The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrims title region is home to rich history and lore, and much of it revolves around the people who live there and their mythology, such as the race that would eventually become the Nords. Digging into knowledge like this is a long and involved process Skyrim however, not necessarily pushing the player towards, and the knowledge of, the ancient pre-Nordic race Elder scrolls is not given.
While places like Elder scrolls' Akavir are well known, they're really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the deep lore of the franchise. For example, the aforementioned pre-Norse race of hardy warriors from the far north, the Atmorans, are rarely mentioned in a Elder scrolls game, and they are the progenitors of Nords, Imperials, and Bretons all rolled into one. Although the continent of Atmora cannot be visited in any Elder scrolls title, bits of information about it are still available.
The Atmorans were a tribal, clan-based people whose culture emphasized honor, strength, and loyalty. They revered nine animal avatars corresponding to a variety of contemporaries Elder scrolls gods. The Atmorans' Hawk is believed to be Kyne, the Mother of Men, while the Dragon is most likely Skyrimfinal boss, Alduin himself. Atmorans arrived in Tamriel over the course of many smaller invasions spanning hundreds of years in total, bringing with them the foundations of modern Nord culture. Their first formally founded city on the continent was Saarthal, established by the famed warrior hero Ysgramor when he led a fleet of settlers to escape the dawning civil unrest in Atmora.
Although Saarthal lived in relative prosperity for a time, it was not long before that Skyrims native snow elves attacked and sacked the city in an event known as the Night of Tears. In response to the Falmer's brutal assault, Ysgramor returned to Atmora, gathered the five hundred companions, and sailed back to Skyrim to fight the Falmer again. The Companions' counterattack was so brutal that the Falmer were forced underground, where they were eventually enslaved and mutated by the Dwemer. Meanwhile, the reestablished Altmer societies began their expansion across Skyrim and Tamriel at large.
While the history of the Atmoran is interesting in its own right, the continent they come from is also a great mystery. Aside from civil wars and other social problems, Atmora was a land of permanent winter due to the strange event known as the Frostfall. Third Era expeditions confirm that the land is still cold enough to survive SkyrimThe Nords wince, and there is no information on what the frost may have been or what caused it.
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The original Atmoran civilization is presumed extinct as of the modern one Elder scrolls era, and the truth of what happened to Atmora remains one of The Elder Scrolls' most interesting mysteries. Bethesda may choose to expose the subject further in some future release, although one could argue that Skyrim in particular, it was the best time to do so, given its setting.
- Released
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November 11, 2011
- ESRB
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M for adults 17+ due to blood and gore, intense violence, sexual themes, use of alcohol
- Developer
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Bethesda Game Studios
- Publisher
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Bethesda Softworks
