All Elder Scrolls Games In Order

1. The Elder Scrolls Online (2014)

In the Second Era of Tamriel, nearly a millennium before the rise of the Septim Dynasty, the continent is fractured by the Interregnum, a period of total geopolitical collapse. Three powerful alliances-the Daggerfall Covenant, the Aldmeri Dominion, and the Ebonheart Pact-engage in a brutal tug-of-war for the vacant Ruby Throne in Cyrodiil. Amidst this mortal strife, the Daedric Prince of Domination, Molag Bal, seizes the opportunity to merge his hellish realm of Coldharbour with Nirn. He utilizes a dark ritual to steal the protagonist's soul, leaving them a "Soulless One" cast into the cold cells of Oblivion.

The protagonist must navigate a landscape of shifting loyalties and ancient conspiracies after a daring escape from the Daedric pits. They reunite with a group of legendary heroes known as the Five Companions, seeking to reclaim their lost essence and stop the "Planemeld" from consuming the world. As the three alliances spill blood over scorched territory, Molag Bal's massive "Dark Anchors" begin to physically pull the continent into a void of eternal servitude. Every province faces its own crisis, from necromantic cults in the deserts to ancient dragons stirring in the khajiiti wilds.

Tension shifts from petty territorial squabbles to a desperate fight for the survival of reality itself. The protagonist must determine if the fractured alliances can put aside their centuries of hatred long enough to strike at the heart of the Daedric threat. Internal betrayals within the royal courts and the ever-present hunger of the Princes threaten to dismantle the resistance before it even reaches the capital. As the final bridge to Coldharbour opens, the Soulless One stands before a choice that will either secure Tamriel's future or cement its doom.

2. The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind (2002)

Commencing with a cryptic dream and a sudden release from an Imperial prison, a nameless prisoner is shipped to the alien and xenophobic island of Vvardenfell. They arrive with nothing but a coded package for a local spymaster and the heavy burden of being the "Nerevarine"-the prophesied reincarnation of an ancient Dunmer hero. The land is a surreal landscape of giant mushrooms and ash-choked plains, where the Great Houses of the Dark Elves vie for control. A divine "Blight" slowly infects the soul of the island, turning ordinary creatures into maddened husks of flesh.

As the protagonist unearths the secrets of the Tribunal Temple, the shadow of Dagoth Ur looms larger over the Red Mountain. This fallen god seeks to use the stolen power of the Heart of Lorkhan to construct a gargantuan mechanical deity and drive the "mongrel dogs" of the Empire from Morrowind. The Nerevarine must navigate a web of religious dogma and political sabotage, eventually uniting the disparate tribes who view them as a dangerous heretic. Trust is a rare commodity in a land where the gods themselves are losing their grip on sanity.

The friction between the protagonist's humble origins and their divine destiny reaches a breaking point as the Blight storms intensify. They must seek out the legendary artifacts of Sunder and Keening, the only tools capable of manipulating the divine Heart, while avoiding the reach of Dagoth Ur's dream-invading cult. The Tribunal gods begin to wither, their divinity fading as the source of their power becomes a weapon for their ancient enemy. Standing at the foot of the volcano, the Nerevarine faces the daunting task of severing the Heart's ties, knowing that such an act will irrevocably alter the fate of an entire race.

3. The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (2006)

The heart of the Empire is thrust into chaos when Emperor Uriel Septim VII is assassinated by a fanatical cult known as the Mythic Dawn. Before his death, the Emperor entrusts his mystical Amulet of Kings to a chance prisoner, charging them with finding his last remaining heir to relight the Dragonfires. Without a ruler on the throne, the metaphysical barriers protecting Nirn crumble, allowing "Oblivion Gates" to tear open across the countryside. From these portals, the demonic legions of Mehrunes Dagon pour forth, turning pastoral landscapes into scorched battlefields of blood and iron.

The protagonist must track down Martin Septim, an unsuspecting priest living in the besieged city of Kvatch, and convince him of his royal lineage. Together with the elite protectors known as the Blades, they establish a hidden headquarters to decipher the "Mysterium Xarxes," an unholy tome that holds the secret to the cult's paradise. The struggle becomes a race against time to recover the stolen Amulet, which serves as the only key to sealing the gates permanently. Every city in Cyrodiil becomes a target for the Daedric onslaught, forcing the protagonist into harrowing plunges through the portals to destroy them from within.

Martin's gradual transformation from a humble cleric to a desperate leader provides the emotional core of a world on the brink of a new Era. The narrative shifts to a high-stakes search for the artifacts required to open a gateway to the cult leader's realm, Mankar Camoran's "Paradise." As the Mythic Dawn prepares for the final summoning of the Prince of Destruction himself, the defenses of the Imperial City begin to buckle. The protagonist finds themselves caught in a final, visceral defense of the white gold tower, wondering if the blood of a Septim is enough to hold back a god.

4. The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (2011)

In the frozen, rugged province of Skyrim, a civil war erupts between the Imperial Legion and the separatist Stormcloaks following the assassination of the High King. Amidst this bloody political fracture, an ancient and world-ending threat returns: dragons, led by the "World-Eater" Alduin, begin to rise from their burial mounds. A captured prisoner, narrowly escaping execution during a dragon attack on the town of Helgen, is revealed to be the "Dovahkiin"-a hero with the blood of a dragon and the power to consume their souls.

The Dovahkiin must navigate a land defined by honor, ancient grudges, and the biting cold, seeking the guidance of the reclusive Greybeards on the peak of the Throat of the World. They learn to master the "Thu'um," a powerful dragon speech that can bend reality, while mediating between warring factions who seek to use the dragon threat for political gain. The narrative delves into the history of the original Dragon War, revealing a legacy of betrayal and the desperate measures taken by ancient heroes to cast Alduin forward in time. As more dragons take to the sky, the Dovahkiin must hunt them down, absorbing their power to stand a chance against the World-Eater.

The friction between the Dovahkiin's mortal existence and their predatory, draconic nature becomes a central theme as the final prophecy of the Elder Scrolls begins to unfold. They are forced to venture into the "Afterlife of the Nords," Sovngarde, to pursue Alduin before he can feast on the souls of the dead and regain his reality-shattering strength. The civil war threatens to destabilize the province at the worst possible moment, leaving the hero to decide which alliances are worth preserving. As the mists of Sovngarde thicken with the shadow of wings, the Dovahkiin prepares for a final shout that will determine if the world sees another sunrise.