How Many Years Between Skyrim and ESO?
A Span of 950 Years Separates the Two Games
To kick this off clearly – The Elder Scrolls Online is set 949 years before the events of The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. ESO takes place in 2E 582, smack dab in the middle of the Second Era. Skyrim meanwhile occurs in 4E 201, at the dawn of the Fourth Era.
That‘s almost a millennium in between the two games! And as you‘ll see, a LOT changes throughout Tamriel over those 950 years…
Why Such a Massive Gap Between Titles?
Before diving deeper, you may be wondering – why did Bethesda set the games so far apart on the timeline? Wouldn‘t a couple hundred years have sufficed?
Well, much like the thousand-year gap between Oblivion and Skyrim, this huge leap forward allows massive shifts to occur throughout Tamriel. Both in physical landscape, culture and politics. It gives Skyrim (and future games) a fully fresh backdrop to explore.
Of course, diehard fans can still connect the dots between ESO and later games. We‘ll touch upon some of those ancestral ties shortly!
How Tamriel Transforms Politically from ESO to Skyrim
The 950 years between ESO and Skyrim sees possibly the most dramatic political changes throughout the Second and Third eras. To summarize the landscape:
The Interregnum – A Turbulent Time in ESO
- Set in 2E 582 during the Interregnum period
- Cyrodiil‘s Second Empire has collapsed, leaving a power vacuum
- Tamriel divided into three warring alliances fighting for control
- Ebonheart Pact (Nords, Dunmer, Argonians)
- Daggerfall Covenant (Bretons, Redguards, Orcs)
- Aldmeri Dominion (Altmer, Bosmer, Khajiit)
- No central authority, gov‘t is fragmented across alliance zones
The Rise and Fall of the Septim Empire
- Mid-Second Era: Tiber Septim (Talos) unites Tamriel under the Third Empire
- Septim dynasty rules for 400+ years until the Oblivion Crisis
- End of Third Era: Martin Septim sacrifices himself, bloodline ends
- Fourth Era: Stormclosures rise to power in Skyrim, rebellion brews…
As you can glean, ESO represents one of Tamriel‘s most chaotic periods politically. The climate is completely transformed just 400-500 years later under Imperial rule.
From three warring alliances to a unified empire – then its eventual downfall – there is whiplash between the politics of ESO vs Skyrim eras!
Table: Comparing Political States in ESO vs Skyrim
| Category | Elder Scrolls Online (2E 582) | Skyrim (4E 201) |
|---|---|---|
| Ruling Empire | Collapse of the Second Empire | Fourth Era under the Stormcloak Dynasty |
| Government | Divided regional alliances | Imperial Province of Skyrim |
| Political Climate | Interregnum period, no central authority | Civil war brewing between Imperial Legion and Stormcloak rebels |
| Location Focus | Entire continent of Tamriel | Province of Skyrim |
And this just scratches the surface on political changes! As you can see, the unstable nature of ESO‘s alliances creates opportunities for upheaval and dynastic changes in later eras.
Up next, we‘ll examine how culture, magic and religion transform dramatically over 950 years as well…
Cultural & Magical Upheavals Across Eras
Beyond altering the political landscape, the chasm between ESO and Skyrim also facilitates evolutionary shifts across:
- Magic & metaphysical forces
- Cultural outlooks & religion
- Social dynamics & racial relations
Let‘s analyze some of the sweeping changes Tamrielians witness across these 950 years:
The Prevailing Arcane Arts & Belief Systems
In ESO, magic permeates everyday life and holds a respected status in society. Mages possess incredible influence, and cosmic threats loom, like Daedric Prince plots. Compare this to Skyrim‘s wariness around magic users.
Likewise, Christianity analogues like the Church of the Eight Divines have not yet dominated Tamriel. Temples to all sorts of deities and demi-gods exist across racial borders.
Clearly, perspectives on mysticism and faith see great upheavals between eras. As do underlying racial tensions…
Transforming Social Dynamics & Race Relations
During ESO‘s Interregnum, three alliances grudgingly united races out of necessity. But racism and suspicion still simmer under the surface. Contrast this to centuries later when the Imperial Empire brought sustained periods of unity and assimilation.
