What is the Lore Behind ESO Classes?

Rickter

I've always wondered this. What exactly is the lore or even the key influences behind ESO's 5 classes?

What is a Dragon Knight? do they have any relation to Akavir? the being of the Blades?

What is a Templar? do they have any connection with a priesthood? where does their aetheric power come from?

What is a Nightblade? do they have any relation to the assassin's league or various assassination guilds?

What is a Sorceror? are they an off shoot of the mage's guild? rogue daedric worshippers?

What is a Warden? how does Ice and nature even go together? are they like, the "Rangers of Tamriel"?

I like the classes and they are just so specific, but when i think about it - I dont know anything about them. . .

AtAfternoon

AFAIK, All lore regarding the classes comes from ingame books. I don't think any NPC at any point mentions them, and the only time they're mentioned in quests is when you're asked to kill a certain amount in Cyrodiil.

DK:
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Ardent_Flame:_Draconic_or_Endemic?
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Forged_in_the_Heart_of_Mundus
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Legacy_of_the_Dragonguard
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Mythical_Beast,_Real_Powers
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:To_Smite_with_Dragon_Claws

Templar:
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Aura_of_the_Righteous
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:The_Four_Abominations
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:The_Friend_of_All_Mortals
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Rituals_of_the_Harmonious_Masters
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Stendarr's_Divine_Spear

Nightblade:
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Advances_in_Lockpicking
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Shadow_Draining:_A_Hypothesis
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Stepping_through_Shadows
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Wulfmare's_Guide_to_Better_Thieving

Sorcerer:
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Dark_Magic:_Three_Pretexts
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Mora'at's_Theory_of_Lightning
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:On_the_Utility_of_Shock_Magic
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Principles_of_Conjuration
http://en.uesp.net/wiki/Online:Sorcery_is_Not_Necromancy!

Ghanima_Atreides

Dragonknights are offshoots of the Dragonguard using mystical Akaviri lore to emulate Dragon powers.

Templars could be seen as either priests or paladins, devotees of the Eight who draw their magical powers from their faith or Restoration experts. Or a combination of those.

Nightblades are the quintessential rogues/bloodmages, but no they aren't affiliated with any assassination guild by default. Their powers clearly draw from what in previous games was called the Illusion school.

Sorcerers are the mage archetype. Their powers evoke the Destruction, Conjuration and Alteration schools from the previous games. They aren't supposed to be an organized group, "sorcerer" is just another word for "mage". Stamina sorcerers are closer to spellswords/battlemages than anything though.

As for Wardens...they are something of a mix I guess, rangers/hedge mages tapping into the powers of nature and the elements. There isn't a strict label for them.

zuto40

Nightblade- Legends tell of those with blades of magic able to kill anyone anywhere, unless there is an aoe nearby, or the target is a tank, or a semi competent mage

Dragonknights- Warriors born with the blood of dragons in their veins, except when they call upon it they get a mediocre heal and a bunch of tbags

Templars- Servants of the divines with the ability to hold a shield endlessly and furiously wave their hand at everyone

Sorcerers- Incredible mages who spend 90% of their time making vague hand motions and teleporting into walls