Mithril anyone? : The Elder Scrolls Series Discussion

» Sat Dec 18, 2010 5:32 pm

What the topic description asks. Thank you.

» Sun Dec 19, 2010 1:40 am

It comes from Tolkien. 1954.

» Sun Dec 19, 2010 4:09 am

It comes from Tolkien. 1954.

I'm speaking in terms of the ES universe. So, where does ES Mithril come from and does anybody know who discovered it?

» Sun Dec 19, 2010 2:33 am

I'm pretty sure it was an unacknowledged rip. There's no history to mithril.

» Sun Dec 19, 2010 6:48 am

I'm pretty sure it was an unacknowledged rip. There's no history to mithril.

Actually, I just visited the Imperial Library and there actually is some indication of there being Mithral in history. Here's the link:

http://www.imperial-library.info/dfbooks/b100_complete_edward.shtml

But regardless, does that mean that Mithril is just another fantasy element Bethesda just heartlessly employed in TES IV because it would would appeal to potential new-comers?

» Sun Dec 19, 2010 1:45 am

I don't know about heartless. It was in Daggerfall, but that game had a lot of filler and stole liberally from everywhere. And the game before that, Arena, was pretty heavily D&D based. I'd guess it returned for Oblivion because someone thought they needed another type of armour and mithril was suitable for the task, rather than something more distinctively TES-esque. Who knows why, but appeal is always going to be part ofi t.

» Sat Dec 18, 2010 9:20 pm

Given that Adamantium Ore sat under Mournhold, there's probably Mithril Ore underneath some other province.

» Sat Dec 18, 2010 7:06 pm

It's still misplaced.

» Sun Dec 19, 2010 4:56 am

I don't know about heartless. It was in Daggerfall, but that game had a lot of filler and stole liberally from everywhere. And the game before that, Arena, was pretty heavily D&D based. I'd guess it returned for Oblivion because someone thought they needed another type of armour and mithril was suitable for the task, rather than something more distinctively TES-esque. Who knows why, but appeal is always going to be part ofi t.

At leaset in Daggerfall it was blue plate, instead of the usual silvery chain mesh stuff.

» Sat Dec 18, 2010 7:06 pm

Mythril/Mythral should offset Redguards's skin color nicely AND normal silver is a svcky weapons material, even in TES.

» Sun Dec 19, 2010 8:46 am

But regardless, does that mean that Mithril is just another fantasy element Bethesda just heartlessly employed in TES IV because it would would appeal to potential new-comers?

No, Bethesda's heartless employment of it dates back to Daggerfall at least. But it is indeed just a generic fantasy element Bethesda uses with no explanation given in the lore for its existence.

At leaset in Daggerfall it was blue plate, instead of the usual silvery chain mesh stuff.

Of course, as blue plate, it ended up looking like a plastic toy instead, but maybe with Oblivion's graphics, it could have still looked metallic even if it was a little blue.

Mythril/Mythral should offset Redguards's skin color nicely AND normal silver is a svcky weapons material, even in TES.

I would hardly call it "svcky", being a level above steel in Oblivion, that makes it fairly good in lower levels, not to mention aside from Daedric, it is the only kind of material that can damage ghosts without enchantments in Oblivion.

» Sat Dec 18, 2010 9:33 pm

I think the only material types Daggerfall added were Orcish and Daedric. Mithril and all the others in Daggerfall other than the two I mentioned were also in Arena.

» Sun Dec 19, 2010 4:39 am

I don't think Mithril was any less generic than Adamantium, except that there were a few Adamantium ores in hard-to-reach places.

» Sat Dec 18, 2010 10:18 pm

I don't think Mithril was any less generic than Adamantium, except that there were a few Adamantium ores in hard-to-reach places.

That's more in the super-hero comics though, it doesn't have the same iconic status as Mithril does in fantasy. Then again Adamantium wasn't the invisible fellow that kept saving Frodo.

» Sun Dec 19, 2010 5:05 am

At leaset in Daggerfall it was blue plate, instead of the usual silvery chain mesh stuff.

Nope, both are ripped off. D&D Mithril is often blue.

» Sun Dec 19, 2010 9:53 am

http://www.elderscrolls.com/tenth_anniv/tenth_anniv-arena.htm

The world used for Arena was Tamriel, the fantasy world created by a few members of the staff for use in their weekly D&D campaign.

Thus we have mithril. Also orcs, goblins, elves, and liches.

» Sun Dec 19, 2010 5:55 am

It comes from deposits gathered in mines, like gold or silver. A quote from Lord of the Rings; "As light as a feather, But as hard as Dragonscales!"

» Sat Dec 18, 2010 6:44 pm

http://www.elderscrolls.com/tenth_anniv/tenth_anniv-arena.htm

The world used for Arena was Tamriel, the fantasy world created by a few members of the staff for use in their weekly D&D campaign.

Thus we have mithril. Also orcs, goblins, elves, and liches.

Which is why it's nice that Daggerfall (and Morrowind) took many of those things and changed them up so they weren't such blatant ripoffs. Mithril was an extremely heavy platemail, not the oh-so-light and oh-so-original chain that we see in Oblivion.

» Sun Dec 19, 2010 2:57 am

Couldnt you have Mithril torques or amulets in Arena?

» Sat Dec 18, 2010 10:46 pm

It comes from deposits gathered in mines, like gold or silver. A quote from Lord of the Rings; "As light as a feather, But as hard as Dragonscales!"

Mithril was an extremely heavy platemail, not the oh-so-light and oh-so-original chain that we see in Oblivion.

:blink:

» Sun Dec 19, 2010 8:44 am

I would hardly call it "svcky", being a level above steel in Oblivion, that makes it fairly good in lower levels, not to mention aside from Daedric, it is the only kind of material that can damage ghosts without enchantments in Oblivion.

And it is among of the best looking weapons along with elven and glass.

» Sun Dec 19, 2010 1:09 am

wasn't mithiril lighter than steel in daggerfall? could've swore it was. of course in daggerfall, dwarven was lighter than chainmail, and ebony was as light as leather.

» Sun Dec 19, 2010 2:30 am

wasn't mithiril lighter than steel in daggerfall? could've swore it was. of course in daggerfall, dwarven was lighter than chainmail, and ebony was as light as leather.

http://www.svatopluk.com/daggerfall/material.stm

Which makes you wonder; if daedric is an enchanted form of Ebony, why aren't soulgems with daedric souls 75 pounds?

» Sat Dec 18, 2010 9:41 pm

http://www.svatopluk.com/daggerfall/material.stm

Which makes you wonder; if daedric is an enchanted form of Ebony, why aren't soulgems with daedric souls 75 pounds?

I've been wondering that since Morrowind.....

» Sat Dec 18, 2010 8:37 pm

I would imagine like most exotic metals it would have been discovered first by the Dwemer. That's as far as I'm willing to speculate since there is no lore about mithril.