ESO's Tamriel is a very "Global" Civilization

ArchMikem · March 2023

Has anyone noticed yet, that for a civilization still utilizing Horses or sail ships for the main mode of transportation, and the conveyance of information by word of mouth or hand delivered letters, information still seems to spread across the continent like wild fire.

Any event that happens in one corner of the continent always seems to reach the ears of another Race in another corner. Seemingly "new" fads like the Tales of Tribute game suddenly pops up in every Tavern and Inn across the continent at the same time. For societies that should logically be very isolated from one another, with the sharing of information being a supposedly lengthy and difficult job, everyone somehow finds out about everything fairly quickly.

And we can't just chalk it up to people using portals.

VaranisArano · March 2023

Why can't we chalk it up to people using portals? Or more specifically, I'll point the finger at the Mages Guild.

They've got a hangout in Eyevea where they can all mingle, a hall in every major city, and send their initiates to every corner of Tamriel. Plus, their goals makes sure they're open to the common man and connected with the people who's cities they inhabit. They'd be a natural source for "Hey, this is the new fad card game from High Rock and its really fun, you should try it!"

The Fighters Guild is likewise spread across Tamriel and its likely that in addition to their leadership getting together, their rank and file can meet up while patrolling the Hollow City in Coldharbor or as they move around to different guild halls.

It's also true that most cultures in ESO's Tamriel aren't actually as isolated as we might think prior to Tiber Septim's empire. All of them are in an Alliance with two other nations, such that we see Altmer touring Valenwood, Nords and Argonians mingling in Stonefalls, and Redguards in a marriage alliance with Bretons. Imperial lands see a high degree of mixing due to the conflicts (for example, in a small village in Blackwood, there's a Redguard and a Khajiit who were slaves under Euraxia in Elsweyr before they escaped when a dragon attacked.) There's a reasonably large number of institutions that cross cultural divides like the clergy of the Divines, the Antiquarians, and most magical universities. Harbors like Abah's Landing have trade ships from many places.

Yes, the fast pace of information dissemination is a gameplay convention to some extent. But I don't think it's entirely outlandish that information and fads travel quicker than most unmagical people, and also that Tamriel's people travel more and are less isolated than we might expect.

As for why my Vestige hasn't made herself a fortune shuttling Tamriel's VIPs and couriering small, expensive parcels around via the wayshrines, that's because Varanis prefers to keep a low profile on that particular ability so her enemies don't learn how fast she can move when she needs to.

OgrimTitan · March 2023

That observation is made on the assumption Tamriel is a medieval world. It's more of a decor. Teleportation (goods and people). Telepathy. Magical internet of ideas. Magical gadgets. Look up the contraband for the reference. Think, gods forgive, Harry Potter. Mages use quills and candles, yet you won't call their world degenerative or outdated.

There are other complications for the spread of information. Bet you didn't even think of at least 10 different languages of Tamriel, because this feature of the world is not present in the games for the gameplay reasons. Yet there are gadgets even for that.

Elsonso · March 2023

Never under estimate the prowess of "gossip"

Supreme_Atromancer · March 2023

ArchMikem wrote: »

Has anyone noticed yet, that for a civilization still utilizing Horses or sail ships for the main mode of transportation, and the conveyance of information by word of mouth or hand delivered letters, information still seems to spread across the continent like wild fire.

Yes, absolutely. I remember reading some of the old Morrowind Lore- probably Vivec's Lessons- where Nords are described as frost demons. That always captivated my imagination- that presumably there's enough mystique that it might be conceivable to the lay Dunmer that these mysterious and aggressive entities from the north are so alien that they can be readily digested as some quasi-mythological race with supernatural attributes. Kind of like ancient Irish people conceiving Scandinavians as the Formoiri: a race of misshapen demons from across the sea.

There's half the thought in there, sometimes: I think its in Stonefalls where some Dunmer is speculating to her more worldly compatriot that the members of the covenant drink the blood of children or something. Or the peddler in Khenarthi's Roost boasting about a real life DOG!!

I like the verisimilitude these things bring to the world, and I'd like to see more of it written into the world. Don't forget: what we see is drastically distorted by the problems of scale associated with the media. The reality that the game reflects would be untold numbers of peasants, tradesfolk, farmers, non-elites who AREN'T super connected and cosmopolitan.