Tamriel's real world equivalents (your opinion)

[KayO199X]

It's obvious that the people and plances of Tamriel are based on real places and people in our world. Here is how I see the 10 races and their homelands.

People...
Imperials= Romans
Bretons= French
Nords= Vikings
Redguards= Africans
Khajiits= Arabs
Argonians= Native Americans (possibly Aztecs)
Altmer= British
Dunmer= Jewish
Bosmer= Celtic
Orcs= Mongolians
Thalmor= The Third Reich

Places...
Imperial City= City of Rome
Cyrodiil= Italy
High Rock= France
Skyrim= Scandonavia
Hammerfell= Africa
Elsweyr= Middle East
Black Marsh= Central America
Summerset Isles= Great Britan

What do you think are the real world equivelents of Tamriel's people and places?

 

[Speech500]

Well i think that Throat of the world is a mix of Mt Koji or whatever its called and Everest.

 

[J'Sabbah]

Well thought out. I like it

 

[demujin]

I wouldn't say any of the races are equivalents of real world ethnicities, but I would say that humans are analog to real world peoples. Nords (Norse, Vikings), Imperials (Ancient Romans), Bretons (Celtic, British, think Merlin) and Redguards (Northern Africans with some Middle eastern cultural similarities).

The Mer are harder to pin down, and I personally I don't think they directly equate with any real world peoples. The Altmer in many ways are the classical fantasy version of a "High Elf" naturally attuned with magic. Bosmer are just what they are said to be: wood elves (think ranger type, like the mirkwood elf Legolas). Dunmer Jewish? That seems like a stretch to me, but perhaps I'm mistaken. Culturally speaking the Mer races are each a hodgepodge of characteristics from different historical civilizations. It is quite common for fantasy writers to construct fictional civilizations inspired from a multitude of real life cultures, read George RR Martin as an example.

As for the beast races, Argonians I think are an indigenous rainforest tribal people who have never been truly conquered. Central America works for Elsweyr, but I don't think the Aztecs do, they were a highly organized empire living primarily outside of the jungle. Again, like the Mer, I think they are an amalgam of qualities taken from different real world tribal cultures. And the Khajiit are also an amalgam, with a very interesting culture and history.

At any rate we gotta give props to the people at Bethesda for creating such a rich and varied fantasy universe.


(Edit) And one other thing... it would be cool to see or play as this race at some point.
http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Imga

 

[SeaDog]

I would concur, save for a few things. IMHO, Bretons are most likely Britons (British). Altmer are probably French. Beyond that, I think you're spot on.

 

[demujin]

I don't agree with the mongol/orc comparison, primarily because the Mongols were light armor wearing horse riding archers. The Orsimers are supposed to be masters of heavy armor. it's hard to imagine them riding swiftly on horseback while loosing arrows at the enemies.

I agree with the Thalmor as being similar to the Third Reich, what with the whole master race angle. But they could also be the Catholic Church of the middle ages, with it's persecution of heretics and unbelievers. The Thalmor Ordinators are religious enforcers.

 

[KayO199X]

Here is the reason why i sorted the races the way i did...

Dunmer= Jewish- They are a displaced people who the locals don't like.

Breton= French- All their names are French. To be fair though, they also have some celtic roots as well.

Altmer= British- They all speak with British accents, and their rising empire seems similar to the British empire.

Thamor= The Third Reich- They took over Summerset Isles in a time of depression. They are also big belivers in eugenics. Even their robes are nazish.

Orc= Mongolians- They are a warrior people without much of a homeland (Orsinima is very small).

 

[Prisoner]

Jewish- They are a displaced people who nobody likes.

lol.

 

[KayO199X]

You got me there. I'll make sure to change that for political correctness.

 

[demujin]

Ok I see now. Thanks for clarifying, they are well thought out for sure, but I still think some of the comparisons are forced. At any rate, it is fun to make them.

 

[Mabe]

The Dwemer could be based on the Egyptians. A dead civilization that was highly advanced.

Orcs could be considered similar to some of the warrior tribes of American Indians. Not so much in terms of weponry but social structure, the long houses and outlook on the world are similar. They also remind me very much of the Celts.

 

[Daniel Olav Mikaelson]

You got me there. I'll make sure to change that for political correctness.

Political correctness is stupid, racism is dumb, but nothing you said was racist nor should it be offensive. If it hurt someone's feelings they are overly sensitive.

 

[Calcelmo]

Nice work. Most of what you posted sounds just about right to me.

 

[Flint firestorm]

Mongels? No home? Ever heard of mongoliea?
No one like dark elfs in skyrim that does not mean all of tamreal hate then. Plus thalmar like them. Which means that you think the third reich likes Jews
Wood elf is probely a native american tribe.
Redgaurds maybe ottoman?
Imperials England
Nords Scottish or Norse
Dwarves roman. Ancient civilisation dissapers. Armour looks roman. Enslave people

 

[Mystalvision]

...Redguards (Northern Africans with some Middle eastern cultural similarities

Redguards actually seem like North Africans, West Africans in the days of their Medieval Empires, and Southeast Africans in the days of the Swahili city-states. Swahili is a trade language which is half Arabic and half Southeast African.

Also, I think the Akivir are meant to be reminiscent of East Asian in terms of words, and in terms of the Akiviri sword.

 

[Dovakiin98]

It's obvious that the people and plances of Tamriel are based on real places and people in our world. Here is how I see the 10 races and their homelands.

People...
Imperials= Romans
Bretons= French
Nords= Vikings
Redguards= Africans
Khajiits= Arabs
Argonians= Native Americans (possibly Aztecs)
Altmer= British
Dunmer= Jewish
Bosmer= Celtic
Orcs= Mongolians
Thalmor= The Third Reich

Places...
Imperial City= City of Rome
Cyrodiil= Italy
High Rock= France
Skyrim= Scandonavia
Hammerfell= Africa
Elsweyr= Middle East
Black Marsh= Central America
Summerset Isles= Great Britan

What do you think are the real world equivelents of Tamriel's people and places?

I agree with you on everything except about the Dunmer.I think the Dunmer are more like the Irish in the 1880`s.You know forced out of their homeland by a disaster,[eruption of Red Mountain=potato famine]and also given the hardest work no one wants.

 

[treasurehunter]

I can't get my head around the Dunmer being Jewish. They really aren't. I would say they are based on perhaps any native civilization to a mountainous region. Hawaii pops into my head, as well as some where in the Caribbean. It would be south, since their race is resistant to fire, so maybe this real-life civilization is near a volcano. As well, the Dunmer's skill in the destruction school would mean this real life Peoples would know something about spirituality.
The only place I can think of, since I'm not that great with world geology, would be Hawaii.

 

[Daniel Olav Mikaelson]

Nords are Norse, anyone that says any different needs an arrow in the knee

 

[XbSuper]

Only problem I see, is that the thalmor aren't a different race, they are altmer who have simply sided with them. It's like saying nazis aren't German, but their own race.

 

[Flint firestorm]

Only problem I see, is that the thalmor aren't a different race, they are altmer who have simply sided with them. It's like saying nazis aren't German, but their own race.

Well not all nazeis are german they are a political party that is in England and America although there now called neo nazeis