Summary
Why delve into a book with hundreds of pages when one can have a glance through the books ofThe Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion? The Lusty Argonian Maid is exceptionally popular, yet it barely fills a single page when transcribed, so why not go beyond everyone’s favorite piece of smut and read up on other intriguing stories, biographies, pieces of in-game fiction, shreds of history, and the like?
Books in-game don’t serve much purpose, outside of gaining stat points when certain ones are read and selling them back to merchants for a small profit. Yet, inside, there are intriguing tales, stories, legends, and chunks ofElder Scrollslore that are well worth brushing up on, whether in-game or just reading them on the fan Wikis.
1A Guide To… (Series)
The Author Shows Many Biases In This Series About Each Town In Cyrodiil, Making For An Entertaining Read
A great bit of colorful commentary on the towns of Cyrodiil is the ever-so-common “A Guide To” books, each with a base value of 1 gold a piece. Devoted religious author Alessia Ottus is openly, unabashedly critical of anything and anyone, save for a select few here and there. And, of course, there’s the usual praise for the Nine Divines and condemning responses to those who do not follow similar religious views.
She’ll openly show her racist colors against the beast-folk, bash low-brow establishments, criticize the rudeness of the town guards, and have some choice words for the Mages Guild. Plus, there are always some interesting opinions on the nobility in power in each town. It’s well worth reading to see how spiteful and out-of-touch she is; it’s comedy gold in itself.
2Myths Of Sheogorath
A Selection Of Fascinating Tales About The Madgod That Makes Him All The More Mysterious
In the Shivering Isles, a whole assortment of exclusive books can be found. A commonly found one is “Myths of Sheogorath,” a trio of legends about the titular Madgod. Whether or not they are actually true is unknown, though that doesn’t spoil the reading experience in the slightest. In fact, it just adds even more mystique to this quirky god.
The first one is a befittingly morbid tale of howSheogorath mutilates a woman and turns her body parts and organs into instruments, thereby inventing music. Another is a tale of self-destruction, where a lowly mortal mage makes a bet with him: stay sane for three days and resist all of Sheogorath’s attempts to break it. The result is a twist worthy of a fable with a thoughtful message by the end. Finally, the third tale is about how a strict king inspires a revolution, whereby the last ditch effort ends up in getting Sheogorath to curse everyone with madness to overthrow the Draconian regime. Look no further for a triple-batch of gruesome bedtime stories.
3Tamrielic Lore
An Intriguing Rundown Of Every Daedric Artifact In The Series Will Prove Invaluable For Lore Lovers
TheElder Scrollsseries is rife with artifacts, often wielded or handed down by the Daedra lords of the series, some of which have appeared in previous entries. So, an encyclopedia of these artifacts is bound to be of interest to lovers of lore. This is where “Tamrielic Lore” steps in.
All sorts of artifacts are cataloged here, from the Mace of Molag Bal to Mehrunes’ Razor. Other treasures like the Spear of Bitter Mercy and Vampiric Ring have featured in previous entries in the series. In fact, some of them come with stories and tales of those who once wielded these rare things, so there are all sorts of interesting things to read. Perhaps some of these will return or be featured in futureElder Scrollsgames?
4The Ravings Of Fenroy
Poetry Mixed With Bizarre Rants Is Too Startling To Be Nothing Less Than A Page-Turning Read
A monologue written by a madman in prison makes for one heck of a premise, and that’s exactly what “The Ravings of Fenroy” delivers. At the start of the book, a disclaimer states how the contents are transcribed from scribbles on stone and rags with the body fluids of the author before he took his own life (and would’ve likely appeared on the Hill of Suicides as a cruel punishment by Sheogorath).
The paranoid author alludes to the return of Jyggalag, Daedric Prince of Order and the antagonist of theShivering IslesDLC. In between brief poems, he mentions keeping his thoughts hidden from others, assuming his food is poisoned, and breaking down the pointlessness of mundane conversations and commands. In the Madgod’s realm, even the mad could be considered philosophers and free-thinkers.
5The Real Barenziah (Series)
A Gripping Tale Condensed To A More Digestible Series About The First Queen Of Morrowind
Carried over fromThe Elder Scrolls 2: Daggerfall, “The Real Barenziah” was condensed down to a five-book collection (rather than the original 10) in future entries of the series. Some of the content was modified or censored since the original has some strong themes. Nevertheless, it’scommonly found in bookstores acrossOblivionand promises to be a great read.
The book delves into great detail about the first Queen of Morrowind, and how she had an affair with Emperor Uriel Septim III, tried getting into the Thieves Guild through illicit means, commissioned a champion to find the pieces of the Staff of Chaos, and more. It’s a thrilling, page-turning read full of sudden, dark twists.
6The Beggar Prince
Those Who Love “Be Careful What You Wish For” Tales Will Adore This Deliciously Gruesome Story
Making deals with Daedra Lords doesn’t always go as smoothly as one would expect. Such is the case of Wheedle from the book “The Beggar Prince,” a legend of how the unrelenting offspring of a king, who had no power to seize the throne, saved a beggar from a grizzly fate from townspeople. This beggar was Namira, known as the Mistress of Decay.
For 33 days and nights, Wheedle constantly begged Namira for something to make him/her a legend. The result?Affliction with any visible disease, the ability to make anyone feel pity and total contempt. As a result, Wheedle collected a lot of money and overheard incredible secrets throughout. It’s a morbid and fascinating tale, and a stellar reminder to be careful of what one wishes for when trifling with a Daedra Lord.
7The Wolf Queen (Series)
The Titular Wolf Queen Has Lived A Rollercoaster Ride Of A Life
Eight books, plus a separate biography that condenses the events down into one novel, are written about Queen Potema of Solitude, i.e. the titular Wolf Queen in question (and, no, she’s not a literal wolf - it’s just a scathing term made by her critics and enemies, apparently). Based on what these history books have stated, she’s lived quite a wild life, making the series a page-turner. The entire series is scattered around in various locations and offers skill points when read.
The series delves into all sorts of events, from her brother’s scandalous affairs to her waging a war with necromancers and summoning Daedra to her side.Even at over 90 years old, she still fought, before eventually succumbing to old age within her falling castle. There’s a lot of written dialogue, though it’s no less captivating.
