Skyrim - books

I think, that one of the most interesting things is Skyrim literature. On my opinion, literature of Skyrim is alike literature of vikings. As example for writing books for Skyrim we can take Edda(skald poems).

How many Nordic books are there in TES? It'd be good to make a list, with some brief summaries.
I like the idea of using viking literature, though their beliefs seem massively different (I've only read a little of each though), I think it could be useful.

Here's a good book if you're feeling up to a long read. I've only read a small part of it myself, but the artwork on it's own in the HTML file is worth a look at, if only for inspiration.

Thanks Elder and Dirnae,

I remember the number of books that are dealing with the Nords is not so big in Tes3 and 4...I just remember "Children of the Sky" and a few more. I think it's necessary to write a lot of new material.

Something like "The History of the First Empire" and "The Ysgramor Chronicles", as well as poems and more.

All we need are a few creative , reliable Bookwriters.

Once we had a guy who want to write books, but I've heard nothing from him for ages and he also don't reply on Emails...so I guess we could forget about him

@ Elder

Are you interested in writing some books for Skyrim? A new bookwriter we can count on will be more than welcome!

Ahh who gives a damn, when I eventually go to Skyrim I just wanna crack some skulls and plant peoples faces in the ground with my big wood and iron hammer!

Not sit and read books like a pansy

Welcome Elder!
It's always good to have books, even if some philistines don't like to read.
In any case they should be checked by a native speaker for correct grammar, spelling errors etc. And, of course it must have the right quality.

Btw. there are some interesting books by TR. For example Book of Nordic Proverbs

Lestat DeLioncourt wrote:

Thanks Elder and Dirnae,

I remember the number of books that are dealing with the Nords is not so big in Tes3 and 4...I just remember "Children of the Sky" and a few more. I think it's necessary to write a lot of new material.

Something like "The History of the First Empire" and "The Ysgramor Chronicles", as well as poems and more.

All we need are a few creative , reliable Bookwriters.

Once we had a guy who want to write books, but I've heard nothing from him for ages and he also don't reply on Emails...so I guess we could forget about him

@ Elder

Are you interested in writing some books for Skyrim? A new bookwriter we can count on will be more than welcome!

Yeah, I am interested in it very much, but it seems to be rather hard to write it in English for me, because I don't know English very good, but I am writing such stories in Russians, so I am glad to help you. If you need me - just write PM, or write me in icq

Hi everyone!
lets just dig this old thread back out as I am actually working on the Chronicles of Ysgramor. The scope will be around 60 pages (the size of a short novel) in normal print - accounting to about 140-150 pages in game. The story is being told by Rasgard, Ysgramors youngest son. So far, I have his youth, the Moot at Saarthal, the Night of Tears and his exile in Atmora covered.

When he gets back to Skyrim, Ysgramor - his father - has to die at some point. Of course, the Nords would have buried their first king full aplomb. So here's question no. 1: has Skyrim progressed so far yet that one could even think of placing time-consuming details like Ysgramors mausoleum - if so, where will it be? if not, doesn't matter - same question

I need to know because Rasgard would certainly describe his fathers death and burial to some detail - and I don't really know how much freedom I've got. So, is there any clever lore known about Ysgramors death?

Ah well, while I'm at it: has anyone got a clue where Saarthal might actually have stood? there's a mention in The Seven Fights of The Aldudagga, 2nd fight, right at the end (He = Herkel Shield-Fed, fool):

Quote :

His plan had worked, though it did little to comfort him, and he said goodbye to his fighting friends and his king and as the snow came in to bury Sarthaal forever, Herkel climbed the steps of High Hrothgaar, where he became at last a Clever Man.

(And this is why sometimes if you pray hard enough, you can still see Sarthaal outside of only memory and in its fullest glory.)

So ole Herkel went up something like "High Hrothgaar", the spelling might not be accurate, like in "Sarthaal". Ever heard of it? are there any other sources as to the whereabouts of Saarthal? - would help me a lot calculating marching times, directions etc.

