Before anyone calls me a hater, I had a change of heart and bought this game because I want to support Betheda, and the Elder Scrolls. I pre-ordered the Imperiel Edition.

Now I am taking my information on the story soley from here on the http://elderscrollsonline.com/en/game-guide/story As I know of no other official source.

Now I know this game takes place during http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Interregnum which is the period between the End of the http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Reman_Dynasty and http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Akaviri_Potentate and the founding of the 3rd Empire by http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Tiber_Septim

I have been playing the Elder Scrolls since Arena . I wouldn't consider myself a hardcoe gamer, but TES was one of the few franchises that I always played every few years when they released a new one, and I pretty much read every in-game book in the games....I always find the lore and background fascinating.

Now from what I know of the TESO, the story for the main story....has some serious plot holes in.....

All the previous TES games are based on books and lore....and the single player games ALWAYS 100% line up with the lore of the previous games. However, unless I am missing something, the TESO doesn't, in fact it has MAJOR plot holes which I will get to in a minute. I really hope they address these plots holes, because if not I am not sure how this game could even chronologically line up with lore.

1. Seems TESO Forgot about the Tribunal of Morrowind

Morrowind: The Tribunal Gods of Morrowind ascended to power and became living Gods using the Heart of Lorkhan in the 1st era 675 which is about 3,570 years before the events of Morrowind in the 3rd era.

So taking the TESO timeline of events happening around the 2nd era 578, the Tribunal Gods of Morrowind are at full power. So what possibly could stop them from just taking over the Imperiel city with their godly like powers?

Molag Bal? ha...the Tribunal defeated Mehrunes Dagon in open combat on Tameriel after Dagon destroyed the city of Mourhold, putting their power on equal footing with Akatosh(only Almalexia and Soth Sil fought Dagon, Vivec was not present).....so if only two Tribunal members can defeat Dagon, Molag Bal would stand no chance against all 3 during this time period....Molag Bal could not stand toe to toe with the full power of the Tribunal of Morrowind...neither could the Tongues of the Ancient Nords or Wulfharth/ The Ash King/the Under King / a part of Talos-

(Talos the deity is made up of Tiber Septim, Ysmir/Wulfharth, and Zurin Arctus, and The Last Dragonborn becomes the final forth piece to make up the deity Talos, in other words the The Last Dragonborn ascends to become part of Talos)

Ysmir/The Underking were defeated by the Tribunal at the Battle of Red Mountain. So honestly, there would be no battle for the Imperiel City under this time line, because the only thing that made the Tribunal Surrender to Tiber Septim was they were secretly being weakened by http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Dagoth_Ur%27s_Plans which started around the 2nd era 882. Dagoth Ur was asleep dreaming under Red Mountain prior to the 2nd era 882, so the Tribunal at the time of TESO were at the pinnacle of their power.

So according to TESO, everyone is battling for the Imperiel City, when realistically, the Tribunal could literally just float in (yes fly in), snap their fingers and clap, and everyone within a 1,000 mile radius would just be incinerated to ash and the Tribunal could sit on the Ruby Thone....at full power (Which the Tribunal is during the 2nd era 578) thats literally all it would have taken. The Tribunal were Gods...their power rivaled the power held by Akatosh and Shor....except they had physical form...to think they would just sit by and watch and not assume power or protect them selves from Molag Bal is just absurd....Afterall, Alamalexia could see the future I do beleive so she would know what he was planning ahead of time...they are living gods at this time afterall.

2. Why is there not one single mention of this incident in any lore book or history book?

Tamriel has some pretty darn good historians....nearly every thing that has ever happened in the past has been written down or documented some where, from the Dragon Break and the Warp in the West, to the TES Famous http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:2920,_The_Last_Year_of_the_First_EraWe have documented books on the Dwemer, accounts of the http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Battle_of_Red_Mountain, in the 1st era 700.

My biggest joy with TES is how extensive the history is....there is not one single mention anywhere about any Dark Anchors, a semi-quasi Daedric invasion by Molag Bal, or anything else for that matter. If this happened, according to lore, it would have been written down some where or talked about in a book. the Empire pretty much outlawed the book The Arcturian Heresy, yet copies of it can be found in some places, as history always finds a way to be preserved somehow.

This event with Darkc Anchors, etc is just as big of an event as the Oblivion Crisis of the 4th era...surely it would be written down somewhere.

