Where All the Elder Scrolls Games Have Taken Place

The Elder Scrolls series, developed by Bethesda Game Studios, is celebrated for its immersive open worlds set in the fictional continent of Tamriel. Each mainline game and several spin-offs explore distinct regions, showcasing unique cultures, landscapes, and histories. Below is a detailed guide to the settings of all Elder Scrolls games within Tamriel and beyond.

1. The Elder Scrolls: Arena (1994)

Setting: All of Tamriel

The series’ debut, Arena, spans the entire continent of Tamriel, covering nine provinces: Black Marsh, Cyrodiil, Elsweyr, Hammerfell, High Rock, Morrowind, Skyrim, Summerset Isles, and Valenwood. Players travel across procedurally generated cities, dungeons, and wilderness to recover the Staff of Chaos. Despite 1990s technological constraints, the Imperial City in Cyrodiil serves as a central hub, laying the foundation for the series’ expansive lore.

2. The Elder Scrolls II: Daggerfall (1996)

Setting: High Rock and Hammerfell (Iliac Bay Region)

Daggerfall focuses on the Iliac Bay, bridging High Rock and Hammerfell. High Rock, home to the Bretons, features medieval European-inspired castles and political intrigue. Hammerfell, inhabited by the Redguards, includes deserts and coastal areas with Middle Eastern and North African influences. Its vast, procedurally generated world—roughly the size of Great Britain—offers countless towns and dungeons, with a story centered on a ghostly mystery in Daggerfall and Wayrest.

3. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002)

Setting: Vvardenfell (Morrowind Province)

Morrowind is set on Vvardenfell, a volcanic island in the Dunmer (Dark Elf) province of Morrowind. Dominated by Red Mountain, the alien landscape includes ash wastelands, fungal forests, and Dwemer ruins. The Tribunal Temple and Great Houses shape a culture of political and religious intrigue. Key locations include the waterbound city of Vivec and the ash-choked Ghostgate. The Tribunal expansion explores Mournhold, Morrowind’s mainland capital, while Bloodmoon visits the icy island of Solstheim.

4. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006)

Setting: Cyrodiil

Oblivion takes place in Cyrodiil, the cosmopolitan heart of the Tamrielic Empire and home to the Imperials. This temperate province features rolling hills, dense forests, and the grand Imperial City, with Roman and medieval European aesthetics. Players confront the Oblivion Crisis, venturing into the fiery Daedric realm of Mehrunes Dagon. The Shivering Isles expansion introduces Sheogorath’s surreal Daedric plane, split between manic and demented landscapes.

5. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)

Setting: Skyrim

Skyrim is set in the rugged northern province of Skyrim, home to the Nords. Its snow-covered mountains, tundra, and Nordic ruins reflect the region’s warrior culture. Key cities include Whiterun, a trading hub; Solitude, the imperial capital; and Windhelm, a bastion of Nord tradition. The story revolves around the return of dragons, with players exploring barrows, Dwemer ruins, and the Throat of the World. Dawnguard focuses on vampire lore, while Dragonborn revisits Solstheim, now a mix of Dunmer and Nord settlements.

6. The Elder Scrolls Online (2014)

Setting: Most of Tamriel

The Elder Scrolls Online (ESO), a massively multiplayer RPG, explores Tamriel in the Second Era, 1,000 years before Skyrim. Initially covering parts of Cyrodiil, Skyrim, Morrowind, High Rock, and Hammerfell, ESO’s expansions have added nearly every region, including:

Summerset Isles (Summerset): The tropical homeland of the Altmer.
Elsweyr (Elsweyr): The Khajiit’s desert and jungle province.
Black Marsh (Murkmire, Shadows of the Hist): The swampy Argonian homeland.
Valenwood (Greenshade, Malabal Tor): The Bosmer’s dense forests.
The Reach (Markarth): A rugged area of western Skyrim.
Deadlands (Deadlands): A Daedric plane of Oblivion.

ESO’s interconnected map, from Alik’r Desert to Auridon’s shores, serves as a living atlas of Tamriel’s past.

7. Spin-Offs and Smaller Titles

The Elder Scrolls Adventures: Redguard (1998)
Setting: Stros M’Kai (Hammerfell)
This action-adventure game is set on Stros M’Kai, a tropical Redguard island off Hammerfell’s coast. Featuring pirate coves, Dwemer ruins, and a vibrant port, the story focuses on rebellion against the Empire.
The Elder Scrolls Travels Series (2003–2006)
Setting: Various (High Rock, Morrowind, Cyrodiil)
These mobile games include Dawnstar (northern Skyrim), Stormhold (a Morrowind dungeon), and Shadowkey (parts of High Rock and Hammerfell).
The Elder Scrolls: Blades (2019)
Setting: A generic Cyrodiil town
This mobile RPG features a customizable Cyrodiil town with procedurally generated dungeons, tied to the province’s familiar aesthetic.

8. The Elder Scrolls VI (TBA)

Setting: Likely Hammerfell and/or High Rock

While unconfirmed, The Elder Scrolls VI’s 2018 teaser trailer depicts a rocky, coastal landscape resembling Hammerfell or High Rock. Fan speculation, supported by Bethesda’s history with these provinces (Daggerfall, Redguard), suggests a focus on Hammerfell’s Redguard homeland, possibly including High Rock or the Iliac Bay. Details remain speculative.

Tamriel’s Unexplored Corners

While much of Tamriel has been explored, Valenwood (Bosmer forests) and Black Marsh (Argonian swamps) remain underrepresented in mainline games, primarily featured in ESO. Other continents like Akavir, Atmora, and Yokuda, mentioned in lore, have yet to appear in-game, offering potential for future titles.

Conclusion

The Elder Scrolls series has transported players across Tamriel’s diverse provinces, from Morrowind’s ashlands to Skyrim’s snowy peaks, each game crafting a distinct sense of place. From Arena’s continent-wide ambition to the cultural depth of Morrowind and Oblivion, and ESO’s expansive atlas, Bethesda has made geography a cornerstone of its storytelling. As anticipation builds for The Elder Scrolls VI, the promise of new lands—perhaps Hammerfell’s deserts—continues to captivate fans.