So, yeah. I have a question for you lot, coming from a comment by Paul Sage the.."creative director" for the game. (found here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugSSwuKsPKI&feature=player_detailpage#t=345s)

So let's ignore that Era's are defined by events and people can declare the beginning and ends of eras as they please. Let's also try to ignore that since the Aldmer Dominion exists in this universe that it'd have to be between the time frames of 2E 854 (When Emperor Zero is assassinated) (Aldmeri Dominion is formed 2E 830) and 2E 896 - when Tiber Septim actually conquers Tamriel. But even then this is shortened as since this involves various factions it'd likely have to be before the Fall of Hammerfell to Septim's forces.

In conclusion we have a time-stream of 2E 854 and 2E 862 (While one can claim that the Rebellion of Stros M'kai solves it..it doesn't. It just means that the Redguards rule over by their own blood yet are still under the Imperial authority of Tiber Septim). Not a long time frame

The main issue being 1000 years..now deciding on whether or not the time frame is in that place I mentioned - you still have 433 years of the 3rd Era and then 201 years within the Fourth Era (where Skyrim takes place). This being some 600 years. While I may be nitpicking, you still don't treat it like a thousand years.

..And then Paul says "..and then 50 years in the past they had an invasion.."

I can only assume he means the Akaviri Invasion of Tamriel, also located within the Second Era...But that happens in 2E 572.(in terms of Dunmeri defeating the Akavirian forces) That's some three centuries before the Aldmeri Dominion is even created, He could also mean the Four-Scour War..but then this is also put to shame because that happens within the First Era. The Reman Empire dies within 2E 430/431 after the Potenate is killed. So then the story gets even more confusing.

Was there some other invasion that happened to Skyrim, Morrowind and Argonia that forced them to take up arms and defend each other despite the fact that the Nords traditionally loathe the Dunmer, who loathe them back and also loathe the Argonians whom loathe the Dunmer. Either it was the Akaviri invasion (which would force people to take military alliances) or this is complete bull. (Plus I'm pretty sure even though the Arnesian War hasn't happened yet Dres still raids into Argonia. There has never been a time where House Dres has NOT raided Argonia. Take note this is the 2nd Era and before the Revival of the Sixth House. This is Morrowind at its FINEST [censored] HOUR. Indoril is all powerful and still in charge, Redoran is pretty powerful, Dres is still a major-slaver organization and Hlaalu is just coming about in power but not there yet. Plus Redoran and Nord relations have never been okay enough to offer an alliance..)

Then he says 'instability within the Empire' (6:46). Now I'm even more confused. What 'Empire'? So we've assumed that this has to be after the death of Emperor Zero because there HAS to be some Imperial presence of authority. He might be saying 'Empire' due to taste but still - what 'Empire'? There is no 'Empire' - there are (after Emperor Zero's death) just Tiber's forces whom are holding onto a somewhat unified Cyrodil and seeking conquest of Hammerfell. This isn't an Empire as Tiber is not crowned Emperor - he's just a general. He's like Augustus or Mark Anthony.

Another mark - 7:13 We now know that Tiber Septim is alive and has not been crowned Emperor as of yet. So this has to be before his conquering of the whole of Tamriel - and thus we can tell it's inbetween 2E 852 and 2E 862. (Morrowind likely is claimed around 2E 880s or 2E 870s due to 2E 890s being when Alinor falls to Tiber's forces via Numidium)

And then another contradictory thingy. "There was an Empire..it's..it's just kinda in disarray." (7:14-17)

This makes no sense. The Empire does not fully exist until after Tiber's corronation as Emperor of Tamriel. He's not Emperor of Cyrodil, he's not Emperor of anything. He's General Tiber Septim of Emperor Zero's forces - and Emperor Zero is dead. However - things can not be in disarray. Why? Contrary to popular belief if you have a strong military force you can pretty much maintain a situation in an Empire without an Emperor. Never in Roman history was there truly a disarray because the military had such a strong hand in the situation that it'd be simply up to them to decide whom is Emperor. Tiber Septim was healed by Zurin and this would be only after the immediate years following Emperor Zero's death could there be a possibility of 'disarray' in an 'Empire' that is just in CYRODILL. There is no Empire outside of it. One can even claim there is no longer an Empire but simply a military-state controlled by Tiber Septim, Zurin and their aids.

On making their own Emperor - Who the [censored] cares? Honestly - I'm pretty sure the Tribunal are satisified with being 'God-Kings' of Morrowind. Vivec wouldn't want Morrowind to be an Empire or himself to become 'Emperor'. He'd just want Morrowind's survival. Argonia has no interests for if they did we'd already see a war between the Empire and Argonia far before the 'Great War' happened.

The Aldmeri Dominion was already an Empire and would want to destroy this man-potential - sure. But the others? Why should they care. The only faction that may care is the Nords and that may be for Tiber Septim's cause. Because you know men before mer, ya'll! (derp de do) (7:24-25) (Of course this is purely for gameplay use but it also screws with the lore more so than George Lucas has screwed with Star Wars with..'Space Jesus'.)

