Tamriel has a rich cultural diversity inspired by several concepts from our own world. From the hunter-gatherer lifestyle to the Empire and its Imperial Legion, you'll be able to draw a comparison to a wide variety of references, both fictional and non-fictional.

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THE SOCIAL HIERARCHY

Tamriel has several provinces, but this game focuses on Skyrim, Cyrodiil, and Morrowind. These provinces are all ruled by an Emperor, but each province has a societal rank who ranks directly below the Emperor, like a governor. Below the governor of each province, there's another rank that governs each region of the province. The rank of these people differs between each region.

• The Empire of Tamriel

  • The Emperor - Emperor Titus Mede II
    • Governs from the Ruby Throne in the Imperial City of Cyrodiil.
• The Elder Council - This group is responsible for maintaining the order of Tamriel, and they are specially picked as advisors by and for the Emperor. When an Emperor dies, it is their job to ensure the rightful heir takes the Ruby Throne. If they cannot find a suitable heir or the previous Emperor had no heir, they rule in the Emperor's stead until they can find a new one. If there is a period where the people they choose are not fit to rule and are replaced several times, it is called an Interregnum. The Elder Council is made up of several elected officials spanning from all the provinces of Tamriel. The Elder Council also works with the various lower-ranking ruling individuals.
  • High Chancellor - The High Chancellor is the leader of the Elder Council. If there is no Emperor, they are the de facto ruler of Tamriel. They are considered the second highest person of authority next to the Emperor, but they are more like a temporary "Vice President" until a new Emperor is crowned.
    • The former High Chancellor of the Elder Council was Ocato. He was present during the Oblivion Crisis but was assassinated by the Thalmor, which caused the "Stormcrown Interregnum". Multiple people tried and failed to claim the Ruby Throne, but the Stormcrown Interregnum ended in 4E 17 when Titus Mede I finally claimed the Ruby Throne and began the Mede Dynasty.

• The Province of Cyrodiil

  1. Count/Countess - Each count has a cabinet made up of a steward, court wizard, guard captain, a bodyguard, and one or more inquisitors.
     • Counties
       • Anvil
       • Bravil
       • Bruma
       • Cheydinhal
       • Chorrol
       • Kvatch
       • Leyawiin
       • Skingrad
  2. Stewards, Guard Captains, Court Wizards, Bodyguards, Inquisitors
  3. City Guards
  4. Civilians (including merchants, farmers, mercenaries, etc.)

• The Province of Morrowind

  1. Lord High Councilor
  2. The Grand Council - This is like a smaller version of the Elder Council. They elect one representative to act as the "Lord High Councilor". The Grand Council is made up of the five "Great Houses" of Morrowind. Each House governs one of five districts of Morrowind, and has several Councilors.
     • House Redoran - The leading House. Controls the northwest
       • Notable Members:
         Lleril Morvayn (First Councilor of Raven Rock)
         
     • House Telvanni - Controls the east
       • Notable Members:
         Neloth (Master Wizard of Tel Mithryn, Solstheim)
         Ysmir (The Dragonborn)
         
     • House Sadras - Controls the west
     • House Indoril - Controls the central heartlands
       • Notable Members:
         Karliah
         • Grand-daughter of Queen Barenziah and Drayven Indoril
         • Member of the Thieves Guild in Skyrim
         • Nightingale of Nocturnal
     • House Dres - Controls the southeast
  3. The King/Queen of Morrowind - Truthfully, the King/Queen of Morrowind has very little power. The power mostly belongs to the Lord High Councilor and the Great Houses.
  4. Councilors
  - Only a few Councilors remain around Morrowind and Vvardenfell, mostly due to the eruption of the Red Mountain in 4E 05, commonly known as the Red Year. The two most powerful Houses at the moment are Redoran and Telvanni.
  • Morrowind - Largely destroyed by the Red Mountain's eruption.
    Regions
    • Stonefalls
    • Deshaan Plain
    Cities
    • Ald'ruhn (destroyed, Redoran)
    • Balmora (damaged)
    • Blacklight (Redoran Capital)
    • Ebonheart
    • Mournhold (Redoran)
    • Narsis
    • Necrom (Telvanni)
    • Sadrith Mora (damaged, Telvanni Capital)
    • Tear
    • Vivec City (destroyed)
  • Vvardenfell - Largely destroyed by the Red Mountain's eruption.
    Regions
    • Ascadian Isles
    • Ashlands
    • Azura's Coast
    • Bitter Coast
    • Grazelands
    • Molag Amur
    • Red Mountain (Erupted in 4E 05. Continues to spew smoke and ash almost two hundred years later.)
    • Sheogorad
    • West Gash
  • Solstheim - Was given to Morrowind by the then-ruling High King of Skyrim in 4E 16 as a refuge for evacuees from Vvardenfell and Morrowind.
    Settlements
    • Raven Rock (Redoran)
    • Tel Mithryn (Telvanni)
  5. Second Councilors, Stewards, "Mouths" (used by House Telvanni only), House Guard Captains
  6. City Guards
  7. Civilians (including merchants, farmers, mercenaries, etc.)

