalitySeeker: |
| 78 | ** According to old Aldmeri religious beliefs, the creation of Mundus was a cruel trick by the malevolent deity Lorkhan which forced limitation upon the other et'Ada ("original spirits"), robbing them of their CompleteImmortality and trapping in the prison of mortal suffering that is Mundus. As the Aldmer (and through them, the Altmer) believe that they are they descendants of these spirits, they are constantly both suffering with dignity (as their TopGod, Auri-El, taught them) while looking for a way to restore that which was taken from them. This is the motivation of the religious extremist [[ANaziByAnyOtherName Thalmor]] in the 4th Era, attempting [[OmnicidalManiac undo creation]] to return their spirits to true immortality. (Understandably, the other inhabitants of creation, including [[StopBeingStereotypical other Altmer]], see this as a bad thing.) |
| 79 | ** Mannimarco, the King of Worms and infamous {{Necromancer}}, is/was one. He became Tamriel's first [[OurLichesAreDifferent Lich]] as a stepping stone toward this goal, and his actions during the Planemeld and Warp in the West were done with this goal in mind. (He succeeded during the Warp in the West...[[BroadStrokes sort of]]...becoming the God of Worms but also a leaving being the "mortal" King of Worms who worships the God. The two seem to be treated as [[LiteralSplitPersonalities separate entities]].) |
| 80 | * ImmortalProcreationClause: It's never made clear exactly how long the races of Mer live, but they are evidently more LongLived than the races of Men. Thus, the races of Mer have a much lower birth rate, and the fertility of both males and females is greatly reduced, and children are very scarce. Interracial couples are more likely to produce offspring, though - i.e an Elven man would have a considerably higher chance of impregnating a human woman, and an Elven woman would be much more likely to become pregnant from a human man, rather than a man of her own race. |
| 81 | * ImmortalRuler: |
| 82 | ** The Maomer (Sea Elves) of the island continent Pyandonea (which lies far south of Tamriel) are led by an "undying wizard king" known as Orgnum, and have been since their Merethic Era split from the Aldmer (the [[{{Precursors}} Precursor]] race from which all other races of Mer (Elves) descend). According to their ArchEnemy, the Altmer (High Elves), Orgnum uses all manner of "foul magicks" to extend his life. |
| 83 | ** The Ka Po' Tun are a race of "tiger folk" native to the continent of [[{{Wutai}} Akavir]], which lies far to the east of Tamriel. Their race highly reveres [[OurDragonsAreDifferent dragons]] and their goal is to ''[[ScaledUp become]]'' dragons, which in the ''ES'' universe are the [[DragonsAreDivine divine "children"]] of Akatosh, the draconic TopGod of the Aedric pantheon. (According to some sources, they are instead [[PiecesOfGod fragments of his very being]].) The only Ka Po' Tun known to have achieved this is their GodEmperor, Tosh Raka, the Tiger-Dragon. He has become the largest dragon on Nirn and is covered with orange and black scales. (Other sources claim this story to be metaphorical at best.) |
| 84 | ** Morrowind was ruled for over 4000 years by the Tribunal, a trio of [[DeityOfHumanOrigin ascended Chimer]] who became worshiped as [[PhysicalGod living gods]] after seizing divinity from the Heart of Lorkhan. However, by the time of the game, they have been cut off from the Heart by a re-awakened [[BigBad Dagoth Ur]] and have been forced into seclusion. Following the events of the main quest, [[spoiler:they are permanently cut off from the Heart, leaving them as SemiDivine mortals whose remaining divinity is drawn from the faith of their followers]]. At least one suffers from SanitySlippage (and according to the admittedly biased Azura, all would have eventually suffered this fate). |
| 85 | * ImmortalsFearDeath: |
| 86 | ** Throughout the series, the [[OurDemonsAreDifferent lesser Daedra]] (and even the Daedric Princes to an extent) know they will reform in Oblivion thanks to their CompleteImmortality if their physical form is slain. However, it's implied to be an inconvenience they try to avoid and is always described as a horrifying, torturous experience. They also cannot understand mortal minds because of this -- the idea that a creature is living a finite life, is aware of this, and yet is not consumed with despair by the knowledge. |
| 87 | ** Dragons, being immortal Aedric entities, can essentially be {{Mind Rape}}d by being forced to experience mortality. This was weaponized by early mankind during the ancient Dragon Wars in the form of the "[[BrownNote Dragonrend]]" [[LanguageOfMagic Thu'um Shout]] (Joor Zah Frul, which translates to Mortal, Finite, Temporary). Dragons hit by the shout grow confused and disoriented, and become unable to fly or attack for a time. |
| 88 | * ImmuneToFate: The series' lore has the concept of "[[TheChosenOne heroes]]", individuals with a special fate and the ability to rule their own destiny, often being capable of growing far more powerful than other mortals. These heroes are tied to the prophecies of the [[TomeOfEldritchLore Elder Scrolls]] themselves, but are not bound by them. Naturally, the PlayerCharacter in each game in the series is considered to be such a "hero", as are many of the {{Long Dead Badass}}es mentioned in the lengthy backstory. |
| 89 | * ImpaledWithExtremePrejudice: |
| 90 | ** This was the fate of the [[OnlyKnownByTheirNickname Snow Prince]], the legendary [[OurElvesAreDifferent Falmer (Snow Elf)]] warrior who nearly [[OneManArmy single-handedly]] turned the tide of the Battle of the Moesring in Solstheim against the invading [[BarbarianTribe Atmorans]], {{Precursors}} of the modern [[HornyVikings Nords]], who were [[FinalSolution attempting to exterminate the Falmer]]. The Snow Prince [[HeroKiller killed many of the Atmoran heroes]] during the battle, however, the daughter of one of the slain warriors [[ThrowingYourSwordAlwaysWorks threw her mother's sword]] in grief, impaling the Snow Prince through the chest. |
| 91 | ** Hermaeus Mora, the Daedric Prince of [[TheseAreThingsManWasNotMeantToKnow Knowledge]] and KeeperOfForbiddenKnowledge, uses this as a favored means of executing those who've earned his ire, doing so with his [[EldritchAbomination Eldritch]] CombatTentacles. |
| 92 | * ImpartialPurposeDrivenFaction: |
| 93 | ** Both the Greybeards of High Hrothgar and the Psijic Order of Arteum explicitly seek to be these. Each group has access to abilities of immense power, but strongly prefer to stay out political affairs. The few times they violate these intents are either because of divine mandates (the Greybeards taking in Tiber Septim and later the Last Dragonborn to train them in the use of the [[LanguageOfMagic Thu'um]] or to avert crises with EndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt consequences (like the Psijic Order sinking the Maormer fleet and confiscating the Eye of Magnus). Other groups like the Blades (toward the Greybeards) and the Thalmor (toward the Psijics) believe that it is wrong for groups with such abilities to stay neutral when they could be impacting the world (in the interests of said rival groups, of course...) |
| 94 | ** Technically speaking, the Imperial Chartered Guilds (Fighters, Mages, etc.) are these. According to their charters, they are to offer training and employment in martial and magical matters (respectively), but are not allowed to accept any contracts which would violate the laws the Empire. |
| 95 | * ImperfectRitual: Pops up a few times in the series, typically in regards to objects of immense power and the methods/tools required to tap into them. Naturally, [=NPCs=] involved with these objects tend to end up dead ([[FateWorseThanDeath or worse]]...) A list of specific examples by game is available on the trope page. |
| 96 | * ImposedHandicapTraining: Weapon skills level up based on the number of times you hit an enemy, not the power of the weapon[[note]]In ''VideoGame/TheElderScrollsVSkyrim'' the base damage of the weapon does count, but any smithing, skill or enchantment bonuses don't [[/note]], so it is advisable to use the weakest weapon possible if you want to grind effectively. |
| 97 | * ImpossibleTask: According to the developer-written obscure text ''[[https://www.imperial-library.info/content/seven-fights-aldudagga The Seven Fights of the Aldudagga]]'', this is the case for Mehrunes Dagon, the Daedric Prince of [[DestroyerDeity Destruction]] who serves as either the BigBad or GreaterScopeVillain for several games in the series. According to the ''Seven Fights'', Dagon was once a kindly demon who attempted to protect parts of Mundus (the mortal world) from being eaten by [[BeastOfTheApocalypse Alduin]] at the end of every "kalpa" (cycle of time). Alduin found out and then [[IronicHell cursed Dagon]] with such a task: |
