Cartogriffi is a Community Content Manager at Bethesda Game Studios, currently focusing on Creation Club content and modding in general.
2017
Is the Creation Club canon? (10/03/17)
I am not an official arbiter of Bethesda lore, but I hope you don’t mind if I chime in.
Creations are official releases, but it’s also understandable that a site like UESP or the Imperial Library would take CC with a grain of salt. We do consider lore implications when reviewing proposals, particularly something trying to heavily enmesh itself into the world. Connections to the world are great, but we also want to avoid anything being too impactful. That is, we want things to fit into the game world, but we’re also not looking to greatly expand the lore of the game.
With historic items, like artifacts, simply existing can have implications for the lore. Although artifacts in Tamriel do have a habit of disappearing and re-materializing in other places. I believe this was even noted in the description of Chrysamere in Daggerfall.
— UESP Discord
How are the Crusader's Relics added in the Creation Club carried by random bandits? (10/26/17)
We are aware that in Oblivion, the crusader relics would be unequipped if you committed sufficient crimes. While they function differently in TES V, they are still divine relics. The bandits wearing them are not intended to be proper recipients of this equipment.
— UESP Discord
How is it possible that Sheogorath's staff, which supposedly grants his powers, is available to players in Skyrim? (10/26/17)
Artifacts of Sheogorath are variable by their very nature. If this is the same staff physically, and there's no way to determine that, it doesn't necessarily mean it's still invested so intimately with his core being.
This is the Staff of Sheogorath. At least that's what it looks like, acts like, and is named. What that specifically entails with the Mad God is harder to pin down. You could call that convenient for me, but it wouldn't be the first time we've taken advantage of such conveniences.
— UESP Discord
What's Bethesda's relationship to lore and canon? (10/26/17)
We try not to make proclamations about the lore. So much of its richness comes from the fact that it's almost entirely encountered first-hand, and through texts written by in-world authors with their own biases, opinions, experience, and misconceptions.
— UESP Discord
Who are you? (10/26/17)
I'm the Community Content Manager at BGS. I mostly work with modding and creation club.
Previously was I wan analyst, and one of my ancillary duties was actually Customer Support's go-to-guy for lore questions. I also had the opportunity to assemble and run their introductory sessions for TES lore, which was a blast. Although this does not make me an arbitrator for TES lore, so please don't weigh anything I say will too much authority, because I'm not in a position to even make those proclamations I said I wouldn't.
— UESP Discord
What about items from other games? Are those canon, too? (10/26/17)
Promotional items are sort of a category of their own.
— UESP Discord
Why does the Creation Club place Stendarr's Hammer into Markarth's Dwemer museum? (10/26/17)
I wouldn't read too much into the dwemer thing for Stendarr's Hammer. Markarth only has one museum.
— UESP Discord
2019
Is there a relationship between Spriggans and Gnarls? (11/14/19)
In the upcoming Saints and Seducers creation, you can meet spriggans that have been corrupted and partially transformed by their environment. This isn’t intended to suggest a general relationship between the two creatures, and as you’ve seen corrupted spriggrans display attributes of both creatures.
— UESP Discord
Was Cyrus part of the crew of the Dead Man's Dread? (11/15/19)
The Cyrus quest simply brings you to where his equipment ended up. Whether he was with them at the time is intentionally left open.
— UESP Discord
On the existence of the previously missing Daedric X and Y (11/15/19)
The missing letters were added in by Gary. While it's true this wasn't part of an official release and therefore not technically cannon, I'd say it's close enough.
But I guess one of them is in an official release now!
— UESP Discord
Is Jyggalagg no longer related to the Shivering Isles? (11/18/19)
There are many small nods to the Shivering Isles, and Shivering Isles, although we certainly aren't bringing over everything.
It's true Jyggalag has separated from Sheogorath, but I'd say it's incorrect there is no longer an association. It's presumably a different sort of connection than you'd get from something like Wabbajack, and no doubt more orderly.
— Bethesda.net Community Forum
2021
On the Space Core plug-in being Canon (9/20/21)
I specifically demure, as I'm not in a position to comment on "canon." Both because I'm not a designer or lead, and because for myself personally, I find matters "canon" are antithetical to why I enjoy TES lore.
Imperial Library and UESP did record my official non-comment on lore, so you can read it here: /content/cartogriffis-posts
All this being said, I can confirm that the Space Core is Kynareth. Bet you didn't see that one coming!
When does Blades take place? (11/02/21)
Lore-wise, Blades is basically contemporaneous to Skyrim
— UESP Discord
What is his relationship with canon? (11/10/21)
In my personal opinion, and note I have no official say on the lore or matters of canon, any discussion on canonicity is inherently flawed. TES lore is simply too mutable and untrustworthy for such distinctions.
But this isn't a bad thing. This isn't a bad thing. In many ways, this "flaw" is why Elder Scrolls lore is so interesting. It also doesn't mean matters of canon can't be debated. However, again in my personal opinion, it also needs to be understood that there is no possible conclusion.
On the flip side of this is, if you have a personal definition of canon (and/or headcanon) you also need to be open to the fact later content may not match.
— Imperial Library Discord
Why is Creation Club Scourge owned by a Daedra? (11/11/21)
Scourge being wielded by a daedra was a mistake. We were working off of the Morrowind lore, with some adjustments given the differences in magic system, and forgot it has been in Battlespire. We'll look at getting it fixed.
(Personally, if we'd realized I think it would have been more fun to give this to the daedra and explain why this was possible, since we could also touch on the difference in enchantment. But as a bug fix, it's easier to just move it off the NPC.)
— UESP Discord
