Just want to tell you that the start of Oblivion would be 3E433, not 3E453 as in the recently released FAQ. There is a mistake in the A Brief History of the Empire. Check this thread for more information. It makes the Oblivion starts after 6 or so years after Morrowind events.

All it shows is that they wrote a brief history of the empire wrong, doesn't make either guess more right than the other.

6 years eh?

Well, I guess my original guess wasn't that farfetched at all.

Righto, I see some changes approaching then.

Oh, and moving this to the Oblivion section.

I still say 26 years, because he said the end of the third era, regardless of the contradiction of two equally credible times to which he came to power, the end of the third era is closer to 453.

An Era ends and a new one begins when something big happens.

The year really doesn't matter.

Sheogorath is Tedders, and he told us that Uriel VII came to the throne in 3E368. Therefore, it's 6 years.

So should the 4th era begin with this event that is happening?

That's not certain yet, but I expect the Third Era to end during Oblivion (probably with the Emperor's death). On the other hand, things like ends of eras are often decided retroactively, so we might not find out the exact date until TES V.

Actually I do believe I read on on site or another that the 4 th era begans when you help seat this "heir" on the septim throne. so our character is instramental in the beggining of the new era. :shocked:

Well, for starters we do not know that the goal of the game will be to get the heir on the throne or - at least - that it will be the ending. Chances are the story will be a good bit more twisted than that. Prophecies and general drift of events all seem to point to the collapse of the Empire, that's probably something that's going to happen in the end no matter what, considering its been around for quite a while now (yes, I do happen to be an Asimov reader) and its about time we moved on.

The actual date of the event, however, considering that its probably tied in to the main quest, can actually take place at any point whatsoever. Because you have the choice of putting the quest off indefinitely, you could well dill-dally for a few years or more.

Considering that we only have one ending availible at the end of the game, by the way, I would gather that we do have some fairly monumental and historical event occuring at the end which could not really stand being branched for the sake of historical records in future Elder Scrolls games.

[quote=9of9]Well, for starters we do not know that the goal of the game will be to get the heir on the throne or - at least - that it will be the ending. Chances are the story will be a good bit more twisted than that. Prophecies and general drift of events all seem to point to the collapse of the Empire, that's probably something that's going to happen in the end no matter what, considering its been around for quite a while now (yes, I do happen to be an Asimov reader) and its about time we moved on.

The actual date of the event, however, considering that its probably tied in to the main quest, can actually take place at any point whatsoever. Because you have the choice of putting the quest off indefinitely, you could well dill-dally for a few years or more.

Considering that we only have one ending availible at the end of the game, by the way, I would gather that we do have some fairly monumental and historical event occuring at the end which could not really stand being branched for the sake of historical records in future Elder Scrolls games.[/quote]
I'd like to see at the end not only a good ending but multiple endings, i mean, some people will play as good guys while others will play as villains - if villans are those who destroy entire cities - because after finishing a game, and starting a new one, to me it kind of bothers me knowing already what the end is, is like, i finished the game as a bad guy, then i'll try my hardest to be a good guy and finish it to see the other ending.

We know for fact a third era will end on a precise a date, but it is questionable holw they plan to write the seating of the third heir into the date since it can be whatever the player wants. They'll probably just estimate it.

[quote=The_God_Apollo]
I'd like to see at the end not only a good ending but multiple endings, i mean, some people will play as good guys while others will play as villains - if villans are those who destroy entire cities - because after finishing a game, and starting a new one, to me it kind of bothers me knowing already what the end is, is like, i finished the game as a bad guy, then i'll try my hardest to be a good guy and finish it to see the other ending.[/quote]

Unfortunately it has been confirmed that there will be only one ending

[quote=Rane]An Era ends and a new one begins when something big happens.

The year really doesn't matter.[/quote]

[url=http://til.gamingsource.net/calendar.shtml]The Era in which you are adventuring is placed first, after which comes the actual year in the Era. Therefore, 3E 387 means, 3rd Era, 387th year. Each Era lasts for 1000 years.

The bit about an Era being merely a 1000-year span of history got thrown out of the window later on.[/url]

Yeah, but my question is: how could Septim call it the "closing days of the thrid era", when he doesnt know if something big will happen?

[quote=LostPenguin]
Yeah, but my question is: how could Septim call it the "closing days of the thrid era", when he doesnt know if something big will happen?[/quote]

The Elder Scrolls. Not the series but the actual Scrolls. That's one possibility.

Also, it might have been something he said just for the trailer, not something he has to know in-game.

And let's not forget that he knows that his sons are dead in the trailer. Without an Heir at the Throne the Empire will fall and the gates of Oblivion will open. This is stuff the characters inside the game know, not just we.

The Nerevarine prophecies are not the only prophecies out there.


And that text you gave was from the manual of TES: Arena. But obviously it does not work like that. The First Era alone has 2920 years.

And in the trailer he also distinctly says that these are the last days of his life too. So either it really was only said for the trailer or he is really well in tune with the prophecies.

question, what year was it when the nerevar reborn from morrowind walked off the ship to the census and excise office?

427 of the Third Era.