| 98 | --> '''Alduin:''' ''"You I curse right here and right now! I take away your ability to jump and jump and jump and doom you to [the void] where you will not be able to leave except for auspicious days long between one and another and even so only through hard, hard work. And it will be this way, my little corner cutter, until you have [[OmnicidalManiac destroyed all that in the world]] which you have stolen from earlier kalpas, which is to say probably never at all!"'' |
| 99 | * ImpossibleTheft: |
| 100 | ** Rajhin is the legendary [[CatFolk Khajiit]] hero who became their God of Thievery. Among his accomplishments are stealing the [[RingOfPower Ring of Khajiit]] off the arm of [[DidYouJustScamCthulhu the Daedric Prince Mephala]], stealing the shadow from a merchant, stealing the tattoo clean off the neck of the Empress Kintyra as she slept, and stealing the ''entire city'' of Falenesti. He was said to have abilities like being able to hide in his own shadow as well as move invisibly, silently, and as fast as the wind. |
| 101 | ** The Gray Fox, the legendary leader of the Cyrodiil branch of the Thieves Guild, has many legends such surrounding him, which regard him as an impossible thief who can turn invisible and slip underneath locked doors. The Gray Fox stole his iconic Gray Cowl from the Daedric Prince Nocturnal, making these legends well deserved. |
| 102 | * ImprobableAimingSkills: |
| 103 | ** Improbable aiming skills feature heavily in the various archery "[[RareCandy skill books]]" found in-game. These include: |
| 104 | *** One such story describes a revenge-driven archer firing an arrow from up on a hill, across a castle moat, through the keyhole in the castle's front door, and into a portrait of the owner. Repeatedly. Without missing. The notion that he could even see what he was aiming at takes this trope to a ridiculous new level. In another, an archer out for a shooting practise session with his friend fires a shot that goes wide of the target... and ends up hitting the archery trophy on display in the hall of his friend's house in the valley below. |
| 105 | *** Another features a slave who coaches his owner's son on how to hit his target by firing ridiculous wild shots, on the basis that one should get a feel for how arrows fly before bothering to try to hit anything in particular. The father is furious that the slave is not training his son the way he asked, so begins beating the slave. The slave, while being beaten, continues to coach the pupil on taking wild shots straight into the air. The son ultimately scores a perfect hit on the slave's intended target... which, to the pupil's dismay, is the father. In other words, this archer is so good he can line up a perfect shot, with someone else's bow, while being beaten with a stick. "Bullseye!" |
| 106 | *** Yet another features an archer who was famous for never missing a shot fire an arrow at a daedra, who teleports back to Oblivion before it hits, causing the arrow to miss and stick into a tree. Because he missed a shot, the archer loses his fame and dies alone and forgotten, never firing a shot again out of shame; while the daedra becomes somewhat of a celebrity for dodging the arrow, gains worshipers, and has shrines built for him. One year later, he goes inside one of these shrines and the door ends up slamming shut on him, striking him in the back. He feels a sharp pain and looks back to see a rusty arrowhead sticking out of the door. The door was made with wood from the same tree from before. Looks like the archer's shot didn't miss after all! |
| 107 | ** Topal the Pilot, the legendary Aldmeri BoldExplorer who was the first to discover and explore Tamriel, was said to be a "master of archery", and was skilled enough archer to [[BoomHeadShot strike the head]] of a "bat lizard" (believed to be an ancestor of the Cliff Racers) in the head from a distance. |
| 108 | * ImprobableHairstyle: Khajiit will cut off their manes in deference to the Mane, who will have them weaved into his own mane. As the Khajiit population grew over time, this became impractical, so in modern times, only the Mane's own tribe and his royal guard will cut their manes in this fashion. Still, the Mane is so weighted down by the hair that movement is difficult without aid and he will often travel the countryside by means of a palanquin. |
| 109 | * InadequateInheritor: The ''Daggerfall'' intro dialogue reciting how "The unworthy heirs of the Septim Dynasty have allowed the bonds of the Empire to weaken and crack..." Part of it, as well, is the is the ten years that the usurper Jagar Tharn spent on the throne leading up to the events of ''Arena''. Uriel VII is generally considered a [[TheGoodKing very good emperor]], but it's hard to keep your empire together when you've been imprisoned and replaced by an imposter. |
| 110 | * IncredibleShrinkingMan: Nord mythology holds that drinking the blood of a Giant results in "diminution". |
| 111 | * IncrediblyInconvenientDeity: This is often the case for the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Princes]], and the generally unsavory effects that performing their tasks has is a major reason why they are seen as "evil" and "demonic", or, at the very least, as JerkassGods. The quests they give to their mortal follows are frequently either incredibly arduous or incredibly silly, with the Princes giving flimsy or no justification as to why they want the task accomplished. The tangible rewards they offer of [[LegendaryWeapon legendary artifacts]] and greater power can still make these tasks worthwhile, however. This is most often played up by the GreatGazoo type Princes, predominantly Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of [[MadGod Madness]]. Examples of his quests include killing a [[LivingGasbag giant bull netch]] with a [[JokeItem cursed dinner fork]] and making it ''literally'' rain cats and dogs (which are on fire), for seemingly no other reason that for his amusement. Sheogorath has also been known to kill people for the abhorrent crime of...growing a beard. |
| 112 | * IndoEuropeanAlienLanguage: |
| 113 | ** "Dovahzuul", the language of the [[OurDragonsAreDifferent Dragons]], is basically a relexification of English—except without tenses, since the dragons who speak it are [[DragonsAreDivine timeless beings]]; what look like tense-constructions are usually either aspect or voice. Its script was invented from scratch — it's cuneiform-esque, based on scratches made with dragon-claws. |
| 114 | ** The Daedric language is simply English spelled with a unique script, though it has variously been written right to left, top to bottom, with the first letter much larger, and even with the characters superimposed on top of one another. |
| 115 | ** The languages of the series' {{Beast |Man}}Races tend to sound quite alien and may have some unusual rules, but are actually not all that far off from an Indo-European language. To note: |
| 116 | *** Jel, the language of the [[LizardFolk Argonians]]. Unlike the other languages of Men and Mer, it does not descend from Ehlnofex (the language of the [[{{Precursors}} Ehlnofey]]), but rather comes from the [[WiseTree Hist]]. It is unique in that it has no past tense or future tense verbs, only present tense. As such, Argonians tend to [[LanguageEqualsThought live "in the now"]], easily [[EasilyForgiven forgetting and forgiving]] past offenses while paying little mind to the future. (The possibly {{Omniscient}} Hist seem to do that for them, as seen with them foretelling and preparing the Argonians for the [[LegionsOfHell Oblivion Crisis]] and turmoils of the 4th Era.) |
| 117 | *** Ta'agra, the language of the [[CatFolk Khajiit]]. It obviously makes heavy use of the PunctuationShaker and it famously has no word for "rules," with the closest word, "Thjizzrini", meaning "foolish concepts". [[LanguageEqualsThought This helps to explain]] the race's difficulty in understanding what constitutes "personal property" and this, unsurprisingly, extends to their [[CombatPragmatist methods in battle]]. They have no qualms with deception, trickery, and even outright fleeing battle if things don't go their way. They are more than willing to abandon their allies (after all, a smart ally would do the same!) or flee a fight if it means that they can turn around and come back later to stab their enemies in the back. |
| 118 | *** The language of the Sload "Slug Men" of Thras. The in-game book "N'Gasta! Kvata! Kvakis!" is a treatise on {{Necromancy}} written in the language of the Sload by the legendary Sload necromancer, N'Gasta. It looks downright alien, but is actually a cypher for ''Esperanto'' of all things. There is not currently a known in-universe translation, but its real-life translation [[http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Morrowind:Easter_Eggs#N.27Gasta.21_Kvata.21_Kvakis.21 can be found here]]. |
