Since this is not technically an article and I'm not giving out any links, I think this is acceptable as far as the rules go. I don't even know the validity of this. Is it supposed to be taken from the Official Strategy Guide? It could be a complete work of fiction some Russian nerd wrote for all we know.
What else can I say besides enjoy and beware of spoilers... ?
From this guide you will learn how to create any character, which only can imagine - from short-tempered warrior or assassin to a powerful dark wizard. You will gather information from the history of this multifaceted province, what adventures and dangers waiting for a character, what is the numerous guilds and factions, and much more.
The Old Kingdom
Skyrim, also known as the Old Kingdom or the Fatherland, - the northern province of Tamriel, the country is amazingly beautiful and terrible winters. He is one of the oldest centers of power in Tamriel, the population of which is Nord.
Nords were the descendants of people who arrived at the head of Isgramorom from the continent at the end of Atmora Merethic Era. And although this was not an isolated invasion (refugees from Atmora migrated to Tamriel for hundreds of years, creating thereby a variety of nediyskie culture), it Isgramor with his friends was the founder nordskoy culture. Nords, originally named the land and founded the city of Meret Sartaal some time coexisted with the elves in relative peace, which was disrupted during the Night of Tears, when the elves are treacherously attacked and massacred in the city Sartaal. Managed to escape with only Isgramoru three sons, but after a while he returned with five hundred friends, drove the elves of Skyrim and founded the First Empire of Man.
Geography
Skyrim - the northern region of Tamriel, it is the most rugged territory in the continent. Here are five of the highest peaks tamrielskih, including mountain, known as the Throat of the World (which is also one of the "towers" of Tamriel and is known as the Tower of Snow Throat). Throat of the World's second largest mountain in Tamriel after the Red Mountain and the highest peak in Skyrim. On top of this hill is a high Hrothgar, where there is a tribe of wise gray-bearded, willing to achieve harmony with the voice of the sky.
In the west, snow-capped mountains give way to Skyrim canyons and mountains of Rich. Among the mountains Skyrim, from north to south are cut by deep valleys, where the majority of the population lives. Region of the province, from tundra to snow and volcanic deserts, very heterogeneous. In river valleys, farmers can collect various crops, while in the mountains can be found only snowberry bushes.
Deep in the forest thickets Skyrim can find iron wood, the wood is as strong as metal. The first settlements were usually built Nord on rocky cliffs overlooking the river valley. Many of these villages have been preserved in the most secluded estates. Now, most towns and villages located on the bottom of the valleys, and mountains can be found more picturesque ruins of earlier settlements Nord and even gnomes.
Culture
Isgramor first among the people created runic writing method, based on Elvish principles, and the world's first known historian of the human race.
Nords - masters of wooden structures. Many structures built the first settlers 3,000 years ago, used to this day. A perfect example of military architecture Nord - Old Fort, one of the royal bastions, built during the First Empire to observe the southern boundary. The high walls made of huge, irregular blocks of porphyry, perfectly adjusted to each other without any seams and cement, as if they built a mythical Ehlnofey, not people.
Skyrim territory is divided into nine domains, each with a different population, culture and politics. The most isolated are the old ownership, such as Winterhold, Istmark, Rift and Peil, who are still committed to the old traditions Nord, while others are more open. In nine possessions Skyrim different people, governance and trade. Rich can be mistaken for one of the tiny kingdoms of High Rock - it's full of Breton, Redguard, Imperial, elves of all stripes and even from nowhere who took Khajiit. In turn, in an isolated old estates by foreigners - rare visitors, except that once a year, will call the hawker. Young men in the dead of winter for a few days go to the mountains and hunt there on the ice ghosts - it allows them to be called full-fledged citizens. Here, people honor their hereditary chiefs, while in other domains is fashionable to choose a governing assembly.
Among the Nords have long practiced a special kind of magic, known as "The Way of Voices," based mainly on their worship of the goddess as the embodiment of the Wind Kynareth. Nords consider themselves children of the sky and breathing and voice north wind - this is his vital essence. Through the voices of the life force north wind can be turned into tu'um or cry, which can be sharpened blade or strike the enemy at a distance. Masters voice is the language, and their strength are legends. They can command people, while hundreds of miles away from them and even navigate with a shout to appear there, how far it will fly. The most powerful languages ??can not talk, while producing no damage, they must walk blindfolded and their mouths speak in sign language or font style runes. Now the most ancient and powerful languages ??live in isolation on the highest peaks, spending time in meditation.
Religion
In Skyrim is currently dominated by the cult of the Eight Deities, founded during the First Era Empress Alessi, which is a symbiosis nordskogo and aldmerskogo pantheon.
However, despite this, Nord still believe in their "old" gods, even though most of them are aspects of the standard pantheon of religions Eight Deities. Traditional pantheon of deities Nord represented by the following:
- Alduin (Parasite) - nordsky Akatosh version, which only superficially resembles its counterpart. For example, his nickname of "parasite" comes from the myths which describe it as a horrible, violent firestorm that destroyed the previous world order to start this. That is why the Nord and see God's time, both a creator and a harbinger of the apocalypse. He was not headed pantheon Nord, but it is a source, even grim and frightening.
