Highlights
- Lorkhan’s influence in Tamriel is significant, with many cultures worshiping him despite his limited presence in previous Elder Scrolls games.
- Lorkhan’s role as a trickster god and enemy of the mer, while being revered by humans, adds a layer of conflict to the lore of The Elder Scrolls.
- The Elder Scrolls 6 could potentially explore Lorkhan’s character more deeply by spotlighting him as a protagonist or antagonist.
Religion plays a large role in The Elder Scrolls across all the different cultures thanks to the active role the Daedric Princes and Divines play in the lives of mortals. One of the most important gods is worshiped across Tamriel, and is responsible for creating the mortal realm. The two moons, Secunda and Masser, are believed to be his body, while his heart rested within Red Mountain, a volcano in Vvardenfell, Morrowind. He goes by many names, like Sheor, Shezarr, and Sep, but he’s most commonly known as Shor by the Nords, or Lorkhan by the Elves. Lorkhan could play a massive role in The Elder Scrolls 6, and provide conflict far beyond that of Skyrim’s Talos.
The Elder Scrolls 6 Has a Unique Advantage Bethesda Hasn’t Had Before
Though Elder Scrolls 6 is likely still far away from launch, it may have an advantage over its predecessors thanks to its position in the franchise.
Who is Lorkhan?
It’s believed that Lorkhan was created by Sithis to destroy the universe in vengeance against the Divines. In most mythologies, he tricks the Divines into creating the mortal realm and Tamriel, and taking away the immortality of the elves. In retaliation, the Divines tore apart his body; his Heart landed in Morrowind, and his body became Tamriel’s two moons. Because he’s responsible for the mortality of the elves, the mer regard him as a trickster god and an enemy of their people, while humans view him as the source of their existence, and so revere him.
Lorkhan Made Manifest
Despite his status as a Missing god, Lorkhan’s influence is felt across Tamriel. Lorkhan is the only god apart from Akatosh who is worshiped by all the cultures of Tamriel. In times of great turmoil, Lorkhan has been known to physically manifest in Tamriel to become a champion of Men in a form known as the Shezarrine, a name taken from the Cyrodiilic word for Lorkhan, “Shezarr”. The most documented instance of this is Pelinal Whitestrake, who was the sworn champion of the slave-queen Alessia who overthrew the Ayleid elves. It’s also highly likely that Ysmir Wulfharth was a Shezarrine as he shared many qualities with Shor.
That Lorkhan appears in Tamriel even after dying is not so strange. As a god, though he lost his body, his spirit is still alive and has a strong connection to the plane he created. Khajiit myths state, “We curse you, noisy Lorkhaj, to walk Nirni for many phases,” a statement that speaks to Lorkhan appearing in mortal form over the eras.
Lorkhan’s Absence from The Elder Scrolls
Despite Lorkhan’s importance in creating Mundus, his death, and his influence on all the cultures of Tamriel, he’s never featured prominently in The Elder Scrolls. His presence in The Elder Scrolls has been reduced to an artifact in the form of the Heart of Lorkhan, as lore in a few obscure texts in in-game books, or as a part of Skyrim‘s overall culture in the form of Shor. Pelinal Whitestrake appears in Oblivion in the Knights of the Nine expansion pack, but his role as the Shezarrine is never mentioned outside a book about him.
Lorkhan’s Role in TES6
The Elder Scrolls 6 having a prominent Shezarrine presence, whether as the player character or as the main villain of the game, would be a great way to bring this incredibly important deity to the forefront. Because Lorkhan has never really been explored before, The Elder Scrolls 6 would have a lot of space in exploring the character, as well as the different cultures’ relationship to Lorkhan, far more so than the Talos conflict in Skyrim.
The Elder Scrolls 6
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda Softworks