For those of you picking up TESO and have no idea what your playing I would recommend watching the you tube series (By ShoddyCast) "Elder Scroll Lore Series".
This will he;lp answer some of those quirky questions of "Who is that and why did this happen". It will also help those of you interested in RP to have some basis to make a character. The series is well crafted and quite accurate, not to mention well presented.
I give you, episode 1.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0Od2lbw9N4&index=2&list=PL7pGJQV-jlzCPBUy9uAXQUXZ4UBaDLKS5