This may have been discussed before but I was not privy to those discussions. The thing I love most about TES lore is the conflicting reports of significant moments in history. It makes the world seem more real and alive. Also I'm no ES lore expert so please forgive in advance and wrongful information and general ignorance on my part.

The way I understand it there're two "origin stories" for Talos. One which is widely excepted to be the truth which is as follows."

Taken directly from USEP.net

There is also another version which is regarded as heresy.

Taken directly from USEP.net

What are your thoughts?

I think he's a Sload.

A bit of both I'd say.

My opinion is that he's Nord, given the biography he personally commissioned says that he is.

This is the kind of stuff that made me really appreciate Elder Scrolls. The official and unofficial biographies of Berenziah are still a topic that comes up in conversation now and then (there are multiple ES players in my family).

Talos was actually a Chimer, by the way. Both biographies are nationalist propaganda produced long after his physical existence.

Yes.

Pretty much this.

More specifically, though, my personal head canon is:

Tiber Septim: Breton

Zurin Arctus: Imperial

Wulfharth: Nord

How abouts a Nord with a Breton father and Nord mother?

Isn't that a possibility?

The first one is Nord propaganda. That's what the Nord like to think about Talos. He is the true man from the continent of Atmora. If that's true the Nords should at least have a clue about what's going on in Atmora but they don't. It's probably just a frozen wasteland.

The second one is more believable in my opinion. That Talos came from High Rock is more logical than the first version but the Nords like to think that he is one of their kind and this version could mean he is a Breton. What supports this version is the Quest in the Old Hroldan Inn where a ghost mistakes you for a Hjalti and says he fought in the Battle of old Hroldan.

Not everyone born in High Rock is a Breton and it is possible that he had a Breton father and a Nord mother which could be why he had a Breton name.

I said it could mean he was a Breton. But there is no proof of that. Early-Beard sounds very nordic to me but that also doesn't proof he was a Nord. As you said he could have a Breton parent and a Nord parent. I just wanted to say that the nords don't really approve the second version because it makes it possible that Talos was a Breton

They think that because he told them it was so. It isn't Nord propaganda, it's imperial propaganda, meant to prop him up as Nordy emperor material. And the legend of Hjalti being from Alcaire is to let the Bretons think he's one of theirs. Which one is true... all of them, none of them, who cares. The ambiguity serves his political aims and fits his metaphysical role. He achieved CHIM, which means he could say he was Talos of Atmora even though he wasn't and it became true.

That doesn't tell us what his race is, and see above.

In Daggerfall Berenziah admits that she dictated the unofficial biography. It was also censored before publication (you're not missing much unless you're really, really interested in beast race biology).

This, makes way too much sense.

If you were making propaganda, would you not include some sort of claim of authenticity....maybe something like 'he told them this himself'?

people are gullible.

Hence the high salaries demanded by good propaganda makers.

Watch him be Argonian. Would be the best plot twist ever.

He provided proof in Old Hroldan, when he shouted down a storm and was named Stormcrown. Of course, that was a trick, but it was no small feat to get the ash king to back him up. http://www.imperial-library.info/content/nu-hatta-sphinxmoth-inquiry-tree. Also he convinced the Greybeards to acknowledge his status as dragonborn in exchange for protecting Paarthurnax and the remaining dragons. That gets you an Atmoran halo whether you are from there or not- works just the same for the LDB.

Hence why it is propaganda.

Sigh. So are you saying you would or wouldn't include something like 'he said so himself' if you were making propaganda?

*facepalms*

Apparently you have no idea how propaganda works.

What are you asking? Did he say he was Talos of Atmora? That's what he had the Imperial Geographical Society saying for him. The http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Pocket_Guide_to_the_Empire,_1st_Edition/Cyrodiil was published during his reign and was an official history.

LOL...actually my post crossed with yours. That palm print looks good on you though.

Well, I was asking if including 'he said so himself' meant that something couldn't be propaganda...but since that has people doubting whether I have any idea how propaganda works I'll withdraw the question.

By the way...does being an 'official history' mean it can't be propaganda?