elder scrolls games in order timeline

Championisme authors

4 min read

·

15-12-2024

30

0

Share

Unraveling the Temporal Tapestry: A Chronological Guide to The Elder Scrolls Games

The Elder Scrolls series boasts a sprawling, intricate history spanning millennia. Understanding the timeline can be daunting, even for seasoned players. This article aims to clarify the chronological order of the main Elder Scrolls games, enriching the experience with additional context and analysis, drawing upon various sources including the games themselves and supplementary materials. We will avoid relying solely on in-game dates, as they are often subject to interpretation and internal inconsistencies. Instead, we'll focus on establishing a relative timeline based on significant events and character lifespans.

Note: This article focuses on the main-series Elder Scrolls games. Spin-offs like Legends and Blades are omitted due to their less direct connection to the overarching narrative.

I. The Dawn of the Elder Scrolls Era: Before the Games

Before we dive into the playable games, it's crucial to establish a basic understanding of the pre-game eras. The Elder Scrolls universe's history stretches back to the Dawn Era, where the very first gods and the world itself were created. This era, detailed in various in-game books and lore, is shrouded in myth and legend. Key events from this period include:

• The Creation of Nirn: The birth of the world, a complex cosmological event that sets the stage for all subsequent events. The details are fragmented and subject to different interpretations, varying across religious doctrines within the game's world.
• The War of the First Council: A cosmic struggle between powerful entities that shaped the early landscape and established the basic power structures of the world.

These foundational events set the stage for everything that follows, laying the groundwork for the conflicts and civilizations that define the Elder Scrolls games. We only glimpse these eras through fragmented stories and prophecies within the games themselves.

II. The Age of Myths and Empires: Setting the Stage

The era before the events of Arena is also largely shrouded in myth, though we gain glimpses into significant periods like:

• The Merethic Era: This era saw the rise and fall of numerous early civilizations, laying the foundations for the cultures and societies we see in later games. We learn about this period through fragmented accounts in the games' lore, suggesting a chaotic and conflict-ridden time.
• The First and Second Eras: These eras saw the rise of powerful empires like the Alessian Empire and the Septim Dynasty, shaping the political and religious landscape of Tamriel. Specific details about these eras are revealed through archaeological discoveries, religious texts, and scattered historical accounts found throughout the game worlds.

III. The Playable Era: A Chronological Journey

Now, let's delve into the chronological order of the main Elder Scrolls games:

1. The Elder Scrolls: Arena (circa 2E 864): This game introduces the vast world of Tamriel and sets the stage for the series. The player character, a captive, is tasked with defeating a dark power threatening to destabilize the Empire. The exact placement within the Second Era is somewhat vague, but historical references within the game itself pinpoint it within this period.

2. The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall (circa 2E 864-865): Arguably the most complex game of the series in terms of scope and narrative, Daggerfall directly follows the events of Arena in the same era. The player-character is caught within a war of succession to the throne of High King Lysandus, with the looming threat of the Camoran Dynasty adding significant conflict. The timeline here is less precise due to the game's branching narratives, but it's generally agreed to be contemporaneous with or immediately following Arena.

3. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (circa 3E 4E 4): A significant leap forward in time, Morrowind takes place in the Third Era. The player character is a prisoner transported to the island of Vvardenfell, becoming embroiled in a conflict involving the god-like Dagoth Ur and the Tribunal, powerful demigods ruling Morrowind. This game provides the most detailed historical context of all the games, with extensive lore and detailed descriptions of the region's society and history.

4. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (circa 3E 4E 17): Taking place roughly two centuries after Morrowind, Oblivion depicts a devastating event in the Imperial province of Cyrodiil. The player confronts Mehrunes Dagon's invasion, battling through the Oblivion gates opened by the Mythic Dawn cult. The relatively precise dating of this game comes from the clear chronological relation to in-game events and records.

5. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (circa 4E 201): Set two hundred years after the events of Oblivion, Skyrim depicts the bloody civil war between the Stormcloaks and the Imperial Legion in the province of Skyrim. The return of the dragon Alduin, a powerful world-eater, adds another layer of complexity to the political conflict. Skyrim offers the most detailed view of the Fourth Era, revealing the state of Tamriel following the Septim dynasty's collapse.

IV. Beyond the Games: The Ongoing Story

Even after the events of Skyrim, the story of Tamriel continues. The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO) further expands the world, exploring the Second Era, filling in the gaps between the earlier games. While not strictly a continuation of any single title, it acts as a significant piece in the overarching narrative.

V. Analysis and Further Considerations

The timeline presented here is a general consensus based on in-game evidence and scholarly interpretations. Some aspects remain debatable, with certain events having ambiguous chronological placement. Furthermore, the sheer scale and complexity of the lore leave room for further analysis and interpretations.

For example, the precise relationship between the events of ESO and the main-line games is still a topic of debate among fans. Some events within ESO can directly inform the storylines of the main games, while others remain loosely connected, enriching the overall world-building but potentially creating timeline inconsistencies.

VI. Conclusion: Embracing the Complexity

Understanding the Elder Scrolls timeline requires patience and a willingness to embrace its inherent complexity. It's a rich and nuanced history that unfolds through seemingly disparate sources, woven together into a vast tapestry of myths, legends, and epic conflicts. By appreciating the temporal relationships between the games, we deepen our engagement with the series, enhancing our appreciation for its intricate world-building and complex narrative. The chronological guide presented above provides a foundational framework for navigating this grand timeline, encouraging further exploration and interpretation of this incredibly engaging universe. The journey through Tamriel's history is as rewarding as the adventures within its lands.