ZOMGWTFGIANTFEATHEREDFLUTYRANTS.". Period. What destruction (and therefore creation) came of it? What caused the Wanderers and Old Ehlnofey to split? So my question is TES has some of the most labyrinthine back story of any fiction I've come across-and I say this as a good thing, there really is so much history in TES. The Eight Limbs (and their Missing Ninth) have always, always made sure there was a loophole. Where's the money in that? Only by the Hero's action does it become True. With a side dish of "don't [censored] with us. "We're coming for you in every one of your quarters, Sons of Talos. — Commentaries on the Mysterium Xarxes, Book Three CHIM (/kɪm/ kim) has been described as the secret syllable of royalty. I don't mean in a sense like Star Wars which is fantasy set in a sci-fi-ish setting, but more like a more sci-fi take on fantasy. Then Todd up and had Terrance Stamp record it at the voiceover sessions. Those who know it can reshape the land. They come back to 'fix' the future. http://www.exoticindia.com/panels/ardhanarishvara_wa74.jpg. In fact, he said those words during the dragon-[censored] fight and you only remembered them later, a comforting memory that the Jills mended back into your timeline. Undated. Why are the small female Betty Netches more powerful than the larger, male Bull netches? If you look at Pelinal, that hoplite is the only one he gives non-familial affection to, and his retaliation against not just the Elves but the whole world after his lover's death is enough, I think, to infer the original intent. Yeah, like that, but, crap, it just shattered and now I need my morning coffee because I have to work. As some people know I'm not really a fan of the United Colors of Beneton approach to Tamrielicreation, which smacks of white guilt and offensery rather than some holistic form of beautiful inclusion. That was a copy of copy of a copy of one of three giant cylinders (the real Elder Scrolls). Oblivion has been synoymous [sic] with Hell in the TES 'verse for nearly ten years now (see Redguard). Then, for some reason, I was reminded of the apocryphal teachings I learned at Temple about the Tower. Second of all...what birthed concepts like CHIM and Amaranth? Back in my days of the beginning of TES universe we all know, we had no "youtube loremasters", no densely populated forums, UESP was young, green The Empire of Reman lasted for approx. To do so would be antithetical to their very existence. Extraterrestrials in Elder Scrolls. Chorak’s successors never make it to the throne. And bull netch are really, really lazy.”, On Ken Rolston writing Vivec in game (06/03/08). Hello, everyone. I can't help but feel this is being misconstrued from some weird amalgamation of people reading that little blurb you posted in-character a long time ago that everyone quotes about "unbinding the Dragon and erasing the upstart Talos from the mythic" right after reading Nu-Mantia Intercept and how the Towers are fortifications of mortal existence, a subject that never seemed like it was being written with the intention of portraying a bunch of Altmer fundies as the villains. Saved by Katie Wallace. The songs herein are attributed to Bretonordic skalds of unknown number. It refers to the Hist's response to the Crisis, and is one of Kurt's coolest ideas of the last year or so. And that they, you know, feed off time. On the plausibility of Mankar Camoran's claims: Also in all fairness, there's enough evidence to support the Mankar's claims that I was happy that it went in. NEWS AT ZERO-SUM, PACIFIC STANDARD GRADIENT! That's just shoddy scholarship from a bygone regime. I certainly look forward to seeing the new material and hope you'll find our community to your liking, maybe even enough to do this again sometime. They are arthropods. How did the Magne-Ge create Mehrunes the Razor? Michael Kirkbride - Canon (-Lore)? Are they like the percussion section? 2. Plus dark elf ninjas because dark elf ninjas. What does the politcal structure of the An-Xileel look like? GrimGrimoire: Thanks so much for doing this AMA, and thanks more so for creating what you've done, unique and amazing lore. Would you care to offer some insight on what a more accurate aspiration for the Thalmor's realization of their goals would be, insomuch as it's even possible to write in a sufficiently concise and cryptic manner for an organization that operates on bureaucratically-saturated information overload in more or less everything they do? Qu1nlan: Is there any piece of lore you regret writing, a piece or fact you wish you could change or revoke its canonity? trexalfa: Who the Dark Brotherhood's Night Mother truly