From the aloof Dunmer to the sneaky Khajiit, each of Tamriel’s races has its profound lore and role. With the monumental success of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the Nords of the eponymous nation became one of the most iconic among gamers. Their people have an equally deep backstory and culture. While they may seem like another Viking-inspired “warrior society,” Bethesda’s writers explore how such a people would realistically play out in a larger fantasy setting. Here is a breakdown of one of The Elder Scrolls’ most iconic races, the Nords.
The Nords’ Basics
Just like their Elves, The Elder Scrolls offers several different human races for players to choose from. These include the standard Imperials to the more magically-included Bretons. However, the Nords fit the role of strong warriors in other fantasy franchises. Appearance-wise, the Nords have fairer skin and sturdier builds in keeping with their frozen homeland.
Statistically, they excel at two-handed combat and other warrior disciplines. Furthermore, they have a natural resistance to frost. Many can use “the Voice” to summon magical shouts. They hail from the northern province of Skyrim, a harsh, cold land dominated by jagged mountains filled with ancient tombs and Dwarven ruins.
Their Culture
With their longboats, axes, and thick accents, the Nords of The Elder Scrolls take clear influence from the Vikings of Northern Europe. By and large, they are a race of warriors. Leaders are judged based on their prowess in combat, yet they have little respect for mages despite their power. Furthermore, they believe they go to “Sovngarde,” the paradise for warriors when they die in battle. As with all of Tamriel’s races, they have versions of the various gods overseeing the continent, such as Kynareth and Mara, along with other gods, such as Tsun.
Interestingly, they worship the Aedra’s traitor, Lorkhan, as “Shor.” After the deification of Tiber Septim as Talos, he joined the Nords’ pantheon. However, when the Thalmor banned the worship of Talos across the Empire, this laid the grounds for the ensuing Civil War. Despite their pride, the other people of Tamriel have grievances with them. For example, their history led to hostility between them and the Elves. Their war-obsessed culture has also led to poor relations with neighboring kingdoms such as Morrowind.
Their Extensive Lore
As with Tamriel’s Elves (Altmer, Dunmer), humans hail from another continent. They sailed south from the northern lands of Atmora and landed in Skyrim, where they built the city of Saarthal. While the Snow Elves of the region were originally friendly, they would launch a surprise attack on the city during the “Night of Tears.” Soon after, their leader Ysgramor would return with his Companions to wage war against them. The Snow Elves were driven out of Skyrim and into the captivity of their cousins, the Dwemer. Not long after, they began worshipping the Dragons under the masked Dragon Priests.
However, several Nords rebelled against their tyranny, including the first Dragonborn, Miraak, who used their power of the Voice. With the aid of their leader, Alduin’s brother, Paarthurnax, they once and for all claimed their independence. After the Nords settled in Skyrim, several moved on to other locations. Those who went west to High Rock became Bretons, while those who went south to Cyrodiil became the Imperials who founded the Empire, with Tiber Septim himself rumored to have been a Nord. There are other subgroups, such as the Skaal tribe on the northeast island of Solstheim.
Their Elder Scrolls Role
For most of the series, the Nords were largely a background faction. Apart from visiting Labyrinthian during Arena, they were confined to minor characters. During Elder Scrolls Online, players visited several nostalgiac locations such as Markarth and Blackreach. As expected, the Nords saw their largest story roles and most development during the fifth installment set in Skyrim. The Cyrodiilic Empire began to wane in strength two hundred years after the Oblivion Crisis.
One of the opportunists from this was Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak, who killed High King Torygg using the Voice out of disdain for submitting to the empire. Though captured at one point, Ulfric escaped execution during Alduin’s attack on Helgen. The “Imperials vs. Stormcloaks” debate still divides the fanbase. On the one hand, the Empire needs Skyrim’s strength if they ever hope to fight the Thalmor. On the other hand, the isolationist Stormcloaks fight for independence. Either way, the Dragonborn is forced to choose between the two sooner or later in the game.
Conclusion
To summarize, the Nords of this series are an interesting exploration of what a “warrior culture” would look like in a larger fantasy setting. While they have their fair share of triumphant stories, their warmongering has gotten them in trouble with various other races and nations.
In between, Skyrim’s locale and culture made for a rich setting for an open-world RPG that laid the foundation for other Viking-inspired games such as God of War and Assassin’s Creed: Valhalla. With The Elder Scrolls 6 on the horizon and many more Online DLC to come, many other directions could be taken, especially with the rising threat of the Thalmor.
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