| 119 | ---> ''"So interreta Kvako (retletera kaj verjheauw) ahkstas unufsonke alternativaj kanasouw por distribui so enhavon so papera Kva! Kvak!"'' |
| 120 | * IndyPloy: This is a common trait for heroes of the Khajiit race, to the point that they even have [[OddJobGods a god for this concept]], Baan Dar. He is commonly attributed with "the genius which lends itself to the creation of last-minute plans to foil the machinations of the Khajiit's foes". |
| 121 | * InexplicablyPreservedDungeonMeat: You can find food, drinks, and potions in ancient crypts throughout the series, some of which have explicitly been sealed for years with nothing but withered (and occasionally ambulatory) corpses for company. Even those with no bandit presence to explain away the presence of food will still have consumables in them. Feel free to scarf down the half-dozen decades-old potatoes you find if you're low on health, your character won't know the difference. Though you might have sympathetic indigestion. |
| 122 | * InfallibleBabble: Generally played straight throughout the series. If you come upon some lunatic NPC babbling about something, there's a very good chance that he's involved with a quest. A few exceptions do exist, however, and are noted by game on the trope page. |
| 123 | * InfectiousInsanity: [[TheCaligula Emperor Pelagius the Mad]]. Infamous for his eccentricities, Pelagius was prone to severe [[MoodSwinger mood swings]] and outbursts of AxeCrazy violence. He did not show signs of madness as a child, being perfectly personable. However, his madness crept in when he moved to Castle Solitude, which was still said to be infected by the madness of his aunt, the [[GodSaveUsFromTheQueen Wolf Queen Potema]]. |
| 124 | * InfiniteStockForSale: Generally averted throughout the series. Merchants typically have a limited inventory (although, in a few instances, they may sell infinite amounts of some very basic items) and also have a limited amount of gold when selling, meaning you may need to visit several merchants and/or barter in order to unload all of your loot. Merchant inventories and gold typically reset after 24 in-game hours. |
| 125 | * InfiniteSupplies: "Orgnum's Coffer" is an almost weightless chest that produces gold from naught. When Orgnum himself (the King of the [[Maormer (Sea Elves)) possessed the Coffer, the gold it produced was unlimited. In the possession of others, it vanishes after creating a certain amount of gold. |
| 126 | * InfinityPlusOneSword: These exist throughout the series, typically acquired at the end of long, high-level quests. The Daedric artifacts (at least those that are [[LegendaryWeapon weapons]]) are the most common, but others are available, and, depending on the game, you can even craft and enchant your own. A list by game is available on the trope page. |
| 127 | * InfinityMinusOneSword: Numerous exist throughout the series, with each game typically have at least one for every weapon type. They are typically easier to acquire than their "+1" conterparts. A list by game is available on the trope page. |
| 128 | * InfoDump: The series has an incredibly rich and complex backstory, so much of the information needed to understand the story of the game is thrown at you in one of these. The games have been getting better about it over time though, blending it in much more seamlessly as you go along. And that's without mentioning all of the side quests and in-game books which are full of even more information that is completely optional to read and learn. |
| 129 | * InformedEquipment: Generally averted following the series' 3D Leap. ''Morrowind'' includes everything on the character model except for accessories (jewelry and belts) and sheathed weapons. Starting with ''Oblivion'', those are also displayed on the character model. |
| 130 | * InGameNovel: The series is well known for having a robust background in books and scrolls. These books tend to range wildly in size from 2 page {{Fictional Document}}s to full blown mini-novels with over 30 pages, and range from personal journals to ballads to historical texts to short stories, to outright novels. Some of the longest are ''[[http://www.imperial-library.info/content/real-barenziah-complete The Real Barenziah]]'', ''[[http://www.imperial-library.info/content/king-edward King Edward]]'', ''[[http://www.imperial-library.info/content/2920-last-year-first-era 2920: The Last Year of the First Era]]'', and ''[[http://www.imperial-library.info/content/36-lessons-vivec The 36 Lessons of Vivec]]''. The books are so extensive as to have [[Literature/TheElderScrollsInUniverseBooks their own work page]]. |
| 131 | * InHarmonyWithNature: The NobleSavage [[BadassNative Skaal]] people of the [[GrimUpNorth frozen, inhospitable]] island of Solstheim follow "The Path of the All-Maker." Whatever that is taken from the All-Maker must be repaid somehow. For example, their hunters only kill when absolutely necessary as part of the cycle of life, and never for sport. They only harvest firewood from fallen trees, never cutting down live trees for it. |
| 132 | * InMysteriousWays: |
| 133 | ** Anu, the GodOfGods AnthropomorphicPersonification of the primordial force of [[OrderVersusChaos stasis/order/light]]. It is said that his presence is a force "so prevalent as to be not really there at all". It's theorized that this is in part because mortals have a much tougher time envisioning "perfect stasis" than they do "change". |
| 134 | ** The [[OurGodsAreDifferent Aedra]], who formed out of the spilled and intermingled blood of Anu and his "brother" Padomay, sacrificed much of their divine power when they were convinced/tricked into creating Mundus, the mortal plane. As such, they [[HaveYouSeenMyGod prefer a much lighter touch]] when influencing mortal affairs, leading to this trope. At most, they'll [[MissionFromGod empower a mortal agent]] to handle their affairs, such as [[TopGod Akatosh]] sending the "[[PlayerCharacter Last Dragonborn]]" to oppose [[BigBad Alduin]] in ''Skyrim''. In the [[GodzillaThreshold rare event]] that they do pull a DivineIntervention and directly intervene at full power, it is to prevent the full-blown [[TheEndOfTheWorldAsWeKnowIt End Of The World As We Know It]], as Akatosh did at the end of ''Oblivion''. |
| 135 | * InNameOnly: |
| 136 | ** The series provides an in-universe example in the Thalmor. The infamous "[[ANaziByAnyOtherName Nazi Elves]]" who rule the 4th Era [[AntiHumanAlliance Aldmeri]] [[TheEmpire Dominion]] and are hell bent on [[OmnicidalManiac undoing creation]] in an attempt to [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence return to a state of pre-creation divinity]]]] are ''nothing'' like the original Thalmor, who were founded to protect the culture, heritage, and history of the Altmeri people in the 1st Era. |
| 137 | ** Another in-universe example is the [[TheOrder Cult of the Ancestor Moth]]. To note: |
| 138 | *** Originally, the Cult was a Cyro-Nordic group that exported ancestor-silks, simple but exotic shawls woven with the silks of the [[AnimalMotifs Ancestor Moth]] and inscribed with the genealogy of the buyer. During the silk-gathering ritual, the singing and hymnal spirits of one's forebears were recorded in the silk. The swishing of the silk material during movement reproduces the wonderful ancestral chorus contained in the silk. At a time lost to history, it was discovered that this same ritual granted the performer special protections which allowed for the (relatively) safe reading of an [[TomeOfEldritchLore Elder Scroll]]. The Cult was co-opted by the various Cyrodiilic Empires to perform this task specifically in service to the Empire ever since. Retired Moth Priests, who have been [[HandicappedBadass blinded]] by repeated readings of the Scrolls, still perform the Order's original task of creating ancestor-silks. |
| 139 | *** The [[AbusivePrecursors Ayleids]] also had a group known as the "moth-eyed" who read and interpreted the Elder Scrolls for them. They were a famously IgnoredExpert, who warned the Ayleids that their hubris would eventually lead to their downfall. What relation these "moth-eyed" may have had with the Cult beyond their similar function is not known. |
| 140 | * InnateNightVision: |
| 141 | ** This is an inherent racial ability of the [[CatFolk Khajiit]] throughout the series. |
| 142 | ** Most Vampire bloodlines are known to have inherent enhanced night vision abilities. If the PlayerCharacter in ''Oblivion'' or ''Skyrim'' becomes a vampire, he/she will also gain this ability. Both games combine this with different versions of AuraVision that also detect living creatures nearby. |
| 143 | * InnocentFanserviceGirl: The Kothringi were a [[AmazingTechnicolorPopulation silver-skinned]] race of Men native to the Black Marsh. They preferred to be naked at all times when in their homeland, even [[FullFrontalAssault when fighting]], but were known to wear clothes when traveling outside of their homeland. They are now presumed to be extinct after being wiped out by the 2nd Era [[MysticalPlague Knahaten Flu]]. |