is? Prepare for some fun, I know the community prepared a few hundred or so questions for you. Given the ridiculous amount of staggeringly amazing content you've given us, its only natural that discussion breathes life into wonderfully varied and insightful opinions. Like glass armor, its name confounds expectations, which inherently pushes it into the fantastic (and look how glass armor is accepted nowadays). Twil as Twilight. And, frankly, there’s a lot of lore I don’t either care for, know about, or avoid because it really belongs to its proper keepers, so those will probably automatically get sent into the darkness of meh. But to make a better existence? How does the Ministry of Truth maintain its velocity all this time? What's up with the Blue Star itself? Is Trinimac/Malacath a mirror-brother of Arkay/Tu'whacca, specifically the aspect of the death god who was cast out after the Aldmer had learned of his purpose through Boethiah? (01/25/15). Afterwards, it would've become a haunted forest nation, closed off by both the Dominion and the Empire. RottenDeadite: For some time it seemed to me that the Elder Scrolls universe had a kind of Buddhist undertone. Also, Martin mantled Akatosh and dragon-[censored] Dagon silly, so his outlook on time in quite unlike our own. The Seyda Neen was the flagship of a fleet that Hlaalu sent to sea at the behest of a Saint, "to see the face of Veloth". He performs the verse to a crowd of secret Talos worshipers. That shit is embarrassing. (Remind me to relate the No One Wanted to Write the High Rock section later.). (09/07/14). The Warrior is the combined version of Forager and Worker. But he is also missing the subtlety in the title; in Tamriel, "dragon" and "time" are synonymous, they are bones of the same body-concept. Let us be clear that etymology in the TES lore is a risky venture. "None shall survive" has been a calling card for awhile, but that was only a hint to the more extensive "Nothing will survive. Instead, I saw not-four, not-five, not-six, not-seven, not-eight, and not-nine cliff-racers. Michael Kirkbride a acquis une grande notoriété au Royaume-Uni. He doesn't question the world's weirdness, as that notion would never occur to him. These comments were originally archived by The Imperial Library. The Amaranth is a state that lies beyond all existence and the means to create a brand new universe; it was designed to present the natural "end-point" of the Elder Scrolls mythology. Then think of the various ways the Sun would affect the Weather/Eyeball/BodyClock/Agriculture/TheShineOfASingleDewdropBeforeAnImportantDuel. Even now, Dres slavers often refer to their cattle-Guar as Tigers. The Atmorans, who were the progenitors of the Nordic race, were said to be originally both large and intelligent. Vivec's gift of "my head for an hour" wasn't an innuendo. Except, again, when wrapped 'round electric peanuts tossed from the back row with bright'n'shiny underscores for effect. In general, I find that the not-Men should build the Towers, if even the notion of "built" does not necessarily a physical brick-and-mortar approach. Oh and you kick ass, specifically for doing this and just in general. (04/04/14). I … Michael Kirkbride is known as Merry Eyesore the Elk on the Bethesda forums, once went by the name of MK, Michael Kirkbride, and Vehk, and assumes roleplay accounts as needed. This is what separates TES from other games. I’ve heard every variation of this rumor tbh. Does Paarthurnax have any knowledge of Durnehviir? I could hardly offer a better contradiction to this notion than that of my friend-in-exile, Severus Reva: [Text of Frontier, Conquest, and Accommodation follows], "The Aedra aren't supposed to be able to change, but perhaps there is a loophole" (10/03/03). Exploration of a cut idea about the Red Diamond after the Great War (02/23/14). I can safely say that Vivec is the most realized character in videogame fiction. What's the origin of their name? These are a few notable comments from Michael Kirkbride on The Elder Scrolls setting. It isn't "ruining" anything. That is, after the first dawn and world's cooling. Forum > Lore Discussion board > Michael Kirkbride - Canon (-Lore)? If you’ve not seen the lower case c0da stuff, you really should; the artists on them deserve some recognition and a wider audience. Perhaps I was mudcrab-tired. Before Reman, the world had been held in thrall by the Order, which, while technically not overseen by the (then) current Cyrodilic Emperor, was tied into the first Nibenese Empress, St. Alessia (the Manifold Manifest). They begin to see the diamond in their minds and are overjoyed. Children of