Lore in ESO: Opinions of the Alliance / Racial Stories

ohioastro

One of the things that I've always liked about Elder Scrolls games is the care and detail about the background cultures for the various races in Tamriel.  Morrowind had the Dark Elves; Oblivion, the Imperials; Skyrim, the Nords.  ESO gives us a look at other cultures, and I thought that it might be fun to talk about those background stories.  For those of us who like ES games, this is a big draw.

I played in the AD, with three story lines: High Elves, Wood Elves, and Khajiit.  The High Elves, to me, simply came across as a race convinced of their own superiority - with the debate being whether to live and let live or to simply put the inferior races in their places.  The Wood Elves always came across as religious fanatics before, but ESO actually gave some nice context about why.  They live in a ferocious place, they cut a deal with the wood spirits to survive, and if they break that deal nature takes...concrete action.  The carnivorous, almost feral, Wood Elves make sense in this context, especially if you read the various notes and books.

The one that I liked the most was that of the Khajiit, which you see briefly at the start, but most fully in the last zone (Reapers March.)  There is an intriguing mix of mysticism, moon worship, and a radically different theology and culture.  There are also strong hints of a more sophisticated past, with magnificent ruins.  And of course, tricksters, layabouts, lazy moon sugar-filled tiger pets, and the like. 

What did other people think of the background cultures in ESO?  I didn't get far in DC or EP; any surprises there?

ImperatorBellus

I have always found Elder Scrolls lore interesting, becasue Imperials are like Roman Italian people, Nords are Germanics and Britons are Celtics. Still, the lore of Elder Scrolls is VERY GENERIC by fantasy standards, there is nothing new or amazing that we have not seen in another fantasy universe before. Still, I really enjoyed the storyline and lore playing Oblivion and Skyrim, I admit though, World of Warcraft has much more interesting lore, its the most unique fantasy lore ever made, theres nothing like it out there.

While Elder Scrolls has the generic, Elves, Men, Orcs, Cat people and the semi-unique Reptile Argonians, we have seen races that look like this in many games and genres, Everquest, Lord of the Rings, Dungeons and Dragons, the list goes on and on. This is why I prefer WoW's lore, it is way more epic and unique. 

jesad

I'm only just now getting into a lot of in-game information about the Redguards and I hate to say it but I am beginning to feel a little disconnected.

The queen sends me off to do some favor for her and the favor is to do a thing, coincidentally a thing that I am very good at doing, that I have been told, by any of the redguards that mean anything, that no self respecting Redguard would do.  Also there's this whole bald headed beard thing from Sai Sahan, and the automatic assumption that I am not one of the Redguards of the Alik'r.

I don't know.  I just feel like a lot of the information comes to me way after I have already created and played a certain persona up to that point and now, some 4 zones into the game I come to be told that I am some whole new kind of Redguard, apart and not a part of any of the Redguards in the game.  And that's with a fair amount of research having been done before deciding on my build and personality.

I mean, I love the lore of the game, make no mistake.  I just don't care of the implementation of the formative concepts of the race so late in the game if you get my meaning.

Oh, and sorry, just read that you were talking about the alliance.  WHOOPS!

Scot

"This is why I prefer WoW's lore, it is way more epic and unique."

WoW has better lore than the Elder Scroll series? I don't think we are in the same phase on that one.

It is hard for TESO to go wrong on lore, the Elder Scroll series is nearly unmatched in rpg games. Partly because they have a series of solo rpgs and now an online  game. The only game setting that beats ES is Lord of the Rings, which is actually the epic story that all these 'unique' MMOs are based on.

CoffeeBreak

Originally posted by ImperatorBellus

I have always found Elder Scrolls lore interesting, becasue Imperials are like Roman Italian people, Nords are Germanics and Britons are Celtics. Still, the lore of Elder Scrolls is VERY GENERIC by fantasy standards, there is nothing new or amazing that we have not seen in another fantasy universe before. Still, I really enjoyed the storyline and lore playing Oblivion and Skyrim, I admit though, World of Warcraft has much more interesting lore, its the most unique fantasy lore ever made, theres nothing like it out there.

While Elder Scrolls has the generic, Elves, Men, Orcs, Cat people and the semi-unique Reptile Argonians, we have seen races that look like this in many games and genres, Everquest, Lord of the Rings, Dungeons and Dragons, the list goes on and on. This is why I prefer WoW's lore, it is way more epic and unique. 

 

Arthas/Lich King = Anakin/Darth Vader

Uther = Obi Wan

Tirion/Argent Crusade = Rebel Alliance