UESP Forums

Have you heard any news from the other provinces?

I was wondering yesterday, what happened to the Orsinium in this time of the Dragons? I mean, who is the ruler now? Is there any info on this subject to be found in Skyrim?
Gortwog must be dead, so who is the "king" of orcs now?

I actually was reading just a couple of days ago that Orsinium was destroyed early in the 4th Era:

Orsinium was once again sacked by the combined forces of Hammerfell and High Rock in the early Fourth Era, and many Orc refugees fled east into Skyrim.

I believe the source is the comments of Orcs in-game Skyrim, but I'm not 100% on that.

Ah. I see. Well, that might be true, but I am yet to play Skyrim fully. I have so far only been able to play it at a friend's place due to my crappy computer.

The info was first revealed in Lord of Souls, several months before the release of Skyrim, actually.

One of the side characters is a female Orc legionary scout who has flashbacks about fleeing Orsinium as a girl. It was the Redguards and Bretons who did it.


A loading screen in Skyrim talks about Orsinium as if it's been rebuilt again.

I wasn't really sure how much lore had been included from the book, personally I hate that someone wrote a book and just changed lore all of a sudden. It is probably just fanfic anyway..

the Savage Hippie wrote:I wasn't really sure how much lore had been included for the book, personally I hate that someone wrote a book and just changed lore all of a sudden. It is probably just fanfic anyway..

Perhaps you should do a bit of research before making such assumptions.

Keyes was given a list of do's and don'ts and a basic outline of the events after Oblivion by Bethesda lore writers, who he worked closely with. He was told what was allowed, and what had transpires. All he did was fill in the gaps and make an interesting story. He did not invent lore and his novels are not fan fics. If you're too elitist to acknowledge them that doesn't change that fact, nor the fact that Skyrim makes multiple references to places, characters and events from his novels. The biggest one being an emperor named Titus Mede.

Keyes was given a list of do's and don'ts and a basic outline of the events after Oblivion by Bethesda lore writers, who he worked closely with. He was told what was allowed, and what had transpires. All he did was fill in the gaps and make an interesting story. He did not invent lore and his novels are not fan fics. If you're too elitist to acknowledge them that doesn't change that fact, nor the fact that Skyrim makes multiple references to places, characters and events from his novels. The biggest one being an emperor named Titus Mede.

Yep. While I'm not generally a huge fan of Mr. Keyes, his novels cannot be considered fanfic. They have been endorsed/canonized by Bethesda. I have to give him credit, though. IMO, his work hastened the arrival of Skyrim. It saved Bethesda time from having to create "fills in the gaps". Mr. Keyes already provided a back story for the events preceding TES V. Without his work, Bethesda's lore writers would have had even more of a workload.

is there any info from in game orcs in Skyrim? I am trying to get invited into a orc stronghold but haven't got far

Mattbott wrote:is there any info from in game orcs in Skyrim? I am trying to get invited into a orc stronghold but haven't got far

Not too much. Getting into the strongholds doesn't yield much background info on Orsinium, but does yield some info on Orcish culture and customs, including a glimpse at the Orcish language. According to The Wraith's Wedding Dowry, Orcish weddings take place at midnight, but I've yet to marry an Orc in Skyrim to test that.

Boneyard wrote: Not too much. Getting into the strongholds doesn't yield much background info on Orsinium, but does yield some info on Orcish culture and customs, including a glimpse at the Orcish language. According to The Wraith's Wedding Dowry, Orcish weddings take place at midnight, but I've yet to marry an Orc in Skyrim to test that.

I doubt one would be able to hold a non-modded traditional orcish wedding, as all Skyrim weddings are held in the temple of mara.

Boneyard wrote:

Mattbott wrote:is there any info from in game orcs in Skyrim? I am trying to get invited into a orc stronghold but haven't got far

Not too much. Getting into the strongholds doesn't yield much background info on Orsinium, but does yield some info on Orcish culture and customs, including a glimpse at the Orcish language. According to The Wraith's Wedding Dowry, Orcish weddings take place at midnight, but I've yet to marry an Orc in Skyrim to test that.

cool, thanks for info

i must look into this further

for those of you who haven't played as an orc or dident pay attention at the start one guy says that your remains wil be returned to Orsinium

They say your remains will be returned to your home province regardless of what race you choose.

Argonanza wrote:They say your remains will be returned to your home province regardless of what race you choose.

Yes, they do, but the poster above you was trying to point out that the devs are implying Orsinium still exists.

It can be inferred from a loading screen in Skyrim that Orsinium was rebuilt after it was sacked in the Fourth Era, and the screen also gives the impression that it is still in existence, as it is discussed in the present tense.