you got fucking kings, Torygg, Helseth, living gods of the Tribunal.... under an "Emperor"? who puts some garrisons around but does.... what exactly?

theres an "East Empire Trading Company"? whats that do?

it kinda seems like a holy roman empire, kinda seems like a regular roman empire. they've got knights, dukes, but a Legion...

yes i know the answer is technically "these jackoffs just made it up as they went" and don't care a lick about political theory but this is exactly the kind of excercise that makes fun speculative historiography

  • FourteenEyes [he/him]
    ·
    2 years ago

    In Morrowind they're en explicitly expansionist empire teetering on the edge of their decline. Tiber Septim's force of personality and military strategy got him conquest of everything but Morrowind and Summerset, and activating Numidium got him those. From there it was just the material interests of those who make up the machinery of Imperial government carrying it along, and then the Oblivion Crisis damaged things enough that new political changes were possible. That's when shit started falling apart at the seams. By the time we're in Skyrim the "Tamrielic" empire has been reduced to three provinces, one of which it's about to lose to civil war.

    As fictional empires go you could write worse.

    • Dolores [love/loves]
      hexagon
      ·
      2 years ago

      (i havent played morrowind so take away my gamer card now) but i thought the empire was relatively healthy in the early installments? whats decline-y about it during morrowind?

      • FourteenEyes [he/him]
        ·
        2 years ago

        The events of Arena have made it so that everyone doubts that the Emperor's heirs are legitimate, and at one point your crackhead handler gets recalled to Cyrodiil to help out with the situation. There's grumblings of secession/rebellion as always, but nothing ever happens. Mostly though it's got the vibe of an empire that's run out of territory to conquer. The colossal failure of the efforts to invade Akavir set back the Empire a ways, and by the time Uriel and his heirs are dead in Oblivion it's just the final nail in the coffin. Later on the Thalmor rises up and absorbs Valenwood and Elsweyr, Hammerfell breaks away, Morrowind just basically stops answering the phone after the Red Year, and the Black Marsh expanded into Morrowind as vengeance for centuries of being enslaved.

        • Smeagolicious [they/them]
          ·
          edit-2
          2 years ago

          Uncritical (ok somewhat critical) support for our An-Xileel comrades in their fight against the dunmeri oppressors

          :grumpy-lizard: :rat-salute-2:

      • fox [comrade/them]
        ·
        2 years ago

        The empire doesn't exist yet before and during the events of Morrowind. At the time the game takes place, the Tiber Wars are ongoing, as Tiber Septim is still unifying the human realms before trying to face Black Marsh, Elsweyr, or the Mer kingdoms.

        • Dolores [love/loves]
          hexagon
          ·
          2 years ago

          :agony-shivering: damn you got me real confused but UESP got my back

          Tiber septim 2E828-->3E38

          Morrowind is in 3e 427.

          im pretty sure Tiber Septim is in like... Redguard? and maybe Daggerfall? but Morrowind he's won and theres an imperial garrison on Vvardenfell