This thread is to discuss the basic blocks of the government, the church, the economy, and everything else that this world encounters. So, here are some first thoughts:

Is Tamriel an elitist continent? Can the poor become a high-ranking official?
Do Beast Races suffer prejudice in economic terms, are they cheated out of deals and money?
What does this time period relate to most in our world, and what can we assume from the future?
Will the laws of magic slow down the process of technological advancement?

Well... Tamriel is definitely elitist. A poor person could only become a high-ranking official by killing someone and stealing his identity or something like that. Yes to the 3rd question... I'd say the time period is around the 1400's? Not sure really... And the laws of magic will add to the process of technological advancement....

Im sure both of these are true in morrowind.
It differs by region I believe.

How much power do you think the Church holds?

I mean, back then, the Church could decide if you went to Hell or not. Pope Innocent III excommunicated, or basically kept someone from going to heaven, an entire country. Do you think that the Church holds such power?

In Morrowind, the leader of the church could basically look at you funny and the entire country would rip your guts out and burn them, then feed the ashes to mudcrabs, then slaughter the mudcrabs, burn the mudcrabs, and have mages keep casting fire spells until nothing remained...

In Oblivion, there was no church...

What are you talking about? There was a church.....one faith but seven churches and a temple and if you got kotn, there was even a questline for them, it's just practiced differently than in Morrowind.

It should have been nine seperate faiths. They're just a generic christian church with funny names.

they thought they had tht power anyway. they didnt.

So, you are saying that religion does not affect decisions that the council makes? If not, then the church holds little power. If so, then the church has more power then perceived.

Enough to hate a person because he/she decided to worship/do quest for the other church and not theirs. Oh I remember (in Daggerfall) being hated by one of the old Eight Divines (it was School of Julianos) just because I was an active member of the Mage Guilds. Because of this, one of the landlock provinces hated me as they themselves worship the School of Julianos.

So the church has the ability to sway the people, but not the politics?

It really depends on which church, which set of people, which politics, and which timeframe we're discussing. Oblivion-timeframe Cyrodiil, being the most religiously and ethnically tolerant of all the provinces, is probably not going to allow their faith much political clout. Cyrodiil during the Alessian reforms, however, was pretty much their faith incarnate in a ruling body.

Yes, religion doesn't have that much power in Cyrodiil, however the mages guild certainly does, almost every political figure will have some sort of relation or connection with the mages guild.

The time period cannot be compared to anything. That's because you'd need to compare it to a place at that time, and as Tamriel isn't based on any places on earth...

Yep. Too true.



Oh, and for the record,
doesn't exist.

Metaphysical, mythological and mythopoeic advancement, sure. But technology? Not even the Dwemer had that as their goal and focus.

Very elitist. Past games were always rife with political treachery, blackmailing, backstabbing, and a very "you are a mere pawn at the mercy of the nobles" mindset, especially Daggerfall. Too bad in Oblivion all the Counts and Countesses were turned into goody-goodies who just sent you on simple errands.


I'm sure they are. Slavery aside, it was mentioned long ago that the more human-esque Khajiit species (the Ohmes and Ohmes-raht from Arena and Daggerfall, respectively) were supposed to be the most common subspecies in more "civilized" provinces such as Cyrodiil, simply because they appeared more appealing to the locals. I have seen very few Argonians/Khajiit hold high positions outside of their indigenous provinces. Most of them seem to be messengers, bodyguards, manual laborers, et cetera.


I'd say the 1400s-1500s.


Technologically, Tamriel doesn't seem to be advancing too much. I wouldn't say that the laws of magic slow down these advancements, but rather I don't believe anybody really gives a damn and wants to try inventing new things. Arena took place in 3E 289, Oblivion takes place almost a half-century later, and I saw very little change. Arena's Tamriel seemed to have been portrayed in a more "Dark Ages"-esque mood, but I attribute that both to the Simulacrum and the fact TES lore hadn't even begun to be flushed out at this point in time. Then there's Redguard, which takes place during Tiber Septim's life - Dwemer constructs aside, again, I see little change.

Thank god I'd hate boomsticks in the next TES!

Correction, Arena started in 389. Uriel Septim VII wasn't even alive in 289, and arena was focused on the fact that Uriel Septim VII was kidnapped.

Any who, as to my answers:

1) In OB, the majority of it portrayed that the empire was good an wholesome. In reality, it should have been much different. You have the Nibenese east, which is filled with imperials that are big talkers, and dealers. They're a culture of being about to control using the power of speech and making the other guy do your dirty work. They also live in mostly jungle. Then you have the Colovian west, which is a culture that is pretty nordish. They're imperials that live in rolling planes, with a culture entrenched militaristic duty and values. Remember, Tiber Septim was a Colovian. They're very proud, and strong, though not as much of a talker and traders as their Nibenese cousins to the east.

