Real life animals : The Elder Scrolls Series Discussion

» Tue May 17, 2011 2:45 pm

Hey,
ES has, like any good fantasy realm, a lot of unique creatures (mostly with clich? names but whatever). But there are also real life animals in there. I've only played oblivion so far, and I've only seen Bears, Wolves, Mountain Lions, Deer and Rats and I've heard crickets at night, seagulls in Anvil port, flies buzzing around decaying corpses etc. etc. How many, and what kind of animals are there in ES.

- Curious Elder Scrolls Junkie :grad:

» Tue May 17, 2011 2:21 pm

Here's a link to the bestiaries at TIL:

http://www.imperial-library.info/bestiaries/

» Tue May 17, 2011 10:08 am

http://www.imperial-library.info/obscure_text/watergettinggirl.shtml are the only other thing that come to my mind immediately, not that I really thought about it. The Ka Po' Tun in Akavir are supposed to look like tigers. There also used to be some quote from MK about tigers being a favorite of Tiber Septim's, which the story I linked to is obviously related to, and I think it also mentioned him calling the guar tigers because he could not say "guar" correctly and the ones on the mainland had tiger-stripes. It is a pretty old quote, though, so I can't find it.

» Tue May 17, 2011 4:11 pm

As far as I know TES had all unique animals until Oblivion introduced some our-world ones. I just loved Morrowind's Nix-hounds, Cliff Racers(although they were a pain), Netches(totally awesome), Guars, Kaggouti's. That's what I really love about Morrowind, it's really original.

» Tue May 17, 2011 4:52 am

Bloodmoon had wolves and bears of course. But you're right, Morrowind's creatures were much more exotic. Which makes sense, since it's the land of the "strange" dark elves, whereas Cyrodiil is home to the "normal" humans.

» Tue May 17, 2011 6:57 am

Yeah, I guess that makes sense. The Imperials are pretty much like humans so it makes sense if their region has animals and food from our world. Still, I prefer fighting something I can't find on Animal Planet.

» Tue May 17, 2011 11:28 am

Since TES is a world designed by people from the real world, you can assume that about every real world animal that could make sense in the setting (for example, there probably won't be giraffes in Skyrim) probably exists, even if it's not in the game (the modeling work would be far too intense).

» Tue May 17, 2011 3:49 pm

Since TES is a world designed by people from the real world, you can assume that about every real world animal that could make sense in the setting (for example, there probably won't be giraffes in Skyrim) probably exists, even if it's not in the game (the modeling work would be far too intense).

Except those animals whose ecological niches were already filled by unique TES creatures.

» Tue May 17, 2011 9:04 am

Deer and kangaroos fill the same niche, but both exist. In other words, just because there are nix hounds doesn't mean wolves aren't out there.

» Tue May 17, 2011 5:17 am

As far as I know TES had all unique animals until Oblivion introduced some our-world ones. I just loved Morrowind's Nix-hounds, Cliff Racers(although they were a pain), Netches(totally awesome), Guars, Kaggouti's. That's what I really love about Morrowind, it's really original.

Sounds like you never played Daggerfall (or Arena? I didn't play Arena, either). From the fighty things, we can add bats and tigers, at the very least. And then there are the sprite-only animals that populate the towns: dogs, cats, pigs, cows. I'm pretty sure there are camels in the Hammerfell side of the Bay.

Additionally, any time a TES race has both a specific name, and a descriptive name derived from an animal, you can presume the animal exists for reference. For example, Tscaeci and Immortal Snake Vampires: we can presume snakes exist.

I'm sure there are dozens of references to mundane animals in various in-game books, as well.

» Tue May 17, 2011 10:11 am

As far as I know TES had all unique animals until Oblivion introduced some our-world ones. I just loved Morrowind's Nix-hounds, Cliff Racers(although they were a pain), Netches(totally awesome), Guars, Kaggouti's. That's what I really love about Morrowind, it's really original.