liberty without end, and then the music lives forever as a pirate radio tuned against the rules of Heaven and the vulgarities of Hell. The “First Empire of Skyrim” is somewhat of a fabrication. We can name him THAT too. My brooding has brought this on. It was in an email I sent to the friendly folks at Bethsoft when I got the "Commentaries" gig. Consider it a glitch. That CAN'T be right" and "This period in history doesn't make logistical sense and/or is just too muddled and unlovely in description". Because TES has the coolest cosmics. One of Michael Kirkbrides most controversial works, The Seven Fights of the Aldudagga features Alduin not only literally devouring the world, but making Mehrunes Dagon into a Daedric Prince and defeating him in every fight of theirs. The novel focuses on the end of the world, and rather than this resulting in the next Aurbic kalpa, the kalpic cycle also comes to an end.The setting for the novel is a science-fantasy evolution of the moon Masser, to which inhabitants of Nirn fled after an apocalyptic event called the Landfall. This page was last modified on 30 December 2020, at 07:17. Where/what are the Outer Realms? What is your opinion on the Jone/Jode perspective of the moons, as opposed to the perspective that Masser and Secunda are Lorkhan's corpse? The original ordering of PGE1 wasn't really decided until its final, frantic days, except that we knew Morrowind would always be last, since that was DF's sequel. Imagine the Oblivion realm of Attribution's Share, for example, with eight powerful daedra (one of which is Boethiah) wielding divine power over their realm, and all their subjects bound to the whims of that power; now imagine it under an ur-theology and creation myth(s) as complicated as anything on Tamriel, where the myriad mortals of Nirn were, to the denizens of the Eight Divines of Attribution's Share, in fact, "daedra". Historically, the magical nature Nirn frowns on monotheism. When was it mentioned? the farmer that uses the rake. numinit: Who -- or what is the Underking? It's the flowering of a statehood where the images you give birth to in your dream-- stolen (?) Fun! 4. Think of the mystical power of Reenactment. Which is why I had it removed from Morrowind. His body, however, full of divine grace, was more than able to accomodate [sic] the hellish appetites of a dark prince of the deep. Only Ken, Kurt, Todd, and I read the thing front to back in its near-last-draft form to see if its through-line was the best it could be. Totally different thing. Minotaurs are the issue of Alessia and Mor Breath-of-Kyne. Vehkships have vanished in nil-space trying to make an ASSN jump—indeed, the celestial irregularity known as the M4bV Legerity, in which the C0DA Oblivion Vanquisher appears and implodes in perpetuity, is the belief system’s most famous cautionary tale. Hey now, I even gave him a fair shake at the Trial, so you know I'm down. Akaviri are people of the continent, Akavir, which is to the east of Tamriel. STAY GOOD. Despite no longer working for Bethesda, he still writes various unlicensed texts that can be found on The Imperial Library. I don't remember Huna's gender being specified. Is the Mane the third moon, and if so, did the Ayelids know this? After the proper sacrifices and rituals, a mass of Bosmer may transform themselves into “a pack of shifting forest demons and animal-gods, thousands strong....”. C0DA's background is introduced in the text Loveletter From the Fifth Era, The True Purpose of Tamriel, which brings some insight into a few aspects of C0DA's lore, most importantly the concept of the "Amaranth." The LDB would have to learn how to successfully craft the diamond shape without danger. Michael Kirkbride AMA. Well, okay, really big birds made out of the sun. What would the function of the moons be? When Landfall happens, you guys will do a spit-take like Bail Organa did when the Death Star showed up above Alderaan. The reason it was changed was a simple matter of keeping his sexuality ambiguous. Regarding ordering, I really only feel strongly about Skyrim First, New Imperial Province Second, Cyrodiil Third. (03/18/15). Beyond the barrens lay the Crescent of the Eighty and One Thrones, and all the villages that hang from it like a jeweled belt. How did Mankar recreate himself? One reason for its bouncing order was that, after handing out sections as written, and slowly watching it congeal into a whole, the idea of "saving the best for last" ended up being more of a hope than what really happened. Bonelord concept art by Michael Kirkbride (Morrowind). It’ll be an ongoing splatterfest of obscure texts revisited in graphic