Summary
WhileThe Elder Scrollshas taken players to many different provinces in its expansive world of Tamriel, Cyrodiil is one of the most memorable locations, on account of its dominant presence in one of the best games in the series,The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, as well as the part it plays in the series' overarching political landscape. For the most part, Cyrodiil has played a significant role inThe Elder Scrollslore, but it hasn’t always remained the same. In fact, Cyrodiil has transformed considerably over the course of theElder Scrollsseries, which is now over three decades old.
From its climate to its hand inThe Elder Scrolls' politics, the province of Cyrodiil has been reimagined several times throughoutThe Elder Scrolls' lifespan. Considering Cyrodiil’s consistent impact on the franchise, it’s likely players will once again see or at least hear about it inThe Elder Scrolls 6, and it’s possible the province might even be transformed once again.
Cyrodiil’s Evolution Throughout The Elder Scrolls
Cyrodiil in The Elder Scrolls Arena and Daggerfall
The Elder Scrolls: Arenamarks the beginning of theElder Scrollsseries and therefore sees Cyrodiil portrayed in its simplest form. InArena, Cyrodiil was a procedurally generated open world, a landmark achievement at the time, as it allowedArenato feature over 15,000 unique locations. However, Cyrodiil being procedurally generated inArenaultimately meant that any defining features it might have had otherwise weren’t present. As part of a uniform world, the only thing that differentiatedArena’s Cyrodiil from other locations in the game was its role in the story. It featured key cities, like the Imperial City, but nothing too distinct beyond that.
The Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfallsaw Cyrodiil transformed, but not in a visible or physical way. Instead,Daggerfallgave Cyrodiil more shape in the series' lore — a defining move forThe Elder Scrollsthat would go on to impact the way Cyrodiil has been portrayed and referenced in more modern entries. While players can’t exploreCyrodiil inDaggerfall, the province is described in the game as a jungle made tropical due to its proximity to the Ayleid civilization, which is howThe Pocket Guide to the Empire(1st Edition) describes it.
Cyrodiil in The Elder Scrolls Morrowind and Oblivion
Once again, inThe Elder Scrolls 3: Morrowind, Cyrodiilis only referenced and can’t be explored by players. However,Morrowindeffectively established Cyrodiil as a location that plays a pivotal role inThe Elder Scrolls' politics. ThroughoutMorrowind’s story, it becomes apparent that the Empire has a strong grip on the province, which ultimately makes Cyrodiil the cultural and administrative heart of Tamriel. Thanks toMorrowind’s emphasis on politics, Cyrodiil is further established as the seat of the Septim Dynasty and the birthplace of Imperial culture, which would go on to impact the next game in the series,The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion.
WhileThe Elder Scrolls: Arenamight have portrayed Cyrodiil for the first time, it wasn’t until the release ofThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionthat it was fully realized as a unique location. Serving asOblivion’s primary setting, Cyrodiilis a sprawling and visually accessible world with an unprecedented emphasis on exploration at the time. However,Oblivion’s portrayal of Cyrodiil is a bit of a lore retcon, as its depiction marked a significant departure from what the series had established previously.
ThroughoutMorrowind’s story, it becomes apparent that the Empire has a strong grip on the province, which ultimately makes Cyrodiil the cultural and administrative heart of Tamriel.
Rather than being a tropical jungle, as it was described inThe Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall, Cyrodiil inThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivionwas reimagined as a temperate, pastoral landscape reminiscent of medieval Europe. Additionally, theImperial City inOblivionbecame a central hub of sorts surrounded by a variety of distinct biomes, from forests to mountains. While these design choices might have been the result of technical limitations at the time, Bethesda did note that its decision to depart from the series' established lore was to create a world that prioritized aesthetics over adherence to prior lore.
Cyrodiil in The Elder Scrolls Skyrim and Online
LikeThe Elder Scrolls 2andThe Elder Scrolls 3,The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrimdoesn’t feature Cyrodiil as an explorable location, but Skyrim’s proximity to Cyrodiil can be felt in some of the province’s environments, and Cyrodiil’s political influence remains strong, just as it has before. The Empire, based in Cyrodiil, is engaged in a civil war with the Aldmeri Dominion following the events of theOblivion Crisis, and plenty of references toCyrodiil inSkyrimhelp reinforce Cyrodiil’s status as the political heart of Tamriel.
Players can also experience a bit of Cyrodiil’s temperate climate if they travel to Skyrim’s southern regions, which shows just how close the two provinces are to one another.
Finally,The Elder Scrolls Onlinefeatures Cyrodiil as a large PVP zone where the Aldmeri Dominion, theDaggerfall Covenant, and the Ebonheart Pact fight for control of the Imperial City and the province. However,The Elder Scrolls Onlinetakes Cyrodiil back to its Second Era days, before the events ofThe Elder Scrolls: Arena. This means that Cyrodiil is in a pre-Imperial state inThe Elder Scrolls Online, although the Imperial City is still present within the province. Given how Cyrodiil’s climate has shifted over time throughoutThe Elder Scrolls,The Elder Scrolls Onlinefeatures Cyrodiil with both lush and temporate environments, blending every rendition and description of the province together.
The evolution of Cyrodiil throughout theElder Scrollsseries parallels the growth and progress of the series itself, as it remains adaptable, ambitious, and central to Tamriel’s evolving landscape and narrative. Whether depicted as a tropical jungle or a temperate heartland, Cyrodiil remains a significant part ofThe Elder Scrollsloreand gameplay. As the franchise now looks ahead, Cyrodiil’s rich history and dinstinct interpretations ensure it will continue to play an important role, and perhaps it will be met with yet another transformation inThe Elder Scrolls 6.