| 144 | * InnocentFlowerGirl: Subverted by Dibella, the Aedric Divine Goddess of Beauty. Dibella is associated with elements of innocence, including always being depicted holding a delicate white flower. However, she is also associated with the carnal aspects of sex and worshiping her takes the primary form of sexual acts. Additionally, her followers are known to mock the disfigured and use their sexual charms for means of manipulation. |
| 145 | * InnSecurity: In general throughout the series, renting a room in an inn and sleeping there is uneventful. However, inns associated with certain quests provide a handful of exceptions, as does sleeping in general at certain points during quests. These instances can be found broken down by game on the trope page. |
| 146 | * InsaneEqualsViolent: [[TheCaligula Emperor Pelagius the Mad]]. Living up to his nickname, he was both utterly insane and, especially later in his life, prone to outbursts of AxeCrazy violence due to his insanity. After his madness became too publicly apparent, he was institutionalized and died only a few years later. |
| 147 | * InSeriesNickname: |
| 148 | ** The Breton race is sometimes referred to as "Manmer" due to their Man and Mer [[UnevenHybrid mixed ancestry]]. |
| 149 | ** The [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Orcs]] are frequently derogatorily referred to as "pig men" or "pig children." Other than some of their facial features (including flat noses and sometimes tusks), they have no relation to pigs and are actually a sub-species of Mer. |
| 150 | ** The [[HornyVikings Nords]] are sometimes referred to derogatorily as "snow men" or "sons of snow," after their GrimUpNorth homeland of Skyrim. |
| 151 | ** Members of the Senche and Senche-raht [[CatFolk Khajiit]] sub-species are referred to as "battlecats," as they are quadrupeds the size of large tigers who allow their kinsmen to [[HorseOfADifferentColor use them as steeds in times of war]]. |
| 152 | ** The [[LizardFolk Argonians]] are on both the receiving and giving ends of this. The Argonians get several of these from the other races, most of them derogatory, such as Lizard Men and just plain "Lizards." [[ReptilesAreAbhorrent The word "filthy" often precedes them]]. The Argonians themselves often refer to the other races as "landstriders" (more politely) or "prey" (in a more negative sense). |
| 153 | * InsistentTerminology: Dremora are an intelligent race of [[OurDemonsAreDifferent lesser Daedra]] who are most commonly found in the service of [[DestroyerDeity Mehrunes Dagon]] as his LegionsOfHell. Though they are commonly referred to as "Dremora", they prefer to identify themselves as "The Kyn", which translates to "The People" in the [[ConLang Daedric language]]. This is because they consider themselves superior and more intelligent than the other lesser Daedra, which they see as little more than mindless beasts. |
| 154 | * InstantArmor: The "Bound Armor" spell is available throughout most of the series and has this effect. It is a [[SummonMagic Conjuration]] spell which temporarily summons a set of Daedric armor for the caster. Flavor text variously implies that the armor is either made out of pure [[{{Mana}} Magicka]] or is summoned from Oblivion itself (much like summoning actual [[OurDemonsAreDifferent lesser Daedra]]). It can quickly de-squishify your SquishyWizard. |
| 155 | * InstantAwesomeJustAddMecha: For a series that, while incredibly detailed and original in many aspects, generally stays within the ballpark of a MedievalEuropeanFantasy, one would not expect to find a [[RealityWarper Reality Warping]] HumongousMecha like the Numidium playing such a significant part in the backstory and ''Daggerfall''[='s=] main quest. The Dwemer were also fond of creating other mechas, ranging from "humongous" to person-sized MechaMooks. |
| 156 | * InstantExpert: |
| 157 | ** Downplayed throughout the series in that you can generally equip any type of weapon or armor as soon as you find it, however, if you don't have the skills to use it properly, you'll find it difficult to actually hit/damage enemies with said weapons and you'll receive far less protection from said armor. |
| 158 | ** In-universe, anyone willing to devote themselves to a lifetime of training can learn to use the [[RealityWarper reality warping]] language of the Dragons, the [[LanguageOfMagic Thu'um]]. What makes those who are Dragonborn special is that they have an instinctive knowledge of the Thu'um and can learn its shouts very easily. This is because the Dragonborn are mortals born with the immortal [[OurAngelsAreDifferent Aedric]] soul of a Dragon. |
| 159 | * InterchangeableAntimatterKeys: Generally averted throughout the series for actual keys. Most keys are unique (or there exist several copies of one key) and only open a single lock (or locks within the same location). However, this is played straight with lockpicks. Depending on the game, the lockpick can be used on nearly any lock, but will break after either a certain number of uses or if you fail during the LockpickingMinigame. |
| 160 | * InterfaceSpoiler: Throughout the series, if you find a NPC with unusual dialogue options, even if they don't cause anything to happen at that time, odds are they will be involved with a quest at some point in the future. The same is also true if the NPC simply ''lacks'' the usual dialogue options. |
| 161 | * AnInteriorDesignerIsYou: Following the series' [[VideoGame3DLeap 3D Leap]] in ''Morrowind'', it is possible for the player to place inventory items in houses ([[AHomeOwnerIsYou played owned]] or otherwise). However, the [[WreakingHavok wonky physics system]] added in ''Oblivion'' made it outright impossible to place more than one item anywhere in a room without knocking everything else about. Thankfully, [[GameMod modders]] came to the rescue creating mods specifically to make decorating your house easier. Come ''Skyrim'', Bethesda incorporated some of the ideas from the mods such as wall mounts, weapon racks, armor mannequins, and bookshelves, as well as outright ''hiring'' some of the ''Oblivion'' modders, making this process much easier. |
| 162 | * InterplayOfSexAndViolence: The Morag Tong is a legal (at least within Morrowind) [[MurderInc assassin's guild]] sanctioned by the Dunmeri government who operate in service to Mephala, the Daedric Prince associated with [[ManipulativeBastard manipulation]], murder, [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder betrayal]], and sex. As devout followers of Mephala, members of the Morag Tong are encouraged to mix sex, betrayal, and murder together. This makes them excellent FemmeFatale and [[TheCasanova [=LadyKiller=]]] assassins. |
| 163 | * InterspeciesRomance: |
| 164 | ** Each game starting with ''Morrowind'' features an in-game semi-pornographic play titled ''The Lusty Argonian Maid''. In it, the main character, an Imperial (human) named "[[HerCodeNameWasMarySue Crantus Colto]]", is looking to get his "spear polished" by the titular Argonian (LizardFolk) maid. ''Skyrim'' introduces a sequel, as well as a GenderFlipped version for the ladies (''The Sultry Argonian Bard''). |
| 165 | ** ''The Real Barenziah'', tells the story of the future queen of Morrowind and Wayrest, Barenziah. In it, she (a Dunmer) has sex with a Khajiit (CatFolk) named Therris so that he will induct her into the ThievesGuild. (As is the case with real life felines, Khajiit males have sharp spines on their penises, as Barenziah finds out the hard way.) Later, Barenziah has an affair with the human Emperor Tiber Septim, and becomes pregnant by him. (As a bastard child with a Dunmer mistress would be very inconvenient for the Emperor, he orders Barenziah [[GoodGirlsAvoidAbortion to have a magical abortion]].) The book ''The Last Scabbard of Akrash'' provides another Dunmer/Khajiit example, though it is less detailed about the actual act. |
| 166 | ** The in-game book ''Interspecies Phylogeny'' discusses this trope from a scholarly perspective. It is stated that each race of Men (Imperial, Breton, Redguard, Nord) and Mer ("Elves" - Altmer, Dunmer, Bosmer) can indeed interbreed, with the race of the offspring being virtually identical to the mother (averting AllGenesAreCodominant) with a few of the father's traits potentially sprinkled in. For example, if an [[SquishyWizard Altmer father]] and [[HornyVikings 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 slight points to his ears or a slightly different skin tone. Over many generations, however, this can result in offspring closer to HalfHumanHybrids. This is in fact how the Bretons got their start as a race, with their (human) ancestors being {{Breeding Slave}}s to the Direnni Altmer of High Rock. Further, it notes that although there are ''tales'' of human or elf having children with the other races, there are no ''confirmed'' reports (''Oblivion'' confirms via first-hand evidence that at least [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Orcs]], who are the Orsimer, or "Changed Elves", can have children with humans (and presumably other elves). As can Cyrodiil-style vampires). |