• The Province of Skyrim

  1. High King of Skyrim - Governs from the Blue Palace in Solitude (Haafingar Hold).
     • Torygg ✝ - Killed by Ulfric Stormcloak sometime in or before the month of Last Seed, 4E 201. The nature of his death is a widespread topic of debate. Some of Skyrim believes he faced Ulfric in a duel to the death, while others staunchly believe he was murdered so Ulfric could try to usurp his throne.
  2. The Moot - This is like a smaller version of the Elder Council. It is made up of the various Jarls of Skyrim and they elect the new High King of Skyrim. The role of High King or Jarl is typically a birthright regardless of gender, but if no direct blood relative is available as an heir, someone else may be chosen.
  3. Jarls - Each Jarl has a cabinet made up of a steward, court wizard (some Holds lack this), guard captain, a housecarl (bodyguard), and one or more Thanes.
     • Holds
       • Eastmarch (Jarl Brunwulf Free-Winter)
       • Falkreath (Jarl Nenya)
       • Haafingar (Jarl Elisif the Fair)
       • Hjaalmarch (Jarl Idgrod Ravencrone)
       • The Pale (Jarl Brina Merilis)
       • The Reach (Jarl Igmund)
       • The Rift (Jarl Laila Law-Giver)
       • Whiterun (Jarl Balgruuf the Greater)
       • Winterhold (Jarl Kraldar)
  4. Stewards, Guard Captains, Court Wizards, Housecarls, Thanes
  5. City Guards
  6. Civilians (including merchants, farmers, mercenaries, etc.)

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RELIGION & WORSHIP

The Divines

In Tamriel, there are several pantheons. The most notable of these is the Imperial Pantheon, which was founded by Alessia way back in the Alessian Empire when Tamriel was still a developing country. It's also known as the "Eight Divines", "Nine Divines" or "The Eight and One".

The Eight Divines are made up of the Aedra, except Talos - who was once known as Emperor Tiber Septim.

• Akatosh - Chief Deity, Dragon-God of Time
• Arkay - God of the Cycle of Life
• Dibella - Goddess of Beauty
• Julianos - God of Wisdom and Logic
• Kynareth - Goddess of Nature
• Mara - Mother-Goddess of Love and Compassion
• Stendarr - God of Mercy, Justice, Charity, and Luck
• Zenithar - God of Work and Commerce

"The Ninth Divine"

• Talos (aka Tiber Septim) - Hero-God of Mankind, God of Might, Honor, State, Law, Man, War and Governance - Because of the White-Gold Concordat, the Empire no longer recognizes Talos as one of the Divines. The Thalmor of the Aldmeri Dominion do not believe that a mere "human" is worthy of a place in the Imperial Pantheon. The outlaw of Talos worship was instilled upon the end of the Great War, but many people (especially the Nords of Skyrim) still consider Talos one of the Divines and continue to worship him. Some are quieter about it than others, but the louder ones are usually hunted down by the Thalmor.

The Ten Nine Commandments

1. Stendarr says: Be kind and generous to the people of Tamriel. Protect the weak, heal the sick, and give to the needy.
2. Arkay says: Honor the earth, its creatures, and the spirits, living and dead. Guard and tend the bounties of the mortal world, and do not profane the spirits of the dead.
3. Mara says: Live soberly and peacefully. Honor your parents, and preserve the peace and security of home and family.
4. Zenithar says: Work hard, and you will be rewarded. Spend wisely, and you will be comfortable. Never steal, or you will be punished.
5. Talos says: Be strong for war. Be bold against enemies and evil, and defend the people of Tamriel.
6. Kynareth says: Use Nature's gifts wisely. Respect her power, and fear her fury.
7. Dibella says: Open your heart to the noble secrets of art and love. Treasure the gifts of friendship. Seek joy and inspiration in the mysteries of love.
8. Julianos says: Know the truth. Observe the law. When in doubt, seek wisdom from the wise.
9. Akatosh says: Serve and obey your Emperor. Study the Covenants. Worship the Nine Eight, do your duty, and heed the commands of the saints and priests.
10. The Nine Eight say: Above all else, be good to one another.

The Daedric Princes

Not all of the Daedroth are Daedric Princes. The Daedric Princes are a select few of et'Ada that chose to not participate in Nirn's creation. The et'Ada that did participate are the Aedra. A lot of the Daedric Princes are considered evil, but there are a few who are not considered as such. All of the Daedra are worshipped, just not by all the same people. The Daedra enjoy toying with mortals a little more than the Aedra, however, and regularly reveal themselves mortals in a sort of physical or symbolic form. This can be either a direct lure, or indirect encounter. Sometimes it's a bit of both.

