ESO “Educational” Videos

Or, I’m Still Recovering from a Near-Miss with a Migraine and My Head Still Isn’t All There

I haven’t had the best past few days—trying to keep my heart light, focus on the things that give me joy, and see a future full of possibilities. But then I remember grad school and how my future hinges on what I do outside my courses. Maybe that’s why I got the migraine today. Anyway…

A digital sketch of a female khajiit in armor slashing a mudcrab in half with a massive two-handed weapon; she looks cartoonishly enraged. The mudcrab halves fly into the air, showing a single bone inside the shell.
Sketch that I uploaded to my Instagram, because I guess I found a reason to use that account again.

After about 12 hours in the game, I’m still stuck on Khenarthi’s Roost, wrapping up political intrigue and underbelly quests before I can move on to the next region—hopefully one with lots of evergreen trees and cool lakes. As someone who’s tired of seeing the same worn tropes in fantasy, I can appreciate new locales and depictions of familiar and different cultures… but I’ll always choose the forests and mountains as my favorite places to roam.

With 30 years of Elder Scrolls lore, learning the history of this world is pretty daunting. Thankfully, TES fans have condensed their knowledge into videos—though maybe not the ones I need to be watching. But these popped up in my feed and I can’t complain.

When the Dragonborn tries to join the Stormcloaks

What’s the best way to explain factions and their inherent flaws in Skyrim? Mix them up with my favorite Irish sitcom, Father Ted. There are a handful of other Father Ted/Skyrim videos, and that’s just not enough. It’s a shame this mashup didn’t last longer or go viral; I might have noticed and gotten into TES sooner.

 

 

Absolutely Mental Khajiit Inhales 250 Skooma and Then Dies

This video alone taught me that skooma is an energy drink, a fantasy version of meth, and a divinity ascension aid. Some fans say that its affects have been toned down in later games, as well as ESO, but this version of the drink will live on in the fans’ hearts—and skooma-addled minds.

 

 

Elder Scrolls Online Nirhani The Alfiq

These little khajiit are probably the main reason I got into ESO. Oh, yeah, there’s the adventuring, the character customization, stories, crafting, and the rare but treasured possibility of finding likeminded players and forming lasting bonds… but tiny talking cats that wield magic. Tiny talking cats that are forces to be reckoned with. How could that not be a selling point for anyone?