Is there any link between the Heroes of the Elder Scrolls games?

Question

In the Elder Scrolls saga, you play as a different character in each game. In Arena, you play as a minor member of the Imperial Court who was imprisoned during the Imperial Battlemage's power grab. In Daggerfall, you are a traveling adventurer who is hired by the Emperor to investigate the death of King Lysandus of Daggerfall. In Morrowind, you play as a prisoner who is exiled to the land of Morrowind, where you discover that you are a hero from prophecy, the Nerevarine. In Oblivion, you are a random prisoner who is caught up in restoring the throne of the Empire after the Emperor's assassination. In Skyrim, you are an adventurer who was almost beheaded for being near the leader of a rebellion in Skyrim, later finding out that you are one of the Dragonborn.

Is there any canonical link between these five heroes? It's always been obvious that they aren't the same person, but is there some other link between them? I realize that The Elder Scrolls has always allowed for a lot of customization and role playing aspects, but there is usually a "canonical" hero, anyway. I'm open to answers sourced from the game developers, or in-game documents or dialogue. If no link exists, that's fine too, but I'd like some canonical proof that there isn't.

Answer 1

There is a possible link between Oblivion and Skyrim with the character Sheogorath, not necessarily tying the heroes together, but a continuation of a hero through to another game.

In Oblivion:

After defeating Jyggalag at the end of the expansion, The Champion is named the new Sheogorath.

And further:

Sheogorath's dialogue in Skyrim may suggest that he is the Hero of Kvatch; that character became Sheogorath in the events of the The Elder Scrolls IV: Shivering Isles. This is referenced twice by Sheogorath, first with his mention of having been at the Oblivion crisis "for that whole sordid affair" and also with his mention of his position being passed down from him to himself every few thousand years. However, it is also possible that, being an insane Daedric Prince, he was able to watch the events and literally passes the title of Madgod from himself to himself.

Source

Answer 2

I don't think there's any real link, especially considering it's one of those role playing game series allowing you to define your own character (despite the fact your starting situation is fixed).

There are lots of cross references (especially through quests and books) but none will create any connection between characters. It's up to the player to define them (if he wants to have such), but other than that it's very loosely and not tied to any fixed connections.

For example, in Oblivion you start out in a prison cell. But there's no further story attached. The reason why you're there is unknown (it's up to you) and there's nothing special about your ancestry or anything.

In Skyrim it's similar: Here the reason is known - you're caught with rebels and about to be executed (but no specifics). In addition to that, you're obviously one of the Dragonborn. But other than that, there's nothing given. Are you married already? Where were you born? Who were your ancestors? It's up to the player (except the fact of being Dragonborn).

Answer 3

As Toider says, Sheogorath could be the Hero of Kvatch/Champion of Cyrodiil as Skyrim was released after the Shivering Isles expansion was released but we know from the expansion that Sheogorath sometimes get confused like in these memorable comments

I once dug a pit and filled it with clouds....or was it clowns.... it doesn't matter, it didn't slow him down. But it really began to smell! Must have been clowns. Clouds don't smell, they taste of butter. And tears.

-

Jyggalag! He is the Prince of Order. Or biscuits...no, no, Order!

so for all we know, Sheogorath saw the Oblivion Crisis and got confused that he was there, he's mad after all, however in that we do learn that Sheogorath is 2 people

• Sheogorath - The Deadric Prince of Madness
• Jyggalag - The Deadric Prince of Order

remember that after the main quest line of the Shivering Isles Jyggalag, while defeated, was freed from his curse so he wouldn't become Sheogorath again, if Jyggalag is a separate entity in Skyrim (haven't came across him yet) then we can confirm that the events of the Shivering Isles has occurred and that Skyrim's Sheogorath is the Hero of Kvatch/Champion of Cyrodiil

As for the Nerevarine from Morrowind, he/she is mentioned in Oblivion as having made an expedition to Akavir. now i remember in Morrowind somewhere that Corprus Victims couldn't age, evidence to this is Yagrum Bagarn, the last known living Dwemer. having mentioned that he was around at the time of the Dwemer's Disappearance but on another plane so he was unaffected, now

• The Dwemer disappeared in 1E 700

• The Fist Era ended in 1E 2920

• The Second Era lasted for at least 897 years

• Morrowind takes place in 3E 427

with these 4 facts, Bagarn's age is at least 3544, now since the Dwemer was researching immortality, leading to the discovery of the Heart of Lorkhanand Kagrenac's theory to tap into it to obtain the power of the divine and ascend the Dwemer to the divine to obtain immortality we can assume Bagarn's age isn't natural and is from his Corprus.

In Morrowind the Nerevarine is inflicted with Corprus and goes to Divayth Fyr for a cure, Divayth gives him one which has killed every other test subject thus far, after seeing the Nerevarine live he explains that what he created isn't actually a cure, the Nerevarine is still inflicted with Corprus however the negative effects of the despise have been removed only leaving the benefits so if Bagarn is immortal having Corprus then so is the Nerevarine (cause Divayth would see immortality as one of the benefits of the despise)

But you can die in Morrowind even after that!, well true but remember that Corprus does allow advance regeneration as Sixth House Cultists would cut off lumps of flesh from each other and eat it and it would regenerate, it's possible that in Morrowind you die before the regeneration can heal you properly.

Finally there is the Second Trail of the Nerevarine

Neither blight nor age can harm him.

this would mean that the Nerevarine can not age, since this trial comes from having the negative effects of Corprus removed this further strengthens the evidence that Corprus victims can not age. all of this would indicate that the Nerevarine is still alive in Skyrim those his/her location isn't revealed to us (the Nerevarine is mentioned in the Dragonborn DLC but i haven't played it yet to confirm)

the Last thing that could tie the Nerevarine, Hero of Kvatch/Champion of Cyrodiil and Dohvakiin together is Umbra, in Morrowind and Oblivion it can be obtained by the player and i remember in The Infernal City that the wielder at the time threw the sword through an Oblivion Portal

Sul and Vuhon both were thrown into Oblivion, and a being named Umbra took that opportunity of the barrier between worlds opening to throw a sword, also called Umbra, into Tamriel, preventing Clavicus Vile from imprisoning him in it again.

the book occurs decades after the Oblivion Crisis and the Ministry of Truth finished its fall into the city of Vivec in 4E 5 and destroyed Vivec city, which also caused the eruption of Red Mountain which made Vvardenfell even more desolated than before. Now Umbra seems to have some sort of spirit inside it as it took another form which helped it escape Clavicus Vile so if this spirit in Umbra was aware during Morrowind and Oblivion, if found in Skyrim (want to find it myself) it'll link all 3 hero's together

Answer 4

In my research of Talos, I cannot remember what they are called by the official elder scroll wiki, but it is possible all five are one being that reincarnates into a new being. Not making them a god like Talos, but just a figure who turns up when needed by the world in a fresh vessel. Although this would also make the character an avatar of Lorkham. I like this idea, you fight for the greater good but the whole time you are an embodiment of the greatest evil.

Answer 5

The Lexicon cube is obtained early in Morrowind questline, I'm unsure if there is more than one, however if only one this same cube is what you use to obtain the Elder Scroll (Dragon).

Answer 6

In Oblivion you most likely become the Emperor of Tamriel. And in Skyrim you kill the Emperor of Tamriel prior to the Dark Brotherhood mission. If Oblivion and Skyrim take place around the same time period, it is safe to say you kill the main character of Oblivion.