• Azura – A Prince who maintains/draws power from the balance of night and day, light and dark. One of the few Princes not considered to be inherently evil.
• Boethiah – The Prince of deceit, secrecy, conspiracy, treason, and unlawful overthrow of authority.
• Clavicus Vile – The Prince of deals, pacts, power, bargains, and serenity through wish fulfillment.
• Hermaeus Mora – The formless Daedric Prince of knowledge and memory, seeks to possess all that is knowable.
• Hircine – The Prince of the hunt, sport, the Great Game, and the Chase.
• Malacath – The Prince whose sphere is the patronage of the spurned and ostracized.
• Mehrunes Dagon – The Prince of destruction, violent upheaval, energy, and mortal ambition. Started the Oblivion Crisis when he attempted to enter the mortal plane of Nirn in his true form.
• Mephala – The Prince of unknown plots and obfuscation, a master manipulator, a sewer of discord.
• Meridia – The Prince of the energies of all living things, enemy of the undead and all who disrupt the natural flow of life. Also one of the Princes not considered to be inherently evil.
• Molag Bal – The Prince of domination and spiritual enslavement, seeks to ensnare souls within his domain.
• Namira – The Prince of the "ancient darkness," the patron of all things considered repulsive.
• Nocturnal – The Prince of the night and darkness, the patron of all things secretive.
• Peryite – The Taskmaster, the Daedric Prince of Pestilence, desires order in his domain.
• Sanguine – The Prince of hedonism, debauchery, and the further indulgences of one's darker nature.
• Sheogorath / Jyggalag – The infamous Prince of Madness, whose motives are unknowable. / The Prince of logical order and deduction, upholds strict order above all else.
  • Sheogorath and Jyggalag are one and the same. Every era, something called the "Greymarch" occurs which is when Jyggalag tries to overpower Sheogorath. Jyggalag was originally the most powerful Daedric Prince of the sixteen, but the others feared his power so he was banished and Sheogorath was created as a prison of sorts for Jyggalag. The Sheogorath we meet in Skyrim is actually the Champion of Cyrodiil from the Oblivion Crisis. The Champion faced off against Jyggalag (the old Sheogorath) during the Greymarch and defeated him. As a result, the Champion of Cyrodiil was named the new Sheogorath by Jyggalag and gained rule of Sheogorath's realm - the Shivering Isles.
• Vaermina – The Prince of dreams and nightmares, a deliverer of evil omens and dark portents.

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SURVIVING IN TAMRIEL

Tamriel is a dangerous place, regardless of whether you're in a city or out in the wilderness. Rural or urban - in order to survive, you have to be smart and you have to know how to fight. In most cases, you will have no choice but to kill. That being said, there's a few things you should know or learn how to do that don't technically involve fighting.

• Hunting & Gathering: This is one of the most basic and primitive skills, and something you will quickly find yourself accustomed to. You will almost always have a choice between domestic or wild, but it's useful to know how to hunt animals and forage for edible plants. A lot of the people in rural areas of Tamriel live off the land, but in more urban areas such as strongholds, you'll usually find a small farm with domesticated livestock and vegetable gardens.
• Taxidermy: This goes hand-in-hand with hunting. Excluding poachers, the people of Tamriel are not wasteful people and look down upon wanton "trophy hunting". If you can skin it, skin it. Leather and furs are a hot (and useful) commodity, especially if you're in a province that gets as cold as Skyrim. There's nothing wrong with being proud of a recent kill, but it's an insult to Kynareth to not use all the good parts of a non-predatory animal you went out of your way to kill. Predatory animals are a different story, however. Get what you can use in the near future, and let the circle of life do the rest.
• Finding Shelter: You'll always need to protect yourself from the elements. If you don't own property, there are always places to rest for the night. Carry coin for inns, set up a campsite, or assert your dominance over a bandit camp and make use of whatever you can find. You may be surprised to find an entire bed tucked away someplace nice and dry in an abandoned tower in the middle of nowhere. Say what you want about bandits - they're crafty and resourceful.
• Diseases & Shrines: Skyrim is loaded with shrines to the Divines, and for good reason. They are always watching, and they are always listening. If you catch a disease out in the wilderness, or you're inflicted with Sanguinare Vampiris, a "Cure Disease" potion will heal you. But, you might not have one of those or know where to find them. This is where the Shrines come in. Praying at any of the Shrines in Skyrim will cure you of any diseases you may have caught. Most diseases in Skyrim are not life-threatening, but are still unpleasant. It's things like Sanguinare Vampiris you have to watch out for. Leaving it unattended for three days will evolve into full-fledged vampirism. Take advantage of the Shrines! It's cheaper than buying potions or paying a priest to heal you.