Nords say "Seen any elves?" because Nords generally don't like elves. The Nords and the Dark Elves fought for a long time over land in Morrowind. Basically, Nords enjoy killing them.

Think of it this way... Some guy is super obsessed with hunting, and his primary choice of prey is... uh.... squirrels. So he might say "Seen any squirrels?".. and then he'd laugh as thoughts of decapitating squirrels with a battle axe filled his brain....

Yeah.. that was really messed up. But I think you get the point.

Next time you'll learn not to ask questions... :ninja:

The honor Caste sounds the best and most Nord-like and also slavery needs to be back

Yeah, I really don't think that the Nords use slaves. I can't recall any instance of a slave-owning Nord from any game or literature I've read. And if one exists, I'd assume that it's a rare happening.

The Nords, for the most part (in the Old Holds), appear to follow some sort of hierarchy. They're known to be imperial (not the race ) and are also known to be loyal to bloodlines, which sort of speaks towards a caste system. But, with what seems like a civil war going on, you never know what will happen.

It is a game and should be treated as such, in this aspect it makes no impact on realistic society and if it does its by people that shouldnt be playing these games anyway, go back to playing mario cart or pokemon or whatever that doesnt offend your delicate senses or go watch barney whatever gets you feeling like hugging your favorite teddy bear as you drift off to sleep in your footie pj's, but I want slavery in my game as it existed in all civilizations thruout history to one degree or another nobody said we gonna have to beat the slaves in game to make them work and who is to say you wont have the opportunity to buy as many as you want and free them if you so desire, and as for a caste system the only people I could see actually having a problem with this today is Indians from India and if you have a problem with it I suggest you talk with your government about it as you dont seem to be interested enough to actually get rid of it altogether in your country today, and it is a factor in most civ's histories also, tho to a much lesser degree then how it affected India and her peoples. JMO tho.

I honestly can't imagine slavery in Skyrim. I don't care if it's in a video game, but I don't have a strong urge for it to come back as a few other people seem to have... But honestly, it's just not really Nordic culture. They seem too proud to have slaves. I could maybe see it as an underground operation by another race towards the South, or maybe a very crazy, "entrepreneurial" Nord in a mine or something. I doubt that mining regulations would be very strict in a time of peril.

What are you going on about ? they use slaves just as any1 uses slaves for mines, for growing crops, for doing the type of work that seems below a warrior as all races usually argue it, for all types of work that holds dangers to their own people, or just to humiliate sometimes because someone tried to conquer you or were foolish enough to resist you conquering them, whatever the silly but realistic mindset was used at the time.

Heck slaves are still around today for that matter in the real world, usually to be used for six these days but I am sure in Africa some tribal still take slaves from other tribal to be used for those reasons stated above, so lets not start thinking the noble warriors would never because you start sounding like Don Quixote romancing the age gone by.

From the Nordic history and lore I've read thus far, I haven't seen a single mention of slavery. I'm not quite sure you know what you're talking about.

Well, in viking culture (and don't kid yourself by saying Nords =/= vikings, you're technically right, but philosophically wrong) slaves were a part of everyday life, but it wasn't a racial division as it was in early America or for instance Morrowind. Slavery was basically what happened to you if your parents were poor (I think you could sell children to pay off a debt) or if you were captured in war. Reports from the time, however, state that slaves were treated with a fair amount of respect, even kindness (not justifying or forgiving it, but that was the attitude, if sources can be believed, unlike in MW or other historical contexts were slaves were harmed as little as possible only to maintain their value)

Perhaps instead of starting off as a prisoner in jail, you could be the "captive" slave of a cruel master you kill, or even a kind master who sets you free on his death.
As far as the caste system goes, medieval Scandinavia (as I recall) was fairly stratified but also socially mobile. There was a democratic council called a Thing, where every free man had a vote. Social status was often displayed by a torq ( horseshoe shaped metal ring) around the neck, iron for slaves, copper, silver, and gold as you ascended the social ladder. That may have been for women only, I forget...Gallic males wore torqs in Ceasar's time.

Nords aren't ONLY comparable to Vikings. I think they really encompass all Germanic people from that area of Europe, when compared to true historical people. And I say that because the Nords are not and were not big on raiding as Vikings were. History says that they lived in harmony with the roaming elves of Tamriel when they came from Atmora. That changed when the elves pushed them out of Tamriel and back to Atmora, and the Nords returned with a vengeance and pushed them out of Northern Tamriel, creating Skyrim and relinquishing all holds in Atmora. This began what is considered Tamriel's first Human Empire. The Nords are very skilled warriors, and very adept tacticians. But I digress. The Cyrodiilic Empire outlawed slavery completely in the 3rd Era (when Morrowind finally succumbed). And while things have likely changed in the probably 200-year gap (which is NOT proven, just speculation) I can see no reasoning for "state-sponsored" (for lack of better words) or wide-spread slavery in Skyrim.

yea i'd like to see slavery in the game, but im pretty sure we won't be seeing it much.

as an earlier post said, being brought in as a nord's slave would be an original, yet tes-like, opening. (better than conan the barbarian though lol)

I expected stewardship to be above nobility. I know nord's follow bloodlines, but that involves my explanation of stewardship more than my explanation of nobility.

i think we'll see honor-caste warbands, with a few different styled warbands, but i never put that as a poll option because i didn't want to create any confusion.