Now we get into some real-real-real stupid [censored]. PREPARE THE WALLS. 7:58-8:04

Just in these few lines has the entire lore of Mannimarco, the Imperials and Molag Bal have been crushed by this man. I haven't seen such a thing that's depressing since the Phantom Menance. So first off - the Imperials (Not Tiber Septim) have made a deal with a lieutenant of Molag Bal (Mannimarco, the King of the Worms) whom is the Daedric Prince of the Undead.

First - why is Mannimarco dealing with Imperials or even vice versa? This is of course the Mannimarco who joined the Mages Guild around 2E 230, fought with Galieron and was supposedly dead but not really due to his linchdom and through some other means. He would return in Daggerfall and become the God-King of Worms. However, in the Third Era he was in The Illiac Bay and clearly set his power-base around there for that specific purpose in that specific time. He had obviously built up machinnations to secure his power in the Illiac Bay. To Necromancers they don't need or shouldn't make deals when there is no purpose. There are no 'Gods' to deal with - and since this is befoe Mannimarco's ascencion clearly this point needs to be made out.

Why would Mannimarco deal with the Imperials when he had nothing to gain in the long run that could make it very benefical? For daggerfall it was godhood. What do the Imperials have? Nothing. These are also Imperials of non-Tiber faction because please re-iterate when Tiber Septim dealt with Necromancers? He only made peace deals with the Dunmer and the Argonians due to knowing he'd lose alot of men. He may even lose the war. A possibility he didn't want.

So say it is Tiber making a deal with Mannimarco. It doesn't fit his character.

Also Molag Bal is NOT the Daedric Prince of the Undead. In specific he is the FATHER of the Vampires - yes. But he does not control the zombies, the skeletons, the spectrals, the wraiths of all kinds, the ghosts and so on and so forth.

In fact there is no daedric prince associated with the undead as a sphere. Meridia is associated with living energies. And is the anti-thesis to the undead. So yes..in that whole sentence the lore just collapsed in on itself.

And then Molag Bal decides he wants to literally pull Tamriel into his plane of ColdHarbour. It makes no sense, it doesn't fit the character and that's kinda impossible with the Towers and stuff. Or because if he could why didn't Mehrunes Dagon invade in the 2nd Era? What stopped him? Why is Molag Bal somehow managing to do this? I mean looking at the Four Score War - Dagon managed to come in and destroy Almalexia. This was just because of a witch making a deal with the daedric lord. You're telling me somehow Bal wants to literally take Tamriel into his Plane yet Mehrunes Dagon is just 'whatevs, I'm bored."

I won't go on the gameplay or engine for we all know how Bethseda works with engines. I dare recall when Skyrim's engine was called unique and then they went back to gambyro because of modders. Oh devs. <3

That and I'm not a huge MMO-fan to begin with.

So yes, we come up with questions that have no answers.

#1: When does TES Online take place? Answer; We have no exact clue. We can only roughly assume it's inbetween 2E 854 and 2E 862.

#2: Who are we and what are we fighting for? Apparently we're either an alliance between the Aldmer Dominion, and the Elsweyr Confederacy (Bosmer, Altmer and Khajit, The Ebonheart Pact (Argonians, Dunmeri and Nords) and then the Daggerfall-Convenant between Orcs, Bretons and Redguards. And we don't know exactly what we're fighting for. Apparently we're fighting to be Emperor..of an Empire nobody cares about and that doesn't really exist and then we're trying to stop Molag Bal/Mannimarco from taking Tamriel and adding it to ColdHarbour? It's really confusing.

#3: whose the main villain? Apparently Molag Bal and Mannimarco for unknown reasons..

#4: Is Tiber Septim alive? Most likely, yes.
and finally:

#5: will TES Online contradict or add new lore? Contradict more likely than not.

From what I have heard TES: Online will not contradict existing lore.

Blinded by PR I see.

They apparently have three-factions that shouldn't even exist in the Second Era (in terms of alliances - of course the Aldmeri Dominion exists. Though I question it's holding onto Elsweyr - it's territory is merely suppose to be Valenwood as something other than Alinor.) and apparently Tiber Septim is just no where to be seen but alive and well. And with the constant use of the 'term' Empire we can assume an 'Empire' exists.

Already I sense lore-contradictions.

Correct.

I think you may be going a bit overboard. Lets keep in mind that Paul Sage is the creative director behind ESO. He is not one of the lore masters and likely has a limited understanding of the time period and all the events governed within it. It's also unlikely that ZOS is going to worry over every little particular and detail just to get the game to make sense completely from a lore perspective. If there are things already established in the lore that no one but a lore buff would know about, then I wouldn't be surprised if they retcon some history.

TES is a vibrant IP and its history and culture is always continuously being expanded with each new installment in the BGS games as well as even the novels. The MMO will merely be another medium to expand that lore (whether lore buffs agree or not) and will give more history to a time period where not much is known. Everyone won't agree with the decisions ZOS makes. But then again, not everyone will always agree, as everyone has a difference of opinion on these matters. I suggest waiting to play the game and then you can decide whether what they have done lives up to your expectations or not.