In Closing

I bought the game, I am going to play it, and I am going to enjoy it. this is not a post to bag on the game. I just wish they perhaps may have moved the timeline or based the story around something else. I know they came up with the idea after the other games, but its really hard to swallow an event of this magnitude happening in the past and not a single shred of history on it when tamriel has proven to be a historical playground of written records dating back a thousand years before the time this game is slated. I wish they had say perhaps basing the story around Pelinal Whitestrakes time, and the arrival of the Nedes from Atmora and the Reguards from Yokunda. Since those time lines are not as well documented, they would have had the freedom to tell any story they wanted with out conflicting with the written lore. This would have allowed them to pit the Eleves against humans...and even added the Snow Elves and the Ayleid Heartland High Elves to mix, and adding the Nedes as well...and all the groups of humans and elves fighting over the continent....it would have made for a great way to fill that lore, all the while making a great sotry and a great game at the same time.

As i said, I already bought the game, I am looking forward to playing it. I am just not following the lore here, please if anyone can point me to where this actually lines up (I may have overlooked something because I can't find it) I would appreciate it.

Morrowind: The Tribunal Gods of Morrowind ascended to power and became living Gods using the Heart of Lorkhan in the 1st era 675 which is about 3,570 years before the events of Morrowind in the 3rd era. [censored] I hope I don't violate anything here, I just want to assure you that there is talk of the Living Gods within the Pact faction. /Hides under barricades avoiding bethesta-bombaz.)
I DID IT FOR THE LORE.
I also love TES lore.

You got a point there.

http://elderscrollsonline.com/en/news/post/2013/01/18/alliances-at-war. They even have this lovely concept art shot of http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Almalexia_(Online)

What you raise is a very good point, though. The Tribunal could easily sweep in and obliterate absolutely everything.

In regards to the second statement. There are holes in the lore that are filled with each new game. We learned a lot about Skyrim's history before the third era simply by playing the game. I think you can expect the same thing with TESO.

The Tribunal must be busy with something else.

I would like to know what.

I meanhttp://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Vivec_%28god%29 taught the Dunmer to breath water, and then he completely flooded THE ENTIRE CONTINENT OF MORROWIND to kill the Akaviri invaders.

Its unreasonable to assume the Tribunal would not be activly involved in such an opportunity of in-fighting to use their powers to take over...afterall, the Tribunal and Morrowind enslaved the Argonians and Khajiit for who knows how long. Why wouldn't they? it doesn't make any sense.

I'd like to know more back story on khajiit and argonians, happen to have any links? I was originally going to play an Argonian you see, but when I played him all the other races just talked about how they were slaves. So I'm changing my mind to Dunmer because they're descendants of Aedra. /chimer

I mean, I even looked on the lore site - not much about Argonian's, and Khajiit The http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Khajiit religion is similar to that of the Altmer, though many of the names are different; however, the Daedra http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Azura and http://elderscrolls.wikia.com/wiki/Sheogorath play a key role in the Khajiiti's creation story, and thus are worshipped as gods. The Khajiiti also revere the moons above all other deities, likely due to the key role the phases of the moon play in the development of a newborn Khajiit.

For the sake of the game/gameplay, they will have reasoning for this. And the Tribunal is a HUGE part of the Ebonheart Pact. I doubt Jorunn has any power over them. On your second part, Lawrence( The Lore Master) said that during this time daedra and others were destroying all books and knowledge. The game isn't out yet, so I am not sure as to how this is being done. And during Skyrim and previous games, ESO was still in the making, so putting books in the game might make it so they couldn't redact any lore/storyline. Have faith in ZOS.

i agree with OP. good points. here on earth tho, people have twisted history books and re-writen them. many lies about true history are often told in history books in school. it is possible the same could be said for eso? and all the single player es games? i know thats a kinda lame excuse but it's all i could come up with atm that helps ease the tension of truth in this situation.

Well good information guys! at least I know they are mentioned.

I still trying to understand why they wouldn't be involved....As politics are still prime in Morrowind at this time. You would think the Great Houses would be putting pressure on the Tribunal, and furthermore. Why would the Tribunal sit back and "hope" someone friendly wins....I don't beleive they would risk a country directly on their border being occupied by a known enemy such as the Altmer...the Dark Elves I think despise the Altmer more then they do the Argonians....They don't trust either of their so called "alliance partners" as they have been at war with the Nords ofr centuries and their hatred runs deep, and the Argonians hate the Dunmer for enslaving their people, so neither of these look good.

