I've read why Hammerfell is thusly called, and I can at least understand HOW Summerset Isle got it's name. Both Morrowind and Cyrodiil strike me as not having any particular reason why they're called what they are. I can understand the 'wood' part but don't know where 'Valen' came from. Orsinium makes sense, as does Skyrim (beautifully I might add). I'm sure there's a story for High Rock but i've never heard it.

Point is, I'd love to hear all the reasons for why different provinces are named what they are, but changing it back to Alinor - from Summerset Isle, due to Thalmor control.....well, there's got to be a reason for that right? What do the Thalmor have against "Summerset Isle"? I believe i've read that it was ONCE called Alinor, but then it changed. Was that because of the Empire? Was Alinor the original name?


Thanks ahead

There's not really any definitive answer, as only the names of Elsweyr and Hammerfell have ever been explained. Not that others haven't http://www.imperial-library.info/content/mostly-confabulated-etymological-study-lands-tamriel.

I'm pulling straws out of my ass, but Summerset Isle could just be a moniker by outsiders to describe the alleged beauty of the land with its pristine orchards and glass cities, plus it just sounds like someplace where you'd find golden-skinned magical elitists. They have cities called Dusk or Sunhold. Very High Elfy no matter the setting.

I'm guessing they renamed the place Alinor because A.) It's the capital, B.) It's the home of the Thalmor, and C.) It's not a mannish word.

But again, this is all coming from speculation. Most of the nomenclature of the Tamriel is sketchy at best.

I figured as much for the rest of the provinces. However, even if there's no explantion OF Alinor, I can't help but feel like there should at least be one for WHY Alinor. As in, "What was wrong with Summerset Isle Thalmor a$sholes?" - I guess that's my real question.

No I think you've just done the best job anyone can do at this point really.

Summerset Isle doesn't sound as "cool" if they want to make a game set on it.

I believe they didn't like that Somerset is a real place.

Thank you, now I'm trying to imagine a Thalmor movement based out of Bath. Would they have a Liberal Democrat agenda? Who they annex and go to war with?

This is the best post I've ever read ever.

Well I guess I have a question. Was Reman Cyrodiil named after the place or was the place named after him?

Best guess: The land was named after Reman, and vice versa.

It's no longer Summerset Isles read the book, "The Great War" the Altmer renamed it back too Alinor and thats the name of an old king so theres the explanation for that.

High Rock= Probably lots of high rocks there.

Hammerfell= Somebodies hammer fell there.

Elsweyr= Kahjiit wished they were elsewhere.

Would their main form of transport be primarily donkeys and tractors? (I'm not taking the piss - I'm from Somerset).


I think the fable surrounding Hammerfell's name is that when a group of nomadic Dwemer were heading out from Morrowind the leader of the clan, Rourken, threw his hammer and decided they'd settle wherever it fell. Hence Hammerfell.

For Elsweyr, the same-but-opposite is true. An old Khajiit proverb states that the perfect society was always "elsewhere", so they decided to be smart-arses about it.

No idea why High Rock is named such, but I doubt they were being so literal.

For the record, "Somerset" may sound romantic to you but the rough translation is "settled around Somerton", which is just a very technically named settlement because it was apparently of a kind that were always abandoned in winter, hence "summer town". Also none of us are elves (although I'm named after one).

Yes, I KNOW it's no longer called Summerset Isle and has been renamed Alinor. My question was why? What do the Thalmor have against Summerset and what is it about Alinor that they prefer? Though, if what you say is true, you've at least answered part of my question which is where the word Alinor came from. That does help. Can you direct me to the source?

I always assumed "Summerset Isle" was kind of a play on Japan's self-appointed moniker of "the land of the rising sun". It has to do with superiority. "Alinor", no clue. Somebody in this thread previously said that it wasn't a mannish name, and that probably attributed to the name change.

just look up Alinor on UESP or The Imperial Library you'll find plenty of lore on the King and the City.

I assumed that "The Summerset Isles" is the name that men gave to it, whereas the original altmer name was "Alinor". With the rise of the Thalmor and altmer nationalism, they want to de-manify the name of their country as much as they want to de-manify the Mythic.

Actually, it's the clan itself that is named "Rourken," not the guy who threw the hammer. And he didn't throw any ol' hammer, he threw Volendrung.

Midsommer Murders Winter special; a mysterious cult based in the parish church; a virgin is kidnapped; their terrible plans prevented only by the heroic intervention of a certain PC Martin Sept. The villagers hold a fete in his honour.

Maybe those who raised ancestors to the rank of divine became the Alinor, or the "we have forgotten."

SO their island, conquered from the Sload, is an enormous parody.

Who wouldn't? It's frickin' hot.

Fixed.

Anyway, the Aldermi Dominion have conquered Valenwood, no? You can't really say a province which is part of the mainland is itself part of the Summerset Isles, so they just picked the name for their new nation. I imagine that it is still referred to as the Summerset Isles though (the non-Valenwood part).

You know that D&D character you made when you were 12 and you keep the character sheet for sentiment's sake but you would literally die if anyone ever saw it?

Now imagine that got published. And a whole series was based on it. And your series was stuck with the stupid names, dumb puns, and half-assed ideas of your younger self.

That's why they changed it. The only stupid thing is they CHANGED it, but then they LEFT it in the game, so the stupid is stuck out there where everyone can still see it.

I'd be interested to see the thought processes behind some of the names.

Because TES VI: Alinor sounds cooler than TES VI: Summerset Isle.


Pretty sure they've done this one. Several times.