The world of The Elder Scrolls is set on the planet Nirn. The main continent is Tamriel, where most games take place. Other continents include:
Akavir — mysterious eastern land, home to dragon and serpent folk.
Atmora — frozen homeland of the ancient Nords, now nearly uninhabitable.
Yokuda — sunken homeland of the Redguards.
Pyandonea — sea-bound land of the Maormer (sea elves).
Major Races
Humans:
Imperials — skilled diplomats and traders from Cyrodiil.
Nords — warrior people of Skyrim, inspired by Vikings.
Redguards — master swordsmen from Yokuda and Hammerfell.
Bretons — human-elf mixed heritage, talented in magic.
Orcs (Orsimer) — fierce warriors devoted to Malacath.
Elves (Mer):
Dunmer (Dark Elves) — from Morrowind, cunning and powerful.
Altmer (High Elves) — from Summerset, supreme mages.
Bosmer (Wood Elves) — forest hunters from Valenwood.
Dwemer (Dwarves/Deep Elves) — vanished race, left ancient ruins.
Beastfolk:
Argonians — lizardfolk from Black Marsh, amphibious.
Khajiit — feline people of Elsweyr, agile and mercantile.
Provinces of Tamriel
Skyrim (Nords)
Cyrodiil (Imperials)
Morrowind (Dunmer)
Summerset Isles (Altmer)
Valenwood (Bosmer)
Elsweyr (Khajiit)
Black Marsh (Argonians)
Hammerfell (Redguards)
High Rock (Bretons)
Orsinium (Orcs)
🌍 The World and History
The Elder Scrolls universe is set on Nirn, a mortal plane created after the conflict of gods and primordial beings. Its central continent is Tamriel, divided into many provinces, each home to unique peoples and cultures.
Mythic Origins
The world was shaped during the Dawn Era, when divine beings (Aedra and Daedra) fought and sacrificed to form creation.
Lorkhan, a trickster god, persuaded others to create Nirn, but this caused division—some became the Aedra (divine but weakened by sacrifice), others the Daedra (who refused, keeping full power).
The Ehlnofey became ancestors of humans and elves.
Eras of History
Merethic Era: Rise of the elves, founding of cities, first conflicts with men.
First Era: Birth of the Empire, Alessian Rebellion, spread of man's dominance.
Second Era: Interregnum and chaos, alliances fight for control (Elder Scrolls Online setting).
Third Era: Septim Dynasty rules Tamriel (events of TES I–IV).
Fourth Era: Crisis after the Septim bloodline ends, Oblivion Gates, Alduin's return (TES V: Skyrim).
✨ Types of Magic
Magic in TES is drawn from Mundus (the mortal plane) and the Aetherius (divine plane of magic and souls). It is usually divided into the Six Schools of Magic:
Alteration — manipulating physical reality (water breathing, levitation, stoneflesh).
Conjuration — summoning Daedra, undead, or bound weapons.
Destruction — offensive magic: fire, frost, lightning.
Illusion — influencing minds (fear, calm, invisibility).
Restoration — healing, warding, turning undead.
Mysticism (later absorbed into others) — soul trap, telekinesis, dispel.
Other mystical practices:
Necromancy — raising the dead, highly taboo in many cultures.
Thu'um (The Voice) — ancient Nordic dragon shouts.
Dunmeri Tribunal magic — god-like powers of Vivec, Almalexia, Sotha Sil.
Ayleid sorcery — lost magic of ancient elves.
Dwemer Tonal Architecture — science-magic using sound and mechanisms.
⚔️ Gods and Powers
Aedra (Divines): benevolent creator-gods like Akatosh, Arkay, Mara.
Daedric Princes: powerful otherworldly beings, each ruling a realm of Oblivion (Molag Bal, Sheogorath, Mehrunes Dagon, etc.).
Talos (Tiber Septim): mortal-turned-god, central to human faith, disputed by elves.
🌍 The World
BG3 takes place in the Forgotten Realms, primarily around the Sword Coast. Key locations include:
Baldur's Gate — a vast, bustling city of intrigue, trade, and corruption.
The Underdark — subterranean realm of drow, mind flayers, duergar, and other dark creatures.
Moonrise Towers, Shadow-Cursed Lands — cursed regions tied to Shar's influence.
The world is rich with gods, monsters, and factions, constantly clashing for power.
📜 Story Premise
At the start, the protagonist (Tav or custom hero) and companions are infected with illithid tadpoles by Mind Flayers. Instead of turning into illithids, the characters gain strange powers.The main story revolves around:
Escaping ceremorphosis (becoming a mind flayer).
Resisting or embracing the power of the tadpole.
Facing the schemes of The Absolute, a mysterious cult tied to mind flayers, Elder Brains, and dark gods.
🧙 Races and Classes
As in D&D 5e, players can choose among:
Races: Humans, Elves, Drow, Half-Elves, Dwarves, Halflings, Githyanki, Tieflings, Half-Orcs, Dragonborn, and more.Classes: Fighters, Rogues, Wizards, Clerics, Druids, Sorcerers, Bards, Rangers, Monks, Warlocks, Barbarians, Paladins.
✨ Magic and Powers
Magic in BG3 follows Dungeons & Dragons 5th Edition rules:
Schools of magic (Evocation, Conjuration, Illusion, Enchantment, Abjuration, Transmutation, Necromancy, Divination).
Divine magic from gods (Clerics, Paladins).
Arcane magic from study or bloodline (Wizards, Sorcerers).
Pact magic from bargains (Warlocks).
🧑🤝🧑 Companions
The story is companion-driven. Each has personal quests, backstories, and possible romances:
Astarion — high elf vampire spawn rogue.
Shadowheart — half-elf cleric of Shar.
Lae'zel — githyanki fighter.
Gale — human wizard with a dangerous secret.
Wyll — human warlock, pact with a devil.
Karlach — tiefling barbarian, heart bound to infernal engine.
Halsin — wood elf druid (optional).
Minthara — drow paladin of Lolth (choice-dependent).
⚔️ Themes
Free will vs destiny (tadpole powers).
Light vs darkness (Shar vs Selûne, Underdark vs surface).
Corruption, ambition, and redemption.
Choices shaping story — alignments, companions' fates, romances.
Baldur's Gate 3 is directly based on Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) is the official campaign in the Forgotten Realms setting.
🔗 Relationship to D&D
Setting - Forgotten Realms, one of the main D&D worlds created by Ed Greenwood.
Rules - The game is based on D&D 5th Edition (5e): same classes, races, spells, combat and magic mechanics.
Gods and cosmology - completely from D&D: Orb, Selûne, Baal, Mystra, astral sea, planar creatures (e.g. githyanki fighting illithids).
Monsters are classics from Monster Manual: illithids, mimics, goblins, drow, dragons, etc.
Baldur's Gate series history - the first two instalments (1998-2000) were also D&D-based, only then the 2nd Edition version (AD&D 2e) was used.