Racism in Skyrim?

[Oscar Ben Newton]

I first realised this just after I picked a race. I chose to play as a Nord which immediately brought the guard with the check list great joy. He was also very taken aback when after he gave his "Norse power" speech the front woman still ordered me to my death. This made me realsise that this game might have a slight Norse supiriourity thing going.

After surviving the dragon onsluaght I was sent to Riverwood, where another man sent me to Whiterun. When I reached Whiterun the first thing that I encountered was a squatter camp filled with Khajiit. I went closer and over heard two of them talking about how the Nords would not let them into Whiterun because they think all Khajiit are rapists and theives. They then went on to say that all they are trying to do is raise a family.

When I entered Whiterun I saw a group of Redguards being herassed by Whiterun guards. The guards where going on about how the Redguards only wanted to come in to rape children and abduct woman to sell into slavery. When I went up to one of the Redguards, he said that they where just looking for a friend and if I could help.

Things like this kept happening throughout the game, and I didn't make a post about it earlier because I thought Yatshee would bring it up in his review of Skyrim but he didn't. So I want to know if I am the only one who has experienced this racism, and if you have, share your tales of witnessed racist actions within Skrim.

 

[Irridium]

Of course. It's everywhere.

It's happening because there's a rebellion going on between the Empire and the Stormcloaks. Stormcloaks want all non-nord occupants out of Skyrim. Empire wants to keep things the way they are. Makes sense in-universe. And it's pretty much why I didn't join the Stormcloaks.

Though I agree it's not too subtle, but then again considering Nord culture, subtlety wouldn't be one of their strong suits.

Go to Windhelm. Plenty of racism there.

And the guy talks about your "norse power" no matter what race you are. Just replace "Norse" with "Imperial", "Orc", "Argonian", and so on and you get the idea. Supposed to make you feel good about choosing your class. Seems I was mistaken. Some races he talks up, some he insults. Still, the reasons for which are seeped in the lore, and bottom line is that basically everyone hates each other. More or less.

 

[Outcast107]

Of course. It's everywhere.

It's happening because there's a rebellion going on between the Empire and the Stormcloaks. Stormcloaks want all non-nord occupants out of Skyrim. Empire wants to keep things the way they are. Makes sense in-universe. And it's pretty much why I didn't join the Stormcloaks.

Though I agree it's not too subtle, but then again considering Nord culture, subtlety wouldn't be one of their strong suits.

Go to Windhelm. Plenty of racism there.

And the guy talks about your "norse power" no matter what race you are. Just replace "Norse" with "Imperial", "Orc", "Argonian", and so on and you get the idea. Supposed to make you feel good about choosing your class.

I just ant to say, Whiterun is neutral and not part of the StormCloaks. Though they are more for the Imperial side so..go figure. Both sides are racist.

 

[TimeLord]

Games with different background for NPC's and characters being "racist" isn't new.

Fallout 3 has discrimination against gouls for being gouls. In fact any mythological game like Skyrim/Dragon Age etc is going to have groups of people coded to hate other groups for the crime of being alive. Otherwise you would have an entire game of acceptance and love and we can't have that can we?

 

[Oscar Ben Newton]

I gets a little bit intense because when ever you are in combat with a different race they always use these Racial slures that the Bethesda team made up. It kind of gives you a whole apartheid feel.

 

[Jarek Mace]

"So I want to know if I am the only one who has experienced this racism..."
Your forgetting the golden rule. Furthermore these Redguards are looking to abduct a woman... hah.

 

[jthwilliams]

well you might argue that it is speciesism rather than racism as I don't think the human's and the mer can inner-breed. Also the nords only seem to really dislike emperials because emperials abuse the nords. They don't seem to be very any redgaurd for example.

But I'm just being pedantic. Yes, there is a very strong "Skyrim for the Nords" theme.

 

[enzilewulf]

Heh I have never played as a Nord. Don't plan to. I beat the shit out of the racist drunk in Windhelm. I smiled for the rest of that day...

 

[Mau95]

NOOOOOOOO! REALLY? Duh, were in Skyrim, land of the Nords. They dont like strangers, especially with the whole civil war dealie going on. I was Imperial, and he seemed pretty friendly to me.

 

[Jadak]

When I entered Whiterun I saw a group of Redguards being herassed by Whiterun guards. The guards where going on about how the Redguards only wanted to come in to rape children and abduct woman to sell into slavery. When I went up to one of the Redguards, he said that they where just looking for a friend and if I could help.

lol, I've yet to finish that particular quest so I don't know what their true intentions are, but you do see pairs of redguards every now and then harassing women for whatever their reasons are. Whatever it is, it's definitely not something as honest and friendly as "looking for a friend".

Anyways, as a Dark Elf. I just make a point of murdering every single person who bad mouths me for it. Maybe the rest will learn.