Ah yes, and the final one: why is this forum in dark grey, smallest font, on black?

Sounds like you know what your doing anyway
Look forward to reading it

And yeah, the forum does need a little adjustment

Get too it lestat! ha ha

Jack Pot wrote:

Hi everyone!
lets just dig this old thread back out as I am actually working on the Chronicles of Ysgramor. The scope will be around 60 pages (the size of a short novel) in normal print - accounting to about 140-150 pages in game. The story is being told by Rasgard, Ysgramors youngest son. So far, I have his youth, the Moot at Saarthal, the Night of Tears and his exile in Atmora covered.

When he gets back to Skyrim, Ysgramor - his father - has to die at some point. Of course, the Nords would have buried their first king full aplomb. So here's question no. 1: has Skyrim progressed so far yet that one could even think of placing time-consuming details like Ysgramors mausoleum - if so, where will it be? if not, doesn't matter - same question

I need to know because Rasgard would certainly describe his fathers death and burial to some detail - and I don't really know how much freedom I've got. So, is there any clever lore known about Ysgramors death?

Ah well, while I'm at it: has anyone got a clue where Saarthal might actually have stood? there's a mention in The Seven Fights of The Aldudagga, 2nd fight, right at the end (He = Herkel Shield-Fed, fool):

Quote :

His plan had worked, though it did little to comfort him, and he said goodbye to his fighting friends and his king and as the snow came in to bury Sarthaal forever, Herkel climbed the steps of High Hrothgaar, where he became at last a Clever Man.

(And this is why sometimes if you pray hard enough, you can still see Sarthaal outside of only memory and in its fullest glory.)

So ole Herkel went up something like "High Hrothgaar", the spelling might not be accurate, like in "Sarthaal". Ever heard of it? are there any other sources as to the whereabouts of Saarthal? - would help me a lot calculating marching times, directions etc.

Ah yes, and the final one: why is this forum in dark grey, smallest font, on black?

I heard that Ysgramor was buried under his old Caslte in Windhelm...So a Ysgramor Mausoleum is an excellent idea, we should do it, if it is time to work on Windhelm and Windhelm Castle Interiors.

I know from an older Thread about Skyrim Lore at the Bethesda Lore Section that Winterhold was build on the ruins of Saarthal as a symbol of victory.

High Hrothgar is the highest Mountain on Skyrim (it is located in Whitehold) and lore says that every young nord have to climb up to the peak of HH to be accepted as a full grown man.

I'll give our Head of Lore a link to that thread if there is known something else.

Cool,

I love your work on the chronicles... good job

Yeah, the location of saarthal is said to be under modern winterhold, here's a quote fropm the PGttE 1st. edition.

Quote :

For a time, relations between Men and Elves were harmonious, and the Nords throve in the new land, summoning more of their kin from the North to build the city of Saarthal, the site of which has recently been located by Imperial archaeologists in the vicinity of modern Winterhold.

AFAIK there is no lore concerning the burial area of Ysgramor, but windhelm is an obvious choice.
To find out about lore I use the imperial library search function along with Firefox's page search, makes finding things easy.
Keep up the good work, can't wait to read it.

Thank you for the warm welcome!

here's how I pictured the last night of Saarthal:

Quote :

Now this was not the sound of alarm the Nords were used to, but it sounded alarm. It had every man reach for his arms within seconds. To a man, the Nordmen rushed out of their houses at the sound of these bloody horns. They were received by elven bowmen half-circled around their doors. Eight out of ten were dead before they could even think of fighting back, the rest got quickly dispatched by elves equipped with straight long and short blades, who were placed along the walls to the left and right of house entrances...a few elves then entered the houses, and you hardly ever heard a scream from inside. On their way out, these elves set fire to the house. Before leaving, the elves made sure every house was burning. As simple as that. In cold blood, they slaughtered every single Nord, man, woman or child in Saarthal that night. They showed neither mercy nor cruelty. The elves did not come to plunder or rape, they came to kill. The "Night of tears" they call it nowadays – but believe you me, there was not a single tear shed that night. The "Night of blood and fire" it should have been called.