We also see the early progenitors of groups that evolve into Skyrim‘s factions – like the Companions, College of Winterhold, Dark Brotherhood, etc. These seeds planted in ESO‘s era come to fruition hundreds of years later.
In summary, a melting pot of contrasting cultures and unstable alliances gives way to a somewhat more homogenous Tamriel later on.
Of course, technological evolution also progresses rapidly across nearly 1000 years! As do ecological changes…
Technological & Ecological Changes Throughout Tamriel
Beyond culture, we see technology and nature itself transform between the early Second Era and later Fourth Era. Let‘s analyze some key differences:
Architectural & Engineering Advancements
- Skyrim shows more advanced masonry, stone-cutting and structuralengineering
- Improved infrastructure from roads to irrigation systems
- Architecture moves away from loot-able dungeons toward private dwellings
Industrial & Crafting Innovations
- Greater mechanical understanding enables unique contraptions
- Refined blacksmithing and metal-working techniques
- Early experimentation with steam/dwemer automata
- Emerging printing presses and information distribution
As you can see, nearly 1000 years allows for significant infrastructural and industrial advances. The natural landscape also evolves:
Geological, Climate & Ecological Shifts
- Tectonic/magmatic activity alters landscapes over eras
- Climate patterns modify biome distribution
- Flora/fauna evolve and migrate across regions
- Entire dungeons/ruins may disappear or get buried under sediment
Thus, developers have free reign to modify Tamriel‘s geography and contents between titles.
Having covered some key societal transformations, let‘s glimpse into the personal ties binding ESO‘s and Skyrim‘s eras…
Familiar Names, Ancestral Bloodlines – Links Between Eras
Despite the huge timeline gap, some ancestral ties connect characters between ESO and later games. For example:
Prominent Figures With Descendants Who Appear in Skyrim
- King Emeric – ancestor of Baron Emeric, who pens the book "The Knights of the Nine" in the Fourth Era
- Vanus Galerion – founder of the Mages Guild, which evolves into Skyrim‘s College of Winterhold
- Lyris Titanborn – speculated to be ancestral relation to Njada Stonearm due to similar surnames and physical prowess
Reoccurring Elder Scrolls Groups or Factions Have Origins in ESO
- The Fighters Guild can trace their military origins to ESO‘s mercenaries
- Shadowy assassins guilds emerge in ESO that later develop into the Morag Tong and Dark Brotherhood
- The Companions also have loose predecessors in ESO‘s irregulars and sellswords
So despite the massive timeline gap, ancestral ties and reoccurring factions help establish continuity.
That said, with such a huge span between eras, the next Elder Scrolls game set after Skyrim may reveal a Tamriel just as foreign to contemporary fans!
A Glimpse Even Further Down the Timeline…
As you can see, the 950 years separating ESO and Skyrim facilitates tremendous change across Tamriel while retaining some ancestral links. Now with Elder Scrolls VI likely set further ahead on the timeline, an even more changed world may await fans!
A Speculative Look Ahead…
- Early estimates place TES VI around 5-10 years after Skyrim
- Could see political aftermath from Skyrim‘s civil war
- Climate change, industrialization, new contagions?
- Perhaps deeper analysis on Dwemertech innovations
- More radical cultural/religious transformations
The possibilities are endless for Tamriel‘s continued evolution! And modern console hardware will enable Bethesda‘s team to render these changes in exquisite detail.
So as vast as the changes are between ESO and Skyrim, an even vaster shift may await with the next numbered franchise entry…
In Summary – 950 Years Transforms Tamriel‘s Physical and Cultural Landscape
To bring everything full circle:
- ESO occurs 949 years before Skyrim‘s time period
- Development of industrial technology, magic systems and societal values transform wildly across eras
- Political instability gives way to unified dynasties which eventually collapse
- Ancestral ties help establish historical continuity despite a huge timeline gap
So Elder Scrolls fans have witnessed Tamriel evolve across millennia in massive ways already. And the upcoming Elder Scrolls 6 will likely depict an equally dramatic shift forward in time!
Hopefully this deep dive analysis helps fans appreciate just how far back ESO emerges on the series timeline. And the monumental changes Developers can explore across the eras.
Let me know your thoughts in the comments – what interests you most about Tamriel‘s evolution between games? Are you intrigued to jump even deeper into the franchise timeline someday?