From an overall political standpoint, it makes no sense for the Tribunal not to just get activly involved and just take over Cyrodiil and be done with it...to be surronnded by enemies on all sides (Argonians, Nords, and whoever wins Cyrodiil) just doesn't make sense for Morrowind or the Tribunal.

I dont know but maybe we are overstimating the Tribunal's true power.

The flood for example could be true... or propaganda.

Assume you're right; the Tribunal has no reason to not act, and in fact does so. Now they're in charge, and the whole Interregnum doesn't happen (despite the fact that it did, but let's not dwell on that). So, just out of curiosity...

Why aren't they still in charge when Tiber Septum comes knocking?

From the interactive map on the official site:

"The journal of Mehra Nerendas, Tribunal Temple:

“Tribunes show mercy on my weak soul. I have begged leave from my duties to cloister myself and treat my heretical thoughts by copying sacred texts. How could I question the path Almalexia has laid out for us? A wicked seed has taken root in me, and I must purge it!

Since the signing of the Pact I have felt it, the gnawing and insidious doubt. The thoughts that maybe—dare I write it—Almalexia steers the Dunmer wrong in allying with two races of lesser stock, our former blood enemies and slaves. For shame! My faith is weak, and I am pathetic. I do not deserve to be among my brothers. I shall return to copying Their teachings and will not stop until this filth is expunged from my mind!”

Which, to me, suggests that the Tribunal are playing a game of their own and their motivations remain quite opaque.

thanks, I still think the game will be fun regardless! I am looking forward to it...at first I was against it, but after looking into it, I decided to buy it because just the exploration alone will be worth it I think.

Now I just have to find a clan before launch.

Or you can look at past examples of the Tribunal being flat out lazy. It took the Nords pretty much over running most of Morrowind for Vivec to final do something. In the game Morrowind, the Tribunal sat on their collective butts not doing anything about the threat. The tribunal seems to only act directly if their people fail at stopping whatever is coming.

Mmm thank you, and that is why I'm going Dunmer with a very specific last name, in which you will see when the game releases.

The Tribunal began losing/being drained of their powers in the 2nd era 882....so about 300 years afterwards, they begin to be weakened by Dagoth Ur who has awoken under Red Mountain and weakened their link with the Heart of Lorkhan.....so I guess it could be reasonable that the Tribunal held Cyrodiil for about 250-270 years until they get weakened and are forced out at that point....they would still have enough power to protect Morrowind, but that would be it pretty much, they would be weaker at this point.

Here's another what if.

What if the Tribunals power is lowered the farther away they are from the heart of Lorkhan.

thats a very real possibility and actually could be a plausible explanation. Great job Nothv13! I could accept that explanation.

Their biggest weakness is the fact they appear within the physical plane this means they can easily be destroyed from existence and they were from the nerevarine destroying them within the 3rd Era provided that they were weakened they no longer had the power because Dagoth Ur had stolen away the tools of Kagrenac. But later on within the history of the games the hero of kvatch slays the daedric prince of order, This just goes to show that the gods with their omnipotence can still be slew by man. In my honest opinion I just don't believe they want to get involved because they're afraid of upheaval being ominpotent gods they're arrogant like all gods and probably more than often shy away from the conflicts of man that and a lot of the provinces in Tamriel still have nothing but contempt for them and see them as nothing more than "Fake gods"

They wouldn't even bother to help the people of Skyrim or Summerset Isles and Cyrodil because they know there would be no praise, I'm sure the moment they intervene and banished Molag Bal the people of Tamriel would grow fearful of their power and seek to destroy Morrowind and the fake gods.

we ashlanders are allways looking for members with your kind of grand inteligence if you find us interesting by looking at the website listed in my signature then please by all means send me a message

That makes a lot of sense.

But, if they held Cyrodiil for those 300 years, they'd have been able to fortify it to a point where Tiber Septum wouldn't have been able to do anything to take it from them. The more likely explanation about why they didn't do anything probably has something to do with the Nerevarine Prophecy.

when i played morrowind the living gods always seemed ..... disconnected from the troubles of the people. at least that's how it seemed to me.