 

[Oscar Ben Newton]

I dont mind the hate between the imperials and the Nords, but when it comes to opressing the Khajiit, Its just wrong, It is like animal abuse. They are a minority being stomped on by the strongest group in the realm, the Nords. Its just sad I guess, Hahaha!!!

 

[boag]

I first realised this just after I picked a race.I chose to play as a Nord which immediately brought the guard with the check list great joy. He was also very taken aback when after he gave his "Norse power" speech the front woman still ordered me to my death. This made me realsise that this game might have a slight Norse supiriourity thing going.

After surviving the dragon onsluaght I was sent to Riverwood, where another man sent me to Whiterun. When I reached Whiterun the first thing that I encountered was a squatter camp filled with Khajiit. I went closer and over heard two of them talking about how the Nords would not let them into Whiterun because they think all Khajiit are rapists and theives. They then went on to say that all they are trying to do is raise a family.

When I entered Whiterun I saw a group of Redguards being herassed by Whiterun guards. The guards where going on about how the Redguards only wanted to come in to rape children and abduct woman to sell into slavery. When I went up to one of the Redguards, he said that they where just looking for a friend and if I could help.

Things like this kept happening throughout the game, and I didnt make a post about it earlier because I thought Yatshee would bring it up in his review of Skyrim but he didn'nt. So I want to know if I am the only one who has experienced this racism, and if you have, share your tales of witnessed rasist actions within Skrim.

Wouldnt intolarance of Khajiits be Specism, and not Racism?

 

[DEAD34345]

Racism has been a key feature in every TES game so far, although maybe I've experienced it more than most since I always play as Argonians. I think it's pretty cool, really, and adds an extra dynamic of relationships between my character and the NPCs. Honestly I'm as racist as the Nords in that game, since I always try to avoid harming fellow Argonians even when I have no qualms with massacring entire towns of other people. It just makes me feel so guilty when they clearly trust me, and call me their friend (or marsh-friend) and I kill them anyway.

Also if you think the people of Skyrim are racist you clearly haven't played Morrowind, where Argonians and Khajiits were commonly enslaved and put to work, and practically everyone thought they were "lesser" beings.

 

[JET1971]

I didnt join the stormcloaks for this reason as well as seperating the empire into regions would just lead to more war. and I really dislike going to windhelm for anything and the game seems to dislike me owning a house there since it wont give me the blood on ice quest so I can buy a house even though I have the buy a house quest. everytime I hear that guy say he goes to the grey quarter and tells them what he thinks i want to draw my sword and slice him him up. yeah i dont like racists...

 

[Vern5]

Hail Snipsis

Lore time:

The Nords and many elf races have been fighting each other since the dawn of time. The Falmer are a direct result of this constant fighting (they were the original Skyrim elves who were driven underground for millenia where evolution took a nasty turn with them). The Nords even managed to conquer Morrowind for a time before being pushed back to Solstheim by Nerevar and the Tribunal gods (they were just elves back then).

The Nords are generally distrustful of all outsiders but the Imperial hatred is a little more recent due to the banning of Talos worship (due to the Imperial peace treaty with the Thalmor). Since Talos was originally a Nord man, the Nords took special offense to this .

The Khajiit have never been trusted by other races in general. Most Khajiit have an inborn tendency to be thieves and bandits. Of course, not all of them are bad but enough are that it became a stereotype for the entire species.

Those Redguard warriors (we're talking about the Ali'kr right?) are not supposed to be in the city. Whiterun is supposed to be on lockdown due to the Dragon threat and you are the only exception to that rule since you brought first-hand report of the Dragon attack on Helgen.

And the guy talks about your "norse power" no matter what race you are. Just replace "Norse" with "Imperial", "Orc", "Argonian", and so on and you get the idea. Supposed to make you feel good about choosing your class.

I dunno about you guys but I usually play as a Dunmer. All I got from that guy was a bit of pity and a comment about the Gods abandoning my people.

 

[Oscar Ben Newton]

I have been to an Orc stronghold and things got a little bit dirty, they really are very rasist and speciasist, but like I said earlier I dont mind the large groups hating on eachother. Its when it comes to opressing a minority that it gets to me.

 

[Purple Dragon]

I have yet to encounter rasism, racism yes some characters are indeed RACIST

 

[Oscar Ben Newton]

I have yet to encounter rasism, racism yes some characters are indeed RACIST

Oops my bad! Haha, Thanx for correcting me.

 

[MrCollins]

Morrowind had slavery! It depicts racism, which is differant to being racist.
I think that this is fairly realistic, I mean all the differances we have mostly come down to color, but between Nords, Kajiits, Bosmer and Argonians, you can't be suprised if stereotypes are formed. I mean, I didn't play Oblivion, but Morrowind was full of "Dunmer Supremacists"