The history of events of The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. What happened from the end of the Oblivion Crisis until the coming of the Last Dragonborn is not totally clear when one plays through the fifth game in the series.
Luckily, fans can find out what took place in those two centuries by reading through the Elder Scrolls novels, written by Greg Keyes. The first novel, The Infernal City, covers the events around 40 years after the Oblivion Crisis, as the world of Tamriel entered the Fourth Era. The end of the Third Era also encomes the DLCs of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion, namely Knights of the Nine and The Shivering Isles.
The second novel, Lord of Souls, was published in 2011, the same year The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim was released. It also takes place at around the same time as The Infernal City, continuing the story of Prince Attrebus Mede and his quest to attain a magical sword that will help him defeat invaders from Umbriel. Most importantly, the novel details how the Mede Empire came about following the fall of the Septim Dynasty at the end of Oblivion.
Elder Scrolls' Oblivion Ending Summary
At the end of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion's main questline, the player witnesses an awesome spectacle involving Martin Septim, the illegitimate heir to the Septim Dynasty. The Daedric Prince of Destruction, Mehrunes Dagon, succeeded in breaking into the mortal realm from Oblivion, and at that moment, all seemed lost. Then, the newly-crowned emperor willingly gave up his promise of a long and prosperous reign to save the world from Mehrunes' wrath.
Martin shattered the Amulet of Kings, a powerful artifact ed down through his ancestors and invoked the spirit of Akatosh, the Dragon God of Time. Transformed into a great fiery dragon, Martin (or technically Akatosh) succeeded in defeating the Deadric Prince and driving him and his army back to Oblivion. All of Tamriel had been spared a terrible fate, but now the only heir to the Septim Dynasty had been lost, leaving a dangerous power vacuum within the Empire.
The Dawn of The Mede Dynasty Elder Scrolls' Fourth Era
Without a Septim to take up the throne, the Empire was left leaderless. It would take nearly twenty years before a stable royal line was established, and in that time, the political powers within Tamriel had shifted dramatically. It was Titus Mede who fought his way to domination, establishing himself as the new Emperor. Thus, in 4E 17, the Mede Dynasty began, determined to return to its glory days of conquest.
Two decades of military stagnancy is a long time, however, and the Third Aldmeri Dominion, hell-bent on their desire for racial superiority, sensed the Empire's weakness. The High Elves struck deep into the surrounding provinces, and the Empire had to scramble to defend what territory they had left. They allied with the Argonians of Black Marsh to buy themselves time, but one by one, the lands of Tamriel began to fall beneath the weight of the Aldmeri Dominion.
The Events of The Elder Scrolls Novels: The Infernal City & Lord of Souls
While this was happening, at around 4E 48, the events covered in the Elder Scrolls novels take place. The story details the adventures of Attrebus Mede, Titus Mede's only son. Attrebus' journey from boy to leader also encomes the main events between The Oblivion Crisis and The Great War. The Empire was slowly regaining its power, but trouble brewed on the horizon. Word reached the Imperials that Vivec City, located in Vvardenfell, had been utterly destroyed by some unknown force, said to be a floating city.
Indeed, the first "floating city" had fallen out of the sky and crushed Vivec City, but a Dunmer mage called Vohan had seen the potential in such power. He ended up in the realm of the Daedric Prince of Madness, Clavicus Vile, and struck a deal with Umbra, one of Vile's rebellious minions. Together, they created another levitating landmass called Umbriel. Vohan used Umbriel as a war machine, feeding its souls to keep it aloft and defending it with armies of the undead. The shadow that fell from the city spawned countless horrors, and Attrebus knew Vohan had to be stopped.
Attrebus slowly uncovered the secrets of Umbriel in Elder Scrolls and confronted Vohan himself, just as the dark mage began to lay siege to the Imperial City. Ultimately, Vohan was defeated and Umbriel was safely banished to the Realm of the Hist. Attrebus gave credit for the victory to The Synod and The College of Whispers, whom he hoped would become staunch political allies of the Empire in return.
Elder Scrolls' Great War Against The Aldmeri Dominion
Nearly a century would before the High Elves eventually came for the Empire. When the Medes would not bow to their demands, so began the Great War. The Aldmeri were unrelenting in their efforts, chipping away at the Empire's resources until even the capital had been besieged and occupied. Titus Mede II managed to retake the Imperial City with the help of forces from Skyrim and Hammerfell, but there were no more tricks he could rely on. The High Elves would turn the Mede Dynasty to dust unless he conceded to their wishes.
The White-Gold Concordat was signed, a treaty that tried to satisfy both parties by banning Talos worship across Tamriel and ceding Hammerfell to the Dominion. In return, the Empire would be spared, but at great cost. They had already lost a great deal of territory and now were a mere shadow of what they had been before the Oblivion Crisis. Over time, the Empire came to rely on the Aldmeri Dominion and act as a mere extension of the High Elves' military, losing the respect of many of Tamriel's inhabitants, particularly those in Skyrim.
The Buildup To Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim & The Stormcloak Rebellion
The Nords of Skyrim were not so content to bow to the High Elves. While some sided with the Empire out of previous loyalties, countless others despised the Thalmor and all they stood for. A rebel faction soon stemmed from the dissent, led by Jarl Ulfric Stormcloak. The Stormcloak Rebellion sparked a bloody civil war in the province, the events of which unfold in The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim. The player gets to choose which side to , and the outcome of the conflict is ultimately decided by their actions.
Whichever side the player chooses, the history spanning the two centuries between The Elder Scrolls 4 and 5 is extremely important to understand why the Empire is compelled to fight their once-allies, the Nords, and why the Stormcloaks have grown to hate the Empire in return. Nord culture values bravery and honor above all else, traits they believe the Empire has abandoned in order to save its own skin. Recently, the Thalmor have been the real driving force of conflict for the humans of Tamriel, as many are vehement in their desire to fight the High Elves to the end.
