While the core gameplay of The Elder Scrolls plays a huge role in the prestige and acclaim that follows the franchise, it is no secret that the intricate world-building and lore that drives the narrative of the series is just as, if not more, important. The different races of TES titles play a key role in delivering and shaping this lore, with the race of Nords perhaps being one of the most important and familiar races to fans of the games.
The Nords of The Elder Scrolls are indigenous to the province of Skyrim, with the race subsequently featuring heavily in the massively successful 2011 title of the same name. Despite the huge presence of Nords within Skyrim, there is still a comprehensive amount of the history of the race that will be unknown to fans of the franchise, and that should not be overlooked.
The Elder Scrolls: Nords In the Merethic Era
The Merethic Era is the earliest recorded Era of civilization within the world of The Elder Scrolls, with the Nordic race dominating the time period from a scholarly perspective, and being heavily involved in the most important events of the Era. During this time, the Nords were known as the Atmorans, with many Atmorans migrating South from their original native continent during a civil war to the land of Skyrim, where the Nords would remain throughout Tamriel's history.
The migrating Atmorans were met with Snow Elf populations upon arriving in Skyrim, with the two races initially coexisting peacefully. This quickly turned sour with rising Atmoran population figures, however, with the Snow Elves beginning a lengthy and bloody war against the newly arrived human population. With the full might of the Atmorans eventually overwhelming the native Elves, the Snow Elves were left splintered and scattered in the wake of the now dominant Nordic populations.
The Elder Scrolls: Nords In the First Era
The First Era saw the Nords truly consolidate their rule over Skyrim, effectively hounding the small remnants of Snow Elf populations out of the province entirely. Not content with this, and conveying their nature as warriors, the Nords subsequently began a series of invasions into neighboring provinces which became known as the Skyrim Conquests.
Conquering huge swathes of land that included Morrowind and large parts of High Rock and Cyrodiil, the Nords created their own First Empire. This would be short-lived, however, with the death of King Borgas creating a treacherous war of succession which saw the Nords concede all of their newly acquired land, once again being resigned to Skyrim and marking the end of the First Empire of the Nords.
The Elder Scrolls: Nords In the Second Era
The militaristic fallout of the aforementioned First Era predictably carried onwards into the Second Era from a Nord perspective, with a high-ranking general known as Hjalti Early-Beard leading intense warfare against the neighboring High Rock over territory that belonged to Skyrim. Some of the most important facets of Tamriel's history occurred during this conflict, with a specter known as Ymir teaching Hjalti the Way of the Voice, an ancient and powerful form of warfare that was detailed heavily within Skyrim.
Hjalti would take the name Talos, and become one of the most feared figures in Tamriel's history due to his newfound power and military might. Talos would go on to take the new moniker of Tiber Septim and establish the Septim Empire, forever changing the geopolitical landscape of Tamriel and shaping the majority of the subsequent eras and their events.
The Elder Scrolls: Nords In the Third Era
Given the intense continental reach of the Empire, much of Nordic happenings and politics in the Third Era were dominated by the Septims' and their conflicting bids for succession and the throne. Uriel Septim and Cephorus Septim were the two largest instigators of this inner conflict between the Nords and the Empire, with each figure conquering large swathes of Tamriel in a land grab to boost their respective claims to the throne.
A battle-mage known as Jagar Tharn would eventually claim the throne in the power vacuum left by this conflict, in what was known as the Imperial Simulacrum. The uncertainty that this brought to the Empire saw Skyrim re-engage in its past geopolitical conflicts with the neighboring provinces of High Rock and Hammerfell, with the Nords gaining significant territory which almost rivaled that which the Nords controlled in the First Era.
The Elder Scrolls: Nords In the Fourth Era
Following the tumultuous events of the Oblivion Crisis that engulfed Tamriel, Skyrim and the Nords actually benefited due to the increased reliance on trade that significantly boosted the province's economy. Tamriel's Fourth Era, however, was dominated by a war between the Empire and an Elvish union known as the Aldmeri Dominion, and the subsequent fallout that this caused.
After a devastating and sustained conflict, the two parties derived peace via the signing of the White-Gold Concordat, which greatly punished Nordic culture and outlawed the worship of the Nordic god Talos. The White-Gold Concordat marked a watershed moment regarding the perceived treatment of Skyrim and the Nords by the Empire, causing significant ruptures of anti-Empire sentiment within Skyrim itself.
This would lead to the civil war showcased within Skyrim, with Ulfric Stormcloak leading the Stormcloak faction of united Nords in the name of gaining Skyrim's independence from the Empire. Given how imperative the Empire was in shaping most of Tamriel's history, and the Nordic roots of the Empire itself, it is undeniable that the Nords played a significant and sustained role within Tamriel. Being one of the first human races to populate the continent, the influence that the Nords played in Tamriel's history is difficult to understate and is conveyed in their lengthy involvement in the province's history.
The Elder Scrolls 6 is in development.