| 167 | ** The Tsaesci, a race supposedly made up of "[[SnakePeople snake vampires]]" hailing from [[{{Wutai}} Akavir]] who once invaded Tamriel, supposedly left behind offspring with the Tamriellic races who are considered "beautiful, if frightening." (Other sources indicate that the Tsaesci are men little different from those in Tamriel, downplaying the trope if true.) |
| 168 | ** St. Alessia, the Slave Queen who overthrew the Ayleids ("Wild Elves") to found the first Cyrodiilic Empire of Men, was [[DivineDate romantically involved]] with Morihaus, an [[OurGodsAreDifferent et'Ada]] who took on the form of a great humanoid, winged bull. They eventually gave birth to what would become [[OurMinotaursAreDifferent the Minotaur race]]. |
| 169 | ** In the [[SaintlyChurch religion of the Nine Divines]], Mara, the LoveGoddess of the Nine Divines (with a focus on on commitment, family, fertility, and matrimony compared to Dibella's (another Divine) focus on the carnal and sexual aspects of love) does not place any restrictions on marriage within the religion of the Nine Divines, thus all may marry, irrespective of gender and race, and unite their souls in the holy union. |
| 170 | * InTheHood: |
| 171 | ** The Daedric Prince Boethiah (whether in [[GenderBender male or female form]]) most often takes the appearance of a caped BlackKnight. The statue depictions of Boethiah's female form in ''Skyrim'' and ''Online'' both have her wearing such a hood. |
| 172 | ** Nocturnal, the Daedric Prince of [[TheSacredDarkness Darkness and the Night]] who is also associated with Thieves and Luck, has been depicted with a hood in each appearance in the series to date. |
| 173 | ** Hoods and cowls are traditional attire for members 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. |
| 174 | * InUniverseGameClock: The series has had an internal clock since ''Daggerfall''. The time scale varies by game, ranging from one in-game hour equaling anywhere from 2 to 3.5 real-world minutes. (This causes in-game days to last anywhere from 48-84 real-life minutes.) The series also has [[FastForwardMechanic Wait and Rest mechanics]] which allow you to fast forward the game time. |
| 175 | * InventoryManagementPuzzle: The series in general has a very basic version with a character weight limit, known as "Encumbrance". Included toward this limit are any items you have equipped (weapons, armor, clothing, etc.) as well as any in your inventory. Each game has its own quirks (noted on the trope page) but in general, going over the limit means that you won't be able to carry anything more and/or may no longer even be able to ''move''. This limit can be increased by boosting your Strength or by using certain spells, such as Feather, which decreases your current carry weight. In some games, certain perks apply which can decrease or outright negate the weight of your equipped items (particularly armor). |
| 176 | * InvincibleHero: |
| 177 | ** This is said to be a trait of Zenithar, the Aedric Divine God of Work and Commerce. His followers specifically call him "the god who will always win", and he [[XanatosGambit stands to gain from any action]]. He is also described as a "[[WarGod warrior god]]", though "one who is restrained and reserved in times of peace". He also has traits of being a ReasonableAuthorityFigure and preaches the benefits of being an HonestCorporateExecutive. |
| 178 | ** The [=HoonDing=] is the Yokudan ({{Precursors}} of the Redguards) spirit of perseverance over infidels and the "[[OddJobGods Make Way]]" god. The [=HoonDing=] has historically manifested whenever it is needed to "make way" for the Yokudan/Redguard people. It usually manifests as [[EmpathicWeapon a weapon]] that can destroy any enemy, but it can also manifest itself using [[GodInHumanForm mortal avatars]]. According to some interpretations, these avatars aren't necessarily the [=HoonDing=] itself, but the [=HoonDing=] taking over and/or working through the avatar. The key feature of the [=HoonDing=] is that no matter what, ''[[TheJuggernaut nothing]]'' will stop it from making way. |
| 179 | * {{Invisibility}}: |
| 180 | ** The series generally has this available in two flavors: The [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Invisibility]] effect and the Chameleon effect. This Invisibility effect makes the player character completely invisible for a set duration, but the effect ends as soon as the player performs an action other than simply moving. (Interacting with an object, attacking, casting a spell, etc.) The Chameleon effect offers a percentage of partial invisibility, making it harder for [=NPCs=] to detect the PC. The effect also does not end if the PC performs an action. Unlike Invisibility, Chameleon can be made a permanent effect via enchantments, and getting permanent 100% Chameleon--which makes the player fully invisible--is considered a GameBreaker. (Both in the sense that it makes the game ludicrously easy, and in the sense that, if the effect cannot be "turned off", it breaks the game by making impossible to advance since you won't be able to interact with [=NPCs=].) |
| 181 | ** Invisibility is a spell commonly used by Tamriel's various [[OurVampiresAreDifferent vampire]] bloodlines. Whether it is an inherent ability or simply using the Vampire's enhanced abilities in the Illusion-school of magic varies. There are also vampire bloodlines who have the ability to ''see'' invisible enemies as an inherent trait. |
| 182 | ** The [[RingOfPower Ring of Khajiiti]], a legendary Daedric artifact associated with the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Prince]] [[ManipulativeBastard Mephala]], grants the wearer invisibility along with [[SuperSpeed enhanced speed]] and [[StealthExpert silent movement]]. It is said that the Ring was [[DidYouJustScamCthulhu stolen off the arm of Mephala]] by the legendary [[CatFolk Khajiiti]] ImpossibleThief, Rajhin, who used its powers to take his thievery skills up to eleven. |
| 183 | * InvisibilityCloak: In several games, it is possible to enchant the [[{{Invisibility}} Chameleon]] effect onto armor, clothing, and/or jewelry. The Chameleon effect makes it harder for [=NPCs=] to detect the player. The effect can range from 1%-100%, with the chance of NPC detection decreasing the higher the percentage. Enchanting multiple pieces of equipment with the effect can quickly reach Game Breaker levels, as enemy [=NPCs=] will be unable to interact with you in any way, allowing you steal from or assassinate whoever you want with total impunity. If certain exploits are used to make the effect permanent, it can also be a Game Breaker in another way, in that it breaks the game by making impossible to advance since you won't be able to interact with [=NPCs=]. |
| 184 | * InvisibilityWithDrawbacks: The series traditionally has two types of {{Invisibility}} spell: [[ExactlyWhatItSaysOnTheTin Invisibility]] itself and Chameleon. To note: |
| 185 | ** Invisibility makes the player character completely invisible for a set duration, but the effect ends as soon as the player performs an action other than simply moving. (Interacting with an object, attacking, casting a spell, picking a lock, etc.) |
| 186 | ** Chameleon only turns you invisible by a percentage and has a higher [[{{Mana}} Magicka]] cost, but will remain in effect for the spell's entire duration. This makes it particularly potent when combined with custom spells or [[InvisibilityCloak enchanting]]. |
| 187 | * InvisibleToNormals: [[GlowingEyes Glowing]] [[SupernaturalGoldEyes golden eyes]] are implied to be a trait of all [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Vampires]]. However, it's also implied that this is a trait which is Invisible To Normals, and can only be seen by certain other supernatural beings (such as the Dragonborn of ''Skyrim''). |
| 188 | * InvoluntaryShapeshifter: |
| 189 | ** In every game starting with ''Daggerfall'', the PlayerCharacter can catch one of the [[ViralTransformation diseases which leads to vampirism]] and then undergo this to become a [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Vampire]]. After this happens, you risk damage (or at least weakness) from sunlight and, depending on the specific vampire bloodline, either magically drain health from [=NPCs=] or [[BreakingAndBloodsucking drink blood from sleeping]] [=NPCs=]. Ehile the transformation itself is still involuntary, starting with ''Oblivion'' it is possible to avert GlamourFailure and maintain TheMasquerade by feeding regularly, which allows you to maintain a mortal appearance. |