form until the upper case “C0DA” arrives in Q1 2014, a 64-page digital comic that answers All the Things that I’ve wanted to say about Morrowind for some time now. On the "marriage" between Vivec and Molag Bal (06/14/05). Most Human (Imperial) cultures regard the Daedra as separate from the Gods of the Eight Divines, true. Ex: Blacksmiths would forge the symbol. King Hrol (seeker/Healer of Kingdom), "from the lands beyond lost Twil". There is one step beyond CHIM, but you're right in that it is not godhood. At what point did you first realize/decide that you wanted to keep writing in the Elder Scrolls series, especially in the more esoteric sections? "A single Wheel? What are Nix-Hounds? "It's difficult to accuse someone of being wrong for asking the theoretical question "Is it possible, as is the case throughout this game, that some of the writings we find are exaggerated"? The former jumps through the hole in the latter's mouth and its head pops out the other end; then the whole symbiote stands up. Explorations on objects (rather than people) mantling and being matled (03/19/14). The mariners on this voyage would send back for the rest of their House when they had found whatever this "face" was. Since I do not recall how many there were, I did not see four or five or six or seven or eight or nine cliff-racers. To put a stake in the sand: the men and women of Yokuda and their descendants, most popularly the Redguards, are human. Kurt changed it to Vivek (maybe because of the lotus position drawings I kept doing? A deeper meaning is meant, too, but not very many laymen bother with that. His presence fortifies the Wheel of the Convention, and binds our souls to this plane. Kurt edited the Sermons extensively, as did Douglas Goodall. 600 years (long into the next era); after its passing the world suffered through dark times. That's a good little hidden bit that I don't want to ruin. The Landfall != the associated events of The Infernal City. Editing the 36 Lessons of Vivec (06/03/08). Who knows. * (Witnessing Shield-thane who goes blind or is maimed and thus solidifies the wave-form; blind/maimed = = final decision). Was Lleswer actually on Secundia, and if so, what happened to it during the Void Nights? No existence becomes better without love. Do you have any inspirations for your writings that are especially prominent or significant? A wine-knife is a weapon that you only pull when drunk. Sup n’wahs, First, let me pimp some TES-related projects I’m working on, because this is my very special hour and I am filthy with power. Tiber Septim conquers Tamriel at the end of the second era, and begins the Third Empire (and the third era). Also, what's a typical routine for penning a big work like the Lessons? That they are combined in seeming redundance should suggest an intention. (12/25/09). Limiting the term "object" to a normally non-sentient physical item or tool normally considered mundane? It was difficult to do that. Other worshipers arrive to look on them, seeing a sign of their god in the bodies of his martyrs. Are all the guar dead after the Red Year? (07/14/14). More than risky, it's asking for trouble when one considers Our Father Who Art in Oxford. When you consider a place like Tamriel, sometimes it's best to take titles literally. Wait. in relation to the PC's own. No, there are other ways to surpass it. The distinction between Gods and Daedra in Tamrielic cultures (04/10/99). Follow. What do you think about mixing fantasy and sci-fi? The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, the fifth game in the Elder Scrolls series, takes place in the province of Skyrim 200 years after the Oblivion Crisis. Between taking every wonderful idea ever conceived beyond the games and applying it as whole truth, or accepting things only as they make sense to the individual, I'd like to see how you, well, make sense of your own ideas. Thalmor button is pressed. And lastly, what is the favorite little-known story of the elder scrolls universe? Kurt had relocated to Colorado at the time (he moved back to Beth some time later) and didn’t like the name change, slight as it was. The original text of KINMUNE was published by Michael Kirkbride on the Bethesda Official Forums(Bethsoft) on September 11, 2011. How else to show yourselves people of the exodus into the vital: pain?'