Yes. I just threw this quote in to wet you appetite

So the situation looks like this (here's a quote I can justify for a change):

Quote :

Windhelm is a city in northeastern Skyrim, close to the border with Morrowind. It is the only substantial city in the Hold of Eastmarch and is a base for Imperial troops guarding the Dunmeth Pass into Morrowind. Windhelm was once the capitol of the First Empire, the old palace of the Ysgramor dynasty can still be seen in the center of the city. The palace is in fact one of the few original First Empire buildings left, as the city has been sacked twice, during the War of Succession (before 1E 420) and by the Akaviri army of Ada'Soon Dir-Kamal.

(UESPWiki on Windhelm).

Quote :

Winterhold (sometimes called Winter Hold) is the capital of the namesake county and a coastal fortress, located on the northeastern tip of Skyrim. Somewhat isolated from the rest of Nord culture, but still wealthy and influential, it is known as one of the Old Holds. Due to its proximity to Morrowind's border, Winterhold is heavily affected by Dunmer ways and ideas, fueling part of its economy. It contains the Ysmir Collective, and the well-known College of Winterhold. The ruins of Saarthal are closeby.

The failure to appoint Jarl Hanse of Winterhold to King of Skyrim ignited the War of Succession in 1E 369.

(UESPWiki on Winterhold).

The Pocket Guide to the Empire seems to be the direct source of this information, exept that last sentence in the Winterhold Wiki article: "The ruins of Saarthal are closeby."
is founded on:

Quote :

...the city of Saarthal, the site of which has recently been located by Imperial archaeologists in the vicinity of modern Winterhold.

(The Pocket Guide to the Empire, Skyrim - can't believe how often I've read this passage without anything going "bing!")

So to me, that seems to plainly suggest that:
Saarthal is indeed not buried under anything. It would have been a bit strange as well: the Nords, returning from near extinction building their first town...
...
...right on the cemetry of their own kin!

after all, this was only four years after Saarthals destruction. The place must have still been littered with bones!

No self respecting, traditionalist Nord would have said something like: "awright folks, let's shovel this rubbish away and start again, right here!".

This also means we're rather at liberty as to where the ruins of Saarthal.actually are. This is good. Now, for dramatic reasons, I need about a nights march between Saarthal and the coastline, so I'd place it south-west of Winterhold, about 20 km away from it. This translates to 2 km in game, as Morrowind scales the landscape 1:10. Just as far as you can go before it becoming more like "in the vicinity of Windhelm". It still would have made sense for the Nords to build Winterhold first, since as atmoran fishermen, they would have preferred to live close enough to the sea, to live from it, and far enough away, not to be eaten by it.

Somewhere already rather high uphill.
It would be "my Nords" then, who'd scrap the remains of Saarthal and build Winterhold. Only Ysgramor wouldn't have any of it. Being a Nord of the land rather than one of the sea,he preferred a location further in land and with better strategic abilities. Windhelm.

Thanks a lot!

I think I now got some ideas on how to make the third part, "Wrath", interesting.

- and, btw. it'll be some time 'til I get there so please, if you find any glaring faults in the above ramblings then post away!

Your decisions make sense and don't contradict lore, so it sounds ok to me.
I like the informal style of the writing a lot, it suits a Nordic book perfectly.

edit: I'd change 'elves equipped with straight long and short blades' to 'elves equipped with straight bladed longswords and daggers' or something like that.
Long and short blades sounds a little wierd, like a reference to the game's skills or something. Wow, I nag about some wierd things.

Anyway, it sounds excellent so far!
If you want someone to read over your work for you, then hit me up, I'd be happy to.