How Does Elder Scrolls Canon Work?

[IOwnTheSpire]

This is something I've wondered about since Oblivion about. I know in Daggerfall, all of the endings are canon through some cosmic event (the Warp in the West, I think it's called) but in games like Oblivion and Skyrim with their faction questlines, I've wondered WHO did each of them.

What I mean is that I doubt that the same person became Champion of Cyrodiil, become Sheogorath, became heads of the Fighters Guild, Mages Guild, Dark Brotherhood, and Thieves Guild, and became the Divine Crusader.

I've always assumed that each of the storylines happened canonically, but only the main story and the SI story were done by the main character, while each of the others were done by someone else. This would apply to Skyrim as well, the main character did the main story, joined the Dawnguard, and defeated Miraak, but the other faction quests were done by other people.

Any thoughts on the matter?

 

[ninja666]

If you really want to delve into it instead of ignoring it just like everyone else, I'd say it actually is the same person, considering Tamriel is a realm where ancient prophecies coming to life are as common as dirt.

 

[Albino Boo]

The elder scrolls cannon works like this



Joking aside, think Greek heroes. They all got up to all sorts of things http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heracles . So as ninja66 says one person did them all.

 

[Fieldy409_v1legacy]

They leave references to the last game deliberately vague so as to let you interpret what happened.

Sheogorath mentions having been involved in the Oblivion crisis in the Skyrim game though, so that would imply he really was Oblivions main character.

 

[SajuukKhar]

Any thoughts on the matter?

In TES canon every quest/questline is considered to have been done my some adventurer, however, the name/race/gender of said adventurer is never revealed so that a player can make up his or her own canon about what the main character actually did, while everything else was done by one of any number of mercenaries in the world.

 

[uncle_yuri]

Perhaps one person actually did all that, but since he/she became the Gray Fox everyone forgot about their existence. I haven't checked this out but if there are only vague references at best to the Oblivion hero in Skyrim, that would explain it perfectly. There obviously must have been a legendary hero who did all those things, but you can't quite remember who it was...

 

[Evonisia]

Perhaps one person actually did all that, but since he/she became the Gray Fox everyone forgot about their existence. I haven't checked this out but if there are only vague references at best to the Oblivion hero in Skyrim, that would explain it perfectly. There obviously must have been a legendary hero who did all those things, but you can't quite remember who it was...

Theoretically the Oblivion and Skyrim hero could be one and the same if that hero was an Elf. Skyrim is only a few hundred years after Oblivion isn't it?

 

[uncle_yuri]

Theoretically the Oblivion and Skyrim hero could be one and the same if that hero was an Elf. Skyrim is only a few hundred years after Oblivion isn't it?

So in Skyrim you're just trying to build a new life and have to become a hero again, re-learning the old skills after centuries of peaceful life and finally being rightfully hailed as a legend? Someone needs to make a story mod, stat.

 

[Neverhoodian]

Temporal anomalies only factored into Daggerfall with the "Warp in the West," and even that idea was conjured up after the fact by the devs in an attempt to make all the different endings canonical. There have been similar events in the lore (referred to as "Dragon Breaks"), but they took place outside the scope of the games.

The only assumption the lore makes about the protagonists of previous games is that they all completed their respective main quests. Everything else is left deliberately vague so fans can consider their own in-game experiences as canonical. One person's playthrough of a noble Nerevar that helped the sick and needy is just as valid as another person's psychotic Nerevar who stabbed people while they slept and stole everything that wasn't bolted down.

 

[Evonisia]

Theoretically the Oblivion and Skyrim hero could be one and the same if that hero was an Elf. Skyrim is only a few hundred years after Oblivion isn't it?

So in Skyrim you're just trying to build a new life and have to become a hero again, re-learning the old skills after centuries of peaceful life and finally being rightfully hailed as a legend? Someone needs to make a story mod, stat.

I could just imagine walking into one of the western towns and going "I saved all you Nord bastards at the Battle of Bruma, and this is how you repay me".

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Well, as you said, the Daggerfall endings all happened due to the cosmic event. I chalk it up to the Lore writers being self aware and addressing the fact that every player plays the game differently. Therefore, every ending is canon, and whatever comes from the next game in the series is determined by mashing every single dimension/player experience/choice into one reality.

 

[SajuukKhar]

Theoretically the Oblivion and Skyrim hero could be one and the same if that hero was an Elf. Skyrim is only a few hundred years after Oblivion isn't it?

The hero of Oblivion became the Sheogorath you meet in Skyrim.

Though, the Dragonborn and Sheogorath are both fragments of Lorkhan, so ,in a way, they are the same person.... or at least part of the same person.

 

[Lilani]

The elder scrolls cannon works like this

Oh. Oh you. I love you so much.

<3

 

[theevilgenius60]

The thing about Elder Scrolls is it all(all of Mundus, their reality) takes place in a dream. For it not to be as it is would be strange. I find it strange some of the smaller characters that would have been dreamed up, like,"I work for Belethor at the General Goods store.". That guy. That must have come from a strange part of the dream. Like maybe he ate something that disagreed with him(or her, could be a her). If you think about it like that, Alduin could be someone's mom, wife, husband, lover or kids trying to wake them up, thus ending your "world". Strange lore the Elder Scrolls have, but it makes the world waaaaaay more interesting. Like maybe Hermeous Mora was dreamed up after reading some Lovecraft.

 

[Neonit]

Ehh, im no expert, but basically - everything is explained with magic, just like every other proper fantasy game. If magic is not enough, you go for dragon breaks.
There, are paradoxes are solved. Any possibility is covered. Dragon breaks are basically the "multiverse theory" of elder scrolls. (time branches out, people get confused, suddenly everything has happened and no one can explain how)

It also makes it so that each prophecy will come through, because SOMEONE, SOMEWHERE, will do what the prophecy said.

Also, dragon breaks explain how some versions of elders scrolls games turn into anime/hentai. Either that, or some modders just might be pervy....

 

[Mutie]

I'll use my Oblivion champ as an example of my take on it:

No one among the lesser members of the Blades or any of the Guilds would ever have suspected that shady Half-Nord Dumer lady to be possessed of any particularly fantastic power. She was a background figure, often attending important persons (such as the future emperor himself) as an envoy and courier, diligent and timely she was usually given tasks of great import to attend to due to her swift and discreet nature. Some know her as the chief servant of the Grand Mage. Others know her as the serving wench for the mysterious new Fighters Guild Master. The beggars think she's a low-level thieves guild scullion. In Bruma she's recognized as the squire to the Divine Crusader (whose androgynous statue, clad in crusader armour, holds aloft a Deadric Greatsword as a symbol of Dagon's defeat).

But no, she's actually the secondary aspect of Madness, housecarl to Insanity, and arbiter of Dementia. A sorceress of such profound versatility that she has accomplished all without the populace becoming any the wiser. Her daughter is worse... She was born with dragon blood.