- Orcs (Old Grumbler) - the god-Nord lender, which seems to have started to read during the reign of Aldmeri Atmora. Nords believe that they once lived as long as elves, orcs until a; pagan cunning and deceit, he made ??a deal with them, which is "tied them with a score of winters." Once upon a time, according to legend, Nord had a life expectancy of no more than six years, and because of the perverse magic of the Orcs. Appeared Shore, and who knows how to shot a curse, bringing down a large part of living close to the orcs.
- Cong - Nord disappeared god, patron attempts to overcome adversity. Died defending the Shore of the foreign gods.
- Mara (Goddess of Love) - almost universal goddess. In a legendary time appeared as a goddess of fertility. In Skyrim Mara - maid Keane. In the Empire it - the Mother Goddess. Mara is sometimes associated with Nir of "Anuad" feminine space, gave rise to the act of creation. Depending on the religion, it is either his wife or Akatosh Lorkhan, or concubine of both.
- Stan (the God of Atonement) - North precursor Stendarr brother tsunami. Schitonosets Shore, Stan was a god-warrior who fought against the pantheon Aldmeri. He showed people how to capture in war, and what is the benefit from this.
- Keane (Kiss of Death) - the goddess of storms in Nord. Shore's widow and revered goddess of warriors. It is often referred to as the Mother of men. Her daughters have learned to use the first Nord tu'um, or Voice of the Storm.
- Dzhunal (aka Unal, Rune God) - the god of hermetic orders in Nord. After leaving the mercy of the rest of the pantheon, he was in Julianos Devyatibozhii. It's not in the modern mythology of Skyrim.
- Shore (Lord of the Underworld) - the northern version of Lorkhan, who sided with the people after the creation of the world. Strange Gods (ie Elven) conspired against him and prepare his defeat, dooming him to the underworld. Atmorskie myths show his blood-thirsty warrior-king, who again and again leads to victory over the Nord oppressors Aldmeri. Prior to the execution of their own destiny, Shore was the leader of the gods. Sometimes also called the Children of God (see Orcs, above).
- Ismir (Dragon of the North) - the northern aspect of Talos. He resisted the force of votes gray-bearded long enough to hear their prophecy. Later, many Nords could not look at him without seeing the dragon in its place.
- Herm-Mora (Forest Man) - an ancient atmorsky demon who once almost tempted to become Aldmeri Nord. Most of the myths tell of the salvation Isgramora from the snares of Herm-Mora. Also known as the Demon of Knowledge, he vaguely associated with the origins of the cult of the Morag Tong, unless in association with his brother / sister Mephala.
Policy
Expanding its influence from the north, the clan Isgramora always argued their actions that there was in those ancient times more formidable force than the Nord. In the 113th year of the First Age of the whole territory of the modern Skyrim was united under the rule of King Harald, and, nevertheless, the country continued to grow.
In 240, King Gifted Vraja began the conquest of which marks the beginning of the First Empire Nord. Leaving their snowy valleys and mountains, the Nords attacked the Dwemer of neighboring Resdayn, Altmer and Bretons of High Rock and assisted the rebel slaves in Cyrodiil, which put an end to the power Ayleids in the south. Fifty years later Skyrim managed all the northern lands of Tamriel, including most of today's High Rock, a significant portion of the valley and all Niben Morrowind.
Skyrim territory increased with each battle won, and decreased with each lost. Skyrim remained the dominant state of people in Tamriel until finally it became disunited as a result of infighting within the clan Isgramora. The separation of ownership occurred on at the beginning of the First Empire, ruled by each owning clan chiefs, kings, and the Assembly, and they obeyed the king Skyrim. It was formed by exceptionally long reign of King Harald, who outlived all his sons. He was charged with selecting a new king of Skyrim worthy members of the family. The meeting received a lot of power, but over time it became biased and inefficient, and, after the death of King Borgos, and not put on the throne the only true candidate that was the beginning of the war of succession. At the time, as independent leaders fought each other, Skyrim gradually lost their possessions in the modern Morrowind and High Rock, and some areas of the province became independent kingdoms. During short periods of individual governors managed to control the entire country, but Nords are extremely contentious nature, so that such a confederation could not live long. After the war ended in 420 AD with the first signing of the Covenant of the Rulers, the meeting gathered only when the king did not leave direct descendants, and that its function is limited.
In the third era of Cyrodiil is the heart of the Empire, and Skyrim - its mighty hand. Hence the threat hanging over the unity of the Empire in 120, when Potema, the so-called Wolf Queen Solityuda, aunt of the Empress Kintyra, revolted, grew into a bloody civil war known as the War of the Red Diamond.
Although in the end the uprising was crushed, its reverberations have been felt for a long time. During the Imperial Simulyakruma during the reign of Jagar Tarn, war broke out Bend'r-Mac, the results of which greatly expanded the territory subject to Skyrim, adjoining lot of land east of High Rock and Hammerfell. The city-state Dragonstar has been divided into eastern and western regions, each with its own government, fenced from each other by a wall, and living in an atmosphere of mistrust and fear.
The Current Situation
At the end of the third era, during the crisis of Oblivion, Skyrim suffered from the invasion of Daedra. Hardest-hit were the old ownership. Heard rumors that they were completely destroyed. After the fourth era Skyrim able to recover from the shocks Oblivionskogo crisis, but with the collapse of the Third Empire and the rise of Mead, in Skyrim again under threat of civil war between supporters and opponents of the Empire. Death of King Skyrim perceived as the front waved, and the sons of Skyrim again shed the blood of his...