Well, not all of Morrowind's creatures were entirely unique. Rats (of all types) and slaughterfish (under a different name) are basically clones of real world creatures.

» Tue May 17, 2011 4:31 am

Deer and kangaroos fill the same niche, but both exist. In other words, just because there are nix hounds doesn't mean wolves aren't out there.

...but not together in the same place. The marsupial predators in Australia were all but replaced by their placental counterparts. If there are any mammals in Vvardenfell (apart from the 'intelligent' races) their numbers must be very small in comparison.

» Tue May 17, 2011 10:39 am

...but not together in the same place. The marsupial predators in Australia were all but replaced by their placental counterparts. If there are any mammals in Vvardenfell (apart from the 'intelligent' races) their numbers must be very small in comparison.

I'm surprised Vvardenfell's fauna is still as chitinous as ever. You'd think the whole thing would've been taken over by various kinds of rats. Maybe they're still a fairly recent introduction.

» Tue May 17, 2011 9:20 am

Agh! None of you mentioned sheep... >:/

» Tue May 17, 2011 6:17 am

I think the animals that actually exist in Oblivion were implied in the first post. It requested animals that WEREN'T in Oblivion or Morrowind.

» Tue May 17, 2011 3:36 pm

In Daggerfall you had cats, dogs, pigs, horses, camels and dromedaries as domesticated animals; bats, rats, bears, sabertooth tigers, slaughterfish (more eel-like than in Morrowind/Oblivion) as the wild ones. Plus, the werewolves and wereboars hinted that wolves and boars, presumably, existed. Arena had wolves (with a mundane and two magical varieties) and rats as enemies, and you could meet snake charmers in the streets. If you read the various books, you'll find many more critters, such as oxen and ,s.

So, yeah; assume every real-world animal exists as well as the goofy fantasy critters like netches and kwama.

» Tue May 17, 2011 9:38 am

If you read the various books, you'll find many more critters, such as oxen and ,s.

,s being w.o.m.b.a.t.s

» Tue May 17, 2011 2:28 am

As far as I know TES had all unique animals until Oblivion introduced some our-world ones.

I assume you jumped on the TES bandwagon on Morrowind or Oblivion. :facepalm:

Daggerfall's cities had some (albeit simply scenery) cats, dogs, cows, camels, horses, pigs, and some others in the towns. There were also bats and rats (but no Cat in the Hat) as enemies.

Arena also had said rats, and wolves.

» Mon May 16, 2011 11:49 pm

,s being w.o.m.b.a.t.s

Why in the name of George Carlin is wom-bat censored and replaced by a comma? Why? Why? Why? Why?

» Tue May 17, 2011 3:45 pm

I guess you weren't around just after Oblivion's launch.

» Tue May 17, 2011 6:01 am

I guess you weren't around just after Oblivion's launch.

Neither was I. Do tell!

» Tue May 17, 2011 1:19 am

Oh, so the reason is buried somewhere within the silliness of Oblivion General? I only read regularly the mods and lore forums.

» Tue May 17, 2011 7:24 am

You know the people who go around posting prayers to the Dread Father Sithis who wraps my soul in his inky solace whenever remotely relevant? Imagine that, except the perps are a tireless gang of cretins with enough attention span to create page long posts extolling the coming wommbat apocalypse, complete with elaborate accounts of its evil mastery and seat of power at Yellow Tick Cave. They come in waves, and never get bored.

» Tue May 17, 2011 4:59 am

Why in the name of George Carlin is wom-bat censored and replaced by a comma? Why? Why? Why? Why?

There was a guy named Wom-bat.

I'll leave it at that.

Never discuss it.

Ever.

» Tue May 17, 2011 4:27 pm

Bloodmoon had wolves and bears of course. But you're right, Morrowind's creatures were much more exotic. Which makes sense, since it's the land of the "strange" dark elves, whereas Cyrodiil is home to the "normal" humans.

I think you nailed it.