Was it ever explained ingame why there are SO MANY SPIRITS roaming around Tamriel during this time?

JMadFour

I'm finding that a lot of the base game questlines have to do with dealing with/talking to/doing things for/fighting against Spirits.

Was there a particular reason why there are so many spirits around, or is this just an Elder Scrolls thing in general?

SantieClaws

War traveller.

It creates the dead and leaves them restless.

Yours with paws
Santie Claws

VaranisArano

Its not unique to this time frame. Tamriel has a lot of undead, period. In Morrowind, those tend to be ancestor spirits bound to protect certain locations or Dwemer ghosts guarding certaib ruins. In Skyrim, its the draugr defending family tombs or dragon cult sites. In Daggerfall, half the plot is laying a murdered king's spirit to rest by getting justice/vengeance for him. In Oblivion, there are plenty of zombies and ghosts lurking in the old ruins.

So I'd go with "its an Elder Scrolls thing."

myskyrim26

Many quests involving spirits and gost provide an explanation: they rested in peace, but Planemeld caused a major magick disorder. The souls of those long dead returned to Tamriel. A lot of quests are about the Souless one helping them to rest again.

NotaDaedraWorshipper

Some spirits also seem surprised you can see them. So not only has the Planemeld and other events caused more spirits to be restless (More restless than normal in Elder Scrolls), but it might also be a Vestige thing that you see so many and can communicate with them.

LennoxPoodle

I find it to be pretty annoying. Almost every time some ancient queen/king, leader, founder or other dignitary is mentioned, chances are that she/he appears as a quest guide. I really would like, if they let historical legendary beings remain historical and shrouded in some mystery, instead of talking to the vestige. The worst offender in this regard is the first mane IMHO.

LennoxPoodle

I find it to be pretty annoying. Almost every time some ancient queen/king, leader, founder or other dignitary is mentioned, chances are that she/he appears as a quest guide. I really would like, if they let historical legendary beings remain historical and shrouded in some mystery, instead of talking to the vestige. The worst offender in this regard is the first mane IMHO.
A similar problem are visions of the past. When some random priests can conjure up accurate visions of what Rahjinn stole from whom and in what exact manner, how does the unreliable narrator (in this case book authors having incomplete knowledge) work exactly. With all the spirits and visions the past doesn't seem very mysterious (looking at you Alik'r main quest).

Vuldovahkriid

The Soulburst/Planemeld essentially is to blame.
"As the veil shattered, a wave of magical energy radiated outwards from the Imperial City, and the Emperor Aquilarios was lost in the explosion. Mystical aftershocks propagated all across the planet, as mages died or went mad, while the constellation of the Serpent grew so large it dominated the night sky. Nirn became vulnerable to the forces of Oblivion, as Daedra began appearing in greater numbers than ever before. Molag Bal, the Daedric Prince of Domination and Mannimarco's master, seized the opportunity to begin disconnecting the souls of Nirn from their hosts to fuel the Planemeld, an attempt to merge his realm of Coldharbour with Nirn"

Plus with Mannimarco and his Order of the Black Worm, souls and spirits would be pretty restless to begin with.