| 190 | ** This is also true for becoming a [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent werewolf]] in each game where it is possible, with the exception of ''Skyrim'' (as the particular type of lycanthropy there allows for [[SuperMode voluntary transformations]]). |
| 191 | * IronButtMonkey: The [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Orcs]] have long suffered as a ButtMonkey race. Their bestial appearance and "barbaric" culture (as it is perceived by the other races of Tamriel) make them frequent victims of FantasticRacism. Several times the Orcs have tried to unite and create their own city-state known as Orsinium, but each time, their neighboring nations (the Bretons of High Rock and Redguards of Hammerfell) have forced them to abandon it. By the 4th Era, the Orcs were forced at swordpoint by the Bretons to officially renounce the kingdom of Orsinium and assimilate into High Rock as slaves in all but name. Only a few Orc tribes still live independently in destitute, scattered "strongholds", scorned by all. Notably, their patron deity, the Daedric Prince Malacath, teaches them to take these trials in stride, as he preaches "strength through adversity." |
| 192 | * IronicHell: |
| 193 | ** In the backstory, Jyggalag, the Daedric Prince of [[ControlFreak Order]], grew powerful in [[TimeOfMyths a time]] before recorded history. The other Daedric Princes, fearful and jealous of his growing power, came together and cursed him into [[BecameTheirOwnAntithesis becoming his own antithesis]]: Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of [[MadGod Madness]]. At the end of every Era, Jyggalag is able to [[EternalRecurrence return to his true form in an event known as the Greymarch]]. During this time, he retakes and destroys the Shivering Isles (his old [[EldritchLocation realm]], now Sheogorath's), only to return to the form of Sheogorath at the end. (In ''Oblivion''[='s=] ''Shivering Isles'' expansion, Jyggalag [[spoiler:devises a plan to finally break this ViciousCycle while passing the [[AGodIsYou mantle of Sheogorath]] onto the [[PlayerCharacter Champion of Cyrodiil]]]]. |
| 194 | ** Similarly, this is the case for Mehrunes Dagon, the Daedric Prince of [[DestroyerDeity Destruction]], along with AndIMustScream. Dagon ''[[OmnicidalManiac exists to destroy]]'', but is stuck in his realm of Oblivion where nothing can ever be killed or destroyed without eventually coming back, effectively negating his purpose for being. No wonder he wants so badly to [[TakeOverTheWorld take over]] and destroy Mundus; it would be ''stress relief'' for him. Even worse, in ''[[https://www.imperial-library.info/content/seven-fights-aldudagga The Seven Fights of the Aldudagga]]'', it is implied that [[BeastOfTheApocalypse Alduin]] originally cursed Dagon into this state in the first place as a punishment for hiding parts of earlier kalpas from him. |
| 195 | --> '''Alduin:''' ''"You I curse right here and right now! I take away your ability to jump and jump and jump and doom you to [the void] where you will not be able to leave except for auspicious days long between one and another and even so only through hard, hard work. And it will be this way, my little corner cutter, until you have destroyed all that in the world which you have stolen from earlier kalpas, [[ImpossibleTask which is to say probably never at all!]]"'' |
| 196 | * {{Irony}}: |
| 197 | ** Gaiden Shinji was a legendary hero of the Redguard people. He was also a MasterSwordsman and leader of the [[TheOrder Order of Diagna]]. His famous credo states that "the best techniques are passed on by the survivors". Ironically, he was not actually one of the "survivors", though he fell in battle not for his techniques failing, but [[CavalryBetrayal due to treachery]]. |
| 198 | ** Topal the Pilot was an Aldmeri BoldExplorer and [[WarriorPoet poet]], and was the first to discover and explore Tamriel during the Merethic Era, encountering primitive versions of the [[CatFolk Khajiit]] and [[LizardFolk Argonians]], as well as a now extinct race of [[BirdPeople bird people]]. His story was compiled into an epic known as ''Father of the Niben'', but [[TheGreatestStoryNeverTold most of it was lost over the centuries]]. Tamriel's Topal Bay and Cyrodiil's Niben River system [[LordCountry bare his name and the name of his ship]], but ironically, he only explored them by mistake. After existing Black Marsh, while trying to get back home to Firsthold, he mistook the "jutting peninsula" of Elsweyr as the mainland sailed north into the Bay and River. Had he known that was a peninsula and sailed around it, he would have gotten home much sooner and never would have explored central Cyrodiil, his most famous accomplishment. |
| 199 | * IrrelevantImportance: With the addition of "Quest Items" starting with ''Oblivion'', a bug sometimes causes quest-related items to retain that status after the quest is completed. This is both good and bad: On the one hand, quest items are weightless. On the other hand, you can't get rid of them, leaving them to permanently clutter your inventory. |
| 200 | * IrrelevantSidequest: Standard for the series. The vast majority of the LoadsAndLoadsOfSidequests offered are completley irrelevant to the main quest. From the opposite perspective, this is also true for the main quest itself. As soon as [[OpeningTheSandbox the Sandbox is opened]], you can move away from the main quest and spend hundreds of hours on everything else the game in question has to offer. Some of the series' [[SidequestSidestory faction questlines]] are nearly as expansive as the main quest itself and can keep you occupied for a while on their own. That said, the majority of the main quests in the series have in-universe reasons for why you ''shouldn't'' TakeYourTime. |
| 201 | * IShallTauntYou: Molag Bal, the Daedric Prince of [[TheCorrupter Domination and Corruption]], utilizes this. Almost every sentence out of his mouth is a taunt to remind a person how insignificant they are compared to him. He is the Lord of Domination, after all, rather justifying it. |
| 202 | * ItAmusedMe: |
| 203 | ** This seems to be the primary motivation for Sanguine, the Daedric Prince of [[FunPersonified Debauchery]] and [[TheHedonist Hedonism]]. He seems to exist for the purpose of tempting mortals into sin through various vices, and his [[EldritchLocation Myriad Realms of Revelry]] in Oblivion constantly reform to become the [[HappyPlace pleasure paradise]] of whoever is visiting. |
| 204 | ** While Sanguine is a prime example, this seems to be the ''modus operandi'' for quite a few of the Daedric Princes. Molag Bal does much of what he does simply ForTheEvulz, while Boethia is a [[CardCarryingVillain card carrying]] [[ChronicBackstabbingDisorder backstabber]] who will start fights to the death between his follwers simply because he is ''bored''. And if [[MadGod Sheogorath]] is involved, chances are this trope will be invoked. Or not, it depends on his mood, really. When he gives you the Wabbajack, it's probably just because he wants to see what you'll do with it. |
| 205 | * ItCanThink: In his "opus", series' recurring character St. Jiub the Eradicator recounts his [[HunterOfMonsters quest to eradicate]] the [[TakeThatScrappy much reviled]] [[GoddamnBats Cliff Racers]] from Vvardenfell. As he was hunting a lone Cliff Racer, it led him into a trap where [[ZergRush hundreds of Cliff Racers]] suddenly descended upon him. Two days of fighting and hundreds of dead Cliff Racers later, Jiub finally collapsed, exhausted and wounded. He would have died if not for the [[DivineIntervention timely rescue]] of the Dunmeri PhysicalGod Vivec, who was so impressed with Jiub's actions that Vivec declared him to be a saint. |
| 206 | * ItemCrafting: Enchanting items with magical spell effects has been part of the series since ''Daggerfall'', as has the series [[PotionBrewingMechanic Alchemy system]]. ''Skyrim'' adds, for the first time in the series, the ability to forge your own weapons and armor for the first time. By possessing the required raw ingredients, as well as the requisite skill level and perks, it is possible to forge (or improve upon) weapons and armor that are much stronger than what you'd be able to find or loot at your level. |
| 207 | * ItsAllAboutMe: Throughout the series, this is a trait of Meridia, a [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Prince]] whose sphere is obscured to mortals, but is associated with LifeEnergy, [[LightIsNotgood Light]], and [[ProudBeauty Beauty]]. Meridia describes herself as compassionate and merciful, and her actions do (generally) benefit mortals, but she won't hesitate to use or sacrifice her own followers for what she perceives to be a greater end. If said followers lose faith or abandon her because of her actions, her compassion disappears entirely and she will allow or even ''cause'' them to [[DisproportionateRetribution meet a terrible end]]. |