Now, when you have these two groups of people as the most powerful nation, living in the heart of their empire, they should come off as being superior, with good reason too. Cyrodiil owns everyone, and that kind of attitude should have been more reflected. In MW, we got a taste that the Dunmer don't like outsiders, and won't hesitate to tell that to your face. They think they're superior, but they don't own everyone. In Cyrodiil, they have the guns to back up their claim that they are better than you.

So, to answer question one, it is possible for a poor man to rise to the top, but will need to crack a few skulls and get your hands dirty. In addition, it's only if you are an imperial or a "civilized human." If you are an elf, forget it. Unless you came from a respectable family or are already rich, don't expect to climb higher than middle class. If you are a beastman, the situation will probably be harder than the elves, due to being more alien than everyone else.

2) I wouldn't be surprised if they are; they're pretty alien compared to everyone else. The khajiit are looked down upon as being thieves and sneaks, while argonians are very alien and don't really show much emotion. I don't they will be refused service, but it is probably expected that if they were to try and barter from an imperial merchant, he'll try to cheat them harder than most other races.

3) 1350-1500

4) Slow the hell down. Take into this perspective. It was not until about +3000 years leather armor was the standard "best" armor one can be equipped with. Pelinal's armor in the first age was considered HIGHLY futuristic. Since the second age, weapons and armor haven't really advanced at all, and they've had more time than we did in RL. Plus, a lot of magic ability seems to remove a lot of necessity that's needed for ingenuity. However, I would like to note that magic in the last two games have been a little too common. I like to think that DF showed the correct ratio of magic user to non-magic user, which was about 1:10. So, in a town of 100 people in DF, you could find at most 10 magic users. In MW & OB, that ratio seemed to have spiked a lot. I'll give SOME leeway in the case of MW, because elves seem to have better connection to magic than humans, but in OB it became a little ridiculous.

I think we are thinking different things.
Official Definition for technology:


So, how would it not exist? The creation of the sword is an example of a technological advancement, is it not?
In today's world, we derive 'Technology' from Computers and Electronics, and that is an incorrect assumption.

Most tech. has existed since the beginning of recorded history (~+4200 years) and before, and the only difference in tech is that in the last 1000ish years plated armor is the cool thing to wear. Before that, it was leather. Magic hasn't really evolved all that much. Weaponry hasn't changed much, except crossbows may have been introduced somewhere in the 2nd era, but the bow has been used since pre-history. Armor has slightly changed after 3000 years, but that's probably more to do with everyone being able to settle down and dig for metals.

The only thing that has evolved is what ThatOneGuy said; metaphysical, mythological, and mythopoeic advancement

But did mortals create the sword? Or was the concept of the sword gifted to mortals when the Aedra walked Nirn with their weaponry and their wars? Did mortals invent the bow, or was the bow a divine conception by Auriel? As the first recorded bow was the one that shot Shor's bleeding heart across the world, the bow at least was a divine creation, not a mortal invention. For there being several thousand years in between the Dawn era and current times, they haven't had much technological advancement upon that base standard, have they?

You present a good point. I am not familiar with early creation beliefs or theology, for that matter, but I suppose that technology has been gifted from the gods to the mortals. So, is Nirn stuck in this era forever?

I wouldn't go that far, but I'd say tech really is slow to develop. I find the issue is that magic removes (or greatly reduces) a key element of the main ingredient of invention and ingenuity, necessity. Because of that, I find that technology is pretty slow. Think about it, what's the point of building airplanes, when you can pay the mages guild for instant transportation. Why try and find medical cures, when one could visit an apothecary, healer, or alchemical vendor for a cure common disease. Why make bombs, when you can enchant a bow to fire exploding arrows?

Sure, some guy out of a pure hobby may create some cool new tech, but in the end it'd probably be just 1 guy's hobby trying to creative. Also, we have a mortal, who is still in good mind and body, who has lived for 4000 years, that's only 200 years short of recorded history. If there is one person who has seen the world change, it'd be him. That person I am referring to is Divyath Fyr. So, what has he done or shared in 4000 years? Nothing really, and he's a Telvanni that'd instantly become the head of the council, should he desire the position. Sure, he made a 'cure' for corpus, but that may have been dumb-luck or Azura intervened. Plus, you were the Nerevarine, you had to be 'cured.' He may have been an architect for the Battlespire, but even that is kinda hazy.

I know the topic is now on religion by now but from what I could find in Cheydinhal concerning the political structure of Cyrodiil; I'd say their methods suggest a Democracy. There are mixed forms of government present but generally as long as their Elder Council remains in tact and of authority of such magnitude as to disinherit an heir and set in place another; the Democratic theme seems to reign sovereign. Also the members of the elder council are the most wealthy of the country, just like America. The Septim Dynasty was for the people. Just as the whole Dragonfires needing a Septim parody; are for the people. There have been so far distant cousins act as Septims some of them had to proclaim a Name Change to obtain the Septim blessing. However you never know, maybe that's how elitist society works anyway.