Im glad the polls weren't one-sided...

you do realise this is a video game?

The nobility is the most realistic option. The fantasy genre does have medieval roots anyway.

I'd love a caste system. In Skyrim. Tau'Va! (Up yours Chaos!) I'd look to the Yucatecos for inspiration.


Largesse!

See the thing is: you guys are all thinking of slavery as what was shown in Morrowind. They treated their slaves a sub human/ sub beast. Norse did take slaves, but they took them on more as servants. Sure no pay, but they didn't beat teh [censored] out them for sh*ts and giggles. The Norse saw the value of their slaves.

They certainly weren't on the same level as everyone else in society, but they were afforded a bit of respect for their value. If there are going to be slaves, it should be this more evolved system of slavery, rather than Morrowinds "Round em up, whip em and work em"

This. To assume any culture did not have slaves at some point is hopelessly naive, but slavery has not always been a racist institution. I'm sure Nords would practice basic slavery, just not the racist brand that the Dunmer practiced. In this system, you're a slave because you're weaker than me, not because you are a Khajiit or Argonian or Elf or x.

more like round em up, stick em in a cage, make em incredibly boring and have no consequence in the game

I thought these games take place a long, long time ago in a galaxy far, far away......

This!

and on the topic of slavery read this
Theres an old Norse story my grandfather used to tell me I'm gonna paraphrase it the best i can remember
Its a story about a man that once became a slave and for years he worked as a slave till he found his chance to escape and along with him he stole some of his masters coin, but as he was leaving he realized this was against the code of honor system of the time and if he was caught hed be killed for being an escape slave...
so instead he went back killed the lord and left with a clean concience
When he showed up at the local pub he was honored for he feat, he went on to be a king? I think or mabe just a lord I can't remember but you get the idea.

I'm up for any kind of society, so long as the word "caste" isn't mentioned.

That would be annoyingly similar to Dragon Age's dwarves.

Partialy correct but I wanna point out one thing, I'd like to remind you that even though there were no "black" slaves back then there was a bit of raceism. The word "Slave" acctully comes from the word that the "Vikings" used to call Slavs (polish and other slavic country folk). The Scandinavians were held as the greatest warrior but many people even as far as the arabs in the middle east would higher them to fight in there most inportant armies. The was a bit of racial stigma associated with that which would later be the basis for the Nazis but they would also pride anyone who could fight like a true warrior, cause for them might did make right. Like in the story i shared erlier. That man was a Pol i believe but her later was free interily and respeced

As for the other part right on, they were pretty democratic in that everyone had a fair chance for hte most part. Women could own property, vote if they had no husband, they could keep there own property in marriage, and could seperate from there husbands if they wished and had good reason, though when it came down to things there was nothing the prided more then war so when it came to decide who was right in such a thing it came down to a fight to the death cause if you were victorious you had Odin on your side. For the most part slaves were given the basic nessesities and treated somewhat civial (for the time at least).


Oh though Gallic =/= Norse , thats like saying modern day Americans = British

1. TES is older than Dragon Age.
2. the word "caste" is much more far-reaching than in Dragon Age. It is a real kind of society, probably most prominently used in India.

Couple comments here. Slav actually comes from the Norse word for "slave" rather than the other way around. Also, equating the Nords with the Gauls is about as fair as equating them with the Norse. Really, the Nords are predominantly Saxons with reasonably strong Norse, Gaulish, and Brythonic influences in their depictions.

I really don't see why everyone is getting worked up about this slavery issue.
The TES is not real life, no one is actually suffering. This is a video game.
They could have a holocaust for all I care.

If something goes along with the story, I don't see why it should have to bend to go with a "binary rights" agenda. By the way people, Jack Thompson is long gone...

i cant really see nords having slaves, at least not for very long. what do nords like to do......FIGHT!!! and who do nords fight with EVERYONE!!! i give a nord slavemaster 3 cups of mead before he gets it into his head to have a duel with his poor slave. and 5 seconds later he is no longer a slavemaster. that could get really expensive afterwhile having to replace their "battle buddies"

Sorry, but not everyone can be a warrior. A warlike society would find slaves that much more necessary. Someone has to stay home and do the farming, build buildings, make/repair weapons, make clothing and armor, cook meals, make mead, clean houses, etc.