| 208 | * ItsAllUpstairsFromHere: Several games in the series force you up structures with large amounts of stairs at at least one point during the main quest, and often other times as well. Specific main series examples can be found on the trope page. |
| 209 | * ItsAlwaysSpring: Happens due to GameplayAndStorySegregation starting with ''Morrowind''. Officially, there ''are'' seasons ([[AlternativeCalendar the names of the months]] are derived from agricultural practices and meteorological phenomenon, e.g. First Seed, Last Seed, Frost Fall, etc., and correspond to real world months), but in the games, the season is apparently keyed to the location rather than the time of year. (For example, ''Morrowind'' always has a late spring/early summer feel, ''Oblivion'' has more of a height-of-summer feel everywhere but the northernmost regions, ''Skyrim'' always has a late autumn/early winter feel.) |
| 210 | * ItsPersonal: Pelinal Whitestrake was the legendary 1st Era hero of mankind/[[FantasticRacism racist]] [[TheBerserker berserker]]. Believed to have been a [[EternalHero Shezarrine]], [[GodInHumanForm physical incarnations]] of the spirit of the [[GodIsDead "dead" creator god]] Lorkhan (known to the Imperials as "[[IHaveManyNames Shezarr]]"), Pelinal came to [[FounderOfTheKingdom St. Alessia]] to serve as her [[PhysicalGod divine champion]] in the war against the [[AbusivePrecursors Ayleids]]. Pelinal would fly into fits of UnstoppableRage (''mostly'' directed at the Ayleids) during which he [[BloodSplatteredWarrior would be stained with their blood]] and [[PaintTheTownRed left so much carnage in his wake]] that Kyne, one of the Divines, would have to [[CueTheRain send in her rain]] to cleanse Ayleid forts and village before they could be used by Alessia's forces. When Huna, a grain slave Pelinal had raised to hoplite, was killed by the arrow of an Ayleid king, Pelinal went [[RoaringRampageOfRevenge so berserk]] that he not only slew the Ayleids in the kingdom responsible, but ''erased their lands from the world''. The Divines were so disgusted with his actions that they ''nearly left the world'' if not for Alessia making sacrifices to regain their favor. |
| 211 | * ItsProbablyNothing :The series in general crosses this over with heaps of ArtificialStupidity when it comes to [=NPCs=]. As the AI has improved and gotten more sophisticated over the course the series, this trope in particular has started to become downplayed, but it still extant. It is possible, for example, to be sneaking, fire an arrow, strike an enemy NPC, have them fail to detect you, and then hear them ''dismiss the arrow stuck in their back as "the wind"''. |
| 212 | * ItSucksToBeTheChosenOne: Being TheChosenOne in the ''ES'' universe, as the {{Player Character}}s of the various games usually are, comes with some awesome benefits but can also ''really'' suck at times. Typically, everyone around you wants to use you to their own ends, and that doesn't just include mortals. It's rare that a Chosen One isn't being actively manipulated by at least one, and usually several, of the universe's many deities. Finally, while the Chosen One may perform their duty, their actions almost always have NiceJobBreakingItHero consequences by the next game in the series. |
| 213 | * ItsUpToYou: Played straight in general throughout the series. In many, many cases, it's almost as if {{Quest Giver}}s are simply waiting around for the PlayerCharacter to come along. Granted, this can be considered Justified by the fact that the player character is always [[TheChosenOne the Hero of the Age, foretold by prophecy]] and [[ScrewDestiny "blessed" with the ability to rule their own fate]] (also the justification for the players involvement), so effectively superhuman. |
| 214 | * IWantThemAlive: The series' mythology provides a non-outright-villainous example. In the old [[HornyVikings Nordic]] religious tradition, Stuhn (their aspect of Stendarr, the Aedric Divine God of Mercy and Justice), was a [[BodyguardingABadass shield-thane]] to Shor (their aspect of [[GodIsDead Lorkhan]]), who was a "bloodthirsty warrior king". Stuhn was specifically the [[OddJobGods god of taking prisoners alive for ransom]]. |
| 215 | [[/folder]] |
| 216 | |
| 217 | [[folder:J]] |
| 218 | * {{Jerkass}}: Plenty of examples throughout the series. This is particularly common among the Daedra, both the Daedric Princes (who are mostly JerkassGods) and sapient lesser Daedra (who mostly consider themselves to be a SuperiorSpecies to [[PunyEarthlings Puny Earthling]] mortals). |
| 219 | * JerkassGenie: |
| 220 | ** The series has Clavicus Vile, the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Prince]] of Bargains and Wishes, who is this trope at his most malevolent. Crossing over with DealWithTheDevil, Clavicus Vile loves making deals with mortals that they later come to regret. [[OurVampiresAreDifferent Vampires]] pray to him for a cure to their affliction? Vile has a hero come along and MercyKill them all. A man wants to cure his daughter of [[OurWerewolvesAreDifferent lycanthropy]]? Vile gives him an enchanted axe to put her out of her misery. Pray to him for the power to "crush your enemies"? Vile will turn you ''into'' [[EmpathicWeapon a weapon]]. Clavicus Vile is usually accompanied an "[[MoralityChain external conscience]]" named Barbas, who typically takes the form of a BigFriendlyDog. With Barbas, Vile tends to be a bit less malevolent, coming closer to a LiteralGenie. However, following the events of ''Oblivion'', in which his quest ends with him possessing an artifact weapon capable of [[LiteralSplitPersonality splitting]] he and Barbas, he became much more malevolent. This is rectified in his ''Skyrim'' quest. |
| 221 | ** The Ideal Masters are immortal beings who [[WasOnceAMan were once powerful mortal sorcerers]] during the Merethic Era. After finding their mortal forms to be too weak and limiting, they entered Oblivion as [[EnergyBeing beings of pure energy]] and settled an area of "chaotic creatia", forming the [[SpiritWorld Soul Cairn]]. The Ideal Masters are most infamous for their [[YourSoulIsMine trafficking in souls]], especially "Black" sapient souls. All souls trapped in soul gems end up in the Soul Cairn and are considered property of the Ideal Masters. Individuals seeking power, especially mortal {{necromancer}}s, have long contacted the Ideal Masters. The Ideal Masters grant it in exchange for souls, which often includes the soul of the necromancer themselves. (Though the necromancer may not be aware of this fact as the Ideal Masters are {{Manipulative Bastard}}s who often get what they want through ExactWords and YouDidntAsk.) |
| 222 | * JackOfAllStats: |
| 223 | ** Throughout the series, as race/class merely makes certain skills start higher and level faster than the rest (rather than determine which skills are available), many {{Player Character}}s of all races wind up as this--if a [[FighterMageThief warrior]] casts some spells or sneaks around a bit, he can get pretty good at the mage and/or thief type skills too. Can go into MasterOfAll territory if the player employs [[{{Munchkin}} efficient leveling]]. |
| 224 | ** Out of the playable races, the [[OurElvesAreDifferent Dunmer (Dark Elves)]] and [[HumansAreAverage Imperials]] are the most balanced overall. To note: |
| 225 | *** The Dunmer are equally proficient in various [[FighterMageThief Combat, Magic, and Stealth]] classes. They get bonuses to assorted skills in each class type which don't overlap or conflict. They are highly adaptable and make for good cross-class builds as well, especially offensively oriented ones. |
| 226 | *** Imperials are outclassed in just about every skill category by at least 2-3 other races each, however, they also lack the ''deficiencies'' of those races as well, making them a very diverse and accessible race to play as. Their bonuses make them good [[HumansAreDiplomats diplomat]]-style characters who can back that up with solid cross-class combat ability. |
| 227 | ** In terms of classes (prior to ''Skyrim'' at least), Spellswords are described as the Jack of All Stats among classes. Spellswords combine skills from the Combat, Magic, and Stealth categories in roughly equal number. Dunmer make the best Spellswords according to canonical lore, and game mechanics support it with a good balance of their skills, making them the best suited from the earliest levels. |
| 228 | ** In-universe, this is one of the strengths of the [[BadassArmy Imperial Legion]], along with being BoringButPractical. Specialists aside, the bulk of the Legion is made up of Imperial soldiers. They lack the [[MageSpecies magical prowess]] of the Altmer or Bretons, the physical strength of the [[HornyVikings Nords]] or [[OurOrcsAreDifferent Orcs]], the propensity for stealth of the [[CatFolk Khajiit]], the [[MasterArcher propensity for marksmanship]] of the Bosmer, and the strength in [[CombatPragmatism guerilla warfare]] of the [[LizardFolk Argonians]]. However, the Legion also lacks the ''weaknesses'' of those other races as well. The only one that compares to the adaptability of the Legion are the Dunmer, who lack the unity and [[WeHaveReserves sheer numbers]] possessed by the Legion. |
