Each game in The Elder Scrolls franchise allows players to dive deep into the rich world of Tamriel, exploring vibrant settings, embarking on exciting quests, and meeting an array of characters who all have unique relationships with the people and places around them. Many of the relationships players can observe between NPCs are memorable, including those between parent and child. The franchise's fifth installment, Skyrim, even allows players to become parents themselves!
But life in Tamriel can be tough, and parenting even tougher. While fans eagerly await the release of The Elder Scrolls 6, it's worth remembering the parents from the series who, despite the trials Tamriel has to offer, stood out as some of the best.
10 Hod, Frodnar's Father
- Features in: Skyrim
- Location: Riverwood
One of the first characters Skyrim players meet after escaping Helgen, Hod, works at the lumber mill in Riverwood, spending most of the day hauling logs and chopping wood. He is married to Gerdur, who co-owns the mill, and has a son called Frodnar.
Frodnar has a passion for playing pranks on Riverwood's citizens, and Hod is always happy to encourage his son's mischief, praising him for working hard and making his mark on the world. With such a supportive father, Frodnar is sure to grow up to be a talented trickster!
9 Alvor, Dorthe's Father
- Features in: Skyrim
- Location: Riverwood
Another Riverwood dad, Alvor is the first character Skyrim players will likely meet if they choose to escape Helgen with Hadvar. Alvor is the village blacksmith, and he never fails to support his daughter in her dream of following in her father's footsteps. Dorthe spends most evenings helping her father around the forge, where he teaches her the art of smithing.
Alvor is proud of his daughter and knows that one day she will be the greatest blacksmith Skyrim has ever known. If Riverwood is ever attacked, Alvor will not hesitate to pick up a hammer and run to his daughter's defense, even if it costs him his life!
8 Daighre, Erith's Mother
- Features in: Skyrim
- Location: Left-Hand Mind
Daighre is a Breton miner that can be found working for Skaggi Scar-Face just outside Markarth. When Erith's father passed away, Daighre was left to raise their daughter on her own, so she toils away with a pickaxe each day to scrape a living for herself and Erith.
All Daighre does, she does for her daughter, and that is something to be admired.
7 Guardian Sud-Hareem, At'avar's Father
- Features in: Elder Scrolls Online
- Location: Spindleclutch I, Spindleclutch II
Sud-Hareem is a member of the Fighter's Guild and is first encountered when the player rescues him from the Whisperer, a boss in the Spindleclutch I group dungeon. It's in Spindleclutch II, however, that Sud-Hareem truly proves his quality as a parent.
After At'avar is captured by a powerful vampire, Sud-Hareem enlists the player's help in bravely carving his way through swathes of fearsome foes in order to save his son. At the end of the dungeon, a difficult choice awaits Sud-Hareem, but regardless of his choice, it is clear that he cares deeply for At'avar.
6 Queen Barenziah
- Features in: Daggerfall, Morrowind, Legends
- Location: Castle Wayrest (Daggerfall), Mournhold (Morrowind)
Barenziah has quite an extensive and rich biography, occupying numerous powerful positions throughout Tamriel. She is a queen, a thief and assassin, an adventurer, and through her marriage to Tiber Septim's general Symmachus she is also a mother.
Barenziah's children, Helseth and Morgiah, went on to become rulers in their own right thanks to the influence of their mother. Barenziah worked to secure positions of power for her children, thus proving herself to be a fantastic parent.
5 Carlotta Valentia, Mila's Mother
- Features in: Skyrim
- Location: Whiterun
Carlotta is a food vendor in Whiterun's marketplace and lives alone with her daughter Mila. Carlotta receives a lot of attention from both the single and married men of Whiterun, in particular the bard Mikael.
Players can stop Mikael from bothering Carlotta in a small side quest, for which she will express her gratitude. Carlotta's only concern and priority is her daughter, and she won't let anyone get in the way of that.
4 Emperor Uriel Septim VII
- Features in: Arena, Daggerfall, Oblivion, Legends
- Location: Various
As the Emperor of Tamriel throughout the first four main installments in The Elder Scrolls, Uriel has quite a lot on his plate but he does manage to find time to father numerous children. One of these children is Martin, the hero of the game Oblivion.
Martin was an illegitimate child of Uriel's, and he was kept secret as an infant, thus growing up knowing nothing of his true parentage. However, the decision to hide Martin away turned out to be a good one, for when Uriel VII and all his heirs were assassinated, Martin survived unharmed and went on to be instrumental in ending the Oblivion Crisis.
3 Ysgramor
- Features in: Elder Scrolls Online, Skyrim
- Location: Various (Online), Sovngarde (Skyrim)
Skyrim players may know Ysgramor as the leader of the Five Hundred Companions, who conquered Skyrim for the Nords. Yet Ysgramor was also a father to two sons: Yngol and Ylgar.
Ysgramor's sons traveled with the Companions to Skyrim, but along the way, Yngol's ship was lost. Ysgramor was so aggrieved by the death of his son that he slaughtered a dozen beasts and burned them in his honor, before constructing for him a grand barrow just outside Windhelm, which Skyrim players can access with the coral dragon claw.
2 Enmon And Mena, Fjotra's Parents
- Features in: Skyrim
- Location: Karthwasten
Enmon and Mena are humble miners and are thrilled when their daughter is chosen to be the Sibyl of Dibella, but their lives are turned upside-down when she is kidnapped by Forsworn. The player is sent on a quest to rescue Fjotra and bring her to the Temple of Dibella, and along the way encounters the girl's parents.
Despite being only a miner, Enmon bravely offers to help the player save her, proving that his love for his daughter conquers his fear of the Forsworn.
1 Queen Potema, Uriel III's Mother
- Features in: Skyrim
- Location: Potema's Sanctum
Skyrim players encounter the spirit of one of the most important queens in Elder Scrolls lore, Potema, in the quests The Man Who Cried Wolf and The Wolf Queen Awakened, in which the Dragonborn must prevent her return. In life, Potema was a powerful necromancer and a cruel ruler, and her resurrection would be disastrous for Skyrim.
However, despite being a terrible queen, she was actually a decent mother. She fought hard and succeeded in putting her son Uriel on the throne of Tamriel. When he was killed in battle Potema, despite being sixty-one years old, was so enraged she led a charge against the enemy and forces herself to avenge her fallen son.