Player characters in mostRPGsplay a pivotal role in the game’s story as well as the lore of future titles. Few games do this better thanThe Elder Scrollsseries. Each game has had a major protagonist that either influenced or was directly mentioned in future installments.
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The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind’smain protagonist was the Nerevarine. Players start the game as a recently-released prisoner that must learn to embrace the strange land of Vvardenfell. It is through the game’s campaign that they become the Nerevarine, a mythical figure that is mentioned inOblivionandSkyrim. Even thoughMorrowindhas plenty of lore about them, here are 10 things about the Nerevarine that most don’t know inThe Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. This article contains spoilers forMorrowind’sstory.
10Reincarnated Nerevar
The Nerevarine is said to be the reincarnation of the Nerevar. For those who have not playedMorrowind’scampaign extensively, the Nerevar is a notable character that once stood alongside the likes ofVoryn Dagothand Vivec.
Many titles were given to the Nerevar, such as Hortator, Azura’s Champion, and Godkiller. His actual name is Indoril Nerevar.
9Is A Hortator
Hortator is a title that carries a large amount of weight with it. Anyone with this title is known for being a war leader, bringing multiple factions and/or races together under a common goal. With how variedeach faction’s motivesare inThe Elder Scrollsmythos, this is an impressive feat.
Nerevar did this by bringing the likes of the Dwemer and Chimer together to defeat the Nordic Empire that ruled over Morrowind at the time. Even after Nerevar’s death, the player character proves themselves to be the Nerevarine and becomes a Hortator just as Nerevar was, uniting the multiple houses of Morrowind together to defeat Dagoth Ur and end the Corprus disease.
8Responsible For The Dunmer’s Appearance
Dark Elves, otherwise known as the Dunmer, are one of theplayable races inThe Elder Scrollsseries, Known for their ashen skin and red eyes, their distrust of outsiders and alien home of Vvardenfell have brought the ire of many communities. What players might not know is that the Nerevar and, by extension, the Nerevarine are responsible for the Dunmer’s iconic appearance.
The Dunmer were originally the Chimer, a race of elves that inherit all but the skin tone and red eyes that the Dark Elves are known for. When Vivec, Almalexia, and Sotha Sil killed the Nerevar and killed him, Azura was furious with the betrayal. She turned the Chimer into the Dunmer as a reminder of their betrayal. Ordinators inMorrowindandThe Elder Scrolls Onlinealso wear helmets that resemble Nerevar’s appearance.
7Released By The Emperor
Morrowind’sopening act is one of the most iconic openings in video game history. Players exit a boat onto a mysterious landscape after being released as a prisoner.
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The Nerevarine’s crimes are never explained inMorrowindand are irrelevant to the story. What is important is the Blades spymaster Caius Cosades tells the player that he was released by order of the Emperor himself. It seems the Emperor knew of the player character’s prophetic status and wanted tofurther the Empire’s footholdon Morrowind. It worked. The Nerevarine helped the Empire in theBloodmoonexpansion, and it is heavily implied in future titles that the Empire has much more control over the province than they did previously thanks to the Nerevarine’s actions.
6The Nerevarine Is Male
If a game states something unintentional in its dialogue, does it count as canon? Many fans ofThe Elder Scrollslore have debated this over a throwaway piece of dialogue from Neloth inSkyrim’s DragonbornDLC.
Neloth is a Dunmer that many know as the clan leader of House Telvanni inMorrowind. In a line of dialogue about the Nerevarine, Neloth tells the Dragonborn that they were too young to remember the Nerevarine and that “He defeated Dagoth Ur and saved us all from the blight.” Michael Kirkbride, a formerBethesdaemployee that worked on previousElder Scrollstitles, went on to state that this line of dialogue was a mistake. Many fans still think it’s canon since Bethesda hasnever bothered to fix it.
5Defined By Seven Trials
Prophecies are a core part ofThe Elder Scrollsuniverse. Most protagonists in the series are usually tied to some sort of prophecies, such as the rise of the Dragonborn inSkyrimor the Nerevarine inMorrowind. In the Nerevarine’s case, the player had to fulfill seven trials to prove they were the reincarnation of the Nerevar.
These trials range from being born on a certain date to uniting the houses of Morrowind together. The player completes these trials throughout the campaign instead of being handed the title likewhat happened to the Dragonborn inSkyrim. The meaning of some of these trials is rather vague, but many aim to remedy the failures of Nerevar’s advisors.
4Likely Left To Akavir
After the Nerevarine defeated Dagoth Ur and two of Nerevar’s advisors, he vanished. Many speculate that he went to Akavir, but the reason for this is unknown. Vivec, the final living advisor to Nerevar, also disappeared during this period.
Some fans have speculated that Vivec also went to Akavir to hide from the Nerevarine, but there are no definitive answers to both of their disappearances.
3Longest Living Main Protagonist
Characters inThe Elder Scrollsuniverse are still bound by their mortality and can die from old age. Assuming that the Nerevarine is not dead during the events ofSkyrim, he would be the longest living protagonist inThe Elder Scrollsseries.
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The Nerevarine was born before 3E 427 whileSkyrimtakes place in 4E 201, meaning the Nerevarine is at least 207 years old. However, it is more likely the Nerevarine is around 230 years old during the events ofSkyrim.
2Azura’s Champion
One of the trials that makes someone the Nerevarine is being able to equip the Moon-and-Star ring. This item will kill anyone that is not the Nerevar. Since the player can freely wear it, many speculate that they are Nerevar incarnate.
Azura could have also given the player her blessing before equipping this ring, which means that the player character is likely to be Azura’s new champion inMorrowind.
1Owned Four Known Artifacts
Mythical figures inThe Elder Scrollsuniverse have weapons and apparel that are infused with tremendous power. Many know of Daedric artifacts, but the Nerevar inMorrowindhas a few of their own that the Nerevarine rightly inherits.
Players obtain Nerevar’s Moon-and-Star ring in the main game and the Trueflame sword during theTribunalDLC, but 2 additional artifacts are known about. Vivec has a unique knife named the Ethos Knife that the Nerevar used. Nerevar also used a unique axe, although the name of it is unknown. Both items' whereabouts are currently unknown.
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