Primer

It is the tenth year of the Fourth Era.

A decade since the Gates of Oblivion itself opened across the land, unleashing armies of daedra to decimate the continent of Tamriel.

Though Mehrunes Dagon was defeated, the scars of his incursion still mar the land and its people.

The Third Empire of Man, which once stretched across every corner of the continent, lies sundered.

Without an emperor to lead it, the political machinations of a few will decide the fate of a civilization.

In the east, a war of vengeance and fury rages.

The slave plantations of the Dark Elves burn as the new Argonian government wages total war against their former oppressors.

In the west, the kingdom of the High Elves has reformed into an independent nation once more.

The legacy of the Aldmer weighs heavily on a proud people who long suffered the indignity of being subjects of a human Empire, and brought lower still by the daedra. Whispers reach the mainland of a growing movement which aims to turn that bitterness into violence and repression and conquest. The soul of a nation is in the balance.

And you.... you are prisoners of fate.

You were found in the night on the border between Cyrodiil, the heart of the Empire, and the newly independent nation of Argonia. They took you, unconscious, into the mountains where you will face judgement by a military tribunal.
Before they execute you, they have to know...

Who are you?

There are numerous people of Tamriel. Races of men, elves, and beastfolk lay claim to these lands. However, most of these peoples hold limited status under the formal governments of the continent. Through the millennia of hegemony of the Empire, only 9 "races" are given full recognized status.

Imperial

This race of humans may be recognized by olive skin and dark hair. The people of Cyrodiil are the founders of the Empire of Man. Imperials are descendents of numerous river tribes who were enslaved by a now-extinct race of elves. When they overthrew their masters, they inherited a civilization they made their own. Gifted with diplomacy and luck, they've become the cosmopolitan face of human culture.
Imperials are known for: * The Imperial Legion - The armies and navy of the Empire. They have bases, both active and abandoned, dotted throughout the entire continent, protecting Imperial colonies in almost every province. While Imperials are granted citizenship by birth, all races are offered an opportunity for land and citizenship in exchange for service * The Merchant's Guild - An alliance of merchants led by the descendents of Colovian trade barons from the First Era. This alliance ensures fair competition across all of Tamriel, and represents the Empire even outside of its borders.  * The Imperial Cult - Imperials traditionally worship the Nine Divines, a pantheon of gods derived from both elven and human beliefs. This belief is highly syncretic, incorporating spirits of other culutres readily as aspects of the Divines or as lesser gods and saints. The Cult has a presense wherever there is an Imperial Colony or Legion base and evangalizes across the realm with the intent of creating a sense of cultural and spiritual unity.

Nord

A hearty race of fair-skinned humans from the arctic climes of Skyrim. Descended from viking invadors who conquered the land of ice and dragons from the snow elves who betrayed them in ancient times. Proud and indominable, the Nords hold fast to their traditions, but readily welcome outsiders who can match them in steel or ale or song. They are gifted sailors with an incredible tolerance for the cold, allowing them to thrive in their harsh, mountainous homeland.
Nords are known for: * The Companions - A mercenary organization descended from the original Vikings who conquered Skyrim millennia ago. Honorable as they are bloodthirsty, The Companions keep alive the ancient traditions of song and glory on their quest to meet their maker on the battlefields of Sovngarde. * 

Breton

Humans of the isolated region of High Rock with fair skin and dark hair. Bretons are descended from a druidic people and a clan of elves with very un-elf-like ideas of chivalry and adventure who came to seek their fortune on the mainland. Though the Direnni came as conquerers, they came to incorporate their subjects into their courts until elven blood was thin, but the culture of nobility and adventure thrived. The Bretons a culture of contrasts, with streetwise paupers making their mark in the underworld, and powerful nobles versed in etiquette playing deadly games of court intrigue in their tumultuous region. Though not empire-builders themselves, Bretons are the most wide-spread race on the continent due to their willingness to throw themselves into new opportunities.

Redguard

Newcomers to Tamriel, the Redguards are humans from the western continent of Yokuda, now lost to the sea. They have dark skin and curly hair, and boast incredible skill in swordsmanship and architecture. When they came fleeing the cateclysm of their own vast empire, they found the land of Hammerfell a fitting home. High mountains and vast deserts, suitable only to those with the tenacity to tame them, they quickly filled a gap in the politics of the region, easily becoming major players in a short time. As if they had always belonged on this stage.

Altmer

Tall, ephemeral, and with skin tinged with gold, the High Elves claim to be the purest representation of the ancient glory of the Aldmer on Tamriel. Afraid of the world changing them, the Aldmer of the Summerset Isles cut themselves off from the wider world, turning their island paradise into a strictly enforced time capsule meant to preserve a forgotten age as they strived to acheive divinity through racial purity. Altmer are haughty and proud, and extremely repressed. Though they have unparalleled mastery of magic, their constitutions are ill-suited to environments beyond their isolated homeland.

Bosmer

Short, tan, and wirey, the Wood Elves are the children of J'ffre, the Spirit of the Forest. Those born within the domain of the Valenwood are sworn from birth to protect its planlife with their lives, eating only meat and relying on bone and leather and imported metal for clothing and equipment. Bosmer are the most gifted hunters in Tamriel, with a strong resistance to disease and poisons, and even those born into the comforts of foreign cities have a natural connection to animals.

Dunmer

Ashen skinned with crimson eyes, the Dark Elves of Morrowind are a reflection of their alien, volcanic homeland. Descended from Aldmeri apostates, who rejected their ancestral gods in favor of the Daedric Princes, they moved a land where they could be challenged and to prove themselves in their mortal lifetimes. Dunmer have a strong resistance to extreme heat and practice ritual necromancy, favoring worship of their mortal ancestors and the Daedra over the divine.

Orsimer

Gruff, tusked elves with green or brown skin, the Orcs of the mountains are pariahs among the other races of Tamriel. Traditionally counted among the ranks of goblins and ogres, the Orsimer have only recently begun enjoying arguably equal status within the Empire. Orcs are unparalleled in metalurgy, can get by in almost any environment, and are known to summon inhuman strength when a pressing need arises. However, their former status as "monsters" continues to inspire cruelty and discrimination towards them.

Khajiit

The wiley, mischeivious catfolk of the twin kingdoms of Elsweyr. Khajiit are a highly spiritual people whose culture and traditions predate all other civilizations on Tamriel today. There are numerous "furstocks" with wildly varying appearances based on the phases of the two moons at the time a Khajiit is born.