Matt Grandstaff (Gstaff)
The existence and nature of Emperor Ami-el (12/23/13)
Talked to folks at the office. This is how we have the events listed in our timeline:
1E 358 - Emperor Ami-El of Cyrodiil lends his forces to Skyrim in a military campaign against the Direnni Hegemony in the Western Reach. Anti-Aldmer sentiments rise as Skyrim loses more and more of Greater Bretony to the Direnni.
When did Serana get put to sleep? (09/05/2013)
The intention was that Serana went to sleep in the late second era, between the Reman and Septim empires. Her initial dialogue is just her surprise that there’s an Empire in Cyrodiil, as there hadn't been when she went to sleep.
Pete Hines
Do Argonians lay eggs? (11/06/03)
Argonians are ovoviviparous. [Wow. I was SURE I'd never have to use that word again.] They don't lay eggs like reptiles.
Note that Lady Argonians have big bumps on their chests.
Does Bethesda consider Obscure Texts and developer comments as "actual lore" or "canon"?(24/11/11)
It depends.
Shane Liesegang (SJML)
Is there like a definite guide or bible of the elder scrolls? (12/16/10)
Kurt's brain.
The origin of the Songs of Return. (11/13/11)
Lady Nerevar: "...assuming that in-universe the text is transcribed from oral tradition (ala Beowulf and the like)."
You're right about the in-world authorship.
In the real world, I'm the one to blame for that particular set of books. :-)
The plural of Oghma Infinium (03/05/12)
For future reference, the proper plural is "Oghmas Infinium."
Christiane Meister (Marverique)
On High Elves (02/07/01)
From what I understand, the High Elves in Morrowind are far from effeminate. True, their culture revolves around looks, but in a rather harsh way. In fact, they will kill any offspring that do not fit the "ideal". Perhaps this is one of the reasons that their race is on the decline... low birth rates aside.
On Bonemold (03/30/01)
Bonemold armor comes from ground up bones and is mixed with resin and left to set in a...mold. Kinda like plaster of Paris but much tougher I believe they use bug shells as some of the molds, thus giving a bug-like appearance to that armor as well. Why not just use chitin then? Well, apparently this paste, once set is much stronger than chitin. Chitin is very easily punctured by pointy things, unless it's a weevil - those suckers are tough to pin. :)
Are Ash Slaves undead? (08/23/01)
Ash Slaves aren't dead...yet... they aspire to be the next incarnation to better serve their god :)
Differences between male and female Argonians (09/05/01)
You may actually be able to tell males and females apart. Clothed or no. The careful observer will note that male Argonians have larger crests or horns often augmented with gold and earings. The females generally have very short horns, but they like to dress themselves up with jewelry and feathers. Another distinguishing factor is that males are much more brightly colored than the drab females. If you have no basis for comparison, always look in the eyes as there is no typical mammalian physiological dimorphism. Females always have red eyes.
Differences between male and female Khajiit (09/06/01)
Actually, the one in the background of that screenshot is a female. The females tend to be darker in coloration and have larger, rounder eyes as well as typical humanoid (albeit fur covered) female physiology. They have also succumbed to human fashion whims by wearing earrings, of a feminine design - not those hoop earrings the males are so fond of.
Ted Peterson (Tedders)
Who was Jyggylag prior to the Shivering Isles? (c. Feb 2001)
Jyggalag was thrown into "On Oblivion" to add an additional daedra prince in case we needed one down the road for -- I don't know -- the daedra of poisons or unattractive hairdos.
Why is the name "Atmora" derived from the Aldmeri language if it was populated by men? (11/16/03)
The common name for a place is not necessarily the name given to it by its original inhabitants. America comes from Italian, Britain comes from Latin, Japan comes Chinese (though invented by Japanese scholars from the Middle Chinese phrase nzyet-pwun-kwuk, "land of the rising sun," which became Nippon or Nihon, and the English used the Chinese word "Japan"), et cetera.
It may be surmised that where Aldmeris was spoken, the land of the Nedic people was called Atmora, and the name has stuck, and the original name of the land by its inhabitants has vanished.
Unknown
These quotes were attributed to their role-play personalities, not their developers. If you know to whom they belong, please let me know.
Kier-jo
Kier-jo thinks it is very much like a thing an Elder Way-warder would say.
"The Weakest Souls, called Men, will bring Sithis into every Quarter."
"The Worshippers of the Unnamed Lord, know as 'Argonians' on Nirni, are the Descendents of Boethiah and the Serpent-men."
"The Khajiit, created as Servants by the Aldmer, Rebelled against the Natural Order and Conspired with the Doom Drum to End the Merethic Era."
Kier-jo hears it all before.
Tiber Septim was seen in more than one part of Tamriel at the same time and you are content.
Stormcrown was a Breton, no a Nord, no an Atmoran, and you sit and play in the sand.
A numidium rises in the West and does Eight Things for the Psijics and you do not question.
Your monkeys dance on the Tower and the stars change and you do not remember.
You read the words of the Sermon, but you are blind to the truths between them.
The darkness is reborn, crowned and conquering, and you pull the covers tighter and sleep.When will you realize what happened to the Dwarves?
When will you Wake from the Elven Lie that all Men believe?
Jobasha (Douglas Goodall?)
Jobasha says don't you fall for the Elven Lie. The Tower is older than the elves, as old as music. For it is the Word and the start of words and the end (and the end of ALMSIVI as Vivec may say or not say).
The Tower of today is not The Tower of yesterday. Jobasha's heresy lies in knowing even Ahnurr changes, as do all stars when they can walk.
Where do you go when Alkosh breaks?
So where are you now as Alkosh holds the stars to their courses?
Speak, if you know the words. Keep silent, if you remember.Wise Azurah gives us the Lattice... But the moons, in death, are distillers only. As glass moves light, but requires a flame.
The Lattice breaks before. The monkeys dance. Lorkhaj sends a star. That star, chained and unchained, pokes holes in the moons once, twice, three times.
We Khajiit must climb, then, in a way men and mer cannot. And with us we carry the sugar of a star or a bone or a watery king. For if sugar is not worthy of a Walker, is it worthy of Ja-Kha'jay?
So Jobasha does not fear. All "et'Ada" have laws, customs, weakness. Even if they "cannot be spelled, pronounced, ennumerated in the Mundus" (and there is another weakness of the Elven Lie).
"The Dragon is bound with noble sighs.
The Serpent is bound with shifting tones.
The Sun is bound with metal flames.
The Earth is bound with secret knots."
-- The Soft Doctrines of Magnus InvisibleBut perhaps Jobasha should give an even more famous example:
"Daedroth, do you keep the faith?"
"Bide, and we abide. Turn, and we return."Who knows, survives.
The Motheaters Song
Who controls the Septim crown?
Who keeps the Allesian Heresy down?
We do, we doWho knocked Yokuda off the maps?
Who keeps the Dwemer under wraps?
We do, we doWho dances a little dance and does not tell?
Who breaks time and thinks it's swell?
We do, we doWho spills coffee on the Chaos Staff?
Who makes the Truth Monkeys laugh?
We do, we do
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