Since they're talking about a lot of big events that were never mentioned before (and player Emperors), I'm guessing some kind of Dragon-breaking, time-warping divergent timeline stuff going on. Could be Nords, Argonians, and Dunmer teaming up had many years of alternate history between that and the Tamriel we're familiar with.

The Towers may not be strictly violated. The announcement says Tamriel is being pulled into Coldharbour, not Nirn, and since the Second era takes place during an interregnum after the Tsaesci Versidue-Shaie gained power, we don't know the state of the Dragonfires. If the Dragonfires were out for much of the Second era, then the barrier between Mundus and Oblivion will be down/weakened. If the Dragonfires are out then what is stopping the Daedra from interfering with the turning of the Wheel... Furthermore, though we might not know how Bal might pull Tamriel into Coldharbour, the Psijics move Artaeum around all the time, so why shouldn't a Daedra move a Continent.

I'm really interested in seeing how being able to make a player Emperor is going to work. I hope it's a hard process; if we go through twelve different ones in a single week...

Unless the Dark anchors are Molag Bals versions of Oblivion gates (Which they seem to be) he isn't in violation. He is prevent from invading voluntarily, nothing says he can't bring his conquest to him, the Bad ass Daedra strikes again.

Im fairly certain it goes like this

Ebonheart Pact : consists of Nords, Dunmer and Argonian
Aldmeri Dominion: Bosmer, Altmer abd Khajiit
and the Daggerfall Covenant: Orcs, Redguards and Breton

Ebonheart pact- Dragon
Aldmeri Dominion- Eagle
Daggerfall covenant - Lion

...and no I totally didnt read the scans

Who here is saying that it's an alliance between Dunmer and Argonians? Hell, how many games have started with your character in a jail cell again? Not exactly a new thing in TES to start off as a prisoner.

I just feel the need right now to comment on the amount of lore you folks know. It's really impressive. I'm new to The Elder Scrolls series, so I have been trying to soak it all up.

The Dragon Fires Stopped Princes from coming in on their own, it didn't Stop Covens/Cabals/Secret Organizations and other ilk from summoning Super Daedra Armies. Sotha Sils Pact does that, and still it isnt perfect as now you can summon on their respective Dates or through Pacts. and as mentioned Molag Bal is a Badass, he said F your Pact and threw Anchors down to bring his Quarry to him. He's smart.

The Battlespire showed that the Empire can send things to Oblivion, so with Molag Bal having allies in the Empire maybe a similar idea is involved, just with something a bit larger. The Battlespire also used "anchors" (but to hold it in place instead of dragging it in).

Has anyone noticed that the 3 factions all have 3 races whose racial specializations fit into the three different perk constellations from Skyrim? (Warrior, Mage, Thief)

Warrior- Nord, Bosmer, Orc
Mage- Dunmer, Altmer, Bretons
Thief- Argonian, Khajiit, Redguard (debatable)

*Fixed
redguards are known as fearsome warriors, why would you put a small wimpy bosmer as one

Dear god. The Ebonheart pact? The Dunmer at the point of this timeline would probably be the single most powerful nation out of all of them at this time. If you add the Nords and Argonians to them it just gets ridiculous! Ebonheart pact is also stupid based on the fanbase as a choice. The likliest races as the biggest fanbases for TES are the Dunmer, Nords and Argonians. The Ebonheart pact is clearly stupid. Ebonheart shouldn't even exist yet!!

Besides the sheer absurdity of the Ebonheart pact, Redguards and Orcs working together? Somehow with the Redguard's greatest hero having wiped out basically all the orcs in Hammerfell, I don't see them as being the best of friends.

And even if it did exist, it's an Imperial settlement, why would an alliance of Dunmer, Nords and Argonians but not Imperials name themselves after an Imperial settlement?

Hey guys, remember when the lore [censored]ing mattered? Those were the days, huh?

You mean the days where they changed it every game? Sure, from Daggerfall->Redgaurd->Morrowind it was basically all adding without any major retcons, but it's kind of hard to say the series has been 100% consistent across games. And at least Skyrim didn't [censored] all over the lore like Oblivion did. Although of course, even the most egregious things Oblivion did don't compare even slightly to the utter absurdities these people are trying to pass off as factions.

Indeed. If it works out like that, I actually like it.

I like the direction taken here. I think what got the most excited about TSO is the fact that we have the Tribunal again (Something that made me personally incredibly happy after hearing what happens to the Dunmer in the 4th). I am very interested in seeing the Tribunes at the peak of their power. Hell, we might even see some of that benevolence we heard had long since passed. (I personally want to meet Almalexia being kind and loving, just to think "in about an era, I'll be killing you"). But I digress....

My only difference in opinion with you Albinodumner is what I think the Lion represents. I agree that the Dragon is the Empire and the Eagle is the Elven Nations (a manifestation of the Aldmeri Dominion?). However, I believe the Lion may very well represent the Human races, most specifically Skyrim. While my math may not be the best, a millennium (1000) years puts us in the Second Era, somewhere in 2E400s. According to TIL, the Aldmeri Dominion was well at work (http://www.imperial-library.info/content/rise-and-fall-aldmeri-dominion) and the Potentate is now dead. The First Empire is in shambles (http://www.imperial-library.info/content/second-era). Look specifically at 2E430 (That's roughly 1000 years from the events of Skyrim). However, the Lion still remains as the question.

Throughout Skyrim, I was personally annoyed by the lack of a third option. It was either pro-Thalmor controlled Empire or pro-anti-Empire Stormcloaks. Has it not struck anyone else that there is a third path that should be available, quite simply one of imperial rule without the dominance of the pesky Thalmor? This theme could very well have gone into TSO, in my opinion. The Lion represents the Humanoid races, specifically the approaching Humanoid savior and herald of the Third Era, Tiber Septim (the Dragon). However, the twist here could simply be that the Lion and Dragon become one by the end of the Second Era. Talos is representative of the Lion (Nordic/Breton) but claims rule over the empire (Dragon). As a result, the Lion faction or icon is not as relevant in future events because the two were made one. The Lion BECAME part of the Lion (Hence the result for all the lack of understanding on what the hell the Lion means).

The resulting faction breakdown is therefore one of a spectrum. The Eagle is the Elven Extreme. The Lion is the Human Extreme. The Dragon ultimately is the moderation between the two by swallowing one (the Lion) and becoming the new extreme. This extreme will ultimately triumph thanks a particular stompy robot. However, the role of outside parties, such as Morrowind, Elsweyr, Argonia, and Orsinium can not be underestimated. I predict the changing of future events will ultimately require the gaining of the support of these different nations/factions before the opposing factions do.

And hell, to me, that sounds like one incredible game. The Second Era is one of discord, chaos, and revolution. I would love to see us fans playing out that revolution first hand. As for Molag Bal, well maybe we have two different crises to deal with at once. But then again, it would not be the first time we have two major conflicts to deal with at one time.

My $.02

Walk with Virtue Outlander.

-Hexon

Dragon= House Targaryen

Eagle= House Arryn

Lion= House Lannister


....yeah, I got nothing.

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Lore:Tal_Marog_Ker%27s_Researches