. Two immortals had huge amounts of divine sex and so did all the onlookers-- priests and monsters and advocates and proletariats [sic]-- around them. Ken was responsible for the MQ in MW, so that's part of it. OOG, I hated Summerset Isles and Elsweyr as place names, so they were changed after TESIV: Oblivion. "CHIM. Early concept art shows House Hlaalu with gems in their foreheads. Anyone who would go there would know they are not faring in ingame sources. On the mainland, and specifically the Deshaan Plains, Guars are striped. On the Elder Scroll that the Grey Fox altered in TESIV: Oblivion (08/01/14). So if I avoid any questions about anything related to the above, it’s because the answers are already forthcoming. You can go to the source text and figure out which part I'm talking about. Yneslea In … (09/23/14). No, I was actually referring to The Black Panthers and their radicalism. The barrens before him distort in the blur of their heat as he climbs the last hill, but his vision is clear. Just wanna say because I never think I did, the whole "it was all just a dream" avenue is completely missing the point. So OF COURSE I decided hey, they’re both right and holy shit the name for the Daedric V is Vehk and if you kind of reverb it it goes V’Vehk isn’t that cool, guys? What weapons/capabilities is a Warspore usually equipped with? What did Lorkhan do to solidify the plans for the Mundus? They and their dragon-kin have tried to invade Tamriel many times in the past. Two hours later, a throng of headless corpses are found, strewn diamond-pattern in a courtyard. Everyone here does know that the Ministry of Truth was Lord Vivec's biggest turd ever, right? As for the lists of cultural pantheons, they are not exhaustive - Dagon, it seems, plays a larger role in Nordic myths than the author (me) of Varieties of Faith was aware of. Who conquers Tamriel in the Second Era? The Elder Races have their own divisions (and diversions) of history. The key feature of Daggerfall, as in all The Elder Scrolls games, is the freedom the game offers to players. The Skaal are animistic, not monotheistic. If one could misinterpret the name of their religion (they were said to be 'pious'), one might name it negalithic refusatronic world-navel-gazinism. These gems were purportedly part of the glass in the construction of the Seyda Neen. The origins of Giants is unclear, conflicting and sometimes disputed. Terrance Freakin Stamp. The largesse of the Nords towards their ancient enemies is one of my favorite ideas coming out of Red Year. His knights numbered "eighteen less one," the number of the Hurling Disk. HEY GUYS, THAT WAS FUN. guy231: When and where was Aka-tusk worshipped? That said, the God Time (whose very name is contradictory) before it cannot accurately be measured by mortal perception. The second era begins with the assassination of the last of Reman’s heirs. But an unnatural storm destroyed the fleet, the jetsam and flotsam coming back to the shore. If he wasn't there, 90% of Dunmer culture probably wouldn't exist as it does now. Dominion ambassador would smile and accept the surrender of whole legions. And some folks— cough, Todd, cough— thought this was probably needlessly complicated but Kurt and Ken were like yeah but Morrowind is kinda like that already so who cares. But at some point, Ken sent an email with some details about Vivec with a c and I went ooooh that looks neat with a c. I like the c because it kind of insects the whole thing up. 2) Remove Man not just from the world, but from the Pattern of Possibility, so that the very idea of them can be forgotten and thereby never again repeated. Cyrus "just" lives in Tamriel and, while he can get confused, baffled, angry at, or one-upped by its magical nature, he's not adventuring to test those boundaries or, hell, even find them. In hindsight, probably a lot of it was wankery, but it was the first world-building that went beyond the Iliac Bay (the progenitors of Arena were almost gone to a man, so we didn't have their notes, so forgive any bad memory or perceived "lack of documentation"), and it was impossible to stop. On Nerevar's face being the Indoril helm: The Indoril masks were official, and they each depicted his true visage. For as far as any man's eyes, only High Hrothgar remained above the churning coils of dragon stop. He would inter them in the proper Velothi fashion. Try to make the rake do something so special at being another tool that it supplants that tool so much that no one remembers when the rake wasn't just that tool all along. Hjalti O Though, really, if you read through the Intercept stuff, I really predicted Mind Twitter. I added the "Giant Feathered Flu Tyrants" bit, which, like of course... but you'll see. It was the first time I had encountered the idea of "black imperialism"...and it struck me big time, as something 1) new, 2) potentially dangerous if taken as commentary, and 3) potentially rad if taken as commentary.