| 229 | * JerkassGods: Throughout the series, the [[OurGodsAreDifferent Daedric Princes]] qualify (when they aren't crossing into full-on GodOfEvil territory). The Daedric Princes are the most powerful of the Daedric beings, immortal entities who existed prior to the creation of Mundus, the mortal plane, and who did not sacrifice any of their power to help create Mundus (as the Aedra did). While your average denizen of Tamriel (along with less knowledgeable fans of the series) may see them as being [[OurDemonsAreDifferent Demons]], scholars in-universe and out are quick to point out that they are really beings AboveGoodAndEvil who operate on a BlueAndOrangeMorality in line with their spheres of influence. Whether they are seen as "good" or "evil" by mortals really boils down to how benevolent or malevolent their actions toward mortals are. Some seem to genuinely care about their mortal followers (but may not [[GoodIsNotNice always be "nice" toward them]]) while other see them as little more than disposable play things. To note a few specific examples: |
| 230 | *** Azura, Daedric Prince of Dusk and Dawn, is generally seen as one of the most benevolent of the Daedric Princes. She is known to [[BenevolentBoss watch over]] her loyal and obedient followers and acts largely as a BigGood in the main quest of ''Morrowind''. However, she is known to have a petty streak and is a big fan of gaining DisproportionateRetribution. In the past, when the advisors of her champion, Nerevar, went against her wishes by using the profane [[ArtifactOfDoom Tools of Kagrenac]] on the [[GodIsDead Heart of Lorkhan]] to become the {{Physical God}}s of the Tribunal, she cursed the entire race of the Chimer ("shining elves") by turning them into the red-eyed, ashen-skin Dunmer ("dark elves"). She also prophesied the {{reincarnation}} of Nerevar who would cast down the "false gods". In the plot of ''Morrowind'', [[spoiler:it's revealed that [[PlayerCharacter the Nerevarine]] may not actually be Nerevar's reincarnation, but simply a convenient UnwittingPawn for Azura [[ManipulativeBitch to get her revenge on the Tribunal]]]]. Due in no small part to the actions of the Nerevarine (as guided by Azura), a series of disasters strike Morrowind, rendering much of it uninhabitable with the rest [[TheDogBitesBack taken over]] by the Dunmer's long time SlaveRace, [[LizardFolk the Argonians]]. [[GoodIsNotNice "Good" Is Not Nice]] with Azura, indeed. Further, there is evidence that Azura is more of a TrueNeutral, concerned with maintaining some sort of metaphysical balance. Her actions just happen to benefit mortals more often than not by stopping divine threats. |
| 231 | *** Meridia, the Daedric Prince associated with the "energy of living things," is another who is generally considered "good," but has some very jerkass qualities as well. She has a hatred of all things undead and seeks to rid them from the world, which is usually a good thing for living mortals. Additionally, she's a main opposer of Molag Bal, probably the closest to an actual GodOfEvil among the Daedric Princes, and his motives are ''never'' benevolent toward mortals. Despite this, she can be a bit of a KnightTemplar in her actions, is a fan of DisproportionateRetribution for those who wrong her, backed the ObviouslyEvil Umaril the Unfeathered in the {{backstory}} and in the ''Knights Of The Nine'' expansion, and is a seething {{Narcissist}} about it all. |
| 232 | *** Sheogorath, [[MadGod Daedric Prince of Madness]], is every bit as unpredictable as his title may imply. He may be the Daedric Prince most active in aiding his followers, and in every appearance is shown to care about them deeply. However, he ''is'' completely insane. Seemingly at random, he can fluctuate between being a {{Jerkass God|s}}, a GreatGazoo, an IncrediblyInconvenientDeity, and an OmnicidalManiac. He's been known to [[ColonyDrop hurl celestial bodies]] at those who've offended him, or simply make cheese rain from the sky on a whim. |
| 233 | * JourneyToTheCenterOfTheMind: Sheogorath, the Daedric Prince of [[MadGod Madness]], has been known to ''vacation'' in the minds of the insane. You get the opportunity to enter the minds of others at a couple of points in the series as well. |
| 234 | * TheJuggernaut: The [=HoonDing=] is the Yokudan ({{Precursors}} of the Redguards) spirit of perseverance over infidels and the "[[OddJobGods Make Way]]" god. The [=HoonDing=] has historically manifested whenever it is needed to "make way" for the Yokudan/Redguard people. It usually manifests as [[EmpathicWeapon a weapon]] that can destroy any enemy, but it can also manifest itself using [[GodInHumanForm mortal avatars]]. According to some interpretations, these avatars aren't necessarily the [=HoonDing=] itself, but the [=HoonDing=] taking over and/or working through the avatar. The key feature of the [=HoonDing=] is that no matter what, ''[[InvincibleHero nothing]]'' will stop it from making way. One such manifestation was as Cyrus the Restless, hero of ''Redguard''. |
| 235 | * JumpedAtTheCall: Near the end of the 2nd Era, the [[OldMaster Greybeards]] summoned TheChosenOne who would who would [[TheConqueror restore the Empire]] and [[ScrewYouElves conquer the elves]] to High Hrothgar, their monastery on [[TheTower the Throat of the World]]. Two heroes of mankind jumped at this call: |
| 236 | ** Wulfharth Ash-King, the legendary ancient King of the Nords, famous [[GodInHumanForm Shezarrine]] who [[EternalHero had died and come back to life]] at least three times, and noted [[FantasticRacism Elf-hater]], jumped at the call and went to the Greybeards. Instead, Wulfharth is "[[RefusedByTheCall blasted to ash]]" by the Greybeards, who say that he is not the one. |
| 237 | ** Tiber Septim was the {{Founder|OfTheKingdom}} of the Third Tamriellic Empire who [[AscendToAHigherPlaneOfExistence ascended after his death]] as [[DeityOfHumanOrigin Talos]], the Ninth Divine. When the Greybeards summoned him, he jumped at the chance. He went to them, accepted their title, studied with them to increase the power of his Thu'um, and ventured south to Cyrodiil to forge an empire on their word. While [[HistoricalHeroUpgrade official Imperial orthodoxy]] records him as humble and pious, more heretical (and realistic) stories note Septim's [[AmbitionIsEvil extreme ambition]] playing a role. |
| 238 | * JustAddWater: Downplayed in general throughout the series. Using the [[AlchemyIsMagic Alchemy]] PotionBrewingMechanic, a basic potion can be made with just two ingredients. (More complex potions can be made with as many as four ingredients.) Given that most of the alchemical ingredients are solid, one presumably needs to add water in order to make it into an actual "potion". Specific games also play with it in different ways, with examples listed on the trope page. |
| 239 | * JustBeforeTheEnd: |
| 240 | ** Several games in the series take place just before major, world-changing events. The end of the entire Dunmer way of life in ''Morrowind'' or the beginning of the end of the Septim Empire in ''Oblivion'', for example. |
| 241 | ** ''Skyrim'' [[ZigZaggedTrope zig-zags]] this one, however. On the one hand, your revealing as the Last Dragonborn means that you mark the end of the Dragonborns, making your story a case of this trope. On the other hand, this game is set just ''after'' the end of the Great War between the Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion, is smack dab in the ''middle'' of the Skyrim Civil War which was partially caused by that pervious conflict, and is purported to be just ''before'' the all-but-inevitable Second Great War against the Dominion, which may see the Empire completely collapse if they can't rally enough support before the Dominion decides to march again. |
| 242 | * JustifiedTutorial: Each game has one to varying degrees, typically as part of your character's escape or release from prison/custody. Specific details for each game are available on the trope page. |
| 243 | * JustLikeRobinHood: A trait of the more benevolent ThievesGuild leaders throughout the series. They're known to target the wealthy/corrupt, not just for practicality reasons (ie. they have more valuable stuff to steal) but also for [[KarmicThief Karmic Thievery]] purposes. A portion of the Guild's proceeds then go to help the less fortunate, such as beggars (who also help the Guild by acting as [[BeneathNotice spies]]). |
| 244 | [[/folder]] |
| 245 |
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